Chapter 163: 577
[Chapter 156]
[The Other Side of the Other Side]
There are no final evaluations for 3rd year high school academy students.
Instead, students nearing graduation appeal their skills to industry representatives or gain experience in player society before graduating.
The clan internship dispatch scheduled for the first semester could be understood in this context.
"I expected it to some degree... But isn't this too much?"
Shin Seo-young, 3rd year high school academy instructor.
Returning to the instructor's lounge after class, she sighed at the pile of documents on her desk.
Rather than documents, they were proposals.
Proposals from clans suggesting which students they'd like for this internship.
"You're saying all of these are for Noh Eun-ha..."
The problem was that the proposals stacked like several books were all pointing to Noh Eun-ha alone.
This year, despite strongly refusing, Shin Seo-young ended up in charge of Noh Eun-ha's class due to the academy directors. She clicked her tongue.
She had expected it to some degree, but this showed just how much expectation industry representatives currently had for Noh Eun-ha.
"I guess they're all trying to take a shot. But this is still too many..."
There are two cases where 3rd year academy students are dispatched to clans.
One is like Noh Eun-ha, where their name becomes known to industry representatives even before graduation, and they receive proposals.
The other is when there's a set number of spots for each clan that has an agreement with the academy.
In that case, students can choose up to 3 preferred clans, and those who don't get any of their choices are randomly assigned to remaining clans.
"At least the middle academy graduates got a lot of nominations from clans. Well, they have both skills and distinguished backgrounds... Unless their skills are rock bottom, it's natural for them to get nominated."
Of course, the majority of students fell into the latter category.
Generally, for internship dispatches, clans and the academy held a higher position.
In other words, clans and the academy that had the authority to select students were in a superior position.
In that sense, Noh Eun-ha was─.
"The attitude is so different..."
─A super VIP.
The prestigious clans were politely and elaborately nominating Noh Eun-ha.
She couldn't hide her bitter feelings seeing proposals with completely different attitudes towards recipients from the same clan.
"...Therefore, our clan believes we can meet student Noh Eun-ha's expectations. We sincerely hope student Noh Eun-ha will seriously consider..."
"...Therefore, our clan boasts a long and proud tradition. We believe it will help your development. Our clan is confident in fully bringing out your abilities..."
This is why students would feel inferior to Noh Eun-ha.
No, not just Noh Eun-ha.
─Didn't all of Eun-ha's friends receive proposals this time?
The so-called Noh Eun-ha squad.
The term students first used jokingly was now well-known among instructors and in the industry.
As a result, they say quite a lot of proposals arrived for them too.
Shin Seo-young recalled the story other instructors had glumly laid out just earlier.
"If I had to handle those kids too, I'd be buried in paperwork... Sigh, when am I supposed to read all this..."
Skimming through the proposals.
Shin Seo-young sat down with a groan.
Though she said that.
In fact, selecting proposals sent to Noh Eun-ha wasn't that difficult.
In a way, it could be said to be simpler than selecting and recommending clans that matched the students.
Just pick the top clans.
Sorry, but eliminate all clans not in Seoul...
Then eliminate all clans below B+ rank...
It was regrettable for the clans that wrote long, polite proposals.
Shin Seo-young focused on identifying the senders while roughly reading the proposals.
The contents of the proposals were all similar anyway.
And there weren't many clans that matched Eun-ha's level.
In fact, not eliminating B+ rank was already showing some consideration.
"Hmm... Samra Clan sent one too. They were only C+ rank but rose to A- in just 3 years... The group sponsoring the clan is impressive, but the clan itself must be quite substantial too."
Then her eyes lit up seeing the proposal from Samra Clan.
The rise in clan rank was quite steep.
If the growth rate is this steep, they might enter the S-rank category in a few years.
Seems like a fairly substantial clan.
She decided to carefully observe Samra Clan's future moves.
"Compared to that, Donghae Clan still hasn't even reached S-rank... They're probably wary of Samra Clan right now."
While expressing condolences for Donghae Clan.
Time passed, and Shin Seo-young was able to select clans to recommend to Noh Eun-ha.
Almost all clans located in Seoul with a B+ or higher rank were included.
Then─.
"─Huh?"
She tilted her head looking at the organized clan list.
There are seven S-rank clans currently existing in Korea.
But one clan didn't send a proposal to Eun-ha.
"Did he make enemies with KK Clan? Or are they unable to read the future..."
While looking for information on KK Clan.
Shin Seo-young furrowed her brow in thought.
As someone trying to recommend the most substantial clans possible considering the students' futures, she had to change her thoughts on KK Clan.
A clan that can't read the future.
"Even though we know we can't eat it, this is a situation where we have to go for it no matter what..."
Though she couldn't judge accurately.
Soon Shin Seo-young made an evaluation of KK Clan in her heart.
"Or is it perhaps a high-level strategy? Other S-rank clans nominated you, but we're saying we're not interested in you, a strategy to make the other party curious..."
Saying it's a ridiculous thought.
Soon after, Shin Seo-young denied the assumption she had unconsciously come up with.
☆
April of the 14th year of Seonryeok.
All 3rd year high school academy students were busy choosing clans for their May internships.
Of course, this didn't apply to Eun-ha.
There was no need to worry.
─Shouldn't I obviously go to Regulus Clan?
Shin Seo-young had selected 23 clans for him.
Among them, there were 6 S-rank clans excluding KK Group: Zenith, Myeongwang, Regulus, Silla, Blaze, and Tempest.
These were essentially the clans Eun-ha should have been considering.
But unlike his friends who were also nominated by S-rank clans, he chose Regulus Clan without a moment's hesitation.
Where else would I go when I can spend a month working with noona?
Eun-ha was a sister complex to the bone.
So he decided to intern at Regulus Clan without even looking at the proposals, just because he could see Eun-ah.
'...If you were going to do this, I didn't need to worry.'
'I thought you would know, noona... Can you really not know this even after knowing me for over 10 years?'
'Sigh... At least you were cute when you were little, but now you've grown up and lost even that cuteness... Fine, you're so great.'
Shin Seo-young, who became Eun-ha's homeroom teacher this year, beat her chest.
Eun-ha felt bad belatedly and had to at least massage her shoulders.
After leaving her research lab like that, he soon─.
"─Ah, that feels good. All the fatigue that's been building up is melting away. Yeah, there. Rub there a bit harder."
"...You're really something. You still remember this."
"Didn't you know I'm not the type to take losses? If you thought that, now you know it's a big mistake. Ah, that feels nice."
Eun-ha happened to meet Jin Seo-na.
She said this was perfect timing and pressured him to fulfill a long-standing promise.
At last year's first semester final evaluation, he had casually promised to not only buy her a meal, but also give her a massage.
But due to an incident that occurred in the academy dungeon at the time, the promise fizzled out, and moreover, Eun-ha was hospitalized in the second semester.
So the promise Eun-ha had made with Jin Seo-na in the past had not been fulfilled until now.
Eun-ha came to fulfill that promise now.
"With interest, you'll have to show me a movie too, so keep that in mind."
"Loan shark."
"You should have paid back on time... Ah, this is it. So~ nice."
Jin Seo-na's room.
After eating dinner, Eun-ha had to sneak into her room, lamenting his situation.
Waiting in comfortable clothes, she lay face down on the bed and told Eun-ha to hurry up and massage her.
Eun-ha had no choice but to get on the bed and massage the fox.
I wish someone would massage me too.
What has my life come to...
As he firmly kneaded her back.
The fox's body shuddered.
Eun-ha sighed as he looked down at Jin Seo-na's back, hugging a pillow in ecstasy.
He felt like he had fallen to become a massage machine.
Regardless, the fox swung her two legs and pounded the bed sheets.
She also swished her fox tail back and forth, tapping him.
"Stay still."
"I am staying still."
"Then what's this tail behind me?"
"You shouldn't ask me that, you should ask the tail."
"Oh boy."
"Just keep massaging. If you work hard, noona will give you the snacks I got from Geon-ung. They're imported snacks and quite tasty."
"Are you that close with Geon-ung?"
"Is this close? We get along well enough. I'm affiliated with both Alice Group and KK Group after all."
"Well... I'm just glad you're not on bad terms."
"Ugh... Be gentler. Geon-ung can't do anything to me these days. I go around selling your name whenever he tries anything."
"No wonder my ears were itchy... Who's going around selling my name?"
"Ugh... You did that on purpose just now, didn't you? Who told me to go around selling their name and now you're saying this. But are you just going to keep massaging there?"
"Ugh... Where should I massage?"
"Come down a bit lower. The sides of my waist, massage there... Ack... Eun-ha, are you really going to do this?"
"Do what?"
"You did that on purpose, right?"
"People can make mistakes, you know. Why are you getting mad over something like this?"
One fox enjoying a comfortable time by herself.
Eun-ha found the fox quite annoying.
So Eun-ha deliberately applied pressure to subtly torment her.
"And I decided to intern at KK Clan this time. So I met with Geon-ung to exchange information too."
"Come to think of it, you are going to intern at KK Clan. Who else is going with you?"
"Are you not interested in me because you're dating? I'm doing espionage that doesn't suit me because of someone..."
"What espionage. You're probably just playing around."
"Noona is doing all this because of you, you know. I'm going on the internship to find out why KK Clan didn't nominate you Eun-ha unlike other S-rank clans, and just how much they dislike you."
"Okay, thanks for that. But why do you keep calling yourself noona? My birthday is earlier than yours."
"You should just call me noona if you have something to gain from me. Don't you think?"
The fox receiving a massage with a relaxed face.
Eun-ha exchanged information while conversing with Jin Seo-na.
Jin Seo-na said that since she's being dispatched to KK Clan anyway, she'll investigate why KK Clan doesn't like Eun-ha.
Soon the fox subtly cleared her throat, wanting praise.
Eun-ha gave her the praise she wanted.
"So who else is interning at KK Clan?"
"Me, Geon-ung, Kaede, and Cheon-seo I think. It's not confirmed yet so I'm not sure."
"What about the others?"
"The others... Let's see... If there's something given, shouldn't I get something in return?"
"Calculator."
"I learned it all from you."
"So where should I massage?"
"Do my feet too."
"Feet?"
"Yeah, feet."
"You really ask for all sorts of things. Fine. Take off your socks."
"You take them off. I want to stay lying down like this."
"Lazy bum."
"As if you're any better, Eun-ha."
Jin Seo-na lifts her legs.
Eun-ha had no choice but to turn his body and take off the fox's socks.
"Ugh, the smell."
"Don't smell them. I'll tell Ha-yang if you do."
"..."
[You can't beat me, can you?]
"Sly fox."
"Yep, I'm a sly fox alright."
"Sigh..."
Since the fox became a branch of KK Group.
Eun-ha was constantly losing to Jin Seo-na.
There was a psychological reason he felt sorry for her.
And simply a reason he couldn't win against her way with words.
Anyway, he decided to listen to her story while massaging her feet.
"You know about Regulus Clan, right?"
"Of course I know since I'm interning there. They're also sponsored by Alice Group..."
As Eun-ha had expected.
This time, all of Eun-ha's friends were nominated by S-rank clans.
Thanks to this, his friends were happily worrying about which clan to intern at these days.
Among them, two people had decided to intern at Regulus Clan along with Eun-ha.
Jung Ha-yang and Cha Eun-woo.
Ha-yang is a direct descendant of Alice Group, and she wanted to go with me.
Eun-woo wanted to see the <Holy Mother>, you know.
Not all friends could enter the same clan.
This was because each clan had a set quota.
So in Mok Min-ho's case, he wanted to choose Regulus Clan following Eun-woo, but due to quota issues, he ended up interning at Zenith Clan.
"Eun-hyuk is going to Zenith Clan too. <First Sword> Ji Yong-hyun player is the clan lord there, and <Sword Empress> recommended him. Ah, wait... Stop tickling me..."
"That's not up to me. I'm just massaging."
"Right now... You think I don't know you're intentionally tickling my foot?"
"So what about the other kids?"
"Ugh... Min-ji and Parang oppa are going to Silla Clan, and Riel and Gu-rae say they're going to Tempest Clan. Ack, seriously stop now! Ah, I surrender! I surrender! I said I surrender!"
"What surrender? I'll just keep massaging until you're completely exhausted, so hurry up and spill the information."
"Ugh... Tickle demon."
"Want me to show you what real tickling is? If you keep this up, I'll massage your tail too."
"...!"
Besides this, as Eun-ha tortured Jin Seo-na for information.
For unknown reasons, it seemed Kang Si-hyung was interning at Donghae Clan rather than KK Clan of KK Group which was sponsoring him.
Also, Jo Ara was going to Myeongwang Clan.
"What about the others?"
"I'll tell you... after you let go of this!"
"Then I don't have to watch a movie, right?"
"You don't have to... buy popcorn."
"...You were going to ask for popcorn too? You're such a miser."
"And you're a total cheapskate!"
From then until they collapsed from exhaustion.
The two of them bickered, it's said.
☆
Actually, there was one more reason why Shin Seo-young called Eun-ha recently.
'─It was unanimously decided by the instructors that you'll have a duel at the graduation ceremony.'
'Why me of all people? My grades are lower than Ha-yang's, and my practical skills are lower than Min-ho's and Eun-hyuk's... Plus, I didn't even attend last semester so my grades are rock bottom?'
'You call that an excuse?'
'...'
'You can't deny it either, can you?'
'Damn...'
3rd year of high school academy.
Only one year left until graduation.
Because of this, the 3rd year representative had to designate an opponent for the duel at next February's graduation ceremony.
And of all people.
No, as half-expected.
Eun-ha was chosen as the 3rd year representative by agreement of students and instructors.
'So let me know who you'll duel at the graduation ceremony before the end of this month.'
'...A lot of people from outside will come that day, right?'
'Of course.'
'I don't want the attention...'
'Eun-ha, aren't you embarrassed to say that now? You're really the epitome of inconsistency between words and actions.'
'...'
'You probably know this, but more people will come on your graduation day than when Yeon-hwa graduated. So I hope you can show a duel that will satisfy those people.'
'That's not a problem... But who should I choose as my opponent?'
'Why are you asking me? Can't you just ask one of the kids around you? There's Eun-hyuk or Min-ho nearby, and Pa-rang too...'
'The dummy hyung is dumb so he'd just embarrass himself in that situation, so Eun-hyuk or Min-ho would be better.'
'And it doesn't have to be a classmate. As the 031&31 batch representative, it wouldn't be bad to teach a lesson to a junior. Honestly, I recommend this more.'
'Hmm.... That's not bad either. It would be good for image-making too...'
'This kid is trying to consider his public image when he's not even a player yet.'
'It's because I have an alias even though I'm not a player yet.'
'Fine, you're so great. Oh, but what will you do about that?'
'About what?'
That day, most of the time Eun-ha spent in Shin Seo-young's lab was to discuss the graduation duel.
Shin Seo-young told Eun-ha how to structure the graduation duel.
Then she spoke as if drawing out his memory.
'Do you know what changes occurred in the graduation ceremony after you dueled Yeon-hwa at your graduation duel?'
'Ah....'
'Since then, the 3rd year representatives have continued to designate juniors as their duel opponents to teach them a lesson. And after the duel ended, they passed down their favorite weapon as a symbol of entrusting their will to their juniors.'
'...'
'It spread widely not just among those involved in the graduation duel, but among seniors and juniors. What will you do about that?'
3 years ago.
After Eun-ha dueled Ryu Yeon-hwa at the graduation ceremony.
A unique graduation culture emerged at the academy.
Recalling this, Eun-ha frowned at the time.
'─Where do I have a weapon to give? You know what kind of swords my swords are...'
'Right, I thought so. Then just give your uniform buttons to juniors who say they like you.'
'...What's that about?'
'You don't know about uniform buttons?'
'...?'
'I guess I have gotten old.'
'Just now... Noona, you're so young. As expected of the <Empress>. You don't age.'
'Thanks for the lip service. Anyway, let me know your duel opponent by the end of this month.'
'Ah, noona. I just thought of someone...'
Eun-ha's relationships were very limited.
Wanting to avoid potentially being pushed by public opinion to give something if he made a mistake while dueling a junior student.
And also wanting to confirm something.
At that time, Eun-ha told Shin Seo-young he wanted to set up the person who suddenly came to mind as his graduation duel opponent.
Then she nodded as if surprised─.
'─Okay, fine. Just let me know if you get that kid's permission.'
That's how she nodded.
After leaving the lab, Eun-ha had been pondering his graduation duel opponent until now.
Until today, he thought that guy was the only suitable opponent.
Swish swish whoosh
Training hall.
Eun-ha slowly looked around the underground training room, searching for him.
Swoosh swish
31st batch high school academy student On Tae-yang.
After his mother passed away, he sorted out his existing relationships and truly devoted himself to training.
He shut himself in the training hall all day.
That's why Eun-ha thought he would be here.
He observed On Tae-yang swinging his sword while dripping with sweat.
A moment later, as if sensing his gaze─.
"─Noh Eun-ha...."
"Hello."
"..."
On Tae-yang, who had been swinging his sword for a while, soon lowered it and turned to look at Eun-ha.
The emotion on his face was hatred.
Eun-ha quietly received the hatred pouring towards him.
""...""
The two were silent for a while.
Eun-ha organized his thoughts and opened his mouth.
"─There's a graduation duel next year."
"..."
"I want you, On Tae-yang, to be my duel opponent then."
"...!"
<Braver> On Tae-yang.
Eun-ha had decided to give up on recruiting him for his party.
Separately from that, he wanted to see On Tae-yang's growth with his own eyes.
So Eun-ha took this opportunity to duel with On Tae-yang.
"..."
On Tae-yang, who received Eun-ha's proposal.
At first his face was colored with surprise and he couldn't say anything.
But as time passed and he regained his composure, On Tae-yang answered towards Noh Eun-ha.
"─Just what I wanted. People will see..."
"Then I'll see you then."
On Tae-yang accepted the proposal.
Then he sneered something.
But Eun-ha no longer felt the need to continue conversing with On Tae-yang.
He turned his body without listening to On Tae-yang's words.
"..."
Then after taking a few steps forward.
Eun-ha looked back.
On Tae-yang had a blank expression, as if he didn't expect to be ignored.
Eun-ha spoke towards him.
"─Please don't disappoint me."
"...!"
"I hope you'll be much stronger than you are now by then."
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