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[Chapter 155]
[Mage King (4)]
As a player, Kim Min-ji was ambiguous.
This was because she didn't have any outstanding talents compared to her friends around her.
Nothing was particularly remarkable.
As a result, she didn't meet the standards of Eun-ha, who wanted to create a party of promising talents.
I can't bring Min-ji into the party.
Min-ji won't be able to handle it with her own strength.
That was Eun-ha's thinking.
Therefore, he didn't consider recruiting her into his party.
She also knew well that she was lacking, so she said she wouldn't join his party.
However─.
─Just because Min-ji's talent is lacking, is it really the right choice not to include her in the party?
Giving up on Yoon I-byeol.
Giving up on On Tae-yang.
Recently, Eun-ha had been thinking like this.
No matter how much he creates a party of promising talents.
Can he guarantee that they will unite properly?
Rather, isn't there a possibility that people confident in their abilities won't blend into the party and act independently?
...Talent alone is not enough.
We also need someone who can coordinate the party members well.
The Fog Flower party, created to kill and die, didn't pursue harmony among party members.
But the party Eun-ha would create in this life could be called a gathering of people to change the future and live happily together.
In the end, harmony was needed.
And among the people Eun-ha knew, only Kim Min-ji could appropriately coordinate friends with unique personalities.
Also─.
─Maybe instead of pushing her away, keeping her close and watching over her might be better for Min-ji.
Next year Seoul will collapse, what if she joins a clan that gets damaged....
He hadn't thought deeply about it before.
With one year left until the day Seoul, Gangbuk collapses due to the monster army.
He started thinking specifically about what would happen then.
Then, imagining a future where Kim Min-ji doesn't survive the invasion of Seoul.
Eun-ha thought it might be better to keep her by his side rather than that.
Lastly, also─.
─I owe Meok Min-ji too much.
Simply put.
He felt indebted to her.
He owed her so much.
So wouldn't it be okay to convey gratitude to his childhood friend who had cleaned up after him?
Thus, Eun-ha came to a conclusion.
"─Okay, tell me everything. I'll listen as much as the ice cream is worth."
"I have something to give you."
"Huh?"
Late at night, in Kim Min-ji's dormitory room.
Eun-ha held out a small box to Kim Min-ji sitting across from him.
It was a ring box.
He opened the ring box.
"..."
"Take it. Try it on."
"Why are you giving me a ring?"
"Ah...."
Kim Min-ji made a dumbfounded face.
She treated Eun-ha like a strange person.
Eun-ha then realized he had handed over the ring too hastily.
""Ugh....""
Imagining a terrible future.
The two childhood friends pretended to vomit.
☆
The Midnight Whisper.
The artifact that
It was quite a helpful artifact for navigators, hunters, and rangers to use.
"So this is the artifact Ha-yang found in the library, right?"
"That's right. It's called the Midnight Whisper, and its effect is...."
Eun-ha and Min-ji sitting cross-legged.
They had various conversations with the ring placed on the table.
"...so I thought it would be better for you, Meok Min-ji, to use it."
"Hmm...."
After listening to Eun-ha's explanation.
Kim Min-ji made a thoughtful sound and folded her arms.
Eventually, after organizing her thoughts, she opened her mouth.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"..."
"Wouldn't it be better to give it to Ha-yang or Seo-na, Kaede or other kids? What's the reason for giving this to me?"
"That's...."
"You're not pitying me or anything, are you?"
"..."
Kim Min-ji's face hardened.
She showed a displeased attitude at Eun-ha's sudden offer to give her the Midnight Whisper.
She even got a bit angry.
"Don't pity me. I may look weak in your eyes, but I'm definitely not so weak that I need protection from you."
A tone filled with displeasure.
Kim Min-ji reached out and pushed the ring box towards Eun-ha.
To this, Eun-ha─.
"─Who said I'm pitying you?"
He pushed the ring box that had come towards him back to her.
"This isn't because you're weak, but because I want you to become even stronger than you are now."
"What? Why do you want me to become stronger? I'm not going to join your party anyway...."
Hearing Eun-ha's words.
Kim Min-ji asked back in a tone of incomprehension.
Then she frowned.
"You're not...."
Then she looked at Eun-ha with a suspicious gaze.
Eun-ha brought up words she had given up on long ago.
"─I want you to join the party."
"..."
That word became the trigger.
Ripples appeared on her face.
Her pupils shook.
Not long after, her emotions settled calmly.
"Let me hear the reason. Why do you need me?"
An attitude contrary to Eun-ha's expectations.
Kim Min-ji didn't welcome it.
Nevertheless, it wasn't that Eun-ha didn't understand Kim Min-ji's attitude.
She's probably thinking I'm pitying her now.
Kim Min-ji had given up on joining Eun-ha's party a very long time ago.
And in doing so, she was able to let go of her inferiority complex towards her friends.
But Eun-ha's sudden proposal was no different from deceiving her who had realized her limitations and become frustrated.
So even if he brought up words to lift her up─.
─Min-ji's mood would probably get worse.
How could he not know his childhood friend's feelings?
Therefore─.
"─I want you to manage the kids a bit. I really don't think it'll work without you."
"Huh? What? Manage the kids?"
Eun-ha left out grand rhetoric and directly stated what he wanted from her.
At the completely unexpected answer.
Kim Min-ji was greatly flustered, unable to manage her expression.
"Are you in your right mind saying that? No matter how much I'm worse than you guys, I'm still high-level personnel who can join an S-rank clan. But what? You want me to join your party and manage the kids?"
"Yes."
"Wow...."
Eun-ha's answer was short.
Kim Min-ji was completely dumbfounded.
She even lost her words.
"You're really the only trustworthy person I can ask."
"..."
"If you don't want to, there's nothing I can do."
"..."
Eun-ha had decided to recruit her into the party.
On the other hand, Eun-ha decided to respect Kim Min-ji's will.
If she didn't want to join the party, he was prepared to give up, thinking there was nothing he could do.
Eun-ha also didn't know what would be the right answer for her future.
And whatever her answer was, Eun-ha intended to give her the Midnight Whisper.
Eventually, Kim Min-ji─.
"─Hah, I guess I have no choice. You really can't do anything without me."
As if reluctantly having no choice.
Kim Min-ji burst into a smirk and accepted his proposal.
"Okay, I'll join. Actually, I was worrying because I didn't have any suitable clans I wanted to join anyway."
"You made a good decision. I'm counting on you from now on. I'll only trust you."
"Okay, just trust me. And thanks. I'll use this well."
Come to think of it, it had been a while.
It had been a while since he had a bickering conversation with his childhood friend, treating each other as equals.
She seemed to be in a good mood too, responding to his jokes and sometimes initiating jokes first.
"Then I'll be going."
"Okay, take care."
Time had passed before they knew it.
Eun-ha stood up.
She said goodbye to Eun-ha with a somewhat relieved face.
Then Eun-ha jumped from the balcony and disappeared into the darkness below.
Tomorrow was White Day.
He'll be super busy spending time with Seo-hyun and Ha-yang....
Landing on the ground.
Eun-ha was about to return to his dormitory like this.
He was about to return, but─.
"─Huh?"
Suddenly, a window opened behind him with a thud.
Eun-ha opened his eyes wide, seeing Kim Min-ji who had opened the window and stuck her face out.
"Noh Eun-ha...."
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
Kim Min-ji was angry.
Kim Min-ji, who had stepped on the window frame, sent an angry gaze.
Then she held out her hand wearing the Midnight Whisper─.
"─You should have told me in advance that mice would come out!"
"..."
"I won't do it! You take this back!"
Kim Min-ji, who was afraid of rodents, threw a fit.
Thanks to this, the two had to be caught by the dorm supervisor and receive demerits together.
"You damned bastard."
"Look who's talking."
For a while, the two bickered.
☆
It was the second White Day since starting to date.
On this day, Eun-ha was dying.
Why are there so many people I have to give candy to?
...I gave it to everyone, right?
Family members were a given.
Of course his fiancée and girlfriend.
Besides this, Eun-ha also had to return candy to people who had given him chocolate on Valentine's Day.
Ryu Yeon-hwa, Kim Min-ji, Jin Seo-na, Cha Eun-woo, Bae Soo-bin, On Tae-hee, Jo Ara, Hoshimiya Kaede, Ariel, Bong Gu-rae, and so on.
Moreover─.
─There are too many people I have to give to, so let's not send to Bebe. Sorry, but we're not going to be close anyway....
Including
Eun-ha had also received chocolates from women he wasn't even close to.
Thanks to this, Ha-yang, who witnessed Eun-ha receiving a mountain of chocolates, was in a bad mood all day.
Eun-ha had to work hard to cheer her up.
"Phew.... The day passed quickly."
Time passed, and on White Day.
Eun-ha enjoyed a date with Seo-hyun for lunch and Ha-yang for dinner.
Meanwhile, he sent candy to other women through Samla Delivery.
According to Oh-hae, there was no one more romantic.
It wasn't unreasonable to hear such words, as he paid attention to giving different candies to each recipient.
Anyway, Eun-ha was exhausted that day, dealing with his fiancée and girlfriend, and then had to suffer from Eun-ae and Eun-ah when he returned home.
After the day passed like that─.
"─Have you been well in the meantime? You're not sick anywhere, right?"
"Ah, Eun-ha. Welcome. I'm fine. How's academy life?"
"It's tough, really tough."
"But you'll do well. Or... should I ask the teacher who looks after me to make you some health tonic? There's a teacher who looks after me...."
March 15th, the day after White Day.
Eun-ha visited the Luminous Group main house and met Lee Yu-jeong.
Lee Yu-jeong, whom he met for the first time in almost 2 months, welcomed him gladly.
"─I'll be leaving now, so if you need anything, please ring the bell there."
"Yes, unni. Thank you always."
"No, it's just my job, what are you talking about. Then have a good time."
The servant prepared refreshments and immediately left Lee Yu-jeong's room.
Although Lee Jeong-in and Lee Yu-cheon had earnestly asked not to leave Eun-ha and Lee Yu-jeong alone in the room.
The servant prioritized Lee Yu-jeong's request and even closed the door as she left.
"What have you been doing in the meantime?"
"I've been embroidering handkerchiefs. Ah, do you want to take one later? I just made one that I wanted to give to you, Eun-ha...."
"Make sure to give it to me later. You know, Yu-cheon hyung bragged so much about receiving a handkerchief from you."
"Huh? Oppa did that? Oppa really.... How embarrassing.... I told him not to, but he always brags about it wherever he goes."
"It's worth bragging about. I would too."
"...Huh? Hey, don't joke around."
"I'm not joking. When I receive the handkerchief later, I'll brag to my family first."
"No, don't do that. My skills aren't good enough to show others...."
Lee Yu-jeong, who couldn't see, was generally anxious about dealing with people if she didn't hold their hand.
So Eun-ha sat next to her, holding her hand and having a cozy conversation.
As they were close enough to hold hands, before they knew it, the two were talking with their shoulders touching.
Then─.
"─Yesterday was White Day. So I thought of you and bought this. Here, take it."
"...Is this for me?"
"Who else is here besides you? It's for you."
"...Thank you so much. It's the first time I've received something from a man besides my family members."
"..."
The reason he met her today.
Eun-ha took out the candy he had prepared when the conversation had matured.
She had an unexpected expression as she received the large bottle.
Soon she smiled happily and thanked him.
Eun-ha's shoulders tensed up.
"But I'm sorry.... I couldn't give you anything on Valentine's Day, and I'm just receiving from you like this...."
"What are you sorry about? I don't mind that at all."
Actually, he did mind a bit.
Eun-ha tried hard to hide his true feelings.
"Actually.... I was considering whether to give you something then.... But I thought it wouldn't be right to Seo-hyun unni and Ha-yang nim...."
Lee Yu-jeong hugging the bottle of candy.
Eun-ha leaned in close to her side and listened carefully.
Then, as if she had changed her mind─.
"─Next Valentine's Day, I'll definitely give you chocolate. It's embarrassing to just keep receiving. But... is that okay?"
"Then I'll definitely be prepared and waiting to receive it."
"What does that mean?"
Lee Yu-jeong spoke up courageously.
He nodded vigorously at her words about giving chocolate.
She laughed softly.
That day, the two had an enjoyable time until Lee Yu-cheon came and broke the mood.
☆
Meanwhile, word spread in the Noh Eun-ha squad's community that
What on earth is she trying to destroy?
Eun-ha showed curiosity.
He and some friends found the place where Hwang Jin-hee was said to destroy the
"─Eun-ha, you came too."
"Noona, you came too?"
"I came just in case, to prepare for any possible issues. There could be problems if artifacts are destroyed carelessly."
Near the building where non-combat or production-oriented students take classes.
In an empty lot where people rarely passed by, Shin Seo-young was already there.
"What a waste.... If she's going to destroy it, she should give it to me instead...."
"As if you could use it, dummy oppa?"
"Parang hyung.... You're saying that because you don't know the master. It's better not to say that in front of the master."
Jin Pa-rang, Kim Min-ji, Choi Eun-hyuk, and others.
The friends whispered as they watched Hwang Jin-hee build a fire with firewood.
"Eun-ha, over here. Come quickly."
"Okay, I'll be right there. Noona, then I'll go over there."
"Alright. Oh, and just in case, tell the kids not to manifest their internal mana when
"Yes, I'll do that."
Eun-ha, who was talking with Shin Seo-young, soon received Jin Seo-na's call.
She waved her hand at him, swishing her fox tail.
After finishing his conversation with Shin Seo-young, he headed towards where she and his friends were.
And shortly after─.
""""─....""""
Hwang Jin-hee, wearing a white uniform, appeared carrying a box.
She glanced at Eun-ha and his friends who had come to quietly watch, and headed towards the burning fire.
"I guess it's starting...."
Cha Eun-woo muttered.
As she said, Hwang Jin-hee opened the box.
What she took out was─.
─Huh?
A staff with a crystal skull attached.
Eun-ha doubted his eyes when he saw the staff she took out.
She threw the staff into the fire.
Why is that there....
The next artifact she took out was a magic book bound in chains.
The artifact she took out after that was a ring with a thick jewel embedded in it.
They were all objects in Eun-ha's memory.
Because those are─.
─No doubt. They're
The terrorist who caused a
The artifacts Hwang Jin-hee was trying to destroy were all ones Sindorim had used in the previous life.
How could Sindorim have had artifacts that were in the secret space? No, that's not it.
The flames burn black.
The mana imbued in the artifacts escapes and howls fiercely.
Hwang Jin-hee didn't move as she watched the mana growling towards her.
She was just chanting some kind of spell, trying to dispel the mana that seemed filled with resentment.
Eun-ha fell into thought as he watched her perform the purification ritual.
In the previous life,
So.... In the end, the artifacts
He couldn't be certain.
But the situation was telling.
─Bebe gave them to
She must have distributed artifacts found in the library's secret space to
Eun-ha recalled such a possibility as he continued to watch the artifacts burn and disappear in the fire.