< 27th Episode: The Second Ruins (2) >

“Wow! It’s created! The attribute!”

As I watched Ha Si-yeon jumping around in the center of a quiet park filled with ice blocks, I couldn’t help but think.

Is this the famous talent bug?

“Awesome! Awesome! In just a week! Hahaha!”

She couldn’t contain her joy.

Well, I can understand why.

I would be happy too.

“How is it? Was I right?”

“Yes! Close-range specialization! Freezing attribute! It’s all correct!”

The attributes and skills in this world have a few rules for creation.

One of them is ‘to register as an attribute or skill, you need to be aware of your own power and master how to use it’.

This registration period is known to be an average of one year. Ha Si-yeon achieved it in just a week.

If this is not a talent bug, then what is it?

“Then listen to me better from now on. Don’t doubt me for no reason.”

“Yes! I understand!”

She bows again with that awkward gesture.

I wonder where I’ve seen it before, and it reminds me of the girl group bowing at the military support performance.

The only difference is that she is pretty enough to beat the girl group in appearance.

“Can I ask you what the name of your attribute is, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure. You probably know everything anyway.”

Ha Si-yeon’s eyes scan the air.

Then she stops at one place and smiles faintly. That must be where her newly acquired attribute is.

“Attribute: Sanctuary of Freezing.”

It’s the attribute I know.

“Do you want me to read the detailed effects too?”

“Huh? No. That would be rude. Just knowing the name is enough.”

I know everything anyway. No, I know better than Ha Si-yeon.

I even know how to apply that ability very well.

“Then let’s end it here for today. Your mana is running low, right?”

“..Yes.”

She nodded with a look full of regret.

I get it.

The magic attribute is a rare attribute that only about a thousand people in the world have.

Moreover, each individual has different strengths and weaknesses, so the academic consensus is that you have to repeat trial and error by yourself to master it.

And yet, I say I will teach you how to use it, so how can you not be happy?

“Seo-yul. Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”

“I don’t know.”

I can tell she’s happy though.

“I’m grateful to Ji-hoon.”

“..Huh?”

Suddenly?

“That day. If Ji-hoon hadn’t thrown the black iron greatsword at you, we wouldn’t have had this relationship.”

“..I almost died that day?”

“Oh come on. I know your skills, Seo-yul. Don’t be so modest.”

..My skills?

Are you talking about the skills that would have killed me if you hadn’t shouted for me to dodge?

“Anyway, Seo-yul. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. I have my own purpose for helping you.”

You’ll get me ancient relics instead, right? And you’ll take care of the villains for me, right? And you’ll defeat the future demon for me, right?

I should be grateful.

“Well then, today’s training is over. Don’t go in and do extra training later, okay? And take it easy on your strength training today.”

“Eh, yes? Of course! I was going to wash up and go to bed right away!”

“..”

You’re lying.

If I hadn’t said anything, you would have been heading to the gym and lifting barbells hard.

Ha Si-yeon is a serious case of exercise addiction. She says her whole body feels twitchy if she doesn’t exercise for a day.

“If you don’t look like you’ve rested well tomorrow, I’ll cancel the training.”

A tremor ran through Ha Si-yeon’s pupils.

“A-Ah. Then can I just do some light squats and go to bed?”

“No. You can’t.”

“Then push-ups only! Bodyweight! Lightly! Just enough to sweat!”

“Nope. Go back.”

“Jogging!”

“Just sleep.”

“W-What about a walk?”

“You’re going to do crossfit under the name of walking.”

“..Ugh. Really? I don’t have any problem with my stamina.”

She’s really annoying.

“No. Just focus on recovering your mana today.”

I said firmly.

Resting is also part of training, but she doesn’t know that. No, she knows but she can’t practice it.

“..Alright.”

She pouts her lips and answers as if she has no choice.

Well, this much means she won’t do it for real.

“Then let’s meet at 10 am tomorrow in front of the school gate.”

I turned around and waved my hand as I walked away.

“Are you going to the dorm? Where are you going?”

“Me? I’m going to the gym to work out.”

“..Huh?”

“I’m working out.”

There was a moment of silence.

I wondered what was going on and looked back, and Ha Si-yeon was looking at me with the expression of a heroine who had been betrayed by a hero.

“Traitor! How can you do that alone!”

“Pfft.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her appearance. I turned my head again.

“Traitor! Traitor! Just grow your biceps!”

“What’s that?”

I walked along the road, listening to her words that I couldn’t tell if they were compliments or insults.

* * *

The next day.

I woke up from my sleep at 5 a.m. as usual.

Thump, thump.

My blood circulates through my body and my heart beats vigorously.

I don’t need an alarm since I got the blood of the beastmen.

I can only sleep for about five hours a day, but I don’t feel tired or anything.

The blood of the beastmen enhances recovery.

It helps a lot with increasing muscle mass and fatigue recovery.

I could probably last for three days without sleeping.

Of course, I have to train twice a day without fail. Otherwise, I’ll go berserk.

I got up from the bed.

I have to explore the ruins today, so I need to sweat lightly.

I finished washing up lightly and was drying my hair.

Vroom-

My smartphone vibrated.

Who is it at this early hour?

Is it Ha Si-yeon?

I picked up the phone without drying my hair properly.

“..Yu Hwa?”

What’s up with Yu Hwa at this hour?

I answered the phone.

“Hello..”

-You don’t have any plans today, right?

She sounded urgent.

-Right? You don’t, right? Please say you don’t.

She sounded desperate.

But what can I do?

“I’m afraid I have an important appointment today.”

Today is the day to explore the ruins.

-Put it off.

“I can’t.”

-Why! I put off a very important appointment last time!

“..You said you didn’t have any special plans.”

She was talking about the day she called me out of the blue to sell information.

-I did have one. So please put off your appointment today.

Something doesn’t seem right.

What’s going on?

It must be serious if Yu Hwa is like this.

“What’s going on?”This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.

-I have a meeting with Shinwa Group at 12 o’clock today.

She sounded grim.

“So?”

-But the representative for the negotiation is Shin Jia.

I tilted my head.

“And?”

-If we don’t make a deal this time, the Bihon Guild will be in trouble.

“Just do it. Even if you two don’t get along, Jia is not the type to mix personal feelings in public places.”

There was silence on the other end of the line.

I heard a grinding sound of teeth.

-I got caught by her.

What?

-You were right. She wasn’t the type to mix personal feelings in public places.. She was..

I understood everything with that one sentence.

“..Did she just flat out refuse to negotiate with you?”

-Yes. You’re right. Did you tell her to do that?

“Of course not.”

That’s how I figured out the situation.

Jia is rational and cold-hearted.

But when I get involved, her personality changes 180 degrees and becomes very fiery.

Personal feelings in public places?

She mixes them a lot.

She entrusts herself to 100% emotional actions.

If she thinks Yu Hwa has harmed me or could harm me,

She will snort and reject Yu Hwa’s proposal even if it benefits both Shinwa and Bihon.

“In that case, why don’t you contact the chairman directly?”

-That idiot? He’ll say his daughter can handle it herself and why bother him?

“..Yeah, I guess so.”

I was short-sighted.

Yu Hwa sighed deeply.

-So please help me. The only negotiation card that I can think of that can persuade Shin Jia is you.

I scratched the back of my head.

“I get your situation, but it’s still hard to cancel an important appointment.”

Exploring the ruins is important.

I need an immediate increase in power to win the ranking match against Choi Ji-hoon next week.

This exploration is my last chance.

-..

There was a whining sound from the other end of the line.

She’s pouting.

-Fine! Fine! Next time you make an appointment, make sure you check with my secretary a week in advance and contact me! Other people do that too..

“I’ll contact Jia in advance instead. Yu Hwa is my acquaintance, so please take good care of her.”

-..You’re doing that, but. You’re different from those common people! Then! Contact me anytime!

The change of attitude was faster than lightning.

She was cute without knowing it.

“Then we’re good?”

-Yes! We’re good! Sorry for bothering you this early in the morning.

There was a hum in her voice.

She’s so happy.

“If you’re grateful, buy me another meal at Okhwadang next time.”

I couldn’t taste anything from normal food since that day.

-Sure. I’ll set a date for you.

There was joy in her voice.

She’s so happy.

“Then I have morning training now. I’ll contact you later.”

-Yes. Seo-yul. Have a good day~

She hung up the phone.

I felt like a storm had passed.

* * *

9:50 a.m.

I arrived at the school gate.

“Seo-yul~”

I saw Ha Si-yeon, who was carrying a huge carry-on bag like me, from afar.

The carry-on bag must be full of the equipment that Ha Si-yeon uses in real combat.

“You look like you rested well yesterday.”

“Yes. Some traitor begged me so hard. I clenched my teeth and slept hard.”

“..You have a nice way of putting it.”

Clenched your teeth and slept hard.

What’s that?

“So, where are we going?”

“To Uijeongbu.”

“Where in Uijeongbu?”

“The Land of Jade Flame.”

“..What did you say?”

Ha Si-yeon’s face hardened.

“The Land of Jade Flame.”

“Is it, the place I’m thinking of?”

“Probably?”

“You mean the forbidden zone?”

“That’s right. There.”

Ha Si-yeon’s eyes trembled.

“..You’re saying we’re going to clear the ruins there by ourselves?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

She sighed in relief.

“That’s right, right? There are other people, right? No matter what, we can’t go to the Land of Jade Flame by ourselves..”

“You’re going to clear it by yourself?”

“..What?”

I said confidently.

I’m just a guide.

She’s the one who’s going to clear it by herself.

“You’re going to clear it by yourself. It’s your training.”

Ha Si-yeon looked at me with a stunned and trembling eyes.

She looks like she heard something wrong.

“Don’t worry. If you can’t do it, I’ll just break the seal.”

“Ah!”

Ha Si-yeon’s face brightened.

She was relieved by the words that I would break the seal.

But I’m sorry.

I don’t have any seal.

Actually, this state is the state of breaking the seal.

..I feel guilty.

“Then let’s go.”

But Ha Si-yeon regained her confidence, so that’s good enough.

“Yes, yes!”

We headed for Uijeongbu, the forbidden zone ‘The Land of Jade Flame’.

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