Chapter 538: What can’t be changed (12)

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Yong Jegun’s voice was calm, but what he said merits panic.

Saying that the Cintamani, his main body, had vanished was the same as saying he died without a trace.

Kim Shinrok’s expression noticeably deteriorated.

The reaction was natural given that Yong Jegun essentially said that his body wasn’t preserved.

‘I’d be shocked too if I hadn’t played PMH.’

I watched through countless replays how the cracks appeared on the Cintamani and how it scattered into thin air soon.

After that scene comes to the option to replay the stage, and choosing yes would mean watching Yong Jegun’s part all over again.

Choosing no would immediately transition the game to another character’s point of view.

Though it’s my first time hearing about the Dragon King’s Shamans.

‘It didn’t appear in PMH…! I can’t believe the shaman appeared at this event.’

During the uprising of the Red Lion Team and the Dragon Clan in the wake of Yeom Junyeol’s death, the shaman directly appeared in the story as a traitor.

Even right after the Dragon King’s order on Yeom Bangyeol disappeared and he died, no one suspected the shamans.

The Red Lion collapsed when Yeom Bangyeol died.

Then, the means to suppress Cadmus the Dragon Slayer disappeared, and many dragons fell under his hands.

Being the head of the Dragon Clan, Cheongryong used earth power to fight.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

He recognized the betrayal, but it was already too late.

‘…The act of betrayal was done long ago.’

Moving under the table must be expertise for the shaman to move without being detected.

Still, it’s not known why the shamans betrayed.

I don’t know if they were coaxed, threatened, or manipulated by the Black Screen.

Or perhaps they did it out of their own volition.

I had no basis for judging their intent, but it remains unchanged that their actions helped the Black Screen.

Their collecting the Cintamani’s remains was also likely to be an extension.

“While my main body was shattered, I looked at the sky and saw the five colors. The shamans under the Dragon King.”

“You mean the five colors we saw at the Red Lion’s team building?”

“Yeah, the five colors were inside Eungwang High’s boundary. I guess they were hiding while waiting for me to die under the snow.”

I didn’t know about those clouds hiding behind the snow in the First Christmas Scenario.

While the students died under the snow, the five-colored shamans were hiding and waiting for the moment Yong Jegun lost his strength and the Cintamani broke.

It was eerie, but no one seemed especially disturbed except Kim Shinrok.

I told Yong Jegun about the possible betrayal of the shamans, and Eunho must’ve told the other tigers.

Only Kim Shinrok seemed to be considering a case where the betrayal wouldn’t occur.

“…Is there a possibility that someone might’ve planned to divide the Dragon Clan?”

“Nope. For the separation to succeed, I would’ve had to survive and convey to Cheongryong the betrayal of the shamans. But only after my death did the shamans appear.”

“Yeah, that’s true…”

Kim Shinrok dropped his head.

He seems to be acquainted with the shamans since his connection with the Dragon Clan dates back a long time.

Yong Jegun waited for Kim Shinrok to raise his head before speaking again.

“After the broadcasting incident, I already guessed that there was a traitor in the Dragon Clan. And based on the benefactor’s advice, I was suspicious of the shamans.”

“You mean that time? The Dragon Clan owes a lot to the Tiger Clan’s benefactor.”

They could just call me by name, why do these people of royal lineage keep calling me their benefactor?

Yong Jegun said it was the “Dragon Clan’s benefactor,” but Hwang Jiho immediately assumed that it was me.

It’s not wrong though.

On second thought, those two seemed to be using it on purpose after noticing that I wasn’t comfortable with the word.

“The Dragon Clan’s benefactor gave us some suggestions. First, we don’t let the shamans keep an eye on the dragon slayer. Second, always put a guard beside the shamans.”

Yong Jegun explained my suggestions while firmly referring to me as a benefactor.

“We used the word guard, but it would be more appropriate to call it surveillance.”

“What’s the result?”

“I don’t have much yet. If it weren’t for the suggestion of the Dragon Clan’s benefactor though, I would have given up my doubts and stopped monitoring the shamans.”

Such an evaluation means that the traitor is completely hiding their true colors.

I didn’t think we could catch the traitor in less than a year of surveillance, but I didn’t expect it to be this difficult either.

The identity of the traitor is not yet known. But the Black Screen can certainly use that traitor as a secret weapon at a crucial moment.

Jeokho asked a question.

“Isn’t it five-color filled clouds? That’s what you said earlier. Then doesn’t that mean that all five shamans are traitors?”

“That’s possible, but I can’t say it definitely.”

Yong Jegun drew five circles in the air with his energy waves.

The five had the words Nok (Green), Byeok (Jade), Hong (Red), Ja (Purple), and Yoohwang (Sulfur).

They were the colors of the Dragon King’s shamans.

“The shamans have their names derived from the ogansaek. The color of their energy waves is the same as their names. When dealing with clouds, they usually have the same color. but …”

Yong Jegun connected the five circles, floating them into one line.

Then, on the vertex, the names of the shamans were floating.

Yong Jegun pointed to the circle inscribed with Byeok (Jade).

“Shamans can handle clouds located in adjacent colors. For example, Byeok (Jade) can make jade clouds but also green and red.”

“They can make clouds in the color of something other than their name? But that doesn’t change that there is more than one traitor.”

Jeokho was right.

Considering what Yong Jegun said, there can’t be only one traitor.

“There are at least two traitors. One person can make up to three colors of clouds, so it takes at least two people to make five colors.”

“If we’re sure that there are at least two traitors, then we can’t rule out that all five of them are.”

Yong Jegun nodded and then shook his head.

Then, the jade-colored energy waves turned into particles and disappeared into thin air.

Yong Jegun talked to Kim Shinrok who was still visibly down.

“I think my body has gone cold because I got hit by a lot of snow in my dream. I’d like some more tea.”

“Your temperature is normal, Yong Jegun.”

Hwang Jiho responded to Yong Jegun, but the latter pretended not to hear it.

Kim Shinrok held out a teacup without a murmur as if he was worried about his friend.

“…Here.”

“Thanks, Jeho-ah.”

Yong Jegun drank more of the Longjing tea and turned Kim Shinrok’s attention.

That somehow pulled Kim Shinrok from his dark thoughts, but I guess he felt played somehow.

It snowed a lot in Eungwang High that day, but I was careful not to let Yong Jegun get hit by a lot of snow…

I used a lot of strategies like making an energy wave shield and having him move around buildings with eaves.

I wanted to refute his claim as the user who controlled him in the game, but I decided not to because I wanted him to have the freedom to say things like that.

“I was thinking about the past for the first time in a long time. It started in the obituary, the dream.”

After talking about the shamans, Yong Jegun began to tell what he had experienced in Replay one by one.

He summarized and explained important information in his way, and I felt like many parts were omitted, but there was a problem.

‘On the day of Kim Shinrok’s death and the day of the First Christmas Scenario. A shaman talked to Yong Jegun the morning of.’

On both days, the Dragon King’s shaman talked to Yong Jegun about the weather.

I could see why Yong Jegun didn’t completely detail everything from the beginning but left off the parts related to the shamans first.

The beginning and end of his dream involved the shamans.

We got lost in the conversation as I saw the sun rising beyond the window.

“That’s it for today. Submit a report about what you experienced, Yong Jegun.”

“It’s weird to hear that command from a boy wearing a school uniform, Hwangho-ssi.”

That’s true, considering that Yong Jegun is our assistant homeroom teacher.

Yong Jegun looked at Hwang Jiho with his usual squinted eyes.

“This report is not just for Hwangho-ssi, right?”

“Yes, at least those who are here will see it.”

“Really? Then everyone will know how lax Hwangho-ssi was as the guardian of your territory.”

Perhaps it’s because of Replay, but Yong Jegun was a bit sarcastic.

Following that, Jeokho added a word.

“We already know it. That’s alright.”

“I see.”

There must be something in common between those who experienced replay.

Hwang Jiho was indeed negligent, so having nothing to refute, Hwang Jiho changed the subject.

“I can’t help what happened in the past. Take your breakfast before you go to school.”

We stayed up all night, but today was a weekday and a school day.

All day long, I wanted to get information from Yong Jegun, but I couldn’t neglect my academics.

The festival and the Christmas event are fast approaching, and our class is suffering from a serious shortage of manpower.

‘…It’ll be better to look at the report and then ask Yong Jegun later.’

While we were eating breakfast and preparing to go to school, Yong Jegun talked to me behind the tigers’ backs.

“Do you remember the person I made a deal with, Euishin-ah?”

Ungnyeo.

Yong Jegun omitted a lot of things, but the deal must’ve been relevant in the replay.

Yong Jegun met with Ungnyeo in his dream.

‘He can’t write that in his report.’

The tigers won’t stay still if they find out that Yong Jegun met with Ungnyeo.

He can’t talk about their deal either.

“I’ve been advised by her… and I’m going to follow it before the end of the year.”

Before Yong Jegun met Ungnyeo, he expressed little will to go to the Dragon Palace.

Was that what they talked about?

“You’re going to the Dragon Palace next year, right Euishin?”

“…Yes, I’ll go in time for the succession ceremony.”

Yong Jegun smiled with interest.

It seems that even replay can’t change his nature.

“I’m thinking of stopping by the Dragon Palace before the year changes.”

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