A Debt of Gratitude and Deep-Seated Distrust
Jeong Su-hyeok desperately wanted to be of help to Tae-hyun. Especially since his class, an Archisus Mage, was originally one that shone brightest in large-scale warfare rather than one-on-one duels. Of course, that power could also be unleashed upon his own allies, but...
While Jeong Su-hyeok and his friends were deciding to join the quest to subjugate the Sadique Order, a similar scene was unfolding elsewhere in the arena.
"Kim Tae-hyun? He's clearing a Sadique Order quest?"
"You fought the Sadique Order a lot. Are you still interested in them?"
"I don't really need to fight them anymore, but... I do owe Kim Tae-hyun. We still have plenty of time before the main tournament starts. Should I go and help him?"
At Evangeline's casual remark, her teammates began to whisper among themselves.
"Huh? Didn't she use to complain about Kim Tae-hyun all the time? I swear she grumbled every time his name came up."
"She got her negative Luck penalty resolved thanks to him and the Sadique Order. That's probably why she stopped complaining. It's probably half gratitude, half lingering resentment."
"I get the gratitude, but why the resentment? From what I heard, Kim Tae-hyun didn't really do anything wrong to her. Isn't she being a bit petty?"
"Honestly, yeah. Evangeline looks like she has a great personality on the outside, but she's actually low-key petty."
"You guys over there! Shut up!"
Evangeline quickly silenced her whispering teammates. They were none other than the Canadian national team, invited by MBS! They had gathered in the arena ahead of the main tournament to build their teamwork.
Naturally, since they were selected as representatives from a massive pool of players, controversies regarding their skill levels were inevitable.
"Player A is better!" "No, Player B is way better!" "You're both wrong, Player C is the best!" "Are your eyes just for decoration?!"
But Evangeline was an exception; almost no one questioned her skill. Her track record of single-handedly hunting down and slaughtering the Sadique Order spoke for itself, and her PvP skills were overwhelmingly superior even within the Canadian team. She was a universally acknowledged powerhouse.
When the other players selected for the Canadian team first met Evangeline, they had been in awe.
Welcoming her with open arms, the Canadian representatives had stared at Evangeline with pounding hearts. How would she react? Would she be chic and cold, just like on her personal streams? Or would she show her professional, polite side since this was an official gathering? Whichever it was, it would be a side of her they had never seen before.
It was a completely different image from what everyone had imagined! Seeing Evangeline fluster and wave her hands in a panic, everyone instantly realized what kind of person she truly was. Her noble, silent persona on stream was actually... just the result of her being a socially awkward loner who lacked basic communication skills!
Even so, the Canadian team grew close quickly. For a team whose members were selected individually, they boasted an exceptionally warm and friendly atmosphere—a stark contrast to the chaotic Korean team.
In any case, the Canadian players learned a lot as they conversed with Evangeline. They found out how she had ended up with such a cursed class, and the ingenious way she had resolved it. Hearing her story, they finally understood why she had become such a pitiful loner.
And after hearing the whole story, a single thought crossed their minds: Wait, isn't this actually not something she should be grumbling at Kim Tae-hyun about? It was a naive thought born of the fact that they had never personally dealt with Tae-hyun themselves!
"Sigh, well... I guess this is better than nothing."
Tae-hyun decided to look on the bright side. Lee Se-yeon would be a powerful asset. A one-man army Necromancer—and one of the very best at that. Of course, the catch was that it was Lee Se-yeon!
No, no. Let's not keep thinking negatively... This is actually a pretty great outcome. It wasn't just because she was a high-level Necromancer; Lee Se-yeon possessed incredible intuition when it came to clearing quests. Her presence would be an immense help. Of course, the catch was still that it was Lee Se-yeon!
Dammit. No matter how hard I try, I can't stay positive! The moment the name 'Lee Se-yeon' entered the equation, any hope of optimism vanished.
"By the way... what are you guys doing?"
Having finished his intense whisper conversation with Lee Se-yeon, Tae-hyun turned his gaze to the side. He saw a strangely dejected Lee Da-bi, along with Cain and Chairman Yoo, who were staring at him as if he were utterly absurd.
"Why are you picking on Da-bi like that?"
"Exactly, you rascal! You shouldn't bully such a sweet girl!"
"???"
Tae-hyun tilted his head. "What did I even do?"
"Uh..."
"Well..."
The two stammered, caught off guard. Come to think of it, Tae-hyun hadn't actually done anything. The three of them had just been gossiping about who he was whispering to, and Tae-hyun had simply answered their question! Flustered, Cain quickly tried to change the subject.
"I-I mean... you wouldn't answer our question, so we were just waiting!"
"Answer? I did answer."
When they asked who he was talking to, he had answered "Lee Da-bi." Technically, he wasn't lying!
"You know that's not what we meant!"
"Nuance is everything. You should have asked more precisely. You know I was a Korean Language and Literature major, right?"
"?!"
Cain and Chairman Yoo stared at Tae-hyun in simultaneous shock. That guy was a Korean Literature major? Is that what they teach in the Korean Literature department?
"What's with those looks? I'm starting to feel insulted."
"N-Nothing at all."
Cain, nearly having his inner thoughts read again, hastily deflected.
"Tsk. Fine, I'll tell you. I only kept quiet because I really didn't want to talk about it..."
Tae-hyun trailed off. Seeing his reaction, the trio thought: Wow, he must really detest whoever it is!
"It's Lee Se-yeon."
"..."
"..."
"...Who is Lee Se-yeon?"
Unlike Cain and Lee Da-bi, Chairman Yoo was unfamiliar with the name. Cain immediately stepped up to explain.
"Who is Lee Se-yeon, you ask? Well..."
She had the looks, the personality, the gaming skills, and a great family background (though that was just Cain's assumption). In short, she was a true paragon of virtue—the complete polar opposite of Kim Tae-hyun in every imaginable way!
"S-Such a person exists? I don't know whose daughter she is, but she sounds truly remarkable."
Thwack!
Tae-hyun kicked Cain. "You bastard, stop spreading fake news. I've noticed for a while now that you have this weird, romanticized fantasy about Lee Se-yeon. Do you like her? Huh? Do you like-like her?"
"Ooh, look at him blush~ Cain's got a crush on Lee Se-yeon~"
"Ugh, seriously, you two need to stay away from each other! The annoyance factor multiplies when you're together!"
With Lee Da-bi and Tae-hyun teaming up to tease him without giving him a moment to breathe, Cain felt his blood pressure spiking as he tried to push them away.
"I'm just a fan! I've been a fan since Pan-On 1!"
"True, Lee Se-yeon-ssi has been famous since Pan-On 1. It's probably harder to find someone who isn't a fan," Lee Da-bi agreed, nodding.
She was a top-ranked player who had reached Rank 1, maintaining a spotless reputation even when countless other rankers were plagued by character controversies. On top of that, she had defeated Kim Tae-hyun in a head-to-head match at the end of Pan-On 1, right when he was on a rampage, slaughtering every ranker in his path.
Ah. Just thinking about it gives me heartburn.
Tae-hyun spoke in a solemn voice. "Let me warn you guys right now. Even if we meet Lee Se-yeon during this quest, don't get too friendly with her. She might seem like a saint, but in reality..."
"...?"
"Her personality is even more twisted than mine."
"..."
"..."
"..."
No one replied. An awkward, heavy silence filled the carriage.
"I'm serious!"
"I-I mean, even so, that's a bit of a stretch..."
Even Lee Da-bi, who usually took Tae-hyun's side, awkwardly avoided his gaze. Chairman Yoo nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. Stop talking nonsense, you rascal. Where on earth would we find someone with a more twisted personality than yours?"
"No, I'm telling the truth! You have to meet her to understand!"
Tae-hyun beat his chest in frustration, but his words failed to convince them. What a tragedy, to be unable to earn the trust of his own party members!
Am I the bad guy here? Am I?! No. The bad one is definitely Lee Se-yeon! Tae-hyun refused to back down. The villain of this story was undoubtedly Lee Se-yeon!
"But with Lee Se-yeon-ssi joining, things will definitely be much easier. Are her guild members coming too?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask. But even without them, the undead army she drags around is massive. That alone should be more than enough."
"True."
Neither of them could have imagined that a massive horde of players from the arena was currently flocking after Lee Se-yeon!
"Alright. Now that the bombs are all made, let's gather the villagers and get ready to move. Oh, but before that, let me change my gear."
Tae-hyun rummaged through his inventory. He was looking for the Sadique Order Paladin gear! Although he had sold off his old set, he still had a few pieces left over from the battle in his territory.
Since we're heading straight into Sadique territory, it'll be better to wear this.
"Huh? What about ours?"
"Right here. Here, put these on over your clothes."
"......You didn't stuff bombs inside these, did you?"
Cain shot Tae-hyun a highly suspicious look. A deep-seated distrust! Considering everything he had been through, his suspicion was entirely justified.
"Bombs? What are you talking about?" Chairman Yoo asked, completely out of the loop.
"This jerk stuffed my armor full of bombs and forced me to self-destruct!"
"What kind of joke is... wait, you're not joking?"
"I'm dead serious!"
"Haha, it's all in the past, isn't it?" Tae-hyun chuckled.
"You're the last person who should be saying that, you bastard!"
Cain fumed, but Tae-hyun ignored him and kept moving. The four of them quickly changed into their new gear. Suddenly, Chairman Yoo realized something odd and asked:
"Wait, do I have to go too?"
"Of course you do, Elder."
"I-I like it here, though..."
Chairman Yoo simply wanted to fish in peace in this village. Unlike Tyrum City or the Valley of Despair and Sorrow, the villagers here were incredibly kind. Granted, they were only kind because they were fanatical cultists of the Sadique Order, but regardless of the reason, it was the first warm welcome Chairman Yoo had ever received in this game! He just wanted to fish while basking in their hospitality.
"Haha. If Ji-su finds out I left you behind, she'll be furious with me."
"I-Is that so? Wait, how would Ji-su even find out?"
"Get in. Hey, Cain. Help the Elder into the carriage."
The more bait, the better! Tae-hyun didn't hesitate to shove Chairman Yoo into the carriage. Before the elderly chairman could even protest, he found himself bundled inside.
"Hey, Chief! Let's roll!"
"Understood! But Paladin-nim, what is that cargo loaded in the back?"
"An offering to be dedicated to the great Lord Sadiq."
"I knew it! I felt the power of Lord Sadiq radiating from it!"
With a carriage packed to the brim with high-grade explosives, they set off toward the hidden stronghold of the Sadique Order.
Inside the carriage, Tae-hyun let out a long yawn.
Well... now that I've summoned Lee Se-yeon, this quest should be a walk in the park.
Tae-hyun had good reason to be confident. First of all, the Sadique Order was a faction that had been thoroughly crushed on the Central Continent before fleeing to the Prica Continent. Even if they had hastily rebuilt their forces here, there had to be a limit to their growth. Their stronghold would likely be nothing more than a small fortress or a couple of temples. All he had to do was sneak in, plant the bombs, and blow it sky-high...
"T-T-That..."
"...?"
"I think... those are all Sadique Order buildings...?"
"...!"
At Lee Da-bi's trembling words, Tae-hyun peered outside the carriage window. An unbelievable sight unfolded before his eyes.