Chapter 38
…up.
Wake u—.
Wake up.
“Wake up!”
Gasp!
I opened my eyes to a shout right above my face.
Lee Cheong-sin was in front of me.
“Why…”
“Hurry and get up.”
His expression looked urgent.
He had a bright face until just before sleep, so why? As I was getting up with a drowsy mind, suddenly a voice was heard.
“The faction leader has arrived. Everyone is to be brought out, so come this way.”
It was Du Mansik, who had personally guided me to the cell on the day I was dragged into this guild.
I awkwardly came out of the cell and followed Du Mansik along with Lee Cheong-sin.
‘I didn’t expect the faction leader to come so quickly.’
Did I sleep too peacefully?
I let out a hollow laugh and slightly raised my head.
‘It seems too late to give Gi Da-in a heads up now.’
Although I hurriedly asked her to come, the unanswered message window seemed to reflect my situation. Mana was sealed, and I had no weapons.
In that case…
‘I guess I have no choice but to go along with it for now.’
As I was clicking my tongue, Du Mansik suddenly stopped.
“Noona, be careful.”
Lee Cheong-sin stopped me from almost running into Du Mansik’s back.
“Ah, yes…”
“Are you okay?”
He asked, looking at me with concern. I was about to ask ‘What?’ but then realized my future involved entering the faction leader’s bedroom, so I closed my mouth. I guess it’s worth worrying about.
“But shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself than me?”
I won’t die right away, but Lee Cheong-sin will. He’ll be used to raise the faction leader’s rank.
Lee Cheong-sin smiled silently. I looked at that smile and then turned my head away.
“You can wait here.”
Du Mansik, who had turned around, said.
Suddenly, coming to my senses and looking around, I found we had arrived in an incredibly spacious hall.
As expected of the 1st faction, I suppose.
As I was looking around, it happened.
“Is everyone here?”
Along with footsteps, a voice was heard. I turned my head and could see a man standing domineeringly at the top of the stairs.
He smiled with slanted eyes and whistled.
“It looks good to have you all gathered like this.”
‘That person is…’
[Name: Seo Hoyoon
Rank: A
Faction: Dawn (Ranking: 1st)
Title: Excessive Murderer]
The 1st faction leader, the owner of this faction.
💎
The owner of the 1st faction, whose impression I didn’t particularly like, looked around.
‘A title of Excessive Murderer…’
To receive such a title from the system, how much evil must he have committed?
“Who should be first?”
As I was frowning, he stretched his lips and muttered to himself.
“There are a lot of interesting ones today.”
Slowly, with an unpleasant gaze, he looked over the people from above as if choosing a product on display, and then extended his hand.
As I followed his gaze…
‘A child…?’
Was there a child here?
‘No way?’
Surely not that child…
“Bring that one first.”
My mind went blank.
“Wait! Not the child!”
A woman, presumed to be the mother, grabbed the arm of the subordinate, trying to take the child, with a frantic expression. The child, sensing danger, started to cry. People murmured with confused expressions. The subordinate hesitated, and the faction leader frowned. Taking all this in, I,
“I’ll go!”
Finally blurted out.
“I’ll go instead.”
It was impulsive.
People’s gazes turned to me.
“Noona!”
Lee Cheong-sin, who was behind me, grabbed my arm and shouted.
“Are you crazy? Why you!”
Should I just stand by and watch the child enter that room?
I pulled my arm from Lee Cheong-sin’s hand and stepped forward, raising my head. The 1st faction leader smiled as if interested.
“Surely you’re not thinking of refusing my request?”
I also smiled coldly. With me being this proactive, you’re going to refuse?
“Hmm. Alright, fine. Dress her up prettily and bring her to my room.”
He turned around abruptly and went up the stairs. That end seemed to be the faction leader’s room.
Du Mansik, who had been silent, glanced at me without saying a word to follow and headed for the stairs.
I followed Du Mansik, taking steps.
“Noona…”
Deliberately ignoring the voice heard from behind.
With each step up the stairs, people’s gazes persistently followed.
‘It’s really all or nothing now.’
As I was inwardly sighing, it happened.
“You can still run away now.”
A low voice was heard from beside me.
What? Thinking I had misheard, I blinked. But as if to confirm I hadn’t misheard, Du Mansik spoke again.
“I’ll help you.”
Huh?
‘Why are you helping me?’
As if reading that look in my eyes, he muttered lowly.
“You remind me of my younger sister. I’ll buy you some time…”
“That’s enough.”
Like his younger sister? If it’s such a flimsy reason, I’ll pass. No, actually, I don’t need any reason.
“If I go now, what about that child?”
Looking back, I could see the child sniffling in its mother’s arms.
It was obvious what would happen to that child if I ran away now.
Really, it’s okay.
“But…”
Ignoring Du Mansik’s hesitant gaze, I raised my head and opened the firmly closed door.
Inside the spacious room, three beautiful women were waiting for me.
Aside from their nearly lifeless expressions, one was positioned in the shower, one in front of the wardrobe, and the last one at the dressing table.
“…Haahh.”
There was a white dress inside the open wardrobe.
‘Such a definitive taste.’
Seeing the delicate dress that barely concealed skin, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“We’ll prepare you right away.”
A beautiful woman guided me to the bathroom. I wondered how many women had been washed clean and dressed up here before entering the faction leader’s bedroom.
The thought made me feel dirty. But there was nothing I could do right now. I slowly closed and opened my eyes, then moved my feet again.
‘I just need to hold out until Gi Da-in arrives.’
💎
“The rest are ordered to return for now.”
A subordinate relayed the order after the perfectly dressed Yoo Yi-joo was taken into the faction leader’s room.
While the whispering people breathed sighs of relief, thinking Yoo Yi-joo’s sacrifice saved them today, there was one who couldn’t.
“Is that Noona really going to be okay?”
Lee Cheong-sin asked, grabbing Du Mansik with a stern face. Du Mansik couldn’t bring himself to answer. He knew it wouldn’t be okay.
His feet felt heavy as he moved.
“Take me instead. We can still stop this now.”
“Yoo Yi-joo-ssi…”
It seemed she didn’t want that. He was about to answer when-
“Yoo Yi-joo?”
An unfamiliar voice was heard from thin air.
Looking up, a man was entering through the window.
‘…The window?’
There should be a barrier, yet he came through the window? Wait, isn’t this the 5th floor? Regardless of Du Mansik’s blinking eyes, the brazen intruder asked,
“Do you know Yoo Yi-joo?”
“Well…”
Is it okay to tell him? As the two hesitated without answering, the intruder grabbed another woman nearby and asked,
“Where did she go?”
“Th-there, to the faction leader’s bedroom…”
At the reluctant answer, the man’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Bedroom?”
He looked towards where the bedroom was for a moment, then drew his sword.
“H-hey, if you draw your sword here—”
“I’m about to cause a ruckus, so if you’re not going to help, just stay put.”
With those words, the man began walking steadily.
Du Mansik could only watch his retreating figure in a daze. After the man left like a storm, someone broke the silence that remained.
That person just now…
“…Wasn’t that Cha Si-hyeon?”
It was the S-rank, Cha Si-hyeon.
“Come here.”
💎
Wow, I’ve really gotten myself into trouble here.
Thinking that, I looked ahead.
The number one faction leader was sitting on the bed, casually looking at me. I glanced at his face, then slightly raised my gaze to the air.
[I’m leaving now! Please hold on a little longer ㅠㅠ]
There was a message Gi Da-in had just sent. If he’s leaving now, it’ll take at least 10 minutes.
‘…It’s impossible.’
But right now, there was nothing I could do. So, I slowly walked forward. My footsteps were incredibly slow.
‘My mana is sealed so I can’t use skills, I don’t have my sword, and there’s no one to help me.’
Repeating these facts to myself, I inwardly clicked my tongue. Forcing my increasingly sluggish feet to move, I finally reached him.
“Closer.”
Ah, yes. I should go willingly. Taking one more step, I found myself completely trapped between his legs.
“For someone who confidently said she’d go first earlier, you don’t look very willing.”
He looked me up and down once and smirked.
“I guess it’s because of that kid? Unnecessary meddling.”
“……”
“I’m joking. Don’t take it so seriously.”
Huh……?
He chuckled. Is this funny? Watching his face silently, I smiled along.
“It’s not that.”
“What?”
“You’re so ugly, I can’t even bring myself to kiss you.”
His face froze instantly at my words.
He gaped for a moment before standing up abruptly.
“You…!”
“I’m joking.”
Why so serious?
I laughed as if I had really just made a joke, just like he had.
“…Ha.”
Realizing I had mimicked his words, he looked stunned for a moment before letting out a laugh.
“Hahaha!”
…Is that not a hollow laugh?
His sudden burst of laughter was beyond my expectations, and I was taken aback.
He stared at me silently for a moment before sitting back on the bed. Then he casually crossed his legs.
“I thought you were just meddling, but you’re trying to provoke me to buy time. Not knowing your place.”
As he said this, he seemed even more relaxed than before, and amused.
…Sh*t.
‘He saw through me.’
Perhaps I provoked him too much, but he had read my intention to stall for time through conversation.
Just as I felt like I’d failed, he pulled his lips into a long smirk.
“Since you’ve meddled this far, there must be something you need to do.”
As if telling me to come directly, he sprawled out, just moving his legs slightly.
He tilted his head loosely as I stared at him with a hardened face.
“Ah, it’s cooling down. Should I bring that kid from earlier?”
This crazy b*stard.
I grabbed his collar with all my might. Our faces suddenly got close. Only then did he seem pleased, pulling up the corners of his mouth.
‘Fine, just rubbing lips once is nothing.’
I twisted my head. And, I was about to press my lips against his.
Boom!
More accurately, I was about to. If not for the explosion sound from behind me.
“What?”
The guy who was about to kiss me and I turned around simultaneously with wide eyes. Then, a very familiar voice was heard.
“Found you.”
All too familiar.
“Yoo Yi-joo.”
Ding-!
[Finding Scattered Companions (1/4)]
“As always, Yoo Yi-joo, you just can’t stay still, can you?”
It was Cha Si-hyeon.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
Ahhh!!! 😍🥰