Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
[1]
The day the art clubs members flocked to the 1st year zone to find Min Geurin.
Song Daeseok figured out the situation through the general bulletin board of the Eungwang School’s community.
In his head, contradictory emotions intersected.
‘It’s good that Geurin is attending school, but wouldn’t it be better if she didn’t? If the bastards who you don’t know if they’re fans or not and those who are posting malicious comments on the school community, come, they will frighten her. Why is she continuing to attend school and talk about the Eungwang School with such a happy face? If she makes such a face, I can’t say anything, you know!’
Before she started to attend school, Min Geurin’s topic of conversation was only about paintings.
New art tools made with superpowers, reprint of painter Hong Gyeongbok’s art book, remodeling of the National Art Museum of Modern Korean Art, Western painting Min Geurin tried to paint as a test, etc.
‘Recently all she talks about is about Eungwang School, especially about the 1st year class 0.’
Vice class president Jo Uisin, who gifted her AR glasses.
Children who were wearing AR glasses markers until the end even though they looked like cotton dolls, pebbles and chickens.
Snacks made or bought by the class children.
The class children and teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim who came to school early for Min Geurin during the keyboard battle incident.
The picture taken as a commemoration of everyone playing and cooking together at the class president’s house and almond cookies made as Song Daeseok’s share.
Although Min Geurin was aware that Song Daeseok showed subtle emotions when she brought up topics of 1st year class 0, she diligently boasted and praised the class children.
‘I know that they are good children just by looking at Geurin’s expression. In addition, I even saw in person.’
At that time, he didn’t know because there was nothing in his head besides worry about Min Geurin, but the current Song Daeseok also knew.
They were said to be in the same class, but during Song Daeseok’s first meeting was behaving seriously rudely.
Even though he was like this, the class children laughed and left him alone, and later they didn’t have any problem with that or held Min Geurin responsible.
‘The 1st year class 0 are so outstanding they do not need to be envious of Geurin or me. And they’re considerate of Geurin…’
One of the pictures published on the general bulletin board.
A person holding a rod emitting black light and standing in front of Min Geurin, as he faced an overwhelming number of people.
‘Seeing how he uses magic, it seems to be vice class president Jo Uisin who is rumored to be ‘suspcious’. ‘
Song Daeseok’s thoughts were cut off by the sound of Player shoes rubbing against the ground.
Patpat!
“I’m not late today! Let’s eat dinner!”
Min Geurin was making a bright face as if she didn’t suffer an incident in the morning.
Seeing her like this, Song Daeseok spoke impulsively.
“Let’s go to school together tomorrow.”
“Uh? For real?”
When Song Daeseok said he will go to school, Min Geurin made a surprised face.
“Strange bastards may bother you like this morning. If something happens, I’ll give you time to escape.”
“You don’t have to worry, because there is Dragon Teacher-nim and classmates!”
“Do you not like it?”
Min Geurin quickly shook her head with a smile.
“No! Perfectly good! Let’s go together!”
As if Min Geurin was happy that Song Daeseok will go to school with her, she continued to smile until they parted that day.
***
Min Geurin who welcomed us with an awkward face.
Song Daeseok who stood behind her, observing us.
As he was behind the short Min Geurin, he somehow looked like a huge jangseung[2].
“It’s that guy from back then, remember?”
“What to do, aren’t they really dating?”
“Lena, your voice is too loud!… But I think they might be.” [3]
“Uh, so-sorry!”
In the middle of confused class children who saw Song Daeseok, who suddenly came to school, talented class president Kim Yuri stepped forward and started to organize the situation.
“Geurin, Daeseok! Are you going to attend school together from today onwards?”
Kim Yuri was all smiles, thinking that the attendance rate might rise.
‘It doesn’t seem so, because Song Daeseok is currently wearing plain clothes.’
Song Daeseok was wearing plain clothes among children who were wearing school uniforms and attending school.
Though Min Geurin was wearing a short-sleeved jacket over her summer uniform, so it was vague to define her attire.
“Uh, Daeseok today just…”
“There, 1st year class 0! Plain clothes guy! I thought that class 0 was docile! Are you attending school in plain clothes? As expected, class 0 is class 0!”
In the distance, I saw 2nd year Ma Jinseung of the Guideline Club running in this direction.
“Uh, that’s the shouts about something we heard a while ago when we were running.”
“Annoying sound. Why is that senior voice so loud?”
I guess Ma Jinseung was in charge of the school gate Min Geurin and Song Daeseok used to go to school today.
And the two of them unintentionally ignored Ma Jinseung and ran.
‘The two of them didn’t neglect their training, huh? They ran so quick that they easily shook off Ma Jinseung’s pursuit!’
As expected from my Playable Character, though it wasn’t as much as Min Geurin, Song Daeseok also had extremely fast legs.
“Shirt or pants, either are okay, but you should at least wear one piece of school uniform! If not, like that 3rd year class 0 self-proclaimed fashionista senior bastard… like visiting people, at least come with a nametag! That’s the activity point penalty. Your name?!”
Ma Jinseung poured a fiery speech while looking at Song Daeseok, but Song Daeseok took it and responded calmly.
“There is no reason for me to receive a penalty.”
“What?!”
“School gate guidance applies to students attending school, you know?”
“That’s correct! Because of it, the penalty…”
“I’m not attending school today.”
“…?”
Song Daeseok spoke very confidently and harshly.
“I’m visiting the school for a moment, not attending. As I’m not an attending student, there is no reason for me to accept the penalty.”
At those words, Ma Jinseung was at a loss for words.
On the other hand, Song Daeseok started to pour out the words like a waterfall[4].
“You came all the way here just because of the school uniform? Please, don’t worry about the school uniforms, but about student safety. You’re aware of what happened yesterday in front of the 1st year building, correct? Supposing something happened to Geurin, wouldn’t the Guideline Club be responsible? If something happens to Geurin, I’ll write on the school suggestion board that the school gates guidance, which doesn’t help improve student welfare even a bit, should be abolished and ask for a student self-governor organization to patrol the school during that time.”
Song Daeseok words were an appropriate mix of absurd and right words.
It was because no matter how hard the Guideline Club worked, it was difficult for them to block the Art Club bastards who secretly resolved to raid.
‘Song Daeseok becomes an eloquent speaker when it’s something related to Min Geurin or satellites, right? Amazing.’
In any case, Ma Jinseung, who cherished students, was beaten up by facts and shut his mouth.
From the beginning, Ma Jinseung only had a loud voice but he was extremely weak in arguments.
“Uh, thinking about it, isn’t everything he said was correct?”
“That’s right. He has persuasive power.” [5]
“This bastard is a logic king.”
“Wow… Daeseok and Geurin really, so it’s like this… what should I do?!”
“Hahahaha!”
Even when the kid from the same class was fighting with a senior in front of them, our class kids were calm.
But it seemed that Kim Yuri was thinking ‘Um, if conversation intensifies from here, I’ll have to speak up!’.
“It seems what the 1st year said is correct. He said he isn’t attending school, remember? Let’s just go, Jinseung.”
At that moment, one more person with a neat impression and a Guideline Club badge appeared.
Eungwang School 2nd year and Guideline Club member, World in the Eye[6] Cheon Dong-ha.
A genius Player who was the previous year’s chess tournament champion and currently competing for the first place with Yeom Junyeol among the 2nd years.
“Uuk…. Unfair!”
“What’s unfair? Because you often say that line, Junyeol’s fans are roasting you.”
“But!”
“Shut up.”
Before Ma Jinseung spit out the line after ‘but’, Cheon Dong-ha quickly hit his adam’s apple with the knifehand strike.
After Ma Jinseung let out a ‘Keuk!’ sound thanks to that lightning-like skill, he was forced to shut his mouth.
“Then wear a uniform when you’re going to attend school next time.”
Cheon Dong-ha, who said that, glanced at me and then disappeared dragging Ma Jinseung.
According to Yeom Junyeol’s words, Cheon Dong-ha planned to ask for a chess match with me.
It seems that I’ll end up meeting with him again soon.
“I’ll pick you up after the study meeting ends.”
“I was going to listen to classes and then go… Uh? Did you say that you’re going to pick me up?”
“Listen to classes well.”
Song Daeseok lightly patted Min Geurin’s head covered by the hood, then turned around and disappeared.
It seemed that like he said, he only came to school to send off Min Geurin.
‘Anyhow, didn’t Song Daeseok came to come to school? In addition, even after what happened yesterday, he left Min Geurin in the hands of our class children and went? Looking at his actions, it seems that he almost crossed over….’
Even so, Song Daeseok may need a trigger to come to school on his own.
After Song Daeseok and two seniors from the Guideline club disappeared.
The 1st year class 0 children, who witnessed the scene, spoke with excited voices.
“Right now, didn’t we look somehow like class 0?” [7]
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I think so too!”
But only Song Daeseok’s behavior was worthy of class 0.
It seemed that they already recognized and put Song Daeseok in the ‘us’ category.
“Receiving a penalty doesn’t have exactly a big influence on your academic records. Should we go to school in plain clothes too?”
“I want to go to school wearing a group uniform together with teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim!”
“As dormitory students, we would have to go outside first and then come back inside.” [8]
“How about we sleep outside from the beginning and then come back?”
No way, were they envious of the 2nd year class 0 who went to school in plain clothes in the company of Jegal Jaegeol the previous time?
Listening to the class children’s conversation, it seemed that we will be grabbed by the neck by the Guideline Club again soon.
But there was nothing I could do if it was what our class children and Playable Characters wanted.
***
After the classes, club activities and even the study meeting ended.
Eun-ho’s three descendant siblings sent a message to me.
[Eun Seoho] Today Toyeon noona visited us after a long time!
Toyeon visited Hwang Myeong-ho’s mansion?
It seemed that the contract banning her from entering Eungwang District ended.
‘They call the To tribe’s head, ‘Toyeon noona’, huh? I guess they’re really close.’
The three descendants siblings called Hwang Jiho ‘Hwangho-nim’.
As I imagined Hwang Jiho, who had to watch them act close with Ok Toyeon, but can’t say anything about it and is quietly exploding inside, I became very happy.
[Eun Jaeho] (picture)
Youngest Eun Jaeho also sent several pictures today without a word.
It was a picture of souvenirs from Yongin city’s famous theme park[9], which ascended to the top one of metropolitan amusement parks after its rival disappeared with the Seokchon Lake Tragedy case.
‘You couldn’t buy an amusement park, so you bought souvenirs instead?’
Block toys with motifs of the amusement park’s representative attractions.
Mascot dolls bought with different clothes and sizes.
Air freshener with mascot character printed on them and snowball activated with superpowers.
The pictures were full of big and small souvenirs.
[Eun Seoho] There are also limited dolls that you have to visit in person to buy. So the To tribe Members[10] went personally to buy them!
The three descendant siblings seemed happy, so I was scrolling down with satisfaction when I froze.
‘Who came up with such an idea…! Is that a genius? Ah, Snare is a genius, so it had to be like that, huh?’
In the picture, Snare was wearing a hat with fox ears.
Snare had its own Snare cuteness, but a new cuteness was felt in the brown ears.
Why does everything harmonize with Snare so well?
[Eun Niho] At first, the divine beast hated wearing this hat. But it agreed because we said we will show it to Uisin oppa!
What?! Are you saying our Snare endured something it hated and wore it specifically for me?!
I closed the device hologram, bubbling with strong feelings.
‘I have to work hard, right? Let’s thoroughly investigate the Heavenly Wings Mountain, which even was the place where Snare lived. For Snare!’
Heavenly Wings Mountain in the darkness.
I climbed the Heavenly Wings Mountain at this time to search for ghost gates.
Thanks to the hidden paths that the 3rd year class 0’s president Woo Gihwon informed me about, I was able to reach the central area of Heavenly Wings Mountain quicker than usual.
There is not much information about ghost gates even on the Player Network.
The ghost gates were known as a cardinal direction from which ghosts come and go and as a gate or passage connecting the world of the dead and the present world.
After the Clash of Different Worlds, this world was overflowing with new research materials and cases.
There were almost zero precedent studies about ghost gates appearing in ghost stories or fairy tales.
‘Because ghost gates at best were treated as being one of the ghost stories, there are little materials about them. It will be faster to check personally.’
The place I’m currently at was the White Cloud Peak’s observatory which oversees the entire Heavenly Mountain.
Because the sun had set, it was difficult to look around the current Heavenly Mountain with human eyes, but I had the appropriate item.
⟨Using ‘Ghost Gates Seeing Lenses’⟩
Paat!
After using the item I obtained on the previous Fantasy Auction, through the lenses I saw flickers of light ignite on the entire Heavenly Wings Mountain,
‘Are those ghost gates? Should I confirm their location first and then observe them up close?’
While I compared the ghost gate location to the holographic map, I realized an important fact.
The places where the ghost gates were, were locations I knew about.
‘Those are the key points of Heavenly Mountian’s ley lines that the Don tribe tried to uproot, you know?!’
*~*~*
[1] No title – ‘Tiger and eyes (4)’ =-=
[2] jangseung – a pole sculptured with a scary/grotesque face which represents a guardian of a village, road or a temple.
[3] “Lena, your voice is too loud!… But I think they may be.” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[4] pour out the words like a waterfall – ‘like storm’ in raws.
[5] “That’s right. He has persuasive power.” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[6] World in the Eye – Thanks to the discovery that Sol is an angel knowns Chinese, it changed again! This time we can be like 98% sure of that alias. World could also mean boundary.
[7] “Right now, didn’t we look somehow like class 0?” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[8] “As dormitory students, we would have to go outside first and then come back inside.” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[9] Yongin city’s famous theme park – probably referring to ‘Everland’, the other super popular amusement park in Korea.
[10] To tribe Members – ‘Members’ is capitalized because polite form is used when referring to them.
Translator’s note:
Okay, true story time. See, “Before Ma Jinseung spit out the line after ‘but’, Cheon Dong-ha quickly hit his adam’s apple with the knifehand strike.” wasn’t that at first.
There is a word use here in raws ‘목젖’ which this translator knew as uvula. So the first translation was “Before Ma Jinseung spit out the line after ‘but’, Cheon Dong-ha quickly hit his uvula with the knifehand strike.” At this moment this translator was still grabbing on the last straws of rationality and went to check if it’s really uvula. The answer is yes. ‘목젖’ means uvula.
Proceed to get haunted by the image of Cheon Dong-ha hitting Ma Jinseung’s uvula for a week, until Sol (who was editing the chapter), also haunted by the image, still had some sanity left and prompted this translator to check again.
So there we go, Sunday 3 am., Wan checks the cursed ‘목젖’ again and lo and behold! It also means adam’s apple. We’re saved! Light and peace on Earth! Now! No one will get haunted by trying to figure out how to hit someone uvula and why the hell you would do that! I mean you will because I wrote this note and now you’re reading it, but at least Cheon Dong-ha hitting Ma Jinseung’s uvula didn’t become canon!
(Just to put into perspective how close call it was, this chapter was scheduled to come out the next day on Monday.)
Thank you. I need to get some sleep now.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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