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Grimoire could feel it.

The swirling aura of secrets from that broadcast.

It looked like the curtain fluttering in the wind, stirring from a slightly opened window—the sensation of a breeze blowing gently through some crack in the sealed room.

Such is the nature of secrets.

They exist in the everyday but remain hidden.

They provoke curiosity.

And only when one approaches closely to investigate does their true form become visible.

That is precisely what a secret is.

Grimoire had the ability to see those secrets.

That was Grimoire’s power, an ability that a contractor could use.

Grimoire gazed intently at Iserin.

As if asking whether she would use her ability.

Saying, did she want to find out what secret was hidden in that broadcast?

But Iserin slowly shook her head at Grimoire’s gaze.

‘I am curious… but I feel like my brother has done something again…’

The reason Iserin refused to use Grimoire’s power was the incident that had happened before.

She vividly remembered the trouble she had gotten into while trying to eavesdrop on Jinseong’s secret.

How embarrassing it had been back then!

Thinking about it sometimes made her kick off the covers at night.

Iserin had no desire to recreate that scenario once more.

Of course, if she could eventually break through Jinseong’s magic over time, she might think about it again…

At least for now, she wasn’t skilled enough to handle such power, so she needed time.

Perhaps a few years at least…?

‘And if I’m really curious… I feel like if I just ask, he might answer…’

Iserin retorted to Grimoire, returning her gaze to the TV.

On the broadcast, Jinseong was shown climbing a mountain with people, and occasionally a familiar-looking yet easily forgotten female celebrity tried to lighten the mood in a scene.

‘By the way, I wonder what that fool is doing…?’

As Iserin watched, she thought of her blood mate.

A twin sister who, while using martial arts that mimicked beasts, was truly turning her head into that of a beast, and who constantly tried to act like the older sister in their half-enemy-like relationship.

Iarin refused to watch with the family and was at school instead.

I heard she was planning to watch the broadcast with friends…

‘Is she drinking or something…?’

Considering her past behavior in Russia, it wouldn’t be strange if she’d set up a drinking party and passed out.

* * *

“Cheers!”

A party was taking place.

Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users.

A holy space where those learning special abilities gathered for academics.

In a classroom where teachers and students were supposed to be learning and developing their skills, a group of girls laid out rugs and were having fun.

Desks and chairs had been pushed against one wall, and colorful mats that seemed to have been brought by each student spread across the floor. The girls were barefoot, sitting in a circle, gulping down the beverages in their hands.

Among that group, one person stood out the most.

A girl in gym clothes with her hair tied messily.

It was Iarin.

Iarin moved between the students while holding a can, shouting “Cheers!” and offering her can to those in front of her, who clinked their cups or cans in response, echoing “Cheers!” back.

It looked more like a gathering for hiking or a picnic than a school event.

The difference, however, was that unlike such events with older participants, these were young people.

And the drinks they were consuming weren’t alcoholic.

Showing that they wanted to maintain at least the minimal duty of being students, the beverages ranged from energy drinks to soda, cola, and for those wanting to enjoy the atmosphere a bit more, non-alcoholic cocktails were in hand.

While they were raucous to the eyes, they still maintained a modicum of restraint.

Except for one person.

“Wow, this tastes amazing! Cheers!”

Iarin held an alcoholic beverage in her hand.

It was called kvass.

Kvass is a drink made by fermenting rye bread or mixed-grain bread, and depending on how it’s made, it can have little to no alcohol or, on the contrary, be as strong as beer. It’s a traditional and familiar beverage in Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe, where each household may use leftover bread to make it.

Just as kimchi has different tastes and recipes in every household in Korea, kvass also has unique recipes depending on the household, with some incorporating herbs or fruits for added flair.

The kvass in Iarin’s hand was infused with such character.

It was a recipe learned during a visit to a friend’s house in Russia, made by brewing kvass with dried citrus fruits and a fixed amount of mint and rosemary herbs.

The kvass made using this recipe had a tangy yet sharp taste, making one’s mouth water and appetite grow more with every sip.

Iarin wandered around, gulping down the kvass as if it were beer, sometimes sitting next to a girl who clinked her glass with her in a playful manner.

She would try to swipe the other person’s drink using golden water and when the other retaliated with golden water, they would exchange moves as if in a spar.

Or she might throw a snack at someone unexpectedly distracted.

Wham!

Of course, the snack that flew was intercepted.

The target of Iarin’s snack targeting happened to be another girl from her department.

Naturally, she could use martial arts, so dodging a snack flying toward her was no big deal.

“Wow…”

One girl in the corner gasped at that sight.

It was silly yet somehow impressive.

At that level, she must possess high-level martial arts for her age, yet to see her apply such talent in a trivial manner was a rare spectacle.

“Hmm?”

However, that admiration became the misfortune of the girl.

Though her exclamation was quiet, Iarin’s hearing, boosted by her martial arts, couldn’t miss it. Iarin turned her interest from the girls playing with golden water and snacks to the girl who had gasped in admiration.

She looked at her like a predator eying its prey, and as the girl shrank back under Iarin’s heated gaze, Iarin swiftly approached her side. With her arms crossed tightly, she slowly surveyed the girl to think of what kind of mischief to pull.

She was not a warrior but a magician handling magic, and she aimed towards engineering rather than combat. Therefore, unlike the other warrior girls, she could not play too severe pranks…

Iarin pondered what level of trick would be suitable while glancing down at the girl, who squirmed as if trying to escape the gaze of the predator. But like a tightly bound restraint, those arms didn’t loosen, and she couldn’t escape.

With just her strength, it was utterly impossible to break free, and none of the other girls were inclined to help either…

It seemed a foregone conclusion that she would become the target of Iarin’s mischief.

Unfortunately, that was the case.

But there was salvation.

“Hey? Iarin! It’s starting!”

“Wait, really?!”

Just as Iarin was about to decide the fate of her captured prey, the broadcast began.

The very reason they had gathered here.

The broadcast featuring Iarin’s older brother.

The investigative and reporting special show had started.

As soon as the broadcast began, Iarin dismissed her attention from the girl and bounced towards the TV like a rubber ball. Picking up snacks and drinks along the way was a bonus.

Thus, Iarin was ready to watch the broadcast, and soon her friends gathered around her, focusing on the show.

Iarin wanted to firmly remember this moment, where her brother, who she had no idea what mischief he was up to, was appearing on this monumental broadcast.

Her friends were there to satisfy their curiosity about her brother, whom Iarin usually rambled on about.

So, they focused on the broadcast…

“Wow, big brother looks cool!”

Finally, when Jinseong appeared, Iarin exclaimed in admiration.

He wasn’t in his usual disheveled look but rather seemed quite impressive. Moreover, look at how he behaved. Unlike his usual strange antics, didn’t he look normal for once?

As a younger sister, it was only natural that she would find that part admirable.

 

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