Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: A Declaration of Love
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The announcer, with a grim expression, projected a holographic screen into the air.
After confirming the faces of the ten survivors displayed on the screen, he moistened his dry lips with his tongue.
The heavy atmosphere in the hall made the hairs on his arms stand on end, and the cold gazes of the VIPs felt like daggers on his back.
“With this… the Top 10 have been decided.”
Despite the announcer’s declaration, the hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop, as if someone had hit the mute button.
Crushed by the uncomfortable atmosphere, the announcer couldn’t even stand up straight.
The words wouldn’t leave his mouth, but he had no choice.
Someone had to break the silence, and that duty fell to him.
“Although the Top 10 has been determined, the selection is not yet over. We still haven’t chosen a winner. In that regard, Lord Rios, as the organizer of this selection, what kind of phase have you prepared to determine the final victor…?”
Rios’s cold voice cut the announcer off.
“The winner is Lee Si-woo.”
The announcer froze like a statue at Rios’s declaration.
“…Pardon?”
“We have more than enough interesting phases prepared to determine a winner, but what’s the point now? Didn’t you all see it? Lee Si-woo has been manipulating this selection to his liking.”
Rios’s words made the atmosphere among the VIPs even colder.
Lee Si-woo as the winner?
Frankly, it was unsettling, but they could stomach it.
After all, he had won amidst all sorts of disadvantages and unfair circumstances, so they had no room to complain.
However, personally preparing nine other survivors and directly interfering with the selection of the Top 10 was an act that had clearly crossed a line.
The selection was an event for the VIPs to divide their interests without conflict, not a stage set for them to be humiliated by a mere 1st Circle beginner.
As the mood took a strange turn, Isabelle was about to lose her temper and step forward, but Kenyon firmly grabbed her hand, stopping her.
Kenyon took out his smartphone and sent Isabelle a text.
-Don’t say a word. We’ve already secured our profits and interests, so there’s nothing to gain by getting involved.
-What? Father, what kind of irresponsible thing is that to say? He’s our ace. And that’s not all. He’s my man. And you’re telling me not to get involved?
Seeing Isabelle’s text, Kenyon gave her a suspicious, narrow-eyed look.
Knowing his daughter well, her reaction—muttering things like ‘my man’ about a mere human—was suspect.
‘This girl… is she serious? Hah, I really don’t understand. No matter how many times I think about it, she’s not the type to ever fall for a mere human… let alone have a boyfriend?’
Kenyon’s gaze made Isabelle flinch, but she had no intention of backing down easily.
Lee Si-woo, with the Faceless Lord backing him, was too valuable a card to discard just like that.
And that wasn’t all. Si-woo hadn’t yet given his testimony to the Faceless Lord.
If things went wrong, she could end up with nothing to show for all her trouble, not even the Circle Potion.
‘Of course, since I’m the one who discovered Si-woo, the credit for the selection’s interests will likely be all mine. It’ll also do wonders for my image… but I’m not satisfied with just that. It’s nowhere near enough to beat that damn Allen.’
She needed the Faceless Lord, and she coveted Lee Si-woo, who had a connection to him.
However, she also knew that the situation was too tricky to blindly defend Si-woo.
One wrong move and the Senior Magic Tower could find itself isolated.
‘That cunning bastard Si-woo would never do something like this without a plan… He must be up to something…’
Worried by Isabelle’s reaction, Kenyon warned her again.
-Isabelle. I’ll say it again. Now that Si-woo’s victory is confirmed and it’s a foregone conclusion that we’ll monopolize the interests, his usefulness has ended. He’s disposable. There’s no need for you to step forward and share the blame from the other factions that will be directed at him.
-How many times do I have to tell you? Si-woo is my boyfriend. I don’t care about blame from other factions or whatever, I can’t abandon him.
-Don’t be childish. You can always get another man, can’t you? So don’t do anything foolish. If you cause trouble again, I won’t let it slide.
Seeing Kenyon’s firm resolve, Isabelle bit her lower lip in frustration.
As she fretted over what to do, the announcer received a call from someone and announced with a slightly flushed expression.
“Everyone. Excuse me, but Lee Si-woo, who is currently participating in the selection… says he has something to tell you all.”
At the announcer’s words, the previously quiet hall erupted into a clamor.
The VIPs, who felt that Si-woo was looking down on them, not only muttered curses under their breath but also began to denounce him in harsh tones.
Unable to watch the VIPs murmuring like merchants in a marketplace, Rios stepped in.
“Everyone, please calm down and let’s hear what he has to say. Putting everything else aside, aren’t you all curious about what on earth Lee Si-woo wants to tell us?”
As the VIPs began to calm down at Rios’s words, the announcer seized the opportunity and displayed Lee Si-woo on the holographic screen.
At a nod from Rios, the announcer connected his microphone to the speakers in the ruined city and spoke.
“Mr. Lee Si-woo. We’ve connected the broadcast because we heard you had something to say to us.”
Hearing the announcer’s voice through the speakers installed throughout the ruined city, Lee Si-woo smiled faintly, then smoothed down his messy black hair, disheveled from the recent battles.
-Ah, is the broadcast connected now? My, if I had known you’d reach out so quickly, I would have at least washed my face. I should look my best for such esteemed individuals, shouldn’t I?
At Si-woo’s nonchalant words, a few VIPs scoffed.
Among them, Hirkhus, the master of the Wilderness Magic Tower, showed his displeasure by scratching the table with his fingernails, clearly annoyed by Si-woo’s relaxed demeanor.
Rios cleared his throat, signaling the dumbfounded announcer.
The announcer cleared his own throat and spoke.
“Ahem, Mr. Lee Si-woo. The people here are not so idle. It would be best for everyone if you got to the point.”
At the announcer’s words, Si-woo wiped the smile from his face and bowed respectfully.
Then, in a careful and serious voice, he said.
-I apologize.
Having captured the VIPs’ attention with that short, impactful statement, Si-woo straightened his back and swept his gaze over them.
At this subtle yet powerful gesture, Rios clenched his fist.
‘Look at this guy.’
The broadcast was one-way, so Si-woo definitely couldn’t see them.
But with just a convincing glance, Si-woo created the impression that they were communicating directly.
Unaware of Rios’s piercing gaze, Si-woo continued in a level tone.
-I am aware that I have overstepped my bounds. I am also aware that, with this act, I have crossed a river of no return. It is because someone as insignificant and worthless as myself has dared to displease you esteemed individuals. However, I do not regret it. Because I…
Si-woo paused to catch his breath.
Was it intentional?
As Si-woo’s words cut off at a crucial moment, several people crossed their arms and legs.
The way they tapped their feet seemed to be urging him on.
That’s how much they wanted to hear what came next.
-…am in love with Lady Isabelle.
Pfft!
Nervous, Isabelle, who had been moistening her dry throat with green tea, spat it out involuntarily.
Like a bolt from the blue, Kenyon, who was now soaked like a drowned rat, wiped his face with a handkerchief from his pocket.
Even so, Kenyon had no idea how he was supposed to react.
‘These two lunatics are a matched pair, driving me mad. Heh… what should I do? I have no idea what nonsense that crazy bastard is going to spew next.’
Meanwhile, Isabelle’s expression was also grim. While she had publicly designated Si-woo as her boyfriend and ace for the selection, she was offended now that he was actually running his mouth like this.
They were nothing more than a show-window couple; privately, they had no romantic feelings for each other whatsoever.
‘Hey, why are you bringing me into this? Huh? Why are you suddenly saying you love me? What does that have to do with the selection, you bastard!’
Unfortunately for Isabelle, Si-woo wasn’t finished.
In fact, it only got more and more ridiculous.
-To me, Lady Isabelle is the sun. Just being near her is warm, and just looking at her is dazzling. To be honest, I can’t tell you how happy I was when Lady Isabelle confessed her love to me. I felt like I had the whole world.
Hirkhus snapped his head around and stared at Isabelle with a dumbfounded expression.
His eyes seemed to ask, ‘You confessed first?’ and Isabelle felt like she was going to lose her mind.
She wanted to forget the Faceless Lord and everything else, march over there, and shake Si-woo by the collar.
To make matters worse, Kenyon was right beside her, looking dejected.
“My daughter confessed to a human first? What a disgrace! Hah… How will I ever face my ancestors?”
“What are you talking about! That’s not true! Can’t you see that bastard is just spinning lies?!”
Regardless of what Isabelle said, Si-woo didn’t stop talking.
-When that same Lady Isabelle killed Harman to save me, when her own position in the Magic Tower became precarious, I felt like my world was collapsing. I should be giving everything to the woman I love, yet I was a burden to her? I just wanted to find a hole to crawl into and die.
When even a few VIPs nodded in sympathy, Isabelle tore at her hair and slammed her forehead against the table. Thud, thud.
Watching her, Mars spoke in a compassionate voice.
“Isabelle must be in pain. I suppose any woman would be upset if the man she loved felt like he was a burden and wanted to die. I can understand why she’s acting like this. Hmm, I always thought she was just a foul-mouthed girl, but to think she had this side to her. How unexpected.”
Hearing that, Isabelle nearly lost her composure and ripped Mars’s pig-like nose apart.
-So I decided to risk my life and interfere with the Top 10. I wanted to somehow make up for the losses Lady Isabelle had suffered. And whether by the grace of the heavens or the power of love, I succeeded. I had to overcome several near-death crises, but I was finally able to repay Lady Isabelle’s love.
At the mention of the power of love, Isabelle seemed to have lost the will to even curse; only the corners of her mouth twitched.
-Now, all the interests will be monopolized by the Senior Magic Tower, where Lady Isabelle resides. However… as someone who loves Lady Isabelle, I could not help but think of her future. I thought that if things ended like this, the esteemed individuals who suffered great losses might come to resent Lady Isabelle.
Sensing the strange turn in Si-woo’s words, the expressions of everyone in the hall became puzzled.
And at Si-woo’s next words, the smile vanished from Isabelle’s face as if washed away.
-Therefore, I dare to propose a compromise to all of you. The Top 10 has been decided. And among them, I am the only one who has been allocated. However… there is no rule that says we cannot ‘reallocate,’ is there? Am I wrong?
At the word ‘reallocation’ from Si-woo’s lips, a few of the quicker ones caught on to his scheme and let out a wry smile.
Rios chuckled and covered his forehead with his hand.
The more he listened, the more absurd it became.
But why?
He was starting to like Lee Si-woo.
It was because he could more or less predict what Si-woo was about to say.
-As you all know, considering the current state of the Top 10, it is up to me to decide who among them becomes the winner and who lives. In other words, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the authority to reallocate currently lies with me. But my heart and soul belong to Lady Isabelle. Therefore, it is only right that the authority to reallocate should also belong to her.
Kenyon slammed his palm on the table.
The surrounding gazes briefly fell on him, but Kenyon paid them no mind, glaring at Si-woo with wide eyes.
-Of course, it would be absurd for someone as insignificant as myself to decide on such a major issue, but I humbly ask for your permission. Only then can we prevent any resentment towards Lady Isabelle through a process of negotiation where appropriate benefits are exchanged, and more importantly, the woman I love can take the lead in this situation.
Rios, looking much more relaxed, raised his beer glass.
A situation where he could have lost two years’ worth of interests to the Senior Magic Tower and suffered an irreversible loss was turned around by a few words from Si-woo.
Thanks to that, Kenyon probably wanted to tear Si-woo into a thousand pieces from sheer frustration, but what could he do?
He could only blame himself for underestimating the dog he planned to use and discard.
On the other hand, Rios was quite pleased.
‘Lee Si-woo, you’re smart. No, should I say cunning? It was a game where he could have easily died, but he masterfully evaded it with a single move that shifts all responsibility to Isabelle.’
By passing the authority of reallocation—which would inevitably draw resentment no matter the outcome—to Isabelle, Si-woo succeeded in turning the tide of animosity away from himself.
His justification was also quite plausible.
Sometimes, there was no better spice to justify one’s actions than love.
‘Love… I’ll bet on it. You’re not the type to fall for a stupid girl like Isabelle. Creatures like you have a habit of sticking together. And that’s why… I want you.’
Originally, Rios had intended to kill Si-woo one way or another, but he had a change of heart.
The more he experienced it, the more he found himself taking a liking to this person named Lee Si-woo.
‘Lee Si-woo, you’re smart but foolishly unsuited to being a mage. So, come to me. You belong on this side.’