Chapter 54
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: First Time Seeing a Saintess Good at Magic?
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"Areum, hi! You're early today?"
"Ah, yeah! Hi."
Eunbyeol greeted Areum happily upon running into her at the academy.
They headed to the lecture hall for their required major course on magic hunter studies.
After taking seats near the front.
Areum hesitated before speaking up.
"U-um, Eunbyeol..."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"W-wanna skip the dungeon today?"
"Oh, I was planning to anyway! But what's gotten into you? Proposing it first and all."
Eunbyeol gladly accepted Areum's suggestion.
It had been her plan from the start, after all.
As Eunbyeol followed up with a casual question, Areum shyly replied.
"I wanna try working hard..."
"Hmm."
Eunbyeol narrowed her eyes, gazing at her friend.
She had no idea what wind had blown through Areum, but it wasn't a bad change.
Areum, who was terrified of dungeons, had always hated going.
When Eunbyeol dragged her along to gain experience, she always fled to the back.
Both of them were rear support roles inside the dungeon.
But with Areum staying so far away, it was hard not to worry.
For her friend to suggest going first now!
It was unimaginable for the old Areum.
'Did something happen?'
Eunbyeol smiled prettily and said.
"Let's go after class. Gotta message Jaewoo ahead of time."
"Yeah!"
Areum nodded, her face blooming like a flower in full smile.
After focusing through the lecture.
The two women met up with Jaewoo in front of their reserved E-Rank dungeon.
There, Eunbyeol spotted yet another shocking sight.
"Um, h-how do you... exercise?"
"Hm? Exercise?"
"Y-yeah... It's my first time, so I don't know where to start..."
Areum asking Jaewoo about workouts!
'Is the sun rising in the west today?'
Eunbyeol rubbed her eyes and glanced up at the sky without thinking.
Not that she could tell from that.
And Areum's changes didn't stop there.
Even once they entered the dungeon and combat began.
She didn't stray off alone but held a proper position.
Leaning forward bit by bit, then stopping.
Her toes twitching forward before pulling her foot back.
An unbelievable scene kept unfolding before her eyes.
'What on earth happened in just a few days...?'
She needed to focus on Jaewoo's side, but her eyes kept drifting to Areum.
Eunbyeol shook her head vigorously to clear the distractions.
After clearing the dungeon.
The three exchanged small talk before parting ways.
Heading home, Eunbyeol ran into her brother, Ye Dohyeong, in front of the house.
"Where you off to?"
Eunbyeol tossed out the question casually, and Dohyeong paused to reply.
"Shooting. Got some extra filming for that ramen ad."
"Ah, that. Got it."
"I'll head straight home after."
"Do whatever."
Eunbyeol replied lightly.
She hadn't meant anything special by it.
Dohyeong just shrugged and went on his way.
Eunbyeol entered the house.
A box of cup ramen sat in the kitchen corner.
"Ugh, what's so great about that spicy stuff?"
Eunbyeol scowled deeply as she headed to her room.
"Like this, and..."
She busily wielded the pen, etching various designs onto sheets of paper.
The spell patterns completed one by one.
"Phew!"
She lifted her head from the table for a moment, loosening her neck and shoulder muscles.
Her muted TV caught her eye, playing Momo Bin's stream.
Almost done here—finish up and watch the rest.
She looked back at the papers.
The traces of the new magic she was crafting were visible.
Time to name it. What should I go with?
Fire taste?
Flame on the tongue tip?
But the point was tongue agony, not fire or flames.
Isn't there a better name? Hmm...
Hell in the mouth.
Burning tongue's torment.
Ah, Burning Tongue's Torment! That has a nice ring.
It had been ages since she'd developed new magic, and she felt a spark of excitement.
Who'd have thought she'd make something so utterly impractical?
Maybe that's why it felt even more fun.
The spell itself was a lowly debuff—simple to craft.
But the victim wouldn't find it trivial.
It would perfectly recreate the sensation her own tongue had endured. Heh heh...
"Unnieee—? What're you up to?"
Siyun approached, apparently taking a break from work.
"Developing a new spell."
"A n-new one...?"
She blinked in surprise.
Soon, Siyun's eyes sparkled as she asked.
"What kind?"
"One that makes their tongue feel pain over 20,000 Scoville."
"Eek...!"
Siyun made a horrified face, as if she'd already been hit by the unfinished spell.
"Wh-why make something like that...?"
"To make bastards like that hero punk suffer if they show up."
"Ah, a-ah ha..."
She nodded with a dazed look.
After a brief hesitation, she backed away slightly.
"I-I'll get going then!"
"Yeah, thanks for your hard work."
Sihyun watched Siyun's retreating back to her room for a moment.
Then turned back to the papers on the table.
She'd used 20,000 Scoville as an analogy.
But the intensity would depend on her intent.
Crank it up, and it could exceed that easily.
Better not show up in front of me, you assassin scum.
"Heh heh heh..."
Her toes wiggled unconsciously from the thrill as she dove back into work.
Back in her room, Siyun let out a small sigh.
She never dreamed her unnie was plotting something so terrifying.
Not content with wielding unknown magic, she was creating new ones.
Just how far did her unnie's limits go?
No, that wasn't the point.
With cups and laptops floating around as daily routine.
Her unnie's limits weren't a big deal anymore.
'Deliberately torturing someone's tongue like they ate super-spicy peperoncino...?'
It seemed trivial as magic.
But imagining the pain made it horrifying.
"Sh-she wouldn't use it on me, right...?"
N-no way... Unnie wouldn't. Absolutely, never.
...
Still, better be careful joking around from now on.
If she accidentally crossed a line or they argued, that spell on her tongue...
"Eep...!"
Just thinking about it scared her, and Siyun scrunched up her face.
Siyun glanced at the monitor on her desk.
Her streaming game came into view.
A seemingly simple game demanding memory and deduction.
Find hidden mines on a grid while opening other cells to progress.
A 3D take on that famous game.
'I was gonna have unnie try this one...'
The memory of getting teased on her platformer skills was fresh.
She wanted to see her brain game performance.
"She'd crush it, obviously...?"
She'd nearly acted too carelessly on impulse.
Siyun sighed deeply.
That instant.
"Ah!"
An idea flashed in her mind.
Siyun lifted her head, stroking her chin thoughtfully.
'Unnie's a professor.'
Before the cataclysm, she'd been an education major.
Teaching was her field.
'Should I ask for game tips or pointers?'
She'd already admitted to playing games sometimes.
It wouldn't seem weird at all.
Pick a game she'd failed before.
Learn the tricks.
Then show it off awesomely on stream!
"Heh heh..."
Imagining the viewers' shocked reactions, Siyun grinned broadly.
She'd have to time it right between learning and streaming.
But it seemed like a solid plan.
"What merch do I have left in the room..."
As she sat for the stream, Siyun indulged in happy fantasies.
The next evening.
Sihyun and Siyun got ready to head out together.
Jia had finally messaged that her busy schedule wrapped up.
With talk of catching a breather and grabbing something tasty.
The three decided to dine out together after ages.
They even settled on drinks after for round two.
The thrilled Jia boasted.
[I'll introduce you to my secret weapon wine bar!]
The voice replayed vividly in her head, making Sihyun chuckle softly.
"Ah!"
"Yeah? What's up?"
On the way out, heading to public transit.
Siyun suddenly shouted.
She rummaged in her shoulder bag.
Pat-patted her pockets.
"Think I left my phone at home... We're still close, so I'll run back quick!"
"Got it."
Sihyun watched her sister retrace their steps, then slipped a hand into her pocket.
Pulled out her smartphone to check the time.
'Plenty of time.'
She nodded lightly and looked around.
Spotting a convenience store nearby, she headed in.
Figured she'd kill time and browse for fresh snacks.
She picked a few items, stashed them in her magic pouch.
Paid up, then plopped down confidently in a corner chair.
Messaged her sister that she was in the store.
Then browsed the net to pass the time.
"Hmm...?"
[Breaking News] S-Rank Spearman Yoo Byungjun, Cut Off in A-Rank Dungeon.
["We Don't Know Yet!" Guild Forming Rescue Team.]
It was making quite the stir.