578

 [Chapter 156]

[The Other Side of the Other Side (2)]

Recently, the hot topic among Regulus Clan members was about the students who would soon come for internships from the academy.

"It's about that time, isn't it? Who do you think will come?"

"Time really flies. It feels like just yesterday when you shaved the party leader's head bald on your first day of internship..."

"Please stop talking about that! Do you know how hard it was for me after joining the clan because of that..."

"So what cute little ones are coming this year?"

"You should watch what you say."

"Why? Aren't those guys who haven't even experienced society yet just cute little ones?"

"The batch graduating next year is the 031 and 31 batch, you know."

"Those guys?"

"The Noh Eun-ha squad!"

"Time really has flown. They're already graduating..."

"What do you mean 'already'... You might get beaten if you say that carelessly elsewhere. People have been waiting so long for those kids to graduate..."

"Then that kid will be coming for an internship too."

"...Who on earth are you guys talking about? Did you catch some disease where you can't say names? Who are 'those guys', and who is 'that kid'?"

"Those guys are the Noh Eun-ha squad!"

"And that kid is."

"Oh for heaven's sake, you dummy! Have you been living cut off from the world? !"

""""Ah....""""

Among them, the student most frequently mentioned among Regulus Clan members was, of course, Noh Eun-ha.

Noh Eun-ha.

A rookie with skills that the academy boasted as the best in history, and that no one could deny.

The Regulus Clan members who had been paying attention to Noh Eun-ha until now, and furthermore, industry insiders─.

"─I wonder which clan Noh Eun-ha will choose?"

They were very interested in which clan he would intern at this time.

So much so that clans were even putting in requests to the academy to have Noh Eun-ha come to their clan for the internship.

Of course, those request showers were cut off immediately when Shin Seo-young, who was in charge of Noh Eun-ha, put her foot down once, they say.

Anyway, clans were trying to use this opportunity to build a relationship with Noh Eun-ha.

However─.

"─Is there anywhere else besides here?"

"He'll come here."

Unlike players from other clans.

The attitude of Regulus Clan members was quite relaxed.

That's because they were almost certain that Noh Eun-ha would come to their clan for the internship.

It was natural.

Because─.

"─Noh Eun-ah is in our clan, where else would he go?"

"There's no need to even think about it. He'll just follow his noona in."

"I heard and our Eun-ah are really close? Then he'll obviously come here."

"Eun-ah has been saying it constantly lately too. That she wishes Eun-ha would come soon..."

Noh Eun-ah.

As long as Noh Eun-ha's sister was here, Noh Eun-ha's choice was obvious.

Moreover, it was already known in the industry that Noh Eun-ha was a sister complex.

"I wonder what Eun-ah's brother looks like?"

"Maybe he's handsome like Eun-ah, at least in looks?"

Meanwhile, Regulus Clan members focused on the fact that Noh Eun-ha was Noh Eun-ah's brother.

It's been 3 years since Eun-ah joined.

3 years was enough time to make them recognize that Eun-ah was literally a fairy-like person.

By now, Eun-ah had become the fairy of Regulus Clan.

So much so that there were rumors of a secret Eun-ah fan club within Regulus Clan.

According to circulating rumors, the fan club president was Han Chang-jin.

As a result, Regulus Clan members were quite curious about Noh Eun-ha's appearance.

"I've heard the alias , but I don't know what he looks like."

"Even if you look for photos, most are taken from far away and hard to see..."

"Should we just ask Eun-ah?"

It was on one such day.

As expected, word spread that Noh Eun-ha would soon be coming to Regulus Clan for an internship.

The clan members' curiosity peaked, and they wanted to see his face even before meeting him.

So one clan member asked Noh Eun-ah, who was excited about Eun-ha coming to the clan for an internship, on behalf of everyone.

Then Eun-ah said─.

"─How cute do you think my brother is! When Eun-ha was first born, I wondered how such a cute baby could be my brother..."

"...Enough about when he was young. What does he look like recently?"

"He shot up in height after entering high school academy. He's probably a bit taller than you, senior. And he's cute, handsome, kind, pretty..."

"Haha..."

"I'm not bragging... but why do you think my brother is two-timing? It's because my brother is so charming that those kids just can't help but fall for him. So as his sister, I'm a bit worried..."

"Does he look like you, Eun-ah?"

"Hmm... I think we look alike, but it seems others don't think so. I wonder why... Hey, Yeon-hwa, what do you think?"

"He looks like you."

"Right! I knew I could count on you! Senior, Yeon-hwa's perspective is the most objective, so she should be able to describe Eun-ha well."

"...Yeon-hwa, what do you think?"

"I think everything Eun-ah said is right. Oh, but I think there's one more thing to add..."

"Huh? What is it, what is it!? Did I miss something?"

"...Will you tell us?"

"He's..." ""He's?""

"...become more manly. A lot."

"Right, right. My brother has grown tall and very manly. A man like Eun-ha, you probably can't find easily, right?"

"That's right."

"Haha..."

As if all the flowery words in the world existed just for Noh Eun-ha.

Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeon-hwa, who happened to be next to her, chattered on without stopping.

In the end, the player who had taken on the task of asking felt mental damage and requested a day off the next day.

""""What on earth does Noh Eun-ha look like for them to be like this?""""

Nevertheless, as Eun-ah and Yeon-hwa kept praising Noh Eun-ha's appearance.

The interest of Regulus Clan members only grew higher.

As time passed like that─.

"─He's here."

""""....""""

Finally, that day arrived.

Monday of the second week of May, 14th year of Seonryeok.

On this day, the 3rd year high school academy students arrived at work an hour later than the Regulus Clan members.

Thanks to this, all the Regulus Clan members were able to see the faces of the students entering the clan hall.

"From today, I'll be interning here for a month. My name is Jung Ha-yang! I may be inexperienced, but please take care of me."

The academy assigned 6 people to Regulus Clan this time.

Jung Ha-yang, who was of the Twelve Zodiac and also a direct descendant of Alice Group.

She stood at the front and bowed her head.

Since Regulus Clan was sponsored by Alice Group.

Jung Ha-yang was like a patron to the clan members.

She received an enthusiastic welcome from people.

"Hello! I'm Cha Eun-woo! Please teach me a lot for the next month, seniors! Thank you!"

Those who entered following her also received applause from clan members, though the sound was smaller.

Especially Cha Eun-woo, known to be part of the Noh Eun-ha squad, received similar treatment to Jung Ha-yang.

Meanwhile─.

"─I'm Bebe. I'm truly at a loss for words to be able to intern at the clan of my dreams. I will dedicate myself to contributing to the clan with the determination to die!"

The applause gradually died down as the high school academy 3rd year transfer students introduced themselves.

And finally─.

""""─....""""

Noh Eun-ha entered.

All the clan members opened their eyes wide.

And after confirming Noh Eun-ha's face, their faces spread with surprise.

"I'm Noh Eun-ha. Please take care of me."

""""....""""

Aside from the brief greeting unlike the other students.

At this moment, all the Regulus Clan members felt the same.

─They don't look alike at all!!

Of course, except for Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeon-hwa.

☆

Noh Eun-ha, Jung Ha-yang, Cha Eun-woo, and others.

The students dispatched to Regulus Clan for internships went to have an interview with Clan Lord Gu Yeon-su.

"Thank you so much for choosing our clan this time. I hope you gain good experience while working at the clan for this month."

""""Thank you!""""

The administrator brought tea for the number of people.

Gu Yeon-su, whose squinting eyes were so striking it was hard to tell if they were open or closed, encouraged the students.

The head of an S+ rank clan.

Moreover, a player who was followed by Park Hye-rim of the Twelve Zodiac, and also had a close friendship with Do Wan-jun, also of the Twelve Zodiac.

The students found such a high-ranking person burdensome.

Of course, Eun-ha was an exception.

I wonder if it's because the future has changed, but his face doesn't look as fierce as I remember.

While his friends were frozen stiff.

Eun-ha calmly examined Gu Yeon-su's appearance.

He looked a bit gentler in appearance than the Gu Yeon-su from before the regression.

It was understandable.

Because─.

─At this time, Regulus Clan would have been in the midst of internal strife, so it can't be helped.

It doesn't seem to have happened in this life, but...

In the previous life.

Gu Yeon-su received an incurable injury in the First Uijeongbu Recapture Battle.

Nevertheless, he tried to forcibly maintain his position as Clan Lord, but as time passed, his standing gradually diminished.

Talk of needing to change the Clan Lord now arose within the clan.

This led to a confrontation between the faction supporting Gu Yeon-su, centered around Park Hye-rim, and the faction gathered around Byun Ji-seong.

Ah, he wasn't yet, was he? Now he's ..., was it?

Next year when Seoul falls, 's influence grew and he later became , I think.

After the monster army's invasion of Seoul.

In the end, Gu Yeon-su had to hand over the Clan Lord position to one of the executives.

But the possibility of that happening now was extremely low.

Because in this life, Gu Yeon-su was still active as a player.

"─Oh, right. Eun-ha."

"...Yes?"

Just then.

Gu Yeon-su called out to Eun-ha.

Eun-ha, who hadn't been paying attention to Gu Yeon-su's explanation of Regulus Clan's history, suddenly came to his senses.

"Thank you for choosing our clan, like Ha-yang. If you have any inconveniences while you're here, tell me right away. I'll resolve them immediately."

"...Thank you."

""""....""""

Gu Yeon-su's attitude was especially polite only towards Eun-ha.

It was a ploy to somehow get Eun-ha to join Regulus Clan.

Eun-ha wasn't one to not know this, so he responded calmly.

But Gu Yeon-su's words weren't over yet─.

"─I heard you're forming a party... As it happens, next year Regulus Clan is planning to create a party that guarantees autonomous action for the party leader."

"..."

"Ahem. No, I'm just saying."

"...I'll think about it."

"Alright."

While vaguely avoiding the academy's stipulations.

Gu Yeon-su subtly trying to persuade Eun-ha.

In a situation where Jung Ha-yang was smiling awkwardly and Cha Eun-woo had a dumbfounded expression.

Eun-ha paused before answering.

He inwardly sighed.

It looks like I'll be hearing invitations to join the clan from this person every chance he gets for the next month...

This is going to be really annoying.

Nevertheless, there was a reason Eun-ha couldn't flatly refuse to Gu Yeon-su's face.

The fact that he was the Clan Lord of an S+ rank clan and had a close relationship with Alice Group wasn't that important.

The problem was that Gu Yeon-su─.

"─Then I'll introduce the people who will act as your mentors so you can work smoothly here. Kids, I know you're all outside right now. Come on in."

"I'm Noh Eun-ah, and I'll be your mentor for the next month! Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Ryu Yeon-hwa. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, hi kids. I'm Han Chang-jin. For the next month..."

"I'm...."

""""....""""

Was the head of the clan where his sister Noh Eun-ah was employed.

He couldn't cause trouble at his sister's workplace.

─Eun-ha, hello!

Meanwhile, Gu Yeon-su called in the players who had been waiting outside.

Noh Eun-ah was among them.

She greeted with a bright smile, then winked and acknowledged Eun-ha.

Hello, noona.

Eun-ha also nodded slightly to acknowledge her.

Then Noh Eun-ah's face brightened even more.

At the same time─.

─Have you been well?

Ryu Yeon-hwa was also next to Eun-ah.

Eun-ha, who had been exchanging eye greetings with Eun-ah, naturally ended up exchanging eye greetings with Ryu Yeon-hwa as well.

"Beep beep beep boop boop boop boop boop!"

Buldak greeted on his behalf.

Then Ryu Yeon-hwa let out a small laugh.

Meanwhile, there was one more person Eun-ha knew next to her─.

─Hey, Eun-ha, hello? Have you been well?

In a situation half-exposed to Gu Yeon-su.

In a situation where Jung Ha-yang was puffing her cheeks.

Eun-ha conversed with his eyes with Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeon-hwa.

Han Chang-jin kept trying to join the conversation from beside Yeon-hwa without reading the mood.

But the three played around among themselves as if he didn't exist.

"Hey guys, I'm here too... Someone look at me..."

Han Chang-jin.

He became a shadow, like his alias.

☆

The academy had no secrets about information on Eun-ha.

An existence admired by academy students. Now, someone they wanted to even just make eye contact with once.

 Given Noh Eun-ha's position, students were subtly paying attention to his movements.

Therefore─.

─It wasn't that difficult to figure out which clan Noh Eun-ha would intern at.

Bebe.

Unable to create any points of contact with Noh Eun-ha since the start of the first semester, she decided to use the internship evaluation period to get closer to him.

There's not much choice but Regulus Clan.

Using my connections to parachute into an S+ rank clan is no big deal, you know.

Before transferring to the academy.

She fully utilized the connections she had built as a .

Surely there must be at least one instructor at the academy who plays around recklessly.

, who had influence in the underground world, obtained their information and made them her allies.

That's how she was able to intern at Regulus Clan as she had initially planned.

However─.

─There's no chance to approach Eun-ha....

In reality, she was being treated like an outcast at Regulus Clan.

She needed to be treated as an outcast for her espionage activities.

The problem was that unlike her, Noh Eun-ha was receiving attention from Regulus Clan members day after day.

To the extent that she couldn't approach him.

Moreover─.

─Even in our world, there were many rumors about the beautiful looks of and ....

Seeing them in person, they really are amazing.

Of course Jung Ha-yang too.

Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeon-hwa never left Noh Eun-ha's side for a moment.

Bebe couldn't push past them to approach Eun-ha either.

Not only would he not deal with her, but her pride absolutely wouldn't allow it.

Sigh, just wait 10 years.

Your skin will sag and you'll have no choice but to rely on makeup too, you know?

She disliked pretty people.

Especially young and pretty people even more.

Bebe was worried her own beauty would be compared if she mixed in with them, so she couldn't easily approach.

On the other hand, she seemed to understand why Noh Eun-ha hadn't fallen for her seduction until now.

That Jung Ha-yang too... And Han Seo-hyun who's famous in political and business circles....

On top of that, his sister is in a league of her own, and his sister's friend is a beauty too....

No wonder Noh Eun-ha's eyes don't turn to me.

Bebe sighed.

Thinking like that, the fire in her stomach grew stronger.

She felt angry and irritated.

Don't they know the charm of an older woman? To not know the beauty of maturity....

Right, it's because he's still young.

Self-rationalization.

She barely managed to control her anger.

Then she resolved.

Using this opportunity─.

─Not only will I dig up information on Noh Eun-ha, but I'll also join the Noh Eun-ha squad. And if I get the chance....

For her, men were power.

Therefore, Noh Eun-ha, whose future was guaranteed, could only look like an appetizing prey to her.

So whether using her beauty or whatever else, she decided to steal Noh Eun-ha's heart.

And become Noh Eun-ha's mistress.

Why a mistress?

The reason she wanted to become a mistress rather than an official wife was simple.

─I just want to be the wife of a powerful man, not the wife of one man.

How many mistresses do I have now....

Mistresses had no responsibilities.

Because if bound by marriage, she couldn't become the wife of another powerful man.

As they say, don't put all your eggs in one basket.

☆

Turning back time to April of the 14th year of Seonryeok.

Eun-ha was spending a cozy time walking around the school grounds with Jung Ha-yang, undisturbed by his friends.

But there was no coziness of lovers in the conversation between the two.

"─I did as you told me, Eun-ha. I asked Yeon-ji and Min-ji to spread it as much as possible so that many people would know."

"Good job."

"Don't just say good job.... Tell me what you're planning to do now."

Cheeks puffed out like rice cakes.

Eun-ha smiled seeing Ha-yang puff out her cheeks.

The lake came into view.

Eun-ha led Jung Ha-yang by the hand towards the lakeside.

"You know the person called Bebe, right?"

"Of course I do. She's the one who openly flirts with you even though I'm watching with my eyes wide open."

"Your eyes are wide open? How? I've never seen that...."

"Hmph, I'm a scary person. So don't you dare cheat on me secretly, okay?"

"I'm not the one doing it, she's the one approaching me one-sidedly."

"What about Yu-jeong then?"

"...We're just meeting as friends."

"Suspicious."

"Anyway, keep talking."

"Tch, look at you changing the subject."

There was no coziness.

Eun-ha felt like he was being interrogated.

Of course, it wasn't a bad feeling to receive his girlfriend's jealousy either.

"I think that Bebe person is approaching me with some intention, so I'm trying to set a trap."

"What intention.... Isn't the reason for approaching the opposite sex obvious? It's because she likes you."

"I guess not everyone in the world is like you."

"I'm upset. I'm going to leave."

"Where are you going? You're mine now, so you need my permission to leave."

"...I'll let it slide just this once."

There was no tension.

Instead, there was teasing.

Eun-ha coaxed and soothed Jung Ha-yang while telling her what he had been thinking.

"I have a feeling. That Bebe person, something's suspicious."

"Hmm.... I think you're more suspicious."

"I think I'm innocent to you."

"Yu-jeong."

"...Anyway, I keep feeling like she's investigating me, so I want to counterattack a bit."

"Is that why you had that person assigned to Regulus Clan?"

Bebe.

They say she applied for an internship at Regulus Clan after hearing news about Eun-ha.

That news immediately entered his friends' information network.

According to Jung Ha-yang's information network, she also bribed an academy instructor through some means.

So Eun-ha was certain.

As expected, she─.

─Has something. It's suspicious.

It stinks.

At first, Eun-ha had only thought of Bebe as an annoying person.

But after discovering clues that she might be related to Sindorim.

Eun-ha started being wary of her.

And he made a plan to find out her identity using the clan internship dispatch.

"Should I just tell Regulus Clan not to accept her? Her grades aren't good enough, so she can't go to Regulus Clan in principle...."

"Leave her be. She'll fall into the trap on her own."

"...Alright. Then I'll pretend I don't know anything."

"Yeah, please do. Oh, and you'll tell Eun-woo too, right?"

"I'll see what you do!"

"...What should I do?"

"Give me a massage too."

"Massage? Why a massage?"

"You think I don't know you gave one to Seo-na recently?"

"That fox... Did she tattle?"

"Is that the issue right now?"

"Ha-yang, there's a sad story behind this...."

"I should tell Eun-ah unni when we go to Regulus Clan next month."

"...!"

Ever since Eun-ha confessed first.

The positions of the two had been reversed.