In fact, the invitation sent by the Black Wind Forest did not specify a dress code.

Because those who sent it believed that “any warrior who received the Hero’s Invitation would naturally come dressed appropriately for the Martial Arts Gathering.”

If someone showed up just wearing a school uniform, they wouldn’t be turned away, but disappointment was inevitable.

No one wanted to dampen the spirits of the warriors before a big battle.

“Nuru often presented Eastern-style clothes in her haute couture collections, but she probably never made something suitable for a warrior to wear.”

Seodol might give up and run away thinking this is impossible.

If it’s clothes appropriate for the Martial Arts Gathering, then she might as well become an ambassador and go do research—that could be a benefit in itself.

If that happened, I’d have to ask Jingmunguk to introduce her to a place to buy such clothes.

While I was thinking about a classmate who had come even to today’s memorial, Seodol stared at me with eyes so wide it was as if she forgot how to blink.

Cheongho seemed annoyed by that stare and looked like she wanted to poke Seodol with her finger, but I wondered if Seodol knew exactly what she was doing.

“I understand perfectly. Jo Yi-shin, you want to test me, don’t you? Fine!”

Seodol said she understood, but it was clear she knew nothing at all.

I had no intention of testing Seodol.

“Wait. I’ll quickly make an outfit worthy of Nuru’s ambassador for the Martial Arts Gathering.”

“I asked you to pick it out, not to make it. And you’re not even Nuru’s ambassador yet...”

“I’m busy now, so I’ll go. Jo Yi-shin, the wreath I sent is over there. I’ll make your new clothes with the same ribbon material used on it. Take care.”

Seodol said her piece and left.

The Tigers found it ridiculous but didn’t speak up, perhaps thinking it was better to send Seodol away as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, after Seodol left, Jin clan members who the Ho clan detested came.

“Eun-in, I’m here! Does your family like rice cakes? On days like this, you offer the deceased’s favorite food and share it together! I brought lots of new products!”

“Toyun, I told you to lower your voice.”

Representatives of the Tu clan, Ok Toyun and Ok Toyun, visited the memorial hall.

They had sent condolence wreaths earlier, but the writing on the ribbons was so dense with phrases it almost felt noisy just looking at it.

Although Ok Toyun wrote it and Ok Toyun inspected it, the ribbons were packed with messages, making Hwang Ji-ho frown, while Eunho commented, “Toyun-nim is as lively as ever.”

“My family always ate well whatever I brought.”

They ate so well that there was hardly any left for me.

Selfishly, I felt a little hurt about that.

Though it was pointless to regret, just imagining my family happily eating made me feel a bit better.

The space where the fake ashes were interred was small, so a separate spot was made in the memorial garden inside the hall, where I planned to place the rice cake set Ok Toyun had handed over.

After thanking them, I carried two stacked boxes, but when I saw the logo printed on the wrapping, I froze on the spot.

The top box had a different logo from the usual Dal Tokki rice cakes.

“Are they really not trying to hide it? Then why call it a secret project?”

“Dal Tokki Rice Cake Tea House.”

The secret project the Tu clan had been quietly pushing was a new café franchise business focused on rice cakes and traditional tea.

There was currently one offline Dal Tokki store, but it didn’t have much significance.

That store served more as a flagship to maintain and promote the brand value of the Tu clan’s Dal Tokki rather than maximizing sales profit.

The rabbit-themed character was popular worldwide, so the Tu clan was quite well-liked, and the store was treated as a tourist spot, selling related accessories rather than rice cakes.

Therefore, rice cake vendors nationwide always felt a bit disappointed.

“Dal Tokki sells in gift sets, so it’s hard for single-person households or those who want to casually enjoy rice cakes to access. And without a reservation, even if ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) you have money, it’s hard to buy.”

Dal Tokki operates on a reservation system, and rice cakes without reservations sell out by morning.

But opening a café would greatly improve accessibility.

The luxury brand’s exclusivity might fade a bit, but if the taste is good, someone will buy it eventually.

Also, looking at the types of rice cakes Ok Toyun sent, they didn’t overlap with the existing product lineup.

Thanks to the variety of rice cakes they sent that Dal Tokki doesn’t sell, I easily figured out what the project was.

Some rice cakes were still expensive and only available at Dal Tokki, so the brand value wouldn’t be shaken that much.

“Didn’t Eunho probably advise on the traditional tea, one of the main menu items? The Tu clan likes Eunho, so even if they didn’t need advice, they probably begged him to help.”

I imagined Ok Toyun and Eunho chatting while tasting various teas in front of the rice cakes.

It would’ve been better if Eunho’s descendants had been there, but probably they couldn’t attend.

The ribbon on the box had the address of the Dal Tokki Tea House’s first branch printed on it, located very close to Eungwang High School.

Ok Toyun was delighted, saying that if the secret project succeeded, they would often see Eunho’s descendants, meaning they really planned to physically shorten the distance.

But there was a problem.

“Isn’t it too close to MITRON in both location and business type?”

MITRON sells bread, and Dal Tokki Tea House sells rice cakes.

Both are basically carbohydrate-heavy.

Our school kids, especially juniors, eat everything indiscriminately, so if you ask whether they want bread or rice cake, they’d probably choose both, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

Ryu-jang and Sidellentium like sweets, so they’d be happy if sweet rice cakes were sold nearby.

Since the Tu clan had come for the memorial, I resolved to use their shop often later.

“Yes, my family all liked rice cakes. We’ll come often. Thank you.”

I thanked them and said I’d be a regular, but upon hearing my words, Ok Toyun’s face fell.

She stared at me so intently for a moment that her large red eyes reflected my image, and it seemed my expression was gloomier than usual, maybe because tears welled up in her eyes.

Before she could cry, Ok Toyun’s companion Ok Toyun quickly cleared the area, preventing wailing in the memorial hall.

“Jo Yi-shin, well done. You sent Ok Toyun out quicker than expected. ...Well, I’m not sure if it’s good considering your feelings, but if it’s rice cakes, I’ll buy them anytime.”

“Enough.”

“Even if it’s not rice cakes, tell me if you need anything.”

Hwang Ji-ho said something that made it hard to tell whether he was in a good mood or not.

He placed the boxes in the shade to keep the rice cakes fresh and continued receiving mourners.

“...Quite a few came.”

Muji appeared wearing a black shift dress and said gruffly.

Maybe Jecheon Daeseong had dragged him here forcibly?

Or maybe he was in a bad mood from having to wear a dull-colored outfit he didn’t want to.

Feeling sorry, I decided not to hold him up long.

I greeted briefly and concisely, but Muji suddenly looked hurt as he looked up at me.

I wondered whether I should apologize or prepare the juice he drank well last time when Jecheon Daeseong, dressed similarly in a suit, spoke.

“I told him it’s okay to take it slow, but my brother insisted we hurry. He was very worried you’d be alone on a day like this. But there are more mourners than expected who arrived before us, so don’t worry...”

“Ah, don’t say all that in front of him!”

Muji tried to step on Jecheon Daeseong’s foot with his heel, but Jecheon Daeseong dodged in an instant and moved back.

The speed was so fast it felt like tearing the space, causing a gust that blew hair from the forehead and shook the chrysanthemums decorating the area.

Jecheon Daeseong grabbed Muji’s shoulder and greeted me.

“Now, let’s go place the flowers. We’ll go.”

“Let go!”

Muji seemed to resist with all his might without using his power, but it was useless against Jecheon Daeseong.

Jecheon Daeseong pushed Muji and left.

They looked like a warm, bickering pair of siblings, but the floor bore marks like those left after sparring among Eungwang High students.

Still, Muji could have pulverized the memorial hall if he wanted, so since he didn’t, they must really be close.

“I’ll bill Jecheon Daeseong for the repair costs. Don’t worry.”

I wasn’t worried about that but decided to let the Tigers handle the cleanup.

Some Jin clan members also caused a ruckus, but the Ho clan and other Jin clan members calmed things down.

Some, like Heukma or Hong Gyubin, sent wreaths but didn’t come—if they had, it would have been more chaotic, so maybe it was better they didn’t come.

When classes ended, a few teachers from Eungwang High came.

“Yi-shin, I’m here. I skipped class but was tired from patrolling Eungwang District. I have nothing to do at school, so it would have been better to go to work. I’m doing this for you, so it must be a burden. Are you okay?”

Usually, people ask if I’m okay about other things in the memorial hall, but Yong Je-geon didn’t.

“Is he bragging about having nothing to do at school? Talking so freely in front of me.”

“Before Yi-shin entered, Hwang Ho played more than me.”

“Both of you be quiet.”

“Oh, so now it’s not Han but Cheongho. I like our classmate Han too, but can I just treat him like a student?”

Kim Sin-rok was looking for an opportunity to attack the excited Yong Je-geon, and Cheongho, his teacher, seemed to be teaming up, but I didn’t know if Yong Je-geon knew what he was doing.

To calm things down, I said:

“I won’t feel burdened. Thank you.”

It was my way of brushing off what Yong Je-geon did, and the dragon seemed pleased.

“Wow, even if it’s just words, I’m so glad Yi-shin doesn’t feel burdened by me!”

“...Let’s just go place flowers.”

“Yeah! I should place them with Jehorang. I couldn’t with Jeokho or Ungnyeo, right? They’d be disappointed, so I’ll tell them my thoughts.”

Kim Sin-rok chose to get rid of Yong Je-geon quickly rather than attack him.

Even while going to place flowers, Yong Je-geon sounded dizzy, and I worried Kim Sin-rok would have a harder time because of me.

Hwang Ji-ho, who had been silent from attacks during lazy days, finally spoke.

“Jo Yi-shin, be careful with words that could raise Yong Je-geon’s mood.”

I hadn’t expected my words about not feeling burdened to have that effect.

I resolved to be more cautious and greeted teacher Ham Geun-hyung.

Teacher Ham, having seen all of Yong Je-geon’s nonsense, chose his words carefully.

For someone who caused the attendance drop today, I was just grateful they came and even appreciated such consideration.

Unlike our homeroom teacher, Yuheegye, Ham Geun-hyung was different.

Soon the memorial hall’s time for general mourners to visit was ending. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

I took a last look at the condolence wreaths.

“Gu Galanna didn’t come today.”

Among the wreaths was one from Gu Galanna, representative of the Woo clan.

Even if the entire Woo clan didn’t know that the priests of the Horse King and Apis had been dealt with, Gu Galanna must know.

That thought gave me a complicated feeling.

Also, the message on Gu Galanna’s wreath was so conventional it seemed chosen from a standard phrasebook, but it felt somewhat meaningful.

[We pray for the peaceful rest of the deceased. Waiting for the day we meet again.]

The first sentence seemed directed to my family, and the second seemed to be for me.