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 [Chapter 131]

[Summer Vacation Under the Lamp (5)]

"Oh? Noona came too. It's been a while. Have you been well?"

"Hello! It's been a while. I've been well. How about you, Haesu? Eunha said on the way here that you'd obviously be making swords without sleeping properly, but are you taking care of yourself?"

"Haha... Eunha said that?"

The swords Eunha requested from Byeok Haesu were completed faster than expected.

Upon receiving the call, Eunha visited his workshop in Sadang Station together with Eun-a.

Byeok Haesu blinked his large eyes repeatedly, as if he hadn't expected Eun-a to come.

Then he burst out laughing hearing what Eun-a said.

"I'm trying, but once I get into it, I just can't stop in the middle. But I did get some sleep while making these this time."

"Some sleep? Looking at your face, you seem like someone who hasn't slept for days?"

"Maybe I stayed up for three days? But this is nothing. And I'll sleep well later, so don't worry."

Byeok Haesu waved his hand making excuses.

Of course, there was no way Eunha would believe him.

Not only had he not slept, he surely hadn't eaten properly either.

Sure enough.

When Eunha handed over food he had swept up from a nearby convenience store, Byeok Haesu's face lit up.

"...How many days have you been starving?"

"I'm not sure... I've been so focused on making your sword since the day I decided to make it that I can't remember well."

"I keep telling you to take care of your health first."

"Don't worry. I won't die. Look, don't you see these muscles trained in real life?"

Byeok Haesu was devouring rice balls like a starving ghost.

Eunha couldn't help but sigh as he handed him a drink.

Even though Byeok Haesu in this life was maintaining a very healthy state, he was still worried.

This won't do.

I should send him some good elixir for his body later.

It seems he needs separate care.

He thought as he watched Byeok Haesu empty a PET bottle in one go.

"By the way, what brings Eun-a noona here?"

"Oh, I want to make a new device this time too. I came to request you to make it."

"I welcome making a device for <Fairy > who's famous in the industry. Since I've finished Eunha's devices, I can start work right away."

"...Please don't call me <Fairy >. Hyerim unni said aliases should be intuitive so I accepted it, but I don't think it suits me."

"Why? I think it suits you well. Isn't the name better than Park Hyerim who was called <Holy Mother> in her early 20s?"

"I'm afraid I'll still be called by that alias even when I get old."

"Ah... Well, that's..."

<Fairy >.

Eun-a slumped her shoulders hearing her alias used in the industry.

She didn't seem to like the alias.

Eunha understood her feelings as he overheard their conversation.

Yet Eunha couldn't shake the thought that the alias <Fairy > suited her.

"Why? I think <Fairy > is good."

"It might not be bad now, but I might be embarrassed later when I get old, you know?"

"I think noona will still be like a <Fairy > then too."

"...Eunha, I'm so grateful and happy that you see me that way... But no, that's not it."

Eunha could confidently assert.

That even after decades pass, noona would still be very beautiful.

He had no basis, but he was certain.

But even though she usually went along with Eunha, she showed reluctance at his words that showed the extreme of sister complex.

Byeok Haesu, who had put a sandwich in his mouth, laughed seeing that scene.

"Then what do you want to do? Shall we look at the completed swords first, or check noona's stone spear first?"

Byeok Haesu changed the topic as he brushed off crumbs from his hands.

Eunha answered that they should design Eun-a's device first.

Byeok Haesu nodded.

"Eun-a noona, you want to make a new device based on the stone spear you've been using until now, like Eunha, right?"

"That's right. I'm attached to it, and it's fine as material too."

"Let me check it."

Eun-a handed the stone spear to Byeok Haesu.

He who had looked rough and easygoing checked the state of the stone spear with a serious gaze.

"...It's a high-purity mana alloy. This is good. It seems perfect as a base."

"Yes, then please. I also have materials I've collected at the clan headquarters, so I'll bring those later too."

"Then we can talk about the design and functions then."

"Ah, wait a moment."

Just as Eun-a and Byeok Haesu were talking about the new stone spear to be made.

Eunha, who had been quietly listening, suddenly interrupted.

The two turned their gazes to him.

Eunha spoke to Byeok Haesu.

"If you're going to put a mediocre artifact in the stone spear noona is making this time, you might as well put in an artifact or magic with protective magic."

While riding the subway here.

Though Eunha didn't tell Eun-a, he had been lost in thought the whole time.

Wondering what magic would be necessary for her as a supporter.

No matter how many times he thought about it, there was only one answer.

Even if noona has talent as a supporter, it's not easy to respond to sudden deadly situations.

It wouldn't be easy to cast in such situations, and she might even die without being able to cast.

Disasters abound in the future.

Eunha wanted to prepare a protective device for Eun-a in preparation for that time.

That was also the reason he had passed on the artifact Butterfly's Blessing, which could be called <Butterfly Lady> Yoon Ibyeol's trademark, to her before.

It was the same this time too.

Imbue protective magic in the stone spear.

By doing so, he wanted to enable her to respond even to sudden death.

To make protective magic activate just by infusing mana.

"Hmm... If you say so Eunha, I guess that's better. I'll do as you say."

Eun-a readily agreed.

As she nodded, Byeok Haesu didn't say anything either.

But there was one problem.

"Then what kind of protective magic should we use? I don't have any artifacts on hand right now... Noona, do you have anything good?"

"I don't have anything either..."

"Then I'll look into it. If we really can't find anything, we can engrave a sentence even if it's inferior in function."

"Okay, let's do that then. But it would be better to put in an artifact if possible..."

Eun-a trailed off.

Sentences that could be engraved on devices were highly versatile and easy for anyone to use.

Instead, the form of magic was fixed and the function was significantly inferior to artifact magic.

Also, sentences wore off with use and had a limited number of uses, and once a sentence was used on a device, magic could never be imbued again.

It was understandable for her to worry.

I wonder if there's any good artifact...

Eunha also fell into thought.

He searched his memory for artifacts that could help her.

But there was nothing suitable.

They were things that couldn't be obtained in the current situation.

Then suddenly—

"—Ah."

Eunha involuntarily exclaimed at a passing thought.

He quickly rummaged through his pants pocket.

He took out a handkerchief he had been carrying around like a charm for some time.

"How about this? This could be called an artifact too."

"Huh?"

A handkerchief with a pure white flower embroidered on it.

The luxurious-looking handkerchief was actually an artifact with quite strong protective magic imbued.

It was a handkerchief that Luminous Group's direct descendant Lee Yucheon had gifted him before.

Yucheon hyung said his younger sister made it, right?

I've just been carrying it around until now since there was no occasion to use it, so I might as well use it for noona this time.

I probably won't have any use for it anyway.

It was better for it to be used to protect Eun-a.

Eunha handed the handkerchief to Haesu.

Byeok Haesu's eyes widened as he examined the technique imbued in the handkerchief.

"What kind of magic is this? This is the first time I've seen a technique I can't understand like this."

"Even if you can't grasp the technique, it's quite reliable protective magic."

Byeok Haesu added.

Eunha shrugged.

Very occasionally when he thought of it, Eunha would examine the technique engraved on the handkerchief.

Each time, he concluded that he couldn't grasp the technique.

The technique was that intricate and complex.

But Eunha knew how amazing the protective magic imbued in the handkerchief was from experiencing it once before.

"Hey, but this won't work."

"Huh? Why?"

Just then.

Haesu said as he handed the handkerchief to Eun-a.

Eunha tilted his head.

"I need to be able to understand the technique to reference it when making the device. If I just throw it into the furnace recklessly, who knows what will happen."

"Hmm..."

"And that, while it might be quite good as a handkerchief, it's not in a good state as device material. The technique will probably completely disappear during the making process."

"Isn't there any way to make it work?"

"It would be good to have someone who can understand this magic hold onto the technique so it doesn't disappear in the middle... I guess there's no other way but to call the person who made this?"

Byeok Haesu smiled bitterly.

Eunha groaned.

They had hit a roadblock.

Actually, it wasn't even a roadblock.

I could just ask Yucheon hyung for help and get assistance from his younger sister...

But would Lee Yucheon, who loves his sister dearly, let her come?

To a workshop where it's hard to even open your eyes to the furnace flames.

Of course, Luminous Group, who said they considered him a benefactor, might be able to help.

But he couldn't recklessly take advantage of their goodwill.

Should I at least try asking once?

If they refuse saying it's not possible, I'll just have to look for another artifact.

It's a shame, but it can't be helped.

Eunha clicked his tongue but decided to think of another method.

It was then.

"—I think I understand somehow..."

Eun-a, who had been staring intently at the handkerchief, suddenly muttered.

Then she very naturally lifted the technique engraved on the handkerchief into the air.

""Huh?""

Eunha and Haesu couldn't help but make dumbfounded sounds at the scene she showed.

☆

It's a complex and intricate technique.

What's amazing is that each structure forming the technique plays its own role while connecting the framework.

There was not a single unnecessary part.

...Amazing.

I inadvertently tried to examine the technique, but the calculated beauty makes me exclaim in admiration.

Yet it also gives a feeling of encountering the principles of nature.

Eun-a, completely absorbed in the beauty of the technique, was busy savoring each structure.

I've never seen a structure like this before...

Each structure is nothing on its own, but forms magic as it connects with nearby structures.

It feels just like finding constellations.

Eun-a grasped the flow of the technique by connecting structure to structure with the feeling of connecting stars to find constellations.

Then she realized.

This wasn't made by a human.

There's no way a human could make a technique like this.

Almost all the components forming the technique were far from the components used by players.

Rather, it occasionally formed compositions that could be seen in nature.

And using natural techniques means it can't be expressed in language, and requires the ability to accept an extremely vast amount of information.

There's no way such a person exists in the world.

No Eun-a could assert.

Who on earth made this?

So No Eun-a couldn't help but be purely astonished.

On the other hand, she also had questions.

How am I understanding this?

It wasn't a technique people could understand.

Yet she was naturally understanding this technique.

Then she suddenly realized.

Ah, I think I've seen this somewhere before.

Where was it...?

She had experienced it somewhere.

No Eun-a continued tracing the flow of the technique while searching her memories.

And—

—Huh?

She heard a sound.

Only then did she come to her senses.

Before she knew it, she was standing alone in a pure white world.

"This is..."

A familiar place.

She had visited this world a very long time ago.

So she was less surprised.

Soon she listened to a voice coming from somewhere.

'—I won't let you die like this.'

A woman's voice.

A voice full of desperation.

At the same time, Eun-a could feel the heartbreaking emotion permeating the voice.

Listening to that voice makes her can't help but cheer her on.

Eun-a, empathizing with the woman of the voice, clenched her fists tightly.

This time she heard a different voice.

'It is not possible.'

A voice that couldn't be identified as male or female.

The voice that could become anything depending on how it was perceived was extremely stern.

'Please, I beg you...'

Yet the woman was pleading.

Eun-a felt her heart tighten at the desperate plea.

She herself involuntarily starts pleading too.

'It is not possible.'

Yet the voice remained consistent.

Then the voice added more words.

'The price is not adequate. It is far from enough to pay the price to achieve what you desire.'

A tone as if passing judgment.

The woman's voice was not heard.

Then the voice that couldn't be identified as male or female spoke in a somewhat gentler tone.

'Even if you cannot achieve what you desire, you can produce a similar result.'

'—I don't want that.'

I don't want that.

Eun-a couldn't understand what those words meant, but she felt the woman's voice was resolute.

The woman's voice is heard again.

'Even if we revive in this situation, the result won't change at all. Even if this child's death is averted, what can we do! Do you think we, this child, can live smiling in such a situation!?'

The woman denounces.

While feeling the woman's anger, Eun-a unknowingly started shedding tears.

A voice that keeps making her want to help.

The woman's desperate cries kept striking Eun-a's heart.

'So please, I beg you... Let us start over from the beginning. I really don't care what happens to me... Just let this child live happily.'

'It is not possible.'

'What a pitiful person. I don't want to let this person die like this. How can someone who never knew what happiness was die like this? This is too much!'

There are sobs mixed in.

Eun-a choked up as if it was her own situation hearing the woman's crying.

She who had been quietly listening until now tried to say something to defend the woman's voice.

No Eun-a focused her eyes.

As she opened her mouth to declare to the pure white world—

'—If the price is not enough, take mine! Isn't that enough?'

Suddenly, a new voice was heard.

A somewhat youthful and cheerful voice.

A very familiar voice.

A voice she had heard somewhere before.

But Eun-a couldn't recall who the owner of that voice was.

Instead, she strangely felt reassure

Listening to the new sound, I felt like everything was going to be okay.

'Didn't I say that I paid too much? I think that would be enough to compensate for it, so it's not impossible, right? Let me take my price too.'

As if giggling playfully.

A new voice spoke.

The mood soon changed to something positive─.

'─Even if I could turn back time.'

In the end, it seemed like the woman got what she wanted.

Eun-ah closed her eyes as she heard the cries of a woman who seemed to be devoted enough to sacrifice everything.