Chapter 199. The Girl's Revenge (7)
Like a young bird trembling in the rain, Nam Da-eun shook in my arms. I waited patiently for her to calm down just like that.
How much time passed? Just as the trembling in Nam Da-eun's body in my embrace began to subside, I lowered my head.
"You okay?"
"…Sorry."
Only then did Nam Da-eun gently push me away. There were tear stains on my chest, as if it had gotten soaked.
"Feel a bit better now?"
"…Yeah."
Her eyes were still red. Tsk.
Current Status: I want to be selfish all day today.
Affection at 99. Stuck here again. As expected, something more is needed for full Conquer.
'I want to be selfish…?'
What does that mean? After checking the Heroine Status Window, I looked at Nam Da-eun's face. Her eyes still glistening with tears, she was gazing at me cautiously.
"Can I… be selfish just for today?"
"No. Live selfishly from now on, too. If it's tough, I'll help you."
Nam Da-eun deserves to be rewarded for all she's endured. I'll back her up.
If I've Conquered her, I have to take at least that much responsibility.
"Then…"
"Yeah."
"…Café."
Nam Da-eun looked into my eyes and quietly opened her mouth.
"…Huh?"
"You said you'd go together. The café… eating out, watching a movie…"
Gazing at Nam Da-eun's slightly flushed face, I pondered what she meant.
"Ah."
And it hit me soon enough. I'd been so focused on revenge that I hadn't thought about it.
Back when Nam Da-eun was still tied to the Buyer Guild. Since she had nothing to talk about with her little sister, whom she met once a week, she used my name—the one person she'd actually spoken to at the academy—as a cover story.
'Well, it's not just a setting. It's a story that didn't exist in the original.'
An episode born from meeting me.
Anyway, that's when I said, 'If we start hanging out together from now on, it won't be a lie anymore.'
That's what Nam Da-eun was referring to now.
"Right. Café. Restaurant. Movie. Let's do whatever you want."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Nam Da-eun smiled and grabbed my clothes tightly again.
"…After it's all done, make me repay you again."
"…Do whatever you want."
I knew exactly what she meant by "repay" without asking.
*
Wriggle—
Several hours after Nam Da-eun and Lee Ho-yeon disappeared. In the empty, silent warehouse, Park Min-gyu's corpse began to move.
"Urgh…"
Haa. Haa.
Having consciousness but not moving a muscle for hours wasn't easy.
Park Min-gyu clenched and unclenched his fist as he slowly rose.
"Kyaak… Ptui. They leave without even disposing of the body— that's why rookies are useless. Hoo…"
Rookies make mistakes a veteran like him would never.
Park Min-gyu let out ragged breaths and drew the sword from his bosom. Veins pulsing on the blade, it wriggled like it was alive.
"…Feels shitty, but no choice. Gotta survive first."
A Mine-ization artifact he'd obtained through some connection. Stab yourself with this sword, and after 24 hours, you turn into a Mine.
Any wounds sustained in that time heal, making it a spare life item he'd kept in reserve—now finally used.
"I'll rip you apart. Lee Ho-yeon… Nam Da-eun. You bitch…"
Park Min-gyu gripped the hilt so hard it might snap, venting his rage.
He'd just turned into a Mine, so he needed time to adapt to his body. The moment adaptation finished, he had to flee immediately.
"How did he even know about this… Truly fascinating."
"If Scarlett doesn't know, neither do I~."
At that moment, unfamiliar women's voices came from behind Park Min-gyu.
"Wh-who's there! Fuck!"
Clack— Clack—
A blonde beauty and a black-haired woman in a neat uniform approached Park Min-gyu slowly.
"Iris Guild's Korean branch chief… No point introducing to an experimental subject."
"What the hell are you… Guh!"
Before Park Min-gyu could finish, a black shadowy hand shot out and clamped his mouth.
"Quiet, trash. Branch Chief, shall we take him?"
"Yes~. Thanks, Scarlett."
Kang Hyolyn examined Park Min-gyu's mana and continued.
"S-rank… not quite? But considering the boost from turning into a Mine, we could give him an S-rank title, borderline."
"P-puha. W-wait. What the hell is…!"
Park Min-gyu hadn't adapted to his new Mine body yet. He barely escaped Scarlett's grip to speak, but Kang Hyolyn just smiled and snapped her fingers.
Snap—
With that, Park Min-gyu's body started getting sucked into a small bag.
"I'll take him then."
"St-stop! Stooop! Please, just once, let me live…! I even turned into a Mine. Just once…"
"It's fine. We'll let you live. We paid a pretty penny, so don't beg to die. An S-rank Mine will make a durable test subject, right?"
"Grrgh! You fucking bitches, why me…"
Park Min-gyu truly regretted everything in that moment. But it was too late.
He'd undergo bizarre experiments that would make lifelong imprisonment seem merciful—painful ones where he wouldn't die or even suicide, rotting away as a test subject forever.
Gurgle—
With the sound of a toilet flushing, Park Min-gyu was sucked into the artifact.
"Gotta use it a bit then sell it. Hmm~ Nice."
Kang Hyolyn patted the bag happily.
"…Good work, Branch Chief."
"Nah, Scarlett did the work. I just got a bargain material."
Scarlett had been surprised to run into Kang Hyolyn while handling cleanup per Lee Ho-yeon's orders.
Iris Guild members generally don't interfere with each other's duties. But they wear visible insignias in case of overlap—and Kang Hyolyn had the branch chief's mark.
'How the hell does Hoyeon know the branch chief?'
The commission token from Ellis was her personal repayment, unknown to guild members. It wasn't exactly proper to leverage her daughter status for it.
Unaware, Scarlett nodded, reaffirming she'd latched onto the right person with Lee Ho-yeon's connections.
"Scarlett. What've you been up to lately?"
"…Personal business for Miss Ellis. Didn't expect to see you here, Ms. Kang Hyolyn. Or that you'd be the Korean branch chief."
Scarlett and Kang Hyolyn weren't strangers. As rare young women in the info guild, they'd grown close, but drifted apart on different assignments—years since they'd met.
While Scarlett stayed put, Kang Hyolyn had risen to branch chief.
"Heh. For 'personal business,' you seem to be living it up with that Lee Ho-yeon cadet. Whatever. I respect personal matters. Bye-bye, Scarlett."
"…Yes."
As Kang Hyolyn waved and left, Scarlett smacked her lips.
'Busted.'
That knowing smile meant she knew Scarlett wasn't focusing on work. Mentioning Lee Ho-yeon confirmed she knew everything.
Kang Hyolyn wouldn't blab, but it wasn't good. She'd been careful around Lee Ho-yeon, yet still caught.
Even with her high stealth skills, there's always someone better.
'Might need to lay low for a while.'
Playtime's over. Scarlett thought of Ellis and slipped out of the warehouse.
*
Café, movies, amusement park— even Mount Geumgang is best after a meal.
"How much is this?"
"This… how much was it? Check the menu?"
"Menu? Oh. Heek… One plate of this is how many reactions?"
Liliana gawked at the price of two pieces of flounder sashimi.
"That's not all—it's a course."
"Ah… still expensive!"
I chuckled inwardly at how cute she looked. After finishing revenge on Park Min-gyu, to lighten any lingering gloom, I brought Nam Da-eun, Nam Da-hee, and Liliana to Pungmi-dang for a meal out.
The place Moon Sulin often took me to. I'd wanted to bring Nam Da-eun someday—perfect chance now.
No more Buyer Guild, so she can roam freely.
"Order whatever you want. My treat today."
"Thanks, Hoyeon oppa."
"I'll eat well. Tasty, right, Da-hee?"
"Yeah. Unnie-unnie. Try this too."
I'd worried about Nam Da-eun's state, but thankfully she wasn't down. If anything, she seemed excited to hang out freely with Nam Da-hee now.
"After eating, café, then amusement park."
(Amusement park was Liliana and Nam Da-hee's idea after deep thought.)
"Yay! With Hoyeon oppa, Liliana unnie, and Scarlett unnie too?"
"Yeah. Of course."
"Nom nom. Speaking of, where's Scarlett?"
"Personal business—couldn't make it. She'll join later."
I thought of Scarlett handling cleanup as I popped flounder sashimi in my mouth. Mmm. Melts on the tongue—worth the price.
'What if Scarlett hadn't been there?'
From infiltrating Buyer Guild to cleanup—nothing without her hand. Imagining the mess without her gives me chills.
Have to repay her properly this time.
"Unnie. Why are we going out now?"
"Mm… It's okay now. Hoyeon and I took care of everything."
"Wow! So now unnie and Hoyeon oppa will play with me?"
"Yeah. Of course."
Nam Da-eun smiled, answering her sister. She wants to make up for everything as the big sister.
"Then are unnie and Hoyeon oppa dating now?"
"…Huh?"
"Heh."
But she hadn't expected her sister's sudden question. I smirked at Nam Da-eun's flustered face.
Nam Da-hee, locked in hospital without proper company for so long, stayed innocently pure despite middle-school age. Adorable.
Having a little sister like that would be nice…
"Uh… probably?"
Lost in thought, I doubted my ears at Nam Da-eun's reply.
"What?"
"N-no, forget I said it."
Nam Da-eun shoved beef into her mouth, face red. Her chopstick hand trembled.
"What? Unnie! Don't stop mid-sentence! Oppa, tell me! Are you two dating?"
"Mm…"
I glanced at Nam Da-eun. She pretended nonchalance but was all ears.
(Liliana, done with her braised short ribs, sneakily stole mine mid-convo.)
Well… if Nam Da-eun's on board, no need to hesitate.
"Yeah. That's how it is, Da-hee."
"Wow! Awesome! Unnie~! Now you can live at Hoyeon oppa's forever. Right?"
"…Yeah. Guess so."
I smiled happily, watching Nam Da-eun too shy to meet my eyes.