431
[Chapter 125]
[A Chance Arising from Misfortune]
Japan, an archipelago surrounded by sea on all sides.
After the <End of Century Destruction>, Japan became isolated due to monsters appearing from the sea.
Also, since mana is affected by emotions, and magic mediated by mana is essentially the manifestation of concepts.
It was natural that the universal emotions of the vast majority would intertwine to manifest a huge concept.
Therefore, due to Japan's historical characteristic as an archipelago, there were few invasions from other countries, and they had a strong tendency to preserve and prefer their own culture and institutions─.
"─The more well-preserved a country's history, the more vulnerable it is to mana imbalances. Land, buildings, animals, cultural assets, etc... Mana imbalances use those as mediums to become stronger and more unique!"
Almost all areas where people's 'concepts' gathered transformed into dungeons.
The cultural assets that Japanese people used to boast about turned into dungeons and monsters that kill them overnight.
Sometimes even houses where families had lived for generations transformed into dungeons.
Truly, Japan said to be home to 8 million gods became threatened by 8 million gods.
"It's been several decades now... But Japan is still suffering from the scars of the great calamity."
The lost decade.
The nuclear power plant accident.
Okinawa's independence.
The rise of the yakuza, etc.
Until Kaguya appeared, there was no hope for Japan.
Though it's somewhat better now.
Even with the Cocoon installed, areas outside Tokyo protected by Kaguya were not safe from monster threats.
That's why the high academy changed the destination from Nagasaki to Yokohama on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Lee Guk-jong explained it that way.
"...This can't be."
The Fairy Government's permission was already obtained, and Japan's Kaguya readily permitted the students' entry.
Moreover, Sirius Shipping agreed to help with the students' entry to Japan.
Eun-ha doubted his ears hearing the story coming out of Instructor Lee Guk-jong's mouth.
The more he heard, the more unbelievable it was.
Above all─.
─Why on earth did the future change like this?
The future had changed.
Eun-ha had no choice but to realize.
But he couldn't know what kind of future he changed to create this result.
He changed too many futures.
There was no way he could know.
In the end, Eun-ha had to accept reality.
"Even so... How can they send us to Japan? Is the comprehensive evaluation some kind of kids' game? Do they think this makes sense..."
Nevertheless, it was absurd.
Eun-ha kept bursting out complaints.
Other students were the same.
Even friends who cursed at No Eun-ha once now grumbled saying this doesn't make sense.
Yet Instructor Lee Guk-jong answered cheerfully as ever.
"Life is originally nonsensical! Congratulations on gaining a big realization!"
Students booed.
Instructor Lee Guk-jong paid them no mind and brought up a new screen.
Options appeared again.
A and B.
Students murmured seeing options with just one English letter.
"The ship operated by Sirius Shipping is at Busan Port. Ships exchanging with Japan operate at 4-day intervals, which means if you miss the timing you have to board 4 days later. Of course the comprehensive evaluation will end late, and you'll have to complete missions during the 4 days staying at Busan Port!"
""""...Ah, shit....""""
Students all scrunched up their faces.
They realized through Instructor Lee Guk-jong's explanation that not everyone might be able to board the same ship.
In other words, the time and method for students to arrive at Busan Port varies.
"There are only two ways for you to get to Busan Port! Bus or train!"
One is bus, the other is train.
The former takes 4 days to reach Busan Port and you have to complete missions at designated rest stops.
In contrast, the latter takes 2 days, and you rest for the remaining 2 days waiting for students who took the bus.
Naturally, students who heard the explanation had fire in their eyes.
We have to take the train!
Eun-ha put strength in his eyes too.
He decided to choose the option connected to the train and go somewhat comfortably.
"Then move to your chosen group within the 5 minute time limit!"
A binary choice decided purely by luck.
Nevertheless, students racked their brains trying to choose options.
"Guys, which one are you─"
""""─You be quiet.""""
Eun-ha turned his head to ask friends' opinions.
Then friends cut off his words with fierce expressions.
The atmosphere said not to even speak to them.
Eun-ha had no choice but to approach Ha-yang who seemed less angry.
"Ha-yang."
"Hm? What now?"
Though it's all about luck.
In the end, luck belonged to intuition in a broad sense.
Eun-ha was confident in his intuition combined throughout his previous life.
He decided to abandon those hostile to him and take Jung Ha-yang.
Moreover, Ha-yang is a navigator.
We'll have to find our way countless times, so I need to keep Ha-yang by my side.
While students pondered options.
Eun-ha who accepted the reality of having to go to Japan pondered the talents he'd need for this comprehensive evaluation before considering options.
Among them, navigator Jung Ha-yang.
She was the person he needed to recruit first.
Eun-ha spoke to her in the gentlest voice possible, trying not to reveal his true intentions.
"I trust you. You trust me right?"
"Yes, I trust you."
Jung Ha-yang responded.
Now as he was about to get to the main point─.
"─So I'm not going to follow you."
"...What?"
"Let's take some time to think separately for a while. Got it?"
As if there was no need to listen anymore.
Jung Ha-yang turned her body abruptly. Soon she showed no hesitation and chose A.
Eun-ha could only stand dumbfounded watching that.
Jung Ha-yang who met his eyes seemed to tell him with just her gaze.
Not to choose the same answer as her by any chance.
Tch... If Ha-yang dislikes it that much, I have no choice.
Anyway, my intuition was saying B is the right answer...
He failed to recruit the navigator.
Unfortunately, Yoon I-byeol who could be called the next best option was avoiding Eun-ha's gaze and slowly heading towards A.
In the end, he gave up on navigators and decided to recruit supporters.
"Eun-ha."
"What?"
"What are you going to choose?"
"Me? I'm going with B."
Just then, Eun-woo spoke to him.
Eun-ha thought she who has trouble refusing would accept his proposal.
It was a misconception.
"Really? Then I should go to A. I guess I should have acted like Seo-na from the start. Well, have a good trip to B!"
Eun-woo scampered away.
Eun-ha just felt empty.
After being rejected by two people, he decided to just take the comprehensive evaluation alone.
You think I can't do this properly without you guys?
Life is alone anyway.
Eun-ha resolved himself like that and entered group B.
Hoshimiya Kaede had already come to group B at some point.
A ranger is good too.
Great. I'll take this comprehensive evaluation with Kaede...
Eun-ha waved his hand towards Hoshimiya Kaede.
Kaede discovered him.
Soon she─.
"─Don't act like you know me anymore."
She suddenly moved groups while exuding a chilly coldness.
Kaede enters group A.
Eun-ha naturally showed his hand waving at empty air to Kang Si-hyeong.
Kang Si-hyeong who met his gaze was surprised and fled to group A.
Eun-ha could only sigh.
"Honey, are you okay? But I'm still by your side. Right?"
"Yeah... Thanks for coming at least."
"I'm here too! I came because you looked pitiful! I did well, right?"
"Yeah... you did well. I only have you."
At least Bong Gu-rae and Ariel came.
Eun-ha decided to think positively. He made up his mind to become closer with the two using this comprehensive evaluation as an opportunity.
Just then, Kim Min-ji who had been pondering for a while walked up to Eun-ha.
"I'm a bit concerned that you're here but..."
"But why did you come here?"
"I decided to believe in my luck."
Kim Min-ji speaking her reasoning with arms crossed.
Bong Gu-rae and Ariel praised her saying it sounds plausible.
Meanwhile, the time limit passed.
"Everyone freeze!!"
Instructor Lee Guk-jong shouting loudly.
He nodded his head looking at the groups divided in two.
The instructors standing behind him split into two and moved to their assigned groups.
Shin Seo-young found group B.
"Seo-young noona?"
"Sigh... Why did I end up in charge of you of all people..."
Unlike Eun-ha showing a glad expression, Shin Seo-young sighs right away.
She pressed her temples as if she had a headache.
Then she smirks looking at Eun-ha.
"Eun-ha, why do you always draw blanks? Geez... you really shouldn't rely on luck. That's an important factor too, what are you going to do like this?"
"What do you mean? Don't tell me..."
"You're quick-witted but have such terrible luck, kid?"
"..."
Shin Seo-young now cackles.
Eun-ha's face hardened.
Even without Instructor Lee Guk-jong explicitly saying the answer.
At that moment, Eun-ha realized what he had chosen.
"Please just don't cause problems. Congratulations on getting the bus."
<Braver > On Tae-yang who could be called the protagonist of the world was always followed by good luck.
However, No Eun-ha who was <Undead > and <Berserker > and brought terror to people of the world was followed by misfortune.
"Why is this happening to me... What on earth did I do wrong..."
Even if he regressed.
<Berserker > can never become <Braver >.
Eun-ha blamed the destroyed world.
☆
The islands that make up the Japanese archipelago can be largely divided into 4.
Hokkaido with the treasure of vast nature but limited transportation.
Honshu, especially Kanto, which performs almost all administrative functions of current Japan.
Shikoku where special monsters appear due to mana imbalances mixed with Buddhist characteristics.
Kyushu suffering the most damage from monsters appearing from the sea.
As a result, Japan's transportation and communication developed more slowly compared to Korea.
In other words, they are unable to properly manage the vast territory.
"Black sugar bubble tea?"
"I heard it's trending in Korea. I haven't tried it yet either..."
"Hmm... Does that mean it's made with black sugar... Is there a picture or something?"
"Just a moment."
Therefore, what Sirius Group aims for is to dominate Japanese logistics with technology accumulated in Korea.
The moment that happens, Sirius Group will earn a lot of money from Japan.
Secondarily, the goal is to bring natural products from Hokkaido to Korea for processing.
Meanwhile, they'll be able to obtain high quality mana alloys from Kyushu.
Thus Sirius Group will finally surpass Galaxy Group and ascend to the throne.
"Here it is."
"Wow, it's pretty. Was it called Luminous? How nice it would be if we had something like this too... It's a shame the situation makes it quite difficult to flourish culture."
"But there's a lot here too."
"There is a lot. Even though the world was destroyed, there are old-fashioned politicians trapped in past glory, and entrepreneurs who don't accept change and try to develop..."
Han Seo-hyun.
The reason she came to study in Japan was for Sirius Group's hundred-year plan.
One, grasp the political situation while living in Japan.
One, recruit talents beneficial to Sirius Group.
One, create connections with high-ranking officials if possible.
"But so? Did that kid send you that picture?"
"...Yes."
"I'd like to meet directly the kid you like. I wonder why you don't pay attention to the men here."
About 2 years and several months have passed since she came to study in Japan.
During that time, Han Seo-hyun fulfilled the duties given to her.
In the process, she was fortunate to catch the eye of Kaguya, Queen Tsukiko (月子).
'I like pretty people. But you are too~ pretty! How on earth can someone be this pretty!?'
Han Seo-hyun didn't like her own appearance.
She had grown up hearing many things since childhood.
But thanks to her appearance, she was able to win Kaguya Tsukiko's heart from their first meeting.
As a result, she would randomly drag Han Seo-hyun who was resting at the hotel outside like today.
"Good! Break over! Shall we go look at some clothes now?"
"...Isn't this enough?"
"I bought all of mine so now we need to buy clothes for you Seo-hyun."
"I don't need..."
"Don't worry. Leave it to unnie."
"Hah..."
Kaguya who looks to be in her late 20s.
However, she was a person who had lived for several decades.
She's not old enough to call unnie.
Han Seo-hyun sighed and had no choice but to get up from her seat.
"Doesn't Kaguya-nim have work?"
Kaguya liked Han Seo-hyun's casual attitude.
So Seo-hyun read her mind and treated her as casually as possible while using honorifics.
Of course Kaguya was satisfied and.
She rather welcomed Han Seo-hyun's question mixed with fatigue and said.
"Politics isn't my jurisdiction anyway. Kaguya's duty is just to manage mana imbalances as the emperor's wife and show an image of caring for the people."
Kaguya, the emperor's second wife.
She didn't get involved in politics. She just exists as a symbol and savior of Japan along with the emperor.
By marrying a person with the <White Silver> gift to someone with imperial blood, they deify the existence of the emperor even in a destroyed world.
That was the foundation that maintained Japan's national framework even after facing destruction.
"Come on! Let's quickly go upstairs!"
She's like a child.
Han Seo-hyun couldn't believe this person had lived for several decades.
Han Seo-hyun sighed again and followed behind her.
Just then.
[I'm fine!]
A Fine Talk notification rang.
There weren't many people Han Seo-hyun set a notification sound for.
She quickly checked the Fine Talk.
It was her father.
"You're coming this time..."
Her father's message was brief.
It said he plans to visit Japan soon so arrange a meeting with Kaguya.
She dutifully sent a reply saying she understood.
In her thinking, that was her reason for existence.
[I'm fine!]
"..."
A new Fine Talk arrived.
She soon confirmed who sent the Fine Talk and erased emotion from her face.
She reads the message with an expressionless face.
YH Group's direct line, Choi Ye-jang.
And her fiancé.
He also sent a message saying he'll come to Tokyo soon.
"Hey, look at this! This is really pretty. I think it'll suit you perfectly Seo-hyun! Hey, what are you doing not coming quickly?"
Kaguya calls from far away.
Seo-hyun who was contemplating a reply finishes the message briefly and heads towards Kaguya.
"Aren't these shoes really pretty!?"
"...Yes, they are."
She's just fulfilling her duty as a direct line.
Excluding emotions, just calmly.
Han Seo-hyun gives a faint smile.
The smartphone keeps making sounds.
[I'm fine!]
[I'm fine!]
[I'm fine!]
[I'm fine!