v2c17
Watching Choi Ji Ho screaming angrily, Choi Yu Seong didn’t know what to do.
‘Why are you angry?’
In fact, he wanted to ask first.
He didn’t really mean to die, but it was Choi Ji Ho who pushed him so desperately that he decided to pretend to be like that.
However, it was not easy to do so when he saw Choi Ji Ho’s tears flowing under his closed eyes and his sincere expression.
‘What the hell is it?’
Rather, confusion came.
Are the owner of the voice that was tormenting him in the room of sacrifice and Choi Ji Ho in front of him really the same person?
Actually, when thinking of the character in the original novel, this one was more right.
Choi Ji Ho is a righteous, good, and upright character.
He was like a pretty flower that he was forcibly cut by someone’s hand even before he fully bloomed. But he was a person whose heart was not twisted even though he was buried in ashes.
‘Rather, the one in the room of sacrifice was weirder.’
Therefore, it was quite shocking that Choi Ji Ho had changed a lot from the original novel.
Of course, he didn’t think it was impossible.
The butterfly effect of Choi Yu Seong’s possession into the novel was already spreading everywhere.
But, what if Choi Ji Ho’s change was impossible?
‘Maybe I was deceived from beginning to end.’
Choi Yu Seong’s gaze suddenly turned to red blood, soaked in the pure white front of the modern hanbok.
“If you take your life like that, how dare I, your hyungnim continue to simply live this life. Why on earth did you make that choice? How come!”
As Choi Ji Ho shouted harshly, a solid red line flowed from the corner of his mouth.
He was holding it in, but it was clear that his body was in pretty bad shape.
“Master!”
Baek Cheol runs to Choi Ji Ho with a surprised look.
“Captain Baek, please wait. This is what brothers have to say!”
Choi Ji Ho with an angry face waved his hand and looked at Choi Yu Seong.
“Why, why did you choose to die? Did you think you’d be satisfied if your death saved them? It was a foolish choice that others couldn’t even think of. You stupid brother.”
Except for pouring out what he had to say, Choi Ji Ho coughed continuously.
“Cough, cough, blaargh-!”
Baek Cheol quickly caught him, as he vomited blood and fell from the air.
“If you die… You must not die. Yu Seong-ah… Please, do me a favor… Please…”
Choi Ji Ho seemed half unconscious as his body was trembling and was talking by himself.
“I am sorry. Young Master Yu Seong. I cannot afford to explain the situation in person, so I will send someone soon. Please trust me and wait here for a little bit.”
“…”
Choi Yu Seong nodded lightly instead of answering.
If not exactly, his mind was already drawing a picture of the situation to some extent.
‘It looks like I’ve made a useless fuss.’
Still, he was relieved.
Now that the situation is like this, one thing is certain.
‘Jin Yu Ri will be fine.’
If she goes down this mountain on Jin Do Yun’s back, she will not die.
“That’s a relief.”
Choi Yu Seong, who spoke quietly to himself, collapsed in place as if pouring out his tired heart and body at once.
***
Next day.
Choi Yu Seong, who woke up in the afternoon when the sun rose high, could hear all the explanations of the situation that he had not heard last night.
The only difference was that other people were by his side, not the expected Baek Cheol’s men.
“… After all, the gas I tried not to inhale was just a sleeping drug.”
Jin Yu Ri, who returned to the mansion in the morning, scratches her cheek as if embarrassed as she finished explaining to Choi Yu Seong by repeating what she heard earlier.
“Is it a placebo effect? If I had known it was a sleeping drug, I could have opened my eyes in an emergency.”
“I heard it’s a pretty powerful sleeping drug, so it couldn’t be helped.”
Spoke Jin Do Yun as if to comfort Jin Yu Ri.
Choi Yu Seong, who was lying on the bed looking at the two sitting on the left and right, slowly raised his body and smiled.
No matter how many times he thought about it, there was only one thing he wanted to say now, putting aside various problems.
“Jin Yu Ri.”
“Yes.”
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Of course, I believed that Yu Seong oppa would save me.”
“If I couldn’t save you, you’d blame me a lot, right?”
“Yes. I want to say that, but no.”
Jin Yu Ri was definitely ready for her death at that moment.
Jin Yu Ri, who hid that feeling quite deep inside her eyes, smiled.
“I will never blame Yu Seong oppa, probably until the moment I die. This is for sure.”
“Seriously, why?”
“That is because if it was not for Young Master’s help, neither of us would be alive until now.”
The answer came from Jin Do Yun, who gave a strong gaze with a strong will.
“You mean I saved you two?”
Then, it may remain in his mind in some form as in the case of Choi Wu Jae and Choi Ji Ho.
There was a high chance that memories would come to mind if there were small clues from past experiences.
“That… When was it?”
Likewise. Choi Yu Seong was curious about the story of the two which did not appear in the original novel and asked a question.
It was something he was very curious about.
“Don’t you remember? When Young Master was young…”
But should it be said that he was out of luck? Of all things, a big presence came over the closed door at that time.
Naturally, the two people on alert turned around and raised their momentum.
“Keum, keheum… Can I come in?”
It was Baek Cheol.
It’s too bad he didn’t hear the story, but it was very expected for the two to react sensitively to his appearance.
Even Choi Yu Seong was stiffened for a moment.
“You can come in.”
Baek Cheol carefully opened the door when the permission fell. He looked around at the three people then knelt and bowed his head to Choi Yu Seong, who was in the center.
“First of all, I would like to offer my apologies to Young Master Yu Seong.”
“Get up, please.”
Choi Yu Seong no longer sharpened his blade toward Baek Cheol and spoke politely. 1
He knew very well that he moved out of loyalty for Choi Ji Ho.
Even if he resented someone, the target was not Baek Cheol.
“Master is not the one to blame. It is rather my side that suggested the test. I thought it was that much necessary to qualify for the treasure.”
“Alright. That’s enough and get up now.”
“Jin Do Yun-ssi, Jin Yu Ri-ssi. I apologize to both of you. I understand you’ve been hurt a lot by this Baek.”
Baek Cheol continued his apology still with his head bowed.
However, neither Jin Yu Ri nor Jin Do Yun opened their mouths to answer.
Unlike Choi Yu Seong, they seemed to have a much stronger sense of vigilance and hostility toward Baek Cheol.
‘Perhaps it’s obvious?’
Clearly, the two people think that the situation like Room of Sacrifice happened because they couldn’t handle Baek Cheol.
In other words, the anger of the two is quite deep feelings that are intertwined with themself and Baek Cheol.
Perhaps Baek Cheol is now a goal for the two people.
‘A and S. It can’t be seen as just one rank difference.’
Even Baek Cheol, who later will be called the Lion King, is the strongest physical type Awakener.
Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri have excellent talents, but they are definitely half step below Baek Cheol.
As such, it would not be difficult to grow with Baek Cheol as the goal.
Of course, it’s a good thing from Choi Yu Seong’s point of view.
‘It’s great if the two do as well as Baek Cheol. And even if they can’t, they’ll get stronger very quickly.’
It’s a mutually beneficial thing in many ways.
“And… The crime of daring to judge Young Master Yu Seong with my own eyes. If you are going to punish me, I will accept it.”
“What?”
“The moment Young Master Yu Seong really wanted to take your own life, I felt like the sky was falling. How great is my judgment and insight to dare to grasp your large vessel? If it weren’t for Master, I would have lived with irreparable regret.”
“Ah, that’s…”
Baek Cheol is now talking about Choi Yu Seong’s suicide attempt.
Come to think of it, this fact seemed to make Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun’s anger and resentment against Baek Cheol stronger.
Then, should he confess now that he was just trying to pretend to be dead?
Of course, it was impossible.
‘Anyway, I was really prepared to feel pain like dying.’
Choi Yu Seong, who made excuses in his heart, waved his hand.
“That’s enough. I’ve forgotten about it.”
At those words, Baek Cheol’s body shuddered with his head down.
‘Ah…! Young Master Yu Seong is a man of virtue, a truly great man.’
When Baek Cheol was admiring inside, Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri also looked at Choi Yu Seong and sent out surprised eyes.
‘What, why? Is this such a big deal?’
He didn’t want to say that he tried to pretend to be dead, but it seems what he said caused quite a stir.
It was when the embarrassed Choi Yu Seong was scratching his cheek.
“And I beg you. I hope you do not resent Master too much.”
“That…”
Choi Yu Seong was just about to say that he needed time to think.
One more presence came over the door.
The sound of the wheel pulling. A quiet and indifferent presence.
Everyone, including Choi Yu Seong, was just feeling the presence over the door, but it was not difficult to guess who came.
“May I come in for a moment?”
A small but serene voice.
“Yes, hyungnim.”
Choi Yu Seong also replied in a calm voice to Choi Ji Ho’s appearance.
***
In the room where everyone left except only two people.
The brothers, who sat facing each other, remained silent for a long time.
It was Choi Ji Ho who broke the long silence first.
“… You can forget what Captain Baek said. Most of what he said was just made up for me.”
“Well, he didn’t say much though.”
“It’s true that the Room of Sacrifice was built by me. And it’s my choice to call you, Yu Seong, to that room.”
Choi Yu Seong, who already knew that Baek Cheol’s words were lies from his heart, nodded insignificantly.
“So what?”
“If you want to resent someone, you can resent me. If you really hate me enough to kill, I’m ready to accept even that.”
“You told me not to die like that, but I guess your own death is so light.”
“…”
Choi Ji Ho’s face hardened at the end of Choi Yu Seong’s words.
v2c17
Watching Choi Ji Ho screaming angrily, Choi Yu Seong didn’t know what to do.
‘Why are you angry?’
In fact, he wanted to ask first.
He didn’t really mean to die, but it was Choi Ji Ho who pushed him so desperately that he decided to pretend to be like that.
However, it was not easy to do so when he saw Choi Ji Ho’s tears flowing under his closed eyes and his sincere expression.
‘What the hell is it?’
Rather, confusion came.
Are the owner of the voice that was tormenting him in the room of sacrifice and Choi Ji Ho in front of him really the same person?
Actually, when thinking of the character in the original novel, this one was more right.
Choi Ji Ho is a righteous, good, and upright character.
He was like a pretty flower that he was forcibly cut by someone’s hand even before he fully bloomed. But he was a person whose heart was not twisted even though he was buried in ashes.
‘Rather, the one in the room of sacrifice was weirder.’
Therefore, it was quite shocking that Choi Ji Ho had changed a lot from the original novel.
Of course, he didn’t think it was impossible.
The butterfly effect of Choi Yu Seong’s possession into the novel was already spreading everywhere.
But, what if Choi Ji Ho’s change was impossible?
‘Maybe I was deceived from beginning to end.’
Choi Yu Seong’s gaze suddenly turned to red blood, soaked in the pure white front of the modern hanbok.
“If you take your life like that, how dare I, your hyungnim continue to simply live this life. Why on earth did you make that choice? How come!”
As Choi Ji Ho shouted harshly, a solid red line flowed from the corner of his mouth.
He was holding it in, but it was clear that his body was in pretty bad shape.
“Master!”
Baek Cheol runs to Choi Ji Ho with a surprised look.
“Captain Baek, please wait. This is what brothers have to say!”
Choi Ji Ho with an angry face waved his hand and looked at Choi Yu Seong.
“Why, why did you choose to die? Did you think you’d be satisfied if your death saved them? It was a foolish choice that others couldn’t even think of. You stupid brother.”
Except for pouring out what he had to say, Choi Ji Ho coughed continuously.
“Cough, cough, blaargh-!”
Baek Cheol quickly caught him, as he vomited blood and fell from the air.
“If you die… You must not die. Yu Seong-ah… Please, do me a favor… Please…”
Choi Ji Ho seemed half unconscious as his body was trembling and was talking by himself.
“I am sorry. Young Master Yu Seong. I cannot afford to explain the situation in person, so I will send someone soon. Please trust me and wait here for a little bit.”
“…”
Choi Yu Seong nodded lightly instead of answering.
If not exactly, his mind was already drawing a picture of the situation to some extent.
‘It looks like I’ve made a useless fuss.’
Still, he was relieved.
Now that the situation is like this, one thing is certain.
‘Jin Yu Ri will be fine.’
If she goes down this mountain on Jin Do Yun’s back, she will not die.
“That’s a relief.”
Choi Yu Seong, who spoke quietly to himself, collapsed in place as if pouring out his tired heart and body at once.
***
Next day.
Choi Yu Seong, who woke up in the afternoon when the sun rose high, could hear all the explanations of the situation that he had not heard last night.
The only difference was that other people were by his side, not the expected Baek Cheol’s men.
“… After all, the gas I tried not to inhale was just a sleeping drug.”
Jin Yu Ri, who returned to the mansion in the morning, scratches her cheek as if embarrassed as she finished explaining to Choi Yu Seong by repeating what she heard earlier.
“Is it a placebo effect? If I had known it was a sleeping drug, I could have opened my eyes in an emergency.”
“I heard it’s a pretty powerful sleeping drug, so it couldn’t be helped.”
Spoke Jin Do Yun as if to comfort Jin Yu Ri.
Choi Yu Seong, who was lying on the bed looking at the two sitting on the left and right, slowly raised his body and smiled.
No matter how many times he thought about it, there was only one thing he wanted to say now, putting aside various problems.
“Jin Yu Ri.”
“Yes.”
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Of course, I believed that Yu Seong oppa would save me.”
“If I couldn’t save you, you’d blame me a lot, right?”
“Yes. I want to say that, but no.”
Jin Yu Ri was definitely ready for her death at that moment.
Jin Yu Ri, who hid that feeling quite deep inside her eyes, smiled.
“I will never blame Yu Seong oppa, probably until the moment I die. This is for sure.”
“Seriously, why?”
“That is because if it was not for Young Master’s help, neither of us would be alive until now.”
The answer came from Jin Do Yun, who gave a strong gaze with a strong will.
“You mean I saved you two?”
Then, it may remain in his mind in some form as in the case of Choi Wu Jae and Choi Ji Ho.
There was a high chance that memories would come to mind if there were small clues from past experiences.
“That… When was it?”
Likewise. Choi Yu Seong was curious about the story of the two which did not appear in the original novel and asked a question.
It was something he was very curious about.
“Don’t you remember? When Young Master was young…”
But should it be said that he was out of luck? Of all things, a big presence came over the closed door at that time.
Naturally, the two people on alert turned around and raised their momentum.
“Keum, keheum… Can I come in?”
It was Baek Cheol.
It’s too bad he didn’t hear the story, but it was very expected for the two to react sensitively to his appearance.
Even Choi Yu Seong was stiffened for a moment.
“You can come in.”
Baek Cheol carefully opened the door when the permission fell. He looked around at the three people then knelt and bowed his head to Choi Yu Seong, who was in the center.
“First of all, I would like to offer my apologies to Young Master Yu Seong.”
“Get up, please.”
Choi Yu Seong no longer sharpened his blade toward Baek Cheol and spoke politely. 1
He knew very well that he moved out of loyalty for Choi Ji Ho.
Even if he resented someone, the target was not Baek Cheol.
“Master is not the one to blame. It is rather my side that suggested the test. I thought it was that much necessary to qualify for the treasure.”
“Alright. That’s enough and get up now.”
“Jin Do Yun-ssi, Jin Yu Ri-ssi. I apologize to both of you. I understand you’ve been hurt a lot by this Baek.”
Baek Cheol continued his apology still with his head bowed.
However, neither Jin Yu Ri nor Jin Do Yun opened their mouths to answer.
Unlike Choi Yu Seong, they seemed to have a much stronger sense of vigilance and hostility toward Baek Cheol.
‘Perhaps it’s obvious?’
Clearly, the two people think that the situation like Room of Sacrifice happened because they couldn’t handle Baek Cheol.
In other words, the anger of the two is quite deep feelings that are intertwined with themself and Baek Cheol.
Perhaps Baek Cheol is now a goal for the two people.
‘A and S. It can’t be seen as just one rank difference.’
Even Baek Cheol, who later will be called the Lion King, is the strongest physical type Awakener.
Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri have excellent talents, but they are definitely half step below Baek Cheol.
As such, it would not be difficult to grow with Baek Cheol as the goal.
Of course, it’s a good thing from Choi Yu Seong’s point of view.
‘It’s great if the two do as well as Baek Cheol. And even if they can’t, they’ll get stronger very quickly.’
It’s a mutually beneficial thing in many ways.
“And… The crime of daring to judge Young Master Yu Seong with my own eyes. If you are going to punish me, I will accept it.”
“What?”
“The moment Young Master Yu Seong really wanted to take your own life, I felt like the sky was falling. How great is my judgment and insight to dare to grasp your large vessel? If it weren’t for Master, I would have lived with irreparable regret.”
“Ah, that’s…”
Baek Cheol is now talking about Choi Yu Seong’s suicide attempt.
Come to think of it, this fact seemed to make Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun’s anger and resentment against Baek Cheol stronger.
Then, should he confess now that he was just trying to pretend to be dead?
Of course, it was impossible.
‘Anyway, I was really prepared to feel pain like dying.’
Choi Yu Seong, who made excuses in his heart, waved his hand.
“That’s enough. I’ve forgotten about it.”
At those words, Baek Cheol’s body shuddered with his head down.
‘Ah…! Young Master Yu Seong is a man of virtue, a truly great man.’
When Baek Cheol was admiring inside, Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri also looked at Choi Yu Seong and sent out surprised eyes.
‘What, why? Is this such a big deal?’
He didn’t want to say that he tried to pretend to be dead, but it seems what he said caused quite a stir.
It was when the embarrassed Choi Yu Seong was scratching his cheek.
“And I beg you. I hope you do not resent Master too much.”
“That…”
Choi Yu Seong was just about to say that he needed time to think.
One more presence came over the door.
The sound of the wheel pulling. A quiet and indifferent presence.
Everyone, including Choi Yu Seong, was just feeling the presence over the door, but it was not difficult to guess who came.
“May I come in for a moment?”
A small but serene voice.
“Yes, hyungnim.”
Choi Yu Seong also replied in a calm voice to Choi Ji Ho’s appearance.
***
In the room where everyone left except only two people.
The brothers, who sat facing each other, remained silent for a long time.
It was Choi Ji Ho who broke the long silence first.
“… You can forget what Captain Baek said. Most of what he said was just made up for me.”
“Well, he didn’t say much though.”
“It’s true that the Room of Sacrifice was built by me. And it’s my choice to call you, Yu Seong, to that room.”
Choi Yu Seong, who already knew that Baek Cheol’s words were lies from his heart, nodded insignificantly.
“So what?”
“If you want to resent someone, you can resent me. If you really hate me enough to kill, I’m ready to accept even that.”
“You told me not to die like that, but I guess your own death is so light.”
“…”
Choi Ji Ho’s face hardened at the end of Choi Yu Seong’s words.
