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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 91 - After a Storm Comes a Calm
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C91 - After a Storm Comes a Calm
Chapter 91. After a Storm Comes a Calm
Seol Jihu and Teresa Hussey stayed at the lake for dozens of minutes, but they knew they couldn't stay there until the end of time. Now that they had quenched their thirst and filled their canteen with water, they reluctantly left the lake.
Pain still pierced their bodies with each step they took, but things were much better now that they relieved their thirst. Their steps were much lighter as they exited the Forest of Denial and climbed up the Napal Hill. Of course, they didn't push themselves and took periodic rests, walking both day and night.
On the third night since their departure from the Forest of Denial.
"What are you going to do first when you get back?"
Teresa asked in the middle of their night march.
'When I go back to Haramark?'
There were many things he wanted to do – meeting his comrades, eating delicious food and drinking beverages until he couldn't stomach them anymore, treating his wounds, going to the temple, training once he recovered, and….
'Eh?'
Suddenly, he felt like he was forgetting something important….
[In the future, when you need to go somewhere, anywhere, you give me a call first. Do you hear me?]
'Ah!'
He barely stopped himself from shouting out loud. In truth, Seol Jihu had hesitated in calling Kim Hannah before he departed for the rescue mission. Ultimately, he decided against it, knowing she would never approve of him going.
He wanted to complete the mission secretly and pretend he didn't know a thing about it, but… well, now that things had come to this, there was little to no chance that she wouldn't have found out.
'My back….'
Remembering the power of Kim Hannah's slap, Seol Jihu sighed inwardly. Teresa continued talking, not knowing what the youth was thinking.
"Do you want to follow me to the royal palace?"
"Royal palace…?"
"Yes!"
Seol Jihu hesitated. He figured he might live if he requested protection from the Haramark Royal Family. However, he soon shook his head.
Setting aside whether that was possible, he couldn't stay cooped up in the royal palace forever. Like the saying, 'the sooner the better', he didn't want to risk five slaps turning into twenty just because he was afraid.
"Thank you, but… I think I'll report back to Carpe Diem first. I have to let them know I'm alive."
"Don't worry about that. We'll just invite them to the palace too."
"That's fine, but actually, I want to surprise them."
Teresa was rather shocked.
"You have a quite a strange personality. Okay, then, I'll summon you later."
It seemed she was adamant on wanting to invite him to the palace. Seol Jihu had no reason to refuse, so he nodded his head.
The grassy path they were walking on soon connected to a wide artificial road. They could then see a grey wall standing tall under the night sky. Although they were still quite a distance away from it, it was undoubtedly a castle wall.
The duo stopped simultaneously. For the next few minutes, they stood still and simply stared at each other.
A castle wall. Without a doubt, it was Haramark.
*
They finally returned to Haramark. Once they entered the city safely, Seol Jihu couldn't hide his surging emotions. The roads pooling with filthy water, the old and dilapidated buildings shrouded by darkness, everything moved him.
Perhaps because it was late, there were only a few people out about in the streets. Teresa and Seol Jihu crossed the streets side-by-side, only separating once they arrived at the plaza.
They stared at each other fixedly. Were words even necessary? Teresa suddenly held out her hand.
"Congratulations."
It wasn't 'Well done' or 'You did well', but 'Congratulations'. Seol Jihu took her hand firmly. The Princess's palm carried warmth that wasn't present before.
"Congratulations to you, too."
"Rest well. I'll summon you soon to the palace, so don't refuse."
"Why would I?"
"Hehe, you can look forward to it."
Teresa winked. It seemed she was referring to the reward.
'I wonder how much she's planning to give….'
Seol Jihu chuckled indifferently. He was just about to jokingly ask, 'Shall I be expecting you in bed?', but quickly swallowed it back. He had to go back and rest as soon as possible, so he didn't want to get himself in trouble by making stupid, teasing remarks.
After saying their farewells, the duo turned around. Teresa headed towards the palace, while Seol Jihu headed to Carpe Diem's office.
'Why does my body feel so heavy?'
Was it because his body was no longer tense? The built-up fatigue inside him seemed to have exploded when he entered the city as his body lost strength. He used his spear as a walking cane to forcefully drag his feet forward.
When a familiar building entered his sight, he began to sob. One step after the other, he trudged up the stairs before pushing the door on the brink of fainting.
Tung!
"…Huh?"
The door was locked. He tried to turn the doorknob again, but the door didn't budge in the slightest.
'Is no one here?'
Kwang, Kwang. He knocked on the door, but there was no response.
'Could it be?'
A sudden thought popped up in his head. Could Chohong have left for the laboratory to save him?
'…She couldn't have, right?'
In any case, he had no choice but to turn back.
'Damn it….'
If I knew no one was home, I would have followed the Princess to the palace.
A belated regret set in. Seol Jihu grumbled inwardly, and after walking down the stairs, he let out a sigh and looked up at the sky. His eyes caught sight of the building on the other side of Carpe Diem's office.
'I guess it finished….'
He became curious who moved in, but that only lasted for a moment. He smacked his lips and turned around. Now that things had come to this, he only had one other place to go. Soon, Seol Jihu arrived at Luxuria's temple after an arduous walk and dragged his feet inside with great difficulty.
"Um…."
The woman dozing off at the reception desk opened her eyes. When her sleepy eyes caught sight of the youth leaning against a blue spear, her eyes widened in surprise.
He barely managed to eke out his next words.
"I'm looking for a treatment…."
*
Seol Jihu was almost chased out because he threw off his gown completely when the female Priest asked him to show her his wounds, causing her to scream. Thankfully, she stopped screaming in five seconds, and after noticing the gravity of the wounds on his body, she hurriedly called for better Priests.
After being escorted to the emergency treatment room, Seol Jihu maintained his sanity as he was hit with a barrage of questions. He got to lay down on a comfortable bed for the first time in a long while, but his brain refused to let him fall asleep so easily.
The several-day-long pursuit had made his body used to sleeping outside. Of course, the unnecessarily loud treatment room also had something to do with it.
"Spray more healing water!"
"Back, side…. His wounds are at least seven days old. We'll try Massive."
"Wait! His left shoulder and thigh are…! W-What the hell!? What happened to him!?"
"This…. It looks like he received emergency treatment."
Seol Jihu let out a hollow chuckle. The way everyone was running about shouting made him feel like he was at a real ER room.
'Are my wounds that bad?'
At that moment, the talking in the room suddenly ceased. Seol Jihu was looking at the ceiling with narrowed eyes, but when the room suddenly fell silent, he tilted his head to the side.
'Is the treatment over?'
Now that he thought about it, he had been feeling like someone was staring at him since a while ago.
"I can't believe this, really…."
'W-What…? Who is that…?'
He could barely catch a glimpse of a figure.
'Why…?'
I might be half-dead, but I came back alive, didn't I?
While he was feeling somewhat sad, he spotted a strapless Priest robe that looked just like a white dress along with long, ebony-colored hair.
'Chung Chohong?'
No, Chung Chohong didn't dress like that. For some reason, Seol Jihu felt as if he'd seen that robe before.
"…Meanie…. I was so worried…."
Her voice grew faint. Seol Jihu strained his ears to listen to her mumbles. It was then that a hand gently touched his forehead. He might have been mistaken, but the hand seemed to be trembling intensely. Soon….
"Cure Critical Wounds."
A familiar voice rang out…
Paaat!
And his vision flashed white. The erupting light shot out of the room and even dyed the hallway white. Watching this scene, Seol Jihu couldn't hide his shock. He had never seen such a beautiful, brilliant light before.
Soon, he closed his eyes, feeling the light seep into every corner of his body. His flickering consciousness finally cut off. After days of staying alert, his brain finally fell asleep. Seol Jihu left his body to the drowsiness flooding in. His sleeping face displayed a smile happier than anyone else in the world.
*
That morning, the Haramark Royal Family made an unprecedented official announcement. The content of the announcement was the return of 'Seol' and 'Teresa Hussey' that morning. With this, every member who participated in the rescue mission had returned alive.
The Haramark Royal Family added a few more details. The first was that the duo cooperated with the Federation during their escape. The second was that they destroyed the Delphinion Duchy's laboratory, the headquarters of the Parasites' mass production facility. The last was that they had successfully returned after breaking through the Parasites' increased encirclement. It was an added bonus that the Parasites' plans had been foiled and their forces severely cut down in size.
The news…
"Hey! Chohong! Chohoooooong!"
—O-Old Man? What's the fuss about? Did you drink this early in the morning?
"Where— No, just come back! Hurry!"
—What is it? I already told you, I have to…
"Seol is back! Seol is back!"
—W-What?
…Not only spread in Haramark…
"What about the Temple of Luxuria? Didn't that damn Ice Queen say she'll find him no matter what? She even said she would become active again if he was found."
"Yes, Lady, we're looking into the matter. It seems to be true that he survived with his own strength. After all, the Order of Luxuria was still in their preparation stage and never left Haramark."
"Hmm… What an interesting turn of events. What was the man's name again?"
"It's Seol. Ah, speaking of which, I heard rather interesting pieces of news today."
"Interesting news?"
"That youth named Seol. It appears that the Daughter of Luxuria is personally taking care of him."
…But also in Scheherazade and other kingdoms. In less than a day, the news of his feats traveled far and wide, reaching even the lands of the Federation and the Parasites.
However, the talk of the world was…
"Zzz…."
…Currently wandering about in his dreamland. Even after sleeping for a whole day, he didn't show signs of waking up. Once his sleep-deprived body tasted genuine sleep, it desired it endlessly.
Seol Jihu was currently feeling very happy with himself. He didn't know why, but there was a soft warmth constantly embracing his body. No, that wasn't enough to describe this sensation. It was cozy, relaxing, purifying…. If there was an essence of warmth in the world, he firmly believed this had to be it.
Plus, although it sometimes made him stifled for breath, there was also something tender and squishy. This unbelievably soft and elastic thing also packed quite a size. Every time Seol Jihu buried his face in this softness, an unknown comfort and kindness entered his brain.
'This is happiness.'
He became languid, so much so that he thought it would be okay to die like this. Even when he woke up, he immediately fell back asleep from the coziness.
That wasn't all.
"Here. Aaaah—"
The light was only scary at first. It grew gentler as time went by, and more importantly, there were times that it talked to him in his dreams like a real human being. He just did as he was told, and delicious food would enter his mouth.
'Mm… it smells amazing. Is it porridge?'
Seol Jihu sniffed repeatedly and opened his mouth like a baby waiting to be fed. As expected, a warm porridge gently entered his mouth. Seol Jihu still believed he was dreaming as he gulped down.
'Delicious, delicious….'
However, he never let his guard down. There were times when a bitter smell would be mixed in with the food.
'!'
As soon as he sensed it, he would shut his mouth instantly. It didn't matter whether he was eating delicious food before. Just like now.
"H-Hey…."
The light was taken aback.
"How did you know it was medicine…."
With this, Seol Jihu became sure. He was thankful to the person taking care of him, but he hated medicine.
"Come on, you have to eat this after your meal."
"…."
"Don't be like that. Do you know how precious this herb is? Be good, okay?"
"…."
"Come on. Say, aaaah—"
"…."
Seol Jihu kept his mouth shut in protest, but the voice constantly persuaded him. Eventually, he gave in to the gentle pressure and opened his mouth.
"Euuuuh…."
The man-child grimaced. After barely managing to feed him the medicine, the mysterious person let out a deep sigh.
"Really… when are you going to grow up?"
He could hear the voice say something, but he was sleepy now that he ate something. After taking a big yawn, Seol Jihu dug into the warmth. He never imagined that someone stroking his hair and patting his back could feel so good.
'This is happiness!'
Like the saying, 'after the storm comes a calm', Seol Jihu thoroughly enjoyed the blissful life he now had. Of course, he had no way of knowing what was going on in the outside world.
*
Seoul, Sinyoung Pharmaceutical's headquarters.
"Yes, yes…. Today at 6:25 p.m. Yes, I understand."
Click. The sound of a phone hanging up could be heard.
"Hm…."
Kim Hannah had an odd expression as she looked down at the office phone on her desk.
'Seol Jihu.'
She had found out long ago that he joined the rescue mission without telling her. Of course, it was already too late to stop him then. She just received the report that he had returned alive. Because she had an urgent matter to take care of on Earth, the news of Seol Jihu's return had reached her late.
In any case, she was relieved to hear that he came back alive. Right, she was relieved….
"Ehew."
Kim Hannah covered her face with her hands.
'You motherfucking son of a bitch….'
He was already garnering unnecessary attention due to his Golden Mark, but the problem he caused this time was too great for anyone to ignore. This matter was on an entirely different scale compared to the defense of the Arden Fortress. As it would affect the whole of Paradise, there was no way his name wouldn't spread.
It was already well beyond Kim Hannah's capabilities to deal with alone. Although Seol Jihu was still oblivious, Paradise wasn't a simple world. As Earthlings could use achievement points to bring Paradise's items back to Earth, countless interest groups were battling it out in chaos.
There was a reason Paradise housed large, violent organizations from Earth. If one got unlucky, he would have to be careful not only in Paradise but also on Earth.
Kim Hannah had just received a call from her secretary, telling her that the First Lady wanted to see her. Kim Hannah could only come up with one reason that pervert would suddenly want to see her.
"Huu….."
Kim Hannah slapped her cheeks in despair. It was a stroke of fortune, no, a stroke of miracle from the heavens that the Daughter of Luxuria was taking care of Seol Jihu.
Seo Yuhui was undoubtedly one of the most influential Earthlings in Paradise. Although she retired from her position a long time ago, her abilities, fame, influence, and organization did not go anywhere. She would be able to become a stronger shield than any other Earthling.
Kim Hannah breathed a sigh of relief when she found out Seo Yuhui volunteered to help herself. At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder.
'Why is she protecting Seol Jihu?'
Kim Hannah was positive the two had no prior connections. There was no one named Seo Yuhui among Seol Jihu's network of friends, family, and acquaintances. In fact, Seo Yuhui was a woman wrapped in a veil of mystery. Practically no one knew her identity on Earth.
'Is she trying to raise him?'
That was certainly possible. Of the acclaimed Earthlings playing an active part in Paradise's conflicts, more than a few had crossed her hands. After all, even that Sung Shihyun was her work.
Thinking about it this way, Kim Hannah could begin to understand. Of course, she had too many things on her plate at the moment to think too deeply into it. For now, she decided to focus on the problems at hand.
'I'll need to pull the plan forward.'
But before that, there was something she needed to do.
'Bastard, just wait until I see you again.'
Her eyes flickered with a cold, grim light.
'I'll show you.'
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 92 - Addiction
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C92 - Addiction
Chapter 92. Addiction
One could say that an organization was a societal group in which people gathered under the banner of achieving a common goal. Members of an organization understood each other through frequent interactions and gave their effort in accomplishing a shared goal. Such organizations prioritized profit the most, and given the unique nature of Paradise, different groups were called different things.
One thing to note was that a group's name did not reflect its power in any way. Usually, the number of organization members determined its title. Small-scale or independent organizations were called teams, groups, crews, societies, or associations, while mid and large-scale organizations were called alliances, guilds, unions, or companies.
Put this way, Paradise's temple was also an organization. The Temple of Luxuria was an organization of Priests who served the goddess of lust. Described in more detail, this organization once held the biggest influence in all of Paradise.
Of course, this was all a glory of the past. That was when both Seo Yuhui and Sung Shihyun were active. To be precise, the Temple of Luxuria was at the height of its glory before these two Executors split up after a falling out.
Sung Shihyun left for Sinyoung after this incident, and Seo Yuhui announced her retirement from Paradise. Naturally, the Temple of Luxuria's influence plummeted. But just like the saying, 'an old eagle is better than a young crow', the Temple of Luxuria still could not be looked down upon. Given its nature as a temple, there was no need to worry it would fail either.
It was just that its current influence was lacking compared to when it was led by two Executors. Naturally, Priests who could not forget the past glory constantly sought out to revitalize the group.
For example, today. A Level 6 Bishop wearing a miter visited Haramark's Temple of Luxuria for this exact reason.
"Please help."
He knelt on the ground. He knew very well that the person he was talking to would feel bothered by his actions. The Bishop's status wasn't so low as to kneel so frivolously, and he definitely wasn't the type to enjoy such indignant actions. In fact, he was someone who liked to flaunt his authority. However, the woman in front of him was more than worthy enough for him to endure minor humiliations such as this.
"The Order's caste system is breaking down. Please return to guide us, Executor."
"No."
A gentle voice cut him off.
"I will not return to the Order of Luxuria."
She sounded firm as if there was no room for negotiations. However, the miter-wearing man didn't back down.
"Didn't you promise? That you would return if we make an expedition to the Delphinion Duchy's laboratory."
"I certainly did."
The woman retorted clearly.
"But the expedition is no longer needed. The laboratory has been destroyed completely, and all members of the rescue team returned alive. The Order never set out on the expedition, yet you're asking me to keep my side of the promise?"
Her logical response put the man at a loss of words. The woman was well-known for keeping every promise she made. As someone who has watched her for a long time, the Bishop knew that better than anyone else. He had prodded her just to be sure, only to end up being put into his place.
"Miss Seo Yuhui, you may have resigned from your position as an Executor, but you know that Goddess Luxuria has not allowed it."
"You are mistaken. She allowed me."
"But don't you still possess the Apostle's Authorities? I'm sure you know what that means."
"I made my intentions clear. You are better off asking her personally if you are curious why she has not taken the Authorities away."
"…Please, our Order and Lord Luxuria are both rejoicing at the news of your return."
"If you're an Earthling, I'm sure you know about how contracts are made within Paradise. I am also just another Earthling."
Hearing Seo Yuhui's unyielding position on the matter, the Bishop stared at the floor and bit his lower lips. It had been a long time since he experienced her iciness. Seo Yuhui was known as the Ice Queen within Paradise precisely because no man had ever succeeded in wooing her, including the famous Sung Shihyun.
But having served by Seo Yuhui's side for a long time, the Bishop knew that wasn't all there was to it. Although Seo Yuhui was benevolent and generous, she never approached someone beyond what was necessary and didn't allow anyone to approach her beyond what was necessary.
This didn't apply to only her romantic life but all facets of it. A man lured in by her outer magnanimity would surely run into her iciness one day. Although most knew they stood little chance, they remained hopeful that they might just melt her heart.
"We have long fallen out of our relationship with the Temple of Gula. Now that you are no longer with us, the number of deserters is increasing by the day."
"I don't think it's proper to call them 'deserters'. Besides, I was never happy with the way the Order exerted influence on other organizations by using the Priests' rare healing capabilities and its unique status as a temple."
"B-But you must know why that was necessary. Even now, outside organizations are trying to steal our Priests away with sweet talk. Some are even using them to interfere in our internal affairs."
Seo Yuhui didn't say anything in response. The temperature of the room suddenly plummeted. The Bishop must have been pressured by Seo Yuhui's cold gaze as he dropped his head until his miter almost touched the ground.
After staying silent for a long time, Seo Yuhui finally opened her mouth.
"That's quite a problem, isn't it?"
Flinch. The man trembled. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be?
"But that has nothing to do with me."
Seo Yuhui quickly put down any hopeful thoughts in the Bishop's head.
"I have already left the Order. In a way, I guess I am also an outsider."
"Pardon?"
"So it is none of my business what the Temple of Luxuria is up to or how it is faring."
"Are you… are you truly saying you will abandon the Order and remain a bystander?"
"Yes, and one more thing."
Seo Yuhui replied without a moment of hesitation.
"What we talked about today? You can make it public."
Her words caused the Bishop to blink his eyes in shock.
"I'll repeat one more time. What we talked about today, you can use it however you want. I don't mind."
"What do you mean…?"
The Bishop was about to raise his head and ask but froze stiff on the spot.
'What?'
Cold sweat flowed down his back. The woman who was modestly sitting on the couch was now in front of him. Seo Yuhui leisurely reached out her arm, took off the Bishop's miter, and carefully brought it to her eyes.
"So."
She studied the shining jewel decorating the center of the miter.
"Please, don't bother me any more than this, Miss Yun Seohui."
She gave a refreshing smile. Pzzt! The jewel's light flickered off. This meant one of two things – the other side had either severed the connection or destroyed the crystal. Of course, both Seo Yuhui and the Bishop knew it was the latter.
"…."
After a moment of silence, the Bishop revealed his teeth.
"…You knew."
"I noticed that you changed the miter's jewel. I know you aren't the type to change something like that so easily."
"Hoh, with just that?"
"Whether it be liquor, clothes, or friends, you always say you prefer old ones."
Seo Yuhui placed the miter back on the Bishop's head before returning to her couch. She then continued.
"Go back."
With just those two words, the Bishop knew that the thin thread of connection they still shared was cut off. He had nothing to say and could only stand up helplessly.
"Do you not blame me?"
"I don't want to. I understand where you're coming from, after all."
"I see."
"Rather than being devoured bit by bit, it might indeed be better to join hands with Sinyoung."
'So she knew everything.' The Bishop let out a bitter chuckle.
"I know I am in no position to say this, but please, I would be eternally grateful if you came back."
"My answer is the same no matter how many times you ask me."
Seo Yuhui never lost her gentle smile from the beginning to end of this conversation. In the end, the Bishop sighed dejectedly and turned around to leave. It was then.
Click.
The door clicked open. The Bishop looked up reflexively and saw a youth trudging into the room.
'Hm?'
His face was full of drowsiness. His eyes were barely open, and judging from the way he looked around in a daze, it seemed the youth had woken up only a moment ago. The youth was walking half-asleep, but he didn't look like he was sleeping walking.
After appearing out of the blue and looking around the room, the youth's gaze suddenly landed in one place.
"This is…?"
The Bishop asked belatedly, but his word immediately came to a stop. Tap, tap, tap, tap. Like a baby with some sort of a sensor on his hands, the youth quickly crawled to his target. Once he reached the couch, he buried his face in Seo Yuhui's laps.
"Oh?"
Seo Yuhui, who had been watching the youth in a daze, muttered out in surprise.
'What?'
The Bishop was even more shocked. He had never seen Seo Yuhui allow someone to approach her so easily. Not even once.
"Geez… again?"
Seo Yuhui made a troubled expression, then….
"I told you to sleep quietly… ehew."
She clicked her tongue and gently stroked the youth's hair. She seemed to be at a loss for what to do, yet she was clearly patting him willingly. Seeing the youth rub his cheek on her thighs with a happy smile, the Bishop was shocked once again. Not only did Yun Seohui allow him to approach her, but she even let him touch her?!
'Im, impossible!'
He almost wanted to scream out, 'That's blasphemy!' He began to doubt whether the woman in front of him was the Ice Queen he knew.
"Ah, this is my fault."
Seo Yuhui must have seen the Bishop's culture-shocked face as she heaved out a deep sigh.
"I-It's Miss Seo Yuhui's fault?"
"Yes, I spoiled him a bit too much and he developed a habit…."
Seo Yuhui mumbled in embarrassment.
"Excuse us."
She got up from the couch as if the situation couldn't be helped.
"Come on, let's go back to your room. Hurry."
Drag, drag. The youth was dragged out of the room, his arms still interlinked around Seo Yuhui's waist as he made his exit.
The Bishop stood still for a long time without moving a single muscle.
*
Chohong had headed to the border region for Seol Jihu. She shook off countless voices holding her back and ran to the border, but she had no intention of jumping in recklessly.
It was just that Chohong had baseless confidence that Seol Jihu was alive. She was planning on patrolling the border region in case she might be of help in his escape.
If she didn't do at least this, she felt like she would regret it for the rest of her life. However, she received news of Seol Jihu's return less than a day after her departure. Immediately, she turned her carriage around.
As soon as she arrived in Haramark, she ran to Luxuria's temple. She grabbed the Earthling working as the reception lady by her collar and strangled Seol Jihu's whereabouts out of her. As soon as she kicked the door open and burst into the room he was staying in….
"?"
She could see the youth sitting on a bed. She studied him carefully, and indeed, it really was him. She panted to catch her breath…
"You…."
But her mouth automatically closed in the next moment. She had many things she wanted to say to him, but her mouth refused to open now that he was in front of her.
She was both happy and sad. A part of her even wanted to beat him to a pulp. It was a strange, confusing feeling.
"Say something."
After exchanging glances for a long time, Chohong finally spoke up.
"What are you looking at? You forgot my face in just a week?"
She spoke curtly out of embarrassment, but Seol Jihu showed signs of being confused and taken aback.
"Uh…."
He stammered a bit before quietly muttering.
"Who… are you?"
"What?"
Chohong's brows twitched.
"Who are you, you said? You… are you mad? Is there a problem with your brain?"
Seol Jihu then put on a dejected look.
"…Yes."
"W-What?"
"I, I recently got into a huge accident. I can't remember anything because of it…."
'He can't remember anything?'
Chohong's eyes trembled noticeably.
"Y-You piece of shit! You're just messing with me again, aren't you!?"
She shouted angrily, but her voice of shaking. Her heart began to pound as a sense of unease crept up inside her. The way Seol Jihu massaged his temples really made him look like he was confused.
"By any chance… do you know me?"
When he carefully asked her this, Chohong's legs almost gave in.
"…You…."
She suddenly remembered the moment before their attempted escape. Seol Jihu had desperately reached out with his arm even after he collapsed on the ground. That moment haunted her every night. Why couldn't she have grabbed his hand?
She couldn't remember how wrought with guilt she was.
"You really… don't remember?"
"I, I'm not sure. Everything is just a mess…."
Chohong collected her breath. She couldn't believe it; no, she didn't want to believe it. She walked up to him step by step.
"What about Dylan?"
"Dylan…?"
"And Hugo?"
"Hugo?"
"What about Carpe Diem? Samuel? Alex? Ian? What about Teresa? And the Forest of Denial? The Ramman Village?"
"I, uh…."
Chohong spat out every keyword she could think of, but her shock only grew bigger.
"You really forgot… everything?"
"…."
"You don't remember even a single name? That can't be, right? Right?"
She was practically pleading with him now. Hearing how desperate she sounded, Seol Jihu dropped his head.
"…I'm sorry…."
When she saw Seol Jihu apologizing for doing nothing wrong, her heart sank.
"Why are you apologizing… you idiot…."
The edges of her eyes turned red, and Chohong sniffled quietly.
"I should be… the one who's sorry…."
At that moment, the youth suddenly brought his head closer to Chohong's.
"Ah."
"?"
"Now that I think about it—"
"Y-You remember?"
Seol Jihu stared at her intently and furrowed his brows. Then, he spoke.
"I think I'm kidding."
"…What?"
"I'm kidding."
"Kidding?"
Chohong's complexion flattened in a daze.
"Yeah."
Seol Jihu grinned mischievously and added, "This is called tricking Chohong again."
It was then.
Kwang!
A sudden explosive sound erupted in the treatment room. Seol Jihu's jaw dropped open. Chohong's punch had broken the drawer next to the bed.
"You… you…."
Tremble. Her throat trembled as her eyes flickered with a cold gleam. Seol Jihu could even sense a murderous intent rising up in the air. It didn't take long for him to come to the conclusion that he had screwed up.
"Sorry!"
He immediately brought his hands together and apologized.
"You son of a bitch… you toyed with me…?"
"Sorry, sorry, I won't do it ever again. Believe me."
"You motherfucking piece of shit…. Do you know how much I was… worried… keuk!"
When tears burst out from Chohong's deathly glare, Seol Jihu felt his heart drop a beat in terror.
"Cho, Chohong, I'm really sorry. I went overboard with my joke."
"Fuck off!"
Chohong spat out a curse and turned around angrily. Seol Jihu quickly hugged her back.
"D-Don't go."
"I told you to fuck off."
"I'm sorry! Forgive me!"
"I'm not going to say it again, you bastard."
Chohong twisted her body to free herself, but Seol Jihu clung onto her as if his life depended on it. In truth, Chohong could have easily shaken him off, but she couldn't do so since she knew he was injured.
Soon, after he barely managed to drag Chohong to the bed, he rubbed his palms together and begged for forgiveness. He had no excuses to offer, and after putting himself in her shoes, he truly felt apologetic.
As he was listening to Chohong's endless cursing, the sound of the door opening rang out. Chohong, who couldn't bring herself to hit him and could only yell at him angrily, furrowed her brows.
"It's quite noisy in here."
"Huh? What are you two doing hugging each other?"
Two women entered the room, each carrying a basket in their hands. The first wore a maid outfit, while the other only had a simple white T-shirt.
"Miss Maria? Miss Agnes!"
The unexpected guests surprised Seol Jihu, yet he welcomed them nonetheless.
"What? Why are you here?"
Chohong asked with a confused expression.
"Obviously because we heard we could visit him now. He apparently fully regained consciousness today."
"Today? No, so why are you here?"
"What do you mean why? We're here to wish him a quick recovery."
Maria retorted as if she was asked the stupidest question in the world.
"You came to wish him a quick recovery? You, Maria Yeriel?"
"He came to my place too when I wasn't well. I'm just repaying the debt."
Maria returned a concise answer and gently placed the basket down.
"I'm here… to see my disciple."
No one asked, but Agnes also mentioned her terrible excuse for coming to visit.
"Would you like some fruits?"
"Huh? Ah, yes."
"Who the hell cares about fruits? I brought some liquor, so let's have a party."
"Are you mad? You're trying to get a patient to drink hard liquor?"
Maria nodded her head at Chohong's shouting.
"Your dumbass brain makes sense for once, but still, I'm sure it's fine if…. Ah, get your hands off the basket! I didn't bring it for you to shove it down your throat."
"Leave me be! I need some liquor in my system. Otherwise, I'm going to explode from anger because of that bastard!"
Maria and Chohong bickered as usual, and Agnes calmly peeled fruits on the side. Seol Jihu never expected Maria and Agnes to both come visit him. However, those two weren't the only guests. In fact, they were just the beginning.
Thud!
A black man kicked the door open just like Chohong. He stomped into the room and immediately embraced Seol Jihu.
"Seol! Seooooool!"
"Hu, Hugo?"
"Aaaaaah! You're alive! You're alive!"
"W-Wait, I can't breathe."
Starting with Hugo….
"Hey! Seol!"
"I heard the news! Here. Congrats on making it back alive."
Mikhail and Veronika came…
"You really were alive."
"Mister Kazuki? You're here too?"
"You were a member of my team, although it was only for one mission. I need to thank you too…. Ah, take this."
Ayase Kazuki came…
"Oops, are we late?"
"Why do you look so surprised? I missed you so much."
And even Ian and Teresa came.
The treatment room quickly became rowdy. The room was already small. Now that it held ten people in it, it was filled to the brim.
'Wow….'
Seol Jihu felt a bit light-headed.
'Do I really deserve this?'
Frankly, he was dumbfounded. At the same time, a big grin emerged on his face when he thought they all came to see him. He tried to hold back his joy, but his mouth refused to listen.
"Haha."
In the end, joyous laughter escaped his mouth. Chohong grumbled, asking what the hell he was laughing about, but his laughter continued without stopping.
'This is fun.'
He didn't know why, but Seol Jihu found this moment surrounded by people happy. He was so happy that he wanted time to stop. It was to point that he… didn't want to go back to Earth.
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 93 - Addiction (2)
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C93 - Addiction (2)
Chapter 93. Addiction (2)
While the treatment room was bustling with visitors, Ayase Kazuki stayed silent with his back leaning against the wall.
'It's quite loud here, huh….'
He found the situation quite rowdy, but he was surprised at the same time.
'I heard he was a Level 2 Warrior.'
Almost everyone in the room was a well-known Earthling. Seeing how they all came to wish the youth a speedy recovery, Ayase Kazuki could easily guess they had some sort of a connection with him. In other words, these people were friends, if not acquaintances, of the Earthling known as Seol.
'Hm?'
Just as he turned around thinking it was time for him to leave, he caught sight of a woman peeking into the room through the half-open gap behind the door.
'That's…!'
Kazuki was shocked inwardly but tilted his head at the same time. The woman was staring at one particular man in the room. Her eyes were fixed on him somewhat uncomfortably. Rather than being sad, she looked more worried.
'Who is she looking at?'
Following the woman's line of sight, Kazuki turned his gaze, which landed on the youth sitting on the bed. The youth was talking with a bright smile while occasionally bursting out into a hearty laughter. He said he was fully recovered, and he seemed fine mentally as well.
'Looks like there aren't any lasting effects….'
Kazuki turned back to the door and his gaze met the woman's. Kazuki quickly unfolded his crossed arms and respectfully bowed. The woman smiled gently and bowed back before turning around.
*
Ayase Kazuki was the first to leave. Following him, the visitors began to return one by one. Seol Jihu's safe return was something to celebrate, but it was hard to see it as a perfectly happy ending. The loss of the Level 5 Arch Shooter, Edward Dylan, was a cold, harsh reality.
Losing the leader of a team was a matter of serious consequences, especially if that leader was a High Ranker. It was no different than losing the captain of a ship mid-voyage.
It was an undeniable fact that Carpe Diem would no longer hold the position it used to. After all, no one was insane enough to entrust an important mission to a team with only three Warriors.
As visitors purposefully took their leave, the treatment room was eventually left with just three people. Once the commotion died down and silence descended on the room, Seol Jihu was left feeling a bit bitter. He couldn't help but think how happier he would be if Dylan was here with the rest.
"Why are you so depressed?"
Chohong must not have liked how he was acting as she shouted with a displeased look.
"Raise your shoulders! Open your chest! The mission was a success. We rescued three people and saved three others. You even screwed the Parasites' plans big time. Do you know how big of a wave you caused in Paradise?"
"She's right, Seol. There's no reason for you to feel guilty. No, you should be proud. Dylan would have surely said the same thing."
Hugo also chimed in.
"…Dylan."
Seol Jihu carefully raised his voice after listening quietly for a bit.
"He's doing well… right?"
"If you're talking about the penalty… well."
Hugo scratched his nose.
"It's not easy. The sense of emptiness and loss you feel when you lose your memories of Paradise is something that's hard to deal with for most."
"Then…."
"But if it's him, I'm sure he will be able to overcome all difficulties. I trust Dylan."
Hugo continued with a firm voice.
"What's important is that Dylan returned to Earth as a human. We should focus on that."
Hugo's words touched Seol Jihu. He really did wish Dylan would be able to overcome the infamous penalty. No, he was certain Dylan would be able to overcome it.
Seol Jihu clenched his fists. A moment of silence ensued before Chohong opened her mouth.
"What are you going to do from now?"
Seol Jihu was slightly taken aback. Was she talking about the future of Carpe Diem? He wanted to ask her about that himself. He never expected her to be the one to ask that question.
"Hugo and I are going to return to Earth for now." Chohong continued, "We're, well, a bit exhausted. We want to rest easy… and we also need some time to organize our thoughts."
"Are you disbanding Carpe Diem?"
"What are you talking about?"
Chohong snorted and waved her hand.
"I'm just saying we should rest since we just completed a huge mission. Don't jump the gun."
Thankfully, it seemed Chohong had no plans to disband Carpe Diem. That was enough. Seol Jihu internally heaved out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, also, I need to tell you something."
Hugo, who had his hand in the basket, suddenly spoke as if he just remembered something.
"Miss Foxy wanted us to pass you a message. She said you should come to Earth when you're awake."
"Miss Foxy…. You mean, Kim Hannah?"
Seol Jihu asked in surprise.
"Yep. I was surprised too. Who knew you were contracted to Sinyoung?"
"No, I'm not."
"You're not?"
"No, they did ask me to, but I refused. Kim Hannah and I just have a personal contract between us."
"You refused? And you signed a contract with Miss Foxy?"
"Yeah."
Hugo's eyes widened in surprise. Then, his hands started moving again. He took out a well-ripened fruit and muttered in admiration.
"Wow… I can't believe you refused Sinyoung. Ah, well, I guess you are a Gold Mark."
Crunch. He bit down on the fruit and began snickering.
"Still, I was really surprised."
"Why? Did she say something?"
"No, not that… Kik! Don't take this the wrong way, but… how come all the women in your life are crazies?"
'Crazies?'
"What does that mean?"
Chohong must have been curious too. Hugo continued to snicker as he pointed at Chohong with his chin.
"I mean, you have four of Paradise's Six Crazies around you."
"Four of the Six Crazies? Uh, Miss Foxy, Maria Yeriel, Claire Agnes… ah, you're right."
Chohong counted with her fingers and eventually burst out laughing.
"He's contracted to one and two came to visit him! He, he's screwed! Are we going to find his corpse one day in an alleyway somewhere? Puhahaha!"
Chohong cackled as she smacked Seol Jihu's back.
"Who's the other one? Ah! Cinzia! Cinzia noonim! Puhahaha!"
But for some reason, Hugo wasn't laughing at all.
"…."
In fact, he was staring at Chohong with an expression that was a mixture of bitterness and confusion. His lips were twitching like he wanted to tell her something, but he just clicked his tongue and bit down on the fruit again.
"…Be careful, Seol, especially of the one close to you. I'm not kidding."
He whispered to Seol Jihu while chewing on the fruit. Seol Jihu returned a wry smile.
"But calling them crazy… isn't that a bit rude?"
"Rude? Do you know how long I've known her? Crazy doesn't begin to describe her. Her nickname is Slaughter Maiden. Slaughter Maiden! It's not even Battle Maiden."
"S-Slaughter Maiden?"
While Chohong was busy cackling to herself with her hands on her belly, the two men whispered to each other.
"Didn't I tell you before? She acts all coy and innocent around you. Really."
"Chohong? Coy? Eii, she almost beat me up today. Though, that was my fault."
"Exactly! That barely counts as being angry. It has to be at least ten times what you've seen today to say, 'Ah, she's really triggered today.'"
'Ten times?!"
Seol Jihu couldn't believe it. He immediately activated Nine Eyes and glanced at Chohong.
[Chung Chohong's Status Window]
[General Information]
Summoned date: November 18th, 2015
Marking Grade: Red
Sex/Age: Female/22
Height/Weight: 170.2 cm/58.6 kg
Current condition: Healthy
Class: LV. 4 Divine Champion
Nationality: Hong Kong (Area 7)
Affiliation: Carpe Diem
Alias: Go-stop, Slaughter Maiden, Six Crazy, Chung Tricked-Again.
'Huh…?'
It was true. Seol Jihu was just about to ask Chohong to read her aliases on her status window, but then his eyes spotted the shattered drawer next to his bed. Suddenly, a chill ran down his back.
"Ah, I haven't laughed that hard in a while."
Chohong finally grabbed a hold of herself and was wiping tears off her eyes.
"Anyways, you're going, right?"
"Hm?"
"To Earth."
Seol Jihu suddenly felt he was caught off guard.
"Hello? Don't you need to go back? Your contractor is calling you, you know."
"Uh, yeah… I'll give her a call."
"What are you talking about? How are you going to call someone on Earth from here? What, is there something you need to do? Why do you sound reluctant to go back?"
"Princess Teresa said she'd invite me to the palace."
"Who cares? That can go once you come back."
Seol Jihu was a loss for words and could only stammer. Chohong felt that something was off, and her eyebrows perked up.
"You… do you really not want to go back?"
"N-No."
Seol Jihu answered reflexively, but he couldn't hide his Adam's Apple trembling slightly. It was then that Seol Jihu noticed his fingers shaking and hid them under the blanket.
To be honest, he wanted to tell her he didn't want to go back. He didn't know why. It was just that when he thought about leaving Paradise… an instinctive sense of rejection swelled inside him. He felt his chest congest uncomfortably and even felt a bit of anxiousness.
But he couldn't bring himself to say all this. If he did, he knew Chohong would ask why. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to tell the truth either.
'…No.'
Now that he thought about it, he did have to go back at least once. It was hard to say he was in a secure position on Earth, and he also figured it would be easier to find basic knowledge of spear throwing and energy circulation on Earth.
Thinking about it this way, he felt a bit better.
'Right, if I want to live in Paradise….'
"Of course, I'm going back. I have things to take care of, so it might take a while until I'm back."
"…Yeah, I'm sure. Don't worry about it and have a safe trip."
Chohong erased her suspicions hearing Seol Jihu's straightforward answer. Seol Jihu smiled. He was already excited when he thought about learning Mana Spear and Mana Circulation once he returned.
*
Carpe Diem's new direction was revealed. The three remaining members decided to take a break and use the time to think about the future.
Chohong and Hugo said they would go back to Earth today. Seol Jihu figured he shouldn't waste any more time. After asking Chohong to bring him a bag, he contacted Kim Hannah through the communication crystal ball she gave him.
'She's not picking up….'
However, he couldn't get in touch. It seemed she still had not returned from Earth. He grabbed the clothes Chohong brought him and left the treatment room. Since he wasn't in a hospital, he didn't need to go through formal procedures to be allowed to leave. Still, he had to pay for the treatment he received.
'It looks like my body's gotten a lot better.'
Seol Jihu cracked his neck and swung his arms around, only to be surprised beyond belief. His physical body was simply too healthy. His wounds had all closed up, and although he might just be mistaken, he felt like his mana was circulating more intensely than before.
Overall, it felt like he powered-up, almost like he ate a precious herb or pill. However, he couldn't remember a thing about the Priest who healed him. It was because he did nothing but sleep after seeing that bright light.
That said, he knew someone had taken care of him deeply for the 24 hours he was asleep or barely awake.
'Who could it be?'
To pay for his treatment and to thank the Priest who took care of him, Seol Jihu headed to the reception desk of the temple. However, he was met with an unexpected predicament.
"She's not here?"
"No, she said she had something urgent to take care of."
"Then can I at least know her name…?"
"I apologize, that isn't something I can reveal without her permission."
He was even told that he didn't need to pay. Apparently, whoever treated him had given the Priests a strict order not to receive payment. Still, Seol Jihu remained persistent, and the reception lady eventually said that the treatment cost at least one gold coin. Seol Jihu couldn't hide his shock when he heard that.
'H-How amazing was the person who treated me?'
In the end, he gave in and stood in front of the returning warp gate. He told himself that going back was the right choice, yet he was still hesitant.
'Don't expect anything. Don't expect anything.'
He muttered to himself multiple times before he entrusted himself to the blue light.
*
Returning to Earth. He had experienced it once before, but he couldn't help but feel a little strange. It wasn't that he was unfamiliar with the sensation of returning. He was unfamiliar with the clean room he returned to.
'How long was I gone?'
He looked around his room like he was standing in someone else's place. He then found his phone lying on the ground. Perhaps because of the constant reminder to not expect anything he muttered in his head, his hands didn't immediately grab it. He knew he would only be disappointed. However, he still needed his phone if he were to contact Kim Hannah. Seol Jihu smacked his lips and picked up the phone.
'It looks like it's still morning….'
When he opened the window, he was greeted by blazing sunlight. He furrowed his brows as stuffy hot air rushed in.
It was early May. The weather was too hot considering summer had only just begun.
'Guess I'm back.'
He watched cars running through the streets under his apartment buildings. Then, he suddenly grabbed his wallet. Like a donkey stung by a bee, he hurriedly left his apartment building and ran to the convenience store by the road.
"Keu!"
When he bought a can of Coke and chugged it down his throat, he felt like he had the whole world under his grasp. He never thought carbonated drinks would feel so good. Only after purchasing a pack of cigarettes on top did he feel like he was finally back on Earth.
After emptying the can of Coke and finishing a cigarette by the roadside, he felt relaxed. He wanted to go grab some tasty food but knew he had better things to do.
He took out his phone and pressed the power button with his thumb, his eyes constantly staring at the screen. The moment the phone finished booting and the screen popped up….
Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz!!
The phone buzzed crazily. Although there was a short pause between each vibration, he could count at least ten of them. His eyes now widened, Seol Jihu checked his messages. His jaw dropped slightly.
'Mom… and Hyung, too?'
Most of his missed calls seemed to be spam calls, but his mother had called him twice and his older brother, Seol Wooseok, once.
'W-Why?'
It wasn't as if someone was chasing him, but Seol Jihu panicked. He checked the date of the calls. Although it had been a while since then, he was still tempted to call them back. But after thinking about it a little more, he decided that wasn't such a good idea. They had to be calling to ask where he got the money he previously showed up with. Seol Jihu had yet to come up with a good answer.
As such, there was only one person for him to call right now.
'It was April 17th the last time I was here, right?'
He remembered Kim Hannah yelling at him for not picking up his phone as he scrolled down the list of past callers. An unregistered phone number had called him several times on April 17th. Judging by the time the calls were made, he became positive that this was Kim Hannah's number.
But now that he thought about it, calling her wasn't so easy either. He tried his best to calm his beating heart as he pressed the call button.
Beep-!
Before the ringtone sounded out once…
—You-
Seol Jihu quickly pulled his phone away from his ear. He could barely hear the voice coming out of the phone, but he picked up on a few words, including 'son' and '-tard'.
%@#^&@^#@!
Like a sparrow that met a bird of prey, Seol Jihu blankly stared at his crying phone.
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 94 - Miscalculation
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C94 - Miscalculation
Chapter 94. Miscalculation
The coffee shop's door opened, and a youth walked in. After looking around the place carefully, he spotted a young woman sitting by the window. She was in a semiformal attire rather than her usual grey business suit, but her neatly tied ponytail was a definite trademark of Kim Hannah.
The youth walked up to her stiffly, but Kim Hannah showed zero reactions. She had her arms folded and her legs crossed, staring in front of her with an expressionless face.
Like a criminal with clear evidence against him, Seol Jihu hesitantly sat down on the seat across from her.
"Kim Hannah…."
He called her quietly, but Kim Hannah wasn't even staring at him. He couldn't be sure whether she was zoned out or just ignoring him, but her eyes were staring at the empty air.
A heavy silence filled the atmosphere. Seol Jihu looked down somewhat in shame. The awkward atmosphere was hard to bear. He would have much preferred Kim Hannah to spit out curses as he expected her to, but she had a different air about her.
'This can't be good.'
He schemed to look for the right opportunity to gloss over the subject, but that thought vanished completely. No matter how mischievous and immature he was, he knew when and when not to joke with someone.
Just as he was starting to get worried that his pounding heart might pop out of his chest…
"I've thought a lot about it."
Kim Hannah finally began.
"You might have thought… that I was being overprotective of you. Of course, I don't agree with that at all, but I understand if that's what you thought."
She continued in a quiet voice.
"I thought doing so was best for you, but I guess what's important in the end is how you perceived it. And putting it that way, giving you the communication crystal was careless of me. Using my status as your protector to interfere in your life or to get you to do what I want, you might have thought about me that way."
Kim Hannah sounded serious. Seol Jihu was just about to say, "No, I've never about you that way," but when he saw Kim Hannah taking out a white envelope from her purse, he flinched.
"So."
She put the envelope on the table and placed her hand on top of it. Her hand trembled as if she was about to push it forward.
"If you really want…."
"No."
Seol Jihu replied as his instincts told him to.
"What?"
Kim Hannah sounded like a well-sharpened blade.
"I don't think of you that way. Not now."
Seol Jihu shook his head. When he activated Nine Eyes, the envelope changed color. Kim Hannah was gold just like before, but the envelope had a murky yellow color.
This was the first time Seol Jihu was seeing the Golden Commandment with the Attention Required.
"I'm being honest."
Seol Jihu quickly added. He didn't know what was inside the envelope, but he had a strong feeling he must never receive it. The moment he did, he felt like Kim Hannah would disappear from his life.
"You don't think of me that way, yet…."
Kim Hannah's eyebrows perked up. For the first time since Seol Jihu entered the coffee shop, she met his eyes.
"You acted that way?"
When he saw her icy gaze, he shrunk back like a frog in front of a snake. One thing he could be glad about was that her hand holding the yellow envelope went loose. However, she still had her hand on it.
Tap, tap, tap- Kim Hannah rapidly tapped on the envelope with her index finger before opening her mouth.
"How was it?"
"Hm?"
"Those eight days. It couldn't have been just once or twice that your life was at risk…. It was fun, right? Hovering over the boundary of life and death, weren't those moments electrifying? Ah, you even had a beautiful princess by your side, so it must have been exhilarating."
"Don't say it like that."
Seol Jihu smiled bitterly.
"Am I wrong? If it looked like it wouldn't work out, it would have been as simple as committing suicide before getting caught."
"Kim Hannah, I know you're angry and I can understand why. Since I didn't keep the promise I made, it's my fault 100 percent. But… I'm not the type to enjoy trouble. No, it's not even right to call that incident 'trouble'. I'm not a psychopath who enjoys death."
Seol Jihu's serious tone put a frown on Kim Hannah's face.
"That experience… was a nightmare. It was like I was standing before a huge wall with nowhere to go. I was starving, my throat was parched, my body screamed in pain, and I couldn't even sleep properly because of the constant pursuit from the enemies…. What happened was my fault, but it wasn't just once or twice that I wanted to kill myself in despair. Right, those eight days were a nightmare, one that I never want to experience again."
Tap, tap- Kim Hannah's index finger became slower. She furrowed her brows.
"So you weren't enjoying yourself? Think about it carefully. Of course, it might have been hard for you at the time, but now that everything's gone and passed, don't you think about it this way?"
"What way?"
"You know, content, satisfying, even something along the lines of, 'I knew I could do it' or 'It was a good experience'."
"That makes no sense."
Seol Jihu chuckled as if he waved his hand around.
"I don't even think that way about my time in the military. Plus, I already told you how I felt. I won't think about it that way even in ten years."
"Really? You really don't think this way?"
"You probably don't understand. Returning alive, eating, drinking, sleeping on a bed, and even talking with you here, everything feels like a dream to me. I'm happy, but sometimes, I'm worried I would close my eyes and open them, only to find myself in that situation again."
Tap, tap- Kim Hannah's tapping sped down noticeably. She studied Seol Jihu as if she was trying to sniff out a secret. Her expression was clearly one of confusion. Her eyes narrowed, and as if to give up, she bit down on her lips.
"Then what is it?"
"?"
"If it's not that, then why did you go? Money? No, if you cared about money so much, you wouldn't have rejected me previously. Is it honor, then? No, the Seol Jihu I know isn't someone who's obsessed about honor."
"…."
"So if it's not money or honor, what is it? I just can't understand. Whatever, fine, if you're telling me the truth, prove it to me, right now."
Thunk. Kim Hannah kicked the table and asked in a forceful tone.
"If something similar happens in the future, what will you do? Since you know it's tough enough to make you want to kill yourself, you won't go again, right?"
"No, that might not be the case."
"What?"
"I'm saying it depends on the people involved."
Seol Jihu replied firmly.
"If it's for a complete stranger, I won't go. It's not like I'm some altruistic saint. But…."
He paused momentarily and stared at Kim Hannah.
"If it's you who I need to save, then I'll go. No matter what I have to do."
"Ha."
Kim Hannah looked as if she had just heard the most absurd pickup line.
"Am I supposed to be touched?"
"I didn't mean it that way."
"Then tell me. I've been asking you for a while now. Why?"
"…."
"I'm not your family member or your girlfriend. I'm just one of your acquaintances."
It was clear to anyone listening in that Kim Hannah still couldn't understand.
"So why are you saying you'd save me? What's the reason?"
"The Golden Rule."
Tap. The tapping stopped. Seeing Kim Hannah's frozen index finger, Seol Jihu smiled gently.
"Because you are my Golden Commandment."
Kim Hannah stared at him in a daze.
"I, I don't understand what that means."
She shook her head as she muttered in a raspy voice. Seol Jihu suddenly opened his mouth.
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
"What are you on about now?"
"You told me to reveal my secrets in exchange for the Invitation."
Kim Hannah's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly.
"You."
"Let's say it's a part of that."
"Hey, you better not be trying to gloss over this with some random bullshit. You're saying you can't tell me because you don't trust me."
"Don't say it like that. In the first place, you're the one who approached me to use me."
Seol Jihu said curtly.
"I had no intention of revealing my secrets. Not to you or anyone else."
Since you're the one who made me fall into a pit of despair in my dream. He swallowed this line down.
"But after seeing how you were treating me, I changed my mind. It's still changing. I'm debating whether to tell you everything or not. I feel like I can trust you, but I can't be sure. I'm in a constant struggle."
Kim Hannah tilted her head. She looked up at the ceiling with a puzzled look.
"I'm not sure what…. Haa."
In the end, she turned her gaze back down and massaged her temples with her hands.
"Anyways."
Seol Jihu continued to talk.
"We established a new relationship back when we last met, and it's true that I'm the one who broke our promise. I have nothing to say other than sorry."
A long sigh rang out along with the murmuring, 'Golden Rule… Golden Rule….'
Soon.
"…Okay, I think I get it."
"Kim Hannah?"
"Shut up for a bit. I'm still organizing my thoughts. So what you're saying is that you're justified in participating in that mission and that you're not addicted. Okay, fine, I get all that."
Kim Hannah muttered in a somewhat feeble voice, then….
"But you need to know this."
She locked her fingers together and stared straight at him.
"There is no incident without a problem. But not only are you actively looking for incidents, but you're also walking into them with your own two feet."
"That's…."
"Quiet. Do you know what I went through a few days ago? You and I are bound by a contract. Your actions have consequences that directly affect me. Whether those consequences are good or bad doesn't matter. I prefer not to be swept into things I can't handle any more than this."
"I promise. Something like this won't happen ever again."
"Well, we'll see about that. I'm not the type of person who thinks people can be changed to my liking."
Kim Hannah told him flat out but revealed a hesitant expression.
"But… looking at you, I'm starting to change my mind. At the very least, the Seol Jihu that's in front of me isn't the gambling addict I know. Right?"
"…Yeah."
"But you still broke our promise twice. I hate people who habitually break promises more than gambling addicts."
Kim Hannah leaned forward.
"So… Jihu."
She grabbed Seol Jihu's hands and held them tightly.
"Don't disappoint me any more than this."
The pressure coming from her palms seemed to say, 'There won't be a third time.'
"Please, knowing how special you think of me… I don't want to be a fox to you too."
Kim Hannah's alias was Miss Foxy. Hugo even said she was one of the Six Crazies. Now that he was looking at her like this, he didn't feel like Hugo was joking. He slowly nodded his head, and only then did Kim Hannah let go of his hands.
She glanced at the white envelope on the table.
"…."
After a moment of hesitation, she carefully picked it up. Seol Jihu swallowed hard, watching the envelope disappear into Kim Hannah's purse.
'So this is the Golden Commandment?'
Treat others how you wanted to be treated. Seol Jihu trembled as he remembered these words. Until now, he only saw the 'Golden Commandment' in a positive way.
Treat others like gold and you will receive gold. So what will happen if you treat others like trash?
'A double-edged blade.'
He felt like he was beginning to understand the concept of the Nine Eyes' right side. Having finished organizing her purse, Kim Hannah asked.
"Breakfast?"
"H-Hm?"
"Have you had breakfast?"
The air suddenly cooled down. Seol Jihu subconsciously let out the breath he had been holding in. He scratched his head and replied.
"Not yet."
*
After leaving the coffee shop, the duo headed to a restaurant. Kim Hannah introduced him to a high-class ginseng chicken soup place called 'Chicken Cloud Palace' and ended up watching Seol Jihu eat with a shocked expression.
Nom, nom.
Slurp, slurp, slurrrrp!
He picked the chicken up whole and picked it apart piece by piece. Kim Hannah had never seen someone eat ginseng chicken soup as if it was a bowl of noodles.
"Eat slower. You're going to have problems digesting all that."
When she filled his empty cup with water, Seol Jihu paused for a moment and gulped it down in one shot. Kim Hannah shook her, perhaps feeling bad about making him check for her reactions constantly.
"I won't say anything, so just eat. Eat to your heart's content."
Rather than going back to stuffing his face with chicken, Seol Jihu grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth.
"I have a question."
"What."
"Did something happen?"
"…Why do you think something happened?"
"Today, you were a bit more hysterical than usual."
"Hys… What did you say?"
Kim Hannah eyes turned into daggers. Seol Jihu quickly changed the topic.
"I mean, you said so before. That you went through something a few days ago."
Hearing this, Kim Hannah's glaring eyes loosened and was replaced by bitterness.
"It's not something to talk about while eating."
"Don't worry, it won't ruin my appetite."
Kim Hannah smacked her lips.
"It's just that… I met someone."
"Who?"
"The First Lady."
Seol Jihu was about to take another bite out of the chicken but paused midway.
"By First Lady, you mean…."
"Who do you think? She's Yun Seora's older sister."
"Her? What, did she beat you up or something?"
"She's not like that."
Kim Hannah chuckled and took out a document the size of an A4 paper from her purse.
"Here, it's 252.5 million won. I sold it for 500 silver coins."
"Sold what?"
"The ornament you gave me, stupid."
Seol Jihu dropped the chicken.
"R-Really?"
"Yep. I already converted it to Earth's currency. You understand why, right?"
Seol Jihu was about to shout, 'Of course, I do! It's not like I'm short on money in Paradise!' but he didn't and fell into deep thought. It didn't look like Kim Hannah was all that happy about it.
"Did someone steal the money?"
"I would have preferred that, actually. That way, I would have something over them."
What was that supposed to mean? Seol Jihu couldn't quite understand what she was talking about, so he decided to just listen for now.
"This problem actually started from you spending the 100 million won I gave you."
Seol Jihu immediately coughed, and Kim Hannah burst into laughter.
"Anyways, I planned to give this money to you over the course of three years."
"Three years?"
"Yeah. Like a salary, I planned to give you 4 million every month and give out the rest through various bonuses and benefits."
Seol Jihu blinked repeatedly before going, "Ah!"
"You were trying to make it look like I got a job! Like Sinyoung's system."
That was good news for him. When he visited his parents before, he told them he got a job. But the reality was that he would be at a loss for words if they started asking him about it.
Once they began asking questions like 'what company do you work for?', 'let me see your contract', or 'let me see your bank account', they would discover the truth in no time.
But with a fake job, everything would be resolved. Given Kim Hannah's skills, she would have undoubtedly come up with a legit source for the 100 million won she gave him.
"You're really smart when it comes to things like this."
Kim Hannah snorted at Seol Jihu's compliment and continued.
"Right, I wanted to arrange a secure source of money for you and give you a secure environment so that you wouldn't have to worry about life on this side. So I wanted to push you into a foreign company I trust, but….'
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