Transfer.
For example, if Hong Yeon-hwa who belonged to Team A used it, she could switch her affiliation to either Team B or Team C.
Naturally, it’s not random; she gets to choose.
We can bring over up to four people.
That is, if we add the three Duplicate cards.
And there’s even the possibility of drawing more from the card shop.
That doesn’t mean we have to use them all on Transfer, though.
Even if it falls behind in priority, Freeze is still a strong enough card, so it would be better to duplicate flexibly depending on the situation.
After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to my party members.
“Let’s move toward Team C.”
“Like yesterday…?”
“Not going in deep like yesterday, just halfway.”
“And there… are we meeting them?”
Park Na-ri asked, apparently having caught on after seeing [Transfer], and I nodded readily.
“That’s right. Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi.”
The sooner we bring over the other team members, the better.
That much more becomes possible for us, and conversely, the opponent’s options decrease.
All the more so if those members are top-tier players.
So as soon as the monster wave ended, we moved to secure the card and agreed to meet around the midpoint between Team B and Team C’s territories.
When we arrived, there wasn’t even a single fire goblin in sight.
Since we had only vaguely designated it as a border area, it was possible that Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi were waiting somewhere a bit farther off.
So, to check, we asked Chammy to scout.
“Piieee—”
After circling the area once and returning, it landed on Park Na-ri’s shoulder.
“Ah, I guess they’re not here yet…”
“That can happen. Let’s rest and wait.”
We needed a break anyway, so we settled in a relatively open area with a good field of view and waited.
After some time had passed like that, a large eye made of mana appeared in the air.
[Observe] had been activated.
They missed the timing.
If they had used it a little earlier, they would have seen us working on the hidden piece.
And if they had used it a little later, they would have seen us meeting with Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi.
Unfortunately, all they could see right now was us resting at the border.
There was no way to tell whether we would push in afterward or were simply standing guard.
It means they just wasted another card.
They’ll probably try to conserve it as much as possible until they secure another [Observe].
If we can just get through the other teams using theirs as well, that should be it for today.
Even after the mana eye disappeared, we continued to rest leisurely and wait.
Since lunchtime had passed, Bum nudged Park Na-ri with his front paw, whining in complaint.
“Grrr.”
“Hang in there a little longer… Let’s go eat after we’re done.”
“Grr.”
He let out a dissatisfied growl and lay down.
Chammy was also sitting quietly off to the side, preening its feathers, when it suddenly seemed to sense something. It lifted its head and then shot up into the sky with a flutter.
“Piiieeng—”
Then it flew some distance ahead and circled in the air.
Looking closely toward the front, I could indeed see two human silhouettes.
Using Chammy as a marker, they were heading straight toward us.
“They’re here.”
Of course, it was Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi.
When they reached us, they each greeted us.
“Kim-hyung.”
“Hii!”
Normally she would have waved brightly and gone, “Hii hii!!” but today she seemed comparatively drained.
Go Hyeon-woo gave a wry smile and explained.
“It seems Miss Han is somewhat tired. She did not sleep well last night.”
“I was just about to fall asleep when boom! and my house was gone.”
Han So-mi said, spreading her palm wide.
It seemed the [Bombardment] we used last night had blown up their lodging.
Feigning innocence, I turned to Park Na-ri and asked,
“Oh dear, we had a bombardment too, didn’t we?”
“Uh, mhmm… That’s right…”
For us, it wasn’t fighter jets taking off, but a card being used.
Still, we weren’t lying.
I furrowed my brow and said to Han So-mi,
“We got bombarded, you got bombarded? Judging by the circumstances, doesn’t that make Team A the culprit?”
“Bad Mo Yong-jun!”
“And after agreeing to a non-aggression pact, too. That’s not right.”
“A total backstab!”
“We should hit them back once.”
“Down with Team A!”
We clenched our fists and burned with fighting spirit, while Bum and Chammy looked at each other as if dumbfounded.
“Grr.”
“Piiik.”
As if to say, “That human really spouts lies without even changing his expression.”
I averted my eyes from them and got to the point.
“Did you try the hidden piece?”
“Regrettably, one card was our limit. After that, our own abilities fell short, so we had no choice but to retreat.”
“Getting one is still something. What did you get?”
“This.”
What Go Hyeon-woo took out was [Freeze].
He continued with a worried look.
“It certainly has a powerful effect… but I suspect it was not what you were hoping for, Kim-hyung.”
“No, it’s fine. We got it too.”
I grinned and showed them [Transfer], and the swordsman couple’s expressions immediately brightened.
“It seems things worked out well, fortunately.”
“It wasn’t exactly smooth, but it came out in the end. Shall we use it right away?”
“I am ready at any time.”
“Me too!”
Han So-mi added, clenching her fist.
“Good. I’ll use [Duplicate] first.”
Since we didn’t know whether Hong Yeon-hwa had completed the hidden piece or what she might have obtained from it, it was best to keep one spare [Transfer] in reserve.
Flaaash!
Two [Duplicate] cards vanished, and the number of [Transfer] cards increased to three.
Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi each took one and used it immediately.
The yellow C attached to their chests blurred and turned colorless for a moment, then in the next instant changed into a blue B.
I nodded in satisfaction.
“Welcome to Team B, comrades.”
“Comrade!”
Han So-mi replied with a giggle.
Just then, mana gathered in the air once more, forming the shape of a large eye.
“Now they caught us red-handed.”
Not only were we together with the swordsman couple, but the fact that their affiliation had changed was completely exposed.
Go Hyeon-woo looked up at the [Observe] and said.
“I feel a certain amount of guilt toward Jeong-hyung. However, is there any other way to handle this?”
“If that was made by Jeong Jin-myeong.”
Isn’t it already water under the bridge?
On the other hand, if it was made by Mo Yong-jun, the story changes considerably.
“Hong Yeon-hwa hasn’t switched sides yet.”
“They’ll try to hold on to her somehow.”
“We need to secure her before that. Let’s move out right away.”
We began moving quickly.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa stopped walking and slowly looked around.
Do I just wait here?
She had just arrived at the border between Team A and Team B, the designated meeting place.
Naturally, she had brought the hidden piece with her.
However, since they had gone through a fierce battle, Baek Jun-seok and the temporary party members who had accompanied her were all rendered incapacitated.
Hong Yeon-hwa turned her head toward the volcano side for no reason.
Now that I think about it, I do feel a bit sorry…….
She had used them to the fullest and was even planning to betray them.
It felt as though the triangle within her was spinning violently, pricking at her conscience.
I should at least buy them a meal later,
Hong Yeon-hwa resolved.
Still, as long as I have this…….
The item card in her hand was [Transfer].
So that was what it meant to say one could “change”.
At the thought of reuniting with Kim Ho and finishing the final exam together, the triangle within her seemed to dull rapidly.
“……Heh.”
Though Hong Yeon-hwa was grinning foolishly, the next moment she wiped the smile from her face and turned her head.
Two human silhouettes were rapidly approaching.
The problem was that they were coming from the direction of Team A’s main camp.
Looks like I’ve been found out.
Whether they had caught on about [Transfer] or not, it seemed they had sensed something strange.
Well, she had caused such a commotion by shooting a pillar of light into the sky.
Hong Yeon-hwa seriously considered running away even now.
Even so, I’d probably get caught.
Judging by the speed at which they were approaching, as a mage she likely wouldn’t be able to stall for long.
If she were lucky, she might join up with Kim Ho’s party before then… but if not, they might just miss each other.
In that case, wouldn’t it be better to hold her ground?
And I do have my pride as a promising student.
Run away with my tail tucked without even putting up a fight?
If it were Kim Ho, that might be one thing. But in this case, it was unacceptable.
So Hong Yeon-hwa simply crossed her arms and waited for her pursuers.
As the distance closed, their identities became clear: Geum Jo-han and Lee Seul-bi from the disciplinary committee.
Geum Jo-han descended using a movement technique and abruptly threw out a question.
“What are you doing here?”
“What about you? What are you doing all the way out here?”
When Hong Yeon-hwa shot back curtly, Geum Jo-han’s brow twitched for a moment.
However, exercising patience, he replied.
“Mo Yong-jun sent us. He said you might be harboring other intentions and told us to hurry over.”
“…….”
“Now it’s your turn to answer. What were you doing here?”
Hong Yeon-hwa briefly pondered how to respond.
She could have deflected with, “Do I have to report every single thing?” but for some reason she didn’t feel like doing that now.
So she spoke in a confident tone.
“That’s right. I was thinking of switching sides.”
“……!”
“To be honest, I’ve grown pretty disappointed. Watching you make all sorts of excuses and then end up joining hands anyway.”
“Wasn’t that already settled? I thought everyone had accepted it.”
“I did accept it. I still do. It was probably necessary.”
Geum Jo-han frowned.
“Then why are you acting like this?”
“Because this is something I need to do.”
So what I’m saying is, wouldn’t it make more sense for you to accept it and let me go?
Lee Seul-bi let out a low sigh.
“It’ll be hard to stop you. But you’re on our team. Wouldn’t it be pointless even if you went?”
“Who says that it’s pointless?”
At the card Hong Yeon-hwa then revealed, the two members of the disciplinary committee stiffened.
“……[Transfer]. There was something like that?”
“I don’t have any personal grudge against you, but I’m going.”
“You’d better not use it.”
With a warning, Geum Jo-han stepped forward.
If it came to it, he intended to rush in and snatch the card away.
Whether she saw through that intent or was simply acting out of defiance, Hong Yeon-hwa gave a scoff and activated the card.
Flaaaaaash—
The green A attached to her chest blurred, then turned into a blue B.
At this, Geum Jo-han let out a sigh mixed half with irritation, half with regret.
“I was going to treat you well since we were on the same team, and yet you went over in the end.”
He then drew the golden sword at his waist.
Shring,
“Now that it’s come to this, we have no choice but to take you down.”
If they rendered her incapacitated, they could at least deal a few hours’ worth of loss to Team B.
Lee Seul-bi also pulled out her staff, preparing to chant a spell.
“For the record, we both brought [Protection]. If you were thinking of using [Discharge], you should drop that idea.”
“I’m not using that.”
Hong Yeon-hwa replied indifferently, sweeping her staff through the air.
Red magic circles formed one after another beneath her feet.
Just as Geum Jo-han lowered his golden sword and kicked off the ground—
Piiiieee—!
“…….”
“…….”
At the sharp cry, they all lifted their heads.
From afar, an eagle was flying toward them, and somehow it looked strangely familiar.
“……!”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s face lit up brightly.
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