Chapter 417: He Sure Runs His Mouth
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 417: He Sure Runs His Mouth
“That fucking son of a bitch sure runs his mouth.”
“What did you just…”
“Jang Jaehyun…”
“Yes, Lady Choi Seulgi. What is it?”
I hadn’t wanted to, but I’d learned the man’s name. An expression of utter bewilderment washed over his face at the sudden profanity. It was only natural to be shocked by such an outburst in a place where the continent’s rulers had gathered. But before that, one had to consider that this was not something the usual Choi Seulgi would do.
She might seem reckless, but she was someone who knew how to separate her public and private affairs. At least, that was the Choi Seulgi I had seen until now. The man probably thought the same. He should have realized sooner why her usual curses were now spilling from her lips.
The Choi Seulgi before me now was completely different from her usual self. The corners of her mouth were turned up too high, and her eyes had a crazed look. Her rage seemed to have reached its limit, and she no longer cared about anything else.
“…”
As Choi Seulgi fell silent, Jang Jaehyun’s next move was even more pathetic. Perhaps thinking she was reflecting on her actions, a slyer smirk spread across his face as he slowly began to speak.
“Lady Choi Seulgi, you are no longer a mere adventurer. They say the position makes the person. For you, who is called a pillar of the Northern Continent, to use such profanity in a place like this… You must maintain a bit more dignity.”
“What?”
“I said, you need to maintain your dignity.”
At his absurd remark about dignity, the corners of Choi Seulgi’s mouth began to lift. A strange tension filled the conference room. Despite this, a few who failed to read the mood were already raising their voices. I wanted to tell them their actions were reckless enough to get them killed, but I didn’t feel the need to.
“Apologize!”
“You must apologize! You must maintain your dignity!”
“What is this nonsense?”
“Maintain your dignity! Are you still an adventurer?!”
“Tsk. This is why…”
“Choi Seulgi! Maintain your dignity!”
The entire Northern cabinet was protesting. Their voices, now casually mixing in informal speech, became a jumble of noise that was hard to distinguish. It seemed they thought they could gain something by applying political pressure. The sight of them all united in this foolishness was truly baffling to me.
‘Idiots.’
“Hoo…”
Amidst the chaos, Choi Seulgi let out a long sigh. The hall fell silent once more.
“You must have thought that since I’m so fucking interested in this shitty title, I’d just roll over in a place like this…”
“…”
“I don’t give a damn about this kind of title, you fucking bastard. Dignity? My ass… Apologize? You wish, you dog-fucking bastards… A pillar of the Northern Continent? When did I ever ask you to call me a pillar or treat me like one?”
“That means…”
“This title, or whatever the hell you’ve slapped on me, is completely useless… If you thought I was anything like you, that was a fucking miscalculation. You’re all about to get your asses kicked, you bastards.”
As Choi Seulgi slowly raised her eyes, an explosive killing intent erupted from her.
In an instant, magic and bloodlust shot out from her body in all directions. The energy was so intense it made my whole body tingle, and I felt a slight shiver run down my skin. If it affected me this much, the man who took the full force of it head-on must be on the verge of fainting. As if to prove my prediction, his face had turned deathly pale.
“Lady… Lady Choi Seulgi…”
He wasn’t the only one trembling. I turned my head and saw Alisha and a few other elves, their ears quivering. I subtly extended my magic toward them, and I could see their expressions relax slightly. As I avoided Alisha’s grateful gaze, I heard the man’s voice again.
“What… what do you think you’re doing… in… in this place…”
I had to give him credit for being able to speak at all… but his trousers were already growing damp. It was obvious what was happening without any explanation. He was pissing himself. The liquid began to run down his pants, already forming a puddle on the floor.
[He pissed himself.]
[Tsk.]
[For all his confidence, he’s just a frightened mouse the moment danger appears. I think I know why he wanted to avoid the war. To think Han So-Hye brought in people like this, she made a foolish mistake.]
[Everyone makes mistakes.]
Jang Ye Ri, showing no intention of stopping this, sent me a communication with an amused smile. Amidst it all, Choi Seulgi’s voice rang out again.
“Maintain your dignity, you fucking bastard.”
“Wh-What…”
“Who do you think you are, pissing yourself in a sacred conference room?”
“This is…”
“I said, maintain your dignity…”
Choi Seulgi slowly began to walk toward him. Naturally, the man was struck dumb and kept backing away. He desperately looked for someone to help him, but most of the people here were not his allies. The Northern warriors, the Easterners, the elves—none of them were on his side.
The rest of his cabinet just swallowed nervously, watching the situation unfold. The ones who had been shouting for dignity and an apology just moments ago were nowhere to be seen. In their place were only frightened mice. I had expected as much. They weren’t bound by blood, nor were they comrades who had fought together. They were nothing more than a group held together by mutual interests.
“This is a sacred conference room! Your Majesty, please… stop her…”
In the end, the person he turned to was the queen they had so often ignored and treated like a fool. He sent a desperate plea for help to the queen he never even glanced at when he didn’t need her. Naturally, I was curious about Han So-Hye’s reaction. I turned to look at her, and her expression was somewhat ambiguous. She didn’t look pleased, nor did she seem to think she should help them. Instead, Han So-Hye deliberately avoided looking in Choi Seulgi’s direction and slowly opened her mouth.
“We have guests present. This place was not made for fighting.”
“Her Majesty has spoken, Lady Choi Seulgi…”
“I will issue a disciplinary action for what is about to happen at a later time. In recognition of your efforts thus far, you are not to kill him.”
“What?”
In an instant, the man’s face crumpled, while Choi Seulgi’s brightened.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Choi Seulgi replied curtly. Was this the face of someone betrayed by one they trusted? I thought their expressions were a bit disingenuous. If they had truly trusted Han So-Hye, this situation would never have happened in the first place.
“Wh-What did you just say!”
CRACK!
Just as he was about to speak, Choi Seulgi’s hand shot out. Before he could react, his face was slammed into the wall.
THUD!
It wasn’t a blow meant to kill, but it was packed with enough magic to cause excruciating pain. She didn’t seem to have any intention of using her dagger, as she didn’t draw it. Instead, her vicious hand flew toward his face.
SMACK!
With a sickening crack, teeth went flying and blood splattered against the wall. This was far beyond a simple slap. If Choi Seulgi hadn’t controlled her strength, he would have died instantly.
SMACK!
“Aaaaargh!! Guards! Call the… the guar—”
A scream echoed through the room, but it didn’t last long. To be precise, she was moving her hands so fast he didn’t even have a chance to scream. At the sudden commotion, the conference room doors opened and the soldiers working for them tried to enter, but there was nothing they could do.
Even as their employer was being beaten like an insect, they hesitated. I could understand their feelings. They had no idea how to intervene.
‘Private soldiers.’
They were hired for personal protection, but I could guarantee they would be of no help.
“Move and you die,” Choi Seulgi muttered, looking at the men standing there dumbfounded.
Just as I expected, they froze in place.
SMACK!
The sound of the slap completely drowned out his scream. His head was being whipped back and forth without rest, and his face was becoming a horrifying mess. When Choi Seulgi briefly stopped hitting him, the man finally managed to speak.
“P-Please, stop… I-I was wrong… I…”
“Fuck off, you fucking son of a bitch.”
“I have made a grave mis…take… Lady… Lady Choi Seulgi.”
“Why are you crying? Maintain your dignity, you fucking bastard. You have to maintain your dignity even when you’re getting hit. Huh? You’re a cool guy, aren’t you? If you’re a loyal subject who truly cares for his country, you should maintain your dignity even in a situation like this. You’re smart and clever, so you should know what dignity is, right?”
It seemed the comment about maintaining his dignity had bothered her more than I thought. Seeing her stomp on the man pinned to the floor while continuing to shout, I was certain I was right.
“I said maintain your dignity, you bastard! Maintain it! Maintain your dignity! A grown man shouldn’t be crying and pissing himself! Maintain your fucking dignity!”
“Ugh-heoooook! Keo-heo-eu-ah… S-Save…”
“You have to speak clearly so an ignorant and rude person like me can understand, right? You have to maintain your dignity, don’t you? Huh? You’re going to maintain it, right?!”
“J-Just this once, please for…give…”
“No. Don’t need it. Go away, you bastard.”
The atmosphere in the hall, filled with the sounds of thuds and smacks, was chilling. All the while, Choi Seulgi was tormenting him with genuine malice. The way she tortured him just enough to keep him from dying was nothing short of professional.
“You filthy bastard. Stop pissing yourself, you dog!”
“Ah-heu-ah…”
You wouldn’t find someone who could beat a person so thoroughly anywhere else on the continent. Her movements were like a textbook example of a striking art. She skillfully evaded the hands that reflexively came up to block, landing her strikes on target. The skill required to accumulate damage so heavily without killing him was, in its own way, quite remarkable.
“They always said cunning bastards only learn their lesson after a good beating. You fucking cunning bastard.”
“I… I’m not… cun…ning…”
“You have to speak clearly. Huh?”
I slowly began to look around. The Northern warriors, of course, looked refreshed. The elves seemed a bit flustered but were watching the situation unfold for now.
The other men, awaiting their turn, watched Choi Seulgi with anxious eyes.
‘I might be next.’
That’s what they were all thinking.
“Hoo… hoo… Fucking bastards. I’m still not satisfied.”
The sight of the tattered man twitching beneath Choi Seulgi’s foot was almost surreal.
“S-Save… me…”
“I’m not going to kill you, so don’t worry… You can lie down comfortably. Just relax. Like you said, I need to maintain some dignity, too. I have to be elegant. Let’s talk about the rest slowly… okay? Got it?”