Chapter 139. He Who Wishes to Wear the Crown (3) (2/2)
Jang Maldong rubbed his thumb and index finger in a circle while flaring his nostrils.
”It’s money.”
Jang Malong strongly emphasized once more that as long as one had the money, one could raise a group of idiots to Level 4 under 2 years.
“It’s not just required for feeding, housing, and clothing them. All resources necessary for an Earthling’s growth is directly connected to finances. Everything boils down to money.”
As Seol Jihu had experienced his own share of struggles with money, he could strongly relate to what Jang Maldong was saying.
“But money is a finite resource. Not to mention that the money required increases exponentially for each level.”
Seol Jihu could finally understand.
“They decide the results of the investment at the end of the 2 years.”
“Correct. It’s better to focus their investment on someone with potential than to try and support someone with none.”
“Then Seol-Ah and Sungjin are…”
“They’re being expelled.”
Though Jang Maldong bluntly stated the fact, Seol Jihu had an uncertain expression.
Yi Seol-Ah’s potential for growth hadn’t been low at all when he had checked her status with his Nine Eyes. Instead, he remembered it to be very high.
Frankly, while he wasn’t sure about Yi Sungjin, he was confident that it wasn’t Yi Seol-Ah’s ability that got her expelled.
“I told them I’d think more about it when they told me you were friends with them… but it’s a bit strange. The story just doesn’t add up.”
Jang Maldong stroked his chin.
“That Yi Seol-Ah. I’ve heard she reached Level 2 after coming out from the Neutral Zone not too long ago.”
Jang Maldong took a glance at Seol Jihu, finding him not at all surprised by the news. It was because Seol Jihu had already heard from Yun Seora.
[I’ve occasionally heard some news about her. They say her talent as an Archer is extremely high, and that she’ll probably reach Level 2 in just a few more months.]
“Just in case you don’t already know, don’t judge others with your standards. Even if she had support from the White Rose Guild, hitting Level 2 in just 3 months is seen as fast.”
”Right.”
“Anyway, now that you’ve heard the situation. What do you think?”
“They’re good kids.”
It was an immediate answer.
“I’ve been with them since the Tutorial. They’re kind souls, and I have no doubts about their ability.”
“But if their personality was good and their skills decent, wouldn’t the White Rose have not let them go?”
“I’m not too sure about that. While I don’t know much about Yi Sungjin, I can vouch for Yi Seol-Ah. I’m sure that it’s only because she’s too young right now. She has an innate talent as an Archer, not to mention that her learning speed is also extremely fast.”
“You’re praising her unceasingly. But can you say the same if you hadn’t known her?”
“Yes. And Seol-Ah’s evaluation was done by Agnes, not me. She personally trained her on my request, and she mentioned that while she didn’t know who invited her, they struck gold. She told me Seol-Ah had the potential to be a High Ranker.”
“What did you say?”
Jang Maldong narrowed his eyes.
“Miss Agnes said this personally…? Is this true?”
“It’s not a lie. You can ask her yourself.”
Jang Maldong fell into thought, his hand rubbing his chin.
While he couldn’t just take Seol Jihu’s words for it, it was a different story if it was Agnes out of all people to evaluate her like so.
He now had to personally see Yi Seol-Ah. It was highly likely that she was the real deal.
“Hmm… Abandoning a child of such caliber… This is truly strange.”
Seol Jihu also felt that something was off, but he couldn’t give up the chance of recruiting the siblings.
He had been set on recruiting an Archer would listen to him well in the first place. And Yi Seol-Ah was close to the image of the ideal Archer he was hoping for.
After having experienced multiple conflicts with the header during the expedition, Seol Jihu didn’t want to miss this chance.
“I want to recruit them.”
“Hmm. If your words are true, then this is definitely a chance that won’t come twice.”
A High Ranker wasn’t a title given to some random pet dog, so Jang Maldong didn’t disagree.
“Good. I’ll arrange a meeting for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Since they were the ones that proposed, the meeting time will probably be finalized by tomorrow at the latest.”
“How much should we prepare?”
Seol Jihu carefully asked. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the money. It was rather because it was his first transaction, and he couldn’t figure out just how much they’d call.
“Well. If your words are true, then she’d be considered as the highest level…”
After thinking for a while, Jang Maldong shook his head.
“Let’s listen to what they have to say first. Nothing’s confirmed yet anyways, so don’t be hasty. Go to the temple by the end of today.”
”The temple?”
“For your level.”
Jang Maldong tapped his cane.
“Don’t put off leveling up if you’re going to have to do it anyway. And there’s nothing to lose in having a higher level for social activities.”
Since Jang Maldong hadn’t said anything wrong, Seol Jihu quietly accepted his advice, but he still felt uneasy. Only harsh training earned him the ability fit for his level, but lately he hadn’t been able to even go for a run because of work.
“It’s always hard the first time.”
Jang Maldong said as if he understood what Seol Jihu was thinking.
“Building a stable foundation now will make things easier later. For now, just work while thinking that you’re dead.”
Seol Jihu sighed in his mind, assuming that Jang Maldong meant he shouldn’t even think of training.
‘If this is just the start, then how heavy is the crown…’
His chest felt heavy, but he shook his head.
He couldn’t whine when he had only just taken the first step.
“I understand.”
*
Seol Jihu didn’t delay and went straight to Gula’s temple. While he had a ton of questions concerning the newly awakened direction, the ‘Destiny Selection’, he decided to only drop by for the sake of leveling up.
It was because Gula would often stray off topic, and when cornered into talking about a specific subject, she would just avoid the question altogether.
His head already felt like exploding, so instead of asking to receive more stress, he chose to not bother asking.
[You did well.]
Or so he resolved, but Gula talking away at her own initiative was completely unexpected.
[You dealing with the man-eating monsters. You did well. Things got hard when Evangeline Rose died in vain, but with this, the hole has mended.]
'?'
[Hehe. You definitely don’t have a normal fate. To think that a butterfly effect this big would happen from such a simple action.]
He didn’t know why, but Gula seemed really happy for some reason, so Seol Jihu stood there, blinking his eyes.
‘Gula-nim. My level….’
[Oh! Yes, yes. Since you’ve fought in the Plaza of Sacrifice 20 times, and cleared the Banquet, Level 4 would be… Huh?]
Gula who was about to answer positively suddenly let out a surprised voice.
[That necklace…]
‘Necklace?’
Seol Jihu reflexively looked down at his pendant. The originally clear blue jewel had become black after Flone entered it.
'It looks a bit familiar now that you mentioned it…’
[A fragment of the Seven Virtues. You did well to find that.]
'A fragment of the Seven Virtues?’
Seol Jihu asked, unable to stop his curiosity.
[There’s something like that.]
…Was she joking? Seol Jihu barely stopped himself from spitting on the statue.
At this point, it was suspicious whether she was doing it on purpose, but he let it go since it wasn’t as if she had done it once or twice.
But there was one thing Seol Jihu could not yield.
[Anyways. By the name of Gula—]
As soon as Gula’s signature murmur echoed out, swish.
[I hereby declare…?]
Seol Jihu flipped his head up as if he was struck by lightning.
Gula paused. Seol Jihu’s face was so full of expectation that it was even twinkling with light.
[Seol Jihu as…]
Twinkle, twinkle.
[L-Level 4…]
Twinkle, twinkle.
[Ma—]
At that moment, Gula could clearly see.
The sight of the bright light being immediately extinguished at the sound of ‘Ma’ in mana.
[Ma…]
His eyes grew bigger as if someone had hit him in the back of his head. His desperate expression was that of a person who was hopelessly clinging onto a twig while being swept up in a terrible flood.
[….]
She could tell even without reading his thoughts. His face screamed ‘Anything but that! Please reconsider once more!’
Gula continued in a noticeably smaller voice.
[…Mana Pro Lancer. I look forward to your accomplishments befitting your unique class.]
Seol Jihu’s face blackened as if he had received a death sentence. His mouth slowly gaped open and his shoulders drooped down.
It wasn’t just simple disappointment. It was the face of a crying child looking at the bean sprout soup in front of him when he was expecting a scrumptious meat dish.
Seol Jihu opened his mouth while dazed.
“Ever since a while back… I’ve been wondering…”
[What is it?]
“The class names… were you the one making them?”
[Of course. And?]
”…Oh…”
[?]
Seol Jihu who had been standing there like a stone statue slowly tilted his chin up and looked towards the ceiling. And he stopped moving.
Gula began to feel awkward at the end of the long silence.
[What is it?]
An empty sigh that expressed the loss of all hope to live sounded out.
[What? What is it?]