Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
65. Things that have to be hidden (2)
I was heading towards the Silver Light Building when I met Min Geurin.
Min Geurin was wearing a hood and was rushing at full speed, so I almost missed the opportunity to speak to her.
There was still ample of time, so why was she running so quickly?
Was it an after-meal exercise?
“Hey, let’s go together.”
Min Geurin urgently stopped in her tracks when I called out to her.
When you run at such a speed, it’s difficult to stop right away, but she calmly lowered her body and put on the brakes through superpower wave with amazing skills.
‘When she ran like this in PMH once, she had a tough time stopping.’
The scenario where Min Geurin and Song Daeseok appeared together.
There was a scene in that scenario where Min Guerin, who ran at the full speed, couldn’t control her superpower wave and stop, so Song Daeseok grabbed her with a reinforced arm and stopped her.
Just in case, I also took out an item card, but I guess my worries were unwarranted.
Min Geurin halted in her tracks completely, kicking a cloud of dust.
Unlike when that scenario unfolded, Min Geurin’s superpower wave was stable, and unlike when she was learning running techniques on her own, she was receiving teaching from excellent teaching staff.
I thought of all kinds of praises, but I worked hard to swallow them up, because I felt she would get embarrassed.
“Let’s walk. There is still time.”
“… I had to leave Daeseok behind, so I ran for a bit.”
All class children knew that I decided to talk with Min Geurin about the Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’s secret.
However, excluding Hwang Jiho, the class children didn’t know that ‘Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’ was related to the chairman.
So even if Min Geurin said she is going to meet the chairman, she couldn’t say she was going to hear about the Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’s secret.
‘Even if the class children learned about it, there would be no problems.’
However, from Min Geurin’s standpoint, she might have been wary of swapping the extremely busy Song Daeseok in a dangerous matter.
So in this case, it would seem like she just went to meet the chairman and went back.
But in contrast, if Min Geurin suddenly says she is going to see the chairman, Song Daeseok would be wary.
That said, painter Hong Gyeongbok was also going to be attending this meeting, so was there any problem?
As if Min Geurin belatedly realized that, she spoke with an embarrassed face.
“I should have told him that I’m going with master-nim. That would reassure him.”
“It’s better if you send a message even if it’s now. If you don’t, he will storm the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.”
“Uh… You’re right.”
But it seemed that Song Daeseok had already boarded the air shuttle to the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.
As if Song Daeseok was sending messages without stopping, Min Geurin was glued to the device the entire way to the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.
Min Geurin made a somewhat happy face as if she succeeded in persuading him.
When we arrived in the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.
Someone was conversing with painter Hong Gyeongbok.
When we approached to greet painter Hong Gyeongbok.
“Gyeongbok-ah, take better care of yourself. Just looking at you makes even me feel old.”
…. The moment we heard those shocking words, I unknowingly stopped in my tracks.
Gyeongbok? Taking care? Old?
Was those words spoken to painter Hong Gyeongbok right now?
Min Geurin looked at the two people with a stunned face, and I too seemed to make a similar expression.
Even upon hearing that, Hong Gyeongbok just laughed ‘hehehe’.
“Hehe, yet you haven’t changed at all in the 20 years, my friend. Appearance is one, but even the personality[1] is the same.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
The middle-aged woman standing in front of painter Hong Gyeonbok smiled widely.
… But was it indeed a praise?
Putting aside the comment about the appearance, if the personality didn’t change, wasn’t it a criticism that she didn’t grow up even a little?
However, the two people continued the conversation without showing any displeasure.
Looking at appearances only, painter Hong Gyeongbok looked to be from an older generation, but listening to the conversation content, it was just like a talk from old friends meeting.
“Uisin-ah, perhaps that Person is…”
It seemed that Min Geurin guessed who the person conversing with painter Hong Gyeongbok was.
The being who could have a conversation with painter Hong Gyeongbok without any formalities.
The Eungwang School’s person, who would enter the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.
A woman with long hair.
With this many hints, probably all Eungwang School students would recognize her.
I nodded and answered to Min Geurin’s words.
“That’s our school principal.”
“Ah… It’s the first time I see Her up close, so I didn’t recognize Her right away.”
It was because Eungwang School’s principal didn’t show herself in front of people.
The Eungwang School’s principal was said to be a person who hated to draw attention to begin with.
Because if she climbed to the position of principal, she would have to show herself in front of the public as the teaching staff representative, and she didn’t like it, she was said to have refused the position serval times.
As a result, under the chairman’s persuasion, she accepted the principal position on conditions.
‘I heard the principal put forward two conditions.’
The first condition the principal put forward was that the library budget and library floors were to be expanded.
Eungwang School’s library’s size and book collection was already world-class, but I guess the principal wasn’t satisfied.
Hwang Jiho, who wasn’t sparing with money, accepted this condition right away.
‘The second condition was a bit more complicated.’
The second condition the principal put forward was to permit her to go out with a covered face on the official events.
Currently, there are many people among the Players who act with covered faces, so it isn’t a huge deal if you cover your face at an official meeting.
However, when considering the social mood a few dozens of years ago, when the principal took her position, it would be unimaginable for the school’s representative to act with her face covered.
Even then, Hwang Jiho mobilized the Hwang Myeong Foundation’s PR team and respected the will of the principal.
‘Usually, the vice principal or one of the members of the board would move instead of the principal, but there are times where she had to show up. Like the exchange with the Military School.’
And the reason why Eungwang School’s principal avoids showing her face was revealed thanks to my Playable Character.
At the time of our visit in Hongcheon, as the principal was from the Hongcheon, Song Daeseok talked about the principal.
According to what Song Daeseok said, the reason was that she didn’t want her face to become famous, while she was the principal.
As, if she become famous, people would try to rip her off, thinking they could make a lot of money.
Our school principal was an owner of a truly realistic mindset.
“My student came.”
Painter Hong Gyeongbok, who enjoyed the conversation for a while, looked towards us.
He waved his hand as if he planned to introduce us to the principle.
Min Geurin hesitated and approached them.
She seemed to worry whether she should take off her hood in front of adults or not, but painter Hong Gyeongbok signaled her it’s fine to stay with the hood on.
The principal also appeared unbothered.
As she also covered her face as she liked in public places, it would be natural for her not to thinking much of it.
“Let’s me introduce you to them first. My pupil, Min Geurin. And this is Geurin’s class vice president Jo Uisin.”
“… Hello.”
After I and Min Geurin bowed in a greeting, painter Hong Gyeongbok introduced us to the principal.
Though we stood close, I could only see 1/3 of the principal’s face, because of the scarf and flowing long hair.
“This is Hwangbo Yun. She is the school principal, so you must have heard her name.”
Eungwang School’s principal Hwangbo Yun.
Surname ‘Hwangbo’, name ‘Yun’. [2]
Because of the gender neutral name, if you didn’t look up her personal information, it would be difficult to know the gender of a veiled person.
“You’re not surprised, huh? Did you recognize principal Yun-i?”
“We saw Her from the distance during the exchange opening ceremony.”
At my words, Hwangbo Yun sighed.
I guess she truly hated coming out.
“… I hate coming out, but I couldn’t help because the principal of the Military School was going to appear.”
“You can’t spoil the youngster’s festival by hiding your face for no reason, can you?”
“Ah, stop showing your age.”
“Hehehe. Isn’t it because you’re still mentally immature, my friend?”
Seeing the two people bicker was truly strange.
Painter Hong Gyeongbok was the same age as Song Manseok, 72 years old, while from the looks, Hwangbo Yun seemed to be in her 30s or 40s.
At a glance, they could be a father and daughter, but seeing the two talk so casually, I guess their age had no bearing on their friendship.
Thinking that, I was about to put it aside, but painter Hong Gyeongbok spoke with a playful face.
“Yun-i is my old friend. If I may add, even though she looks like this, Yun-i is the same age as I.”
What?
What sound am I hearing right now?
I doubted my ears.
Min Geurin, who stood beside me, let out ‘Heuk!’ and covered her mouth.
I too barely managed to shut my mouth that was about to open.
“By birthdays, I’m younger.”
“Hehe, you’re over 70, but still nitpick over those few months? If you want to make a fuss, you should speak polite to me, who was born earlier.”
“I hate it?”
By the looks Hwangbo Yun was a middle-aged woman, who seemed to be in her 30s or 40s, but she was in fact the same age as painter Hong Gyeongbok?
Painter Hong Gyeongbok was on a healthy side, but hearing those words, I saw his wrinkles.
‘… Painter Hong Gyeongbok went through a lot of hardships, right?’
How many incidents did he got involved in after accepting Min Geurin as a disciple?
Didn’t the things that he believed to be his students, collectively ostracized Min Geurin?
Didn’t, due to their schemes, Min Geurin almost put down the brush forever?
Didn’t he give up many things and excommunicate them, but Min Geurin refused to go to school?
Didn’t they post malicious comments and came to the class 0’s classroom to play some trickery on Min Geurin, when she barely started to attend the school?
Painter Hong Gyeongbok went through many hardships, so it couldn’t help but show on his face.
‘Even so, principal Hwangbo Yun looks too young.’
There were many people of her age among the Players, but that seemed a bit overboard.
Wasn’t the revealed face seriously young, compared to her age?
While conversing, Hwangbo Yun checked the watch.
Seeing she wore a wristwatch, it seemed she used an analog clock.
“Don’t you have a meeting with the chairman? Isn’t the time slowly approaching?”
“Yeah. We should go now.”
“Then see you next time.”
The two people naturally parted, and no matter how I looked I couldn’t repress my astonishment at the fact that they really seemed to be the friends of same age.
‘No, thinking about it, it’s not that surprising.’
Because the geezer, who went way overboard was waiting for us.
“You’re here.”
The Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building’s chairman office we’ve entered under the guidance of the secretary.
Hwang Jiho in the appearance of Hwang Myeong-ho was waiting.
Hwang Jiho courteously offered us to sit in this oppressive chairman office, and painter Hong Gyeongbok sat down with an easy-going attitude. Watching me and painter Hong Gyeongbok, Min Geurin followed to sit down.
At first she seemed to be surprised by the chairman office’s majesty, but as if her gaze was more drawn to the artwork here and there, she soon started to act naturally.
Hwang Jiho, who observed that scene, made a pleased face.
I guess he liked that Min Geurin acted without being pressed down by the atmosphere.
Hwang Jiho, who exchanged a few words in greeting, got straight to the point.
“As there is not much lunch break left, I’ll get to the point.”
As Hwang Myeong-ho was in his 60s, he was using formal tone towards painter Hong Gyeongbok.
“Then let us examine the secured ‘Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’.”
Hwang Jiho took out the ‘Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’ card from his pocket.
The master and the student briefly made surprised faces seeing the cardified painting, but perhaps they were already prepared for the situation where the fact that the painting can be cardified was revealed, they soon made serious faces.
Paat!
When ‘Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’ materialized, and Hwang Jiho unfolded the map of ley lines to compare with the painting.
“Wait.”
“One moment!”
As if painter Hong Gyeongbok and Min Geurin found something, they raised their voices at the same time.
*~*~*
[1] personality — literally ‘core, essence’.
[2] Surname ‘Hwangbo’, name ‘Yun’. — In Korean names and surnames are written together, and two compounds surnames are unusual. One compound names are also rarer these days.
Translator’s note: That’s the third person who likes analog things without an explanation why.
Patron thank you note:
Thank you patron, Nobody, please accept this Disocactus anguliger’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Al, please accept this Echinocereus cinerascens’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Dust, please accept this Epiphyllum hookeri’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Maru, please accept this Sclerocactus brevispinus’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, kamisonk, please accept this Kadenicarpus pseudomacrochele’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Kasimir Ilmonen, please accept this Coryphantha ramillosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Tara Hess, please accept this Cochemiea guelzowiana’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Ice, please accept this Aztekium ritteri’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Hematite, please accept this Soehrensia spachiana’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Deflubs, please accept this Soehrensia formosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, TheFloorGuy, please accept this Matucana krahnii’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Akemidy, please accept this Loxanthocereus faustianus’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, vicky moch, please accept this Lobivia arachnacantha’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Diana-Maria, please accept this Lobivia mamillosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Ch W, please accept this Lobivia pampana’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, aila ilzyana, please accept this Echinopsis werdermannii’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, MeltedMochi, please accept this Alcea setosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Links to support this translation and access to 8 advanced chapter (Patreon & Kofi)
> Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LibraryKeyTranslations
> Kofi-Euro: https://ko-fi.com/wanthetranslator
> Kofi-USD: https://ko-fi.com/wanthetranslatorusd
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
Leave a Reply