episode_0070

The Vice Chancellor led me into the reception room of the Central Administrative Office.

The reception room had a simple structure.

While the basic formality was present, the overall layout exuded a sense of comfort with its wallpaper and furniture.

“Tea brewed with Monarch leaves.”

[Thank you]

As I entered the reception room and looked around, the Vice Chancellor guided me to the sofa. She then personally served tea from a tea set arranged on one side.

Feeling the softness of the sofa against my buttocks, I picked up the teacup placed on the table.

As I held the teacup in my hand, I felt the warmth emanating from the handle.

Looking at the steaming tea, a faint sense of anticipation arose within me.

Naturally, I knew it wouldn’t happen, but it was a hope that I couldn’t help but cling to.

I raised the teacup. With delicate care to prevent spillage, I brought it to my lips.

Before taking a sip, I cautiously breathed in the aroma.

…

After gauging the temperature for a moment, I tilted the teacup. The warm liquid touched my lips.

…I honestly didn’t expect much. How could it feel normal when a curse was intact?

With that thought in mind, I took a few sips of the tea with the feeling of drinking warm water.

The Vice Chancellor also took a few sips of her tea.

After a brief moment, the Vice Chancellor, who had been waiting for me to drink the tea, spoke up.

“I am responsible for the management and distribution of important rewards such as artifacts for the sake of stability. That’s why I have invited you here, Mr. Yi Hyul.”

It was a brief explanation of the current situation.

I felt puzzled as to why the Vice Chancellor herself had come forward, but it seemed she had noticed my confusion.

While receiving artifacts through credits had to be done personally, applications could also be made through the website.

I had applied a few days ago and had come to receive the artifact.

“The artifact you have applied for is called ‘Wings of Heaven’ or ‘Heavenly Garment.’ It is of high grade. Does this information match what you were aware of beforehand?”

– Nod

“Then, do you agree to receive the artifact?”

[Yes, I agree]

The Vice Chancellor nodded and flicked her finger. Her mana surged momentarily.

– Vroom!

‘?’

Spatial perception trembled. The spatial perception, which had been adjusted to fit the size of the reception room, showed a strong reaction. A loud resonance, as if it were resisting something, was transmitted.

Startled, I straightened my back.

“Hmm.”

The Vice Chancellor, who observed my reaction, nodded. It was an attitude that she had expected this.

“May I grant you access?”

‘Access? Permission?’

It was a puzzling statement. Was there something I needed permission to access here?

However, my thoughts were suddenly drawn to the intense trembling of the spatial perception.

The Vice Chancellor’s mana emanating from her body and her unique spatial ability.

The spatial perception that seemed to be strongly resisting from one side…

‘Hmm…’

I considered spatial perception as a range for information collection. Narrowing it down would reduce the incoming information, while widening it would exponentially increase the collected information.

Let’s think of it in a different way.

Not just as a range for information collection, but as a kind of domain…

Feeling confused, I subtly adjusted my spatial perception.

Not expanding the size. Not changing the type of information collected, but selecting the information to be gathered.

A sensation of opening up the part that was constantly knocking, stimulating it from side to side.

– Click

At the same time, as the Vice Chancellor observed me, she flicked her finger again. Simultaneously, an alien sensation was felt through the opened spatial perception.

The space was artificially torn apart. Beyond the torn space, another space was felt. A space that was somewhere unknown, clearly outside the current range.

– Zzzip

A sharp current ran through my head. The dizzying sensation was etched into my brain.

‘Spatial teleportation.’

The Vice Principal’s ability. It was clearly felt through spatial perception.

Something emerged from the torn space.

It was a thin, translucent blue cloth that fluttered as if it would fly far away with just a breath, as if the other side could be seen.

It was the wingtip of the sky. In other words, it was called the Sky Wing.

‘Oh.’

When I saw the blue cloth gently resting on the Vice Principal’s arms, a sense of anticipation suddenly surged. If I didn’t control myself, my buttocks would have jumped.

The Vice Principal, who was briefly checking the state of the artifact with her eyes, nodded.

Soon, she extended her arms.

I, too, reached out and accepted the cloth that was offered to me.

‘Wow.’

It was smooth.

Even though there was clothing between the flesh and the cloth, it felt soft. Could one feel this texture when touching silk carefully woven by a craftsman?

I felt an indescribable feeling.

This was the first time I had obtained an artifact.

I had obtained the Hidden Pithos of Origin, but it had not been opened yet, and above all, it had a strong impression of being a gacha ticket.

However, I truly felt that I had obtained the Sky Wing.

Touching the smooth cloth, I carefully infused it with mana.

– Oong!

The Sky Wing vibrated. The translucent cloth alternated between turning a faint blue and becoming transparent again.

It felt like the process of mana seeping into it.

After a while, a strange sensation was felt. It was hard to express, but it could be called a sense of unity.

‘Done.’

I operated the mana. I moved the mana contained in the Sky Wing.

At the same time, the Sky Wing wriggled, and like water flowing, it shot up my arm.

Finally, the Sky Wing arrived near my shoulders, spreading out gently behind my back.

It had a shape similar to a cloak. It moved as I thought, changing its shape.

Shape-shifting and remote control functions.

‘Oh.’

It was a mysterious feeling. It felt like having an extra, immature arm.

“The artifact distribution is complete. I hope this artifact will help carve the path of a hero.”

[Thank you]

As I was gently moving the end of the Sky Wing, the Vice Principal, who had been watching over me, congratulated me formally, signaling the end of the distribution process.

I felt a little relieved.

In addition to the shape-shifting and remote control functions, there was also a basic defense function, so my stability had increased somewhat.

Moreover, it was being operated by my pure mana, so I needed to confirm the synergy effect through it.

All that was left was to experiment on the way.

There was nothing more to see. After thanking her and bowing my head, the Vice Principal reached out her hand.

Upon examining it, I found a magic tool similar to the bracelet I received during dungeon training.

“This is a magic tool with an anti-recognition function.”

What is this? As I was thinking that, an explanation followed.

“The attention directed towards Master Yi Hayul is much greater than you think. To avoid any inconvenience, I strongly recommend that you carry this with you.”

‘Ah.’

I had planned to take it with me before going out, but the Vice Principal had prepared it for me first.

Thanking her once again, I bowed my head and left the reception room.

* * *

A calm stillness settled in the reception room.

The same stillness as always. A familiar atmosphere to her.

Vice Principal Venus of Siyolam took a sip of the remaining tea.

Thanks to magic, the warm water maintained its warmth, warming her lips, and a subtle fragrance spread. It was a scent that enhanced concentration.

As she tilted her head slightly and thought about the departure of Yi Hayul a while ago, Venus couldn’t help but think of him.

Receiving the artifact, he seemed to be controlling it with a happy expression, like a child receiving a toy.

Then, as if urging the way, he left the place. He was probably heading straight to the gate terminal.

“Hmm…”

Venus was against Yi Hayul’s external activities.

The current Yi Hayul is weak. Before considering his potential, his current state is like that.

There is no doubt about his potential.

He is a being sought after by the five tower masters. Given time, he will surely reach the frontier, and maybe even surpass it.

But right now, he is not at that level. He needs time.

He needs a place to guarantee his life from enemy threats, build up his cultivation, and stabilize his soul and mind.

That place is Siyoram.

This place is a special cradle created for one person from its very inception.

In Venus’s opinion, sending Yi Hayul out now is not a good choice.

Furthermore, not assigning any guards is even more strange.

“……”

But one important thing is that it’s not her own opinion.

After setting down the teacup, Venus flicked her finger.

– Snap

The sunlight that illuminated the reception room disappeared. The glass window that let in the sunlight was nowhere to be found. The table was the same.

More accurately, the surroundings had completely changed. The only thing that remained unchanged was Venus.

Space teleportation. An ability expanded from her unique power.

Without hesitation, Venus got up. Instead of the luxurious sofa in the reception room, a creaking wooden chair swayed back and forth.

Venus glanced around.

The sunlight was an unreachable darkness.

It was full of stillness. It was a completely different kind of stillness from the one felt in the reception room.

The stillness in the reception room fell under the category of everyday life. It was a common feeling, a stillness that gave a sense of comfort.

This place was different.

It did not fall under the category of everyday life. It was not a common stillness, but a strange and eerie stillness.

Venus took a step.

With each step, the space fluctuated.

The darkness filled the space in all directions, making it impossible to see if there was a floor or ceiling, but she knew where to go.

She didn’t walk for long.

Somewhere, Venus stopped and blinked once. Her half-closed purple eyes stared in a certain direction.

And then, Venus’s eyes emitted light. Over the dull purple background, countless constellations rose and repeated their patterns.

Venus read the constellations. In a place where the night sky was not visible, she read the fragments of the future through the stars.

There was a small star. And above all, a star that shone brightly.

A calamity was approaching that star.

Compared to the real threats that would come in the future, it was a trivial level, but for the current star, it was a dangerous level.

Could Yi Hayul overcome the calamity? The possibilities of the future and the current level were completely different, but was it right to leave it alone?

Should she let him face trials even though he could grow just by being in the cradle?

“Yi Hayul has received the artifact and headed outside. Will you not stop him?”

There was no answer.

“If you won’t stop him, how about at least assigning minimal guards? We will prevent the worst-case scenario.”

Again, there was no response. Venus did not find it strange. Instead, she spoke with an attitude of naturalness.

Venus is the representative of the vice chairman who does not reveal herself in official ceremonies.

The vice chairman represents the will of the chairman, not her own.

The most important thing is not the Vice Chancellor’s intention, but the Chancellor’s intention.

However, due to the curse forcing him into silence, the Chancellor cannot convey his intentions.

Venus always repeats questions for which proper answers will never come back from this place.

Therefore, based on the information he barely receives, Venus can only guess the Chancellor’s intentions and act accordingly.

No answer came back.

Venus was consumed by agony.

Although he did not encourage Ihayul’s outing with his opinion, he allowed it. He also did not assign any guards.

This was because the Chancellor had previously conveyed his intentions vaguely.

Now… reading the constellations and sensing the ominous atmosphere, Venus was in deep contemplation.

What she needed to do was predict the Chancellor’s intentions. However, after seeing the ominous signs, she couldn’t make a proper judgment.

And then.

『불不, 간섭干涉』

“……!”

A very faint voice echoed through the space.

If there was no absolute silence, no one would have noticed the faint voice.

『관觀, 망望』

But at the same time, it was a voice that clearly conveyed an overwhelming presence. Even if this place was filled with noise, everyone would have heard this voice.

Faint yet strong. Venus, who was usually sluggish, widened her eyes at the contradictory impression of the voice.

The Chancellor temporarily broke his silence. Not in a vague expression of will, but in a precise verbal expression.

He was willing to endure the backlash of the curse to express his intentions.

“…Yes, understood.”

Dispelling his confusion, Venus bowed towards the direction where the voice came from.

It was an expression of will that the Chancellor was willing to endure the backlash.

Setting aside his own judgment, following the Chancellor’s words was the right thing to do.