[Chapter 193]
[Watchdog (4)]
<Watchdog of the Little Princess>.
People who learned the truth of the rumors called No Eun-ha that as if by agreement.
Strangely, Eun-ha obtained the same alias in this life too.
But if there was a difference from the previous life, it was that <Watchdog of the Little Princess> wasn't just used mockingly like before.
"Have you heard the story too? Apparently Namsan Clan asked discreetly this time. You know, Namsan Clan is currently acting as a satellite clan of Pandora Clan."
"I know, they're Pandora Clan's ally. So, what did Namsan Clan ask? If that girl in Pandora Clan really has <White Silver>?"
"Yeah, they asked."
"What did the Pandora Clan Lord say?"
"If you don't want your thread cut off, shut that mouth."
""""...""""
"That child's name is Ha Baek-ryeon, right? So they say he growls if you just make a 'Ha' sound in front of the Pandora Clan Lord. What watchdog, he's nothing short of a mad dog."
In this life, <Watchdog of the Little Princess> was used with fear.
Pandora Clan Lord No Eun-ha, famous for his calm personality, started showing extreme vigilance.
To the point people said this isn't a <Watchdog of the Little Princess>, but a <Mad Dog of the Little Princess>.
So people outwardly tried not to show curiosity towards him.
"I heard the Fairy's bodyguard has been staying there recently."
"If the Fairy's bodyguard is there, we can say a person with <White Silver> really appeared without asking the mad dog."
"I heard reporters caught the scent too. They're said to be staking out near Pandora Clan trying to take pictures of that child. It seems they're being caught by Pandora Clan members one after another though."
"If it's a child with snow-white hair, there's no need to confirm the truth of the rumors. She must really have <White Silver>. The Fairy government will soon request an embargo from media outlets or put pressure on them. There's nothing good about making the whole world know."
"It's just a matter of time anyway. Eventually it will become known that child will become the Fairy in the future."
Because No Eun-ha growled so much.
People had no choice but to judge with the given information.
And they quietly exchanged stories without catching the world's eye.
""""...""""
Somehow Pandora Clan ended up protecting the future Fairy.
If so, it was obvious Pandora Clan's brilliant future would be guaranteed.
Not just that.
The future of groups and people friendly with Pandora Clan would be guaranteed too.
"─It's a bit like that."
"To think one clan monopolizes the Fairy. What if Pandora Clan seizes power and wields influence..."
"Does the Fairy have no thoughts?"
Of course, people unrelated to Pandora Clan couldn't view it favorably.
Ordinary people were mostly cheering since they were enthusiastic about Pandora Clan's name.
But those in any kind of conflict of interest with Pandora Clan couldn't.
Especially─
"─The Pandora Clan Lord seems to have a lot of secrets... Don't you think so too?"
""""...""""
Dangun Clan Lord Jang Bong-jeon.
He openly criticized No Eun-ha.
Jang Bong-jeon couldn't possibly like No Eun-ha.
There were several reasons.
One was that Dangun Clan still couldn't break out of B+, while Pandora Clan that was below Dangun Clan until now leaped to A-.
Simply put, his pride was hurt.
Another was that Dangun Clan's situation wasn't very good currently.
Dangun Clan barely had Dongdaemun-gu under its jurisdiction with its B+ rank.
But after the Seoul Disaster, public sentiment that wasn't good to begin with was shaking even more.
If the Fairy government hadn't banned clan wars for 3 years after the Seoul invasion, the representative clan would have changed.
So they were barely maintaining, but.
Jung-gu adjacent to Dongdaemun-gu had very good public sentiment.
Then how would Dongdaemun-gu people think?
Though it probably won't happen... People absolutely must not rise up and hand over jurisdiction to Pandora Clan.
Jang Bong-jeon knew very well that Pandora Clan took Jung-gu under its jurisdiction through public sentiment.
There was no law saying a similar situation couldn't happen in Dongdaemun-gu too.
Lastly, the fundamental reason was─
─No Eun-ha, that bastard...
Because of the Pandora Clan Lord.
No, because of No Eun-ha.
Of all people, Twelve Seats <Big Data> Mo Ra-yul ended up taking responsibility for the Seoul Disaster.
Because of that, Dangun Clan's reputation fell even more.
Eventually Dangun Clan completely lost Mo Ra-yul to the Mana Management Organization.
"No matter how I think about it, it's strange. Maybe the Pandora Clan Lord knew from the beginning. That that child had the <White Silver> gift."
""""...""""
Because they had such bad blood.
Jang Bong-jeon trembled with anger at No Eun-ha.
So he called clan lords close to him to one place and grumbled.
"It's been like that since the last Seoul invasion. The Pandora Clan Lord always seems to know the future."
"I thought that too. There are rumors he might possess <Future Sight>..."
A drinking party.
As alcohol entered heavily and formalities were somewhat dropped.
Starting with Jang Bong-jeon, several people showed signs of agreeing.
They were all people entangled in conflicts of interest with No Eun-ha in some way.
"<Future Sight>, <Future Sight>... That's right. Maybe the Pandora Clan Lord really has something like that. But!"
With a bang.
Jang Bong-jeon put down his glass.
He raised his voice.
"Considering the feats the Pandora Clan Lord has shown so far, can we really think it's <Future Sight>?"
""""...""""
"Even just this Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack, that bastard No Eun-ha showed how much he was hiding his power!"
""""...""""
"What the hell is that bastard's gift! No, to think he can see the future, and have power to show such feats at such a young age...!! Where on earth is there such a gift?"
"That's... true."
The Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack incident.
Though the video quality was blurry.
As video footage was released, people saw No Eun-ha's feats again.
So now it was to the point of awe.
The people gathered here had to acknowledge No Eun-ha's extraordinariness too.
Because they had to acknowledge─
"─Don't you think it's strange? Why are the Mana Management Organization and Fairy government leaving that alone?"
""""...""""
"There's a guy who could bring tremendous disaster to this country if he wanted, so why aren't they trying to confirm that guy's power!! Ah, come to think of it!"
""""...""""
"Gift inspection! Come to think of it, those bastards, most of them haven't disclosed their gifts!!"
Saying how could that be.
Jang Bong-jeon induced agreement.
Some nodded.
But some were cautious.
Gift inspection and disclosure weren't mandatory.
But Jang Bong-jeon's assertion was different.
"Those bastards who achieved so many merits are no different from public figures now! So isn't it natural to confirm their power? Why did the Twelve Seats all disclose their gifts, but they don't disclose?"
""""...""""
"Especially that bastard No Eun-ha!! Aren't you really curious how that bastard's power is composed? What if that bastard causes terror like Sindorim this time!"
It was little different from forcing.
But the words Jang Bong-jeon uttered that day gradually spread to the world.
Public opinion agreeing emerged.
☆
Rumors couldn't be stopped.
Baek-ryeon's existence was slowly spreading through the grapevine.
So Eun-ha's nerves were very on edge these days.
"Sigh..."
"That person, they're not talking about Baek-ryeon by any chance?"
He was sensitive to the point of reacting even when someone just sighed.
Eun-ha couldn't shake off such thoughts as he passed by someone receiving requests on the clan hall's 1st floor.
"They just sighed. Don't try to pick a fight for no reason."
"Yeah, not just us but you really need to relax."
Eventually Eun-ha tried to approach that person to hear what they were saying.
If Choi Eun-hyeok hadn't grabbed his shoulder, he really would have.
Meanwhile, Mok Min-ho held his throbbing head seeing Eun-ha's behavior.
"It's not incomprehensible that you're so worried, Eun-ha. Just recently, some reporter tried to take pictures of Baek-ryeon."
"That bastard, just thinking about it really..."
It was understandable for Eun-ha and Pandora Clan members' nerves to be very on edge recently.
Because things making them uncomfortable were happening from unexpected places.
I don't think Baek-ryeon's secret can be hidden forever either.
Everyone will know someday.
But I want to keep it secret as long as possible so Baek-ryeon can live comfortably.
Other clan members were similar.
As Baek-ryeon's hair turned snow-white, revealing her gift was <White Silver>.
Clan members who were surprised at first soon recalled the fate she would face and made pitiful expressions.
They had known Baek-ryeon for quite a long time too.
They who became attached to Baek-ryeon voluntarily protected her and tried to keep her secret.
"Don't worry too much about Baek-ryeon. Bodyguard Lee Jeong-hyeon is there, and clan members are taking turns guarding her. I need to go meet Donghae Construction people now."
"And Yeon-hwa noona is sticking right by her side these days. Don't worry. Ah, I need to go work now too... Min-ho! Let's go together!"
"Alright, both of you work hard."
While heading to the elevator.
Eun-ha parted from the two.
As Mok Min-ho said just before, Baek-ryeon was currently being securely protected.
Bodyguard Lee Jeong-hyeon is on standby at Baek-ryeon's school, and Yeon-hwa noona is by her side whenever she has time.
Not just Lee Jeong-hyeon and Ryu Yeon-hwa.
Eun-ha was helping with Baek-ryeon's commute to school recently.
Moreover─
─I also had Jean Valjean watch Baek-ryeon without others knowing... And I'm having Twenty-Five eliminate any signs of approaching Baek-ryeon.
Without Lee Jeong-hyeon and clan members knowing.
Eun-ha was really doing everything he could to protect Baek-ryeon.
Nevertheless, he couldn't feel at ease.
"It's already this time..."
Though Jean Valjean and Pass are connected, it seems I can only feel at ease seeing Baek-ryeon directly with my eyes.
It was almost time for school to end.
Eun-ha checked the time and decided to spend some time in his office before going to pick up Baek-ryeon.
Eun-ha got on the elevator.
"I'm coming in."
"Okay, come in."
"Beep beep beep boop boop boop boop boop!!"
Shortly after entering the office.
Han Seo-hyeon came looking for Eun-ha.
Eun-ha got up from his seat and led Han Seo-hyeon to the sofa.
Soon she held out documents.
"I don't think it's a good idea to have clan members protect Baek-ryeon by squeezing their free time."
It was a list.
She said she judged it would be good to organize clan members dedicated to protecting Baek-ryeon.
Eun-ha agreed.
Baek-ryeon feels sorry too, and she might get stressed if the people guarding her surroundings keep changing.
Baek-ryeon was now 10 years old.
But such a young child was already being mindful of her surroundings.
That tendency became even stronger after the meeting deciding Baek-ryeon's guardian ended that day.
'...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making unnies and oppas have a hard time.'
'Hey! What's a little kid with the ink not dry behind her ears saying!? Who is it? Who said such things? This oppa will scold them! Could it be that ahjussi No Eun-ha?'
She felt more sorry for the clan members trying to protect her while busy with work than the state's coercion that she must become Fairy.
So she made the clan members' hearts ache.
Jin Parang even went wild.
Because such things happened, clan members tried to protect Baek-ryeon even more.
"I composed it with trustworthy people. I'm planning to have Yeon-hwa unnie not work for a while and just guard Baek-ryeon."
"Yeah, you did well. It's not like we're desperate for money or performance. Even if work decreases a bit, we should prioritize protecting Baek-ryeon more."
Eun-ha woke from his thoughts.
Himself, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Bong Gu-rae, Bruno, etc.
Eun-ha nodded seeing the names written on the list.
Then he had something he wanted to say.
"But Seo-hyeon."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Why are the twins' names on here?"
At the very bottom of the list.
Meiling and Meirin's names were there.
Eun-ha asked with a sour tone.
"Though it's not good for Baek-ryeon's emotions, I thought they were perfect for brightening Baek-ryeon's mood who's been depressed lately."
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to include Parang hyung or Ariel?"
"Parang ahjussi won't be able to consider Baek-ryeon's feelings to the minutest detail. Ariel isn't bad either but she seems like she might cause trouble too..."
"The twins seem like they might cause trouble too? And they live thoughtlessly."
"They may seem to live thoughtlessly, but they're kids who keenly grasp people's psychology and act accordingly. You just don't know well."
"They do that?"
Han Seo-hyeon highly evaluates the twins.
Eun-ha stuck out his tongue.
He couldn't understand.
But Eun-ha knew what Han Seo-hyeon's gift was too.
A gift that grasps people's emotions.
There must be something only Han Seo-hyeon can know.
"The best alternative is to attach Seo-na and Ariel together... But it seems Seo-na won't be able to stay by Baek-ryeon's side because she's helping me and Ha-yang with work. So I'm trying to attach the twins by her side instead."
"Will it be okay..."
In the previous life, the twins occasionally took care of Baek-ryeon too.
Baek-ryeon and the twins were quite close.
The problem is─
─Baek-ryeon was quite influenced by the twins' personalities...
Eun-ha fell into contemplation.
The contemplation wasn't long.
"Alright, I should follow my wife's words."
"Yeah, just listen to me well. That's how you get rice cakes even while sleeping."
Just hoping Baek-ryeon grows well.
And hoping she's happy.
Eun-ha didn't wish for anything else.
No matter how Baek-ryeon grows, it was fine as long as she was happy.
☆
Baek-ryeon wasn't the only person Eun-ha had to be mindful of.
There was also her mother Ha Ji-eun.
"Noona, are you drinking here again?"
"Ah, Pandora Clan Lord."
"I told you to call me comfortably in private."
"It's already stuck in my mouth, what can I do?"
Late at night.
Eun-ha visited the 3rd floor just in case.
Sure enough, Ha Ji-eun was in the store without even going home.
It seems she drank again today.
Eun-ha sat across from her as she was drinking beer with french fries.
"Give me a glass too."
"Wait a moment."
Ha Ji-eun got up from her seat.
Eun-ha smiled bitterly watching her head to the kitchen.
It must be very hard.
As Baek-ryeon awakened <White Silver>.
Ha Ji-eun had to accept the fact that her daughter would become the Fairy in the distant future.
Some might be excited thinking of enjoying power riding on Baek-ryeon's authority.
But she wasn't that kind of personality.
"─Baek-ryeon... is pitiful."
"..."
Just like saying this today too.
She lamented Baek-ryeon's future captured by the monster called the state.
So unable to overcome sadness, she had been drowning in alcohol every night recently.
"There's so much to do in the world. So much to enjoy too... But it's so pitiful that child now can't do as she pleases and must be forced into a Fairy's life."
"..."
"I feel so sorry to Baek-ryeon. I shouldn't have given birth like that..."
"Why do you keep saying such things. Don't say things like that."
Alcohol enters.
Ha Ji-eun sheds tears.
When Eun-ha pulled out tissues and handed them over, she finally burst into loud sobs.
"What will happen to Baek-ryeon now. How can they try to make such a young thing the Fairy when she doesn't know much?"
"..."
It was a predetermined fate.
Eun-ha couldn't say anything.
He could only pat her shoulder and stay by her side so she wouldn't drink alone.
"─Only the Pandora Clan Lord."
Then, Ha Ji-eun tightly grasped Eun-ha's hand.
She raised her head.
"Her father is gone now. Long ago, while fleeing from monsters, he tried to lure the monsters to save me and Baek-ryeon in my belly."
"..."
"We parted like that. So I tried to find news of that person while carrying Baek-ryeon around."
A story about Baek-ryeon's father.
He hadn't heard it in the previous life.
Baek-ryeon didn't ask Ha Ji-eun much about her father, and Ha Ji-eun had died.
"And I finally found out. I happened to meet a person who fled together then... and they said he died then."
"..."
"He was a person who didn't teach me anything about himself... He left the world just like that leaving only me and Baek-ryeon."
"So you decided to start a new life opening a store in Seongnam?"
"Yes... Since that person is gone now too, I thought I had to protect Baek-ryeon alone now."
"..."
"But. I can't protect her alone. What power do I have to protect a child becoming the Fairy?"
"..."
"So I'm asking like this... Only the Pandora Clan Lord. Please, please protect our Baek-ryeon... I'll do whatever you say, so please just protect Baek-ryeon no matter what."
Ha Ji-eun lowers her head.
Banging her head on the table.
She tightly grasps Eun-ha's hand.
Eun-ha held her hand back.
The answer was decided.
"─Don't worry. Even if I have to exchange my life, I'll definitely protect Baek-ryeon."
It was what he was already prepared for.
Eun-ha vowed.
No one, ever again─
─I'll make it so absolutely no one can defy that child.
☆
I want to become something.
But I still don't know what that 'something' is.
I just have so many things I want to try, and I wanted to decide while trying various things.
─You must become the Fairy now.
But the world couldn't give her a chance to pursue any dream.
She awakened <White Silver>.
At first, she didn't understand what <White Silver> was, or that she had to become the Fairy.
But as time passed, Baek-ryeon came to vaguely understand the meaning.
""""...""""
From the day she awakened her gift.
Baek-ryeon could no longer live a normal life at elementary school.
Bodyguard Lee Jeong-hyeon was always on standby outside the classroom.
Pandora Clan members also frequently escorted her.
Above all, her hair that turned snow-white made people wary.
'The silvery-white hair is pretty, but it'll stand out too much like this... Isn't there an artifact that can change color?'
'No, unnie. I tried testing but Baek-ryeon's mana reacts and disperses artifact magic.'
'Is it because she can't control her power yet...'
Silvery-white hair.
Baek-ryeon wasn't used to her appearance when she stood in front of the mirror.
It was very unfamiliar.
And she realized she could no longer live the same life as before.
She felt it even more hearing No Eun-ah and Jeong Ha-yang's worries about her hair.
'It's okay! Actually, I wanted to try being the Fairy too? I want to become a cool and pretty person like the Fairy I saw on TV before.'
''''...''''
Seeing clan members worrying about her.
And her mother hiding sadness while looking at her.
Baek-ryeon tried to bravely accept her changed life.
No, she pretended to be brave.
I don't want to be the Fairy...
Now I can't play comfortably with friends.
They distance themselves from me.
No, my environment now makes them distance themselves.
I can't meet Jean Valjean comfortably either.
I have to live receiving someone's escort 24 hours a day.
I have to study a lot from now on to become an excellent Fairy in the future.
None of it was okay.
I just pretended to be okay because I didn't want to see people I like worrying.
So─
"─Baek-ryeon... is pitiful."
When she could finally move freely in the clan hall.
When she went to meet her mother and heard her mother crying drunk.
Baek-ryeon's tears fell too.
I don't want to live like this either.
No Eun-ha ahjussi was at the table too.
Baek-ryeon listened to the two people's conversation while hiding and holding her breath.
She cried covering her mouth.
Eun-ha ahjussi seemed not to notice her presence as he was comforting her mother.
So she could hear.
"─Don't worry. Even if I have to exchange my life, I'll definitely protect Baek-ryeon."
Those words he spoke with force.
Brought peace to Baek-ryeon's heart as she had to walk a gloomy, anxious future.
Really, an ahjussi I dislike.
But I wanted to rely on those words.
It seemed I would recall those words when things get hard in the future.
[Chapter 194]
[Pandora Clan Disclosure]
Pandora Clan must disclose their gifts.
The story that started from Dongdaemun-gu gradually gained strength.
Because there was no subject to be harmed except Pandora Clan.
"I am curious about what gifts Pandora Clan players have. Honestly, not much is known except for Ryu Yeon-hwa's gift."
Moreover, even people interested in Pandora Clan wanted to know the clan's hidden strength.
Pandora Clan was currently the most talked about clan in Korea.
The story spread rapidly even to ordinary people.
Several factors overlapped here and the story gained public sentiment.
"─Because of <Myeongwang> Sindorim's terror attack, we need to guide people's thoughts in a different direction since we don't know where they might turn. Release the most talked about rumor now."
One was the Fairy government's attempt to divert people's attention from the recent Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack.
Also─
"─That's good. Use that topic to cover up Baek-ryeon's existence as much as possible."
To hide Baek-ryeon's existence.
Even if her existence was now being treated as an open secret, the meaning of announcing it in the media was different.
A girl only 10 years old.
To protect her privacy and escort her safely, she needed to be hidden as much as possible.
But the media sometimes defied the government's words depending on the situation while complying at other times.
Under the pretext of freedom of the press, they sometimes violated embargoes to greedily report scoops faster than other media outlets.
In a way, the media showed behavior like private companies pursuing their own interests rather than public interests.
Especially media outlets with deep relationships with groups were like that.
Those media outlets even had the signboard of being among the top 10 national comprehensive daily newspapers.
The Fairy government had to pressure them while throwing them material to appease them.
Lastly, another was─
"─These damn groups are rushing in thinking this is their chance. Is the Pandora Clan Lord's favorability greatly divided? Well, I guess that's how it is with heroes. If you achieve too many merits, you'll inevitably be seen as a potential enemy in others' eyes."
Groups not sponsoring Pandora Clan started tearing into Pandora Clan thinking this was their chance.
Even people who had been jealous of Pandora Clan's successful progress were riding the wave and fanning public opinion.
Dangun Daily
May 28, Year 17 of Seonryeok
[Ban Sa-ik Editorial Column]
"<Crimson Wing> did it again this time."
The Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack is regrettable.
Can we really blame those people unconditionally?
The terror attack led by <Myeongwang> Sindorim tells us how many painful things our society has buried and endured so far.
Our society is sick.
...(omitted)...
Meanwhile, <Crimson Wing>'s actions are very noticeable.
The hero who repelled the Seoul Disaster.
Pandora Clan Lord No Eun-ha saved Seoul again.
...(omitted)...
As citizens, we should be very glad that a great hero to succeed the living legends of this era has been born.
So I want to know.
What <Crimson Wing>'s power is.
Galaxy Daily
May 28, Year 17 of Seonryeok
[Su Sang-hae Editorial Column]
...(omitted)...
What does the state exist for?
The state exists for the people.
The reason the Fairy exists as head of state is because she has the power to protect the people, and has the people's support.
And in the same sense, the reason players openly exist in our society is because they have the power to protect us.
...(omitted)...
The reason No Eun-ha receives people's cheers is no different from the reasons mentioned above.
His power is protecting the citizens.
But what we must keep in mind is that No Eun-ha is not the Fairy who exists for public interest, but a player who exists thoroughly for private interests.
It's true that No Eun-ha pursued public interests, but we need to look at No Eun-ha as a person objectively.
...(omitted)...
Now No Eun-ha is protecting citizens because what he pursues coincides with public interests.
But we don't know about the distant future.
No Eun-ha's power is too dangerous.
The fact that No Eun-ha showed feats of stopping <Myeongwang> Sindorim means conversely that No Eun-ha could carry out such terror too.
Therefore, we need to know No Eun-ha as a person in more detail.
We must thoroughly grasp what his power is and prepare for any eventuality.
Samra Daily
May 28, Year 17 of Seonryeok
[Na Guk-bong Editorial Column]
...(omitted)...
The person who stopped the Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack wasn't just <Crimson Wing> No Eun-ha.
There's an unsung hero obscured by <Crimson Wing>'s huge wings.
Samra Clan Lord <Earth Dragon> Chong Eun-ju.
She can be said to be the hero who contributed most to <Crimson Wing> taking down <Myeongwang> Sindorim at the time.
According to what she revealed to this newspaper....
☆
The Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack.
Fortunately, the damage from the terror was smaller than in the previous regression.
Even so, the aftermath brought by the terror was enough to shake society.
Is this the end of the Mana Religion now?
In the previous life, Mana Religion believers disappeared after this incident, so we don't need to worry about those bastards.
First, the Mana Religion was disbanded.
The Mana Religion was continuously perceived as a pseudo-religion by people.
Nevertheless, the reason Mana Religion could expand its influence without being disbanded was because it was a religion.
Freedom of religion and freedom of propagation.
Some laws Korea had before its destruction were still maintained.
So the Fairy government was reluctant to readily disband the Mana Religion.
If they made a mistake, they could face backlash.
But as the Mana Religion caused terror, the Fairy government gained justification to disband the Mana Religion.
And among the believers who lost their place, those who won't be problematic are being accepted by the Eun-ha God Religion... There probably won't be any revival of the Mana Religion or such.
Damn, to say Eun-ha God Religion with my own mouth... It's stuck in my mouth because of Iriya. Change the name.
Like that, the Mana Religion was disbanded.
People moved by the divine dignity Eun-ha showed while resolving the terror knocked on the doors of the Eun-ha God Religion.
Pandora Clan's recognition rose, and the Eun-ha God Religion greatly expanded its influence.
On the other hand─
─They all think Sindorim did it even though I said it wasn't Sindorim.
Most people in the world thought this terror was <Myeongwang> Sindorim's doing.
Even though there were testimonies from Eun-ha and believers who survived at the time.
Even though the Mana Management Organization proved to some extent that Shin Yeon-su used <Miracle> through additional investigation.
People strongly remembered him controlling ghouls.
Whatever the truth, people said Sindorim was the root cause.
This is probably why I thought Sindorim was the root cause in the previous regression.
Moreover, in the previous regression, all believers at the scene died or became ghouls, so they couldn't investigate the incident.
The National Assembly building collapsed too.
That's what public opinion was like.
What public opinion says becomes the truth.
Eun-ha realized the nature of public opinion again.
The fortunate thing was that unlike the previous life, when people shouting such things appeared, people accurately refuting their opinions also appeared.
Anyway, it's fortunate people's attention is more on this than Baek-ryeon.
Did the Fairy government's pressure work?
Soon Eun-ha sighed looking at today's newspaper.
Since Baek-ryeon awakened her gift.
Eun-ha was paying attention to the media.
Reporters from some media outlets even tried to secretly take pictures of Baek-ryeon.
It would have been understandable for the media to mention Baek-ryeon.
But fortunately, what he was worried about didn't seem to be happening.
Even today's newspapers were just praising him or reporting on the Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack.
"Huh?"
"Papa?"
Then he paused while skimming just the headlines of some newspapers.
Several newspapers including Dangun Daily.
Those newspapers were praising him to an excessive degree.
"Dangun Daily even put it on the front page, what's going on with them?"
Eun-ha tilted his head.
Dangun Daily had never published articles favorable to Pandora Clan until now.
He couldn't help but be suspicious of such a newspaper praising him and publishing an article on the front page.
Especially wasn't columnist Ban Sa-ik a figure who had continuously disparaged Pandora Clan?
The article published today was like spitting in his own face.
Moreover─
"─They all end by throwing out the topic that gift inspections should be done while praising me at first."
The context was similar to other newspapers.
Eun-ha fell into thought.
"Papa?"
Strange.
Something is strange.
Eun-ha picked up the phone.
He connected to Han Seo-hyeon's office.
[─This is Administrator Shakira. How may I help you?]
"Oh, Shakira noona. Are there any newspapers other than the ones I usually read there? There's something I want to check."
[We have the rest of the top 10 national comprehensive daily newspapers in addition to the ones you usually read. Should I bring them?]
"Oh, the rest too..."
Including neutral-leaning newspapers like New Country Daily.
I should check all the newspapers provided to Pandora Clan.
Eun-ha was about to ask Shakira.
Right then, the person on the phone changed.
[It's me.]
"Oh, Seo-hyeon."
[I think I can guess what you're thinking now. I was just thinking something was strange too.]
"Dangun Daily praising me?"
[If they hadn't blatantly shown it, I would have passed by without much thought too. It seems we should gather the sub-lords and talk.]
"Alright, gather them right away."
Han Seo-hyeon seemed to have noticed too.
Eun-ha nodded.
☆
As Pandora Clan's numbers increased, one more sub-lord position was added.
So Eun-ha discussed with the sub-lords and decided to look for someone among the executives to become a sub-lord.
'Me! Me! Me! Ariel can do really well! Entrust it to Ariel! And I won't work anymore!'
As Pandora Clan members were swamped with work, people who couldn't become executives also became executives by raising funds around this time.
Ariel was the same.
Ariel who bought boxes of soju and shrimp chips and got scolded by Eun-ah spoke brightly as if she had never done that.
''''─Rejected. Not you.''''
'Ah, why! Let me do it too!!'
'Think about your conduct. Just quietly eat water and shrimp chips. Know there won't be soju for a while.'
'No Eun-ha! I bought it with my own money, isn't this really disappointing!?'
'Yeah, I'm disappointed too.'
Of course, the sub-lords unanimously opposed Ariel's candidacy.
Then they selected someone who could manage clan members well and work well.
The candidates were Cha Eun-woo, Jin Seo-na, Kim Min-ji, Kang Si-hyeong, Bong Gu-rae, and Jo A-ra.
'How much more work are you going to make me do if I become a sub-lord... I'll be satisfied just being an executive. Let me sleep a bit earlier.'
'I'll resign, honey.'
'What would I do becoming a sub-lord. I don't want my insides to burst cleaning up the trouble you guys cause.'
Here, Kang Si-hyeong, Bong Gu-rae, and Kim Min-ji expressed their resignation.
So three people remained.
'The salary is tempting but... No, I'll live a life with evenings. No, but the high salary is a bit attractive too so I'll run.'
'I like a life with evenings too. I don't really want to do it either... But since I ran I'll do it if I'm chosen.'
In the end, they decided to choose a sub-lord among Jo A-ra, Jin Seo-na, and Cha Eun-woo.
And after voting with clan members, the person chosen was Cha Eun-woo.
'Huh? I was chosen? I didn't expect to be chosen, but since you chose me I'll work hard from now on.'
Cha Eun-woo who put on the armband like that.
Clan members once lamented her hard future ahead and praised her as a face genius.
But surprisingly, Cha Eun-woo perfectly digested her work.
They say the position makes the person.
She showed the qualities of a sub-lord and even instilled fear in new members.
'─Hey, kids over there. You shouldn't handle devices like that. Did you join without even checking the clan regulations?'
''''We're sorry!!''''
The armband changed the person.
To this, Jin Parang expressed it by comparing with words he picked up somewhere.
Of course, he just got cursed at by Mok Min-ho.
'─Eun-woo is dead. She's gone now. The kind Eun-woo is dead...'
'Jin Parang, if you want, I can make you die swamped with work even more than now.'
'Tch, I won't do it because it's petty. These guys are really becoming like No Eun-ha in pairs.'
No matter how Eun-woo changed.
Mok Min-ho didn't care.
He defended Cha Eun-woo to the point of bickering with Jin Parang.
☆
The people attending the meeting happened to be in the clan hall.
So Eun-ha called the sub-lords and Administrator Han Seo-hyeon.
By then, they seemed to have grasped the situation too.
"It seems public opinion that we should disclose our gifts is being formed."
"I think I heard such talk too. Ordinary people even talked about what gifts we have while walking on the street, so that says it all."
Jeong Ha-yang opened the conversation.
Mok Min-ho agreed too.
Eun-ha could recognize the current situation after hearing their opinions.
We went too wild this time.
It wasn't just Eun-ha himself.
Other clan members also exerted their full power to suppress the Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack.
So people purely became curious about Pandora Clan's feats.
"That's not the only cause. The Baek-ryeon issue seems to be mixed in too. There are even stories that you have <Future Sight> because you've been protecting Baek-ryeon in Pandora Clan from before."
"Externally, they seem to cite your actions that seemed to foresee the Seoul invasion."
Han Seo-hyeon, No Eun-ah.
The two added a few words.
In short, the situation currently occurring was complexly composed.
"You mean there's an intention to stimulate people's curiosity and try to grasp Eun-ha and our clan members' power."
Cha Eun-woo summarized their thoughts.
With those words, the people present now fell silent.
Eun-ha kept his mouth shut too.
The first statement was made by the Dangun Clan Lord at the Dongdaemun-gu regional assembly, right?
Was it led by the Dangun Clan Lord?
But he couldn't understand how a statement from the regional assembly spread throughout Seoul and even ordinary people became interested.
"I think the Fairy government was involved a bit too. You know, the Fairy government could do that to divert attention."
Then Jeong Ha-yang broke the silence.
Her words had a point too.
The Fairy government might have done so to prevent people from learning of Baek-ryeon's existence, and to make people forget the Mana Religion soul-returning ceremony terror attack incident as quickly as possible.
Im Ga-eul would do something like that.
She's skilled at manipulating the media.
She knows how to divert public attention.
It wouldn't be a difficult task for Im Ga-eul, a former actress.
And if she diverted the topic with that intention, Eun-ha couldn't strongly complain.
"─That's good. We were trying not to reveal Baek-ryeon's existence anyway, so it's good if we draw attention."
""""...""""
Eun-ha also just wanted to divert the topic from Baek-ryeon.
But he didn't have proper power to move the media side.
There was no need to think badly of the Fairy government doing that instead.
Moreover─
"─We've been keeping it secret. Even though we're called an A-rank clan now, not much is known."
""""...""""
"Though disclosing gifts isn't mandatory, to raise the rank of the clan and clan members, we should be able to use gifts as promotional material too."
Of course, people with gifts that could naturally be known without disclosure were like that.
In the case of high-ranking clans, they revealed their strength to some extent.
By doing so, they could gain trust, so it couldn't be said to be just a loss.
Moreover, even if gifts were disclosed, if the person wanted, they could falsely register.
Disclosing gifts gives some points in rank evaluations, and falsely registering gifts is also a kind of strategy, so.
Of course, it's over if you get caught.
There was a similar incident in the previous regression.
It was probably around this time then too.
When Eun-ha received people's attention as the <Watchdog of the Little Princess>, pressure suddenly started coming to disclose his and Lee Yu-jeong's gifts.
Especially for Eun-ha, public opinion that his gift should be investigated was strong since he went mad to the point of not distinguishing friend from foe when activating his gift.
So Eun-ha underwent gift inspection and could learn what gift he had.
"─It's good anyway. We can inspect the gifts of clan members who don't know well what their gift is yet."
At that time, Lee Yu-jeong's gift wasn't revealed even after inspection.
But gift inspections conducted by the Mana Management Organization could easily inspect gifts unless they were rare.
I don't know who did it, but they laid the groundwork well.
I was going to tell the kids to get gift inspections anyway.
When undergoing gift inspection, gifts had to be mandatorily disclosed.
So Eun-ha was planning to have clan members undergo gift inspection while watching the timing.
Moreover, the Mana Management Organization had been managing gift information from around the world stored in the player library.
People who underwent gift inspection could access materials related to their gift.
It was an opportunity for clan members to learn in detail about their gifts.
☆
Time passed from then.
Eun-ha publicly announced that all of Pandora Clan would undergo gift inspection.
People were excited.
And as the date approached─
─The number of people is no joke.
Did they all have nothing to do?
Eun-ha and clan members visited the Mana Management Organization's Gift Research Center.
And they could meet people waiting at the research center.
──!!
""""...""""
Camera shutters clicked everywhere.
Clan members were dumbfounded.
Soon they approached and pleaded to say something.
Eun-ha boldly ignored them.
As Eun-ha ignored them, clan members also followed with their mouths tightly shut.
"─Hello. I'm Lee Ha-neul, director of the Gift Research Center. We sincerely welcome Pandora Clan's visit."
After shaking off people.
The research center director personally came out to greet them.
Eun-ha exchanged greetings with him.
Then he looked around.
There are a lot of people here too...
There were quite a lot of people inside too.
Though disguised as if they came by chance.
Their gazes were unusual.
Even if disguised as ordinary people, their atmosphere or outwardly visible physique said they were players.
They came to spy on Pandora Clan.
In case Pandora Clan somehow tries to deceive about their gifts.
"Thank you for today. But there are a lot of people here."
"Don't worry. By the Fairy's order, Pandora Clan members' gift inspections will be conducted in an area where outsiders can't enter."
"That's fortunate."
"Then follow me."
Their thoughts were correct.
Eun-ha had no intention of disclosing all clan members' gifts.
He was thinking of only disclosing gifts that had to be disclosed or could be disclosed.
There was no need to give clues to exploit their combat styles by disclosing gifts like Choi Eun-hyeok's or Mok Min-ho's.
It was good I hinted to Im Ga-eul that I'd secretly inspect gifts and manipulate the gift announcements using this incident as an excuse.
Soon the research center director guided them.
Eun-ha left behind the disguised people looking at him with disappointment.
They went underground.
"It would be better to divide into groups from here."
"Then I'll divide the groups now."
The research center director said.
Han Seo-hyeon who heard about this beforehand divided people without fuss.
Soon clan members were divided into groups.
Eun-ha grouped with Han Seo-hyeon, No Eun-ah, Jeong Ha-yang, Choi Eun-hyeok, and Jin Seo-na.
"Gifts are characteristics of mana, but the methods of activation differ for each. So while there are gifts like <Ice Flower> that manifest externally just by drawing out mana, there are also gifts that activate under certain conditions. Or the activation method can be peculiar. Some gifts even change according to a person's emotions."
The research center director guided them.
Entering a room that looked like a studio, a vast space could be seen through a glass window.
Eun-ha and clan members looked at the space made of pure white tiles.
"It's a room made of special materials that can withstand magic effects. Staff waiting inside will give various help so you can realize your gift as much as possible."
Only one person undergoing gift inspection can enter the inspection room.
The rest will wait inside the studio.
The research center director added.
"Then which person should go first? Please tell me as you like."
"Ah, I'll go first. Is it okay if I get inspected first?"
"Do as you want."
The research center director kindly asked.
Jin Seo-na gently raised her hand.
To this, Eun-ha and others gladly sent her off.
As inexperienced people, they were curious how gifts are inspected.
There was a chance to inspect gifts at the Academy, but I stopped them then.
If they inspected gifts as students, they wouldn't be able to falsely deceive later.
Their skills would be exposed as is too.
Eun-ha sat on the sofa.
Then Han Seo-hyeon and Jeong Ha-yang stuck right next to him on either side.
"Now we have to fight for seats just to sit next to my brother... Eun-hyeok, let's go sit over there."
"No, noona. I'll watch closely how Seo-na realizes her gift."
"Tch, I guess I have to sit alone. Alright."
Eun-ah opened her drowsy eyes.
Han Seo-hyeon and Jeong Ha-yang tried to give up their seats to her midway.
But she said not to mind and sat in another seat.
And Choi Eun-hyeok took a seat next to the research center director.
[─Then we will begin Jin Seo-na player's gift inspection.]
Soon the inspection began.
A staff member in the studio conveyed words to the inspection room through a microphone.
Jin Seo-na manifested mana as recommended by staff in the inspection room.
The process of finding gifts takes quite a long time.
An inspection where everything has to be tested.
Even if undergoing gift inspection, one might not realize it.
So Eun-ha decided to pass time using his smartphone.
He decided to look at menus for what to order for lunch later.
Time passed like that─
──!!!
The inspection room flashed.
Jin Seo-na realized her gift.
People sitting in the studio stood up abruptly.
""""...""""
"...Huh?"
Soon the flashing light disappeared.
And Jin Seo-na's body was revealed.
People were at a loss for words.
"W-What is this!?"
Jin Seo-na looked at her body and exclaimed in bewilderment.
People were bewildered too.
Because─
""─She has three tails now....""
"""You only see the tails?"""
Not only did her tails increase, but her body grew much larger than before.
So the buttons holding her clothes together fell to the floor with a thud.
"Why did my body become like this!?"
Jin Seo-na who ended up wearing tight-fitting clothes made a crying face.
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