The Thug Hides the Villainess

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063 – The Brazen Girl, Jeong Sang-hwa! #1

After Hanam-jin left, Seoga-eul and Yu Yeoreum each fell into deep thought.

Only when the ice from the ice cup that Hanam-jin had brought them melted away and the carbonation of the cola became flat could Seoga-eul begin to sort out her thoughts.

“Could it be paranoia or delusions? It seems like he has a bit of a Ripley syndrome as well. He calls himself ‘Bread Pitt,’ but that’s not just a joke! Bread my foot, he looks like a piece of bread himself!”

“What in the world are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Yu Yeoreum asked cynically.

Thanks to the ambient light in this room, Yu Yeoreum regained some composure and maintained her calm yet cynical demeanor.

Although Seoga-eul found it quite annoying to see Yu Yeoreum relaxed in this floral room, what mattered right now were the things Hanam-jin had said earlier.

“Hanam-jin! He’s definitely got some mental issues! I thought he was a crazy psychopath, but he’s just plain psycho! Saying half the population will die within a year—what nonsense is that?”

“Oh, so that’s what you were on about.”

“Hey, you can check heart rate and pulse with that x-ray vision of yours, right? Did you check up on Hanam-jin when he was talking?”

As Seoga-eul mentioned, Yu Yeoreum had indeed checked Hanam-jin with her ‘x-ray’ ability.

“Body temperature, heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate—all were abnormally fast and hot.”

“See! He’s lying! It’s not normal because he’s lying!”

“However, Hanam-jin usually feels like that. He’s basically like someone who’s excited or scared.”

In other words, Yu Yeoreum’s ‘x-ray’ would be useless on Hanam-jin, who was in a constant state of excitement.

How could a person be like that?

Perhaps it was because of the recoil from Hanam-jin’s concepts.

While mulling over such thoughts, Seoga-eul scratched her head in irritation.

“So basically, Hanam-jin is just a crazy bastard!”

He claims that within a year, half the population will decrease.

Is it because of the monsters that appear, splitting the land, sea, and sky?

Yu Yeoreum recalled the creatures of the ‘Three Disasters’ that Hanam-jin had mentioned.

There was no proper explanation, but they sounded like monsters that would only exist in the fanciful imaginations of children.

“So, his goal is to train you to defeat those monsters? At least we’ve discerned what Hanam-jin wants from you, so there’s that.”

“How am I supposed to defeat monsters from a madman’s delusions?”

Seoga-eul was furious.

She thought that the reason Hanam-jin had kidnapped her was to take revenge on the N Mart arson incident.

Having pondered deeply over that event, she was even willing to apologize if that’s what Hanam-jin wanted.

However, what Hanam-jin desired was not an apology.

He didn’t show any curiosity about her or the N Mart incident.

Yu Yeoreum spoke.

“It’s common for someone who’s experienced great shock to suffer from mental illness. Perhaps Hanam-jin is just like that. It’s similar to why I can’t eat.”

Watching Yu Yeoreum sip strawberry milk through a straw, Seoga-eul felt annoyed.

“Why are you so calm? That crazy psychopath could do anything to you! Suddenly, he might say our baby is the key to saving the world and try to get you pregnant!”

“The delusions are the same whether it’s Hanam-jin or you.”

“Ugh!”

The concept of ‘modesty’ that she had imposed upon her seemed to bring a semblance of calm to Yu Yeoreum, but Seoga-eul was oblivious to that.

So, she just continued to be irritable.

—Curiosity about who was talking over there…! That’s the princess’s room, and no one can just walk in…! I wonder if the princess has returned…!

A voice was heard.

From the ceiling.

Both Yu Yeoreum and Seoga-eul fell silent.

It was the first time their minds, which didn’t mix like oil and water, had united like this.

“…Yu Yeoreum, did you just hear that?”

“I did. It was a female voice. It sounded like a child.”

Drrr—.

Soon, the sound of a window opening from the ceiling could be heard, revealing honey-colored eyes and a small face. Everyone just realized that there was a tiny secret window in the ceiling.

“Ah! What are those unfamiliar children doing in the princess’s room…! I thought the princess had returned, and I was so hopeful, but I’m so disappointed…!”

Drrr—.

The window closed again.

Seoga-eul’s hair bristled.

“Hey, wait! Hold on! Wait a minute! Hey! Hey!”

As Seoga-eul panicked, Yu Yeoreum, realizing something, shouted to the ceiling, “Inonoi… Joyno… Could it be…!?”

“Wait! We have candy! Candy!”

Drrr—.

“I’m very curious about that…! I love candy…! When the princess was here, I used to eat candy all the time, but I haven’t even seen any in years…!”

The quirky girl Inonoi appeared again at the secret window in the ceiling.

The problem was that Seoga-eul and Yu Yeoreum had no candy on hand.

There was only one way.

Yu Yeoreum looked at Seoga-eul.

# # #

Aahhh—.

I opened my mouth wide and gobbled up the fried eggs in a hurry.

Right now, I was the very disaster of eggs.

If the ‘Three Disasters’ monster had swallowed half the population like peanuts, it would surely give in after witnessing my egg-eating speed.

Slurp, slurp, slurp—.

Just then, when I finished five fried eggs without taking a breath,

—Uing-ing.

Next to me, Ying-ing, who was peeling a boiled egg, shivered her body and spoke to me.

Ying-ing sure was a nag.

“It’s fine. There’s still time left. You might come home late today, so if you’re hungry, just order jjajangmyeon by yourself like last time. If there’s any sweet and sour pork left, put it in the fridge! If you understood, give me a ‘Ying-ing’!”

—Grrrr…

Are you thinking of ordering malatang today instead of jjajangmyeon?

Lately, Ying-ing had been obsessed with delivery food, which was a big predicament.

It felt like money was leaking out of my wallet.

I used to be happy with just ketchup ramen!

Now, I had developed a refined palate.

Anyway, off to the Great Labyrinth!

Arriving at the Great Labyrinth.

“Today marks the third day. The exploration of the Great Labyrinth ends here.”

Team leader Jang Hyeon-ah stamped my test paper loudly.

It was the moment I achieved full marks on the midterm exam.

Baek-Yeoul’s test paper was the same.

“I’ve never gotten a perfect score on a test before! Amazing!”

Bouncing around and shaking her bottom, Baek-Yeoul performed a quirky dance.

Killing time like that on a casual afternoon.

“Hanam-jin. Jin Eun-byeol’s birthday party is today.”

Jang Hyeon-ah whispered to me in a small voice.

Today, I had no plans to play around with Baek-Yeoul and instead aimed to head straight to Jin Eun-byeol’s birthday party, approach Wang Ja-hyeon, give him a good smack, and extract some information from him.

With that information, I could then give Seo Do-cheol from Seo Nam Group a good scolding and rise further up the ranks.

What a perfect plan.

Thinking like this, I was headed to the Samjin Group’s villa, but upon seeing the long line at the entrance, I felt dizzy.

“Why are there so many people? Must be around 100.”

“They’re all either notable figures or their children.”

Indeed! They all looked like people who held some serious positions!

There was even an old lady with white hair who recognized me.

“Hey! I saw you in the newspaper. Was it Hanam-jin? The high school student who caught bad guys!”

“If you have any unpleasant people, tell that Hanam-jin!”

Wow, I was pretty dashing, right?

However, then Jang Hyeon-ah whispered to me as if twitching:

“This lady is a very famous land-rich woman in Korea! She’s a big player who lends money to corporate chairmen! Quickly greet her politely!”

Unless there were a lot of bottle caps, nothing could win my heart more than money and land.

So while I let out a cautious laugh, the land-rich grandmother chuckled heartily.

“You’re so brave! I made some candy myself; want to try? Making candy and chocolate has become my hobby in my old age.”

It was candy wrapped in luxurious gold foil.

The moment I crunched through the shell, she seemed even more delighted.

“Oh, how fun! Did you come for a fortune reading, too? Eun-byeol has a great way of predicting fortunes. I was going to ask how my grandchildren can get better… But I wonder if my turn will come…”

Is the princess capable of drawing in even elderly nobility like this?

I heard that some people had been waiting since the day before.

I wanted to meet her quickly.

Just how good is she at fortune-telling that all these renowned dignitaries are lining up?

Will she tell me who I’m going to marry or what my romantic prospects are?

After about an hour of waiting outside, feeling really bored and thinking about checking my phone, Jang Hyeon-ah explained.

“Just so you know, using your phone is prohibited in the Samjin villa. Especially don’t take pictures in front of Jin Eun-byeol. Absolutely not. Understood?”

“What happens if I take a picture?”

“Just don’t do it.”

The more someone tells me not to do something, the more I want to do it.

At that moment, someone waved their hand.

“Hanam-jjin!”

“I’m Hanam-jin.”

“Aren’t you Baek-Yeoul and Deok-soon?”

Why are Baek-Yeoul and Deok-soon at Jin Eun-byeol’s birthday party?

Before I could ask, the entrance of the villa swung open, and people poured in.

“Let’s go!”

“Get in quickly! Hurry!”

“Don’t push!”

In the end, I got lost in the crowd and couldn’t find Baek-Yeoul and Deok-soon.

After wandering through the garden for about 10 minutes without any gain, someone appeared from the high terrace.

“Welcome, everyone.”

A woman in a sleek black evening dress with her long hair cascading down, her pale skin contrasting sharply with her dark eyebrows and eyes.

Black and white.

If you were to draw a woman using just those two colors, it might look like her.

“It’s Jin Eun-byeol.”

“…It’s Jin Eun-byeol.”

Everyone looked up at the woman with subtly fearful eyes.

As if gazing upon the queen of darkness or the goddess of death.

Indeed, that must be Jin Eun-byeol.

If we were merely judging by atmosphere, she surpassed Yu Yeoreum and Seoga-eul.

“I’m sorry to those who have come a long way, but I will be ending the party today. Now, everyone, please leave. I won’t be meeting anyone today.”

“What?”

“What do you mean?”

People murmured restlessly.

To end the party right as it was starting was unacceptable.

“I won’t say it twice. Everyone, get out.”

Jin Eun-byeol said with a cold yet clear voice.

A strange atmosphere swept through the garden, and people began to rush out of the party as if sensing an ominous presence among them.

“Hanam-jin, this isn’t going to work today. It happens often. Jin Eun-byeol always throws a fit and makes things difficult for people. But I did keep my promise, right? You’ll erase the video, right?”

“……”

In my eyes, the image of the land-rich grandmother who had given me candy was glancing back with disappointment. She seemed to feel regret about having to leave.

Honestly, I was angry.

“Inviting valuable people and immediately saying goodbye?”

What kind of nonsense was this?

It was not like I was training a stray dog here.

My plans to meet Wang Ja-hyeon at this party were going terribly off course.

How precious is my time?

There was no choice.

“Hey, you ungrateful girl! You’ve gathered everyone and not even served them a glass of water and then tell us to go back? Where on earth did you learn such manners? Just because you’re the daughter of a conglomerate, does that mean everything? Huh!?”

My voice, having just eaten five fried eggs, echoed through the banquet hall.

Of course, Jang Hyeon-ah looked as pale as a ghost.

“Hey, wh…what are you doing! Are you crazy?”

“…Who just said that?”

With a blank expression, Jin Eun-byeol tilted her head.

I raised both hands high and shouted.

“I am the tiger of Yeongsa High School, Hanam-jin! Wang Ja-hyeon, Jin Eun-byeol! You spoiled brats! I’ll give you ten seconds to come out in front of me! Ten! Nineee—!!!”