US Trip (6)
US Trip (6)
Thanks to the influence of the Baekseong Group, I received my US visa without a hitch and headed to the airport.
"So many people."
It's a place I've never been to before.
To think that I, who couldn't even dream of traveling abroad in the past, would be going on so many trips now.
As I was zoning out, Ha-rin-nuna poked my cheek.
"Is this your first time at an airport? Why the look on your face?"
"It is my first time."
"...Ah."
Suddenly sensing disaster, Ha-rin-nuna quickly pulled her hand away.
"I-it's possible to be here for the first time. Yeah."
Originally, I was going to go to the US alone, but somehow the group got bigger.
I looked back.
There was A-yeon, who had the exact same expression as me.
Yoo Seol, Ha-rin-nuna's attendant.
And Kim Su-ah, who had a look that said she wanted to go home.
*
Time flows back a little.
"Would you like a cup of tea, um... Ha-rin-nuna's Father-nim?"
"Just Father-nim is fine."
Ha-rin-nuna and I were at home, and Father-nim and Yoo Seol-ssi visited again.
The package Yoo Seol-ssi handed over contained the approved US visa and passport.
"There shouldn't be any problems with this."
With this, I could go to the US.
Suddenly, a question came up.
"Come to think of it, I didn't ask back then. Could you tell me the ability of your Mythic-grade trait?"
There's no need to hide it from someone in the same boat.
Probability Manipulation.
The two people who heard the explanation of the ability sighed.
"...That makes no sense."
"So that's how the money was being copied."
"It's a shame it doesn't directly help in combat, though."
Even though my trait is overpowered.
I can't beat other Mythic-grade players who have traits like 99% damage reduction, guaranteed hits for all arrows, or infinite resurrection for nearby allies.
One guy needs to be hit 100 times, and the other snipes from outside the range.
Unless you take one down first, you can't win in a war of attrition.
And besides those three, there are many other players with unknown Mythic-grade traits.
It doesn't mean winning is guaranteed.
"Still, there is one way to cover that."
I showed them the notice for the Blacksmith Competition.
"...Fragment of God."
"With Probability Manipulation, I can definitely craft one Mythic Item."
Suddenly, Father-nim let out a faint sigh.
"If I had known it would come to this, I should have saved the Fragment of God. What a shame."
"Did you use up all the ones the Baekseong Group guild held?"
"There were over ten originally, but I used them all except for one. It seems the supply of the Fragment of God won't be released anymore either."
"Still, having one left is something."
I can craft as many as two Mythic Items.
Considering that Mythic Items have a status similar to Mythic-grade traits.
Our faction has three Mythics.
"Invincible in a money fight, and supplementing lacking combat power with Mythic-grade equipment, huh."
"It seems like the victory is in the bag."
"Well, things won't flow that easily. We might get ganged up on, you know."
It felt strange for a middle-aged man to use the word "ganged up on."
"And the rules haven't been revealed yet. We must be careful."
"The rules?"
"The Great War has always been held under special rules each time, and there were never overlapping enemies. Depending on how those rules are proposed, the outcome might be decided."
"Hmm."
"...I'm asking out of worry, but if you win, what wish do you plan to make?"
I answered without much thought.
"Me? I think I'd make a wish for all the people I care about to live healthy lives without any trouble until they die."
"That's simpler than I thought."
"Anyway, I can achieve everything I want with money. By the way, what wish does the Baekseong side have...?"
"The Chairman, so my father, wants immortality."
"Immortality?"
Ha-rin-nuna snatched the words.
"It means he wants to keep being the Chairman."
"Ha-rin-ah."
"Am I wrong?"
Father-nim couldn't really answer.
"If I link it well with my wish, I think I could achieve it somehow? Like, asking for the people I mentioned to be able to live safely until they want to live."
"I see."
Suddenly curious, I asked.
"By the way, what is Father-nim's wish?"
"Me?"
I nodded.
"My dad is a workaholic, so he probably wants to make the Baekseong Group his own or something."
I also thought of Ha-rin-nuna's guess.
But the wish Father-nim said was as follows.
"For my daughter to live happily."
"Huh?"
"It hasn't changed once since Ha-rin was born until now."
Ha-rin-nuna's face stiffened at the sudden critical hit.
"Dad, are you joking?"
"Do I look like the type to joke?"
"...Then why did you try to force me into marriage and move out without a word?"
"That's why I kicked you out of the house."
Yoo Seol-ssi whispered to Ha-rin-nuna.
"The Executive Director knew that you had been consistently looking for Dohyun-ssi recently."
Ha-rin-nuna was speechless for a moment.
"Moving out also resulted in buying you a year of time."
Nuna stared at Father-nim without a word, then.
She suddenly stood up and left the living room.
"Young Lady, where are you going?"
"...Restroom!"
Ha-rin-nuna's earlobes were very red.
"Heh, my wish seems like it could be achieved without winning."
Father-nim turned his head.
"Ha-rin has fixed her rotten personality and matured a bit thanks to you."
"Is that so?"
"Hmm. So I'm secretly grateful."
Father-nim thought for a moment before speaking.
"Do you know that Ha-rin was almost forced into a political marriage recently?"
It's a story Nuna never told me.
"The child was so scared at the thought of marrying a man she had never seen in her life."
Father-nim shuddered as if he hated even imagining it.
"He's my father, but he only sees his children and grandchildren as tools."
Father-nim's face, shaking his head, was tinged with slight anger.
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be much better to do it with you, who has a good eye? That's why I agreed to kick her out of the house. I hate to say this, but one year is enough time to have a child."
"...So that's why you said to hold the ceremony quickly."
"You have to do it quickly so there are no aftereffects. Even if you didn't have your trait, I would have come to find you and told you to get married. Of course, now that you have a Mythic-grade trait, the Baekseong Group would welcome you with open arms."
I thought marriage was just something said to keep me from running away.
There were quite a few reasons.
"That's why I'm grateful to you. For being the man Ha-rin likes."
Father-nim stared straight into my eyes.
"Just the fact that she can marry the man she likes with blessings, without having to be forced into marriage, means my wish has already been fulfilled."
I really envy Ha-rin-nuna.
To think such a father exists in the world.
How nice it would have been if my father were like this.
"Do you know this?"
As Nuna still hadn't returned, Yoo Seol-ssi added, reading the room.
"Ever since Dohyun-ssi was imprisoned, the Young Lady has truly missed you for six years."
"Me?"
"She really talked about Dohyun-this and Dohyun-that to me every day, I thought my ears would fall off. Like, I'd act like a clown for 30 million won, what was there to be sorry about? She kept singing about wanting to apologize once, so I told her to go find you, and she said, 'What face should I see Dohyun with?' and oh my. It got to the point where I even submitted my resignation."
Yoo Seol-ssi, who seemed to have a lot pent up, spat out a rapid-fire rap.
I also couldn't understand the feeling of being sorry over a 30 million won donation.
"She really likes you a lot."
I bowed my head and muttered.
"...I still don't know why Nuna likes me."
I received that help and even cursed at her.
Recently, I even shared two deep kisses with A-yeon.
"...You two must know the reason I'm going to the US, too."
Now, with the visa I got with these people's help, I'm going to meet a woman other than Nuna.
The two of them have already grasped the information on Yoon-seo.
They must know why I'm trying to go to the US.
"It's a common thing for a chaebol family to have multiple women."
"...."
"I'd like to say that, but... it's true that I don't like you going to meet another woman while leaving my daughter behind."
"That's...."
"Still, I'll let it slide. Since the situation isn't easy."
"...I'm sorry, Father-nim."
"I'm glad you know it's something to be sorry about. The Chairman... my father, didn't even see my mother as a woman."
Oh my.
"Instead, make sure no tears come out of Ha-rin's eyes. The moment Ha-rin cries, I don't know what I'll do, regardless of Mythic-grade traits or whatever."
It was the moment I was firmly determined to make Nuna happy.
"Are you going to the US alone?"
Yoo Seol-ssi changed the subject.
"Yes, for now."
"Then why don't you go with the Young Lady? Even though she looks like that, she has a lot of travel experience, so you won't get lost."
I feel like she'll just stick to Yoon-seo's side anyway.
"Seol, you go too."
"Yes?"
"You've worked hard lately, haven't you? Go and relieve some stress."
"Sticking by the Young Lady's side is my stress, though."
"I'll give you a bonus."
"I'll be back... but wouldn't the Young Lady also prefer to be alone with Dohyun-ssi?"
"That guy, from what I see, will be stuck next to that hospitalized girl. Go and keep him company."
"Aha."
I couldn't bring myself to refute it because of the guilty thought.
'Since it's come to this, should I ask A-yeon too?'
A-yeon had never been on an overseas trip either.
I thought it would be nice to go together.
They are two people who will live together anyway.
It might not be bad to have some time to hope they get along.
After the two left.
I called A-yeon.
- Trip? I'll go, I'm definitely going!
"Is school okay?"
- Well, honestly, I don't have to go now, right?
"That's true."
Even if I don't go to college, I have my money.
*
That's how my simple US trip became a 5-person trip that grew in scale.
But I don't know why Kim Su-ah is here.
"Why did you come?"
"...A-yeon told me to."
Well, A-yeon might need a toy while I'm away.
"It's fine that you're coming, but if I catch you doing anything stupid to A-yeon, you're dead."
"Even if I wanted to, I can't now, right? Because of someone, it's all been exposed."
"You're proud of that."
As expected, the icon of malice.
I don't think the day she regrets her past will ever come.
For reference, because of transportation, I, Ha-rin-nuna, A-yeon, and Kim Su-ah arrived at the airport separately.
Because of that, this was the first time the two women met.
Ha-rin-nuna made eye contact with A-yeon.
An interesting look lingered in her eyes.
"So you're A-yeon?"