[Chapter 158]
[Beyond Those Eyes]
Dangun Clan was a sinking ship.
Not only had most of the players representing Dangun Clan left, but even long-time clan members were increasingly leaving.
Moreover, the skills of academy graduates joining Dangun Clan each year were noticeably declining.
They were barely maintaining their B-rank status.
"Really, I got myself tied up in a 10-year exclusive contract for nothing..."
An executive of Dangun Clan and.
One of the Twelve Zodiac Mo Ra-yul.
She was displeased with the situation of Dangun Clan where she was.
But she couldn't leave the clan either.
Because the clan had hooked her when she was living in poverty, before her skills gained recognition.
At that time, she desperately needed money.
So she ended up accepting an unreasonable 10-year exclusive contract.
"Time, please pass quickly. I need to be discharged too."
It was Mo Ra-yul's wish.
As time passed and she became one of the Twelve Zodiac, she was just waiting for the day she could leave Dangun Clan.
So she slacked off as a matter of course, and sometimes didn't pay much attention to her Twelve Zodiac duties.
In such a situation─.
"─I, one of the Twelve Zodiac, have to teach a kid like that? Well... at least his face is handsome, so it might be worth it."
Dangun Clan Lord Jang Bong-jeon asked her to train On Tae-yang, who came for an internship from the academy this time.
Mo Ra-yul was annoyed but.
After seeing On Tae-yang's face a little later, she decided to train him.
She, who had the ability to instantly organize vast amounts of data and present statistical results, pointed out one by one the abilities On Tae-yang needed.
Nevertheless─.
"─Can the clan really be revived by recruiting this kid?"
Mo Ra-yul was skeptical.
The Dangun Clan Lord Jang Bong-jeon and executives seemed to be betting Dangun Clan's future on the promising talent On Tae-yang.
But she was skeptical about whether the clan could be revived with just one person like On Tae-yang.
Though she was slacking off, she was aware of the current situation.
"They say his friend is also considered a promising talent. I heard he joined the Noh Eun-ha squad this time, isn't he pretty much guaranteed success? Then that kid should join too, what can he do coming in alone?"
Mo Ra-yul grumbled.
Basically, casters or supporters with a lot of internal mana were very precious talents.
Unlike dealers who could be found easily.
In that sense, On Tae-yang's value could be said to have decreased compared to before.
"That means the clan is going bankrupt that much..."
She muttered, resting her chin on her hand.
As it was, there were already voices in Dangun Clan lamenting that only On Tae-yang came for an internship among promising talents.
They must know too.
That it's difficult to change the reality with just On Tae-yang alone.
"He should have seduced his friend well, why did he break up with him? If he had captivated him with that face, he wouldn't have heard such things from people around him."
Oh well, never mind.
Once the contract period ends, I'll just kick this lousy clan and leave.
I should just train him half-heartedly.
She, who was training On Tae-yang, soon opened her mouth wide and yawned.
And─.
─Grind
Even if she said it inaudibly.
Strangely, her own words tended to reach her ears well.
On Tae-yang, who was in the middle of battling monsters, gritted his teeth.
☆
The clan internship was finally coming to an end.
To this, Regulus Clan Lord Gu Yeon-su said he would hold a wrap-up party for the students who had worked hard as clan members for a month.
"Ahem.... This time, Alice Group provided very generous support funds.... I decided to treat you to something good."
""""Long live Alice Group!!""""
"I can't tell if these guys are Alice Group people or Regulus Clan people."
""""Long live Jung Ha-yang!!""""
"Huh..., fine. Do as you please. Let's go eat beef! I'm treating today!"
""""Long live Noh Eun-ha-yang!!""""
"Tch..., it's not working."
"Um..., seniors! Enjoy your meal!"
They say Regulus Clan used to let the interning students eat as much pork belly as they wanted every year.
But for some reason, Alice Group provided funds under the name of special in-house welfare support this time.
When Gu Yeon-su said he would buy beef, the clan members united and shouted Jung Ha-yang's name.
"─Sigh.... So this means I won't be able to see Eun-ha anymore."
"You'll see him at home anyway."
"That's different from this! How nice is it to be able to see my energy source while working!"
So that evening.
As the long day was slowly starting to darken.
The clan members headed to the meat restaurant the administrator had reserved in advance.
While the clan members were chattering noisily, Eun-ah expressed her regret to Eun-ha.
"Don't worry, Eun-ah. Even without Eun-ha, I..."
"I'll have to live seeing my energy source only at home now, and only Yeon-hwa at work. Yeon-hwa! You're not going anywhere, right?"
"I'll stay with you."
"...Eun-ah? I'm here too..."
Eun-ah burying her face in Yeon-hwa's chest.
Han Chang-jin was depressed.
Eun-ha gave a bitter smile seeing the three people starting to play among themselves.
Then he looked at Jung Ha-yang and Cha Eun-woo walking hand in hand.
The two were chattering away.
I guess they'll be fine without me.
I feel at ease since Eun-woo is with her.
Recently, Eun-woo had been very busy following Park Hye-rim around.
So the two seemed to be unpacking their conversation bundle after a long time.
After confirming the two's appearance, Eun-ha soon opened his mouth.
"─Ah, right. Come to think of it, I left something at the hall..."
"Why? What is it? Is it important? Or should I bring it for you later?"
Eun-ah, who was talking with Yeon-hwa, immediately asked Eun-ha.
Ha-yang and Eun-woo, who were walking ahead, also turned around.
People around also tilted their heads.
"No, there's no need. It's not far from here, so I'll just go get it myself."
""""..."""""
Eun-ha casually brushed it off.
Then Eun-ah, who was staring at Eun-ha─.
"─You're going to do something dangerous again, aren't you?"
"..."
She whispered.
Eun-ha blinked, looking at her glaring at him.
Soon Eun-ha whispered to her.
"It's nothing. I'll come back without getting hurt."
"Sigh.... Really?"
"Yes."
"Just try getting hurt again like last time. Then I'll really handcuff you."
"Don't worry."
Noh Eun-ah warns sternly.
But her warning didn't feel scary to Eun-ha.
Eun-ha lightly nodded and approached Jung Ha-yang, who was looking at him with anxious eyes.
Jung Ha-yang's eyes wavered.
"I might come back a little late. So don't drink too much, and even if I'm late, I hope you won't worry too much."
"...Should I go with you?"
Jung Ha-yang must have sensed something too.
She lowered her head and gently grasped Eun-ha's collar.
Eun-ha gently removed her hand and shook his head.
"You go ahead and eat meat while waiting. It really won't take long."
"Tch, liar."
"If possible, save my share too."
"Hmph, I don't want to. People who come late don't get to eat meat then. So... don't get hurt and come back quickly."
"Okay. Ah, Ha-yang, do you want to take care of Buldak?"
"Beep beep?"
Eun-ha woke up Buldak, who was dozing off sitting on his head.
The summon, still half asleep, shook its head and looked around.
Jung Ha-yang smiled seeing Buldak's appearance.
"No, it's okay. Buldak seems to prefer being with daddy than me anyway."
"Papa?"
"And I feel more at ease when you're with Buldak."
"What's this bird." "Boo boo."
"Buldak, you have to watch over Eun-ha well and stop him from doing dangerous things, okay?"
"Papa!"
"Geez..."
Jung Ha-yang stands on her tiptoes.
Buldak sticks out its head.
She strokes its head.
Eun-ha clicked his tongue, awkwardly bowing his head.
"─Come back quickly. If you're late, know that there won't be any meat left for you to eat."
"Enjoy your meal."
"How can I enjoy it without you?"
Jung Ha-yang puffing up her cheeks.
Eun-ha poked Jung Ha-yang's cheek with his finger.
The finger doesn't go in.
Her cheeks are plump.
Eun-ha gave a bitter smile and decided to leave now.
Just then─.
"─Eun-ha."
"Yeah. What?"
Ryu Yeon-hwa called him.
Under the neon sign.
Ryu Yeon-hwa was scratching her cheek, her blue hair sparkling.
Then she mumbles, trying to say something.
After a while, what she finally said was─.
"─Good job."
"You too, noona."
Words that seemed to contain many emotions.
Eun-ha gave the same answer to her, who had agonized over something and barely uttered four words.
Her smile spread brightly.
"Then see you later."
"Yeah, see you later."
Eun-ha waved to Ryu Yeon-hwa and turned around.
He started walking in a different direction from where the clan members were going.
As he slowly headed towards the clan hall─.
─He's taken the bait.
He smiled with satisfaction.
Someone was following from behind.
Eun-ha stopped walking and─.
"─Eun-ha! Let's go together! I just remembered I lost something too."
She, wearing dark lipstick, approached him affectionately.
"─Yes, sure. Let's go together."
He threw out the bait.
And she took it.
☆
Having decided to deal with Noh Eun-ha.
Since there's a wrap-up party tomorrow, it wouldn't be bad to create an opportunity to be alone with Eun-ha then.
Whether it was Han Chang-jin's doing.
Or simply bad luck.
During her internship at the clan, she couldn't create any opportunities to go on duty with Noh Eun-ha or be with him.
So she was planning to aim for the dinner gathering and somehow create time to be with Eun-ha.
The problem was that the kids around Eun-ha were a hindrance....
Meanwhile, she also had to be mindful of the people who never left Eun-ha's side.
At least now there weren't many people around.
If they return to the academy, even more people would gather around Eun-ha than now.
I can't let that happen.
But I can't openly kill him, and I can't brainwash him in front of others....
How can I create an opportunity to be alone with Eun-ha?
She kept pondering.
They say Noh Eun-ha drinks well.
I'm strong with alcohol too, so should I create a drinking party until others collapse drunk?
Then seduce Eun-ha and the two of us....
She even had such thoughts.
It was actually a method she often used to obtain information about her surveillance targets while working as
Just then─.
"─Ah, right. Come to think of it, I left something at the hall..."
An opportunity came just in time.
While moving to the dinner venue.
Eun-ha suddenly decided to send others ahead and return to the clan hall alone.
This is the only chance...!
Anyway, she wasn't receiving much attention in Regulus Clan.
Even if one person like her was missing, people wouldn't pay much attention.
So she left the moving group with a flimsy excuse.
Then she ran straight to the path leading to the clan hall.
I can't just take him down recklessly.
If I can't take down Eun-ha in one go, there will be a commotion around.
So I need to try brainwashing first and see Eun-ha's condition.
When people's gazes disappeared.
She boldly climbed the building walls and went up to the roof.
Then she deployed a detection net to locate Eun-ha's position.
She jumped between roofs effortlessly despite wearing high heels.
Then she rummaged through her handbag and took out a lipstick.
If he's the type to be easily brainwashed, there's no need to kill Eun-ha.
I just need to brainwash Eun-ha in the long term, break down his mana resistance, and make him cooperative with us.
Artifact, Demonic Lipstick.
Though it was a consumable artifact.
The artifacts made by that person had the effect of enchanting people's hearts in an instant.
It's an artifact that breaks down most people's wariness no matter how high their mana resistance is.
With this artifact, I can do it.
When speaking after applying the lipstick, the person hearing those words would unknowingly become enchanted.
And if heard long-term, even people with high mana resistance would eventually break down.
Of course, the effect was even faster if the target saw the lips with red lipstick applied.
─There he is!
After finishing preparations, she soon spotted Eun-ha.
"─Eun-ha! Let's go together! I just remembered I lost something too."
Landing not far away, she approached Eun-ha affectionately.
For some reason, he welcomed her readily, unlike usual.
And she─.
"─Shall we go this way?"
"Oh, you knew this was a shortcut too, noona? I thought only I knew..."
"...Huh? Oh, yes, that's right! We can get to the hall faster this way!"
She pointed to an alley that looked like it wouldn't be frequented by people.
Then Eun-ha pretended to know and entered the alley on his own, without her having to make excuses.
What's this?
Why is it going so smoothly?
While passing through the narrow path.
She couldn't hide her puzzlement.
Experience was telling her.
That something was dangerous.
But she dismissed it as a misconception and tried to use the lipstick's magic.
She ran her finger over her lips.
Demonic Lipstick
Then she called out to Eun-ha.
"─Eun-ha."
"Yes, what is it?"
Eun-ha turned around.
"─Want to do something nice with noona?"
"..."
With those words.
Noh Eun-ha hesitated.
His eyes became hazy.
He's fallen for it.
That's what she thought.
"I've been thinking since I first saw you.... It seems it won't work after all."
"..."
"I'm really going crazy─."
─I want to end this game quickly.
That's why I'm going crazy.
She deliberately leaned forward, emphasizing her chest, to captivate his mind.
Finally, she tried to kiss his lips to firmly imprint the magic's effect.
With that─.
─You'll become unable to live without noona, just like the guys I've met before.
She would brainwash Noh Eun-ha.
If the brainwashing worked this well, there would be no need to deal with Noh Eun-ha.
She would make this bundle of talent her own and use him usefully.
As she was about to steal Eun-ha's lips─.
"─What are you doing, noona."
"...Huh?"
"Do you think my eyes are fish eyes?"
With her hand on Eun-ha's cheek.
When she looked into Eun-ha's eyes again, there was a strange light in them.
At that moment─.
"─Twenty-five." "Yes sir."
"...!?"
Noh Eun-ha called out a number.
Suddenly a voice was heard from above.
She tried to back away immediately.
"─Why? Aren't you going to finish what you started before running away?"
"...!!"
Eun-ha giggled and grabbed her wrist.
Just then─.
─Thrilling Electrifying Net
From the top of the stairs leading out behind the building.
Some kind of net fell on top of her head.
The net flowing with blue current sparked as if fighting itself─.
"─Kyaaaaaaah!!"