575

 [Chapter 155]

[Mage King (3)]

Word spread that a secret space had been discovered in the academy library.

Moreover, as the instructors found books in the secret space that were thought to have been lost until now.

The topic that became a point of interest among students also spread to the player industry and was reported to the Mana Management Organization.

"They say it's darkest under the lamp.... How could something like this have been in the library?"

"If <Sword Empress> hadn't discovered it, we might never have known. Look at the blueprints. Now I see, someone intentionally erased the space here."

"By the way, to think that ancient books thought to be lost were here.... The taste seems a bit biased, but it'll be worth researching."

The people dispatched from the Mana Management Organization thoroughly investigated the secret space.

On the other hand, they also asked <Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee, who first discovered the secret space.

When, how, and why she happened to discover the secret space.

Many people, including them, were paying attention to her answer.

Of course, what they were really curious about was something else.

""""So what did you get? You must have gotten something....""""

There was no way only books came out of the secret space.

Artifacts or something valuable must have come out.

They tried to find out what she surely had, from Hwang Jin-hee, the first discoverer.

But they couldn't press her.

Of course, legally, items found in the secret space belong to the academy, and thus to the Mana Management Organization.

But by custom in the player industry, the first person to find it becomes the owner.

So the Mana Management Organization, which exists for players, couldn't violate custom and force her.

Above all─.

"─I think we can get up now."

"Yes, yes! Thank you so much for cooperating sincerely with the investigation! And if possible, could I ask for your autograph? I'm a fan of <Sword Empress>...."

<Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee.

The person who first discovered the secret space was a living legend.

Although Hwang Jin-hee's status was merely an academy instructor.

The position she held was something no one dared to question.

As a result, people had to treat Hwang Jin-hee with respect─.

"─I can't say I took that guy's legacy."

She used that.

If the <Mage King>'s legacy became known, greedy people might try to covet it.

She didn't care about herself.

But she was very worried about Jung Ha-yang, who wasn't even a player yet.

So she said she discovered the secret space alone and asked Ha-yang to keep quiet.

"There's no way nothing came out, right?"

"<Sword Empress> must have it. Now that she's living like an obsolete relic, can't she just hand it over to the younger generation?"

"I acknowledge <Sword Empress>'s achievements, but isn't this a bit selfish?"

"How good must it be for her to keep quiet like this...."

No matter what people said.

<Sword Empress> kept silent.

Thanks to this, people misinterpreted Hwang Jin-hee's silence in their own way.

But as a result, as Hwang Jin-hee had originally hoped, people made no mention of Jung Ha-yang.

However─.

"─I smell something. Something smells fishy. Eun-ha and Ha-yang are hiding something from us right now."

"How did you know I farted? Well, you're an Ain too, Seo-na...."

"Ugh.... No wonder it smells bad. Eun-woo, open the window over there."

The sharp eyes of some friends who hung out with Noh Eun-ha couldn't be avoided.

The timing when <Sword Empress> discovered the secret space.

Coincidentally, around that time, Noh Eun-ha and Jung Ha-yang had shared elixirs with their friends, saying they accidentally found them.

Fools like Jin Pa-rang just received and ate the elixirs, saying it was an unexpected windfall.

But friends with good intuition like Jin Seo-na tried to find a connection between the two events.

Moreover, Jin Seo-na even discovered an artifact that looked like a lamp in Jung Ha-yang's room.

"It definitely wasn't just Instructor Hwang Jin-hee who discovered it. Ha-yang must have been there too. Judging by how Eun-ha and Ha-yang gifted us elixirs, they must have gotten their hands on that many elixirs...."

"As people are saying, artifacts must have come out of there too, right? Then those must be with Ha-yang and Eun-ha...."

Jin Seo-na and Cha Eun-woo's speculation.

Starting with them, Eun-ha's friends deduced among themselves.

Eventually, their prediction reached the point that Noh Eun-ha might distribute the things found in the secret space to strengthen the party's power.

""""....""""

There must be something.

From that day on, friends paid close attention to Eun-ha with their eyes wide open.

Thinking that if their thoughts were really correct, Noh Eun-ha would soon call the people who would become owners of the artifacts.

And as if affirming their prediction.

Not long after, Eun-ha suddenly called a few friends.

"─Soo-bin and Ara, let's meet later tonight."

""""....""""

Envy filled the eyes of friends who weren't called.

But there was no jealousy.

Meanwhile─.

"─So who created the secret space?"

"I don't know. I just heard it was a famous caster from long ago."

<Mage King> Ban Ik-hyun.

Whether the Mana Management Organization had intervened or not, the alias of the hero who once saved the world while simultaneously bringing the shadow of death to it was not mentioned.

☆

After receiving the <Mage King>'s legacy from Jung Ha-yang.

Eun-ha distributed elixirs evenly to his friends according to their internal mana.

Then, before distributing artifacts suitable for his friends' characteristics, he first tried to understand the functions of the artifacts.

Although he knew the functions of the artifacts, experiencing them firsthand was different.

"It's a shame...."

The Midnight Whisper was useful, but he didn't need it himself.

Memento Magia was also an artifact that Eun-ha wouldn't use much.

At least the Eye of the Mountain God was somewhat useful.

If I had this, I would have awakened Ubo faster....

An artifact that allows you to look into the flow and state of mana through the lens.

The world Eun-ha saw wearing the monocle was similar to the world he saw when he had just awakened Ubo.

In other words, it was an artifact that could interpret the complexly intertwined mana without much effort.

It wasn't really necessary for Eun-ha who had already learned Ubo.

Since these are all unnecessary for me, it's better to give them to kids who need them more than I do.

The problem is who to give these to....

Eun-ha, who took off the monocle, pondered.

While the discovery of the secret space in the academy library was becoming a hot topic around him.

Eun-ha was just lost in thought, not paying attention to his surroundings.

Finally─.

"─I should give the Midnight Whisper after thinking more, and give the rest to those kids."

Eun-ha ended his contemplation.

Late at night, he called Bae Soo-bin and Jo Ara to his room.

It could be said that it was the result of doing his best not to attract people's attention.

Of course, they didn't seem to be in a very good mood.

"─I never thought I'd end up sneaking into the boys' dormitory. I thought I was going to get caught by the dorm supervisor. What is this because of you! What if we had been caught?"

"I'm so busy preparing for midterms, why are you calling people? I'll kill you if it's not really important."

Jo Ara came 10 minutes early.

Bae Soo-bin came right on time.

Eun-ha looked indifferently at the two people who expressed their dissatisfaction as soon as they entered.

"Why do I suddenly not want to give it...."

""...!!""

Their mood dropped instantly.

As Eun-ha sighed softly and muttered quietly like that.

As if they had heard it─.

"─Ahem, I was just saying.... If we get caught, I'll take the demerits alone."

"It's not like my grades will drop just because I don't study for one day...."

"...Why are you like this?"

"Beep beep?"

With a clattering sound.

Jo Ara and Bae Soo-bin quietly sat down, avoiding the topic.

Eun-ha tilted his head, looking at the two people sitting across the table.

The two seemed tense.

Yet their eyes looking at Eun-ha were sparkling.

"The reason I called you here is to give you...."

"No. How could I receive such a thing? I'll just accept your feelings."

"...Forget it. I don't want to owe you a debt even if I die."

"I haven't even finished speaking yet...."

""Ah....""

Even though Eun-ha hadn't finished his sentence.

Jo Ara and Bae Soo-bin interrupted and strongly declined.

Eun-ha could only open his eyes wide and click his tongue.

The two seemed to have belatedly realized their mistake.

Confusion filled their faces.

It seems they've guessed that I'm going to give them something.

Well, I guess it's understandable. They must have found it suspicious since I suddenly handed out elixirs to the kids.

And then they might have connected it to the hidden space discovered in the academy library....

Eun-ha could roughly understand the situation.

His friends had guessed that he would distribute artifacts to strengthen the party.

They must have tried to strongly decline, saying they couldn't accept the artifacts, in order to move Eun-ha.

Knowing that─.

─Who's going to do as you wish?

Eun-ha decided to turn the tables.

No, he decided to be mischievous.

"Really? Then I guess I'll have to give these to other kids."

""...!!""

"Actually, Ha-yang discovered artifacts hidden in the library's secret space, and I was going to give them to people I thought were suitable for handling artifacts...."

""....""

"Since you said you don't want them, I guess I'll ask other kids...."

"Wow! If you're giving them, of course we should gratefully accept! Right, Soo-bin?"

"Yeah, that's right. Come to think of it, freedom doesn't seem all that great. I'll just live owing you a debt."

"You should have been like this from the start."

"Ugh. You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Evil employer. Runaway bastard."

When Eun-ha deliberately played a trick.

The two people, startled, hurriedly reacted.

To this, Eun-ha smirked.

Only then did they realize they had fallen into his trap.

They narrowed their eyes sharply.

But that didn't work on him at all.

"I've been thinking about it, and I think these will suit you guys."

""....""

Eun-ha placed the Eye of the Mountain God and Memento Magia on the table.

Immediately, the two leaned forward and looked closely at the artifacts.

"Are you really giving these to us?"

Jo Ara, who raised her head soon after.

She asked, representing them.

Eun-ha nodded.

Then Jo Ara playfully─.

"─What if we take these but don't join your party? Is it okay to just give them like this?"

"I don't think you won't join. Right?"

"Wow, narcissism.... But that means you trust us that much, right? Sigh, if that's the case, you should say so. You're surprisingly shy about these things, aren't you?"

"What are you saying?"

Jo Ara giggled while mentioning something that would never happen.

Eun-ha answered her without a moment's hesitation.

At his answer, which was no different from saying he trusted them completely.

Her expression brightened.

Bae Soo-bin beside her too.

These guys are my people.

So I can trust them.

After deciding not to bring On Tae-yang into the party.

And letting Yoon I-byeol go.

Eun-ha decided to focus on his existing friends.

While raising their unity, he made his trust relationship with them even stronger.

Sharing elixirs with his friends and giving them artifacts could also be seen as a way to gain their trust.

And Eun-ha's method succeeded.

"This will suit you, Ara. You take it."

"Thanks. I'll use it well. But how do you use this?"

After On Tae-yang's mother passed away.

Jo Ara declared she was cutting ties with On Tae-yang and started hanging out with Eun-ha and his friends.

Now she was even in the group chat room with the friends.

Above all, she had even told Eun-ha directly that she would join the party he would create.

So Eun-ha decided to hand over Memento Magia to her, who was favorable towards him.

It's a useful artifact, but it's not very useful for me with my low internal mana.

Memento Magia was an artifact that doubled the computational ability of the person deploying magic for a certain period of time.

In short, it was fine to think that the brain controlling magic increased by one more.

Originally, Memento Magia was also an artifact used by Ara in her previous life.

Jo Ara's gift was <Quadruple >.

She had the characteristic of increasing the efficiency of her internal mana up to 4 times.

When she pulled out one stream of mana, the stream split into four strands.

As a result, the magic she deployed was all long-lasting and highly effective.

And by Jo Ara using Memento Magia─.

─She created a new concept of magic by using 4 magics simultaneously.

In her previous life, she used her gift to divide one strand of mana into four, using two of them as mediums to simultaneously demonstrate two magics.

She was also skilled in double casting.

But after obtaining Memento Magia.

With her computational processing ability doubled, she could use all four divided strands of mana simultaneously.

In other words, she became a caster who could deploy the most magic using the least mana.

Thus, people called her─.

─<Quartet >, saying she created higher-dimensional magic by appropriately harmonizing four magics.

<Quartet > Jo Ara.

Knowing her abilities, Eun-ha thought from the beginning that Jo Ara was the only owner for Memento Magia.

He turned his head to Jo Ara, who was happily examining the pocket watch, and turned his gaze to Bae Soo-bin.

"I'll give this to you, Soo-bin."

"What does this do?"

"It's called the Eye of the Mountain God.... Um... Wouldn't it be easier to try it yourself?"

The artifact he handed to Bae Soo-bin was the Eye of the Mountain God.

Eun-ha chose her after much deliberation on who to give it to.

An artifact like the Eye of the Mountain God isn't necessarily good.

If you rely too much on an artifact that examines mana flow, you might end up unable to see mana flow without the artifact.

The Eye of the Mountain God was certainly useful.

Whoever received it would experience a dramatic increase in their sense of handling mana.

But Eun-ha was wary of the situation where one might rely on the artifact and ultimately lose their own potential.

So he had to be careful in choosing someone suitable for the Eye of the Mountain God.

─Soo-bin should be fine.

And looking at Bae Soo-bin's previous life and the appearance she showed in this life, there was no one more suitable than her.

Bae Soo-bin never neglected training herself.

Burning with academic enthusiasm, she explored magic and created magic that suited her.

So even if she got the Eye of the Mountain God, Bae Soo-bin wouldn't stop learning.

 "...This is pretty good. It shows even parts I couldn't see no matter how much effort I put in."

"You know not to rely too much on the artifact, right?"

"I should only use this when I can't see with my own power. But the monocle is uncomfortable.... Is there no way to change this?"

"The core of that artifact is the lens, so how about taking out just the lens and putting it in the glasses you're wearing?"

"Hmm, that would be better."

After checking the Eye of the Mountain God.

Bae Soo-bin seemed satisfied.

She was so happy that she even sincerely thanked Eun-ha.

"I'll use this well! Thanks for the gift!"

"I'll be going now. I thought of something I want to try experimenting with using this...."

"Okay, both of you be careful on your way back."

Afterwards, the two were busy confirming the effects of the artifacts for a while.

Eun-ha sighed after sending off the two people who had occupied his room.

Now there was only one thing left in his possession.

"Who should I give this to...."

The Midnight Whisper.

He took out the ring box from the drawer and fell into deep contemplation.

How much time had passed?

Eventually, he─.

"─I should make a call."

He decided to do as his heart told him.

Eun-ha immediately picked up his smartphone.

☆

Third year of high school academy.

In one year, they would become players.

As a result, the 031, 31st batch students often thought about what they should do after graduating from the academy.

Kim Min-ji was the same.

I need to prepare in advance.

That way I won't suffer.

Every year during the first semester final evaluation period.

Third year high school academy students go out for internships at various clans as a way to experience player life in advance.

There, students form close relationships with the clans they're dispatched to, and sometimes receive promises for the future.

Kim Min-ji was aiming for that.

Even if I can't get good treatment, it should still be possible to enter an S-rank clan.

The problem is which clan I should be dispatched to in order to secure admission....

So Kim Min-ji carefully selected the clans she would intern at from early on.

Then she took classes that matched the talent profile those clans were looking for, or sought out related activities.

Sigh....

Other kids probably wouldn't have to work this hard....

It can't be helped. That's their luck, and this is my luck. I can't blame what I don't have, right?

6 years.

That was the time Kim Min-ji had spent at the academy.

Now she no longer compared herself to others.

She came to accept reality as it was and see herself objectively.

Thus, she trained herself and, although her talent had been blocked early on, she continuously honed her skills.

Nevertheless, Kim Min-ji was unable to close the widening gap with her friends.

But she decided not to mind too much.

She was no longer young enough to be jealous.

Rather, she was now able to even mock them.

The kids' good life is over now.

Next year they'll be under Noh Eun-ha, working themselves to death....

Mourning for her friends.

Kim Min-ji decided to continue what she was doing.

But just as Kim Min-ji was lowering her head to the table.

─Buzz buzz

Her phone rang.

It was Noh Eun-ha.

What's up with him?

A call from her childhood friend.

However, Kim Min-ji hadn't really talked on the phone with Noh Eun-ha much.

She couldn't help but be puzzled.

She tilted her head and answered the phone.

"What, what is it? What's going on? Just tell me briefly and hang up quickly. I'm studying right now."

[─I have something to talk about.]

"Okay, you fought with Ha-yang again? I don't know what you fought about, but it's just your fault."

[...No. It's not. We didn't fight.]

"Then why did you call? I can't think of any other reason why you'd call me.... Ah, are you asking me to take care of someone again...."

[No. It's not that.]

"Then what is it?"

[I have something to talk about, so come out.]

"You're not asking to fight, are you?"

[No.... It's not that....]

"Wait outside. I'll come right after I finish this. But where are we meeting?"

[Come to my room.]

"Noh Eun-ha's personality.... Hey, do I look like someone you can order around? Why should I go? You should come. You come to my room."

[Sigh..., okay.]

"That's right, bring some ice cream when you come. You know you're paying since I'm listening to your worries, right?"

[...]

A few days ago, Kim Min-ji had also received elixir from Eun-ha.

Of course, she had speculated that Eun-ha might distribute artifacts to friends who would join the party.

But since she thought it had nothing to do with her anyway.

Kim Min-ji just sent Noh Eun-ha on an errand.