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All the playable characters of the failed game PMH have some sort of connection to Eungwang High.
Whether it be students, alumni, faculty members, or someone close to Eungwang High.
In other words, Eungwang High was the main stage of PMH.
However, some characters died without formally getting on that stage.
Among them were two people that remained on my mind.
First was the elementary school student playable character currently enrolled in Gwangil Elementary School, the kid that recognized Hwang Jiho to some extent.
The child had outstanding abilities, so I was sure that he’d have entered Eungwang High when he got older.
‘But he fell into the hands of the Black Screen before he even became a middle school student…’
His life wouldn’t have been meaningful if the Black Screen continued having its way.
Still, it was bitter to leave the child like that.
‘The other one passed Eungwang High. She turned 17, but before school started, at the Dragon Palace…’
The second playable character who failed to go to Eungwang High was the young Dragon King Shaman candidate.
The 17-year-old candidate goes to the Dragon Palace.
There were a total of three candidates, one of which could become a formal shaman.
Candidates go through various tests and are urged to show off their skills.
The shaman candidates, who had been to the depths of the Dragon Palace and the place where the Dragon King descends, wrote a poem and presented it in front of the Dragon Clan, descendants, and shamans.
[I made a poem about the Dragon King’s scales that shine brightly in five colors.]
The first shaman candidate presented a poem about the Dragon King’s scales.
The shaman described the scenery well, almost as if those who heard the poem were able to see the scales.
Although it wasn’t at the same level as a superior being’s eyes, the five-colored scales of the Dragon King contains powerful force.
The first candidate received a great score for clearly seeing the symbol of power and giving such a delicate description of the same.
Next, the second candidate.
[I wrote a poem about the Dragon King’s powerful voice.]
The second candidate poetically unraveled the Dragon King’s words and voice.
After the collision of otherworlds, the heavens were separated from man, and so there is high importance on the Dragon Palace and the shamans who connect to the Dragon King.
Everyone nodded at the description of the candidate of the Dragon King’s voice.
If the second candidate becomes a shaman, the people were sure that the connection between the Dragon Clan and the Dragon King would become stronger.
Next was the last candidate, my playable character.
There was nothing written in the scroll of the last candidate.
[I instructed you to present a poem, but I didn’t tell you to write it. If you have it memorized, I will accept it.]
The surroundings turned quiet at Hwangryong’s words.
On the other hand, the last candidate put the empty scroll on the floor.
[I can’t write a poem.]
[…Are you giving up on the test?]
[No, I would’ve done it earlier if I was going to give up. I will see this test to its end. But I can’t write a poem.]
My playable character looked at the first and second candidates who presented their poems.
But she didn’t have a hint of malice in her eyes.
It was a look that I didn’t understand.
[We were meant to meet the Dragon King deep in the Dragon Palace to write him a poem. But how can we write a poem when the Dragon King is away?]
[…The Dragon King isn’t here?]
My playable character nodded at Hwangryong’s question.
She had no hesitation in her words.
[Yes, that over there is fake. Even if you cover it with clouds, hide it with scales, imitate it, it doesn’t come close to the Dragon King at all.]
[You talk as if you’ve seen the Dragon King personally.]
[Of course, we saw each other often in my dream after I turned 17. If he wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have been able to come to the palace. Ah, was this a test to see if we knew who the real Dragon King was?]
The last candidate’s words shook the whole palace.
If what she said was true, it means that a candidate who hasn’t even become a shaman yet has received several revelations from the Dragon King.
Hwangryong seemed unsure whether the young candidate was bluffing.
Even in this mess, my playable character was purely thinking that everything was a test.
And that was the moment that the traitors decided to kill my playable character.
‘Everything my playable character saw at that time was probably true. Considering that she was killed inside the palace.’
The Black Screen didn’t want this talented shaman to officially become the Dragon King’s shaman.
They didn’t want her to come out of the palace alive.
My playable character died at the hands of the Black Screen, the cause of death being painted to be the wrath of the Dragon King.
Therefore, everyone from the Dragon Clan judged everything she said to be false.
There were sentiments that her death was cheap and justified since she bluffed about getting a revelation and she dismissed the Dragon King who came down to the Dragon Palace.
‘…The Dragon Clan was in bad shape at that time.’
It wasn’t long after they lost Yong Jegun, so everyone’s judgment was blurred.
On top of that, the traitors in their clan were the shamans themselves.
Hwangryong, the one who was guarding the Dragon Palace, remained neutral but it was difficult for him to handle all the cases alone.
And like so, my young playable character was branded as a liar and assassinated at a young age.
That shaman candidate, Yoon Yeorang, was in front of me now.
“Uhm, hi! I think I’m lost!”
She immediately ran to me and Kim Yuri, her bright voice masking her anxiety.
She seemed lively even as she was waving from afar.
It was thanks to her great affability that she managed to find her way in PMH despite her being weak with directions.
“Hi, I’ll show you around. Can I check your name and examinee number?”
“Thank you! My name is Yoon Yeorang, and my examinee number is…”
Kim Yuri accommodated her with a smile as Yoon Yeorang held out her examinee ID to show her name and number.
When I searched for where her test site is, I found that it was quite far away.
It was far from our current location, but it was close to the main gate.
I don’t know how she got lost this bad.
The quick-witted Kim Yuri immediately noticed this kid’s weakness in directions.
“The test site is a little far. She might get lost if we just point her there, so let’s walk with her.”
“I was about to say the same thing. Let’s go, Yeorang-ah”
“Thank you! Uhm, Eungwang unnie and oppa, I want to ask you a lot of questions…”
Yoon Yeorang actively talked to Kim Yuri and me as we walked.
She instantly called Kim Yuri her “unnie”
Kim Yuri also has extraordinary social skills, so the two became close in the blink of an eye.
Anyone seeing them would think they knew each other for years.
“So you’re from the Student Association, Yuri unnie…! You’re so tall and cool too!”
“Ahaha, thanks. Do you wanna join the student association when you become a student?”
“Hmm… Can I think about it? I still have something to prepare for after the entrance exam!”
Is she talking about the shaman-ship test?
Thinking of how the test went in PMH, I don’t think it’s something that needs to be prepared for…
Anyway, my playable character Yoon Yeorang showed incredible performance in tests, so I know there won’t be any problem.
Yoon Yeorang then talked to me.
“Uhm, I’ve seen you on TV a few times, Nameless Supernova! Are the people who were in the same group as you here too? Ah, but I’m not curious about that Son guy!”
“Yoo Sanghoon studies here. Jang Namwook went to the military academy.”
The conversation continued as Yoon Yeorang asked a lot of questions.
She almost lost her way a few times, but Kim Yuri led her well.
Thanks to that, Yoon Yeorang and Kim Yuri became a little close.
Although Yoon Yeorang has some serious navigational problems, my playable character had a high affinity.
“Thank you! I think I’ll do well on the exam since you showed me the way! Can I send a message to the device code you gave me?”
“Yeah, I’ll buy you a meal sometime. There are a lot of good restaurants around Eungwang High.”
I nodded at Kim Yuri’s words.
It’s my playable character who will send a message, so of course I’ll respond.
I would’ve bought snacks in advance if I knew we were going to run into Yoon Yeorang, but it seems like I overlooked it.
I’ll have to buy her something the next time we meet.
Today’s exam is only the written part, so I should prepare snacks for her practical exam next time.
While I was thinking about what snacks to buy…
“Hihihi, hahahaha, heuhahaha!”
I heard a madman laughing somewhere.
It was creepy, but those who studied at Eungwang High were familiar with the laughter that was usually heard at Cheonik Mountain or the third-year area.
The laughter soon draws near.
The culprit — Woo Kihwan.
Woo Kihwan was racing, throwing around data chips and palm-sized books.
“Here, catch!”
“Don’t let him get to the gate! Lead him to the Concert Hall!”
“The prospective freshmen have the right to know! Hihihi, heuhahaha!”
“Gah, I thought that crazy bastard would remain quiet!”
It was the former student vice representative, Ji Myungsoo, who chased after Woo Kihwan.
The third years seem to have thoroughly monitored Woo Kihwan and they saw that he became quiet after failing to escape the second-place curse.
But it seems like he was just conserving his energy for today.
Woo Kihwan was preparing for something crazy.
“Let’s catch Kihwan first!”
Fwaaa!
Ji Myungsoo’s hand gesture immediately changed the weight of the air.
His light skill Levitation lets him float selected items to the sky within a specific range.
The process of choosing and controlling what to levitate was difficult, so Ji Myungsoo usually specifies only the range.
Although it was a powerful light skill that can catch an opponent off guard, Ji Myungsoo was using it quite inefficiently.
‘He’ll run out of energy waves if keeps using it like that.’
I saw the Year Three Class Zero seniors with paper masks, but they were smiling.
Woo Kihwan must’ve escaped Ji Myungsoo’s light skill and the other kids were subject instead.
Ji Myungsoo sighed and continued his pursuit.
“…Should we help too?”
“Freshmen were told to step back if Woo Kihwan sunbaenim explodes.”
“Oh, haha right.”
I drew the line right away, afraid that Kim Yuri would get caught up in Woo Kihwan’s crazy act.
“What are the seniors distributing?”
Kim Yuri picked up some of the books and data chips thrown by Woo Kihwan.
The data chip had the same label as the book cover.
‘They’re all the same books.’
It looked like they were self-printed.
The thickness was the same, but the cover design and title were different.
‘A collection of Eungwang High tips for freshmen.’
‘In search of the Universe’s Energy’
‘Record of Confrontation with the Strong Homeroom Teacher’
‘The First and Second Place are Fixed Anyway’
‘Study or Not, You’ll Live as the Second Place’
‘The Secret Tourist Guide to the Cheonik Mountain’
The titles were different, but as expected, the contents were uniform.
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