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 [Chapter 130]

[Cutting to the Chase]

Before the establishment of the Player Academy.

The players who conquered the red dungeon Jogyesa Daeungjeon stood around the lake that had appeared in the middle of the city.

Some players showed curiosity and poked their faces above the water's surface.

A strange presence was detected below the surface.

"What do you think?"

"...There is something there."

Nam Gung Seong-un, who was starting to be hailed as at the time.

He spoke to the boy who was spreading mana throughout the lake with his hand in the water.

No, not a boy.

His growth had simply stopped at some point due to the mana in his body.

So the tone that came from his mouth felt quite different from his appearance.

"There's too little information that can be grasped from here... Without directly draining the water, it seems an accurate investigation can't be done."

"Huh... Is that so?"

There's too little information.

The man with a boy-like appearance, Yoon Seong-jin, muttered.

The players who heard that answer, including Nam Gung Seong-un, sighed in disappointment.

"Then we just need to drain the water."

At that moment, a man who had been quietly watching intervened.

Baek Seo-jin.

The man who had been called at some point spoke as if it was no big deal.

"How ignorant. The dungeon conquest just ended moments ago, and you want to drain the water just to check what's in the lake?"

Yoon Seong-jin frowned.

Having had to struggle in the dungeon for days, he just wanted to rest now.

Other people felt similarly.

Just then—

"—Well, it's not like we can't drain it. I was stupid for staring so intently at the lake."

"...You madman."

Nam Gung Seong-un suddenly struck down with his spear.

At that moment, the lake split in half, revealing the world beneath the surface.

And he froze the split surface.

Yoon Seong-jin was dumbfounded by the sudden scene.

But regardless of his reaction, Nam Gung Seong-un and Baek Seo-jin laughed heartily.

Behind them, Moon Jun was holding back laughter with his eyes closed.

"Now, can we investigate up close?"

"Hah..."

Yoon Seong-jin sighed.

He reluctantly throws himself into the split lake.

Soon, several players landed following him.

Yoon Seong-jin ignored their presence and moved his steps following a strange sensation.

"...It's an artifact."

"The energy feels ominous... To think such an object was in the lake..."

"Wait. Don't move recklessly."

Yoon Seong-jin stopped Nam Gung Seong-un who was trying to move forward.

After reading the mana permeating the surroundings, he spoke.

"Traps are layered double, triple... So many layers I can't even count."

The traps are intricately intertwined.

Solving them itself won't be easy.

It might be unsolvable even if they took days to work on it.

So Yoon Seong-jin—

"—Let's give up. No one can solve this. I'm not even sure if the sealed artifact is worth it compared to the traps... It's not cost-effective."

Yoon Seong-jin concluded decisively.

Amidst people's protests.

He climbed up from the lake bottom without showing any more lingering attachment.

Nam Gung Seong-un decided to stay below to try solving the traps, but there was no way a dealer like him could solve them.

"Can't you solve it?"

"It's bothersome. I'm tired. Don't talk to me."

Baek Seo-jin gave a bitter smile.

Yoon Seong-jin retorted in an irritated tone as if it wasn't even worth answering.

Then he turns around saying he should go sleep.

"Hmm... Hey, Jun, Seong-un."

Eventually Nam Gung Seong-un returns without any results.

Baek Seo-jin, who had been lost in thought until then, called out to his friends.

"—Since we're making an educational institution anyway, don't you think there should be some kind of impressive legend?"

On this land dyed red.

Establishing an educational institution that cultivates green hope.

That was the wish of those who survived in this ruined world.

☆

The time of students who finished the final evaluation passed very busily.

Especially the students who stayed in Japan longer than planned had to take supplementary classes.

They were that busy.

"I should rest a bit during the break..."

The first semester finally ended.

Eunha, who finished all his final exams, suddenly slumped his shoulders.

Even though he didn't study for the exams, he was constantly called here and there as soon as he returned to Korea.

So time flew by.

Getting scolded by his dad, getting lectured by his sister for being dangerous, being interrogated by instructors about what happened...

He even had to report to the Mana Management Organization headquarters about how he obtained Totsuka no Tsurugi.

And various other things.

Eunha had to pay dearly for his reckless actions in Japan.

"What is this... I'd like to rest now, but as soon as exams are over I have to go meet someone again..."

Tonight, there's an end-of-semester party at the academy.

Although attendance at the end-of-semester party isn't mandatory, this party had some meaning.

He planned to attend this time.

So he couldn't go home after finishing his exams.

"It's my fault for making an appointment at this time..."

In a way, it was self-inflicted.

There's quite some time before the end-of-semester party starts.

So Eunha planned to use this time to meet Han Seo-yeon, whom he had been putting off.

He intended to just briefly see her face since she was an awkward person to deal with, but thanks to that he ended up having to go back and forth to the academy.

Repeatedly regretting his choice, he found Han Seo-yeon who had arrived first at the meeting place.

"Eunha, you're here? Wasn't it hot outside?"

"...It's fine. It wasn't that hot."

Luminous Suite located in Jongno-gu.

Entering the VIP room, Eunha made a sour face seeing her treat him warmly.

It's unlike her.

He wondered if she had some ulterior motive, but it didn't seem so.

"Order whatever you want to drink. Oh, you liked this suite quite a bit too, right? Feel free to order whatever you want to eat, I'll pay."

"...No. There's an end-of-semester party later so it's fine if I don't eat. Then I'll have a Java Chip Frappuccino."

"If you eat that, you probably won't be able to eat anything at the end-of-semester party... Well, whatever. If that's what you want to drink."

Han Seo-yeon tilted her head.

Eunha quietly sat across from Han Seo-yeon, regardless of what she did.

She didn't seem to mind much either.

Not long after, the drink Eunha ordered arrived.

"As I said on the phone... The reason I wanted to see you separately this time, Eunha, is because I wanted to express my gratitude."

A lot has happened.

The business world was in an uproar for a while.

Because the close alliance between Sirius Group and YH Group was broken.

In other words, the engagement between Sirius Group's direct descendant Han Seo-hyun and YH Group's direct descendant Choi Ye-jang was called off.

"Now that Seo-hyun's engagement has been decided to be broken off, Sirius and YH have become complete strangers. Hmm... Should I say we're enemies now? Projects that were planned or already in progress have been halted too."

Sirius Group proposed the engagement cancellation.

Saying the disqualifying factor was with Choi Ye-jang.

To this, YH Group accepted the engagement cancellation in a way favorable to Sirius Group without demanding specific evidence.

Gossipmongers spread various speculations and rumors that YH Group must have done something wrong, and there must be some defect with their direct descendant Choi Ye-jang.

Meanwhile, it's said that Choi Ye-jang is in seclusion.

Sirius Group responded appropriately.

Even if they publicly shamed him, there would be limits to that.

Eunha grasped the flow of events.

For YH Group, they probably didn't want to reveal to the world the image of Choi Ye-jang, who was to inherit the group, trying to survive alone by abandoning his fiancée.

So even if Sirius Group's proposed conditions were unreasonable, they had to accept them.

Even if rumors spread that there was some defect with Choi Ye-jang.

It's better to be said he's unqualified to be a man than unqualified to be a king.

That must be why YH Group yielded.

Above all, Sirius Group protected Han Seo-hyun's image.

It could have turned into a mud-slinging fight.

But Sirius Group skillfully controlled the situation.

In the end, with Choi Ye-jang taking all the blame alone, Han Seo-hyun was able to avoid any damage.

Even if there might be some gossip, at least her marriage prospects weren't ruined.

"We had hoped Seo-hyun's engagement would go well. We thought it would be happiness for Seo-hyun... But hearing father's words this time, it seems we were mistaken."

Han Seo-yeon recites mournfully.

She who always stood above others, bowed her head deeply as she spoke.

As if making a confession.

Eunha silently listened to her story while drinking his beverage.

She raised her head.

"...If. If you hadn't saved Seo-hyun then, our family would probably have lived with guilt for the rest of our lives. We might have been obsessed with only attacking those YH Group bastards, unable to bear it."

If Han Seo-hyun had died.

The future would surely have turned out that way.

Only then could Eunha realize what had caused the future he knew.

Han Seo-yeon, who became obsessed with attacking Choi Ye-jang and lost her brilliance over time, would no longer exist.

He was certain as he looked at her staring straight into his eyes.

"So I wanted to thank you. Thank you so, so much for saving Seo-hyun."

"..."

Han Seo-yeon, who took standing above others for granted.

She who had never bowed her head to anyone before, bows her head.

Eunha was inwardly surprised to see her bowing her head with such a polite attitude.

"Eunha, you are our family's benefactor. I'll also apologize for being unreasonable to you and making things difficult for you all this time. As before, Sirius Group will continue to do anything for you in the future."

"There's no need to go this far..."

"This isn't just my decision. It's 'our' decision."

Han Seo-yeon said that Sirius Group would continue to support him no matter what happens in the future.

She said he could freely use the Sirius name if needed.

It's an extremely generous offer.

Eunha was flustered by this unexpected proposal.

But Han Seo-yeon emphasized 'our'.

This meant all of Sirius Group's direct descendants would support him.

"...Then if I asked for the group, would you really give it to me?"

"Why? Do you want it? If that's what you want, we could even give you Sirius Group."

"..."

"That's how precious Seo-hyun is to our family."

When Eunha made a joke, Han Seo-yeon finally showed her usual self.

Nevertheless, Eunha had trouble adjusting to Han Seo-yeon's attitude being so different from before, more affectionate.

"The group level is one thing... Personally, I'd like to do something for you too, Eunha. Is there anything you need right now? Don't hold back, just tell me."

"Not really..."

"I'm not giving it expecting anything in return, I just want to give it because I'm grateful, so don't be suspicious. I'm not trying to settle things with this either."

"Hmm..."

Not at the group level, but Han Seo-yeon personally wants to express her gratitude.

Eunha couldn't coldly reject her repeated expressions of gratitude.

With Sirius Group's direct descendant bowing like this, he had to accept something.

I really don't need anything...

Eunha fell into thought.

But he couldn't find anything to receive from Sirius Group.

More precisely, from Han Seo-yeon right now.

"Ah."

"What? Did you think of something?"

It was around then that the thought struck him.

Eunha recalled a reward he could receive from Han Seo-yeon.

It wasn't something necessary for the future.

It was purely a personal reward.

"Your family has a greenhouse, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

Eunha had visited the Sirius Group main house, a mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, a few times.

There was a greenhouse in the spacious mansion, where various plants were growing.

It was a greenhouse managed by Han Seo-yeon and her mother Choi Su-bin.

Eun-ae really loved that place.

He still remembered.

Whenever Eun-ae visited the Sirius main house, she would go to the greenhouse first.

His little sister jumping for joy at seeing plants she couldn't normally see.

She liked that greenhouse so much that she even tried to visit the Sirius Group main house alone.

Of course, it seemed her visits to the greenhouse became less frequent after Han Seo-hyun went to study abroad.

"...You're not thinking of asking for Eun-ae to be allowed to freely enter and exit the greenhouse, are you? If that's it, Seo-hyun already said before she left to study abroad that there's no need for permission. Eun-ae can come visit whenever she wants without having to be mindful."

"I know that too. But how can she not be mindful even if you say there's no need to be?"

"Well, I guess that's true."

Han Seo-yeon spoke as if finding it strange.

Eunha corrected her misunderstanding.

She readily agreed.

"I know there are plants in the Sirius main house greenhouse that don't grow domestically."

"Yes, that's right. It's one of the things mother is proud of. There's probably nowhere else that has as many rare plants as we do. Above all, in our greenhouse..."

"Please let Eun-ae grow a flower that only grows in that greenhouse."

"Hmm..."

Choro-gi and Haet-nim, was it?

It was the flower his little sister liked most in the Sirius main house greenhouse.

According to what Han Seo-yeon said before, it's a flower Sirius Group first discovered and, captivated by its mysteriousness, never reveals to the outside.

Eunha mentioned the flower considered a symbol of Sirius Group.

"This isn't some kind of metaphorical expression, is it?"

"Why would I make such a request? I'm asking in the pure sense of letting her grow it at home, even if it's just seeds."

"Hmm..."

Han Seo-yeon couldn't answer readily.

She pursed her lips and trailed off.

She seemed to hesitate since it meant giving away the group's symbol.

"Giving the Eunranghwa isn't difficult. The problem is we don't know the environmental conditions for Eunranghwa to grow naturally, so growing it would be impossible."

But his expectation was wrong.

She had been lost in thought for a different reason.

Han Seo-yeon told him that despite all their efforts, Sirius Group had failed to grow Eunranghwa elsewhere.

"It's not that we didn't want to propagate it so we kept it in the greenhouse. We'd like to know how to propagate it if we could."

"That's fine."

"What

"What?"

Han Seo-yeon shook her head as if it was impossible.

Nevertheless, Eunha remained calm.

If Eun-ae wants to try growing it, what can I do?

It's Eun-ae's wish, so I have to grant it.

He's just fulfilling his little sister's wish.

Above all, his little sister had a knack for communicating with animals and plants through her Gift.

There were even a few plants Eun-ae grew separately at home.

Eun-ae would be able to do it well.

Eunha wore a proud expression, feeling proud of Eun-ae.

"Please let Eun-ae try growing it once. My little sister likes that kind of thing."

"She'll just be disappointed for nothing... Alright. I can't refuse when you're asking. Come to our house later and take it."

"Yes, thank you."

In the end, Han Seo-yeon couldn't firmly refuse his request.

She sighed and put the straw to her mouth.

Soon after putting her drink down on the table, she called out to Eunha.

"By the way, Eunha."

"Yes?"

I should head back to the academy soon.

Eunha, who was about to get up after finishing his drink, tilted his head.

Han Seo-yeon, with the same warm smile as before—

"—Is there perhaps anything else you want to ask for?"

"...Not really?"

"Really nothing?"

"Really."

"Come on, there must be something?"

"There really isn't anything."

It's like she's conducting a leading interrogation.

Eunha frowned.

No matter how kind, this is too kind.

Eunha looked at Han Seo-yeon with suspicious eyes.

Regardless, she calmly spoke to Eunha.

"Oh come on, it's no fun if you hold back too much. Perhaps you don't need something like Cupid of love?"

"..."

"I'm really good at that kind of thing... I wonder if you know that I'm called the Madame Doo of Pyeongchang-dong. You're in an awkward position right now because of the marriage proposals coming in from around you..."

So naturally.

Han Seo-yeon smiles while resting her chin on her hand.

At this, Eunha spat out the drink he was drinking without even swallowing.

Eventually, with a face like he'd bitten into a bug—

"—Shouldn't noona worry about her own marriage first? What's this about Madame Doo..."

"...Damn. You want to die?"

Eunha stabbed Han Seo-yeon with harsh words.

It's said that Han Seo-yeon finally spoke roughly to Eunha for the first time.