episode_0035

The city of Goa, located on the southwest coast of India, hosts festivals and parties throughout the year.

Shahid Khan, an S-class awakened individual who threw a wild party all night, brought a woman he met at the party to his house for some private time.

“Hurry up and come out after you shower. It’s hard to wait.”

“Okay, darling.”

Despite being a married man, he often lured women he liked at parties to his place.

This was possible because he was one of the most popular awakened individuals in all of India.

“Hmm….”

While the woman was in the bathroom, Shahid, who was quite drunk, leaned back on the large sofa, feeling nauseous.

He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking he would wait until the woman came out….

At that moment.

Swoosh. A man wearing a deep hood appeared from the dark terrace.

Two round-shaped sickles in his hand flashed in the dim moonlight.

“Ugh…?”

Feeling the flow of unfamiliar power, Shahid abruptly opened his eyes.

“!!!”

And reflexively used his abilities when faced with the man who was suddenly approaching him with a sickle.

Crash!

The building shook as the two men collided.

Having narrowly defended against the attack, Shahid quickly distanced himself from the man.

The missed attack not only split the thick sofa in half but also left deep scars on the hard walls and floor.

It was an assassination attempt against an S-class awakened individual.

“What are you doing?”

The man did not answer Shahid’s question.

Instead, he slowly aimed the sickle, threatening.

“I will take the stone.”

“…!”

Shahid immediately understood what the man meant by ‘the stone.’

The third primal stone possessed by India.

It was a statement about taking the “Stone of Wisdom.”

‘How did he know I have the stone?’

Recently, the Indian Awakened Association revealed that the primal stone possesses different abilities depending on the user and handed over the usage rights to Shahid, who possessed powerful abilities and strength.

Now, having obtained the stone, which is nothing less than a national symbol, Shahid had come to Goa to commemorate it…

For some reason, the man knew the precise information about the stone, which was a national secret.

Someone leaked information.

“There was a rat in our country!”

Thinking he had caught a spy, Shahid unleashed his confident smile and activated his power.

Gangshin. The power to call upon the god and fight the enemy.

Becoming one with the “God of War,” Shahid’s entire body turned crimson as he thought it was an opportunity to test the stone’s abilities and rushed towards the man without hesitation.

“I’ll kill you in an instant!”

And then.

“…Huh?”

Thud. He tumbled forward, rolling on the ground.

Before he knew it, his ankle had been cleanly severed.

“Huh, when did that happen?”

Approaching the bewildered Shahid, the man said, pushing the scythe forward.

“You think you’re the only one who has a stone?”

Yes, the man also wielded the power of the stone.

‘This guy…!’

Except for India, the countries possessing the stone were the United States, the European Union, and Japan, which had recently discovered the stone.

Surely, Shahid thought, an assassin had been sent from one of these three countries.

“Where are you from? Europe? America? Or is it Japan?”

But the man didn’t simply answer.

“If you hand over the stone, I will spare your life.”

He was only interested in Shahid’s Wisdom Stone.

“Do you think I would believe that!!”

Enduring the pain, Shahid activated his power again and rushed towards the man using the narrowed street.

If he could just attach the ankle, he planned to kill the man and take the stone.

‘If I check the stone, I’ll know which country it’s from!’

However, Shahid’s fist never reached the man and fell to the ground.

“What, what.”

In an instant, his wrist was also cut off.

‘I, I definitely used Gangshin?’

Shahid, shocked by the unprecedented gap in power, intended to give up facing it and retreat, but…

“He was just a fool who didn’t even know how to use it properly.”

The man didn’t give him a chance.

Swoosh!

Thud.

Heavy silence filled the room.

Finally, after searching Shahid’s body and taking the Wisdom Stone, the man disappeared without a trace.

“Sh-Shahid…? Are you okay…? Aaaahhh!!!!!!!!!”

The news of Shahid Khan’s assassination spread worldwide, concealed by the woman hiding in the bathroom.

*

This can’t go on like this.

I declared to Mayeonseo with a firm determination.

That I wouldn’t follow her schedule anymore.

“I can’t do it now. No, I won’t!”

“…Suddenly?”

She showed an unexpected reaction.

“What do you mean suddenly! It’s been like that since I was forced to eat in front of the president!”

It’s been several days since I followed Mayeonseo’s busy schedule.

To some, it might be just a few days, but for me, it was a disaster.

I had to go along with the atmosphere of the whole country’s attention, and she kept dragging me around and using my face.

“I can’t do this anymore, so you handle it yourself!”

It’s a full-scale strike from now on.

“Hmm. You held out for quite a while.”

“…What did you say?”

But unexpectedly, Mayeonseo, who had been looking at me with a meaningful face, obediently nodded to accept the strike.

“Okay. I’ll clear my schedule starting today.”

“R-really?”

I had spoken after much consideration, so I was suspicious of her quick acceptance.

“I thought you would quit sooner. I’ve raised your recognition enough, so you don’t have to follow me anymore.”

Mayeonseo actually picked up her phone and said she would contact Euna.

As I blankly watched her, I realized too late that I had been deceived.

“So… I didn’t need to be there, but you deliberately dragged me along?”

“It’s not that you didn’t need to be there, it’s good if you’re there.”

“That’s what it is!!”

I felt not only incredulous but also disappointed.

My suppressed anger finally erupted.

“Hey, Mayeonseo.”

In the end, I laid down the law to her with a lowered voice.

“You seem to be seriously mistaken about something. I’m purely accommodating you out of goodwill. Enduring all the wedding and ceremonial nonsense.”

“I know. That’s why I appreciate it.”

Is that kind of gratitude?!”

I was annoyed by Ma Yeon-seo’s behavior, which seemed to show off her superiority. I had been holding back the words I wanted to say to her, and I spat them out.

“You know, if I say one wrong thing when I go out, your image and everything will be over.”

“….”

“Forced to stay home. And so I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend whom I was going to marry. People would love that if they knew, wouldn’t they?”

“…If you want to, go ahead.”

“Well, what…?”

“If it makes you feel better, do it.”

But Ma Yeon-seo, without even blinking at the threat, calmly replied.

“It doesn’t matter if my image is bad. What difference does it make if I get some flak? It just makes things easier.”

It was overwhelming confidence stemming from solid evidence.

“After all, you and I have to stick together for the rest of our lives… So, you’ve been following me around all this time, haven’t you?”

This guy. He really knew me too well.

There’s nothing I can do to change the situation right now.

I’ve already broken with Hanyeo-won, and I’m still in a summoner’s position.

If here, might as well go crazy and say I’d rather die than be locked up.

It’s better than being tied up and imprisoned without a chance.

It’s better than just sitting still and doing nothing.

“But if you don’t like that, then go tell everyone.”

Ma Yeon-seo crossed her legs and sent an indifferent glance, as if she knew for sure that I wouldn’t leave.

“A ghost-like woman.”

Clamping down on my molars and glaring at her, I warned her in a serious tone, thinking that I couldn’t let it go on like this.

“You… keep playing with people’s hearts like that. I won’t just sit still either.”

Then, as if she was glancing around, she asked softly.

“…Are you very angry?”

“….”

With no response, she came closer and started to act cute.

“…Sorry. That wasn’t my intention…”

“Don’t touch me.”

“This time, I was harsh. I won’t do that next time.”

Ma Yeon-seo, who had shown a tough attitude just a while ago, offered an apology in a greatly lowered posture as if turning over her palm.

Whether this was the result of past education or a strategy to catch me off guard, I couldn’t tell at all.

“…Apologize properly.”

I decided to scold her this time and demanded an apology from her with a stiff attitude.

“……”

Yeonseo, who was subtly watching my reaction, began to unbutton her clothes.

“What are you doing…?”

Without saying a word, she took off all her underwear, knelt quietly on the floor, and bowed her head to me.

“…I’m sorry….”

I was at a loss for words at the strange sight.

‘Where did she learn this?’

Ironically, my anger subsided at her actions. I asked shortly after exhaling.

“Will you do it again or not?”

“…I won’t.”

“Really?”

“…Yes.”

It felt like someone was bowing down to me.

“…That’s enough, get up now.”

“……”

After getting up, Yeonseo didn’t put on her clothes and cautiously approached me.

Her provocative body always captivated me, no matter how many times I saw it.

Daring to seek forgiveness through her body.

“Why. What.”

“…I wanted you to scold me more.”

She grabbed my hand and brought it to her thigh, strongly emphasizing how excited she was.

She was as damp as if she had applied gel.

“…No?”

“…You really can’t help yourself.”

So, I scolded her as much as she wanted.

*

After not following Yeonseo’s schedule.

With suddenly more free time, I tried to contact Hanyeo using the new phone.

Me [Hanyeo, it’s Yoochan. Let’s talk.] 11:59

Me [I want to apologize. Please meet me.] 16:27

Me [It’s okay if you don’t meet, just answer the call.] 17:08

Me [If you’re busy, just send a reply.] 17:30

Me [I’ll wait.] 17:30

But she only read them every time and didn’t reply.

‘…Is she very angry…’

I wish I had cursed her out thoroughly instead.

As she read each message without replying, I became even more anxious.

Feeling desperate because someone wasn’t responding to my messages was a first for me.

‘I’m going crazy.’

How long has it been since the repetitive one-sided contact day by day?

‘Why aren’t you answering? Is it because you completely dislike me? No, then at least answer my calls….’

It was around the time when my head started to fill with thoughts of Hanryeowon.

“I’m going out somewhere tomorrow.”

Muyeonseo pushed her schedule for the first time in a while.

“Me too?”

“I want to entrust your examination to the Awakening Association.”

Since humans becoming summoners is such an unbelievable thing, there may be some special ability, so they wanted to try an examination.

…Of all places, it had to be at the Hanryeowon Company.

“Our association may not know about other things, but we don’t fall behind in facilities compared to other countries.”

The next day, a secret visit to the headquarters of the Awakening Association.

Muyeonseo, I Ye-na, and I received guidance from the association and went up the building.

‘…Hanryeowon must be somewhere around here.’

Having visited nearby several times to meet Hanryeowon, I felt an indescribable emotion as I looked at the familiar scenery outside the elevator.

Even though we are in the same building, we can’t even see each other’s faces.’

I can’t just go see her because I miss her.

A deep sigh escaped me.

“Mr. Kang Yoo-chan, our staff will assist you from here. Please have a brief conversation upstairs.”

So Muyeonseo and I Ye-na, who had separate matters to attend to, went up to a different department on the upper floor.

After getting off the elevator first, I quietly looked around, waiting for the staff member….

“Mr. Kang Yoo-chan.”

After a while, the staff member appeared and called my name.

‘…Where have I heard this voice before?’

And as I turned around towards the direction of the voice that I heard.

“!”

I was taken aback by the sight of her standing in front of me.

“Hello?”

It was Hanryeowon.