Chapter 504

“Like some old man’s favorite red ginseng candy, huh?”

Iarin shyly turned her head, clearly embarrassed by Jinseong’s compliment.

It was quite a spicy remark, but seeing her flushed face and bashful expression indicated it was a comment made to hide her embarrassment.

Iserin once likened Iarin to a type of assassin: “Powerful in attack, weak in defense.” And she looked just like that.

“Heh heh. Well, what about it… Everyone’s in the mansion, right?”

“Uh? Well, sort of. Our elder is bizarre, acting like he’ll get cursed if he doesn’t eat with us, and as for our mothers… According to him, they light up with heart eyes when they hear him talk.”

Suddenly, Iarin exclaimed, “Oh, but I don’t think our gloomy sibling is at home.”

“Uh?”

“She’s gotten kind of cheeky lately, claiming she’s going to teach me how to be dignified… What kind of talk is that from a sister?”

She grumbled and vented her frustrations.

“She’s not a ninja or anything; why does she vanish just like that? She disappears even when it’s time to sleep. The bed is empty, and no one claims to have seen her. I have no idea what weird things she’s doing! I mean, it’s not like it’s the age of medieval witches where suddenly some strange monster appears from the mansion’s underground to destroy Seoul!”

“Hmm. Disappears at night… huh.”

“Not just at night! She doesn’t show up during the day either. She vanishes like a ghost during break times! Not even a typical introvert could pull off that level of stealth. And just the other day, I invited her to eat that Bloody Hellfire tteokbokki, but she ghosted on that too.”

“Hmm. Maybe she vanished because of that tteokbokki. I recall it being over 30,000 Scoville, you know.”

“Pfft. That’s nothing; it’s bearable with a bit of spirit.”

Iarin waved off the idea that her twin couldn’t handle that kind of spice, stating that there was no way she couldn’t withstand it.

And from there, Iarin began spinning nonsensical theories to Jinseong.

She claimed high school girls lose combat power if they don’t regularly consume tteokbokki, that to maintain the ‘high school girl pact,’ tteokbokki, beef tripe, and sweet desserts are essential, and that today’s kids are spoiled because they haven’t tasted the heat from spicy food…

Her words were a chaotic mix of nonsense and grandfather-like musings.

Jinseong listened and chuckled as he slowly made his way into the mansion. Now, as if to finally rest after being outside, Iarin cuddled up with her rolled-up blanket and stood next to Jinseong, continuing her absurdities.

As Jinseong pondered over her machine-gun-like rant, something surfaced in his mind.

“Disappearing somewhere… huh.”

What he recalled were Iarin’s recent thoughts about Iserin.

Iserin.

Contractor of the demon Grimoire.

Iarin’s twin sister, Iserin was a famous contractor known worldwide, having made a pact with a renowned Transcendent Being. In public, she was only referred to as a ‘Contractor,’ and the specifics of her pact or her abilities were largely unknown.

If her abilities were revealed, it was certain they would draw attention and regulation.

Secrets and treasures.

The powers she wielded through her contract with Grimoire were enough to stir people’s emotions.

The ability to find treasures would invoke greed, while the ability to uncover secrets not only drew watchfulness but also hatred and fear.

That’s why Iserin had stayed quiet.

So quiet, in fact, that Iarin remarked, “She seems gloomy.”

Such a grim demeanor was a shield and armor for self-preservation and was influenced by both the pact with Grimoire and her original nature.

Transcendent Beings.

Contractors.

These two relationships often find resolution solely between the two.

An infinite love and positivity that differ from what family or friends provide.

That power surpasses most religions, blood relations, and even romantic loves.

In terms of religion, it means a god always being by your side; in bloodline terms, it equates to eternally being in the womb of a mother.

Thus, contractors grow and live within this dimensionally profound love.

Returning that infinite love to the Transcendent Being who affirms their existence.

In doing so, a contractor’s worldview becomes narrow and rigid.

In the worst-case scenario, it could result in a complete closure with only the Transcendent Being and oneself.

In fact, the contractors Jinseong encountered before his return had displayed such immature, emotional, almost childlike behavior that they could hardly be believed to be Saints.

Yet paradoxically, contractors pose a danger because they can only be completed with the being alone.

That means apart from their own bodies, nothing else can become their weakness.

The only precious thing they could never sever is the Transcendent Being.

While the rest may be precious, they are replaceable and cuttable.

Blindly warped emotions remove weaknesses from them, and the Transcendent Beings that love contractors go all out to assist them. They help them master their powers and utilize every method possible to ensure the precious contractor doesn’t get hurt. Even in truly dangerous situations, even if it means turning away from everything and hiding deep within a bunker, the Transcendent Being carries it out without hesitation.

Transcendent Beings may find humans adorable and love them, but their primary concern is always the contractor.

It’s only natural for them to cherish what is most important.

What about the contractor’s family?

Important.

What about the contractor’s friends?

Of course, they matter too.

However, they cannot hold more importance than the contractor.

For Transcendent Beings, the family or friends of the contractors must exist to ensure the contractor’s happiness.

Contractors should never have to sacrifice for their happiness.

That’s why Transcendent Beings take care of contractors.

To keep them from harm.

To ensure they don’t shatter.

To prevent them from being hurt.

They protect and nurture the contractor.

Living life while pouring out love without reservation.

This love is both blind and absolute.

That kind of even violently passionate love stains the contractor and makes them resemble the Transcendent Being they’ve contracted.

And that applies to Iserin as well.

“The camel with cloven hooves holds powers related to secrets. Yeah. It’s about time I should’ve figured it out. Perhaps I knew but couldn’t say anything.”

Jinseong could vaguely guess why Iserin had vanished.

“What’s crucial is the contractor’s safety. And the best way to ensure that is to enhance the contractor’s power…”

The world’s situation isn’t great.

Just in Korea, we almost went to war with Japan.

China was lurking, poised to gobble up Taiwan, and with Russia and Ukraine, war seemed like it could erupt any moment. The Americas were steeped in madness, and Australia was teeming with deranged individuals. The Middle East was becoming increasingly berserk over religion, and Europe simmered with unnameable foreboding.

In such circumstances, keeping Iserin safe would mean making her powerful.

Yes.

Power.

Powerful…

The kind that could obliterate Kyoto single-handedly before his return…

“The power of secrets is truly useful.”

With Grimoire’s ability, Iserin’s strengthening was not daunting.

Controlling the comprehensive concept of secrets was genuinely a powerful ability.

It could grasp people’s weaknesses and shake them and could place one in an advantageous position with information that should never be known.

It could allow one to detect money flows or secret operations and come into fortune.

It could unearth hidden relics or treasures and grant access to secret knowledge.

One could unveil secrets their friends were hiding or access the secrets held by loved ones.

Truly a power with endless uses.

Among the tales concerning Grimoire, there’s a phrase that states, “A woman’s love comes to fruition,” which doesn’t directly manipulate emotions but uses the power of secrets to facilitate love.

“Through this power, strength could also be gained.”

And another method to utilize this power is precisely to gain strength.

If one skillfully employs the ability to access secrets, they could become genuinely powerful.

The taboos deemed too dangerous to touch, the forbidden techniques kept hidden; treasures concealed but forgotten; research materials concerning taboos…

Grimoire’s power gave access to all of this.

The great capabilities of Transcendent Beings, under normal circumstances, it would take a lifetime of luck to discover even one.

“Hmm. Strength…”

Before his return, Iserin gained remarkable strength thanks to her powers and Grimoire’s assistance.

She used the visions of alchemists and wizards who had touched the forbidden without reservation and employed weapons known to only a select few.

Whether using body enhancement techniques passed down discreetly or leveraging special equipment presumably researched by secret organizations to command animals, she exploited military secrets gleaned through her powers and crafted military equipment that special agents or special forces might use, with Lee Yang-hoon’s help.

She possessed formidable might that easily surpassed her peers.

In comparison to other capable individuals worldwide, Iserin’s strength could easily place her among the top ranks.

Moreover, considering Jinseong had viewed them not in actual scenarios but rather through promotional videos stating, “We possess powerful capable individuals. Korea is safe!” it was clear that Iserin likely bore greater power than he could have imagined.

It was common sense to conceal one’s might.

“This time, it seems war with Japan won’t occur… But having power is still important.”

Will Iserin regain her strength like before the time distortion?

Will she once again carve her name into the world with powerful might and countless hidden knowledge?

Who knows.

It’s uncertain.

But having Iserin grow stronger could only bear good tidings for Jinseong.

The stronger she became, the safer she and the Lee Clan would be.

And the bonus of ensuring the Republic of Korea’s public safety was far from a downside.