Summer Festival (2)
Summer Festival (2)
While Maria and the others were focused on Baek Ha-na, Claire emerged from the bushes not far from their booth.
Lee Ye-sol blinked in bewilderment at her superior, who had suddenly vanished and reappeared. Her fingers remained busy pressing the camera's shutter button, capturing the children's faces.
"Um, Executor?"
"What is it."
"Isn't this a little excessive?"
The man who had approached the children.
As a senior member of an information-savvy organization, Lee Ye-sol had recognized him the moment she saw him. Kim Gyeong-tae, an ability-type Awakened from the Galaxy Guild, whose name she had skimmed from the visitor log that morning.
"Scouting is strictly prohibited outside of Grade Evaluations."
"Ah, um... Y-yes, it is."
Faced with her superior's stern and dignified answer, Lee Ye-sol could only blink rapidly and nod along. No matter how she looked at it, the man hadn't seemed like he was scouting, but she couldn't think of a clear way to explain that to her superior.
'Just blame it on bad luck.'
Lee Ye-sol sent a small prayer toward Kim Gyeong-tae, who was likely lying unconscious somewhere in the bushes, and stayed glued to Claire's side.
"...What is it."
"This way, we'll draw less suspicion."
Claire and Lee Ye-sol were wearing perception-inhibiting glasses, but even accounting for that, Claire's distinctive presence was impossible to hide. The plan, she'd explained, was to add behavior Claire would never normally exhibit to solidify the disguise.
'Mm-hmm~'
Truthfully, Lee Ye-sol simply wanted to stay close to Claire.
As a priestess serving the God of Amusement, Lee Ye-sol was faithfully enjoying her own brand of fun.
"Shall we get a little closer and take some shots?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure if that's wise."
"It'll be fine~ They won't notice us at all."
Lee Ye-sol pulled Claire along and edged closer to the children.
-Almost, almost done!!
-Be quiet. You're breaking Ha-na's concentration.
-F-fighting...!!
The children had clustered around Baek Ha-na.
Lee Ye-sol smiled softly as she framed the girls, each with their own distinct personality, through the camera lens. Watching the children's innocent antics was just as entertaining as teasing Claire, and it was one of the reasons she stayed at the academy instead of climbing higher.
-O-ohh...!!
-Good grief.
The glass, molten like liquid candy, filled the last section of the mold.
"That's Miss Ha-na for you."
"She's shown a genius for mana control since she was young."
Neither Claire nor Lee Ye-sol doubted Baek Ha-na's success. But there was one thing no one present could have predicted.
-Claire!!
The Fairy, quietly spectating from inside Baek Ha-na's pocket.
Crk—!!
The moment the Fairy called Claire's name, the glass cracked, and every child's gaze snapped behind them. Claire froze at the unexpected situation, and Lee Ye-sol—
"Oh my......!!"
A tiny girl poked her face out of Baek Ha-na's pocket.
Lee Ye-sol was instantly smitten by the Fairy.
"Execut—"
Slap—!!
Just as Idni was about to call out to her superior with a question, Maria's palm detonated against her back. Idni trembled silently, voicelessly screaming as always.
"Sister?"
"...Ah, um."
Claire could have avoided Baek Ha-na's gaze, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. The first reason was the Fairy looking at her with such glad recognition.
"It is you, sister."
The second reason was that Baek Ha-na, having known her since childhood for eight years, remembered the face behind the perception-inhibiting glasses.
Claire swallowed nervously under Baek Ha-na's narrowing eyes, which flicked between the camera in Lee Ye-sol's hands and her own face. She pulled out her wallet.
"...One round."
She decided it was best to first put the prize the children wanted into their hands, then explain the situation.
**
In front of the central plaza fountain.
Whoosh—!!
Streams of water, large and small, burst out around the ornate statue, creating a beautiful rainbow.
-Biya!!
"Oh my......."
The Fairy giggled, catching tiny droplets of water, while Lee Ye-sol stood a short distance away, busily pressing the camera's shutter. Around them, the children sat munching on grilled giant octopus, cooked to a golden brown.
"Should I feel a little hurt~?"
"Ahem."
Baek Ha-na had snuggled up right next to Claire and was nibbling on the grilled octopus. The proof that Claire and Lee Ye-sol had been trailing them secretly, snapping pictures, was easy to find by simply reviewing the camera in Lee Ye-sol's hands.
"Well~ if you stick with us from now on, I suppose things might be okay?"
Still holding the octopus in her mouth, Baek Ha-na linked arms with Claire.
"Hm? Hmm?"
"Ah, w-well, let's, do that......."
Unable to withstand Baek Ha-na so affectionately rubbing her head against Claire's shoulder, Claire could only nod in agreement.
"Mm-hmm~"
Satisfied by Claire's answer, Baek Ha-na beamed up at her beloved sister. She flashed a hidden V-sign toward her friends across the way where Claire couldn't see.
-Yes...!!
-You're too loud. Finish your food.
Idni sat on the bench, pumping her fist, while Maria sat beside her, stuffing grilled octopus into Idni's mouth. Only Nam Seo-hee and Lee Na-young tilted their heads at the trio's reaction, chewing their own food obliviously.
Truthfully, Baek Ha-na's reason for bringing Claire along was only partly about wanting to play with her sister. The calculation that she could drastically reduce her own financial expenditures played an equal role.
"Alright, shall we move on to the next spot?"
"Hehehe, wait for me, prizes... I'm going to sweep you all away!!"
Idni jumped up abruptly, echoing Baek Ha-na's words. Claire's gaze, which had been softly watching Baek Ha-na and the Fairy, shifted to Idni.
"You'll win what you want with your own hands."
"......Huh?"
Idni, who had been giddy at the thought of sweeping up prizes from every section with the help of her proud and respected superior, felt her expression crumble in an instant.
"Hey. You'll catch flies."
"Urk."
Maria gently closed Idni's gaping mouth. Nam Seo-hee, watching, chuckled and shook her head.
"Peep, come here."
-Bii~!!
The Fairy, who had been splashing at the edge of the fountain, fluttered her tiny wings and flew into Baek Ha-na's arms. Baek Ha-na stroked the Fairy's head as she happily stamped her wet feet onto her palm, leaving tiny footprints.
-Bi-hihi~
The Fairy enjoyed Baek Ha-na's touch for a moment, then ducked back into the little pocket, sticking only her head out.
"Where should we go?"
-There!!
The Fairy pointed down the lane that was most crowded with people, and Baek Ha-na nodded. Everyone had their own way of enjoying the festival, and for Baek Ha-na, her goal was to enjoy as many booths as possible with the Fairy, and to watch the final fireworks together with Baek Woo-jin.
"Sister. Let's go."
"Y-yes...."
Still dazed, Claire found herself arm-in-arm with Baek Ha-na.
The group followed slowly behind the two of them.
"Maria, Idni."
"Yes?"
"...What."
Lee Ye-sol, camera in hand, slipped between the two girls with a sly smile. She adjusted her perception-inhibiting glasses, which had slipped a little, and spoke in a slightly excited tone.
"Your share from the Executor's wallet will be deducted from next month's allowance~"
Of course, excitement didn't mean the news was good.
"Ufufu~"
Lee Ye-sol laughed as if thoroughly amused, ruffling the hair of the two children who looked fairly shocked. Watching from the side, Nam Seo-hee and Lee Na-young shuddered.
-There!! Riiight there!!
"Over there?"
-Biyang!!
Baek Ha-na and Claire, walking at the front, naturally followed the Fairy's pointing hand, and the group stopped in front of a booth so crowded it was blocking the walkway.
-Uwaaah!! H-hot!! Hot!!
In front of the booth where people had gathered in a tight circle, a male student was hopping from foot to foot as small flames shot from his mouth. The onlookers each reacted with either laughter or shock.
-Tch, couldn't even last ten seconds.
-We should speak to the professors below about running the students a little harder.
Behind the booth, Yoon Do-sik and Jaden sat at a table, clicking their tongues.
Whoosh—!!
The flames spewing from the student's mouth were drawn into Jaden's hand and snuffed out in an instant.
-Any more challengers?
-A chance to take an Artifact for a ten-thousand-won entry fee is rare. Heh heh.
On the table where the two sat.
A jar full of bright-red pills, a cash box stuffed with ten-thousand-won bills, and a Balance Scale radiating an unusual glow.
-Sparkly-sparkly~!!
"You want that?"
-Yeah!!
As the Fairy's eyes sparkled and she nodded, Baek Ha-na's and Claire's gazes simultaneously landed on the sign hanging below the table.
[ Endure the Scorching Pill for 5 minutes and get an Artifact free (Students Only)!! ]
※May cause loss of taste for several days.
**
Late evening.
Claire returned to the mansion after Baek Ha-na handed over the Fairy.
She spotted the shoes on the rack and confirmed that Baek Woo-jin had already returned. Stroking the head of the Fairy, who was nodding off in her pocket, she changed her own shoes.
"I have returned."
"Good."
-Bii......?
The drowsy Fairy blinked her eyes open. She spotted Baek Woo-jin sitting at the study desk and wriggled her way out of Claire's pocket.
-Gimme.
"Cheeky thing."
Despite his words, Baek Woo-jin opened the drawer, took out a few Slime Queen essences he'd received from Lee Ye-sol, and placed them on the desk.
-Gimmiee!!
The Fairy demanded it with utter confidence.
Baek Woo-jin watched her for a moment, then shook his head and unwrapped the packaging around an essence, pressing it into the Fairy's hands.
-Biumm~
Claire slowly approached Baek Woo-jin's side.
"...I fed her a full dinner."
"She doesn't eat because she's hungry."
"......."
Claire had spoken up in case he misunderstood, but the unexpected answer made her eyes widen. She quickly composed herself, smoothing her expression.
-Bya~
Having devoured five essences in an instant, the Fairy let out a cute burp and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Then, with a very sleepy face, she looked up at Baek Woo-jin and tugged at his sleeve.
-Let's pway togeder.
Baek Woo-jin used mana to gently lift the Fairy, who had been tugging his sleeve, and deposited her onto Claire's shoulder.
"I'll keep you company once."
-Cumpany?
The Fairy tilted her head at the unfamiliar word, but Baek Woo-jin offered no explanation. Instead, he turned his chair and asked something new.
"Did you have fun."
-Biyang~
Baek Woo-jin nodded once, then spoke to Claire, whose expression had frozen.
"Go and rest now."
"......Yes."
She inclined her head slightly, then withdrew to the bedroom with the Fairy.
Alone once more, Baek Woo-jin tidied the wrappers on the desk and rose from his seat.
Drip, drip.
Hot water fell onto the instant coffee in the cup.
Baek Woo-jin breathed in the familiar coffee aroma, looking up at the moon rising beyond the window pane.
"It'll be a full moon soon."
The night Baek Ha-na had awakened had also been a night when the moon was full.
Baek Woo-jin stood at the window, staring at the moon until the cup in his hand was empty.