Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 147

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (147)

 

When to China

 

A quiet lunch.

 

The time when the sun hung high in the sky.

 

“Go fetch it, Blackie!”

 

In the garden of the vast mansion, Lee Si-hyeok swung his arm with all his might.

 

Whoosh!

 

At the same time, the ball was thrown from his hand, flying in a parabolic arc to the distant spot.

 

“Mang! Mang mang!”

 

Blackie, who had been waiting at Lee Si-hyeok’s feet, immediately dashed out upon seeing that trajectory.

 

So fast that its plump rear end shook like crazy.

 

Eventually, after running steadily, it caught the ball in its mouth before it even hit the ground. It bit down firmly with its mouth opened wide with a “Waang!” so as not to let it slip.

 

“Well done.”

 

Looking at the creature walking back triumphantly a moment later, Lee Si-hyeok chuckled and said. With the ball in its mouth and its chin raised as high as possible, walking on tiptoes with a toddle-toddle gait, it looked quite dignified.

 

Indeed, does position make the person… no, the cotton ball? After spending a few days with the Snow Flame Empress, who was formerly a princess, it seemed to have already been influenced.

 

‘Though it would be better not to learn such things.’

 

Anyway, Blackie approached gracefully and handed over the ball again. Though the creature had no salivary glands, somehow it was drooling, and the ball was soaking wet.

 

“Maang!”

 

If the creature had a tail, it would probably be wagging excitedly instead of that wiggling rear end.

 

Lee Si-hyeok giggled at the sight.

 

“What, you want me to throw it one more time?”

 

“Mang mang!”

 

“Goodness. You’ve been playing like that and still want to play more?”

 

“Mang, mang mang!”

 

However, that laughter was closer to a bitter smile.

 

The ball-throwing game.

 

It had already been several hours since they started. Since they began in the morning, roughly 3 hours had passed?

 

Lee Si-hyeok looked down at the ball in his hand, swallowing his tired expression.

 

This was also an artifact he had crafted himself.

 

After learning through his conversation with the Snow Flame Empress that the ‘Oraculum Orb’ was in China, he had decided to stay at the mansion for a few more days, so he needed something to do in the meantime.

 

So what came to mind was something about Blackie.

 

To celebrate the creature awakening from its long unconsciousness, he had made a toy himself.

 

He stuffed it full of magic stones that the creature liked so that mana would be automatically emitted, and even added an automatic play function so it could play alone without Lee Si-hyeok’s help.

 

‘The problem is that it sulks if I don’t play with it directly.’

 

How does it figure it out?

 

If he turned on the automatic play function and quietly slipped away, it would notice like a ghost and lie down on the ground. Then it would absolutely refuse to get up until Lee Si-hyeok threw the ball for it again.

 

…Like now.

 

“Maaaaang…”

 

The creature lying beside him, sending pitiful looks.

 

At that sorrowful expression, Lee Si-hyeok sighed.

 

“I’m tired too.”

 

Then, Lee Si-hyeok just lay down flat beside it. Thud! His body went limp as the grass cushioned softly behind his back.

 

“Ma, maang?!”

 

As if it never imagined Lee Si-hyeok would lie down too, Blackie made a surprised cry.

 

However, Lee Si-hyeok just stared blankly at the sky.

 

“Let’s rest like this for just a little while, just a little…”

 

He felt inexplicably sad.

 

To think he was this tired after just running and throwing for three or four hours.

 

It was completely different from when he was crafting artifacts.

 

Of course, crafting work wasn’t easy either. That also required tremendous concentration, and the energy to support it was incredibly important.

 

But physical limitations.

 

In areas requiring running and dashing… physical abilities, he still felt lacking.

 

It could be called the limitation of a non-combat type awakener, but still, isn’t it human nature to want another thing when you have one?

 

‘Come to think of it, I heard they’re researching engineering technology that brings changes to the body.’

 

The field called elixirs or potions.

 

He seemed to have heard on the news that research was actively being conducted in the West, especially in America.

 

It was originally a field with much debate, but he heard that serious research had only recently begun. Since it seemed completely unrelated to artifacts, Lee Si-hyeok hadn’t paid much attention to it.

 

“Ugh, so tired…”

 

“Maaaaang…”

 

It wasn’t fatigue from using mana, so there was no particular way to recover. If it had been mana fatigue syndrome, he could have just absorbed it through Blackie…

 

While lying there looking up at the sky, losing track of time, it happened.

 

“Hm?”

 

He felt signs of someone approaching from far away.

 

Wondering what it was, he raised his head to see the Snow Flame Empress walking gracefully from the mansion. She was carrying a picnic basket in her hand.

 

“Snow Flame Empress?”

 

When he muttered that, she said regretfully.

 

“Hmph. I’ve been caught. I was trying to surprise you secretly.”

 

“You weren’t even trying to hide your presence in the first place.”

 

“Still, you could have pretended not to notice. Do you not understand this lady’s intentions?”

 

“What intentions…”

 

At Lee Si-hyeok’s grumbling, the approaching Snow Flame Empress giggled and sat down. He quietly made room for her, but even her way of sitting was different from others.

 

“Oh, a mat.”

 

“You come sit up here too.”

 

“Yes. But you could have just sat down normally. The grass is clean and nice.”

 

Suddenly, the Snow Flame Empress’s expression turned cold. She narrowed her eyes and whipped around to look.

 

“That will not do.”

 

“…Why not?”

 

“This lady has a noble body. I cannot simply place my bottom anywhere and sit.”

 

“For someone saying that, you’ve shown me quite a few unseemly sights.”

 

“Wh-what unseemly sights?”

 

“Just what I saw in Orbes alone was several times.”

 

“…?!”

 

The Snow Flame Empress’s mouth involuntarily fell open. For a moment, the times she had spent with Lee Si-hyeok in Orbes came to mind. Despite being quite long memories, they flashed quickly through her head.

 

The incident when he had set fake fires in the royal palace, and how she had panicked and shown various disgraceful behaviors…

 

“Wh-when did this lady ever do such things?”

 

She didn’t want to think about it anymore.

 

Stopping her recollections, she blushed and turned her head away sharply.

 

She could feel Lee Si-hyeok’s gaze from behind, trying to hold back laughter.

 

“…This lady never did such things. Do not slander me.”

 

“It’s not slander. Anyway, well, that aside. What did you bring here?”

 

Erasing the mischief from his face, he checked the basket she had brought. The picnic basket woven from willow branches contained several cute lunch boxes.

 

“Have you not been playing with Blackie for several hours? I brought some food in case you were hungry.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Lee Si-hyeok was impressed. But before he knew it, she had turned her head and was glaring at Lee Si-hyeok.

 

She spoke in a resentful tone.

 

“However, seeing how you tease this lady like this, it seems my worry was unnecessary. I think I should take it back.”

 

“No…”

 

“That Bae Jun-wan fellow was hungry, but I told him to just make ramen and came to you instead, so I should just give it back to him. What a wasted trip.”

 

Lee Si-hyeok’s mouth immediately shut. He was hungry. Normally he would have just told her to take it back, but after the previous harsh criticism, the Snow Flame Empress’s cooking skills had improved considerably.

 

However, Lee Si-hyeok didn’t need to stop her directly.

 

“Mang! Mang mang!”

 

“Huh, what? Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

 

“Maaaaaang!”

 

Blackie, who had been quietly watching from Lee Si-hyeok’s arms, suddenly started barking at the Snow Flame Empress. It looked just like a loyal dog protecting its master.

 

‘You’re really earning your keep for all that playing!’

 

Lee Si-hyeok admired inwardly, and the flustered Snow Flame Empress couldn’t do anything and eventually sat back down. Rather than sitting down herself, it was more like Blackie had grabbed her skirt hem with its mouth and made her sit.

 

“Wh-what is this…?”

 

“Well then. I’ll enjoy the meal.”

 

He grinned at the bewildered Snow Flame Empress before starting to eat.

 

The menu was kimchi fried rice and fried eggs.

 

Plus inari sushi and miso soup.

 

Even though all of it was far from the Western cuisine the Snow Flame Empress was familiar with, it tasted quite good. Was this the power of cooking academy?

 

Lee Si-hyeok moved his spoon with constant admiration, and only then did the Snow Flame Empress drop her sulking and watch contentedly.

 

A while later, as the meal was finishing up, Lee Si-hyeok suddenly asked.

 

“When are you going to China?”

 

Perhaps it was an unexpected question, as the Snow Flame Empress paused for a moment. She gently petted Blackie, thought for a moment, then answered.

 

“I’m not sure. It hasn’t been decided yet.”

 

“But going is confirmed?”

 

“Probably… yes. But honestly, I don’t want to go.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because it’s obvious too many things will happen. The internal situation of the Apocalypse Order is quite complicated right now. My father is also in a difficult situation, and there are many who keep me in check. So I don’t want to get involved in such things.”

 

For a moment, worry cast over the Snow Flame Empress’s face.

 

Lee Si-hyeok, who had been staring at that expression, put down his spoon and suddenly blurted out something she could never have imagined.

 

“Could I also visit the headquarters once?”

 

“…What?”

 

“I’m curious. You said there are many artifacts, so I’d like to know what’s there. I also have personal business in that region.”

 

The Snow Flame Empress stared with wide eyes. Her hand stroking Blackie had stopped long ago.

 

“I’m not sure exactly when it would be. Plus I might visit without prior notice.”

 

“That’s quite a surprising thing to say.”

 

“I suppose so. I never thought I’d end up going to China either.”

 

I’ve never even been on an overseas trip in my life.

 

When Lee Si-hyeok chuckled, the Snow Flame Empress’s tension finally relaxed.

 

The Snow Flame Empress, having regained her composure, arranged her expression and answered seriously.

 

“I would welcome you anytime. Even if the members refuse, I alone will welcome you with open arms. If you say you’re coming, I’ll inform the Master in advance as well.”

 

“Then I’m grateful.”

 

“I’m, I’m excited. I never even imagined you would come to my territory. By the way, will Blackie come along too? Blackie, you answer this one. I hope you and Blackie visit together…”

 

“Mang?”

 

Was she happy about him visiting her guild?

 

The Snow Flame Empress seemed excited like a child for some reason. She even woke up Blackie, who seemed tired and about to fall asleep, chattering away by herself.

 

She seemed to have completely forgotten what she’d said about not wanting to go just moments before.

 

Then.

 

“Oh, and.”

 

Lee Si-hyeok, who had been receiving her barrage of questions for a while, added one more thing. There was something else he needed to say that he’d almost forgotten.

 

“Before you go to China, let’s visit the Magical Engineering Academy together.”

 

“…Magical Engineering Academy?”

 

Her lips, which had been moving excitedly, stopped.

 

She looked at him with questioning eyes.

 

“By Magical Engineering Academy, do you mean Eterion Magical Engineering Academy?”

 

“Yes. The timing works out perfectly.”

 

Timing.

 

Lee Si-hyeok recalled the contact he’d checked when he woke up this morning.

 

It was several messages that had arrived from Department Head Yoon Seo-jin before he started playing with Blackie.

 

[Sender: First Research Department Head Yoon Seo-jin]

 

[Si-hyeok, you’re doing well, right? It feels like we haven’t seen each other in a long time. No, anyway. The thing is, you need to come to Eterion as soon as possible. We’ve finished all the repairs after that incident and are preparing for the new semester, but one problem has occurred.]

 

Something flashed through Lee Si-hyeok’s mind as soon as he saw it.

 

[Before you floated the Magical Engineering Academy in the sky, remember? That thing you installed in the Central Plaza. The one that looks just like a Gate. You didn’t explain it in detail so I don’t really know what it is, but right now very unstable mana is flowing out of it…]

 

Dimensional Gate.

 

[It really… feels like it’s going to connect somewhere.]

 

No further explanation was needed.

 

Lee Si-hyeok’s eyes grew serious as he spoke to the Snow Flame Empress.

 

“It’s time for you to return home.”

 

“…?!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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