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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 95 - You did well, Jihu.
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C95 - You did well, Jihu.
Chapter 95. You did well, Jihu.
After hearing Kim Hannah's brief explanation, Seol Jihu couldn't help but be a bit puzzled.
"To Sinyoung?"
Apparently, Kim Hannah was faced with the words, 'Is there a need for him to go to another company? Bring him to Sinyoung.' The person who said this was supposedly Yun Seohui, Sinyoung Pharmaceuticals's top-level executive.
"So… I'm going to become affiliated with Sinyoung?"
"Not necessarily."
Kim Hannah swirled her chopsticks around the ginseng chicken soup, her ponytail dancing in the air.
"I told you before, right? That those with the authority to invite Earthlings to Paradise have the duty to develop a safe environment for Earthlings to cross worlds."
"Yeah."
"Think about it that way. Nothing more, nothing less. You said you were going to the place I recommended you, so Sinyoung basically volunteered themselves. Frankly, it's not a bad deal. In fact, it's a great one."
It seemed Sinyoung stepped up when nobody asked them to. Of course, they couldn't force Kim Hannah to invite Seol Jihu or force Seol Jihu to accept their offer.
"Right, there's no problem on the surface…."
Kim Hannah suddenly grabbed her chopsticks as if to split them in half.
"But it still feels like shit."
She then furrowed her brows and bore her teeth.
"That bitch. Do you know what she said? 'Oh, Miss Hannah, don't you think you're being a bit too greedy?' Fuck her. What business does she have with my belongings? I'm the one who got that gold stamp, and I'm the one who's contracted to you. That fucking whore."
The emotions behind her voice surpassed the level of rage and resentment and treaded into the level of abhorrence and cursing. It seemed Kim Hannah's pride had really been hurt.
"Anyways, there's no problem on the surface, but you still need to stay sharp. This gives them a point of contact with you."
"Do I have to go to them? Can't you just say I declined their offer?"
"There's no reason for you to."
"Well, you could always say it's personal preference."
"That's true, but that will only create more enemies for you. Plus, it will trouble me too."
"But-"
Seol Jihu was about to say, 'But why would it?', but he swallowed his words back down. He made a somewhat meek, helpless expression.
"I'm just finding it hard to understand…."
"Understand what?"
"Did I… do something wrong?"
Kim Hannah's eyes widened. Seol Jihu twirled his spoon around as he continued.
"Why is everyone so bent on harassing me? I, I just wanted to save them, that's all. I didn't have other intentions. It's true that I just did what I wanted at the time, but it's not like I hurt them or inconvenienced them somehow."
"…."
"I'm busy trying to mind my own business, yet…."
"That's just how Paradise is."
Kim Hannah looked at him bitterly and quietly cut him off.
"The world isn't as simple and clear as you think. I can guarantee you one thing."
"Guarantee?"
Seol Jihu asked. Kim Hannah hesitated for a long time before finally opening her mouth.
"Wait. Even if you don't do anything, there will be people who curse you. The more famous you get, the more hate you'll receive. Some people will even resent you. That's not the end of it. There will be a ton of people who are going to try to use you, even if you didn't do anything wrong."
"But, but why?"
Seol Jihu looked visibly confused.
"Because you're trying to jump ahead."
Kim Hannah said with a bitter smile.
"That's just how the world is."
She muttered in a low voice. She wasn't done yet.
"That's not all. Even on Earth, there are thousands of incidents people find hard to understand. For example, a serial killer randomly murdering people. Assailants don't care about the victims' intentions at all."
"…."
"Just look at celebrities. Sure, some of them might deserve the hate they receive, but there are a lot more who don't. Do you know why haters leave mean comments or attack them on their social media? It's simple. Because they're unhappy, because they want attention, because they're bored, because they don't like the way someone looks, because they just want to argue, because they're jealous. There are countless reasons."
Seol Jihu was at a loss for words. He still couldn't fully understand, but he couldn't think of anything to say either.
"…Don't worry about it too much."
Seeing Seol Jihu's depressed expression, Kim Hannah remarked as if to console him.
"You know who I am, right? I'm your protector. I'll make sure no harm comes to you because of this, so don't worry."
Kim Hannah seemed to have a plan from the way she was talking. Seol Jihu nodded his head, feeling somewhat apologetic in his heart. He wasn't comfortable seeing Kim Hannah run around trying to clean up the mess he made.
After a moment of silence, Kim Hannah opened her mouth.
"Anyways, let's stop talking about that now and move onto something else. You."
"Me?"
"I thought you'd fool around more in Paradise. I'm surprised you actually came here at the right time."
Kim Hannah cleaned the table and put a big basket on top of it. The basket was decorated with flowers and a ribbon, and two bottles of wine could be seen inside. Seol Jihu could tell they were high-class wines just by looking at their labels.
"Wow, what's this? They look expensive."
"Dom Perignon, Rose Vintage 2004. It's not that expensive, about 500 thousand won per bottle."
"Dom… what?"
"Never mind that. Here, write."
Kim Hannah handed him a pen and a simple but beautiful letter. When Seol Jihu stared at her blankly, she muttered as if she was looking at a fool.
"Don't you know what day it is today?"
"It's not my birthday, at least. Ah, is it yours?"
"No, mine is August 1st."
"Then… a celebratory day for me getting a job?"
"Are you crazy?"
Kim Hannah narrowed her eyes and chuckled.
"Geez… do you really want to reconcile with your family?"
Seol Jihu tilted his head. His father, mother, older brother, and younger sister… none of them had their birthday in May.
"Today is your parents' wedding anniversary. Wedding! Anniversary!"
"Really?"
Seol Jihu's eyes widened.
"How do you know something I don't?"
"Oh please, I investigated your background for half a year. Besides, how do you not know your parents'…. No, never mind. I guess I expected too much from a gambling addict."
Kim Hannah shook her head before throwing the pen and letter at Seol Jihu. Of course, Seol Jihu wasn't really sure what to do with them. Never mind knowing what to write, he wasn't even sure if he should go visit them.
'Do I have to go?'
He suddenly remembered the last time he visited them.
[Stop fucking wasting my time, okay? You think I'll fall for your lies again?]
[Horse racing? Or sports betting?]
More than a few weeks had passed since then, but thinking about that day still pained him, like his heart was being stabbed by a knife. Also, it made him afraid.
"Come on, what are you waiting for? Write. Let me see what you can come up with."
"Um, you know…."
Seol Jihu forced a smile and carefully opened his mouth.
"Can I send this through their mail? I'll even pay extra to get it to them fast."
Hearing this, Kim Hannah glared at him sharply. Seol Jihu flinched and quickly continued talking.
"I mean, today is supposed to be a happy day for them. If I go, I'm only going to ruin the mood. I don't even think they'll let me in."
"Hey."
Kim Hannah frowned and folded her arms.
"If you have a brain, use it. You're already a piece of trash. If you were in your parents' shoes, what would you think if their trash of a son sent a single letter by mail for their anniversary? You think they'd go, 'Oh~ Our son is taking care of us now that he's financial stable~ What a good boy~', huh?"
Seol Jihu had nothing to say to Kim Hannah's sarcastic remark.
"To your family, you're still a gambling addict. Don't you want to escape from that image?"
"…."
"Tell me."
"…I do."
Seol Jihu barely eked out an answer. Kim Hannah pointed to the basket with her chin.
"Then take this and go tell them. Look at them in the eye and beg for their forgiveness. Isn't that the least you can do as their son?"
Seol Jihu could only wordlessly wet his lips.
"You're joking, right? Do you have any idea how long it takes to heal a wounded heart? Begging for their forgiveness dozens of times might not be enough, but… mail?"
Kim Hannah snorted as if she just heard the most absurd joke in the world.
"And let's get this straight. Just like you said, they might not even let you in. You'll definitely ruin the mood if you go. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't. You don't want to go because you know how they will treat you. You're avoiding them."
Seol Jihu felt dazed by Kim Hannah's violent flurry of facts.
"No, that's not-"
"You really are a bastard, aren't you? After leaving them with so many wounds, you're scared of getting yelled at? Are you for real?"
"Hey."
"What? You think I'm exaggerating? You want me to stop? Fine, do what you want. They're your family, not mine."
"…Okay, okay, I get it."
In the end, Seol Jihu gave in and grabbed the pen. Seeing him take the letter, Kim Hannah snorted once again.
"What matters is you going to see them. And make sure to write each word carefully and cleanly. What heals a wounded heart isn't time or medicine. It's sincerity."
"I know…."
Seol Jihu pouted his lower lips but began to slowly move the pen in his hand. Seeing him wrecking his brain trying to come up with the right words, Kim Hannah smiled secretly.
She had made thorough preparations for their meeting. She had answers ready for anything they might ask, including information regarding the company that 'hired' him and the source of the money he previously received. She even prepared a formal suit for him to wear.
Of course, it wasn't a brand new one. The collar of the dress shirt was loose, and the suit jacket gave off an aged smell. Simply put, it was the suit of a typical company employee working overtime every day. That was the hardworking company employee look Kim Hannah was going for.
'Do I have to go this far?'
Seol Jihu couldn't help but wonder, but he still did as Kim Hannah said and waited until it seemed like the right time to visit.
The sun was setting, and the sky was dyed in orange light. It was a little past seven. He had purposely avoided visiting them during dinner time. Given what he knew about his parents' personalities, he knew they would be having a celebratory dinner.
Rather than coming before dinner time and making it difficult for them to swallow food, he judged it would be better once they had time to digest what they ate.
'Calm down, heart, please.'
As familiar buildings came into view, his heart pounded harder and harder. He had experienced the same feeling once before, yet fear flooded in like a tidal wave.
He knew what would happen, but he couldn't help but remain a little hopeful.
'Don't expect anything, don't expect anything.'
He recited the same line over and over again in his heart like it was some sort of a magical spell. Before long, he arrived at his destination.
He carefully opened the main gate and walked up the staircase. He legs moved quickly at first, but when he arrived at the front door, they slowed to a pause.
With a briefcase in one hand and the basket Kim Hannah prepared in the other, Seol Jihu stared at the closed door for a long time. His pounding heart didn't slow down and only got faster. He was even beginning to worry that it would burst out of his chest.
"Huuu…."
He smacked his chest a couple times and pressed the doorbell after much deliberation. Ding, ding The ringing sent a shiver down his spine, almost like it was an alarm alerting the start of his execution.
A queasy feeling was beginning to well up inside his stomach when….
"…."
The ringing ended. He pressed the doorbell again, but he couldn't hear anyone coming to the door. The front door remained shut.
'Are they out?'
Given the occasion, it would make sense if they went out for dinner. Once his thoughts reached here, he suddenly felt air leaving his body, and a sense of relief rushed in.
'What should I do?'
Should I wait? Or just leave the basket here? Seol Jihu paced back and forth in the hallway for dozens of minutes before finally deciding to place the basket in front of the door.
After putting the letter he took great effort to write between the flowers, he turned around. It was then.
"Haha…."
"Yeah, so I…."
He could hear the sound of harmonious talking coming from a distance.
"I was almost disappointed when you said you couldn't make it."
"Sorry, something came up suddenly…."
The sound quickly grew louder.
"You resolved everything?"
"Yes, thankfully…."
And it soon approached the main gate.
"Ah."
By the time Seol Jihu snapped out of his daze, they had already gone inside. For some reason, Seol Jihu was looking for a place to hide. Of course, there wasn't anything like it.
"Wait, why is the main gate open…?"
"Did you not close it on your way out, Oppa?"
"I did."
"Wait, maybe someone came?"
Seol Jihu began making his way down when he ran into them. The moment the six pairs of eyes discovered the youth, their harmonious chitchat stopped.
The first one to speak was Seol Jinhee.
"The hell? Why is that son of a bitch here?"
Her curt tone stung. Seol Jihu was just as flustered as anyone else. He somewhat suspected that this would be the case, but on top of his father, mother, older brother, and younger sister, Yoo Seonhwa and Yoo Seunghae were there as well.
The six of them seemed to have returned after eating out. As the youth wasn't expecting to meet them this way, he only stared at them in a daze. Seeing this, a brown-skinned middle-aged man opened his mouth slightly.
"You."
But that only lasted a moment. His face quickly distorted, and he immediately shut his mouth.
"…Kuhum!"
He gave the youth a sharp glare before stomping up the stairs silently. After that, he didn't look at the youth, much less talk to him. He purposely ignored the basket in front of the door and pressed the doorlock password.
"Son?"
As the youth was about to turn into a fish out of water, a nostalgic voice flowed into his ears. His mother was looking up at him with an entranced look.
"M-Mom."
"Aigo, aigo, my little son…."
She staggered up the stairs and was about to grab his hand when his father threw the door open and shouted.
"What are you doing!? Come inside!"
Startled, the mother's complexion distorted.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean what am I doing? Why don't you ask that bastard!?"
When the youth's father came outside and began approaching him with his fist clenched, his mother quickly stepped between the two of them.
"Calm down. He came to visit us."
"Visit us? So what!?"
"Dear, can't you tell Jihu's been walking on eggshells since a while ago? How can you just ignore him…. Don't you feel bad?"
Ha! A loud snort followed.
"You're the problem. How many times have you been tricked until now? You still don't get it? This bastard isn't a human being. He's just a piece of trash. He's worse than a beast."
The atmosphere quickly changed for the worse. Perhaps because loud voices were flying back and forth, Yoo Seunghae hid behind her older sister, and Seol Jinhee watched the spectacle with a satisfied look on her face.
Everyone had different reactions, but one thing Seol Jihu could be sure of was that they were looking at him with eyes that seemed to say, 'Why did you come?'
This is why I didn't want to come.
Facing the looks of scorn and being battered by coarse condemnation, Seol Jihu closed his eyes tight. His father and mother were still arguing.
"He said he quit gambling and is working hard now."
"And you believe that? Ah~ The casino ban? Seorak Land isn't the only casino in Korea. It's obvious what he's up to. Do I need to spell it out for you?"
"Stop it, would you!? He already paid back what he owed. He even came to see us with a gift knowing it was our anniversary. We should at least hear him out."
"Paid back what he owed? You want to talk about money? Fine."
Thud! The door shot open. Loud stomps rang out, and something smacked Seol Jihu's face.
"Eup!"
Seol Jihu opened his eyes, only to see an envelope falling down with a wad of cash inside.
"You bastard!"
His father yelled with his finger pointed at him.
"You think the past's all gone and done now that you returned the money? You want to go back to acting like a son?"
"F-Father."
"Shut it! Don't call me father. I don't remember having a bastard like you as my son!"
His thunderous roar made his wife flinch. Seol Jihu opened his mouth as calmly as he could.
"Father, I'm sorry, I…."
"I told you to shut it!"
He yelled as if he didn't want to hear a thing. His anger didn't seem to reside after all that yelling as his breathing continued to get rough.
"You. I told you before, didn't I? That you should never do anything ever again to make you apologize or give an excuse."
His growling way of talking made Seol Jihu shut his mouth.
"Y-You shameless son of a bitch. You think money was the problem? You think everything's over after throwing us an envelope of money without even a simple explanation!? Huh!?"
"Father…."
"I told you to shut up. I dare you to open your mouth again. I'll rip it to shreds."
"Dear!"
"Now screw off! I don't want to see you again!"
Eii! After a loud grunt, Seol Jihu's father turned around and stomped into the house. His mother chased after him to plead with him. Soon, loud arguing rang out once more, and Seol Jihu bit his lips from rising guilt.
They must have been having fun. I shouldn't have come.
A heavy silence descended. Seol Wooseok, who was standing still a distance away, scratched the back of his head. Looking at his younger brother standing there like a stone statue, he opened his mouth.
"…You came from work?"
"…Huh? Oh, um, yeah."
Seol Jihu nodded with a dazed look. He might be mistaken, but Seol Wooseok's voice seemed to have gotten a tad gentler.
"You should have come a bit earlier. We went to the place you like."
"Bong Pyeongyang?"
"Yep. You love their naengmyeon."
"Ah… well, if I came earlier, you guys probably wouldn't have eaten anything."
"I guess."
Seol Wooseok chuckled bitterly.
Seol Jihu swallowed hard. How long had it been since he last held a conversation with his older brother? He didn't know what to make of it.
Seol Wooseok glanced at the basket in front of the door and opened his mouth.
"Are you busy today too? You're not planning on going back after just dropping this off, are you?"
"…No, I've been waiting for you guys to come back."
"Then come in."
Seol Wooseok held up the black plastic bag in his hand.
"Come eat some dessert. It's ice cream."
Seol Jihu blinked repeatedly. For a moment, he doubted his own ears.
"I… I can?"
"You came to talk to them, right?"
"God, spare me the bullshit."
At that moment, a sharp voice cut in between them.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Seol Jinhee walked closer with a sneering smirk on her face.
"Jinhee."
"Stay out of this, Oppa. Hey, can't you take a fucking hint?"
She raised her hand and poked Seol Jihu's chest with her finger. In truth, it was closer to a stab as he flinched in pain.
"You saw what happened last time and you still came? Don't you get it? 'I know how they'll treat me, so I shouldn't come here again. That's the least I can do for the people who were once my family'. Didn't something like this pop into your head? Huh?"
Poke, poke! Because of Seol Jinhee's repeated stabbing pokes, Seol Jihu stepped backwards without even noticing it.
"If you paid back your debts, please disappear from our lives. You saw how you ruined the atmosphere, right? We're happy and healthy without you, so why do you come and cause this mess?"
Seol Jihu couldn't deny it. He could still hear his parents arguing inside the house.
"You. Get. It. Now? Stop trying to crawl back in and fuck off. And don't ever appear in front of us again. Okay? You get me?"
"Euk!"
Poke! Seol Jinhee suddenly stabbed his solar plexus, causing him to bend down and groan.
"Seol Jinhee."
Seol Wooseok stepped in, unable to watch this any further. However, Seol Jihu raised his hand and stopped him.
"I-It's fine."
He rubbed his solar plexus and forced out a smile.
"I'll go back for today."
"Not just for today, but forever. Please."
Leaving behind Seol Jinhee who harassed him until the end, Seol Jihu staggered towards the staircase. He felt like his brother and sister would start fighting if he stayed any longer, so he figured it would be better for everyone if he just left now.
But just as he was about to walk down the stairs, his eyes met Yoo Seonhwa's. She seemed to be at a loss for what to do, but she was clearly looking at him with mixed feelings of pity and sympathy.
Unable to endure the sense of humiliation that dawned on him, Seol Jihu quickened his pace. It was then.
"Hey!"
He turned around hearing Seol Jinhee's voice.
"Take this."
Whoosh- The basket came flying towards him.
Clang! After hitting the corner of the concrete stair, the wine bottle shattered with a loud bang. The liquid dripping out from the broken bottle wet the letter Seol Jihu wrote, and the petals of the flowers danced in the air before scattering everywhere.
"Seol Jinhee!"
"What!?"
"You're going too far!"
"You're the one to talk, Oppa…!"
The brother and sister finally began fighting. Seol Jihu blankly stared at the liquid spreading out on the concrete before squatting down.
He picked up the flower petals and the pieces of broken glass. He then heard the sound of someone's footsteps rushing down the stairs. This person squatted down across from him.
"Don't pick up the broken glass. It's dangerous."
Ssk, ssk- She spoke as she swept the broken glass together with her hand. This young woman with long, flowing hair was Yoo Seonhwa.
"…Seonhwa."
"Wait here. I'll go bring a vacuum cleaner."
"Seonhwa."
Yoo Seonhwa's hand paused. The piece of broken glass in Seol Jihu's tightened fist dug into his palm. Blood dripped down to the ground. A crimson liquid began to spread out, and Yoo Seonhwa jumped in surprise seeing the youth's trembling hand.
"Go back. I'll clean it up."
Seol Jihu murmured quietly.
"Y-You're bleeding."
"It's fine. You can go back."
"But…."
"Please, go back. Please."
Seol Jihu's calm voice only made Yoo Seonhwa look at him with sorrowful eyes.
He clenched his teeth. Soon, after picking all the flower petals and pieces of broken glass up from the ground, Seol Jihu staggered off like a drunk.
During that entire time, his head remained tilted down.
*
Time passed and darkness descended on the streets after dusk. Under a streetlight illuminating a street, Kim Hannah stood leaning against her car and looking up at the night sky. It wasn't until footsteps neared her that she lowered her gaze. Seeing a youth walking closer with a basket in hand, she smiled brightly.
She waited until he got closer before finally opening her mouth.
"If you keep staring at the ground like that, you're going to run into something."
The youth came to a stop. Kim Hannah could hear him inhale a small breath.
"…You were waiting?"
Surprisingly, his voice seemed fine.
"I came just in case you ran off elsewhere. Well, judging by that basket, it looks like you really went."
"You don't have to keep tabs on me. What are you, a stalker?"
"Stalker? I prefer the word, protector."
Kim Hannah said with a languid smile.
"How was it?"
"I'm sure you can tell."
"I can. But do you regret going?"
Seol Jihu didn't immediately reply. Kim Hannah patiently waited for him. After about five minutes of silence, he finally opened his mouth.
"You know how I… I lived like a piece of trash?"
"In the past."
"I made a lot of wrongs, too many to be forgiven with just one or two apologies. I deserved everything I got today."
"Well, you and I both know that."
He sighed.
"Yeah."
Then…
"I know I deserved it…."
His voice began to tremble.
"I know I'm the one who's at fault."
His shoulders shook.
"I know… all that…."
After listening to him for a while, Kim Hannah took her back off her car and slowly walked forward. She bent forward and looked up at the youth whose face was lowered.
Tk, tk. Seeing the drops of tear flow down his already-wet cheeks, she smiled.
"It's fine."
Kim Hannah hugged the silently crying Seol Jihu and patted his back.
"You did well, Jihu."
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 96 - Intentional Misunderstanding
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C96 - Intentional Misunderstanding
Chapter 96. Intentional Misunderstanding
The light of the scorching sun knocked on Seol Jihu's eyes. With blurry eyes, he gazed at his tilted room. He closed his eyes and pulled the blanket up to his head, but now that his mind was awake, sleep didn't return so easily.
In the end, he let out a deep sigh and pushed his blanket aside. He dazedly smoked a cigarette by the window and headed straight to the bathroom. Once he doused himself with cold water, he finally felt alive.
He was drying his hair with a towel when – Tang! Tang! – he heard a knock on the door.
"…Who is it?"
—It's me.
That reply was just as out of the blue as the morning visit itself, but Seol Jihu could easily tell who it was.
'She's here again?'
He put on his clothes even as he tilted his head curiously.
"Hold on."
Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera. That was the name of the car Kim Hannah brought with her.
Vruuuaa-!
Seol Jihu glanced at the driver's seat as he listened to the deafening exhaust sound. Light persimmon-colored sunglasses and a blue dress that matched her skin tone. She wasn't wearing her usual formal business attire, but it was easy to tell that she took great care in choosing her outfit.
"What are you looking at?"
Kim Hannah asked as she gently turned the steering wheel.
"Just curious."
"Do you need to be suspicious of everything? I already told you~ We're just having fun today."
Kim Hannah talked as if she was singing.
"As a protector, I have a duty to lighten up the mood of a depressed client in my care."
You say that when you're the one who made me depressed? Seol Jihu was about to snap back at her but swallowed his words.
He was the one who made the decision to go, and he didn't want to be the type of person who would fault someone after buying stocks on a recommendation and losing money. So, he changed the subject.
"Don't you have work?"
"Taking care of you is my biggest work… is what I want to say, but don't you know?"
Kim Hannah's car came to a stop at a red light. She turned to the passenger seat with a grin.
"It's Saturday today."
"Even if it's a weekend-"
"Going to work on a weekend? I could go if I wanted, but no one is going to force me to. Sinyoung Pharmaceuticals has a strict 5-day work week, its employees only need to clock in by 10 a.m., and it has a set closing time of 6 p.m."
Seol Jihu shook his head at a loss for words.
"Yeah? Well, it's great to know they wipe their employees' asses."
"That's not something you should say to a lady."
Kim Hannah snickered and turned back front.
"Anyways, I'm proud of you. I thought you'd grumble and say, 'Please leave. I want to be left alone.'"
"Am I a kid?"
"You're like one sometimes. You didn't know?"
Kim Hannah giggled, and Seol Jihu immediately retorted while feeling wronged.
"Is it just me or are you in a good mood today?"
As far as Seol Jihu could tell, Kim Hannah was laughing and smiling ever since she came to visit him this morning.
"Do I look that way?"
She lowered her sunglasses slightly and asked. Seol Jihu simply nodded.
"You're right. I feel like I lost ten years of fat weighing me down."
Kim Hannah agreed while snickering. Did she eat something wrong? Or did she finally go crazy? Just as Seol Jihu was beginning to worry, she suddenly straightened her neck.
"I dealt them a blow."
"To who?"
"You know~ Those sons of bitches who are constantly eyeing other people's things."
Kim Hannah explained in a roundabout way, but Seol Jihu immediately understood who she was talking about.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing much. I just spread the rumor that you might join Sinyoung."
Kim Hannah continued.
"Those bastards have been pressuring me because I couldn't get you to join Sinyoung before, and I just proved them wrong. I'm sure they're realizing now that they were barking up the wrong tree."
Spread the rumor? Proved them wrong? Seol Jihu thought about her words carefully before raising his hands.
"I don't get what you mean."
"Wait and you'll find out. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
Kim Hannah spoke confidently as she stretched hard.
"Aaaaah~ So, where do you wanna go?"
Seol Jihu stared at her dumbfoundedly.
"Hm, well, there's the saying that a well-plated dish tastes better, so why don't we go to the beauty salon I frequent?"
"So I'm a plate of good to you."
The traffic signal changed at that moment.
"Yeah, like a plate of gold."
Kim Hannah smiled brightly and stepped on the accelerator.
*
After being dragged around for the entire day, Seol Jihu finally came back home after dinner.
"Huk… huk…."
The moment he entered his room, he threw the shopping bags in his hands to the side and staggered sideways until he leaned against the wall.
'W-What kind of girl….'
He lost count of how many shopping malls they visited. Looking at the dozens of shopping bags lying around him, he made an exhausted expression before grabbing two of them.
Inside them were a pair of white sneakers and white workout clothes Kim Hannah told him to bring to Paradise. His eyes flickered with light as he stared at the items worth hundreds of thousands of won. When he thought about training in new workout clothes and shoes, his heart pounded a bit in anticipation.
'Ah.'
It was then that he finally remembered his main reason for returning to Earth. He had forgotten about it until now because of the shock he received yesterday. In all honesty, he wanted to jump back to Paradise now.
But he knew he couldn't do that. If he wanted to go back to Paradise even a day earlier, he needed to make the best use of his time on Earth.
Thinking about Paradise, he felt a shot of endorphin rush through him. Seol Jihu's eyes shone as he turned his laptop on.
*
Seol Jihu endured the time he spent on Earth thinking only about Paradise. To be exact, he made Paradise the focus of all his thoughts. By doing so, he could forget everything else.
Every morning, he put on the workout clothes Kim Hannah bought him and headed to the gym.
'Having workout equipment really is convenient. It's more efficient too."
Now that he thought about it, he first thought he wanted to join Carpe Diem when he saw their first-floor training ground. Since electronic equipment couldn't be brought into Paradise, they didn't have things like treadmills, but they had dumbells, pull-up bars, and other non-electronic workout tools.
Seol Jihu reminded himself to look at the list of non-prohibited items as he grabbed the lat pulldown bar. His scapulae tightened as his back muscle protruded.
'Bring the bar down until it's almost touching the collarbone. Use the latissimus dorsi muscle, not the arms….'
He focused on maintaining the posture and breathing that Agnes taught him. Because of this, he didn't notice that a woman sitting on a yoga mattress was stealing glances at his lean and muscular body.
*
Once he finished his workout and left the gym, he headed straight to a large bookstore. He purchased three books: 'Javelin Throw', published by an athletics competition committee; 'Analysis of Techniques for Javelin Throw Delivery', a DVD-included book published by an athletics research group; and 'Traditional Acupuncture', something he got to prepare for an acupuncture license.
When he brought the three books to the counter, a young woman who seemed to be a part-time worker opened her mouth hesitantly.
"H-Here's your receipt."
"No, it's fine."
"P-Pardon?"
"Um, I don't need the receipt."
"N-No, I think it's better to keep it."
"…Huh?"
She put the receipt in the plastic bag containing his books and handed it to him with both hands. Although it was somewhat forced on him, it didn't really matter, so he just walked out of the bookstore while scratching his head.
'Why are books so expensive… hm?'
He was looking at the prices of the books on the receipt when he found a phone number written at the bottom and tilted his head. Seeing as how it was written with a pen, it didn't seem to be a printing error.
'What's this?'
Seol Jihu tilted his head confusedly before putting the receipt in his pocket and making his way to the local library.
Sitting down inside the library, he opened the book on acupuncture only to be taken aback. Pictures of the human body strewn with complex dots and lines, traditional Chinese characters, and countless technical jargon…. All his eyes recognized was black ink on top of white paper.
'Damn….'
He expected it to be difficult, but he didn't think it would be to this degree.
'Do I have to go this far?'
Considering the amount of contribution points he had saved up, he could instantly acquire the Level 2 skills without a problem. Although he was tempted briefly, Seol Jihu quickly shook off the thought.
He remembered what Agnes told him. Although it wouldn't be easy, he believed he would be rewarded handsomely for acquiring the skills on his own. Since he firmly trusted Agnes when it came to training, he doubled down on his resolve and raised his mechanical pencil.
'I don't need to study everything.'
He told himself he didn't need to be intimidated since he only needed to learn the core concepts. Moreover, he thought of himself as a quick learner.
'It's been a while since I last studied, huh.'
After a brief chuckle, he began to display a frightening level of focus.
'If the human body and the meridians were to be compared to trees…. The Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the eight vessels connected to the extraordinary organs…. The 24 conception vessel acupoints consist of the Sauce Receptacle, Celestial Chimney, Chest Center, Turtledove Tail, Central Venter, Spirit Gate, Sea of Qi, Origin Pass, Meeting of Yin….'
On a desk illuminated by bright sunlight, a handsome youth was focused on studying with his sleeves rolled up. A heartwarming air naturally filled the atmosphere. Although it wasn't so important now, Seol Jihu was a graduate of Soyoung University, one of Korea's top four universities.
Other than going to the restroom once, Seol Jihu's butt stayed on his chair the entire time. It wasn't until dinner time that he finally got up from his seat.
He quickly headed home. The book on acupuncture was a chore to get through, but the books about the javelin throw were easier than he expected. Of course, there was a limit to how much he could absorb just by reading. Thankfully, one of the books came with a DVD.
He was thinking about watching the DVD once he got home, but his eyes were glued to the book as he walked.
'I see…. Throwing doesn't mean I should only be using my hand. If I use a tool called the spear-thrower, I can propel the spear much faster than farther than throwing it by hand alone….'
"Excuse me."
Seol Jihu was muttering to himself when he raised his head after hearing someone block his path.
"Are you Mister Seol Jihu?"
He was almost home, but there was a man standing in front of his apartment's main parking lot.
"Yes, I am…."
Immediately, he went, 'Ah, shoot!' A formally dressed man was waiting for him at this hour in front of his house?
He activated Nine Eyes.
'Colorless.'
After checking his color, he raised his guard and opened his mouth.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, this is who I am."
The man took out a business card and handed it to Seol Jihu respectfully. The word 'Sinyoung' was clearly printed on the card.
"What business does Sinyoung have with me?"
"I know this may be sudden, but can you come with us?"
The man cut to the chase and pointed at his sedan. Seol Jihu only stared at him blankly.
"Why?"
"It's for the fake employment we will be handling, but…."
Seol Jihu shook his head.
"I don't think this is the right time. It's too sudden."
"Please."
"There's something I need to take care of urgently. I'd like to put this off to a later time."
"It won't take long. I promise."
Hearing this, Seol Jihu closed his book.
"That sounds like you'll take me no matter what."
"I apologize if that's what it sounded like."
"It doesn't look like the fake employment is the only reason."
"I won't deny that. But, I promise, the meeting will be short."
The man seemed strangely impatient. Seol Jihu asked bravely.
"If I say no, will you take me by force?"
"Not at all. I was told to treat you with the utmost respect. I have no intention of forcing you to do anything. But if possible, I would really like you to come."
"And if I say no?"
"Then…."
The man blurred the end of his speech and let out a bitter smile.
"I will back off here, but our miss will be extremely sad."
'Our miss?'
When Seol Jihu's eyes narrowed, the man bent his back.
"Please. It's fine if you only stay for a cup of tea, so…."
Seol Jihu clicked his tongue. He didn't want to go. To be exact, he didn't want to involve himself in this problem. But Kim Hannah advised him not to do anything that would create suspicion. If he declined here, there was a huge chance Sinyoung would not see him favorably.
'For the fake employment, huh…. Damn it.'
It was true that he needed to meet with them about it. The only problem was that Kim Hannah wasn't here.
'I don't want to burden her any more than this….'
After careful deliberation, Seol Jihu put his book away.
'If I only need to meet with them….'
Nine Eyes did not reveal the color of danger. As long as he stayed sharp, he figured he wouldn't be in any life-threatening situation. He would just need to hear them out and nod his head a couple of times.
"…Let's go."
The man straightened his back as if he was waiting for these words.
"Thank you. This way, please."
He guided Seol Jihu to his car. After personally opening the door for Seol Jihu, the man got in the driver's seat and said as he turned the engine on.
"Pardon me for being rude and thank you for being so understanding."
Seol Jihu didn't say anything. The man continued as he stepped on the accelerator.
"In truth, Director Kim Hannah warned us not to approach you, Mister Seol Jihu, as you are having trouble due to a family matter. That's why our miss waited patiently…."
Vruaaaang-! He couldn't hear the rest of the man's sentence because of the engine sound.
"Come again?"
Seol Jihu meant to ask him to repeat what he said, but he seemed to have understood him differently as he nodded his head.
"I'm not lying. Because she's been having trouble sleeping, she's getting weaker and weaker by the day…."
"?"
What was that supposed to mean? Seol Jihu blinked repeatedly with a confused face.
Although he had never met Yun Seohui before, in his head, she was a mastermind hiding behind the curtains, dressed in black with crossed legs and a glass of wine in her hand. The vampire-like woman was smiling seductively while murmuring, 'Hoho, I wonder when I'll get my hands on that toy.'
But this person was having trouble sleeping at night because she couldn't wait to see him? Rather than a mastermind, she sounded like a maiden in love.
'He likes to exaggerate quite a bit, huh.'
Thinking that this might be a ploy to make him lower his guard, Seol Jihu reminded himself to stay sharp.
*
The man drove him to a high-class Chinese restaurant.
'I thought I only needed to stay for a cup of tea?'
Seol Jihu wondered as he walked through the VIP area, but when he saw their menu hanging on the wall, he jumped in surprise.
They had tea, but….
'60 million won per cup?!'
He felt like he was in a completely different world. The man guided him to the top floor of the restaurant before carefully knocking on the traditional-style sliding door.
"I brought him, Miss."
Next….
—Thank you.
A sweet, melodic voice rang out. The voice was high-pitched but light on the ears.
—You can take your leave now.
"But-"
—I'm fine.
The man glanced at the youth behind him before bowing respectfully and taking his leave.
'It feels like I'm here to meet the daughter of an esteemed family. Ah, well, I guess I'm not that far off.'
Seol Jihu muttered inwardly when… Drrrk!, the door shot open as if the person inside was sure that the man had left.
The person inside wasn't a vampire nor a maiden dressed in traditional Korean dress. When Seol Jihu met her bloodshot eyes, he couldn't help but drop his jaw.
Whish. The red-eyed ghost, no, woman ran up to Seol Jihu wearing only her pantyhose. Her bloodshot eyes glistened as they looked up at him.
"Ah…."
Her lips pursed as if she had much to say. She got on her tip-toes and grabbed his arms.
"Finally…."
Her voice was completely different than before. It now carried a hint of yearning that made Seol Jihu snap out of his daze. However, he couldn't hide his shock.
He expected to see Sinyoung's First Lady, but the woman shining in a brilliant golden light wasn't Yun Seohui, but…
"I wanted to see you…."
Yun Seora.
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 97 - Great Fortune Within Hardship
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C97 - Great Fortune Within Hardship
Chapter 97. Great Fortune Within Hardship
The youth's brain found it difficult to accept that the woman in front of him was Yun Seora. Seol Jihu carefully examined her delicate facial features, which reminded him of a sculpture from the Renaissance.
His first impression of Yun Seora was that she was an arrogant, prudish city girl. But after he saved her from Kang Seok during the Tutorial and lived with her in the Neutral Zone, he found out that she had a warm, puppy-like personality as well.
Her eyebrows were still perked up like a mischievous cat, and the shape of her eyes still gave off a cold aura, but her gaze was so obviously yearning for him that he began to wonder if she came back home after years of hard labor overseas.
"Jihu-nim?"
He barely managed to hold himself back from choking on air. She must have called him since he wasn't saying anything, but 'nim'? Nim!?
Yun Seora must have seen his look of shock as she muttered carefully.
"Um, did you tell me a fake name?"
She had the wrong idea. The problem was with how she addressed him. Seol Jihu shook his head strongly.
"No, you got the name right. But, um, addressing me as 'nim' is a bit…."
Being the smart girl that she was, Yun Seora quickly realized that he was embarrassed about being called 'nim'.
"Ah… then."
She tilted her head slightly before opening her mouth.
"Jihu Oppa?"
'…Mm.'
Oppa. He never imagined a simple word could hold such destructive power. He realized that the same word could have different nuance and flavor depending on who said it.
'It's better than nim at least….'
Once he deactivated Nine Eyes, he finally understood the cause of the sense of incongruity he was getting from her. It was her outfit.
Leopard-print sunglasses hung above her milky forehead. A lacy, navy-blue tweed dress encapsulated her slim figure, a maroon leather belt outlined her waistline, a small diamond earring sparkled on her left earlobe, and a thin, 20 denier polka-dot stockings adorned her legs….
Even at a glance, her clothes were yelling, 'I'm the daughter of a rich family.' As Seol Jihu had only seen her in loose hoodies or a set of armor, he could only feel unfamiliar with Yun Seora in her carefully chosen outfit.
'Right, she was the youngest daughter of Sinyoung….'
It was then that Seol Jihu realized Yun Seora looked anxious. It's been a long time since they last met. Seeing how he criticized the way she addressed him and has said nothing since, she couldn't be blamed for thinking that Seol Jihu was annoyed for being forced to come when he didn't want to.
Of course, it would be a lie to say that Seol Jihu wasn't annoyed, but the moment he found out that Yun Seora was the one who wanted to see him, the ill-feeling in his heart disappeared like melting snow.
Although Yun Seora was affiliated with Sinyoung, she was also a good friend who has been with him through joy and sorrow. Moreover, Kim Hannah called her the sole 'ally' who could protect him from Yun Seohui's hands, and the Golden Commandment was the proof.
Knowing this, Seol Jihu was able to smile.
"I'm surprised."
Yun Seora's eyes widened.
"I didn't think it would be you, Miss Yun Seora."
Her worried complexion finally softened, and a smile emerged on her face.
"Um… if it's okay with you…."
Yun Seora grabbed Seol Jihu's hand tightly and turned to look at the sliding door.
"Of course."
He entered the room without hesitation. The only thing he couldn't understand was why she sat next to him when there was a seat right across from him. She was even on her knees like a prim lady.
The way she stared at him affectionately from the beginning to end reminded him of a chihuahua begging to be patted. Seol Jihu found this whole thing a bit troublesome.
What should he say?
'Have you been well?' felt a bit too simple. 'Why did you call me?' felt too formal and business-like. As Seol Jihu wrecked his brain to come up with the right words, Yun Seora began the conversation.
"I'm sorry for calling you here on such short notice. Did any problems come up on your way here?"
"No, not at all."
Her cautious, apologetic tone immediately made Seol Jihu shake his hands in denial.
"I was just a bit surprised. I didn't expect to see Miss Yun Seora, and…."
When he blurred the end of his speech, Yun Seora fixed her posture with her knees still touching the floor. In essence, she overlapped her hands together and placed them on her lap.
Should I say it or not? Seol Jihu could practically read her thoughts as her nervousness increased. Soon, she opened her mouth in a serious tone.
"I heard you were coming to Sinyoung."
Seol Jihu's uncomfortable smile quickly disappeared and a serious expression took its place.
"I also heard you were planning to go someplace else but was forced by Yun Seohui pressuring Director Kim."
He felt a bit strange hearing how she addressed her older sister like a complete stranger, but he kept silent and continued to hear her out.
"I'll be straight with you. Please apply to the department I'm in charge of."
Seol Jihu dropped his jaw and went, "Ah." What Kim Hannah told him yesterday flashed in his mind.
"Has the fake employment matter been decided already? The details, I mean."
"No, nothing is set in stone at the moment."
Yun Seora shook her head, while Seol Jihu nodded his. He began to understand why Kim Hannah was gloating so much last time they met.
Although Seol Jihu's employment to Sinyoung was only in name, as he would be their official employee by document records, he would need to be associated with a department. There was, of course, a high chance that this department would be Yun Seohui's.
In other words, using the excuse of providing a secure environment, Yun Seohui would obtain a point of contact with him. She could easily ask him to show his face every once in a while or summon him by mentioning a mandatory company dinner. There were dozens of ways she could go about this.
Yun Seora must have been the trump card Kim Hannah took out to prevent this. By spreading the rumor of Seol Jihu joining Sinyoung, she had resulted in Yun Seora making a move.
Yun Seora had perfect justification for doing so as well. Since she received such a big help during her time in the Neutral Zone, who could say anything if she said she wanted to pay back her debts?
'So this is what she meant by barking up the wrong tree.'
He discovered the missing pieces of the puzzle, but he still asked just to be sure.
"Is there something I need to do if I enter Miss Yun Seora's department? Or a rule to follow, even."
"No, I can promise you there will be nothing like that."
Yun Seora replied firmly as if she had been waiting for this question. Her nervous demeanor clearly signaled how much she was waiting for an answer.
"Okay, then that works with me."
A flower bloomed on Yun Seora's face. Seeing the look of relief spreading on her face, Seol Jihu now became positive of something. That expression was one that said 'I protected him' rather than 'I did it'.
'Looks like I'll have one thing less to worry about.'
The problem that had been bothering him from the corner of his mind was taken care of thanks to Yun Seora's intervention. In a way, he was lucky. The favor he did for her during his time in the Neutral Zone had returned to him as an unexpected fortune.
At that moment, several dishes came in. Seol Jihu stared at the luxurious food and widened his eyes. There was just too much.
"I figured you haven't eaten yet…."
Yun Seora clasped her hands together and spoke bashfully.
"I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I prepared a little bit of everything…."
Crabmeat soup glistening in a tasty light, mouth-watering fried pork belly in soy sauce, parboiled bean sprouts, large grilled abalones, and more…. All sorts of savory and flavorful aroma stung his nose, making him dizzy.
He couldn't take his eyes off the dishes as he asked while drooling.
"Can I… eat all this?"
The moment he heard the words, "Of course", he picked up his chopsticks. He was the type of person who lost his mind in front of a tasty dish, so he concentrated on eating.
After watching him for a while with a satisfied grin, Yun Seora began to recommend some to him, saying, "Try this". She didn't forget to constantly refill his cup with water and remind him to eat slower.
After eating whatever he was given for a long time, he suddenly snapped out of his entranced state.
"Ah, Miss Yun Seora, you should eat…."
He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence with "too". All the plates on the table were wiped clean. When he looked up in a daze, he could see Yun Seora with her eyes closed tight and one hand over her mouth. She was clearly holding in her laughter.
'Aaaaaah.'
He screamed internally, unable to endure the sense of embarrassment rising up inside him. On the other hand, he felt like this was the first time he saw Yun Seora laugh. Then again, who wouldn't find it funny if someone asked to eat together after devouring everything?
"Don't worry. There's still some left."
Yun Seora suppressed her laughter and began to eat the leftovers. Even as Seol Jihu was trembling from shame, he couldn't help but find Yun Seora's small, nibbling mouth cute.
"I heard the news."
Seemingly trying to save the nervous trainwreck in front of her, Yun Seora brought up another topic. It was, of course, about Paradise. They began to chat about all kinds of things.
One thing that surprised Seol Jihu was how Yun Seora knew everything about his achievements. But Kim Hannah also knew about his major achievements, and since they were acquaintances from the Neutral Zone, he understood why she might have been interested.
Once his thoughts reached here, he wondered how Shin Sang-Ah and Hyun Sangmin were doing and asked if she knew anything about them.
"I have no idea."
Yun Seora gave a cut-throat response. Noticing Seol Jihu's dazed expression, she went 'Ah' before hurriedly adding more detail.
"But I did hear about Seol-Ah. Apparently, her talent as an Archer is excellent. It's looking like she will reach Level 2 in a few months."
After asking about his old friends from the Neutral Zone….
"Me? I'm a Level 2 Berserker. N-No… I'm not that amazing. It's not like I leveled up through my own accomplishments like you, Oppa."
He asked about Yun Seora. Since he had time on his hand, he was deeply engrossed in the conversation. He found it both fun and interesting. When he first met Yun Seora, he never imagined they would be meeting outside of Paradise like this.
After drinking an expensive tea to keep his mouth fresh, Seol Jihu finally left the VIP room with Yun Seora. By then, they had already spent two hours talking inside. Seol Jihu walked a step ahead to pay for the meal, but he felt a bit guilty once he found out that the meal had already been paid for.
"I'll pay for our meal next time."
Seol Jihu vowed to treat her to a tasty meal to wash away today's shame. However, Yun Seora flinched when she heard what he said.
"Really?"
Hearing her high-pitched tone, cold sweat went down Seol Jihu's back. Yun Seora had laughed about the matter before, but he couldn't help but think she was angry about it inside.
After hesitating for a moment, Yun Seora took out her cellphone and stared at it fixedly.
"Then… can I call you again?"
"Of course."
Seol Jihu nodded his head immediately. After exchanging their numbers, the two of them left the restaurant. The sky was already dark, showing just how long they talked inside.
On the parking lot outside, the man who drove him here was waiting with his car. Seol Jihu insisted on taking a taxi home, but he found himself in the back seat of the sedan before he noticed what happened.
An awkward air filled the atmosphere. Yun Seora was chatty back when it was just the two of them, but she remained silent perhaps because there was someone else with them.
Huff, huff- He could only hear her soft breaths.
Tk. Suddenly, he felt something hit his forearm.
'Hm?'
When he rolled his eyes to the side, he saw Yun Seora leaning on his shoulder with her eyes closed.
"Miss Yun Seora?"
When he moved his arm out of the way, she fell and ended up with her head on his lap. When he nudged her to wake her up, Yun Seora grabbed his hand abruptly and covered her eyes with it.
"Mmnn." She whimpered softly, seemingly content.
"…."
He wasn't sure if she was doing this in her sleep, but he was taken aback by how bold she was acting.
"Seol Jihu-nim."
At that moment, the driver called his name.
"Do you enjoy driving around at night?"
Seol Jihu blinked repeatedly at his seemingly random question.
"I know a good place to drive around at this time of night. Watching the night scenery while driving slowly brings a whole new meaning to life. You won't regret it."
When Seol Jihu kept staring at him in a daze, the man let out a bitter smile.
"It's been a while since Young Lady didn't throw a…. No, it's been a while since she fell asleep peacefully. So please."
Only then did Seol Jihu understand what he meant.
"Are you related to that place?"
"Of course."
"I'd be happy to so long as I have someone to talk to."
"I will duly oblige."
The man changed course and asked with a grin.
"I'm asking just out of concern, but you don't happen to swing that way, would you?"
"I'll get off."
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
The two men laughed wordlessly.
*
Seol Jihu made a new friend. To be honest, her social standing was too high for him to consider her a friend, but he decided not to think about all that. What mattered was that they shared a secret they couldn't tell others about.
The biggest change in Seol Jihu's life was that he started to look at his phone more often. In the past, never mind looking at it, he hated having it with him. More often than not, he had his phone off and refused to look at it.
But after he made a friend from Paradise, he began to carry his phone with him. Currently, he was reading a martial arts book about qi circulation. From what he could tell, the concept of qi was extremely similar to mana.
'Qi circulation refers to the movement of internal energy along one's meridians. It soothes the mind and the heart, while also….'
He was studying arduously when a light flickered on his phone screen. A message was shown on his notification bar. He unlocked his phone with a smile.
[It was great seeing how you gobbled them up so voraciously. I'm glad you liked them.]
It hasn't been long since they last exchanged messages, yet another one came. Ever since Yun Seora messaged him in the morning, the periodic messages have been going back and forth non-stop.
[I'm going to need a chance to redeem myself. What do you like?]
[I'm fine with anything. I'm not really a picky eater.]
Fine with anything. That was the trickiest type to deal with.
Seol Jihu tapped on the phone's keyboard with a blooming smile on his face.
[Anything? Mm, I've never heard of a dish like that. It doesn't show up on the internet either.]
[….]
Seeing Yun Seora's reply, he laughed in his heart.
[I'm kidding. There's actually something I really like. I want to treat you to it.]
[Really? What is it?]
[Have you tried Kwangdong Ssanghwa-tang from the convenience store? If you put it in the microwave and drink it when it's warm, it's really good for relaxing your body.]
[I hate you.]
[Haha, I'm just joking. Anyways, give it a thought and let me know. It's fine even if it's expensive.]
After the brief conversation, Seol Jihu went back to studying while being satisfied with his own jokes. Now that he thought about it, it had been a long time since he last laughed so hard on Earth.
Of course, that didn't mean his desire to go back to Paradise lessened. In fact, this desire grew stronger every time he made progress in his studies. After all, he still had no one around him on Earth.
Kim Hannah was busy with work, and he couldn't just text Yun Seora all day. The sense of loneliness and isolation was especially great after chatting and laughing with Yun Seora.
The feeling of solitude and bitterness that visited him before sleep was unbearably painful. Once he was reminded of these feelings, Seol Jihu quickened his pace. He earlier he finished studying, the earlier he could return to Paradise.
Ssk, ssk!
His writing speed hastened.
*
'Let's go back.'
Exactly ten days had passed since Seol Jihu's return to Earth. Kim Hannah was surprised by how long he stayed on Earth and quickly permitted him to go. She emphasized that he was 'going' to Paradise, not 'returning', but Seol Jihu didn't care either way.
Perhaps because of Yun Seora, he was a bit more at ease compared to last time when he was practically chased away to Paradise.
'Six packs of cigarettes, sandbags, toiletry, clothes, sneakers, notebook….'
After packing everything he wanted to bring into a large shopping bag, he took out a small, palm-sized piece of paper. Suddenly, he spotted his phone, which was connected to the charger.
Yun Seora had not contacted him since that day. After staring at it for a moment, Seol Jihu ripped the paper in half without hesitation.
Chwack! Along with a ripping sound, brilliant light filled his vision.
*
He finally returned to Paradise.
"Uwaaaaah."
After leaving the temple, Seol Jihu stretched hard and watched countless Earthlings going in and out of the temple. Once his eyes turned to the dilapidated buildings of the city, vitality slowly emerged in his eyes.
Like its nickname, 'Crime City', Haramark was messy and decadent. However, it was also filled with a mysterious vigor and an electrifying virility.
The heaviness suppressing his chest slowly disappeared. With light steps, Seol Jihu hopped down the stairs to the temple. As he looked around the city in excitement, he noticed something strange.
'?'
The overall atmosphere of the city was rather grave. Rather than somber or dark, it was the opposite. Almost as if an incredibly elastic spring was pushed down to the limit, a current of excitement waiting to erupt filled the air.
'Did something happen?'
Seol Jihu found a small group of people muttering about something with a serious face. He couldn't help but feel a little excited.
He brought his animated body to Carpe Diem's building, but the office was completely empty. There wasn't any trace of anyone having visited it either.
'Are they not here yet?'
The difference in time between Earth and Paradise was 1 to 3. In other words, the ten days he spent on Earth was equivalent to thirty days in Paradise.
He thought he would have been the last one to come, so no one being here was quite a surprise.
'I'm sure they'll be here soon.'
He unpacked his things and took out a cigarette. After plopping down on the couch, he blew out a puff of smoke. Now that he was home, he felt alive.
Of course, he had no intention of just sitting around and doing nothing. He did not spend ten days on Earth just to relax in Paradise.
Seol Jihu fell in thought as he continued smoking. He thought back to what Dylan said. That an expedition or an exploration wasn't over just because one came back. That one could only get stronger by reflecting on even the tiniest details and putting in the effort to decrease future mistakes.
Since Seol Jihu fully agreed with this sentiment, he slowly reminisced about the previous incident.
"…."
Not long afterwards, a bitter smile surfaced on his face. No matter how much he thought about it, he could only thank Lady Luck for helping him escape.
Destroying the laboratory and making it to the Forest of Denial? It was all thanks to the Federation's secret weapon, Thunder, and their members' ability to fly.
Managing to survive after the Parasites caught up? That was thanks to the Forest of Denial's ghost saintess.
Of course, it wasn't that he contributed nothing. But what if this didn't happen? What if that didn't happen? Once he eliminated the elements of coincidence, he could see the reality crystal clear.
If he were alone, he never would have made it back alive.
In truth, that was something he didn't even need to think about. He had already thought the same thing over and over again during his escape.
If I was stronger. If only I had more strength.
'I can't keep going being drunk on my accomplishments in the Neutral Zone.'
Although he was the top dog among the newbies of the Neutral Zone, that no longer mattered once he was in Paradise. He could simply go outside now and find a random passerby who was stronger than him.
Just like Cinzia said, the difference between the two areas was the same as heaven and earth. In the end, there was only one conclusion.
'I need to get stronger.'
Then what did he need to do to get stronger?
Seol Jihu's eyes flickered with light. He clenched his fists and raised them up high.
'It's time for some real training.'
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Novel
The Second Coming of Gluttony
Chapter 98 - Great Fortune Within Hardship (2)
THE SECOND COMING OF GLUTTONY
C98 - Great Fortune Within Hardship (2)
Chapter 98. Great Fortune Within Hardship (2)
Whether it be studying or training, just putting in effort wasn't enough. To put it bluntly, one had to put in effort well.
Knowing their weaknesses, knowing what to do, knowing how to distribute their time efficiently…. One had to get their priorities straight for systematic training to be possible and for that training to be efficient.
Thus, Seol Jihu decided to first reaffirm his current potential. And to do that, he needed to visit a temple to check whether he could level up. Although he wasn't sure, he felt like the previous rescue mission had earned him enough merit to level up.
But disregarding everything else, was it right to level up in his current situation? Most people would be ecstatic to do so, and to be frank, Seol Jihu was no different. There were moments in the past when he was thirsty for levels. But this thought changed as time passed and he joined Carpe Diem.
In truth, this problem had to do with the unique circumstance he was in. Excluding external factors, there were two benefits an Earthling received by leveling up – the stat points and the ability to acquire new skills.
However, Seol Jihu put restrictions on these benefits to achieve success himself. Going from Level 2 to Level 3 would give him 3 stat points. But since he vowed to increase his stats only through training until he became a High Ranker, this benefit was irrelevant.
He could acquire Class Abilities that became available after leveling up, but he promised Agnes that he would not learn them by using his contribution points. In other words, leveling up would not give him a boost in power.
Plus, Seol Jihu had yet to learn any of his Level 2 skills. This was the biggest factor in why he hesitated to go to the temple.
[I understand why you're amassing your stat points, but skills are a different story. If you're not using your points and not learning new skills, what's the point in leveling up?]
Kim Hannah pointed out his problem perfectly. Of course, becoming Level 3 wouldn't pose any problems, but….
'It's not normal.'
He was afraid. Never mind the Class Abilities, he feared that his physical stats would remain the same with only his level going up. In the worst-case scenario, he might end up achieving only a third of his maximum potential.
'Don't be rash.'
As such, Seol Jihu decided to add another restriction – to not visit the temple until he learned his Class Abilities and could use them proficiently.
In other words, he would wait until he mastered Mana Spear and Mana Circulation before seeing Gula again. He didn't regret his decision. In fact, he considered this moment the perfect opportunity. Since neither Chohong and Hugo had returned, now was the only time he could focus on training.
'Let's start right away.'
Like the saying, strike the iron while it's hot, now that he made up his mind about focusing on training, he immediately got up from his seat.
*
[Do you know the origins of javelin throwing?]
That was what Agnes asked him. Although he nodded his head at the time, he didn't fully understand her in his head. He acknowledged that he needed to learn the correct postures and techniques, but was there a need for him to learn its history?
Seol Jihu realized why this was necessary during his studying of Mana Circulation. To be more precise, he arrived at the answer after asking himself, 'What is the difference between Mana Application and Mana Circulation?'
If it was just moving his mana, he could do it even now. But Mana Circulation was one of the skills revealed when he reached Level 2. There had to be a difference.
One thing he could be sure of was that Mana Circulation had something to do with training the mana rather than the body. As for the details, he had to figure it out starting from now.
He sat cross-legged in a quiet room and closed his eyes. First, he breathed through his lower core. He forgot about breathing through his nose and only breathed in and out using the inner core of his lower stomach.
'Take a deep breath, then slowly let it out….'
He began to move his mana while focusing on his breathing.
'From the Sauce Receptacle to the Celestial Chimney, from the Celestial Chimney to the Chest Center, from the Chest Center to the Turtledove Tail, from the Turtledove Tail to the Central Venter….'
From the top of his head to his neck, from his neck to his chest, from his chest to his abdominal region, from his abdominal region to his perineum….
'Following the concept vessel meridians and the governing vessel meridians…. Circulating the internal energy as if to create a whirlpool in your body….'
His mana moved inside him like flowing water following an irrigation channel. Not long afterward, he noticed a few oddities.
The first was that the mana circuit was indeed similar, if not the same, as the qi pathways.
'I didn't feel anything blocking the movement.'
After he started circulating his mana around his body, it flowed smoothly and rushed to its destinations without ever coming to a halt.
Different people possessed different amounts of mana. Likewise, their mana circuits were unique. How wide, numerous, elastic, and tough their circuits were was determined by their innate talent and training.
If a Level 1 Warrior's circuit was like a straw, then a Level 5 Magician's circuit was like an intricate spiderweb. However, the mana circuit Seol Jihu observed in his body was like the map of a subway system.
It was normal for one or two pathways to be blocked, but never mind the pathways he frequently used, even the pathways in the remote corners of his body were pierced clean!
'Psychi's Tears!'
It was at this moment that he remembered Psychi's Tears – the miraculous item that eliminated the body's impurities and strengthened it exponentially!
As expected of the item that ate up hundreds of thousands of Survival Points, it had duly done its job. That wasn't all. What truly surprised the youth was something else.
'The speed… no, even the mana…!'
As he continued circulating his mana, its speed rose drastically. Although he looked fine from the outside, a fierce gale strong enough to sweep away his consciousness was blowing inside him.
'What's going on?'
Once he observed his body more carefully, he could figure out the cause. Energy was bubbling up from every vein in his body. The energy his body was unable to digest and had thus stored away was reacting to his mana circulation.
Was this what it felt like to suck in water with a vacuum cleaner? Seol Jihu felt the energy hidden in nooks and crannies of his body seep out and join the flowing mana. This was, of course, a whole new experience for him.
For now, he held onto his consciousness and, like a starving shark seeing a school of fish, he concentrated on controlling the wild energy. It almost felt like his mana was complaining why he started circulating it so late.
How much time went by? After barely managing to suppress the roiling energy inside him, he was able to confirm that the strange phenomenon wasn't his imagination. His lower belly feeling heavy was a telltale proof of it.
'My mana… increased?'
Although it might be minuscule, the amount of mana he had indeed went up.
'Mana Circulation can increase the amount of mana in your body?'
He tilted his head and pondered for a long time before eventually deciding not to worry about it. No matter the case, it wasn't a bad thing for him.
When he opened his eyes, he finally let out the breath he was holding in.
"HUA!"
He only now realized that he was soaked in sweat. His body was also burning hot, and his breathing was rough.
'So this is what it feels like.'
He remembered reading about qi circulation from novels and manhwa but experiencing personally made him see it a new light. His body felt light and his mind felt refreshed. He was more relaxed than ever before, almost like he just left the most luxurious sauna.
'This…. If I feel the same way every time, I might get addicted to it.'
Seol Jihu wiped off the sweat dripping from his forehead. It was then that he saw several messages in the air.
[The Class Ability, 'Mana Application (Intermediate)', has evolved to 'Mana Circulation (Low)'.]
[Your Innate Ability, 'Future Vision', is responding to the creation of a new ability!]
[The Class Ability, 'Mana Circulation (Low)', evolves to 'Mana Circulation (High-Intermediate)'.]
[Please confirm your Status Window.]
When? I didn't hear any alerts. It seemed like they popped up while he was in that transient state of having no thoughts and ideas.
'Wow.'
After reading the messages with an entranced look, he spread his arms out in an expression of joy. He had finally learned one of the two Level 2 Class Abilities. Although Future Vision and Psychi's Tears played a huge role, it was a good start nonetheless.
'I feel like a martial artist or something.'
With a bright smile, Seol Jihu went back to circulating his mana.
*
Seol Jihu prioritized obtaining his Class Abilities, but that didn't mean he was lax in training his physique. Since he was leveling up at an unprecedented rate, he also wanted to bring his physical body up to par. As such, just like in the past, he spent most of his morning training his body.
His day started with running around Haramark. Since the day Yi Seol-Ah taught him the joy of running, he never skipped his morning run except under inevitable circumstances like being injured or participating in an expedition.
Huu, haa, huu, haa.
With new sneakers and new workout clothes, he was running through the streets of Haramark while breathing regularly when his eyes suddenly opened wide. A familiar face was walking toward him from the other side.
Carrying a large paper bag filled with bread and vegetable, the woman wearing a maid outfit was….
"Miss Agnes!"
Seol Jihu slowed down as he waved his hand happily. The sharp-eyed, bespectacled woman passed by him indifferently with only a glance. However, the youth chased after her like a duckling that met its mother.
"…Huu."
Agnes let out a soft sigh and paused.
"Didn't I tell you not to get sidetracked while you're training?"
She chastised him in a serious tone, but….
"Miss Agnes, Miss Agnes, I did it!"
Seol Jihu rambled on.
"I learned Mana Circulation!"
"?"
That was… unexpected. However, Agnes quickly regained her calm. She had already experienced this youth's irregularities several times in the Neutral Zone. Him learning Mana Circulation was nothing to be surprised about now.
It was undoubtedly a cause for a celebration, but Agnes was the type of person who rarely praised someone. Her teaching style dictated that she set a new goal for her disciples rather than praising them and making them arrogant.
Agnes fixed her grip on the paper bag and opened her mouth.
"From now, you should be able to train your mana too. I recommend practicing Mana Circulation for at least four hours every day."
"For four hours?"
"Why are you surprised?"
Agnes snorted.
"Your mana and mana circuit should be like an iron ore mixed with impurities. You need to constantly refine it in order to increase its purity. As I'm sure you know, mana becomes stronger the purer it is."
Seol Jihu nodded. Now that he experienced Mana Circulation, he understood what she meant.
"Mana Circulation might seem like a simple ability, but it has the effect of strengthening your circuit and even purifying your mana. There is no reason not to invest your time in it."
"It makes sense if you put it that way. Since it also increases the amount of mana in your body, I guess I should really make it my main training method."
"…Pardon?"
Agnes's eyebrows twitched.
"What did you just say?"
"Ah, that I'd make it my main training method."
"No, before that."
"Uh… that it increases the amount of mana in your body?"
"Is that what happened to you?"
"Yes, though it wasn't much."
Seol Jihu raised his hand and formed a fist to give her an idea of how much it increased by. However, Agnes looked confused.
"That can't be. To my knowledge, Mana Circulation doesn't have the effect of increasing your total pool of mana."
"Huh? But…"
The youth argued and said he wasn't lying. Agnes had a rare concerned look on her face.
"Hm, I doubt you raised it with your stat points. I know of a few instances where someone's total mana pool increased after risking his circuit and squeezing out every ounce of mana, but…."
Agnes muttered to herself before asking half in doubt.
"Does your mana increase every time you practice Mana Circulation?"
"No, it went up for the first three, four days but stopped going up afterward."
Agnes finally understood.
"It must be the effect of consuming precious medicine."
"Medicine?"
"Yes, when someone consumes a precious herb or medicine, he is usually unable to absorb all of its energy, causing it to get stored in parts of his body. And when he practices Mana Circulation, his body will absorb that indigested energy."
"But I don't remember eating anything like that."
"Think about it carefully."
Seol Jihu fell in thought. But soon, he shook his head. No matter how much he scanned his memories, he had not even seen a precious medicine, much less eaten one.
"Ah, I ate something called a dulce while I was being chased."
"…Dulce isn't a medicine. It's one of the most flavorless fruits in Paradise."
"O-Oh."
"Unless someone is desperate or is on the verge of starving to death, no one will eat such a thing."
Agnes raised her glasses and continued.
"Anyways, you might not understand the cause… but it's not a bad thing. First, raise your Mana Circulation rank to intermediate. When it evolved from Mana Application, its rank should have dropped as well."
The youth stared at her fixedly. Although it fell to low when it first evolved, Future Vision had quickly changed it to high-intermediate.
"Once you reach Level 4, Mana Circulation can be evolved again. It's called Mana Cultivation."
"Mana Cultivation?"
"An ability isn't something you learn once and forget about."
Agnes continued.
"Mana Application becomes Mana Circulation, Mana Circulation becomes Mana Cultivation, Mana Cultivation becomes Mana Technique…."
"Ah, so Mana Circulation will evolve to Mana Cultivation next."
Agnes paused for a moment.
"…Of course, it's best to learn it directly with your own understanding."
She continued only after a certain amount of time went by.
"But with Mana Cultivation, I recommend you use your contribution points to evolve it."
"Huh? You want me to learn them with my contribution points?"
"Not learn, evolve."
Agnes denied it immediately. Although there was a difference in the meaning behind the two words 'learn' and 'evolve', Seol Jihu looked confused about such a minute difference.
Agnes explained slowly.
"Mana Application and Mana Circulation are fundamental skills. Because of this, they are fairly easy for an average person to acquire. But starting from Mana Cultivation, the difficulty skyrockets."
"Mm… right, I guess it'll be hard to find a cultivation manual for something like that."
"Right. Even if you find an ultimate mana technique through all sorts of hardship, it will be useless if you can't learn it. Even a genius needs dozens of years to master such techniques, but an average person might not even be able to stand on the starting line after hundreds of years."
"You mean it's a matter of efficiency."
"Yes. If it seems too difficult, you need to be decisive in giving up. You can be more than happy with having learned Mana Application and Mana Circulation on your own. Since the gods' divine providence gave this world a game-like system, there is nothing wrong with making use of it."
Seol Jihu thought for a moment before opening his mouth.
"So it'll be important to learn the fundamentals of any ability on your own."
A thin smile emerged on Agnes's face. The youth had pointed out the core of the matter. She was worried he might get obstinate, but she was happy seeing how intelligent her disciple was.
"You're absolutely right. What matters is knowing the fundamentals. No matter what the ability is, it's important to master its fundamentals. That is one thing you cannot yield."
Seol Jihu nodded his head in agreement before asking again.
"How far did you get, Miss Agnes?"
"If you're talking about the use of mana, I learned up to Mana Cultivation on my own."
Agnes revealed a coy look.
"I managed to find a Mana Technique… but it was too complicated. It simply wasn't something I could learn on my own, so I chose to use my contribution points."
She smacked her lips as if it wasn't a good memory.
"Anyways, that is still far off for you. Take your time to think about Mana Cultivation. And like I always say, when you're training, focus only on training."
Having learned new knowledge, Seol Jihu nodded his head with a bright smile. Something Agnes didn't know was that his Mana Circulation had already surpassed intermediate-rank. In other words, he could learn Mana Cultivation as soon as he reached Level 4.
Of course, he would need to wait and see to know if he would learn it on his own or acquire it with contribution points, but just the fact that he had a new goal made his heart race.
'She helped me again.'
He was grateful that he had someone to explain things to him in such detail. After staring at her fixedly, Seol grinned happily. Agnes's eyebrows twitched at that moment, but when he tried to talk without having realized it….
"Thank… kuk!"
Thwack! His back bent over. From his stomach, a surge of pain spread through his body.
'W-When…?'
He couldn't even see her fist. He felt wronged, thinking he did nothing to deserve this.
"Why…"
"Are you really asking me that?"
Agnes glared at him with icy eyes.
"I just… wanted to thank you for the advice…."
"Oh, really? I'm sorry."
Hmph. Agnes snorted and turned around.
"T-That was too much."
When she heard the youth's mumbling, she suddenly erupted in anger.
"Too much? That was too much?"
Did he light her fuse? Agnes went past being hysterical, grabbing him by the collar and beginning to shake him around.
"Too much? Can you say that after looking at this!?"
[Claire Agnes's Status Window]
[1. General Information]
Summoned Date: 2013. 09. 20.
Marking Grade: Silver
Sex/Age: Female/27
Height/Weight: 172.4cm/60.8kg
Current Condition: Healthy
Class: Lv 6. Evil-Hunting Tarantula
Nationality: Europe (Area 2)
Affiliation: Sicilia
Alias: Miss Teddybear, Ground Zero, Sicilia's Bitch, Sicilia's Demonic Instructor, Cold-Faced Super Maid Who Secretly Loves Cute Underwear, Haramark's Slaughterer
"Super maid? Who are you calling a super maid!? Tell me! Tell me!!"
She shook him around in a craze. When Seol Jihu saw the alias she revealed, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Uhahahaha! Once Agnes heard his laughter, her complexion froze.
"You think this is funny?"
"W-Wait."
"You think it's funny adding this shit to my alias!?"
"C-Calm… Ak! Aaaaaaak!"
He didn't even say a word about 'Miss Teddybear' but ended up being beaten to a pulp regardless. That was it for the boy who cried wolf.
*
"Heuk…."
Although he was beaten severely, he wasn't dead. He was sore all over his body, but he still finished up his morning run before staggering back to the Carpe Diem office.
He couldn't bring himself to start weight training, so he pulled himself upstairs to rest. Just as he was about to open the third-floor door….
'?'
He discovered an unfamiliar piece of paper stuck between the door.
'A letter?'
He took the paper out and opened the folded letter.
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