Without a word, Lee Yu-na looked at the ring on her right hand, also the middle finger.
He said that it was given to him by Yoo Ji-hyeok, and that this was also forged with his scales.
She was more confident in sensing and feeling magical power than anyone else in her group, so it was not difficult to notice how many spells and incantations were engraved on this one ring.
Like the blacksmith of Yado who made the weapon he received from the first time he received it, I thought it must have been made by a very talented person.
So, when I heard that Evangeline Lohengrin, one of the top ten, produced it herself, I was not surprised, but thought it could be.
‘Still, it’s really too much… It would be nice if you could think about the position of the person watching from the side.’
When you open the bag in the presence of everyone and the ring is full.
And how terrified he was when he handed the ring to everyone at first.
At that time, Lee Yu-na looked into Han Soo-young and Jin Ye-seul’s eyes without realizing it.
Choi Hyun-woo and Ivan Hunt also looked at them like himself.
Unexpectedly, the two did not show any particular reaction.
No, to be precise, the moment I saw the ring, it was very mysterious… He had an expression on his face that could not be expressed. Only the two of them knew what they were thinking.
In any case, I’m glad that nothing major happened, contrary to my worries. Lee Yu-na, who was so relieved, immediately felt anger and irritation towards Yoo Ji-hyuk.
‘Really stupid… Because I was right when I first saw you. No, at the very least, what if you give a ring to two people at the same time in such a situation? how?’
Does that guy really don’t know what a ring means?
Isn’t there something else at all?
After all, to hand over the ring, and even the children who have a crush on him, at the same time… .
It was something that Yuuna could never understand, and could not forgive.
“… … .”
The most angry and absurd thing above all was that Choi Hyun-woo and Ivan Hunt looked at Han Soo-young and Jin Ye-seul’s eyes at that time and also looked at their own.
… why?
no way… .
‘… Oh no! I just do it because Jihyuk owes him a lot. Because that’s what everyone should pay for… !’
In Lee Yu-na’s mind, who was trying so hard to rationalize it, several memories were slowly coming to mind.
The figure of him suffering alone without telling others.
He was worried that he might have been abused in many ways that he had seen when he was young.
And I have seen it several times in the dark… The way he looked particularly sad for his younger sister… .
“… It’s me, it’s Yuna!”
“Ah, yes! Why, why?”
Lee Yu-na, startled by the voice coming from the other side, nodded and Jin Ye-seul looked at her strangely.
“Why are you so blank? There is no answer.”
A bandage was wrapped around the middle finger of Jin Ye-seul’s right hand as she said that.
When I asked him, he said that he was wearing the ring tightly because he couldn’t get the ring that Yoo Ji-hyuk gave him.
When I glanced at him, Han Soo-young also had a ring on the middle finger of her right hand.
Because at some point everyone implicitly agreed to put it on the right hand, and also on the middle finger.
“I’ll call you in a minute.”
“… to whom?”
Han Soo-young, who was dazed at Jin Ye-seul’s words, asked quietly.
Jin Ye-seul looked at her for a moment and answered.
“It’s not Jihyuk.”
“Ah, yes… .”
She shrugged her shoulders as if nervously at those words, and sighed quietly.
As she got up from her seat, Ye Seul Jin whispered in a voice that only Lee Yu Na could hear.
“Yuna, you look at him.”
Yuuna nodded her head slightly.
Han Soo-young was worried because she was the same.
“Whew… … .”
Ever since I got a call from Choi Hyeon-woo, Han Soo-young has always looked like that.
And I could fully understand her feelings.
Han Soo-young and Choi Hyun-woo.
It was because she knew well that their relationship was more like siblings than siblings, and that they were, in fact, like a family they grew up with.
– And I’ll tell you right here. Obviously for you… A guy named Randshi is approaching. I’m not quite sure who I’m going to approach, or how many people I’m going to approach. But he’s sure to find some of you guys. Maybe it’s all of you.
In Lee Yu-na’s ear, while handing out rings, Yoo Ji-hyuk’s words echoed clearly.
… He was seeing everything right from the start.
―Perhaps he will persuade him to betray and induce a separation. … Unfortunately, we all have our own weaknesses. If you shake it as bait, frankly, anyone will shake it.
– That’s why I’ll tell you right here. If he approaches, and encourages you to betray him, you’d rather just pretend to get over on the spot.
— … No, it’s not that I don’t trust you. you’re right But obviously… He’ll dig into that person’s hole and shake his mind. I forgot, but they are monsters that have been around for at least hundreds of years. Simply judging by experience and age, we would not be a match.
– Just remember this one fact.
―If you have a hard time… Even if he takes your loved one hostage or something like that. I will help you no matter what.
– Because you did.
– I will do anything for you.
– And don’t ever take that ring off. It is also engraved with the effect of strengthening mental power and calming disturbed emotions.
Finally, they decided on the spot to send some kind of signal if someone was really approaching.
… And now, a signal from Choi Hyun-woo has arrived to Han Soo-young.
It meant that Randsch had contacted Hyun-Woo Choi, and it also meant that Hyun-Woo Choi accepted his offer, albeit superficially.
But it wasn’t just that why Han Soo-young was suffering.
The fact that he approached Choi Hyun-woo first was because it meant that he had seen the highest possibility from Choi Hyun-woo among the party.
It also meant that something in Choi Hyun-woo had created a big gap in him.
And Han Soo-young was suffering so much that she didn’t know about it until now.
“… I can’t.”
Suddenly, Han Soo-young got up from her seat.
Surprised, Lee Yu-na stood up and followed her.
“What, what?”
“I’ll come and meet Hyeonu.”
Looking into her eyes, Lee Yu-na immediately recognized that she had a strong will that no one could stop.
* * *
– Righteousness and righteousness.
Even if I try to forget it, I can’t quite forget it.
Randsch’s gaze and voice, as if looking at a child who didn’t know anything, were echoing in Choi Hyun-woo’s head.
― Yes, they should be holding swords and wielding them… It is something to be admired and worshiped by so-called warriors. But what the heck do you mean by that righteousness and morality? All of you, humans, are mere creations, deifications, and idolizations at will. In the first place, you humans judge and restrain what was the law of nature, and conclude that some are virtues and some are immoral.
– Isn’t it funny? The fact that everything was just an illusion created in the first place. Let me give you a simple example. Courage is a virtue for you. But what is courage? Are you brave enough to jump off a cliff? Jumping into an enemy that he or she can’t beat? What the hell is courage? Courageous, which means there is no fear. But why do you guys regard fear as a vice? All creatures of nature, including humans, have fear and survive. If herbivores didn’t know fear, they would have died soon. Seeing this, do you guys say it’s shameful?
– In the beginning there were laws of nature, but there were no laws of humans. Laws were created by humans with nothing to unite themselves to fight against nature and overcome them. The claws of a bear, the teeth of a wolf, and the poison of a scorpion are what you are talking about and trying to protect. If you literally take a step back and look at it, it’s just a haze.
Choi Hyun-woo refuted his story, telling him not to gossip.
As you said, if we look so foolish, if it seems like we’re worshiping ghosts, do we have the right to say that to you? You, who followed the Seven Evil Orders and killed their own people, dared to argue with the laws of nature and righteousness and morality.
At that he just burst out laughing.
– Yes, yes. You’re right. Like you said, I don’t deserve it. To obey my fears, to be proud of serving him, and to serve him, I plucked the hearts of my people and killed them myself. Like you said, I’m just a hypocrite who vomits sophistry.
― But I just… It was just a pity that he burned his life in the grip of a sense of duty. All humans have laws to live, don’t people live to keep the laws?
― Yeah, how about talking to me in a cool way?
– What the hell?
– What are you struggling with?
– okay… In my opinion… .
sense of duty.
At those words, Hyun-woo Choi clenched his teeth until a sound could be heard without realizing it.
It was a word that pierced his heart sharper than any other dagger or cutlery.
Ironically, it was the driving force that made Choi Hyun-woo move and strive, but it was also the source of the guilt he was carrying.
Do you really have the right to inherit the name and everything of Nam Hyeon-hwa, your benefactor and teacher?
And will you be able to protect yourself? To convince himself of his doubts, he has been wielding a sword since childhood.
He knew for a long time that he had some talent.
That’s why I worked even harder and trained and honed myself in order not to be indolent.
Whenever it was difficult, he pushed himself even more harshly and fiercely, and he did not stop practicing to the point that Hyunhwa Nam told him to take care of himself.
Everything was to protect the name of the teacher, and to become a disciple and successor suitable for her.
After he grew up, he left his hometown and headed to the academy following Nam Hyeon-hwa’s advice, and along the way, he met someone his age other than Han Soo-young for the first time.
Yoo Ji-hyuk.
That was him.
“… … .”
And Choi Hyun-woo felt friendship, camaraderie, and competitive spirit that he could not feel with Han Soo-young.
I’ve never regretted meeting him for a moment and being friends with him.
… okay.
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Obviously it would have been.
– Do you feel inferior to him?
And, Randsch did not miss the fact that Choi Hyun-woo had been ignoring him.
― If he had met Yoo Ji-hyuk instead of me, Nam Hyeon-hwa would have chosen him.
― Han Soo-young is also forced to be by her side because of the years she has gone through.
― The first time he meets a boy of the same age with overwhelming strength.
– okay… I understand. Humans and all animals are afraid or hateful when confronted with a powerful being that no one can resist.
If so, which one are you?
Choi Hyun-woo couldn’t say anything at those words.
Randsch muttered to himself as if he was sorry.
― And there, as far as I know, he’s you and your colleagues… Heh, colleagues… Anyway, I was hiding a big secret from you guys, didn’t I?
―If the beginning was a lie, then the end must also be a lie to match.
— … I don’t mean to cut his throat or stab his heart.
― Just, do you really need to keep righteousness and morality to him…? Do you need to burn your life and everything for the one who deceives you and speaks well from the start?
– I just want you to think about it for a moment.
“… … .”
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On the spot, Choi Hyun-woo had no choice but to nod his head.
As Yoo Ji-hyuk had warned in advance, when he accepted his proposal, Landsch seemed satisfied and disappeared with the words that he would come back later.
“You idiot bastard… … .”
He sat down and muttered quietly.
The fact that he looked down on him and that he made him betray his comrades, even if it was just an imitation.
And most of all, the fact that he couldn’t immediately deny his words was bothering him.
what if… Really, if only even the slightest bit had negative feelings towards Yoo Ji-hyuk. If I had, I would have really betrayed him… ?
“… no. It cannot be.”
He mumbled softly and shook his head.
Even though he thought it would never happen, the fact that he came up with such an assumption himself made Choi Hyeon-woo so nauseous that he couldn’t bear it.
Choi Hyun-woo sat down like that for a long time.
And it was around the time when he finally admitted that he had a feeling of inferiority to Yoo Ji-hyuk.
“… Hey, Hyunwoo Choi. What are you doing there?”
“uh?”
Choi Hyun-woo lifted his head slowly at the sound of the voice.
There stood a man who rarely took off his armor.
“What happened to the appendix? Why are you sitting so crouched?”
He was none other than Ahn Do-hoon.
“… Do-hoon?”
“It’s disgusting to call people by names like that.”
Ahn Do-hoon frowned as if he was really disgusted.
He scratched his chin and murmured in a whimper.
“My uncle and some guests are on their way to see us, but I didn’t expect to see you here. Rather than that, didn’t you say that you were busy because of Yoo Ji-hyuk?”
Hyunwoo Choi quietly nodded his head.
Meanwhile, Ahn Do-hoon saw the nail marks clearly on his palm.
He sighed quietly.
“… Did something happen to you?”
At those words, Choi Hyun-woo did not shake his head and looked at Ahn Do-hoon without saying a word.
Yes, he, like himself, once had a feeling of inferiority towards Yoo Ji-hyuk.
Hyeonu Choi realized that fact and started to open his mouth without realizing it.