The Seventh Her
[Is what Sis Jane just said for real?]
Baek Je-in, in the middle of a video call on her tablet PC with her cousin in Hawaii, flashed a thumbs-up.
"Of course it's real. It's not quite VIP seating, but you can see the arena crystal clear from there, so look forward to it."
Baek Yu-min beamed on the screen after hearing Baek Je-in's reply. It was a smile so bright it was hard to believe she was fretting over failing to learn Spirit Lord Transformation.
"Don't worry too much. Watching the matches might spark something and give you a clue, right?"
"I'll reapply for leave, so hang out at your place and we'll head to Argo together the day before the senior-junior meet-and-greet."
"Just manage your condition properly. If you catch a cold on field trip day, it's all over."
"I won't treat patients who don't listen, you know?"
The two bantered with silly jokes for a while before ending the call.
"Phew..."
Baek Je-in undid her ponytail and stepped out onto the apartment balcony. The spring breeze through the open window dried the cold sweat from her anxiety and tension.
"I worried for nothing."
The first emotion that hit her was relief. Baek Je-in, who had tried to help her cousin learn Spirit Lord Transformation even through underhanded means, hadn't contacted Yu-min in Hawaii once since losing the Soul-Sedating Incense due to someone's interference.
The guilt from stealing the medicine had tormented her nonstop since that day. Even the relief that losing the incense prevented her from committing the wrong act only fanned her remorse toward Baek Yu-min.
In the end, she'd tearfully confessed everything to a student who visited the nurse's office.
"......"
But fortunately, that mistake had reignited her broken spirit.
'Your little sis is waiting for her teacher, not a gift. That's what family is.'
Kim Taeyang's casual remark had shaken off her gloom, giving her the courage to face Baek Yu-min.
"What a mysterious kid," she murmured.
Suddenly, she recalled the conversation with Kim Taeyang at the nurse's office, next to the photo of her and Baek Yu-min on the desk.
She'd had no intention of introducing Yu-min that day. Looking back, she'd approached Kim Taeyang with quite a few prejudices, and Baek Je-in reflected on her own rashness.
These days, with his changed hair and skin, Kim Taeyang seemed far calmer and more mature than before. If Yu-min transferred to Argo next semester, they might become good friends.
Baek Je-in lay on the balcony sunbed, entertaining such thoughts. It being a rare school holiday, she planned to lounge in her swimsuit, enjoying the sun.
"Still a ways off till the beach opens."
When Argo's hull side opened, it released hazardous creatures while deploying an ancestor-powered net to contain sand and people, creating an artificial beach. It was Baek Je-in's favorite spot on this massive ship, but a luxury she could only enjoy after June.
"Wanna hang with Yu-min..."
With her eyes closed, Baek Je-in's mind had already flown to Hawaii, where Baek Yu-min awaited.
"Should I bring Taeyang a souvenir from Hawaii?"
If she added peak-condition enhancement via Spirit Lord Transformation right before his match, it might help a little, Baek Je-in thought. That should suffice as payment for the counseling.
She enjoyed a nap in the warm breeze, clad in slightly early-season bikini.
Even though her tailing had been exposed, Seol Romi denied any wrongdoing.
The sunglasses she still hadn't removed were clearly bought on the spot after spotting Gong In-myeong on the street to follow him, but she insisted it was coincidence.
Overhearing our conversation while sitting at the same café? Pure coincidence.
Following us on the next high-speed tram to the Spirit Vein location? Just her daily walking route, she claimed.
"If it's a walking route, why take the tram?"
"Hngh..."
A despairing, humiliated groan escaped Seol Romi's bowed head under Shin Sua's interrogation.
"That kid—how's she this bad at lying despite her age?"
"Right? She's top of the written exams, so she shouldn't be dumb."
Watching the cool beauty—with her smooth long hair parted in the classic 9:1 overseas Korean style—fluster and spout nonsense gave me a twisted sense of deviance and pleasure.
A scene you'd never see in a game. As a fan of Ancestor Lord's Blessing, I decided to etch this moment deep in my memory.
"Enough. She's gonna cry."
"Who's crying?"
Seol Romi glared with axe-like eyes, chicken-tear droplets welling up, so I stepped back a couple paces.
Embarrassment drops her IQ, triggering pathological lies. Seol Romi's true face—memory saved.
"How are all these kids missing a screw? They look like models with real presence, so I had high hopes."
"Well, that's the charm of a twist, right?"
"You're calling my consistency charmless?"
"Hm..."
I whispered softly into Gemma's ear.
"Last night, you barked cuter than usual."
"Gyaack, shut up you bastard, I can't hear a thing."
I ignored Gemma's panic and turned back to Seol Romi. Might as well tease her more now.
"So basically, you tailed us 'cause you wanted the Spirit Vein. Just admit it—why keep—"
"...It was coincidence!"
Seol Romi's expression teetered as she wiped tears with her sleeve, feigning composure.
"Is she always like this?"
"Thought she mastered expression control, but she's pretty embarrassed today."
U Hyo-chung, watching, was shocked enough by the gap from her usual spunky self to ask Gong In-myeong.
Only Mun Hee-jeong smiled faintly at Seol Romi's rattled face. Maybe she was glad to see her old friend showing emotion again after that incident.
I pondered how to turn this to my advantage when my contact lenses relayed a message from Kim Yun-ju.
Under Kim Yun-ju's relentless haggling, I reluctantly nodded. Server upgrades and recruiting Seol Romi were already on my to-do list anyway.
"We're classmates—what's there to hide? No Shangju wouldn't perk up at 'Spirit Vein.' Nothing shameful about it."
Seol Romi stared silently for a moment before speaking.
"I wanna join the Map-making Club too."
"For the Spirit Vein?"
Nod nod. Admitting it verbally must've been too embarrassing. But her brazen honesty—and desperation—to join for personal power-ups was pure Seol Romi.
Her ruthless drive to grow up manifesting in such an unseemly way was surprisingly out of character, though.
"Well, for membership, we should hear from the club president first, right?"
"I'm all for it."
Seol Romi's face brightened at Kim Yun-ju's words, but Shin Sua's eyebrows twitched in fury.
"But the Spirit Vein issue's between you all—sort it out yourselves."
Kim Yun-ju, quick on the uptake, tightrope-walked to avoid losing her new funding mark. Her greed seeped through her voice.
"Hm..."
Seol Romi gazed up at my face. Tall for a girl, but a head shorter than me, so she looked up with pleading eyes. Maybe that's why her usual stoic face seemed cute. Like an arctic fox, if I had to compare.
She seemed to want my permission for the Spirit Vein info, but wrong address.
"Asking me's pointless. Shin Sua just bought this commercial building and the surrounding ones."
Drool.
"Here."
Thoroughly flustered, drool leaked from Seol Romi's open mouth; I quickly handed her a handkerchief.
"...Sorry."
"Hmph."
Meanwhile, as Seol Romi wiped her mouth, Shin Sua stood triumphantly, hands on hips, chest out. Her victorious smirk showed she was drunk on finally landing a hit on Seol Romi.
Shin Sua's impression of you changes to 'Loyal Hound'.
Affinity remaining to Relationship Rank 4: 10pt
Saying the decision lay with Shin Sua, not me, was spot on.
"Just like Kim Taeyang said. This Spirit Vein belongs to me, Shin Sua! I'm no sucker sharing a hard-won opportunity with just anyone!"
Her seeing me as a loyal hound irked me, so someday I'd rename our relationship. But first things first.
Time to smack that pretty nape now that I got the reaction I wanted.
"Even the Goryeo Group's heiress acting petty to block a rival's growth? Kinda ruins the image."
"Oho."
"This is my property, and that's my rightful claim!"
"You wouldn't have found it without my info. Yun-ju sunbae helped too."
"Well..."
"At least give Grand Offering rights to all club members who helped find it."
"Fine, I admit it. You can only do Grand Offering once per Spirit Vein anyway, so no point hogging it. But by your logic, excluding Seol Romi makes even more sense, right?"
"Stop!"
Unable to take more, Seol Romi cut in.
"Sorry for stirring trouble in your fine club. I won't blab the location, so relax. I'm out."
"Romi...!"
Mun Hee-jeong grabbed Seol Romi as she turned to leave.
"I know it's weird bringing this up after so long apart."
"......"
"You probably don't care about someone like me anymore, but I'd love if we clubbed together again. Like old times."
"...Hee-jeongie."
Seol Romi froze, speechless. For a moment, it seemed like a breakthrough in their relationship. Or maybe not.
While Mun Hee-jeong held Seol Romi, I pressed Shin Sua.
"Shin Sua. You're right. But what if someone here offers their rights to Seol Romi?"
"No sucker's that stupid."
"If there is?"
"You offering? I doubt you'd do something so noble, but if you want, I could allow it."
"......"
I signaled with my eyes instead of words. Shin Sua noticed I was looking at someone else.
"No way...!"
She turned to see Gong In-myeong with his hand raised behind her.
"Uh... I don't really need the Grand Offering anyway..."
Confucius appeared behind him, radiating brilliant ancestor power with a smile.
Confucius's rank was Ancestor God, the pinnacle for ancestor spirits. No need for Grand Offerings—he drew power yearly from sites like academies and Qufu in Shandong. One Spirit Vein ritual wouldn't make a dent.
"It's settled."
"Welcome to the Map-making Club, Seol Romi."
Shin Sua grudgingly nodded at our words, but that wasn't the end.
"...Thanks."
Shockingly, Seol Romi approached Shin Sua first, grasping her hand firmly.
"Th-this is noblesse oblivi—"
"Oblige, miss."
The butler corrected Shin Sua's flustered slip with the one phrase least fitting Seol Romi.
With new member Seol Romi, the expanded Map-making Club's dinner stretched to 9 p.m. By home, the clock read 10.
"7 days prior: ritual bath... 3 days: altar complete."
"What's with the muttering?"
"The Grand Offering isn’t some slapdash one-day ritual."
"All this pomp—I just want some tasty ritual rice."
"Not your call to skip. Anyway, thought of something you want?"
"Oh, right..."
For Grand Offering, the Shangju must offer what the ancestor spirit truly desires. That's the rule for efficiently converting Spirit Vein energy to ancestor power.
"Got one in mind."
"What is it?"
"Eh, tomorrow. Talking bedtime stuff like this is..."
"Oh, midnight snack? Worried you'll get hungry—"
"...Dumber than U Hyo-chung."
"What'd you say?"
"That's your takeaway?!"
"Harsh insult."
"Whatever. You don't get it. I'm showering first."
"......"
While Gemma headed to the bathroom, I mulled duel prep. First, pick an offering with her for the Grand Offering, and commission Mourning Clothes from Mun Hee-jeong now unlocked.
System said only gloves possible so far, but better than nothing.
If memory served, 2nd year runners-up were Seo Jeon-jeom and Almira Murad. Both wielded high-firepower Spirit Lord Transformations overwhelming foes with raw numbers.
Tomorrow, sync with Shin Sua to study counters—but would she cooperate?
-Creak.
As I pondered, Gemma emerged in a shower robe.
"Your turn."
My shower was a mess of thoughts. Not a must-win, but leaving a good impression on the crowd would smooth future paths.
"...Might come down to how I use this."
Jeanne d'Arc's ring, left by Gemma on the vanity, caught my eye. Per the description I'd skimmed before leaving, its blessing might let me tank Seo Jeon-jeom and Almira's firepower long enough for a counter.
"Hm."
Ultimately, test it unseen. No point overthinking now. Jang Han-nam spotting Yeom Jin-gwan's ring on me first would be trouble, so handle that tomorrow. Easy fix.
Rolling plans in my head, I returned to the bedroom to find Gemma pacing with hands behind back.
"What? Not sleeping?"
"Just stretching a bit."
Why's she still up? "Alright, I'm crashing first."
She'd retreat to the Soul Thread Bracelet if tired. I dried my hair quick and hit the bed.
1 hour later.
Gemma, restlessly wandering the bedroom, finally climbed onto the bed after confirming Kim Taeyang's steady breathing.
-Poke poke.
She prodded his arm and cheek repeatedly with a straight index finger.
"Hey, Kim Taeyang. You asleep?"
"......"
No sign of waking from the rigidly posed sleeper.
"...Hehe."
Convinced he was out, Gemma modestly lay beside him and pulled up the covers.