Ch. 29.2
“Yeah... You are originally such a shameless guy. Arshuang is busy preparing for the evening hunt. That’s all? I am going now.”
Hunt? Come to think of it, that [episode] was about to happen. “Wait, are you fighting Arshuang or something like that?”
“Ha, do I have a reason to fight my people? If there’s a misunderstanding, we can resolve it through communication."
“Yeah, that’s it!”
“Come on, what do you mean?”
“She seems to be worried a lot these days. Why don’t you listen to her concerns?”
As if bewildered or annoyed, Hong Bi-Yeon frowned at me.
“Why do I have to take care of another woman?”
‘What is she saying? Did she already forget what she said 3 seconds ago?’
“Because they are your people.”
When I returned what she had just said, Hong Bi-Yeon glared at me with fiery red eyes, then she turned around and walked away.
But, I hadn't finished my sentence yet, so I caught her arm involuntarily.
‘... What’s with this hand? This commoner is too cocky…’
“It's not just about that. It's because I'm worried about you."
The warning didn't pop up, so it meant that revealing this much wouldn’t affect the narrative power.
Hong Bi-Yeon glared at me with terrifying eyes, then swatted her arm away and walked off.
“Are you going to do it? I believe in you!”
She didn't answer, but it was a big win for her not to deny it.
If it was the future where she awakened as a 'villain', she might not know, because I remembered that her personality wasn't that bad in the past.
'By the way, it's hunting event.’
Stellar Academy did not prevent students from engaging in combat activities such as hunting. Unlike other magic academies, Stella's students were gathered with aspiring magic warriors who were good enough to put them on the battlefield right away…
Just by wearing Stella's school uniform and performing outside activities, it proved their status, so outside activities were encouraged.
Of course, that only applied to seniors in the second year or higher. It was possible to go out in the first year, but the conditions were bit difficult, and there were very few students who wanted to go hunting in the first place.
Like Hong Bi-Yeon, only a few students with excellent abilities form a club could go hunting as a team to accumulate experience.
'Come to think of it, earlier Edna said she was also going hunting.’
Even without listening, their destination was obvious.
'Marthevis Cemetery.'
It was the place where the [fourth episode] ensued. In the game, it was simply an episode to accumulate EXP, so I didn't watch the story properly, but I remembered that Eisel, Edna, and Hong Bi-Yeon all participated.
And the event that occurred in the cemetery was the 'Attack of the Necromancer', and a Class 5 Necromancer appeared.
He summoned a skeleton without a hitch, which gave them a pretty good amount of EXP and a fair amount of compensation.
I was thinking of participating too. But, I had no intention of getting involved in hunting necromancers, but if I could get a 'hidden reward' here.
It would be useful in the 'Familiar Contract Ceremony' scheduled soon.
As it was purely determined by one talent, it was essential for me, who didn’t have any to speak of.
I went to the Second Main Tower, found Instructor Lee Han-wol, and filled out an application to get an outing pass.
“Is it for training? Where are you doing it?"
“I’m thinking of going to get some fresh air in the Madar Mountains where nature whispers in your ears.”
"Well... You won't be able to learn swordsmanship or Knighthood from Stella."
"What?"
"No, it’s nothing."
Starting from the second year, it was possible to go hunting alone, limited to Class S.
However, first graders could never go hunting alone, and areas with a Level 3 Danger or higher were prohibited unless they received permission for a 'special outing'.
Every year, there were casualties in such dangerous areas.
What if you get caught?
Minimum suspension, and maximum would be expulsion.
But well, it didn’t matter if I don’t get caught.
I was just sneaking around quietly.
Lee Hanwol read the outing application form.
I didn’t want to get caught lying. I had gone out hunting alone like this a few times before. The professors were too lazy to check, so they tended to give implicit permission.
In the midst of leisurely waiting, another outing application on his desk caught my eye.
'Isn't that an application from Mayuseong?'
I asked softly.
“There are a lot of kids out hunting these days.”
"Yes. Everyone went to Marthevis Cemetery for club activities. He must be trying to accumulate points.”
"Also. Mayuseong and Haewonryang also have high scores, but they are very diligent.”
This was just a question I asked about to confirm the scheduled future, the event that would happen.
By the way.
“… Well. It seems that Mayuseong has never been to the Marthevis Cemetery.”
"Yes? Didn't he just go to the cemetery?"
"Yeah. He cut off his outing permit to go to his 'home' for the weekend. It was Haewonryang, um. Yes. He traveled there with Edna.”
Wait, something was strange.
'They can never overcome the Necromancer's attack event without Mayuseong...?'
What kind of variable appeared so that the kid suddenly returned to his home? There were only two cases when Mayuseong could return to his hometown.
He was called by his father because of a certain event, or to train on his own.
There wouldn’t be any special events scheduled yet, and there was no reason to train right now...
Later, there was a part where Mayuseong trained after being defeated by Haewonryang, who had been thoroughly prepared, but it was too early for now.
'I am going crazy.'
I bit my lips silently and thought about it. There was no way to contact Mayuseong, who had returned to his 'home'.
I glanced at Lee Hanwol.
If a student dispatched outside informed them that they were in danger, they would surely send reinforcements. But, one had to provide solid evidence. Stella's elite magicians weren’t that idle.
'If the question of 'how did you know' starts to come in, then I'm in trouble too.’
Even in the game, there was a time when the main character Edna had a 'bad ending' the time she was cornered into a black mine and executed when she chose a specific option 'wrongly'.
She notified the mages in advance of the event.
After notifying them, they said, "How did you know?" and instead drove Edna to the Dark Magician.
In addition, it was impossible for me to provide proper information because of 'narrative power' in the first place.
There was only one way left.
'...I have no choice but to solve it myself.'