581

 [Chapter 157]

[Noh Eun-ha Squad (2)]

In the cafeteria inside the Regulus Clan hall.

Eun-ha, who had finished his morning work, happened to meet Cha Eun-woo and Jung Ha-yang, who were active in other parties.

"Oh? Eun-ha! Eun-ah unni, Yeon-hwa unni, hello!"

"Are you guys on your way to eat too? But how come you two are coming together?"

"I just happened to be near where Eun-woo was working!"

"What? Eun-ha, are you getting jealous of me now too? I guess I'll have to get your permission first before meeting Ha-yang from now on."

"What are you talking about. I was just curious. Eun-woo, did you finish your work well?"

Since they had been doing internships in different parties.

It had been a very long time since the three of them ate lunch together.

Of course, it wasn't just the three of them.

"Kids! Is it okay if Yeon-hwa and I eat with you too?"

""Yes, that's great!!""

Noh Eun-ah and Ryu Yeon-hwa, who had gone on duty with Eun-ha, were there too.

Since they weren't strangers to each other.

They decided to have lunch together.

"By the way, Eun-woo, do you know where Chang-jin is? It would be nice to eat together if we're going to eat anyway..."

"Oh, about Chang-jin oppa..."

Just then.

Eun-ah asked Cha Eun-woo where Han Chang-jin was, as if she had just thought of it.

Eun-woo, who was in the same party as Chang-jin, gave an awkward smile.

Then she subtly rolled her eyes and pointed to a window seat in the cafeteria.

"Well... He said he was going to eat with Bebe unni..."

"..."

Eun-ah's gaze also turned in that direction.

Eun-ha also looked that way and couldn't help but click his tongue.

Han Chang-jin and Bebe were eating lunch facing each other.

Even though he said he was monitoring to prevent Bebe from doing anything reckless...

That hyung really has bad luck.

Recently, Chang-jin had asked the Clan Lord to put Bebe in his party.

The news spread quickly.

At that time, Eun-ah's mood had dropped.

And since that day, Chang-jin was almost always with Bebe.

Though Eun-ha knew Chang-jin's thoughts, to Eun-ah and others who didn't know anything, there was plenty of room for misunderstanding.

Ah, our eyes met.

Eun-ha, standing behind Eun-ah, couldn't see what kind of face his sister was making now.

In that situation, Eun-ha's eyes met Bebe's.

She smiled brightly and waved─.

"─Ah, Eun-ah! Did you come to eat lunch?"

Only then did Chang-jin turn around and greet Eun-ah with a welcoming face.

Of course, Eun-ah's reaction was nothing but cold.

"Yeah, I came to eat lunch with the kids. You were eating lunch too."

"Then since the seat next to me is empty, why don't you eat with us..."

"No. We'll just eat by ourselves. I can't disturb your good time."

"...Huh? Why is this a good time..."

"Then enjoy your unappetizing lunch. I'm going. Let's go, Eun-ha."

"Oh, okay.... Eun-ah, enjoy your lunch t... Huh? Did she just say to have an unappetizing lunch?"

Chang-jin had a bewildered expression.

Eun-ah linked arms with Eun-ha and took a seat at a table far from Chang-jin's table.

Then she vented to Eun-ha as if feeling wronged.

"Eun-ha, I didn't do anything wrong, right? It's okay for me to say that, right?"

She seemed to have become anxious belatedly after speaking coldly to Chang-jin.

Eun-ha smirked.

Eun-ha's answer was obvious.

"You should have just cursed at him. Or should I go and do it for you? That hyung really went too far. Who made our noona angry."

"Phew, that's enough. I appreciate the thought. As expected, I only have you, Eun-ha! Why were you born as my little brother? Ugh, so cute!"

"That's right. Why was I born as a younger brother? Rather..."

There's no cure for this.

Seeing Noh Eun-ha and Noh Eun-ah sitting side by side and hugging each other tightly.

Cha Eun-woo sighed.

And Jung Ha-yang next to her─.

"─H-Ha-yang..."

"What? Keep doing what you were doing."

Jung Ha-yang smiled brightly.

Noh Eun-ha's face hardened.

Noh Eun-ah was still snuggling up to Noh Eun-ha as if she didn't care.

Noh Eun-ha─.

"─I-I should have been oppa.... Ahaha..."

"Eun-ha oppa doesn't sound bad either. Should I just call you oppa, and I'll be the younger sister like Eun-ae?"

""..."

"Hey guys. I was going to order, what do you want to eat?"

Eun-ha sensed it.

That he would receive punishment from his girlfriend later when Eun-ah wasn't around.

Cha Eun-woo also seemed to have noticed this and expressed condolences for Eun-ha.

Only Eun-ah and Yeon-hwa maintained their composure in that place.

☆

Before the academy students came to the clans for internships.

<Beast Tamer> Hwang San-gun, who was both one of the Twelve Zodiac and the Clan Lord of KK Clan, announced to the clan members.

'─Especially the kids called the Noh Eun-ha squad, put them in the field immediately.'

Saying he would check if the Noh Eun-ha squad's skills were really as rumored.

Hwang San-gun ordered the clan members to check their skills.

Of course, some clan members protested that it was too much for the kids.

Moreover, Jin Seo-na was also part of the Noh Eun-ha squad.

Who was Jin Seo-na?

She was a person from KK Group.

Nevertheless, Hwang San-gun─.

'─You can work that Ain even harder. I hear she's quite anticipated among the Ains graduating next year, second only to Jin Pa-rang.'

Hwang San-gun's attitude was firm.

So, while Kim Geon-ung, a direct descendant of KK Group, mainly handled administrative tasks─.

[─East-west direction. Monster on the run. The monster is currently estimated to be heading towards the subway! Over! This was KK Clan 3rd Party intern telepath Jin Seo-na!]

Jin Seo-na, Hoshimiya Kaede, Lee Cheon-seo.

The three people known as part of the Noh Eun-ha squad were dispatched to field work with high activity from the first day.

Nevertheless, Seo-na and Kaede were not discouraged by the clan's harsh treatment.

In fact, they didn't even know they were receiving harsh treatment.

"...Is she really an academy student? No, she remembers what was told once and sends telepathy right away?"

"There was no noise at all, and the speed and accuracy of delivering telepathy to moving party members was fast. How many of our clan's telepaths can do this?"

"How much training must she have done..."

[This is KK Clan 3rd Party intern telepath Jin Seo-na. I'm relaying a message from 5th Party navigator Kim Seo-yeon located near the station direction. Currently....]

Whether the clan members were surprised or not.

For Jin Seo-na, delivering telepathy without noise, quickly, accurately, and memorably was something she had been doing for a long time.

Because she had experienced so many incidents.

Because she had been worked so hard.

And because she had trained so much.

Seo-na quickly adapted to her work and could act as if she had worked in the field for several years in an instant.

"This kid is really no joke..."

"Our party! Send Seo-na to our party next time! The 3rd Party isn't going to monopolize her, right?"

"Seo-na likes the 3rd Party and will st...!"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'll ask Jin Seo-na directly, so don't try to stop me!"

"No, what kind of kid is she really? Did you see her sending different telepathy to the 4th Party and 5th Party just now? There was absolutely no gap when switching recipients!?"

Until now, Jin Seo-na had been a little-known existence in the Noh Eun-ha squad.

There was even a joke that she was just a collateral branch of KK Group, nothing more than a messenger.

But misunderstandings about her were completely shattered on her first day of internship.

All the KK Clan members were busy admiring and praising Jin Seo-na.

And they competed to try to get Jin Seo-na into their parties during the internship period.

It wasn't just her.

Hoshimiya Kaede also left a deep impression on the clan members from the first day.

─Star Picking

As luck would have it, distortions kept occurring and monsters appeared in the area where she went into the field.

At that time, Hoshimiya Kaede shot an arrow and soared into the sky.

Comet

The clan members could only stare blankly.

It happened in an instant.

When Kaede, who had suddenly soared into the sky, drew her bowstring again.

Magic burst in the sky and pierced through the backs of the fleeing monsters, annihilating them on the spot.

"Who is she.... Who sneered that she just shoots arrows?"

"Should I switch to bow too? It's... pretty cool."

"Is she a caster or a ranger...?"

The clan members were completely dumbfounded.

The party leaders immediately recognized Kaede's strategic value and competed to try to bring her into their parties.

Moreover, she showed versatility in disarming traps and exploring the surrounding geography.

On top of that, she completely shut the mouths of players who said guns were better than bows─.

"─Did you see that just now? The arrow curved to the side, went around the building, and killed the monster."

"I didn't see wrong, did I?"

"How does it fly like that? I can understand the arrow splitting into several, but it's flying around freely ignoring the laws of physics?"

"That's why it's magic."

"Is there anyone who can do that with a gun right now?"

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

The clan members who had initially sneered that she only used a bow and that the Noh Eun-ha squad wasn't all that, all shut their mouths at once.

Anyway, the feats that Jin Seo-na and Kaede showed the clan members on the first day were enough to earn their favor.

Furthermore─.

"─There was a reason the Clan Lord suddenly ordered to put those kids in the field."

"As expected of our Clan Lord. This is why he's one of the Twelve Zodiac and a Clan Lord, right?"

"The Clan Lord does have an eye for talent. He's surely thinking of bringing those kids into the clan?"

"Of course! Who else would we bring in if not those kids? Especially that kid, the one using the bow, we absolutely have to bring her in!"

"What about Jin Seo-na?"

The KK Clan members ended up misunderstanding the Clan Lord Hwang San-gun's instructions and praised him.

On the other hand, Lee Cheon-seo, who was also part of the Noh Eun-ha squad like Seo-na and Kaede, received poor evaluations.

"The kid is really weak. He's just tall, there's nothing else to see."

"How did he even get in here? Seeing him face off against monsters earlier, he definitely doesn't have the skills to enter our clan."

"He's a friend of the KK Group direct line over there. They also call him part of the Noh Eun-ha squad."

"He must be good at politics. Will he join our clan too?"

"I hope kids like that don't join. Don't muddy the clan's waters..."

Lee Cheon-seo's skills were fairly decent too.

But because the feats shown by Jin Seo-na and Kaede were so amazing.

Relatively, the evaluation of Lee Cheon-seo couldn't help but be low.

☆

He couldn't tell if the food was going into his mouth or his nose.

But Eun-ha was somehow able to eat lunch.

There were occasional happenings.

Like Yeon-hwa handing dessert to Eun-ha and then checking Ha-yang's reaction.

Or Ha-yang not daring to move in front of Eun-ah.

Or Eun-woo being busy filming videos instead of properly eating lunch, and so on.

"─Since Yeon-hwa bought the meal, I'll buy the coffee!"

Since their next mission hadn't come in yet.

After eating lunch, they moved to the cafe inside the clan hall and continued their conversation.

Just talking about anecdotes of Noh Eun-ha causing trouble at the academy was enough to keep the topics flowing.

It was then.

"─Ah, so you were here."

Just as they were happily chatting away.

A player checked inside through the glass door from outside, discovered Eun-ha, and came in.

"Senior Byun Ji-seong? What brings you here?"

<Swift Sword> Byun Ji-seong.

Eun-woo and Ha-yang, who had been staring blankly at the man, hurriedly greeted him.

Eun-ah asked him on behalf of those present.

Meanwhile, Eun-ha lightly bowed his head and looked at Byun Ji-seong.

"I came because I had business with you guys. By the way, this works out well. You seem to have been free? Drinking coffee at the cafe at this hour..."

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

There were thorns in his words.

People's faces quickly darkened as they realized his attitude was not friendly.

It was the same for Eun-ah.

She forced a bitter smile and opened her mouth.

"Come on, we were just taking a short break. We have to go on duty again soon, you know?"

"Anyway, you're resting now. I don't know why you're making excuses like that... People can rest of course. But be careful about bringing interns here from now on. There are a lot of people using this place during lunch, so there aren't many seats."

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

"And I know you're close with those interns, but remember that the clan is strictly a place for work. I've been watching since before, and it seems like you're not working at all, just playing with the interns, so be careful."

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

"You interns be careful with your actions too. I know your skills are great, but you should be more humble. As interns, you should show some respect to the people who entered the clan first..."

Sudden nagging.

Ha-yang and Eun-woo checked the atmosphere.

Noh Eun-ah's face hardened more and more.

And Noh Eun-ha's face also soured more and more.

Suddenly coming and giving a lecture?

Byun Ji-seong suddenly sneering.

Eun-ha felt irritated at the player who belonged to the executive level, one of the Seven Lions.

It seemed Eun-ah felt the same way─.

"─Senior. So what brings you here?"

"..."

Noh Eun-ah abruptly cut off his words.

Then Byun Ji-seong looked down at her with a gaze that seemed to say she was impertinent.

Nevertheless, Eun-ah didn't back down.

Furthermore─.

"─What is it?"

"..."

Ryu Yeon-hwa, who had been quietly listening to the lecture, also opened her mouth.

It was only seven words, but.

Byun Ji-seong's face changed upon hearing the cold words.

"One of our party members is in the hospital right now, so we're short-staffed. I thought we could fill in with one of the interns who just came."

"As far as I know, the academy students are already assigned to parties? Moreover... I understand Senior Byun Ji-seong's party explores monster habitats.... Assigning such dangerous work to academy students seems a bit..."

"That might be true for ordinary students. But can Noh Eun-ha be called ordinary?"

"..."

"Talent should be used in the right place. Wouldn't it be a waste for the academy's pride <Quick-witted > to be doing just this kind of work?"

"So... You've come to recruit Eun-ha now?"

"Yes. We need to borrow Noh Eun-ha for today and tomorrow. I hope you understand."

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

It was a forceful announcement.

Noh Eun-ah was dumbfounded.

And Noh Eun-ha frowned.

"I want to stay here. I don't want to go to your party, senior... Please find someone else."

"..."

"Eun-ha, you stay quiet."

"Okay, sorry."

So Eun-ha blurted out.

Byun Ji-seong's gaze shifted to him.

Eun-ha didn't avoid that gaze.

Byun Ji-seong glared at him for a while before turning his gaze to Noh Eun-ah.

"The intern's attitude is not good at all.... I guess you couldn't teach him strictly because he's your younger brother, Eun-ah. I'll take him and teach him a bit more strictly."

"Senior. I'm sorry, but I think that's my job, not yours. We'll teach Eun-ha well on our side, and we're too busy to send Eun-ha away."

"You probably don't have anything to do right now.... I just checked at the administrative office and it seems you don't have any schedule set for tomorrow either.... So there shouldn't be a problem if I take him, right?"

"Did you just investigate our schedule?"

"It's not like I investigated something I shouldn't have, I just checked our clan members' schedules. I don't understand why I'm getting this kind of look from you for that."

Noh Eun-ah's voice naturally rose.

Byun Ji-seong's face grew more and more brazen.

Even though he was one of the Seven Lions.

Noh Eun-ah didn't back down.

"And you keep saying 'intern, intern', but this kid has a proper name, Noh Eun-ha. I don't think it's good to call him like that."

"...Eun-ah. Are you lecturing me in front of the interns? You keep acting like this because you're Park Hye-rim's <The Seed>...."

"I'm saying this because I think it's not right. And we're also short-staffed right now because Chang-jin has moved to another party. If Eun-ha leaves, Yeon-hwa will be the only dealer in the party, so I don't think we can give you Eun-ha."

"Huh, really.... You're going around playing under the pretext of patrol and then saying you're short-staffed."

"Senior, isn't that going too far?"

"What about you, Eun-ah, doing this to me in front of the kids?"

Noh Eun-ah's eyes lit up with fire.

She stood up from her seat and looked up at him, who was taller than her, with strength in her eyes.

Byun Ji-seong's gaze became even more sullen.

Just then─.

"─Did you get permission from the Clan Lord?"

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

"As far as I know, you need the Clan Lord's permission first to recruit someone from another party."

Ryu Yeon-hwa, who had been leaving the situation to Noh Eun-ah until now, spoke up.

Only then did Noh Eun-ah make an "oops" expression.

Byun Ji-seong's expression twisted.

"...I was planning to go to the Clan Lord after getting your permission."

"The order is reversed. I think you should go to the Clan Lord first and get permission."

"It would just pass right away if I got your permission. That's just a formality."

"Even if it's a formality, shouldn't principles be followed?"

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

The subject of the argument shifted.

Noh Eun-ah, Eun-ha, and their friends blinked at Yeon-hwa speaking so logically.

Did that noona speak so well?

Even Eun-ha was amazed enough to stare.

Regardless, Ryu Yeon-hwa's words continued.

No─.

"─If you want, shall we settle whose words to follow with a duel?"

"...You...!"

It was a clear provocation.

Ryu Yeon-hwa spoke coldly to him, gripping a spear in her hand.

And she sneered, unlike her usual self.

"I'm confident I'll win again."

"..."

With a voice full of confidence.

Ryu Yeon-hwa mocked.

Byun Ji-seong's face turned red and his shoulders shook.

But he didn't actually try to respond to her proposal.

Rather, he was busy rolling his eyes.

Trying to change the atmosphere somehow.

Byun Ji-seong hoped the atmosphere wouldn't develop into a duel with her.

It was just then─.

"─What are you all doing here?"

"Player Park Hye-rim...."

"Hye-rim unni!"

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

<Holy Mother> Park Hye-rim of the Twelve Zodiac.

She appeared on the scene.

Byun Ji-seong clicked his tongue.

Noh Eun-ah, who had been burning inside, greeted her happily as soon as she saw her.

☆

They say a monster wave occurred in Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province.

Fortunately, it was resolved not long after the monster wave occurred, but.

The problem was that people near where the monsters appeared were seriously injured.

It seemed they were so short-handed that they needed the help of the Twelve Zodiac.

So <Holy Mother> Park Hye-rim of the Twelve Zodiac decided to get help from the clan, as it seemed too much for her alone.

I really want to bring Eun-ah...

Visiting the Regulus Clan after a long time, she first tried to identify personnel who could move.

"Ah, that's a relief. I can at least take Eun-ah..."

After getting Gu Yeon-su's permission in advance and stopping by the administrative office.

Park Hye-rim secured a list of available personnel from the administrator.

She found Noh Eun-ah's name there and was greatly relieved.

Her <The Seed> Noh Eun-ah.

Eun-ah, currently called <Fairy >, worked very well with Park Hye-rim.

Above all, Noh Eun-ah's skills were excellent enough to impress even Park Hye-rim.

"But where is Eun-ah?"

So Park Hye-rim set out to find her first to get her permission.

Fortunately, it wasn't difficult to find Eun-ah, who was said to be in the clan hall.

But─.

"─Player Byun Ji-seong? What is he doing over there?"

Just when she thought she had finally found Noh Eun-ah.

She was confronting Byun Ji-seong in a hostile atmosphere.

Park Hye-rim frowned.

...Is that person saying something to Eun-ah again?

Park Hye-rim's mood sank.

When did it start?

It seems to have been since the recapture of Uijeongbu.

Byun Ji-seong gained the alias <Swift Sword> and became one of the Seven Lions of Regulus Clan.

From then on, Byun Ji-seong's attitude became even more arrogant than before.

Above all, the relationship between Hye-rim and Byun Ji-seong worsened even more.

It's not that I don't understand why Player Byun Ji-seong dislikes me.

He resented her for becoming one of the Twelve Zodiac at the age of 23.

So he found fault with everything she did.

On the other hand, the two people's opinions didn't match.

It wasn't the first or second time they had clashed at clan meetings.

"Even so, does he have to be mean to Eun-ah just because he doesn't like me?"

But Byun Ji-seong's attitude wasn't directed only at her.

Because she was her <The Seed>.

Byun Ji-seong often showed a similar attitude towards Noh Eun-ah.

He's been quiet lately because he's been deflated, but why is he acting like this now?

Of course, Byun Ji-seong's position within the clan had diminished a lot.

First of all, Gu Yeon-su mostly agreed with Park Hye-rim.

And Park Hye-rim had recruited <Fairy > Eun-ah, as well as essentially <Snow Spear> Ryu Yeon-hwa and <Shadow > Han Chang-jin to Regulus Clan.

Above all, not long after joining, Ryu Yeon-hwa had a duel with Byun Ji-seong.

She defeated Byun Ji-seong in front of many people.

After that day, Byun Ji-seong had been quiet because he was deflated, but─.

"─What are you all doing here?"

It seemed he had become arrogant again as time passed.

Park Hye-rim entered the cafe as soon as she grasped the situation.

"Sorry, but anyone want to work with me from today until tomorrow, maybe the day after? There are a lot of injured people in Siheung City right now, so it looks like we need to go for relief work..."

Thoroughly ignoring Byun Ji-seong.

Park Hye-rim smiled and started talking to the others.

"Unlike someone else, I've already gotten permission from the Clan Lord.... But I still think I should hear your thoughts first."

"Okay! Unni, I'll go!"

"Me too."

Noh Eun-ah responded.

Ryu Yeon-hwa nodded.

Like thread following a needle.

Noh Eun-ha also joined in.

Up to here were the people she had agreed with Gu Yeon-su to bring.

That kid is surely...

Was it Cha Eun-woo?

Then she noticed two academy students who were with Eun-ha.

She looked closely at the female student with downturned eyes among them.

"Wow.... It's <Holy Mother>...."

"Could you not call me that?"

Even though she was now over 30.

She quietly replied to Cha Eun-woo, whose eyes were sparkling looking at her.

Then she said.

"─Are you interested too? Want to come do relief work with me?"