18 – Artifact (4)
The weekend passed, and Monday arrived.
It’s the usual time to be in the lecture hall. However, I find myself unexpectedly at the local police station.
Clap, clap, clap─!
Inside the auditorium, receiving enthusiastic applause from the staff.
─You have consistently shown interest and effort for the stability of our local community….
─Actively stepping forward to suppress supernatural beings….
─Not only contributing to our local community but also becoming a role model for society as a whole.
Following this, an elderly man dressed in a well-prepared suit handed me a plaque.
With four roses pinned to his shoulder, he seemed like a big shot around here.
“hehehehe, congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
We shook hands while facing the direction of the guest seats. There, not only police station employees but also officials from the Han Yul Military Academy were seated.
Click─!
Click─!
Of course, journalists too.
I thought I might collapse trying to maintain my composure amidst the incessant flashes.
Even celebrities wouldn’t be able to handle this.
“Phew….”
After a photo session, just when I thought the award ceremony would end like this….
“Now, let’s go up on the stage. Since we’re all gathered, we should take a photo, shouldn’t we?”
As if waiting for this moment, the man sitting in the front row of the guest seats, who seemed quite popular among middle-aged women, stood up.
With a warm impression that would appeal to middle-aged ladies, wearing a neat suit without a hint of a belly.
It was the head of Han Yul Military Academy, Lee Min-ho.
“Don’t hesitate and come up. Including the police officers.”
Following the words of the school head, people began to gather on the stage one by one.
“Hmm.”
At this point, Lee Min-ho carefully guarded the space next to me as if he were a ghost.
It was the most prominent position in the camera.
“….”
Making a fuss over catching just one supernatural being. After the award ceremony. This incident, which should have ended with a single news article, is dragging on.
“All right, everyone, gather in the center so your faces are visible.”
The reason for this exaggerated event was largely due to the influence of the school principal, Lee Min-ho.
He deliberately pushed for this award ceremony, even involving the local police station.
The reason was simple: to show it to the public. The achievements of our Hanyul Military Academy, and more specifically, the accomplishments of the school principal.
“Reporters, make sure to capture this well.”
Wherever the cameras gathered, he rushed to that spot. If there were no cameras, he would create a commotion until they arrived.
That was Min-ho’s way.
“Oh, by the way, have you all had your meals? I’ve made a reservation at a good stew restaurant nearby. The commanding officer will join us later.”
Thanks to that, Min-ho could ascend to the position of the school principal. Quite impressive for someone who only came from the administrative corps.
“Reporters, don’t just stand there, come along. The school principal will treat you.”
Wa-a-a-aah─
Naturally, the media had no choice but to like Min-ho. He provided them with plenty of material.
Moreover, he had a balanced appearance, possessing a certain star quality not inferior to awakening talents. Rumors were even circulating that he would soon enter politics.
“How about having lunch together, Student Shin Yoon-sung?”
“….”
I don’t like this man. He’s sticking to me like glue, as if there’s nothing to miss. Truly a persistent person.
If I had lunch with him, it felt like there would be gingko leaves stuck between my teeth.
“I’m sorry, but I have a prior engagement.”
“Oh, is that so? Can’t be helped then. Let’s plan for a meal next time….”
The event was over, the photos were taken; there shouldn’t be any reason for him to bother me anymore.
True to my expectations, there was no sign of him grabbing onto me.
Truly an obvious person.
I’d rather not get involved unless absolutely necessary.
***
Having a prior engagement is not a lie; it’s real.
I didn’t pretend to have friends and boast in front of the school principal for no reason.
I’m not that much of a loner.
Anyway, not at all.
“Are you here?”
The meeting place was Hanyul Military Academy’s military hospital. Coincidentally, Choe Min-eun came to greet me.
“Do you have something to show me?”
“Yeah, talking about it here feels a bit awkward.”
Choi Soeun gestured towards the hospital. It meant to come inside.
We went to the first-floor lounge of the hospital. It was a spacious area that both staff and patients could freely use.
There were vending machines where you could buy simple drinks and snacks.
“Lunch?”
“I haven’t eaten yet.”
We grabbed a table and sat facing each other. On the table, there was a faint smell of alcohol, indicating it had been sanitized.
“Oh, really? I haven’t eaten either.”
“Is that so?”
Choi Soeun twitched her eyebrows.
What’s with this reaction? Is she signaling to have lunch together?
But I was thinking of having bean paste stew and mackerel for lunch.
Choi Soeun might find the smell of my food a bit unpleasant since she has to go back to the hospital.
I won’t suggest eating together.
I am quite a considerate guy.
Ha, I look cool even to myself.
“Never mind.”
Choi Soeun put her hand into her jacket pocket. Soon, she placed something on the table.
It was a slightly golden bracelet.
“Don’t tell me it’s door-to-door sales. You’re not trying to deceive me with a germanium bracelet, right?”
“It’s not that!”
Choi Soeun exclaimed loudly. Fortunately, it wasn’t something like multi-level marketing.
Well, she’s someone important. The daughter of the head of the Hero Management Department. There’s no reason for her to get involved in such things.
“I’m giving you this bracelet.”
“Oh, a proposal? I didn’t think about it… from your side first.”
“It’s not that!”
Choi Soeun shouted again, then let out a deep sigh.
“Phew… it’s called an artifact…”
“Artifact…?”
“I thought you might need it, so I just gave it to you.”
If it had been an artifact, you should have said so earlier. In a pleasantly surprised state of mind, I quickly picked up the bracelet.
─── Ludre’s Bracelet ───
Grade: Legendary
Effect: Maximum mana +3 when worn, mana regeneration rate +30%, mana consumption -20% when casting skills
* Cannot receive stat effects from other artifacts when overlapping.
───
Unbelievable. All of the stats were related to mana.
Compared to the skull ring and squirrel hairpin I had seen before, it boasted really impressive options.
It truly felt like a legendary-grade artifact.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Where did this precious thing come from?”
“My father gave it to me. A long time ago.”
Holy cow. Godfather. From now on, I should bow once a day in the direction of the Hero Management Department building.
No, since it was given by Chae Min-soo, should I hit my head towards the hospital? Should I just do it here right now?
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to have this?”
“It’s not like it’s of any use to me even if I keep it. You know that, too.”
Above all, Chae Min-soo was a Non-Mage. Even if she carried items related to mana, she wouldn’t benefit from them. For Chae Min-soo, this bracelet was nothing more than a piece of decoration.
“What if your father says something later? You handed over an artifact to a stranger you’ve never met.”
“Well… it’ll probably be fine.”
I decided not to delve deeper into family matters. They can handle it themselves.
“More importantly, how do you wear this?”
I wasn’t interested in accessories in general, so I didn’t even know how to wear it properly.
How do you fasten this thing?
“Give it here. I’ll help you put it on.”
Chae Min-soo took the bracelet and untied the strap, then slid it onto my wrist.
“Hmm….”
Looking at the bracelet itself, I thought it was quite pretty. However, now that I was wearing it, it looked a bit strange. The bracelet strap was so thin that it didn’t quite match a thick man’s wrist.
It felt like I was forcibly wearing a women’s bracelet.
“To wear it as a guy… the design is a bit, well…”
Choi Soo-eun let out a hollow laugh, as if she sensed the intention behind it.
“Then let it be somewhere else other than the wrist.”
“Somewhere else? Where?”
Soo-eun raised her head, looking puzzled. She asked, “When else would you wear a bracelet if not on your arm?”
I took off my shoes.
“What about the ankle?”
“This… Are you serious?”
Soo-eun had a disdainful expression. It seemed that wearing it on the ankle was quite foolish.
I silently folded myself in.
“Anyway, thank you. I will definitely remember this and repay you when I succeed in the future.”
“Forget it. I didn’t give it to you with any expectations. And…”
Soo-eun turned her gaze slightly. In a soft whisper, she said,
“I already received my repayment last time…”
Received it last time? When did I give her something like that?
Ah, was she referring to when I paid for her drink at the café?
What luck. To obtain a legendary-grade artifact for just a blueberry latte. Considering its price, the artifact was incredibly expensive.
“Senior! I finished my meal! Let’s switch! Huh? Uh, uh…!”
Two medical soldiers and a student entered the lounge. They were Soo-eun’s juniors.
When her juniors saw Soo-eun, they let out a scream.
“Wow! Senior! When did you do your makeup? You were completely bare-faced just this morning!”
“…!”
In an instant, Soo-eun trembled. Then, in a stiff posture as if malfunctioning, she slapped her cheek.
“Wow! Wow! I’ve never seen our senior doing makeup before! You never did it at the hospital! What made you do it now? You look so pretty when you dress up!”
Her juniors kept clapping and cheering, circling around Soo-eun.
Meanwhile, Soo-eun was tightly biting her lip, fully aware of how awkward the situation was.
“Please… just… be quiet… I’m begging you…”
“What? What did you say? I can’t hear you, senior!”
No matter what Soo-eun said, her juniors paid no attention and continued praising her.
And all of this happened right in front of my eyes.