Translator: Wan ED/PR: novio
19. Eternal Lake’s team master’s performance in Korea (2)
The central zone Student Council Hall, Student Council room.
The Student Council members talked about the last Children’s Day incident.
“Ah, if I knew about it, I would’ve also visited the Jamsil Baseball stadium this year. But I hated listening to Wonu’s whining, so I pretended to be busy.”
The Student Council vice president, Ji Myeongsu, half-laid on the sofa and grumbled.
On the other side, sitting opposite of him, student council secretary, Yu Sang-hui, who was gently drinking juice, also said with regret:
“I don’t like going out with Wonu, but if I knew that Junyeol and Sang-hun’s friends are also coming, I would’ve taken my younger brother and gone too. Sang-hun didn’t say anything, but it looked like he was very sad.”
“Ah, Sang-hui, if it’s your younger brother’s friends, are you talking about kids from the 13 entrance exam group? Those guys keep getting into incidents… I don’t know if it’s good or bad luck. Is one of them going to the Military Academy Highschool? I think I heard that he is Wonu’s younger second cousin’s roommate.”
“Yeah, it seems so. I hoped that Namuk and Sihu would come to our school. And that Wonu would hopefully transfer.”
“Hahahaha! You can’t send my barrel of fun[1] away. Sometimes, no, he often annoys me, so at those times I think ‘please transfer’. Even so, this time Wonu worked hard. Please give him a little praise.”
Ji Myeongsu often teased To Wonu, but there were extremely rare occasions when he secretly supported the two on a whim.
The Student Council members, who sensed his intentions, looked at Ji Myeongsu with smiles outside of Yu Sang-hui’s vision.
Ji Myeongsu secretly showed them clenched fist with the meaning of: ‘If Sang-hui knows about it, I may get hit by Vital Point Strike, so shut up’.
“Yeah… It seems that Myeongsu is right. Wonu talks too much, but he did well this time. Because my younger brother’s friends were also unscathed and safe.”
Whether she was aware or not about the ongoing silent communication behind her, Yu Sang-hui spoke with a gentle smile.
Swish—.
Automatic doors opened and then To Wonu and Yeom Junyeol entered.
They were the two who played an active role as the attack team in the Jamsil Baseball Stadium’s otherworldly conquest’s party.
“Hi, sorry for being late. Junyeol and I had something to talk about with the Hwang Myeong Foundation today.”
“Hello.”
After To Wonu and Yeom Junyeol finished their greetings, Yu Sang-hui got up from her seat and spoke:
“I saw the articles, Wonu. Thank you for your trouble. My younger brother’s friends were also there, but luckily they all got out safely. “
“Sang-hui, thanks! I only thought about you during the conquest!”
To Wonu was ready to grab Yu Sang-hui’s hand right away.
She paid no mind to his intentions and turned around straight away to speak with Yeom Junyeol:
“Junyeol, I also thank you for your trouble. It was a performance worthy of the star Player. I’m proud of you as your senior. I also saw your first pitch video. I have no idea about baseball, but I can tell that your posture was excellent.”
“Thank you, Sang-hui noona.”
When looking at Yeom Junyeol who heard more praises than him, To Wonu was filled with complicated emotions.
While outstanding and sociable, Yeom Junyeol was also a modest and polite junior.
But he didn’t want to see him saying ‘Sang-hui noona’ to Yu Sang-hui with a smile on his face that was a cheek slap to decent idols and actors.
In the end, To Wonu’s corrupt mind that wriggled inside him, said a word:
“Don’t act like you’re close to Sang-hui, Yeom Jun… Ack!”
Pang–!
Before he finished, Yu Sang-hui’s Vital Point Strike flew towards his back.
He sensed an approach, but in the split-second judgment that those were Yu Sang-hui’s fingers, To Wonu decided to not avoid them.
“What are you saying to your junior? Disgusting, Wonu. And what do you think of me during the otherworld conquest when dealing with Enemies? What were you talking about?”
“Sang-hui, I always think about you.”
“I feel bad.”
“What?! Sang-hui, are you not feeling good? If you’re sick anywhere, shouldn’t you go to the infirmary? I’ll carry you.”
“So dirty.”
To Wonu didn’t succumb to Yu Sang-hui’s condemnation even a little bit.
On the other side, Yeom Junyeol, who was familiar with this situation, chatted with Ji Myeongsu with an expression saying he wasn’t bothered by it even a bit.
Observing this scene Kim Yuri smiled a little as she spoke to An Dain.
“Haha, aren’t seniors fun even today? Right, Dain?”
“… Uhu.”
As if An Dain’s mind was somewhere else, she replied half-heartedly.
Kim Yuri looked at the hologram An Dain was watching.
‘It seems to be the video from Jamsil Baseball Stadium?’
An Dain was watching a video of the Jamsil Baseball Stadium otherworld conquest published by the Association.
The faces were blurred, but Kim Yuri could recognize who appeared in the video straight away.
‘The one holding the rod and casting is Uisin. At the front, protecting Uisin are Hyodon and Su-hyeok. Whoa, everyone fights well.’
An Dain’s gaze didn’t leave Ju Su-hyeok.
Ju Su-hyeok casually swung his favorite swords, ‘Two Shining Wings,’ while perfectly blocking Enemy’s movements.
In comparison to Maeng Hyodon who dealt heavy but clumsy punches one after one and Jo Uisin who couldn’t move from the place, Ju Su-hyeok’s splendid Twin Sword skill drew attention.
But An Dain had one more reason why she couldn’t keep her eyes away from him.
Lookin at her, who stared at the scene with Ju Su-hyeok where he smiled faintly, Kim Yuri cheered inside.
‘Dain, good luck!’
After short cheering, Kim Yuri saved the video An Dain was watching on her own device.
Kim Yuri, who rewound the saved video and watched it from the beginning, couldn’t help her astonishment.
‘Everyone is so excellent. I still tremble when I face a virtual Enemy. How can those guys, who are the same age as me, fight so well? I want to hear their thoughts in person.’
Two friends from her class appeared in the articles.
It was natural that she wanted to hear the story about their performance in person.
But today was frantic because of ticketing, so it wasn’t a particularly good time for her to talk about the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident.
‘Hyodon and Uisin worked hard, so I should buy something delicious tomorrow.’
While watching the video together with An Dain, Kim Yuri organized tomorrow’s plans.
***
10 years ago, Korea’s art world was shaken by one prodigy, Min Geurin.
In truth, Min Geurin’s house had no connections to the art world before.
‘Min Geurin came in contact with the art world for the first time when she was seven years old.’
It was at the time when Song Manseok visited the house of his old best friend, the best Korean traditional painter, Hong Gyeongbok, with his grandson Song Daeseok and Song Daeseok’s childhood friend, Min Geurin.
Min Geurin stared at Hong Gyeongbok’s brush strokes like possessed, and then suddenly caused a big incident.
In the moment when adults were absent, she painted on the Hong Gyeongbok unfinished work in the corner of his studio, the ‘Death of Imoogi’.
Song Manseok was too late to realize that, he was startled and bowed his head asking for forgiveness.
However, Hong Gyeongbok saw ‘Death of Imoogi’ finished by Min Geurin and couldn’t help his astonishment, as he said:
[‘Death of Imoogi’ was destined to be completed by the hand of this prodigy.]
Hong Gyeongbok said that he will gladly not hold her responsible for this matter if Min Geurin became his student.
It was an incident where not only the seven years old child who had no experience of holding a brush completed master’s painting, but also became his student.
After this incident, Korea’s art world and the press looked for the prodigy who will lead the future of the art world without hiding their expectations.
The ‘Death of Imoogi’ which started that prodigy’s history was exhibited in the National Modern Korean Art Museum and was the most beloved art piece there.
‘However now…’
Min Geurin stopped even visiting Hong Gyeongbok’s studio and refused to attend school.
‘I knew she was a truant, but I had no idea she was also afraid of places with many people.’
It was understandable, when I think about the incident which became a chance for Min Geurin to become a truant.
She had little importance in the game and even when she appeared, she acted with Song Daeseok as a duo outside of the school, so I couldn’t grasp her well.
‘Then she ended up falling into Dark Mastermind’s hands… There was no description of her coming to school, but seeing the current situation, it wasn’t that she didn’t come to school at all.’
Luckily, in addition to it being a corridor leading to the teacher’s room, it was quite some time after the classes ended, so it was empty.
“Hey, you’re from the 1st year class 0.”
“Ack!”
Min Geurin who ignored me and walked past, was startled.
She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, covered by the sleeve of the hooded jacket, and looked at me.
“You, you were in the class 0’s classroom during the mid-term exam, right?”
“Yep, I’m the 1st year class 0’s vice president, Jo Uisin. Nice to meet you.”
I guess, even though Min Geurin fled the classroom within seconds, she memorized the faces of all the students.
That’s a sharp eye worthy of the prodigy who shook Korea’s art world.
“Okay, good work. Hi. I’ll be going!”
Min Geurin spat one liners as if she was rapping and then turned her back to me.
She had to protect her hands, so from a young age she polished her Foot Fighting Art.
If she puts her mind to it and runs, I won’t be able to catch her without using Gwangrim.
I had no idea when I would meet her again after the exam repetition period passed.
First, I called her to stop.
“Wait.”
“…Ah, what again!?”
“Please come to school a little. Our attendance rate is low.”
“… Can’t. Too many people!”
Min Geurin refused in a second without hesitation.
I guess even only seven people was beyond her.
‘The only things that can change Min Geurin’s mind are her childhood friend Song Daeseok and painting. Only those two.’
Min Geurin suspended learning painting from Hong Gyeongbok, but she didn’t stop painting itself.
She hid inside her room and tediously painted again and again.
‘Sadly, those works couldn’t see the light of the day.’
Min Geurin and Song Daeseok finished their middle school education process with the highschool qualification exam.
The two’s families threatened them with: ‘If you don’t get into highschool, there won’t be any painting and what not!’ to get them to leave home.
‘However, the two of them were uselessly excellent.’
Song Daeseok and Min Geurin learned the information that Eungwang School is attended of one’s volition and applied to Eungwang School.
As a result of the two’s amazing grades, they were admitted to Korea’s most prestigious highschool.
And now, they freely lead the lives of truants and make their parents grab their heads.
‘It’s incredible that Ham Geun-hyeong made Min Geurin come to school, even if it was only for a mere moment. It seems that Ham Geun-hyeong is acquainted with Song Manseok, but why is that?’
Song Daeseok was a card I had no way of currently using.
If so, there is only one remaining. I have to use painting.
“If you come to school, I’ll give you this.”
I took out a card from the inventory.
‘Drop of Water with the Breath of Mermaid’.
It was an SR– – – rank item which appeared on the Fantasy Auction.
‘It’s an item that just gives a light blessing[2] effect. But according to its description, if this item is used to paint or mixed with the paint, the color won’t fade.’
If Min Geurin chose so, there were a number of people who would jump to offer her better paints and items.
But currently, she was living on scraps in her house, confined to her room like a burden.[3]
She was now prohibited from the otherworld conquest until the 1st year 1st semester, and after that she extremely hated going outside herself, so Min Geurin didn’t have a place to obtain money or items.
“Ah, can’t… No way, I can’t.”
After Min Geurin agonized for a short moment, she resolutely shook her head.
I guess it would be difficult to perfectly end her school rejection with only this one item.
It’s a pity, but let’s lower the bar a lot.
“If so then please come to school only for Teacher’s Day.”
Even though it was only one day, I wanted to make the attendance rate 50% and make Ham Geun-hyeong happy.
‘The condition of just going to school was lowered to only one day, so she will be shaken.’
As expected, Min Geurin started to worry greatly.
“Uu… perhaps… the 1st year class 0 has too many people.”
Min Geurin’s standard of ‘many’ was strange.
I don’t think she would answer me straight away, so it seemed to be better to give her some time.
I wrote my device code on the hologram and showed it to Min Geurin.
“Give me an answer before Teacher’s Day, please. Here, my device code.”
“Uh, um, got it.”
“Then see you on Teacher’s Day if you can.”
I left Min Geurin deep in her worries and turned around.
If it was her, she would fully memorize the code after only seeing it on a hologram once.
***
After I finished the evening training and returned to my dormitory room.
The Children’s Day Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident ended safely, but there was one great task for me remaining.
I erased and then re-entered a message typed into the hologram a few times, sighing deeply.
‘It’s a promise made to my Playable Character, so I have to keep it.’
No matter how much my face burned, I had to do it.
It took me a long time to come up with a very short sentence.
‘Then let’s write it like the invitation.’
⟨Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.⟩
⟨Using active character’s Gwangrim ‘Summoning of Red Dragon’.⟩
I heard the system sound and soon Red Dragon appeared in the subspace crack.
Paaa—.
On the white paper.
With Red Dragon’s flame, I engraved each letter with delicate scorch marks.
[Come to the off-limits zone, the classroom we met last time after club activities end.
And don’t call me Red Wall Thief from now on.]
*~*~*
[1] barrel of fun – ‘laughing button’/’laughing bell’ in raws.
[2] blessing – type of small blessing for protection or happiness you can obtain in temples. Do not mistake it for blessing in the status window or protection given by higher beings.
[3] she was living on scraps in her house, confined to her room like a burden – in raws; ‘she eats unwillingly given meals in her house and lives in her room like a useless person (some a bit harsh language is used)’. This sentence sounds a bit malicious, but it shouldn’t be to my knowledge. By which I mean, Jo Uisin isn’t belittling Min Geurin or her parents.
Translator’s note: You may want to take notes about some of the information mentioned in this chapter.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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