The Support Ate it All

I nodded like it was nothing.

“Of course we’re going. We’ll have fun and grab prizes too.”

“Correct decision.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to take it easy on the way?”

We usually wandered around watching street performances or picking up snacks here and there.

The sloth and Fast-Luckless exchanged a look, as if admitting I had a point.

“Appetizer.”

“Calling it the highlight is a bit much. Anyway, let’s go.”

I took one of their hands in each of mine and started walking, swinging them loosely as we went.

Our first destination was a little different from usual.

We veered slightly off the main road of the entertainment district and headed into a back alley.

Before long, a building came into view, and it looked like construction was in full swing, with students and workers bustling around.

“President Shin’s doing business here with the Thief Club.”

“...A tea house?”

“That too. And plenty of other things.”

Sure enough, I spotted familiar faces here and there.

Most of them were Thief Club members.

For instance, the third-year twins were carrying something like a large piece of furniture together with the workers.

Near the entrance, this year’s captain, Chae Dabin, was busily tapping away at a tablet, while drones moved in perfect formation around them, helping with the work.

Apparently sensing our presence, Chae Dabin turned this way.

A glint rose in their indifferent eyes.

“...Kim Ho.”

“Hello, Senior.”

“Yeah, long time no see. You’re still getting along well with the captain, right?”

“Of course. We were in touch yesterday too.”

I could hardly bring myself to add, They even re-enrolled too.

Someday Dang Gyu-young would probably reveal it personally.

Chae Dabin let it pass and asked the next question.

“You here to see Shin Byeongcheol?”

“Yes. Thought I’d look around a little.”

“He’s inside. Follow this.”

Right after that, a little mechanical sparrow fluttered in and began guiding us.

Once we passed the workers and students hammering away inside and went a little farther in, Shin Byeongcheol came out to greet us, rubbing his hands together.

“Well, well. Distinguished guests in such a distinguished place.”

“You’re not going to call it a humble place?”

“You should take pride in your workplace. Mindset matters, doesn’t it?”

“A very correct way of thinking.”

I nodded, but at the same time, I noticed a faint shadow over Shin Byeongcheol’s face.

So I asked him directly.

“What’s going on these days? Is that not working out?”

“Aw, not at all. It’s been climbing steadily. The problem is, it’s climbing too steeply.”

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

“No matter what you do, worries always come with it.”

Shin Byeongcheol joked around as he said it.

It almost certainly had a lot to do with the potion business, but judging by his expression, he did not want to talk about it yet.

So I did not bother pressing further.

“Is that so? If you need help with anything, say the word.”

“With backing like yours, how could I not feel reassured?”

Shin Byeongcheol let out a hearty old-man laugh.

Soon, we gave the place a quick look around.

“So what are you building here?”

“Didn’t I mention it before? For now, I’m pushing ahead with the casino.”

“And after that?”

“If it goes well, I keep pushing. If it doesn’t, I pull out.”

“It’ll go well. We’ll come by often and help your business.”

At that, Shin Byeongcheol answered with a completely serious face.

“I’m telling you, you’d get turned away at the door. Especially those two—they’re blacklisted.”

Those two, of course, were the sloth and Fast-Luckless.

Seo Ye-in tilted her head and asked,

“Why?”

“Well, because, as you know, your luck is way too good. We wouldn’t make any money. At all.”

“...Casino.”

“Please, I’m begging you. Couldn’t you go have fun somewhere else?”

Even despite Shin Byeongcheol’s earnest plea, Seo Ye-in did not seem ready to give up on the casino.

She looked like she was thinking for a moment, then rummaged around and pulled something out of her clothes.

It was a gleaming black card.

“......”

“That would be... what exactly is that implying...?”

“Sponsorship.”

“...You mean you’ll sponsor us?”

Seo Ye-in’s sponsorship was practically the same thing as sponsorship from Hyeseong Group.

And beyond the financial side, there was a high chance they would get all sorts of other help too.

A business smile immediately spread across his face.

“Well, that changes things. We’d have to treat you like VIPs.”

“Blacklist?”

“Now who said something that outrageous? You’re carrying a black card, no less!”

Shin Byeongcheol barked angrily at his past self.

At this point, the conflict over the casino was more or less settled for now.

But that did not seem to be all Seo Ye-in wanted.

She held out a hand and said one short word.

“Give.”

“...Give what?”

“Give.”

Shin Byeongcheol thought for a moment, and his expression turned strange.

Then he rummaged around in his clothes and pulled out [T.E.B - 001] before asking,

“...This?”

“Give.”

Seo Ye-in gave a light jerk of her chin.

*****

Around the same time.

A female student was walking through the back alleys of the entertainment district.

Apparently wanting to hide the fact that she had come here as much as possible, she had sunglasses on and her hat pulled low over her face.

Of course, anyone with a sharp eye would have been able to spot the light-brown hair peeking out from under the hat.

And anyone close to her might have recognized her at a glance.

For instance, Han Somi would probably have tilted her head and asked,

This should be perfect.

She merely nodded to herself in admiration.

But only for a moment. Soon she put on a serious expression again and looked around.

...Where did they say it was?

The reason she was walking through the back alleys of the entertainment district was simple: the exchange point was somewhere around here.

The item she was trying to acquire was none other than [T.E.B - 001].

After seeing Hong Yeonhwa, and now even Lee Seulbi, raise their rank with it, she had started feeling a growing sense of crisis.

Still, it was also true that this was not exactly something she could be proud of.

As a Discipline Committee member, if not a model for the rest of the students, then at least someone who should not be taking the lead in trying to get her hands on a potion?

There was plenty of room for that to come back and bite her later.

So Song Cheonhye had requested a contactless transaction, and the other side had readily agreed.

Naturally, they wanted to conceal their identity just as much.

The instructions she had received were—

Come here and find a mailbox... Ah!

Sure enough, before long she spotted a shabby building not far away.

And at a glance, she could see the entrance and the mailbox attached there.

When she approached it, it did not open, but instead one slip of paper was sticking out.

She pulled it out and unfolded it.

Grumbling, Song Cheonhye looked around and found a single wooden chopstick lying carelessly on the ground.

...There really is one?

Even after picking it up and examining it from several angles, there did not seem to be anything special about it.

The only thing she realized then was that there was a tiny little hole in one corner of the mailbox.

I’m supposed to put it in there... right?

Feeling slightly suspicious, she inserted the chopstick.

CLANK.

The firmly shut mailbox swung open on its own.

Inside was, once again, a single slip of paper.

Song Cheonhye unfolded that one too.

Leave the points... and close it?

She had expected as much, but it seemed she had to pay in advance.

The whole thing kept making her feel like she was being drawn deeper in, but after coming all the way here, it was not as if she could simply call the deal off now.

So Song Cheonhye took several items out of her inventory.

Altogether they were worth more than 10,000 points, because in the meantime the value of the potion had skyrocketed even further.

I should’ve just drunk it back then.

If she had taken it in the Discipline Committee room, it would have cost her 0 points.

A fresh wave of bitterness welled up inside her, but she busily rationalized it away.

It’ll go up even more soon.

If she bought it now, she was actually getting a good deal.

And no matter how much she spent, if her rank went up, wouldn’t that be enough?

With her inner peace restored once more, Song Cheonhye placed the items into the mailbox and shut the door.

Then, just as she thought she heard a clattering mechanical sound from inside—

CLACK.

—the mailbox swung open again.

The items had vanished without a trace, and only a single chopstick and a note remained inside.

Looks like some kind of mechanism.

Then again, using only a simple mailbox and a chopstick would have been far too flimsy.

Even if it had not been her, there was too much risk that random passersby might discover it.

Apparently it had been designed so that only after you put the items in would it move on to the next step.

And now where are they sending me?

When she unfolded the note, as expected, it had the location of another mailbox written on it.

Along with instructions to be sure to take the chopstick.

...This has to be the last one.

Letting out a deep sigh, Song Cheonhye started walking again.

Fortunately, the location of the “other mailbox” was not very far.

She assumed she would have to stick the chopstick into another hole again, but—

CLANK.

When she came close, it opened automatically on its own, like an automatic door.

Song Cheonhye paused, then looked back and forth between the mailbox and the chopstick.

...A built-in sensor?

They wasted technology on something this pointless?

But her thoughts about the chopstick did not last long.

Because sitting right in the center of the wide-open mailbox was a small potion vial.

She had seen the exact same thing not long ago, so there was no way she could fail to recognize it.

[T.E.B - 001]

Finally!

Song Cheonhye’s face lit up.

After quickly scanning the area to see if anyone was watching, she snatched up the potion and hurried away.

Back to the dorm. Fast.

She would get inside, drink it, and lock herself in all day.

If she did that, there would be no chance of anyone seeing her do something embarrassing.

But as she walked, light on her feet, Song Cheonhye gradually slowed down more and more until she finally stopped in place.

A sudden surge of anxiety had hit her.

...But what if my rank doesn’t go up?

Wouldn’t that mean everything she had just done was pointless?

At the same time, it would mean she had taken a loss of 10,000 points.

She tried to start walking again while forcing herself to think about something else, but the anxiety kept catching at her ankles.

...Should I just drink it now?

If she checked right away, then whether her rank went up or not, at least her mind would be at ease.

Then came the next round of self-rationalization.

I’m heading back anyway.

How long could it possibly take to ride the bus back to the dorm?

It did not seem likely she would run into anyone on the way, and even if she did, she could just pretend not to know them this one time.

Yeah. I’ll drink it.

Having made her decision, Song Cheonhye took [T.E.B - 001] into her hand.

Then, after once more scanning the area, she tipped it back and swallowed it.

Immediately after, a notification message appeared at the edge of her vision.

[The rank of ‘Blackout’ increases. (B+→A+)]

...It went up!

And an already B-rank skill, at that!

A stealth-and-tracking skill her grandfather had taught her over winter break.

The stronger it became, the closer she moved to her plan to defeat Kim Ho.

Song Cheonhye felt so light she could have flown.

She was glad she had gotten it after all.

And glad she had drunk it right now too.

Now I really should go.

Back to the dorm before the side effect kicked in.

But as she continued walking with that buoyant step, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

But is there really that much to worry about?

It felt like everything was going to work out.

Song Cheonhye failed to notice the change inside herself.

The fact that she was overflowing with more positive energy than usual.

I came all the way to the entertainment district, after all.

And now that her rank had gone up and she was in a good mood, there was no real downside to looking around a little longer before heading back.

No, if anything, just leaving now would be the waste.

Song Cheonhye nodded to herself and made up her mind.

I’ll just take a quick look around.