Kim Yechan clocked out later than usual.

The glass doors of White Stars’ headquarters slid open behind him with a quiet hiss, sealing away the sterile brightness of the building and releasing him into the evening air. The city buzzed—cars humming, distant chatter rising and falling like waves—but compared to the controlled chaos inside, it felt... softer.

He stretched his arms over his head, rolling his shoulders with a tired groan.

"Ah... I’m dead."

A few employees passed him, dressed sharply, talking about raids and numbers and contracts—voices laced with ambition. Yechan barely listened. He never did.

He adjusted the strap of his worn bag and started walking.

Even now, years after becoming a Porter for White Stars, he still walked home.

He could afford a car.

He could afford a lot of things.

But he didn’t want them.

"...Feels weird otherwise," he muttered.

The neon glow of a convenience store flickered into view ahead. Without thinking, his feet carried him inside.

A soft chime rang as the door opened.

The air inside smelled faintly of instant noodles and heated snacks. Familiar. Comfortable.

Yechan exhaled.

This was more his pace.

He wandered through the aisles slowly, hands in his pockets, scanning shelves without urgency. Chips, drinks, cheap bento boxes—nothing fancy.

He grabbed a couple of items without much thought.

Then stopped.

His hand hovered over a simple packet.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

His eyes softened slightly as he picked it up.

"...This one."

The plastic crinkled faintly in his grip.

It was cheap. The kind of thing he used to eat all the time.

Back then.

Before everything changed.

Before gates, awakenings, rankings... before the Tower became part of life.

Before his little brother became someone untouchable.

Yechan stared at the packet a little longer than necessary.

"...I kinda wish things stayed like that," he murmured under his breath.

A quiet pause.

"...Just me and Jin... eating this stuff after school."

He chuckled faintly.

"...Back when I was the one paying."

Silence lingered for a second.

Then he shook his head lightly.

"...Should I call Woonhee and ask her to eat together?"

His thumb hovered near his phone.

Then—

"...Nah."

He slid it back into his pocket.

"She’s probably working her ass off right now."

A small exhale.

"No need to bother her."

With that, he grabbed the packet and headed to the counter.

The cashier barely looked up as Yechan paid.

Another chime rang as he stepped back outside.

—

By the time Yechan reached his apartment, the sky had darkened.

He slipped off his shoes at the entrance, tossing his bag onto the couch with a soft thud.

"Home sweet home."

The apartment wasn’t large.

It wasn’t luxurious either.

But it was clean. Quiet. Enough.

Yechan rolled up his sleeves as he walked into the kitchen.

"Alright... let’s cook."

A faint rustle sounded behind him.

Then—

A low, dignified presence filled the space. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

A creature perched elegantly atop the kitchen counter.

A Griffin.

Golden feathers shimmered faintly under the light, its wings tucked neatly at its sides. Its sharp eyes watched Yechan with an intelligence far too human.

"...You’re early," Yechan said casually.

A pause.

Then a voice echoed directly into his mind.

"You are late."

Yechan clicked his tongue.

"Same difference."

The Griffin tilted its head slightly.

"You said you would return before sunset."

"I said I’d try."

"You failed."

"...Why are you acting like my mom?"

The Griffin didn’t respond immediately.

Then—

"Because without me, you would starve."

Yechan froze.

"...That’s not even wrong."

The Griffin gave a small, satisfied nod.

"Correct."

Yechan sighed, grabbing ingredients from the bag.

"Alright, alright. Let’s get started."

—

As they cooked—well, as the Griffin expertly directed and occasionally intervened—Yechan leaned against the counter, watching.

"...You know," he said, "it’s still crazy to me."

The Griffin glanced at him.

"What is?"

"That you can cook better than me."

A pause.

Then—

"Your incompetence is not my fault."

"...Hey."

"It is simply reality."

Yechan snorted.

"...Fair."

He scratched the back of his head.

"...Man, I still don’t get how I even ended up with you."

The Griffin’s feathers shifted slightly.

"You stumbled into me."

"That’s putting it nicely."

A grin spread across Yechan’s face.

"...I got chased, tripped, and almost died."

—

It had been his first time entering the Tower as a Porter for White Stars.

Back then, he wasn’t awakened.

Just a normal guy carrying supplies.

Scared out of his mind.

"...I remember thinking, ’Yeah, I’m gonna die here.’"

He laughed.

"...Then that stupid beast started chasing me."

The Griffin gave him a look.

"You entered my territory."

"I didn’t even know it was your territory!"

"Ignorance does not absolve you."

"You literally tried to kill me!"

"Correction. I tested you."

"TESTED—"

Yechan stopped himself, sighing.

"...Anyway."

He waved a hand.

"I ran. You chased. I tripped over a rock like an idiot."

The Griffin nodded slightly.

"That part was accurate."

"...Thanks."

Yechan continued.

"And then somehow... I grabbed your feather."

A pause.

"...And then everything went weird."

Light. Heat. Something pulling at him.

"...Next thing I know, boom."

He pointed at the Griffin.

"You’re in my head."

The Griffin’s eyes softened slightly.

"That was the moment your class awakened."

"Yeah..."

Yechan chuckled.

"...Contractor."

He shook his head.

"Out of everything I could’ve gotten... I ended up babysitting you."

"Incorrect."

"...Huh?"

"I am babysitting you."

"...Okay, that’s actually true."

They fell into a brief silence as the food finished cooking.

Yechan glanced at the Griffin.

"...You’re still the only one, you know."

The Griffin didn’t respond.

"...I tried contracting others," Yechan continued. "Didn’t work."

A small shrug.

"Guess my talent’s just... that bad."

The Griffin’s gaze lingered on him.

"Talent is irrelevant."

Yechan smiled faintly.

"...Easy for you to say."

He turned off the stove.

"My little brother’s a national treasure player."

A quiet chuckle escaped him.

"...And I’m this."

He gestured vaguely at himself.

"A Porter with one overqualified Griffin."

The Griffin didn’t laugh.

But something in its expression shifted.

Yechan sat down with his food.

"...Funny, right?"

A pause.

"The older brother relying on the younger one for protection."

Silence.

The Griffin didn’t respond.

But it stayed.

—

After eating, Yechan slumped onto the couch, remote in hand.

"Time to rot my brain."

The TV flickered on.

Some random program filled the screen—he didn’t even care what it was.

His mind drifted.

Half-listening.

Half-numb.

Then—

Clack.

Something small.

Something subtle.

But loud enough.

Yechan froze.

"...What was that?"

Another sound.

Roll.

His head snapped toward the shelf.

A small rock—no, a gemstone—rolled off the edge.

"WOAH—!"

Yechan jumped back, nearly dropping the remote.

The stone hit the floor with a dull sound.

Silence followed.

Yechan stared at it.

"...What the hell."

He cautiously got up and approached it.

"...Oh."

He crouched down, picking it up.

"...This thing."

The surface was rough—gray with streaks of purple. But at its center, a crystalline core shimmered faintly.

"...I got this during..."

His expression shifted.

Memories surfaced.

—

Floor 11.

Chaos.

Players shouting. Magic clashing. The air thick with mana.

And at the center—

The 65th Demon King.

A monster far beyond what that floor should’ve held.

Yechan had been hiding.

Like always.

Just doing his job.

Carrying supplies.

Trying not to die.

Then—

A flash.

A single strike.

His younger brother.

Kim Jin.

One clean motion.

And the Demon King’s head fell.

Silence.

Then—

From the corpse...

The stone rolled out.

Straight toward Yechan.

—

"...Yeah."

Yechan stared at it now.

"I remember."

He turned it over in his hand.

"I was gonna give it to White Stars."

A pause.

"Or Jin."

Another pause.

"...But I didn’t."

He frowned slightly.

"...Why didn’t I?"

The stone glinted faintly.

"...Must be worth crazy money though."

He chuckled.

Then stopped.

"...Ah."

Right.

Everything he owned...

Was under Jin’s name.

His bank account. Assets. Everything.

For safety.

To keep attention away from him.

"...So even if I sell it..."

He sighed.

"...It’s basically Jin’s."

He stared at the stone again.

"...Man."

Suddenly—

The stone pulsed.

Yechan blinked.

"...Huh?"

A faint glow.

Then stronger.

"Wait—"

Light burst from the gemstone.

"HEY—!"

The room flooded with blinding purple light.

"WHAT IS THIS—?!"

Yechan scrambled, rushing to the windows.

"Crap, crap, crap—!"

He yanked the curtains closed, fumbling with the blinds.

"Too bright—someone’s gonna see—!"

The light intensified.

The air hummed.

Yechan turned back slowly.

"...No way."

The gemstone was floating.

Mid-air.

Pulsing.

Alive.

"...This is bad."

The glow shifted.

Changed.

The light began forming shapes.

Tiny points.

Like stars.

Connecting.

Building.

Yechan’s breath hitched.

"...What is that...?"

The points of light twisted, weaving together into something more.

A figure.

A silhouette.

Descending slowly.

The light dimmed.

Gradually.

Until—

It vanished.

And what remained—

Standing before him—

Was a naked female.

Her body radiated a faint purple glow, strands of energy drifting from her like stardust. Her hair flowed like liquid light, shimmering with the same deep violet hue as the gemstone’s core.

Her eyes opened.

Glowing.

Ancient.

And focused directly on him.

Yechan froze.

His brain stopped working.