Chapter 195. Retirement
Ding dong.
A cozy doorbell that somehow doesn’t match the prologue of doom echoes through the corridor.
– Yes, I’m coming out~
The visitor standing with his hands behind his back waits for the response of the woman’s voice from inside.
Finally, the landlord opens the front door.
It’s a woman in her twenties with her hair tied up in a round bun, thick glasses perched on her nose.
“Oh, you came! What a surprise, huh? Hahaha. You even found my house.”
“Hello.”
“Anyway, come in… Oh my, what did you bring? You really shouldn’t have!”
Indeed.
I had visited Gu Seo-hyeong’s place today.
And as per the Earthly etiquette I learned previously, I brought some food with me…
.
.
.
Gu Seo-hyeong.
Thinking about it, it has been a long time since I came to visit this Earthling.
In the past, I would drop by just to catch her face whenever the enchanting effect of some cheap ring wore off.
But since I replaced my defense with a Divine Tree Sapling, I hadn’t really visited her.
‘Gu Seo-hyeong’s enchanting skills are still unstable.’
Divine Tree Sapling. Hydra.
At this point, with a decent defense, I hardly needed a beginner’s enchantment.
Sure, her magic is useful for short-term boosts, but it shows a fatal flaw if it drags into a prolonged fight and wears off mid-battle.
So I hadn’t sought out Gu Seo-hyeong.
She hadn’t reached out for a while, busy with her own tasks.
“Is this a belated housewarming gift? Awesome! I saw this pastry from that department store on social media and wanted to try it!”
But honestly, the reason our relationship had become awkward wasn’t solely due to the lack of enchantments.
“Oh, you have madeleines too! Wow, I really love madeleines. Back in middle school, I used to buy them from the cafeteria during every break…”
To be frank, the most devastating factor was the recovery of memories.
Last spring, I recalled most of the body’s past, and with about 65% of information, it had inadvertently caused my interactions with Gu Seo-hyeong to become extremely uncomfortable.
Half of these were feelings once held by the former Kim Gi-ryeo.
Insecurities, jealousy, uneasiness, and a bit of joy would arise every time I met her.
The other half was guilt and anxiety from the soul that I now carried.
In short, I felt awkward whenever I met Gu Seo-hyeong.
“Hey, since I brought bread, should I make some coffee for us to enjoy?”
“No.”
“Wow, so adamant.”
When an old friend visits, you normally smile and enjoy the company.
Yet, how could I indulge in such goodwill when I was an alien occupying the body of a discarded corpse?
‘Moreover, Gu Seo-hyeong is one of the few who remembers Gi-ryeo’s past. If I contact her carelessly, it feels like she would easily figure out something’s changed.’
At least I have a minimal sense of conscience.
It feels somewhat awkward to watch Gu Seo-hyeong being nice to someone who’s already dead.
Thus, recently I had been intentionally avoiding meetings with the enchanter, but today I had no choice given the circumstances.
“By the way, I have something to say…”
Tap.
As Gu Seo-hyeong sets down the grape juice on the table.
I didn’t hesitate and jumped straight into the main topic.
“Although it’s not confirmed yet, it seems the president of the Hunter Association will be changing soon?”
Just for reference, it had been about 20 hours since I whispered to Esther.
If I wait just another day, the various defamatory articles revealed by that curse mage will begin to surface.
“The president is changing?”
“More accurately, it’s about to be changed. Some hunter and I… I have to settle some scores with Go Byeong-do, but working from the president’s position makes it difficult.”
“Oh.”
“But the problem is, this isn’t exactly a natural transition, so there will definitely be some noise in between.”
I took a sip of juice and continued.
“In short, Seo-hyeong, the probability that you’ll bear the brunt of this is quite high.”
Today’s purpose was to deliver this warning.
“Nothing’s certain yet, but considering the president’s character, I feel like he would target you when he’s cornered.”
“That old man is targeting me?”
“Well, we’re classmates.”
“…!”
“If push comes to shove, he might even take you hostage to threaten me. Go Byeong-do is that kind of guy.”
Connection to an S-Class Hunter.
Usually, such acquaintances work in favor of life, but for Gu Seo-hyeong, it could turn into a poison.
Since Chairman Go Byeong-do holds a strong grudge against me, I know he won’t hesitate to use any means necessary to keep me in check.
‘Seriously, Go Byeong-do. Why the sudden madness…?’
In this process, Gu Seo-hyeong could become an innocent victim.
Regardless of the rarity of an enchanter, she’s still just a worker under the Hunter Association.
One cannot entirely rule out the possibility of Go Byeong-do pulling some strings behind the scenes.
“So, that’s why I’m saying.”
After considering various scenarios, I laid out a small contingency plan.
“Seo-hyeong, don’t be too surprised if I suddenly start ignoring you from tomorrow.”
“What?”
“From now on, even if I see you outside, I’ll pretend I don’t know you and act coldly.”
“Hmm.”
“And depending on the situation, I might even say some harsh things on purpose. Like… throwing out a comment in front of reporters about how I don’t care whether you live or die.”
Upon hearing this declaration, the enchanter looked quite surprised but there was no other choice.
Knowing people like Go Byeong-do, I’ve learned that if a hostage is captured, showing that you value them can lead to disastrous consequences.
‘Indifference is the best bet.’
Fortunately, it seemed Gu Seo-hyeong understood this approach soon enough.
“I see. Well, thinking about it, that might actually be best.”
Of course, if this method didn’t work, I would ask Esther for help instead. Or find some other way to get the enchanter out…
“I’m really sorry for putting you in a tough spot.”
I quickly apologized with my hand on my mouth.
Honestly, I felt a bit wronged in this incident too and thought there was no need to lower my posture.
But still, Gu Seo-hyeong is the only acquaintance of Kim Gi-ryeo.
‘Being a tenant in this body, I shouldn’t be casually dismissive of the landlord’s friend.’
I made sure to maintain at least a semblance of courtesy, like a cultured alien.
While I was lost in thought, a woman’s voice came from across the table.
“Hey, but isn’t your plan a bit too passive?”
“Passive?”
“Well… If there’s a problem with the president, I actually can do something about it from my side. I just didn’t tell you about it. I’ve had quite a few issues with the president too lately.”
Gu Seo-hyeong suggested earnestly.
She didn’t want to just sit quietly and said she wanted to help our plan in any way she could.
“Gi-ryeo, take a look around this house you’re sitting in. Who do you think bought this?”
“You?”
“Nope. If you hadn’t received me back on that rooftop… and if you hadn’t helped me back in middle school, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“…”
“I’ve been able to pay off all that debt and live in a house like this thanks to you. It’s all because of you. You understand?”
Seo-hyeong said that while looking somewhere else.
She gazed at the bright living room bathed in sunlight typical of south-facing homes.
Having been betrayed by her parents and losing her business to terrorism, she had once lived in a damp, cockroach-infested basement.
“So, I have to help you. If a person has a conscience.”
In this moment, the enchanter declared.
She would do her best to help her benefactor from her own position.
Besides, if someone like you were in a fight, it’s almost guaranteed that the opponent has done something wrong. There’s no need to hesitate here, she chattered on.
“Kim Gi-ryeo. I still feel like I haven’t repaid you for all your kindness.”
“Really?”
“So don’t feel sorry and come back for enhancements more often. I haven’t seen you around lately, probably because you were worried about my income, right?”
Honestly.
Gu Seo-hyeong said that while munching on the pastries brought by the guest.
“No, I just didn’t go because your enchantments weren’t that great…”
In just five seconds, the gaze of a certain D-Class turned icy, but who cares?
If I could display such a look outside, the enchanter would never be chosen as a hostage.
*
[(Exclusive) It has been confirmed that “Manipulation of the Magical Stone’s Grade” is occurring even at the headquarters of the Korean Hunter Association.]
[Shocking revelation as police investigations reveal the motivations behind the grade manipulation scandal… Was it for the creation of ‘slush funds’?]
[Allegations arise as a spokesperson reveals that many illegal items are hoarded in Chairman Go’s item box… “Unjust special treatment” has citizens calling for severe investigations.]
Bang!
It had been exactly 24 hours since Esther’s visit.
A seemingly pleasant-looking man suddenly slammed his desk in the study.
He was over fifty, and the look on his face was filled with bewilderment as if he never expected such a situation.
“What the hell is going on!”
It had only been a day since Esther’s visit, and now a flood of articles targeting him began pouring in.
Circumstantial evidence regarding the ownership of previously prohibited dungeon items for the public.
And the fact that he was teaming up with the association’s appraiser to swindle clueless hunters, accumulating slush funds from gate byproducts, and so forth.
Go Byeong-do thought that the S-Class guild master would only be using force to bully him, but what approached him was no simple fight.
It was a wealth of evidence prepared over the years, anticipating the downfall of a political enemy.
How could this happen?
Realizing the extent of his unflattering exposure to reporters, Go Byeong-do clutched the back of his neck.
“When the hell did they start investigating me? I haven’t had that secretary for almost two years! What on earth is going on!”
Some might find it eerie, but due to her innate awakening property, Esther had a habit of meticulously gathering weaknesses of those who had disturbed her.
And the persistence of this behavior was downright terrifying.
[YTV 9 o’clock News LIVE ●: The manipulation scandal of appraisers is unfurling…]
Before he could respond, his name was blasted across all three major channels.
But it was still manageable.
Back during the Unavoidable Malice incident, he didn’t consider that event significant enough and ended up leaving a gap, but he had always been meticulous in evidence management concerning slush funds, so he could have cut ties if necessary.
Just like during Alai, he could survive by insisting he had no involvement.
“Phew!”
Besides, he had cards saved away for a counterattack.
“Do you think I’m just going to sit here and take this? This rotten bastard. He doesn’t even know who’s under me…!”
Swish.
The chairman grumbled under his breath as he lifted a document off the desk.
It was the exclusive contract he had with some enchanter.
It was in his grasp, meaning he was holding the enchanter’s leash.
Go Byeong-do planned to threaten Kim Gi-ryeo by denying the enchanter any decent work if necessary.
‘Or I might expose the enchanter’s face worldwide!’
And if Kim Gi-ryeo bowed down, that would naturally put an end to Esther’s actions as well.
[Everyone, breaking news just in.]
At that very moment.
The voice of the announcer on the TV suddenly turned urgent.
Upon closer listening, there was a hint of excitement in it.
Because in that brief moment, YTV uncovered an even bigger scoop.
[An enchanter from Korea, previously shrouded in mystery, has presented further evidence about Chairman Go’s slush fund creation.
Shockingly, it has come to light that Go Byeong-do has been accepting illegal requests from overseas figures for enchantment contracts while ignoring urgent requests from disaster-stricken areas where enhancements were desperately needed.
When the laborers expressed dissatisfaction, the chairman reportedly didn’t hesitate to hurl verbally abusive remarks at the enchanter’s bodyguards, saying things like, ‘Make sure that bastard doesn’t crawl up’ and more.
We will now play the recorded audio we have obtained.]
“What the hell is this!”
Crash.
Immediately, the sound of something shattering echoed through the air.
Go Byeong-do, swaying in disbelief, had bumped into a nearby decorative shelf.
The trophy from his beloved college alumni golf tournament came crashing down, smashing into pieces.
