Ch.101Angel Tip 5

An hour had passed since their colleagues left.

Under the lazy afternoon sunlight, Siho had fallen asleep curled up next to Misha.

With each of her gentle snores came a sweet breath.

Misha placed his fingers near that breath as he looked down at her peacefully sleeping form.

How wonderful it would be if these peaceful days could continue.

The girl doesn’t particularly like fighting.

In fact, she’s the only one among Counters’ rankers who hasn’t fought more than five times.

But there’s a clear reason why someone like her is the second-in-command among Park Shin-ae’s retainers.

And as if to prove that reason, someone opened the front door of the villa.

Assemblywoman Park.

She was the only one among the other retainers who shared deep communication with Misha alone.

The woman entered with dignified grace, her beautiful long hair flowing behind her.

“Misha.”

“Yes, you’re here?”

The girl carefully rose, taking care not to wake the fox.

Then she gracefully approached her mother.

“Has everything been alright while I was gone?”

“Yes. No visitors, it’s been quiet.”

The woman gently turned her head to look at the sleeping fox.

Then she extended her palm toward her.

A soft white light swirled around Shin-ae’s palm.

It felt like she was sending telepathic empathy.

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just can’t feel that energy from her anymore.”

Eventually, the assemblywoman withdrew her hand.

And she smiled with satisfaction.

“Of course. I extracted it completely.”

Shin-ae showed no reaction to Misha’s words.

Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back and slowly paced the villa’s corridor.

Then she suddenly stopped and stared down at the girl.

With a very cold smile.

“Really?”

“Yes…?”

Misha froze at the firm and sharp question.

She swallowed deeply and stared back at her mother.

“Did you really extract the Angelic Hand completely?”

“Of course… why would I lie to you, Mother?”

Misha composed her expression.

And once again answered her mother confidently with a relaxed smile.

But despite that smile, the assemblywoman still didn’t remove her suspicion.

“It’s strange.”

She stared down at her own palm.

“I’ve certainly mastered most of this ability’s techniques perfectly.”

The assemblywoman extended her hand toward Misha.

Remotely, the wound on her finger healed.

And instantaneously at that.

“But, I simply cannot master the final technique.”

“The final technique?”

Misha cautiously asked back, as if sensing something ominous.

The assemblywoman subtly raised the corner of her mouth.

“All techniques of the Angelic Hand are connected to the caster’s life force.”

“So, does your lifespan decrease every time you use the ability?”

Misha’s mouth fell open in disbelief.

But unlike her reaction, Shin-ae’s expression remained very calm.

“That’s right.”

“Then the risk is too great.”

The assemblywoman nodded at Misha’s question.

There was a separate reason for her lukewarm response.

“It’s fine, because there’s a way to replenish that lifespan.”

“How…?”

“The final technique of the Angelic Hand is to steal someone else’s lifespan.”

Steal.

At those words, Misha’s lips parted slightly.

She had thought it was a beautiful technique, truly like an angel’s skill.

To think the ultimate technique was life extortion.

Only then did Misha realize why Assemblywoman Park had brought Siho here.

Life force.

She knew.

That Assemblywoman Park had always had a strong desire for immortality.

That was also why she had taken Misha as her retainer.

Misha’s ability was reincarnation.

Even in death, she could extract her essence and transfer it to another.

The girl had lived eternally in this way.

Assemblywoman Park highly valued Misha’s ability, took her as her retainer, and researched the secret of reincarnation.

But ultimately, it failed.

Misha could only transfer her own essence.

However, extracting someone else’s ability was possible.

So she killed the target, extracted their ability, and had the assemblywoman absorb it all.

And Siho was also destined for the same fate.

But Misha wanted to protect her somehow.

Even if she became a pet fox.

“Dohyun definitely transferred his remaining life to Jisoo before possessing Siho.”

“In other words, if you squeeze out the ability to its maximum, you can either give lifespan to someone or take it from them.”

“If that fool who couldn’t even use his ability properly managed it, there’s no way I can’t.”

Shin-ae slowly approached Misha.

And gently placed her hand on her shoulder.

“It seems the ability wasn’t completely extracted after all.”

Misha found her mother’s hand on her shoulder extremely heavy.

Her touch was so hot that it felt like her shoulder would melt.

“If it’s not in Siho, and not in me, where could the final essence of the Angelic Hand be?”

01’s eyes looked down at the girl.

Misha stood frozen stiff under that gaze.

“Daughter.”

“Yes…”

“May I read your memories?”

Misha’s blue eyes darted wildly.

She bowed her head deeply to hide those eyes from her mother.

“Yes… read them.”

The girl mumbled to herself.

Shin-ae stared at her for a moment.

Soon, white light began to swirl around her hand.

Feeling that light, Misha’s legs trembled.

“—!”

But soon the assemblywoman’s arm had to withdraw from the girl.

“You…”

This was because Siho had risen from the sofa and approached the assemblywoman.

She perked up her ears as if recognizing her master.

And then she rubbed her head against the woman’s glowing hand.

Thanks to this, the memory reading was transferred to Siho instead of Misha.

The assemblywoman experienced the memories of the transformed Siho and Misha.

After silently reading those memories, she suddenly burst into laughter.

“You’ve been having an interesting time, haven’t you?”

The assemblywoman looked down at Misha with suggestive eyes.

The girl averted her gaze, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, from your perspective, it would be better if this child completely lost her ability.”

The assemblywoman stroked Siho’s head with satisfied eyes.

The fox closed her eyes and savored the touch, clearly enjoying it.

“Of course.”

Misha answered while fiddling with Siho’s arm.

Only then did the assemblywoman stop using her ability.

“I guess I still lack sufficient training.”

“I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“I’m sorry for doubting family.”

The radiance that had surrounded her hand completely disappeared.

The assemblywoman massaged her shoulder as if stiff from using her ability.

“Did you come to ask about the ability extraction?”

“No, not exactly.”

Assemblywoman Park shook her head lightly.

And handed the paper bag she had brought to the girl.

Inside were several small glass bottles.

“What is this?”

“They’re buff pills made with the Angelic Hand.”

Misha tilted her head at the word “buff.”

She picked up one of the glass bottles with curious eyes.

The white pills inside sloshed around.

The pills had a soft glow, as if coated in white.

“Siho stupidly used this great ability to make cocktails.”

“Actually, making them into pills like this is much more efficient-.”

Misha carefully opened the bottle cap.

And picked up a small pill.

<Angel Tip>

Grade: ☆☆☆☆☆ (Artifact)

Effect: All stats increase by 10 for 5 minutes. Multiple doses can be taken.

Information: Park Shin-ae’s ultimate elixir. Using the Angelic Hand, she condensed numerous buffs into this small pill.

“I’ve given them to the other children too, so this is for you.”

The assemblywoman said while tickling Siho’s cheek with her finger.

The fox smiled brightly and rubbed her cheek against the finger.

“You’ve met the others too?”

“Yes. Today, the true value of my creation will be demonstrated.”

Misha pondered her words.

Could it mean there would be an occasion to use the pills today?

The daughter stared blankly at her mother.

“What do you mean? Are you saying we’ll have to fight?”

Shin-ae skillfully ignored her gaze.

“You never know. We’re in a position of being hunted right now.”

Misha shook her head in incomprehension.

If a fight broke out, they could simply run away.

But now her mother seemed…

like she was sending her children into danger to test the effectiveness of the drug.

Misha likes her other colleagues.

She’s spent countless days with them until now.

Although they bicker and sometimes act in incomprehensibly cruel ways, they are ultimately family.

But her mother now…

She seems like a different person since gaining the ability.

As if even the slightest familial love has disappeared.

Misha looked at Siho with anxious eyes.

The fox enjoyed the assemblywoman’s touch, oblivious to everything.

“Well, I’ll be going now. Contact me if anything happens.”

The assemblywoman headed for the entrance.

As she grabbed the doorknob, Misha hurriedly asked her:

“What if this place is exposed too?”

Shin-ae paused briefly at her daughter’s question.

After pondering something deeply, she smiled enigmatically.

“Eliminate everything and come find me.”

“By eliminate everything, you mean…”

“Yes, including that child. Everything about us.”

The assemblywoman who had just been doting on the fox spoke matter-of-factly.

At her words, Misha’s already pale face turned completely ashen.

Kill her sister…?

She trembled at the thought of the future to come.

Because a retainer cannot disobey their master’s words.

If this place were discovered, Misha would have no choice but to follow her mother’s orders.

Shin-ae knew this fact perfectly well yet still encouraged her children to fight.

In the end, her retainers whom she called family.

Were merely chess pieces to confirm the power of the Angelic Hand.

Misha is perhaps the “king” among them, worthy of survival.

The front door closed.

The sound of the assemblywoman’s heels gradually faded.

Even after that sound completely disappeared, Misha couldn’t move at all.

Siho approached her.

The fox looked at her with a worried face.

Misha’s eyes reddened at her expression of concern.

She swallowed her rising tears and embraced Siho.

“Sister… what are we going to do…”

Siho was puzzled by the trembling Misha.

Soon realizing that she was anxious and sad, she silently hugged her back.

“It’s okay.”

A brief phrase.

Misha squeezed her eyes shut at the sight of her trying to comfort her while knowing nothing.

She loved this aspect of Siho.

Ever since she had been watching her.

What if she had just been a girl named Misha, not a Counters ranker?

Then she could have met Siho proudly and been good sisters.

But unfortunately, Siho got caught on Assemblywoman Park’s radar.

Unable to disobey her orders, Misha eventually brought the bartender here.

Misha was consumed by guilt.

But the greater that guilt grew, the more she didn’t want to give her up.

Misha’s blue eyes flashed.

She wanted to protect Siho from everyone somehow.

“—.”

06’s car bumped along.

The golf course in Anyang has a rough road, making every trip annoying.

But it’s equally devoid of people.

Thanks to that, it’s an optimal place for clandestine deals.

Sitting in the passenger seat, 08 fiddles with the pill bottle given by Mother.

The boy stared blankly at the contents inside.

As they climbed the slope and reached level ground, the car came to an abrupt stop.

The boy looked at 06, wondering why they had stopped when they weren’t yet at the meeting place.

“We have to walk from here.”

The bald man got out of the driver’s seat first.

Then he took out Jihoo’s medicine case from the trunk.

08 received the case.

The two rankers headed leisurely toward the meeting place.

The backyard where no human presence could be felt.

Only golf balls that had flown from the course rolled on the ground.

Following those balls deeper, the silhouette of a man appeared.

It was Lee Dae-eun, their trading partner.

As usual, he greeted the two rankers with a very cold face.