Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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In truth, the drinking gathering she had suggested was closer to a simple meal.
And it seemed like only Han Bom was originally expected to join.
Han Bom, Min Ha-yeon, Han Yeo-reum.
It felt like they wanted to chat freely without worrying about prying eyes, the three of them together after so long.
Before I showed up...
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
At the rectangular table sat me, Min Ha-yeon, Han Yeo-reum, and Han Bom, all on one side.
The four of us, including me, were putting on such a perfect, serene silence that we could've represented the nation in a synchronized quiet contest.
If we examined the reasons for each person's silence...
Min Ha-yeon was shooting me side-eyes, clearly upset that I'd been staring so intently at Han Bom earlier.
If Toshio were here, he'd have taken one look at her expression, freaked out in terror, and booked a one-way ticket to the afterlife to escape this world.
Han Yeo-reum... that guy was probably pissed seeing me and Min Ha-yeon sitting side by side like this.
Or maybe he just hated me, plain and simple.
Han Bom had a deeply dissatisfied look, clearly unhappy that I'd unexpectedly crashed their gathering.
I'd originally planned to wander the village alone and gather some info, but Min Ha-yeon had dragged me over and planted me right next to her.
Thus, the silence held firm, each of us for our own reasons.
Awkward as it was, I broke the ice first.
"With me here, you all look uncomfortable. Maybe I should just bow out..."
"Sit."
"Yes, ma'am..."
It made sense, yet at the same time, it didn't.
Anyone watching would think I'd leered at Han Bom with sleazy eyes.
'No, I just looked a little...'
[The problem was that you showed zero expression control.]
'Sigh... It wasn't that bad, just a bit intrigued, right?'
[I'll show you.]
A video playback of the expression I'd made earlier started projecting in front of my eyes.
Uh... that was one hell of a sleazy look.
'...Damn it.'
Confronted with irrefutable evidence, I grumbled internally in defeat.
'No way! What's wrong with a guy just looking at a girl!?'
[I hope you don't say that to Min Ha-yeon, even by mistake.]
The fact that Min Ha-yeon was jealous of me was actually a green light.
Proof that thoughts of me had taken up a big place in her heart.
It just felt like a green light that might turn into a pattern of warning signs.
Right now, it felt like apostles were storming my mind and wreaking havoc.
[Min Ha-yeon's current behavior is a very positive sign. But if this continues and Han Yeo-reum eventually gives up on her and builds a relationship with another woman, that could spell trouble.]
'We need some countermeasures.'
Han Yeo-reum hooking up with another woman? Then I'd naturally have to seduce that woman too.
As I pondered that, Han Bom clapped her hands loudly to liven up the mood.
Clap!
"Come to think of it, you two spent the whole week together, huh?"
"Y-Yeah..."
The "two" Han Bom mentioned referred to Min Ha-yeon and Han Yeo-reum, and Min Ha-yeon gave a wry smile, understanding the implication.
Han Bom, that girl, was steering the conversation because she desperately wanted to hear how Min Ha-yeon and Han Yeo-reum had gotten tangled up, but neither Min Ha-yeon nor Han Yeo-reum could easily spill the details.
No way were they going to talk about Min Ha-yeon's rape play or Han Yeo-reum's omniscient loser perspective.
After persistently leading the chat and getting nowhere, Han Bom gave up, poked Han Yeo-reum's side, and said to Min Ha-yeon,
"Sis, give me a sec to talk with this... kid."
"Sure."
Han Bom dragged Han Yeo-reum out of the inn.
After that, Min Ha-yeon grabbed my forearm tight and looked up at me.
"...Su-ho."
"...Yeah?"
"Let's talk for a bit."
...I had a pretty good idea what it was about. Could I just skip it?
Han Bom and Min Ha-yeon had always seen each other as more than family.
Although Han Yeo-reum, who stood between them, continued to make things a complete mess, it never caused the relationship between Min Ha-yeon and Han Bom to deteriorate..
If anything, Han Yeo-reum had brought them closer.
Deep down, Han Bom's rational side screamed that she needed to separate Han Yeo-reum and Min Ha-yeon, while her emotional side threw a tantrum to keep them together.
Han Bom thought human relationships were like fish in a river.
When the current is calm, they can flow together gently, but if sudden rapids scatter them and the separation drags on, they can never return to how things were—even if they reunite.
That's what she believed.
'If eonni breaks up with that idiot... she'll drift away from me too.'
Min Ha-yeon was a woman too, and if she split from Han Yeo-reum, she'd end up with another man, Han Bom figured.
Then surely Min Ha-yeon's heart would drift from her as well, and their relationship would never recover.
The problem was, she never imagined it'd blow up while she was away.
Han Bom dragged Han Yeo-reum outside the inn and grilled him.
"Hey, what the hell did you do? Why's eonni acting like that?"
"Fuck..."
"You psycho! Stop muttering curses and spit it out! And who's that guy next to her? Why's she so chummy with him?"
"Sigh..."
Han Yeo-reum wore a despairing expression, agonizing endlessly.
He seemed torn on whether to tell her or not.
'...What? Did something really happen to this bastard? He's dumb, but he's never acted this pathetic before...'
From Han Bom's perspective, who'd watched him her whole life, Han Yeo-reum's behavior was utterly baffling.
This was a guy whose ego had always pierced the heavens thanks to his looks and luck.
Yet here he was, groaning like a total loser.
A side of him she'd never seen in her life.
After agonizing for a long while, Han Yeo-reum let out a deep sigh and began his tale.
No matter that they were family, Han Yeo-reum didn't tell Han Bom about his regression.
But excluding that, he described this loop's events in as much detail as possible.
The alchemist they bumped into on day one, and Min Ha-yeon approaching her.
Then the duel, the boss fight, the humiliating situation in the waiting village.
Han Yeo-reum laid out everything he'd been through to Han Bom.
Of course, from his perspective, emphasizing how trash-like Seong Su-ho was.
And no way could Han Bom believe that Min Ha-yeon had fallen for such a trash human (Seong Su-ho).
"...You're telling me to believe that?"
"Even I can't believe it, and I'm the one saying it!! Why... would Ha-yeon fall for a loser like that..."
“...”
Watching Han Yeo-reum bawl like a baby, Han Bom couldn't comprehend it at all.
'Why? Why would eonni be with a guy like that...'
Everything was incomprehensible, but what baffled her most was Min Ha-yeon's attitude toward Seong Suho.
Han Bom had never seen Min Ha-yeon act cute with a man her whole life.
Not even with Han Yeo-reum.
From childhood, she’d always been straightforward and dignified with him.
Yet here she was, all cozy and flirty with some random guy. It made no sense.
And the trigger for their deepening relationship...
'No way! Sis got raped and fell for him? What is this, some third-rate movie plot...'
After hearing Han Yeo-reum's story, Han Bom couldn't accept this situation at all.
If even regressed Han Yeo-reum couldn't understand it, there was no way she could.
Han Bom scowled deeply in thought before speaking up.
"Hey... what are you gonna do about Ha-yeon eonni?"
"Ugh... Kill that bastard Seong Su-ho first, then..."
"You idiot! Cut the bullshit! You still like Ha-yeon eonni, right?"
"Y-Yeah... I do."
From his answer and his eyes, Han Bom could confirm his sincerity.
She could feel she still truly loved Min Ha-yeon.
'Even a trash like this... he's family... No matter how I think about it, this idiot's way better than that guy...'
With familial affection and her inner greed not to let Min Ha-yeon go blooming inside her, Han Bom spoke.
"Hey... While we're staying here, I'll try to pry those two apart somehow. In the meantime, keep groveling at Ha-yeon eonni's feet, beg forgiveness nonstop. Got it?"
"...I already tried."
"You moron! You think one or two tries is enough? Think about everything you've done!"
"...Okay."
Han Bom found Han Yeo-reum's cowering, fidgety demeanor utterly alien.
They'd always traded insults and fists like typical siblings.
'Stupid bastard... how'd it come to this...'
Seeing the Han Yeo-reum she had assumed she'd hate forever showing weakness stirred a pang of pity in her.
"Let's head in for now. We'll just chat lightly today, and starting tomorrow, I'll make some opportunities."
"...Thanks."
"Sigh..."
Han Bom swallowed the "idiot" on the tip of her tongue.
A word she'd hurl without hesitation normally just wouldn't come out seeing his dejected face.
Han Bom led Han Yeo-reum back into the inn.
Min Ha-yeon and Seong Su-ho, still oblivious to their approach, were...
"If you even glance at Bom, you're dead?"
"Anyone watching would think I've done something terrible...."
...putting on a scene like a husband who'd lost a couple's spat and was signing a pledge.
Min Ha-yeon was lecturing Seong Su-ho with a seemingly menacing tone, but Han Bom could spot the affection leaking from her gestures.
Watching that, Han Bom couldn't help but doubt Han Yeo-reum.
'Yeo-reum, you holding out on me? Did Ha-yeon eonni really get raped and act like this?'
The idol and emotional pillar she'd known was gone.
She just looked like a woman obsessed with her lover, tossing everything else aside.
Han Bom's gaze shifted to Seong Su-ho.
Never one for guys to begin with, she felt zero appeal from him.
And he wasn't even that distinctive.
'First things first... I need to deal with that guy.'
As Han Yeo-reum and Han Bom approached the table, Seong Su-ho and Min Ha-yeon noticed and abruptly cut off their chat, pretending not to know each other.
Han Bom sat down with a faint smile and turned to Seong Su-ho.
"Come to think of it, we haven't even introduced ourselves properly. I'm Han Bom."
"I'm Seong Su-ho."
"Nice name."
Forcing the smile, Han Bom muttered inwardly.
'Ugh... I'm getting goosebumps...'
Though not by choice, Han Bom harbored deep misandry toward men.
And that hatred had actually stemmed from Han Yeo-reum.
No aversion as a kid, but his playboy ways had blossomed it into something that now tormented her.
"Mind telling me a bit about yourself? Seems like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
"Hm... Nothing special..."
"It'd be nice to get to know each other better."
With that, Han Bom steered the conversation around Seong Su-ho.
We got tangled up with the others, woke up the next day hungover, and heard thunderbolt news from Han Bom.
"We're not earning points?"
"Yeah..."
The summoners who'd just arrived in this Prem Village were suffering through a lodging war.
They'd been desperately holding onto this one spot...
But maintaining lodging facilities required steady points.
If even one room went empty by mistake and an outsider slipped in, it'd turn dangerous fast.
The issue was that the points pooled by everyone staying here were running dry.
But it was incomprehensible.
"Aren't you all hunting nonstop? And with multiple people per room, lodging costs shouldn't be an issue..."
One night's stay here cost 1,000 points.
Five per room meant just 200 each—plenty.
"That's... we can't hunt in the hunting grounds anymore."
"...?"
As we made baffled faces, Han Bom took us to see for ourselves.
Min Ha-yeon, me, and the rest of the party stepped into the field and gawked around in shock.
"What the...?"
The area crawled with a ridiculous number of summoners.
Zephyrium was busy enough, but this was on another level—utterly packed.
No mobs in sight, not even a rat; just dust and people swarming everywhere.
Han Bom sighed heavily at our reactions and explained.
"Remember the unity I mentioned yesterday...?"
"Yeah."
"All these guys are in on it together. They've snatched up every monster, leaving none for us."
"My god..."
The reason Han Bom's group lacked points wasn't laziness or cowardice.
Members of Han Bom's inn were actively sabotaging their hunts on purpose.
As Min Ha-yeon incredulously scanned the area, the field dwellers started eyeing us.
Then one group swaggered over, grinning unpleasantly.
"Hey~ Aren't those the girls from yesterday?"
"Heh... Beauties sticking together. Wanna crash in my room today?"
“...”
These were the jerks who'd picked a fight at the first inn we'd tried yesterday.