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The sudden visit of me and Myohail made the cat librarians guarding the library jump out as if struck by lightning. It didn’t take long for everyone, from junior librarians to senior advisors, to appear before us for inspection. It felt like the Minister of Defense and a commander had made an unexpected visit.

“Don’t mind us, everyone, just relax.”

“Yes! If you need anything, please let us know! Even if the book isn’t here, we’ll find it and bring it to you!”

Myohail spoke with a kind smile, but the senior librarians didn’t look too good. They were probably tense, thinking they had shown laziness while Myohail was away.

But Myohail and I didn’t reprimand them. After all, we were just here to read books.

After finally dismissing the senior librarians, Myohail asked me, “By the way, Count, why are you suddenly looking for books about ‘magic power’?”

“I’m trying to find a way to supply magic power to a place where it doesn’t exist.”

We had succeeded in building a bridge between two worlds through the Gate, but I still had one major problem left.

Magic power.

In this world, magic power is as common as air, but in the other world—the real world—it doesn’t exist. To be precise, it can exist, but there’s no way to obtain it.

I had thought about invading the real world first with magic as a weapon to prepare for the upcoming player invasion. But magic power was the obstacle.

The moment people from this world step outside through the Gate, they can no longer generate magic power within their bodies. Bringing objects filled with magic power might help, but it’s only a temporary solution. Even with internal and external batteries, without a charger, they’ll quickly hit their limit.

If magic power runs out, even Helga, the strongest in this world, would become an ordinary woman. So, I wanted to find a way to supply magic power even in the outside world, just in case.

Although I’ve gained all sorts of knowledge through ‘Greed’ here, there’s still much I lack. Bringing Myohail, who’s been lounging around the mansion, was to fill my gaps with the sage’s experience and knowledge.

“If it’s a place where magic power doesn’t exist… are you talking about beyond the Gate?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to use magic there? The magic power in your body should be enough, why bother?”

“Not everyone has as much magic power as you. I want to make it possible to replenish magic power beyond the Gate as much as we can here.”

“Hmm…”

Myohail stroked his cat whiskers and studied my face.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re just saying this to use magic freely, Count. Be honest. Do you have something else in mind?”

As expected of a sage who’s lived for centuries, he’s quick to catch on. Still, I couldn’t reveal the truth about preparing for the players’ invasion.

“Myohail, there’s always an ‘if.'”

I pretended to be serious and spoke.

“If we can cross over to the other world through the Gate… doesn’t that mean the other world might also be able to come to this world through something similar to the Gate?”

“Hmm… I suppose that’s possible.”

Myohail, who had seen South Korea firsthand through the Gate, asked me many questions. And soon, he understood.

A civilization more advanced than this world. And the dangers of that advanced civilization. Above all, he was even more surprised that a country like South Korea wasn’t the only one.

So, he would understand what I was saying.

“If that happens, the safety of this world can’t be guaranteed.”

“…Are you saying that those who covet our world might invade through the Gate?”

“Yes. I want to prepare for that.”

If we fight the players, magic is the only means of combat. Moreover, with the Gate now existing, it’s unclear where the battlefield will be between the two worlds. I wanted to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Though I didn’t tell Myohail about the players, he grasped my intent.

“Are you trying to find the answer in knowledge? Is that why you brought me along? To borrow my knowledge?”

“That’s part of it, since you know the library well, but I can’t say it’s not true. However, rather than just relying on your advice, I want to learn it myself. Knowledge can only be fully utilized when it becomes your own.”

“Hoho… So, you’re going to be a student? Then this old man has no choice but to help.”

Myohail flicked his finger, and several books floated out from the long rows of bookshelves. They stacked up on the desk in front of me like butterflies.

“First, we should start with the essence of magic power. Are you ready to learn, Count?”

“Anytime.”

The chance to learn one-on-one from a sage is rare. Knowing that, I smiled with a ‘greedy’ expression for knowledge.

—

“Assistant Manager Park Se-hee.”

“I’m not an assistant manager, I’m a secretary.”

“Ah, look at me. Secretary Park. Do I look very drunk right now?”

“Yes. Very.”

Secretary Park Se-hee sighed as she looked at Director Choi Jae-man, whose face was flushed with drunkenness.

For office workers, weekends are sweet rest. Among them, Saturday night is undoubtedly golden.

But why was she spending this golden time like this?

She had come to an expensive bar in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. It was annoying enough that Director Choi had called her on a weekend night, but…

“Director Choi, did you really drink all this by yourself?”

“Yep, all by myself.”

Seeing the empty glasses scattered across the table, Park Se-hee sighed. It wasn’t like he was some drunkard, but here he was, drinking alone at an expensive bar, too drunk to even stand.

“This isn’t a compliment. How were you planning to get home?”

“Ha…! With Secretary Park here, what’s there to worry about? Instead of that, help me up. I can’t get up.”

“No. You smell like alcohol.”

She was annoyed. Honestly, when Director Choi called, she thought about ignoring him, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She had become his secretary solely to dig up confidential information about President Park and the company. Losing Director Choi’s trust now would be problematic.

‘But still…’

No one likes being called out by their boss on a weekend night.

“Hey, come on, help me up.”

“If I help you, you’ll just try to touch me inappropriately again.”

“So cold.”

Director Choi, a notorious womanizer, had often tried to grope Park Se-hee’s butt, only to be scolded.

Eventually, Director Choi staggered to his feet on his own.

“Still, you’re the only one I have, Secretary Park. My previous secretaries wouldn’t come out on weekends.”

“Isn’t that normal?”

“Tsk. It wasn’t like that in my time.”

“Well, it’s not your time anymore.”

Park Se-hee had been Director Choi’s secretary for about three weeks. During that time, she had figured out his tendencies.

Director Choi enjoyed luxury. He loved designer brands and often sent Park Se-hee on errands to buy new items from luxury stores.

He rarely ate at the company, always dining at expensive restaurants in five-star hotels downtown.

It was as if he was desperate to spend money.

She had wondered if he was embezzling company funds, but seeing that he paid with his personal card, that didn’t seem to be the case. If he had been using company cards or funds, it would have been obvious by now.

To describe him… he seemed like someone born into wealth, not a self-made man or a nouveau riche. His sense of money was vague, and his way of thinking was far removed from ordinary people.

‘What kind of life has he lived?’

She was curious but didn’t dig deeper. What Park Se-hee was curious about wasn’t him, but President Park Joon-hyuk and the Jeong siblings.

After settling the bill with the card Director Choi gave her, they stepped outside. Park Se-hee drove his imported car to where he was crouching in front of the bar.

“Get in.”

“Tsk… Shouldn’t the secretary open the door for me?”

“Just get in before I leave you here.”

Grumbling, Director Choi finally got in.

As she thought about dropping him off quickly and going home, the traffic light turned red.

A cozy family—a mom, dad, and two daughters—crossed the crosswalk.

“Secretary Park, is your family healthy?”

“Huh?”

Park Se-hee was caught off guard by Director Choi’s sudden question.

“I think they’re just fine…?”

“Is that so.”

“How about your family, Director Choi? Are they healthy?”

“I don’t have one.”

“What? You don’t?”

“I don’t have anything like a family.”

His blunt reply came back. She wasn’t really curious. She had just asked the same question. She wasn’t interested in Director Choi’s family history, but hearing that made her feel awkward.

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I brought it up.”

“Speaking of family, I haven’t heard much about President Park’s family. I heard he has a beautiful daughter…”

Park Se-hee brought up President Park partly to change the subject, but also to dig for information about him from Director Choi.

But upon hearing her words, Director Choi made an uncomfortable expression for the first time.

“President Park, that guy… he’s pitiful.”

“Huh?”

“He lost his beloved daughters in an accident.”

Even though the light had turned green, Park Se-hee was too shocked to start driving.

 

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