Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
60. Party (11)
Jeon Mu-yeong acted separate from Seong Gukeon and Jo Uisin.
He was figuring out the location of the magic circles the Fomori Demons installed around.
‘There are less magic circles on the ground than I thought. As they were once called deep sea Demons, did they fortify centering on the sea?’
That much was expected.
Though Jeon Mu-yeong felt regretful, he thoroughly checked the locations of the magic circles on the ground, as discussed beforehand.
After completing his mission, he used the remaining time to carry out an additional mission.
Jeon Mu-yeong hid his presence and began busily moving, measuring the superpower wave values around the bridge[1], and guessing the identities of the party invitees, even with their masks and disguises put on.
‘According to the plan, I should enter as the very last one now.’
The drivers in charge of parking usually waited in cars, but there were some people who headed to the castle to participate in the party like Jeon Mu-yeong.
Jeon Mu-yeong mixed among those people to move naturally.
Pretending to admire the bridge and castle’s grandeur, and having his gaze stolen by the pumpkin lamps, Jeon Mu-yeong stopped a few times and fell behind.
But Jeon Mu-yeong couldn’t tail at the very end as he wanted.
Because there was a party participant who was moving even slower than Jeon Mu-yeong.
‘Only this person moves slowly. How bothersome.’
If Jeon Mu-yeong stopped walking, that someone would stop walking too, if he started moving, the someone would shift his feet too.
No matter how he thought about it, that person moved conscious of Jeon Mu-yeong.
‘No way, was my infiltration uncovered…?!’
He didn’t do anything yet, and the detailed infiltration plan was made just after their arrival in Britain.
Jeon Mu-yeong thought the possibility was small, but even so, he decided to presume the worst case scenario.
When hiding his nervousness, Jeon Mu-yeong turned to look at the party participant who was standing behind him.
“Why do you keep stopping? Can’t you go a bit quicker? It’s slowly getting annoying.”
It was an irritated voice.
Someone wearing a mask said it was slowly getting annoying, but it seemed like he was already annoyed.
Seeing a superpower wave burn behind the mask, the other party didn’t seem to be ordinary.
What shocked Jeon Mu-yeong wasn’t that powerful superpower wave though.
‘… He is speaking in Korean!’
The Korean Peninsula, where the Clash of Different Worlds occurred first and Power of Earth was abundant, went through a dark period called the ‘Dark Age’, but it was also the very first place to embrace the dawn of the era of Player society thanks to Great Hero Iron Arm Song Manseok.
Matching that, it produced many prominent Players, and among the world’s top 10’s otherworld conquest Player teams, four of the teams’ team masters were Korean.
Red Lion, Eternal Lake, Black Wind Forest, Hydrangea Aroma.
In addition, though the team masters weren’t Korean, there were also teams, whose Players in key executive positions were Korean, like Air Society or White Tempest.
As such, there were cases where Korean thoroughly took root before English for Players main language, and there were many Players, who came to Korea to study.
It was a common case that high-ranking and famous Players used Korean fluently.
However, this was a party hosted by Fomori Demons in secret.
Because he couldn’t figure out the opponent’s ultimate motive behind using Korean in such a place, Jeon Mu-yeong was hesitant to reply.
“Ah, do you perhaps not know Korean language? But I still hate being considerate, so I’ll speak in Korean language.”
Whatever his ultimate motive was, the opponent seemed to just be rude.
At the end of his worries, Jeon Mu-yeong replied in English.
“Please go first.”
“I hate it.”
It appeared that the other party also knew English, but he firmly replied in Korean.
Adding to that, he spoke with an annoyed voice.
“Doesn’t the main character appear last? I hate to concede.”
The other party spoke with a strange logic.
Jeon Mu-yeong was left speechless at the absurdity of it.
‘It’s the thinking worthy of Eungwang School’s class 0’s children.’
Those strange words were probably something students from Eungwang School’s class 0 would insist on.
In fact, the currently enrolled class president and vice class president of the 2nd year class 0, Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol were giving the Student Council and the Guideline Club headaches with claims similar to this, but Jeon Mu-yeong had no way of knowing this much.
To avoid getting involved with this strange person, Jeon Mu-yeong decided to change the course of his actions.
“Then I’ll go first.”
As if he was never dragging for time, Jeon Mu-yeong quickly entered the castle.
Seeing this sight, the person wearing a rat mask made a satisfied face.
* * *
I saw a white lump between the pieces of shattered glass.
To speak precisely, it was a mass bundled in white gloves.
Before I could see its appearance in detail, the Demon in a blue mask standing on the podium moved his hands.
Paaat! Whosh!
The quick gesture like slapping an opponent’s cheek caused wind.
The wind called by the Demon blew the pieces of glass and the remains of the Demons’ familiars out of the window in an instant.
The party participants, who stood close the window, were saved from the misfortune of being hit by the glass shards and a bundle of gloves thanks to the quick countermeasure.
But the atmosphere sunk instantly, as if someone showered everyone in cold water.
‘I don’t know who it was, but it looked like some kind of warning, eh?’
Was it the Phantom Thief Neon?
Somehow it didn’t seem like an action that suited the Phantom Thief Neon.
If the Phantom Thief Neon broke the window, it wouldn’t end just on that.
Because the Phantom Thief was a bastard, who would put up with danger, and appear with flashy effects and BGM prepared, to the point of cringe.
‘Is someone, whodidn’t get found out yet, is interfering?’
I recalled the cruelly bundled up Demons’ familiars, the white gloves, that were guiding and serving the invitees.
Just now they were thrown out and would be miserably rolling around in glass shards, so it wouldn’t be a pretty sight.
No matter how I looked, it looked like nothing but a jeer or a warning to break fun at the start of the party.
As if he read the meaning behind it, the Demon in a blue mask looked to be in a seriously bad mood, but that bad mood was visible only for a second.
He smiled and said like nothing had happened:
“… The games begin now!”
Once the Demon in a blue mask clapped his hands, the gloves that were scattered in the party venue, let out a ‘Pop! Pop!’ sound and emitted superpower waves.
The party participants cheered shortly at the colorful lights.
Finishing emitting the superpower waves, the white gloves changed colors, and the changed gloves lit up with the light in the same color.
The gloves, which before existed like props in the background, became eye-drawing.
It wasn’t just gloves that changed colors.
The badges, distributed a moment ago, also changed colors.
“Now, Esteemed Guests, please move to the area matching the color of Your badge.”
Pumpkin lamps of several colors were installed around the hall.
Some pumpkin lamps were installed in the hall, while other pumpkin lamps were in front of other corridors.
Under each pumpkin lamp was a glass box, and inside of them seemed to be prizes for the games the Demon spoke of.
The party participants looked at the prizes and made surprised faces.
‘Over there are fancy color diamonds, and there are SSR rank item cards… The level of prizes is higher than expected. Did they raise their standard because of what just happened?’
There was no person here among the party invitees who would be swayed by such prizes.
Even so, in front of the gifts from which one could feel the party host’s sincerity, everyone sent praises.
Perhaps because of the fierce giveaway attack, the atmosphere became lively again.
“We wish You enjoy the games we’ve prepared. Good luck!”
The Demon in a blue mask looked at the broken window that was covered with a velvet curtain at some point and descended from the stage.
It seemed like he was going to personally investigate the cause.
‘We’re free to participate in the party games in the party venue as we like, but in the atmosphere where everyone is participating, we should move matching that.’
Looking around, everyone was comparing their badges and pumpkin lanterns colors, and actively moving.
It seemed better to participate in the games here.
Luckily, Seong Gukeon’s and my badge were the same color.
“Then let’s go. If I win, I’ll give you the prize. I think those cufflinks will suit you more, eh?”
Seong Gukeon pointed at the set of expensive cufflinks with a chess board pattern under the red pumpkin lantern as he spoke.
The first game we played was a dice game[2], but both I and Seong Gukeon ended up losing.
As we weren’t particularly coveting the prizes, and were only doing it for the sake of participation, neither I nor Seong Gukeon felt very regretful.
As I and Seong Gukeon finished the game, the badge color changed.
“Then shall we go to another place? Let’s play games until we get blue.”
Seong Gukeon spoke, while glancing at the podium.
In the empty space, on the first podium, where the Demon wearing a blue mask was standing before, a blue lamp was installed during that change just now.
‘As the lamp is matching the color of the host, there is a big chance something big is there.’
The color the badges changed to was green.
It didn’t turn into blue right away.
While we were moving, looking for a green pumpkin lantern, cheers erupted from under the red pumpkin lantern.
It seemed that someone got the perfect dice score.
‘Considering the chance of that, it wouldn’t even be 1%, but there is already a winner?’
I guess it was a person with extremely good luck.
Perhaps there were several prizes prepared in case a winner appeared early, there was no problem with the progress.
“Next is a card game, eh? A card game that deals with item cards?”
Majority of the party participants, including us, were moving around, enjoying the games.
There were many who moved for the party games, but comfortable sofas were prepared across the castle, so people who wore suits, dresses or high heels could take a break.
There were people, who gave up on games entirely, grabbed a seat and were resting, and such people were guided to the table at the balcony.
The people taking a break were able to leisurely enjoy dinner or tea time, while watching a night sky.
“At last it changed to blue, eh? The color of the Demon, who was standing on the podium a moment ago.”
The badges I and Seong Gukeon were wearing shined blue.
Because of the shiny blue curtain around it, I couldn’t properly see what was inside, and couldn’t know what game was held there.
‘I hope we can get a clue.’
When I and Seong Gukeon passed through the shiny blue curtain, I had a feeling of incongruity.
It was difficult to feel a difference, because it was laid out with a soft carpet, but it felt like only the ground behind the curtain was firm.
‘Something seems to be on the floor, is it related to the game…?’
As if he also felt a sense of incongruity, Seong Gukeon’s walking speed also seemed to slow down a little.
At that moment.
Uuuung…! Pop!
The blue curtain lifted, and superpower fireworks exploded above us.
A pumpkin wearing a crown appeared close to the hall’s high ceiling, and circled around Seong Gukeon.
‘I heard some kind of sound, but it was buried in the sound of the superpower wave fireworks and I didn’t hear it clearly.’
I wanted to talk with Seong Gukeon, but I couldn’t speak up, because of the gazes pouring towards Seong Gukeon.
The blue gloves familiars were busy clapping and sending congratulations.
“Congratulations! A winner appeared!”
Seong Gukeon was handed a crown embedded with an alexandrite.
Seon Gukeon accepted the crown and chatted about trying to put it on his head, but he didn’t seem to be very willing to do that.
It appeared he was thinking that he was drawing unnecessary attention.
When the sound of applause settled, the Demon wearing the blue mask walked in our direction.
‘… Did you repair the window? But it feels like he is looking this way.’
To speak precisely, he was looking at Seong Gukeon.
He spoke with a half happy, half regretful tone.
“Regretfully, there is not even a little Celtic blood mixed in, eh?”
How should one react to those words?
Before Seong Gukeon could react, the Demon smiled and said:
“Hahaha! Please don’t misunderstand. That’s not a bad thing. I just came because I wanted to make You an offer.”
The Demon in the blue mask lowered his voice.
“We wish You would destroy one of the Danu gods tribe’s treasures.”
*~*~*
[1] bridge — can also mean ‘to estimate, to measure, to guess’.
[2] dice game — 주사위 (jusawi) — so this word has two possible words hidden in it, 주사 (jusa) for which I don’t see any connections, but you can read its various meanings in Never or Daum dictionary if you want to play this game. The second possible word is 사위 (sawi), and it has interesting meanings of ‘to deceive conscience and make lies’, ‘to succeed to the throne’, ‘son-in-law’, ‘avoiding certain words or actions out of superstitious fear that something bad could happen’.
Translator’s note: I don’t know what is funnier, Seodol really trying to make a phantom thief impression or Jeon Mu-yeong thinking that Seodol would fit into class 0.
Ah, but an alexandrite? *looks at the Demon in blue mask* You’re suspicious now.
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