Chapter 142 : Chapter 142

Chapter 142

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍underground facility beneath the coffee factory was quite spacious.

There ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was enough room for roughly twenty people to move around freely.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍place where I was facing Hong Eunseok was one of several multipurpose rooms attached to the underground facility.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed to be his private workspace, and the room gave off a fairly messy atmosphere. Drugs that looked as though a single careless touch could cause disaster were strewn everywhere.

If ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I examined them with my Demonic Eye, I would probably find those colorful potions rather interesting…

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I was not permitted the luxury of letting my gaze wander.

Because Hong Eunseok was staring at me with a solemn look.

“Welcome. I have been waiting for you, Seokhyeon.”

This was our first meeting.

Since Hong Dahee had been my classmate, it made sense that he addressed me casually.

And yet… the moment his voice spoke my name, my heart grew heavy, as though I were the one who had sinned.

I opened my mouth.

Not to greet him, but to apologize.

“I am sorry.”

“Sorry? I know there was nothing you could have done. If anything, that child caused you harm.”

“…”

Even as his answer reached my ears, I questioned myself.

Was it truly impossible to save Hong Dahee, who had become a Ghoul because of Lee Gangju?

In the original novel, Hong Dahee did not die at the Tactical Training Ground. She was used by Lee Eunho instead.

Because of that, I had not considered even for a moment that she might die…

“There is no need to feel guilty. It is entirely my fault that she became a Ghoul. …It happened because my alchemy drew in a Demonic Being.”

Hong Eunseok spoke as if he could read my thoughts.

He held his silence for a moment, then continued in a low voice.

“Dahee… was she smiling?”

Hong Dahee, the Ghoul who had been abandoned by Lee Gangju and died after her mana was drained by Dead Bee.

A Ghoul was a bound thrall that remained loyal to the end in any circumstance.

When death approached, there were cases in which it briefly regained clarity, but even then, it was far too busy crying out in pain to have any room for a smile.

More than anything, when Lee Eunho and I confirmed her corpse, it was not a sight one could call peaceful.

Of course, Hong Eunseok was not asking because he did not know that.

In this case, it must have been…

“Yes. Freed from the miserable restraint, she wore a light, unburdened smile.”

“I see… That is truly fortunate…”

What he wanted was to meet someone who still remembered Hong Dahee, who had died as a Ghoul and had her very existence denied by the Bureau.

To remember her, and to mourn her.

If she was not forgotten by me, nor by him, then in a sense, she would continue to exist within eternity.

“Ahem.”

In the solemn atmosphere Hong Eunseok and I had created, Baek Dojun made his presence known.

It was perfect timing, since neither of us had anything left to say.

“Well, they say human beings cannot see even an inch ahead, do they not? Awakened are no different. More to the point, Hong Eunseok—did you not say you had something you wanted to give this friend?”

“Ah, yes. I did.”

Something he wanted to give me?

Hong Eunseok reached into his workshop, overflowing with vivid colors, and deftly picked out a potion.

Then he held it out to me, and a liquid of an utterly indescribable color asserted its presence beyond the bottle.

A potion that looked as though it ought to bear a radiation hazard symbol.

It even seemed as though it did not contain liquid alone.

“This is my apology. And a token of gratitude as well. I heard you lost consciousness from mana depletion. I cannot guarantee the exact effects, but it should help restore your mana.”

“Ah, thank you… But I drink it, correct?”

“Of course. It looks unpleasant, but you could call it the culmination of my alchemical career. Think of it as herbal medicine.”

In simpler terms, he had stuffed in everything that was good.

Since I did not suffer penalties from items, it was not as though it would truly be a problem, but it looked even more grotesque than what Park Chaeshin had made, and I felt a faint resistance.

Not that I intended to refuse it.

I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed the potion in one go.

Contrary to its appearance, the taste was not terrible.

That was not to say it was good, either.

Still, at least it went down without much trouble.

“Well?”

At Hong Eunseok’s question, I opened my eyes—and the change in my status stood out immediately.

My magic power had increased by 3.0, becoming 8.4.

An utterly abnormal jump.

What in the world had he made this with?

“It, it is great! Do you have more of this?”

“I am afraid I cannot make the same thing again. In truth, I made it by adding both eyes of the Basilisk you defeated last time.”

“…”

Do not tell me this jelly-like texture was…

And more importantly, when had he even acquired Basilisk eyes at an auction?

“I am glad you like it enough to ask for more.”

“Did you taste it while making it?”

“Hm? Hahahaha, of course. Of course… I did not drink it. To be honest, I do not like fishy things.”

I had expected as much.

It was rare for alchemists to use themselves as test subjects.

Baek Dojun interjected with a satisfied expression.

“The stranger it looks, the better it is for you. Healing potions contain troll blood, after all, so there is no need to be so surprised.”

“That may be true, but…”

“Let us end the personal reunion here. Given the time, I should explain the real reason I brought you.”

“The reason you brought me?”

“Yes. Hong Eunseok is cooperating with my work, just as you are. What he makes here is a very special potion.”

The special potion Baek Dojun referred to was surely the Anti-Magic Potion.

It had been important even in the original novel, and that was precisely why he had saved Hong Eunseok from the beginning.

Its importance was so great that even his aide, Kim Seyeon, did not know about it.

Of course, Kim Seyeon had cooperated in saving Hong Eunseok, but she believed only that Baek Dojun had helped him flee overseas.

In truth, that had also been the final objective of the operation.

“The ability of this potion is ‘Powerlessness.’ In other words, any awakened individual exposed to it temporarily suffers a status abnormality and becomes unable to release mana.”

At some point, Hong Eunseok displayed the potion bottle. Baek Dojun took it carefully and continued.

“It is called the Anti-Magic Potion. Since it is still only a prototype, I need your clinical results.”

“My clinical results?”

“Yes. Opportunities to test it on a user of the Demonic Eye are rare. The Demonic Eye can be opened only by an awakened with the highest mana sensitivity, so you are a particularly valuable subject.”

As he said, if the Anti-Magic Potion could affect the Demonic Eye, then its efficacy would be proven on the spot.

After that, all that would remain would be refinements, mass production, and an effective method to distribute it while evading the Bureau’s eyes.

Without hesitation, I accepted the potion and swallowed it at once.

The word “clinical” might have sounded sensitive, but it did not apply to me, who was far removed from side effects.

Soon, a change occurred within my body.

I could still sense mana normally, but my affinity with environmental mana seemed to have vanished.

Of course, since this was Suwon rather than Seoul, which still bore traces of the Great Rift, the amount of environmental mana was different.

Even so, the difference from usual was unmistakable.

Put simply, it felt as though I had become powerless.

“How is it?”

At Baek Dojun’s question, I placed a hand on the floor and attempted summoning magic.

But not only did no Golem appear—mana would not even discharge.

“The effect is… definite.”

“Then open the Demonic Eye.”

I closed my eyes at once.

Then, as I raised my eyelids while focusing on mana, the discoloration of my pupils revealed itself plainly.

Contrary to expectation, the Demonic Eye worked normally.

Hong Eunseok murmured as though sighing.

“So it is because it is a different order of ability…”

“Even so, this is an excellent gain. Lastly, we must measure the duration, so would you use mana every five seconds?”

“Yes.”

The Anti-Magic Potion was, in the end, an item produced through a superpower.

Therefore, it would likely be useless against awakened individuals with higher stats or attributes.

Hong Eunseok would surely attempt improvements again and again.

Until, ultimately, it reached a level capable of returning a Ghoul to a human.

A short while later, the ‘Powerlessness’ status abnormality was lifted.

Once the rough research results were compiled, Baek Dojun glanced at his watch and spoke.

“You have done well. I plan to return to Seoul directly from here. What will you do? Since you have been granted entry permission to Suwon, you may stay freely for up to fifteen days. Of course, releasing mana is forbidden.”

“I will return with you, Chief. Ah, would it be suspicious if I go with you?”

As the atmosphere turned toward departure, Hong Eunseok expressed regret to me.

“I hope we meet again soon. You are always welcome, Seokhyeon. If you ever need the help of an adult, come and find me at any time.”

The help of an adult…

The nuance felt almost parental.

After all, I was a twenty-year-old enrolled at Hero Prep.

I forced a smile.

“Yes. If I have the leeway, I will certainly come to see you.”

A strange emotion lingered at the corner of my lips.

***

By the time I finished everything in Suwon and arrived in Seoul, it was lunchtime.

I had awakened from mana depletion early in the morning.

It should have been a day that felt long, but perhaps because I had spent most of it asleep and waking, I felt remarkably refreshed.

“It might also be because I did not train with An Hwigom at dawn.”

The incident in District 8 was drawing considerable attention.

A plane crashing into the inner city of Seoul must have struck people as quite sensational.

“They will be shocked that it was a terrorist act by the Phantom Thief, too. It is the opposite of the previous Phantom Thief.”

In that incident, most of the spotlight fell on the Summoner of Radiance who had summoned the Knight Golem.

I had infiltrated the plane in secret, and the Special Affairs Division’s actions were generally classified.

“There is no way you can beat the impact of a light Golem stopping an airplane.”

As soon as I arrived at Hero Prep, I headed straight for the Hall of Faith.

While coming up to Seoul, I contacted those around me who would be worried. Do Minyeong immediately sent a message telling me to come eat.

Had she prepared a lunchbox without even knowing when I would arrive?

In any case, when I stepped into Kim Seulhee’s laboratory, Do Minyeong was seated at the table as she always was.

The owner of the laboratory seemed to be busy.

“You are here.”

I greeted her with an awkward expression and sat down.

After starving for days, the lunchboxes looked even more appetizing.

As I picked up my chopsticks, Do Minyeong asked,

“So, what happened this time?”

“It is classified.”

“Is it related to the terror incident in District 8? It was two days ago, so the timing seems to match.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course. How could I not be worried about you?”

Fair enough. If Do Minyeong vanished without any contact, I would also scour Seoul with a pale face.

In that case, humanity’s survival would truly be at stake.

“I really was in District 8. I cannot say much, but it was not as dangerous as you are imagining.”

“That is a relief… But when the second semester begins, will you really be able to keep up with your studies properly?”

“I will do as much as I can. If it does not work, there is always a leave of absence. But can I eat now?”

“Yes.”

I had brushed it off for her, but I did not think I would graduate from Hero Prep normally.

Judging by the scale of the incident Lee Eunho and Gen caused this time, it seemed more likely that I would be expelled for insufficient points before I ever reached second year.

Well, that was something I could think about later.

“Then where is Instructor Kim Seulhee?”

“She said she would be a bit late because of supplementary lectures.”

“Since the term is about to begin, she must be busy.”

“More importantly, what will you do today? The instructor said she would watch your summoning once you returned.”

“I have an appointment today.”

“An appointment?”

“Yes, Cha Ye…”

I stopped myself in a hurry, but I could not prevent Do Minyeong’s eyes from narrowing.

“Did you just say you have an appointment with Cadet Cha Yeri?”

“Ah, I have something to receive separately…”

While coming up to Seoul, I had contacted Cha Yeri as well.

I had broken my promise that day and rushed into the incident.

I had set aside time as compensation, but as I ate, I had spoken without thinking.

“It is fine. I do not particularly care even if you go meet Cadet Cha Yeri.”

“Huh?”

“Because I am the one with you right now. And I told you before. If there is someone you truly like, tell me. But you have not said anything yet, so even if you go meet her, it does not really bother me.”

For a while, Do Minyeong ate while staring only at her lunchbox.

She claimed it did not matter, yet the atmosphere suggested she cared a great deal.

Sure enough, she spoke again belatedly.

“…Then what are you going to do when you meet her?”