Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 157
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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 (157)
Have You Ever Thought About This?
The next day.
With only a short time left until the new semester at Eterion Magical Engineering Academy, news of Lee Si-hyeok’s suddenly announced special lecture spread rapidly through word of mouth.
[Special Lecture Notice]
[To all current students and freshmen of Eterion Magical Engineering Academy.
Our academy will be hosting a special lecture as outlined below. We ask for your interest and participation.
▶ Lecturer: Lee Si-hyeok
▶ Topic: To be announced on the day
▶ Location: Central Engineering Building Auditorium
※ Attendance for this lecture is voluntary, and outsiders who are not affiliated with the Magical Engineering Academy may also participate after registration. Please inquire for details.]
Eterion Central Plaza.
In front of the bulletin board that gets crowded whenever there are campus events, an incomparably larger crowd than usual had gathered.
“Hey, is this for real?”
“No way. Lee Si-hyeok is giving a lecture? At this timing?”
“That’s some serious guts.”
The freshmen had already moved in earlier than usual because of the dimensional gate situation.
But now that news of the lecture had spread, they couldn’t help but get even more excited.
“Are you going to see it?”
“Are you crazy? Why are you even asking that?”
“Why? You’re not going?”
“Of course I have to go! This kind of opportunity might come once in a lifetime!”
Freshmen and current students were all excitedly chatting among themselves.
The overall atmosphere was electric.
Excitement, fervor, anticipation.
Such elated emotions tickled their hearts even more than their excitement for the new semester preparations.
[Breaking) Apparently Dae Sihyeok is giving a lecture at Eterion lolololol]
The internet was no exception.
ArtiNet.
Even on what could be called South Korea’s largest magical engineering community, heated discussions were taking place.
[So what’s the lecture topic?]
[They haven’t announced it yet. I think it’s probably related to that rift.]
[No way lol You’re not just trying to change the subject to cover that up, are you?]
However, their topics of discussion were focused on ‘what subject the lecture would cover.’
[Probably just about Legacy Artifacts, right?]
[I’d probably think the same way ㅇㅇ No matter how great Lee Sihyuk is, how amazing could his preparation really be lol It hasn’t even been that long since the seminar ended lololol]
[Kind of feel sorry for him. His mental state must be a mess right now]
As is typical of any community atmosphere, there were more negative opinions.
Most were opinions of sympathy and mockery, saying things like isn’t he pushing himself too hard, he must be feeling rushed.
Of course, even such opinions stemmed from anticipation, so they couldn’t be seen as entirely bad.
And meanwhile, there were those who were more on fire than anyone else because of this lecture.
“…What? I didn’t mishear that, did I?”
Eterion Magical Engineering Academy Academic Administration Team.
Having unexpectedly become responsible for hosting the lecture, they were on the verge of losing their minds from the flood of incoming calls.
They were already busy to death with the new semester right around the corner…
“Again, say it one more time. What did you say?”
“Well… we just got calls from India and Australia. They want to attend this lecture.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Why would they come all the way here from overseas?
India and Australia aren’t even close to here, are they?
“I’m going to go crazy at this rate, seriously. Where? Where do they want to come from?”
“Professor Sandip Malhotra’s entire team from the Indian Institute of Technology, and from Australia, just Professor Liam Brooks alone.”
“Why on earth would those people…”
The administration team leader held her forehead. She couldn’t understand it at all.
She knew Lee Si-hyeok’s status was remarkable, but even so, to fly for nearly ten hours?
In fact, though she didn’t know it, Sandip Malhotra and Liam Brooks were the professors who had gotten into a fistfight over Lee Si-hyeok at the seminar.
Having even engaged in a brawl trying to recruit Lee Si-hyeok to their teams, they couldn’t miss this lecture.
“T-Team Leader!”
“Now what!”
“Th-This time we got a call from America!”
“What? This damn…!”
The calls didn’t stop after that either.
They had only announced the lecture news a few hours ago, and if it was already this bad, how much would they have to suffer going forward?
From that day on, the lights in the administration office never went out, day or night.
* * *
“Wow, so many people came.”
On the day of the lecture.
Lee Si-hyeok, sitting in the auditorium’s waiting room, clicked his tongue.
He could see people through the monitor connected to the auditorium.
Despite the spacious area built across three floors, there wasn’t a single empty seat visible. There were even people standing, packed so tightly there was no room to step.
“That’s natural. It’s not just anyone, it’s you, Si-hyeok.”
Director Yoon Seo-jin, who had been reviewing Lee Si-hyeok’s lecture materials in the back, approached. She handed him a water bottle along with the materials. It was yellowish water, as if a tea bag had been added.
“Ah, thank you.”
“Don’t mention such a small thing.”
“By the way, where did Professor Hong Yong-jin go?”
After taking a few sips of the water she gave him, he asked. As tension for the approaching lecture built up, he was starting to feel a bit thirsty.
“He went ahead. Together with Chae-ah.”
“Already?”
Yoon Seo-jin chuckled.
“What, are you disappointed?”
“A little.”
“Heh, Si-hyeok, you should understand the professor’s feelings too. It’s not about anything else – he wants to focus properly on the lecture, so he said he’d watch from a seat like everyone else.”
At those words, Lee Si-hyeok suppressed a faint smile.
The old man who usually just grumbles, but at times like this he gets serious again.
About 30 minutes remained until the lecture started.
Lee Si-hyeok looked over the lecture materials Yoon Seo-jin had given him.
It was a summary she had organized based on the lecture topic he had told her about in advance.
Of course, it wasn’t absolutely necessary material, but it wouldn’t hurt to have it.
Since there were freshmen mixed in, he had to match their level as much as possible.
As he was reviewing the materials like that, someone came to mind.
‘…I wonder if Isaac didn’t come?’
It’s been quite some time since I said goodbye to that guy.
He returned to Britain after being summoned by the Reynolds Family, but I don’t know how he’s been doing since then.
Is he living well? Nothing bad happened, right?
However, whether it was seminars or expos, when giving presentations, I felt strangely empty without that guy who used to watch my back from behind.
Should I say it feels a bit awkward?
Even though there shouldn’t be any danger with Lumibra and the golem around.
“Oh, you’re here.”
As I continued my thoughts, I heard Yoon Seo-jin’s voice.
Then another voice followed.
“You.”
The Snow Flame Empress, who had finished the task Lee Si-hyeok requested, was entering the waiting room.
“I’ve finished all preparations. I have also steeled my resolve.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
I put down the materials and checked the time.
9:55.
Five minutes left until the lecture.
I could hear the host’s voice from outside the waiting room.
“Well then, I’ll be going now.”
Before I knew it, excitement had overtaken nervousness.
As Lee Si-hyeok smiled softly and stood up, Yoon Seo-jin and the Snow Flame Empress made way for him.
“Do well and come back, Si-hyeok. I’ll be cheering for you.”
“Just do as you always have, you.”
Such grateful people.
After nodding to them, I climbed the stairs.
* * *
“Whoa… look at all these people.”
“So many came.”
Two freshmen sitting in their seats were talking.
Then other freshmen they had recently befriended excitedly pointed to one spot.
“Hey hey. Look over there. That person.”
“Who?”
“Over there on the left.”
The freshman who spoke first tilted his head.
Who are they telling me to look at?
That was brief, as his eyes widened as if they would tear.
“Gasp. E, Ethan Miller?!”
“That’s right! The director of the Arcane Research Center in San Francisco!”
He was famous enough for all the freshmen to know.
Someone specialized in the elixir field within magical engineering.
“Why did that person come here…?”
“Why else? He must have come to see Lee Si-hyeok.”
“This is really crazy.”
Even after that, the freshmen’s fingers didn’t rest.
They scanned every corner of the auditorium, finding famous engineers and researchers.
The number of celebrities they discovered was nearly 50.
That was just what they found on the first floor of this auditorium.
If they included the second and third floors….
That’s when it happened.
“Ah, it’s time. Now let’s begin today’s special lecture!”
The host, who had been calming the chaotic atmosphere, shouted loudly.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the podium.
“The person who will give today’s lecture is… a researcher gaining attention through independent research achievements in the field of magical engineering! And South Korea’s first, humanity’s first EX-rank awakener!”
Everyone watched with bated breath at the introduction that built anticipation.
“It’s none other than researcher Lee Si-hyeok! Please give him a big round of applause!”
Woooooh!
Cheers and applause erupted.
At the same time, all the seat lights went out simultaneously, focusing attention on the auditorium.
From the center, a young man slowly walked up.
Step, step.
The sound of footsteps was particularly loud amid the cheers.
Soon, as Lee Si-hyeok stood in front of the podium, silence fell once again.
“Ah. Good evening, everyone.”
A quiet voice resonated throughout the entire auditorium.
“I’m Lee Si-hyeok.”
“Woooh!”
“I’m a fan!”
Lee Si-hyeok smiled faintly and continued speaking.
“Haha. Thank you, everyone. First, I’d like to express my gratitude to all of you who came all the way here. There must be some who rushed here from far away places, and some who came from places that were difficult to leave. I want to convey my sincere thanks to those people as well.”
He looked at the foreigners scattered throughout the auditorium.
Confirming the presence of Sandip Malhotra and Liam Brooks, Lee Si-hyeok added in a playful voice.
“Of course, since I also traveled far to get here, I’d like to thank myself too.”
A witty joke.
Instantly, chuckles leaked out from various places. Liam laughed and Sandip laughed too.
Confirming that the atmosphere, which had been stiff with anticipation, had loosened a bit, Lee Si-hyeok continued with the words he had prepared.
“As you all know, I didn’t reveal the topic of this lecture in advance. I said I would announce it on the day, that is, today.”
He spoke while slowly walking around the podium.
“You were probably all curious. Like, what is this guy trying to talk about that he’s hiding it so thoroughly? What is he trying to show us? Even if it wasn’t exactly that feeling, you surely had various discussions about it.”
He could see people nodding their heads.
Everyone seemed curious.
“So now, I’m going to reveal it here in this place.”
He held up the remote control and pressed the button….
“Hmm?”
“Huh, why….”
…he didn’t.
Instead of displaying presentation materials, the beam projector was still only showing a blank screen, and Lee Si-hyeok turned back toward the audience with a grin.
“Before that! There’s something I’d like to ask you all first.”
Sighs erupted at that moment.
Expressions where anticipation disappeared and disappointment crept in.
Nevertheless, Lee Si-hyeok grinned.
“Everyone, have you ever thought about this?”
And he asked a question.
“The thought that the world inside Gates might be a ‘world that actually exists’ somewhere.”
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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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