Slader Abbott
I shook my head in bewilderment.
"No way, right? You didn't just kidnap the president or barge straight into the Blue House, did you?"
Monica glanced away at my words.
"Well... I didn't barge into the Blue House, at least."
"Then did you barge into somewhere else...?"
Jang-gil gave me a pitiful look at that.
"Yeah, she stormed the underground bunker where the president was holed up. Turned the security detail into mincemeat... and ripped off two of their arms, even."
"Uh..."
What kind of story was I even hearing right now?
I thought I'd become a national hero, but nope—turns out I'm the disciple of a rebel leader?
Having that webnovel-title-level epiphany, I grabbed Monica again.
"You had a proper meeting with the president, right? You didn't just barge into the Blue House? Please tell me no! Right, Monica? Say it quick!"
Jang-gil grumbled at my outburst.
"Oh, and by the way, some 6th-level mage named Park Seong-gil tried to stop her. He got pretty banged up."
I pressed a hand to my forehead at Jang-gil's words.
"Monica, what on earth did you do...?"
Monica smiled sheepishly.
"Well, I held back. Didn't kill anyone, so it should be fine."
Then she hugged me tight again.
"I was just so shocked that my little one might die."
"......"
I couldn't say a word to that. What could I say when she'd gone toe-to-toe with the president out of worry for me?
"So... now it's just a matter of getting arrested, huh...?"
As I muttered that, broadcaster Ha Ji-eun popped in.
"Ah! You're awake! As expected! I rushed over because the other mages are waking up too."
She held up a huge cake with a grin.
"Hehe. This one's especially well-baked."
Her innocent smile made me burst out laughing.
"Thanks. We'll eat the cake later. So, am I really getting arrested?"
Ha Ji-eun blinked blankly at the heavy mood.
"Huh? Yoo Eunha getting arrested? Why? You're a national hero now."
"Oh? Is that so...?"
I shot a look at Monica and Jang-gil.
My brain turned to mush for a second before realization hit.
"You guys are pranking me again!"
I glared at Monica, who peeked at Ha Ji-eun and shook her head. Jang-gil nodded along like it was true.
Ah. So it didn't leak outside, but the incident really happened.
Monica added an explanation.
"Well, I sorted things out nicely with the Korean president. He's letting it slide. In exchange, I helped make sure those 60 mages got rescued without a hitch from the outside."
Jang-gil smoothed back his black hair.
"Yeah, this one's more high-spec than I thought. Untangling that messed-up ether so fast."
"I just followed my instincts."
"......"
Monica's words only muddled my head more.
Sorted things with the Korean president... means things went south with the other side.
I furrowed my brow.
"What did that insane Mage Association say?"
Everyone went quiet at my question.
"Ah."
"About that."
"Ah, finally we can tell Eunha-nim!"
All three spoke in unison.
"The outside world's a bloodbath right now, Eunha-nim."
"Feels like a military dictatorship out there."
"Hmm, their leader's got some real charisma."
They slowly started explaining what had gone down.
"Sigh, first off, the mages were at risk of dying because the simulation gear was ancient. The Mage Association had been running 20-year-old obsolete crap."
Jang-gil nodded, fleshing out Monica's words.
"That sim version had bugs in ether concentration and body incineration magic."
"Right. Apparently, it was a version with a nasty bug in the body-incineration ether conversion spell."
I nodded at Monica and Jang-gil's explanation.
"They actually got 20 years out of that old junk."
"That's how much they skimped, kiddo."
Jang-gil shrugged at Monica's words.
"The president said something like: All magic devices related to Abyss response are defined as national defense core assets, and attacking them is seen as a threat to national survival."
Ha Ji-eun finally jumped in, like she knew something.
"Right! The internet communities are going nuts over it! What that means is..."
"What does it mean?"
Even as I prompted her, she blinked.
"Uh... something... kinda lewd-sounding?"
"...Lewd?"
I raised an eyebrow, and Monica burst out laughing.
"Hehe. Violation of the constitution. Means the Mage Association was trying to sabotage the nation's foundational systems themselves."
"...Isn't that sedition? That's death penalty territory."
Ha Ji-eun's eyes went wide at my words.
"What?! It's that serious?!"
Three pairs of eyes, including mine, turned to her.
I nodded at Ha Ji-eun.
"Yeah, looks like you need some books and study time too."
"Ow! I can be clueless about stuff like that. But I bake killer cakes!"
Ha Ji-eun unwrapped the cake, revealing a glorious cream masterpiece.
"...Yeah, now that I think about it, books might be kinda useless."
As I stared at the cake, Monica explained the aftermath.
"Thanks to that, the Mage Association's disbanded now. The entire elder council's locked up as the main culprits."
"Ah, the former president guy? Park Seong-gil got nabbed too."
I took the cake from Ha Ji-eun with a nod.
"The tanuki's end."
"Tanuki?"
"Nah... pity. He was kinda reasonable, in his way."
"Bang So-yeon survived, though."
"Oh? The newbie president who gave me that yellow card?"
Jang-gil held up his palm.
"Clueless puppet president or whatever. But with a massive fine..."
"She bawled her eyes out at the press conference, swearing she knew nothing. Wanna see?"
I snickered at Monica.
"Nah, no need. Poor girl. Face all red from embarrassment."
"Ah, that yellow card scene? It's a global meme now."
I sighed.
"Should've changed when they had the chance."
In the end, the old guard can't clean house themselves.
Gazing out the window, I felt the massive flow of ether and clenched my fist tight.
"......"
In Korea, where public ether use was illegal, hauling around ether this strong was no joke.
I hardened my expression and stood.
"Eh? Can you get up already?"
At Ha Ji-eun's words, I held out my hand to Jang-gil.
He nodded and shifted into staff form.
"Looks like some big shot's coming. Better be on my feet, just in case."
Monica grimaced at my words.
"Ah. This is my guest, kiddo..."
Monica stood as the door opened and a tall, slender platinum blond man entered.
He lit up at the sight of her and offered a handshake.
"Long time no see, Monica Newell."
"It has been, Slader Abbott."
"Wow, I haven't heard that voice in forever. I actually missed it."
The man bantered before greeting me—with fluent Korean.
"Hi? I'm the head of the Western Branch of the US Federal Magic Control Bureau."
"Oh, you, uh, speak Korean?"
"No. Not 'you speak Korean?'—it's 'you speak Korean so well,' right?"
I clamped my mouth shut at his correction. Getting speech lessons from a foreigner felt more humiliating than expected.
"Well, it's... my lifelong habit."
"Then let's start a study session today, Eunha-yang?"
"......"
He even mimicked my voice.
"Stagnant water rots. Rot, and you'll get weeded out. Look far ahead and walk the right path. Wasn't that you?"
"......"
"So, time to learn polite speech? Old water rots, after all?"
"Uh..."
Speechless, I stared at Slader in shock.
Coming right after hearing about the old guard's fate, his words cut deep.
He winked and grinned.
"Keep changing. Eunha-yang? I'm watching."
As my own words backfired and my face burned...
Something felt off.
By now, someone should be cackling, "Kiddo, you got owned by your own words!" while teasing me.
"Uh..."
I turned to see Monica with a stiff expression.
"Monica?"
She smiled awkwardly.
"Didn't expect our country to move this fast. Those guys who kept blocking my US trip."
"......"
Slader approached her with the same smile and took her hand.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say, or any magical incantations you utter, can and will be used against you in a court of law."
"Uh."
As the ominous vibe hit, Monica looked at me.
"Kiddo, Master's just heading to the US for a bit. Until I get back, you gotta stick with the 2nd Army, okay?"
"Wait, Monica, what do you—"
She came close and kissed my forehead.
Mmwahhh—it stung a little from the force.
"I'll be back soon. Kiddo."
"Let's go, Monica. See Yoo Eunha next time."
6th Level
Survival Series
Teleport
Monica and Slader vanished in an instant.
I blinked blankly at the suddenly empty hospital room.
Monica had left my side just like that—so abruptly.