Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: The Bishop from Iyer
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"Have you heard?"
What news had she brought today?
I could see Lee Jia approaching with a slightly excited expression.
Kim Dahye, who was being dragged along blankly by the hand, looked a little pitiful.
"Yeah, I heard."
As soon as Seo Woojin answered, Lee Jia, who had been rushing over, widened her eyes.
"Y-You've heard?"
Seo Woojin smirked at her muttering 'No way' under her breath.
"I don't know what it is, but I haven't heard, so tell me."
Realizing Seo Woojin had tricked her, Lee Jia's face flushed red as she huffed.
But her itching mouth was more urgent, so she quickly spilled the news.
"A delegation is coming from Iyer. One of the bishops, no less! They're even visiting the Academy—doesn't that get you excited?
Hmm, honestly, not really.
Aside from the fact that it was the kingdom backing Seong Yura, I knew nothing about it.
'What's a bishop anyway?'
I'd heard the term vaguely before, but I couldn't recall.
Bishop or whatever, it wasn't particularly important to Seo Woojin.
But seeing Lee Jia make such a fuss, maybe it was someone pretty famous and important...
Still, he had no interest.
"Yeah? That's impressive."
Seo Woojin gave a mechanical reaction that felt utterly soulless.
"Hey, what kind of reaction is that? It's a bishop! One of only three high nobles in all of Iyer is coming to see us—aren't you surprised?"
"Nope, not surprised. So what about some noble?"
Seo Woojin had even met the empire's emperor one-on-one.
He didn't know how great the Holy Kingdom was, but he doubted their bishop outranked the emperor.
"Uh..."
Lee Jia faltered at Seo Woojin's response.
She'd probably hoped for wide-eyed shock.
But with his indifferent reaction, she wore a look that said 'This isn't it.'
It was a bit funny.
"So, what's a bishop then?"
He had nothing pressing to do anyway, so he figured he'd play along a little and asked.
"Ah! Iyer has a slightly different structure from the empire or other kingdoms? At the top, there's something called the Holy King..."
I'd asked about bishops, but she launched into a general briefing on Iyer's society.
'Where does she even get all this info?'
Seo Woojin half-listened to Lee Jia while pondering her mysterious talent.
"But! That amazing bishop is visiting the Academy today! Impressive, right?"
"Oh, yeah? Impressive."
Worried the kid might get disappointed again, Seo Woojin put on his most surprised face.
Lee Jia grinned from ear to ear.
"But why here?"
"Who knows? Maybe to meet Seong Yura?"
That was the most likely reason.
No, nothing else came to mind.
"Seong Yura..."
Seo Woojin's brow furrowed.
'I need to figure out how to deal with her.'
The hero who suspected his connection to the 'black entity'—no, was convinced they were the same person.
Leaving her be would definitely cause trouble eventually.
He had to come up with a plan before that happened.
'Can't just go and kill her outright.'
He wanted to, but it was impossible right now.
The Academy had countless eyes watching him.
'Probably Crusiel.'
Lately, he could feel them scrutinizing his every move.
He'd suspected it before, but after reaching the superhuman realm, he was certain.
Especially after the emperor bestowed 'Luden Gardo'—the surveillance had intensified.
Killing Seong Yura inside the Academy in this situation?
The war of descent might not even happen before an all-out war between the empire and Seo Woojin broke out.
'I'd probably die then.'
As he was now, Seo Woojin couldn't handle the empire alone.
Sword Sage, Magic Duke, Grand Duke, Shadow Duke, Fist Sage.
Even two of them stepping up would be too much for him.
'What if I use Demon King Transformation?'
Then he'd truly have to fight the entire continent.
'Let's think of something.'
The bishop's visit Lee Jia mentioned.
If he timed it for the chaos, an opportunity might arise.
"What're you thinking so hard about? You wanna see the bishop too, right, mister? Right?"
No, not really.
He wanted to shake his head, but seeing her face brimming with anticipation, Seo Woojin smiled and played along.
"When're they coming?"
When Seo Woojin asked, Lee Jia paused to recall before answering.
"They arrive in the capital today, so probably tomorrow?"
"Yeah? Okay, got it. Thanks."
Seo Woojin patted Lee Jia's head, then glanced at Kim Dahye standing blankly beside them.
She showed no interest in their conversation, just staring vacantly at the sky.
"Dahye."
Seo Woojin called.
Her head slowly turned down to look at him.
"Remember when I said I'd help you before?"
"Yeah."
"Let's start that today."
As soon as Seo Woojin spoke, Lee Jia cut in from the side.
"Help with what? Why didn't you tell me? What's it about?"
A waterfall of questions poured out.
"She's preparing something. I'm gonna help her level up."
Lee Jia's head whipped around to stare at Kim Dahye.
"What? What? What're you preparing?"
"It's a secret from you. I'll tell you later."
Seo Woojin answered for her.
"Hey, why not me? My lips are sealed! I won't tell anyone, so just tell me!"
Telling Lee Jia felt like broadcasting it publicly.
"Let's go, Dahye."
"Wait! Hold on! You can't leave without telling me!"
Ignoring Lee Jia's cries, Seo Woojin and Kim Dahye headed toward the indoor training grounds.
* * *
"...They're coming here?"
Seong Yura bit her nails as she asked.
"Yeah. They should arrive at the Academy tomorrow, probably."
Kim Taejin answered quietly.
"Got it."
Seong Yura's demeanor was quite different from before.
Her beauty remained, but her hollow gaze showed her nerves were on edge.
'How did she end up like this?'
Kim Taejin sighed as he looked at her.
She'd always been a confident, poised friend.
Even in front of Baek Siwoo, she never backed down from her convictions, and her skills matched her pride.
But now...
'She's like a wreck.'
Full of anxiety, fidgeting nonstop, dark circles down to her cheeks.
If he didn't know her, he'd think she was addicted to drugs.
'When did this start?'
The signs probably began when Baek Siwoo vanished.
She'd suddenly attacked Seo Woojin, then got kidnapped by vampires and disappeared that day.
She'd seemed uneasy since then.
But not like this.
The real change was a few days ago.
She'd gone off somewhere alone and come back like this.
"Yura."
Kim Taejin called softly.
No response.
Just the sound of her biting her nails, snap-snap.
"What happened? Tell me so I can help."
He didn't know what she'd gone through, but plenty of people could assist.
Himself, Park Jinhan, Im Tae-eun.
Plus heroes and nobles she kept ties with—tons of them.
Their power could handle whatever she was facing.
That's what Kim Taejin thought.
But Seong Yura just shook her head.
"You guys can't fix it."
Her voice was firm.
He'd waited so long for her to speak, but he didn't like the answer.
"...Is it because of him?"
Kim Taejin thought of Seo Woojin.
He didn't know why, but everyone knew she harbored strong hostility toward him.
Seong Yura flinched.
"See? It's Seo Woojin."
"Just leave."
Her voice dripped with irritation, ordering him out.
But Kim Taejin didn't obey.
He stepped closer and asked again.
"Tell me. What did Seo Woojin do to you?"
Kim Taejin's eyes narrowed.
For his proud friend to not even utter a word...
If she was reacting like this, it was no simple matter.
A long silence followed.
Seong Yura didn't answer, but Kim Taejin waited patiently for her to open up.
After a long while.
She finally spoke.
"...I'll handle it."
"What?"
Her voice was so quiet he couldn't catch it.
Then Seong Yura suddenly jerked her head up and yelled.
"I'm gonna kill that bastard!"
Only then did Kim Taejin see it.
The intense madness in Seong Yura's eyes.
"You..."
Kim Taejin couldn't continue.
The shock of his friend's transformation hit him hard.
"You're gonna kill him? Why? No, before that—is it even possible?"
They'd both witnessed Seo Woojin's strength with their own eyes.
They knew he was strong, but the Seo Woojin they'd seen at Jinhan Pass was on another level entirely.
Even if he, Seong Yura, Park Jinhan, and Im Tae-eun teamed up...
Could they win?
Kim Taejin was skeptical.
Seo Woojin's display had been that shocking.
"The Iyer bishop's coming tomorrow, right?"
Seong Yura's madness deepened.
"I'll kill him somehow. Bishop, Holy King, whoever—I’ll use anyone. I will kill him."
Her voice brimmed with murderous intent.
"I'll help you kill Seo Woojin. But tell me what happened. Then me and the others will all back you up."
Kim Taejin was a bit scared of this Seong Yura, but he decided to help anyway.
She was his friend.
"I don't need your help."
But Seong Yura brushed off Kim Taejin's offer.
No, she trampled it.
"...Fine. Do whatever."
Kim Taejin shook his head and turned away.
If she was going that far, he didn't need to risk helping.
This wasn't the Seong Yura he knew anymore.
'I shouldn't get involved.'
He worried what she'd do in her grip of hatred and madness, but Kim Taejin decided to cut ties.
'No matter what happens, I'm done caring.'
She didn't want help anyway—he didn't want to get dragged into something bad.
"...Siwoo."
As he headed out, Kim Taejin called the name of his suddenly vanished friend.
"If you were here, Yura wouldn't have ended up like this. Where the hell are you?"
Kim Taejin thought he had to find Baek Siwoo somehow, if only to set things right.
With no idea what was coming next.