Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
[1]
Central main dining hall designed with the imagery of waves through blue velvet and otherworldly ore.
Under the sapphire statue of sea nymph symbolizing Cymopoleia, captain and crew members wearing white uniforms lined up.
When I was worrying how I should start a greeting, Ju Su-hyeok came out first.
Ju Su-hyeok had a short conversation while smiling as if he was acquainted with a captain.
After we also finished our greetings following Ju Su-hyeok, a butler, who was assigned to us, appeared and guided us to our seats.
“There are even menus I’m seeing for the first time. What should I choose?”
“They said that seafood is a core part of cruise dinner, so I hoped to order everything from that category. Looking at the reviews, particularly recommended menus came with lobsters and shrimps.”
“What, there are also courses that come with both of them.”
“We can order both of them. In any case, the next dish is prepared in accordance with the speed you eat.”
“Then let’s order them all.”
“I also thought of trying out all the dessert menus.”
Maeng Hyodon and Jang Namuk, who were enjoying this cruise sailing the most, chose menus with excitement.
In contrast, To Sihu chose soup and kept his mouth shut, perhaps because just looking at the menu made his body tilt.
On the side, I saw Ju Su-hyeok quietly call a server to prepare a bag in case of any incidents.
‘But on what criteria are guests assigned?’
3 floors of the multi-floor type dining hall.
On the 1st floor where we were guided I saw many people wearing tuxedos, dresses and hanboks, so they seemed to be official guests.
And on the 3rd floor people seemed to wear uniforms, so it should be used by the crew.
‘People on the 2nd floor… they are wearing relatively casual clothes.’
As I took my gaze off of the hologram menu board and looked at the 2nd floor, Ju Su-hyeok also followed my gaze and staring down at the 2nd floor, he mumbled:
“The people on the 2nd floor have to be journalists.”
“Journalists? It seems too many to cover a simple boat party.”
The expression of Ju Su-hyeok, who was talking before, turned a bit dark.
“Ju-Oh and TC’s joint project is planned to be announced here. If I didn’t throw away the clothes, it would turn into serious trouble.”
“A joint project?”
Roughly looking at their faces, Ju Su-hyeok was aware of the existence of the project when coming here, but To Sihu didn’t seem to hear about it beforehand.
‘Seeing how Ju Su-hyeok is concerned about clothes, it seems that he was made to wear clothes matching with Oh Hyeji. If two people dress like that in front of this many reporters, not a rumor but an article would come out, right?’
I could guess the reason why the pure love boy Ju Su-hyeok couldn’t hide his expression and was making a dark face.
“Aren’t things like that usually announced during presentations? I think that when they revealed the plans to construct the data center or to release the service and commercialize the 1GG(1Gifted Generation), they announced it like that.”
At Jang Namuk’s words, Ju Su-hyeok adjusted his expression and then said:
“You know that this event today is to celebrate that the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident ended without any injured and to express the thanks to Players who fought, right?
“Of course. And it seems that a lot of people related to Ju-Oh Dragons, TC Knights and baseball staff came.”
“The new project is related to the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident, so… I guess the planning team and PR team decided it would be the most dramatic to reveal it here.”
Ju Su-hyeok only spoke up to there.
It looked like the embargo was still held.
‘Ju-Oh and TC Groups’ joint project? It’s content that wasn’t in the game.’
In the game, the TC Group’s next head stepped back from the frontlines with the Jamsil Baseball Stadium as an opportunity, and then the relationship between the two Groups gradually got twisted.
It wasn’t a situation for a joint project to emerge.
‘Looks like it will be announced later, so I should enjoy the course dishes first.’
Soon the ordered course dishes arrived in order.
Balsamic olive oil salad.
Butter-grilled pen shell scallops.
Whole grilled shrimps.
Lobster with mozzarella cheese.
On top of the mentioned menus, Jang Namuk and Maeng Hyodon also ate tobiko[2] cream sauce risotto and strip sirloin steak.
Seeing the two people eat so well, my stomach felt truly full, but To Sihu who saw the eating show didn’t even make absurd jokes as if his stomach was gradually starting to not feel good and kept his mouth closed.
At the time when the desserts were coming.
Ding–!
Clear bell sound lightly rang out throughout the entire dining hall.
Sound which carried a faint supernatural wave.
It was a sound that would make even ordinary people, who couldn’t sense supernatural waves, think ‘the sound spreads very clearly’.
The sound’s source was on the stage in the most inner part of the hall.
I saw a man in a business suit holding a bell.
‘Ju Su-hyeok’s exclusive secretary, Kim Cheol. As expected, he also came here, huh?’
A person who appeared in the game as an NPC, Kim Cheol.
He was one of the people Ju Su-hyeok rescued before the game started.
“Our apologies for interrupting the meal. Please listen comfortably while sitting.”
After a short speech, Kim Cheol descended below the stage.
Kim Cheol, below the stage he discussed something with both groups’ bodyguards’ teams.
Kim Cheol made a short bow to a sole person wearing a tuxedo, mixed among the bodyguard team, and then left.
‘It seems that the person wearing the tuxedo is Ju Su-hyeok’s second older cousin.’
Ju Su-hyeok’s second older cousin mixed among people there rather than enjoying a gala dinner.
Even in the game he was described as workaholic, I guess it didn’t change even here.
Pat—!
The main hall’s lights all turned off at the same time.
Immediately, spotlights lit up above the stairs on both sides of the stage.
Ju-Oh Group’s and TC Group’s next heads each ascended the stage.
The two next heads after meeting in the center of the stage, exchanged a friendly handshake.
I overheard the shutter sounds from the journalists on the 2nd floor’s balcony seats, taking pictures of that scene.
‘I guess the project is going to be announced now.’
Soon, after TC Group’s next head received a mic and gave a simple greeting, the mic was passed to Ju-Oh Group’s next head.
Next head, who was Ju Su-hyeok’s uncle, somehow resembled Ju Su-hyeok.
Paat—!
After the mic was passed, an enormous hologram screen floated up behind the next heads.
Visible on the screen was the threat of otherworld cracks and Enemies confronted at Children’s Day Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
The presentation with the content which sent compliments for citizens’ sense of order who calmly coped with it and for Players’ devotion even in the midst of danger continued.
Then, the screen disappeared and power was carried in Ju-Oh Group’s next head’s voice.
“In the face of danger, we were worrying about what we could possibly do.”
After he finished his words, phrases floated up one after one.
[More stability using 1GG free technology support and quicker otherworld alarm security system]
[Increase Player funds for Pre-Player scholarship system]
[Construction of SR++ rank barriers around entire 9 baseball stadiums of the 10 national clubs]
[Construction of barriers around large accommodation facilities for more than 20 thousand people and key areas across the entire country]
In addition to those, other phrases continued to come up.
Excluding the minimum number of people who were aware of it beforehand, everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Because if they were to realize everything written down here, the budget of dozens of trillions of units was needed.
“Ju-Oh and TC, TC and Ju-Oh, we will stand back to back. If everyone is together, we believe that even when a new otherworld threat comes, we will win.”
The end of the presentation continued to the standing ovations.
I saw the journalists standing on the 2nd floor leaning over their bodies from the balconies and throwing questions or hurriedly running towards the 1st floor.
It was noisy until the journalists disappeared into the press room under the guidance of the PR team.
‘It’s worthy for Dark Mastermind to want to dispose of those two next heads.’
In particular, the SR++ rank barrier was eye grabbing.
Because it made them enormous shelters that could be used by tens of thousands of people across the entire country.
‘If it’s SR++ rank barrier, it can endure even against SR+++ rank Enemies for quite some time. It’s a level that can’t be compared with the R+++ rank barrier.’
There were already a lot of talks about shelters managed by the government and Association due to their small size and number.
Pat!
The dining hall’s light turned on again and desserts started to be served to each table.
Was it because it was immediately after I heard good news?
The éclair au café with coffee topping was exceptionally sweet.
***
With the time still remaining until the Moon Greeting cocktail party, we first decided to head back towards our room.
“My twin sword instructor-nim came together with a Friend[3]. I’ll greet them in a moment and then come back!”
Ju Su-hyeok, who received a device message in the meantime, left.
Heading towards the cabin were me, Maeng Hyodon, Jang Namuk and To Sihu.
There were some guys who blocked the way of the four of us.
‘I smell the stink of alcohol from there! How many glasses of wine did they drink?’
I could smell alcohol even though they were a few steps away.
After we stepped away to leave the way empty as we didn’t like getting involved, the two people looked at us with dull eyes.
Suddenly, the two, a man and a woman, made triumphant faces and giggled.
“Who is that? That is Ship King’s esteemed son-nim, am I right?”
“TC is also truly pitiful. There is also a Player like Iron Lock, how did it happen?”
“A defect who can’t even ride a ship.”
What is that dog’s sound suddenly?
They didn’t speak personally to our faces, but it was enough for us to hear and make us feel bad.
‘The target is To Sihu, huh?’
In addition to this side being younger, there was currently no Ju Su-hyeok or To Wonu around, so they thought it was worth targeting?
Moreover, we bowed first and moved out of their way, so I guess they got arrogant under the influence of alcohol.
‘I have no idea who you are, but you can say such things to To Sihu? To Sihu’s position isn’t so good?’
To Sihu continued to be expressionless, but the faces of Maeng Hyodon and Jang Namuk, who understood late, turned pissed.
When they were about to come up to the two people to say something.
“Sihu, hi.”
The person who appeared was Eungwang School’s 3rd year Guideline Club’s president Oh Hyeji, one of the Playable Characters.
Oh Hyeji blocked the two’s way forward as if stopping the two people.
Wearing a sand pink tea length dress, Oh Hyeji looked somehow indomitable.
‘I guess To Sihu and Oh Hyeji are acquainted, huh?’
Oh Hyeji had a smile friendly enough that it wouldn’t be a problem even if a picture of it was taken, but her eyes were sharp.
“You’re Sihu’s friend, Namuk, right? Ah, our school’s juniors Uisin and Hyodon are also here! Hi.”
“Hello.”
She greeted us in order, but Oh Hyeji intentionally ignored the man and the woman who tried to pick a fight with To Sihu.
Oh Hyeji was informing them that ‘Those children are more important people to me than you’.
She finished the greetings with our party and then turned to look at the two.
“Oh my! You’re the Person I met at the Ju-Oh 29th Founding Anniversary event, correct? It seems that you’re an esteemed son-nim of the director-nim who came at that time, and this is your female Friend.”
Oh Hyeji accurately connected the names of the two people with the person called ‘the director-nim who came at that time’.
I saw the anxiety in the eyes of the two people after their names were called in front of To Sihu, who they were trying to roast a moment ago.
“Seeing how you talk to our Sihu, I don’t think you were invited by TC. I don’t think the invitation came from Ju-Oh’s side, so then you came with the introduction of some Person, correct?”
“That, this…”
You came without receiving a personal invitation?
If it’s a party of this scale, there were not a few people who came mixed up together with acquaintances.
If I were to interpret Oh Hyeji’s words, it was as following:
‘You weren’t invited, but why did you come to talk shit about my close younger brother, ‘our Sihu’?’
The man and woman, who figured out the situation, bowed their heads.
“We completely didn’t think like th-that, but because we drank a bit too much alcohol. My mind just, haha, a mistake… Our apologies.[4].”
“So-Sorry, Hyeji! I guess I drank too much wine!”
They didn’t apologize to To Sihu and were cowardly to the point of making alcohol excuses to Oh Hyeji.
“You don’t have to apologize. I will receive apologies from a different Person. Because it seems that there was a mistake during the invitation process. And we’re no different from strangers, so I hope we’ll mutually use respectful language[5].”
Oh Hyeji spoke while smiling, but the content was extremely bloody.
The words if interpreted were: ‘It’s no use even if you apologize. I’ll fuck up the person who invited you here. And don’t talk like we’re close.’
Senses returned to the two people’s faces, who understood those words, as if they recovered from the mind and soul weakness they had according to the alcohol excuse they gave.
“It seems that Sihu doesn’t know about that side, but I guess there are many People around talking about Sihu. Are there such talks in the companies on that side?”
After, Oh Hyeji’s implied intention: ‘I’ll also fuck up your companies’, at those words the man and woman seemed to return to the state of mind and soul weakness once again.
The two people couldn’t even talk properly, bowed their heads low and then disappeared.
“… Thank you.”
“Haha! This is a wide world, so there are many idiots even today, you have to make them come to their senses straight away. I have to take care of my person and my junior myself, right? Sihu aren’t you sea sick? You should go.”
Oh Hyeji’s force overwhelmed us, then she smiled openly like when I met her during the chess tournament.
“Ah, I don’t want to run into Ju Su-hyeok if possible, so get out of here and play well. Got it?”
Oh Hyeji left such last words.
It seemed that Oh Hyeji also hated being tied up in an engagement.
***
Cabin allocated to us , the ocean-view suite room.
Ju Su-hyeok, who heard about the conversation late from the dead-tired To Sihu who was stretched out on the sofa, was a bit pissed off.
“Sihu, why are you just listening to such things!? Are you a moron?”
“Moron… Marine of royal onyx![6]”
Even in the midst of dying from sea sickness, To Sihu attempted ridiculous puns.
The mood was ruined again.
“Looks like that dog bastard is still fine.”
“Sihu…”
“Hahaha, it can’t be helped. Because I was prepared to hear sounds like that from the moment I entered the Military Academy. And I also can’t help sea sickness.”
To Sihu mumbled quietly without strength.
“There are many people around me who often compare me to you or Wonu hyung to make us fight. But I don’t want that.”
Immediately after that, somehow we weren’t in the mood to talk with each other, so we ended up moving separately.
But Jang Namuk and Ju Su-hyeok remained at To Sihu’s side as he couldn’t move because of sea sickness.
‘Just in time.’
At first I was thinking about making a plausible excuse before the Moon Greeting party to move separately.
As I was beaten up by the sea breeze, I looked up into the sky. A rising, brightly shining moon appeared in my eyes.
And…
Kuuung—!
Without a warning, the ship shook greatly.
*~*~*
[1] No chapter title – It’s still ‘Boat party under the moonlight (3)’, but there is still no chapter title…
[2] tobiko – I’m using the japanese name because it seems to be more popularly known as such, but it’s simply flying fish roe.
[3] Friend – Ju Su-hyeok is using a polite form of friend, so I’m capitalizing it.
[4] … Our apologies – That guy used a casual tone the entire time, then switched to a formal tone only here. The next, companion’s line, is in a casual tone.
[5] so I hope we’ll mutually use respectful language – As stated in note 4, they only used respectful tone in ‘our apologies’. In contrast, Oh Hyeji was using and continued using a polite tone this entire time.
[6] “Moron… Marine of royal onyx!” – Haaa… don’t worry about the things on the floor. That must be my soul, which leaves every time I see To Sihu make a joke. So, the literal translation of the raws is: “Moron(바보)… Treasure of the sea! (Sea – 바다 Treasure – 보배, treasure of the sea – 바다의 보배).
Translator’s note: Dear guests, it’s advised not to irritate, touch or speak to any sea creatures you come across. They are highly toxic and aggressive, and their teeth are really sharp. Don’t touch them if you treasure your life~
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
Leave a Reply