Chapter 520: Model (4)

Support Ex-Rank

Kwon Jein wasn’t as famous back then.

After Kwon Jein became a player and entered Eungwang High, she devoted most of her time to her studies, not participating much in competitions.

Her music-related activities were limited to performing for family concerts and presentations for the string club.

Busy with his own life, Jared Lee couldn’t have heard of the violinist from Korea.

It was a mere coincidence that he heard her perform.

“There were enemies next to me when I heard Jein play.”

Jared Lee was so broken that he couldn’t tell if he was an enemy or not.

The ones beside him didn’t appreciate Kwon Jein’s performance video, but Jared was captivated.

It was only a few minutes long, but it was enough to make Jared Lee fall in love with Kwon Jein’s music.

And at the end of her performance, Jared Lee was convinced that he was, in fact, human.

“I was the only one who shed tears at Jein’s performance.”

The enemies reproduced by the Knight of the Water Shadow look just like Jared Lee, and their uniform outfits chosen by the Knight of the Yellow Rose.

Even Jared Lee couldn’t tell who was an enemy and who was his real self.

However, only the real Jared cried, overwhelmingly moved by the performance.

Jared Lee, who was losing himself among the clones of enemies, regained himself.

Looking at the enemies who listened to Kwon Jein’s performance without a change in expression, Jared Lee decided to withdraw from the Oath of the Three Knights.

“I know what happened after that. I kicked some people at Jein’s request.”

Seodol, who had shown little interest, reacted when Kwon Jein’s name came up.

“At that time, Kwon Jein accepted an order from me. I appreciate that.”

It’s unknown how Jared Lee met Kwon Jein and how she decided to help him.

It was even more so when I heard what Seodol said.

I’m sure Seodol begged Kwon Jein to accept his order, but it’s a big decision for her either way.

‘So did Kwon Jein accept Seodol’s order to try and help Jared Lee?’

When Jared Lee was in the Oath of the Three Knights, the Lake of Eternity team wasn’t a big team yet.

On the other hand, the OTK was already established as a reputable team.

Perhaps Kwon Jein knew that the Lake of Eternity couldn’t resist the Oath of the Three Knights on its own, therefore she decided to borrow Seodol’s power.

I wonder how Kwon Jein made such a decision, but it’s difficult to ask because it’s not directly related to the topic of the OTK.

Mok Wooram seemed to be curious about Jared Lee and Kwon Jein too, but he endured the urge to ask away.

Jared Lee spoke again, affirming Seodol’s words.

“You are right. I got a lot of help leaving the Oath of the Three Knights.”

When Jared Lee finished speaking, Hwang Jiho asked a question.

He pointed his chin at the carrier holding the crumpled enemies.

“I want to hear more about how these things are cloned. You seem to question how these things still exist too.”

Jared Lee said this when he saw the enemies inside the carriers.

— I didn’t expect these things to be alive. I killed them all before I left the OTK.

Jared Lee was convinced that he eliminated all the enemies.

He didn’t expect it.

I don’t know how the Knight of the Water Shadow replicated Jared Lee’s image into enemies, but I presumed that Jared Lee should be present for that to happen.

If it’s possible to clone Jared Lee even without his presence, there’s no way they would react the way they did.

“I need to be flooded with earth power when the Knight of the Water Shadow clones the enemies. It’s impossible to use an enemy as the model.”

Jared Lee replied in a stiff voice.

The memory must’ve been traumatic.

He took a deep breath and added a brief explanation.

According to the way he knows it, it’s impossible to clone a model without an appropriate balance of capabilities.

“The Knight of the Yellow Rose said something today. The Knight of the Water Shadows showed new achievements. Maybe that’s related to this.”

Did the knight reach this new feat through training?

Or perhaps through a new item, or help from a superior being or someone else.

We don’t know which one is true.

‘Did he do something to pull earth power again? No, I don’t think so. There’s no disaster reported in England these days.’

Our clues are limited to finding the answer to that secret.

I decided to ask what I can check first.

“I want to ask something too.”

“Go ahead.”

Jared Lee replied rather softly to me.

It must be easier for him to talk to a high school friend of Kwon Lena other than the head of the Tiger Clan.

“I have a question about the song you first heard from Kwon Jein sunbaenim. Was Kwon Jein sunbaenim using an energy violin back then?”

Jared Lee looked dumbfounded, perhaps finding the question unexpected.

Oath of the Three Knights, enemies, earth power.

There were a lot of things that I could ask, but I asked about Kwon Jein’s violin.

Perhaps flustered, Jared Lee answered with an awkward pronunciation.

“Uh, why do you ask…? It must’ve been an energy violin. I saw it in the video. It was a blue energy violin.”

Hwang Jiho stepped in when Jared Lee stopped to organize his thoughts.

“I wonder what your question is about. Why did you ask that, Jo Euishin?”

“I am curious too, sir.”

Jared Lee spoke with honorifics.

I wanted to speak after solidifying my thoughts, but since the two clan heads came to me like that, I thought I should just say it first.

“Jared Lee-ssi said he regained himself after listening to Kwon Jein sunbaenim’s performance.”

“…Yes.”

“A short performance that lasted a few minutes.”

“Yes, Jein’s performance is just that good. You heard her play too. You know that.”

It must’ve sounded like I was doubting Kwon Jein’s performance.

He didn’t sound angry, but Jared Lee sounded like a dedicated fan.

I shook my head and went on.

Kwon Jein’s musicality has the power to move people.

I can’t deny that, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it.

“I’m not doubting her. What caught my attention was the energy violin.”

Jared Lee still didn’t seem to understand.

Seodol didn’t seem to have a clue yet either.

Only Hwang Jiho, who was smiling at Mok Wooram and me, seemed to notice what I was trying to say.

“Jared Lee-ssi was unstable upon being bombarded with earth power. It would’ve made your mind unstable too. But you came right back to your senses after listening to Kwon Jein sunbaenim perform with her energy violin.”

Energy violin — an item not usually classified as a weapon and cannot be used for attacks unless one can perform at the level of a top musician.

It’s usually only considered an instrument, but it doesn’t change that it’s created by a great craftsman.

Perhaps that energy violin has more hidden functions.

“If I were belonging to the Oath of the Three Knights, I would’ve studied who Kwon Jein sunbaenim was. There might be something more to it than you being moved, Jared Lee-ssi.”

Maybe it’s a stretch, but there’s a reason why it occurred to me.

“Mok Wooram, the new target of that team, is the student of the master craftsman.”

Mok Wooram is the sole student of the master craftsman who makes the energy violin.

In other words, he’s the only one capable of creating another one.

I formulated a hypothesis based on the clues we had so far.

“As a result of researching Kwon Jein sunbaenim, they found out something about energy violins. That’s why they tried to scout Mok Wooram, but then resorted to assassinating him when he didn’t cooperate.”

Although we had little evidence, this could explain the OTK’s recklessness.

They would act like that if they found out that an energy violin interferes with their purpose.

They wanted to catch Jared Lee again, and this time, get rid of the energy violins that made Jared leave in the first place.

It would be easier to kill Mok Wooram than to come after the powerful Kwon Jein.

Perhaps they would come after Kwon Jein someday, but right now they’re focused on Mok Wooram, the easier target.

“They asked me to join the team and asked me to make something. They didn’t elaborate.”

Mok Wooram looked at the enemies with a complex face.

I’m curious as to what exactly they asked him to make, but, certainly, it wouldn’t be a proper energy violin.

Hwang Jiho, who was listening to me, spoke up.

“I think Jo Euishin’s hypothesis is convincing.”

“I think so too. A speculation is up, so shouldn’t we confirm it?”

Seodol was unfortunately speaking in formal language.

I know just how to check my guess.

The enemies weren’t the only ones we caught.

We have those two members from the Oath of the Three Knights too.

As if advertising himself, Seodol looked at me and Hwang Jiho alternately.

“You know, I can do some mental manipulation and investigations too. I helped Jein with that kind of thing before too and—”

“No need for that. You’re too fickle to stick to one thing. That’s why it took you more than ten years to dig up information on the Bear Clan.”

“Ah, well, that’s not wrong. But I think I can do well this time.”

At the time of the Great Manchester Otherworld, Seodol cooperated with Kwon Jein to dig up information on the Bear Clan.

However, even though the Bear Clan is a formidable entity, Seodol still took ten years to accomplish.

Seodol looked motivated, but this time, I agreed with Hwang Jiho.

“We have a competent torture specialist. And it’s a solid hypothesis, not a vague idea, so we don’t need your help.”

Hwang Jiho’s firm words ended the debate.

Although he was consistently clingy to Hwang Jiho, there was no way that Seodol could break through the old man’s stubbornness.

Before we parted ways, Jared Lee spoke to Mok Wooram and me.

“I have a lot of things to talk about with Jein. Let’s talk again next time.”

Jared Lee spoke in a somewhat desperate tone.

Kwon Jein and the Lake of Eternity members must be waiting outside.

While Seodol continued to bother Hwang Jiho, Mok Wooram and I moved separately.

“I’m greatly indebted to you, vice president. I don’t know how to pay you back. Thank you very much.”

I can’t believe considers himself indebted.

This is why he keeps living a penniless life.

I kept telling him that I didn’t do much, but Mok Wooram thanked me as if he would give me all his possessions at once.

“I hope I can help you someday, vice president. Doesn’t the Red Wall Thief do a lot of good things? Please let me join you.”

“If you’re thankful, don’t use that word, please.”

“Huh?”

I couldn’t hold it in when I heard that word come up.

Mok Wooram was puzzled, but he agreed nonetheless.

After barely escaping the crisis, I faced another one as soon as I arrived in my dorm.

[Yong Jegun] Are you at your dorm now, Euishin-ah? ^^

Support Ex-Rank