episode_0037

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Due to the aftermath of the main mana stone explosion, inspections at the headquarters of the association have been completely suspended.

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The building shook so much that there were reports and it even became a hot topic on the internet, but the association quickly quelled the controversy by calling it a minor incident in the research process.

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Of course, the scale was quite large to simply dismiss it as a mere disturbance, and many people did not believe the announcement…

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In conclusion, no one was injured, and it was wrapped up with just a few simple articles.

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…Externally, that is.

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“Goodness…. What on earth is all this?”

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The investigation team dispatched within the association checked the severely damaged booth and clicked their tongues.

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The inspection room installed at the association headquarters boasted such excellent specifications that even with considerable impact, not a single scratch would appear.

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Yet, the excellent equipment was torn to shreds by small pieces of mana stones.

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That means an enormous explosion occurred.

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“It’s fortunate that no one died. If someone had been caught in this… Oh.”

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The team leader, who was shaking his head, thought of ‘the nation’s husband’ Kang Yoo-chan, who had conducted the inspection just before the incident.

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He had been a fervent supporter of the Ma Yeon-seo and Kang Yoo-chan couple, and he secretly felt relieved that the two did not have a sad ending.

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“Team leader! You should take a look at this!”

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At that moment, a team member who had been checking the internal CCTV from outside the inspection room hastily called the team leader.

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“What’s the matter?”

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When the team leader went outside, the team member, who was handling the laptop, pointed to the screen with a slightly serious expression.

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“I tried recovering the mana burn records… It’s a bit strange.”

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“Strange?”

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Taking the place vacated by the team member, the team leader glanced at the keyboard and then played the video.

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“What did you find that’s so remarkable….”

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And a little while later.

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“Hmm?”

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A slight sense of confusion appeared on his face as he looked at the monitor.

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“How do you zoom in on this?”

“If you press Shift and 9, it will zoom in, and if you press 0, it will zoom out.”

“Shift and 9… Hey, did you show this to anyone?”

“You’re the first, team leader.”

“…Keep your mouth shut for real. Got it?”

“Understood.”

The team leader, who was on the verge of exploding, replayed the scene several times in his mind.

Recalling the information he had heard during the preliminary investigation, he shook his head.

“Surely they said it was immeasurable?”

Click. Once again, the monitor played a scene of Yoochan undergoing a fervent examination.

The magic released from the magic stone turned into a faint blue color and flowed into Yoochan’s left hand.

Before long, it flowed out through his right hand.

The magic that was initially a faint blue color had suddenly turned into a deep yellow color.

It meant that Yoochan’s body had undergone a change in nature.

Moreover…

It became several times more intense than before.

In this way, the yellow magic was drawn from Yoochan to the magic stone, which had been emitting a faint blue light.

[Shake. Shake.]

From then on, the magic stone began to show signs of an explosion.

Despite being responsible for the examinations of numerous S-class awakeners, the huge magic stone had never encountered any problems, but it had overloaded with a mere amount of magic.

“…This is not a problem I can handle on my own.”

Having grasped the situation, the team leader, taking his laptop, once again checked his team members’ opinions.

“Is this the original?”

“Yes. The records are all gone, so that’s all we have.”

“…Got it. I’ll look over this and come back. If there’s anything else, try to find it.”

“Understood.”

“You really need to be careful with what you say.”

“Yeah.”

He had just done his job, and he had not expected at all what consequences his report would bring about.

*

After the accident with the magic stone unexpectedly brought the examination to an end.

On the way to the hotel in a vehicle prepared by the association, having received instructions from Ma Yeon-seo, who still had some work left.

“A ‘F-class’ summon.”

Ultimately, I was given the lowest rank, ‘F-class.’

Although I had the magic, the impossibility of measuring the level led to the assignment of the F-class.

“…Am I weaker than that lizard?”

The monster lizard Ma Yeon-seo initially summoned was of C-class.

I was an F-grade student who couldn’t be overlooked, a senior.

“This is ridiculous.”

Quietly sitting in the car with subtle feelings, I was pondering various thoughts.

“…If only I had my phone at a time like this…”

Feeling the intense inflammation of the ongoing forced digital detox in Korea.

“…My phone?”

Suddenly, one thing I had missed crossed my mind.

The belongings that would be safely placed in my house.

“Driver! I’m sorry, could you make a quick stop on the way?”

I quickly spoke to the driver.

“I’m sorry, but I was instructed to take you directly to the hotel…”

“Just 5 minutes! I just need 5 minutes! Please, it’s a matter of life and death, just 5 minutes! I left something really important behind…”

The driver looked troubled, glancing between the road and the rearview mirror.

Then, as if there was no other choice, he let out a short sigh and said,

“Where should I go?”

Indeed, the kindness of a Korean person existed.

“…I probably didn’t unpack my things, did I?”

After a long month, I entered my studio apartment, nervously entered the password, and opened the door.

And…

“It’s all the same?”

I was able to face a household scene that had hardly changed.

Rather, it looked much neater than when I lived there, as if someone had taken care of it during my absence.

“…It must have been Ryeowon…”

It was undoubtedly her touch.

“….”

Recalling her departure after leaving only formal greetings, I swallowed the rising embarrassment and entered the house.

“Let’s get ready to leave quickly.”

Although I wanted to enjoy the coziness after a long time, unfortunately, there was someone waiting, so I had no choice but to grab my phone and wallet and try to leave.

At that moment…

“…?”

A neatly arranged letter caught my eye on the desk.

“This is…”

It was a letter left by Ryeowon.

“[Yoochan. The fact that you are reading this letter means you’ve returned home, right?]”

The letter contained details of how she had been taking care of the house while I was away and how she had organized things. It was all kindly written for me, in case I returned.

“Leftover side dishes have all been cleared out. There’s cash in the wallet, so if you’re hungry, order delivery or something.”

I peeked into the wallet, and indeed, two yellow bills were tucked inside.

Two 50,000-won bills deeply touched my heart.

“…….”

In addition, there were traces of smudges and dried spots all over the letter.

To think of how much she must have cried to write this one letter was beyond imagination.

“I miss you.”

My heart felt unbearably heavy.

“…….”

So, I took the letter and headed straight home.

I got into the car, inserted the battery into the phone that I had used as a couple with Hanyul, and turned it on.

As soon as the screen lit up, a familiar background picture appeared.

We looked so incredibly happy side by side in the photo.

*

At a time when Yoochan was deeply troubled,

In a remote shrine in Japan,

Rustle, rustle. Rustle, rustle.

People sitting around a large room with tatami mats were having a serious conversation.

Each of them was someone who had made a name for themselves in Japan’s political and business circles.

“Shahid Khan is dead. Can this be true?”

“What on earth is happening…?”

“I’m worried about what might happen to the priestess.”

“Oh, stop talking nonsense.”

They were discussing the recently deceased S-class awakened being, Shahid Khan, from India.

Externally, Shahid Khan was reported to have died during a tower attack.

This was at the direction of the Indian government, fearing a drop in approval ratings with the disappearance of the ‘stone’….

Some countries that had sent spies earlier found out that Shahid did not die on the tower.

His death also meant the disappearance of the ‘stone’.

“Don’t we need to increase security?”

“If we move too hastily, we’ll end up advertising ourselves unnecessarily.”

“Let’s trust and wait. Everyone must have their own thoughts.”

“Mmm…”

How long has it been since people murmured with worried looks?

Creak. The door on one side of the wall opened, and a young woman in a kimono entered the room.

As she entered, the people gathered in the room closed their mouths as if they had made a promise, and politely began to bow their heads towards the woman.

More precisely…

They showed respect to ‘someone’ hidden behind the woman.

“Thank you all for coming all the way here in your busy schedules.”

The woman conveyed the oracle of the ‘miko’ she served to the people.

“I would like to talk about the prophecy related to the recent death of Shahid Khan.”

Prophecy.

At that word, everyone in the room listened intently, holding their breath.

Everyone gathered in the room had received prophecies from the ‘miko’ and gained great wealth and honor because of it.

However…

None of them knew the true identity of the ‘miko’.

All they knew was that she was an awakened being and had taken the ‘Stone of Time’ found at Tokyo Tower.

She was truly an enigmatic existence shrouded in rumors.

“There are those who are sweeping the world collecting ‘stones’. We have not been able to find out where they come from or what purpose they are collecting them for.”

Through the woman, the ‘miko’ revealed that it would be dangerous if she held the Stone of Origin using divine power.

Even Shahid Khan, who used the power of god, died miserably, so there was no need to mention others.

“So I tried to predict my own fate… Fortunately, a hopeful content came out.”

Relieved sighs burst from all over the room.

For those who had accumulated immense wealth and honor, the ‘miko’ who could see the future was a religion and hope.

So they were trying to prevent each other from showing off to the ‘miko’ or taking over.

Anyway, as long as she, the goose that lays the golden eggs, is alive, she can continue to make money.

…That’s what they thought.

“So I left Japan.”

With this statement, the atmosphere became unsettled.

“(…What?)”

“(Did the Mu, Muyeondi leave Japan…?)

Amidst the people, a sense of unrest spreads.

“I cannot tell you when or where she left. Just know that she is in a safe place.”

With that one-sided statement, the woman who left the words of the Mu, Muyeon quietly left the room.

“What does this mean? The Mu, Muyeon has left Japan!”

“This can’t be! What are we supposed to do now?!”

“Are we the problem right now? The safety of the Mu, Muyeon comes first!”

“Ungrateful wretch!”

“We need to live for the Mu, Muyeon to live, don’t we?”

The people left behind were confused by the fact that the Mu, Muyeon had left….

That’s how it began.

Narita Airport, Tokyo.

A middle-aged woman, after checking her message, whispered to a young woman sitting next to her.

“(Miss. It’s all over.)”

In response, the young woman smiled somewhat awkwardly and said,

“That’s good.”

The ‘Mu, Muyeon’, who had been shaking up Japan’s politics and business world alone, was now waiting for a flight to Korea like any other ordinary tourist.”