The Silent Undercurrents
Perhaps he could squeeze an even larger sum out of Taejun than originally promised.
At the exact moment Franz squeezed every ounce of his concentration to see the face of the woman who had splashed alcohol on Trumpkin—viewing it directly through Trumpkin's own eyes—
Thump!
Finally, her face came into view.
"You shouldn't look."
Squelch!
In that split second, her hand tore straight through Franz's abdomen.
"Kah...!"
He wondered for a fleeting second if it was an illusion, but the bare hand that had pierced him from front to back, clean through his spine, was far too solid to be a mere phantom.
"Keu-heuk..."
Blood spilled from Franz's lips as he writhed in agony. As his body went limp, his consciousness rapidly fading into the dark, the woman flashed a broad, chilling grin.
"That's a secret."
***
"I will leave the protection of Miss Mia entirely to you."
The reopening of the portals and the appearance of another race! It was entirely Taejun's decision to keep this matter—which could easily trigger a global uproar—a strict secret.
"You really are a peculiar one, Guild Leader. I can never tell what you're thinking."
Indeed, Ryu Taejun possessed a highly unusual streak, even among the many humans Lupinus had encountered throughout her long life.
"Our side is already as exposed as it can get. Therefore, it is far better to keep this strictly on a need-to-know basis."
Though he was clearly a man driven by immense self-interest, most of the decisions he made ended up being remarkably favorable to them. To think he would hand over full control of everything to Lupinus and Yunjae, especially regarding a matter as highly sensitive as this!
"That is the safest approach. As long as she can cover her ears, she is barely any different from an ordinary human. We do not possess the ability to alter her physical traits naturally. While surgical alteration is possible, we cannot guarantee she would consent to it."
Lupinus let out a subtle laugh at his highly rational explanation.
"Normally, people in power would do anything to keep a hold of a key like this."
"A key can easily turn into a dagger. I believe it is far more profitable to keep a reliable ally by my side who can help me, rather than holding onto a clumsy blade that might end up cutting me instead."
What was most astonishing was that all of these decisions stemmed from cold, calculated logic.
"An ally, is it? And you're satisfied with just that?"
"Traditional rulers fear overwhelming power, so they try to subjugate it or eliminate it. But Lim Yunjae is a man who would willingly take a step back even if it meant disadvantage to himself. I understand his nature very well. It would be a lie to say I don't desire more, but I prefer to compromise on a realistic level."
And his judgment was pointing in precisely the right direction. Unlike the rulers of the past who had met Heroes and sought to become masters of the world based on their own grand utopias, Taejun grounded his thoughts entirely in reality. That was why he chose coexistence over trying to control Yunjae.
"...Well, I'm glad we're on the same side. You're exactly the type of person who would be a massive pain to have as an enemy."
"I wouldn't want to have myself as an enemy either," Taejun replied with a quiet chuckle.
Lupinus smiled and nodded. "Anyway, thank you. For stepping in so proactively to prevent any internal division."
"It's not as if I did it for the sake of others."
"Even if that wasn't your intention, it still helped. Regardless, I'm truly glad there's someone here I can actually communicate with."
The mere existence of someone who fully grasped the gravity of the current situation was a massive comfort to Lupinus. Especially when she recalled her past three failures, where everything had crumbled before they could even put up a proper fight.
Yunjae was already a fully realized Hero, and his power transcended imagination. He might even be stronger than Lupinus at her full, restored divine strength. Naturally, to Mamon, the greatest practical threat was not Lupinus, but Yunjae. Therefore, the only thing Mamon would want in this situation was to drive a wedge between them and make Yunjae abandon everyone.
"There is one thing that concerns me, however."
"Oh?"
"I was personally investigating Trumpkin's assassination, but there has been no word."
Taejun confessed that he had sent Franz the Hyena.
"Hasn't it only been a few days?"
"No. All contact has been completely cut off. In my opinion, we will never hear from him again."
At those words, Lupinus's expression turned quite grave.
"That sounds like someone is doing some under-the-table work to sow discord."
"If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't fight directly with an opponent that threatening either."
The moment she heard that, Lupinus's eyes flashed.
"Then sending Mia here must also be viewed as a move to sow discord. Yes! They've completely figured out Yunjae's nature!"
A pitiful girl summoned all alone from another world! She was of an entirely different race, leaving her completely isolated. How many people could possibly turn a blind eye to her? Especially someone like Yunjae, whose fundamental nature was close to absolute good—he could never ignore her.
"Is that why you left everything to us and kept it a secret?"
Lupinus looked genuinely astonished this time by Taejun's foresight, which had pierced through the plot even before she did.
"Another race will undoubtedly become an issue. People will attach massive significance to her appearing alongside the reopening of the portals, and she is highly likely to be targeted for a witch hunt as some sort of symbol. After all, she is of a different species. And if Lim Yunjae protects her, it will raise suspicions, just like with the Trumpkin incident."
It was an inevitable progression.
"The Trumpkin incident was settled for now with Renge's help, but that doesn't mean the twisted gazes hiding behind the scenes have been dealt with. They will be waiting for any opportunity to sink their teeth in."
The world was not so forgiving. Just when you think, Surely they wouldn't go that far, there are always humans lurking in the shadows who will do far worse.
"Of course, the fallout could be much larger if it's kept hidden and then exposed later, but regardless, I don't believe now is the time to make it public. It won't be too late to reveal it once the public's trust in Lim Yunjae becomes massive and unshakable. Though, keeping it buried forever would be the best-case scenario."
Taejun seemed to believe that they should only speak of it when the people's faith in Yunjae grew far greater than it was now—to the point where any dissenting voices would be a tiny, powerless minority.
"Nice! I officially acknowledge your big brain!"
They had succeeded in raising Yunjae, and with a human of such insight supporting him from the side, they wouldn't fall so easily!
Taejun chuckled at the sight of the delighted Lupinus.
"In any case, I simply don't want to lose my golden lifeline because of other people."
"That is truly wise. Most humans have historically made a massive mistake. They cut the rope because they need a quick fix right away, making it so they can never grasp it again."
That was something even Lupinus's divine power couldn't prevent.
"By the way, how is Lim Yunjae doing?"
"Yunjae doesn't seem to care much. He's probably still talking about the cafe even now. I don't know whether to call him nonchalant or completely unbothered."
"I think I understand how he feels."
His appearance and speech patterns might suggest otherwise, but he was no wandering young boy. He was already seventy-seven years old. Even if fifty-seven of those years were spent inside a game world, his fundamental mindset was that of a fully matured adult. There was no way he would be easily shaken.
Furthermore, he understood his own absolute power far better than anyone else. That was precisely why he didn't try to reshape the world to his own liking.
"I suppose that's a relief. The most crucial figure has his center of gravity firmly established."