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21. Six words (3)

After finishing morning training and arriving at the dormitory cafeteria.

Today's morning menu was Korean and Western.

The Korean dish was ttukbaegi[1] filled with clean taro, steamed eggs and bulgogi.

The Western dish was a wave toast with peppermint and strawberry cream cheese.

The Korean dish was okay, but the Western side was a problem.

'Why strawberries and peppermint? Why not choose one among those two but go with both…?'

After a short worry, I chose the Korean menu and while standing in line, I heard the sounds of conversations around.

Students mainly talked about Kwon Jane's yesterday's Korean concert.

"I heard senior Kwon Jane is going to stay in Korea for some time?"

"I hope she will give a concert again! This time in the Third Sacred Branch Hall…!"

"The first song from yesterday's performance was new. When will the sound source be released?"

I was worried that by chance the message Nabiryeong sent would become a hot topic, but it seemed it wasn't visible on the audience's side.

'If they're Jin people or people with sensitive senses on par with Jin people, they might have noticed, but …'

I shouldn't worry about this if Kwon Jane's side buries it, saying it was secret directing.

Bulgogi ttukbaegi and steamed egg ttukbaegi, I raised the food tray with those two ttukbaegi and looked around to grab a seat when I saw in the far corner Maeng Hyodon sitting alone.

"Ay, hey."

"… Ah, you're here, vice president."

Maeng Hyodon was staring at a hologram, looking as if he was going crazy.

What is so important to look at when it's time to eat?

I decided to ask.

"What are you looking at?"

"I'm choosing gifts for homeroom teachers-nim on Teacher's Day."

As he said homeroom teacher's'-nim, it seemed to be gifts for a 3rd year middle school homeroom teacher, who he mentioned before and who taught mathematics, and Ham Geun-hyeong.

"A gift? What are you going to buy?"

"A watch or a bag? In any case, I don't have anything to spend money on, so I'm just going to spend all the money from my part-time job and the reward."

It looked that Maeng Hyodon was planning to use up all the money he received up until now from his part time scholarship job and the money he received for the contribution to Enemies subjugation at the Children's Day Jamsil Baseball Match.

Taking a side glance at the hologram, I saw a catalog with prices of ten million won.

'He really seems to be thinking of spending all his money.'

Maeng Hyodon's mindset was praiseworthy, but regrettably, if such a gift was given, the person receiving the gift and the person giving the gift would be caught by law.

"It falls under illegal solicitation law, don't buy it."

"What was that?"

I explained for around 5 minutes the rules related to illegal solicitation law as well as the ban on accepting valuables in an easy to understand manner to Master Small Stone Maeng Hyodon.

Review for Maeng Hyodon: in Ham Geun-hyeong's case, who was his supervisor, he had a duty and personal interests related to him. When clearly related by duties to each other, it would be difficult to give any gifts.

"… For that reason, regardless of the price, teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim can't take personal gifts as he is our homeroom teacher."

Maeng Hyodon, who heard the explanation, closed the hologram with a scowl.

"What is that? I was worrying about what to buy for dogshit!"

"And the same is for your public middle school. When your 3rd year's middle school homeroom teacher-nim is a civil servant, he can't take expensive gifts even if there is no job relation. It would have had to be unconditionally under 1 million won."

"Ah, ruined."

Spooning in rage the meal he had been roughly eating before, Maeng Hyodon forcibly shoved the food into his mouth.

It seemed he was very frustrated he couldn't buy a gift for Teacher's Day.

"What is tasty today?"

"… Bulgogi mung bean sprouts. Being well cooked and well soaked in bulgogi seasonings makes them exquisite. Don't eat the toast if you can. The peppermint flavor is too intense so strawberry cream taste is completely buried. It's like toothpaste."

I guess he was memorizing the tastes even in the middle of choosing a gift.

"Hello! Is the seat beside you empty?"

While I was listening to old foodie Maeng Hyodon's taste review, Sawol Seeum came over and greeted us.

After I nodded my head, confirming it was okay, Sawol Seeum grabbed the seat beside me.

On Sawol Seeum's food tray laid four wave toast which received Maeng Hyodon's harsh critique.

"What, it's Western food even today?"

"Yes? The colors are pretty and it looks delicious!"

"I've never seen you eat Korean food."

Maeng Hyodon made a subtle expression, but Sawol Seeum finished up the four toasts one after one with a content face.

I asked Sawol Seeum to cut a piece so I could also have a taste as others asked me to try it, but as Maeng Hyodon said, it tasted terrible.

"Let's go to school together today!"

"Okay."

"I'll eat one more hot pot and we'll go."

Having spare time before the day-start meeting, we decided to slowly finish our meal and go to school together.

1st year class 0 classroom.

Inside the classroom, depressed Han Yi was being soothed by Kim Yuri and Lee Lena.

"Starting this year, I was working a part-time job at Eungwang School to get money, I thought about nothing besides buying a good gift and… I wanted to pick a new suit for teacher Gong Cheonghwon-nim."

Gong Cheonghwon was a volunteer at the children's home where Han Yi lived and they knew and were friendly with each other for a long time.

I guess Han Yi joined Eungwang School and started to gather money doing a part-time job as she wanted to give Gong Cheonghwon, her revered teacher, a good and matching gift on Teacher's Day.

However, starting this year Gong Cheonghwon became a full-time teacher at Eungwang School and in addition, Han Yi was one of the students on the Introduction to Enemy Studies he was in charge of and a member of Taehokwon Small Group he was the advisor of.

There was no way to give even a small gift.

"Teacher Gong Cheonghwon-nim will be happy even if Han Yi only gives him a carnation."

"Right. I heard that teacher Gong Cheonghwon is continuously scouted by entertainment industry and Pro-Player teams, but he remains a teacher. He is a type without any worldly desires, so if you give him a good gift, it may be rather burdensome."

Maeng Hyodon, who was in the same situation, made a complicated face when he heard those words.

Ham Geun-hyeong and Maeng Hyodon's 3rd year's homeroom middle school teacher were types like Gong Cheonghwon, without worldly desires.

'They're people who would be happy if Maeng Hyodon and Han Yi just stayed healthy.'

Illegal solicitation law was made because of bastards like Choe Pyeondeuk to make it difficult to receive gifts, but I could see a positive thing in that you could only convey your heart on occasions like this.

I also wanted to give Ham Geun-hyeong a gift with no relation to money.

'Teacher's Day is this week's Friday, but Min Geurin still hasn't contacted me.'

Even if she came to school only for one day, Ham Geun-hyeong would be happy.

"Hey, Jo Uisin."

When the class kids chatted, gathered around Han Yi, Hwang Jiho suddenly spoke to me.

"Come when classes end."

It was a sound whose context was difficult to understand from the side, but I got it straight away.

Looking at Hwang Jiho's expression, he had a very important conversation with Kwon Jane.

***

After classes.

I finished club activities and visited Hwang Myeong-ho's mansion

The moment the main door opened, Snare ran towards me.

Woof-woof—!

"Hi, Snare. Have you been well?"

As if Snare comprehended my words, when I spoke, it quietly looked up at me and rubbed its head against my feet.

Woof-woof, woof!

As it lived well, it seemed to be asking to be pet.

In fact, Snare may not think like this, but I wanted to pet it, so I decided to do just that.

As I stroked Snare's head, it became happy.

It seemed my actions were correct.

"Yeah, I guess you live well. Do you get along with the tigers?"

Hwang Jiho was looking at me with a speechless face.

Snare, who had quietly glanced at Hwang Jiho, made a weak sound.

… Kuung.

Looks like it didn't have a particularly good relationship with Hwang Jiho.

I thought it could read a mood to some degree, but was it understanding all my words?

They said that when Snare was found, it completely lost its sense of self as a divine beast, but I didn't know about it now.

Whichever it was, I decided to take side of bright Snare.

I held Snare in my arms and stared at Hwang Jiho.

"Are you harassing our Snare?"

"… Jo Uisin, you're turning stupider in front of the divine beast with each passing day, huh?"

Hwang Jiho had a very serious face, but because Snare knew I was taking its side and showing its charms, I didn't mind it even a little bit.

The living room, where I moved in after hugging Snare, was filled with a sugary scent as if tea and refreshments were prepared beforehand.

Today's tea was a strong black tea on a ceylon base, with rhubarb leaves and a strawberry note.

The served refreshments were hot cakes sprinkled with pieces of butter.

'It's very clumsy?'

All of the hot cakes were burned and distorted everywhere.

Tea and refreshments, it wasn't like Hwang Jiho who had always perfectly matched the tea sets.

"It was personally prepared by Eun-ho's descendants. Those guys are also making dinner right now."

I was wondering where Eun-ho's descendants had gone, but I guess they're cooking in the kitchen.

'They don't show their feelings, but they're quite close, huh?'

When Hwang Jiho met with Eun-ho's eldest descendant, Eun Seoho, for the first time, he showed a rough look as he was probably agitated.

I was worried a little about how they get along, but be it Parent's Day or this, the kids seemed to follow Hwang Jiho well.

I tasted the hot cakes made by Eun-ho's descendants after cutting them into bite sized pieces.

'… the hot cakes taste bitter.'

Looking at Hwang Jiho's expression, he seemed to think the same, but he was eating the hot cakes without a word.

Baek Ho-gun was also eating them expressionlessly.

It seemed that the two Ho tribe members were thinking of eating all the bitter hot cakes.

"Then let's get down to business."

Hwang Jiho told me about the conversation he had with Kwon Jane in the Silver Light Building.

The past days of Great Manchester conquest, the Jin people involved in the Player's Association England branch's surprise attack.

The Jin captured there.

The clues obtained after 10 years of interrogation with the help of the being who said to be one of the Divine Creatures among Jin people.

The Ung born on the Korean Peninsula sent by 'Them'.

'Even the incident mentioned only in the background was related to the Dark Mastermind, huh?'

Hwang Jiho's words continued to the conclusion.

"Kwon Jane said she remained in England this entire time to find a certain Jeop. Jeop tribe are often treated as 'Minor Creatures' among the Jin people. It doesn't seem unrelated to the information Kim Sinrok found."

Thanks to Kim Sinrok's interrogation, the Ung spit out 'Minor Creature by Their side'.

From Hwang Jiho's words and from what game information I knew after collecting it, it seemed that Kwon Jane was searching for Nabiryeong in England for some reason.

"Why is senior Kwon Jane-nim searching for Jeop?"

"A day before the Manchester Great Conquest, a Jeop appeared in front of the Eternal Lake team who was moving to support the England Association."

"A Jeop?"

"Yeah. Kwon Jane was thrown into the Jeop's trap and was trapped between reality and dream for 10 hours. All members of the Eternal Lake team gave up on supporting the Association and devoted all their efforts to rescuing Kwon Jane."

It was the usual choice for team members when their team master was in crisis.

Particularly, Eternal Lake's members who were Kwon Jane's genuine fans. In addition, wasn't the team's sub-master before Manchester Great Conquest Kwon Jane's mother?

"Team members who remained in reality received an encoded message left by the butterfly. Her mother, who was a mathematician, was said to decipher the message. Knowing those are GPS coordinates representing latitude and longitude, they headed to that place, but…"

Kwon Jane, after being captured in Jeop's trap, returned to reality after 10 hours with her own efforts.

When she couldn't contact the team members who went to the place pointed by GPS coordinates, the place where Lena Lake is currently located, she took the remaining members and headed there.

And what Kwon Jane discovered was hell.

Five dungeons, one tower, two mazes.

Because the Association's abilities were completely paralyzed under Jin people's attack, the alarm didn't ring and communication in that area was cut off.

England's Pro-Player teams were overwhelmed by responding to Jin people and other otherworlds.

The Eternal Lake team, which gave up on waiting for support, succeeded in conquering all otherworlds, but Kwon Jane's mother and majority of early team members were lost.

"She said that after that she had been looking for the butterfly."

So Nabiryeong was behind those actions?

'She was at Dark Mastermind's side for a long time at least. She seems trustworthy enough to be aware of important information beforehand.'

Even now, she looked to be close enough for the Ung to feel jealousy.

"And you should have also noticed it, but the butterfly sent a message to Kwon Jane. To even pierced Eungwang School's barrier without fear, right in front of my eyes."

Hwang Jiho frowned while he swallowed a bite of a hot cake and a sip of black tea in turn.

"This is the message which was left behind."

After Hwang Jiho moved his finger in the air, golden shining writing formed in the center of the table.

의외. 예매. 그대

items. exhales. dame

It matched the message I saw in my log.

I guess Kwon Jane accurately read and memorized that message in that quick flash.

"We had yet to figure out what those words are. It looks to be in a different style from the previous mathematics quiz. There are words which appear to have a relation to her, but it's gibberish with grammar and complete words without it."

Did the form change now that the mathematician, her mother, is gone?

'Six words left by Nabiryeong…'

Clearly, she would send a message that is possible for Kwon Jane to interpret.

Kwon Jane.

The message left by Nabiryeong before.

GPS coordinates.

'Perhaps… aren't those words pointing to a certain place?'

I organized things in my head one after one as I came up with an answer.

"Jo Uisin?"

I activated the device and tried to input each value.

First one. Second one.

Both results were the same.

It seemed I found the answer.

*~*~*

[1] ttokbaegi – type of pot for boiling… it's a very specific pot. (This translator is not hinting on anything, they're just very confused by pottery terminology.) It's used to make hot pots.

Tran

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14 responses

Somebodyinahood

July 31, 2023

Hello thanks again for the chapter

Did you find out the symbolism between strawberry's and peppermint cream cheese toast