Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Festival (5)
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In the center of a lavish yet dimly lit room, a man knelt in prayer.
Before him stood an ugly statue.
"Maestro, it's time for the meeting."
"Ah... I know."
The man replied without opening his eyes.
He slowly lifted his lids and confirmed the face of the servant who had called him.
"What's your name?"
"Ah, my name is Seok Don."
"Hmm. Seok Don. Got it."
Maestro rose slowly from his spot and dusted himself off.
Then he pierced the heart of the servant who had interrupted his prayer with his hand.
Kwuduk—
"Seok Don. You dare interrupt my communion with the god? You deserve death. Do you agree?"
"Kh, ah. Aak... Yes. Gladly... Gulp."
Thud.
The man collapsed to the floor with a blissful expression, eyes rolled back.
"Use this as an offering."
"Yes, understood."
Another servant waiting behind cleaned up the body that had fallen before Maestro.
The man shook off his bloodied hand and headed back to the conference room.
He naturally took his seat at the ornate head of the table.
The Pandemic executives seated around the round table all turned their gazes to the man at the head simultaneously.
"Everyone... is here. Sorry I'm late. I was communing with the Demon King."
He was quite late, but the Pandemic executives waited without complaint for Maestro's words.
"Report on the progress of finding sacrifices."
"We're preparing to induce a rampage in the monster at the Eiffel Tower in Paris."
"Hmm, not bad. Next?"
"We're targeting the Heavenly Festival at Victoria Academy."
"No time like a festival for people to let their guards down. Sounds good. Who's handling it?"
Maestro nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Gil Steven."
"Reliable man."
Gil Steven, one of Pandemic's founding executives.
Maestro placed his trust in the dependable executive. Not the strongest, but his work was always clean.
The meeting continued, and once the final agenda was covered, Maestro stood.
"No light without shadow... I must return to pray to the Demon King. Dismissed."
Tap, tap.
Maestro left the conference room, and the executives dispersed one by one.
"Ugh, that crazy bastard drags out useless crap forever."
"Rebecca. Watch your mouth about Maestro."
"Shut up."
The red-haired beauty called Rebecca swept back her hair and left the room.
"Meetings with those puppets are exhausting. Sigh."
She never got used to these meetings.
They called it a meeting, but it was just announcements.
Executives never voiced dissent to Maestro.
But as a Pandemic executive, attendance was mandatory, so Rebecca stayed.
She was cooperating with the absurd goal of summoning the Demon King from hell, but it would never happen anyway.
As she emerged from the hideout, her subordinate approached.
"Lady Rebecca. The investigation results."
"Hand it over."
"It took time to comb through active hunters from 1-2 years in and academy students from upper to lower years. Exactly one matched your conditions."
Rebecca examined the data her subordinate provided.
Two short videos.
The first was the finals of Victoria Academy's one-on-one duel tournament.
The man in the video wielded advanced barrier magic.
"This is... Rune Barrier...?"
To Rebecca, who had trained in Rune Barriers her whole life, it looked slightly off.
The basic magic circle was the same, but it lacked the traditional training passed down in the Rune Clan.
'A child might not know, but an adult should have completed training...'
With some doubt, Rebecca checked the next video.
The survival exam.
A short clip of a man erecting a barrier around a tent.
Still different from what she knew.
But this time, she clearly spotted the distinct rune mark.
The mana form of Rune Barriers, recognizable only by the clan.
The lingering unease vanished completely. Rebecca closed her eyes quietly.
"...Finally found you."
She had been searching since her clan was exterminated.
For the 'method' to revive her clan.
And fortunately, the survivor was male. She was grateful.
She could rebuild the pure-blooded Rune Clan.
*
"This is too expensive."
I was checking the auction house on my smartwatch.
I didn't need urgent cash, so the [Tower of the Eagle on Changyang Mountain, Vol. 1 First Edition (Includes Autograph)] I'd put up before was still in my possession.
Might bribe Ellis with it.
But now I was seriously considering selling it.
Last bid was over 300 million... Truly a masterpiece.
Anyway, I needed money for gear.
This world had no wands or such.
As an eroge, the equipment system was half-baked, glossed over casually.
Once it became reality, I found there were actually many artifacts.
Filtering out low-level ones for my level, the prices were steep.
"200 million... Another 100 million. Minimum in the hundreds of millions. Bandits."
Lilia's income could buy them easily.
A few months, and I'd afford good artifacts with my own money.
But who knows the future in a few months?
"Gotta stop buying top-grade magic stones for now."
Realizing the impending terror hit home.
No point planning ahead when my life could end any moment.
Invest after survival.
'Leave the purchased ones alone.'
Need some for the Lilia contract anyway, so keep them.
Hold off on top-grade stones, scrape for artifact money.
Living off Lilia's income felt unmanly.
"Should I model for real? Got promo club experience."
Shaking off idle thoughts, I donned my cadet uniform neatly.
Meeting Professor Im Sol today, so dress sharp.
Lilia lay on the bed, half-asleep, fondling her chest dreamily.
Her tight clothes itch, so she occasionally lifts and slips a hand in.
Every time, I want to do it for her.
"I'm off. Back tonight."
"Yeah. See you."
Outside the dorm, it was starting to warm up.
End of May, but weather like apocalypse harbinger.
People dressed lighter; I skipped the jacket too.
"One of these, please."
"Sure. Thank you."
Bought chocolate as a bribe for Im Sol after ages, then headed to the magic tower.
"Cadet Lee Ho-yeon! Quick interview?"
A suited man thrust a mic at me.
"Sorry."
Familiar scene; left "sorry" and bolted.
"Cadet Lee Ho-yeon! Wait!"
"Haa..."
The reporter chased like mad but gave up panting, unable to match my speed.
Reporters everywhere lately.
Fame's downside?
Avoiding as best I could, but post-festival it'd be impossible.
Crowds made hiding easy now.
The magic tower loomed.
One entire floor for Professor Im Sol's lab.
Our prof's the best.
'She mentioned something for me before.'
Almost a month since Im Sol promised some elixir.
Not a scam, right?
"Cadet Lee Ho-yeon. Verified. Go up~."
"Thanks. Good work."
Got lobby clearance, took elevator to second floor.
Ding—
Lab after so long.
Right before survival exam, so just a week.
"You're here?"
"Yes. Professor. Your unworthy disciple greets you."
"Cut the weird talk. Sit."
I set the chocolate on the desk and sat on the sofa.
"Saw your duel. Impressive."
"Ah, thank you."
"Big fuss... You really awakened, huh? Your internals are pristine. Mana flow too. Same as me."
"Yeah. Happened during training somehow."
Can't say during sex... So, training it was.
Probably elf essence cleaned my internals.
But why did she awaken and clean up without elf essence?
"During training... Just like me. Awakened mid-training."
"Oh... Genius as expected."
Not my place after sex-awakening, but training awakenings are rare.
Breaking limits outside extreme situations? Unheard of.
Possible in extreme training, but mentally tough.
Proof of Im Sol's genius.
"You're the genius. I awakened later, post-graduation. Folks were shocked at my training story."
"Haha... Really?"
"Be careful. Jealousy at young age is rough."
I had no such friends, rejecting interviews, so fine for now.
"Used to envy and jealousy. Losers do that."
[Clear Mentality] kept malicious comments from irking me.
Just pitied their hard lives.
Meant it that way, but Im Sol looked at me pityingly.
"...Yeah? Good, really."
★ Heroine Status ★ [Im Sol] Favorability: 62 Libido: 25 Appetite: 30 Fatigue: 39 Current Status: How much hurt has she endured since childhood...? 'What the hell?'
Another weird misunderstanding.
Eh... Let it slide. No harm to me.
Might get sympathy perks.
"Nah, I'm fine. Anyway, remember our magic expo deal? Waiting for report day."
"Reports probably post-festival. Some profs delayed grading. Let 'em enjoy festival."
"Ah..."
No biggie. I knew my scores.
Written: 1st
Practical: 2nd
Special: 1st.
Just waiting for that glowing transcript.
"Oh, right. Instead of transcript... Got something for you."
Im Sol stood, pulled a box from under the desk, and handed it over.
"Kept hunting elixirs for you... Magic ones dried up. So got this instead."
"Oh...! Thank you!"
Regretting my scam thoughts on the way, I opened it.
Im Sol never betrayed.
────[Red Mountain Ginseng]──── ▶ Grade: Upper ▶ Red mountain ginseng that gathered yang energy for 100 years at a mountain peak ▶ Overflowing with yang energy. Greatly boosts male stamina and virility. "...?"
"Y-you looked tired lately. Ahem."
Im Sol flushed, avoiding my eyes.
This screams ulterior motives.