Deal
Deal
That was some dizzying news.
Not satisfied with snagging some fresh young meat from Hansarang Apartment, this time she'd gone and traded one man for another and bolted.
How the hell could anyone do that?
And wasn't she pregnant on top of it?
So she ditches her lover, finds herself a new man?
...Why?
My brain just could not compute.
And the idiot named Sado who fell for her was a problem all on his own.
The fact that he'd walked away from a stable, guaranteed life meant he genuinely loved this ajumma who was carrying another man's child, right?
He was clearly no ordinary guy.
"Do you happen to know where they went? Even just a rough idea?"
"I do know a little something."
That was another unexpected answer.
However.
"A letter. The Sado to whom I granted my grace left a single letter at his residence."
"Then if you could give us that—"
"I will give it to you. However, only after you resolve my request."
As expected. Just as expected.
He wasn't about to hand over what we wanted so easily.
Dongjak-gu and Gwanak-gu.
Dealing with the plunderer groups in those two districts.
That was the prerequisite.
A guy with a face that genial, and his methods are pure fox.
I grumbled inwardly and nodded.
"Ah, sure. We'll do that, so keep your word. It'd be a problem if you started singing a different tune later."
"Of course. In the future, you will be a valued trading partner of the Order, so there is no need for me to trouble myself with lies. Trust is important, is it not?"
He extended his hand.
A gesture asking for a handshake.
I let out a sigh, then took his offered hand.
With that, the contract was effectively sealed.
—Knock knock.
Right at that moment, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Once he granted permission, the door hinges creaked and the gentle-faced woman from earlier revealed herself.
She assumed a respectful posture and spoke in a soft, measured voice.
"Cult Leader, all preparations for the meal are complete."
"Ah, good work, Sister. Now, everyone, let's move. We'll continue the detailed discussion over the meal."
I replied with a short "Got it" and rose.
They were offering free food, so there was no reason to refuse.
Since our interests were intertwined now, there was also no way they'd slip in any weird drugs.
Even if they tried something like that, we had Ha Hui-ryeong, the all-purpose healer, with us.
"Let's go, Hui-ryeong. How long are you gonna stand there spacing out?"
"...."
"This girl's completely zoned out. Hey, Ha-yoon. You carry her."
"Me, carry unnie?"
Kim Ha-yoon asked back, pointing at Ha Hui-ryeong and then herself.
Was that hard to manage with the difference in their builds...?
It did look like it would be a bit of a strain.
"Ah, forget it. I'll take care of it."
Hup!
I hoisted the out-of-it Ha Hui-ryeong onto my back.
Fortunately, she wasn't that heavy.
"Shit, this is shit.... What a fucking dog's life, goddammit...."
As we followed the Cult Leader, Ha Hui-ryeong gently wrapped her arms around my neck and let out a string of laments.
Sulking.
It was her way of saying she was in a foul mood and wanted to be comforted, fast.
She was just so pitiful.
I chuckled inwardly and patted her bottom.
"Well, what can you do? Whatever the case, she's still your mom. You're not about to give up on finding her, are you?"
"...I'll have to. Gotta lock her up, or plug her loose hole or whatever, and keep an eye on her. Seriously, has she no shame at her age?"
While she grumbled, Kim Ha-yoon, walking beside me, slipped into the conversation.
"Unnie, your family drama is seriously legendary. All I can do is be amazed. Legend of Legends. You're just the best."
...Her tone was flat, but the content was clearly meant to tease.
Ha Hui-ryeong's face took on a look of disbelief.
"Hey, you're no better, you know? What's a bitch who nearly got raped by her own father saying to me?"
"Compared to you, unnie, it's a drop in the bucket. I mean, four different fathers? Even Lü Bu, the ultimate daddy-chooser, would have to hand it to you, don't you think?"
"Ugh, I don't even have enough comfort for myself, and you want to act like this?"
"Then you should treat me better all the time."
"I do treat you well! I always slip you one more thing than the others, and you seriously hurt my feelings like this!?"
"I dunno. Don't remember."
"What— what the hell...!"
Here they go again.
I glanced sideways at the two of them, incapable of resisting a tiff, and let out a small, deep sigh.
Just then, someone beside me tugged at my sleeve.
What's this?
I looked over with a questioning gaze.
Kim Ha-yoon was already bickering with Ha Hui-ryeong, so the only one left was Mirkella.
"What?"
"No, it's just... Are they always like that?"
"They're always like that."
"I see...."
What's up with her now?
It was a somewhat peculiar reaction.
Not a gaze of disapproval, but oddly, one that seemed... envious. She looked at the two of them with those kinds of eyes.
Every girl who gets tangled up with me has a weird quirk, I swear.
Did she not have any friends by her side?
Unexpectedly, she seemed to long for a close, unguarded relationship.
If things go well, I might be able to take this girl with me too.
Even though our connection had started with rape, her hostility toward us was less than I'd expected.
Rather, ever since the Cult Leader appeared, I got the feeling she was leaning on me more.
Like a shy kid hiding behind an adult's back.
To dismiss it as just a mood—wasn't she even now showing no aversion to physical contact?
I want her, is what I'm saying.
Martial power that had gone toe-to-toe with Ha Hui-ryeong, and an exotic, beautiful face.
The silver hair, especially, was a refreshing touch.
Natural, not dyed.
Seeing how docile she is, she'd probably mix well with the other women too.
The women I'd gathered didn't have bad relationships with each other, but they weren't exactly good either.
Since the relationships were all structured around me, it was like they wouldn't even exchange words normally without me around.
Even when Jeong Ji-min tried to close the distance by chatting them up, Kang Ha-rin and Angelica were always dry and indifferent.
Friends of a friend.
I thought that was exactly the right way to describe it.
Ha Hui-ryeong and Kim Ha-yoon were on relatively decent terms, at least, because they'd put in the time together.
"I'm seriously not letting you off easy. You know I hold grudges for a long time, right?"
"Could you not talk about that until we get down from here? Honestly, it's a bit of an eyesore."
They squabbled like this, but they didn't genuinely fight.
They say the opposite of hatred is indifference, don't they?
If they really hated each other, they wouldn't even speak, probably.
"Ha! You talk so big, when you're gonna be scared the second we get down. I'm coming down, you hear?"
"Why would I be scared? Why the hell would I be scared of a bitch who gets fondled by me every day and comes all over herself?"
"Y-you fuck! Why are you saying that here, you bitch!"
...This too was all because they had affection for each other.
Yeah, that's probably it.
"Now, this way."
We walked quite a while after that, and soon enough arrived at our destination.
A long table, the kind you'd see in a medieval noble's hall, came into view.
On it, the prepared food was magnificently laid out.
From pasta, to things you hardly see anymore like jokbal, and even instant stuff like chicken and pizza—it was as if they'd rounded up just about every delivery food imaginable.
Seemed his talk of treating guests was no empty boast, after all.
"Oh."
"Whoa, what is all this?"
Only upon witnessing this scene did Ha Hui-ryeong and Kim Ha-yoon finally halt their verbal sparring.
They circled the table as if admiring it, then wasted no time grabbing seats.
...Look at these little brats.
Feeling the emptiness on my back, I walked slowly over to their side.
"Please, go ahead and eat."
"Can we really just eat? All of this?"
"Haha, of course. It was prepared for you all, so please, enjoy yourselves."
At those words, Ha Hui-ryeong's face brightened and she began piling food onto her plate indiscriminately.
Even Kim Ha-yoon, who usually kept her composure, could not resist the temptation before this feast.
She filled her plate to the brim, a faint smile on her lips.
Chomp, chomp.
I chewed on a decent chicken leg and broached the subject.
"So, do you know exactly where those bastards have their main base in Dongjak-gu and Gwanak-gu? You're not about to tell me to just head over with no intel and figure it out myself, are you?"
"Ah, you needn't worry about that. I will attach my daughter to your group. As it happens, the jurisdiction she was overseeing has become vacant, so she is the perfect fit, one might say."
"...Your daughter knows the way?"
I looked at Mirkella as if asking whether those words were really true.
Suddenly singled out, Mirkella's eyes widened like saucers, flustered.
"Cu-Cult Leader? I am to guide them? How can a Saintess of the Order roam about so carelessly...?"
"Your tenure is at an end, so hold your tongue and listen."
"Y-yes...?"
"How can one whose flower has been plucked be exalted as sacred? Therefore, that role will be assumed by your younger sister from now on. She is still young, but her qualities are sufficient, so it will not matter."
"What in the world...?"
It must have been a tremendous shock, because Mirkella froze like a stone statue and didn't budge an inch.
After worrying her pitiable lips for a long while, she finally managed to open her mouth.
"...I understand. If that is your command, I shall simply obey."
Her face showed no sign of acceptance whatsoever, but she voiced her compliance.
It had probably always been this way for her.
And that was exactly why she couldn't express her own opinions in the end.
For me, this was actually for the better.
I didn't know if it was intentional, but thanks to this, I didn't have to exert any effort jabbering on about this or that to try and take her with me.
Some trouble spared, in other words.
"Well, that issue's settled then. Is there by any chance anything else we should watch out for?"
"Let me see. Hmm... There is one thing. Be careful of the leader in Dongjak-gu. He is said to be simple, but strong."
If this guy was calling him strong, just how strong were we talking?
I couldn't shake an ominous feeling, but I nodded firmly, suppressing it.
"Anything besides that? Nothing else?"
"Yes. There is nothing in particular. Whatever method you use, I hope you will quiet those two districts as quickly as possible. The Order dislikes commotion."
After answering, he let out an exclamation, as if he'd just remembered something he'd forgotten.
"Ah, now that I think of it, we have managed to secure quite a few vending machines on our side. Do you happen to need them?"
"How many are we talking?"
"Excluding the broken ones, there are about three. So, will you take them?"
I had no reason to refuse.
In the first place, to acquire the food this man wanted, we needed to search for new vending machines.
And if he was offering to lighten our load, I was grateful for it.
But the fact that he had such a detailed grasp of my ability... was exceedingly uncomfortable, to say the least.
"Yes, I was just running short, so that's great. I'll gratefully take them."
"I do hope food is on the list. Only then can a proper transaction be established."
"...Yeah, I hope so too."
I worked hard to keep my inner thoughts from showing.
With a faint smile tugging at the corner of my lips, I wore a smiling face and clinked my glass against the wine glass he offered.