There Is No Need To Be Obsessed

Annie left the door half-closed because the room temperature would rise if the door was left open.

“What we need to do here is to find the materials needed to develop magic tools. Hmm, let’s see…Afrin’s grass, mermaid’s tears, and golden apple. I’ll find them. Eureia, do you want to learn the structure first?”

It was difficult for me, who knew nothing, to help Annie. Therefore, I decided to learn the inner structure as she said while Annie looked for the ingredients.

It’s just an ordinary storage.

The tightly packed shelves were filled to the brim.

I was memorising what items were on which shelf when suddenly someone’s voice rang out.

“Annie! Is Annie there?”

Hearing the calling searching for her, Annie peeped her head out from the inside.

“What’s the matter?”

“The team leader is looking for you. They said it’s urgent.”

“What? Oh, I’m almost done…”

“It’s said to be really urgent.”

“What should I do? I’m gonna have to wait a long time to reopen the storage again if it’s closed now…”

This was to lower the room temperature again.

“Is there much left to find?”

At my question, Annie shook her head.

“There’s one left, but it’s a little deep inside.”

“Then I’ll find it.”

“Yes? But…”

Annie, who seemed to be very uneasy, hesitantly nodded and said after making up her mind.

“Then I’ll count on you. All you have to do is find the golden apple. Its whereabout-…”

After hearing Annie’s explanation, I replied confidently.

“Okay. Don’t worry and just go.”

“I’m sorry, Eureia. I’ll be back soon!”

With that, Annie rushed out of the storage.

Left alone, I went inside looking for the golden apple.

It was easy to find the shelf, but as Annie said, it was difficult to get the golden apples out because they were so deep inside. To get it out, I had to take out everything on the front of the shelf.

I could feel my temperature gradually drop.

Finally, with the golden apple in hand, I rearranged all the items I had taken out back in place. As I was about to leave, I heard an unpleasant voice.

“This is what you’ve brought upon your own self. Reflect on it!”

As soon as I recognised Geren’s voice and looked back, the door slammed shut with a loud sound.

BANG!

The door was now closed. Geren’s maniac laugh could be heard penetrating the door.

♔♚♔

“Sorry? You never called for me?”

“Yeah, who did you hear that from?”

When Annie heard Karance was looking for her urgently, she went up to the 4th floor, but the answer that came back was ‘I didn’t call for you’.

“It can’t be. I’m sure he said the team leader was looking for me…”

‘The team leader is looking for you. They said it’s urgent.’

Suddenly, she realised that the words of the member were delivered by someone.

So, ‘someone’ lied.

Annie immediately looked for the worker who had just spoken to her. It wasn’t hard to find him because she knew where he was working.

“Geren asked me to deliver it.”

The moment Annie heard that, it felt like blood was draining from her body.

Why did that damn bastard-..?

It was then that one person came to her mind.

Eureia.

That crazy guy, it can’t be… !

Remembering that Eureia was all alone in the cold storage, Annie hurriedly went downstairs.

On the way, just in case, she had the guardian accompany her.

On the way down, she prayed that Eureia would be safe. She was afraid that Geren would have done something to harm her.

The door to the freezer that had been opened was now firmly closed.

Annie’s complexion turned pale.

She searched all over the basement, but she couldn’t find Eureia anywhere.

The last thing Annie’s eyes set upon was the frozen storage.

“It can’t be….”

The worst hypothesis came to her mind.

When she checked the timer, it had been closed for twenty minutes. They had to wait at least another 40 minutes to reopen the freezer door.

“There is a person in there! You must open it…!”

“It’s impossible, Annie, you know that. Once you close the door, you can never open it before the time is up.”

The Guardian shook his head in a somber voice.

Of course she was aware. That’s why only one person was assigned to be in charge of the cold storage per day to avoid any confusion and regrettable mistake. This was to prevent accidents.

That must have meant that there was truly no other way to prevent the accidents so they could only come to that resolution.

“But if we leave it as it is, Eureia…!”

Time just ticked by without any countermeasures.

Rumours spread and soon many people gathered in front of the freezer storeroom.

Even Yuphon and Karance came, but no one was willing to step forward. Everyone was at a loss for what to do.

“I can’t!”

“Annie, what are you going to do?!”

“Whatever I can do! I can’t just stay still like this…! We have to bring the vice-chairman-…!”

“You know that apprentice members can’t go up to the top floor, right?”

“Then are we just going to watch it like this? It’s already been 40 minutes! We still have 20 minutes left to open the door!”

“But…”

Annie felt like she was about to burst into tears.

It’s all because of me.

It was not long after Annie joined the guild that there was a death in a freezer.

If I hadn’t left, or if I hadn’t foolishly fallen for Geren’s tricks, this wouldn’t have happened.

Annie still couldn’t forget that time.

The figure of the worker who came out coldly frozen inside the cold storage that was closed by mistake…

If something happens to Eureia, I’ll…!

She was overcome with guilt.

If it’s the vice-chairman, he will save her no matter what, since he’s her lover.

It was the moment when Annie was about to take action that someone shouted.

“The door opens…!”

There were still 20 minutes left before the door could open. There was no way the door could have been opened already.

However, cold breathless air reached her from behind, and the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard, cutting through the silence.

“Why are you all gathered here? Could it be because of me?”

The soft voice, like the sound of the wind, reminded her that this was indeed the reality.

Annie slowly looked back.

“Ah, Annie.”

Her complexion was slightly pale, but Eureia, who was perfectly fine, was approaching Annie with a gentle smile.

“Eurei-…!”

At that moment, Annie couldn’t hold back her bursting tears and threw herself at Eureia for a tight embrace. Her body was freezing cold, which made Annie even more upset.

Burying her face in Eureia’s cold body, Annie sobbed.

“I’m-, I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Eureia, who was taken aback by Annie’s abrupt action, soon calmly swept her back.

“I’m fine. And I found the golden apples, too.”

Golden apples are not important right now!!

Annie wanted to scream, but her throat was choked and she couldn’t even make a sound.

At that time, Karance, who was watching the situation from behind, approached and asked cautiously.

“By the way, Eureia, how did you open the door to the freezer?”

It was something everyone was curious about. They all looked at Eureia with eyes seeking an answer.

Only then did Annie, who had the same doubt, look up at Eureia.

She responded with an awkward smile at the instant attention.

“My hand….take a look at it”

“Your hand?”

“What is this?”

“The opening/closing magic stone connection device…”

The members did not seem to understand for a moment, but soon opened their mouths.

What she meant was…

“By modifying the magic stone connecting device…. you opened the storeroom door…?”

In response, Eureia nodded wordlessly.

“….Nonsense.”

The members had a hard time believing her words.

Only a handful of workshop masters could handle the manastone connection device. And they were the few geniuses in the empire.

Yet, for an apprentice who had just joined one day to modify the magic stone connecting device of an already completed magic tool as desired, it was as absurd as saying that a newborn baby could recite an ancient language as soon as it was born.

But didn’t it just happen right in front of their own eyes?

In the silence, someone muttered.

“…Is she a monster?”

No one could dispute his words.

Amidst the silent atmosphere, Eureia smiled shyly, then she looked down at her hand with a slightly flushed face.

The feeling of tinkering with the magic tool was still vivid.

Eureia recalled that time.