The departnt store iling took us to was, of course, operated by a subsidiary of the Forward Group.
As soon as we stepped onto the first floor, an employee who recognized iling imdiately guided us to the VIP lounge.
“Bring several outfits that would suit her.”
Sitting cross-legged on a single sofa, iling pointed at Lumina Cueva.
“Yes, Miss iling.”
The employee asked Lumina to stand for a mont, circled her once to take a look, then nodded.
“Please wait just a mont.”
No sooner had the words left the employee’s mouth than they quickly disappeared, replaced by another staff mber who brought refreshnts to the table.
“If you need anything at all, please let us know imdiately.”
The smile, gestures, and tone of voice were clearly the product of ticulous training—polished, attentive, and just enough to convey genuine care without going overboard.
It struck that even emotional labor, when perford at that level, could be moving.
iling, however, didn’t so much as glance at the employee. She simply turned to us.
“You heard them, right? If you want sothing to eat or see, just say so—they’ll bring it right away.”
“Ah, uh, o-okay…”
Lumina replied stiffly, her body just as tense as her voice.
The flicker in her eyes said it all: Is it really okay for to be sitting in a place like this?
A short while later, two employees entered, pushing a rack full of clothes.
“Would you co this way, please?”
One of them smiled at Lumina.
“O-okay!”
While Lumina followed them to try on clothes, iling rested her chin on her hand and looked at .
“Do you have sothing to say?”
“I was just thinking… unlike Lumina, you don’t seem surprised or nervous in places like this.”
“Ah.”
The reason I could stay so calm was because I’d already seen this scene in the ga.
This was one of those everyday events that occurred when your relationship with iling deepened—normally involving her picking out clothes for the protagonist.
But since I wasn’t the protagonist, the recipient of her generosity had been swapped to Lumina.
“Just wondering—are your parents businesspeople or sothing?”
“No.”
“Then are they landowners?”
“Probably not.”
“What do you an ‘probably’?”
“I don’t have parents. I don’t even rember them. So I have no idea what they were like.”
iling’s mouth fell open, as if the air had been knocked from her lungs.
“But they probably weren’t rich. Otherwise, I doubt I would’ve grown up in an orphanage.”
“…”
iling shut her mouth and looked away, perhaps regretting she’d asked.
Of course, what I’d just said wasn’t my real mory—it was sothing I’d once heard from Kai, thrown together as a cover.
Just then, Lumina returned in a pastel-toned cardigan and blouse with a skirt that fell well past her knees—perfect for spring.
I didn’t know much about clothes. Back in reality, I’d just grab sothing that fit from a market or a bargain shop.
Still, seeing her now, I understood exactly what “clothes make the person” ant.
And she nailed the size from just one look earlier.
As expected, VIP staff were professionals among professionals.
“Not bad.”
iling’s lips curved into a smile.
“Leave that one aside for now and try the others.”
“Uh, um, iling…”
“Hmm?”
“I… well… I don’t have the money for clothes like this…”
iling frowned.
“Did you really think I’d drag you all the way here and then make you pay? This is to thank you for helping study, so don’t worry about it and just try them on.”
“But…”
“Lumina.”
When I called her na, she looked at .
“Just accept it. If you keep refusing, iling’s face will turn as red as a Fire Stone from embarrassnt.”
“What kind of nonsense is that!?”
iling shot to her feet, yelling.
The sudden outburst made the nearby employees flinch.
“Oh dear, looks like the volcano erupted after all.”
“This is your fault!!”
She was fuming.
“What are you all standing around for? Hurry and help her change!”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
“Right away!”
“Uh, w-wait… Ah!”
The employees gently took Lumina’s arm and escorted her back to the fitting room like she was being led away.
“You could’ve just said thank you, like you did to before.”
“Will you shut that mouth?”
The flush on her face deepened another shade.
About thirty minutes later, iling purchased every outfit Lumina had tried on.
From a quick glance, the total seed to be sowhere between twenty to thirty million won.
Lumina, pale at the price, tried to decline out of guilt, but iling refused to hear it.
“Miss iling, would you like to bring you this year’s spring catalog?” one staff mber asked, clearly eager to boost sales further.
“Not for . It’s his turn now.”
iling pointed at .
Huh.
I’d assud we were heading back, so I was caught off guard.
“It might be a bit tricky, but pick sothing that would still look decent on him.”
“Yes, could you please stand up for a mont?”
“I don’t need clothes.”
“Shut up and stand.”
Her tone was sharp.
Twenty minutes later, shopping bags full of clothes for were lined up at my side.
“Shall we send these to your ho, or to the academy?” the staff asked.
“Don’t bother. He’s carrying everything himself,” iling said, pointing at .
So she really had ant it when she said she’d use as a pack mule.
The employee looked at .
“Send them to Gwangcheon Academy.”
“Yes, of course.”
I answered with a smile, and though iling snorted, she didn’t argue.
By the ti we left the VIP lounge, both Lumina and I were dressed differently from when we’d entered.
“iling.”
I called to her as she walked ahead.
She whipped her head around and glared at .
“What? Don’t tell you have a problem with the clothes.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Thanks. I’ll wear them well.”
“Ugh.”
She jolted as if I’d just shot her.
“I-I’m really thankful too, iling. I’ve never worn clothes this nice in my life.”
“Hmph! If you ever need more, just tell . I’ll bring you here anyti.”
“Uh… maybe not…”
Lumina gave a wry smile.
“So, what about food? Should we eat here?” iling asked, looking at us.
“You’re okay with not having soondae today?”
At my question, iling’s face flushed and her eyes sharpened.
“I’ve already decided we’re eating whatever you two want today. So quit talking and just tell what you want.”
“What do you think, Lumina?”
“…Uh… I’m fine with anything. Yein, is there nothing you want to eat?”
“Hmm. Then let’s walk around outside for a bit and decide.”
All around us, employees were sneaking glances at iling as if she were so kind of monster carrying a treasure chest.
The service was good, but those looks were… a little much.
“Suit yourself.”
iling folded her arms.
We stepped out of the departnt store and walked along the main street.
Even though humanity had supposedly co to the brink of extinction once, the city center stood as if nothing had ever happened.
In reality, it must have been after a long period of reconstruction.
As we pondered what to eat while passing countless restaurants, a loud commotion reached our ears.
[The final trial is near!]
[We must all act according to His will!]
[The chance for awakening is given equally to all humankind!]
The voices bood as if shouted through loudspeakers.
“What’s going on?” Lumina tilted her head.
The cause beca clear soon enough.
A group of people stood in the street, holding placards and wearing sashes printed with words, staring at passersby.
Behind them was a vehicle fitted with a large LED display—the kind you’d expect for election campaigns.
“The Awakened were the chosen envoys appointed by the Demon God! But now they’ve forgotten their duty, succumbing to corruption and coveting only the resources of the Demon Realm!”
“Ugh.”
iling grimaced, sticking out her tongue.
“Demon God?” Lumina tilted her head again.
“They’re from the Demon God Cult,” I said, glancing at the placards, which carried the sa words that had just blared from the loudspeaker.
“They believe Hunters didn’t appear naturally but received their powers from a Demon God of the Demon Realm.”
“There’s a god in the Demon Realm??” Lumina’s eyes widened.
“According to them.”
The woman with the loudspeaker spoke again.
“The Demon God grants transcendence and eternal life to those who believe! We must all train ourselves as soon as possible, in accordance with His will, to prepare for the final trial!”
“What’s this about transcendence and a final trial?” iling muttered, arms crossed.
“They an people who’ve reached a higher realm than the Awakened. The final trial is basically the apocalypse—and only those who survive it will enjoy eternal life at the Demon God’s side. That’s their doctrine.”
“What the— How do you know so much? Don’t tell you…”
iling suddenly took a step back from .
“I once overheard them preaching on the street and wondered what kind of nonsense it was, so I looked it up online. They even have a website.”
Of course, it wasn’t from a website—I’d learned it firsthand from the ga.
“In short, it was all nonsense.”
“Well, obviously. I can’t believe people actually follow a religion that ridiculous. Gives chills,” iling said, glaring at the cultists with open disgust.
Just then, the woman with the loudspeaker looked straight at us.
She was a middle-aged woman with dark moss-green hair braided into a bun and large round glasses.
“What, did she hear us or sothing?” iling joked, smirking.
“S-she keeps looking at us,” Lumina said nervously.
The woman didn’t take her eyes off us.
That face… I feel like I’ve seen her before.
Then her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
“W-what’s with her?” iling’s voice sounded genuinely unsettled for once—her expression was so startled.
“She’s scaring . Let’s just go, okay?” Lumina tugged at our arms.
“Yeah, let’s.”
I took the lead, and the woman kept staring at us the entire ti we passed.
Even the other cultists seed surprised, glancing back at her.
“What’s wrong, Branch Leader?”
“Branch Leader Ju Yeongsong, is there a problem?”
Ju Yeongsong!
The mont I heard the na, my mory clicked into place.
Ju Yeongsong was one of the Demon God Cult’s five Transcendents.
But why would soone like her be staring at us?
She had no connection to iling or Lumina.
And events involving the Demon God Cult didn’t even appear unless you triggered specific conditions.
Above all, a quest had never started in this kind of situation before.
Thankfully, Ju Yeongsong didn’t follow us.
Once we’d put enough distance between us, the sound of her loudspeaker faded back into the background.
“D-do you think she overheard us talking about them?” Lumina asked.
“Hmph! They’re the ones making a scene in public,” iling snapped.
I agree with iling… but what was that about?
The uneasy pounding in my chest lingered for a long while afterward.
By Monday, the weekend was over.
In front of Gwangcheon Academy’s main building, students from all grades had gathered.
Midterm results and rankings had just been posted.
Large ranking sheets listing every student from first to last were pinned to the board.
It was just like Gwangcheon to publicly display information that could be embarrassing or deeply personal.
“…”
“…”
Lumina and iling stood with their mouths slightly open, staring blankly at the rankings.
I looked toward the top.
All three of us had perfect scores on the written exams.
Lumina had set the fastest ti in the mock battle and scored perfectly in the dungeon practical, so she naturally ranked first.
I had beaten iling in the mock battle but failed to get full marks in the dungeon practical because I didn’t obtain a certain material.
iling, on the other hand, had lost to in the mock battle but gotten a perfect dungeon score.
As a result, iling and I tied for second place.
“Congrats on first place, Lumina.”
“Ah, uh… thanks…” Lumina nodded awkwardly.
“Looks like we didn’t settle our score.”
I glanced at iling.
“What do you say we head to a dungeon and have one last match?”
iling turned her head toward .
“…No. I’m not interested in that kind of contest anymore.”
“What? Weren’t you going to make lick the soles of your shoes?”
The mont I said it, her face turned bright red.
“Forget it! Forget I ever said that!”
She shouted so loudly that everyone nearby flinched.
“What’s going on?”
“Did Nam Yein make iling mad again?”
“Sothing about a match?”
“Is Nam Yein going to die today?”
The last remark carried a strange note of expectation.
But I probably wasn’t going to die—Kai would have seen the footage from iling’s drone.
“Yes, I’ve seen the report. iling and Nam Yein tied for second place,” Kai said, looking out the window.
[Yes. Nam Yein failed to et the conditions he set himself.]
His secretary’s voice ca through his wireless earpiece.
[I believe this gives us justification to act, even if we ignore your previous instruction to leave him alone.]
“Fool.”
[…Pardon?]
“Do you think we’re in any position to act against him just because he broke his own conditions?”
Kai firmly believed he couldn’t overpower Yein with his current resources.
His opponent had the power to stand against the Queen of Spirits—there was no way for Kai’s side to make a move, justification or not.
Besides, Nam Yein hadn’t truly failed.
Thanks to him, iling was selected for HAUT despite being a first-year.
Principal Im Seongyeon’s faction was different from Kai’s.
Expelling Jin Cheongwang’s group had been easy because they’d attacked with intent to kill. But this case was different.
The principal wasn’t clean himself, but he didn’t openly block Kai from ddling in academy affairs. Nor did he have any reason to curry favor with him.
And without that guy, iling wouldn’t have achieved these results.
Kai knew iling had grown strong enough to navigate the dungeon’s second floor and that she was now making genuine efforts—sothing that had never happened under his own orders before.
“For now, we can only watch. How is the investigation going? I haven’t heard an update in a while.”
[Ah, apologies. We’re gathering information from all angles, but we haven’t learned anything new about Nam Yein yet…]
“Tsk.”
Kai clicked his tongue and ended the call—only to place another.
[Yes, Father.]
The one who answered was iling.
“iling. I have new instructions for you.”
[…Yes. Go ahead.]
“From today, report every single detail about Nam Yein. And I don’t an just telling what dungeon you went to or what items you gave him.”
[Then…?]
“Record all of your conversations with him and send them to daily. Yes… better include Lumina Cueva as well.”
[…]
“Why aren’t you answering?”
[Father… I don’t think Nam Yein harbors any hostile intent toward .]
Kai’s eyes narrowed.
“Idiot. Do you really think he’s being nice out of genuine goodwill? Don’t get swept up in your little friendship gas.”
[…I’m sorry.]
Her voice ca through the earpiece, smaller now.
“Start sending the recordings tomorrow.”
With that, Kai hung up, frowning and clicking his tongue again.
anwhile, standing in the middle of her dorm room, iling yanked the wireless earbud from her ear and tossed it onto the bed.
It bounced off the mattress, hit the wall, and landed back on the bed.
“…”
She stared at it, lips pressed tightly together.
Her stomach churned violently, as if she were suddenly sick.
(End of Chapter)
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