The Academy's Deceased Ate It All

― Did I call you when you're busy, by any chance?

When I answered the phone, Lee Ye-Eun, who took a small breath, asked cautiously.

I immediately answered no and asked her how she was.

"No. It is community service time right now. I'm patrolling the streets."

― Aha, it's fortunate that the weather is nice today.

"That's right. Oh, and what it is? The student council president asked me to pass on thank you."

Lee Ye-Eun immediately responded to my words.

― That person, I'm sure he tried to trick Junior into joining the student council, right?

"You're a ghost. How did you know?"

― If that person thinks someone is a little good at handling work, he attracts them. Well, I went in because of various positions....

She muttered quietly.

― Still, well, the handling of the work is pretty neat and skillful. And there's a definite favor-grudge relationship, so if Junior takes advantage of him over this, he'll let it slide and won't bother you.

It was a very generous evaluation from her.

… I often forget because Lee Ye-Eun always smiles in front of me and acts like she were really an older sister, but, in fact, her original personality is so cold-hearted that she can be brutal at times, because she is poor at distinguishing and rationalizing her public and private life.

Despite her young age, she has almost completely taken control of the huge group known as the World Tree Clan, and judging from what Shin Woo-Seok often tells me, she seems to be thoroughly purging the opposing factions.

In particular, he said that even while she's focusing on wiping out the remnants of the Thorns Cross Society, she isn't giving a single spot that outside can scratch.

― Oh, and I sent some parcels to Junior....

In the original story, she, who was called by the cringy nickname of Iron-blood and whatnot, hesitated and opened her mouth.

"Parcels?"

― Yes. That, well, it's nothing special, it's just something like nutritional supplements and supplements.

It was when I opened my mouth to tell her not to keep sending me things like that and that it's okay not to keep taking care of me like that.

- Oh, that child... What's his name? That child. That… grassroots like guy.

"Grassroots… ? Oh, Laune?"

― His name was Laune. It's a beautiful name.

Lee Ye-Eun said while letting out a small laugh.

― That child, Laune, I added some for him as well. Our clan is not the World Tree Clan for no reason, so we have quite a bit of reach in the gardening and flower businesses. So, just in case you didn't know, nutritional supplements that are good for plants, insect repelling scents, and....

Lee Ye-Eun cleared her throat here.

― That, you know... what Svengali, that guy said, and I felt a spirit-like energy, so... although it is small, I also added a spirit stone. Did I do something that I shouldn't?

"No."

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me.

"Thank you. Really. I'm sure Laune will like it too."

― Oh really?

"Yes. I'll tell him that Senior gave it."

— …….

Suddenly, Lee Ye-Eun shut her mouth and fell silent

And after a while, she started to speak with a strangely contrived voice.

— Oh, right. Ji-Hyuk. I checked what you said.

What.

Immediately, I was able to roughly realize why she was like this.

"What I said last time? Ah, that... ."

— Yes, Ji-Hyuk. As you said, I was able to identify the strange aura.

Strangely, as if emphasizing my name, she interrupted and spoke.

— … the seal really remained deftly in place. So we held a ceremony to take control of the surroundings and purify it first, and Ji-Hyuk, what you were worried about will not happen anymore.

"That's a relief, really."

― Again, thank you so much. If this had really been known outside... it really would have been an irreversible blow.

She told me over and over again that she was truly grateful.

I answered her back with a small smile.

"First of all, I am also a member of the World Tree Clan. It's natural that I step up when the clan is in danger."

— … do you really think so?

"Yes?"

Ahem, ahem.

― The same clan is a family, and family members don't use words such as junior or senior....

She muttered grumblingly

I roughly noticed that she had been calling my name as if emphasizing it since earlier, but....

I glanced around and opened my mouth.

"I think you forgot, but I was originally older than you."

― I don't know, that kind of thing. I don't remember.

Lee Ye-Eun replied curtly.

― I told you for sure. Don't you remember? If it's beautiful and capable, what is it?

"Huh."

— … what, if you are dissatisfied, make more money than me. Then I'll treat you like an older brother. The face is...well.

Lee Ye-Eun, who had been muttering in a small voice, coughed once more.

― And actually, I had to tell you one more important thing, but I don't think I can remember it because my memory is so bad today for some reason, even though I originally have a good memory.

I'll say it again, but she has a cold personality, comparable to Jin Ye-Seul in the original story, who rarely shows anyone around her a smiling face.

It means that she is never the type of person who grumbles and throws a tantrum like a child.

I said to her as if surrendering, who was holding her breath and gulping expectantly on the other end of the phone.

"… what on earth is the important thing you have to tell me?"

— …….

"Sister."

— Keuah, ahem, ahem. Hem. ahem!

She continued to cough uncharacteristically.

Then she immediately answered me in a voice full of laughter.

― Yes, Sister will tell you. Ji-Hyuk. Can you hear me?

"……."

I let out a sigh, inaudible to her.

Then she spoke in a serious voice, quickly removing the laughter from her voice.

― There was a part of the seal that was unusually rotting little by little.

"Rotting?"

― Yes, like a parasitic plant that sucks up nutrients little by little. And, as far as I know, there is only one being that can parasitize by sucking the nutrients from the World Tree, and.

It's Svengali.

If I had to pick one more thing, there is Nidhogg, but it has already died to me a long time ago.

But could it be that Svengali is still alive?

‘… no. He's definitely dead.'

In addition to Margo's, I can also feel Svengali's energy from the pendant.

And the mere fact that I had taken away his authority and energy was a solid proof that he was dead.

If so, what the hell happened?

"I understand for now."

― Well, it was very small, so small that I wouldn't even have noticed it otherwise. I think it's just because of Svengali's remaining poison, but... for now, I think you should know.

Lee Ye-Eun finished talking that way.

Then she muttered to me, exhaling a deep sigh of regret.

― The break time is over now. Let's talk again later... I was working hard to get back quickly.

"Yeah, I hope to see you soon, too."

― I'm already looking forward to it.

Lee Ye-Eun giggled.

― Actually, I've always dreamed of going around with my younger brother. Somehow, I'll make a similar little dream come true.

With those words, she hung up the phone, telling me to be in good health and always be careful in everything.

I stared at the phone for a moment and muttered in a low voice without realizing it.

"… I think she's almost a mother, not a sister."

Actually, my mother had never taken care of me like this, but anyway, that's how mothers do in the world.

After putting the phone in, I first started walking around the surrounding streets with the intention of killing time.

In the meantime, I found something quite unexpected.

"This… ."

They were cute-looking but embroidered amulets.

As I looked at the variety of items on display, the grandfather sitting next to them blinked at me.

"Why, Student? Are you going to buy?"

"Yes. Umm… Let's see."

When I looked at them through Insight, I could feel a faint magical energy.

I was convinced when I used the appraisal window. [Note: Previously TLed as emotion.]

"Grandpa, how much does one of these costs?"

I asked, holding an amulet embroidered with gold thread on a purple background.

"Um, just 5,000 won." [~4$]

I took out several ten thousand won bills from my wallet and handed them over.

"I will buy them by type."

* * *

After purchasing enough amulets to give to the guys, I went back to the place we had promised to meet.

There was someone else at the meeting place besides the three, which was really unexpected.

They certainly looked familiar, but I had a hard time remembering who on earth it was.

"Ah, Ji-Hyuk!"

Choi Hyun-Woo, who was very close to a female student whom I saw for the first time, quickly waved when he saw me.

Then, Han Soo-Young and Jin Ye-Seul, who were looking at the female student, also turned to me.

She flinched and was surprised as I got closer, and seemed to hide behind Choi Hyun-Woo, then tilted her head and began to look at me.

I approached her cautiously and asked.

"Lee Hye-Rin-ssi? Lee Hye-Rin-ssi, right?"

She nodded at my question.

On the other hand, she frowned, as if trying to remember who I was.

"My name is Yoo Ji-Hyuk. Um, you know, I saw you once with Horie Yuzuki-ssi before... ."

"Ah!"

She nodded as if she remembered and bowed to me.

"Hello…."

"Yes, long time no see."

As I exchanged greetings with her, Choi Hyun-Woo looked at me with a surprised expression.

"What, you knew each other?"

"Uh, well, I've only met her once."

"Who on earth is she?"

"That's… ."

When I looked at her, as if asking if I could say it, Lee Hye-Rin nodded.

"Remember Hunter Lee Myung-Joon? That person's sister."

"What?"

At that, Han Soo-Young looked at Lee Hye-Rin with a surprised expression.

Then, with a look that said she couldn't understand, she muttered.

"How in the world can that person have a sister like this...?"

Lee Hye-Rin flinched and trembled, and moved her body a little more as if hiding behind Choi Hyun-Woo.

Rather than that, how in the world did they meet Lee Hye-Rin?

While I was thinking about it, Jin Ye-Seul, who was standing next to him with her arms folded, opened her mouth.

"… he helped her when she was being cornered as a thief in front of people, Group Leader. I thought I saw a hero in a fairy tale from my childhood."

She then said that he helped Lee Hye-Rin, defending her like the main character in a drama.

After that, we decided to wait with her until her guardian arrived, but she kept clinging to Choi Hyun-Woo's side.

I nodded, hearing that.

'You'll have a hard time later.'

I remembered that Lee Myung-Joon terribly treasured his one and only sister.

Perhaps the name Choi Hyun-Woo will be engraved in his mind as a name that needs attention.

"……."

Lee Hye-Rin kept looking at us and hesitated in a discouraged manner.

But I knew.

That she is shy and timid because she is still a middle school student, and that with her potential, which has not yet opened its eyes, the title of Lee Myung-Joon's younger sister is not wasted.

… In the first place, she was the symbolic leader of radical heroes like Horie Yuzuki.

"Um… Brother is also a hero candidate, right?"

Lee Hye-Rin stared at Choi Hyun-Woo and asked.

Choi Hyun-Woo nodded and showed the sword tied to his side.

"Oh, my brother uses a spear… I also learned from Brother, so I know how to handle a spear."

"Right. Hunter Lee Myung-Joon-nim's spear technique is famous for its sharpness."

Choi Hyun-Woo nodded and chimed in.

"If you could give me some advice… ."

At her words, Choi Hyun-Woo showed a slightly perplexed expression.

"I don't know anything about spears at all… more than that, Hunter Lee Myung-Joon-nim is the teacher, so would advice from a guy like me be helpful?"

"… I was taught to approach from various perspectives."

"Umm, ah! Ji-Hyuk over there handles the spear much better than me. He'll give you much better advice than I do."

"……."

Lee Hye-Rin looked at me for a moment and shook her head.

"I want to hear the opinion of the swordsman, not a spearman."

"Haha… ."

Choi Hyun-Woo laughed as if troubled.

It seemed that since she was younger than him, he couldn't express his discomfort openly like he did at the academy.

On the other hand, Han Soo-Young was watching the scene with a twinkle in her eyes as if it was fun, and Jin Ye-Seul looked as if she liked it.

Meanwhile, someone was approaching us, panting.

"Hye-Rin!"

"Ah, Sister!"

It was Horie Yuzuki.

As soon as she saw Lee Hye-Rin, she approached her at once and made a surprised look when she found us.

"Long time no see, Horie-ssi."

I stepped forward and held out my hand to her.

And shook hands with her and said.

"Oh, I'm telling you in advance just in case you misunderstand, I'm not the one who helped her, but these three. I arrived later."

"Yes, I heard, but it's really nice to meet you like this!"

Horie Yuzuki burst into her characteristic laugh and waved her hand.

Then, she immediately approached Choi Hyun-Woo, Han Soo-Young, and Jin Ye-Seul, and bowed her head.

"I heard the story. I sincerely thank you for helping our Hye-Rin."

Choi Hyun-Woo waved his hand, saying, it's not something to be thanked for.

However, Horie Yuzuki said, I really want to thank you, and handed him her contact information.

"Actually, even if it's not me, the boss will probably come running barefoot. When it comes to Hye-Rin, his eyes really turn upside down."

"Sister…."

Lee Hye-Rin clasped Horie Yuzuki's hand as if she was ashamed.

She nodded as if she understood.

"Please contact me. I will definitely visit you again to thank you."

"Yes."

"I know you're Ji-Hyuk's friend, so if you don't, I will contact Ji-Hyuk and bully him."

"Then I should never contact you."

"Ahaha. You're good at joking, too."

She laughed and muttered that.

I couldn't shake the thought that Choi Hyun-Woo's words were somehow sincere.

Meanwhile, Horie Yuzuki looked at me and Jin Ye-Seul and smiled slightly.

"It's been a long time, Ji-Hyuk. And I'm glad to see that Miss Ye-Seul is looking well."

"Yes."

Jin Ye-Seul bowed her head slightly.

With a tired expression on her face, Horie put her hand on Hye-Rin's shoulder.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other, but I'm really sorry, we're a little busy, so we have to go quickly."

"You look very tired."

"Still, I'm not the only one busy, so at least I'm not feeling unfair."

She muttered with a bitter smile.

"Last time, within the World Tree… ."

Here, she glanced into my eyes.

"… clan, the incident that occurred, security issues related to this commemorative festival, and the guild masters that have been gathering for a few days and having meetings all day. Thanks to that, we, as aides, are about to die together. What are they talking about for so long…."

She spoke as if she was complaining, but soon her face turned red as if in embarrassment.

"I'm really sorry. I said something unnecessary."

With those words, Horie Yuzuki left with Lee Hye-Rin.

Before leaving, Lee Hye-Rin bowed deeply, saying, thank you for helping me, and followed her.

"Is it common enough for six guild masters to get together and talk?"

Choi Hyun-Woo, who was waving at Lee Hye-Rin, muttered.

Then, looking at him, Han Soo-Young burst into giggly laughter.

"Well, but at least it's less frequent than having another falsely accused victim like today, isn't it?"

"… Soo-Young, don't tease me."

"I'm not teasing you."

After looking at the two of them giggling and talking for a while, I thought it was time, so I took out the amulets I had just bought from my pocket.

"Oh, right. Guys, I was just walking around and bought this because it looked good...."

* * *

"……."

Jin Ye-Seul sat on a chair and lifted the amulet with her fingers.

He said it was a commemoration of walking around together, and half-forced it.

She couldn't just throw it on the ground and trample it or tear it apart, so she had no choice but to bring it.

Flowers embroidered with gold thread on a purple background.

Ironically, her favorite color was also purple.

"Ha…."

Jin Ye-Seul snorted, got up from her seat, and walked toward the trash can.

The day after tomorrow is the weekend.

It means that she can get another legacy as long as there is nothing special.

Then there would be two left.

The day when she wouldn't have to see Yoo Ji-Hyuk's face is getting closer.

So….

"I don't like it…."

She muttered quietly.

Not empty words, she really didn't feel good right now.

The point that Han Soo-Young is openly picking a fight with her.

The fact that she was overwhelmed by Choi Hyun-Woo, even if for a moment.

The face of Yoo Ji-Hyuk, who shamelessly handed the amulet to someone who he had deceived as a gift.

She didn't like the fact that all of his acquaintances he met outside today were women.

The lid of the trash can opened with a thump.

However, Jin Ye-Seul was unable to throw away the amulet in her hand and held it.

"……."

After a while.

Jin Ye-Seul, who was holding the amulet tightly enough to make a squeaky sound, let out a rough breath.

Her head was dizzy, and she felt like fainting for a moment.

It's been like this ever since that day.

The day she found out that Yoo Ji-Hyuk had deceived her.

And while she hated him like she would kill him, she was endlessly pathetic and doubtful, as she could not do anything about him in front of her.

Her stomach began to churn.

A feeling as if something is missing in her heart and sinking.

It felt like everything of herself was swirling around it and being sucked in.

She didn't know what the feeling was that she was experiencing for the first time.

Ignorance was a sin to someone, a fear to someone else, but to her, it was just an object of repulsion.

She had no way of knowing what the hell this was.

However, she could see that the cause of the feeling was Yoo Ji-Hyuk.

"… I don't like it."

She muttered quietly.

She was still holding the amulet tightly in her hand.

I don't know if anyone said it, but a clear reality is better than a plausible dream.

Rather than wandering in a dream, you have to look at reality, recognize yourself, and realize your surroundings.

After all, the dream disappears when you wake up, but the reality remains.

The road was here, not there.

The time spent with Yoo Ji-Hyuk and the people around him was definitely a dream.

Laughing with him was also a dream, and believing he was a descendant of the Shadow Walker was also just a dream.

And it would surely be just a dream to stay the same as before.

However, the fact that she had shattered the relationship so far with him by pouring out her feelings to him was the very reality.

The fact that he left his body defenseless, as if he was entrusting his judgment to her, and that her own hands strangled his neck according to his will....

"Ugh… !"

Jin Ye-Seul swallowed a scream at the head-splitting pain and pressed her forehead with her hand.

In her hand was the amulet.

"…… ."

Then, for some reason, when the amulet touched her forehead, the pain seemed to subside a little.

Jin Ye-Seul bit her lip, but did not remove the amulet from her body.

The pain gradually began to subside.

"… I don't like it."

A whisper that could reach no one sank to the depths of the floor.