Chapter 120

I was reading a newsletter in my office.

“The future has changed too much.”

Actually, I expected it. Of course, the start was different from the first round, so I didn’t expect everything to go exactly as I remembered.

“But this… it’s too different.”

Yanagiya Riki is one thing, but the Predator Clan being wiped out overnight is another.

Originally, in the first round, Yanagiya Riki couldn’t stop her subordinates’ coup and ended up in a terrible situation.

But after getting tangled up with Yoon Seong, Yanagiya Riki successfully prevented the coup in advance.

“…. Is this the butterfly effect?”

When Yoon Seong was captured by Yanagiya Riki, I thought my heart would drop.

I never met her directly in the first round, but I’ve heard of her infamous reputation.

But somehow, Yoon Seong and Yanagiya Riki built a friendship. And that too…

“What… what is this? Why is he charming another woman?!”

The way Yanagiya Riki looked at Yoon Seong was filled with a longing that only another woman could understand.

*Crunch*

Without realizing it, my fist clenched. It’s because I remembered the nonsense Yanagiya Riki had spouted.

“You’ll pay the penalty and take him away? How dare…!”

How dare someone talk about taking someone else away.

“What, can you give him everything he wants? I’m speechless…!”

My pride was hurt. I was the one who could give Yoon Seong everything he wanted.

Sure, my social status and military power are still a bit lacking, but soon, I’ll be able to.

“You’ll make him a sub-clan master? That’s not something only you can do.”

Not now, but in the near future, I thought I should give Yoon Seong a sufficient position, whether it’s a sub-clan master or something else.

“What if… what if he decides to leave?”

If he wants to distance himself from me, what should I do? Just imagining it makes my heart ache and tears well up.

There’s only one thing I need to do. Treat him so well that he can’t even think of leaving.

But if I suddenly give him a high position, there’s a chance Yoon Seong might act alone like he used to.

“And… the biggest problem is this.”

The Predator Clan being wiped out.

The Predator Clan’s annihilation doesn’t really concern me.

In the first round, that clan didn’t have a good track record either, and maybe it’s better that they’re gone now.

Just like in the first round, they were involved in shady dealings under the guise of arms dealing.

But what bothers me is that they were wiped out “overnight.”

“The only person I know who could do something like this… is that woman.”

Of course, the culprit could be an unknown strong person or someone different from who I’m thinking, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same woman who killed Yoon Seong before.

I don’t know her face, her name, all I know is that she possesses terrifying military power.

Of course, having terrifying military power doesn’t mean she can solo top-rankers, but ordinary rankers can’t beat her.

“I’ve actually lost to her before.”

I don’t know what she’s doing in the second round. In the first round, she killed the previous Execution Society leader and took over, but it’s too early for that in the second round.

As I was thinking, there was a knock on the office door, and Yoon Seong came in.

******

“Yoo Ju, do you know anything about what happened in the Eastern Alliance?”

“Ah… did you read the newsletter too, Yoon Seong?”

“Yes, that’s… I heard the Predator Clan in the Eastern Alliance was wiped out overnight. I was wondering if you knew anything about it…”

As I spoke, I carefully observed Yoo Ju’s expression. Of course, even if she knew something, she’d probably keep it to herself.

‘I need to figure it out from her expression.’

“No, it was so sudden… I don’t know anything either. I never expected something like this to happen…”

“……”

‘… Her expression doesn’t seem like she’s lying.’

Yoo Ju’s expression genuinely seemed like she didn’t know anything about this.

She looked like her head was hurting from something she didn’t understand.

‘If something like this happened in the first round… Yoo Ju wouldn’t need to look so troubled.’

But just in case, I started bringing myself into the conversation. Yoo Ju would definitely react if it was related to me.

“Actually… it’s been on my mind. The man mentioned in the newsletter, Kim Nam-gi, he died right after I met him and returned to the Neutral Country.”

“…. What?”

“Riki, no, the Kotozuke Clan Master, took me to a banquet hall. I met him there and exchanged greetings. But right after that, I heard he died…”

“… You met Yoon Seong and then that man died right after?”

A different reaction from before. Of course, she’d react like that.

I feel bad for Yoo Ju, but when it comes to my safety, she reacts almost like she has PTSD.

If I tell Yoo Ju that Kim Nam-gi died right after meeting me, what would she think?

‘What else? She’d imagine all sorts of things, and not the good kind.’

So please, think of something. I said that because I wanted Yoo Ju to use her head as much as possible.

But the situation went differently than I wanted.

Yoo Ju made an uneasy expression for a while, then started pulling something out of a drawer.

“Yoo Ju?”

“Here, take this, Yoon Seong.”

“This is…?”

‘What is this? A ring?’

What Yoo Ju handed me was a ring with something like a gem embedded in it.

“It’s something I got recently. I was planning to give it to you, but I thought now would be a good time… It’s a ring that can save your life once.”

“Huh?”

‘Save my life? What…’

Surprised by Yoo Ju’s words, I checked the ring’s information.

[Absolute Love: Agapé (Myth Grade) – Absolute Protection: A pair with Egiba. Once, it nullifies a life-threatening attack and temporarily moves the wearer to a separate safe space.]





Also, if you channel magic into the gem part of the ring, an absolute protection: Egiba will send a signal to the wearer without any distance limit.

‘What, what? Myth Grade?’

The absurd information about the ring.

It’s not even Legend Grade, but Myth Grade. And it even has the ability to save your life once.

And while I need to check if it can send a signal, just from the description, it seems like it can be used to send a signal in case of an emergency.

The name of the ring bothered me a bit, but with this level of performance, the name doesn’t matter.

‘…Where on earth did you get something like this?’

As far as I know, I haven’t heard of any Myth Grade items being released in Eras yet.

While I was lost in thought about the ring’s information, Yoo Ju continued explaining.

“This ring will nullify one life-threatening attack for Yoon Seong. And if you’re ever in a dangerous situation, just channel magic into the gem part of the ring, and it will send a signal to me.”

It seems like the other pair, Absolute Protection: Egiba, is with Yoo Ju.

Glancing at Yoo Ju’s hand, I saw a ring almost identical to this one already on her left ring finger.

‘Why the left ring finger…’

“So, if anything happens, you must channel magic into the ring. Understood?”

“Ah…”

“Yoon Seong?”

“Well… it seems too much. Isn’t the value of this item too high for me to receive…?”

Even as I spoke, I felt guilty. Because deep down, I felt completely different.

‘Damn, thank you, Yoo Ju noona! Something like this…’

It saves my life, so I had no intention of refusing.

It’s true that I’ve given up a lot of achievements to the clan members, but this ring is different.

‘It saves my life once, how could I refuse?’

I even felt like giving Yoo Ju a ride on a plane.

Thinking about how I’ve been neglecting Yoo Ju lately, I even felt a bit of guilt.

Thankfully, Yoo Ju didn’t take the ring back after my words.

“No, Yoon Seong, please accept it. Think about yourself. Considering how many times you’ve almost died until now…”

Yoo Ju was trying to persuade me to accept the ring, but it was in vain.

Because I was already persuaded long ago. No, I had no intention of refusing the ring from the moment she handed it to me.

‘Of course, I’ll take it. Who else would take this ring if not me?’

Just imagining Yoo Ju giving this ring to someone else made me furious.

‘No, damn it, I can’t laugh now. Yoo Ju is in front of me. Please…’

It was hard to keep my lips from twitching.

I barely managed to hold it in because Yoo Ju was in front of me, but I’ve never had such a hard time holding back laughter in my life.

“Then… shamelessly, I’ll gratefully accept the ring. Thank you so much, Yoo Ju.”

“No, Yoon Seong. Don’t think like that. Anyway, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you more. If I knew anything, it would have been better…”

“Ah… no. It’s fine. Honestly, I just asked Yoo Ju out of curiosity. Then, I’ll be going now.”

“Yes, Yoon Seong.”

I hurriedly left Yoo Ju’s office and headed to my room.

Normally, I would have gone to my office, but I couldn’t laugh in front of Wi Ho-yeon.

“Puhahahaha!”

I couldn’t stop the laughter that burst out.

The unexpected gain made me feel like my head was spinning.

I looked at the ring in my hand again.

“…Myth Grade.”

I expected some crumbs to fall if I rode the same boat as Yoo Ju, but I never imagined a Myth Grade item.

‘Neither the master of a large clan nor the master of the three great clans has a Myth Grade item yet.’

For now, I wore the ring on my left index finger…

As I moved to my office, Wi Ho-yeon spoke to me.

“Yoon Seong, is something going on? You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Ah… is that so?”

I touched around my mouth. If Wi Ho-yeon said that, it seems my expression wasn’t under control yet.

“By the way… that ring…?”

As sharp-eyed as ever, she quickly noticed the ring on my finger.

‘Um…’

I was at a loss for words. It would be weird to say Yoo Ju gave it to me.

Since Yoo Ju is wearing a nearly identical ring, everyone will find out eventually, but I wanted to avoid attention for now.

“Ah… I bought this ring on the street recently. Just for decoration, and its actual performance is just a normal grade item…”

Wi Ho-yeon stared at the ring and then spoke.

“…I see. I didn’t know you were interested in decorating.”

“Haha… Anyway, it’s getting late, and I think we’re done with today’s work. Ho-yeon, you should go get some rest too.”

“Yes, understood. Yoon Seong, please…”

I washed up in my room and lay down on the bed, thinking. Today was truly a day of unexpected gains, and I was in a good mood.

‘I’m lucky.’

I’ve been unlucky lately, so a day like this is necessary.

Misfortune follows luck, and luck follows misfortune—that’s the truth of the world.

For some reason, I couldn’t fall asleep easily. But as I kept lying down with my eyes closed, I felt drowsiness creeping in.

And just as I was about to fall asleep happily, I heard a sound that shouldn’t be coming from my room.