Since the night of the campfire and Woo Kihwan’s tragic Yaja Time, no one has seen Yong Jegun.
During the trip, Yong Jegun usually tagged along with our class or with Kim Shinrok, but after that night, we couldn’t see him anywhere.
We would’ve been worried if Yong Jegun were an ordinary teacher, but everyone paid little mind to it because it’s common for that playful dragon to do things on his own on a whim.
But hearing what Yong Jegun had to say, I know now that he’d met with an unexpected guest that day.
“The Sad Bear Goddess gives you her greetings, Euishin.”
We were in one of the few places in Eungwang High where Hwang Jiho can’t interfere, the stalemate room.
Yong Jegun’s hair turned cyan as he used his power to seal the boundary with his spatial skill.
‘I’ve rarely seen Yong Jegun use this much power inside school grounds.’
It was necessary to put up measures so he could bring up what the Sad Bear Goddess told him.
I don’t know what would happen if the Red Tiger or the White Tiger catches us, but if Hwang Jiho does, even if he doesn’t accidentally kill us, we’d be very badly injured.
“It seems like you met with the Sad Bear Goddess on the night of the campfire.”
“Yes. I wanted to talk with you right away, but Shinrok and the Yellow Tiger were always around, and they’d catch on immediately if I were to call you out all of a sudden.”
A jade glow was shining through Yong Jegun’s thin curved eyes.
“You said in the past that you had some kind of deal with the Bear Goddess. Does this have anything to do with that?”
“I see you remember it.”
Yong Jegun once said this to me when he reasoned out my connection to ‘that word.’
— Lastly, I obtained a clue. It’s a reward from someone of royal lineage who I made a deal with. On the day of the party on board, I was told to use this item on the deck because something interesting would happen. This is the card that I used.
— I think you already know who it is, but it is the person of royal lineage who worries deeply about the Red Tiger.
Putting together what he said at that time and the current situation, it looks like Yong Jegun and the Sad Bear Goddess have some kind of connection.
Looking far away, Yong Jegun spoke.
“There was someone of royal lineage who enticed the young Shinrok.”
“Professor Kim Shinrok?”
I wonder what kind of life Kim Shinrok lived when he was young.
Those who knew Kim Shinrok’s childhood seem to treat him like a troublemaker.
It seems like the story behind that was quite heavy.
“That someone of royal lineage took a long time to gain the trust of Shinrok, and succeeded in bringing Shinrok out of the Tiger Clan’s territory. Shinrok was told he’d meet with the Sad Bear Goddess.”
Did the goddess do her best to appease Kim Shinrok?
Seeing that Yong Jegun expressed it like so, it doesn’t seem like Shinrok was led out of the Tiger Clan’s territory for pure reasons.
“Although they did actually meet, she wasn’t in any position where she could protect Shinrok. At that time, I was the one who saved Shinrok from almost being caught by the Bear Clan.”
So they have that sort of back story.
In the game, because Kim Shinrok was killed right at the tutorial level, his name wasn’t mentioned anymore beyond that point.
He also wasn’t mentioned in the back stories of Yong Jegun or even the Sad Bear Goddess.
“At that time, I became close to Shinrok after doing him a favor. And, the Sad Bear Goddess came to find me. I guess she was worried about who her son’s newfound friend was.”
Yong Jegun seemed to be well aware that the Goddess saw him as a bad friend at first.
Although Yong Jegun was my good playable character, I also would be wary if my own son would have him as his friend.
If you divide Yong Jegun into two axes, the good and the evil, it would generally tilt toward the side of the good.
Still, getting close to the Dragon Clan’s mischievous man, you’d most likely be involved in a lot of his mischiefs.
“Do you remain close to Professor Kim Shinrok because of your deal with the Sad Bear Goddess?”
“That deal doesn’t play a part in our friendship. Even so, if we don’t really like each other, then it’d be impossible for us to be close friends, even if there was a deal with the goddess. The Sad Bear Goddess is the Bear Clan’s prodigy. The deal has its own clear lines.”
That makes sense considering Yong Jegun’s personality.
But what would Kim Shinrok think if he finds out about this fact?
Wouldn’t he feel betrayed and doubt the authenticity of their friendship if he finds out that Yong Jegun and the Sad Bear Goddess had a connection behind his back?
“You said Mr. Red Tiger will die within a year. Is he the only one who will die?”
As I was still processing the story that Yong Jegun said, he suddenly brought up a heavier matter.
‘Did the Sad Bear Goddess tell him that?’
I was flustered and couldn’t control my expressions.
Yong Jegun looked at me with an ecstatic face.
“So there’s more to it. I guess someone who’s very close to him would die too.”
Did I make such an obvious face that he was able to guess that far?
Yong Jegun was looking at my hand.
My hands were becoming cold just like when I play chess, and Yong Jegun seems to have noticed the change in my body temperature.
For now, I decided to pry my way out with excuses based on common sense.
“I don’t have intuition skills.”
“Even without intuition skills, you probably know something. Your light skill is quite special, isn’t it? On top of that… I’m talking about your actions as the Red Wall Thief. An ordinary high school student obtaining impossible information and acting on it?”
Why, out of all times, is ‘that word’ mentioned now!
My cold hands clenched into fists in an attempt to stop the cringe.
“Will I die too?”
Yong Jegun will die.
At the end of the first year, despite having the option to escape alone from the compromised Eungwang High, he chose to stay behind to protect the students.
However, due to the “ teacher’s contract” signed to work as a teacher at Eungwang, there was a time limit until when he could hold out and endure with his constrained body.
In the end, Yong Jegun eventually dies.
Some old figures tried to save Yong Jegun by shaking Eungwang High’s entire map in an attempt to secure an escape route for Yong Jegun.
However, Yong Jegun just goes back to the starting point.
With that, Yong Jegun was attacked and killed as he was using his flight skills.
But even if he arrived to safety, his energy was already considerably low, which greatly reduced his chances of survival.
Because of that, most users gave up on Yong Jegun and the Nation’s Failed Game.
‘This crazy Failed Game killed a playable character with an AI!’ was what the users’ shared sentiments were, and they all eventually gave up on saving Yong Jegun.
After dozens of retries, I was able to rescue the scattered students and succeeded and inducing Yong Jegun to head outside of Eungwang High.
However, when he arrives outside Eungwang High and tries to escape with his flight skills, Yong Jegun said something to himself.
[I do not want to go outside.]
Even though his physical strength and energy level were incredibly low, the stubborn Yong Jegun refused to go out of Eungwang High.
It’s because once he goes out, it would be difficult to get back in due to the traitors of the 12-point alliance.
The mighty Yong Jegun met his end in front of his students.
‘If it weren’t for the teacher’s contract, Yong Jegun wouldn’t have died in vain.’
However, only Hwangmyeong Foundation’s Chairman Lee, or Hwang Jiho, could cancel the contract.
I don’t know what Hwang Jiho was up to during that time, but he didn’t come out throughout the PMH concrete layer collapse incident.
He only reappeared together with Joo Soohyuk after the concrete layer collapse incident.
“I see.”
I couldn’t say a word, but Yong Jegun nodded as he seem to have understood the situation.
Yong Jegun looked lost in thought.
It looks like he’s imagining when and how he will die.
“Did you call me here because you wanted to ask about that?”
Yong Jegun nodded.
His jade-color eyes were hidden as he squinted.
“There’s that. The Bear Goddess also told me to tell you something about the crow mask.”
I knew that the Sad Bear Goddes has a connection with the Crow Devil and Sidelentium.
As the best item maker, she made a replica of the “Coin of Oath of Silence” that was used by the Devil.
On the front of the coin was the seal of the Crow Devil and the silent king Sidelentium.
‘But since when did the goddess know that I wear a crow mask?’
It’s obvious now that the goddess knows about the mask, but I couldn’t guess when she knew about it.
Did she know it from Choi Pyeondeuk’s collapse?
Perhaps on the ship party that was interrupted?
Yong Jegun continued speaking.
“Yeah. If you’re going to wear the crow mask, you have to respect the Crow Devil and his beloved human’s preference.”
“Preference?”
“Yes. She said that simply wearing a crow mask is not enough to win the Crow Devil’s favor.”
The Crow Devil’s preference.
I don’t think clear information about that ever appeared in the game.
Although, there were abstract descriptions of ‘The Shining One’, or ‘Likes and Dislikes’ that existed.
“I could tell you. The devil’s favorite human happens to be in Eungwang District.”
“It’s fine.”
Yong Jegun seem to know something about the Crow Devil, but I refused his favor for now.
He’d be busy with matters related to the Dragon Clan, and I don’t want him worrying about the Crow Devil on top of that.
He insisted a few more times, but I stood my ground and refused.
But then, I couldn’t resist the last offer that he made.
“Do you wanna come with me to the Dragon Palace, Euishin?”
The Dragon Palace cannot be reached even by the Tiger Clan.
It’s the place where the ‘Dragon King’s Shaman’ scenario would occur.
* * *
Yeom Junyeol had his hair perfectly done and he naturally pulled off a colorful summer suit made by the Dragon Clan itself.
Usually, whenever he passes by a crowded place, he usually gets a lot of people who want to talk to him.
However, no one has spoken to Yeom Junyeol yet today.
Everyone in the hallways of the broadcasting station was busy walking, and Yeom Junyeol seemed to be invincible in their eyes.
Being treated like a simple man, Yeom Junyeol felt a little excited.
It’s the first time that Yeom Junyeol doesn’t have his manager or bodyguard by his side.
He’s now practically invincible and no one was paying attention to him.
‘I succeeded in the assignment that my teacher gave to me!’
Yeom Junyeol looked happy thinking that he would have something else to talk about with his teacher other than the weather.
Since the broadcast hasn’t started yet, he couldn’t give spoilers about the audition program that he was filming.
He couldn’t talk about the assignment given to him either because he didn’t really make much progress.
But tomorrow will be different.
“…Oh? Sunbaenim? Hello!”
However, Yeom Junyeol’s joy didn’t last long.
It’s because the pink-haired contestant and his school junior Dokgo Miro recognized Yeom Junyeol right away.
As expected of a junior from Eungwang High, Dokgo Miro seemed to have a sharp sense of humor.
“I didn’t see you right away so I couldn’t greet you sooner. Sorry!”
Looking at Dokgo Miro greeting him with a fresh smile, Yeom Junyeol had a complex expression.
Even though he knew that Dokgo Miro doesn’t have ill intentions, Yeom Junyeol felt a bit disappointed.
They had a short conversation about the seniors and juniors in school and in the entertainment industry.
“We would be filming in Eungwang High soon enough. How’s your preparation going?”
Yeom Junyeol would be the only host present when they film Dokgo Miro’s daily life at school in Eungwang High.
The difficulty in gaining permission from the school was one of the issues, but it was also planned that way because the production team also wanted to film Yeom Junyeol in his school uniform.
“Well, I haven’t really been attending school for a while. For me to have more time in the practice room, I just cut off the time that I’m supposed to be at school.”
Dokgo Miro looked troubled as she fiddled with her hair.
Although most kids from Class Zero don’t attend school, it’s embarrassing for Dokgo Miro to suddenly come to school just so they could film a ‘day in the school life’ segment.
It would be difficult for the trainee Dokgo Miro to refuse the plan presented by the production team.
‘As an MC, I shouldn’t really give favors to a particular contestant…’
After much consideration, Yeom Junyeol still decided to do a small favor for the trainee.
“I have hoobaes in Class Zero. Do you want to contact them before we have the shoot?”
Yeom Junyeol offered, having Jo Euishin and Saeum of April in mind.
