Chapter 131: Contract (8)
Chapter 131: Contract (8)
Han Shin and his party returned home in an instant, traveling through Grace’s sanctuary.
Every time Kang Yujin entered and exited the sanctuary, she struggled to get used to the floating sensation, but she was simply happy to be home so quickly and comfortably.
Now I can spend more time with Shin.
Their work helping Russia was finished, and it was finally time for a bit of a breather.
She had asked an Association staff member if any other countries needed assistance, but they reported that no one else had requested help yet.
Thanks to that, Kang Yujin, Grace, and Laysia were able to enjoy some leisure time with Han Shin.
While all four of them enjoyed being together, it was a bit of a shame that they had to stay indoors. However, they knew it couldn't be helped, so they made the best of it.
While looking for things to do inside, Kang Yujin and Han Shin decided to spend time teaching Grace and Laysia about Earth’s culture.
Even if they couldn't learn everything, there was plenty to cover—from the practical, like how to use various electronic appliances, to the trivial, like basic social etiquette for daily life.
As a family united around Han Shin, they continued to build their bond.
In a way, such lessons might have been unnecessary, but the time spent was deeply meaningful. For Grace and Laysia, they could feel Han Shin and Kang Yujin’s sincere desire to grow closer to them.
Eventually, Grace and Laysia felt comfortable enough to open up about their pasts.
First, Grace spoke plainly about her life as a knight born from commoner roots and her desperate, ultimately failed struggle to protect Nippur.
Kang Yujin, who had previously been engaged in a subtle war of nerves with Grace, saw her in a new light.
She really did go through a lot.
Yujin finally understood why Grace acted as a fiercely loyal knight toward Han Shin while remaining so strong-willed and unyielding whenever she was with Yujin.
Then, as Laysia calmly shared her own past, both Grace and Yujin looked at her with pity.
It was hard enough for them to believe that someone as beautiful and cheerful as Laysia had been a married woman, but it was even harder to comprehend her former husband, Morrow, who had abandoned her for the sake of power.
"Ugh! You really suffered because of a pathetic bastard like him!"
"Exactly. Honestly, I think it's for the best that you two split. Otherwise, you never would have met Shin, right?"
The two women got worked up, cursing and belittling Morrow while comforting Laysia by emphasizing that the breakup was a blessing in disguise.
Laysia wore a gentle smile, feeling a sense of warmth from their consolation.
Kang Yujin realized it was now her turn to speak.
However, she couldn't bring herself to open her mouth easily.
There was Grace, who had lived the life of a noble knight to protect her world from demons.
And there was Laysia, who had also fought to save her world from demons, only to be betrayed by a power-hungry husband.
Compared to them, Kang Yujin hadn't faced much hardship at all.
Wait... all I did with Shin was...
Realizing this herself, the words wouldn't come.
All I did was peel away the pests that tried to cling to Shin...
It wasn't that Yujin regretted her past. To her, Han Shin was more precious than anything else, so she considered her actions well-justified.
Though Han Shin hadn't realized it, he had been quite popular with women since he was young.
However, Kang Yujin had preemptively blocked every single one of them. Back then, Shin hadn't been quick-witted enough to notice, so he remained completely oblivious.
Even now, Han Shin didn't think for a second that he had been popular or sought after in his youth.
What do I do...
Yujin felt a wave of awkwardness.
In truth, if Han Shin weren't there, she would have spoken proudly to Grace and Laysia. She viewed it as protecting her man.
But with Han Shin present, it was difficult to say. She was worried it might ruin her image in his eyes.
It was only a brief moment, but for Yujin, the predicament felt like an eternity.
What saved her was the ringing of her smartphone.
"Oh? Wait, I think I'm getting a call from the Association. I'll be right back."
"Okay, Noona."
"Understood."
"Go ahead."
Thanks to the impeccably timed call, Kang Yujin was able to excuse herself.
Normally, she would have found such a call annoying for interrupting her time with Han Shin. But right now, she couldn't have been more grateful.
She hurried up the stairs to the second floor, let out a quiet sigh of relief, composed her voice, and answered.
"Hello?"
The caller was Park Min-woo, the head of the Korean Branch of the Awakener Association. He greeted Wolyeong with the utmost politeness.
"Wolyeong-nim, it has been a while."
Yujin’s brow furrowed slightly, wondering if something serious had happened for Park Min-woo to contact her directly.
"Did something happen?"
"No, nothing like that. I was calling to see if you could spare some time. There's something I'd like to discuss."
Yujin felt a sense of strangeness at Park Min-woo’s incredibly humble tone.
What is it...?
Over the past two years of working with the Korean Branch, Yujin had gradually built trust with them and knew she was highly respected. She usually responded to their favor with indifference.
Regardless, even if the Association was friendly toward her, this was the first time Branch Manager Park Min-woo had acted this subservient while requesting a meeting.
Naturally, she grew suspicious.
Well, since he's asking to meet...
"Fine. Set a time and we'll meet."
"Ah! Thank you!"
Park Min-woo felt a wave of relief at Wolyeong’s cool, decisive agreement.
After they had parted ways following the Siberia request—with Wolyeong stating she would return home separately—the Association had been agonizing over how to handle her. They had been monitoring whether other countries were trying to make a move on her while debating their next steps.
They knew that even if they contacted her immediately, they had to offer her better treatment than before. The problem was deciding what that would be.
Realistically, it was difficult for Korea to make a better offer than wealthier, more powerful nations. They had to acknowledge this reality and focus on showing as much sincerity as possible.
Since she had returned separately to handle her own business, they thought it would be better to wait a few days before reaching out. That was why they were only contacting her now.
Kang Yujin figured it was better to get it over with quickly rather than dragging it out, so she agreed to meet Park Min-woo in three hours.
Since it was only 3:00 PM, there was plenty of time.
As soon as the appointment was set, Yujin went back down to the first-floor living room and told the others she was heading out to the Association for a moment.
"Did something happen?"
"No, he said it wasn't anything like that, but he was being so humble about asking for a meeting that I decided to go see what's up."
"You don't have any idea what it could be, Noona?"
"No. I think I'll only know once I meet him."
"Should I go with you?"
"No, it's fine. I'll go alone."
Since the Association hadn't specifically asked to see Han Shin, Grace, or Laysia, she felt it was better to go by herself.
After taking her time to get ready, Kang Yujin left the house under the farewells of the other three. She stopped by a safe house to transform into Wolyeong—donning her black robe and black silk veil—before heading toward the Association.
As she approached the Association building in Sejong City, she used an artifact to hide her presence and temporarily turn invisible. Thanks to that, people passed by without noticing her, allowing her to move with ease.
When she was nearly at the building, she began to see people who appeared to be Awakeners.
However, unlike usual, Kang Yujin felt something strange.
There were clearly no monsters nearby, yet something felt incredibly grating.
What is this...? Something keeps bothering me...
It was the first time she had ever felt such a sensation.
Uncharacteristically, she scanned her surroundings quickly, searching for the source of the feeling.
As her eyes darted around, her gaze stopped on a group of Awakeners sitting and talking at an outdoor cafe in front of the Association.
It's them.
She didn't know which organization they belonged to, but there were five of them.
Just looking at the group, which appeared to be a single party, filled her with a physiological and psychological sense of repulsion.
That's strange... they're definitely not monsters...
It was a mystery she couldn't easily solve, but for now, she moved on to keep her appointment.