Chapter 8: Dan Ga-yeon(2)

The car carrying Comet and the chairman arrived at the walking path at the foot of the mountain.

The chairman leisurely looked around the area.

“I originally planned to tidy up this area next. However, after analyzing the information gathered, it seems to have high utility. Oh, look at this.”

The chairman dug into the dirt and unearthed a flowering plant.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

Comet blinked.

“It’s impressive to see a plant I’ve only seen in games blooming already…”

“Not that flower. This one.”

Comet stared blankly at the flower. The pink petals were somewhat unusual.

Just from that, one could guess it didn’t originally exist in the local flora, but beyond that, Comet couldn’t tell.

After all, she was a necromancer.

“It must be rare?”

“It’s one of the flowers famously known for being useless.”

A small flame erupted from the chairman’s hand and burned the flower. A bitter floral scent wafted through the air.

“In other words, it’s a flowering weed. However, considering the local flora, it’s worth noting. It’s a weed that blooms in places where other herbs could grow.”

The chairman vaguely pointed towards the mountain.

“Your gear will come from here.”

“I was wondering why you’d give me something when your resources are tight, but it seems you have some faith.”

“Hey, don’t say such things to the person giving it to you. Even if things are tight, I’m extending a favor.”

The chairman shook his head and started up the walking path. Comet followed, with aides trailing behind them.

The chairman stopped occasionally to gather herbs. Each time, he explained to Comet what herb he had just picked. Comet pretended to listen, showing little interest.

“Look at this. It’s true that someone who has learned alchemy should manage resources in politics. Isn’t that right?”

The aides, who only played the role of porters, naturally flattered him.

It seemed like a surviving member of parliament had quarreled with the chairman by subtly putting down other members.

As Comet followed the chairman, admiring the scenery, she felt a sense of déjà vu and pondered it.

Recalling the route they had taken, a familiar trajectory formed in her mind.

It was the route Dan Ga-yeon had taken during her operation.

They could keep going straight and then veer off the walking path midway.

The chairman stopped at the point where Dan Ga-yeon had deviated and gazed at the scenery, passing by without saying anything. Comet blinked.

Once they stepped off the walking path and moved to the hiking trail, they quickly reached the summit.

Though the chairman kept gathering herbs as if he couldn’t leave any behind, the awakened ones walked at a sufficiently fast pace.

However, some aides who weren’t awakened fell behind, exhausted.

At the mountain peak, the landscape was well-managed, revealing parts of the city at appropriate locations.

Though they couldn’t see it now in the daytime, if they came at night, they would see the city’s night view illuminated by the moonlight.

Even if it were a weak night view like the remnants of a fading civilization.

The chairman took out his phone and raised it toward the city as if he wanted to take a picture.

A weak signal indicator blinked on the phone’s screen alongside the cityscape.

There was a shutter sound, and the chairman gazed at the picture he had taken.

“Isn’t it funny? That we still can’t get a signal.”

His voice was filled with frustration.

Comet turned her gaze towards the city without responding.

“The results of the research we conducted, classifying the communication blackout at the National Institute of Communication, are roughly in. They say they can’t solve it. The magic-related technology is beyond our current capabilities. Ha! Do they want us to bring in a magic scholar from England or something?”

It seemed the chairman just needed someone to listen to him.

“When I asked the local government to send a status report, a few places sent something half-heartedly. Well, considering the autonomy has increased, it’s starting to feel wasteful to allocate personnel for Seoul from this far away. Is this a government of the Korean Peninsula? It’s like a Republic of Seoul.”

He kicked a stone, sending it flying down the mountain.

“Comet. Do you know that the current ambient mana concentration is abnormally dense?”

“Really?”

Comet glanced up at the sky for no reason.

“I can’t feel it.”

“That’s expected. I checked to see if the Earth was originally like this, and it isn’t. It’s abnormal. It’s as if we’re near a great magic source. It might not just be a metaphor.”

“Isn’t it a spell that maintains the status window?”

The car carrying Comet and the chairman arrived at the walking path at the foot of the mountain.

The chairman leisurely looked around the area.

“This area was originally scheduled for cleanup next time. But after analyzing the gathered information, I thought it might have high utility. Oh, look at this.”

The chairman dug into the soil and unearthed a flowering plant.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

Comet blinked.

“It is impressive that a plant I only saw in the game is already blooming…”

“Not that flower, this one.”

Comet stared at the flower.

The pink petals had a somewhat unusual shape.

Just from that, one could speculate that it was a flower not originally found in the local vegetation, but beyond that, she couldn’t tell.

After all, Comet was a necromancer.

“I guess it’s precious?”

“It’s one of those flowers known for being useless.”

A small flame ignited from the chairman’s hand and burned the flower.

A bitter floral scent wafted through the air.

“In other words, it’s a blooming weed. However, considering the vegetation, it’s worth noting. It’s a weed that blooms where other herbs could grow.”

The chairman gestured vaguely towards the mountain.

“Your equipment will come from here.”

“I was wondering why you’d give it to me with your tight budget, but you seem to have some faith.”

“Hey, don’t say that to the person giving it to you. I’m showing goodwill despite the tight situation.”

The chairman shook his head and began to walk up the path.

Comet followed, with aides trailing behind them.

The chairman stopped occasionally to gather herbs.

Each time, he explained to Comet what herb he had just collected.

Comet feigned interest, only pretending to listen.

“See? It’s essential for someone who has learned alchemy to be in politics for resource management. Isn’t that right?”

The aides, who usually played the role of porters, naturally flattered him.

It seemed like some surviving congressman had picked a fight with the chairman by subtly belittling other congressmen.

As Comet enjoyed the scenery while following the chairman, a sense of déjà vu washed over her, and she pondered deeply.

Recalling the route they had taken, a familiar trajectory emerged.

It was the route where Dan Ga-yeon had executed her operation.

They would continue like this until they reached the point where they would leave the walking path.

The chairman stopped at the point where Dan Ga-yeon had deviated, gazing at the scenery before silently passing by.

Comet blinked.

Once they left the walking path and moved onto the hiking trail, reaching the summit was quick.

The chairman gathered herbs as if he couldn’t leave behind what he could see, but the awakened ones moved fast enough.

However, some aides who were not awakened became exhausted and fell behind.

At the mountain’s peak, the scenery was maintained, revealing parts of the city at a suitable vantage point.

While it was daytime and visibility was limited, if they came at night, they would see the city creating a nightscape under the moonlight.

Even if it was a faint nightscape, a remnant of fading civilization.

The chairman took out his phone and raised it towards the city as if to take a picture.

The phone screen flickered with a communication failure mark alongside the cityscape.

The shutter sound was heard, and the chairman glanced at the captured photo with a blank expression.

“Isn’t it funny? That we still can’t get a signal.”

His voice was filled with concern.

Comet turned her gaze towards the city without responding.

“The National Research Institute has roughly concluded that communication failures are classified as communication blockages.

They said they can’t solve it.

They say magic-related technology is beyond our current capabilities. Ha! Do they expect me to bring in a ranking magic scholar from England?”

It seemed the chairman just needed someone to listen to him.

“I asked the local government to summarize the current situation and send it over, and a few places sent back vague information.

Well, given that local autonomy has increased, it’s starting to feel wasteful to allocate personnel for far-off Seoul.

Is this the government of the Korean Peninsula? It feels more like a Republic of Seoul.”

A kicked pebble flew down the mountain.

“Comet. Do you know that the current atmospheric mana concentration is abnormally thick?”

“Really?”

Comet looked up at the sky for no reason.

“I don’t feel it.”

“Of course not. I checked to see if Earth is originally like this, but it’s not.

It’s abnormal.

It’s as if we’re near a major magic event.

It might not even be a metaphor.”

“Isn’t that a spell to maintain the status window?”

Dan Ga-yeon was discharged according to the doctor’s diagnosis, as they encountered each other the next morning in the cafeteria.

Comet filled her tray with side dishes and headed to the seat next to Dan Ga-yeon.

When she pulled out a chair and sat down, Dan Ga-yeon noticed Comet and was startled.

It was quite a suspicious reaction.

“Is your soul okay?”

“Yes! Of course.”

“Since you’ve taken leave, you’ll be resting for a while.”

“That’s right.”

It was truly a suspicious answer.

Comet pretended not to notice anything, ate her meal, and had coffee together before parting ways.

Then she discreetly followed behind.

Dan Ga-yeon packed her comfortable bag and left Yeouido, arriving at the convenience store, which was the scene of the incident.

It was quite the expected route.

The convenience store seemed to have undergone an investigation closure as there were no access restrictions per the chairman’s orders.

As Dan Ga-yeon moved away from the convenience store, she looked around the street and stopped at a certain place.

She stood in front of a house.

When she checked what caught her attention, she noticed a functioning surveillance camera.

Comet approached Dan Ga-yeon, who was about to ring the doorbell.

“Officer Dan.”

“Ah!”

“What are you doing?”

“Well, I guess I was about to head back. It feels nice to eat and move around. Haha.”

As Comet listened to the excuse, she pressed the doorbell firmly.

“It seems you’re not too happy about the investigation being over. Let’s continue. I’ll help you.”

Comet smiled sweetly.

“Excuse me? What?!”

Dan Ga-yeon was still bewildered until she heard the landlord’s voice.

Instead of the confused Dan Ga-yeon, Comet asked the landlord if they could check the surveillance camera footage.

The landlord hesitated, but after Dan Ga-yeon somewhat regained her composure and proved her committee status, he willingly showed it.

Comet watched blankly as the footage was copied.

As Dan Ga-yeon put the completed storage device into her bag, she glanced at Comet, looking confused about the situation.

“This is a good start.”

When their eyes met, Comet smiled for no particular reason.

Dan Ga-yeon appeared even more confused.


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