Ch. 281 - Shadow Cast By The Wind (5)

The recent significant changes:

Characters

Edna - Flame

The Demonic Black Dragon, Darkest Night of the Thirteenth Month - Thirteenth Onyx Moon

Twelve New Moons - Twelve Divine Moons

Twelfth Moon Bronze - Blue Winter Moon

Eleventh Silver Moon - Silver Autumn Moon

New Moon Flame - Scarlet Summer Moon

Yeonhong Chunsamwol - Pink Spring Moon

Ben - Ban Di-Yeon (Female)

Grace - Hyejin Macaron

- Halsecoden

- Deok Cheol-Gwang

Hong Eulin - Hong Erin

Celestia - Leafanel

New Moon Space: Fawn Prevernal Moon

New Moon Earth: Dusk Soil Moon

Items

Ragnarok - Teripon

Acantha - Edmary Etemiri

Helmer - Suavitera Lapon

Terms

Mana Leakage Syndrome - Mana Leakage Delay/Mana Leakage Disorder

Delta Augmentation Formula - Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique

Skills

Hyper Jump - Power Jump

The absolute invincible Chelven.

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The original mission for Flame's team was to hunt a Danger Level 2 monster bear, but due to an unexpected situation, three giant Danger Level 4 monster bears appeared. However, they handled it smoothly and dealt with them without any complications.

"How about that, Assistant Instructor? That deserves extra points, right?"

"... Yeah."

The assistant instructor, who had followed the team to supervise and assist, pushed up his glasses and shook his head.

He had a feeling it might go this way, but he hadn't expected them to actually pull off hunting a Danger Level 4 monster bear and finish the job so cleanly.

He knew these students were exceptional, but it was rare to see first-years this outstanding. Perhaps this year was the first time he'd seen such standouts.

Boom! Crack! Rumble!

While calculating their scores, the assistant instructor shook his head at the loud noise coming from the distance.

"Sigh... They were complaining about being bored, and now they're making quite a ruckus over there."

Second-year Class S student Deok Cheol-Gwang.

He had come along to supervise the first-years but had become too excited after watching them take down three Danger Level 4 monsters through teamwork. It appeared he had already charged into the forest and stirred things up.

Not long after, Deok Cheol-Gwang appeared, drenched in blue blood, dragging a massive beast's corpse behind him.

It was the body of a Monkey Ogre, a notoriously tricky Danger Level 4 monster that was difficult to hunt because it could easily swing through trees.

"That crazy guy… He took that down by himself?"

"Hah! I got three more, but I didn't have enough hands to bring them all. This should be enough for dinner tonight, don't you think?"

"... Why would you want to eat that, Deok Cheol-Gwang? We plan to have a normal, human meal for dinner."

"Hah. Instructor, that's not manly at all. A proper mage should tear into the flesh of the monsters they hunt to absorb their experience and passion into their bodies!"

"... Right. Of course."

The assistant instructor gave up on continuing the conversation with Deok Cheol-Gwang and turned back to Flame.

"Anyway, you passed, and I'll definitely award you extra points. The professors will finalize the total score, but I think you can expect an A+."

"Oh. Thank you!"

Flame grinned and felt relieved by the assistant instructor's words. Her bright expression lifted Pung Harang's mood as well, and he casually started a conversation.

"We finished earlier than expected. Before returning from the mission, would you like to stop by the capital of the Pung Empire for a bit?"

"Oh really? A little sightseeing?"

"I'm not sure we'll have time for full sightseeing… But I can show you around the city a little."

"Ah! Then can we visit your house?"

"... My house?"

Flame's innocent question caught Pung Harang off guard. His house was the main residence of the Pung family, the current royal dynasty of the Pung Empire.

Bringing common visitors there wasn't exactly an easy thing to do.

Of course, if he wanted, he could bring them, but his position within the family was already precarious, so even small things like this could cause trouble.

'But then again…'

"How about it? It's okay if it's not possible."

"It's fine. It's not that big of a deal."

After all, if it was her request, what harm was there in defying the family a little?

"Though, the two of you might not find it all that interesting… Is that okay?"

When he asked Ma Yu-Seong and Hae Won-Ryang, they both nodded.

"The Pung family, huh… I'm quite intrigued."

"I'm excited too. I've never visited a friend's house before."

At the word friend, Pung Harang's eyebrow twitched.

"... Are we friends?"

"Yeah. We've been on missions together, so we can call ourselves friends, right?"

"Ridiculous. That's called being colleagues, not friends."

"We aren't officially mage warriors yet, are we? So, I don't think 'colleagues' fits."

Ma Yu-Seong said with a bright smile.

Pung Harang turned his head away.

"Think whatever you want."

The assistant instructor watched the first-year students acting casually but didn't intervene. After all, Class S students bending the rules wasn't anything new, and this seemed more like playful banter, so he didn't mind letting them goof around a bit.

"Just don't take too long and be sure to return on time. Deok Cheol-Gwang, stay behind and watch over the first-years until they come back."

"Hmm, that doesn't sound fun."

Deok Cheol-Gwang grumbled, but he nodded in agreement. He remembered the warning from Ban Diyeon to follow the assistant instructor's instructions.

With the assistant instructor gone, Flame and the others boarded the automated carriage arranged by Pung Harang, heading to the capital of the Pung Empire, Taeyusan.

"Wow..."

Flame's eyes sparkled as she eagerly took in the sights of the bustling city.

'This feels so familiar…!'

The Pung Empire had an atmosphere similar to that of the East, a place she had felt attached to ever since she read the original fantasy novels.

Most of the characters from that world weren't particularly popular, so it never became a big topic among loyal readers, and no proper information was listed on wiki sites. However, Flame made sure to remember all the details about the Pung Empire.

'Wasn't it called a progressive nation disguised as conservative?'

In the fan café for the original romance fantasy novel Don't Love the Unfortunate Princess, there was a member who loved political satire. His comment became famous even among people who didn't care about politics, and it became the single sentence that encapsulated the Pung Empire.

On the surface, it appeared open and welcoming to outsiders, but inside, there was a supremacist ideology that believed the traditions of the Pung Empire were superior to those of the world.

But regardless of its inner workings, the culture of the Pung Empire was so breathtakingly beautiful that it easily earned a passing grade, which allowed Flame to thoroughly enjoy this tour.

"We've arrived."

Without thinking, Flame tried to open the door first, but Pung Harang stopped her.

"Huh?"

She then noticed that Ma Yu-Seong and Hae Won-Ryang were quietly sitting and waiting for something.

Suddenly, the door on the right side, where Flame was sitting, opened.

It wasn't an automatic door—the driver, who had just spoken, had quickly run over to open it for her.

"Wait a minute. Were you guys waiting for this?"

Flame asked. She was bewildered as both Hae Won-Ryang and Ma Yu-Seong nodded.

"Is something wrong?"

Watching the two clueless boys made Flame feel like a fool.

"Life of the rich..."

She shook her head as she got out of the carriage. But when she saw the scene before her, her jaw dropped.

It looked like a fusion of all the Eastern-style palaces she knew—Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun, and more—all combined into a massive, awe-inspiring residence.

'This is the Pung family's Seoldo Palace…'

At a mere gesture from Pung Harang, mages in Eastern-style robes gathered the staff and parted to either side, and the massive red gates slowly creaked open.

"Let's go inside."

As Pung Harang led the way, Flame hurriedly followed, frantically taking in everything around her. However, she couldn't fully turn her head because Hae Won-Ryang playfully pushed down on her head from behind.

"You're gonna break your neck doing that."

"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah."

It was only then that Flame realized how immature and unsophisticated her behavior had been, and she belatedly straightened her neck.

Since they had disembarked from the automatic carriage, she thought they wouldn't be using any more vehicles for transportation. But to her surprise, there was another exclusive carriage waiting inside the Seoldo Palace.

As they walked towards the carriage, Pung Harang suddenly stopped, his fingertips trembling ever so slightly.

"Huh? What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

When Pung Harang stopped, Flame, who had been following behind, peered out from behind him to see what had caused him to halt.

"You're here, Harang."

A woman dressed in a silver silk dress stood in front of them. She had the same piercing gaze as Pung Harang.

"... Yes, Mother."

The woman glanced at the people behind Pung Harang, and with a soft smile in her eyes, she said, "You've brought some friends with you."

"There's no need to be so cautious. I'm grateful you came during this time."

"... What do you mean by that?"

At that moment, Flame remembered the relationship between Pung Harang and his mother.

'Isn't that mother supposed to not like Harang very much?'

Pung Harang had two older brothers and one older sister. The eldest brother was the one closest to inheriting the family title, but he had recently lost in a political struggle and was currently under house arrest.

In other words, the mother, who had fully supported the eldest brother, had nothing left to rely on now.

The mother approached Pung Harang and warmly took his hands in hers. "The daughter of the chairman of the Starcloud Trading Company is visiting Iron Queen's Palace."

"... And what does that have to do with me?"

"Your 'siblings' are all dispatched elsewhere, so there's no one to welcome her properly. You should be the one to greet her. It's not a difficult task, and it won't take long."

"Are you asking me to play the face of the family?" Pung Harang raised his voice, forgetting that Flame was still behind him, but his mother responded without any change in her expression.

"That's not what I'm saying at all."

"And do you think doing this will improve your standing? Is it truly right for one of the Seven Wind Houses to wag their tail at a mere merchant?"

"It is the right thing to do. And it's true that our position will improve as well. She needs the help of the Wind Houses, and if you can assist her when no one else can… That alone will bring great benefits to our Pung family."

Pung Harang almost forgot. His mother had long since discarded any sense of pride, probably from the moment the eldest brother was placed under house arrest.

"… Understood. I will go."

After answering, Pung Harang finally realized that Flame, Ma Yu-Seong, and Hae Won-Ryang had been watching the whole time. He turned back and bowed to them apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to introduce you to the traditions of the Pung family, but something urgent has come up."

"Oh? No, no. It's fine. If you're busy, there's nothing you can do about it. We can enjoy ourselves here without you…."

"Wait. Could we perhaps join you?" Hae Won-Ryang interrupted before Flame could finish, much to her surprise.

"Join…?"

"Yes. I may not be much on my own, but officially, I am known as the heir to Full Moon Tower. If I accompany you, it might help improve your standing as well. …We are 'friends,' after all."

It made sense.

Pung Harang had little to boast of, but being close to Hae Won-Ryang could certainly earn him some favor with Jeliel. After all, Jeliel had once received help from Full Moon Tower, and her father had a close relationship with its tower lord.

Hearing Hae Won-Ryang's suggestion, Ma Yu-Seong nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining.

"Jeliel from the Starcloud Trading Company… I want to meet her too."

"Huh? Then count me in!"

"Yawn… Hm? Do I have to say something too?"

"Just say you're coming, Senior Deok Cheol-Gwang."

"Ugh. It sounds boring, but fine."

With Hae Won-Ryang, Flame, and Ma Yu-Seong joining, Pung Harang thought for a moment. While they couldn't all participate in an official event, Jeliel had personally requested a simple meeting, so it shouldn't be an issue.

"It's fine. Bring your friends along."

Hearing Hae Won-Ryang's status, even his mother seemed impressed and granted her approval, leaving Pung Harang with no excuse to refuse.

"... Fine. Let's go together."

Meanwhile, in Iron Queen Palace, Jeliel absentmindedly gazed out the window, basking in the sunlight.

As a high elf, simply being exposed to sunlight provided her with enough nutrients to last several days. Not that she needed to, since her daily meals were filled with premium nutrients, but today, she wasn't doing it out of necessity.

'This has turned into a headache.'

She frowned as she surveyed the palace, a place she found deeply displeasing.

'This wasn't how it was supposed to go.'

Her original plan was simple; she had heard that Baek Yu-Seol had briefly come to Pung Empire's Taeyusan for a mission, so she planned to quietly visit him and catch a glimpse of his face.

However, due to a mistake made by the chauffeur, the automatic carriage still bore the Starcloud mark.

This minor oversight caused the Wind Houses to rush over in a flurry to greet her, leading to an awkward situation.

She didn't enjoy being treated like royalty. While she certainly had a desire for wealth, she had no appetite for fame or honor. In fact, it left her feeling disgusted whenever the royal families bowed their heads to her, simply because of her wealth.

'I need to leave…'

She had no idea when Baek Yu-Seol would finish his mission and leave the Persona Gate.

Yet the royal families thought there must be a grand reason for Jeliel's visit and went overboard with their hospitality. They even considered gathering all of the Seven Houses for a grand meeting.

Jeliel barely managed to decline, avoiding an even more uncomfortable scenario.

Did they even realize that the grand reason for her visit was nothing more than a desire to see the face of a first-year student from Stella Academy?

For now, she used the excuse of needing a small favor to send everyone away, but she hadn't even decided what that favor would be, adding to her frustration.

In any case, there wasn't really anything the Seven Houses could do to help her.

The only people she was truly looking for in this world were two individuals: Silver Autumn Moon and Baek Yu-Seol. And none of the Seven Houses would likely know their whereabouts.

'... I just need to pass the time.'

She thought about making a trivial request, knowing they wouldn't be able to fulfill it anyway. Afterward, she could express her regrets and leave.

'Time is money, after all.'

The thought that Baek Yu-Seol might have already left gnawed at her.

Jeliel tapped her foot anxiously, but of course, that didn't make time pass any faster.

Whether the clouds of Pung knew how she felt or not, they drifted by ever so slowly.