After sharing several heartfelt conversations, including one about her family relationships.
We all headed to the arcade together and had a great time.
And the prize we got this week was,
[Skill Tuning Scroll]
An item that adjusts a skill’s specific values.
Since every skill has a certain inherent “total capacity”, it was impossible to turn an ordinary effect into something completely broken.
Even so, the ability to tailor a skill more closely to the user’s preferences made it highly useful.
Last time, I used one on [Amplification].
In exchange for doubling its duration, its cooldown had increased by more than double.
Of course, that tuning had been paying off handsomely ever since.
I planned to do something similar this time.
[You have used a ‘Skill Tuning Scroll’.]
[Tuning ‘Mark of Concussion (B)’.]
[Mark of Concussion (B)]
▷ Places a mark on the target that lasts for 10 seconds.
▷Cooldown: 15 minutes
▷‘Mark of Concussion’ cannot be resisted or dispelled.
▷ While the mark is active, the following effects are applied in proportion to the distance the target moves:
(1) X% chance to cancel an active skill/trait.
(2) X% chance for the next skill/trait cast to fail.
(3) Skills or traits affected by (1) or (2) have their cooldown multiplied by X.
The best option is increasing the duration.
That would give me more opportunities to push them while also increasing the amount of time and distance I could keep pushing them.
It would also let me restrict my opponent’s actions for longer.
Even in this week’s duel battle matches, hadn’t everyone desperately tried to hold their ground the moment the mark was placed on them?
Therefore, the best course of action was to increase the duration as much as possible.
But I can’t just raise it indefinitely.
Doing so could risk affecting the other options.
In particular, it would be a huge blow if the “cannot be resisted or dispelled” effect disappeared.
So I experimented with various configurations until I found the right balance,
▷Mark duration: 10 seconds → 12 seconds
▷Cooldown: 15 minutes → 30 minutes
The duration had increased by 20% at the cost of doubling the cooldown, but I had no regrets about the choice.
Whether it’s 15 minutes or 30, it’s a long cooldown either way.
Either way, I could only use it once per battle.
Even more so when chaining it with Octopus Limbs.
In that case, I figured it was better to go all out whenever I did use it.
And in the long run, there’s the pocket watch too.
Part of the reason I invested more heavily in duration was with an eye toward the future, when managing cooldowns would become easier.
Meanwhile, the others each picked up the prizes they wanted as well.
Song Cheon-hye, Seo Ye-in, and even Chattering Sloth.
Wait, doesn’t that mean Seo Ye-in got two prizes?
The question briefly crossed my mind, but since it worked in our favor, I didn’t bother making an issue of it.
We had spent enough points for two people in the first place.
***
Afterward, we continued wandering around the downtown area, had dinner, and then boarded the shuttle bus.
Before long, we got off on the academy grounds.
Song Cheon-hye smiled, looking slightly reluctant for the day to end.
“I had so much fun today.”
“We had a good time too.”
“Thanks to you two….no, to the three of you, I completely lost track of time.”
Song Cheon-hye then turned to face Seo Ye-in.
“Thank you for being understanding. It must have been uncomfortable having me suddenly ask to tag along.”
“……It was fun.”
“I’m glad. If we get the chance, I’d like to go out together again sometime.”
“……Me too.”
Seo Ye-in still seemed somewhat awkward, but perhaps because she understood the goodwill behind the invitation, she readily nodded.
Song Cheon-hye soon gave us one final farewell and turned away.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
“Go get some rest. Keep in touch.”
“Yes, I’ll message you!”
She headed off toward the dormitory, occasionally turning back to look at us.
After watching her go, I exchanged glances with Seo Ye-in.
“Live long enough and you really do see everything, huh?”
“A remarkable change.”
“Exactly. Though when it comes to remarkable changes, you’re hardly one to talk. Everything got turned upside down over winter break.”
“Would you rather I changed back?”
Seo Ye-in stared up at me as she asked.
It seemed like a surprisingly serious question, so I gave her an equally serious answer.
“I like you just the way you are. It’d be even better if you became more diligent, but I don’t think you need to force yourself.”
“……A perfect answer.”
“Glad you approve. Anyway, shall we head in too?”
“Special Training Room.”
But after taking a few steps, Seo Ye-in slowed down again, exhaustion spreading across her face.
Her shoulders drooped, and she swayed as if she might collapse at any moment. I had a pretty good idea what was going on.
“It wore off? The side effect.”
“-50%……”
“So it’s the side effect of the side effect.”
The effects of D.E.B – 001 had finally run their course, deactivating her 50% Chattering Sloth mode.
Becoming more diligent hadn’t magically given her extra energy, so once the effect wore off, she was twice as exhausted.
Seo Ye-in reached both hands toward me like a zombie.
“Carry me……”
“I literally just said I liked you the way you are, and you immediately go back to normal? That’s a little shameless, you know.”
“Carry me……”
“Just sleep on the street.”
“Don’t abandon me……”
Of course, despite what I said, I couldn’t actually leave her there.
I hoisted Seo Ye-in onto my back and started walking toward the training center.
Then, glancing in the direction Song Cheon-hye had left, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
Hers should wear off soon too.
***
After returning to the dormitory, Song Cheon-hye hummed continuously to herself.
“♬♪♩~”
The joy of the day still lingered with her.
In an excellent mood, she finished getting ready for bed and lay down.
Then, staring up at the ceiling, she thought,
That potion was more than worth the price.
Not only had she raised her rank, she had also made such wonderful memories.
Even looking back on it now, staying in the downtown area after drinking the potion had been an excellent decision.
If she had gone straight back to the dormitory, she never would have run into Kim Ho and the others.
Song Cheon-hye reflected on the time she had spent with them.
Everything went so well.
Every now and then, the question, “Is this really okay?” had held her back.
But whenever that happened, her optimistic mindset would kick in, telling her, “It’s fine, just go for it!” and she ended up doing whatever she felt like half the time.
Everyone was so nice to me, too.
Kim Ho usually never missed a chance to tease her, but for some reason, he had responded gently to everything she said today.
To the point that she almost wondered if he had taken D.E.B – 001 as well.
Seo Ye-in seemed to give in a lot too.
Considering she hadn’t shown even a hint of annoyance the entire time.
For one reason or another, Song Cheon-hye felt deeply grateful to the two of them.
I should at least buy them coffee tomorrow.
That seemed like a good way to show at least a little of her appreciation.
Thinking it was finally time to rest, Song Cheon-hye slowly closed her eyes.
“……!?”
But not long afterward, they snapped wide open again.
The smile she had been wearing just moments ago had vanished without a trace.
In its place were shock and horror.
What in the world…… did I do……?
Everything that had happened today flashed before Song Cheon-hye’s eyes like a panorama.
How she had been wandering aimlessly around the downtown area, spotted Kim Ho, and cheerfully waved at him,
– Hellooo!
Ueeeeh…….
And how she had shamelessly asked to tag along with the two of them when they were practically on a date.
She had even kept asking after Seo Ye-in turned her down.
I think I’ll be really bored all by myself……. Can’t I come with you?
Auuuuuh……!’
Song Cheon-hye clutched her burning face and thrashed around wildly.
The blanket went flying off the bed as a result, but that hardly mattered right now.
I…… I have to erase my memories!
I’ll pretend none of it ever happened!
She focused with all her might and tried to think of something else, but there was no way the memories she had been eagerly replaying just moments ago would disappear so easily.
The “memories of the downtown area” continued playing relentlessly in her mind.
While Seo Ye-in and Kim Ho were suspiciously putting something into the Box Robot together, she had bought an armful of manju and returned to them.
– The ones from this place are a little different. Try one.
– Oppa brings me some every now and then.
– I’m always grateful to him.
Hwaaaaaagh!!
Of all people, she had said that in front of Kim Ho!
The conversation that followed had been even worse.
– So the one-on-one tutoring was something they asked you to do?
– I’m going to work even harder from now on.
– I want to make Dad and Oppa proud, and everyone at the Magic Tower too.
“……!!”
Overcome with pure shame, Song Cheon-hye couldn’t even scream internally anymore.
She thrashed so violently that she started flopping around on the bed like a live fish.
And even after that, she had kept blurting out things she never should have said, before finally bidding them farewell with a goodbye overflowing with gratitude.
It was an endless parade of embarrassing memories, without a single moment she could overlook.
Eventually, Song Cheon-hye went completely limp on the bed.
She stared up at the ceiling with eyes filled with sorrow, despair, and resignation.
Just…… sleep.
Maybe she would feel a little better after getting some sleep.
Then she could carry on with a new day as though nothing had ever happened.
Song Cheon-hye pulled the blanket sprawled across the floor back onto the bed, covered herself, and closed her eyes.
Then, not long afterward, her eyes snapped open again.
“……Ah, my items.”
The Knot of Concealment and the Watcher’s Patch!
Do you know how much trouble I went through to get those?!
That night, Song Cheon-hye stayed awake until morning.
***
Unfortunately, the memories of the downtown area remained crystal clear the next day, and the day after that.
Song Cheon-hye wanted nothing more than to flee Dungeon Island entirely but,
My tutoring session is today…….
Even if she had made the promise while under the effects of D.E.B – 001, a promise was still a promise, and she had to keep it.
Besides, even if she had said those things in an incredibly embarrassing way, she had meant them.
And she would be the one missing out if she skipped Kim Ho’s tutoring.
And so, Song Cheon-hye trudged toward their meeting place, the training center, her steps heavy and reluctant.
As she made her way there, she spotted Kim Ho in the distance.
Perhaps because he practically lived in the special training room, he seemed to have come out right on time.
“……!”
Song Cheon-hye’s heart suddenly began pounding as though she were having a panic attack.
Her face also burned so fiercely that it felt ready to burst.
Would she even be able to look him in the eye?
She wanted to turn and run right then and there, but she quickly steeled herself.
……I’ll have to face this eventually.
Like ripping off a bandage, it would probably be better to confront it head-on now.
Maybe it won’t be as bad as I think.
From her perspective, it had been an endless parade of embarrassing memories, but from Kim Ho’s perspective, hadn’t he simply had a good time and gone home?
As long as she didn’t let anything show, there was a good chance he would act as though nothing had happened too.
And so, Song Cheon-hye took a deep breath and calmed herself further.
Then she resumed walking after having slowed her pace.
Before long, Kim Ho seemed to sense her presence and turned toward her.
With a bright smile, he waved his hand exaggeratedly.
Just as she had done downtown.
“Helloooo!”
“Kyaaaaaaah!!”
Song Cheon-hye immediately spun around and bolted away, blindly following her instincts.
Kim Ho chased after her, following closely behind and shouting all the while.
“Cheon-hye, where are you going?! You came here for tutoring!”
“Just leave me alone!”
“Have you forgotten already?! The promise we made while eating manju!”
“Shut up!!”
“You’ve got to show your Oppa! Your father! And everyone at the Topaz Magic Tower! How proud they should be of you!”
“Aaaaaah! Stoooop!!”
Their game of tag continued for quite some time.
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