บท 317: 731
[Chapter 186]
[Mute (4)]
On Tae-hee is her closest friend.
As Son Ga-yeon, who couldn't speak, she was grateful to her for approaching her willingly.
"─Ah, that's too bad. If we had hit just a bit more, we could have won it..."
Her close friend was disappointed.
Son Ga-yeon couldn't just stand by.
Although she had become accustomed to shooting guns to the point of pulling the trigger even while sleeping, being dragged around by <Crimson Wing> recently─
─Tae-hee wants it.
She decided to participate in the game for her precious friend.
The given bullets were 30 in total.
The score needed to win the desired doll was 1000 points.
Even if she hit all the targets, it was a score that couldn't be achieved without playing the game at least twice.
So she demonstrated the feat of hitting two or more targets with one shot by exerting all her concentration.
But─
─Tang!
While she was racking up points.
Someone took the seat next to her.
Son Ga-yeon glanced sideways.
She found it strange that someone would deliberately take the seat next to her when there were many other seats available.
The other person was also glancing at Son Ga-yeon.
Their eyes met.
「?」
"I won't interfere, so continue."
The woman who spoke with an expressionless face.
Nevertheless, the woman's voice sounded strangely excited somewhere.
Soon, the woman wearing hearing protection suddenly pulled the trigger.
Her posture is clean.
Is this person a sniper too?
She was surprised by the woman's skill.
Son Ga-yeon was amazed at the posture that hit the target accurately like a machine.
Aren't you going to shoot?
At that time, the woman glanced sideways.
Her gaze seemed to say just that.
At this, Son Ga-yeon decided to focus on her own target again.
Tang!
At first, she pulled the trigger to rack up points.
But as time passed more and more.
Son Ga-yeon kept getting distracted by the woman next to her.
She was not only hitting more targets than herself with one shot, but also never making a mistake.
「Ah....」
As more time passed.
She, who had started the game first, now ran out of bullets.
She had already reached the target score.
But she felt regret.
Because she wanted to shoot a little more with the woman next to her.
It was a sense of kinship.
In a way, it was a competitive spirit.
Right at that moment─
"─There are plenty of bullets. Keep shooting."
「...Thank you.」
The woman suddenly stopped shooting.
She rummaged through her back pocket and tossed her wallet to the booth staff.
Then she told them to charge her card and bring more bullets.
Soon, she also picked up the booth's dedicated rifle instead of the one she had been using.
Tang!
Once again, the two took their stances.
They pulled the triggers almost simultaneously and hit targets at the same score and position.
At that moment, the two were fired up.
Soon, they started an endless competition.
☆
While patrolling the cultural festival anyway.
Eun-ha decided to purely enjoy the cultural festival as Jin Seo-na had said.
"Doesn't that look delicious?"
"Should we buy one and split it?"
"That's a good idea! Ah, but I'm having trouble deciding which one. Hmm.... Pep, si, co, la, de, li, cious. If, it's, de, li, cious...."
"What old song is that? Just choose the flavor you want to eat the most. Or choose a classic flavor."
"Wait, I've got inspiration now. I'll choose the most delicious flavor, so watch me closely."
Saying this is surprisingly scientific.
The fox boasted nonsensically.
Eun-ha burst out laughing at her tone and behavior.
Fortunately, Jin Seo-na's surprisingly scientific choice turned out well.
"See, what did I tell you?"
"Yes, you're so great."
There were no failures in food selection.
They walked around the academy buying and sharing food.
Then a shooting range caught Eun-ha's eye.
"Why are there so many people over there?"
"Hm? You're right. Everyone's gathered there."
A store where you receive prizes according to the score you get by hitting targets with a gun.
A crowd had gathered there.
The two walked towards the store out of curiosity.
─Tang!
""""...""""
Afterwards, the two people's reactions were similar to those who were there first.
They were at a loss for words seeing two people shooting targets with piles of magazines next to them.
"This is, really..."
One was a familiar person.
It was Son Ga-yeon.
She, who didn't like standing out, was unusually drawing attention while shooting a gun.
Soon, Eun-ha realized that she was conscious of the person next to her.
Who is it?
Somehow the face seems familiar....
A face I feel like I've seen somewhere.
Eun-ha couldn't remember right away.
Then he entered the shooting range, pushing through the crowd to grasp the situation.
"Ah, oppa!"
"Oh, Tae-hee, Mi-ye."
His guess was right.
Son Ga-yeon wasn't the only one at the shooting range.
On Tae-hee and Seon Mi-ye were there too.
Eun-ha tried to ask the two for detailed circumstances.
Then the two said─
"─At first, Ga-yeon participated because of the doll, but now she's not even paying attention to it and is focused on competing with the person next to her?"
""Yes....""
"Hmm.... I guess Ga-yeon has a competitive side unlike her appearance."
They say it turned out like this because Son Ga-yeon's competitive spirit was ignited.
Eun-ha was dumbfounded.
How could her competitive spirit be ignited to the point of piling up bullets like a mountain and shooting?
Who's the person next to Ga-yeon?
She seems like a player, but what kind of person competes like this with kids?
Soon, Eun-ha's head turned.
He looked at the woman wearing hearing protection around her neck.
It was a face that seemed very familiar.
"Ah."
It wasn't difficult to recall the woman's identity.
Although her hair color was quite different.
The sight of her wearing hearing protection around her neck and pulling the trigger indifferently reminded him of one person.
Why is <Silent> here....
No, it's not that strange for her to be here since she came to give a lecture today.
Twelve Seats <Silent> Yoo Su-jin.
She had come to see the cultural festival in disguise using an artifact.
Eun-ha understood the situation.
Once he understood that far, a smile spread across his face.
"─This worked out well."
"Baa baa?"
This was quite a coincidence.
No, it might be fate.
It seems Yoo Su-jin is quite fond of Son Ga-yeon right now, so this isn't bad.
Eun-ha greatly welcomed this situation.
☆
The competition didn't stop.
Because neither side was making any mistakes.
People were engrossed in the shooting competition between the two, holding their breath.
In the middle of that─
"─That's enough."
When the two were about to drink water.
Eun-ha, who had been watching for the right opportunity, intervened in their competition.
At this, Son Ga-yeon blinked at Eun-ha and acknowledged him.
On the contrary, Yoo Su-jin frowned fiercely as her concentration was broken.
"...Choco Pie Lord."
"It's Pandora Clan Lord."
"Pandora Choco Pie."
"...Call me whatever you want."
As if telling him not to interfere.
Yoo Su-jin called Eun-ha with an irritated tone.
Eun-ha ignored it.
Then he suddenly brought the two back to their senses.
"How can you two occupy the shooting range like this at a student business booth?"
"I paid plenty of money."
"It's good to help the students' sales, but you should let others enjoy too. The cultural festival is an event where students experience social life, showcase their skills, and players approach with a friendly image, not just about making money."
"You talk too much."
"Anyway, stop here since everyone's watching. It seems like it would take a long time for a winner to be decided..."
"I don't want to..."
"You've already confirmed Ga-yeon's skills, right? Is there any need to check further? Rather than that..."
"..."
"Since people are watching, let's change locations for now. Come with me to the cafeteria. You two come along too."
"...My energy's down. I want to go back to the clan and sleep."
"I'll treat you. You're hungry too, right? Looking at the bullets on the floor, it seems you've shot quite a lot.... Don't you crave sweet food?"
"..."
"I'll let you eat as much as you want."
"I'll go."
Persuading Yoo Su-jin was simple.
Unlike his previous life, Eun-ha roughly understood what kind of person Yoo Su-jin was.
So he tempted her with food.
Sure enough, Yoo Su-jin fell for Eun-ha completely.
"Seo-na, take this."
"Why are you giving me your card?"
"Go around the academy booths and buy some delicious-looking things. You're good at choosing tasty things, right?"
"Wow, this guy is making me run errands.... No Eun-ha, you've grown up a lot."
"Don't grumble and just go."
"Sigh, alright. I should go to the cafeteria, right?"
"Yes, please."
Eun-ha handed the card to Jin Seo-na.
After sending Jin Seo-na off, Eun-ha took the remaining people to the cafeteria.
Among the people, there were some who were disappointed as the match ended midway, but soon they shut their mouths after confirming Eun-ha's identity.
Rather, they showed goodwill, saying they were cheering for Eun-ha.
"Fighting, Pandora Clan! I'll be cheering for you!"
"No Eun-ha! Hurry and become one of the Twelve Seats!"
"...Yes, thank you. Please keep watching our Pandora Clan in the future too."
The Pandora Clan's recognition was considerable.
Eun-ha could freshly feel the status of the Pandora Clan.
Meanwhile, Eun-ha, who had entered the cafeteria, offered a seat to Yoo Su-jin.
"─This is Son Ga-yeon. As you can see, she has a disability that prevents her from speaking due to an accident, but her skills are really amazing."
"Yes, Son Ga-yeon. I remembered. For a sniper, the rifle speaks, so a disability doesn't matter at all."
"Yes, I think so too. And isn't a taciturn sniper better than a talkative one?"
With a thud.
Eun-ha placed his hand on Son Ga-yeon's shoulder sitting next to him.
Then, while showing off his friendship with her.
Eun-ha appealed Ga-yeon's skills to Yoo Su-jin.
"You, you shoot well."
「...Thank you. I'm happy to receive praise from <Silent>.」
After realizing Yoo Su-jin's identity.
Son Ga-yeon was greatly embarrassed to hear her evaluation.
As she smiled broadly while wearing her mask.
She was happy to receive recognition from the woman known as a specialist in the sniper field.
Ga-yeon's skills are indeed good.
Eun-ha was satisfied as if it were his own achievement.
At this point, it was already decided that Son Ga-yeon would join his clan.
Eun-ha had no intention of giving her to another clan.
On the other hand─
"─So how about taking her as <The Seed>, <Silent>?"
""...!!""
「...!」
"Hmm...."
Eun-ha suddenly brought up the main point.
On Tae-hee, Seon Mi-ye, and Son Ga-yeon.
While the three were surprised, Eun-ha calmly waited for Yoo Su-jin's answer.
Yoo Su-jin seemed to be contemplating.
Soon, she opened her mouth.
"Alright, good."
""...!!""
「...!」
"You've thought well."
Yoo Su-jin made her decision.
The three people at the table couldn't help but be surprised again.
Of course, Eun-ha had almost expected her answer.
She was someone who had her eye on Ga-yeon in his previous life too.
Although she couldn't take her as <The Seed> then because the timing didn't match, it's different now.
Son Ga-yeon was a 1st year high school student.
As her style wasn't completely set, there was quite room for improvement over the remaining 2 years.
Moreover, Yoo Su-jin had just directly confirmed her skills.
No matter how indifferent she was to her surroundings, how could she be indifferent to Son Ga-yeon who had sufficient talent as a sniper?
People who take pride in their work tend to want to nurture talented individuals when they see them.
「Is it... really okay?」
"Yes. This worked out well. I can reduce my workload under the pretext of teaching you."
"Don't think of it as an excuse to reduce work, and teach her well."
"I'll teach her well. Choco Pie Lord."
"And when she graduates, I'll take her to Pandora Clan, not Tempest."
"Our Clan Lord will probably object...."
"She's already set to receive sponsorship from the Sirius Group. I'll take Ga-yeon's friends to Pandora Clan too. If they're joining a clan anyway, it's better for close friends to join together, right?"
"Hmm.... Alright, do as you please. I don't care about such things anyway."
While making Son Ga-yeon Yoo Su-jin's <The Seed>.
Eun-ha asserted his ownership of Son Ga-yeon to Yoo Su-jin just in case.
To firmly state his opinion, he added that he would also recruit On Tae-hee and Seon Mi-ye to Pandora Clan.
I was originally planning to do that with Tae-hee... But somehow I ended up saying I'd bring Mi-ye into our clan too.
Well, it's a bluff, so what does it matter.
Mi-ye is younger than Ga-yeon and Tae-hee so she won't join at the same time, and she said she'd enter the Mana Management Organization, so I shouldn't worry too much.
Eun-ha decided to leave Seon Mi-ye's recruitment entirely up to her.
Although she was also considered a promising rookie, there wasn't a need to absolutely recruit her to the clan.
"Eun-ha oppa."
"Oh, what?"
However, it seemed Seon Mi-ye took Eun-ha's bluff seriously.
She tugged on Eun-ha's sleeve.
Then she whispered in his ear.
"─If I join oppa's clan, does that mean I could be in the same party as Kaede unnie?"
"Uh.... We'll see how you do?"
"Then I'll join."
"Huh?"
"I think it might not be bad to join oppa's clan, which still has a lot of room for growth, rather than the bureaucratic Mana Management Organization. I'll see Hou unnie too."
"Ah..., I see."
Eun-ha belatedly recalled.
Seon Mi-ye was a fan of Kaede.
I can't treat her roughly considering Uncle Gi-jun....
No, should I treat her roughly for Uncle Gi-jun's sake....
Eun-ha smiled bitterly.
Anyway, he was satisfied since he had nothing to lose.
☆
The second day of the cultural festival.
Eun-ha took on the work of other guest instructors as well.
He planned to play comfortably without working on the third day.
That's because─
"─Ah, Baek-ryeon, noona. Over here."
"Wow, there are really a lot of people. The cultural festival is truly amazing as I heard."
He had invited Ha Baek-ryeon.
Eun-ha waited for her at the main gate at the appointed time.
When the set time came, Ha Ji-eun brought Ha Baek-ryeon.
She's dressed up nicely.
Ha Baek-ryeon holding Ha Ji-eun's hand.
Eun-ha smiled seeing her deliberately avoiding his gaze.
When she was in Seongnam, she wore clothes with designs easily seen in the market.
But after coming to Pandora Clan, Ha Ji-eun's income increased.
And Ha Baek-ryeon also became doted on by Pandora Clan members.
"Your clothes are pretty. Did you buy them recently?"
"...Yu-jeong unnie bought them for me."
Ha Baek-ryeon's fashion became more diverse.
Eun-ha was satisfied seeing her tightly gripping the strap of the shoulder bag.
Of course, Ha Baek-ryeon's attitude remained the same.
At that moment, Ha Ji-eun suddenly spoke up.
"Baek-ryeon put a lot of effort into dressing up, saying she was going to see the Pandora Clan Lord after a long time."
"That's not true! I just worried about what to wear because I heard there would be a lot of people!"
Ha Ji-eun laughed covering her mouth.
Ha Baek-ryeon immediately refuted.
"Ugh..."
Then she made eye contact with Eun-ha and quickly turned her head away.
Whether it was true or not was unknown.
But Eun-ha chuckled because her appearance was so cute.
"Let's go look around the cultural festival. There probably aren't many festivals with this much to see. Ah, Baek-ryeon. Is there anything you want to eat?"
"...Something sweet."
"Something sweet? Hmm.... What kind of sweet things do you like? Then let's look around and find something?"
Eun-ha was truly excited.
He had never looked around a cultural festival with Ha Baek-ryeon even in his previous life.
And unlike his previous life, Eun-ha now knew everything about the academy cultural festival.
I'll take Baek-ryeon to places she'll like.
He had perfectly planned the course.
If Han Seo-hyeon or Jung Ha-yang saw it, they would be dumbfounded.
That's how much effort he put into planning it.
"Ah, but since there are a lot of people, we should hold hands tightly. Baek-ryeon, hurry and hold the Pandora Clan Lord's hand."
"Huh? Can't I just hold mom's hand?"
"If mom gets lost here too, she'll become a lost child with you. Today we have to hold the Pandora Clan Lord's hand. Okay?"
Moreover, Ha Ji-eun helped.
Eun-ha nodded vigorously at her words.
"It does often happen that people become lost children during the cultural festival. Here, your hand."
"Ugh...."
Eun-ha held out his hand.
Eventually, Ha Baek-ryeon reluctantly took the hand he offered.
Eun-ha felt even better.
Like that, he guided the two of them and showed them around the cultural festival.
"─Those students are 18 years old, right? They really fight well. What was I doing at that age..."
"Wow.... Amazing."
Eun-ha had reserved VIP seats for the comprehensive division competition for this day.
After looking around the cultural festival for a while.
When the time came, Eun-ha showed the two the comprehensive division competition.
Perhaps because it was the third day, thrilling battles were unfolding.
The mother and daughter kept exclaiming in admiration at the showy swordsmanship and magic.
Eun-ha's mouth itched for no reason.
"Baek-ryeon, do you know?"
"What?"
"When I was a 3rd year high school student, I entered there and won. How about that? Isn't it more amazing than those kids?"
"As expected of the Pandora Clan Lord. Well, I can't really imagine the Pandora Clan Lord entering a competition and not winning."
Eun-ha wanted to boast for no reason.
So he spoke putting strength in his shoulders.
Ha Ji-eun responded positively.
On the other hand, Ha Baek-ryeon─
"─Mister."
"Huh?"
Ha Baek-ryeon was quite different from Ha Ji-eun.
She waved her hand.
Eun-ha lowered his head to her.
Then she leaned towards him and whispered in his ear.
"─I can see right through you trying to look good in front of my mom."
"..."
"I came today to watch if you're trying to seduce my mom. Don't seduce my mom."
No, it's you, it's you.
I'm doing this to look good to you.
Eun-ha couldn't say those words and just sighed.
That's how the third day passed.
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