555

 [Chapter 150]

[Misfortune or Perhaps Fortune (2)]

He's taking the entire second semester off.

It would be fortunate if he doesn't get held back a year.

Fortunately, the Sirius Group apparently contacted the academy behind the scenes so Eunha wouldn't be held back.

Noh Eunha's impression was─

─As expected, people need to have power.

Regardless of whether his father and the people of Sirius Group were struggling,

Eunha rested comfortably in the hospital bed.

Though he did receive assignments equivalent to not being able to go to the academy, they say.

The news that he didn't have to go to the academy for a whole semester was truly joyous.

Eun-hyeok and stupid hyung were envious. Other kids too...

It's okay, I'll rest comfortably enough for your shares too.

The nominal reason was that he showed delayed aftereffects after subjugating the 4th tier monster Gakgunbong in the 1st semester final evaluation.

It was quite a plausible reason, so the academy could be said to have approved Eunha's one semester leave of absence.

Anyway─

"─It's boring..."

"Pipi pipi..."

Quite some time has passed in hospital life.

As the time lying in bed got longer, it was just tedious.

At least family members including mother and grandmother take turns staying with him, and sometimes friends come to visit, but boring is boring.

Time hardly passed.

"Ugh..."

"Pupu..."

It was after mother went out to change the water in the flower vase.

Only he and Fire Chicken were in the hospital room, and they shared the feeling of boredom through their connected Pass.

The kids say they're busy preparing for the cultural festival these days so it's hard to make time, so there aren't many visitors these days...

Early October.

It was a time when the academy was busy preparing for the cultural festival.

So recently, visits from friends had completely stopped.

Except for Jung Hayang who made time to visit every weekend despite being busy.

"Should I watch TV..."

"Pipi!"

"Is there anything you want to watch?"

"Pupu pupu!"

"Popo popo?" "Pipi!"

Thanks to that, Eunha often had strange conversations with Fire Chicken out of boredom.

Without knowing what Fire Chicken was saying.

Eunha decided to turn on the channel he wanted to watch.

Then he switched to the news channel.

[─Now for the next news. At 9 AM today, there was a full-scale search and seizure of KK Group affiliates. It's been a while since the prosecution searched and seized Galaxy Group and Pine Group affiliates...]

Three months after the Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Gate broke out.

Yet the media didn't cool down.

People called for investigation of everyone related to Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals.

Of course, "everyone" meant people in the top 10 business groups and political and business world.

Currently, public opinion was unprecedentedly sharp towards people in the political and business world.

Im Ga-eul really sharpened her knife...

Well, it's understandable. It was something even Im Ga-eul was greatly angered by.

Eunha quietly watched the news.

The news was showing the names of business groups participating in the current search and seizure and those scheduled to participate in the future.

It was almost all groups existing in this country.

Besides that, there were also people from the Mana Management Bureau and those in politics.

Backed by strong public opinion, it could be said Im Ga-eul was greatly reducing the influence of the political and business world.

Support for the Fairy Lady was the highest since the Fairy Lady government launched.

The data holding the necks of people in the political and business world is with Yoo Do-jun and Im Ga-eul... So it's up to those two whether they live or die.

Just swing the knife.

But they can't completely destroy the political and business world.

Im Ga-eul will probably focus on removing political opponents who interfere with her.

The same goes for Yoo Do-jun.

A fierce bloodbath will blow for a while.

Of course, Eunha just had to watch quietly.

Do-jun said he'll dispose of the documents with the Fairy Lady's seal... Now there shouldn't be slander saying the New Humanity Project was a project approved by the Fairy Lady.

Though it's still unclear who forged the documents...

Meanwhile, the data disclosed to the media was all being selected by Yoo Do-jun.

They couldn't disclose everything.

So some groups like Sirius, Alice, Luminous Group that Yoo Do-jun was close with could reduce damage to an appropriate level.

On the other hand, Yoo Do-jun followed Eunha's words and disposed of documents with Fairy Lady Im Ga-eul's seal recorded.

It was something that shouldn't come out to the world.

Of course, he did inform Im Ga-eul that such documents existed.

According to Yoo Do-jun, Im Ga-eul summoned the ministers and raged after knowing that.

...It can't be helped.

I can't do anything about things happening within the Fairy Lady government.

I have no choice but to leave it to Im Ga-eul.

Who used the Fairy Lady's authority.

Eunha wasn't knowledgeable about the situation occurring within the Fairy Lady government.

In the end, all he could do was block attacks before Im Ga-eul was attacked by enemies, and help Im Ga-eul find and remove them.

Anyway, now everything he could do had left his hands.

He just quietly watched the news.

[I'm fine!]

Quite some time seemed to have passed but,

Mother hadn't returned.

Eunha who was blankly watching the news soon read a text from Jung Hayang.

"Pipi?"

"What? It's egg bread? Looks delicious..."

Steaming egg bread.

Eunha unconsciously swallowed saliva seeing the photo Jung Hayang sent.

According to her text, she will be selling egg bread and fish-shaped bread at this cultural festival.

She was bragging.

"Hah, really..."

Saying she'll eat deliciously alone since you can't come to the cultural festival.

Eunha read her text and sent a reply.

"...It's boring."

No reply came.

She must have entered class.

He who was waiting for her reply soon turned his gaze elsewhere.

"Pi?"

He opened the drawer.

Then he took out the blue inner pill.

It was Belphegor's inner pill.

"..."

That day, when he lost consciousness and collapsed from the Gift's backlash,

Bruno apparently had Twenty-five completely erase all traces of him in the surroundings.

Then he kept Belphegor's inner pill and held onto it until he woke up.

And Eunha received that inner pill and has kept it in the drawer until now.

If I eat this, my internal mana will surely increase dramatically.

Though I can't guarantee life or death.

An inner pill that can safely become a Mayin.

While hospitalized, Eunha often looked at the inner pill and fell into thought.

"Should I eat this..."

Eunha spoke aloud the words he had pondered many times.

It was a dilemma with no conclusion.

He didn't know if he should really become a Mayin.

I'm already strong enough without eating this.

I don't intend to take down high tier monsters alone...

Yet should I eat this inner pill even though I could die?

They say high risk, high return but,

Eunha didn't feel a reason to take the high risk.

The future was moving in a better direction than his previous life for now.

Moreover, he had recruited promising talents, and he could say he was now stronger than in his previous life.

Above all─

─What's the use of me getting stronger alone? There are limits to what I can do alone anyway...

The disasters to come couldn't be blocked by him alone.

Even if he was reborn as a Mayin, there would be limits to what he could do.

Rather than strengthening himself, he needed to promote the growth of people who would walk the path with him.

In that sense, it seemed there was no reason to eat Belphegor's inner pill even if he took the risk.

Of course─

─But it would be nice if my internal mana could increase dramatically...

It's not that he didn't want to eat it.

The insufficient internal mana that had troubled him since his previous life.

An inner pill that could improve that.

He felt like eating it right away if there was no risk.

"Ugh..."

"Pupu..."

His dilemma continued like that.

Not long after─

"─What are you pondering so much?"

"Huh?"

"Papa!"

Han Seohyun came to visit.

☆

"Mother said she'll have lunch with grandmother and come back."

"Really?"

"She said to take good care of you and bring the flower vase."

Han Seohyun is a college student.

So unlike Jung Hayang who visits on weekends, she had somewhat more free time.

So she came every weekday to help take care of Eunha.

Han Seohyun who put the flower vase on top of the refrigerator soon sat in front of Eunha.

"Pi!"

Then Fire Chicken jumped onto her lap as if it had been waiting.

Han Seohyun patted Fire Chicken's head and smiled at Eunha.

"Does anything hurt?" "Same as always. But isn't it time for class? You finished early today?"

"I just submitted an assignment and left in the middle." "...Is that okay?" "College students can do that."

"I don't think so..."

"I already checked attendance so you don't have to worry."

"Now that I see, you don't study? Is that okay for a college student?"

"You're not one to talk, are you?"

Though they're having a friendly conversation now,

In the early days when Eunha was hospitalized, Han Seohyun's atmosphere was cold.

...It was really scary then.

Though she says there was no one who wasn't like that then,

Han Seohyun treated Eunha coldly and made him lie flat.

One day she brought handcuffs.

Then she said─

'─Mother. How about putting handcuffs on Eunha when he sleeps from now on? So he can't even go to the bathroom.'

Since Han Seohyun was originally someone who didn't lose her poker face,

He couldn't tell if her words were a joke or not.

Meanwhile mother was even worse.

'Yes, that might be good. Should we also lock the windows and not let him go outside while we're at it?'

'That wouldn't be bad either.'

'...I'm sorry.'

The early days of hospitalization when no one took his side.

Eunha smiled bitterly recalling that time for a moment.

Meanwhile Han Seohyun took out an apple from the fruit basket she brought.

She peels an apple with practiced hands.

"Why?"

"No, I was just thinking earlier too that you peel apples well."

"Why? Am I not allowed to know how to peel apples well?" "No, that's not it, it's just unexpected." "That's because you don't know me." "..."

"Though it's a strategic marriage, we're still engaged so isn't it too much to have so little interest in your fiancée?"

"I'm sorry."

"You always just say sorry."

"..."

Han Seohyun still seemed not fully appeased.

He chewed the apple she put in his mouth.

He decided not to open his mouth to avoid saying unnecessary words.

But she spoke casually regardless─

"─Well, there's still a lot I don't know about you too."

"...Huh?"

"If nothing happens, Yoo Do-jun will probably become chairman of Yeongwon Group. Though Yeongwon Group is being beaten now, dissolving Yeongwon Group is impossible, and ironically the best person among the succession rights holders is only 18-year-old Yoo Do-jun."

"..."

"It worked out well, just as you wanted. Yoo Do-jun becoming king." "..."

A somewhat thorny tone.

Eunha slowly chewed the apple Han Seohyun put in his mouth.

Eunha couldn't look at her eyes.

He lowered his head.

Then─

"─But what can we do. We'll just have to keep adjusting to each other from now on." "...!"

"Why are you trying to be cowed? Don't do that. You're not cool at all when you do that."

Han Seohyun suddenly reached out and stroked Eunha's head.

Eunha was startled and raised his head.

Han Seohyun was smirking.

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to. Everyone has secrets they don't want to tell others, right? Even if it's whatever kind of relationship." "..."

"I, Hayang, mother, grandmother, Eun-ah unni, Eun-ae, father aren't angry because you keep not talking. Do you know what we're really angry about?" "...What is it?"

If you add the life from his previous life,

He was clearly older than her but,

At this moment, Eunha felt like she who was stroking his head was infinitely older.

Then he realized.

That being older doesn't mean you're an adult.

It was an obvious fact if you think about it.

"─Because you don't tell us." "...Huh?"

Then she answered after greatly piquing his curiosity.

It was a contradictory answer.

Eunha blinked and asked back.

This time Han Seohyun gently placed her hand on his cheek.

The scent of perfume.

Her lips are soft.

Soon she who separated her lips from him grins.

"It's okay if you don't want to say what you're doing or what you'll do. Instead, you have to say where you're going and when you'll come back." "..."

"Isn't it natural to say such things to people who worry about you? Mother was sad earlier too. She said she was startled when she went to check if you were sleeping well and you weren't there. Then she received a call that you were injured and hospitalized..." "Did mom... perhaps cry?" "She didn't cry. Your mother isn't as weak as you think. Anyway, you understand?" "...Yeah."

"Answer clearly."

"I'll definitely contact everyone so they don't worry from now on." "Okay, it's a promise."

"Yeah, thank you." "If you're thankful, treat me well."

Eunha gets scolded by Han Seohyun who's actually much younger than him.

Somehow it hurts his pride.

Yet Eunha wished she would keep stroking his head and scolding him like this.

It was exactly that kind of feeling.

...Would you have done this if you were Yoo-jung too?

A feeling of being scolded by Lee Yoo-jung.

Strangely one corner of his heart feels warm, and it feels like he's being comforted.

So his mood softens.

Eunha closed his eyes to enjoy her touch.

"Is there anything you want to eat? I'll buy it tomorrow if class ends early too." "It's not ending early, you're skipping..."

"Mouth."

"Yes."

"What do you want to eat?" "Hmm... I want egg bread. Earlier Hayang sent a photo saying she's making egg bread for this cultural festival and it looked delicious." "That's not allowed." "Why not?"

"How can a hospitalized kid eat something that's not good for the body?"

"Noona, you don't know, but eggs are a complete food. So egg bread made by putting a whole egg inside is naturally nutritious..."

"No means no. Tsk."

"..."

Eunha sometimes felt that way when dealing with Han Seohyun.

As if he had become a child.

"Papa."

Fire Chicken comforted him.

☆

Noh Eunha was hospitalized.

Ryu Yeonhwa who heard the news from Eun-ah was restless.

What if he's badly hurt?

To the extent that work couldn't be settled.

She was extremely worried.

Though she gave up her feelings for Noh Eunha after hearing he got engaged to Han Seohyun and was dating Jung Hayang,

 ...Perhaps.

She had been thinking about Noh Eunha all day without realizing it herself at the news of Eunha's hospitalization.

It's fortunate he's not badly hurt...

Fortunately, she somehow managed to visit Eunha in the hospital with Eun-ah.

She checked his condition and was relieved.

She thought that would be the end of it, but─

─Will he be okay being bored hospitalized for a long time?

Now she started worrying about something else.

What if Eunha gets bored.

When she visited him in the hospital, she heard Jung Hayang only has time on weekends since she attends the academy.

His fiancée visits in the afternoon but apparently doesn't stay long either.

"─It ended earlier than expected. Yeonhwa, want to eat lunch on the way back to the clan? We have time." "..."

"Hm? Yeonhwa?"

"Ah, sorry. I didn't hear." "..."

"...What did you say?" "I said let's eat lunch before going in." "Oh..."

"What's wrong? Do you have plans?"

That day the mission ended early.

All that was left was returning to the clan to report on the mission.

That day too, she who was lost in thoughts of Noh Eunha belatedly came to her senses at Han Changjin's words.

"Eun-ah seems to be working elsewhere so she can't eat together. Can't you eat with me? I don't want to eat alone..." "..." "Yeonhwa?" "Sorry. Eat alone. I made other plans..." "Huh? Wait, did I hear wrong? You didn't have plans but made them? When?"

"Changjin." "Yeah, why?"

"I'm going to leave work like this. Can you report to the clan for me?"

As it happened, she had free time.

And as it happened, it was near Alice Hospital.

It really couldn't be a coincidence.

Ryu Yeonhwa impulsively decided to visit Eunha in the hospital.

So she dumped the work on Han Changjin.

"She just leaves like that... Why is Yeonhwa acting like that?"

Han Changjin left alone on the street muttered while looking at the receding blue hair.

"I don't want to eat alone..."

Han Changjin.

Excluding Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeonhwa.

And excluding Noh Eunha.

22 years of life without friends.

He was an involuntary professional solo diner.

Changjin who didn't want to eat alone ended up eating with Clan Lord Gu Yeonsu at the restaurant located in the clan hall.

☆

Today too, Eunha was hospitalized.

"Huh? I got a message from Yeonhwa noona?" "Pipu pi?" "You don't know Yeonhwa noona?"

"Papa!" "Are all women who treat you well your mom?" "Papa!"

"I should stop talking..."

Pass only shared emotions, not thoughts.

Eunha was still having strange conversations with Fire Chicken out of extreme boredom.

Meanwhile he checks Pine Talk.

"Yeonhwa noona": Is there anything you want to eat? I'll buy it on the way.(11:37 AM)

"Me": Hmm, then egg bread!(11:37 AM)

"Yeonhwa noona": Egg bread?(11:38 AM)

"Me": Eunha wants egg bread right now...(11:38 AM)

"Yeonhwa noona": I'll come quickly!(11:39 AM)

When sick, everyone becomes a child.

Even a regressor was no exception.