Grand Offering

I tapped the message that appeared right after Gumiri vanished.

A few changes had appeared in the relationship chart menu alongside the message. The shape of the Clan Tree was exactly as I'd seen it before. The faces of people whose relationships had formed in the meantime were displayed at the tips of the branches growing upward on the tree, and Gemma's face as an ancestor spirit orbited around it like a planet drawn by a scholar insisting on the geocentric model.

And the newly added icon for Gumiri—

Unlike the others, her icon hung from a branch growing downward on the tree.

"That's a first."

Qliphoth. I'd heard the name before. It lingered in the memories of Kim Taeyang from his chuunibyou phase. The emblem from the Jewish mysticism sect Kabbalah: the Tree of Sephirot. The complete opposite of the commonly called Tree of Life, Sephirot—that was the Tree of Qliphoth.

...Or so the blond delinquent remembered from his chuunibyou days, but whatever. Not my problem.

"Hmm..."

Comparing it to the people whose relationships had formed so far, I could roughly guess what had happened. The rank was marked as +2 instead of just 2. And the upward-growing tree... Sephirot, I guess? Anyway, considering the icon on the downward-growing Qliphoth side, there were two conclusions.

"No way..."

Major characters I'd encountered as enemies in games probably got relationship charts too. From the context, the ones appearing on the downward tree were the enemies from Ancestors Take Pity on You.

And the plus sign on the rank meant negative ranks existed too. I couldn't imagine what negative relationships would do when connected to all the enemies I'd face from now on.

"She said she was sorry."

I'd wrecked things between Yeom Jin-gwan's backers and the Bastards, so the direction of future events would change. But that didn't mean the Bastards would stop meddling with Argo. Gumiri said it herself—no doubt about it.

'It's fine. We'll see each other again soon anyway.'

'Next time we meet, be my accomplice. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'll tell you my secret.'

She'd show up again, and chaos would hit the academy ship. No question.

"Be your accomplice, huh."

Childhood friend or not, I had no intention of giving up a happy ending so easily.

"Not a chance in hell."

I didn't know what Gumiri was after, but if it got in the way of my goals, I wouldn't hold back. I'd oppose her if I had to.

"There are ways around it."

Monsters would swarm the second we met, but the countermeasure I'd just thought of might work somehow.

"What? When'd you come down to the first floor?"

Gemma's voice, bursting through the ceiling, snapped me out of my train of thought.

"Thought I saw someone I knew."

"Even so, you can't just leave us behind."

"Sorry."

Gemma spoke without a hint of suspicion. Mun Hee-jeong and Kim Yun-ju were probably fine too.

"I'll say something next time."

I pushed down my complicated feelings, picked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out some men's cologne with Gemma, and headed back to Shin Sua's mansion.

* * *

The day of the Grand Offering had finally arrived. Maybe because it was the day before the parent meet-and-greet duel, or to give the teachers prep time, classes ended early in the morning, and students went home ahead of schedule. No after-school training either.

Lately, Jang Han-nam and Jeong Da-un seemed convinced that Shin Sua and I could break through a second-year vice-top's barrage within the time limit and close for melee. They weren't meddling much, figuring we'd put on a good show.

The other day... Jeong Da-un had been eyeing moments when I was alone, like he had something to say. It bugged me.

"He probably wants to ask where his ex-wife is."

"Yeah, probably."

"You actually know where she is, right?"

"Come on. I'm not trash enough to lie about that."

"Reaaally?~"

Right now, I'd just finished a leisurely cafeteria meal with Gemma and the other team members.

"See ya tomorrow, bro. I'm hyped!"

"Taeyang, do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your best! Thanks so much for yesterday. No need for a separate gift."

Seeing it was about time, I stood. U Hyo-chung grabbed my left hand, Mun Hee-jeong my right, both cheering me on.

"I'll give it my all. I'll wear the gloves right. Yesterday at the store was just a clerk mix-up, so think of something you want."

"Hey, what? Why nothing for me?"

"That clueless bastard thinks he did anything..."

Agreed.

"Hee-jeong made me mourning clothes. What'd you do?"

"Uh, wish you luck...?"

"Pass."

I playfully karate-chopped U Hyo-chung's afro and headed out of the cafeteria.

"What took so long with the chit-chat."

Shin Sua, waiting outside, spotted me and snapped sharply. She'd seemed off since fourth period. Something up?

"How long were you waiting?"

"You were late for dinner yesterday too, you mutt! Does it make sense for this Shin Sua to stress over trash like you?"

"Then go on ahead."

"Argh!"

Shin Sua gnashed her teeth, pulled out her smartphone, and shoved it in my face. A message from a servant, with a digital ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠receipt attached.

"You—you used the money I gave you for grooming after the cologne to buy... lingerie for some other girl?!"

"What bullshit. That's the offering for the Grand Offering tonight. Lingerie for an ancestor spirit to wear is grooming, right?"

"...That's!"

Gemma stared at me like I was insane.

"You charged the lingerie to Sua's card yesterday?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So? Buy a proper gift with your money next time, delinquent."

"Fine, later. We'll talk later."

Busted. Guess I'd have to buy what she wants. Burn it in the Spirit Vein after the Grand Offering when I had time.

"Wow, so bold. Unbelievable. Fine, whatever. More free stuff for me."

Misreading Gemma's giggling as mockery, Shin Sua glared and yelled.

"Don't laugh!"

"The kid's yelling 'cause she has nothing to say. Adorably infuriating."

As Gemma groped her like a beast, Shin Sua let out a cat-like shriek.

"Aigoo, our cute little sugar mama."

...Does she just find anyone who pays cute? I left the fleeing patron and her tormentor behind, heading for the school gate.

"Wait up! Kim Taeyang!"

"Hehe, can't escape!"

...They're having fun.

Gemma, always hunting for digs at me, and Shin Sua, toyed with the whole three-minute walk, clutching her chest with both arms, pouting. This weird combo gained two more.

"Hey. You look better these past few days. Something good happen?"

Gong In-myeong, already there, greeted me.

"Got some pampering lately."

Beside him, Seol Romi just nodded stiffly. Her face was tense. She always got like that before big events.

"Must've gone somewhere nice. Lucky."

Flat tone, no envy, but Gong In-myeong's eyes twinkled mischievously as he glanced between Shin Sua and me. What misunderstanding?

Thinking we got a couples' massage or something?

"Yawn. Anyway, gotta sleep early for tomorrow's duel. Let's wrap it up."

Normally siesta time on the roof, so Gong In-myeong yawned nonstop as we exited the gate.

"We've been waiting."

Shin Sua's bodyguard politely opened the limo door. We piled in and headed straight for the rundown shopping district hiding the Spirit Vein.

* * *

The altar was prepped. The Grand Offering didn't take long. Gong In-myeong was just spectating, so he skipped.

Shin Sua had finished one of the portraits she'd found in the mansion last time and chose it as her offering.

—Fwoosh!

In the tidy back of the shopping district, the incense table sat ready. Beyond the heat-resistant glass of the incinerator beside it, a painting of baby Shin Sua in her mother's arms burned to ash.

But it didn't just vanish.

—Tzzzt!

It half-transparently appeared beside the massive ancestor spirit Shin Yun-bok, who was savoring the ritual food.

As I mentioned before, offerings via Grand Offering fully became the ancestor spirit's property.

Heard some third-year psycho offered machine guns this way for infinite ammo. Not my style.

"That old guy's crying."

Feeling the previous contractor's loneliness and maternal love in the painting? Shin Yun-bok shed grateful tears nonstop.

—Fwaaah!!

The majestic ancestor power from his spirit form proved the Grand Offering had boosted him further.

Next up: Seol Romi. Problem child.

She pulled out a tripod, video camera, laptop from her bag and shoved us back.

"What's she doing?"

"Dunno. Video letter maybe."

Got close to say hi to Wonhyo or something. Cringe joke almost slipped out, but her hectopascal kick would've ended me, so I shut up.

"...Close your eyes and cover your ears."

Seol Romi glared at us sensing the vibe, but no one listened.

"Haa."

She gave up, hit record, and played music on the laptop.

In her uniform, Seol Romi forced a stiff smile, energetically doing cute choreography to the Praise Buddha Song. Until the end of the second verse. Nonstop.

"Wonhyooooo!!!! Is this cuteness real!!! Supreme enlightenment from India, tea truth!!!"

Using his unique trait 'Merit Acts - Sermon' to let non-contractors hear him too, Wonhyo joyfully edited the footage and burned it to Blu-ray.

"......"

Seol Romi, face of someone wanting to die, curled in the corner, knees to face, sobbing. Wonhyo beamed as he fed the Blu-ray to the incinerator.

"Is this okay?"

"Everyone wants different things. Should be fine."

"Kinda... brain-melting feeling."

Thanks to Seol Romi's sacrifice, my turn was less embarrassing than planned. Tossed Gemma's lingerie in the incinerator. Gong In-myeong just blinked.

"Ha, now I can pick by mood. Thanks, delinquent!"

Gemma bounced happily at her nine new sets.

—Fwaaah!

Gemma, boosted by the Grand Offering and now the achievement reward— not as much as Shin Yun-bok or Wonhyo, but worlds stronger than before— radiated immense energy. She seemed oblivious.

That's when it hit me—another message, seconds later, grabbed my eyes.

"Ancestor power... already at Immortal Position level?"

Ancestor spirits ascend ranks—Immortal Position, then Ancestor God—when conditions are met, growing stronger. Already on the verge?

Gemma's power was growing way faster than expected. Normal for one Grand Offering? No way.

The hypothesis from the department store flashed by.

Maybe Gemma really—

—Brring!

My smartphone rang suddenly, shattering my focus. Unknown number.

Excusing myself from excited Gemma, I answered. A familiar voice.

"Taeyang?"

Calm, mature, husky woman's voice.

"Yes."

"Sorry. You're busy, right? Hope I didn't startle you calling out of the blue."

"It's fine."

"Can you swing by my place tonight with Sua?"

Baek Je-in.