Chapter 42
Why Are You Here? (3)
『 Translator – Divinity 』
“But, are you sure it’s alright?”
“What?”
“About that secret room.”
After inciting and sending away the massive group of Martial Artist students,
Liu, who was sipping instant coffee in my occupied base, turned her head.
“I won’t ask why you’re looking for it, but wouldn’t it be faster to find it with your fortune-telling than to leave it to those guys?”
“…You’re not wrong.”
No, I can’t find it.
My blood had finally receded from my head after that note incident, and I gave an answer completely different from my inner thoughts.
Because I couldn’t be honest.
“However, a Fortune Teller cannot tell their own fortune.”
“…Ah, that superstition.”
“They say a Fortune Teller doesn’t even know the day of their own death.”
A Fortune Teller who divined good and bad luck couldn’t divine their own fate.
More precisely, it was closer to a taboo. A superstition that if you divined your own fate, your destiny would become twisted, or you would never be able to do fortune-telling again.
Of course, it was a convenient excuse for me.
“So you’re saying that secret room is related to you?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm. You admit it easily.”
“It’s better than being suspected by Miss Liu.”
“…Hmm.”
Strictly speaking, it could be considered related since it was a room only I, the player, could enter.
But in the first place, would I even be able to find the secret room– the developer’s room?
‘It’s highly likely that I can’t.’
Elements like the developer’s room were things that existed in the game; it was strange for them to exist in reality.
But my reality was that I had no choice but to cling to it, even while being pessimistic about the existence of the room itself.
‘This is frustrating.’
Why did she even convey that message?
I felt frustrated from the bottom of my heart, to the point where I thought that.
‘Forget about this place and live happily?’
While making this crappy game and needlessly improving her speaking skills.
I, dwelling on the message Jisu conveyed, let out a hollow laugh.
‘Ultimately, it’s the ending.’
I would try my best, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to meet Jisu before reaching the ending.
But if I reached the ending, I would be able to return, and…
Then I could hear the whole story from Jisu.
In the end, it was back to square one.
“It’s frustrating, yet relieving.”
“Huh? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Just talking to myself.”
“You bastard.”
Thinking about Jisu was frustrating, but it was also relieving that everything converged on the ending of the game.
Having a clearer goal was motivating.
I couldn’t keep worrying forever.
But…
“Eileen?”
“… .”
“Eileen? Are you alright?”
“…Namgung Min.”
Huh? Namgung Min?
Didn’t she use “mr.” before?
“Ah, yes.”
“Namgung Min… won’t leave, right?”
“… .”
As Namgung Min blinked at the sudden question,
Eileen, who was fiddling with the untouched instant coffee, raised her head.
“Like mom… did.”
“……….”
Eileen Teddybear’s mother, Charles Teddybear’s wife.
I didn’t know who she was. Not even her name… because she was a character who didn’t appear in the game.
But I knew that Eileen parted with her mother at a very young age.
‘And I know well… how big of a wound that is.’
She still had her father, but all I had left was my little sister.
That’s why I had to say it.
“…Of course, Eileen.”
“Yes, I believe you. Because that’s how it should be…”
I wasn’t spouting irresponsible nonsense even though I would return after seeing the ending.
Rather, it was because Namgung Min had also experienced that sadness that he had to say this.
‘What Eileen needs now is certainty.’
Even if it becomes a lie later, even if she resents him for it.
She needed the certainty and hope to endure the current pain.
So that she could become strong enough to accept the sadness of parting later.
Eileen still had her loving father, so she would be able to endure even if they parted.
“You can trust me. I will stay by your side.”
“…Yes.”
The words that it was okay to trust me, that I would stay by her side.
Words that the young me desperately wanted to hear, yet couldn’t hear from anyone.
As if to make up for my own childhood, I whispered,
“Do you believe me now?”
“…I believe you.”
“Don’t worry. Ah, do you not like coffee?”
“Ah, no… I like it now.”
“…Yes?”
“Sometimes, I can’t drink coffee.”
What is she talking about?
Still, since Eileen had calmed down, I also smiled gently and looked at her as she took a sip of coffee.
If someone hadn’t suddenly poked me in the waist, I would have continued staring.
“Hey. Look this way.”
“Ugh, ouch. Miss Liu? Why all of a sudden…”
“Didn’t I tell you before? You never know when that bitch will bash your head in with her flail.”
“…That’s rude. Unbeliever.”
What?
Wasn’t it a heartwarming atmosphere just now?
Why are they suddenly taking out their flail and artifacts?
“There you go again. Aren’t you embarrassed to keep saying ‘unbeliever’?”
“I’m just speaking honestly, so it doesn’t bother me. Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to be so arrogant after having your secret exposed to me?”
“Why, you think I’ll just shut up?”
“Ha.”
No, you guys, even if you’re going to fight, go fight outside!
This is my house!
“Both of you, please sit down. This is my base…”
“You said it well, Fortune Teller bastard. Let’s get this straight.”
“Yes?”
“Is it me, or is it this bitch?”
“……What?”
My brain momentarily stopped at Liu’s words that seemed like they belonged in a morning drama.
Seizing the opportunity, Eileen also leaned towards me.
“Mr. Namgung Min, please be honest. I’m the one who’s most helpful to you, right?”
“Bullshit. He couldn’t have even built this fortune-telling shop without my money.”
“What use is a fortune-telling shop without customers? You lonely Billionaire.”
“This bitch?”
Ah, so she wants me to choose who’s more helpful?
For a moment, I seriously wondered if I was two-timing them without realizing it, then I sighed in relief.
‘In the first place, since I’m a man, my favorability with them won’t go beyond friendship, right? I was needlessly worried.’
No matter how deeply involved I became, my relationship with them couldn’t go beyond that of very close friends.
Reassured by that fact, I regained my composure and looked at the two girls in turn.
“It’s pathetic that all you can boast about are friends. You’re saying I’m not helpful to the Fortune Teller at all?”
“If you’re going to argue like that, you’re also just a corpse without money. Would you even be worth looking at if you weren’t a <Billionaire>?”
“Haha, look at this bitch talking. Are you sure you won’t regret this?”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Please just stop…”
Why are they so mean to each other?
Why can’t they just get along?
“Then you can just tell me clearly. Between me and this bitch, who—”
“Miss Liu, of course.”
“—Oh, um. Th-That’s right.”
Liu, who seemed surprised by my immediate answer without any hesitation, lowered her head.
Eileen was also a great help, but she couldn’t compare to Liu.
If it weren’t for Liu, it would have been difficult to get acquainted with her before the entrance exam, and I wouldn’t even have this base without Liu’s fortune-telling fee.
Even Eileen, who frowned at my answer, couldn’t deny it and just glared at Liu with vicious eyes.
“Well, yeah. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to say it so directly, but choosing me is the right answer. Yeah…”
“Of course it is.”
“…Ha, should I not have asked? It’s a bit embarrassing to have the obvious confirmed.”
“You know it well.”
“Hey. Haven’t you heard the saying that you’re halfway there just by keeping your mouth shut?”
“Even if you tell a Fortune Teller to shut up…”
“Bullshit.”
Just as I was smiling wryly at Liu, who was blushing but still spouting harsh words as usual,
Ding.
Suddenly, a bell rang.
“Hmm?”
“That sound is…”
“Ah, damn it.”
At the sudden ringing of the bell, their curiosity was piqued for a moment, but Liu, the only one who understood the meaning of the bell, frowned and glanced at Eileen and Namgung Min.
Then, with a deep sigh that seemed truly reluctant,
“…I’m leaving.”
“Goodbye, Miss Liu.”
“See you later, unbeliever.”
Grit.
As soon as Liu got up, she glared at Eileen, who moved to sit next to Namgung Min, and unconsciously gritted her teeth.
Receiving Eileen’s smug look, Liu left and walked for a long time even after leaving the building.
She walked, and walked, and walked some more.
Just before she reached the forest, leaving even the outskirts of the academy where the building was located,
“Come out.”
“Yes.”
Liu, casually sitting on a tree stump near the deserted forest, gave a vicious look.
Despite receiving her fierce hostility, the girl who rang the bell knelt in front of Liu.
“First, bow your head.”
“Yes.”
“And roll.”
“Yes.”
Following her words, she bowed her head to the ground and rolled until she was covered in dirt.
The girl, who accepted the childish and sudden orders without a single complaint, knelt again, covered in dust.
Perhaps her anger subsided a little at the sight, Liu gestured without further orders.
“Report.”
“I found the location of the artifact you mentioned, Miss Liu.”
“…You found it?”
Really?
Liu, who honestly hadn’t expected much from the girl in front of her, made a somewhat surprised expression.
All she gave her was a picture of a cave with a sarcophagus, and to think she actually found it.
“Then where’s the item?”
“It seems like it’s automatically registered to the owner as soon as it’s taken out of the sarcophagus, so I couldn’t bring it.”
“A bound artifact?”
Among the various artifacts, there were unique items that were bound to only one user.
Bound artifacts, which even Liu herself had several of, could be summoned by the user no matter how far away they were.
And unlike ordinary artifacts where the obtained skills disappeared when you took them off, with bound artifacts, you could permanently obtain the inherent skills once registered as the owner.
To think they would include such a rare bound artifact in the treasure hunt, even in Romance Academy.
‘No wonder the golden aura was so strong even through the picture.’
The effect of Liu’s <Eye for Fortune> was most pronounced when she saw things directly.
She could see the golden aura even in photos or videos, but unless it was an extremely expensive and valuable item, it was usually too faint to see clearly.
However, the sarcophagus in that picture emitted a clear golden aura, so she had guessed it was expensive, but…
She didn’t expect it to be a jackpot like a bound artifact.
“Where is it?”
“It’s near the Great Lake south of the academy. I can take you there right away if you wish.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Despite the report that should have made the girl happy, Liu listened with a somewhat indifferent attitude and fiddled with a ring on her right hand.
Artifact <Devouring Serpent>.
Whirl!
“Ugh!? Wh-what?!”
The ring, shaped like a white snake biting its tail, flashed its eyes and instantly transformed into a long snake, coiling around the girl.
Although it was thinner than most people’s arms, its true nature was an artifact, so it tightened with a strength that defied common sense.
“Miss Liu! Why are you doing this?!”
“Because you lied to me, of course.”
“……!”
Unfazed by the surprised girl’s cry, Liu, who had easily seen through the lie, crouched in front of her.
The girl had an incredulous expression, her eyes wide open.
Did she really think I wouldn’t know?
“Hey. Have you forgotten why you’re doing this?”
“……….”
“You were addicted to gambling, lost all your parents’ assets, and even borrowed money from me and tried to disappear.”
“…..”
“Who was it that caught you when you tried to run away? And you’re telling me such an obvious lie?”
Her cold gaze pierced through the girl and made her lower her head.
Liu grabbed the girl’s hair and forced her head up to meet her eyes.
“I could already see your true colors. But I let it slide because you were a job holder and somehow managed to get into the academy.”
“………….”
“If you had just quietly done what you were told, I would have given you some pocket money. Wasn’t that enough for your gambling? Or do you have a grudge against me?”
“……….”
“The latter, huh. You ungrateful bastard.”
Thud.
Liu released the girl’s hair and sat back down on the tree stump.
The girl, no longer hiding her hostility, glared at Liu despite being bound by the snake.
“You devilish bitch…!!”
“Isn’t the devil the one who blew through her parents’ entire fortune? Even among the idiots I employ, there are few as idiotic as you.”
“Shut up!!”
Woong.
With a scream filled with malice, the back of the girl’s hand glowed blue.
She activated the bound artifact she had obtained–
“Idiot.”
“…Huh? Huh?”
“You think I’ve never seen someone like you before?”
—But it didn’t work?
Why wasn’t it working?
Liu, raising her glowing necklace, faced the dumbfounded girl.
She was smiling refreshingly.
“Didn’t you know there are artifacts that block other artifacts? Or did you just not want to think about it?”
“………….”
“How many artifacts do you think I have? You idiot.”
The three bracelets on her left wrist, <Trinity>.
One of her necklaces, <Artifact Eater>.
The earring on her right ear, <Protection of Light>.
Items that would make Namgung Min scoff, each one an end-game level artifact, were glowing on Liu’s body.
“…Kill me.”
“Huh?”
“I’m tired of being treated like a dog under someone like you, just kill me!”
“Wow, you’re even crazier than I thought.”
But as if those words didn’t faze her at all,
Liu, still indifferent, opened her mouth.
“I might keep obedient idiots alive, but I don’t need ones that bite their owner.”
“……….”
“Don’t worry, you’ll live a life where death would be better. Since you’re a job holder, I’ll send you to the Gates and have you work as a porter until you pay off your debt…”
“Miss Liu.”
“…Huh?”
Namgung Min?
…Why are you here?