The Saintess's Covenant
"How much? How much can you give me?"
"Uh... well, that is..."
Ellen was utterly flustered. Could she really buy him off with money? To be honest, her offer to pay him had been a desperate, last-ditch effort—clutching at straws. She hadn't given a single thought to the actual amount.
"Spit it out. We don't have all day."
"Right, of course! Um... then, how about one million won?"
"..."
When Ellen tentatively offered the sum, the man stared at her as if she had lost her mind. His gaze practically screamed, Is this woman pulling my leg?
"Okay, okay! Ten million won, then!"
"Hey..."
"T-Twenty million...?"
"..."
"Fine, I get it! I'll give you thirty million won!" Ellen cried out, as if she were making a grand, generous concession. But the man's reaction was a far cry from what she had hoped for.
"Hey, Saintess Ellen. The bounty the client put on your head is a whopping five hundred million won."
"F-Five hundred million?"
"Yeah. Actually... they might have offered even more. Seven hundred million... maybe even a billion."
"...!"
Ellen gasped in sheer horror. A billion won! Who on earth was she for someone to pay such an astronomical sum just to kidnap her?
Although Ellen held the title of a B-class Hero, she possessed zero combat capabilities and very little personal wealth. This was because she never accepted payment or rewards from the patients she healed. In her eyes, her powers were a divine gift from God. To use a God-given miracle to amass worldly wealth would be a grave, blasphemous sin against the Almighty!
Of course, that didn't mean she was entirely without support. The Hero Association currently provided her with hundreds of bodyguards and a modest stipend for her activities. Yet, even with that support, a billion won was an unimaginably vast sum to her. After all, the grand total sitting in her bank account was a mere thirty million won...!
"So, if you want to buy me off, you'll need to promise me at least a billion won. Can you do that?" the man asked, staring intently at her.
Ellen's mouth worked soundlessly before she finally hung her head in defeat. "I-I'm so sorry. I can't pay that much."
"Why? No money?"
"Yes... I only have thirty million won in my account..." Ellen mumbled, her voice trailing off into a barely audible whisper.
The man looked at her with a newfound sense of curiosity.
"Well, aren't you honest," he remarked. "Didn't it occur to you to lie your way out of this? If I were in your shoes, I would've promised the billion won first and worried about the rest later."
"I cannot tell a lie."
"And why is that?"
"I made a sacred vow to God. He personally bestowed upon me the power to heal others. How could I ever defile that gift with falsehoods?"
Ellen was telling the absolute truth. The moment she realized she possessed the power of healing, she had made a solemn covenant with God to live a life of pure, unblemished integrity.
"Thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie...! I swore before God to live a righteous life. Therefore, I cannot lie."
"Hmm... I suppose a Saintess really is a Saintess. Come to think of it..."
"..."
As the man stroked his chin and stared at her, Ellen swallowed hard. What was he thinking? No matter how much he stared, she simply didn't have a billion won to give him...!
"...Fine, Ellen. Then make a vow to me instead. If you do, I'll let you go. We'll call it even, in place of the billion won."
Just as Ellen's anxiety was reaching its peak, the man's sudden proposal made her eyes widen in surprise.
"W-What kind of vow?"
"Whenever I get hurt, you must always prioritize healing me above everyone else. Well? Can you promise me that?"
"...?"
Ellen tilted her head, not quite grasping the nature of his request.
"When you get hurt...? How would I even know when you've been injured?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll contact you. All you have to do is prioritize my treatment whenever you hear from me. Deal?"
"..."
Ellen couldn't fathom what kind of repercussions this vow might have in the future. However, her hesitation didn't last long. She was in a desperate situation where she had to grasp at any lifeline, and frankly, the man's request didn't seem particularly difficult.
To begin with, her healing ministry knew no bounds; she treated the young, the old, men, and women alike. She had even healed villains in the past. Thus, prioritizing this man when he was injured wasn't a heavy burden. All she had to do was quietly bump him to the front of the line.
"...Alright. I will make that vow."
Ultimately, Ellen decided to accept his offer. She gently took his hand and continued, "I swear before God to accept your terms. But before we finalize this, I must ask you to reveal your face and your name. Nothing must be hidden in the presence of the Lord."
"Hmm..."
He hesitated for a brief moment, but seeing no other way, he pulled off his mask.
"I am Kang Hyuk."
"..."
"Ellen?"
"...Ah! S-So you are Lord Kang Hyuk! I understand!"
Ellen snapped out of her daze with a start when he called her name. Kang Hyuk's appearance was far more strikingly handsome than she could have ever imagined.
Why would someone who looks like this be involved in kidnappings?
Ellen couldn't wrap her head around it, but she decided to finalize the vow first. Spending too much time inside the car might arouse the suspicion of the other kidnappers.
"...And so, I pledge this vow before God."
With those final words, Ellen's sacred oath was complete.
Heh.
Kang Hyuk smirked with satisfaction as he stepped out of the car with Ellen. Though things had taken an unexpected turn, he was incredibly pleased with the outcome. He had just secured a priceless, walking 'health pack' in Ellen.
As a B-class Hero, Saintess Ellen possessed mind-blowing healing capabilities. She could instantly regenerate severed limbs and even restart a heart that had stopped beating for a short period. Her abilities were worth far more than ten billion... no, even a hundred billion won!
Having such an extraordinary asset serve as his personal pocket healer made his immense satisfaction entirely justified. With Ellen by his side, his survivability would skyrocket to unprecedented heights.
As time goes on, I'll inevitably clash with far more powerful enemies. That means I'll be getting hurt a lot more often! But with a pocket healer like Ellen around, I won't have to worry. This vow with Ellen is an invaluable asset that money can't buy!
Kang Hyuk let out a quiet chuckle. He had no doubts that Ellen would keep her word. Back when he played the game, he had heard of the Saintess a few times. She hadn't been a major character, so he didn't remember her in detail, but one crucial fact stood out: she was a fiercely devout believer.
A devout believer would never dare utter a lie before God. To her, breaking such an oath was practically impossible.
Thus, Kang Hyuk was absolutely certain that Ellen would honor their contract. Having played the game himself, his confidence was absolute.
"...You took your sweet time, Chugoe."
As they approached the entrance of the abandoned factory, Red Skull greeted them. He had a cigarette dangling from his lips, having clearly kept a watchful eye on the car, waiting for them to emerge.
"What were you two whispering about in there?"
"Just asked her a quick question."
"About what?"
"I asked her to rate my face. She said I'm handsome."
"..."
Red Skull flicked his cigarette away in irritation. He marched over until he was standing nose-to-nose with Kang Hyuk.
"Chugoe. There's a time and place for jokes."
"Not funny?"
"Cut the crap and hand over the girl. Take your cut and get lost."
Red Skull's voice was ice-cold. He hadn't liked Chugoe from the start. It wasn't just a matter of personal distaste; Chugoe was highly suspicious. Red Skull couldn't read him at all.
But that wasn't the only thing gnawing at his nerves. There was an unsettling aura radiating from Chugoe—the unmistakable vibe of a seasoned mercenary. For a mere D-class villain, he felt like he was hiding a dangerous trump card.
No matter how I look at it, this guy is dangerous. I need to pay him his share and get him out of here as fast as possible.