Chapter 177: See You Later

Chapter 177: See You Later

After a heavy night of drinking with Baekdo and experiencing a fiery evening,

I woke up in bed, rubbing my swollen eyes.

“...Uhmm.”

Though my body didn’t feel fatigued, treating the intoxication as if it were fatigue allowed me to sleep somewhat decently.

From now on, I should just drink when I need to sleep.

As I thought this and got up, something heavy slid off my shoulder.

“...Beep.”

It was Shiba, in a drowsy state.

Clinging to me just like a koala.

Shiba, too, seemed dazzled by the light as she rubbed her eyes and yawned carefreely, her small mouth wide open.

“Yaaawn~!”

Such a cute yawn.

Even in the morning, our daughter was adorable.

I hugged Shiba with both arms and rubbed my cheek against hers.

“Shiba, did you sleep with me? Come here, let’s hug~”

“Daddy, I love it!”

A listless Shiba stretched her arms wide and clutched my head tightly, rubbing her cheek against mine just as I had.

Raising a daughter was truly enjoyable.

“Beep~”

As Shiba and I greeted the morning and rubbed against each other to get up, someone walked towards the door, and our eyes met.

It was Cheondo, dressed in outdoor clothes.

“Are you up now?”

“Yes. Are you leaving today?”

“...Staying longer won’t make a difference.”

Cheondo, who chuckled bitterly, turned her head and brought a suitcase to me.

It contained only the clothes she had used while living here.

Apparently, no other essentials were needed.

Cheondo approached me as if to reassure me and placed her hand on my forehead.

She then swept my hair aside.

“Hmm... it’s the last time I’ll see my student’s face.”

“Don’t say that, please.”

“Why? It’s true we won’t see each other for a while.”

“I know, but it makes me uneasy. You need to live long, Master. Please don’t cast any ominous spells.”

“...Is that so?”

Cheondo, looking confused, picked up her luggage and headed towards the door again.

“So, I’m going to the airport, will you come with me?”

“Of course, I have to. I’ll follow where my Master goes. But we’re going by car, not using magic?”

“...Sometimes, it’s good to take it slow.”

“Indeed.”

Using magic makes travel quick, like in a game, but riding in a vehicle and watching the scenery provides a pleasure that magic didn’t offer.

Indeed, for places whose coordinates I didn’t know, the only option was to find them manually.

I couldn’t remember more than ten coordinates at a time.

‘I’ve long forgotten the coordinates for Dowon.’

I only remembered the coordinates for the kindergarten and the academy, as coordinates that weren’t reviewed nightly are forgotten.

Hwangdo, who could memorize dozens of places instantly, was truly exceptional.

“Is Hwangdo awake?”

“She is. Should I call her?”

“No... There must be a reason you’re out now. Let’s go. I’ll take a shower and drive. What time is the flight?”

“10:30 AM.”

It’s 9 AM now, so we had plenty of time.

The distance from the dormitory to the airport wasn’t far by car.

I put Shiba on my shoulder, being careful not to bump her forehead, and asked Cheondo as we left the room.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“...I was going to grab something on the go.”

“Well, I can make you some toast. You won’t get to eat my cooking for a while.”

“That sounds nice.”

Cheondo smiled beautifully at my suggestion.

Her rare emotional expression and that smile remained the most memorable image of her.

I picked up Shiba with one hand and turned on the water at the sink to start washing up.

“Shiba, hold your breath.”

“Beep!”

-Epfufu.

I scooped up water with one hand and splashed it onto her face.

I cleaned her eyes, cheeks, and neck, then cupped my hands and brought them close to Shiba’s nose.

“Don’t blow too hard, just enough so your ears pop.”

“Pheew!”

“Opposite side.”

It reminded me of the young Cheondo from the past. No, it was only when cooking that she seemed genuinely innocent.

I swallowed the toast bitterly; the overwhelming taste of strawberry jam assaulted my mouth, nose, and throat all at once.

“...It’s very sweet.”

“Sweet is delicious, isn’t it?”

After all, there was nothing wrong with toast being sweet.

Like a sandwich or something you’d find at a convenience store.

I took another bite of the toast.

“...Hmm.”

“Do you want another?”

“No, I drank a lot yesterday; I’m good.”

...I needed to take care of this person.

This time, it seemed Cheondo was under the illusion that I was enjoying the meal, despite my senses feeling otherwise.

After a makeshift breakfast with Cheondo, we headed to the airport.

Driving her car to the airport, I was surprised when she compensated me with her rather valuable car.

“Here, use this.”

“...Do you really not need it?”

“There’s no need for a car... it’s just a feeling.”

“True, walking might be faster for a master like you.”

She checked her luggage and sat waiting for the departure time.

Thinking we might not talk much after this, various stories spontaneously spilled from my mouth.

“Don’t take on dangerous tasks needlessly.”

“...Should you, my disciple, be saying that? That’s my line.”

“Is it?”

“I don’t know what happened at the retreat... but think carefully and act.”

“...I’ll return that advice to you.”

It seemed inevitable that it was time to let her go.

Or was that the right expression?

Just thinking about these people out of my sight makes me uneasy.

The scenes I had seen sometimes flashed before me, and the nightmares I had every night weren’t something a normal person would experience.

‘At least I don’t have nightmares when I drink and sleep next to my daughter.’

Nevertheless, it’s real that Cheondo could face dangerous situations later.

I looked intently at Cheondo’s face as I gave her advice as my master.

“Anyway, eat well. If you face real danger, don’t be ashamed to run. Be resolute when you need to protect someone. You’re listening, right?”

Her features are distinct and doll-like, angelic when she smiled but otherwise frightening.

The stark contrast often made me wonder, yet her beauty remained undeniable.

Maybe that’s why.

-...Brother~!

Seeing her face suddenly reminded me of the young Cheondo.

Without thinking, I reached out and stroked her head.

“......”

Since she was taller, I could easily see the change in Cheondo’s expression.

“Ah, my mistake.”

“What are you doing?”

“Just... it happened unintentionally.”

Pet, pet.

Cheondo, with an expressionless face, showed a slight emotion of surprise in her wavering eyes.

Yet, she didn’t yell for me to stop touching her.

As I continued to pet her soft hair, Shiba tugged at my clothes.

“Beep, beep!”

You too?

As I petted her with my other hand, she purred.

“......”

“Your hair is quite soft.”

“Be quiet.”

With a confused look, Cheondo slowly pulled away from me and rubbed her scalp, tilting her head several times.

I didn’t know what she felt.

Just then, the airplane began boarding.

“...Anyway. You got all that?”

Cheondo nudged me once, then transformed into Hwangdo and Baekdo, allowing me to exchange a few words with them. They then boarded the plane.

“See you later.”

“Okay.”

I didn’t know when,

But I hoped it wouldn’t be long till we meet again.

I gently waved Shiba’s hand as I watched Cheondo walk away.

-Fffft.

Cheondo turned back, saw Shiba waving and me holding her hand, and smiled once again.

Seeing such a rare smile twice in one day was definitely a sign of good fortune.