EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school

Everyone succeeded in making the flowers bloom again and passed the second test.

Hwangryong accepted the three flowers in bloom and declared,

“Great job. The third test will be tomorrow, the first lunar month's first day.”

In PMH, all the tests were completed on Lunar New Year, but this time, it was divided since we had plenty of time.

‘I’m glad the second test ended safely.’

The Dragon King’s shamans have the power of healing.

Some shamans can heal individually, but even those who can’t can exert healing power if they join forces with each other.

Just as how they used their power to heal me.

At that time, the shamans sang together to exert that power.

‘This test must’ve been a little difficult for Yoon Yeorang. The other candidates seemed to have healing skills…’

Yoon Yeorang has no healing skills.

However, since the Dragon Palace is filled with the Dragon King’s power, and the flowers were specially grown in the palace, someone with talent and potential for being the Dragon King’s shaman can save it.

‘The flower is influenced by Imoogi because of the shamans’ tricks, but the three byeoksa rituals purified the surroundings to some extent.’

I told Hwangryong to pick the flowers from the Yellow Cloud Lake.

It was a simple move, but it was the result of my calculations.

‘Even if they failed the second test, it will be impossible for Yoohwang to invalidate this ceremony if the first test produced great results and they succeed with the third test.’

But the problem still lingered.

‘They’ll definitely intervene with the third test instead.’

They may do something else other than preparing a fake Dragon King like they did in PMH.

And the target is likely to be Yoon Yeorang.

‘There’s a place I want to check with my own eyes before the third test starts tomorrow…’

I’ve asked for a lot of things for a guest so far.

It wasn’t a big problem even if I didn’t go there myself, so it was kind of hard to ask.

When I stopped to think of a different move…

“The two tests ended safely, but the Dragon Clan’s benefactor still seems to have a lot in mind.”

Hwangryong, who visited the Blue Dragon Palace to have a meal together, talked to me.

I listened and answered Hwangryong sincerely, but it must’ve been obvious that I had a lot of other thoughts.

Hwangryong expressed concern, saying that if I had too many thoughts, I would not digest food well and my growth would be stunted.

‘Hwangryong must be having a hard time because of the shamans, but he’s still concerned about me.’

Hwangryong was thin, just as the candidates feared, but his voice was lively.

Before leaving, Hwangryong spoke to me again.

“There’s a place I would like to guide the Dragon Clan’s benefactor before the last test begins.”

“Where do you wish to guide me?”

As if he had seen through my mind, Hwangryong said just the place I was thinking of.

“Where the Dragon Palace and the divine world connect.”

***

The second test ended without any problems, but that was problematic for the shamans.

In particular, it was a big problem for Yoohwang who had to come down from being a shaman.

In front of the Yellow Cloud Lake where the dragons and guests retreated, Yoohwang remained there lost in thought while looking around the water.

‘How did the candidates save the flowers?’

The flowers that had withered while growing in contaminated land with Imoogi’s power could not be cured by candidates’ power.

Moreover, the healing ability of a shaman is given by the Dragon King, who wouldn’t have been able to set food in the palace now.

‘Don’tell me… Did the Dragon King contact the candidates in advance? It might be possible if they gained dragon energy before all this… No, no matter how talented a shaman is, it’s hard to deal with a superior being. How could they have met the Dragon King when they’re not even a shaman yet?’

Among the candidates, Yoon Yeorang has already met the Dragon King several times.

Jo Euishin, who was not even a candidate for showmanship, met the Dragon King and was allowed to enter the Dragon Palace.

And where the test was held, the excellent candidates sang in the lake and conducted three purification rituals.

The shamans’ trick for the second test had completely collapsed by then.

However, Yoohwang didn’t understand the situation.

‘If this keeps going, not only will I have to retire, but I will also not be able to get the Cintamani’s wish.’

Yoohwang’s composure began to collapse at the end of the second test.

An average person would show their impatience and do things wrong when their plan starts to collapse, but not Yoohwang.

Yoohwang’s spirit and concentration became sharper.

‘I felt strange from when we were on the ground. I felt like they were guarded after Christmas.’

Yoohwang reflected on what happened, assuming the worst.

There were not a few doubts.

There were more risk factors.

‘And that candidate named Yoon Yeorang is so outstanding. Maybe that candidate, in the third test, will…’

Yoohwang felt the eyes of the shamans who looked at her with unease.

If she reveals her anxiety and ominous predictions here, her position would only shake.

Yoohwang spoke in a confident voice, maintaining an upright posture.

“Let’s go back. We’ll be busy tomorrow.”

As she said that, a heavy flapping butterfly sat on Yoohwang’s lapel as she left the lake.

It seemed as if the butterfly landed to comfort her.

Yoohwang gulped a scream when she found the butterfly.

‘…I didn’t want to go this far.”

Yoohwang whispered something to the butterfly and then blew it away.

The butterfly wandered around the Dragon Palace in a giddy motion.

The color of the ground where the butterfly’s scales touched seemed to have changed a little.

***

On the ground, at the front door of the Red Lion team building.

Yeom Junyeol had just returned home from his schedule.

“I’m home.”

“Welcome home, Junyeol-ah. It’s cold, right? Come on in.”

“The weather is very cold today. Thank you.”

Yeom Junyeol never feels cold because of Hongryong, but in the eyes of his grandmother, he’s always vulnerable.

Yeom Junyeol took off his coat and gloves immediately because the heating was running so hard that he sweated through his clothes.

Starting with Chokryong, Yeom Junyeol greeted those who came out to welcome him.

He looked around the lobby and realized that he couldn’t see one of the people he expected.

“I heard that father is supposed to come home early today. Is he away?”

“Yeom Bangyeol is attacking an otherworld. The rarity is not high, but they say they will take a lot of time because it’s huge.”

“My father seems very busy these days.”

It’s common for professional player teams to get busy ahead of the Lunar New Year.

It was no wonder that a player as good as Yeom Bangyeol was busy.

However, Yeom Junyeol recently felt that the atmosphere around him was strange.

‘Are they being wary because the shamans are away? No, it wasn’t like this even when Hong was taking the exam… Is it because Uncle Cheongryong is away this time?’

Yeom Junyeol’s schedule and security selection process has become more cautious.

There’s someone guarding him even while they are in the building.

He wasn’t openly guarded, but it was obvious he was being watched.

‘Something seems to be going on, but the information isn’t getting through to me. Maybe it’s difficult or dangerous for me to know.’

Yeom Junyeol was disappointed that he was perceived as not strong enough to receive that information, but he did not blame them.

Yeom Junyeol intended to trust and follow the Dragon Clan and the Red Lion members entirely.

Then…

‘What’s that?’

He heard an argument at the front door.

There seemed to be friction between the Red Lion member in charge of the security of the main gate and someone asking to be let in.

All of the dragons in the lobby stared at the reinforced glass door too.

“There’s a commotion outside.”

“I’ll go check it out. Stay here inside, Junyeol-ah.”

“I’ll be in the building.”

Yeom Junyeol approached the main gate with Chokryong and the other dragons but did not go out.

He watched Chokryong go out the door.

It was dark outside because the sun had set, but he could see it well thanks to the lights.

“What’s going on this late at night? I can’t relax because of the commotion.”

Chokryong stopped the quarrel between the uninvited guest and the security in a dignified voice.

The uninvited guest was a woman in an old jumper, looking disheveled like she had come in a hurry.

Yeom Junyeol seemed to have seen her somewhere, but it didn’t come to him easily.

“What brought you here?”

“Y-you are a dragon, right? Please let me see Cheongryong-nim! Something scary is going to happen!”

Chokryong narrowed her eyes and stared at the uninvited guest.

The person in front of her is clearly a human, but she saw at a glance that Chokryong was a dragon.

Considering that she wasn’t using her powers, the human seemed to have a good eye.

“Did you come here to see Cheongryong? I don’t think you made an appointment.”

“Well, that’s… There’s no way to contact him so…”

The person bowed her head and hesitated.

Seeing that, Yeom Junyeol recognized her.

The clothes and facial expressions were different from his memory, but her way of talking reminded him.

Yeom Junyeol shouted from inside.

“Grandmother, I know her.”

When she heard Yeom Junyeol’s voice, Chokryong’s tone noticeably softened.

The dragon in charge of the door also softened.

“So you’re Junyeol’s acquaintance. Then why did you say you wanted to meet Cheongryong instead of him.”

“Could it be related to the Dragon King or the shamans?”

Yeom Junyeol’s words cut through the air.

The short-tempered dragon held a weapon item card in his hand.

Even the uninvited guest, who seemed desperate in the fierce atmosphere, faltered.

‘Why are they all wary about the things related to the Dragon King and the shamans?’

Yeom Junyeol didn’t express it, and instead, decided to introduce the guest.

“She is the former Hong Shaman. I don’t think anyone recognized her because she used to have her face covered with cloth.”

The identity of the uninvited shaman was the predecessor of Hong who suddenly retired a few years ago.

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