10:00 AM.
Although Atlantis’s main power source, Poseidon, had disappeared, the secondary engine was still functioning, so the ship continued to cruise smoothly.
By morning, the atmosphere had largely returned to normal.
Passengers awoke with bright expressions to greet the day, and some of the facilities for their entertainment opened once again.
However, the facilities powered by Poseidon’s mystery energy were no longer available.
Things like the mana recovery room or the mystic training hall…
The mood wasn’t quite as lively as yesterday, but considering the incident that had occurred just hours earlier, it was a remarkably fast recovery.
Ding-ling—
“Welcome!”
I stepped into the shop for breakfast.
After responding to the staff’s cheerful greeting, I looked around. Despite the early hour, people were gathered in small groups, eating breakfast.
I placed my order and sat at an empty table.
Ding-ling—
“Welcome!”
As I waited for my food, a familiar face entered the shop.
“Sunbae-nim?”
It was Choi Seo-yoon. Dressed casually and wearing a cap, likely because of the early hour.
As I looked at the messy hair sticking out from under her cap, she flinched and quickly tidied it up, then sat down across from me.
Her face looked bright as I stared at her in silence.
“When did you get here? We can eat together then~”
“Where’s that friend who’s always with you?”
“Seung-ah? She said she was tired and stayed in to sleep.”
Instead of replying, I just nodded.
“You’re up early though. You looked dead tired at dawn.”
“10AM isn’t exactly early.”
“Well, still. There was that ruckus in the early morning. Seems like no one else could get up because of it.”
That was true.
Choi Seo-yoon tapped her fingers on the table, then spoke as if she’d just remembered something.
“Oh, are you still using the music box I gave you?”
“Yeah. I still use it.”
For reference, I’d listened to it again last night before sleeping.
It might not seem like much, but it actually has a big impact on sleep quality, which affects how you feel the next day.
Getting up earlier than most people today was partly thanks to that music box.
Maybe Choi Seo-yoon had used it too.
At my answer, she let out a little hum and smiled.
“Good. Ah! I’m gonna go order real quick!”
She suddenly stood and disappeared toward the counter.
I leaned back in my chair, alone again, when the restaurant door opened.
Ding-ling—
“Welcome!”
Three people entered. One of them was a face I’d grown very familiar with recently.
Elin.
“What are you getting?”
“Mana-grilled shrimp.”
“Then I’ll get that too.”
At that moment, her eyes met mine. For about 0.5 seconds.
I smoothly averted my gaze and looked down at my student planner.
Given my guilty conscience, I had no reason to hold her gaze right now.
“Hey. Elin, why are you staring so hard?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“You were staring at that guy. He looks like a student. Is that your type—”
“Shut up.”
From the sound of it, they moved on without any serious suspicion.
She probably stared at me because I resembled Kim Jinwoo.
“Guess those are the mage academy trainees they said were training here.”
“Hey. Jung Kyungwon didn’t you say you went to that academy?”
“Yeah, I was second in my class.”
“Oh. Is it really different studying there?”
“Rather than learning something specific, you get to experience a wide variety of things.”
“Experience, huh… yeah, experience is more important than just learning, unless you’re a total magic newbie.”
I eavesdropped, wondering if the topic of the Rune clan or myself would come up, but thankfully, it didn’t.
I continued to avert my eyes until the conversation quieted down, then looked back at them.
At that moment, I locked eyes with Elin again.
She was still staring at me with a strange, intense look.
Her gaze was so deep it was honestly uncomfortable.
“…”
Just as things started to feel awkward—
“Order for Table 7: Mana-grilled shrimp is ready.”
The server’s voice called out.
I checked the number on the table.
Table 7. That’s me.
“Yes, coming.”
After finishing the meal, I stepped outside.
Mana-grilled shrimp—infused with the flavours of the sea—was just to my liking.
They served it often at the mage academy too, but it tasted different at a fancy place like this.
Especially the special sauce—it was wonderfully sweet.
“Ahh, that was good.”
“Me too. But sunbae-nim, why did you get food to go?”
Choi Seo-yoon glanced at the takeaway bag in my hand and asked.
“This? Planning to eat more at the lodging later.”
“Huh? But didn’t you eat a lot just now?”
She looked at me in surprise.
“We’ve got some time before we return to the mainland. I’ll just rest and eat in the room until then.”
“Oh.”
She nodded, as if understanding but still wanting to say more.
Ding-ling—
At that moment, the restaurant door opened behind us.
Some people came out and stopped in their tracks when they saw me.
“Oh? It’s that student from earlier.”
Jung Kyungwon spoke.
Choi Seo-yoon glanced between me and them, a puzzled expression forming—then her mouth dropped open as recognition set in.
Everyone aboard Atlantis knew that these people had fought the Jaun.
And through the investigation, it had become known they were mercenaries.
Although their employer was still unidentified.
Jung Kyungwon approached and scrutinized my face.
“Hmm. So that’s what you look like? I should memorize it.”
“…What?”
“Oh, it’s just… my comrade seems interested in you… ack!”
Elin kicked him between the legs.
Jung Kyungwon crumpled to the ground. It seemed she’d imbued her kick with mana…
Even I felt a chill just watching it. The male companion next to him looked horrified and patted him on the back.
“Hey, hey. You okay?”
“Ghhh…”
“If you don’t want to die, watch your mouth.”
“You crazy psycho…”
Ignoring him, Elin turned to me.
“There’s someone who looks like you, so I stared for a second. Don’t mind it.”
“…Ah, okay.”
“Name.”
“…Sorry?”
“What’s your name?”
She really doesn’t recognize me as the elder, huh. Not that I really am one.
“Why do you want to know?”
“No reason. Just curious. I’m Elin.”
“…Kim Sunwoo.”
“Kim Sunwoo, huh…”
Elin nodded, looked me up and down once more, then turned to Jung Kyungwon.
“Why are you lying there like a bum?”
“You—! It’s your fault, dammit!”
“Quit whining and get up.”
“Agh, seriously.”
Jung Kyungwon staggered to his feet.
It seemed the pain had subsided with time.
“…Then I’m going.”
With that, Elin disappeared somewhere.
“I just figured out who that kid was.”
After parting ways with Kim Sunwoo’s group,
Elin came to a stop at Jung Kyungwon’s comment.
“You know them?”
“Yeah. I thought they looked familiar, and now I remember.”
“Who is it?”
Jung Kyungwon chuckled at Elin’s question.
“Wow, you really are interested, huh? What’s so great about him?”
“You want to get kicked again?”
“Hey. There’s a line you don’t cross between people. Let’s not cross it, okay?”
“Ugh, what are you even talking about?”
“…You really have no sympathy, huh.”
“Shut up and just answer the question. How do you know him?”
At that moment, a nearby friend jumped in.
“Oh~ you mean Choi Seo-yoon, right? She’s famous. Even prettier in person.”
“No, I meant the guy next to her.”
“The guy? I don’t know him.”
“He’s the one known for top grades at the Mage Academy lately.”
“Oh~ I know who that is. He was the captain during the second-year tournament.”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
As the two chattered away, Elin frowned.
“So who is he?”
“Hold on.”
Jung Kyungwon pulled out his phone and searched online. Then he showed her a result for “Mage Academy Kim Sunwoo.”
“This guy.”
In the video, Kim Sunwoo was fighting Lee Seojun.
“His specialty is manifestation-type magic, but he uses enhancement-type pretty aggressively too.”
Elin watched the footage.
Kim Sunwoo’s opponent, Lee Seo-jun.
Normally uninterested in worldly matters unless it involved Jaun, even Elin knew the name — the genius of the century, Lee Seo-jun.
And yet, Kim Sunwoo was putting up quite a match against him.
Considering their age, this was a remarkably high-level battle.
But that movement—it looked very familiar.
Especially that sudden, explosive burst of speed.
Wasn’t that Instant Acceleration?
“…That’s Ren’s technique.”
“Huh? You know Shunsin too?”
“We worked together before.”
Shunsin Ren.
A mage Elin had worked with three years ago, and that move was his signature technique.
Elin’s expression turned a shade more serious.
Instant Acceleration.
Come to think of it, even Master used a similar technique…
The strange feeling she had earlier when seeing Kim Sunwoo up close—It wasn’t just because of “Kim Jinwoo.”
Kim Sunwoo had a similar build and presence to her master.
“…No way. That can’t be.”
Elin forced a smile.
“Wahh!”
“Gretel~ Been doing well?”
Summoned onto the bed in the dorm, Gretel giggled and leapt into my arms.
Hadn’t seen her for a few days, and she seemed so happy. If I’d known, I would’ve summoned her yesterday too.
“Oh, I brought food for you, Gretel.”
I pulled out a wrapped meal. Gretel’s eyes sparkled.
“Go ahead, eat up.”
I patted her back, and she began eating.
As I watched her, something hanging from one of her head branches caught my eye.
“Huh?”
A fruit.
A mysterious demonic tree fruit. Just like last time, it had borne fruit again.
I smiled at the sight of it.
The last fruit had brought in quite a nice profit. What kind of effect would this new one have? I couldn’t wait to find out.
“Hehehe.”
“Wah?”
Gretel must’ve sensed my gaze and looked at me suspiciously.
Seems she didn’t realize there was a fruit growing on her head.
I remembered how she once looked at me with betrayed eyes after I plucked one.
…No need to tell her now. No point in raising her suspicion.
“No, it’s nothing. Just enjoy your food.”
“Wah.”
Gretel nodded and resumed eating.
I watched her fondly and turned on the TV.
「Around 2 a.m. today, the holy relic ‘Poseidon,’ which serves as the main power source of the magic vessel Atlantis, was reported stolen. Authorities believe the terrorist group Jaun is responsible and have launched an investigation.」
“Hm.”
As expected, every news channel was covering Poseidon and Jaun.
The reports mentioned a rise in public anxiety due to the ongoing terror attacks.
Speculations also arose about what Jaun’s ultimate goal in chasing Mysteries might be.
A few more stories came to mind.
「We also heard there were some mysterious events involved. Reporter, can you elaborate?」
「Yes, here’s a video of suspects presumed to be part of Jaun escaping aboard an airship. It was taken by several Atlantis passengers. You can see here, one of them is holding what appears to be the Bangcheon Hwageuk.」
「Bangcheon Hwageuk. That’s the S-rank spear stolen from the Chinese Mystery Museum 18 years ago, isn’t it?」
「Yes, that’s correct. It’s currently believed to be wielded by Jaun’s key member, Baek Eun-seong. That man in the footage is likely him. Look closely—he’s missing an arm.」
「You’re right. And the wounds all over his body look recent, too.」
The screen changed to show Baek Eun-seong’s face.
A handsome man.
It was Baek Eun-seong’s real face, without his illusion mask.
「Baek Eun-seong, as every Korean knows, was once one of the most promising mages. He graduated top of his class at the Mage Academy and led a major victory at the Sacred Martial Festival.」
Baek Eun-seong.
Famous in Korea alongside Jin Cheonwoo—everyone knew his name.
While much of Jin Cheonwoo’s records had been erased, Baek Eun-seong’s remained.
He had been as big a star as Lee Seo-jun is now, and the sense of betrayal felt by the public was immeasurable.
「Currently, there is rampant speculation among citizens about who could’ve possibly done this to Baek Eun-seong. And…」
The news ended.
To sum it up:
An unidentified individual was involved in the incident.
And that person was powerful enough to deal a critical blow to Baek Eun-seong.
I turned off the TV and fell into thought.
Beeeep!
Just then, the in-room speaker crackled to life.
[Attention passengers. We will be arriving at Donghae Port in approximately 30 minutes. Please begin preparing your belongings.]
The announcement played.
They’d said we’d arrive around 2 a.m., but we were making it earlier than expected.
“Phew.”
Finally, back to dry land.
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