Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Magician of Words
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“Ugh, I’m exhausted...”
“Me too. Honestly, wasn’t this exam basically hell training? That’s what I think. All that previous hell training was just the warm-up.”
“Oh, that sounds plausible? You’re finally getting smart. Congrats, Raphael!! You can actually think now!!”
“Should I log that as your dying words? I’d love to wipe out your ability to think right this second... but I’m too wiped out.”
“Agreed. Home is the best. There’s no better place in the world. Ahh, my ultimate nest. Our house beats a dragon’s lair hands down.”
“Is a dragon’s lair that much of a pushover?”
“A flick of my wrist, and poof—gone. Got a dumb one coiled up in my inventory.”
“Yeah, that’d do it.”
She had nothing left to say, so she buried her head. I shot her a glance and flopped right down alongside her.
I sprawled on the sofa, forehead pressed against that damn blonde’s. Beside us, the little blonde was snoring away peacefully—this all started after I unleashed Harmoneas.
Problem was using too much mana. I kinda overdid it. Even grand mages can’t cast spells like that without incantations, but a sword freshly unsealed pulled it off.
But she did it craving my praise, so I couldn’t chew her out.
Next time, gotta tell her not to push so hard. Seeing her this beat-up tugs at my heart.
It hit me a little—how my parents must’ve felt nursing me all day back when I was sick as a kid.
[Uhng...]
Levatein let out a tiny sound and squirmed. Even in sleep, she clung tight to one of my fingers, making it a pain to budge.
Try slipping it free, though—
[Daddy.]
She snaps awake like a ghost. Peeks at me with sleepy eyes and stretches out her tiny hand, demanding the finger back. No choice but to give in—she grabs it with a beaming smile and drifts off again.
“Ha. Damn. Too cute to even scold.”
“She takes after me.”
“As if. If she took after you, I’d have ditched her.”
“The fact I’m still crashing here proves you can’t ditch people!!”
“You’re fully aware you’re a parasite, huh? Look at you growing up!! Twice today—I’m thrilled!!”
“I’m a growing angel. Call me Raphael of Breakthrough Limits?”
“Ooh, that’s got rare card vibes. Dig it.”
“Right? Could drop it in an online game. My looks would sell. Want one for you? How about ‘Lee Seong-hoon, the Humanity-Lost’? Final boss energy, no?”
This is where I’m supposed to get mad. Definitely. But damn, I love it.
What now? It’s got that perfect black幕 boss feel—like every trial the heroes endured was dancing in my palm.
“Knew you’d like it. Clamming up? Busted.”
No comeback, so I shut my trap and buried my head. How do you even handle something that slick?
“.....”
“.....”
In the now-silent living room, head still down, I replayed the island ordeal.
Day two, snagged the spirit and teamed up after. Michael seemed to have ditched his squad, but he racked up points solo just fine.
Sticking as a team piled points steadily—nice haul, no elimination. Dodged summer school, thank god.
That meant skipping hell training.
“Turned into one big group vacay in the end.”
“Yeah. Sucks Levatein conked out mid-game.”
“Your fault. All you. Why’re you always itching to poke weird crap instead of calling me first?”
“I did call.”
“I said call without poking.”
“Seong-hoon. Think about it.”
Think what? I lifted my head and eyed the smirking idiot. What fresh nonsense now?
“There’s a button right in front of you. If you press it—”
“Smash it.”
“Listen first!!”
“You a magician of words or what?”
How does she reel me in so effortlessly? Had to hand it to Raphael—way more talented than she lets on.
Ignored the smug snort and nose-in-the-air routine.
Long story short, it devolved into straight-up vacation mode. Team huddle meant fewer attacks, points trickled in fine.
Naturally flipped to playtime. Super-competitive Shin Chae-yeon chased top ranks instead, of course.
Shin Ga-yeon, dragged along beside her, looked downright miserable.
So we goofed off moderately and headed home today.
Bet Raphael on beach who’d snag the cooler shell, strolled the evening surf with Sophia, campfire chats with Isia at dawn.
“Wait... we legit just went on a trip?”
“Duh. Oh, right! Brought the shell. I won, so dinner’s my pick!!”
“...No angle makes mine less cool.”
“Seong-hoon. Normies just don’t get the chuuni aesthetic.”
“Chuuni phase ended ages ago. You lot missing out on this shell’s glory? Sad.”
[Nya.]
What the—? One nya, but it drips sarcasm. I swatted the damn cat and faceplanted the sofa again.
“Seong-hoon.”
“Yeah. Breakthrough-san.”
“Finals done, so summer break time?”
Yep. One event left before, but yeah.
“Sea trip for summer break, right?”
“Evasion, not vacation... but yeah.”
“But we got cash? Blasted a ton prepping for finals.”
“...”
Raphael’s words sparked panic—I hollered for Lily. The sharp-eyed demon maid dashed in passbook in hand.
“Hold up. Deep breaths.”
“Won’t magic the balance higher.”
“Resets my headspace.”
“Heh.”
Steadied myself, braced to check. Bet my account’s gone full black-hole void.
Snagged a sunbed for finals prep, BBQ grill, food, survival junk—zero second thoughts.
Tent mooched off the maid, but after that splurge, how do I hit her up again for summer?
Basic human decency—
“Didn’t you ditch your humanity?”
Shut it. Ignored the snarky angel and cracked open the passbook.
First thing staring back—
“Raphael.”
“Yup.”
“Two options.”
“Lay ‘em out.”
“Beach camping? Or hold off post-break for a real stay?”
My black-hole passbook was waiting.
What kinda choice is that?
Not vacation—evasion. Pitch tent on the beach, rough it.
Call it foresight? Precog’d the maid for that tent.
“Aah, straight-up future sight.”
“Seong-hoon. Gabriel’s always said live within your means. We blew cash like we had none?”
“Eh, sea’s all we need. Good enough?”
“Day one’s fine—then it’s Survivorman season two? Huh?!”
Why not? Survival’s a blast. Sea’s non-negotiable. Not just for hiding.
Blame the [Spirit Crystal] hogging an inventory slot.
Why drag that thing back half-dead? Duh—to contract the spirit.
Spirit contracts hinge on affinity and resonance.
How well you sense ‘em, sync up. Huge pull factors.
“Talent bugs, drop dead.”
But affinity and resonance? Pure talent territory. Otherworld me? Zilch.
So, item-stomp it is.
“You telling me to die right now?!”
“Talent bug, not rice bug!”
“You said rice bug!”
No reasoning with her. Ignored the self-proclaimed ace blonde.
Next up: catalyst. Item to summon the spirit—nothing tops a core.
Ancient spirit core, no less. Inventory-stored, now extracted. Case closed.
Max it out with surroundings. Sea’s a natural wonderland.
Sea it is—
“Money from the sky?”
Hail it down, ideally.
[That’d tank currency to toilet paper nya.]
I know. Quit the sudden normie act.
“Have Isia sprinkle some. She’d hook us up.”
“She would. But decency. After mooching that pricey tent, more? Heartless much?”
“Then hit up Shin Ga-yeon. Rich kid too, right?”
“...Genius?”
Raphael threw me a thumbs-up. I fired one right back.
Somehow it came to this. Forgot our maid squad’s loaded. Super-rich head maid hid the glow-up.
No hesitation—grabbed my phone. Dialed Shin Ga-yeon, naturally.
Punched the digits, hit call.
Did hit call, but—
[Hello.]
Snatched before it rang. The hell? First time for this. Swallowed my shock and spoke.
“Shin Ga-yeon?”
[Yes!]
“Yeah, it’s me. One favor.”
[Favor? Anything!! Burying a few folks is fine! But big shots—”]
“That’s the worst one!!”
[Joking!]
Felt too real—creepier. Your clan buries bodies and shrugs.
Still, pushed through the awkward: Lend some cash. Got a summer spot.
Got a solid yes. With a catch.
[Sure! Come crash at my place for break, and it’s free!!]
Hung up on the spot. Get real. Why would I?
“Why? No go?”
“Yup. Any cash holes?”
“Hmm. Nada—”
We were huddled, brainstorming, when the ever-on TV leaked some broadcast.
—Justitia’s gates shut tight for months!!
—Big event for the stressed students!!
—Sports fest scaled up huge!! Plus!
—Chairwoman Rosaline says MVP scores a 13-night Maldives getaway!!
Raphael and I locked eyes. Stared forever, then back to the screen.
Words dropped in perfect sync.
““This is it!!!!””