68
Saturday afternoon, 1 o’clock.
Having woken up slowly, I checked the items I had packed in my mountain backpack the day before at Bukhansan.
Toothbrush, clothes, socks, smartphone charger, and so on.
Although the Haeshin Ceremony was scheduled for tomorrow, the departure was set for today at 2 p.m.
Eungaye had to rush off for something, so we decided to stay overnight.
Of course, the busy matter was probably due to the safety of the landlord, Eun Hoseong.
“Well, shall we go?”
Carrying a light bag with just one set of clothes to change into, I got up from my spot.
It was as I stepped out of the room and strolled under the scorching sun.
“Over here!”
Eungaye waved her hand under a large oak tree.
The first to arrive was seated on a bench under the shade of the tree.
Elaine, who placed a teddy bear on the seat next to her, Deoric, chatting excitedly about the trip. Hanseyeon nodding with a smile.
“Where’s Amelia?”
“She hasn’t arrived yet. She said she’s coming soon, so she’s waiting inside.”
Surprised by Amelia’s unusual tardiness, I quickly moved into the shade.
“Phew, it’s so hot.”
Trying to escape the midsummer heat, I sat down on the bench and put down my bag. As I fanned myself with my hand, suddenly, a mechanical breeze blew from the side.
Whirr—
Turning my head in confusion, I saw Hanseyeon holding a small fan, sending cool air my way.
“Feeling hot?”
“Oh, thanks. I feel like I’ll survive now.”
Slightly touched, I exaggeratedly expressed my gratitude, making Hanseyeon chuckle.
Deoric, who had been chattering non-stop, found his conversation partner gone and pouted, fanning himself alone.
“Everyone, have a drink.”
Meanwhile, Eungaye rummaged through the bag and took out some chilled water to share.
“Thank you.”
“Soo refreshing, feels like I’ll survive.”
From Noble mtl dot com
As we sat in the shade, sipping on the ice-cold water and taking a break, a honk sounded in the distance.
“Everyone, hop in!”
Amelia leaned out the window of the limousine, gesturing towards the passenger seat.
“The person you’re taking with you is really well chosen.”
Seeing the rune of coldness engraved like a logo across the body, I clicked my tongue.
***
We arrived at Gangnam Warp Zone in a limousine with the air conditioning on full blast and immediately teleported to Haenam through the warp gate.
“Miss, it’s been a while.”
“Oh! Mr. Kang came?”
“hahahaha! If Miss Gaea is coming, of course I should be here. How can I leave it to others?”
A middle-aged man, Eun Kang, greeted us warmly and turned to us.
“You must be Miss Gaea’s classmates, nice to meet you. I am Kang Jin-hyuk, Eun’s steward.”
One by one, Kang Jin-hyuk greeted each of us, making eye contact.
“I’ll take good care of the Miss.”
“Oh, yes…”
We nodded awkwardly at his respectful demeanor.
“Stop it, please!”
Eun intervened, clearly annoyed by Kang Jin-hyuk’s formality.
“Sorry, everyone. Mr. Kang may seem a bit overly formal, but it’s my first time going abroad, so I’m a bit worried.”
“No, it’s okay. We understand.”
I nodded. It seemed like Kang Jin-hyuk had been looking after Eun since she was young.
It was natural for him to be so dutiful, considering it was like his daughter returning from her first trip abroad with classmates. His sincerity towards Eun was touching.
“Thank you all for understanding. Let’s go then.”
Soon, guided by Kang Jin-hyuk who was waiting outside the gate zone, we headed towards Haenam Eun-ga.
***
The territory of Haenam Eun-ga was vast.
As soon as we left the gate, we were surrounded by vast green fields, all belonging to Eun-ga.
“Wow, they said this was Eun’s territory, but the magic here is really intense.”
Deoric marveled at the concentration of magic in Eun’s territory.
Although the concentration was significantly lower than at the academy, Eun’s ley lines were much more potent than in other areas.
“It feels like we’ve come to a resort.”
It was a serene and pleasant atmosphere, perfect for relaxation. On the other hand, the lack of anything around made it seem dull and lacking in entertainment.
“We have arrived, welcome to Haenam Eun-ga.”
Passing through the fields, we arrived at Eun’s mansion, a grand mansion blending modern and classical styles. It had been standing for quite some time, but instead of being worn out, it exuded a sense of elegance.
In the lobby of the mansion, we encountered an unexpected group.
“Hmph, so you all came too.”
Breathing heavily, Eun So-baek stood there, the second-year student who had lost to Gaea in the inter-grade competition.
After being quiet for a few months, it seemed like his pride was back.
Behind Eun So-baek was the promising youth from England, Yuscal Arsey.
“So, you’re here to analyze the magic waves emanating from Gaea’s pearl, I presume.”
“Oh, well, yes. Just here for a visit.”
Yuscal extended his hand with a friendly gesture, which I awkwardly shook.
For some reason, this guy was under the strong misconception that I belonged to his kind.
“Then, see you at the banquet tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
I cut in first, sensing a discussion about magic was about to start, leaving Yuskal looking disappointed.
After a brief meeting with the second-year students, we were each assigned individual rooms by Kang Jin-hyuk.
“Let’s rest a bit and meet for dinner.”
Eungaye seemed to have something urgent to attend to, disappearing hastily once we got our rooms assigned.
“Maybe she’s going to see the family.”
With news of Yang Father collapsing, the urge to confirm the details as soon as possible was overwhelming.
“Shall we meet at dinner?”
At Amelia’s words, we dispersed to our respective rooms. Confirming that Deoric and Ilaine had entered, I went back out with the other two.
“What’s going on?”
Amelia and Han Se-yeon, called back again, looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“Both of you, take this.”
I handed ‘Norton’s Ring’ to the two.
“What’s this?”
“Insurance.”
“Insurance?”
“Yeah.”
I briefly explained to the two about the incident that would take place at Haeshin Hall tomorrow.
Not going into specifics, just mentioning the possibility of a magical attack.
Indeed, the eyes of the two widened.
“Why didn’t you share this information?”
“To the mage who had the ring.”
As I mentioned getting the ring on the first floor of the black market, Amelia’s expression, though not completely convinced, showed some acceptance.
Given the chaotic atmosphere on the first floor of the black market, and the occasional appearance of mages in downtown.
“So, this ring is said to have protective properties against mage attacks.”
“If you infuse magic into it, it activates for a day, so don’t use it now.”
While Amelia assessed that the likelihood of a mage attack was low, she thought it wise to be prepared and accepted the ring.
“But why give it to us?”
With a meaning of why them instead of Eungaye, Ilaine, or Deoric, Amelia looked at me.
“They’re not suitable. Especially Eungaye, would she not just jump into a fight if given? It’s better to take her out if she faints.”
“Indeed, that seems likely.”
Both agreed with my statement.
With mages chasing after the family treasure, Haeshin’s Pearl, Eungaye had no chance to escape.
Furthermore, Ilaine and Deoric were not given the ring due to their compatibility or lack of combat skills.
While Ilaine had expertise in casting curses, her combat abilities were not exceptional. Deoric, too, lacked exceptional combat skills.
“I gave the other ring to Se Harin, she’ll handle it.”
Se Harin was the pawn I prepared against Norton.
So, for Se Harin to have the upper hand in the fight against Norton, it was better for her to have the ring.
After handing the rings to the two, I let Amelia in first, and separately informed Han Se-yeon of her task.
There was something else Hwanseyeon had to take care of besides the banquet.
It was something that only Hwanseyeon could do, not the ‘Choin.’
“The distribution of rings is over…”
The only thing left was to treat the gaju.
I left the first-floor lobby and headed to where Eungaye had disappeared.
***
“Sigh…”
Eungaye, who came from Eunhoseong’s residence, let out a sigh in a melancholic mood.
The Eunhoseong she saw was unconscious and lying in bed.
Just three months ago, Eunhoseong had a muscular, agile body, but now he was so emaciated that his bones were visible.
However, as she stepped out, Eungaye seemed immersed in a festive atmosphere as if in another world.
Laughter from people outside the family hall never ceased.
Eungaye was filled with anger at the thought of having to open the Haesinyeon while keeping the fact that the gaju had collapsed a secret.
“Ugh, damn it.”
How would it be if the family’s reputation was tarnished…
Eungaye kicked the pillar of the hall in frustration, trying to calm her anger.
“You’re here.”
“…What? How did you manage to get in here when I told you to rest?”
Seeing Haesol walking towards her from across the hall, Eungaye hurriedly tried to hide her gloomy expression and act nonchalant.
“I saw everything, so what’s the point of hiding now?”
“You can’t just pretend you didn’t see anything?”
“I might let it slide at other times, but not this time.”
“What do you mean…”
Eungaye was about to retort with a frown when Haesol interrupted.
“I can treat your father.”
At Haesol’s words, Eungaye’s eyes flickered.
“What did you say?”
“I can treat him.”
With these words, Haesol pulled out something from her bosom. It was a sacred-looking white twig that seemed to exude aversion.
***
Upon hearing that what she saw was a branch of the World Tree, Eungaye was initially surprised, then showed a skeptical expression, and finally spoke with a trembling voice.
“…With that, can you really cure my dad?”
“If you give me a little time, it’s possible.”
I looked towards Eunhoseong’s residence. There was no one guarding the entrance, but people were passing by frequently.
Even if I managed to block any movements and enter, if someone entered Eunhoseong’s residence, I would be caught.
It was also unrealistic to formally treat Eunhoseong.
As someone who was merely a colleague of Eungaye, I couldn’t easily accept the idea of treating the gaju with an uncertain branch of the World Tree.
Therefore, I had no choice but to trust Eungaye, who seemed to trust me even a little.
Eungaye hesitated for a moment. Then, she looked troubled.
“But there is a resident physician inside.”
“Well, I guess I’ll have to knock them out for a moment.”
“T-then I suppose that’s the way.”
At my impromptu remark, Eun-ga-ye, who had been staring blankly, nodded her head. It was definitely the best course of action.
“But how do we buy time?”
“By receiving.”
“?”
“The form of a voice. A magical tool that captures voices.”
“Oh, like voice phishing…”
Eun-ga-ye recognized it right away, as it seemed to be quite a famous magical tool.
“So, we’re going to mimic the head physician’s voice with this.”
Eun-ga-ye looked at me with a surprised expression. It seemed like she hadn’t expected me to come this prepared.
Honestly, I hadn’t anticipated using this magical tool here either.
I had brought it along just in case it might come in handy, but it seemed like it was a fortunate coincidence.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
I grabbed Eun-ga-ye’s hand and activated ＜Stealth Block＞ Lv.2.
“W-what’s this?”
In that moment, Eun-ga-ye, taken aback, widened her eyes.
I felt not only my own presence vanish but also hers, as if it had been washed away.
“Don’t speak. It’ll undo the spell.”
“Oh, got it.”
And so, the two of us silently passed through the bustling corridor, heading towards the head physician’s quarters where people were still bustling about.
“Hmm? Why are you coming back in?”
The head physician, seeing the door open, raised his head with a puzzled expression. And then.
Thud!
He was struck on the chin with force, falling backward. Eun-ga-ye swiftly ran over and laid the unconscious head physician next to her, ensuring he made no sound.
“Don’t let anyone in if they come. It’ll take about 10 minutes.”
“Got it.”
Eun-ga-ye, with a determined expression, stood in front of the door.
Seeing this, I turned to look at Eun-ho-seong lying in the hospital bed.
“Wow, he looks completely drained.”
Perhaps due to the constant draining of mana by the seed of Ama, Eun-ho-seong’s body was unnaturally withered.
He was far from the image of a top 10s prosecutor representing South Korea.
His fragile appearance seemed like it could break at any moment.
I was slightly uneasy about whether waking him up would actually help, but since I had to do it anyway, I placed a branch of the World Tree on Eun-ho-seong’s chest.
Hmmm…
As the branch began emitting a white light, soon, dark energy started flowing out of Eun-ho-seong’s body like smoke, being drawn into the branch of the World Tree.