121

Eungwang School where the most outstanding and the brightest talents of the Republic of Korea gather.

Was it because there were many students and faculty members with powerful and unique superpowers?

There were many ghost stories at this prestigious highschool.

'But there are cases where it's actually not a ghost or anything else, like Jeok-ho's red lightning incident or missing illegally admitted students incident.'

There were numerous ghost stories, which truth or falsehood remained to be discovered, circulating at Eungwang School.

'If an informant of Mun Saeron's level resolves to investigate them, their identity would be revealed.'

But Mun Saeron, who was curious about all sorts of things, was afraid of ghosts, and the oddballs who tried to investigate them without a particular reason were rare.

"Right, there were many ghost stories even during my enrollment. Among them there were ghost stories that continued to bother me, but it seems that they circulate as rumors even now, eh?"

Seong Gukeon unfolded a device's hologram.

Opened in the hologram was an article about Eungwang School's ghost stories written by me.

An article summarizing numerous ghost stories.

Among them, highlighted phrases caught my eyes.

[The Student Council and Guideline Club formed a secret society to perform a questionable ritual by sacrificing mountain wild animals.]

[On a moonless night, every mountain trail at Heavenly Wings Mountain leads to ghost gates.]

'There is some kind of meaning behind those two ghost stories?'

Seong Siwan, who was sitting beside me, said a word after scrutinizing the hologram.

"Ah, I heard about those two! Why did you not tell me it's about them? If hyung said something, I would have investigated them…"

"Hahahee! Sure, how about Siwan and Uisin investigating them together?"

At Seong Gukeon's words, my doubts deepened even more.

'What is his intention? It's not that those ghost stories appeared suddenly. They're ghost stories from the past. Why now and why request it from us?'

Seong Gukeon making a strange request of which targets are highschool students.

It wasn't the only strange thing.

Jeon Muyeong, sitting beside Seong Gukeon, was watching the situation with an expressionless face.

It was not strange that he remained quiet with a faint presence.

However.

'Jeon Muyeong is not saying anything. Why?'

Both Seong Gukeon and Jeon Muyeong were my Playable Characters.

I have a certain degree of understanding of those two's personalities.

Usually, if Seong Gukeon makes a sound he shouldn't do, Jeon Muyeong would restrain him.

It was strange he didn't stop the member of the National Assembly, Seong Gukeon, from grabbing his junior and younger cousin and requesting an investigation into the ghost stories.

'Those two people want both me and Seong Siwan to investigate those ghost stories.'

I came to such a conclusion.

But I couldn't understand the strangeness of those ghost stories.

'Until the moment those two died, they never moved without a meaning. I don't want those two people's plans to be ruined by needlessly sounding them out.'

Rather, it would be better to obtain their trust to quickly cooperate with them.

I may learn about those two's intentions during the investigation.

"Yes, I'll investigate."

"Me too. I had no idea hyung is interested in ghost stories."

After Seong Siwan said he got it, following my words, Seong Gukeon looked at the two of us with a satisfied face.

And added a word.

"But there is a condition."

"A condition?"

"Using Jin people or descendants… No, borrowing their power is not an issue, but you can't attract their attention to those ghost stories."

It looked like using the Jin people or descendants to gather the information was fine, huh?

There would be some unsaid words in this context.

"Yes? Ah, there is a Yong tribe's descendant in the Student Council, right? Even I know that if I get Junyeol into trouble, Teacher Yong-nim and senior Ruler of Red Flames-nim will come to kill me. Hahaha!"

It seemed that kind Seong Siwan had zero doubts about the words said by his admired older cousin.

'Seong Gukeon doesn't trust Jin people or descendants, huh?'

And before, he tried to thoroughly check if I'm a Jin or a descendant.

There was evidently a cause for Seong Gukeon's deep-rooted distrust.

I hoped to learn the reason for his lack of trust in Jin people through this ghost stories investigation.

***

Dormitory room, to which I returned after finishing the dinner.

I had a ghost story investigation to do, but there was one more task for me to solve.

'I ate them together with the class children, but even so, there is still a lot left."

The living room was full of the piled up Moon Rabbit Rice Cakes gift set boxes.

There were so many I could eat rice cakes during all three meals a day.

'It seems difficult to eat alone.'

First, I decided to put aside all rice cakes with synurus, which Ok Toyeon said she likes.

Synurus rice cakes, synurus gaepitteok, synurus injeolmi, various color perilla seed injeolmi[2]…

As there were more rice cakes with synurus than I expected, it seemed that it would take a long time to eat them all.

'Ok Toyeon said that she likes them, so let's eat them and leave a review. Even if I can't eat them all, I should show sincerity, right?'

I decided to gift the remaining rice cakes.

'The first one who comes to mind…'

Was obviously Snare.

Looking at the white jeolpyeon[3] with cherry blossom petal pattern made me think of Snare.

Even if Snare still didn't forgive me, I wanted to give it a gift.

'What to do if it doesn't accept it? What if it doesn't like rice cakes? Then what should I do if it makes it more angry?'

I was filled with worries, but after long contemplation, I decided to give it a gift.

I selected the best among the wrapped boxes as Snare's share.

The next person who came to mind was Baek Ho-gun.

'I want to also thank Baek Ho-gun.'

Baek Ho-gun gave me advice about the Nine Iron Teeth Rake at the Silver Training Hall.

He not only gave me advice, but also personally helped to accumulate proficiency.

'I'm a bit frustrated I was not his opponent in a spar, and he didn't let me play chess against him because I was tired.'

After I decided on gifts for white divine beast and tiger like this, I recalled many names.

Next, I thought of Yu Sang-hui who healed Jeok-ho.

I recalled the description from the game, saying that Yu Sang-hui liked fruits.

'But after Yu Sang-hun died, she didn't eat much food. In the game, To Wonu was always leaving a fruit gift set in the Student Council room.'

I put aside the boxes with fruit chapssaltteok[4] and fresh fruit rice cakes she seemed to enjoy.

'Who should I give it to next?'

Ju Su-hyeok, who gave me a tour around Cymopoleia's deck.

Jang Namuk, who was depressed because he wasn't able to play an active role during the ship party incident.

To Sihu, who had a hard time because of sea sickness and also because of family circumstances.

Bak Seung-hyeon, who regretted that we couldn't meet in the finals of the chess tournament.

The 2nd year class 0 group, who came to cheer for me during the chess tournament.

Seong Siwan, who always packs a share for me every time there are some snacks remaining at the Wings Council.

As I decided which people to give Moon Rabbit Rice Cakes with meaning of thanks or encouragement, the number of boxes considerably decreased.

'I should eat the remaining one together with people in our class and Newspaper Club.'

When like this I finished the daily work and was about to go to sleep earlier than usual.

Ding.

A message arrived at the device.

The sender was Kim Yuri.

[Kim Yuri] (photo)

[Kim Yuri] Pictures we took today! I just finished editing! ^▽^!

Our class group picture taken with me and Min Geurin.

The continuation of cooking class after we left.

Pictures taken before eating dinner.

Several pages of pictures of the class 0's kids were attached to the message sent by Kim Yuri.

There was even a picture of Hwang Jiho's eccentricities.

'What the hell was Hwang Jiho thinking?'

In the picture, each of the children involved in the dinner preparations were holding the dish they made.

In the middle of visible plates of lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, Hwang Jiho was holding sinseollo[5].

'Though, it matched the children's taste, huh?'

Looking at the next picture, they run out of sinseollo first.

In particular, Han Yi opened her eyes wide to how delicious it was even when she was frustrated.

Even though Hwang Jiho didn't cut into the picture, I seemed to hear the sound of him laughing 'hahahaha!' somewhere in the picture.

[Kim Yuri] Let's eat dinner together next time ㅎㅎ[6]

[Kim Yuri] I'll bring macaroons as a morning snack! Then see you tomorrow ⟩▽⟨ق

At the end of Kim Yuri's message, a picture of macaroons made for dessert was attached.

Nothing felt particularly strange about her friendly messages.

What was visible was only her usual bright behavior and her character of a good class president who takes care of other children.

'She would be very anxious.'

As I thought about her staying alone in the house without anyone around, I couldn't relax.

***

After all of the weekdays' work was finished.

We decided to visit the Eternal Lake team's building on Saturday.

Seoul Yangcheon district, Sinwol, West Seoul Lake Park.

At the side in the central lake, a building covered in blue otherworldly metal was visible.

"Wow! Both the lake and building are so pretty!"

"I should take a picture!"

"Visible in the distance is the Eternal Lake team's building, right?"

"I want to go quickly!"

"Ah, wait just a moment."

Yesterday night, Kwon Jane left a message saying to contact her first when we arrived in front of the central lake.

I asked for the children's understanding and then sent a message.

[Me] We arrived in front of the lake. I'll send a message again when we arrive in front of the team building.

Ding.

A reply came straight away.

[Kwon Jane] No, don't come.

Kwon Jane suddenly made a strange sound.

'Don't come'?

No way, do I have to take the kids and go back?

'Kwon Lena will be disappointed.'

Didn't Kwon Jane want to see her niece?

If not, is there a situation which makes her unable to meet with her niece?

While my mind was somewhat zoned out, one more message arrived for me.

[Kwon Jane] Stay in the place you're right now.

What do you mean by that?

Kwon Jane had a talent to make people stunned with just a few words.

"Hmm."

At that moment, Hwang Jiho glanced at the sky and at the lake with sparkling eyes.

Looking at this guy shining his eyes, I felt ominous.

Paaaa—!

Suddenly, the landscape darkened.

Looking around, it was dyed with a dark color superpower wave, and then it started to cover the entire Lake Park.

"Uh, uh. What is it?"

"A superpower wave!"

In the center of the power stood Jared Lee.

He widely unfolded his superpower and covered the sky.

'This is the power of Jared Lee, who was scouted out by one of the world's top 10 teams, the Pledge of Three Knights, huh!'

After the West Seoul Lake Park was shrouded in darkness, somewhere a spotlight lit up.

A powerful glow from the PAR lightning and blue light rays pouring from the intelligent lightning.

The lights pointed towards the center of the central lake.

"There is someone there."

"It's senior Kwon Jane-nim!"

"Wow! She is standing on the water!"

"Is she currently using a skill? If not, is it a blessing's effect? Or if not that, is it a Gwangrim?!"

"What? What is happening right now?"

Around 18,000 square meters of the central lake was installed with forty-one prismatic fountains.

The background and the lights changed the lake's surface to resemble the stage.

In the heart of it stood Kwon Jane wearing a blue mermaid line dress.

She quietly closed her eyes and raised the bow to violin strings.

Shaaa—!

Following her performance, the melody spread out and enveloped the whole park.

Simultaneously, reacting to that melody tone, the prismatic fountains activated.

The children, who were clamoring a second ago, closed their mouths, overwhelmed by the sound.

'It's even more wonderful than when I heard it before!'

When the song moved into its middle stage, Kwon Jane took a step forward towards the lake's shore.

Matching her steps, the superpower wave's flow changed and particles of lights spread out.

'It's a Gwangrim.'

Kwon Jane's Gwangrim 'Humming Surface[7]'.

A Gwangrim, which during the Great Manchester Conquest created a lake and a miracle.

It was an abstract cheat ability that was said to make the water surface sing in response to her performance and superpowers.

That amazing Gwangrim was being used to stage the performance now.

'Did she prepare a gift because the niece, who was suffering for a long time, and her friends came to visit?'

It was the first time I saw Jared Lee use his abilities, and such a waste of Gwangrim and superpowers for a live performance.

'It's so much, but no one said anything?'

Rather, it seemed that performance expert team members were lending their power to support Kwon Jane.

Soon after the performance ended, the night disappeared, and the lights returned to the lake.

It was a dream-like moment as if the said daydream was reenacted.

'It was a good performance, but it was a bit excessive. Won't children think it was weird?'

Setting aside Hwang Jiho of course.

What should I do if other kids, in particular, Kwon Lena think it's strange?

However, my worries ended up unfounded.

"How to… too, too cool…! I should take pictures with a device camera! As expected from senior Kwon Jane-nim…!"

Even though the performance ended, the children still had their souls drift.

Among them, Kwon Lena spoke with a voice bursting with admiration.

It seemed that in the eyes of Kwon Jane's fan, such eccentrics were just cool and worthy of Kwon Jane.

*~*~*

[1] No chapter title – 'Senior's request (4)' =-=

[2] gaepitteok, injeolmi – gerpitteok is a type of half-moon shaped rice cake, injeolmi is a rice cake coated in beans or other kind of powder (edible powder!).

[3] jeolpyeon – flat rice cakes with different engravings or in different shapes.

[4] chapssaltteok – a general term for glutinous rice cakes, though, there is a tendency to call all types of sweet and chewy rice cakes chapssaltteok, even when they aren't made from glutinous rice.

[5] sinseollo – a type of luxurious hot-pot, sometimes called 'royal hot pot'. It contains many vegetables and meats and the preparation time is quite long, so in the past it was said to be mainly served in royal court. (note copied from chapter 68)

[6] ㅎㅎ – 'haha'

[7] Humming surface – First, surface here refers to water surface… or a face, an animal mask… or sleep. Humming refers to melody made with one's voice.

Translator's note:

*Someone makes a grand performance or achievement with superpowers*

.

Jo Uisin: *mentally calculating how much energy and time was used* Such waste…