Episode 305. To the Iris Guild (3)

Tuesday night.

The executives of Pandemic, gathered in the hideout, focused on Maestro’s words.

“Everything is going very well. Especially, Pandemic’s name is spreading throughout the world, and our Apostle-nim is also working hard.”

Kkwaak- Aaaak-

Rebecca ignored the painful groans heard from outside the conference room and lowered her head.

Because of these terrible sounds she hadn’t heard when she was brainwashed, Rebecca hated coming here.

“But….”

Just then, Maestro frowned.

“Why are there so many failures in Korea? Especially around the Academy…. Now that Reinhardt has been captured too, two executives have already been taken down.”

Gil Stephen and Reinhardt.

Since two had already been sacrificed, Maestro couldn’t help but question it.

“Rebecca. What’s the reason for the frequent failures at Victoria Academy?”

Maestro looked at Rebecca with a relaxed expression.

“… I know Reinhardt was betrayed.”

“Rebecca.”

“Kkeuhup?!”

Kkuuk-

Rebecca grabbed her neck simultaneously with Maestro’s words.

She couldn’t breathe because of the surrounding magic.

It was very weak magic that she could shake off immediately, but she couldn’t resist here. She couldn’t let them know she had broken free from the brainwashing.

“I know Reinhardt was betrayed too. The problem is you.”

Maestro raised his magic power.

He cast a stronger brainwashing spell so that if she betrayed him, she would tear out her own heart out of guilt.

“Did you betray me?”

“Kke, kkeuh… No. I…”

Rebecca’s consciousness gradually faded.

Maestro watched Rebecca like that, and just before her consciousness cut out, he released the magic.

Thud-

“The brainwashing is still holding well… Was it just incompetence? You damn pieces of trash.”

Maestro left Rebecca slumped in the chair and started talking to himself.

Anyway, since everyone was under his brainwashing spell, he didn’t need to pay attention to Rebecca or the other executives.

“The source of all evil. More sacrifices are needed for the Apostle-nim. A little faster. No, for the Apostle-nim. We need to quickly eliminate these cancer-like bastards. Filthy scum. But there’s no obligation to protect them. Perhaps this too….”

Maestro, rambling as usual, clasped his hands and began to pray.

‘Crazy bastard.’

Seeing that, Rebecca cursed inwardly.

Still, the fortunate thing was that he hadn’t noticed she’d broken free from the brainwashing.

Rebecca wanted to leave this place quickly.

She needed to go to France immediately to support the baby’s father.

‘Should I move more cautiously? Or should I just run away quickly?’

She had wanted to stay a little longer since there was much to gain from Pandemic for now.

“Caddish.”

“Yes!”

As Rebecca was thinking about future plans, one of the executives jumped up at Maestro’s call after finishing his prayer.

“For now, focus on the Apostle-nim. Go support the Apostle-nim in France.”

*

While being guided through the interior of Iris Guild.

I casually spoke to Scarlet, who was walking ahead.

“… Scarlet. Why are you here?”

“I’m still a member of Iris Guild, aren’t I?”

“No, I know that too, but.”

“Shh. Sebastian-nim might hear, so please just follow my guidance. Officially, we don’t know each other.”

I glanced back.

Sebastian was watching me talk to Scarlet from behind, and it definitely wouldn’t be good if he found out.

“… Okay. You’re not asking me to do anything weird, right?”

“It’s not weird, but, um. It might be a little troublesome?”

Scarlet smiled slightly and walked ahead.

Right. It’s not difficult, and I can handle a little trouble.

I followed Scarlet’s guidance and toured the guild.

Honestly, I was nervous about where she’d take me, but it wasn’t anything else, just a straightforward tour of the guild’s interior.

First, Iris Guild’s conference room.

In the conference room, where one wall was a floor-to-ceiling window, luxurious chairs and tables were arranged. Men who appeared to be Iris Guild members were gathered together, watching a monitor.

And as soon as I entered, they grabbed their heads and shook them.

“No way. How can they make such a drama?!”

“Octopus Game! K-drama is so fun!”

“…?”

Next after the conference room was Iris Guild’s cafeteria.

I was getting hungry, so that was fortunate.

This place was also like a billionaire’s restaurant you only see in movies.

Wines were displayed on one wall, and the opposite wall had fish swimming around like an aquarium.

“Wh-what is this?! Is this kimchi?”

“Bulgogi! Kimchi! K-food is delicious!”

“….”

And inside such a luxurious restaurant, people who appeared to be Iris Guild members were eating kimchi voraciously with wide smiles.

Those people were definitely the ones watching dramas in the conference room earlier.

When did they get here?

• Those guys look like they’re crying while eating kimchi?

“… I saw that too.”

Liliana, who was around my neck, also expressed her confusion.

I pondered what kind of situation this was seriously, and followed Scarlet into the cafeteria.

Scarlet smiled and spoke to me.

“Lately, the cafeteria has been serving Korean food, and the reviews are excellent. That person was also dispatched today, and apparently, they even shed tears because it was so delicious.”

“… Ah, yes. I see.”

• Human hospitality is so cheap. A succubus wouldn’t have offered such flimsy treatment.

‘I think so too, Liliana.’

What is this?

A hidden camera prank?

Is a celebrity holding a microphone going to jump out from behind that pillar with a camera?

Looking at Scarlet in confusion at the incomprehensible situation, I noticed her lips twitching.

I moved closer to Scarlet and whispered so only she could hear.

“… Scarlet.”

“I told you it would be troublesome. And I definitely said it didn’t seem right. I’m just doing it because I was ordered to from above.”

Scarlet replied as if she felt wronged.

Glancing sideways, I saw Sebastian nodding with a satisfied smile in the distance.

“Sigh… If I were just 10 years older, maybe this would have worked, but now…”

No, even if I were 10 years older than that, I wouldn’t fall for such stupid acting.

They should have at least hired an actor.

“Oh my god! Archery! Soccer! BTX!”

“….”

Seeing the Iris Guild members watching an idol’s music video while eating kimchi gave me a headache now.

I pressed my brow and spoke to Scarlet.

“… Scarlet-ssi. I’m hungry, can’t we just eat?”

“A kimchi and bulgogi set meal is prepared.”

“No, I want to eat French food…”

• I want a baguette too. A Parisian baguette….

Sseuk- Sseuk-

I stroked Liliana, who had turned into a necklace.

She must be hungry too, so I should give her something to eat when I get the chance.

“You were here?”

Just then, a woman’s voice was heard.

Seeing Scarlet, who was standing in front, widen her eyes, I turned my head in the direction of the voice, and a beautiful blonde woman caught my eye.

“Miss Irene. You’ve arrived.”

“Yeah. It’s been a while. Scarlet, have you been well?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, Miss.”

“What did I do? Ah, is this Cadet Lee Hoyeon?”

Irene approached me with a friendly smile.

She seemed like a genuinely kind person looking at her like this, but knowing her true nature made me a little scared.

“It’s nice to meet you, Irene-nim. I’ve personally been a fan, so this is an honor.”

I bowed slightly and greeted her.

Of course, I wasn’t a fan, but I was confident I could answer anything she asked.

Because I remembered all the information from the original work and the news I’d picked up after possessing this body.

• What is this woman? Why is she so pretty?

Liliana’s surprised voice was clearly audible to me.

I was surprised too.

Seeing her in person, she’s really beautiful.

Only someone this beautiful could be Alice’s older sister.

“Nice to meet you. You’re Alice’s friend, right?”

“Yes. Please take care of me.”

“Yep. I’m Alice’s older sister and the leader of Iris Guild’s Team 1… Ah, you said you were a fan? Then you must know everything. Anyway, nice to meet you.”

Irene chuckled as if realizing something and extended her hand to me.

Even her seemingly unfeigned demeanor was cute, making me swallow hard.

“Thank you.”

I shook her hand as naturally as possible, giving it a light up-and-down shake.

Her hand is soft too.

Certainly, an ordinary guy would have fallen for her the moment he saw her.

I’ve seen plenty of heroines before, and my composure helps, but still.

‘What’s wrong with them now?’

Over Irene’s shoulder, Sebastian and Scarlet were covering their mouths, their eyes wide open.

Did they see a ghost?

“You said you’d be joining the Centaur Tracking Team, right? I’m also part of the tracking team, so we’ll see each other often.”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm.”

Irene nodded while looking at me, then turned her head to look at Sebastian.

“Sebastian. I’m going to talk with him for a bit.”

“Miss. Cadet Lee Hoyeon is supposed to be with the Guild Master…”

“Shh. Just say I took him. Now, let’s go.”

“Uh…”

Irene turned and headed out of the cafeteria.

Sebastian stared blankly at her retreating figure, while Scarlet made eye contact with me and gave a small wave from behind Sebastian’s blind spot.

Hmm, I’ll just see weird things if I stay here, maybe I should just go.

I didn’t come here to sightsee the guild, after all.

I’m also curious about what she’s going to say.

I followed Irene out of the cafeteria.

*

“Sigh, what is this all about? Hey. Do we really have to go this far? With Miss Irene here, having to bow our heads like this…”

A male guild member, who had been stuffing his face with kimchi until just moments ago, muttered as he came out of the cafeteria.

He hadn’t joined Iris Guild to do things like this.

To think he, who was treated as an ace, was just eating kimchi.

“Shut up. I told you. You should focus more on gathering information. That guy is our top recruitment priority.”

“Lee Hoyeon is that highly regarded?”

“Of course. Don’t you know I had a meeting with the Guild Master about him?”

“A meeting? Really?”

“Yeah. So just do as you’re told.”

“Shit…”

The woman who snapped at the man recalled the time she met the Guild Master.

Just thinking about the time the Guild Master yelled at her to recruit Lee Hoyeon no matter what sent shivers down her spine.

“Speaking of which, did you see?”

“See what?”

“Miss Irene shook his hand.”

“Ah, right. I was surprised when I saw it too. She’s someone who wouldn’t even shake hands with the President, what’s gotten into her?”

“It’s because of his face?”

“Nah, no way…. Huh? Maybe?”

It was strange that Irene, who pathologically disliked physical contact with others, readily offered a handshake, but it wasn’t a big deal to them.

“Um, can I ask you something?”

“Huh? Oh! Miss Alice!”

“Oh my, you’re here?”

Just then, Alice, who had gotten lost inside the guild after a long time and finally found the cafeteria, spoke to some familiar faces.

Fortunately, they were guild members she’d seen before, so she could speak comfortably.

“Yeah. Um, where are Scarlet and Lee Hoyeon right now?”

Seeing kimchi in the cafeteria meant Lee Hoyeon had been there until just a moment ago.

“Ah. Cadet Lee Hoyeon went to the lobby with Miss Irene.”

“What? With my sister?”

“Yes, yes. Though we don’t know the details ourselves.”

“… Okay. You said the lobby, right? Thanks.”

Alice bit her lip slightly and walked straight ahead.

‘Did he meet my sister while I was briefly on the phone?’

She wanted to believe it was just a casual meeting for greetings, but a sense of unease filled her chest.

Picking up her pace slightly, Alice headed towards the lobby.

“Miss? It’s not that way, it’s this way.”

“… Ah, yeah. Sorry. I got confused since it’s been a while.”

Watching Alice’s retreating figure as she skipped off in the correct direction, the guild members exchanged glances and smiled slightly.

“Miss is still the same.”

“That’s what makes her even cuter.”

The two continued on their way, chatting about the cute Miss.