Chapter 67
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Something, Something
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Right after Professor Shin-hu stepped out of the infirmary,
Bi-hyung spotted his shadow wriggling.
Soon enough, two yokai burst out from within it.
It was Eoduk-i and Du-eok-i.
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
The two—no, the two yokai—widened their eyes and scanned Bi-hyung up and down the moment they saw him.
"Are you hurt anywhere!?"
"...Boss. We were worried sick since we lost contact with you for a while."
From what they said, the connection had snapped the instant he entered the forbidden section.
'Is it because I'm possessing Eun-yu's body as a spirit form?'
Still, shouldn't there at least be some link?
They were connected through the Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai, after all.
The moment Bi-hyung pondered this,
the infirmary door swung open, and a woman stepped inside.
The Committee Chair, Eun-ha.
She had been led here by Liliet's hand.
"Junior. Is the checkup done?"
"Yeah. They said nothing major, but my energy might be drained, so I should finish the IV and head back to the dorm."
"Mm. Same here."
She was in the same boat, dragging around an IV stand hooked to her arm.
'As expected of the academy. What kind of infirmary is this big—practically an ER.'
That's why there were so many rooms and all sorts of equipment.
They even had medical staff on standby for emergency surgeries.
It was the world-renowned facility of the academy.
"By the way, why are you here?"
Bi-hyung tilted his head, and Liliet smiled brightly as she replied.
"There's no place between us I can't visit, is there?"
No, why does she always pick such weird words?
"Between us?"
Bi-hyung shot back crookedly, and Liliet laughed.
"I mean the Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai. You've taken everything of mine, and now you're trying to back out?"
Gasp!
Eoduk-i let out a strangled cry.
"Boss! Have you brought home a wife!? What about Miss Mi-na!?"
"...It's not like that, you idiot."
Even after Bi-hyung's words, Eoduk-i's fussing showed no signs of stopping, and Du-eok-i simply stared at him before calmly advising.
"A boss of your caliber could easily handle three wives and four concubines. No need to be so shocked."
"I-I'm still feeling my heart pounding like crazy..."
Bi-hyung squeezed his eyes shut at the duo's unintended comedy routine.
What the hell?
He'd been fine until they arrived at the infirmary... Why was a headache suddenly creeping in?
'Ugh...'
But someone was enjoying the reaction.
No. More precisely, a yokai was.
"Hoho. What cute little ones."
Liliet alternated her gaze between the childlike Du-eok-i and the pitch-black furball Eoduk-i.
"So, you two are his Hundred Ghosts."
"...Yes. Du-eok-i of the boss's Hundred Ghosts greets Your Exalted Grace."
Following Du-eok-i's lead, Eoduk-i squeezed his eyes shut tight and bowed deeply.
"E-Eoduk-i of the boss's Hundred Ghosts greets Your Exalted Grace."
Du-eok-i and Eoduk-i seemed to have recognized Liliet's rank.
Liliet gave a bewitching smile at the two frozen stiff.
"No need for such formalities. I, too, am now merely one of his Hundred Ghosts, just like you."
At those words, Du-eok-i and Eoduk-i's eyes snapped to Bi-hyung.
Their bulging gazes practically screamed, Is that true!?
Bi-hyung nodded calmly, and the two yokai nearly fainted.
"Gasp!"
"Pffft..."
Eoduk-i was even foaming at the mouth.
They were really shocked.
'Well, yeah. I nearly keeled over myself when I first saw the message.'
I get it. I totally understand your feelings.
As Bi-hyung nodded along, Liliet giggled merrily.
"Such amusing little ones. Is it your influence?"
Why was the arrow suddenly turning back on him?
"Why's this my fault?"
"The underlings of any faction always admire and emulate their leader's traits. My House of Revelry was the same."
"So that's why they rebelled?"
"They were faithful to their desires. Desires are like that by nature, aren't they?"
Especially trash like that—they're always true to their own greed.
"Exactly."
Look at that brazen tone.
Was she really betrayed?
'Honestly, was she just trying to purge some dead weight?'
He couldn't help but think that.
Anyway.
Bi-hyung sighed and looked at Liliet.
"So, why are you here?"
"Ask this hesitant little coward, not me."
With that, Liliet yanked her wrist, and Senior Eun-ha awkwardly shuffled forward to stand before Bi-hyung.
She chewed her lip, then bowed deeply and expressed her gratitude.
"Thank you, junior. Thanks to you... I could remember those precious things."
"No, that wasn't my power..."
"Don't try to credit me. Realizing those memories was only possible because you delved so deeply into yokai territory."
Liliet spoke fluidly, leaving Bi-hyung speechless.
'Is this a novel? Are the lines rationed by word count or something?'
His words dried up, and random thoughts filled the gap.
Bi-hyung scratched his cheek awkwardly before nodding.
"Sure. Then, as thanks, please take good care of me from now on."
"Hehe. Of course."
Watching the Committee Chair senior's smile, a night sky strangely came to mind.
Her melancholic face carried a serene silence, and the gratitude toward him and Liliet within it sparkled like elegant stars.
A sparkle that never lost hope, even in the darkness.
Gazing at her, Bi-hyung suddenly thought of her name.
'Eun-ha (慇遐). A name given as a sacrifice.'
It was utterly fitting—and impossible to deny.
Thus, as the leader of the Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai, Bi-hyung issued his first command to her.
"Senior. Let's change your name from now on."
"...Huh? What do you mean?"
"It means suffering and abandonment. Too painful a name. Without the hanja, it's a pretty one."
So.
"Eun-ha (銀河). Like the Milky Way in that night sky."
Just as stars gather to form a river.
He hoped hope would gather in her life and flow elegantly like a river.
Did his intent reach her?
Eun-ha's eyes widened noticeably as she accepted the new meaning.
"Junior..."
Just as she unconsciously took a step closer, her hand twitching toward Bi-hyung,
Whoosh!
A sudden blaze erupted.
Liliet reacted first.
"Ho? Even though I twisted the perceptions of everyone in this area. To push through that?"
To do so, they'd need to be at least a high-rank exorcist,
or.
'One of our own.'
You couldn't twist the perceptions of your own allies, after all.
That was the nature of the domain he'd deployed with those thoughts, and its effects were still holding strong.
Yet the approaching presence was far too weak for a high-rank.
'Hmm?'
As a subtle smile crept onto Liliet's lips upon reading the situation,
the soaring flames formed into a single arrow and shot toward them.
"What are you?"
And the one who fired it.
Mi-na glared coldly at Liliet and Eun-ha.
"Mi-na?"
Bi-hyung's eyes went wide at her sudden appearance.
Wasn't class still going on?
But she looked like she didn't care, her face flushed as she panted heavily.
From the circumstances, it seemed she'd bolted here the moment the professor returned to class.
'...She was that worried.'
It wasn't the plan, but guilt welled up for making Mi-na worry.
"Mi-na!"
That's why Bi-hyung called out to her,
and her eyes whipped around.
"Bi... hyung!"
The professor had said her eyes brimmed with malice,
but the gaze she fixed on him was brimming with tears, on the verge of spilling.
How was that full of malice?
As he thought that, she came charging—
and threw herself straight into his arms.
"Bi-hyuuung!!"
And burst into heartbroken sobs.
Anyone would think he'd come back from the dead.
'Still.'
Having someone worry about him like this
filled a corner of his heart with warmth.
Bi-hyung gave a faint smile and gently stroked her head.
"I'm fine. No problems at all. See? Healthy as can be."
Only after he exaggerated his movements did she sniffle and nod.
No. But how long was she gonna cling like this?
He panicked at Mi-na, who showed no sign of letting go.
And understandably so... the overwhelming pressure against his chest was vividly felt with every press!
'Ugh... I'm seriously going crazy.'
Liliet. You win.
Desire really is unavoidable, huh.
'I'm... really at my limit.'
Where exactly? Which part? That's private, so he wouldn't say.
Too embarrassing!
Anyway.
As Bi-hyung cleared his throat and tried to pry her off,
Mi-na pulled away first and turned around.
"...Senior. And behind you..."
"Pleased to meet you. I am Liliet, the newest member of the Hundred Ghosts for that one walking the tightrope of desire up there."
Mi-na's eyes swept the room, and her sharp mind quickly pieced it together.
"Bi-hyung helped lift the Committee Chair senior's curse. He stopped by the library along the way."
Mi-na knew better than anyone how well Bi-hyung understood library yokai.
So she trusted he wouldn't waste a whole month on a mistake.
Which meant
something had gone wrong midway.
'And a new yokai appears in the midst.'
That yokai likely held a big share of the blame.
Mi-na judged as such,
and Liliet, sensing the resonance of the woman's desire, licked her lips.
'Such pure innocence. That's... truly a sweet emotion.'
Liliet suddenly wanted to draw out the girl's desires.
So pure, she couldn't even fully express her feelings for fear of hurting the other.
Then, as the lord of desire, shouldn't she guide her properly?
Liliet's lips curled up as she provoked Mi-na.
"Indeed. I bear responsibility for that child wasting a month. Yet your boss forgave me. So what reason do you have to be angry?"
What reason for anger—
That brazen attitude was seriously irritating.
She'd worried about Bi-hyung.
Worried and worried.
Wondering if he might not come back, she'd paced in front of his dorm waiting.
After that, she'd barely slept through nights of dread at the unwanted possibilities.
So she'd only trained with venomous intensity, collapsing into sleep.
That had been her routine, but Mi-na didn't resent it or see it as reason for anger.
Just.
Just...
"I... I didn't get to see Bi-hyung for that whole time!"
Mi-na's booming roar reached everyone in the room, including Liliet.
Eoduk-i, perched on Bi-hyung's lap, trembled as he spoke.
"Something, something is happening..."