Chapter 202. Nam Daeun (3)
"Ah, ahh...."
'So sweet.'
In the end, Park Mingyu confessed the location of the remaining money.
He kept denying it, so I called a journalist I knew, and only then did he spill the truth.
"T-this should be enough. 30 billion won. A whole 30 billion."
Thirty billion.
It was definitely a lot of money.
Not bad for a side income.
"Okay. That concludes my request."
"T-then hand over the evidence now. Let's just say we never met today..."
"Then speak to the real client."
"...What?"
I quietly stepped behind Nam Daeun.
'My demand' was finished.
Nam Daeun, who had been waiting behind me, stepped forward and faced Park Mingyu.
"...Uncle Mingyu."
"D-Daeun."
Nam Daeun was unexpectedly calm.
Even though the target of her revenge was right in front of her and she had the power to act, she tried to talk first.
"Ever since I rescued Dahee, I've been thinking. Why did you do it to us? The Uncle Mingyu I knew wasn't like that."
Shiiing—
Nam Daeun drew the sword she brought.
"But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find an answer. Because we didn't do anything wrong."
Her sharp sword reflected her face.
Staring at the blade, Nam Daeun continued in a calm, composed tone.
"Uncle Mingyu... tell me now. Why did you do it?"
"Daeun. W-wait. Calm down. I can explain everything."
"Dahee and I... we trusted only you. Then why did you do that all of a sudden...? Did you approach us with the intention of using my body from the beginning?"
I finally understood.
Nam Daeun wasn't angry.
She was genuinely confused.
She couldn't understand how someone like Park Mingyu could change overnight.
It seemed her memories of his kindness were deeply rooted.
'He was probably like that from the start.'
Scumbags like him are rotten to the core.
And the filthier they are, the better they are at acting.
With someone as pure as Nam Daeun, he probably had an easy time deceiving her.
Thud—
Park Mingyu dropped to his knees.
He lowered his head, and tears dripped onto the floor.
"Daeun..."
"Uncle?"
"I'm sorry. Really... I'm sorry."
Watching Park Mingyu cry and apologize, I quietly yawned.
'So obvious.'
I saw through it all.
Kneeling with his torso hunched over to hide his body, he was reaching into his coat.
No doubt hiding a weapon inside.
I watched to see how Nam Daeun would react.
"Uncle. Are you truly sorry to us?"
"I really am. I regret everything I did in the past. That's why I blew the whistle on Shinyoung Guild. To start over... I don't want to do dirty work anymore..."
I stared at Park Mingyu with a bored expression.
That kind face, those pitiful tears might fool others, but I knew his true nature.
If he was a decent person, he wouldn't have brought a cadet to a room salon in the first place.
"Then give it all up."
"...What?"
"Everything you gained through dirty deeds. Give it all up. Pay for your crimes, then start from the beginning."
"D-Daeun..."
"Then I can forgive you. If you truly want to apologize, let go of your honor first."
Nam Daeun tapped her smartwatch.
With the preset I had configured for her, all she had to do was press send.
"Uncle Mingyu... Do you see this?"
"W-what is this... huh?"
The screen Nam Daeun showed him was simple.
It was breaking news.
- Good evening. This is reporter Ha-Young. Today we have news that Park Mingyu, the guildmaster of Buyer Guild, previously involved in a drug distribution scandal, was a regular at illegal prostitution establishments....
As if on cue, the reporter I arranged began broadcasting the story.
"N-no. No way...!"
The apologizing Park Mingyu snapped his head up.
Then quickly turned his gaze.
In Korean society, going to a room salon could be spun as business entertainment.
As ridiculous as it sounds, that's the reality.
High-ranking Hunters, given their high income, were often discreetly excused for such behavior.
Of course, their image would be ruined, but they could still operate.
If they endured the criticism and continued working, recovery was possible.
But not anymore.
"D-Daeun. I'm truly reflecting. There are other guild members under me. They have families and people to support. This can't go on..."
"...."
Nam Daeun hesitated for a moment.
I had already decided to leave this matter entirely to her, giving her full control over releasing the information.
'She shouldn't fall for that...'
For someone out for revenge, she still seemed too pure.
I guess I have no choice but to step in.
"Nam Daeun."
"...Yeah."
Her voice lacked certainty.
She was probably hesitating.
Worried she might be turning those people into jobless victims.
Well, if she's worrying about that, it's already too late... But since she seems uncertain, I need to resolve it.
"Be selfish."
"...Selfish?"
"Don't think about others. Just focus on your own feelings. It's time to do that."
Honestly, there are many ways to persuade her.
Anyone not involved in the crimes will be cleared after investigation.
They might face job-search issues afterward, but... it's not a huge problem.
They also share some blame for not seeing through their guildmaster.
And by that logic, there's no one in the world who deserves punishment.
Everyone has their reasons.
But I didn't persuade her with logic.
I wanted Nam Daeun to act based on her feelings now.
Even though she had her whole future ahead of her, she couldn't even process her own emotions because of trash like him.
I wanted her to be selfish now.
"...."
"D-Daeun. Please..."
"I don't know."
Though confused, Nam Daeun clenched her fist as she looked at Park Mingyu.
"Please, just stop..."
"I don't understand what I should do with this frustration. But... I believe in Hoyeon. Just this once, I want to do what I want."
Nam Daeun continued operating her smartwatch.
Buyer Guild's double bookkeeping, tax evasion, illegal lending, fake artifacts, all crimes surfaced in breaking news and dominated search rankings.
Park Mingyu's face twisted more and more as he saw it.
"Uncle Mingyu. Do you still want to apologize to me?"
"...."
"If you truly mean it and pay for your sins... I'll help you rise again."
"...."
Her eyes seemed genuinely sincere.
Maybe she couldn't let go of the feelings from the time he helped raise her and her sister.
"Tsk."
Too kind.
But that won't happen.
Nam Daeun might not realize it, but Buyer Guild and Park Mingyu are beyond saving.
Even if he leaves here alive, he's destined to rot in prison forever.
Thankfully, Park Mingyu will never receive Nam Daeun's goodwill.
"Y-you..."
"Uncle Mingyu...?"
"You damn bitch... After everything I've done for you! Throwing yourself at a young guy, you whore!"
"...Whore?"
Nam Daeun turned her head to look at me.
I don't know why, but her eyes held a complex mix of emotions.
"I was your father from the moment I brought you from the orphanage! And you betray me by selling yourself to some young guy?! How dare you?!"
Nam Daeun closed her eyes and lowered her head at his verbal abuse.
She finally realized his true nature.
A moment later, she opened her eyes, let out a hollow laugh, and raised her sword.
"...Yeah. I'd rather be someone else's whore. I'm sick of your face."
"You damn bitch, raising your sword at your father?!"
Park Mingyu began summoning mana.
The pressure from it wasn't weak.
To gather wealth through dirty deeds, you needed power to back it up.
But Nam Daeun was in a different league.
As the main character of the game, she couldn't be compared to a side character like Park Mingyu.
Holding her sword, Nam Daeun moved her arm slightly.
Slash—
In an instant, both of Park Mingyu's arms flew off.
"Aaaaaagh! H-hurk! What the hell is this?!"
Bewildered by what just happened, Park Mingyu shook his head wildly.
"Thank you, Uncle Mingyu."
"Daeun, wait. Daeun...! Give me one more chance. Just once...!"
"For always staying the villain. For letting me cut off my feelings."
Slash—
A single horizontal cut.
Simple, but profound. Clean, yet carrying weight. With just one strike.
The begging Park Mingyu's head rolled off his neck.
Dark red blood splattered on Nam Daeun's clothes and dripped onto the floor near my feet.
I didn't look away from the sight.
I witnessed Nam Daeun finish her revenge.
"...He's dead."
Staring at Park Mingyu's severed head, Nam Daeun murmured.
"Yeah. It's over, Daeun."
"...It was so easy."
"...."
"Why couldn't I do it until now. Why."
"Haa..."
I slowly approached Nam Daeun.
She was trembling after finishing her revenge.
Neither joy nor sorrow.
It must've been her first time feeling this emotion.
I had never taken revenge, so I couldn't understand it.
I simply held Nam Daeun in my arms.
Like a small bird shivering in the rain, she trembled in my embrace.
I stayed that way until she calmed down.
Who knows how much time passed.
When her trembling finally stopped, I looked down.
"Are you okay?"
"...Sorry."
Nam Daeun finally pushed me away slightly.
My chest was stained with her tears.
"Feel a bit better now?"
"...Yeah."
Her eyes were still red. Tsk.
★ Heroine Status Window
[Nam Daeun]
- [ Affection: 99 ] ( +0.1 )
- [ Lust: 80 ]
- [ Appetite: 45 ]
- [ Fatigue: 50 ]
Current Status: I want to be selfish all day.
Affection 99.
It stopped here again.
I knew I needed something more to fully conquer her.
'I want to be selfish...?'
What does that mean?
After checking the status window, I looked at Nam Daeun's face.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she carefully looked at me.
"Can I be selfish just for today?"
"No. Be selfish from now on. I'll help you if it gets hard."
Nam Daeun deserved to be repaid for all she endured.
I'd support her all the way.
If I captured her heart, I should at least take responsibility.
"Then..."
"Yeah."
"...Cafe."
Looking into my eyes, Nam Daeun quietly spoke.
"...Huh?"
"You said you'd go with me. To the cafe... and eat together, and watch a movie..."
I looked at her slightly flushed face and wondered what she meant.
"Ah."
Then it clicked.
I had forgotten because I was so focused on the revenge.
Back when she was still bound to the Buyer Guild.
With nothing to say to the sister she met once a week, she used my name from the academy, the only person she'd talked to.
'Well, it wasn't really a setup. It wasn't in the original story.'
That was a new episode created from meeting me.
Anyway, I had said, "If we hang out together from now on, it won't be a lie."
That's what she meant now.
"Right. Cafe, restaurant, movie. Let's do it all."
"Yeah. Thank you."
Nam Daeun smiled and clung to my clothes again.
"...When it's over, let me repay you again."
"...Do whatever you want."
I didn't need to ask what she meant by repay. I already knew.