― I'm sorry, I showed you an ugly appearance.
Alice Blesbuck, who sobbed like that for a long time, said so as if she had come down to some extent.
From the other end of the phone, the sound of her wiping her eyes came.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but have you calmed down now?”
― Ye, yes… thank you for your concern.
She muttered quickly in a small voice, as if she were ashamed.
I couldn't understand which country language it was, but Svengali effortlessly mumbled that it was Romanian and began interpreting it in real time.
[Oh, I must be really crazy. It's really embarrassing, what am I doing? Holding the phone and crying to a child who is years younger than me... Aaaah, really, Alice, you idiot. Aaah, with what the hell kind of face should I meet and talk to later? Ah, Lee Myung-Joon, if that guy knew this, he would laugh at me like crazy, right? No, but, Ji-Hyuk wouldn't tell others about this, right? Should I ask him to keep it a secret, just in case? No, then that might stimulate him for no reason. Oh, I really want to die. Die, what were… you doing earlier, making the child worry unnecessarily?]
Svengali, who had been muttering like that, suddenly exclaimed with an oh.
[Guessing from the peculiar intonation and words used on the way, and also the grammar, it seems that this woman is quite a bit older than I thought. Hmm? No, it is not at the level of old. If I remember correctly, it was used at least 200 years ago....]
It was when he was muttering as if in doubt.
Alice Blesbuck opened her mouth again, clearing her throat as if she had calmed down to a certain extent.
― Eu, euhm. I'm sorry, Ji-Hyuk. For a moment... I was very excited. It seems that I had accumulated a lot of emotions without me even knowing it while walking around for a while here and there.
“No, I understand.”
― Um... For now, that, well.
Alice Blesbuck muttered and seemed to organize something to say.
― For now, Jin Ye-Jeong, you can leave the thing related to that child to Lyle. Is there anything else you want to ask for or inquire about besides that?
"Then may I ask you why the professor is suddenly wandering so far away?"
― To prevent the seal of the Seven Evil.
Unexpectedly, she told me straight away without hiding.
― I can't tell you in detail where it is located, but... there is a Seven Evil without a name. No, to be accurate, there are so many names that I couldn't even pick an exact name for the Seven Evil. To prevent the seal of that guy... I'm doing this.
"I see."
— … and actually, there was a reason why I decided to contact you since a few days ago.
“Me?”
— Yes.
Alice muttered quietly.
― As far as I know, this Seven Evil has been sealed for a very long time. This guy can change into many forms, has learned a lot of skills, and even touch time. Well, this kind of story has been passed down.
What she said was right to some extent, but there was a part that was wrong to some extent.
Seven Evil without a name.
To be accurate, it was a Seven Evil that has so many names that its name changes every time it is called.
That guy's identity was, simply put, slime.
Of course, the guy is not really a slime.
It has no fixed form, can change its form as it pleases, can suck the blood of its opponents like a vampire and steal some of their abilities and appearance, and can even draw the spirit's energy and use it.
And it was especially proficient in alchemy.
However, it was not at all true that he could handle time.
Far from being able to handle time, he didn't even have any similar abilities.
[Aha, I guess it is about that unpleasant guy.]
Meanwhile, Svengali muttered as if he understood.
For a very brief moment, I just questioned how this seemingly tactless guy and that Seven Evil without a name mentioned just before were considered to be of the same class.
[… it seems you are thinking of something quite rude.]
As I ignored Svengali's words, I heard Alice Blesbuck muttering as if she wanted me to wait a while.
― Actually, nothing was known about that guy's seal in detail. Only brief information about the approximate location was known, but....
She paused her speech for a moment and took a breath.
― Then recently, I was able to find part of that seal for the first time.
“Wait, really? No, rather, can you tell me such an important fact?”
― I'm telling you because it's you. Wait a minute, I'm sending you a photo right now, so can you check it out?
After a while, a photo was sent to my cell phone.
The photo showed fragments of broken pottery.
On the surface, there was a figure of a man grabbing something of an unknown shape, and a woman pushing the back of such a man from behind.
In the case of the woman, only her arms and a general outline were drawn, but in the case of the man, his face was drawn in a concrete manner to some extent.
That face...
[Looks like you?]
Svengali muttered.
It was as he said.
[Eyes that look vicious and peculiar like snakes, an expression where any cooperation could not be found, and even the scar on the facee!!!]
― It's a relic that was part of that seal. When I checked it, it was a thing that was several hundred years old.… And as soon as I saw this photo, I immediately thought of you, Ji-Hyuk. Plus, since it deals with time, maybe... Well, I thought maybe.
Alice muttered, as if she was feeling awkward.
Then she added in a still crawling voice.
— … that, there's nothing to talk about separately. To be honest, I even wonder why I told you this.
"No, the professor said it because she was worried about me."
― Oh, umm. Even when you put it like that, it's still a bit embarrassing.
She let out a small sigh.
― More than that, I've heard about it. I heard that you were accepted as a member of Clan of the World Tree… and that too the main clan? Your photos and articles were circulating all the way to this far-off place.
Really congratulations.
Alice muttered so.
After uttering those words, Alice muttered quietly, again in a language I couldn't understand.
Then, without giving me time to say anything, she immediately said goodbye to me.
― Then, if there is a situation again later, I will contact you. Take care of yourself.
"Yes. Be careful, professor. I hope to see you again at the academy as soon as possible."
— … yes. Thank you.
Svengali muttered quietly as I put the disconnected phone in my pocket.
[… I'm glad he was able to find his family. Whether it is a true family or not. And in any case, that hasn't changed the fact that I have to make atonement to you and pay for my sins.]
He said, making a sound of smacking his lips.
[I am sure you said she was your professor? What in the world kind of debt does she owe you that she is so sorry that she does not know what to do? Even if you roughly look at the emotions I felt, she would kill people if you ask for.]
“What nonsense are you talking about again?”
I've never really had anything deeply related to Alice Blesbuck, so I wondered if Svengali was playing a poor trick on me again.
I had deliberately returned to my dorm room and answered Alice Blesbuck's call, so I spoke to him out loud without a second thought.
"Yes? I haven't said anything yet, though.”
A very relaxed woman's voice was heard from behind.
When I turned my head to look, there was a woman sitting on my bed who was so beautiful that I couldn't even think she was the same human being.
Yes, she wasn't human.
She was a high-ranking spirit of the wind and the mother of Ivan Hunt.
Belluna.
She was sitting on my bed, looking at me softly.
“Belluna-ssi?”
“Yes, yesh. Yes, that's right. It's Belluna. Long time no see, Yoo Ji-Hyuk.”
She tapped the bed, shaking her leg.
Seeing her humming as if she was happy, I honestly couldn't help but be embarrassed.
I had heard from Ivan that she wanted to meet me, but I never thought she'd come to see me, even in my dreams.
That too by sneaking into my dorm room.
“Oh my, too nervous.”
Before I knew it, Belluna, who came right in front of me, stole my forehead with her hand as if wiping it.
Then she immediately fastened the tie that was loosely tied around my neck and smiled with her eyes.
“Yes, done. The demeanor should be right. Not as much as my son, but Yoo Ji-Hyuk is worth taking care of, too."
“… thank you."
“Wow, fish!”
She twinkled her eyes like a child, then walked over to the tank and tapped the glass wall.
Then she lifted a finger, put it in the water, and muttered.
“So cold. But thanks to that, I can feel this child swimming around."
She grinned, watching the fish swimming in the tank.
“But now I have something to talk about with Yoo Ji-Hyuk. Umm, would it be reassuring if I let them know that I have absolutely no interest in human men other than him?” [Note: 그이 (him): usually used to refer to a husband.]
As soon as those words were over, the fish that was looking at me trembled as if it had been electrocuted, and soon began to swim leisurely here and there.
Belluna smiled and looked at Laune this time.
“……!”
Laune moved his body as if he were taking a kung-fu pose from a Chinese movie.
However, Belluna slightly bent her knees toward Laune, who looked extremely nervous no matter who looked at him and politely greeted him.
"How do you fare, we met once at that time, and we met again like this. Sister* mixed with land, trees, and another energy. Knowing that this is your territory and that you are the rightful owner of the place, I have committed the rudeness of intruding without permission due to my personal circumstances." [*Note: Laune's gender confirmed.]
“…?”
“Would you please accept my apology and be my friend? Of course, I promise to do the duty of a guest, obey your orders, and never go against your will. Oh, this is a little, but....”
Belluna muttered like that, then took something out of her pocket and pushed it to Laune.
It was a huge spirit stone that was so pure that no matter who looked at it, they could recognize it.
"……!!!"
“Will you be my friend?”
“…!!! …!!!”
Laune nodded so windily that her body shook.
Then, she wrapped the spirit stone she was handed over with her whole body, sniffed it, and soon climbed on it while dawdling as if satisfied.
[She sold you for a bribe.]
“It’s okay because it’s cute.”
[… what?]
I looked at Belluna, leaving behind the dumbfounded Svengali.
She, who gained Laune's likability in a cowardly way, stared at Laune with a smile, and soon stared at me as if saying, I almost forgot.
“Oh, now that I have greeted Sister, the owner of this territory, I have to take care of my business.”
“Business?”
"Yes."
Belluna nodded heavily.
“My name is Belluna Hunt.”
She added, looking at me softly.
“Before I met him, my name was Belluna Milited.”
She, who is also a high-ranking spirit of the wind, smiled, looking at me.
“Yoo Ji-Hyuk. As the children of Milited and members of them, I have come to kill you, our obstacle."
* * *
“Ugh!?”
Han Soo-Young let out a pained sound at the pain that seemed to hit around her eyes.
"Ouch….”
Even as she rubbed her hands around her eyes, she calmly began to check the connection of the magical power.
The connection was broken.
It's also very perfectly, so perfectly that it's impossible to reconnect unless you go there and use your hands again.
"Tsk."
Han Soo-young, clicking her tongue, recalled the image the fish had sent her earlier.
Belluna.
Ivan's mother, whom I've definitely seen many times.
How in the world did that person get into Ji-Hyuk's dorm room?
“It looked like there was something, but….”
If she could do as she pleased, she wanted to monitor Yoo Ji-Hyuk's every move 24 hours a day.
But she knew well the fact that it would bring bad consequences to each other.
Han Soo-Young also knew better than anyone else the fact that Yoo Ji-Hyuk was on an equal footing with herself and was never her property.
“…….”
So, she had used a very certain kind of trick on the fish so that when a problem arose in Yoo Ji-Hyuk's affairs, or when some unusual magical power was sensed in his dorm room, a signal would automatically come to her.
While convincing herself that this was just an act of concern for a friend who was often exposed to danger.
She thought she would be in a big trouble if her master or Hyun-Woo found out, but....
“Hmm….”
Han Soo-Young quietly concentrated her mind.
She was thinking of calling out her spirit and sending it, but shook her head at Belluna's ability that she had glimpsed.
If it were her, she would probably notice right away.
She was the one who calmly told herself not to worry, as if she knew everything.
So Han Soo-Young quietly began to resonate with her own magical power that was sleeping in his necklace.
Soon after, his emotions began to be felt vividly.
It was as if she was assimilating with him, a feeling of being even ecstatic.
Surprised.
But soon convinced.
And immediately calm.
The last was anguish.
“… I don’t have to worry.”
Han Soo-Young, who concluded so, nodded quietly.
Wondering if he would answer her if she asked him later, she unconsciously fiddled with the earrings he had given her as a gift.
Why did Belluna come to his dorm room?
And what the hell were the eyes and mouth that appeared on his hand?
What was the identity of the creature he called Laune and loved so much?
Above all else, what was the identity of unknown energy that stared silently at the eyes and mouth that appeared on his hands from behind him?
"Ah… I want to see Master and Ji-Hyuk.”
Lying on the bed, she muttered quietly.
She, who was hugging the doll that was in her hands, let out a small sigh.
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