Revenge Begins (2)

Kim Ji-yu.

Even among the four of them, the one who seized the eye first was their leader—Kim Ji-yu, daughter of the chairman of the Ilseong Group, the greatest hunter guild conglomerate among Korea's five major guilds.

Glossy black hair cascading to her waist. Skin so pale it nearly glowed. Long, sharp eyes like a cat's, the corners tilted just high enough that even standing still she seemed to be looking down on whoever stood before her. A classic ice beauty whose smile itself looked like a sneer.

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Among those bitches, she was the bitchiest of them all.

Next.

Han Seo-yun.

Han Seo-yun, daughter of the chairman of Cheongun—one of the five major guilds—had the kind of dazzling face that would make anyone believe she was an idol trainee. Long straight hair, a petite face, huge eyes, and a bright atmosphere that suited her perfectly. In particular, the tiny tear mole beneath her right eye had a way of snagging a person's gaze and not letting go.

Kim Ji-yu's right hand and the brains of the operation. Generously, a strategist. Less generously, the absolute dog of a girl who sat on the sidelines tossing sparks and fanning every fight into a wildfire.

Next.

Park A-yeong.

Park A-yeong, daughter of the chairman of Daehyeon—another of the five major guilds—had the cutest impression of the four. Round eyes, delicate features, a bright little smile that at a glance made her look like the sweet girl-next-door little sister type.

But that gentle face was a lie. Her body was overwhelming. The volume of those full H-cup breasts, the slim waist, the sharply curved silhouette—cuteness and mature allure colliding in one frame.

Unlike her looks, she was violently physical. Kim Ji-yu's left hand, the muscle. In other words, the one who beat me the most. Special move: kitty-cat punches.

Last.

Seong Min-a.

Seong Min-a, daughter of the chairman of Seojin—yet another of the five major guilds—was pretty in a somehow loose, unfinished way. Big puppy-dog eyes and a pure, soft impression that made even her anger completely unthreatening. She was forever flipping her long hair carelessly or staring blankly into space, so first-time observers inevitably wondered, Is she a little dumb?

In reality, when everyone else was already a beat ahead, she often understood things two beats late. And she said absolute nonsense on her own more often than not. Bottom line: pure airhead. Human comedy bell.

I'll give them the visuals, though.

Standing together, the four of them each had a completely different atmosphere. Kim Ji-yu, the cold, haughty ice beauty. Han Seo-yun, the radiant beauty like an idol on stage. Park A-yeong, the reverse-type beauty with a cute face and overwhelming glamour at once. Seong Min-a, the natural-type beauty where pure looks and airheaded charm coexisted.

To someone who didn't know them, that is.

What they shared was this: every one of them possessed looks that crushed their peers, and every one of them carried breasts fuller than an E-cup. The moment the four of them stepped through the school gate side by side, every student's gaze naturally swung toward them. That level of presence.

But to me—

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You fucking bitches! Chant it with me—you're all fucked!

.

.

.

.

The other three were the same. And as expected, their levels were all low. Leader Kim Ji-yu was the highest at Level 2; the remaining three were, just as I figured, all Level 1.

More important than that—

Whoa! No time limit?!

No time limit meant the goddess was just handing this to me free of charge. Do it whenever. On the house!

Thank you!

I love you so so so much! Our goddess is the best ♡ Number one number one number one ♡♡♡

Even praise has limits. I ignored her and went to sit by my parents.

"Long time no see, everyone."

The four bitches still hadn't climbed out of shock. They couldn't even form words; they just stared blankly at my face.

"Well then, us old folks will make ourselves scarce."

"Our pretty girls~ Have fun~"

The moment I came downstairs, my parents fled for the company like they'd been waiting for the cue. Now the house held only me, the four bitches, and Su-mi noona. I felt bad for Su-mi noona, but I'd already asked her in advance to wait in her room for a little while today.

"So why'd you come? To my house?"

That was what I wanted to know most. Why the hell were they here?

The first to snap out of it was, of course, their leader—Kim Ji-yu.

"…You've changed a little…?"

"Me? Heh. Yeah, I changed. Only because you wouldn't let me fix myself before. Honestly, I've wanted to change for ages. Anyway—Park A-yeong."

At the sound of her name, her already round eyes went even rounder.

"W-why?"

"Thanks. It's all because of you. Seriously, thank you."

"Eeeeh?!"

She startled so hard she almost bounced out of her seat. The other girls looked back and forth between me and Park A-yeong, faces full of shock.

This is advanced psychological warfare, you bitches.

You thought only you four got to sow discord? I can do it too, you bitches.

From the moment I got the message that they were coming to my house yesterday, I'd been thinking. How do I piss them off the most? And how do I isolate one of them so I can take her? The answer was this.

These girls had been unnaturally obsessed with making me ugly. And by pure coincidence, the Body Reconstruction Elixir that had transformed me like this was a product of Daehyeon—the massive hunter guild group led by Park A-yeong's father. Was there better material for sowing distrust and isolating one of them? Anywhere?

In that instant, Han Seo-yun screeched like a cat in heat.

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"What do you think it means? The reason I changed like this is all thanks to Park A-yeong."

"What?!"

"Right~ Park A-yeong~?"

"Huh? W-what did I—?!"

Park A-yeong's face said she had absolutely no idea what was going on. Of course she didn't. I'd carefully fabricated the whole thing.

"My dad told me, you know? That you asked the chairman and he gave me a Body Reconstruction Elixir worth a full ten billion won! I'm really, truly grateful! What does the chairman like? I want to repay the favor somehow. No—forget the chairman. I'll repay you! Just say the word. I'll do anything!"

Park A-yeong's face went bone-white in a flash.

"N-no…! I never actually—"

"Aww~ still being modest."

I waved her off with a smile.

"It's fine. I already know everything."

Kim Ji-yu cut in, face twisted with rage.

"…Know what?"

"What do you think? That Park A-yeong asked for it. My dad said so. The chairman told him personally. 'A-yeong specially requested it for Eun-ho.'"

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"I said I didn't?!"

Park A-yeong nearly screamed it. She flailed her hands in pure injustice, but it was already too late.

I glanced sideways. Kim Ji-yu's face had contorted like a yaksha's. Han Seo-yun was glaring only at Park A-yeong with eyes that refused to believe it. Seong Min-a looked back and forth between me and Park A-yeong in pure confusion.

Perfect! Everything according to plan!

In a situation like this, the truth didn't matter. Suspicion. Plant that one thing, and it was enough.

"Hey. Park A-yeong."

Kim Ji-yu's voice dropped low.

"…Is it true?"

"No! I-it's really not!"

"But your uncle said it himself."

"That's what I'm saying! It's not true!"

Park A-yeong looked ready to cry.

"I'm hearing this for the first time too! I swear!"

"Come on."

I snorted and shook my head.

"Why are you trying to hide it to the bitter end? Thanks to you, my whole life changed, you know? So just tell me. I'll do anything, seriously."

"You'll… do anything…?"

Han Seo-yun muttered it, face blank with disbelief.

I dropped the finishing blow.

"Actually, no. I'll just go myself."

Slap! I clapped my hands lightly and beamed.

"Tell him I'll visit your house in person and pay my respects to the chairman. Just pass that along for me."

The second those words landed, all three pairs of eyes locked onto Park A-yeong again. She couldn't endure the stares; her face flushed crimson as she shook her head over and over.

"I'm telling you it's not true…! Please just believe me…!"

Kim Ji-yu stared at Park A-yeong in silence. Her face was the usual cold, expressionless mask—but I'd spent long enough with them to know. Those were shaken eyes. Suspicious eyes. Kim Ji-yu was already hooked on this.

"…A-yeong."

"I-it's really not!"

"Your uncle said that?"

"I said I'm hearing it for the first time!"

"And the elixir just happened to come from Daehyeon?"

"I-I don't know about that either! First I've heard of it!"

Park A-yeong was flustered beyond reason. Han Seo-yun's brow was deeply furrowed too.

"Hey. Be honest."

"I keep saying I'm not!"

"You really didn't ask for it?"

"I said no!!"

Normally they would've laughed it off together, calling me a liar. But this was a ten-billion-won elixir. And I had actually transformed.

I deliberately put on an awkward expression.

"Ah… I shouldn't have said anything. Now I've made it awkward. Maybe I should've kept it secret? Sorry, A-yeong. From now on, it'll be our little secret—just the two of us."

In that instant, all three faces hardened at once.

Secret.

That one word hit harder than I expected. Kim Ji-yu stared fixedly at Park A-yeong without a word. Han Seo-yun bit her lip. Seong Min-a watched Park A-yeong's reaction carefully, reading the room.

Park A-yeong finally snapped under the pressure and exploded.

"Hey! Lee Eun-ho!"

"Hm?"

"I never did that!"

"Yeah, yeah~ I know~"

"What do you mean you know! I didn't! None of it!!"

Park A-yeong. No matter what you say or how you say it, it's useless. You've already lost their trust.

I swallowed a smile inside.

Whoa! Those faces are perfect!

Every one of them looked so rotten they couldn't rot any further.

"…Shit… this is fucked…"

With that, Kim Ji-yu shot up from her seat and headed for the door. Seeing her, Han Seo-yun and Seong Min-a stood right after.

"A-yeong. You come out a little later. Don't follow us right away."

"A-yeong. I believe you. There's no way you'd do something that trashy, right? Anyway, let's talk later."

"G-girls! Wait for me!"

That was when I timed it perfectly and caught Park A-yeong.

"Hold on a second, A-yeong. Just a second. You stay a little longer."

At my words, the three of them glared at me like they couldn't believe the sheer audacity.

"You guys go first. I've got something to give A-yeong."

"…"

"Fuck… this is actually fucked…"

They cursed, but that was as far as it went. Just like that, the two of them fled after Kim Ji-yu and left my house.

Yeah. That's right. Exactly as planned—I was alone with Park A-yeong.

She glared at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me with a face tangled in injustice and rage, looking ready to kill me on the spot.

Now! Skill—[I Can See Your Status Window]! Activate!