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A higher being, one of the demon gods of 7 Deadly Sins, Avaritia of Greed[2].

The laboratory of the Demon and a priest serving that demon god.

The greenhouse, made by twisting space, was full of superpower waves and miasma.

The Demon who visited this place shouted with a tired expression.

"Ah, turn on the ventilation a bit! I'm going to die like this!"

It was a demonic priest of Invidius who came searching for the priest of Avaritia.

The priest of Avaritia, who was alone in the laboratory, was using his 3rd eye to observe the present world[3].

He cut the connection with his eyes and calmly said:

"If you wear a robe bestowed by the demon god-nim, you won't die." [4]

"I'm doing that, but it doesn't feel good, you know?"

"With what matter you came here? Recently, you've been busy chasing Crow Mask, if I recall. Ah, I have little interest in Crow Mask, so spit the information if you have it and then get out, please."

The Priest of Avaritia looked on edge.

Even though Priest of Invidius thought 'that motherfucker is going crazy again', considering his status as an uninvited guest, he sincerely replied:

"It's because of 'that guy's' case[5], they commissioned a search for Zhu Ganglie. If I accept that commission, it means I'll become enemies with Ungnyeo of Grief. Because I liked her more than that guy, I refused but they persisted. I came to hide here. No one comes to your laboratory, you know?"

"Zhu Ganglie…"

After the head of the Don tribe was mentioned, he made a very displeased expression.

"Do you also have some kind of grudge against Zhu Ganglie?"

"Not with Zhu Ganglie personally. The problem was the human bastards he introduced."

"Humans?" Zhu Ganglie introduced you to humans?"

"Yes. To test the 'Seeds of Curse' I personally developed."

The hem of the robe engraved with the demon god's seal fluttered, while the priest of Avaratia moved his hand.

After he shot the superpower wave into the air, the previously dark side of the greenhouse lit up and they saw an enormous tree.

One side of the tree, whose roots were embedded into distorted space, was purple, while the other side was dark blue.

'They always look bizarre, eh? I can't understand this guy's taste!'

When the priest of Invidius frowned.

Swish….

The purple leaves opened their mouths to swallow the light carrying superpower wave.

Uujik, uudduk!

At the end of the grotesque planteating scene, all of the Demon's superpower wave disappeared, and in return, the purple leaves started to emit light.

Thanks to that light, the fruits hanging around the leaves became visible.

Among the fruits of all kinds of shapes, there was a fruit, which was unusually eye-catching.

"Ah, I remember it was among the things you researched before. Those are fruits holding a seed of curse for 'Stains of Guilt', right?"

"Yes. If a person has even a speck of sense of guilt, that stain will gradually spread to dominate their eyes and ears and attack their mind, and because of it, humans will become isolated, correct?"

"It's a useless thing against perfect villains, you know? They say that there are many among humans who live completely without any guilt!"

"I know. So those 'Stains of Guilt' have even more value, don't they?"

The corners of the mouth of the Avaratia priest that were visible under the robe twisted as he smiled.

"Good people are difficult to mentally control. Because they aren't hooked by the wealth of unknown origins or fame obtained by the sacrifice of others."

"So?"

"Instead it's very simple for a good person to be mentally crushed by the weight of sins and mistakes they committed. Perfect humans are extremely rare. This curse should aim for the guilt of such good people to destroy them."

"Okay. I understand the usefulness of these seeds of curse, but what does it have to do with Zhu Ganglie?"

At that question, the smile in the corner of his lips disappeared.

"Among humans, there are Players who possess very rare, annoying and unpleasant superpowers. Zhu Ganglie probably had asked for those 'Stains of Guilt' to hand them to humans who aimed at such superpower user."

"After the Clash of Different Worlds there are many superpowers like this, so I don't know what you are talking about."

"You don't know? It's the opposite power of us, Demons, the so-called 'kotodama'."

Hearing the word 'kotodama', the face of the priest of Invidius also stiffened.

"The humans introduced by Zhu Ganglie were aiming at the most famous kotodama user on the present Korean Peninsula and we made a scheme."

"Are we perhaps talking about the Aquamarine Poet, whom the higher being Thoth bestowed a blessing to?… That kotodama user's power and blessing are bothersome. How did the scheme end up?"

"Yes, that's correct. As for the results of that scheme, I just ended up consuming precious seed."

"Alas, that's a pity. How about targeting the kotodama user yourself?"

"There are many humans and Jin people who cherish that kotodama user, so it's difficult. It's still not a time for us to surface, remember? It can expose our evil research group. Even when handing the seeds, I struggled to hide my identity."

As if they found many 'kotodoma' powers to be annoying, the two Demons swarmed in magic and superpower waves, as they expressed their irritation.

Inside the greenhouse, which became a mess because of a mix of miasma, magic and superpower waves, the priest of Invidius spoke up to change the topic.

"Despite your attitude, you told me some fun information, so I'll also share some information."

"Is that information about Crow Mask?"

"No. It's information about the 'real crow'."

The priest of Invidius spread out his palm and made the shape of a crow with black superpower wave.

"That crow demon king moved."

"Demon King of Silence and Bystanders?"

"Yeah. That unlucky Demon King bastard."

Peuk!

The priest of Invidius clenched his fist and the crow embodied with the superpower wave was crushed.

"Do you know there is a human Sillentium personally bestowed a blessing? That human moves around the Ho tribe's divine realm."

***

Saturday morning.

From the morning, there was a guy in the device chat room who was bursting with energy and sending messages.

[Jang Namuk] I stayed up all night worrying about what I should do if something happened, but no answer came. Hell, I don't even know how I should be dealing with this. It seems I can't do that with my power alone.

Messages, which could be roughly summarized as 'I'm worrying' continued for dozens of lines.

[Yu Sang-hun] ?

On the opposite side was Yu Sang-hun, who probably checked messages after waking up in the morning, finishing with a very economic tap of '?'.

[Jang Namuk] … You're thinking of hearing out the story, huh? Thank you ㅠㅠ.

[Yu Sang-hun] ?

[Jang Namuk] Okay. I'll speak quickly.

It seemed that Jang Namuk interpreted all Yu Sang-hun's recent messages as positive.

But no matter how I looked at the two '?', I interpreted them 'What is up with that jerk right now?'.

[Jang Namuk] If we start from the conclusion, me and Sihu fought and now Sihu stayed out overnight against the rules.

It was said currently it is a weekend, but the school rules of the Military Academy were strict, so staying outside overnight without permission will be quite a big trouble.

But what could have happened that made Jang Namuk and To Sihu fight?

… Thinking about it, there could be a lot.

Considering the actions of To Sihu, who if he came to Eungwang School, would have no problems entering class 0, it would be like that.

Because Jang Namuk was the main target of his pranks.

'Even so, Jang Namuk endured every time, and then if he was apologized to, he would turn a blind eye straight away.'

Jang Namuk's messages continued.

[Jang Namuk] You know that the Military Academy's curriculum is faster than Eungwang School, right?

[Yu Sang-hun] y

[Jang Namuk] For the next two weeks, we have to choose classes we will take during the 2nd semester at our school. But then, Sihu said that he will take the navy curriculum and we fought.

I started to roughly figure out what kind of story it was.

Due to Player soldier's nature as a 'minority with special abilities', there were many times when they cooperated on military operations with the different units of the army and navy.

In the Player Military Academy, they actively include curriculums from the army and navy military academies to train students for such cooperation maneuvers.

'He was talking about the navy curriculum when he was dying from seasickness on the passenger ship with a tonnage of fifty thousand tons? Is he crazy?'

Naturally, Jang Namuk must have thought the same thing as me.

[Jang Namuk] Sihu suffers from sea sickness. He may get hurt or die during sea practice, you know?

[Jang Namuk] Instructors-nim, trainers-nim, seniors-nim and class cadets were all against it, but he didn't listen….

[Jang Namuk] At first, I only watched, but then I also said I'm against it, and so we fought.

[Jang Namuk] Sihu fought with me and then ran away from school for the entire night, but I don't know where he went. His device is turned off, and I tried to contact his family, but they said he didn't go back to them.

[Yu Sang-hun] ?

[Jang Namuk] I don't know the reason… First of all, I submitted a stay-out form on his behalf. But if there is a problem, I'll be in trouble.

Jang Namuk's process of being admitted to the Military Academy.

Words To Sihu said on the Cymopoleia.

Listening and looking at the story, I roughly guessed the situation.

'Jang Namuk went to the Military Academy despite the opposition of his surrounding, right? And To Sihu was also like that.'

The two of them were in similar circumstances, so To Sihu may have felt a one-sided sense of comradery.

In such a situation, when Jang Namuk also showed the same reaction like everyone else, the stress that piled up may have exploded.

First of all, I called the name of a trustworthy person, who had a high chance of knowing about To Sihu's movements.

[Me] Have you tried to contact senior To Wonu-nim?

[Jang Namuk] Ah! Wonu hyung may know. I should have exchanged device codes with him during the boat party… I don't know his contact information.

I also didn't know To Wonu's contact information, but there was a person in the chat room who should know.

[Me] Yu Sang-hun seems to know.

[Yu Sang-hun] — —

[Jang Namuk] Right! Sang-hun and Wonu hyung know each other from the past and are acquainted, right? Please ask him

Yu Sang-hun seemed to loathe To Wonu, but in any case, their families knew each other and they were childhood friends.

If Yu Sang-hun says he hates it, should I contact Yu Sang-hui…?

[Yu Sang-hun] k….

I felt many things in that '….'.

[Jang Namuk] Thanks!

I should take other measures in case when To Wonu also says he also doesn't know.

When I finished checking those messages, someone spoke to me.

"You came early."

The one who spoke was Min Geurin wearing plain clothes.

Behind her, there was a person standing like a jangseung [6].

"I didn't exactly wait. You're also coming?"

Song Daeseok glanced at me with an unhappy face then at the air taxi I rented out beforehand.

'As expected, they came together.'

I don't know about going as a group, but there was no way that Song Daeseok would let me and Min Geurin let go alone, just the two of us.

"Let's go."

"… You talk as if you expected Daeseok to come."

Song Daeseok and Min Geurin sat side by side and I sat the opposite of Song Daeseok.

The reason for that was because when I followed after them to climb up into the taxi, Song Daseok very resolutely pointed at the opposite side.

Because Min Geurin seemed anxious, as Song Daeseok's behavior was so stiff, I spoke up while pointing at the taxi self-service machine to change the mood.

"Do you want to eat pretzels that are sold only in the air taxis? It will take some time to get to Hongcheon."

I selected a cinnamon honey pretzel recommended by the foodie Maeng Hyodon and Ju Su-hyeok before, and handed one to each to two people.

Inside of the air taxi heading towards our destination, Song Daeseok, who ate the pretzel with a face full of wariness, spoke a word:

"Unlike the rumors, you don't look suspicious."

"What?"

"On the Eungwang School community general bulletin board, they say that the 1st year class 0 Unknown Supernova, often smiles suspiciously. But then why do you look so normal? You aren't pretending to be nice only in front of Geurin, are you? What kind of intentions do you have?"

I didn't expect to be roasted for looking normal.

"No. Uisin often smiles suspiciously in front of me!"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Uisin is suspicious."

"Okay… That's a relief."

I didn't know why it was a relief, but it seemed that Song Daeseok was reassured by the fact that I had smiled suspiciously in front of Min Geurin.

It's good if my Playable Character is reassured.

During a situation of awkward silence, Min Geurin repeatedly started momentary conversations about topics she barely managed to come up with only to get cut off.

Wiing!

The air taxi stopped on its own in the air.

"Uh, there is still some distance left until we get to Gari Mountains where master-nim lives."

"It's not an area where air taxis are banned."

In case an otherworld crack was discovered in the vicinity, I checked the Association's homepage, but there were no problems.

"What is that?"

On land, I saw three white horses watching the air taxi.

*~*~*

[1] No chapter title – 'Outcome of choice (1)' =-= I'm inclined to translate it as 'Result of choice', because it sounds nicer to me, but in raws, the word very literally translated as 'result+things', so outcome in my mind seems closer to that. Could also be a product I suppose?

[2] Avaritia of Greed – Wait a moment, this translator needs a deep breath. Haaaaa… So. The word used here is '탐욕 (tamyok)' which means to abnormally covet something, aka. Greed's definition right? Even avaritia means greed in latin! Everything is clear and simple! Until some sources state that '탐욕 (tamyok)' stands actually for the sin of 'gluttony' and greed in korean should be called '인색 (insaek)', but because '탐욕 (tamyok)' gets translated as greed to english, it sometimes wrongly attributed to avaritia and not gula, and now I don't know which is right, is it greed or gluttony? I bet on greed because of avaritia, but if I'm proven wrong later, please don't send me to hell, okay?

[3] present world – or mortal world? Human world? Or 'reality'? I'm switching a bit between those terms because I don't remember if this term was ever explained in the world of the novel. Just know that it's a different dimension/world(?) from where demons apparently are.

[4] Priest of Avaritia's speech tone – this priest uses a polite tone. Not a usual thing for demons, who almost all speak casually. (I'm not sure, but Avaritia's priest may be the only one to use a polite tone?)

[5] 'that guy's' case – don't trust this translator on that, because it feels like they're going crazy. The case here stands for '예의 (ye-ui)' and that… that can have a lot of meanings. And it stood in front of 'that guy' and … Invidius' priest probably means it as 'here is what we are talking about', but it also kinda could mean 'that guy we are obligated towards'??? Or maybe a 'crown prince'??? By the way, it could also mean polite??? Basically, I don't know what '예의 (ye-ui)' is doing here.

[6] jangseung – a pole sculptured with a scary/grotesque face which represents a guardian of a village, road or temple.

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Translator's note: Demons be suspicious scene 2!