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 [Chapter 160]

[The Last Cultural Festival]

Third year of high school academy, second semester.

If students went to clans for internships in the first semester.

In the second semester, with the academy's permission, each clan would select clan members to send as guest instructors to the academy.

For one semester, third year students could receive various lessons from players with a lot of field experience.

Of course, clans were 'formally' prohibited from recruiting until after the cultural festival ended.

"─It's been a while since coming to the academy. Wow, how long has it been?"

"I thought I'd never come back, but here I am visiting the academy as a guest instructor. I wonder if that instructor who pushed me into the lake back then is still here?"

Meanwhile, not all clans sent guest instructors to the academy.

Only clans with proven results were selected through agreement between the Mana Management Organization and the academy.

Of course, the number of people allowed varied by clan.

In that sense, Muan Hyegun, a B+ rank clan based in Mokpo, could be considered lucky.

They were grateful to send even one person, but somehow they got to send two people from Muan Hyegun.

"I guess our clan is lucky this year. Let's work hard... I mean teach hard for a semester to get students interested in our clan."

"Relax your shoulders first. What if you make them wary by trying to approach students with that mindset? Anyway, it's good we came to the academy, but where did they say we should go?"

"They said there would be an orientation in the main auditorium... It's been so long since I came that I'm fuzzy on where the main auditorium was. Where was it again?"

"There's a student going over there. Let's ask him. Student! Can I ask for directions?"

The Muan Hyegun players dispatched as guest instructors called out to a male student passing by nearby.

"─Me?"

"Yes, student. We'd like to ask for directions. Where is the main auditorium?"

"There are so many main auditoriums... Are you perhaps the seniors coming as guest instructors?"

"That's right, that's right! We need to go hear the orientation now, could you tell us where it is?"

"Then follow me. I was just heading that way too."

He was a short male student.

A male student barely 165 cm tall, if that.

Looking at his tie color, he seemed to be a third year high school academy student.

Yet the male student was carrying a shield bigger than himself on his back.

Looks like he's aiming to be a guardian... But he's too short to make it big.

It's too late to tell him to change fields when graduation is so close, and it's awkward to say that to someone I just met...

Oh well, that's just his fate.

While being guided by the male student.

The players inwardly clicked their tongues.

Standing behind the male student, they could clearly see how short he was.

They exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"Student, it'll be tough but hang in there."

"That's right. It might be hard at first, but if you keep at it, it should get a little better."

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

The future of the short guardian male student was obvious.

He'd be lucky if any clan would take him.

Reaching that conclusion, the players offered words of encouragement to the male student.

The male student guiding them looked quite puzzled, but.

The players looked at him with pitying gazes.

Then they changed the subject as if something occurred to them.

"By the way, do you know about the Noh Eun-ha squad or whatever?"

"Huh? Um... of course I know...?"

"That's great. Let me ask you a few things. We know how amazing <Quick-witted > is, we've heard it so much our ears are worn out. But there are so many rumors about the kids under him, and nothing's really been revealed..."

"Ah, I see..."

"Actually, the reason we and other clan people came as guest instructors is to recruit squad members. It's obvious that Noh Eun-ha won't be interested in clans like ours since his skills are so outstanding..."

"Hey, why are you trying to say even that? So the point is, if you give us information about the Noh Eun-ha squad, we could put in a good word with our clan depending on the information. As a gesture of goodwill for showing us the way."

"...What would you recommend?"

"If you're thinking of applying to Muan Hyegun, we could give you bonus points."

"We just want to help you a little."

The Noh Eun-ha squad.

They were currently the recruitment targets that clans excluding S-rank were most interested in, including Muan Hyegun.

Noh Eun-ha, who was receiving public attention, was likely to enter an S-rank clan anyway.

So most clans decided to focus on Noh Eun-ha's friends.

The reason the Muan Hyegun clan members were trying to get information about the Noh Eun-ha squad from the male student was for that purpose.

"Um... I don't need things like that."

"Hey! Don't try to decline. We're doing this all for you, you know?"

"I really don't need it..."

"You might regret it later. Just accept when we say we'll give you bonus points. So student, let me ask you something."

"...Okay. I'll tell you what I know, to the extent I can. Though it feels weird saying it with my own mouth..."

So the Muan Hyegun players decided to ask the male student about the Noh Eun-ha squad.

It was unexpected that the male student didn't react much even to the mention of bonus points.

In the end, the male student reluctantly agreed.

"Actually, we're only aiming for just one person!"

"While other clans are focusing on all the squad members, our strategy is to just focus on one person."

"This guy is telling everything after scolding me like that earlier?"

"Um... so who is that one person?"

The players bickering.

The male student who had stopped on the road sighed and interjected.

The two looked back.

""─Lee Cheon-seo.""

"What?"

The two spoke in unison.

The male student looked surprised at their answer.

They seemed to understand his reaction and nodded.

"To be honest, it's a bit awkward to say this, but even though we're top dogs in Mokpo, there's not much infrastructure in the region."

"The Noh Eun-ha squad members wouldn't be interested in such a region, so we're thinking of bringing someone without much fame among them to the clan."

"We happen to need a guardian too. Though there's not much rumor about him now, he caught <Quick-witted >'s eye, so if we work him hard in the field, we might be able to use him decently."

"This guy is just saying everything..."

"What about you?"

"...Isn't there one more guardian in the Noh Eun-ha squad? I heard that person is quite skilled too... There are rumors that he's much better than Lee Cheon-seo..."

To the two people's conversation.

The dazed male student quickly came to his senses.

Then he said to them.

The Muan Hyegun players said─.

""─That guy's no good.""

"...Why?"

"Because rumors can't be trusted. They say he's better than Lee Cheon-seo, but nothing's been verified, right?"

"Then do you believe the rumors about Lee Cheon-seo?"

"Hey! At least he has something verified."

"What's been verified?"

"The story of him sacrificing his body to save KK Group's direct descendant by letting Gakgunbong inject eggs into his stomach was quite a hot topic in the industry, right? Saying a guardian should have that much spirit."

"..."

"And above all─."

The male student was dumbfounded.

Regardless, they nodded to each other and continued speaking.

In their eyes, the male student might as well not exist.

There was just a kind, short guardian aspirant who showed them the way.

"─He's tall, they say. There are many stories about his good physique too. They say there were not one but two monsters injected into that guy's stomach!"

"Compared to him, what about the other one? I heard he's so short it's really ambiguous for him to be active as a guardian..."

So the two didn't know the identity of the male student guiding them.

And those mouths kept blabbering.

"They say he's not even 170 cm tall? I wonder why he aspired to be a guardian..."

"I hear he carries a shield much bigger than himself, so from far away you can't even see him because he's hidden behind the shield?"

"Yeah, just like this studen... Huh?"

""..."

"..."

Stopping abruptly.

The two who had been speaking lightly stopped talking.

Then they turned their creaking necks to the male student who had been staring at them the whole time.

The male student was grinning.

"─By the way seniors. Do you know the name of that short male student?"

""..."

To the male student's question.

They couldn't say anything.

They just had astonished faces as they finally scrutinized the male student's uniform.

"T-that brooch..."

"N-no way..."

Why did it only catch their eye now?

They wanted to deny reality seeing the golden brooch the male student was wearing on his chest.

"─Yes, I'm Kang Si-hyung, the guardian you say is short. But did you add anything to my height?"

Let no one mock Kang Si-hyung for being short.

☆

Players dispatched as guest instructors were successively visiting the academy.

The purpose of most of them was to recruit Noh Eun-ha squad members, not <Quick-witted > Noh Eun-ha himself.

"─To be honest, do you think S-rank clans will really be able to recruit the entire Noh Eun-ha squad? If they do that, other clans will surely protest?"

"The Mana Management Organization won't sit still. The balance of power could tilt towards one clan."

"In the end, <Quick-witted > will probably want to enter a clan together with the squad members following him, but that won't happen easily as he wishes."

"Some will have to be abandoned. So there's a chance even for B+ rank clans like us. We just need to recruit the kids that fall out of the recruitment competition between S-rank and A-rank clans."

"The question is which kids will fall out..."

The main auditorium where the guest instructor orientation is held.

The players entering the main auditorium exchanged information about the Noh Eun-ha squad while pretending to know each other.

Rather than exchange, it was agreement and strategy.

"─Let's not compete fiercely under the table. Just say it straight here. Our clan only needs Choi Eun-hyuk."

"Fortunately it doesn't overlap. We want Jin Pa-rang. We have no intention of touching Choi Eun-hyuk, so let's get along well."

"Is there anyone aiming for Mok Min-ho?"

"Mok Min-ho is Galaxy Group's collateral line, so he's quite likely to enter Zenith Clan?"

While the academy instructors on stage repeatedly emphasized to the students not to make recruitment offers.

The players dispatched as guest instructors talked about the students their clans were aiming for.

"Even if they're called the Noh Eun-ha squad, in the end they're just students without proper social experience. So when we meet them in class, we just need to crush their spirit and then persuade them."

"Even if they're highly rated, how would they know how skilled they really are? We should beat them down appropriately and let them know they're nothing when they go out into society."

"I hear their noses are so high in the air? It's a problem if such kids enter the clan and obviously won't listen. We should trample them appropriately this time to ingrain that they shouldn't rebel against high seniors."

Meanwhile, players who had heard fragmentary information about the Noh Eun-ha squad harbored malicious intentions.

The so-called beating down.

They planned to use their position as guest instructors to lower the value of the Noh Eun-ha squad members so they wouldn't have confidence in their skills.

The players colluded and shared plans under the pretext of an orientation.

"Somehow.... So that's why <Flame Witch> appeared as an instructor. To catch the attention of Bae Su-bin, one of the Noh Eun-ha squad members..."

"It's not just catching attention. <Flame Witch>'s personality is fiery, right? According to rumors, Bae Su-bin's personality is quite fierce too. They probably plan to crush Bae Su-bin's spirit from the start."

"Then they'll say she has potential and tell her to come to <The Seed> while trying to put a leash on her."

It won't leak outside.

The players spoke boldly and whispered.

But originally there are no perfect secrets in the world─.

─Squeak squeak

In inconspicuous positions.

Tiny mice moving around while hiding their presence as much as possible.

They gathered in one place and combined the information they collected.

Squeak squeak!

A very small one took charge as representative and left the main auditorium.

Then it went to find Kim Min-ji who was waiting in a position close to the main auditorium.

Midnight Whisper

Kim Min-ji leaning against the wall.

She sensed the mouse she summoned with her artifact approaching and immediately closed her eyes.

Soon the baby mouse that found Kim Min-ji scurried up her body and reached her shoulder.

"─Tell me."

Kim Min-ji's order.

Then the mouse squeaked in her ear.

She, wearing the artifact Midnight Whisper, could understand everything the mouse conveyed.

"...You're saying there are people trying to crush our spirit?"

Squeak squeak!

She, who had listened to the mouse's story for a while, muttered softly.

The corners of her mouth turned up.

"I was expecting it to some extent, but isn't this too much? We were planning to just obediently follow along since they're seniors. If it's like this, we don't need to follow along."

Which clans, and which players harbored malicious intentions.

Kim Min-ji heard it all in detail.

"<Flame Witch>..."

Then she recalled the story that Bae Su-bin would take <Flame Witch>'s class recently.

She clicked her tongue.

"I should tell Su-bin. I should also tell the others that there are people who will deliberately pick fights with us..."

Always having a hard time because of friends.

Kim Min-ji, who grumbled that inwardly, said to the mouse on her shoulder.

"Now go back to the main auditorium and gather information again. If possible, what clans are trying to pick fights with us, what kind of people they are, and who they're planning to pick fights with, etc. Please."

Squeak squeak!

The baby mouse responded.

The mouse that jumped off her shoulder disappeared like an arrow.

"Sigh.... Why does it have to be rodents? I hate mice the most..."

Kim Min-ji finally sighed.

Because the mice summoned from Midnight Whisper happened to remind her of sewer rats.

She, who was afraid of sewer rats among rodents, dusted off her shoulder several times.

"Anyway, I need to make a blacklist as soon as possible. Tell them not to even pretend to know people on the list. Ah, I should also include the clan that openly said Si-hyung is short."

Recently Kang Si-hyung had been raging and making the group chat noisy.

Because of that, friends were currently raising their guard against players who came as guest instructors from outside.

It was also the reason she was doing espionage activities now.

"Having a hard time just because of Noh Eun-ha, what is this."

Kim Min-ji cursed Noh Eun-ha.

Yet Kim Min-ji burst out laughing.

Not long after that─.

"─What? It's not as difficult as I thought?"

"N-no way.... He perfectly copied my magic as soon as he saw it...? He even used double casting effortlessly to make it more efficient than my magic...?"

Starting with Bae Su-bin of the Noh Eun-ha squad.

 They say Noh Eun-ha squad members demonstrated skills beyond the guest instructors' imagination all over the academy.

☆

While clans below A-rank focused on the Noh Eun-ha squad rather than Eun-ha himself.

S-rank clans, excluding KK Clan, focused more on Noh Eun-ha.

Of course, that was natural.

Because recruiting Noh Eun-ha meant a high chance of the squad members under him following as well.

"─This will surely be a good proposal for student Noh Eun-ha too."

<Gatekeeper > Ko Eun-sil.

She, counted as one of the Five Spirits of Myeongwang Clan, spoke politely.

"For now... I'll listen."

Since an executive of the S-rank Myeongwang Clan was asking.

Eun-ha, who made time to meet her, decided to listen to Myeongwang Clan Lord <Phantasmic Poem> Do Wan-jun's proposal.

I was surprised they sent one of the Five Spirits, but I never thought they'd bring Wan-jun's message too.

Eun-ha was inwardly surprised.

He was already aware through Shin Seo-young that players specially treated by S-rank clans had come to the school.

But he never thought they would deliver the clan lord's message.

"I'll explain in detail when the official recruitment period comes, but Myeongwang Clan is thinking of giving student Noh Eun-ha the authority to independently create and command a party."

"You say you'll give me authority to create a party, but in the end I'd have to form a party limited to Myeongwang Clan players, right?"

"Of course, Myeongwang Clan is willing to accept student Noh Eun-ha's friends too. But we can't accept everyone. The Mana Management Organization or other clans would obviously protest."

Eun-ha had already received similar proposals from several clans.

So even though it was a groundbreaking proposal, he was less excited.

Nevertheless, Ko Eun-sil steadfastly appealed Myeongwang Clan's charms to him.

The clans' proposals are really good.

But even if they give independent authority, there are restrictions, and there are restrictions on party composition too.

The Regulus Clan Lord said he'd recruit all the kids if I wanted, but realistically that would be difficult.

Eun-ha stirred his drink with a straw while lost in thought.

In fact, most S-rank clans' proposals were the same.

Independent command and creation rights for the party.

Limited right to recruit talent.

9:1 settlement ratio.

Since every clan's proposal was the same, he had to consider the clan's tendencies and external image more.

Even so─.

─There's not a single clan I'm drawn to.

They say they won't interfere, but if I join as a clan member, they'll try to interfere in some way.

Eun-ha's thoughts deepened.

Soon he said to Ko Eun-sil, who was smiling gently at him.

"─If I don't have to answer right away, please give me time to think."

"Yes, of course. You can think about it carefully during this semester. I believe Myeongwang Clan's tendencies will suit student Noh Eun-ha's tendencies."

"Thank you. I enjoyed the coffee. Then I'll get going now."

"Ah, student Noh Eun-ha. Take my business card. Please contact me anytime if you think of it."

Even though she must have a high social position to be called one of Myeongwang Clan's Five Spirits.

<Gatekeeper > Ko Eun-sil politely handed Eun-ha her business card.

Eun-ha, who received her business card, bowed his head and got up from his seat.

I should hurry.

It's about to start.

In fact, making time to meet Ko Eun-sil was just squeezing in some time.

Though third year high school academy students can participate in the cultural festival autonomously.

Eun-ha, who was competing in the comprehensive division competition, was in the middle of a busy period.

"How did it end up like this when I didn't even want to participate..."

"Beep beep beep boop boop boop boop boop!"

Eun-ha sighed.

He didn't want to compete in the comprehensive division competition if he had his way.

But Eun-ha was in a situation where he had to participate in the comprehensive division competition on the condition of taking a leave of absence last year.

"Seo-young noona is saying people will flock to see me so please come out..."

He was also pushed by public opinion.

"I want to play like Seo-na and Eun-woo too. It's the last cultural festival, can't I rest comfortably now?"

An unfulfillable wish.

Eun-ha sighed deeply.

Soon he entered the arena where the comprehensive division competition preliminaries were being held.

Since it was the preliminaries, there were no spectators.

"Since it's come to this, I might as well warm up after a while."

Eun-ha decided to change his mood.

He hadn't had a chance to swing his sword at all since the first semester ended.

So Eun-ha planned to use this opportunity to warm up.

Though it was unfortunate for his opponent.

But─.

"─I just got a call that your opponent is forfeiting."

"...What?"

Without even time to warm up.

While standing in the arena waiting for his sparring opponent who hadn't come even after a long time.

The instructor came and said.

Eun-ha was dumbfounded.

What was even more dumbfounding was─.

"─They say they're forfeiting today too."

"Again?"

Throughout the preliminaries.

They say Eun-ha advanced to the main tournament too easily without even getting to swing his sword.