Lee Jiyu's Repayment
Lee Jiyu lay on the wide bed, the Griffin leather gloves resting in her hands.
An item of overwhelming performance. Legendary-grade equipment.
With trembling fingers, she slowly slipped the gloves on, raising her hand into the air and turning her palm this way and that as she examined them.
Clench—
Simply holding and wearing the gloves filled her with a profound sense of security. Even just tightening the straps around her wrists made them fit her hands perfectly, as though they had been custom-made.
Item equip requirement: Level 130.
While an item's performance couldn't be judged solely by its equip level, this was no ordinary piece meant for the 130s. Her own level sat at 227, early in the 200s. In truth, her level hadn't changed at all since the day she first met Choi Junseok and placed the ability-sealing handcuffs on him.
She had climbed the Incheon Magic Tower and accumulated levels over time, so by level alone she was more than qualified to be called an S-grade. Yet recently her tower ascents had slowed to a crawl. After Choi Byeong-ryeol's disappearance, she too had avoided challenging higher floors for safety's sake, and the guild had assigned her only the safest missions—things like leading level-up or equipment-farming teams that included new recruits.
Consequently, her reputation within the Eastern Eden Guild had steadily declined. She answered every guild summons, kept to her climbing schedule, and carried out every assigned task and role to perfection. Repeating mid-floor clears instead of pushing the upper floors was hardly difficult, so the time required for preparation and strategy naturally shrank as well. Free time began to pile up.
With that spare time, she did what others did—continued her personal activities. She ran her business, handled promotions, appeared on broadcasts and photoshoots. That was when the subtle shift in how the guild viewed her began. Whenever she prioritized her entertainment career over active player duties, she could feel the change in how people looked at her.
Overwhelming looks. A successful business. An overwhelmingly strong player. Yet every single one of those careers had started with her being a player. If her appearance alone had been enough, if she hadn't modeled her own brand and generated buzz across SNS and news outlets, none of it would have happened. To the members of Eastern Eden, it looked as though Lee Jiyu cared more about being a businesswoman and celebrity than about her activities as a player.
"I should just cut ties completely."
The mandatory contract period had already ended. She was free to transfer to another guild whenever she wished. The reason none of the Five Great Guilds had officially extended her a love call was simple—they all knew one another too well to risk the strange suspicion that would come from poaching an S-grade.
A guild run by Function.
Choi Junseok would probably operate it while disguised as the mysterious S-grade player, but even so, it would be more than enough to flip the balance of power among Korea's Five Great Guilds overnight.
"Won't this spark some kind of civil war among players?"
The Five Great Guilds had all descended from player organizations that existed even before the Incheon Magic Tower. They had absorbed and merged countless guilds as society changed, collaborated with the government to dispatch players overseas as mercenaries, and grown their wealth and influence day by day. Thanks to the Incheon and Suseo Magic Towers, their player authority and financial power now rivaled or surpassed those of major corporations. In fact, every one of the Five Great Guilds was either a subsidiary or affiliate backed by corporate capital.
And now the number-one ranked player, Choi Junseok, was stepping forward to create his own guild. A massive upheaval in player society was inevitable.
Joining Function's side would bring the greatest returns.
The risk wasn't particularly high either, since Choi Junseok was hiding his identity. Her instincts—honed through years as a successful businesswoman—screamed at her to bet on his guild.
"Well… regardless of all that, I still owe him a debt."
She had received an item that money couldn't buy.
Lee Jiyu's repayment was proven the very next day. Before they even left for the department store, a hairstylist and makeup artist arrived at the house to attend to Lee Nayeon and Song Hana.
Choi Junseok had heard of celebrities visiting shops for treatments, but having professionals come directly to the house was a first. Scratching his head, he experienced a glimpse of the ultra-wealthy lifestyle.
Lee Jiyu returned the black card from the Player Management Agency that Choi Junseok had given her.
"I received something yesterday, so I'll cover today's shopping expenses."
Choi Junseok merely shrugged as if to say "suit yourself" and turned to head back to his room with the card. Lee Jiyu crossed her arms, clearly displeased.
"What are you doing? Get ready to go out. Sister, please make that man look presentable too."
The hairstylist trimming Song Hana's messy bedhead—still half-asleep and hugging Kkamdori—nodded as though it were obvious.
"His hair could use a proper trim. I should have brought the perm tools."
"No need to go that far. Just tidy it up a bit."
Choi Junseok could only blink as the strange conversation proceeded without any input from him.
"Buy clothes for Nayeon and Hana too. And get a bed for your room."
"A bed?"
That was welcome news. Last night he had made do with spare pillows and blankets from Choi Byeong-ryeol's old room. From Lee Nayeon's room came a series of unusual exclamations.
"Wow… how is someone's skin this good?"
"She doesn't even use anything?"
"Wow, seriously… Are you a famous foreign celebrity? Korean-style makeup suits you too!"
Choi Junseok swallowed dryly at the makeup artist's awed voice drifting from inside.
Gulp.
Lee Jiyu glanced between Choi Junseok and Lee Nayeon's room with a peculiar look, then smiled.
Choi Junseok shook his head as if to deny any misunderstanding. Lee Jiyu spoke with an enigmatic smile.
"I can't let a gem like that rot beside some gloomy man. Look forward to it."
Then Lee Nayeon appeared—beautiful enough to leave even Song Hana and Lee Jiyu speechless.
"Wow…"
Lee Jiyu let out a hollow laugh, genuinely surprised. Choi Junseok had always been struck by Lee Nayeon's beauty, but this was on another level entirely. She looked as though she could stand among top-tier celebrities and idols on television and completely overshadow them. With only a light touch to her hair and makeup, she radiated an almost magnetic presence that drew every eye.
"This is insane."
Lee Jiyu looked ready to suggest another modeling shoot on the spot.
"We only did a light, natural touch."
Yet with such an extraordinary base, the result was nothing short of a masterpiece. It took the four of them over an hour just to finish preparing to go out.
"My car's a two-seater."
"Should I summon something when we arrive?"
"Are you crazy?"
At Lee Jiyu's blunt retort, Choi Junseok clicked his tongue.
"You have a driver's license, right?"
He did. Before his father sold the car, he had practiced driving enough to even take on substitute-driving part-time jobs. When Choi Junseok nodded, Lee Jiyu held out a car key with a satisfied expression. It bore a familiar bull emblem.
"There should still be gas in it. Ride with Nayeon."
Then, with a strange little smile, she gave Choi Junseok a light pat on the back and linked arms with Song Hana.
"Hana, you're coming with me."
"Sounds good!"
The entire drive, Choi Junseok felt an unusual tension sitting beside Lee Nayeon.
"If living with Lee Jiyu makes you uncomfortable, just say so."
"No. On the contrary, I find it pleasant. Lady Jiyu provides many considerations and conveniences."
After all, the two women had lived with Choi Junseok long enough to notice the small inconveniences that came with sharing space with someone of the opposite sex. Though he wasn't a lifelong bachelor, there were still things that couldn't be resolved through mere observation.
"I'll be counting on you from now on too."
"Likewise, I look forward to your guidance."
"……"
Choi Junseok pressed the accelerator in silence. Lee Nayeon kept stealing glances at him.
The department store felt eerily empty. It was as though they had stepped into a dream version of the building—aside from the minimal staff, the number of people walking around was extremely small. Each of them was accompanied by a dedicated VIP attendant. Choi Junseok and Lee Jiyu had their own attendants trailing behind them as well.
Whenever they requested an explanation or named a desired brand, the attendants immediately brought the items over. Lee Jiyu remarked,
"Shopping without taking a single step… How unsettling."
Instead of customers walking to the merchandise, the merchandise came to them. Sometimes models even emerged wearing the clothes as if on a runway. Lee Jiyu dismissed all the models and declared,
"Today I'm dressing these three from head to toe."
At the VVIP Lee Jiyu's declaration that she was spending money today, the department store staff became even busier. Choi Junseok witnessed a scene he had only ever seen in dramas.
"Ah. I'll take everything that person is holding."
"……We don't need this much!?"
"The more the better."
When Song Hana was asked if there was anything she wanted and answered "dolls," Lee Jiyu pointed at the mountain of dolls brought over and said the same thing applied to bags and shoes.
"How much money are you planning to spend?"
"Even like this, it's not that much. It's fine."
"……?"
Not that much?
Each item cost tens of millions of won. Choi Junseok felt as though he had glimpsed a world that belonged only to them. Every time Lee Nayeon and Song Hana came out in new outfits, Choi Junseok was also made to try on clothes. He refused everything except comfortable everyday wear and suits. The sizes had already been measured, so everything came as custom-tailored pieces. The prices he saw while trying them on made him wonder if this was even allowed.
"Don't feel burdened. These are still cheaper than the equipment you gave me."
"……Even so, if you add all of this up, wouldn't it be more expensive?"
"It won't reach hundreds of billions of won, so it's fine."
"I'm grateful, but…"
Lee Nayeon reacted indifferently to every outfit Song Hana and Lee Jiyu praised.
"They provide no combat advantage whatsoever."
That was very much like her, yet Lee Jiyu shook her head.
"No. If you wear something like this, no one would even dare to approach you."
She was right. In an off-shoulder dress that accentuated her figure, Lee Nayeon made even Choi Junseok's heart race, and the staff standing behind them let out involuntary gasps of admiration. Still, Lee Nayeon's response remained consistent.
"My opponents are monsters, not humans. Lady Jiyu's brand clothing is far more practical and comfortable for me."
The moment Lee Nayeon changed into comfortable loungewear and stepped into the hallway to stretch, a VVIP man walking down the corridor spotted her and froze. She wore only leggings and a gray hoodie, yet her beauty shone regardless of the clothes.
"Find out who that woman is right now."
At the order from Jo Insu—the eldest son of the Phoenix Guild's master, one of the Five Great Guilds—two bodyguards standing behind him began walking toward Lee Nayeon.