[2] Solo Leveling

Chapter 255 | Side Story 12

"Stop right there."

"Heok!"

Jin-Ah turned around to face him with wide-open eyes and he sternly asked her.

"Why are all these slices missing the soft middle sections?"

"I, uh, I don't know...."

"You should say that while getting rid of those pips stuck near your lips."

"Ahh-iinng..."

Jin-Ah formed an unhappy expression at the fact that she got busted, but he found her way too adorable when she acted like this and couldn't hold back his own laughter.

He used his thumb to remove the pips from the ends of his sister's lips and out of pure mischievousness, formed another stern expression.

"If you eat only the softer part of the melon again, I'm gonna make you eat nothing but the hard part for a whole day as punishment, okay?"

"Hiii-eeeng..... Okay."

Jin-Ah turned around to leave with a tearful expression and he lightly patted her on the head.

Currently, she was in her sixth year in elementary school. Jin-Woo had seen her grow up once before already, and pretty much anything she did came across as adorable to him.

Crunch.

He began chewing on the sliced melon piece and focused his concentration back on the questionnaire on the desk. When he did, though, Igrit began to offer his counsel once more, as he was still worried about his liege's academic success.

[My liege, the 24th question should not be tackled in this manner, but...]

'I'm going to check the answer sheet, then?'

[....Allow me to ponder this query for a little while longer, my liege.]

'.......'

It was rather commendable that he was so concerned about his master, but this....

'Oh, well. At least, I'm not bored during studying, so there's that....'

Crunch.

As the number of questions remaining on the questionnaire decreased, so did the number of sliced melon pieces on the plate.

Tick, tock....

And so, just how long had it been?

Abruptly, Jin-Woo sensed this chill and raised his head.

'What was that? Where?'

He shot up from his chair and shifted his head in the direction of where he detected that strange phenomenon. He closed his eyes and focused his perception.

....He definitely hadn't made a mistake just then. Right away, he imagined the worst possible scenario and his expression hardened as a result.

'Where is that business card....?'

He quickly dug through the pockets of his school uniform and pulled out a certain business card. It was none other than the one left behind by the envoy of the Rulers.

Jin-Woo quickly dialled the number and tapped on the 'Call' icon on his smartphone. The call itself got through really quickly.

– "It has been a while, Shadow Sovereign-nim."

The envoy tried to greet him with a warm, welcoming voice, but Jin-Woo simply spoke up certain coordinates without any hints of emotion. And then, he added one more thing at the end.

"Is this your people's doing?"

The envoy was stunned by his serious attitude and replied quickly.

– "I don't understand what.... Hold on. Allow me to confirm."