735

 [Chapter 188]

[Unforgettable (3)]

Baek Hyun-yul had no dreams to speak of.

If he wished for anything, it was to live his whole life painting pictures.

So he entered Seoul National University's College of Fine Arts, beating fierce competition.

─This isn't the kind of painting I want to do.

But university life flowed in a completely different direction from what he thought.

He entered university to freely paint what he wanted, but in reality he had to paint within rigid frameworks.

Paintings to get high grades.

Paintings to catch professors' eyes.

Paintings to win awards in competitions.

At first, Baek Hyun-yul was satisfied simply with "painting", but gradually he felt like he was losing his individuality and becoming a machine.

So he decided.

"I'm just going to quit. If I'm just going to keep painting stuff like this, I might as well quit. This isn't why I entered university."

Very boldly.

Baek Hyun-yul dropped out of university and shut himself in a room to paint.

Belatedly, Yeon Seong-jin was shocked and tried to stop him from dropping out, but by then it was already too late.

Anyway, Baek Hyun-yul spent time freely painting in his life.

Thud

But that was only good at first.

As freedom unfolded infinitely, Baek Hyun-yul no longer knew what to paint.

His imagination hit rock bottom.

Also, since no one appreciated his paintings even when he painted, he felt bored.

What do I want to paint?

What kind of painting do I like?

After painting everything he wanted to paint.

When everything he painted felt familiar, as if he had painted it before.

Baek Hyun-yul put down his brush.

Then he spent time blankly looking at the paintings he had painted.

At that time, something caught Baek Hyun-yul's eye.

"I left the sketch of Eun-ha's clan emblem here."

A few years ago.

It was a sketch of the Pandora Clan emblem he had designed at Eun-ha's request.

Baek Hyun-yul sat in a chair.

Then he started drawing pictures randomly as his hand moved.

"Ah...."

Then he realized.

That he wanted to paint the world as he saw it with his own eyes.

At the same time, he was reminded of his friend Ma Bang-jin, who had now passed away.

When his friend died at the hands of monsters.

What kind of feelings did he have then, and what kind of pictures did he want to paint?

His hesitation quickly disappeared.

"─Let's go to the Player Academy. Let's go there and learn."

Not just paintings to show off, but something that could be helpful to someone.

Although it was an impulsive decision.

Baek Hyun-yul found a new goal.

With that, Baek Hyun-yul decided to transfer into the 3rd year of the academy high school.

This time, Yeon Seong-jin put on the brakes at the right timing.

"─If you go in there alone, you'll get beaten up by younger kids? If that's the case, I'll go in with you too. Really, I think I'll only feel at ease if I go with you."

"But you're attending university."

"There happens to be a system for exchange students to go to the academy, so I'll try that. I don't think it would be bad to study at the academy for just one year, 3rd year."

3rd year in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Seoul National University.

Yeon Seong-jin, who heard the news, proposed that to Baek Hyun-yul.

Of course, Yeon Seong-jin wasn't just following Baek Hyun-yul blindly.

Yeon Seong-jin had his own plans too.

"After Bang-jin died like that... I've been thinking about how I could fight monsters in my own way. If I had power like Eun-ha or the others, I would have become a player without hesitation, but I'm weak."

"Yeah. You're weaker than me."

"I carried you around when you fell asleep during school, hey.... Anyway, I'm also studying potion design as a linked major in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. But I think having a player license would be helpful for someone dealing with potions."

Yeon Seong-jin entered the Department of Mathematical Sciences in place of Ma Bang-jin's dream.

And he was studying potion design sponsored by the Alice Group as a linked major.

He wanted to join Alice Pharmaceuticals in the future and become an alchemist supporting players from the rear.

Furthermore, his ultimate goal was to become an engineer commanding alchemists, like Jung Seok-hoon.

"─Didn't Eun-ha say? If you ever need help, go find <Empress >..."

"Then I'll come find you if I ever need help. I'm sleepy."

And so the two of them transferred into the 3rd year of the academy high school.

With this, they thought they could learn the studies they needed.

They were full of dreams.

Fortunately, what they learned at the academy fulfilled their expectations.

But that was only for a moment.

"─We really have to go out for Han River purification work? For practical training?"

"Ah, should I quit the academy too..."

A month after transferring.

The two had to hear shocking news like a bolt from the blue.

The Mana Management Organization decided to carry out a purification operation on the Han River.

They asked the academy and each clan to send the necessary manpower.

"I can't believe we have to go to the Han River instead of the academy for our internship at the Pandora Clan through connections."

☆

Two years had passed since the Seoul Disaster.

In the meantime, Gangbuk was rapidly being restored as a pioneering boom occurred.

Short if short, long if long.

Some leeway had been created.

Now people's hearts were gradually finding stability.

So for Im Ga-eul, this was the perfect time.

"─Let's purify the Han River. To prevent the same thing from happening again, and as a meaning of vigilance."

""""...""""

Mana Management Organization Headquarters.

Im Ga-eul called the officials and said that.

Experts were pointing to the state of the Han River as the cause of the Seoul Disaster.

In fact, high-ranking monsters often appeared in the Han River, which contained large amounts of dissolved mana.

Didn't 4th-rank corps commanders, giant toads, appear during the Seoul Disaster?

There was a reason Im Ga-eul brought up purifying the Han River.

"Hmm...."

But unlike Im Ga-eul's proposal.

Most officials, including Baek Seo-jin, were skeptical.

Because the Han River was so deep.

It was difficult to solve with manpower.

Moreover, if they couldn't purify it all at once, as much mana as they purified could be generated again.

""""...""""

So people couldn't help but be skeptical.

In the end, they could only look around to see who would oppose the Fairy's opinion.

"─I think it's better to purify it to the extent of not creating serious imbalances, like we've been doing. It's difficult to expend manpower, and even if we try to purify it, it will return to its original state over time."

At that time, the Director of Surveillance took the lead.

<Abyss > Seon U Hwa-ryeong.

The old man who once wielded great influence in Gyeonggi-do boldly presented his thoughts.

Only then did some officials nod in agreement.

"It's because of such complacent responses that the Seoul Disaster happened. Should we experience another great disaster that will come at regular intervals? And can you objectively define 'to the extent of not creating serious imbalances'?"

Im Ga-eul immediately refuted.

Her words were harsh, but not entirely wrong.

Currently, experts were saying that if the Han River was left in this state, disaster would come again.

And those words were making public opinion anxious.

"As you all know, players' skills are increasing every year. They even call the generation known as 3rd generation players the golden generation."

""""...""""

"Will there really be no gains in purifying the Han River with such manpower? Also, if we increase the frequency of purification operations done once a year, wouldn't it produce slightly better results? I'm proposing to purify the Han River from a very long-term perspective. So that in 10 years, 20 years, and 30 years, that black river water becomes blue river water."

Even to appease public opinion.

Im Ga-eul's will was firm.

Moreover, working with a perspective of several decades wasn't an unreasonable task.

Furthermore, if academy students were used to participate in the Han River purification work, costs could be reduced.

Above all─

─This could raise the Fairy's status.

An ultra-long-term project spanning several decades.

Also, a large-scale purification operation that citizens can't help but notice.

The Fairy government could show off to citizens by purifying the Han River every year.

Naturally, citizens would view the Fairy government favorably.

The officials could all roughly guess her intentions.

""""...""""

Still, they were lukewarm.

Most of them were old.

Unlike Im Ga-eul, the officials had set terms.

An ultra-long-term project wasn't very interesting to them, who only had a few years, at most 10 years.

They were reluctant to pour themselves into a large-scale project that wouldn't bring any achievements to them.

"Then Fairy, what do you think of this method? We purify focusing on the most serious parts, not the entire Han River."

"You mean patching things up? What's the use of constantly plugging holes like that?"

""""...""""

At this, Seon U Hwa-ryeong proposed a compromise to persuade her.

Nevertheless, Im Ga-eul remained consistent.

In the end, this meeting could be called a tug-of-war between Im Ga-eul and the officials.

In that situation─

"─I don't know how long it will take, but I hope our descendants who will live in this country in the distant future can live happily. I agree."

""""...!!""""

Minister of Mana Management Baek Seo-jin.

Baek Seo-jin, who had been keeping his mouth shut until now, raised his hand for Im Ga-eul.

Then the faces of officials who remembered the days when monarchs were prominent changed.

<King of Darkness> Baek Seo-jin.

People who knew how terrifying he was changed their stance.

"─That's right. Although we can't know the results, I think it's necessary to create a world where our descendants can live well. This old man's eyes were dim."

""""We agree."""" """"...""""

Even <Abyss > was the same.

Even Seon U Hwa-ryeong was a drop in the bucket compared to Baek Seo-jin's prestige.

When Seon U Hwa-ryeong expressed agreement.

The officials who had been opposing quickly expressed agreement too.

Im Ga-eul couldn't be entirely happy.

─I'm being disregarded like this because I'm younger than them.

Even if people are replaced, this still doesn't change.

Even if I try to replace them with young people, there's no suitable talent...

5 years if short, 10 years if long.

If she endured until then, they would retire and people called the 2nd generation would take key positions.

10 more years from there.

The 3rd generation, who were quite supportive of her, would occupy a large proportion.

So she had to endure until then.

Im Ga-eul resolved.

☆

The Fairy government's Han River purification operation.

The operation that was simply performed as a one-time performance in the previous life showed a greatly different appearance this time.

I can't believe it's not just purifying for a week, but for a month. We're going to die doing Han River purification every year from now on.

The official document sent to clans in Seoul was as follows:

Each clan should dispatch a certain number of people according to the scale announced by the Mana Management Organization to participate in the Han River purification operation.

There were no exceptions.

It was quite a strongly worded document.

So the clans had no choice but to dispatch personnel.

You could say the Mana Management Organization's influence has grown that much.

In the previous life, the Fairy government's influence declined due to the Seoul invasion.

So even when they proposed the Han River operation, the clans' reactions were lukewarm.

But unlike the previous life, the Fairy government was still strong in this life.

So the clans couldn't ignore the official document.

Eun-ha was just glad.

Even so─

"─To think even I have to be dispatched..."

Even Eun-ha himself was dispatched.

There was no choice because the clan members were so busy.

He had to fill in the lacking positions as the Clan Lord.

The fortunate point was that they decided to take turns among clan members.

Moreover, they could use tricks.

"I came for an internship because I wanted to work at the Pandora Clan..."

""""...""""

3rd year high school students who came for internships from the academy.

They could be said to temporarily belong to the Pandora Clan.

Accordingly, not only the Pandora Clan, but most clans had interns participate in the purification work.

"I know you're disappointed, but this is important work too. Do you know how much control is required in the process of dispersing concentrated mana?"

To be precise, it was hard to see it as perfect dispersion like the gift <White Silver>.

But it was work that required considerable control.

Eun-ha comforted the students with gloomy faces.

At least with himself, the Clan Lord, present, the students' complaints seemed less.

Meanwhile─

"─I'm sleepy..."

"Hey! Baek Hyun-yul! You might fall into the water if you do that!?"

"I'd rather fall into the water. It's too tiring and I'm too sleepy..."

Among the students who came for internships at the Pandora Clan this time were Baek Hyun-yul and Yeon Seong-jin.

Eun-ha found Baek Hyun-yul staggering while treading on the water surface on one side.

Yeon Seong-jin was urgently grabbing his nape.

I was surprised when I first heard it.

That they suddenly transferred to the academy to become players...

Eun-ha recalled what had happened just recently.

They suddenly said they transferred to the academy, so please help them.

Eun-ha couldn't help but be flustered when they, who had been far from being players, suddenly said such things.

Of course, he could understand to some extent.

Ma Bang-jin's death.

Eun-ha remembered it clearly, so how much more would those who were especially close to Ma Bang-jin feel?

Seong-jin says he wants to join Alice Pharmaceuticals and become a person who makes potions, and Hyun-yul says he wants to become a crester...

On the other hand, the talents the two possessed weren't bad.

There were various fields for players.

Besides combat roles, there were non-combat roles too.

The two's qualities could be fully demonstrated in non-combat roles.

Especially─

─Baek Hyun-yul can't be ignored.

Baek Hyun-yul's gift could be said to see people's mental images.

He had a gift that excelled at seeing mana to that extent.

He was also good at drawing pictures.

He was suitable to become a crester, a sentence maker who converts magic into sentences.

The sentences crestors make are quite helpful in combat.

The one-by-one law that only one magic can be imbued in one artifact.

Crestors' sentences were a loophole.

They didn't violate the one-by-one law.

Because the paint used to make sentences was no different from an artifact itself.

So if sentences were engraved on an artifact containing magic, two magics could be used.

Of course, there were drawbacks to that extent.

The paint damages the artifact, shortening the artifact's lifespan.

Sentences were consumables.

They would be erased after using magic a few times, and new sentences could be engraved as needed.

But the paint would lower the artifact's lifespan and value.

So people who possessed quite good artifacts didn't engrave sentences on their artifacts.

 That was why Eun-ha didn't engrave sentences on his sword.

Still, it's not bad to know a crester. Especially one who can make high-level magic into sentences...

Magic was a product of imagination.

Converting that into sentences was quite difficult.

As a result, there were few crestors.

And they had quite strong pride.

So─

─At first they showed no interest in the sword Hae-su hyung made just before he died, but later they ended up kneeling.

In his previous life.

The device 'No One Cry' that Eun-ha used at the end was Byeok Hae-su's unfinished work.

So no magic had been imbued in it.

It was just in good condition as a sword, nothing more than that.

On the other hand, because it was such a sword, it could be said to be optimized for engraving sentences.

But even when crestors came and begged to let them engrave sentences, Eun-ha didn't pay them any attention.

Hae-su hyung left me his dying wish to engrave sentences... But I couldn't do it, if only because those crester bastards were so detestable.

Just as crestors had nasty personalities.

Eun-ha was stubborn too.

Once he had friction with them, Eun-ha simply couldn't like them.

It was the same now.

Although crestors subtly expressed their desire to join the Pandora Clan exclusively.

Eun-ha was rejecting them all.

But Hyun-yul might be... okay.

That's why Eun-ha was interested in Baek Hyun-yul.

He couldn't keep refusing to make agreements with crestors forever.

It was fine without sentences.

But it was better to have them.

They were especially excellent as magic that new recruits could quickly use in actual combat.

With Hyun-yul's gift, he should be able to make even fairly high-level magic into sentences, so it's not bad.

So when he heard Baek Hyun-yul say he wanted to become a crester, he felt glad.

And he happened to come for an internship at the Pandora Clan.

Eun-ha decided to bring Baek Hyun-yul into the clan on this occasion.

Baek Hyun-yul would follow without complaint if given what he wanted.

Splash!

"Hey! Baek Hyun-yul! I knew this would happen. Eun-ha, do something about him!"

"Ariel, you go get him."

"Okay, I'll go fish him out!"

Although he had some unreliable aspects.

To begin with, there were far stranger people in the Pandora Clan.

For example─

─The Lord said, My fire will purify this world clean.

<Saint of the Order> Iriya.

She was a prime example.

Eun-ha found Iriya working in the center of the Han River, escorted by clan members.

When she chanted a strange spell.

As ripples spread around her, the Han River shook greatly.

The river water turned blue momentarily.

Of course, it turned black again as it mixed with other river water.

While others were working together, she demonstrated skills that made jaws drop all by herself.

"This is the grace of the Lord."

""""Oh, Eun-ha God.""""

An upgrade of No Eun-ah and Cha Eun-woo.

And even an upgrade of Park Hye-rim.

Someone with such skills was truly one of a kind eccentric.

"Alright, do as you please. I'm too tired to say anything now."

Eun-ha was used to it now.

He decided to just ignore it and live.

☆

Two years since the Seoul Disaster.

But the scars of people who lost their loved ones still hadn't disappeared.

"Chang-sik, my baby Chang-sik..."

"My daughter isn't dead yet. She's... not dead yet."

""""...""""

Two years had passed.

But their time was stopped two years ago.

There were mothers who lived for their children.

Those mothers lost their purpose in life after losing their children.

Yet unable to accept reality, they and others like them longed for the dead every day.

"What's the use of doing this now? My son is no longer in this world..."

To those people, those starting Han River purification work as if to forget the past couldn't look good.

Somewhere in Gangnam with a view of the Han River.

They watched the players for a long time with displeased gazes.

─Believe in the Mana God.

Soon, they turned around one by one.

Those whose minds had greatly deteriorated after losing loved ones muttered as if bewitched.

The souls of those who died in the disaster are wandering the nine heavens with resentment.

Although their bodies have disappeared, the fact that their souls remain means they can be called back.

So submit to the Mana God.

It was words that pierced their hearts.