― Yes, it's Sister.
As soon as I answered the phone, I quietly shut my mouth at the excited voice I heard.
Then I heard a loud, throat-clearing sound from beyond the phone.
Still, she couldn't hide her excited voice.
― Yes, it's Sister?
“… yes. It's me."
Over the phone, I heard someone speaking to Lee Ye-Eun as if they were telling her off.
― Wait, Clan Head. What are you doing without even drying your hair....
― Just dry it roughly. You can do it after the phone call.
― You can't!
It was a woman's voice that I heard for the first time.
She shouted suddenly and soon poured out some more words to Lee Ye-Eun, as if telling her off.
Soon, I heard the sound of wind, which sounded like the sound of a hair dryer.
“Why didn't you dry your hair and answer….”
― Ji-Hyuk, you called me Sister on the phone, how can I wait?
Lee Ye-Eun muttered in a sullen voice.
Then she began to complain.
― Haa, how is it that the more I work, the more it keeps increasing...? There aren't many people around... the people I trust and entrust my work with... if I had known it would be like this, I'd have moderately pur... Oh, no.
Lee Ye-Eun immediately glossed over the word, but I could hear the word purge accurately.
I didn't bother mentioning it because I didn't feel the need to point it out.
― Oh, anyway. If I had known it would be like this, I would have loosened things up a bit. I guess I've become too sentimental with various works overlapping... maybe it's because I sternly held them accountable even if they were a little involved, even in my clan, all the eyes looking at me are afraid lately!
“Yeah, even though it's rare to find someone with such a tender heart.”
Then I heard a coughing sound from over the phone.
Soon, along with the words of apology, I heard the sound of someone hurriedly opening the door and leaving.
Lee Ye-Eun let out a small sigh and muttered, as if grumbling.
― No one knows except you. Everyone's like that, you know? They think I'm a monster who wouldn't even bleed a drop of blood if I get stabbed in my some kind of iron face. Really, everyone is too much....
“Well, because I know it, it'll be okay. And I bet Woo-Seok-ssi also knows very well that Clan Head is tender-hearted.”
— … you are calling me Clan Head again this time. And Woo-Seok-ssi, when did you two get so close that you call him by his name only?
"Yes?"
— It's okay.
Lee Ye-Eun made a loud Hmph sound. [Fun fact: It's the first Hmph in this novel.]
Then she muttered as if asking me to listen.
― Even if I try hard like that, you don’t notice, you don’t even call me Sister and always call me Senior, or Clan Head… Plus, I want someone reliable who helps me quickly by my side, but you don't understand my heart like this....
“No, um….”
― I really tried to not say something like this, though.
Lee Ye-Eun muttered in a sullen voice.
― You know, I've been under a lot of stress lately. And I've been eating to relieve stress, so now I've gained as much as 3 kilos more! But now, because of you, Ji-Hyuk, I think I'll gain 1 kilo more if I measure it later at night.
“Oh, that's good to hear. I've felt this for a long time, but you were too skinny.”
— … Hmph, I know you're just saying to flatter me. More than that, don't change the subject...!
"Sister."
Lee Ye-Eun, who was about to say something, remained silent.
I took a moment to catch my breath and muttered once more.
“Sister, please understand my position. To be honest, how can I suddenly be shameless with you and call you Sister nonchalantly... right?"
— Th, that's... I mean.
“Sister also knows well, my circumstances. And… you said you would understand.”
I muttered like I was very hurt, and after a while, I heard a rustling sound as if she were restless from the other end of the phone.
— Oh, that. Ji-Hyuk, no. Ji-Hyuk-ssi. Are you perhaps very upset...? No, it's not like that. I'm just too comfortable with you, so I've been acting like a baby to you a little without realizing it, no. no. Why am I... Ugh, I didn't know you'd take it like that. No, I'm sorry. I mean… uh, um....
Seeing her gibberish, I said as if I understood it a little.
“I know, to be honest… there aren't many people in this world who help and think about me as much as Sister. Soo-Young or, Ye-Seul, Hyun-Woo, Ivan….”
I murmured their names as if whispering.
“I haven't said anything, but I'm really very grateful to everyone. I've never felt anything like this in the world I originally lived in. So I fully understand what Sister is doing to me.”
So you don't have to be so sorry.
I sincerely said so.
— …….
She was silent.
For a brief moment, all I could hear was her quiet breathing.
— … it's not fair.
"Yes?"
― If you say it like that, I can't force you anymore... Haa, really.
Lee Ye-Eun said so and sighed slightly.
― Shall we start with the main point… what did you call me about now, Evangeline, were you going to say you're coming together with that woman?
“As expected, you're a ghost.”
― I haven't risen to the position of head of the clan with rock-paper-scissors.
Lee Ye-Eun gave a small laugh.
— … good, you can come anytime. Instead, I think it's better to come without being noticed. Since it's a secret matter, it wouldn't be nice to be known by others for nothing, right? Evangeline, if it's that woman's ability, it'd be possible enough to do that much.
"Yes. She's a great wizard who can change her appearance and also use spatial movement magic."
— Oh, and I'm just saying this just in case.
“What's going on?"
— The Thorns Cross Society is almost destroyed.
“… good, no. I heard Sister was tracking them. I guess there's another reason why you bothered to talk about it?”
— Yes. That's right. It was almost uprooted by some other force, not me. The problem is, after checking, it wasn't another guild, association, or even a hunter.
She muttered as if she couldn't understand.
― For now, we're also investigating to know about the detailed situation, but… I thought it'd be good if you knew about it, too, Ji-Hyuk.
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."
― Yes, so I'll really see you then… Oh, one more last thing, really.
“What else is left?”
Lee Ye-Eun hesitated for a moment.
— … as far as I know, Evangeline, I heard that person is single, am I right?
“… maybe? I've never heard of her having a boyfriend or lover.”
Perhaps because of the name Ten Strongest, if such a person had appeared, rumors would have spread almost immediately.
In fact, there were even articles circulating about a subtle air current appearing between Lee Myung-Joon and Horie Yuzuki.
― Ugh, I thought it might be, but as expected, it's like that….
Lee Ye-Eun muttered as if she didn't like it.
Then she soon said she understood, and hung up the phone with the greeting, I'll see you later.
[Hey.]
Svengali's words naturally brought a frown to my face.
“If you say nonsense again, this time I'll really….”
[It is not like that. Do you see the man in the staff uniform over there?]
I turned my head at his words.
There was a man with a toolbox walking toward me.
[It is not their real self. The real self is… a blonde woman. Quite young....]
“Oh, it must be Esmeralda. Did Lydia send her? As expected, things are getting dealt with quickly.”
[…….]
Then I heard Svengali's voice as if he were speechless.
[How is it that everyone around you is a woman? I am not joking now, I am truly starting to get worried about you.]
“…….”
Esmeralda, transformed into a staff member, naturally walked past me.
Soon I felt something in my pocket.
When I took it out, it was a small in-ear.
I carefully hung it on my ear.
― Have you been in peace, benefactor?
The main character of the voice was Lydia.
As I stealthily headed to a deserted place and said hello in moderation, I suddenly heard Svengali burst into laughter.
[Now I do not know either. Do whatever you want.]
Later, still with the old sentiment, I shall bury you in a sunny place.
Of course, you know I can not because I do not have a body.
It was when I agonized whether I should press Svengali down one more time, who was being sarcastic in that way.
— … benefactor? Can't you hear me well?
“No, I can hear you well. The connection must have been unstable for a moment.”
— I see.
Lydia muttered in a still quiet voice.
― Please destroy that in-ear and throw it away after you're done with it.
"I will. Can I flush it down the toilet?"
― That would be enough. Well, I'll tell you what we've found so far.
She spewed out information of such importance from the start that I couldn't have even expected.
— We've found out the approximate goal of Children of Milited.
“Wait, really?”
— Yes. It's only approximate, though. Thanks to that, we were able to check those b*stard's actions to some extent. They have been looking for traces of people they call 'saint' and 'saintess'.
“Saint and saintess?”
I didn't have a clue at all.
As I tilted my head, Lydia added as if explaining.
― I don't know which one it is, but it seems to have something to do with the Thorns Cross Society. We caught a situation where they were sticking together so tenaciously that they attacked believers of Thorns Cross Society almost like they were hunting.
“… it has something to do with the Thorns Cross Society.”
If so, was the very force that Lee Ye-Eun said attacked Thorns Cross Society Children of Milited?
But saint and saintess, this is what bothers me.
“…….”
Lee Ye-Eun can be considered a priestess and agent of the World Tree.
And in this world, the World Tree can be said to be an entity that literally supports the world, an object of faith that once saved the world.
So, is Lee Ye-Eun the saintess?
‘… No.'
This was too one-dimensional a thought.
I left my thoughts behind and asked her back.
"You don't know anything more other than that?”
― Yes. I'm ashamed. We still need time to find out more than that...
“No, that alone helped a lot. It's not empty words, really.”
― If so, I'm glad, but....
Lydia sighed quietly and muttered.
“Oh, come to think of it, there's something I want to ask you separately.”
― Which one are you talking about?
“I want you to know the whereabouts of two people.”
― Tell me who they are. We'll do our best to find out.
“Isaac McDowell's disciple, Dmitry, and I don’t know the name, but… except for the two who are now at Orhe Academy, the other disciple. Two people like this.”
― I understand. Is there anything more you need?
"There's no more. Oh, and….”
I hesitated for a moment.
Originally, it would have been right not to tell her, a villain, but I was already in a situation where I was receiving help from her in many ways.
"It'd be better if you didn't show up around the academy, including the five streets, for a while."
— … is there a reason?
“I can’t tell you the details, but I hope you remember it if possible.”
― I will do so.
After saying that, Lydia added, as if she had one last thing to say to me.
― Oh, and about Alice Blesbuck’s whereabouts….
“Oh, right. I forgot to tell you this, too.”
― Yes?
"It seems you don't need to investigate her anymore.”
— … uh, yes. Then it's good for us, but... actually, we couldn't find any traces at all. If you don't mind, may I ask why?
“I think there's a person who already knows. I have an idea who that person might be."
With those words, I manipulated my cell phone and sent a text message to Lee Myung-Joon.
It was something he couldn't refuse, so he would probably reply right away.
“I think I need to get a bit busy there. So I need your help a lot.”
In any case, I'm in a position to make the first move for the first time.
Muttering like that, I opened my mouth to Lydia, saying, I have one last thing to ask for.
As I said to her just before, now was the time to move busier than anyone else.
* * *
“Hello. My name is Emilia, and I'll be teaching manalogy to you all for a while."
A copper-skinned woman opened her mouth with a slightly inarticulate pronunciation.
No matter who looked at it, she was a young, quite attractive, and beautiful woman who inherited Latin blood densely.
As evidence of that, the eyes of most of the male students taking the class were focused on her as if possessed.
Even some female students were blushing slightly.
And, perhaps well aware of this external charm of hers, Emilia began her lecture by mixing fairly natural and confident movements.
“Actually, many people are mistaken, but it's not just wizards who deal with mana. I believe most of you students already utilize mana in a variety of ways, such as activating it to boost your physical abilities, increase your reflexes, or speed up your body's recovery."
She picked up the bottled water next to her and gulped it down.
“Also, if you get a little more skillful, you can coat your weapons or armor to increase their power, or you can use mana in your own way to make use of it in ways that one didn't even think of. Simply put, mana can be said to be an essential element for heroes and hunters and should be the most familiar with them."
Saying that much, she added quietly.
"On top of that, it has already been proven that monsters deal with mana, so in a way, mana may be the key to the source."
She looked around us, clearing her throat slightly.
“Well then, since it’s also the first class, let’s all have a moment to think about the meaning and true purpose of this class. Could you all widen the distance between you by two arms' lengths?"
At her words, Han Soo-Young, Jin Ye-Seul, and Choi Hyun-Woo, who were around me, moved far away.
Perhaps it was my imagination, but she continued her explanation, hovering around me.
“Let's feel our own mana once. What I want you to keep in mind here is not to do it the usual way, but to operate it as if you were looking through every corner of your entire body while circulating mana in a different way. You don't have to do a lot, nor do you have to do it for a long time. Just be meticulous. Remember this only.”
Nominally she was a professor, and I was a student in her class.
First, I began to move my mana in a comfortable position as she instructed.
If I think about it, at a certain moment, at a moment I didn't know, mana operation became possible.
Even though I had certainly never learned this kind of thing separately.
It was just strange.
Why the hell….
[…….]
As I concentrated, I felt Svengali's energy.
He kept his mouth shut.
I kept moving my mana.
“…….”
I started to feel something.
Then, with someone's breath, there was a subtle smell of perfume.
“… come on, follow my hand and move your mana."
Emilia, it was her.
Before I knew it, she was close to me, her hand on my body.
“Come on, slowly… slowly….”
She moved her fingers slowly along my body as if she was tickling me.
Meanwhile, I could feel her swiping past areas that might be sensitive.
“No, wait. Professor. What is this....”
"Shh. Mana has become messed up.”
Saying so, she added.
“This is how I originally take classes. Other students will do the same, too.”
Even as she said that, she was giving me a furtive look.
And I could understand well why she was doing this to me.
Isaac McDowell.
I was certain that she had received his orders.
Even so, I never thought they'd use such a method....
It was when I was dumbfounded and was about to stop her action right away.
“…….”
I held my breath for a moment.
It was because I met the eyes of someone who was looking straight at this side.
“…….”
It was Han Soo-Young.
She had silently taken out her cell phone and was filming the current scene.
And not long after, I was able to hear that Professor Emilia had been sanctioned for doing something that might seem inappropriate during class.
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