Chapter 37: Choi Seulgi
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 37: Choi Seulgi
It’s a cliché, but she began to absorb my techniques like a sponge. Strictly speaking, her body was already perfectly prepared for it. As if she had been waiting for this moment, she began to swing the dagger in a trance-like state.
‘What… is this…?’
Her hand movements were extraordinary. I glanced at Mev, and she looked just as surprised. I’d always thought she was competent, but she was truly strong. Even a three-year-old could see that she was getting stronger by the second.
The Green Goblin's dagger techniques are based on powerful wrist and ‘finger strength.’ I hadn't learned everything perfectly, but this much I knew. It was a style composed entirely of methods designed to inflict fatal wounds, like changing the dagger's trajectory with one's fingers mid-swing or suddenly throwing it during a surprise thrust.
To be more precise, it was a martial art that could only be utilized once the body was sufficiently developed.
Putting it all together, there was only one answer.
Choi Seulgi must have already completed a class advancement to some degree. The last class I remembered her having was Intermediate Thief.
If today's incident hadn't happened, she would have surely become a renowned thief on the continent.
Finally, after several hours, Choi Seulgi set down the Bloodsoaked Dagger and spoke to me.
“Thanks. I don't know why you're doing this for me, but…”
I just nodded in response. My face flushed automatically as she leaned in close to talk. Seeing my reaction, Choi Seulgi leaned in even closer and continued.
“Haha. Did you fall for me or something? Is that why you're being so nice?”
To be honest, she was completely right. But hearing her say it like that inexplicably hurt my pride.
“No can do. This girl's already taken…”
It was only natural that my eyes flashed with fire at her unexpected words. She had definitely told me in the past that she never had a boyfriend. I didn't know if it was some guy from Earth or someone she'd started seeing after coming here, but I couldn't help but get angry.
“Krrrrrrk.”
As I snorted, slightly agitated, Choi Seulgi laughed and spoke again. It seemed that gifting her the Bloodsoaked Dagger and teaching her a bit of the Green Goblin's dagger techniques had completely lowered her guard.
“Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding. Aren't the fairy and the Green Flower next to you your girlfriends? You're quite the sly one, aren't you?”
I wasn't sure about Mev, but Jung Hayeon could certainly be called my girlfriend. Since Jung Hayeon was listening intently from behind, and I still felt guilty about the last incident, I gave a vague, noncommittal nod. Besides, even if I said Jung Hayeon wasn't my girlfriend, it's not like Choi Seulgi would give me the time of day.
At my ambiguous nod—neither a confirmation nor a denial—Jung Hayeon's face brightened a little. Seeing this, Choi Seulgi clutched her stomach and laughed.
“Hahahaha. You guys are hilarious. So, can I go now?”
I was a little worried about letting her go alone, but I cautiously nodded. Of course, I didn't forget to hold up four fingers first.
“What's that?”
She didn't seem to understand at first, but after I kept grunting, “Krrrk,” and holding up four fingers, she finally seemed to get it.
“In four days?”
I nodded vigorously, and only then did I see her smile.
“Alright. Will you teach me then, too?”
Her face brightened even more when I nodded. It was funny, but it made me think I needed to work even harder, just so I could teach her and get her some proper gear. So I nodded. Since we were deep in the forest, I escorted her to the edge of the woods near the city before we parted ways, promising to meet again.
And so, four days passed. Contrary to my worries that something might have happened to her during those four days, Choi Seulgi showed up perfectly fine. It seemed her experience from four days ago had made her decide to avoid going out with others. In fact, she looked quite well.
The current Saint Knights Order was quite reliable when it came to public security, so as long as you didn't oppose them, the city should be pretty safe.
Truthfully, during those four days, I ran myself ragged hunting down a few humans. I had a feeling that hunting complete beginners was no longer very efficient, so I focused on hunting those who were closer to my level, even if it meant fewer numbers. Quality over quantity, so to speak. It was all to get Choi Seulgi some decent items from the Item Shop. Of course, there was also the goal of growing the Blood Dagger Clan.
I also didn't forget to keep learning dagger techniques from the Green Goblin. Since I used many weapons, I told him I wanted to learn the dagger properly from the basics, but my real purpose was to teach Choi Seulgi. Thanks to that, I had to face the Green Goblin with only a dagger. Fortunately, he gave me hints little by little, so I could feel my own skills improving as well.
“Today, too?”
“Krrrrrrk.”
A week passed like that.
“You're going to hunt magical beasts today?”
“Krrrk.”
Another week passed. Choi Seulgi already had the knowledge of a thief in her head, but I started teaching her the goblin way of walking and hiding through Mev. Contrary to my expectations that it would be difficult, she learned the techniques steadily, albeit a little slowly. Watching her, I couldn't help but think that if she had met a proper ‘master,’ she could have become much stronger.
Three months passed like that. Choi Seulgi began to stare into the distance more often. I wasn't sure, but it seemed she was thinking of moving to another city. I also thought that if she were to continue living among humans, it would be better for her to choose a place other than the western city of Aia.
The environment might be a bit harsh, but the North, where the Queen of the North resided, was probably the most suitable place. She was growing so quickly that I didn't think she would resort to selling her body like before with her current skills, but I was still anxious. The Queen of the North, who valued talent, would probably make good use of her.
Choi Seulgi was as diligent as she was talented, and she would always practice what she had learned as much as possible before our next meeting.
Around this time, I felt like my humanity was slowly returning. We trained a lot, but we also spent just as much time resting together.
My favorite time was when I would lean against a tree, and Choi Seulgi would climb up and lie on top of me.
“Surprisingly soft and comfy.”
“Krrrrrrk.”
Even though we couldn't speak the same language, I felt like we were connecting somehow. Sometimes, my old habits would kick in, and my hand would start to wander without me realizing it. Whenever that happened, Choi Seulgi would slap my hand and say…
“I told you. I'm taken.”
“Krrrrrrk.”
“What? You thought I was kidding? Hmm… I wonder?”
“Krrrk.”
Actually, my real favorite time was spacing out while watching her wash up in the river after training, but she must have noticed my lecherous expression because she would always splash water at me and tell me to look away.
The longer I spent with her, and the stronger she became, the more I felt an inexplicable sense of impending separation. My heart started to feel heavy, and Choi Seulgi's expression also grew somber more often.
A little more time passed like that.
*
“Organize all the missing persons reports and bring them to me.”
The Red Cross Clan's Master, Lee Youngdon, kicked the door to his office and snapped at his secretary.
“Yes, Master.”
“Fuck… Does it make any sense to tell us to organize all the city's missing and dead to predict their appearance patterns? Just because they're the Saint Knights Order, they think they can do whatever they want? You think that's gonna help them catch the Weapon Merchant and the Green Flower? If they were so confident, they should've done something about the Green Goblins themselves. Fucking bastards… The second something gets annoying, they dump it all on us. Do they think they can just boss us around like this because we're a subordinate clan or something…? Fuck.”
Naturally, the man, Lee Youngdon's, tantrum only made the clan's administrative team busier. Since they managed the city's entry and exit logs every day, organizing the dead and missing wasn't particularly difficult. It seemed he was more displeased by the fact that someone was giving him orders.
“Hoo… Fuck… Just bring me the report on the most recent big incident. No, no. Bring me that one. The case file from the Land of the Undead a few months ago.”
“Yes, Master.”
Lee Youngdon sat down in his plush chair and slowly began to read through the names of the dead and missing. It wasn't a particularly meaningful act. Since he was at it, he figured he'd read about how ‘Park Youngwhan’ and ‘Kim Pansuk’ had died a few months back. He was bored, and they had been somewhat useful, so a belated curiosity had sparked. Thanks to his new concubine, he had completely forgotten about it, but he was also curious about what had happened to ‘Choi Seulgi,’ the girl who had rejected him.
“Park Youngwhan, this bastard died a truly miserable death. Ugh… That Weapon Merchant bastard is a real piece of work. Kim Pansuk is just as pitiful… Lee Daejoon is missing? Missing, my ass, fuck… Huh? Missing into the Weapon Merchant's stomach… Pfft.”
Thinking his own joke was quite witty, Lee Youngdon continued reading the case file. The description of how his entire body was brutally hacked to pieces and his groin was impaled by a massive greatsword was enough to give one goosebumps. As he continued reading about the victims, he finally came to Choi Seulgi's name.
[Choi Seulgi - Missing]
“Puhahahat! I knew it.”
Lee Youngdon laughed with such delight, it was hard to believe he'd been throwing a fit just moments before. If monsters had taken Choi Seulgi, the outcome was obvious. If she was eaten, she'd be one of the lucky ones. If she wasn't eaten, she would come to think that living as a prostitute in the city with a broken body was a blessing.
“She should have just listened to me from the start. Huh? Her body would be comfortable, her mind at ease. So stupid… This is why you can't deal with proud bitches. Fucking bitch. Puhahahat!”
After a hearty laugh, Lee Youngdon finally spoke to the nearest clan member.
“Hey…”
“Yes.”
“What was the name of that bastard who used to come by every day, begging to join the clan? Shin… something… He used to show up with a few of his friends.”
Lee Youngdon thought for a moment, but he couldn't quite remember the name. His reason for looking for the guy was simple. With Park Youngwhan, Kim Pansuk, Kim Changshik, and Lee Daejoon all dead, he naturally needed someone to do his ‘dirty work.’ They were too worthless to be made official clan members, but they were the kind of guys you could use as disposables anytime, as long as you paid them.
“Ah. You must mean Shin Duk-ho.”
“Right, right. Does that bastard still come around these days?”
“N-No, sir. For some reason, he stopped showing up a few months ago. He disappeared even before Park Youngwhan went into the Land of the Undead and died.”
“Tsk… Kids these days have no grit. No grit at all… How would he know if an opportunity might come up if he kept visiting?”
Another clan member brought a stack of documents to Lee Youngdon. He read a little before tossing them onto the floor next to the sofa he was sitting on. One of the tossed documents happened to fall and slide under the sofa, but Lee Youngdon merely glanced at it before turning his head away as if it didn't matter.
*
[Western City ‘Aia’ Case File. April 16th]
[Grade-5 Summoner Shin Duk-ho, Grade-5 Summoner Choi Seulgi, Grade-5 Summoner Kim Deok-su, Grade-5 Summoner Ju Gi-young]
[Location: West Forest, exact coordinates unknown. Following an attack by the Weapon Merchant and the Green Flower, all parties excluding Grade-5 Summoner Choi Seulgi—namely Shin Duk-ho, Kim Deok-su, and Ju Gi-young—are reported missing. Verifying facts.]