Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
t
[1]
‘Gwangrim Research through case study’.
When she chose that lecture as her elective class, there were many people who tried to stop her.
“It’s a bit too much to recommend Gwangrim Research to a 1st year… If you don’t have experience using Gwangrim, there will be a lot of explanations that are difficult to understand.”
At the first class, Yu Sang-hui who sat in the seat beside Kim Yuri, spoke like this, but Kim Yuri evaded it with the words ‘I have a lot of interest in Gwangrims. I truly want to take this class.’.
As Yu Sang-hui suggested, the context of the class wasn’t easy to understand.
Even so, Kim Yuri continued to listen to it without giving up.
Because among the content listed in the lecture plan, there was a topic she wanted to hear about in particular.
“Today’s subject is ‘Higher beings and Gwangrim’.”
On the brink of the 1st semester final exams, the moment Kim Yuri was waiting for came.
“In extremely rare cases a connection with a higher being is formed and Gwangrim is opened. This time I hope to study that case.”
After the teacher in charge of the ‘Gwangrim Research through case study’ and the homeroom teacher of the 1st year class 2, No Yeongmi’s words ended, someone raised their hand.
“If the number of higher beings which exist is enough for the number of Gwangrims, shouldn’t it be difficult to see it as ‘extremely rare’? The number of gods which appear in the myths and fiction of the whole world isn’t small, correct?”
“The world population is around 8 billion, among it, 20% are Players, so 1.6 billion[2], correct? Compared to it, the number of beings that possess enough divinity to be ranked as higher beings doesn’t exceed 10,000.”
Even if we assume that every higher being lent their power through Gwangrim to one person, it was one person in 1.6 million.
It was enough to be called ‘extremely rare’.
“In addition, there are higher beings who don’t lend such power to humans or Jin people, correct? If you take it into consideration, it’s correct to see Players connected with higher beings through Gwangrim as ‘extremely rare’.”
After No Yeongmi’s rebuttal, a scene of the attendees in the entire classroom, including the student who raised their hand and made a comment, taking notes was seen.
She carried on with her lesson.
“In this world there is a saying ‘There exist similar Gwangrims, but there are no exactly same Gwangrims’, correct? According to that saying, Players are each born with a unique Gwangrim, but the instant a connection with a higher being is established, the higher being’s power is tied to that Gwangrim.”
No Yeongmi pointed at Yu Sang-hui, who was sitting at Kim Yuri’s side as she spoke.
“Student Yu Sang-hui, who has a contract with the Goddess of Health, Acea, is a primary example. Her attacking type Gwangrim, with a wind attribute, changed to the ability to release wind with healing power, correct?”
After that, with Yu Sang-hui’s example as a lead, several famous Players’ Gwangrims were introduced.
When the introduction of several examples ended, the topic changed to an in-depth study.
“Recently, student Yu Sang-hui published a paper on a topic related to higher beings and Gwangrims, correct? Can you please give us a general summary of it?”
Yu Sang-hui, who stood up from her seat, opened a thesis paper with the title ‘Study of Gwangrim and connection to multiple higher beings’ on an electronic blackboard.
“A year ago, Adrastea… no, Nemesis-nim said ‘You have aptitude’ and She offered me a contract. But because Acea-nim didn’t like it, I politely refused and thanks to Nemesis-nim stepping back, nothing happened. With this incident as a trigger, I ended up writing a paper containing my study results.”
Goddess of Revenge, Nemesis.
Goddess of Healing, Acea.
When the names of some of the most well-known higher beings from Greece and Rome myths and ones that possessed extraordinary divinity, came out at the same time, there was a stir.
Kim Yuri suddenly felt as if she was suffocating.
‘Two higher beings… Everyone is so shaken with just two, huh?’
Yu Sang-hui was being scouted by the government, the Association and numerous private research institutes even before her graduation.
After she finished her brief and clean presentation, the whole classroom was filled with the sound of applause.
No Yeongmi had a faint smile in the corners of her lips as she spoke.
“And that was the presentation from student Yu Sang-hui. Unlike a blessing bestowed in the majority of cases, a higher being can lend their power through Gwangrim to one person only. Because of this, if one higher being already established a connection, it’s difficult to establish another connection with other higher beings. It should be natural for them to be against other beings interfering with the Player they become close enough to connect through Gwangrim.”
The hands of Kim Yuri, who intently listened to No Yeongmi’s words, started to break into cold sweat.
Someone among the students threw a question.
“Then is it impossible for one person to borrow the power of several higher beings through Gwangrim?”
“No, it’s theoretically possible and in fact, you have an example of this very close to you. He should be one of the few worldwide exceptions. Student Department Ham Geunhyeong-nim is like this.”
Kim Yuri recalled her homeroom teacher-nim Ham Geun-hyeong’s Gwangrim.
Ham Geun-hyeong’s Gwangrim was ‘Eyes and Light Bow of Sharpshooter’.
It was a powerful Gwangrim which pierced the targets with the eyes of higher beings famous as sharpshooters, and upon activation, it summons a divine bow.
“Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim is connected to higher beings famous as sharpshooters. If we recall what Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim revealed, two of the higher beings always lend their power, while another one is whimsical and then there is one that established a connection, but keeps silence. That’s to say that there are four higher beings gathered together.”
And then the class bell rang.
After the class bell stopped, No Yeongmi wrapped up the class.
“The class ends here. I’ll notify you about the final exam range tomorrow morning through your personal devices.”
The last class before the final exams ended, and the content of the conversations she heard from the students around were all about the lecture.
“I knew that Head of Student Department teach-nim is connected to higher beings, but four? He is really awesome.”
“In fact, his ability can summon four divine bows. And all four of them are higher beings famous as sharpshooters, you know?”
“Usually, it’s easy to go crazy, even if you’re connected to just one higher being. Because of the superpower wave’s pressure or the amount of information… What the hell is with teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim’s mental power?”
“According to the explanation, only two are always connected, remember? Aren’t the remaining two keeping their distance out of consideration for teach Ham Geunhyeong-nim?”
With each word sounding in her ears, Kim Yuri’s fear gradually grew.
Reflexively she clenched her trembling hands.
Under the long-sleeve school uniform shirt, which didn’t match with summer.
She recalled the existence of the Gwangrim Sealing mark, which almost faded away and disappeared.
‘There is no case like me anywhere! What should I do, what…’
The instant she obtained her Gwangrim for the first time.
As if they were waiting, the higher beings flocked and forcibly established connections with her.
‘Even teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim only has four…’
Kim Yuri didn’t know exactly how many higher beings her Gwangrim was currently connected with.
Because she stopped counting the moment they exceeded ten.
Ding.
[Lena ^▽^♡] Did your class end?
[Lena ^▽^♡] I wanted to go shop for groceries with you today! Please wait until my private lesson ends! ⟩_⟨
What arrived was a message from her class friend.
When she was together with the class children, her mood was stable.
Even though she just received a message, Kim Yuri’s tension started to lose.
‘They said that Gwangrim’s control relies on mental power and mind. It’s fine if I’m good. It has to be fine…!’
While Kim Yuri calmed her mind like this, she wrote a reply.
***
The first day of the final exams ended, but there were still many tests remaining.
The majority of the class kids, who gathered at Kim Yuri’s home, stared at texts with tired faces.
“Are we going to study all night today? Tomorrow’s subject test range is a bit…”
“There is also a practical test, so we can’t overdo it! I’ll force lights out in two hours.”
Kwon Lena and Kim Yuri, both with hair tied into a hairstyle that looked like apple, spoke with pale faces.
Kim Yuri usually had a ponytail and Kwon Lena had a bun.
Because the hair became a distraction during studying after final exams came, the two people with their hair on a longer side, tied them into a tophead bun hairstyle.
And Song Daeseok, who looked at that hairstyle, made an absurd comment.
— It’s like sangtu[2].
As the result of it, even after Song Daeseok apologized to the two, Min Geurin treated him like an invisible man for the next six hours.
“Seeum. Come here for a moment.”
“… I also had something to do with Seeum.”
“I was thinking the same.”
Break time.
Suddenly Kim Yuri, Kwon Lena, Han Yi called Sawol Seeum.
“… What is happening?”
“Sit here.”
“Yes? That…”
Swept by the three people’s spirits, Sawol Seeum sat down in the chair in front of the full-length mirror.
His hair was shorter than Han Yi, but an untidy, below the ears, bob of hair was quite conspicuous.
It seemed that in addition to not tidying his haircut these days, it looked like he slept head-down on the desk during each break.
“The right side is completely crushed. It’s impossible to recover.”
“How should we do it?”
“How about we braid them a little?”
“I don’t know, the hair tends to thin out, so if we braid too much, the stray hair might come out.”
“Then how about braiding them lightly here and there? I’ll take that side.”
“I’ll take the opposite side!”
“Yes? That…”
Before Sawol Seeum could do anything, the children’s hands armed with rubber bands started moving.
In the instant, Sawol Seeum’s hair was braided here and there and tied up with bobby pins.
‘It’s not a hairstyle a male highschooler would wear…’
Even though Maeng Hyodon was sorry, he was currently on a call with his revered teacher from middle school, while solving a math problem, and Hwang Jiho was ready to burst out laughing and only observing it.
‘Should I stop it?’
However, looking at Kim Yuri, who was combing Sawol Seeum’s hair with a smile, I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Her mind must be complicated because of various thoughts.
In the end, with everyone looking away, Sawol Seeum’s hair changed to the style that no male highschooler would wear, but was much more tidy.
The three people involved in the styling work had bright faces.
“Uh. I was so bothered by Seeum’s messy hair these days!”
“Refreshing.”
“Should I cut them…?”
“No, you look very good with your current hair! Don’t cut them!”
“We will tidy them up sometimes.”
Sawol Seeum’s expression was subtle, but hearing that he looked good with them in succession, he nodded his head.
“Yes! Then I’ll request it.”
He was too gullible[3].
I was worried how the kind Sawol Seeum would survive in this harsh world if he was so easily influenced by others.
“There, snacks were made.”
The voice of Min Geurin was heard from the kitchen.
Min Geurin and Song Daeseok were in charge of today’s midnight snacks.
The menu items were ice cream and ice cream scoop cookies.
Both were vanilla flavor with almonds and walnuts added and had a very similar appearance.
“I can’t distinguish the ice cream from the cookies based on the appearance!”
“Does Geurin like almonds? It seems you add almonds every time.”
“Uh, it’s not me, but Daeseok who likes them…”
At those words, the children looked at Song Daeseok and Min Geurin with dubious eyes.
They contained the question ‘Why aren’t you dating’, but at the thought that if they open their mouths Song Daeseok might be hurt, the children pretended like they didn’t know.
“Are there still some left?”
“Yep, there are still a lot left. There are also snacks we bought yesterday.”
“Hyodon, sit here!”
Just in time, Maeng Hyodon, who finished the call with his revered teacher, appeared and the children actively changed the topic.
Because the only empty seat was at Kim Yuri’s side, Maeng Hyodon, as if he was still ashamed and awkward to sit right by her side, he hesitated a bit to sit down.
“Were you studying math just now? How was it, are you doing well?”
“Hyodon, why did you choose math as your subject?”
Children’s gazes concentrated on Maeng Hyodon.
Math was the only college exam subject Maeng Hyodon was taking, so it would look strange.
“In middle school, the teacher-nim I admired was a math teacher. He is helping me with the exam even this time.”
Maeng Hyodon gave an answer!
But he didn’t reveal it to them during the midterm exams.
It seemed that Maeng Hyodon’s connection with children grew.
“Is it perhaps the teacher-nim you bought carnations for on the Teacher’s Day?”
“Uh…”
Hearing that reply, Kim Yuri looked at me with a wide smile.
It seemed she was expressing her thanks for accepting her request to help Maeng Hyodon deliver flowers the previous time.
Kwon Lena, who heard Maeng Hyodon’s words, added with a bright voice.
“I can understand you! Because senior Kwon Jane-nim was said to take the class ‘Music and superpowers study’ before, and I’m also taking it right now, I also want to work diligently.”
Kwon Lena studied more diligently than during the midterm exams, and her grades weren’t bad.
Rather than a goal of getting recognition from her abusive parents, the goal of getting closer to the violinist Kwon Jane, who she admired, was much more rewarding, and it seemed that it become a good motivation.
When I was listening to the conversation, my heart became warmer with just hearing them.
Tap.
Hwang Jiho lightly tapped my knee under the table.
After I looked at him with a ‘why is that guy suddenly acting like this?’ question, Hwang Jiho whispered:
“My other alter-ego received Jeok-ho’s report.”
“What was the report?”
Hwang Jiho spoke with a face full of displeasure.
“Zhu Ganglie returned.”
*~*~*
[1] No title — ‘Connection with god (1)’ =-= Connection, besides meaning a relationship it can also mean the cause of something or karma. And god in Korean is ‘신 (sin)’the same as the last part of Jo Ui’sin’ name.
[2] 8 billion and 1.6 billion — in raws: 80억 and 16억. 억 (eak) means one hundred million.
[3] sangtu — a traditional top-knot hairstyle worn by men, especially married ones. It was very popular during Joseon dynasty.
[4] He is too gullible — in raws: ‘His ears are too thin’. An idiom meaning that a person is easily influenced by others’ opinions. (I couldn’t find a good idiom for it in English. Why gullible automatically means stupid or immature?)
[?] No Yeongmi’s speech tone — No Yeongmi uses a formal tone (aka, tone even more polite than polite tone) during the lecture.
Translator’s note: Wait… Author-nim, don’t tell me that the Players make up 20% of the population because it gives you 16 (eak) which is equal to the number of chess pieces on one side.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
Leave a Reply