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    After school, in the Stalemate Chess Club’s room.


    There were boards and pieces set up everywhere, a sign perhaps that the club ns to hold a chess event for the festival.


    From chess sses for beginners to trick-or-treating for masters and multi-faceted matches, the Stalemate seemed to have prepared a lot.


    As it is only a small group and not technically an official club, its membership isn’t veryrge.


    For that, it doesn’t seem like the club prepared arge-scale event, but the traces of work in the room reflected the members’ enthusiasm.


    As I was opening and closing my cold hands, Yong Jegun took a can of coffee out of the warm storage and handed it to me.


    “You did a great job in today’s ss meeting. Too bad. Want some?”


    “Thank you.”


    “The Dragon n’s benefactor is very polite.”


    I just thanked him for the coffee though…


    Yong Jegun said something exaggerated.


    And can he stop calling me a benefactor?


    Hwang Jiho and Yong Jegun did a who-can-call-me-benefactorpetition over breakfast, making my ears hurt.


    Anyway, Yong Jegun looked so well that I couldn’t believe that he wandered around in a nightmare for a year.


    I wouldn’t know how he feels inside, but he was slick enough to call me to the Stalemate’s room to avoid the Tiger n’s eyes.


    ‘It wouldn’t have been obvious in PMH.’


    When he woke up from the nightmare and saw Kim Shinrok alive, Yong Jegun was so impressed that he told me the origin of his name and offered to grant a wish of mine.


    It was clear that Yong Jegun was deeply heartbroken after losing Kim Shinrok.


    However, the close rtionship between the two wasn’t depicted in PMH.


    I didn’t even know that Yong Jegun was an adviser to a small chess group.


    Yong Jegun was a popr yer, but I hardly knew anything about him.


    “As for today’s ss meeting, if you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask me.”


    Yong Jegun’s words reminded me of what transpired at today’s ss meeting.


    It was a Friday, and before the weekend, our ss held a meeting about the preparations for the festival.


    — Did you try contacting Gildong — I mean Luis and Seulbi?


    — Yeah, I asked them to attend because we’re going to prepare for a festival but…


    Kim Yuri sessfully contacted the attention-seekers, but she didn’t get much sess.


    They left Korea shortly after they made us souvenirs from the theme park pic.


    — It would’ve been nice if they attended school, but what a shame… What are they going to do abroad?


    — Hmm… I asked, but they didn’t answer. They said they want to surprise uster.


    Unexpectedly, Min Geurin gave a hint to Kwon Lena’s question.


    — …Uh, I think I heard something like a hint from Luis.


    — What! You keep in touch with that aurora attention-seeker bastard?


    Song Daesok was furious at the fact that Ong Gildong and Min Geurin were in contact, and the former got scolded right away.


    —Daesok-ah, don’t call your ssmate an attention-seeker bastard! At least remove the word bastard!


    Being called an attention-seeker isn’t very nice either, but I decided to ze over it.


    — So what’s the hint?


    — Our ss motto.


    Min Geurin showed us her messages with Ong Gildong.


    It was full of praises from Ong Gildong who praised Min Geurin’s words, along with rhetoric of regret to have to leave.


    When asked where he was headed, Ong Gildong sent a photo and said “I can’t say yet, but I’ll give you a hint.”


    The photo showed a holographic panel with our ss motto “Go to School on Time.”


    — The photography is great. Also, the words wouldn’t have shown if the light wasn’t adjusted.


    — …He doesn’t even attend school. Where did he get that photo?


    Hani’s question was reasonable, but I’m sure the attention-seekers took it while moving around.


    Our ss motto.


    A stolen attendance book.


    The attention-seekers who crave the spotlight.


    The two people enjoyed the pic, with Ong Gildong bing close enough to us for him to make souvenirs.


    And then the two suddenly went abroad.


    These clues alone don’t make sense scattered, but by putting them all together, I thought I knew what their n was.


    ‘Don’t tell me they’re going to look for the other kids?’


    I wasn’t the only one who reached the conclusion.


    — They stole the attendance recordsst time.


    — Ahaha… That’s right.


    Dokgo Miro and Kim Yuri seemed to get the hang of it right away.


    Starting with the two, our other ssmates seemed to have figured it out one after another.


    Except for Maeng Hyodon.


    — …?


    Maeng Hyodon stared at our ss motto as if trying to find an answer but to no avail.


    Then, Hwang Jiho opened his mouth.


    — They must’ve gone looking for our other ssmates. Two of the three of them are overseas.


    Year One ss Zero has a total of 16 students.


    Three of them have never shown their faces.


    Like Mok Wooram, two of those three are overseas.


    Though why doesn’t the other one attend school when they’re already in Korea?


    It would be nice to see their faces though.


    While thinking like so, Hwang Jiho looked at me with a face that looked like he was about tough.


    I was expecting it, but I decided to ignore him because I didn’t want to deal with the old man.


    — Hm… then Seulbi and Luis wouldn’t make it to the festival.


    Kim Yuri looked at our ssmates with a troubled expression.


    A lot of our ssmates still aren’t attending school, and those who were attending were busy with extracurricrs.


    — Sorry… I didn’t expect the Taehokwon club to be so busy.


    — No, that’s fine, I’ve been busy with student association work too.


    It was a shame that the kids who have extracurricr activities can’t find the time.


    Hani said she could spare some time, but the conditions seemed to have changed.


    The Taehokwon club became understaffed because some third graders went abroad for volunteer work after an injury urred during the demonstration practice of the group.


    ‘Even if Hwang Jiho helps, it’s still limited. No matter how much the school supports us, it’s gonna be hard if we don’t have enough manpower.’


    It would be impossible to make a n for the festival at this rate.


    As the atmosphere of our ss was about to go down, Professor Ham Geunhyung said something.


    — The festival is for the students to enjoy together and admire their achievements. Don’t pressure yourselves.


    — Professor Ham Geunhyung….


    The professor’s words were short, but his intentions were well-conveyed.


    Our ss was small in number and everyone was busy.


    We have no choice but to be burdened since all clubs and sses have prepared something grand.


    It would be impossible to enjoy the festival if we were pressured.


    — Our achievements… enjoying together…


    With Kim Yuri’s muttered words, the ss seemed to have telepathically thought of something.


    That’s how our ss’ festival participation was decided.


    It wasn’t grand, but I think we can prepare for it well.


    “It’s fine, professor. You must be busy with work for Stalemate too. Thank you for your words.”


    “Our members took care of everything though so I don’t have anything to contribute.”


    “Our ss will be like that too.”


    “Hmm, alright.”


    I refused his help, but he still seemed to be in a very good mood.


    He briefly looked ecstatic when we first arrived in the club room, but I didn’t know why.


    “Then should I get straight to the point? As you guessed, Euishi, I called you to tell you about some things that are difficult to include in the report.”


    Things that he can’t put in the report that the Tiger n will see.


    That means it’s rted to the person he made a deal with.


    He seemed to be continuing what we zed over in the morning.


    “I met Ungnyeo-ssi during Rey.”


    Starting with that, Yong Jegun told me the story of how he met Ungnyeo.


    “Ungnyeo-ssi made a deal with a demon to get some information. In exchange for the items produced by Ungnyeo-ssi, information about the person who broke into Eungwang High’s boundary.”


    Ungnyeo got information through an unfavorable deal with the Demon Race.


    The intel was that the person who broke the boundary was aiming for the Dragon Pce by colluding with the Dragon King’s shaman.


    “Even in this world, Ungnyeo-ssi dug up information from the Demon Race and rmended that I go to the Dragon Pce. Maybe it’s the same demon.”


    The difference is that Ungnyeo didn’t trade with the Demon Race.


    Although Ungnyeo didn’t get detailed information, the item card didn’t fall into the Demon Race’s hands.


    ‘That item card is with me.’


    The <i>Weight and Wealth of Life</i>.


    I got the card earlier on, right after the Hwanmong Auction.


    “Ungnyeo-ssi urged me o go to the Dragon Pce this year, but I was actually thinking of postponing it a little. You’re supposed to go to the pce next year, right Euishin? I was nning to just go with you.”


    I’ll go to the pce in time for the session ceremony of the Dragon King’s shaman.


    It will be held on the first day of the Lunar New Year next year.


    I was thinking of going a week before the ceremony, but that’s still next year.


    ‘I guess it wouldn’t be bad for Yong Jegun to visit the pce ahead of time. It would be safe if the shamans remain in Korea.’


    Yong Jegun seemed to have made up his mind.


    “I’m going to leave as soon as next week’s practical entrance exam patrol is over.”


    “…That’s very soon though.”


    “I have to hurry and visit the pce so I can enjoy Eungwang High’s festival and Christmas.”


    Yong Jegun’s cyan eyes opened for a moment.


    After experiencing the First Christmas scenario, Yong Jegun seemed to be extraordinarily determined.


    “I wanted you toe with me, but it would be difficult, won’t it Euishin?”


    “I’ll go with you next year.”


    “Haha, I knew you’d say that. I’m sorry I didn’t treat you to dinner. What do you want to eat?”


    Yong Jegun stood up from his seat.


    He listed the names of nearby restaurants, inviting me to have dinner.


    It was a littlete, but maybe Yeom Junyeol had already left school.


    As if seeing through my thoughts, Yong Jegun spoke.


    “Junyeol will leave schoolte today. Let’s go get dinner together. Didn’t Junyeol-ie message you? You know the entrance exam is next week.”


    “That’s true but…”


    “I guess Junyeol-ie still sends you a message every morning.”


    I shouldn’t have answered.


    I was caught in Yong Jegun’s trap.


    After deciding to go to a seafood restaurant, Yong Jegun sent a message to someone.


    “The student association is still busy checking everything and the site. We’ll have to wait a little.”


    I will have dinner with Yong Jegun and Yeom Junyeol tonight.


    But I think he wrote an overly long message to Yeom Junyeol.


    Seeing himugh ecstatically, he seemed to be plotting something again.


    “I’m calling Shinrok too.”


    …Will Kim Shinrok enjoy this meal?


    I know he’d be forced toe because he looked very worried about Yong Jegun.


    And as expected, Kim Shinrok appeared at the dinner table.


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