Chapter 197. A Girl's Revenge (5)
Surrounded by Scarlett's magic, Nam Daeun arrived at the hospital.
"Are you here to see Hoyeon?"
"Yes. Daeun, you said it before, right? That you wanted revenge on the Buyer Guild."
"...Did you tell Hoyeon about that?"
Nam Daeun frowned slightly.
She needed to repay Lee Hoyeon.
She couldn't keep receiving things from him.
Because she still saw her relationship with Lee Hoyeon as one of debtor and creditor.
"No. Before I even said anything, Hoyeon-nim had already planned everything. He even gathered information on the Buyer Guild himself. He's wanted to help you with your revenge for a while now."
"...Why?"
Come to think of it, she had heard directly from Lee Hoyeon that he was gathering information.
But how did Hoyeon know what was in her heart?
She had never mentioned her desire for revenge to anyone other than Scarlett.
If Scarlett hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have known.
"I'm not sure myself. Hoyeon-nim always has his own plans."
"Why does he keep trying to help me? I don't have anything I can give him...."
Scarlett looked at the downcast Nam Daeun with a hint of sadness.
Some people just weren't used to receiving kindness.
Scarlett, who used to only care about herself, began to change after meeting Lee Hoyeon.
She wanted Nam Daeun to have a better life.
Living together, she'd grown attached, and Dahee, her little sister, followed her well.
So she slowly opened her mouth.
"Do you really need to repay him?"
"What?"
"Hoyeon-nim isn't the type who wants something in return. He's just... um, someone who enjoys helping others. So maybe, just once, you could simply say thank you and accept it."
Scarlett hoped Nam Daeun would become someone who could accept kindness.
And to give Lee Hoyeon a good impression, she added a bit more.
Their first meeting hadn't been good, but now she found him quite interesting.
Honestly, Lee Hoyeon was like a winning lottery ticket—there was no reason not to get in line.
Life in a major guild, where you never knew when you'd be cut, was harder than it looked.
You had to be ready to jump ship at any time.
"...."
Nam Daeun closed her mouth and started thinking over Scarlett's words.
What came next depended on her.
No matter what Scarlett said now, it wouldn't make a difference.
"We're here. Hoyeon-nim should be waiting inside."
"Yes. Thank you, Scarlett."
Scarlett nodded as she watched Nam Daeun head into the hospital room.
That drained look on Nam Daeun's face, like a herbivore caught in the rain, only showed when Nam Dahee wasn't around.
But this time, there was a bit more strength in her.
*
Clunk—
I was meditating on the bed when the hospital room door suddenly swung open.
'Is it Baek A-Young?'
I opened one eye and turned my head—there stood Nam Daeun.
"Nam Daeun?"
So Scarlett already brought her.
I thought she'd come through the window, but she entered normally. Unexpected.
'Clean.'
I used a quick spell to wipe away the sweat from meditating before talking.
Light spells like that didn't burden my body anymore.
"I heard you were looking for me. So I came."
"Yeah. I had something to say. Would you like to sit there?"
Once she sat down, I adjusted my posture as well.
But why did everything feel awkward today?
Nam Daeun sat with her usual expressionless face, but the atmosphere was different.
It felt a little more serious than usual.
I decided to start with the topic I had prepared.
"Remember I said I was gathering info on the Buyer Guild?"
"Yeah."
"The intel is ready. I'm about to drop it, but I wanted to hear your opinion first."
Honestly, I'd gathered it all a while ago, but now the prep was done, so close enough.
I watched Nam Daeun's expression.
Her blinking eyes were as unreadable as ever.
But I could tell she was thinking.
"Once this info goes public, Park Mingyu's finished. Then you two can live freely again."
"...Yeah."
"But I don't want it to end that simply. I don't want Park Mingyu, who tormented you and Dahee, to just collapse."
"...."
Why wasn't she reacting?
Even when I said Park Mingyu's name directly, she stayed silent.
Looking at me, Nam Daeun closed her eyes slightly and then spoke.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why can't you forgive Park Mingyu? Why are you helping me like this?"
"Uh..."
Her eyes were more serious than ever.
Yeah, I guess that's a fair question.
The excuse I gave when I saved the sisters was 'coincidence.'
'While investigating Shinyoung Guild, I stumbled across the Buyer Guild and saved you by chance.'
But this time was different.
With Shinyoung Guild gone, I had no reason to keep investigating Buyer Guild—but I did, for Nam Daeun.
This time, it was purely for her.
Sure, I could spin a new excuse.
'I checked on them back when I was researching.'
'I started before I even met you, and it just happened to wrap up now.'
I could come up with all sorts of stuff.
But Nam Daeun looked me straight in the eyes.
With all her emotions laid bare.
"...."
★ Heroine Status Window
[Nam Daeun]
- [ Affection: 94 ] (+0.1)
- [ Lust: 75 ]
- [ Appetite: 35 ]
- [ Fatigue: 40 ]
Current Status: Why. Why is it? Why is Hoyeon helping me?
Nam Daeun is pure.
Even in her miserable situation—her sister locked up, exploited by Park Mingyu—she could cry over a few coins, smile like a child when visiting her sister.
She tried to express gratitude by learning sex, using her body to repay, and never questioned the succubus in the dorm or the suspicious blonde beauty.
Because they were my companions who helped her.
She was pure, but that didn't mean she was stupid.
I stopped thinking and just looked into her eyes.
Emotionless, yet filled with affection.
Not eyes of suspicion.
Just simple curiosity.
A curiosity that wouldn't change much even if I dodged the question.
Her affection wouldn't drop.
But for a perfect route, I couldn't lie now.
My heroine-hunting instincts told me so.
So I threw away the excuses I'd planned.
After a deep breath, I met Nam Daeun's gaze.
"Kindness."
"Kindness?"
"Let's call it that. I just want to treat you well. Because... I like you. Nam Daeun."
"...."
"That's how I honestly feel. So please be honest too. Tell me what will ease your heart when it comes to Park Mingyu."
It wasn't quite what I had planned, but this worked too.
Nam Daeun's lips moved silently.
Like she didn't know how to say the words forming in her mouth.
I waited patiently.
I'd said everything I needed. Now it was up to her.
"...I want revenge."
"...."
"I want to see Uncle Mingyu—no, Park Mingyu—fall with my own eyes. I don't want it to end with him just getting socially canceled. That's too easy."
Biting her lip until it bled, Nam Daeun poured out the words she'd kept in.
Her body trembled, eyes reddened.
Every word oozed with hatred.
For the first time, Nam Daeun voiced the emotions she'd buried deep.
I couldn't imagine how much resolve it took.
"Yeah. Don't worry. Everything's already ready."
I smiled faintly and gently held Nam Daeun's hand.
Her cold, trembling hand flinched—but didn't pull away.
*
"Scarlett."
"Yes, Hoyeon-nim."
After calming Nam Daeun and sending her out, I called the hidden Scarlett.
Clinging to the ceiling, her expression looked drained.
"Were you crying?"
"...I wasn't."
I was joking, but her reaction surprised me.
"Well, whatever... You heard everything, right?"
I handed Scarlett the letter I had prepared.
"Shall I proceed as you instructed earlier?"
"Hmm, wait. Scarlett."
The plan was to leak rumors that I was with Nam Daeun and Nam Dahee and send a personal threat to the Buyer Guild master saying I had dirt on him.
That was the original idea.
But now things had changed.
The Buyer Guild master was gaining positive publicity.
He kept appearing on TV as a whistleblower from the Shinyoung Guild.
I thought of a new plan.
"The higher someone rises, the faster they fall."
I'd crush him during his golden hour.
That was true revenge.
"Let's start with something light."
A small blow first—then unleash the heavy stuff one by one.
"Or how about this?"
Scarlett smiled meaningfully at me.
"What is it?"
"Let's use your image. We boost the Buyer Guild master's status sky-high, and then you expose him."
Wow, that's cold.
This plan was seriously cold.
But I liked it.
"...Are you a genius?"
"I'm used to these things. The public doesn't know the playboy side of you, so we can fully exploit your genius mage image."
"If only you hadn't said that last part, I might've considered lifting your contract."
Anyway, Scarlett was definitely the expert in shady dealings.
I'd have to ask her again later.
"Alright, let's call a reporter I know."
So this is what all that networking at the Association social was for.
I scrolled through my smart watch, looking for contacts.