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Home town (2)
The winter break signaling the new year and the start of the second year.
I had made a relatively simple plan for this break.
– Go to dungeons just a little, and focus on improving my existing abilities!
The reason I made this plan was simple.
I had obtained quite a lot of runes and abilities through [Rune Hunter] and various awakenings, but their utilization was inevitably lacking.
For a Holder, the highs and lows of their possessed abilities are important, but rune utilization is often more important.
Ability levels only determine up to C-rank.
From B-rank Holders onward, the focus shifts more to rune levels and utilization rather than abilities.They’re called ‘Rune Holders’ from the start.
If I’m not skilled at handling runes, it’s only natural that my strength would lag behind.
“Steadily growing, I see.”
Fortunately, there were no particular issues with my plan.
Through diligent training and practice, most of my growing runes had now surpassed level 10, and even non-main runes couldn’t be below level 5.
At the center of this was the [Effort of the Seeker] rune that had been doing excellent work since the early days of my Holder life.
This absurd rune that triples rune level growth speed and grants ability stats with each training… Was an ability optimized for a Holder’s growth like no other.
There was even a rune among my possessed ones that gave a bonus to the growth of ‘water-related runes’, so the applicable runes showed insane high-speed growth.
Notably, the level of the recently acquired [Brave Eternal Wave] rune was already 6.
“…Really fast.”
In any case, my simple break plan of raising rune levels was progressing successfully like this.
It’s not like I was neglecting dungeon raids either.
There were only two dungeons I planned to raid this break.
<River Touched by Breath of a Dragon> and <City of Estranged Wolves>.
I had already finished raiding the former with my master from the start of break, and the latter was postponed to the end while slowly picking members to go with.
Thanks to that, I had quite some free time left in the middle of the break.
I spent most days training and practicing, but with no big plans overall, I had room for leisure.
My first trip in a year since falling into this world.
This visit to my hometown was also… A trip born from that leisure.
“Oh, it’s an honor to meet Holder Do Jae-hyun!”
…This is why it’s tiring to become famous.
Most of the Holders I met on the way recognized me, and it was the same at the warp gate to our destination.
A Holder belonging to the Association greeted me so overly in such a remote region.
Well, they did advertise me so much in the news, so it’d be weirder if they didn’t know me.
“Ah, but you seem to be a much senior Holder than me…”
“Oh. Ah, but you’re a Holder I deeply respect… What does seniority matter! Haha. Plus, Holder Kang Ju-yeon is with you too.”
“Ah… I see. Thank you. Haha…”
We awkwardly laughed and quickly left that place.
If we stayed any longer, we’d inevitably have to do photo time.
“…Quite the popular guy.”
By my side today was Kang Ju-yeon.
When we coincidentally brought up visiting my hometown on our last date, she said she wanted to come along too.
I was a bit torn, but ultimately allowed it.
Kang Ju-yeon is a good person without any flaws as a girlfriend, and even more so someone who wouldn’t make any mistakes in front of my parents.
Plus, it was the first time she asked me for something, so I wanted to accept if possible.
“Ah, just popular with Holders. Ordinary people won’t even know who I am.”
“…You seemed popular though.”
“There are far more ordinary people not interested in Holders.”
“You had a fan club and everything.”
“Oh, don’t even mention that. The fan club president keeps contacting me these days, and I feel like some celebrity.”
Of course, it wasn’t personal contact.
As the fan club grew a bit in size and activity, they would occasionally contact me through email about holding events like fan meetings or autograph sessions.
I didn’t know the other party’s information, but I could clearly feel they were an avid fan of mine.
I’m grateful, really.
That they show this much interest in me who’s not even a real celebrity.
But it’s still a bit burdensome, so I’ve been rejecting or postponing their proposals so far.
However, Kang Ju-yeon seemed to have seriously misunderstood something…
As she asked me in a rather cold tone. “…Should I take care of it?”
“Ju-yeon, please. I’m scared you might be serious.”
Her choice of words made her earnestness feel even stronger.
Anyway, we arrived at our destination while chatting about this and that.
My hometown is located in Haenam, Jeollanam-do.
A town better known by the nickname ‘The End Village’.
The place where my parents live, Masan-myeon, is located a bit towards the outskirts even within Haenam.
So after arriving in the town, we had to take a taxi and travel quite a distance.
“…My first time in Haenam.”
After getting out of the taxi, Ju-yeon looked around and said that.
While expressionless on the outside, her excited feelings were showing through.
The scenery of the countryside and fresh air.
It seemed the whole atmosphere surrounding her appealed to her heart.
“It’s my first time too…”
So I tried to excitedly respond as well…
Before abruptly stopping myself.
For someone born and raised here to say Haenam is their first time…
I’m insane.
What am I trying to say?
“Ah, my first time since coming to the Academy. Yeah, haha. It feels new even though it’s only been a year.”
Fortunately, I was able to smoothly connect it.
Faced with directly confronting my past that I don’t even know, I inevitably stumbled at times.
Come to think of it, I’m meeting my parents for the first time today too…
I realized I needed to be careful not to make any mistakes.
We must have walked about 10 minutes.
Strolling down the countryside road hand-in-hand, it felt like we were on a date, which made me happy.
After passing by vast fields and paths crisscrossing between them…
We finally arrived at my parents’ house.
And the moment I saw it, my mouth naturally hung open.
An enormously large mansion was right before our eyes that could hardly be taken in at a glance.
‘…Are they some local bigwig?’
I couldn’t help but think that.
This is just an insane size.
While only 3 stories tall, the area was so wide that it occupied the entire site.
The courtyard below was spacious enough to be a public parking lot, with several cars parked there.
It gave the feeling of what it’d be like if wealthy people came down and built a house here in the countryside.
It was a scale rarely seen in rural areas.
“…Jae-hyun’s family is quite well-off, huh.”
Even Kang Ju-yeon, from a prestigious family herself, said that.
“Yeah. I almost forgot our family is affluent.”
My parents are the kind who can casually offer their son an entire lease deposit for a 24-pyeong apartment.
The only reason I was able to attend the Academy after recklessly going up to Seoul was thanks to my farming tycoon parents’ unlimited financial resources.
As we arrived in front of the house and looked around, my parents soon came out to greet us.
“Son-! You’re here?”
The lady of our household and my mother, Park Eun-sook, rushed over first to welcome us.
Next to her, my father Do Seung-wan stood slightly smiling.
While meeting them for the first time, I had already become familiar with their faces through photos and videos.
“Mom, Dad. I’m here.”
I greeted them in as sincere a tone as I could muster.
To which my parents broke into smiles.
“Haha. He really is speaking formally.”
“Oh my. Why are you surprised by my son? He’s all grown up now.”
It seems my father couldn’t believe my formal speech at first.
…Since I had only spoken to my mom over calls until now.
But hearing this conversation put my heart at ease.
I was a bit worried my slightly changed manner of speech might come across as odd, but fortunately, both parents seemed satisfied.
With that out of the way, I glanced to the side and…
Had to forcibly hold back a laugh that almost burst out.
There stood Kang Ju-yeon, at least 10 times more tense than me, stiffly frozen like a statue.
‘How cute.’
I can understand that tension.
I’d probably freeze up too if I had to greet Kang Woo-hyun, Moon Jeong-hyuk, or Professor Kim Myeong-hyun directly.
Seeing them normally is different from… Meeting them as their daughter’s boyfriend felt completely different.
“Mom. This is the girlfriend I mentioned before.”
So I took the initiative to help her out.
With my simple introduction, my parents’ gazes turned toward her, and Kang Ju-yeon immediately bowed in greeting.
“Hello. I’m Kang Ju-yeon. It’s an honor to meet you, Father, Mother.”
Kuhek.
I almost let out an inadvertent cough.
…Father and Mother, huh.
Setting the relationship so firmly from the start.
But that wasn’t the only point that shocked me.
‘Her speech is fast and precise.’
Among all the words I’ve heard from Ju-yeon until now…
This was the fastest and most accurate delivery.
Kang Ju-yeon.
You really are good with words, huh
“Oh my, so crisp. And such a pretty face too.”
“…Thank you.”
“Almost too good for our Jae-hyun-.”
As my mom jokes like that with a laugh, my dad chimed in.
“Heh. What do you mean, what is our Jae-hyun lacking?”
“I mean with his manners, you know. Anyway, let’s head inside. I need to go with Ju-yeon.”
Taking Ju-yeon by the arm, my mom led the way.
Not just over the phone, I felt it again in person – my mom’s affability seems to be the highest among anyone I’ve met so far.
This level might even surpass Moon Ga-eun’s.
Left behind, my dad and I exchanged amused smiles before heading towards the house.
“Oh, Jae-hyun.”
“Yes, Dad?”
Then my dad called out to me, and I turned my head.
“We have a guest visiting right now.”
“A guest?”
“Yeah. A Holder, but someone famous in farming too, so they’re collaborating with our family for a bit.”
A Holder famous in farming…?
It’s an unusual combination.
No matter how hard I racked my brain, no particular individual came to mind.
Patting my shoulder, my dad continued speaking.
“They were curious about meeting my son, a Holder too. Greet them later when you meet.”
“Yes, I understand.”
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