TRPM 337

chapter 337

The first valley we headed to was the one in our neighborhood.

Everyone knew that even our neighborhood had mountains, and that those mountains had a fairly decent valley.

“It’s relatively small, though.”

When we were in elementary school, we sometimes went to that valley on school trips. Of course, we never actually went into the valley itself; we just ate our packed lunches in the nearby open space.

The teacher parked the car near the entrance to the hiking trail. If you walked a little way up that trail, you’d reach the valley.

“Everyone, get out. Be careful not to hit the door against the next car… Ha-eun, are you still in that state?”

The teacher turned off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and looked back. There was Lee Ha-eun, staring blankly into the air.

Was it really that shocking for her to find out that the teacher was a man?

“Well, come to think of it, even before the regression, most students at our school reacted the same way.”

For reference, I was one of those students. At the time, I too believed without a doubt that the teacher was a woman. Though, nobody had ever been spaced out for over thirty minutes like Ha-eun.

“Ha-eun! Wake up!”

“… What… uh… ugh…?”

As I unbuckled my seatbelt, Ryu Ah-young loudly woke Ha-eun. Ha-eun, who had been staring into space the whole car ride, finally snapped out of it and looked around.

“Uh…”

“What are you doing? Let’s get out quickly.”

“Ah, okay.”

Whether it was because she hadn’t fully regained her senses yet or because she hadn’t grasped the situation, Ha-eun’s eyes were still fixed on the air. At least she seemed conscious enough to get out of the car.

“This is…”

“Our neighborhood hiking trail.”

“Oh, right…”

Ha-eun looked around as Ryu Ah-young spoke, and when she recognized the familiar scenery, she seemed to realize where we were.

“… Hmm?”

I, however, was a little surprised as I watched Ha-eun. More precisely, I was surprised by the movement of magical energy in her body. Her magic was moving differently than usual—freely.

“Normally it circulates in a big circle… but now it’s spreading in all directions?”

It seemed she had achieved some sort of realization while she was out of it. No wonder it took her so long to regain her senses.

But she wasn’t someone like me or Yeon Mirae, a martial arts ability awakener… and yet she had a sudden realization?

“What triggered it?”

…Of course, I had a guess. The single most shocking event for her today was clear: discovering the teacher’s true gender.

“Wait… realizing the teacher is actually a man gave her some kind of awakening…?”

Everyone has different triggers for realizations, but still… as I pondered this…

“Alright, let’s go up.”

The teacher, having locked the car doors, said this to us.

“Yes. Oh, but what about the water container for collecting valley water?”

“That’s in my pocket dimension.”

Ha-eun had brought the water container, and her belongings were stored in my pocket dimension. Now that she had regained her senses, there was no reason to delay, so we began climbing the mountain along the hiking trail.

“But Geon-woo…”

“Hm?”

“Does using clean valley water really make potions more effective?”

Not long after we began the hike, Ryu Ah-min asked this as we reached a spot where the valley water was visible. I glanced back to check the positions of the teacher, Ryu Ah-young, and Ha-eun.

“At this distance…”

If I spoke quietly, she wouldn’t hear. So I quietly answered only Ryu Ah-min.

“Nope.”

“……”

“If anything, it might reduce effectiveness, but it almost never improves it.”

Ryu Ah-min’s expression showed a sense of confirmation. He seemed to have suspected the same.

“If valley water really improved potions, potion-making companies would constantly collect it.”

That was true. There are many places where swimming or littering near the valley is prohibited, but no one really stops people from taking the water. It’s just not recommended due to potential parasites or bacteria.

“You knew all this and came along, right Geon-woo?”

“Ahmin, didn’t you also come along knowing this?”

“Me….”

Ryu Ah-min slightly turned his head to look at the female teacher… specifically, Ms. Son Ji-hye. Ah, so he came along because she was coming.

“…It’s a secret?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

No need to announce it. But I doubt the others would be unaware of Ah-min’s thoughts.

“Geon-woo! Get me a water container!”

While I was having this conversation with Ryu Ah-min, Ha-eun shouted at me. Hearing her, I pulled one of the water containers she had stored in my pocket dimension and tossed it to her.

Thud!

“Wah?! Why are you throwing it!”

I had forgotten Ha-eun’s absolutely terrible motor skills. Outwardly known only as a magician, Ha-eun could also use Aura. But despite having awakened Aura, she avoided using it due to her poor coordination.

Splash…!

I had aimed the water container precisely at her arms, but she failed to catch it. Naturally, it slipped from her hands and fell into the valley water.

“Oh no…”

Ryu Ah-min muttered as he saw this, though he had no intention of jumping in to retrieve it. I could have retrieved it with my telekinesis, known externally as psychokinesis…

Splash…!

“…Hm?”

But someone else had already jumped in—the girl with white hair, Ryu Ah-young.

“Phew! Got it!”

“……”

Seeing this, Ryu Ah-min turned his head away, perhaps embarrassed by his twin.

“…Even if you look away, the people around you will easily recognize that she’s your sibling.”

After all, Ryu Ah-min also has white hair, and as twins, they share many similarities.

“Ugh… it’s cold…”

Ryu Ah-young emerged from the water, shivering from being soaked from head to toe.

“…Wash, dry.”

Seeing this, I used Word Magic to clean and dry her clothes and body. After all, valley water is full of parasites and bacteria.

“Ah, thanks!”

Feeling better, Ryu Ah-young thanked me, while Ha-eun, who had collected the valley water, wrote our neighborhood’s name on the lid of the water container and handed it to me.

“Keep this for us.”

“Sure.”

However…

“Ugh…!”

“?”

Perhaps as repayment for my earlier throw, Ha-eun didn’t hand me the container gently—she threw it at me. The container was quite large, and filled with water, so it was heavy.

Thud!

“……”

“……”

“……”

It hit the ground before reaching me. In this case, I suppose it’s fortunate it didn’t hit me.

Sigh…

I sighed, stored the fallen container in my pocket dimension, and placed my hand on Ha-eun’s head, squeezing it with just my grip.

“Kyah?! That hurts!”

Ha-eun immediately submitted to my Iron Claw.

Ha-eun got back into the car with the hand imprint still on her head.

“Ugh… it still hurts…”

“…Looks like it.”

“Who told you to pull that prank?”

A water-filled container is basically a blunt weapon. Throwing it at someone warrants a scolding.

“…Geon-woo, it doesn’t hurt you at all when it hits you.”

“What?”

“…I’m sorry…”

It’s no surprise. After accepting Ha-eun’s apology, I fastened my seatbelt in the passenger seat. Then the teacher asked Ha-eun:

“Ha-eun, where should we go next?”

“Uh, well…”

Ha-eun pulled out her smartphone and showed the teacher the screen. As expected, she had already chosen which valleys to visit.

“…That’s a lot.”

“I also chose considering camping grounds and restaurants along the way.”

“…Just checking…”

The teacher asked, clarifying if she really intended to travel this much.

“Four nights and five days.”

Ha-eun casually gave an absurd answer. Simply fetching valley water shouldn’t take 4–5 days… How many valleys was she planning to visit?

“Of course, we’re not spending all five days at valleys. We also plan to visit local festivals.”

She showed us a list of festivals in the region we were going to visit. Ah… I see. If we’re visiting multiple festivals, 4–5 days might actually be too short.

“What festivals will you attend?”

“Well… the Rose Festival, Hanok Village Festival, Butterfly Festival…”

Ryu Ah-min and Ryu Ah-young, hearing about the festivals for the first time, leaned over to check Ha-eun’s phone. Since it was vacation season, many festivals were scheduled.

“Don’t lean over, it’ll distract me while driving.”

The teacher started the car, and the kids sat back down, continuing to talk about the festivals.

“Oh, I know this festival. My uncle went and gave us souvenirs.”

“Ah, right. It looks just like the decorations at our house.”

Of course, I couldn’t join the conversation, sitting in the passenger seat without seeing the phone screen. Not that I felt lonely.

“Ah, right.”

I pulled out my phone and messaged my mother and acquaintances, saying this trip would take about four nights and five days. Initially, I thought it would only take three to four days max.

“By the way, teacher, are you okay not going home for five days?”

“Hm? Me? It’s fine. It’s basically a vacation for me until a week before summer break. I’ll call my parents later.”

Ah, driving for five straight days might be tiring… The teacher’s expression suddenly fell, realizing he’d have to drive alone for that long.

“…But I can’t exactly take over, can I?”

After all, I’m a minor and don’t have a driver’s license.