Chapter 122

Apparently, I had my eyes closed for thirty minutes. I had fallen into meditation without realizing it.

Just then, someone came into the café.

There were quite a few people other than us in the café, and most of their gazes shot towards the entrance. That was because the person who strode through the door was Cheon Sooji.

Someone made an undisguised sound of admiration.

"Iyaa…"

Cheon Sooji would later become a popular model. Yeonseo gave people a lasting impression of cuteness and prettiness, but Sooji had an arrogant beauty that overwhelmed people as soon as they laid eyes on her. Though, of course, it didn't affect me much.

Sooji walked over like she was used to having people stare, clearly heading towards us. Her expression was cold at a glance, and the light click of high heels that sounded with every step added to her mature aura.

"So everyone was here."

"Did Guildmaster Song send you?"

"You're so heartless. Can't you at least pretend to be happy to see me?"

Sooji brought over a chair and took a seat next to me like it was natural, and Yeonseo smiled brightly at her.

"Unnie. You have to be a customer to sit here. You should go order first."

"Ah, really?"

As soon as Sooji got up, Yeonseo swiftly stole her seat.

"No way around it, I've got to do some housekeeping."

"..."

I had no idea what she was going on about, but I was more comfortable with Yeonseo being next to me than Sooji. And was I just imagining it, or was Isabel trembling inside my Inventory?

"That type of woman is dangerous. Just look. Look at how many dudes are glancing at her."

But the same went for Yeonseo. Did she not feel the gazes on her?

"And she's treacherous, mark my words. Just know that sexiness isn't everything. Got it, Boss?"

"Yeah. I get that you're good at spouting nonsense."

In the meantime, Sooji came up to me again. On my right was Sunhwa, and on my left was Yeonseo.

"Hyungnim. I want to sit next to you, too."

After mercilessly ignoring more nonsense, this time from Yoohyun, I asked Sooji a question. She ended up sitting across from me.

"The thing I asked you to look into?"

"I have it here."

She passed me a paper filled with personal details. I read through it.

–Name: Ahn Seohye.

The age I saw with Eye of Perception was 19, but her registered age was 18. Her birth had been registered late, although that sort of thing almost never happened these days.

'She's had a very underprivileged home environment.'

Her mom passed away when she was young, and she grew up with her single father.

'My god…'

What I read made me think her hatred of men was fully justified.

'She was bullied in middle school.'

A group of boys took the lead in harassing her. Their harassment was so severe it was difficult to describe in detail, but the boys were only given a light slap on the hand and were let off.

'And it actually caused her to be bullied even more.'

It was the same in high school. My brows subconsciously furrowed.

'Holy shit.'

By some sad twist of fate, Ahn Seohye's father was an even more wicked and terrible human than Seo Joohwan.

'To his own daughter…'

He did many disgusting things to her. More enraging and dumbfounding was that he started doing those things when Seohye was six, in elementary school.

"How could such a piece of shit end up being a father? If it were me, I would have poisoned him to death."

"..."

I could believe that Cheon Sooji would really do that. Just reading about it made anger surge within me. When it started, at the age of six, she was far younger than my little sister Sunhwa. Her father did unspeakable things to such a young child, criminal acts that made one's blood go cold. He was a beast in human skin who could never, ever be forgiven.

"It's all there, but she also asked the police and several agencies for help multiple times."

But nothing came of it. In fact, one crazy policeman even asked her, plunging even more daggers in the already wounded Seohye, "Are you sure you didn't enjoy it? Why didn't you say anything all this time?" Those incredibly shitty words were not rational, but this world was never rational to begin with.

"She's lived her life without getting any protection from anyone."

After returning from the police station, Seohye's father was furious and abused her even more. His methods became more and more obstinate and perverted.

What would have happened if someone came up with a smiling face to the scared Seohye who was desperate for help? What if that person was Seo Joohwan? And what if… she suffered yet another terrible crime from a man who promised to help her?

'That's more than enough to push her to become the Red Demon.'

Didn't that mean that at this point in time, it was still possible to rehabilitate her? I met her before she became the 'Red Demon'. There was still a chance. Might it be possible to guide the Irregular who became a mass murderer in my previous life down a different path?

"You're really fascinating. You look cool-headed, but… you're concerned about little things like this."

Sooji was sitting with her legs crossed, absolutely oozing provocative charm. Some people on the Internet said she had 'lips that called for a kiss', and they weren't wrong. Those lips colored bright red with lipstick—a color so red it would look bad on most women—suited her all too perfectly.

"That's why I think you're really charming."

Her summary was 'Queen Wanting to Submit' again. I had no idea who or what she was submitting to, but that was beside the point. I got up.

'This wasn't in my plans, but…'

I might be able to prevent Ahn Seohye from becoming a devil. Seeing me get up, Sooji smiled.

"In case you were concerned about her, I kept her with me."

"You did?"

"Yes. Even if she went home, only that alcoholic sorry excuse for a father would be there."

Seohye trusted women more than men.

"She was super into the hamburger I got her."

Sunhwa's head whipped up at the mention of hamburgers. Her eyes were extremely wary up until moments ago, but they had relaxed a little. Fried chicken and hamburgers were the magic foods Sunhwa went wild for. I watched her swallow her drool with a helpless inward chuckle. There weren't even any hamburgers here.

"She's waiting in my car. Do you want to go meet her?"

Was Cheon Sooji always such a perceptive woman in the past? I didn't think so. She was a 'Queen', and as such, she enjoyed dominating and controlling others. She wasn't a woman who needed to be attentive.

"You're extremely perceptive. Thank you."

"If you're thankful, have a drink with me. I'll pay," she said. She stared at me with a veiled smile. "Even better if it's late at night."

"..."

"I live alone, you know."

It was best not to respond to such utterly useless words.

"Yeonseo. Help me out a bit."

"Got it, Boss. Whatever you need, just give me the word. If I help you, I'll be the winner again." Yeonseo grinned, her eyes curving into the crescents responsible for so many Sword Empress crushers. "I'll stay by your side and help you every day."

I decided not to rush things. I asked Yeonseo to take Seohye to my family doctor, since the girl had a deep sense of goodwill towards Yeonseo.

There were only ten days left to find Charles' owner.

'If we fail, it can't be helped.'

Clearing it would be great, but I had a feeling we were cutting it close, time-wise. I decided to turn my attention more towards the Red Demon issue. It would be nice if I had two bodies, but I didn't, and I had to prioritize.

I got a call from Yeonseo.

–Song Kiyeol said he would actively help us.

"I know."

–Man, you treat a 3rd gen chaebol like he's your assistant. As expected of our boss.

"It's a win-win relationship."

–Anyway, with his help, I think she'll be taken in by a protection agency in the Sungshin Foundation.

It was bittersweet news. When that child desperately banged society's doors for help on her own, no one was able to come to her aid. No, they didn't come to her aid. But now that a grandson of the Sungshin corporation was stepping in, the way opened up like Moses parting the sea. It was sad and regretful, but this was reality. That was why I needed to work and live even harder, to carve a place for myself and my family in this cruel world.

–I think she'll get proper protection now.

"That's good."

–Because you're paying special attention to her, I think she's even got a bodyguard?

"Really?"

Song Kiyeol was handling the work I asked of him very nicely. The way he proactively went above and beyond what I asked him to do really made me think it was good I chose him instead of his sister Song Junghye.

–That sorry excuse for a father won't even be able to get close to her in the future. Seriously, how can such a piece of shit be a dad?

"Did you get any info related to the Predator Barrier?"

–Yeah. After I bought her two hamburgers, she spilled all the beans.

Predator Barrier. Corpses that grew stiff like tree bark. Predator Tree Colony. Was there really no connection?

–She says it's a barrier she makes by scattering Predator Tree seeds. The effect of the barrier can change depending on the caster's will.

It could give a buff, or it could kill. It sounded like a very useful barrier.

–But she says it's strongest when she's hunting something.

"Makes sense. It's called [Predator Barrier], after all."

The next piece of information was quite interesting.

–And apparently, she can pick up those seeds in a special field.

"A special field?"

–Yeah. She's got a class called Barrier Magician.

I already knew that.

–She can create a special gate.

She could go through that gate to a different field.

"The name of that field is…?"

–Predator Tree Colony.

The Barrier Magician Ahn Seohye, Korea's most famous Irregular, the Red Demon. She was one of the puzzle pieces connected to the Predator Tree Colony.

* * *

I obtained one clue related to the Predator Tree Colony. However, it didn't look like I could go and meet Seohye right away, I also made a conscious decision not to rush my meeting with her. I planned on getting to know her slowly while she got closer to Yeonseo and received special care from Sungshin's affiliated protection agency. Yeonseo said she didn't think it would take long for the girl to come around.

'Just is in her fundamental disposition.'

What tragedies must a fundamentally good person have suffered to become a mass murderer? I couldn't even imagine.

'I'll take it slow approaching her.'

If I could have a positive relationship with a Red Demon in her prime or have her join the team, that would be a huge boon for us.

'That just leaves finding Charles' owner, but…'

For this one, I was stumped. Who could possibly be the owner of a 'Twin-Headed Black Dog', of all monsters? All I knew was that it was for sure not a Player. We had ten days left.

One day passed, and Sunhwa came into my room.

"I'm back from school."

Sunhwa was adjusting well to the school she had transferred into. I was proud of her. She seemed to have good relationships with others at school, which I knew because she liked to bum around in my room after school and chat.

"Oppa. Can I go meet up with Seohye unnie today?"

"Why?"

"We promised to go eat hamburgers together."

I tousled Sunhwa's head. I didn't get why she sought permission for stuff like this from me.

"Go and have fun."

"But, um, she said she also wanted to meet you."

All of a sudden? Already? After just one day? That was surprising, considering that she likely had a deep distrust and hatred of men.

"I praised you a lot. Unnie also knows it's thanks to you that she was taken in by protective services."

"..."

Sunhwa tended to be a little loose-lipped. Apparently, she had blathered the ins and outs of everything to Ahn Seohye in no time. That wasn't outside of my expectation, but it was a lot faster than I thought.

"A beautiful friendship won through hamburgers! Seohye unnie is really nice. She even bought me hamburgers."

Then, she boasted that she and Seohye were messaging each other a lot on KakaoTalk.

"She also said she'd buy me fried chicken. Isn't she so nice?"

"Does buying you hamburgers and fried chicken make someone nice?"

"Of course!"

In any case, I was able to meet Ahn Seohye with the help of Yeonseo and Sunhwa. Our meeting took place in a fried chicken restaurant in downtown Seoul.

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