Baek woke with a groan, the familiar weight of his illness settling over him. Jin-hwan’s healing had been a temporary reprieve, but the Gueumjulmaek remained, a poison in his veins. He felt heavier this morning, dizzier than usual. He couldn’t wait half a year, not even a month. He had to cure this affliction, and soon. We don’t have time. The Dae-sohwan was still a few years away, but that wasn't the only ticking clock. The world was now littered with the events and items from Chronicles of Valor 2, all of them unclaimed, unguarded. Anyone could stumble upon them. Back in the game, if you missed a deadline for a quest or an item, it was gone forever. In this new reality, the stakes were infinitely higher. In his current state, even a short walk in the garden felt like a monumental effort. He needed to heal, to build a body capable of what was to come. Alright. First, the date… or rather, the quest I’m calling a date. Remembering how Jin-hwan had tensed at the word, Baek pushed himself out of bed and began his morning routine: wake up, wash, eat. Normally, he would greet his parents, but Count and Countess Baek were both away. That makes this easier. Getting permission for a day-long carriage ride—a picnic—would have been a struggle, given his delicate health. Of course, it won't be easy now, either. Returning to his room after his meal, Baek glanced at Yoo. She was looking at him differently today, her thoughts clearly still on the cryptic conversation he’d had with Jin-hwan yesterday. Her expression was a mixture of worry, concern, and a flicker of doubt about her young master’s sanity. And into this, I’m supposed to ask for a carriage date? How did one even arrange such a thing? He couldn’t just send a message and meet up like he could in his past life. No, wait. There is a similar method. Baek recalled the proper etiquette: he would write a letter requesting a date, send it to Count Jin-hwan, and if the Count and Jin-hwan agreed, the outing would be approved. It’ll take about two days. It was a hassle, but unavoidable. They were both minors, and one of them was chronically ill. “Um… that is… Yellow—no, I mean, I’d like to request a quest from Lady Jin-hwan. I mean, a date. Could you suggest a place? Somewhere… nice? Near the mountains, for an outing… Y-Yesterday! That’s right. We didn’t get to talk properly during her visit.” Why did he feel like he was asking SolarFlare out on a date? Baek cringed internally, but pushed his anguish aside. He needed Yoo’s help. Even with his parents away, he couldn’t act freely. Going anywhere outside the mansion was impossible without the cooperation of Yoo, who was like an older sister to him and held significant authority in the household. He watched her, his breath held. He’d been acting erratically for days. What if she just told him to stay put and rest? Please, Yoo! Don’t make me say I want to date SolarFlare again! Perhaps his desperation reached her. Instead of the cold refusal he feared, a subtle smile touched Yoo’s lips. “Very well. Let’s get you ready.” Her smile widened, and he could practically read her thoughts. I see. So you really do want to get closer to Lady Jin-hwan. You were just embarrassed yesterday. I thought you’d grown up, but you’re still a boy. Or perhaps this is a sign that you’re becoming a man? Heh. I see what this is about. No, you don’t! You’re completely wrong! But he was in no position to argue. “Then let’s compose an invitation to Lady Jin-hwan,” Yoo said, her eyes twinkling. “How about we start with, ‘To my dearest Lady Jin-hwan, whom I love with all my heart’?” Baek Yu-sung’s exclusive maid. They called her the Ice Princess for her stoic demeanor, but beneath it lay a surprisingly broad-minded woman. With a long, theatrical sigh, Baek picked up his pen and began to compose a flowery invitation to Jin-hwan. The carriage that had departed from the Jin-hwan estate, picked them up from the Baek manor, and was now trundling smoothly along the road toward the Cheon-ma Mountains. Four people sat inside. Baek Yu-sung and his maid, Yoo Min-ah, faced Jin-hwan Chae-won and her escort knight, Ahn Dan-ah. Jin-hwan sat directly opposite Baek. You hate this, don’t you? I hate it too. She’d been forced to reply to his over-the-top letter with one of her own, accepting the invitation for a carriage ride and a scenic outing. Yeah, I know the feeling. He’d felt just as ridiculous writing his part. Still, a smile tugged at his lips as he took in the sight of her. She really went all out for this date. She was dressed for a flower-viewing excursion with her fiancé. A wide-brimmed hat shaded her face, and she wore an elaborate white dress, its long skirt heavy with lace that made her pinkish-red hair seem even more vibrant. She looked, he had to admit, breathtaking. Anyone would concede that Jin-hwan was a beautiful girl. Honestly, if he could just forget she was SolarFlare, her appearance was lovely enough to warrant applause. If only she wasn't SolarFlare. The pretty girl across from him was giving him a similar look of grudging admiration, and the thought that this was SolarFlare made a small, incredulous laugh escape him. Well, I’m in the same boat. Baek had also been dressed in his finest clothes for the occasion. And with his naturally handsome, Adonis-like features, he could see a faint blush coloring Jin-hwan’s cheeks. Typical SolarFlare. Can’t hide her base instincts. A beast, through and through. I am not! And what about you? You’re staring just as hard! They exchanged a single loaded glance, and it was as if he could hear her thoughts. Beside them, Yoo and Ahn watched the two teenagers, their faces glowing with happiness. They make such a lovely couple. The two maids completely misinterpreted the silent snarling for bashful affection and exchanged warm, knowing smiles. The journey passed. Half a day later, the carriage finally reached their destination in the foothills of the Cheon-ma mountain range. “Ah, what wonderful weather we’re having,” Baek said stiffly, as if reading from a script. “Indeed,” Jin-hwan replied, her voice just as wooden. “The flowers are so very pretty. Though not as pretty as you, my lady, of course.” “Oh, my! You mustn’t tease me so…” They walked for a few minutes, exchanging awkward pleasantries until they were just out of earshot of Yoo and Ahn, who followed at a respectable distance, beaming. At the same moment, both teenagers let out a sigh. “Fuck, I really can’t do this,” Jin-hwan hissed. “I don’t care how much you curse, just do it with a smile,” Baek muttered back. “They can still see your face.” “Oh, fuck this. This is so fucking stupid.” Baek felt a wave of dizziness, coupled with a perverse thrill at the sight of this gorgeous, angelic-looking girl spewing a stream of curses. “Just hold on a little longer. We’re almost there.” “So what’s the plan? The seal is still a ways off.” “I have an idea. You brought the supplies?” “Excuse me? Of course I did. Who do you think I am?” “SolarFlare, second place on the server.” “Yeah, I’m the server’s… DIE! You know what? I’m going home.” “Aww, don’t be mad about being second,” Baek cooed. “Keep smiling, even when you turn your back on me, okay? Now, smile.” Jin-hwan shot him a middle finger instead, then forced her lips into a grin while glaring daggers at him. Baek coughed. “At least you got the items.” “Hmph. It wasn’t easy hiding them under this skirt, you know,” she said, giving the fabric a little shake. “Good. I knew I could count on you. That’s my SolarFlare.” “I’m not your SolarFlare, so just tell me the plan. How are we getting to the seal from here?” Even from a distance, Yoo and Ahn were watching them intently. Baek shifted his body, turning his back completely to their chaperones, and lowered his voice. “Simple. See that cliff over there?” “I see it. At the edge of the flower field.” “Once we get there, you’re going to pick me up and jump off.” It sounded insane, but Jin-hwan didn’t so much as blink. She knew CrimsonFang. He wouldn’t suggest it if he didn’t have a map. “Is there a secret passage under the cliff?” “Not a passage. About ten meters down, there’s a hidden path running along the cliff face. We’ll follow that to the seal.” Baek had been studying the terrain on the way here. He was now certain of one thing: while there were minor differences, the geography of this world largely matched the one in Chronicles of Valor 2. A rotten-water-level player like him could remember the way. “Won’t Yoo and Ahn just follow us?” “It’s a ten-meter drop. They won’t be able to get down quickly. And I have a plan for that, too.” Baek paused for effect. Just as Jin-hwan opened her mouth to snap at him, he held up a hand. “But first, you have to make me a promise.” “What promise?” “Promise you’ll hear me out and not get angry. And definitely don’t hit me.” Her eyes narrowed. “…What are you going to make me say?” Baek leaned in and began to explain in a low voice. At the edge of the flower field, Baek glanced over his shoulder and gave Jin-hwan the signal. As planned, Jin-hwan suddenly grabbed his hand. Yoo and Ahn let out little gasps at the bold display, but they hadn’t seen anything yet. Hand in hand, Baek and Jin-hwan sprinted toward the cliff’s edge and, without a moment’s hesitation, leaped into the air. For a horrifying second, their chaperones thought they were witnessing a lovers’ leap, an engaged couple ending it all before their lives could truly begin. Yoo and Ahn rushed to the edge of the cliff, their hearts in their throats. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Below, they saw Jin-hwan, holding Baek in her arms, landing softly on a narrow ledge with the aid of magic. “My lady!” Ahn cried out. “Young master!” Yoo shouted. They looked around frantically, searching for a way down, but the cliff face was sheer. Baek urgently prodded Jin-hwan. With her face completely red, she shouted up at them. “I… I want to spend some time alone with Ju-Jude! We’ll be back before dinner, so please wait for us! Don’t worry!” Ahn began to shout again in panic, but Baek urged Jin-hwan on. “Quickly! The next line!” “We’re not going to do anything weird! So don’t worry! Ju-Jude is a perfect gentleman!” With only Yoo and Ahn as witnesses, and the coachman napping far away, their secret would be safe as long as the two of them kept quiet. They had managed to slip away and had given themselves a plausible excuse for some time alone. Now all that was left was to get to the seal. At Baek’s prompting, Jin-hwan scrambled along the path, desperate to get out of sight. She felt like she could die of embarrassment. The moment they rounded a bend and were hidden from view, she exploded. “Are you serious?! Why did I have to be the one to say all that? I had to carry you, jump off a cliff, make those ridiculous excuses… I felt like hitting you!” She glared at him, her face a mask of fury. Baek adopted his calmest possible tone. “I’ve told you, I have Gueumjulmaek. I can barely lift my own arms, let alone carry you. And how could I possibly hit you? I’m the one with the disease, remember?” “That Gueumjulmaek! Always the Gueumjulmaek! Just get it healed already!” “Alright, alright. When I’m better, I’ll give you a hug to make up for it. I might even hit you back,” he teased. “No thanks! What is wrong with you?” “Yes, yes. Feeling better now? Then let’s hurry. We don’t have much time.” The chances of Yoo and Ahn actually waiting patiently were zero. They had to finish their work before their chaperones found a way down. “Hmph. Seriously, just get that Gueumjulmaek healed.” “I will. And as soon as it’s better, you can do whatever you want with me. But first, the seal.” Glancing around to get his bearings, Baek strode confidently down the hidden path.

Chapter 5: A Race Against Sickness