Because if I just leave it lying around, there’ll be no one to clean it up.
“Suit yourself. But where did your parents go?”
“To clean up my mess. Though I’m not sure it can even be cleaned up.”
At that, Kim Hajin gave a derisive chuckle and reached inside his coat. After rummaging around in his inner pocket a few times, he pulled out a rather large document envelope.
Yoo Yeonha tilted her head and asked,
“What’s that?”
“What else? Ammunition.”
“Ammunition...?”
Kim Hajin held out the document envelope.
Though puzzled, Yoo Yeonha accepted it for the moment and took out its contents.
[Truth Office]
□Thank you for using the Truth Office of Honesty and Trust.
□We have summarized and recorded the information you requested.
□This is the list of those who orchestrated the Yoo Yeonha overreach scandal.
On the very first page, alongside a half-eaten apple logo, was written the unheard-of name ‘Truth Office.’
“What is this?”
“The Truth Office. You don’t know it? It’s a hot information agency these days. I took the plunge and poured a fair bit of money into it.”
For some reason, Kim Hajin said it in a theatrical tone.
Yoo Yeonha laughed incredulously and asked again,
“What’s with the bitten apple?”
“It’s probably a logo.”
“Why does the logo look like that?”
“Keep staring at it and you’ll get addicted.”
“What are you talking about? It looks cheap.”
Pretending not to be interested, Yoo Yeonha stole a glance at the documents.
□This is the list of those who orchestrated the Yoo Yeonha overreach scandal.
The final line in particular caught her eye.
“...It’s fine. Really. I can handle it myself. I’m not shameless enough to accept help with something this personal.”
“Who said I was giving it to you?”
“Huh?”
Yoo Yeonha tried to return the documents, but Kim Hajin snatched them away first.
“You guys make armor too, right?”
“Uh, yes. Of course we do.”
“What about armor for beasts?”
“...Why would we make something like that?”
“Then make some while you’re at it.”
Having said that, he held the documents out again. As if bewitched, Yoo Yeonha took them back.
“And make sure you read that carefully.”
With those final words, Kim Hajin turned away.
He walked out of the mansion, retracing the path by which he had come.
“...What is wrong with that man?”
Yoo Yeonha stared blankly at his retreating back, then suddenly came to her senses.
The large document envelope in her hand.
Feeling a vague sense of foreboding, she opened the documents while still standing.
===
[The Planners]
[1. Park Sangho]
▷He is believed to have secretly recorded the disgraceful acts of the Yoo Jinwoong family and uploaded them to his personal database.
▷Contrary to expectations, he possesses a considerable desire for wealth and material goods, and appears to have participated several times in illegal dungeon raids promoted by the vice-captain...
===
Yoo Yeonha’s eyes suddenly widened. The documents contained not only written statements, but also undeniable evidence.
“W-What is this?”
Yoo Yeonha hurriedly raised her head. But Kim Hajin, already astride his bike, was rapidly disappearing into the distance.
Yoo Yeonha blankly watched his back as it quickly faded away.
* * *
The backlash blew fiercely. What had begun as suspicions concerning Yoo Yeonha had instead shifted toward the corruption secretly committed by the vice-captain’s faction. It was like a small fire being swallowed up by a larger one.
Smuggling, the illegal hiring of mercenaries, unreported dungeon raids, and the resulting tax evasion...
Of course, they too belonged to the Strait of the Essence, and strictly speaking, this was a scandal involving the entire guild. A short-term drop in rankings and public trust would therefore be unavoidable.
But once all the rotten roots had been dug out, only growth would be waiting ahead.
Yoo Yeonha would certainly lead things that way. She would lead the Strait of the Essence to become the world’s foremost number-one guild.
[Thank you so much. Please convey my gratitude to the Truth Office team as well.]
[Thanks to you, the people on the vice-captain’s side are begging me for mercy right now ^^~]
[Oh, right. But what exactly do you mean by armor that a beast can equip?]
[I’ve never made anything like that before, but I’ll make you the finest possible quality. If you don’t mind, please include your size as well.]
[(An emoticon of a squirrel clasping its hands in gratitude)]
And today was February 13.
After replying in some detail to Yoo Yeonha’s message—which, unusually, even included an emoticon—I checked the announcement posted on Cube’s official website.
[Cadet Rankings]
[Kim Hajin 334th ▶ 121st (213↑)]
These were the changes in Cube’s rankings.
I had climbed a whopping 213 places to rank 121st. That put me within the top ten percent, a remarkable change over the course of a single year. After all, I had overtaken nearly eight hundred people in that time.
Since I was curious about the reactions to such a dramatic rise—being human, after all—I logged into the Cube cadet community.
─Wow, Kim Hajin;; His rise lately is scary.
─His written scores are on another level. I heard he even got a perfect score in Phenomenal Realm Analysis II lol. His brain really is that of a genius.
└The professor said that if Kim Hajin had focused that intensely only on theory, he could’ve won a Nobel Prize ㅇㅇ
─But isn’t there a rumor that Kim Hajin is going into the mercenary business?
─Why would he become a mercenary? Even if it’s a talent related to firearms, it seems like mid-to-upper-tier guilds have been sounding him out lately.
─I heard there’s even a chance he might join the British Royal Guild...
└Why the sudden Royal Guild lol. Ah. Are you Rachel, by any chance?
└No;; What are you talking about lol;;;;
Sure enough, my name was quite the topic even in the cadet community. For reference, Phenomenal Realm Analysis II was the second level of Phenomenal Realm Analysis.
[Congratulations★Entering the Top 100★Ha (????)!]
Just then, Rachel’s message arrived.
[Thank you.]
After sending a brief reply, I checked Rachel’s ranking as well.
[Rachel 3rd ▶ 3rd (－)]
There had been no change from third place. That was only natural, considering that Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak occupied first and second place.
Chae Nayun had also remained in fourth place, while Yoo Yeonha had fallen to ninth. But Yoo Yeonha’s goal had been to remain within the top ten from the beginning.
[Oh, right. When are you coming to England? The break is almost over.]
It was an ordinary message Rachel had probably sent without much thought, but it suddenly gave me a lot to think about.
The new semester of second year started a little later than that of first year. Not only would the class divisions be different, but beginning in second year, cadets had to create their own schedules, much like university students.
That was what I had been thinking about.
Whether I should drop out.
[I don’t think I can go to England. I don’t have the time.]
[Ah... Really? That’s too bad?_?.]
Beep beep beep beep─
“I’m hooome~”
“Meow.”
Just then, the entry code was entered, and Evandel and Hayang came inside.
“Oh, you’re back?”
I stood up to greet the two of them.
Evandel had begun going out more often these days. But I wasn’t worried. This was a rather affluent apartment complex, after all, with safe play facilities—including playgrounds and kids’ cafés—scattered throughout the grounds.
“Hajin, I rode the slide today?”
“You did? How was it?”
“It was like... a cave. Shooong. I went down.”
“Good job. Then it’s time to study, right?”
“...”
Evandel’s face instantly turned sulky.
Making friends and playing outside was certainly good, but she still couldn’t neglect the development of her intelligence and abilities as a witch. Evandel possessed the sort of talent that could one day become a tremendous power for humanity.
“I’ll do it after eating.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Evandel slipped down from my arms and began contacting someone with her smartwatch. It was probably that friend she had made the other day.
“Evandel.”
“Hmm?”
I asked Evandel a question.
“Do you want to keep living here?”
Even without deciding to drop out, commuting would be possible starting in second year. Having to go all the way to the Seoul Transit Gate every time would be a little bothersome, but I could endure that much for Evandel.
“...Mmm. No.”
Unexpectedly, Evandel shook her head.
“Huh? Why?”
“...Hajin, are you going somewhere?”
Instead of answering my question, Evandel asked another. Her small voice was filled with fear and worry.
Only then did I understand what she truly meant, and I gave her a bright smile.
“No, both of us—no, all three of us—will keep living here. If you want to.”
“Hajin too?”
“Yeah.”
“T-Then I’m happy!”
Evandel hurriedly nodded.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the [Yoo Sihyuk Dojo], located directly in front of Cheonji on Mount Baekdu, Chae Nayun ran to the letter hall as soon as her twelve hours of hellish training ended.
“Mister!”
Chae Nayun hurriedly asked the man who was managing the mailboxes as usual,
“Mister. Is there one today? Is there a letter today?”
The man let out a small laugh before taking a letter from one of the mailboxes and handing it to her.
“...Here. Take it.”
“Oh, thank you!”
Chae Nayun accepted the letter.
Since today was February 13, it was a reply after nearly two weeks.
“Ah, what’s keeping him so busy?”
After the first letter, the intervals between Kim Hajin’s letters had grown longer and longer. From three days to a week. From a week to two weeks.
Still, she felt happy to receive one.
Chae Nayun left with a broad smile over a single letter.
“Hmm? What are you two doing?”
Outside, Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak were waiting for her.
In fact, Chae Nayun had told only these two about it. She had told them that her older brother was dead.
“Hey, I asked what you’re doing.”
“...Nothing.”
“It’s nothing important.”
The two of them glanced at each other and scratched their cheeks.
*Sigh.*
Chae Nayun let out a sigh.
“Treating me normally, like you always do, would help me more. Don’t you get it?”
She herself was acting that way.
Of course, she was still terribly afraid and sad whenever she went to bed alone. Sometimes she even cried herself to sleep, sobbing until she choked. No—she still did that almost every day. Even so, she hated being consumed by grief more than she hated death.
Above all, her brother would want her not to be sad.
“Even so...”
Kim Suho sighed, his face somewhat uncomfortable.
Then Shin Jonghak suddenly stepped forward.
“Chae Nayun. Whenever you wish, lean on me.”
“What is this lunatic saying? I’m leaving. And don’t go clinging to me for no reason. It’s creepy.”
Chae Nayun shoved the two of them aside and ran to her room. As soon as she entered, she slammed the door shut, quickly looked around, and opened the letter.
[I’m glad you seem to be doing well.
There isn’t much time left, so finish up properly.
Don’t get hurt.
P.S. I’ve gotten busy lately, so I probably won’t be able to reply very often. Sorry.]
“...What is this?”
Chae Nayun muttered blankly.
Was this a hidden-camera prank?
Just in case, she checked to see whether there was another letter behind it, but that was the end.
A mere single paragraph.
Her head grew slightly confused. Was that all?
“...Did I do something wrong?”
Chae Nayun suddenly felt the urge to go down from Mount Baekdu.
The End
A dark, gloomy mansion where only a single pale light bulb flickered faintly.
A man sat in a chair, reading through a newspaper.
Objectively speaking, he was an exceptionally handsome man. His sharp, well-defined features shone beautifully beneath the fragments of light, while the furrow between his brows, creased in displeasure, only deepened his atmosphere.
“My...”
At length, he lowered his head with a sigh of dismay.
At that moment, the door on the opposite side opened, and a woman wearing a leather jacket walked out.
“What, things didn’t work out?”
Muttering thus, she sat down in front of him. The man laughed quietly without answering.
“Did you lose it all gambling again? Shall I laugh at you?”
“...Sure. But, Sahyuk, that mark you had between your brows back then? Now there’s only the faintest trace left. You can barely even see it.”
The man laughed at her sarcastic taunt and replied in a deliberately playful tone. The woman’s complexion turned crimson with unrestrained fury.
“What?”
“I mean your brow. The mark where the coin was stuck. The one that wouldn’t wash off no matter how much you scrubbed.”
The memory of that day suddenly flashed before her eyes.
It had been more than three months already, but even now, thinking about it made her blood boil and fury surge through her. It was a humiliation she had never experienced even once in her life. The scene had been seared into her mind like the clearest possible recording.
“Don’t make me remember it.”
She, Jin Sahyuk, warned him through clenched teeth. But today, at least, the other party seemed unwilling to back down.
“You should have made sure something so unsightly never happened in the first place. I told you again and again. Don’t get so cocky.”
Clack. He set down the newspaper. Jin Sahyeok paid no attention to the rustling bundle of paper, staring only at him.
“Sahyeok, don’t get confused. You’re still a fledgling, you know. A black fledgling I can blow up with the twitch of a single finger.”
At those words, the space between Jin Sahyeok’s brows twitched. Yet she forced the corners of her mouth upward and said without retreating an inch,
“Then do it.”
The man’s eyes, gazing at her, sank into a cold stillness.
Jin Sahyeok said again,
“Blow me up.”
“······Hmm.”
“I said blow me up.”
She really was a woman with no sense of self-preservation.
With no other choice, the man closed his eyes, smiled faintly, and backed down.
“Sorry. I was a little on edge today.”
At his declaration of surrender, Jin Sahyeok seemed to relax a little, but soon dug back into the one point she could not accept.
“······I can win if we fight again.”
“That’s what you think.”
“I was caught off guard.”
“You only had one coin, though?”
“······.”
Jin Sahyeok pressed her lips shut. She could think of no rebuttal.
A single coin had surged from his fingers. It had rushed forward with destructive power impossible to attribute to a mere coin, leaving a deep mark between her brows. The mark had refused to disappear for an entire month, keeping her from even going outside.
“Mr. Bell.”
“Hm?”
Just then, another member of their party came from the kitchen, carrying out food.
“You seem to be in a really bad mood today?”
“······Ah.”
She called the man Bell. Bell gave a short laugh.
“It’s nothing else. She’s just angry at me. Something important went wrong, and I only found out about it now. I must have been in Pandemonium too long.”
He tapped the newspaper on the table. The woman murmured the words printed on it.
“Chae Jinyoon dead······ What is this?”
“It’s just something that happened. He was a man who was supposed to survive, but someone killed him.”
“······.”
Jin Sahyeok stared silently at him, then brushed her long hair back and abruptly rose to her feet.
“I’m leaving.”
“Where?”
“The arena.”
“······Pfft.”
Bell chuckled softly.
“Got a problem with that?”
“No.”
“If you do, let me fight those bastards.”
For three whole months after that incident, Jin Sahyeok threw a tantrum about going to find the two men.
The two men—Kim Suho and Kim Hajin.
She probably wanted to avenge her defeat that day in her own way, but Bell had no intention of allowing it. Those two bastards were the decisive pieces of the puzzle that would complete Jin Sahyeok in the distant future.
At first, he had only been thinking of Kim Suho, but somehow another one had appeared as well. Still, there was a saying that more was better.
“I said I don’t have a problem with it. Go to the arena and play to your heart’s content. If you happen to run into Satan’s Butlers and get beaten to a pulp, that’s not my problem.”
Satan’s Butlers.
Even here in Pandemonium, they were an organization ranked number one. All thirty-three members of the organization were said to have contracts with the famous demon ‘Satan.’ It would be no exaggeration to say that Pandemonium’s balance and order had been established beneath their overwhelming power.
“······.”
Without a word, Jin Sahyeok opened the mansion door.
Beyond the wide-open view, an aftertaste of alcohol and blood seeped in, revealing at a glance the vast streets of pleasure and revelry stretching into the distance.
She left the mansion and walked toward the center of Pandemonium.
As she walked, she went over it all again.
It made her so angry that her insides twisted whenever she thought about it, but it was something she had to endure for the ecstasy that awaited in the future.
Boom─
That terrifying power when he shot the coin.
Rumble─
The force contained in the coin as it swept in like a bolt of lightning.
He was strong.
A powerful man without a single opening.
Alongside Kim Suho, there was now another bastard worth keeping in mind.
As time passed here, just how much stronger would he become?
Jin Sahyeok suddenly covered her face with both hands and sank to the ground.
“Ah······ Haaah······.”
I want to fight.
No, I want to kill him.
I want to tear his limbs apart and kill him.
Under that intense impulse, her entire body began to—