Chapter 98
“Is Ise-ah asleep?”
Warm and cozy.
When I bury my face in it, there’s always the tickling scent of rapeseed flowers at the tip of my nose.
“Under the blue sky, the Milky Way, a small white boat sails.”
Mom often carried me wrapped in a sling and sang songs to me.
“With a laurel tree and three rabbits aboard.”
By the time her song ended, I’d always be nodding off, and Mom would lean close to my ear and whisper the same words.
“Ise-ah, never open your heart too easily to people. Most care more about your wealth and status than about who you truly are.”
Mom’s face is now a distant memory.
She often said things I couldn’t understand when I was little.
“So remember, only your family will see you for who you really are. Even if I’m gone, you must take care of your younger siblings. Promise me, okay?”
“Uuuh…”
Mom would lay me down on the bedding after I fell asleep and quietly leave the room. Every time, I would reach out to stop her, but my hand never once reached her.
Just once would be enough. I want to feel that warmth again. Maybe this time, I could finally touch her.
“Ise-ah, you’re really heavy.”
With someone’s voice, my body jostled slightly. The firm yet comforting sensation of being piggybacked pressed gently against my cheek.
Who is it?
Warm and cozy.
The tickling scent of rapeseed flowers at the tip of my nose.
‘Mom?’
Hoping it was a dream I wouldn’t wake from, I buried my face deeper into the back.
‘I always wanted to do this.’
Wishing this moment would last forever.
* * *
“Hah…”
The now-familiar scenery of the Disciplinary Committee’s room greeted me. As I sat on the sofa, head buried in my hands, I heard Seo Geum-bi sigh from the seat across.
“So, you’ve caused yet another major incident.”
“Hehe, it’s to leave you with unforgettable memories before graduation, senior—”
“So-yul!”
“Eep!”
At Seo Geum-bi’s sharp reprimand, Jin So-yul visibly shrank in fear.
Supplementary classes and Seo Geum-bi— the two things Jin So-yul was genuinely terrified of.
“Senior, about this situation…”
“I’m aware.”
Seo Geum-bi waved the incident report in her hand as she interrupted me.
“You went to the old building’s storeroom to escape the rain, and a slime just happened to appear. During the process of subjugating it, the storeroom was turned into a disaster zone… is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
When I nodded, Seo Geum-bi placed the report back on the desk.
“You’re aware that there are more than a few suspicious details about this, right?”
“I… I’m not sure…”
Feigning ignorance, Seo Geum-bi tapped her finger on the desk.
“First. If you were seeking shelter from the rain, there were plenty of closer locations. Why, then, did you go all the way to the old building’s storeroom?”
Thud.
“Second. That very storeroom happens to be the subject of ghost stories about doppelgängers, and it was none other than occult-enthusiast So-yul who entered it that day.”
Thud!
“And finally, third. The two of you gave conflicting accounts of how Se-ah ended up unconscious!”
Thud!!!
The sound grew louder, her tone sharper with each point.
“Th-that’s, uh… the thing is… um… uh…”
Jin So-yul, now in a full-blown panic, was better left alone. I simply lowered my head again.
“I’m sorry.”
In situations like this, apologizing was far more effective than offering excuses.
“Hah. How is Se-ah doing?”
Half-resigned, Seo Geum-bi ran her hand over her forehead.
“She’s resting in the infirmary.”
“It’s a relief she wasn’t seriously hurt.”
Se-ah had briefly regained consciousness but fainted again shortly afterward. Seo Geum-bi’s unusually emotional response made sense—this time, unlike prior incidents, someone had actually been injured.
“What I just mentioned is based on my personal suspicions. However, it’s been confirmed that slimes were indeed hiding in the storeroom, so there’s no official basis for punishing you.”
Her words, layered with politeness, carried an unmistakable warning: If it happens again, there’ll be no leniency.
“You may leave now, Ha-baek.”
I bowed slightly to Seo Geum-bi before rising from my seat.
Although Seo Geum-bi and I had a relationship built on trust, she wasn’t the type to let personal feelings influence official matters.
I can’t help but feel guilty.
With her graduation just around the corner, the thought of adding unnecessary burdens weighed on me.
“Hehe, I’m saved! Totally saved, all thanks to you, Ha-baek!”
As soon as I stood up, Jin So-yul whispered near my ear, grinning so wide it looked like her mouth might reach her ears.
“Hold on. I only said Ha-baek could leave.”
“Huh? Then what about me?”
Jin So-yul blinked in confusion.
“You, So-yul, have a visitor waiting for you.”
“A visitor, you say—”
Bang!
The door swung open forcefully, revealing the second-year student supervisor. The veins on his forehead throbbed as though they were on the verge of bursting.
“Jin So-yul!!”
“Eek…!”
Jin So-yul shuddered, her face turning as white as a sheet. Judging by her reaction, she wasn’t particularly fond of this encounter.
“From now until you graduate, you’re in supplementary lessons!”
“Save me, Ha-baek-ahhhh!!”
The supervisor stormed in, grabbed the back of Jin So-yul’s uniform, and dragged her out of the Disciplinary Committee room.
There’s no getting out of this one.
Though I wasn’t sure when the next ghost story quest would come around, one thing was certain—I wouldn’t be seeing Jin So-yul for a while.
* * *
I left the Disciplinary Committee room and headed toward the infirmary. With a fair amount of time left before morning classes began, I was in no rush.
‘Speaking of which…’
The events of the previous day in the storeroom replayed in my mind.
[- Ise-ah has temporarily gained the ability to see spirits! : Luck + 2]
As the quest window’s message indicated, Ise-ah had definitely seen Yomi on my shoulder and reacted.
It’s extremely rare for a non-spiritual person to be able to see spirits, unlike Jin So-yul, who has spiritual powers.
“Yomi, she definitely saw you and spoke to you, right?”
[No doubt about it. Who else but me could she be referring to as a fox?]
Since even Yomi was certain, it was clear that she had indeed seen a spirit.
“Nogdu, did you have something to do with this?”
I whispered to the Sain-gum at my waist. The sword’s scabbard vibrated as Nogdu’s voice emerged.
[I’m not sure. I just wanted to monopolize the body.]
“Really?”
The entity responsible for Ise-ah’s condition claimed ignorance, so how could I know? However, I had a rough idea of what might have happened.
‘Could it be because she was close to death? Or was she exposed to strong spiritual energy for an extended period?’
These were just personal conjectures.
Humans are said to sometimes see things they normally wouldn’t when standing at the crossroads of life and death. It could be that surviving such a moment awakened her sight.
Alternatively, it could simply be the result of prolonged exposure to concentrated spiritual energy.
“Anyway, once Ise-ah wakes up, I’ll have to confirm-.”
“I’m already awake.”
As I was about to approach Ise-ah’s bed, the curtain partition was drawn aside.
“You’re up?”
I casually pulled out the round chair next to the bed and sat down.
“How do you feel?”
“Same as usual.”
Her tone was curt, and her gaze was fixed somewhere outside the window, deliberately avoiding me.
“Hmm. Hey, do you see this thing on my shoulder?”
Clearing my throat, I pointed toward Yomi sitting on my shoulder. That got her attention. She finally turned her head slightly in my direction.
“What are you talking about?”
“This white pig. You don’t see it?”
[I’m not a pig!]
Ise-ah narrowed her eyes and stared at my shoulder for a few seconds, then abruptly turned her head away.
“If you’re going to joke with someone who just woke up, you might as well leave.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to check if you were alright.”
After calming the situation, I whispered into Yomi’s ear.
“She doesn’t seem to see you anymore. What’s going on?”
[We’ll see. There’s a chance her sight is fluctuating. Once the eyes have opened, even temporarily, it only takes the right trigger to awaken them again.]
Come to think of it, the quest window did say temporarily.
For an ordinary person to see spirits is like unlocking a sealed door. Once the lock is damaged, the door can be pushed open with just a little force.
It wasn’t impossible for Ise-ah’s sight to return under the right circumstances. Whether that was good or bad, however, remained to be seen.
‘This is going to be bothersome.’
If she inadvertently sees spirits while walking around the city, she could get frightened and faint.
Still, the fact that there’s no immediate issue with her health is some consolation.
“How much do you remember about what happened yesterday?”
“I remember vaguely that we went into the storeroom to avoid the rain.”
Ise-ah rolled her eyes, genuinely looking like she couldn’t recall.
“I can’t seem to remember why I was unconscious.”
“…I see.”
Surprisingly, she didn’t ask about yesterday’s events first. That’s a relief. Explaining it would have been a hassle.
“Oh, but…”
“Hmm?”
Ise-ah turned her head sharply and met my eyes.
“I had a really great dream.”
“A good dream? What kind of dream?”
Thinking it was a natural progression, I asked, but Ise-ah’s face turned red as she suddenly pulled the covers over her head.
“None of your business!”
* * *
The third school ghost story has come to an end.
Hidden Quest Clear (3/4)!
– An unknown power has blessed you! : Spiritual Power +1
With the settlement of the additional quest from the doppelgänger incident from the monument, the entire fiasco finally came to an end.
‘But seriously, the rewards are way too stingy.’
One point in Spiritual Power? Last time it was 30 skill points.
Considering the difficulty in meeting the conditions for Hidden Quests and completing them, the rewards are usually quite substantial.
Although a mysterious old man who normally isn’t visible appeared in the monument quest, the reward didn’t change.
‘Is there an extra event or something?’
Regardless, the concept of additional rewards isn’t one to obsess over or feel unnecessarily regretful about. There were more pressing matters to focus on.
“Let’s see.”
I rifled through the promotional flyers taped to the hallway bulletin board.
“Found it.”
This is the kind of quintessential hidden quest—hard to unlock, but with substantial rewards—that I’d been looking for.
[Winners Company]
What caught my eye was a promotional flyer for a private mercenary company.
During the semester, students can participate in external events through various flyers on the bulletin board, even outside of club activities, outings, or assistant roles.
Winners Company is a private mercenary corporation, a rapidly rising newcomer in the industry.
[What mischief are you planning now?]
“No, I’m just thinking very wholesome thoughts as a student.”
I crumpled the flyer and stuffed it into my pocket, heading down the hallway.
“I’m thinking about going on a field trip for my future career.”
The flyer detailed an opportunity to tour Winners Company. Private mercenary companies are always desperate to recruit talented hunters.
For that reason, many established firms post tour announcements as a recruitment strategy. Of course, the tour itself is just a façade.
‘Finally.’
Ever since I decided to prevent Ise-ah’s death, I’d been meticulously reviewing every event and possible route.
‘The only path to save Ise-ah.’
This, right here, was the first critical step toward ensuring her survival.
“Oh, I’m so excited~.”
With this, I’d officially taken that first step.