บท 289: 703
[Chapter 179]
[12 Years of Time (4)]
The name Yoo Jina no longer exists.
The woman who said she had fallen to the very bottom of society after being caught taking bribes from KK Pharmaceuticals said that.
A long time ago, the kids did wonder about this teacher's whereabouts.
She suddenly disappeared from school one day, and Teacher Im Dohun ended up continuing as our homeroom teacher.
It would have been exactly when little Eunha was that age.
A memory from just 1 year ago.
But 12 years have passed since then, and for 20-year-old Eunha, it now felt like a very distant memory.
If only it wasn't a memory from when I was in elementary school.
Now... even memories from before the regression feel so distant.
Time is truly scary.
Past memories disappear somewhere, pushed out by newly created memories.
Even the emotions that were strongly tied to memories from before the regression were gradually fading.
He who had desperately looked to the future to not forget the past was now turning his eyes to reality.
Suddenly Eunha fell into such sentiments, and unknowingly self-deprecated.
I'm the only one who remembers the memories from before the regression, so I can't forget too.
If even I forget, everything that happened in the previous life would be treated as if it 'never happened'.
That can't happen.
Eunha steeled his heart again and looked at the woman who asked to be called Madam Jina, formerly Yoo Jina.
"...It's been a long time. But we're not in a relationship to chat about old memories, are we?"
"Yes, that's right. Let's not bring up old stories pathetically. You and I are living different lives now, <Crimson Wing>."
The change in the person who remained faintly in his memory as weak, timid, and innocent felt unfamiliar.
She covered her weakness with heavy makeup.
Her timid personality changed to one that didn't care if she died anytime.
Her innocent appearance faded after tasting the darkness of the world.
So she's a completely different person.
Eunha came to that conclusion.
She agreed as well.
"So can I know why you called me, even mentioning Lee Ganghyuk?"
Lee Ganghyuk-nim, huh.
It must be a manifestation of her will to live completely as Madam Jina.
Eunha felt quite awkward but didn't try to show it.
Instead, Eunha also decided to treat her strictly on a business level.
"Even if I don't say it specifically, didn't you come to this place already expecting to some extent?"
"..."
"If you're called a madam, you should know how this field works... If I called you leaving those kids here, you should have figured out the answer."
"Redemption... you mean to do redemption."
Eunha shrugged.
Madam Jina spoke heavily.
She took a short breath and glanced at the sisters once.
"It's difficult to say this, but Meiling and Meilin are children I've managed especially carefully. So for people who came to buy these children's nights, I used the reason that they weren't adults yet to let them buy skills but not sell nights. That's how preciously I regard them. So I can't easily accept <Crimson Wing>'s words."
Madam Jina indirectly refused.
While doing so, she expounded on how preciously she had raised the twin sisters until now.
Has the... future changed?
Eunha inwardly tilted his head.
He knew the twin sisters had worked in the red-light district from a much younger age in the previous life.
But even then, he didn't know whether they had sold nights before becoming adults or not.
But since they hadn't sold nights yet, Eunha decided to view it positively.
The future has changed.
What an unpredictable connection.
The world is quite small.
It's a strange and peculiar connection.
Eunha inwardly accepted.
While doing so, he didn't take his gaze off Madam Jina.
She spoke indirectly but interpreting it means negotiate to take them.
If she's definitely someone who has abandoned her identity as an elementary school teacher.
Madam Jina is not a person with morality.
She's sensitive to practical benefits and uses even human emotions depending on the situation.
Analyzing her from that perspective, what she was asking for was clear.
The twin sisters are children who will become aces of this shop in the future.
So how can you try to take away kids who are still valuable because they haven't sold nights yet for free?
If you're going to take them, pay a corresponding price.
"What do you mean we're precious... Right, unni? People are so fickle. Saying we're precious while not even letting us eat freely because we'll get fat... This is why Jina unni smells like that."
"Oh my, little sister. You shouldn't say that in front of Jina unni no matter what. She's still the person who taught us all kinds of bedroom arts. But she does smell quite bad."
"Shut up, you brats. How much did you run your mouths to not even be able to properly keep your own mouths shut? How can your mouths be so loose..."
"Oh my, we only leak from our mouths because we haven't sold nights, but now we'll be leaking from below too..."
"That's right. And are we the only ones leaking? Our partners will leak too. Right, Pandora Clan Lord oppa?"
"Shut your mouths. And don't call me oppa again."
"Hmm, it seems the Pandora Clan Lord doesn't like being called oppa. Then should I call you noona? Noo, na."
"Originally if someone is older and has ability, it's okay to call them oppa. Right, unni?"
The twins chattered.
Of course they poked at the thoughts Madam Jina held inside and.
They shook Eunha's mental state.
In the end, the two had to sigh at the twins' way with words.
"How much do you want?"
"As much as possible."
In the end, they stripped away all pretenses and decided to negotiate directly.
When Eunha spoke first, she also spoke openly.
"Then take as much as you want."
"What?"
"I said take as much as you want. It's not like I'm the one paying the money, so what does it matter?"
"I don't quite understand what you mean..."
"Just take it from Lee Ganghyuk as you please. If you say I told him to pay, he'll pay it."
"..."
The negotiation itself was meaningless from the start.
If this shop is connected to Lee Ganghyuk and Itaewon forces' capital─.
─Then it's mine, whose else would it be?
That's what Eunha was thinking.
Itaewon would gladly bear the burden even if just to avoid conflict with him and <Mercenary King>.
As for Lee Ganghyuk, if he tries to rebel now, Eunha just needs to work on him to hand over all authority to Isipo.
The world calls Lee Ganghyuk the king of alleys, but in reality Eunha himself was the king of alleys.
It's just that Eunha was buried in darkness, so his connections to them weren't visible.
"...Yes, I'll do that. But before that, there's one thing I'd like to ask <Crimson Wing>."
Madam Jina seemed to have roughly grasped the situation.
She seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding.
Then she asked.
"I'd like to know how you'll treat these children after redeeming them. They're my children too after all. I want to know how they'll live from now on."
This was probably what she had wanted to say, not the negotiation.
Madam Jina exuded a solemn atmosphere different from before.
To this, Eunha answered.
"─I'll work them to death."
"...What?"
""..."
Perhaps it was an unexpected answer.
Her reaction was delayed by a beat.
The twin sisters held their breath while showing curiosity.
Eunha explained again.
"I'll take them and work them to death. I'll thoroughly prevent them from even having strange thoughts."
"""..."
Contrary to Madam Jina's concerns.
Eunha planned to make the redeemed sisters understand what hell training is to the point of tears after taking them.
First I need to have them transfer to the Academy next year and get player licenses.
We're short on navigators and rangers right now.
He would make them players and immediately deploy them as combat forces.
Eunha made pleasant plans.
"We thought we'd become free but it looks like we'll be tied to the Pandora Clan Lord until death... That's kind of exciting too? I wanted to do that kind of play."
"Then will the Pandora Clan Lord take care of our night life too? If so, I'm in favor."
"I told you to shut up."
☆
By the time he finished talking with Madam Jina, the night sky was gradually brightening.
"Not even getting to sleep, what is this..."
"Papa..."
Isipo and Lee Ganghyuk also came in the middle and a drinking party briefly broke out.
So leaving got delayed.
He quietly looked back at the twin sisters following behind him.
"Is that all you have to wear? If you're going to wear something, couldn't you wear something more decent?"
"Ah, perhaps the Pandora Clan Lord's tastes are different? Then you should have said so. The shop had pretty much everything..."
"Unni, should we go back and change into more revealing clothes?"
"...Just wear that."
They were sisters with no answers.
Eunha regretted whether redeeming the twin sisters was a good choice.
While doing so, Eunha was also worrying about something else.
Seeing the clan members' faces at the end, it seems I've caused quite a misunderstanding...
How should I explain this?
The mana allocated to little Eunha ran out and he disappeared.
Eunha could immediately notice little Eunha's disappearance, and simultaneously acquire what little Eunha had seen and felt until then.
And he could know that little Eunha had turned the clan atmosphere into a mess by accidentally saying the wrong thing before disappearing.
It seemed the clan members would misunderstand.
Moreover, given the time...
A day had already passed.
Beyond a day passing, dawn was now breaking.
Eunha worried about how to resolve this misunderstanding to survive.
Meanwhile, they were able to arrive at Pandora Clan.
Given the time, they should all be sleeping.
Let's quietly enter the office, sleep a bit, and pretend I came back not too late.
I hope the kids fall for it...
In front of Pandora Clan headquarters.
Eunha peered through the glass doors and confirmed it was dark inside.
Letting out a sigh of relief.
Eunha spoke to the twin sisters.
"There should be many empty rooms if you go up to the 5th floor. Take any room and wash up. There might be rooms with nameplates, but absolutely don't touch those rooms."
"Is this a stray cat game?"
"Seems like a stray cat game."
"Oh my, I'm excited."
"Oh my, I'm thrilled."
"Hah... When you go inside, quietly wash up and just sleep. Wait in the room until I call you later."
Eunha cautioned them.
After cautioning two, three times, he was able to get their agreement.
So Eunha decided to step into the clan headquarters.
"...Is no one here?"
"Bibi..."
He entered the 1st floor.
Eunha looked around.
He confirmed no one was there.
As he was trying to head towards the elevator with muffled footsteps like that─.
"─You're late. What on earth were you doing until this time?"
"...!"
He was caught red-handed by Han Seohyun.
She suddenly appeared from empty space.
Someone had been using concealment magic to hide their presence.
And she wasn't the only one who appeared.
"Why were you trying to sneak in quietly? Did you commit a crime?"
"Who are the people behind you?"
Noh Euna, Jeong Hayang.
The female clan members visible behind them.
And behind them─.
"─I-I'm really innocent but why are you doing this to me..."
"Choi Eunhyuk, be quiet. Seems you haven't been scolded enough yet?"
"S-sorry! I was wrong!"
"..."
Male clan members caught in several binding magics were visible.
Their appearances were miserable.
Yoo Namhun had a large bruise around his eye.
Choi Eunhyuk even had scratch marks on his cheek as if scratched by a dog.
Han Changjin was trembling.
Eunha was at a loss for words seeing that scene.
"W-what were you all doing not sleeping?"
And after that, those were the only words he managed to say.
It was enough to make the female clan members who had waited for him without sleeping explode.
Nevertheless, Eunha made excuses trying to somehow escape the situation.
"Since it's come to this, I'll introduce them! These are Meiling and Meilin who will be joining Pandora Clan. They'll take on navigator and ranger positions respectively, and I'll have them transfer to the Academy next year like Iriya..."
"I see. So when caught bringing women in qipaos into the clan headquarters, you say you'll have them transfer to the Academy next year."
"Lord, you should have told me earlier. If I had known you liked clothes like that, I would have changed into such an outfit too... How cruel."
"..."
The excuses didn't work at all.
They lacked persuasiveness from the start.
Who on earth would believe women wearing qipaos are players?
He resented the twin sisters.
Above all, what was most resentful was─.
"─Hello! Navigator is just a hobby, I'm Meiling who will be responsible as the Pandora Clan Lord's concubine! I'm the older sister!"
"Ranger is just a hobby, I'm Meilin who will be responsible as the Pandora Clan Lord's concubine along with my sister!"
""""..."
Even though they clearly knew the situation.
The twin sisters poured oil on the fire.
Eunha glared at them but.
They just cackled.
And so─.
"─Shouldn't we convene all clan members after a long time to discuss how to punish those who disrupt clan discipline? Don't you think so, everyone?"
""""That's right!!""""
""""..."
""We agree too! That's right!""
"Please just stay quiet..."
Centered around Han Seohyun.
A clan meeting was held that day.
Outwardly it was a clan meeting, but in reality it was a place for clan members to take off their rank insignia and scold Eunha, they say.
☆
Eunha's fate was sealed.
Even the Clan Lord was no exception.
No, it was even worse because he was the Clan Lord.
That day, he who brought the twin sisters had to receive the clan members' cold gazes.
I guess it's fortunate they believed nothing happened...
He could tell how angry the clan members were from the part where Ryu Yeonhwa turned her back without answering even when he spoke to her.
It was fortunate the misunderstanding was cleared up at least.
However, from that day on, Eunha was not only banned from staying out overnight, but also had to regularly report his location to the sub-lords.
It was no way for a Clan Lord to be.
That Mok Minho bastard is really lucky.
He was able to avoid the storm by miraculously going home.
Meanwhile, Mok Minho, Bong Gurae, Kang Sihyung, Lee Cheonsu, and Jin Parang didn't get scolded by the clan members.
Bong Gurae and Kang Sihyung returned early so there was no reason to scold them.
Mok Minho calmly went home and came to work after the clan members' anger had subsided.
Lee Cheonsu just went along with it.
Jin Parang was sprawled out sleeping so he didn't even hear with his outer ears no matter how angrily they scolded.
Still, it's fortunate they accepted the twin sisters well.
Meanwhile, the twin sisters were naturally blending into Pandora Clan.
It was because the clan members' anger was focused on Eunha.
If something had happened to Eunha, they probably wouldn't have accepted the twins, but since nothing disappointing occurred, they allowed the twins to join.
In a way, you could say Eunha took all the anger the twin sisters would have received.
Should I think I got off cheap with just me getting scolded in exchange for the twins being accepted into Pandora Clan...
It felt somewhat pitiful and sad, but.
On the other hand, he was relieved that the twin sisters were maintaining good relationships with the clan members.
Even so, Eunha decided to avoid the clan members for the time being.
Let's not catch the kids' eyes.
I might get scolded again for no reason.
The Clan Lord's situation was quite miserable.
Anyway, since that incident, Eunha had been commuting to Byuk Haesoo's workshop next to the Pandora Clan headquarters these days.
"Are your sisters-in-law still like that?"
"Don't even mention it. It would be better if it was just them... Even Gurae and the girls are nagging at me."
"Why did you go to a place like that?"
"You think I went because I wanted to? I went because those guys dragged me there."
"You call that an excuse?"
"Ugh... But I did bring in skilled people."
"Do your sisters-in-law not say anything if you offset it with that?"
"Ugh..."
The clan members didn't come to Byuk Haesoo's workshop filled with heat.
It was the optimal refuge for Eunha who had resistance to heat thanks to Buldak.
Eunha exchanged words with Byuk Haesoo who smiled as soon as he saw him.
At that time, Byuk Haesoo changed the topic.
"Ah, right. That thing is finished so you can take it now."
"That thing?"
"The thing you got with the Eulji grade relic. I just finished making it. I'll bring it."
The artifact Eunha had requested before was completed.
Eunha's eyes lit up.
Byuk Haesoo who stood up from his seat soon brought a box that was on a shelf.
He held out the box to Eunha.
It was a small box that could fit on a palm.
To think he melted such a large bell to make something this small...
As expected of Byuk Haesoo.
Eunha marveled at his ability.
Byuk Haesoo shrugged.
"Open it."
"Ah..."
"Bibi bibi papa papa pupu pu!"
Inside the box was a necklace with a deep blue jewel embedded.
The jewel's light was very dark.
Eunha blankly stared at the necklace as he lifted it by the chain.
"As for the artifact's effect... you probably know better than me."
"I know... of course."
An artifact that nullifies the activation of magic itself and converts it back to mana once per day.
Eunha smiled seeing the artifact respond even to a light flow of mana.
It matches well with me.
He could tell just from the response.
The fact that the artifact made from an Eulji grade relic recognized him as its rightful owner.
Eunha raised the corners of his mouth.
"What's its name?"
"I didn't think about a name since I was busy making artifacts for the other kids... Why don't you name it?"
"Then I'll call it the Necklace of Reversion."
"You really... Your naming sense is completely hopeless."
"What's wrong with my naming sense."
The shorter the name the better since it will be activated in urgent situations.
Eunha said with pouting lips.
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