Chapter 149
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Sudden Situation (1)
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"Lady Sharis."
"What?"
'God, her attitude is just as rude as ever...'
She still acted like she hadn't eaten a single bite of manners in her life.
It was probably because I hadn't been forceful with her from the start, but honestly, this level of attitude was something I could brush off with a smile.
'As long as she answers my questions properly, it's fine.'
This kind of cute tantrum was just the cost of keeping her around—and a profitable one at that.
"Come with me for a moment. I have some personal questions for you."
I didn't even wait for Sharis's reply before starting to walk, and she followed me with obvious reluctance, grumbling all the while.
What I wanted to ask her wasn't something to discuss around others, so we needed to move somewhere private.
"Lady Sharis, do you know Ha Yuri?"
"Who wouldn't? Is there anyone on this continent who doesn't know the name Ha Yuri?"
"Fuck, that's not what I'm asking. I mean, do you know her personally? Back when you were with that black magic group."
It was a personal hope, but I really wished Sharis had no connection to Ha Yuri's sister.
"What are you even talking about?"
Sharis looked utterly baffled.
'...No connection, then?'
Or maybe she didn't remember Ha Yuri from back then, since the incident happened before Ha Yuri made a name for herself.
"Less than two years after Ha Yuri arrived on this continent, her party was attacked by your group. Everyone except her was killed or kidnapped—including her little sister."
"...What? Ha Yuri had a sister?"
'Shit, she really doesn't know.'
Her not knowing was actually the better outcome for me.
No matter how shameless I was, I wasn't crazy enough to parade one of the kidnappers in front of Ha Yuri herself.
I might lack a conscience, but I wasn't that insane.
"Yes, she had a sister. That old man you called 'geezer'—he took her as an experimental subject for black magic. Basically, she was killed."
"Huh...? Oh..."
After hearing me out, Sharis reacted as if something had clicked.
'Shit, don't tell me...'
"...Lady Sharis, were you involved in that too?"
"Hold on..."
"Damn it, just answer me. Were you directly involved?"
"No, I just... overheard it."
'Overheard?'
"Overheard what exactly?"
"Just because we're in the same group doesn't mean we all stick together all the time."
"...What are you saying?"
"I was operating separately at the time, and I overheard the geezer—no, Lekaruks—talking about it. I'm not sure if it was related to Ha Yuri's sister, but..."
"Tell me the details."
"He said he'd acquired a subject for his experiments. He'd killed the rest, but got a girl with hidden magical talent. He mentioned using her for the experiments."
"......"
"Of course, there's no guarantee that the girl Lekaruks mentioned was Ha Yuri's sister. But I clearly heard him say one got away."
If Sharis was telling the truth, then the experimental subject mentioned by Lekaruks—the black magic group's leader—had a high chance of being Ha Yuri's sister.
'It's plausible. No, highly probable.'
The one who escaped was most likely Ha Yuri herself, given the circumstances.
"...So, did that girl end up dying?"
"I don't know. Lekaruks never mentioned it again after that, but there's a high chance she died. Experimental subjects usually do."
"Ha..."
I'd held out a sliver of hope, but it looked like I should abandon the idea that Ha Yuri's sister was still alive.
'Makes sense. Just looking at the experiments that bastard Bahn was running in his own hideout, survival seems impossible.'
Even if she was alive, she'd probably be in horrific shape.
'Better off dead than living like that.'
I asked the most important question.
"Lady Sharis, were you involved in that incident?"
"......"
Sharis fell silent at my question before answering with a complicated expression.
"...I'm not sure."
"What do you mean? Either you were or you weren't. 'Not sure' isn't an answer."
"I wasn't directly involved, of course. But I was part of that group, and I turned a blind eye when my comrades kidnapped people and committed atrocities."
"......."
"That's why I said I'm not sure. Depending on how you look at it, you could say I was involved."
Sharis hadn't directly harmed Ha Yuri's sister, but she had been part of the group, so it wasn't a black-and-white issue of responsibility.
"Sigh... Alright, I get it."
At least she wasn't directly involved, which was a relief, but my head was still spinning.
Legendary-grade monster corpses were valuable resources in their own right.
They could be used as materials for crafting artifacts or as catalysts for spells, among countless other uses.
However, the White Gluttony's massive size made transporting it impossible.
In the end, the pioneer teams decided to abandon the corpse.
The same went for the Area 3 team that had slain the Black Gluttony.
Now, all the pioneer teams from the three areas had gathered, and the key figures were holding another meeting.
Veritas Clan Master An Yeon-ho spoke first.
"So, Area 1 is all that's left?"
"Seems like it. Myth Clan Master... are you alright?"
It was common knowledge that Yun Yeon had lost her sight during her battle with the legendary-grade monster in Area 3.
Yun Yeon answered Ha Yuri's question nonchalantly.
"Yes. Thanks to Veritas Clan taking down the Black Gluttony in Area 3, my sight is back, and the poison was fully treated by someone from Eternity—no lingering effects."
...Yun Yeon glanced at me and winked. Probably her way of saying thanks.
"...Glad to hear it."
"Right? Now, Area 1 was under my watch, but I can't keep going without my sight."
"Hm. Myth Clan Master, is it true that your injury was healed thanks to... a member of Eternity?"
I was caught off guard. I'd just been standing quietly next to Seo Yu-ju, observing the meeting, when An Yeon-ho suddenly brought me up.
"Yes. I survived thanks to Lee Yun-seong of Eternity."
Yun Yeon met my eyes and continued with a smile tugging at her lips.
"Truth be told, Lee Yun-seong is my lifesaver."
At her words, most people in the room glanced my way.
By emphasizing twice in this official setting that I'd helped her, Yun Yeon was essentially declaring her protection over me to everyone present.
'...Basically, publicly stating she's backing me.'
Those in the know had already suspected a connection between Yun Yeon and me.
Seo Yu-ju beside me didn't say a word, but her face clearly showed her displeasure.
One man spoke up cautiously.
"Um, there's something I'd like to say."
All eyes turned to him.
"It's about the Plum Blossom Clan Master's condition."
Silence fell over the room at his words.
'Yeah, I wondered when this would come up.'
Seo Mi-kyung had received treatment right after her rescue, but she'd suffered permanent damage to her leg.
It wasn't as severe as the limp Seo Yu-ju had warned her about, but there was still some lasting discomfort, from what I'd heard.
"As far as I know, Eternity's Master attacked the Plum Blossom Clan Master below, stabbing her leg with a spear..."
The implication was clear: Why attack a fellow pioneer team member?
Seo Yu-ju's eyebrow twitched at the man's words.
"She did something that deserved an attack, so I attacked."
"...Eternity Master. The Plum Blossom Clan Master has permanent damage to her leg. No matter the reason..."
"Sorry, but let's get one thing straight first. Seo Mi-kyung swung her sword at my clan member, Lee Yun-seong. I attacked her to protect my clan member."
The room buzzed. Apparently, they hadn't heard the full story.
"Is... that so?"
Even the man who spoke looked flustered. It seemed Seo Mi-kyung had conveniently omitted her initial attack.
"If anything, she got off lightly. I was pretty merciful, if you ask me."
Seo Yu-ju wasn't wrong. On this continent, you usually killed anyone who attacked first without mercy.
"Her attitude showed no sign of improving, which pissed me off. She conveniently left out that she attacked first."
"...But if what you're saying is true, Eternity Master, why did the Plum Blossom Clan Master attack Lee Yun-seong?"
I answered that one.
"Seo Mi-kyung wasn't in her right mind. She blamed me for her clan's annihilation."
"...Pardon?"
"My guard, Wi Ho-yeon, and our brother clan's master, Kim Seok-ho, tried to calm her down several times, but she ended up attacking me. Luckily, Ho-yeon was there, or Seo Mi-kyung would've killed me—unjustly."
"...Sword Empress, Kim Seok-ho. Is everything Lee Yun-seong said true?"
"...Yes."
"That's correct."
"Hmm... In that case, the Plum Blossom Clan Master brought it on herself."
The others reacted similarly. Eternity bore no responsibility for Seo Mi-kyung's actions.
If anything, she was the one who should be held accountable.
But both Seo Yu-ju and I had let it slide because her entire clan was wiped out.
Honestly, because of her hostility toward me, I'd planned to whittle down Plum Blossom Clan bit by bit.
I never imagined they'd get totally annihilated.
It was absurd that the spot where the White Gluttony crushed them happened to be where her clan members were.
'I never intended to wipe them out. Who could've predicted that?'
Seo Mi-kyung had just been unlucky.
Yun Yeon, who had been listening quietly, spoke in a cold voice.
"The Plum Blossom Clan Master dug her own grave. Let's move on—discuss what to do next."
Yun Yeon hadn't looked pleased since hearing that Seo Mi-kyung attacked me.
"But is there really anything to discuss? We should just push into the remaining Area 1 and..."
The man was midway through speaking.
Rumble...
The ground began to shake with a sound like the heavens and earth splitting apart.
"Wh-what is that?"
"What's going on...?"
Most people panicked at the earthquake, but a few reacted differently.
'What the hell? What's happening?'
While the majority were just confused, the faces of those who had reached a certain level of strength were grim.
...Whatever it was, something was happening.