Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Gospel to the Snobby Bitch (5)
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Alicia had always considered herself talentless.
Of course, her gift for spirits was top-tier among elves.
But being the best in talent didn't make her truly the "best."
Especially not compared to the Grand Elder, who had directly contracted with the World Tree's spirit—a fearsome, venerable figure no High Elf could hope to rival.
She wielded her power solely to protect the World Tree, holding an unwavering stance even as elves fell by the thousands. Some criticized her for it, but the World Tree was the elves' root and homeland.
Even if the elves went extinct, as long as the World Tree endured, elves could [naturally emerge] anew.
That was why Alicia could never be the best at [anything] among her kind.
If elves had a combat power ranking, she'd barely squeak into the top three.
The transcendent Grand Elder, who had surpassed her race, and the Sword Saint, who abandoned spirits to devote her life to the blade.
Ironically, both were ordinary elves, not High Elves—a fact that constantly stung High Elf pride.
It probably didn't matter anymore, but those two had left Alicia wandering in confusion during her youth.
Drawing and disguise arts were among the skills she'd picked up back then.
...Pathetically, after mastering over ten talents, she realized she truly had none.
How heartbreaking it was for her young heart to learn she could never be the best at anything...!
It happened one spring when she turned ninety-eight.
A pain only the sufferer could know. She ended her wandering and began shedding useless hobbies, but vowed to keep drawing.
Even the Sword Saint drew as a hobby, so Alicia wanted to draw well like her.
And so, one year... ten years... a hundred...
Even after roughly two hundred years, she still hadn't achieved satisfying results.
As expected....
'Talent is so cruel.'
War erupted midway, and as she led her kin to join the alliance, years passed without her touching a brush.
The brush she finally picked up after nearly a decade moved fluidly. Infusing it with emotion let her create something quite convincing.
'It's been ages since I held a brush... Yet my skill grows only after setting it aside. How ironic.'
Alicia set her brush down.
She had painted "memories."
Landscapes from her happiest past.
And gazing upon this painting...
"Whoa!! Interpreting holy art like this...! Truly magnificent!"
"......"
The old human lavished praise, just like their first meeting.
Yuseong thought he'd misheard at first.
'That bitch wants to buy her painting?'
They'd been talking about heading to the sea, so why the sudden pivot to paintings—and buying one, no less?
Yuseong couldn't make sense of it.
The old man before him, Jang Chun-man, unleashed a torrent of words at him.
"It's true holy art's popularity has waned in this era. But fading fame doesn't mean it lacks charm. Behold this! What an original, beautiful interpretation! Depicting a wingless angel like this...! Isn't it exquisite?"
'That's an elf, you know?'
"The brushwork and line thickness alone—remarkable! No mere twenty-something could pull this off! To build such mastery, you'd need fifty years of nothing but eating and painting!"
'Four hundred years of painting might do it... Nah, if that's her level after four centuries, doesn't that mean she has no talent?'
"Lately, collectors specialize in holy art. They say it's outdated, but trends always cycle back, don't they? This young artist's work could spark a revival."
'This guy's totally hooked...'
But who got hooked made all the difference.
'...This bitch landed a big fish.'
Like an idol striking gold with a chaebol heir among fans, top art collectors were rarer and more valuable than billionaires.
Jang Chun-man was one such titan.
A quick check through contacts confirmed: even retired, his name alone could rock the art market.
He'd amassed legendary achievements, but Yuseong couldn't care less.
What mattered was...
"...So, what's your point?"
"Ah, I've been rambling. My apologies."
"Just get to it."
"Hmm... I hear you're her guardian."
"...Nominally, yeah."
"In that case..."
How about entrusting her to me?
.........
.........
"...Take her right now."
I don't need her anyway.
.........
.........
Mirni had never seen Yuseong smile.
Back in Midgard, all the hardship had etched a perpetual frown between his brows. Facing Leon and the others always sparked rage first, leaving no room for smiles.
So Mirni had longed to see it, just once—wondering how he'd smile, what his face would look like.
And today...
"Huh? What?"
"Oh, n-nothing... You just seem in a good mood..."
"Making a fuss over nothing. Eat your food and ignore me."
"O-okay..."
Where she'd normally get "Scram" or "Go die," Yuseong was gently(?) chiding her.
It wasn't just her.
He was uniformly soft with everyone—even...!
【Ah, child. I-I'm sorry... I accidentally broke the glass on this artifact...】
"...Can't you go one day without causing trouble? Does your mouth get itchy otherwise?"
【I-I have nothing to say...】
"Sigh... Any injuries?"
【!!?】
"Why the silence?"
【...Child! I-I'll apologize, so please calm down...】
"I'm asking if you're hurt, not spouting nonsense—what?"
【Whoa...!】
Luke... was being kind to the goddess.
'That' Luke!
【.......】
Io was so shocked she doubted reality itself.
She'd cracked the smartphone screen!
Normally, he'd have bound her and hung her from the ceiling!
Instead, he was asking if she was hurt?!
Io gaped in horror. Sylvia was no different.
Like devotees witnessing a miracle, their legs gave out, collapsing. The living room froze, everyone halting mid-motion.
As if...!
Like those tense pre-explosion moments with a nuke in war movies!
"Goddamn idiots. What's with this bullshit—?"
Only Yuseong, oblivious to his own shift, furrowed his brow again.
The previous evening.
Alicia had approached Yuseong.
"That old human's proposal... It seems like a good idea..."
"...Yeah."
"Hm..."
He said it flatly, but inwardly he cheered!
Finally, this snobby bitch was coming to her senses and thinking like a person!
But best of all!
'She's leaving!'
He never knew one snobby elf departing could skyrocket his mood like this.
'I'm so happy, fuck...!'
Too happy—curses bubbled up naturally.
If one exit brought this joy, the rest leaving might kill him from bliss!
Their faces alone piled on stress that much.
Yuseong suppressed his bursting grin and asked.
"S-so... you're leaving?"
"Yes. I never thought my art would appeal, but if we play this right, it could rake in a fortune. Might even repay what I owe you quickly, Luke."
"...Since when did you get so thoughtful?"
"Listen seriously when someone's being serious!"
She bristled, raising her voice, but soon calmed and continued.
"Working at a place that supports my art would benefit me—and you, too."
"M-me...?"
"Why the surprise?"
"......"
What? The Alicia he knew wasn't smart enough for such sound logic.
She was more the reckless, emotional type.
It was shocking—unbelievable—that she'd chosen words so perfectly.
Elves weren't human, after all.
'Only humans reason like that.'
Their poster child was spouting "reason" now...!
Like a monkey suddenly speaking.
"...That's a filthy look."
"How you lot eye humans."
"......"
She grimaced like she'd suffered the ultimate insult but clearly held back.
Instead...
"Luke..."
"What?"
"One condition."
"Condition?"
Why drag out something grandiose like [condition] for whatever bullshit—then Alicia spoke.
"If... I succeed... Then apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"For insulting my kin!"
"...Oh, that apology? You still brooding over two days ago?"
"You think I'd forget in a day or two?!"
"Fair, given your racial traits are so shitty."
"!!?"
Forget favors, never forget grudges.
Classic elven memory.
"You bastard, to the end...!"
"End my ass. What does your success have to do with me apologizing? Why the hell should I—?"
"Th-that's...!"
She was already losing the justification battle.
Lips chewed raw, words failing, but Yuseong remained nonchalant.
"Go. Don't come back. And succeed if you can. Gotta repay me~?"
"Youuuu!!"
Alicia's face blazed fury—pure catharsis. Yuseong figured he could down five bowls of rice eyeing it.
'Ah, if only I could watch her get cancer and croak... Might extend my lifespan.'
Any way to snag cancer cells and inject her?
Yuseong coldly pondered sourcing tumor cells, his eyes gleaming. Fuming Alicia inexplicably shivered, falling silent—and that ended the talk.
And now.
"You that happy Alicia's leaving?"
"Something like that..."
"?"
"Relieved some stress."
"......"
Sylvia sensed not asking was safer for her own good.
Not saintess powers—a woman's intuition.
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