Yeonvale Residences' complex looked even better than it sounded.
Honestly, if it wasn't limited to retired people only, I'd move here myself.
The apartment was incredible, two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, amazing kitchen and living room—but then the communal areas were just insane. They even had a whole Elemental Café inside, with fully equipped VR rooms.
Saying that my jaw dropped to the floor was an understatement.
After settling everything with the new director, we went back to Eunhwa Home to help Gran pack, but she was already done when we were back.
Well, I suppose her room was not that big to start with.
Damn it, I still felt guilty.
At least this would be a good change.
"The new place is near Hyanglow Station," I explained once we were in her room, out of earshot. "We're going to teleport there."
"Oh, that's a great area," Gran said, startled. "I've never teleported before, but that sounds fun! Let's do it, I want to try it."
Penguin chirped in support, then hid quickly in my coat when someone knocked on the door.
"You deal with the checkout process," Llewellyn said. "You might have to sign. I'll help out here."
For some reason that knocked me off balance again.
"Right," I said, looking at him. Llewellyn looked back.
Gran coughed.
Uh.
"Okay, I'll be back in a second," I said, handing Penguin over to Llewellyn—and fled the room.
"Thought I heard some chirping?" the woman outside said, frowning.
"What? Oh, just my ringtone," I fumbled, following her downstairs.
I just wasn't used to anyone backing me up over this kind of life stuff anymore, so I didn't really know what to do with it.
Why was Llewellyn even…?
Aaahh, better not think about it. Otherwise I'd really want to crowd him against the closest wall and—
***
Once everything was taken care of and Gran said her goodbyes, we teleported right outside Yeonvale Residences.
Gran looked around, seemingly shocked.
"This— I'm— Don't think I'm not grateful, but this must cost an absolute—"
"The System is paying!" I said immediately, before she refused to go in. "Apparently, I negotiated a very good contract."
Llewellyn snorted.
"Hey," I said. "I did."
"I know," Llewellyn said. "You do have some sense sometimes, when it's about other people."
"Hey!" I said again.
"Well, have you moved to a better place, yet?"
"You don't even know where I live," I said. "I could be living in a castle."
"A castle in Haneve?" Llewellyn said, sounding skeptical. "Is it an invisible one? Besides, judging from your reaction to my apartment, I seriously doubt that."
"Your apartment is just excessive," I muttered. "Who has a pizza oven in their kitchen?"
"It looks like you really liked my pizza oven."
"A wood-fired one!"
Gran looked between us, clearly amused.
"Well," she said. "Either way, this is quite something."
The director, a stylish but warm woman named Mrs. Jang, met us in the lobby and led us to Gran's new apartment on the third floor.
The hallways were wide and bright, with plants everywhere and natural light streaming through large windows. From this side of the building you could see the sea—though I knew that already, because I'd asked specifically for an apartment overlooking the sea, if they had one.
"Here we are," Mrs. Jang said after we got off the elevator, guiding us to a door and opening it. "3B is one of our corner units, so you get both extra space and extra light."
Gran stepped inside and actually goggled.
"The bedroom is through here," Mrs. Jang said, leading us down a short hallway. "And this second bedroom can be used as a study, craft room, or for guests. We've also fully stocked the kitchen as requested. Of course, you're free to shop yourselves, either online or in person, or ask our staff to help with restocking. There's also a restaurant downstairs, if you don't feel like cooking—I'll make sure the front desk texts you the opening hours. One meal per day is always included at no additional cost, you can freely choose which one or request more for an extra fee. We find that our residents like cooking themselves, but also mingling, so this felt like a good balance. We provide standard once-a-week house cleaning services and daily laundry, if required."
"Thank you, this is perfect," I said, before Gran could say anything.
"Our communal areas are exceptional, if I may say so," Mrs. Jang continued. "We have a movie theater, a library, an art studio, a music room, and of course the Elemental Café you saw downstairs, which we're most proud of. We have activities every day, but participation is entirely optional. Family is welcome to join our residents for scheduled activities in the communal areas, as long as we're informed in advance, while visits to the apartments are welcome any time. Visitors have to go through the front desk for security, but we don't have cut-off hours. This is your home, Mrs. Bryndael, and you can live in it just as you would in any regular apartment."
While Mrs. Jang showed Gran the safety features and emergency buttons, and explained about doctors' visits morning and evening, unless otherwise agreed, and where to go for the transfusions, Llewellyn and I started unpacking and double-checking the magical safety measures. But… well, they seemed really solid.
"Maybe we should leave her some concealment artifacts," I mumbled. "In case she wants to go out. I don't think people know what she looks like, but better safe than sorry."
"Unauthorized teleportation inside is fully blocked," Llewellyn said with a satisfied hum.
I frowned. "How do you even check that?"
Llewellyn raised an eyebrow. "I did show you my abilities, you already forgot?"
Oh, wait. Is that the Command Line thing?
"Isn't teleportation inside private areas always off-limits anyway?"
"Yes," Llewellyn said. "But sometimes there are workarounds. It seems that they covered their bases. They must have hired some magical-security expert."
That was a relief. Though, now that I thought about it—
"Wait, how did the System get me straight onto your… uh… sofa, last time, then?!"
Llewellyn's ears flushed red all of a sudden, and he looked away.
…What?
"After you got in trouble with that reporter, I added an exception, so you can get in easily. It's meant for emergency purposes and… if I invite you over. In both cases, you can just teleport inside the apartment, no need to wait outside. It logs access, so if you don't want to be in the logs, just teleport outside. But you don't have to."
I stared.
I… uh. Didn't know what I was feeling.
"Thank you?" I said.
Llewellyn eyed my face and relaxed, suddenly amused.
Well. Anyway.
I wish I could take off this scarf, my face was really hot.
"I think that's everything," I said, putting Gran's luggage away and scratching my head. She really didn't have much.
When we went back to the living room, Mrs. Jang had already left, and Gran was on the balcony, staring at the sea visible in the distance with a dazed expression.
I explained to her about the artifacts and how to get to Hyanglow Station from here—then programmed the route into her phone, just in case.
"You've done too much," Gran said, following me inside. "As the kids say, this is nuts."
She wandered into the kitchen, checking the equipment.
"And it looks like I can bake again. Any requests?"
"Chocolate cake," I said immediately.
"Mmh! Mmh!" Gran hummed, rummaging everywhere.
Then, she came and pulled me into a hug.
Ah, this was embarrassing.
"It's really nothing," I said. "I should have suggested this as soon as I signed with the System, I'm sorry."
"Nonsense," Gran said, "I was perfectly fine." Then she started moving around again, gawking at everything and muttering, "Nuts. This is nuts."
I grinned.
"Looks like you can also order meals from the restaurant to be delivered here," I said, picking up a leaflet.
"I have a whole kitchen," Gran said, sounding delighted. "I plan to use it."
Penguin chirped in agreement, as if he wanted to try the kitchen also. Well, maybe they could cook together sometimes.
"We should let you settle in," I said eventually. "It's been a weird day, I'm sure you're tired."
"You can stay if you like," Gran said. "But I won't force you. I'm sure you youngsters have… plans."
…Why did that sound so wrong?!
I realized that she was eyeing my scarf.
Uh. I was embarrassed, but… I took it off.
"Here," I said. "I'll keep my collar up for now. We're done here anyway."
"Mmmh, alright," Gran said, amused.
"I'll definitely be back," I told Gran. "But I need to go sort out work. I'm on shift tonight."
Gran's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you say you only work night shifts occasionally?"
…Shit.
Gran sighed.
"As long as you're not doing anything illegal to afford this, Ryo."
Hey!
"Isn't fighting Distorted Realms more than enough to get proper compensation from the System?!"
"Mmh," Gran said. "Then why are you still working that lousy job?"
Ugh. Was there really not one person who understood that I liked my team and didn't want to rely on the System too much? If the System severed my contract, what would I even do? I'd rather jump into a Knot with my hands tied, no weapon and no magic than working in an office again.
That said—
"I'll probably have to resign soon anyway," I sighed. "But for now it's still fine. I like my colleagues and the job itself is not too bad."
Gran grumbled a bit, then just pulled me into a hug.
"If you say so, love," she said, patting my back. "I just wish you took at least as good care of yourself as you take of others."
Uh.
I mean, paying for all this with System money didn't exactly scream "great at taking care of others". That was definitely a misplaced compliment.
"Call if you need anything," I told Gran, taking Penguin back, "or if anything is not right. And if you need any extras, just add them. I'll figure everything out with the System later."
Gran hummed.
Then I watched, amused, as Gran pulled an embarrassed Llewellyn into a hug too.