Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Boldly Anywhere
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"Man, a limousine is something else."
I said, looking around. It's huge. Not just big—insanely huge. Awesome. Totally.
As a small-town guy, I'd never even set foot in one before, so the interior feels so fresh and new. And that's not all.
There's even a fridge. The white-haired butler standing in front of it asks what I'd like to drink, and suddenly I feel kinda rich.
Like I've become a medieval noble? Ahh. Time to channel my inner 25-year-old Seong-hoon.
I asked the butler for a cola, then crossed my legs in the plush—make that plush—seat.
You gotta cross your legs to look cool, right? Yeah. And spread your arms out, sit all arrogant-like. I want to bask in the glory of my ridiculously wealthy self, but the guy right next to me is ruining it.
I glared at the one plastered right up against my side.
"What?"
Black hair. Dressed sharp after visiting her family home. Her face is a little flushed, like she's embarrassed by my antics.
No point saying anything—she'd just hit me with something like, "To stop you from embarrassing yourself." So I scooted over a bit.
Just enough room for one person. Sat down, crossed my legs, struck an arrogant pose—
Couldn't. Isia scurried right after me and glued herself to my side again.
"...What're you doing."
"Surveillance."
"Don't they usually at least look at their surveillance target these days?"
She ignored my question. Head completely turned away, not even glancing over. Her ears are beet red, though—she must find my behavior that embarrassing.
It's normal for you, maybe, but not for me. Even so, does she have to stick this close? Feeling a strange twinge of disappointment, I took the cola from the butler and chugged it.
"Cola tastes fancy when you drink it in a limo."
It does. Try it yourself. It tastes even more premium somehow? I swatted away Lachesis, who was stretching out her paws demanding some, and asked the butler nearby if I needed anything else.
"How long till we get there?"
"About thirty minutes."
That long? Well, considering the distance, it's not that long.
This thing's heading overseas right now, after all. Leaving from Seoul and hitting overseas in thirty minutes? The wonders of science.
Magic engineering, technically.
"Even when we get to Violet, don't act like you do at your place."
She really said, "You could actually die." Not scary at all. If they wanted me dead, they'd have done it already. Besides, I'm a man of principle. Boldly, anywhere.
That's my life motto.
I'm not the type to change my attitude depending on who's around.
"...Do whatever you want."
Isia gave up with a sigh when I didn't answer and just grinned triumphantly.
I'd prefer she didn't give up. You stop people from walking into the jaws of death, right?
I shot her a look that said, Think of me as family, but she had her face turned away, so it didn't land.
If she's gonna act like that, why does she keep squeezing in next to me?
I ignored her fidgeting beside me and started thinking about what to grab from Violet's treasure vault.
The Violet family has deep roots. One of the world's renowned magic lineages, and their family trait is flowers.
Which means the vault we're headed to is way more dazzling than Isiu's. Like, actual mountains of gold, the whole treasure-trove image you picture.
And that's not all. Their trait is flowers. Actual flowers. What do flowers make you think of?
Yeah, elixirs for me. The vault's packed with potent ones, condensed from floral mana.
And they're gonna be in my hands? Just thinking about it has me grinning ear to ear.
"Ugh."
Isia next to me made a weird noise seeing my face. Kinda pissing me off. The sneaky peeks while keeping her head turned aren't helping.
How should I scold her? Then it hit me—I'd been so excited about the limo that I'd forgotten.
I pulled out a ring.
"Isia."
"Huh? No? I wasn't looking? Not at all—huh?"
She blinked at the ring in my hand. Shocked expression. It's a shocker, sure.
This is an item Isia gets in the late game. Perfect synergy with her, a real powerhouse that lets her hang in the power-inflated endgame.
How'd I get it? Traded with Isiu. In exchange for two extra treasures and leaving me alone from now on.
We agreed not to tell anyone. I was gonna rat him out to spite him, but business is business when treasure's involved.
Money forever. Treasures forever. Isia's a pushover.
"Here."
"Y-You're giving me this? It's not from the vault?"
"It is."
"Then why?! What'd I do wrong?!"
She's freaking out even if I give it to her. Sure, the treasure's a loss. I wanted to use this as leverage to snag one of mine for her. But think of it as an investment for the future.
Isia's on a hot streak right now. Strike while the iron's hot, as they say—boost this girl surpassing the original, and I can use her later when I'm in a pinch.
That's why. It's all for me. Yeah. Totally.
"Why? Why?! Should we go to the hospital? This isn't like you, Seong-hoon! Butler!! He's sick!! Turn the car around—"
What kinda image does she have of me?! I forced the ring into her yelling hand.
Grow strong quick and fight my battles—can't say that, so I bullshitted.
"Brought it 'cause it'd suit you."
"Huh?"
It really does. A ring specialized for dark magic. This one.
A beat of silence. She stares at me for about three seconds. Then—
Something burst inside her.
"Heh heh heh. Welcome to our estate."
"Eh, it's nothing special. What, thought it was a palace or something? Acting all high and mighty? Who do you think you are, Elizabeth II?"
"Says the guy who geeked out like an idiot on his first limo ride?"
"Huh? How'd you know?! Isia betrayed me!!"
Isia wildly shook her head at the sudden glare thrown her way. No reason to betray, and no chance anyway.
She was stuck to me the whole limo ride—didn't she notice?
"The butler reported it, so don't blame the innocent."
"Oh, yeah? Then no traps in the vault, right? No guardians left? You're not gonna pull that 'handle it yourself~' crap, right? Lucy—no, Purple Bear. I trust you."
"Heh heh. Annoying that I cleared them all out."
Clap clap—!!
The butler popped out at the applause. He bowed, awaiting Lucy's orders.
"Go reactivate the magic traps. All annihilation-type. Guardians at max difficulty—"
"Sorry—!!"
Isia stifled a hollow laugh at Seong-hoon immediately groveling. She warned him, but he poked the bear and got burned again.
More than that, aren't those two too chummy? He doesn't talk that much even with her.
Feels like watching him chat with Raphael—
Isia cut her thoughts short and stepped forward.
"No family head around? You came alone? I'm a little scared right now?"
"Just me, so don't worry and grab your stuff quick and scram."
"Why so cold? Wanna come in with me? I almost got screwed going in alone earlier. You lead. Not that I don't trust you, but better safe with people. Right? You get me?"
"People can be this shameless, huh. Just go already. Before the annihilation magic triggers. Oh, three or more and it activates."
"Déjà vu much?!"
"Don't care, just—Isia?"
She cut between them. Simple job.
"Hurry up or Lucy won't open the door."
Seong-hoon bolted for the vault without looking back, exclamation mark practically over his head. If only he wouldn't yell stuff like, "If there's traps, you're dead!!"
Isia smiled smugly at prying them apart. It wouldn't last long.
"What's got you grinning?"
"W-Who said I was grinning? I was just standing here?"
Heh heh. Lucy clapped with an amused grin, and the butler instantly set up a table and chairs.
Then prepared cookies and hot tea. Question mark popped over Isia's head.
She still couldn't get used to the sight, no matter how many times.
"That guy's gonna take a while, so wanna have some tea? It's been ages."
Lucy was already sipping hers gracefully, like it was the most natural thing. Isia sat, dazed, and naturally reached for the tea set before her.
Smooth swallow, strong bitterness but clean aftertaste—the taste of luxury. Savoring the aroma—
"Giving rings as gifts in other people's cars now? What kind?"
Pffft!!!
She spat it out. The airborne tea evaporated against a mana shield as Isia wiped her mouth.
"N-No, it's? A f-friendship ring!"
"Oh? I heard friendship rings go on the ring finger these days."
"R-Really?"
Intrigued. Not that she'd wear it, but worth hearing. Just curiosity.
She leaned in, urging her to spill. But Lucy just set down her tea and stood.
"Bathroom."
"No! Finish what you were saying!!"
"I'll tell you after."
"Then don't start!!"
"Can't help nature's call."
Isia glared at Lucy's leisurely retreating back, then pulled a ring from her pocket. A shiny black one.
Suits her dark magic user perfectly.
—Brought it 'cause it'd suit you.
Her lips curved up. No clue why, but even forcing a blank face, they rose on their own.
Dad's vault isn't for just anyone. Even she, never approved, had never entered. And he got permission for two treasures from there.
For her. Her chest itched a bit; she scratched it. Mosquito bite?
"Ring finger too? For real...?"
Ring finger meant that to Isia. Though meanings faded with modern times.
Lots of that lately. Ancestral rites vanishing, traditional holiday foods skipped.
Free from prejudice and old customs.
Isia looked around. Empty. Confirmed no one, lifted the ring to her ring finger.
"I-It’s just a friendship ring anyway."
No big meaning these days, right? She swallowed, then sloooowly slipped it on her ring finger.
Raised her hand. Ring sparkled on her left ring finger. A smile spread unwittingly.
"Hm. Hm. Suits me pretty well."
"For real. Didn't think you'd actually do it."
"....."
"Oh. Back."
—Thud.
That was the first sound from Isia's mouth after five seconds of staring at Lucy.
Getting home was quick. Snagged the two shiniest elixirs from Lucy's vault and bounced.
Not because I was worried about that damned blonde. No traps, nothing, so I could pick fast.
Isia acted a bit weird on the way back, but she'll be fine. I gave her my precious treasure, after all.
"Yeah?"
Didn't notice. Guess she put the ring on right. Makes sense—kinda embarrassing to do it in front of the giver.
Can't take it off once it's on anyway. She'll get used to it. Whatever.
Swiped my card at the door, kicked off my shoes, and released Levatein from inventory.
She looked around confused at first, then yelled something like [Home!!] and dashed off.
I tidied my shoes and followed. The place was a wreck. Comics and novels scattered everywhere.
TV and appliances on. And in the middle, a face-planted blonde.
Levatein poked her; no response.
"What're you doing?"
The blonde's head lolled toward my voice. Haggard face.
"Belly."
"Belly?"
"I'm hungry."
Grrroooowl.
What the hell is this? I racked my brain. Gave her money to buy food before I left. Not cabbage leaves—actual cash, like Lady Shin Saimdang.
"What about the money?"
"Didn't spend it. If you expected me to grasp currency, that was a mistake. Ha ha!"
She's lost it. Totally gone. Guess she doesn't know how to order delivery either.
Months later and still clueless. I crossed the mess to a chair and sat.
Pulled out my phone, opened the delivery app.
"Tell me what you want."
Not you.
You neither. You've never even had it.
"...Chicken."
"Fine."
Eat what you want today. Ordering chicken on the app, I heard a dying voice again.
"Three birds."
You got a beggar in your stomach?