CH 28

『Ne ne, Shirabayashi-kun! Did you hear?』

The next morning, I went to school and sat down in the classroom, and Yang Bok-ja sat next to me, speaking to me. I asked back indifferently.

『About?』

『About the Spirit Gate we went to see yesterday!…… Well, it’s just a rumor I heard, but apparently someone went to the Japanese zone inside the Spirit Gate a killed a bunch of monsters, but left all the mana stones and other byproducts behind!』

Wait…… Is this about me? There’s rumors going around already?

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Song Byung-oh, who had been reading a book next to me, grumbled with indignation.

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『Hah!…… Imagine leaving the mana stones behind! Definitely must be some Japanese bourgeoisie with more money than they know what to do with!』

『Hmm, I wonder who it might be…… There’s all kinds of people.』

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I indifferently evaded the subject. I mean, I couldn’t reveal that I had sneaked in pretending to be a porter.

‘Seriously, such a shame.’

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To be honest, I felt it was a pity that I couldn’t bring the mana stones from the monsters I killed because I had entered the Spirit Gate pretending to be a porter.

Although my main purpose was to become stronger rather than money, it was still such a big shame. And, although I had money in my wallet, it was not me, but my father, Baek No-pyeong who was rich.

It was great to be getting money from the old man, but the more money I could get to use for myself, the better.

‘I have to bring the mana stones with me.’

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Hmm. How could I go about it? Should I coax a Yeopsa in front of the Gate and go with them? Or go in to hunt together and then take my own cut…….

‘No, it’s going to look suspicious.’

Who in the world would accept such and illegal offer? I would be lucky not to get reported. This wasn’t something I could suggest someone I didn’t know.

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But, I mean, there was no Yeopsa I knew in this era. The people I knew were all students, and I didn’t think there was anybody I knew who had a Yeopsa license and was also an adult, there was no way……

There was one person.

‘Takahiro!’

That’s right! That guy. Why had I not thought of him?

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Takahiro was the vice-Branch Manager of the Shimazu Gumi Gyeongseong Branch, so it was obvious that he was an adult with a Yeopsa license. And considering even his subordinates called me young master and treated me with respect, he would probably listen to my request.

‘If I want to borrow Takahiro…… I should ask Renka.’

I was thinking of going to Renka to apologize today, anyway, so I could just ask her on the side.

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I slapped Renka a few days ago because she was in the wrong in the first place, but it was still harsh of me to slap her in front of other students. And this was why I was thinking I should apologize to Renka.

Apologizing to each other and solving our issues would be better for the future.

‘And anyway, she’s a dangerous girl to have against me…….’

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『And……!』

As I was thinking this, Yang Bok-ja continued speaking, this time lowering her voice into a spooky tone.

『In the Joseon people zone next to it……! They say about a dozen Joseon Yeopsas disappeared without leaving a trace! Is it the work of a demon? Or maybe a ghost? Now THIS is a mysterious disappearance!』

『Eek……!』

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Aikawa, who was listening from the side, let out a quiet scream. Lee Yu-ha, who was sitting in front, shook her head

“Ms. Yang again with the absurd rumors……”

Lee Yu-ha murmured. She was right, it wasn’t the first time Yang Bok-ja had come with some strange rumor.

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But there are no groundless rumors, so I was also intrigued. There had, at the very least, probably been some casualties for a rumor like this to spread in just one day.

‘Is there something in the Joseon people zone?’

It piqued my interest. The Thermitas I hunted in the Japanese zone yesterday weren’t bad, but hunting a more powerful monster would help me grow faster. And since I was going to have Takahiro accompanying me today, if I got into a tight spot I could get his help.

‘Let’s go to the Joseon zone today.’

***

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As soon as the morning assembly was over I went over to Renka. I ran into Renka who happened to be coming out of the “eul” class.

『……Shirabayashi-san?』

Renka saw me and asked, but she had a gloomy expression on her face. Hmm. Was she maybe still upset about me slapping her the other day? Or did she maybe have something in her mind?

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『I did not expect you to come to me first. Did you have something to say to me?』

『Yeah…… I came to apologize.』

At my words, Renka’s narrow eyes widened in an instant.

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『Apologize?』

『About the other day. No matter what, it was wrong of me to lay my hand on you. And, even worse, in front of the other students.』

『I did not expect to receive and apology for that, but……』

Renka seemed surprised for a moment,

『Fufu…… That apology, I shall accept it. Shirabayashi-san.』

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She spoke smiling as she usually did.

『Then, are we on 「otagai-sama (equal terms)」 about this? I accepted your apology, and you, Shirabayashi-san, accepted my apology, as well.』

『Well, I guess so.』

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I went to the point, whether I could borrow Takahiro for a bit after school.

『Takahiro-san, is it?』

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Renka thought about it for a while, and then squinted her eyes and slightly grinned as she said.

『Hmm. Alright.…… Shirabayashi-san, it seems you are planning on entering the Spirit Gate that opened outside of Dongsomun, right? Accompanied by Takahiro-san.』

Ugh……!

How did she know? She’s so quick-witted……!

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But, even if you just gave it a bit of though, it was obvious. After all, the timing of my search for a Yeopsa coincided exactly with appearance of a Spirit Gate, and on top of that Renka was the head of a huge Yeopsa union, so she would be very familiar with the way Yeopsas and prospective Yeopsas thought.

‘Hmm. Since I go caught, it’s all ruined, right? Since it’s something illegal, I’ll probably get rejected…….’

『Then, Shirabayashi-san.』

However, what came out of Renka’s mouth was something I could have never expected.

『Instead of Takahiro-san, I shall go with you.』

『……What?』

***

『Oh my, oh my! If it is not the Lady of the Shimazu family! License check?! That makes no sense! Please go straight in! Yes! Yes!』

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That very night.

As soon as the ODC employee who was guarding the entrance of the Spirit Gate saw Renka’s face, he showed the way. There were no procedures such as the Yeopsa license check.

Well, who would stop her? Whether or not she had a Yeopsa license, no one could stop Renka, widely known for being the Branch Manager of the Gyeongseong Branch of the Shimazu Gumi, a large Yeopsa union that controlled the Yeopsa world of both the Mainland and Joseon.

『Well, let’s go in.』

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Renka looked back and said, with a grin.

『Yobo-san.』

Yobo was a derogatory term for Joseon people, and the Renka wouldn’t have used such a racist term usually,

But this was to avoid the suspicion of the ODC employee who was watching from the side. The majority of Japanese Yeopsas referred to their Joseon porters as ‘yobo’.

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The young porter behind Renka replied reluctantly.

『……Yes, My Lady!』

Seeing Baek Cheol-yeon like that, Renka smiled brightly.

She had suggested to Baek Cheol-yeon to enter the Spirit Gate with him. This was because it would be an opportunity to check Baek Cheol-yeon’s skills with her own eyes.

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The day before the entrance ceremony, Renka had become interested in Baek Cheol-yeon when she saw him facing against the Takoashi with just a stick, and also—

He hunted down and Onikumo during the pre-field study, fought and beat a robber at the teahouse, defeated professor Saigane, she had heard stories about him countless times,

But she had only heard about the results through reports.

‘Unless I see it with my own eyes.’

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This was why Renka couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Baek Cheol-yeon wield his sword. If she was lucky, she would be able to catch a glimpse of the secret to how he gained such proficiency as just a regular Joseon person.

And there was one more reason why she had come into the Spirit Gate.

‘……Aoki-shosa.’

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Aoki-shosa had come to Renka’s mansion as soon as he arrived to Gyeongseong, unpacked his things, and then had the nerve to go into the Spirit Gate and stay there all day long.

Of course, it was good for her not to have to see that obnoxious man’s face, but she was curious why he was so hung up on the Spirit Gate as if he had come to Gyeongseong for work. So she was also thinking about finding out what in the world that man was doing in there.

『If it isn’t Lady Shimazu! Please, you may go to the right!』

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As soon as she entered the Spirit Gate, the ODC employee who was on standby inside guided Renka to the right exit. She looked up, and as the employee said, the exit on the right was the Japanese Yeopsa area.

Renka was about to head in that direction dignifiedly when,

『Pardon me, My Lady.』

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Baek Cheol-yeon called after Renka. As Renka looked back, Baek Cheol-yeon spoke quietly,

『Not there. Let’s go to the left.』

He said. Renka asked.

『Is the left side not the Joseon people zone? Is there any special reason, yobo-san?』

『Stop it with the yobo-san. The employee went somewhere else, so stop. Anyway, the reason is……』

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Baekl Cheol-yeon told Renka the rumor he heard from Yang Bok-ja. That he was sure there was a strong monster in the Joseon people’s area unlike the Japanese people’s area.

‘Hmm…….’

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According to what Renka had heard, the monsters inside this Spirit Gate were mid-leveled. That alone would be too much for a simple cadet, but he wanted to go face something even stronger?

‘As expected, you are so full of confidence, Shirabayashi-kun.’

Renka accepted Baek Cheol-yeon’s request.

『Alright, Shirabayashi-san.』

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It was too bad she wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on Aoki-shosa, who was bound to be in the Japanese zone, but her priority was to see Baek Cheol-yeon’s skill with her own eyes.

『Okay. Then, let’s go. That guy’s looking somewhere else.』

Avoiding getting seen by the ODC employee, Renka followed Baek Cheol-yeon and went out through the left exit, towards the Joseon people are, and they walked down a bleak cave for a few minutes.

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Not long after, they came across a swarm of 「Yaiba-ari」.

They were medium-sized, mid-levelled white arthropod-like monsters that resembled termites, with hardened blade like front limbs much like a mantis.

Their level was medium, but that was only when they were alone, and when you considered their tendency to always be in swarms, they were more difficult to face against.

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Baek Cheol-yeon said.

『Alright. As I said earlier, I’ll do the hunting, so you can pay me for the cost of the mana stones later. No buts. Alright?』

『You may do as you wish, Shirabayashi-san.』

Baek Cheol-yeon stepped forward, and soon the swarm of Yabai-ari began to rush towards him. Baek Cheol-yeon unsheathed the practice sword handed to him by the school, and began to swing it skillfully, cutting down the monsters. As she saw this, Renka thought.

‘As I though, my eyes were not wrong.’

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Baek Cheol-yeon wasn’t just a regular cadet. She thought this and felt quite satisfied by herself, but this was short-lived and soon Renka was shocked.

‘……What is this……?’

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In a flash, one, two, three…… He started swinging his sword with movements she had never even heard about before, and each time he swung, chunks went flying. This was a slaughter—

‘This is way more than I……’

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Renka, herself, had a level of ability that exceeded most active Yeopsas, and she could easily deal with something like 「Yaiba-ari」 as well, but the proficiency Baek Cheol-yeon was showing was beyond that.

And to top it all off, he wasn’t even using any ability like her flames, and was cutting through them while only using his empowering ability and his own swordsmanship.

This level of proficiency wasn’t just that of a great cadet, it was more in line with an active Yeopsa who had fought for his life for over a decade. If it was that level of ability, the only person Renka knew that came close was…… perhaps Aoki-shosa.

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At this point, Renka couldn’t believe Baek Cheol-yeon was a cadet around her own age, and even felt a kind of awe.

‘Shirabayashi-san, what kind of person are you……?’

Renka couldn’t take her eyes off of Baek Cheol-yeon’s monster slaughter, and it didn’t take long for the swarm of monsters to be piled up on the ground in pieces.

“Phew…….”

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After lightly swinging his sword to shake off the monsters’ fluids stuck to it, Baek Cheol-yeon sat on a rock, took out his bottle of water, and poured water over his head and face to wash off the monsters’ body fluids.

Baek Cheol-yeon rougly pulled his hair back with his hand to shake off the water, and gulped down the water left in the bottle. Every time water ran down his throat, his Adam’s apple jumped up and down. Glug, glug……

Baek Cheol-yeon’s suddenly turned to Renka, and he called her by name.

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『Renka.』

『Ye-Yes?!』

Renka was taken aback at having her name called so suddenly. However Baek Cheol-yeon didn’t seem to care about Renka’s reaction, he just put the water bottle he had been drinking from forward. Renka grabbed the bottle and asked.

『W-What is it? Shirabayashi-san? This? Why?』

However, Baek Cheol-yeon just crouched down in front of the pile of monster corpses without even looking at Renka, pulled out his knife and said.

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『I’ll be collecting mana stones here, so could you please go back to the basecamp and bring us bento boxes? I saw a pile of bento boxes earlier in the basecamp. And refill the water on your way, please.』

『……What?』

『I don’t really want to ask you to do it, but as a Joseon porter, it would be hard for me to ask a Japanese ODC employee for a couple bentos, right? But if it was you who asked, they’d comply immediately.』

It was about time they would get hungry. So one person would go get lunches while the other harvests the mana stones. Simply put, it was division of labor. But for some reason it felt like the roles had changed.

Renka felt something was strange, but she put up her usual relaxed smile and answered.

『O-Okay, let’s do that, Shirabayashi-san! Of course, something like that is easy for me! Fufu……』

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***

‘Phew.’

I gained a lot of experience by hunting down monsters like yesterday. But unlike the expectation that there would be some dangerous monster, there was very little difference to the Japanese zone that I had gone to yesterday.

‘I have Renka here to help me in the worst case scenario, so I wanted to try my hand at hunting a stronger monster, but…….’

But well, this wasn’t too bad either. Since even the lesser mid-levelled monsters were tough opponents for me right now, my empowering ability was probably going to level up to D soon. And this time, I thought I might be able to get some money out of it. It was quite a satisfactory achievement.

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After Renka left to the basecamp to pick up our lunchboxes and get some water, I grabbed my knife and started collecting mana stones from the monsters.

‘I can’t believe I had to leave them behind yesterday.’

Unlike the fingernail-sized mana stones I got from the small, low-level monsters, like the Kedama, on the first day of school, these were real mana stones, each of them about the size of a fist.

Now all I had to do was collect these, sell them through Renka, and profit from that. I didn’t know how much they went for right now, but they were bound to get me a decent enough earning once I sold all of them.

‘Nice……!’

I had been collecting mana stones for quite a while when I suddenly sensed some movement from behind. I turned around thinking Renka had already come back,

‘Ack! What the fuck?’

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There was a man with such a creepy impression that he made me flinch and hold my breath staring at me from behind me.

‘……Yeopsa? Joseon person?’

The clothes he wore and equipment he had on him were those Joseon Yeopsas wore, and since this was the Joseon zone he would definitely be a Joseon Yeopsa. However, what came out of his mouth was not Joseon language.

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『Are you a porter? Where is your owner?』

Since he spoke Japanese, he was probably a Japanese Yeopsa, but considering he was dressed in such shabby clothes, despite his creepy looks, he was probably just a good-for-nothing Japanese Yeopsa.

‘Why is a Japanese Yeopsa in the Joseon people zone……?’

As I wondered I soon realized something.

‘Aha.’

This guy was probably just so talentless that he couldn’t hunt any monsters in the Japanese zone, so he came to the easier Joseon zone to intimidate Joseon Yeopsas and take their mana stones.

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The guy asked again.

『I asked, where is your Joseon owner.』

This Japanese had made up the assumption that since I was a Joseon porter in the Joseon zone, I would probably be serving a Joseon Yeopsa.

‘Hehe…… But you’re wrong, Mr. Japanese Yeopsa.’

My present superficial owner right now was the highly Lady Shimazu. So, since I had nothing to be afraid of, I raised my head high and asked him back.

『Who the hell are you?』

『Who the hell are……? You have quite the foul mouth.』

And then he continued,

『I wanted to get rid of you with your owner, but it seems I will have to get rid of you first. But it is not even worth getting my sword dirty for a guy like you.』

And a gloved hand flew towards my face.

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‘What the fuck is up with this guy?’

Clap

I reflexively raised my hand and grabbed the hand that was coming directly at my cheek.

『……?』

Then he wiggled his eyebrows and looked puzzled, and I was completely dumbfounded as well.

‘Wait, what the actual fuck? A slap like this, out of the blue? Does this Japanese bastard think Joseon people are such pushovers?’

This guy deserved a beating. I raised my hand and,

Slap-!

I slapped him across his ugly face without a second’s hesitation.