Chapter 404: Face to Face with the Lion (5)

Choi Seol-Ah was walking across an avenue lined with palm trees. The men sitting at bar terraces lowered or raised their sunglasses. The women threw murderous glares at those men, fascinated with the fashion-show-like parade.

“Wow, don’t you even know how to control your gaze?”

“No, honey! It’s just that… those palm trees are so pretty…”

“Do you want to die?”

Despite the noise around her, Choi Seol-Ah seemed oblivious to it all. Only her cheeks moved slightly.

“Fu, fufu.”

A malicious laugh escaped her lips.

She was completely thrilled.

‘Surely I’ll get a bonus for this!’

Thanks to fulfilling her duty as secretary, she was able to give the academy director and Lord Kang Geom-Ma an intimate moment together.

Even if the director didn’t say it, she must have been very satisfied with her work.

“Fufufu.”

And that’s not even counting that in the Hawaii mall there was everything—LuVuitton, Cha, Her**es… all kinds of brands that would make one’s eyes spin.

“It’s been so long since I treated myself, but I’m going to get that bonus anyway~.”

She decided she would take the opportunity to spend big.

Hehehe.

‘Mmm~’

In the middle of that bliss, she noticed a dwarf staring at a barbecue restaurant.

“Hey!”

The one drooling with her jaw hanging open was none other than Horntail.

Choi Seol-Ah called out to her in a dry voice.

“What are you doing there?”

“Ah. Miss Purple.”

Horntail wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

Choi Seol-Ah looked at her with contempt and then glanced toward the restaurant.

A moment later, she sighed and scolded her.

“Did you know it’s only been 30 minutes since you ate before coming here?”

“Wow, 30 minutes already!”

“…I meant you stuffed 30 portions all by yourself with that monstrous mouth of yours.”

“There must be something about the number 30.”

“You…”

“Hawaii is totally Lucky Bikini City~ Yeyyy!”

Choi Seol-Ah squeezed her head between her fists. Since she was taller, Horntail’s feet dangled in the air.

“I can’t keep covering your meals!”

“I-I’m still a patient! I haven’t recovered yet from the wounds on Avalon Island!”

“So what?! You still ran happily when the director said she was treating to Korean barbecue!”

Tch!

“Tch nothing!”

Horntail felt her temples were about to burst.

“Ah! The dragon’s gonna die!”

Crack.

A nervous tic appeared on Choi Seol-Ah’s temple.

“I haven’t punished you enough, don’t play the clown! Hm? With those fat, noisy legs, you run after any meat like a three-year-old! Even a child wouldn’t do that anymore!”

“Let me go! Let me go and we’ll talk!”

“Say you’re not going to eat meat, now!”

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

Horntail snorted, eyes teary.

“All of this is just an excuse to save money and spend it on brands, isn’t it?! You damned luxury-obsessed, star-cannon-face!”

“…You crossed the line.”

Just when she was about to drag her like that down the street, Horntail added.

“If you buy me clothes now, I’ll go to the beach.”

“The beach?”

Where the Lord and the director are…

“You… how much do you know?”

Taking advantage of her loosened grip, Horntail dropped to the ground.

She touched her temple tensely and answered.

“Everything? I only know that if I go, you’ll get into real trouble.”

“…”

“There was a moment of silence.”

Choi Seol-Ah wore a defeated expression.

“Fine, eat as much as you want. My treat.”

Horntail entered the restaurant like a triumphant hero. As she watched her back…

“…”

Choi Seol-Ah suddenly turned around.

Fwooooosh!

The palm trees bent all in the same direction.

In the distance, something dark was moving.

‘If I keep going in that direction…’

The Gate of Gehenna.

It just had to be now.

“This feels wrong.”

***

While the graduates of the Heavenly Class were on vacation in Hawaii, the reserve troops of the Gate of Gehenna were also on break, by order of Kang Geom-Ma.

During those days he was in Hawaii, even the demons beyond the gate seemed to remain still.

“But just now that they’ve withdrawn, something strange is happening.”

Choi Seol-Ah frowned.

Her skin was prickling.

‘That’s at least corps-commander-level magic.’

Demons are extremely sensitive to mana. Sometimes even more so than pure demons.

Choi Seol-Ah rubbed her arms and called the waiter.

“Hey.”

She pulled out a card and handed it over.

“The dwarf that just went in is going to eat about a million won’s worth. Charge it with this right away.”

“O-One million?”

“No time to explain. Just do it.”

When the waiter finished charging, he handed the card back. Choi Seol-Ah’s eyes never left the place where that abnormal wind was coming from.

The waiter swallowed hard as he looked at her.

“Uh… if it’s not too much trouble, could I have your number…?”

“Eh? If it goes over a million, put it down as credit. I’ll come back to pay the rest. Oh, and that dwarf just got out of the hospital, so don’t skimp on the meat. Give her plenty.”

“Actually, I was asking for your number because… well… I’d like to contact you… personally.”

“Contact me?”

Choi Seol-Ah blinked.

Then let out a small laugh.

“Sorry, I already have a partner.”

“Ah… I figured. Sorry then.”

“No need. Anyway, I’ll be back later.”

Choi Seol-Ah turned her back as a chilly breeze rose.

“My master.”

It wasn’t entirely the wrong expression.

After all, she was bound to “someone.”

Only, it wasn’t a rational relationship.

Not yet.

For now, at least.

***

[Blessing of the Apocalypse M 2nd surpasses 70 million simultaneous players]

[Despite the impressive achievement, neither the distributor nor the developer has made a statement, stirring even more curiosity among users]

[No. 1 on both the Eple Store and the Ggle Market]

— Wow, this is fucking insane.

“Is Blessing of the Apocalypse a god? Is Blessing of the Apocalypse a god? Is Blessing of the Apocalypse a god?”

Even while making so much money, not a single statement.

ㄴ Well, even the developer is supposedly anonymous. Seems like this kind of mystery marketing is getting popular these days.

Does a shit game still stay a shit game…?

ㄴ But I don’t know if I should say this out of nowhere (maybe I’ll ruin the mood, I’ll leave the rest in the comments).

Continuing with that, you know I have some colleagues I play this game with? We did raids and all that, ㅇㅇ

ㄴ And at some point they stopped playing?

ㄴㄴ No, the opposite.

ㄴ ?

ㄴ I mean, they’re always online.

ㄴ Happens with auto-games.

ㄴ True. But in Blessing of the Apocalypse, you have to control in between, so you can’t leave it 100% on auto. It needs human intervention. But… these guys are still hunting something. They say they’re in the middle of a raid. They don’t sleep, and their playtime is like 130.7 hours straight.

— ㄴ The scary thing is, I’ve been like that too since a certain point.

ㄴㄴㄴ I’m worried we’ll end up being absorbed by the game…

……

……

Cleanbot has detected a malicious comment.

— ? Where did this person go?

ㄴ ??????

ㄴ ???? What the hell???

……

boss**

Comment hidden by Cleanbot to protect the user.

***

“Madam. It’s time to go in.”

“Yes.”

When Ryozo stood, I naturally offered my arm for her to lean on.

Today, Ryozo was wearing a black suit.

A simple outfit—a lavender blouse under an elegant formal suit. It wasn’t particularly flashy, but her refined beauty made her stand out.

She wore her black hair neatly tied back and a touch of gloss on her lips.

Though even that makeup wouldn’t help if she didn’t smile.

Clack.

I gently pushed her from the back.

“Walk carefully. Don’t trip.”

She nodded and moved forward.

Behind the thick purple curtains, about a hundred reporters murmured in groups.

“It’s about to begin. Get ready.”

“Then, I leave the rest to you.”

When the master of ceremonies finished speaking, Ryozo calmly pulled the curtain open.

Immediately, a rain of camera shutters was heard.

Click! Click! Click!

“Whoa, it’s Ryozo!”

“She really came!”

“Wow, really…”

Exclamations of amazement erupted among the reporters.

Ryozo walked firmly toward the podium.

***

“She must be shopping at the mall. Even if Choi Seol-Ah isn’t here, Hwarin still runs smoothly.”

“It may look like that, but that bitch is actually pretty efficient with employees. She has good administrative skills and a sharp mind for what matters.”

Well, after all, she has a master’s degree in education.

I feel betrayed. How can that idiot be an elite with higher studies…?

“Anyway. She always says she’ll do well, and then starts with the same thing again. We’ll see in the salary negotiations.”

Just as the sound of Choi Seol-Ah’s chair being pushed back was heard…

Boom!

A bang interrupted the moment as the door to the hall swung open.

Rachel appeared, carrying a large float over her shoulders.

“Hey, Geom-Ma! Let’s go to the beach!”

“Not now…”

“Let’s go swimming!”

“I’m not good at swimming…”

“Then let’s play with bottles?”

Another voice pushed Rachel aside.

“With a cold beer, of course.”

Media, who had come in behind Rachel, had her sunglasses pushed up on her forehead.

She looked radiant. I squinted at her skeptically.

“……”

Tap, tap.

Ryozo tapped the desk with the spine of a bundle of documents and arranged them. Then she passed by my side and whispered.

“Go have fun. You’re on vacation.”

With a smile in her eyes.

“Yes? Make sure you enjoy yourself.”

“……”

If I set foot in the office during the trip, I’ll surely get pierced with arrows.

Just then.

The phone vibrated. I thought it was mine, but no. Everyone blinked, staring at their screens.

I too looked at mine in puzzlement.

[This is a message from the distributor of Blessing of the Apocalypse M 2nd]

[Thanks to everyone’s support, the closed beta of the “Adharma Festival” has concluded successfully]

[As a token of gratitude, we announce the advancement of the official release date of Blessing of the Apocalypse M]

Zzzt…

I raised my hand to my eyes.

What is this? It looked like visual interference.

[From now on, the main arc Gandhara begins]

However, the last part wasn’t text. It was clearly a voice that boomed with force.