Chapter 328: What are you doing here...?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 328: What are you doing here...?
The relationship between Korea and Japan was, to put it mildly, not good.
Diplomatically, they were holding hands, but public sentiment remained frigid.
In Japan, in particular, groups founded on anti-Korean sentiment were actively operating.
The reason was quite simple: the indiscriminate terrorism of a group called Hongik (紅翼) [Red Wings].
Over several decades, Hongik's attacks had killed roughly 100,000 Japanese citizens, making it practically impossible for the Japanese people to feel any fondness for Korea.
As a result, some of Japan's extremist groups had even crossed into Korea to commit violent crimes like terrorism and assault.
“The problem is that some of Japan's high-ranking officials hold such extremist views. This includes cabinet members, and especially in the case of the Onmyoryo, they even have a separate department dedicated to cursing Korean assemblymen, senior government officials, and entrepreneurs.”
“...Isn't the Onmyoryo a government agency?”
The idea that the Onmyoryo, a proper government agency, would curse high-ranking officials of another country was hard to believe.
But it was also true that countless conspiracy theories surrounded the Onmyoryo.
Theories ranged from their involvement in the disappearance of two hundred people from a rural Japanese village overnight, to them conducting human experiments on criminals.
“Of course, it's not an official department. It's more like a secret unit.”
“A secret unit...?”
“You see them in movies all the time, right? Besides, Korea carries out its own assassinations now and then, so it's nothing to be surprised about.”
Whoosh-
With a flick of her finger, Han Lael sent the newspaper on the table flying toward me.
The headline on the front page caught my eye.
[Assemblyman Kim Found Dead in Home... Police Investigating Cause of Death]
“This is...”
I'd seen this article before.
He was a well-known and popular figure, so the news of him being suddenly found dead in his home had sent quite a shock across the nation.
“But didn't they say the cause of death in this case was still unknown?”
Even after several months, there had been no official announcement about the cause of death, let alone a suspect. The situation was rife with conspiracy theories, from suicide to assassination by Joseonjok [Korean-Chinese].
“Oh, the cause of death was found long ago. It was cardiac arrest caused by a curse.”
“A curse...?”
“About half a year ago, I think? The government asked me to investigate the case.”
Ahhh~
Seeing Han Lael open her mouth, I took the hint and placed a cookie inside.
She offered the half-eaten cookie back to me, and I obediently took a bite.
“I stayed up for two straight nights and barely managed to find a trace, but the problem was the lack of conclusive evidence to pin it on the Onmyoryo.”
On the surface, there was nothing wrong with the body.
There wasn't a single trace of ominous magic, and to any observer, it looked as if he had died from a relapse of a chronic illness.
But the investigation confirmed it was a curse.
The problem was, with no concrete evidence, a formal protest from the government would only give Japanese extremist groups a reason to act.
Furthermore, if the truth of the incident were revealed, Hongik might use it as a pretext to carry out more terrorist attacks, leaving the government and the police no choice but to delay the announcement.
“Um, but couldn't it be someone other than Japan? There's China, and the Southeast Asian Liberation Army.”
Listening to Han Lael, a question popped into my head.
Isn't it possible a third party intervened to worsen Korea-Japan relations?
The Southeast Asian Liberation Army, for one, despises the nations of Northeast Asia, and China doesn't want Korea and Japan getting closer either.
“Hyun-woo.”
Hearing me, Han Lael gave a gentle smile and poked my cheek.
“You can forget everything else, but it's best you remember this one thing.”
“What is it?”
“When it comes to curses, no one can compare to black mages and the Onmyoryo. Especially if the body is left unharmed and the death is subtle, nine times out of ten, it's the work of the Onmyoryo. The curses of black mages draw on the power of demons, so they're crude and brutal.”
Japan had not accepted magic.
Instead, they had staked their lives on sorcery (呪術) and Onmyojutsu (陰陽術).
Known as specialists in curses, they could curse a target from hundreds of kilometers away with just a single strand of hair.
A curse from the Onmyoryo... I'd kind of like to see one...?!
Slap-
Just then, Han Lael suddenly reached out with both hands and cupped my face.
She looked at me with a rather serious expression.
“Honestly, I don't want you to go to Japan, Hyun-woo. I can handle other things, but if they use curses, I might not be able to protect you.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Of course.”
Han Lael smiled shyly and pulled my head closer.
Our lips met naturally.
“You taste like black tea. And cookies.”
I chuckled at her blunt taste review and stroked her hair.
“Thanks for worrying, but I'll just accept the sentiment. I already promised Hyena I'd go with her.”
“...Can't you go as my partner?”
I shook my head at her pleading gaze.
“A man can't go back on his word.”
It wasn't that I didn't understand her concern.
Unlike Choi Hyena, who had the powerful Seongbuk Choi family behind her, I had nothing.
Perhaps it would be different if Hyena and I were already married, but the people who had assassinated an assemblyman wouldn't hesitate to target me, someone who wasn't even engaged.
In other words, from the Onmyoryo's perspective, I was a target they could eliminate with relatively few consequences.
But it wasn't like I didn't have an ace up my sleeve.
I blocked a curse from a Constellation. There's no reason I can't block one from some Japanese bastards.
As long as I had 'Lelia's Little Key,' I was as good as immune to curses.
Plus, I could even copy a curse I'd blocked, so this was nothing short of an opportunity.
Of course, to use a copied curse, I'd need to fully understand its mechanism, so it wasn't exactly a perfect solution.
“That's a shame.”
Han Lael gave a bitter smile. I could feel her genuine disappointment.
“Well then, moving on to the next topic, Hyun-woo?”
She stood up from my lap, straightened her clothes, and took a sip of her tea.
The corners of her lips were curved into a gentle smile.
“How about taking this opportunity to graduate from the Magic Tower?”
*
About half of the Gray Magic Tower's faculty were 4th Circle mages, and the rest were mostly 3rd Circle.
And yet, a 5th Circle mage had appeared among the first-years.
This was highly unusual. The only similar case was Han Lael, who had reached the 5th Circle as a third-year.
And not long after, she graduated.
Of course, his short time studying might mean he lacked theoretical knowledge, but Kang Hyun-woo had demonstrated overwhelming elemental sensitivity and a mana capacity on par with a 6th Circle mage during the recent verification ceremony.
He needed to be taught by a professor of at least the 5th Circle, but the problem was that none of the current faculty were volunteering to take him on.
“...Did I do something to get on the professors' bad side?”
“That's not it.”
Han Lael chuckled and shook her head.
“It's true that many professors were displeased with you, but separate from that, now they're just intimidated.”
“Ah.”
I understood.
If they took on someone like me and had their own inadequacies exposed, there would be nothing more embarrassing.
“They're all just cowards. You could see it as a chance to connect with a future archmage, but they'd rather do nothing than step up and risk failure. They think staying quiet is half the battle.”
“Aren't you the future archmage?”
“Well, that's what I thought until now...”
Clink.
Setting down her teacup, Han Lael gave a bewitching eye-smile and sat on my lap, facing me.
“Every time I see you, Hyun-woo, I lose a little bit of my confidence.”
Kiiii-
Behind her gray irises, a small vortex was gently swirling.
...Magic?
It was as if her eyes held the universe.
It was such high-level magic that, at my current level, I could only glimpse the outer framework of the spell formula.
It seemed to be a detection-type spell, perhaps 6th or even 7th Circle.
“As I thought, you're an 'enigma' itself, Hyun-woo. I can't see anything at all. In fact, I feel like I'm the one about to be devoured...”
Tap!
“Ah!”
Seeing Han Lael seemingly being 'consumed' by her own magic, I imbued my finger with an energy that dispels evil and flicked her on the forehead.
“Stop it. I'm starting to get a headache.”
Only then did focus return to her dazed eyes.
It seemed to be a spell with some side effects.
Lael seemed to have a headache as well, as she furrowed her brow slightly. I stroked her hair, infusing it with Vajra Qi.
Fortunately, she soon seemed to feel much better and gave a soft smile.
“Instead of graduating, please let me skip to the fourth year. There's nothing for me to learn in the first-year required courses.”
“I can take care of that by tomorrow. Since we're at it, should I put you in the same class as Miss Hyena?”
I quickly nodded.
Smack!!
The next moment, a slender palm slapped my thigh.
“How can you nod so quickly without even a moment's hesitation? When I'm right here next to you?”
Han Lael raised her voice dramatically, putting on a sad, hurt expression.
Her acting, good enough to rival an actress, left me speechless for a moment. Then, I calmly pulled her into an embrace and slipped my hand under her dress.
“Then instead of skipping a grade, how about you hire me at your workshop?”
“...Really?”
“But even if you hire me, is there anything for me to do?”
My hand, which had traveled up from her ankle, was now caressing her thigh.
Despite this, Han Lael seemed pleased and leaned her body closer against me.
“Of course. The position of Tower Lord is more stressful than it looks. And when you add the duties of a family head, pulling all-nighters is practically a daily routine.”
Squeeze...!
My hand moved boldly, grabbing her buttock and groping it explicitly.
A faint blush rose on Han Lael's face as she watched me. I could even feel a slight heat emanating from her eyes.
“Because of that, I never have time to relieve my stress, even when it builds up. If you joined my workshop, Hyun-woo, you'd be a huge help.”
“Like a secretary?”
“Something like that. For example...”
Ssssk.
The corners of her heated eyes drew a bewitching arc.
When Han Lael pulled down one of her shoulder straps, her pale breast was revealed. She wasn't wearing a bra, so even her cute nipple was in plain sight.
Han Lael took my hand, which had been busy with her butt, and placed it on her breast.
Squish!
In that moment, I reflexively squeezed it. The sensation was stimulating and addictive, as if my fingers were being sucked in.
“Helping me relieve stress like this...?♡”
Slither-
With a meaningful smile, Han Lael deliberately pulled down the other strap as well.
I found my gaze stolen by the large breasts that appeared before me.
“...Shouldn't we not be doing this at the workplace?”
That's what I said, but my mind was elsewhere. It was a state of complete thoughtlessness.
As if possessed, I blindly groped her breasts.
“That's up to the employer.”
Pleased with my reaction, Han Lael caressed my face and leaned in.
Our breaths and warmth drew closer and closer, and just as our lips were about to touch...
Bang!
The study door suddenly burst open, and someone walked in.
I immediately turned my head toward the door and saw a familiar face.
“...Hic!”
Dark brown hair, heavy, downcast gray eyes, and a face filled with unmistakable shock.
“Wh-what in the world... Hic!”
It was Han Seoah—Han Lael's one and only younger sister, and my classmate.