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Baekho accepted Eunho’s challenge.
The result of the coin toss is that Baekho will take the white pieces, while Eunho plays as black.
Baekho will make his move first.
“Let’s begin.”
Eunho spoke and immediately started the clock.
As soon as the second hand of the chess clock moved, Baekho’s white chess piece moved on the board.
It was a fierce battle between the two tigers, but the annex was silent.
All that could be heard is the sound of the pieces being moved.
The game seemed to proceed slowly, but piece by piece and move by move, their match was as fierce as a sword fight.
After a long neck-and-neck battle, the number of pieces on the chessboard and the time indicated on the clock approached zero.
“Check.”
It was Baekho’s declaration of checkmate that broke the long silence.
Eunho looked down at the chessboard for a long time before finally putting down his black king, formally ending the game.
Eunho reached out to shake Baekho’s hand.
“…Your skill is superior. No wonder Hwangho-nim didn’t have trouble admitting defeat.”
“You heard from Hwangho?”
“Yes, I heard that you two played a round. It seems like you quickly got interested in it, Baekho hyungnim. Although you’re not usually interested in anything. When did you start playing chess?”
“…”
Baekho didn’t answer.
Eunho continued to talk as if he had not expected Baekho to answer in the first place.
“Euishin hyung was the idol of everyone who wanted to be a chess player. I was one of them too. I read, reviewed, and studied all articles related to Euishin hyung. No matter how many times I simulated it, it’s safe to say that I’d always lose to EUishin hyung. But…”
Eunho’s hand headed toward a piece outside the board.
He recreated a position on the board.
“I tried my best to become a player that can have a stalemate with Euishin hyung at least. I’ve won a few stalemates from players who are much better than me. But you completely smashed my attempt at a stalemate, Baekho hyungnim.”
Eunho looked at the white knight standing placed near Baekho.
That knight’s next move blocked Eunho’s attempt for a stalemate, forcing him to a corner.
The move that thoroughly smashed his attempt was reminiscent of Stalemateless’s style.
“Do you hate stalemates too, Baekho hyungnim?”
Eunho thought Baekho would say “yes” at least.
Having this much resemblance to Stalemateless, he thought they had the same stance.
However, Eunho’s prediction was wrong.
“No, I don’t hate it.”
Baekho said as he moved the white knight.
“But I’ll block everything I can block.”
***
The message was from Ryujang, the patissier from MITRON, a famous bakery in front of Eungwang High.
His real identity is as an agent of the Crow Demon King Sidelentium.
‘I knew I’d be approached by his agent since I’ve been walking around wearing a crow mask. I didn’t imagine it would be MITRON’s patissier though.”
It was in England that I found out Ryujang’s true identity.
He suddenly appeared from the Tower of London and told me to wear a crow mask at the Halloween party of the Fomorian demons.
Knowing that Phantom Thief Neon would definitely recognize the mask, his request gave me a headache.
Though the incident ended well because of it.
‘He didn’t just attend the party on behalf of the Crow Demon King. Midhir is connected to Ryujang too.”
At the time of the Halloween party, my Destiny skill activated and I was able to talk to Midhir.
— They were wary of other royal lineages, and even us, in the beginning, and they didn’t pay any attention to the humans. The thief and the night hag’s disciple, the Crow Devil King’s agent, a human fit to be king, and you. We provided the requisites to make this happen ourselves.
He definitely mentioned Ryujang, but what did he do that day?
[Ryujang] Hello, student Jo Euishin.
[Ryujang] Are you busy tomorrow? I’d like to see you for a moment.
He didn’t mention the reason outright, but it’s clear why he connected me.
At that time, Ryujang did not receive the goods that he was supposed to hand over to Sidelentium, so I knew he’d contact me sooner or later.
‘He’s probably asking to have the Weight and Wealth of Life be handed over soon enough.’
Just as he promised, the Crow Demon King is intending to complete our deal before the season changes.
[Me] I’m available. I will bring the item I promised.
[Ryujang] It’s nice talking to you, student Jo Euishin.
Ryujang was satisfied and asked me if I wanted anything as a gift or if there was anything I wished to eat.
I accepted at once, only because he didn’t seem to have any intention of backing down.
I was able to wrap up the conversation only after presenting some dishes to share with the dorm kids.
The next thing I checked was the group message room of the newspaper department, the most active of all.
‘Moon Saeron must be working hard overseas.’
Most of the messages were from Moon Saeron, who’s currently traveling abroad.
She sent what she covered and the photos she took in our group message room.
[Moon Saeron] This overseas coverage trip was very rewarding!
[Moon Saeron] I met someone I never imagined, and I won the right to an exclusive interview! Look forward to it!
Moon Saeron didn’t reveal who the person was.
It was the first time Moon Saeron didn’t say everything she knew to our message room.
Who in the world did she meet?
I decided to just look forward to it with excitement.
The next message I checked was lengthy.
[Jang Namwook] I completed the crow mask today. I used the pictures that Sanghoon sent as reference. I arranged it in my own way, but I basically tried to make it look coordinated. That’s why I had a hard time processing it. It’s possible to make it a card since I used otherworld materials. Sihoo and I don’t have high skills, so its rarity is a bit low and its defense stat isn’t very good.
[Jang Nawmook] (Photo)
Jang Namwook’s crow mask can be carded?
The result was actually really great considering that he said he wasn’t good at it.
It’s applaudable, but I can’t praise him since it’s a crow mask that he made.
I think I’ll just give a short answer this time too.
I checked the picture with a bitter heart, but when I saw it, I felt blank momentarily.
‘…Why are there so many?’
There were dozens of crow masks shown in the picture.
I thought Jang Namwook would make two at best so what the heck happened?
Each had its own unique traits like moles or glasses-shaped patterns around the eyes, but they were all crow masks.
[Yoo Sanghoon] Hahaha
Yoo Sanghoon must be laughing hard.
Jang Namwook explained why he made so many.
[Jang Namwook] I heard that you guys did some group activity wearing crow masks. Two might not be enough, right? I thought it would be good to make several masks just in case.
Jecheondaesung must’ve said that the student association members were wearing crow masks too.
I don’t know why he told Jang Namwook such unnecessary things.
And I don’t know just what kind of situation Jang Namwook has in mind, but all those masks would definitely be confiscated right away in the academy.
My eyes began to close as I checked his long message and prepared a reply.
‘I have to think about Mok Wooram’s assassination attempt though…’
I turned off the device and prepared to sleep by engraving the contents of the document in my head.
I also remembered that Seodol asked me to be Neuru’s ambassador, but I quickly erased it from my mind.
And then, when morning came.
MITRON had a “closed” sign showing in front.
I saw the original crow mask.
I greeted him first, and Sidelentium welcomed me.
— Hello, Jo Euishin. You’re ever so polite.
I approached the crow and I could see his mouth moving through the gap, but as expected, I didn’t hear a sound.
I had to lip-read again.
Sidelentium, the Silent Demon, seemed to have no intention of speaking out.
He greeted me in comfortable language, and I asked him if I could speak informally as well.
— I like the things you show me through your crow mask. No need to ask for permission.
In short, he likes what I show him, so we should talk casually and get closer?
Sidelentium is quite favorable toward humans compared to the other demons, but he has a lot of particularities that are difficult to understand.
Still, I decided to keep up with the rhythm.
“Got it.”
The corners of Sidelentium’s and Ryujang’s lips went up long, satisfied at my answer.
I wonder if Ryujang is bothered that a high school student speaks informally to the demon that he serves.
Though even the Tiger Clan doesn’t mind that I speak informally with Baekho-gun and Hwang Jiho.
I immediately handed over the item card and thought that would end today’s encounter, but Sidelentium spoke again.
— Didn’t you meet the Rat Clan’s head yesterday?
I did meet Seodol yesterday, but how did Sidelentium know that?
There was a slight lapse of laughter in the corner of Sidelentium’s mouth.
— Seodol met my contractor before he went to see you. Looks like he had his eyes on my contractor in England.
“In England?”
— I was looking for a treasure called Lia Fail at the request of a Morian.
So Ryujang attended the party that day to find a Tuatha de Dannan treasure.
Just as Midhir said, the agent of the Crow Demon King was up to something.
‘The coronation stone out of all things.’
The coronation stone is engraved with sacred words.
As soon as Sung Gukeon stepped on the Lia Fail, the coronation stone, who saw in him the qualities of a king, made a noise.
“Did you find it?”
— Yeah. My contractor is excellent so the mission is completed safely.
Ryujang found the sone that day?
But Sung Gukeon said that the blue-masked demon was still asking him to destroy the Lia Fail.
Ryujang must’ve done something else to the stone instead of retrieving it.
‘I should listen carefully and relay this to Sung Gukeon.’
Starting with an explanation of what he did with the coronations stone, the conversation with the Crow Demon King went on.
We talked mainly about the things I’ve done while wearing a crow mask, but other topics were also bright up.
Such was the story of Mok Wooram, who escaped from being assassinated thanks to Sidelentium’s involvement.
“Did you know about the assassination?”
— I’ll leave it to your imagination.
As for other things, Sidelentium didn’t speak on them.
Meanwhile, Ryujang didn’t speak at all, as if he didn’t wish to interrupt the conversation between Sidelentium and me.
Sidelentium and Ryujang weren’t speaking, so all that was heard was my voice.
When the conversation was dying down, I finally handed over the Weight and Wealth of Life.
— I won’t be bored for quite a while! As promised, I’ll guide you to the demon world.
Sidelentium checked the item and was visibly pleased.
The effect of this item is to erase human variables in exchange for wealth and life.
Its effects are aggressive, which does not go well with the bystander demon Sidelentium.
As if doubt was evident on my face, Sidelentium began to explain.
— This item is a by-product of the Eight Real Bears’ attempt to extinguish Cheonshin (Heavenly God) and Shinin (Son of God). It’s worth studying. There’s a chance I’ll get a hint from this.
Sidelentium is interested in that?
It didn’t seem like it from the developments in PMH.
And there was one thing he said that caught my mind.
The hint he’s speaking of doesn’t seem to refer to how the item is made.
— The goal of the Eight Real Bears was the ‘complete extinction’ of Cheonshin and Shinin. They failed, and they know it.
As soon as I understood what he was saying, I knew what hint he was referring to.
An eerie scenario played in my mind.
— But they could’ve succeeded. If there’s something completely, perfectly missing, then it’s impossible to tell.
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