“Hello.”
– How did you know?
As soon as I answered the phone, I heard a young woman’s voice.
“My eyes can see the flow and aura of mana, and I recognized yours. Not many have it quite like you.”
Hearing that, Hyun-Hwa muttered in a voice that sounded sowhat convinced.
– …Is that so? That’s an excellent talent to have.
After a mont, Hyun-Hwa let out a small sigh.
– …Just out of curiosity, does Hyun-Woo know?
“I didn’t say anything.”
– Sure. From my ti with him, he didn’t seem like the kind of young man who would talk about sothing like this. But…
She let out another deep sigh.
– God, how did this happen… Soo-Young and Hyun-Woo have raised to be so upstanding that I have no sha in putting myself out there. I’ve made a huge mistake because I’m foolish.
“It’s not your fault…”
– If it’s not my fault, is it Hyun-Woo’s?
Hyun-Hwa said that in a sullen voice.
– That aside, I knew he was blunt, but I didn’t realize he was that honest. I should’ve taught him better…
“…….”
Hearing her lanting voice, I remained silent for a mont.
It was better not to try to comfort her.
– I’ll have to ask Soo-Young for a favor later… Or can you help instead?
“…What for?”
– Neither he nor Soo-Young had ever had a lover because I was taking all their ti.
Nam Hyun-hwa said that.
– Soo-Young is too reckless sotis, and Hyun-Woo is too upright, so…
Hyun-Hwa said quietly.
– No, I’ll ask Soo-Young separately later. I hope you don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, but I think it’ll be worse if I ask you…
What the hell does that an?
I heard Svangali snort and stifle a laugh.
“What are you talking about?”
– The truth is, I’ve been worried about those two kids since they left my care. Would they be able to make good friends and live safely? It’s been really weighing on my mind…
– But seeing them with you made realize I didn’t have to worry about that. I could put aside my silly worries that they might get separated.
– …Though I am a little worried for you.
“…….”
I listened to her for a mont.
Then Svengali whispered.
[I bet you’re happy that a young woman’s voice is worried for you.]
Shut up.
-…I’ll stop being sentintal for now.
I heard her take a deep breath.
– Okay… Let’s just cut to the chase. Why did you leave a ssage requesting my help?
“First, let apologize for my rudeness, Hyun-Hwa-ssi. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but….”
I began to regale her with the details of the story involving Minerva.
At the end of my long-winded tale, she gasped quietly.
– …So, you want to help attack Minerva, one of the Seven Evils?
“Exactly.”
– …I’ll do what I can, but I’m afraid I can’t give you any assurances.
She replied quietly but with a sincere apology.
– My colleagues and I are on the trail of our friend’s killer. I can’t leave them behind at the mont.
Suddenly, I made a connection.
“Then…are you tracking Milited’s Children?”
– How did you…?
I deduced it through elimination.
I found out through Lydia the Red Case had no involvent.
The Thorns Cross Society has no reason to do so, and they’ve already been wiped out.
The Big Watch doesn’t have mbers with ntal abilities. Even if they did, they had much cleaner and more efficient thods.
That left Milited’s Children.
“You see, I’m on their trail as well.”
I told her about the recent infighting among their mbers.
Belluna, having lost interest, had tried to secede but ended with the murder of two other mbers in the process.
Their faction had been cut in half, with only three mbers left.
And that they are a lich, a vampire, and a dragon.
– …I see.
Part of wondered if she didn’t believe , but she seed to trust .
– We already found traces that could link to the existence of a dragon and a lich… if that’s the case…
She let out a small cough.
– You’ve told sothing big; if true, it will make our job considerably easier. I’ll make sure to pay for it later.
“Just so you know, Minerva will be unsealed soon…”
– A favor done, a favor repaid.
– I will be sure to be there in ti for the attack on Minerva you speak of. If possible, I’ll convince my friends to participate as well.
Hyun-Hwa alone would be a great help, but her allies as well?
“Thank you so much.”
– What, I don’t need to be thanked. It’s the right thing to do. Just…
She paused for a mont, then replied
– Nothing. Just take care of the two kids. They’re my students and family.
“I have to thank you for raising them because they’ve been good friends to beyond asure.”
– …….
Nam Hyeon-hwa was silent.
It was apparent that she was thinking about sothing.
– It would be ridiculous for to say anything.
After a long pause, she spoke up.
– Let’s talk about this later, in person. Okay… I’ll say one last thing.
“I’ll listen.”
– You deserve Hyun-Woo and Soo-Young’s trust, affection, friendship… or whatever else you have between you.
I couldn’t believe what I heard.
Hyun-Hwa added quietly.
– Until next ti, take care of yourself. Where is it…
With that, she hung up the phone.
Even after the call was disconnected, I couldn’t figure out what her last words ant.
[…You are a little slow, so let give you my interpretation.]
Svengali muttered.
When I nodded, he spoke up.
[From ti to ti, you’ve been known to show you…possesiveness]
“…What?”
[I noticed that in your relationships, you had this weird sort of coddling thing going on, where you’d bend over backward even though the other person was in the wrong, or you’d say, “Of course, I’m the one who should bear all the burden, I’m the one who should be in charge, I’m the one who should sacrifice more.”]
[I’m guessing that reflects your upbringing, but…]
[Perhaps she saw through that side of you. Having lived so many years, she must have developed that insight.]
“…….”
He must’ve gained the ability to attack my heart now.
[…Putting that aside, she is a swordswoman of such power that she has inflicted a great wound on my body, and I have seen few others as powerful as her. She and her allies will be a great help to you.]
“…I suppose so.”
[…It’s good to get lost in your thoughts, but don’t you need to prepare more?]
He advised sincerely.
[…You wouldn’t want to disappoint her, right?]
“Yeah, you’re right… More than that, what’s been going on with you? You’re being unusually nice.”
Svengali sighed.
[You won’t admit it, but I’ve been handing out advice that’s been worth its weight in gold for quite so ti now….]
“This is why. I complint you once, and you spout out nonsense.”
With that, I calmly began to organize the situation.
The Ten Strongest had already assembled.
Nam Hyun-Hwa and her colleagues would also co.
And…
I glanced at the seal Belluna had given earlier.
A stamp containing her magic power that had yet to fade even after several days.
“Surely she said that if I collected ten of them, she would grant a wish?”
I imdiately called Ivan.
* * *
“You want to et my mother?”
Ivan gave a disgusted look.
Without a word, I rolled up my sleeve and showed him the stamp on , and his expression changed oddly.
“…Ji-Hyuk, you got one?”
“And you, Ivan?”
He blushed in embarrassnt at my words.
He then rolled his sleeves farther than I did, showing the front of his forearms.
There were a total of eight stamps on his arm.
“She said ten for one wish. Have you ever made a wish?”
He blushed and nodded at my question.
“When I was very young, I asked to be taken to the zoo once.”
“If you don’t mind, could I borrow your stamps?”
“I don’t… but how will you get the last one?”
“That’s why I want to talk with Belluna-ssi.”
He nodded at my words.
“I’m sure she’s around the area; She’ll be here soon enough if we call her now.”
“Thanks. I owe you one.”
“About that… Ji-hyuk, I’d like to ask you a favor first.”
I looked at him, quite surprised at how timid he beca.
“What is it?”
“Could you arrange a eting with Evangeline Lohengrin for ?”
I was speechless.
Ivan opened his mouth hastily as if realizing the implications of his words.
“No, no, I didn’t an that. It’s just that I want to reinforce the palace. There are limits to what I can do on my own… and I thought that with the help of the Great Witch, it would improve our situation.”
“No, I didn’t misunderstand anything… but why did you think I could build a bridge with her?”
Ivan smirked at that.
“Even if I used to be an asshole, if I’d been slow, I’d be dead.”
I nodded silently.
“…I’ll try.”
Ivan nodded and picked up his phone.
Then he looked at , walked over to a corner, and started talking to soone.
For so reason, I rembered calling Lee Ye-eun on the phone and occasionally calling her my sister.
After a while, Ivan ended the call and approached , his face slightly flushed.
“She’ll be here in a minute. So what will you do to get my mother’s stamp?”
“Sothing simple.”
With that, I waved the plastic bag I’d brought with .
Ivan looked at it and gave a puzzled look.
“…But I’m sorry in advance.”
“What for?”
“I’ll show you later.”
It was then.
A strange wind blew.
When we turned our heads, Belluna stood before us.
She looked at us nonchalantly as if she had been with us all along.
“Hello, Belluna-ssi.”
“Yes, hello, Yoo Ji-hyuk.”
I bowed to her.
She curtsied in return.
Ivan looked troubled for a mont, then followed suit and bowed.
“…Hello, Mother.”
“Oh, my son.”
Belluna murmured with a smirk.
“Why don’t you call mom like earlier?”
“…….”
Ivan didn’t answer, but his face was flushed red.
Belluna snorted in amusent at the sight, then chuckled.
“So, what exactly did you want to talk to about? I hear you have sothing very, very important to tell .”
Without another word, I walked over to a nearby table.
I began to pull out the items in the plastic bag, one after the other.
“It’s no big deal. I just wanted to return the favor.”
Coke, potato chips, dried squid, cubed cheese, ice cream, sandwiches…
All the snacks and beverages I could find slowly piled up on the table.
“Did you know that my country used to have a lot of folklore, with tributes and sacrifices to the gods of wind, rain, and clouds?
Belluna didn’t answer.
She just stared blankly at the things on the table.
Ivan was looking at with a look of disbelief on his face.
“I’ll show you how it works, Belluna-ssi.”
“I will pay tribute to you.”
“To you, the High Wind Elental.”
Suddenly, Belluna’s eyes literally sparkled with light.
Reviews
All reviews (0)