Son of a ****

"I must have seemed excessively eager to regain my composure back at the Garden of Terror," Yura said to herself.

For some reason, Yura hadn't picked up on the tension as easily as she used to. It was a shock when she was asked, along with her guild, to leave the expedition!

That cunning trickster, Kee Miyoung, had stirred the group against her while he watched from the sidelines, letting them do his dirty work.

Yura could still recall his husky, untrustworthy tone of voice, along with the countless times he tried to conceal his smirk when she was in trouble.

Lucky for him, Yura didn't have a dagger at her hand back then, or he might not be alive today.

As she reminisced, her fists clenched tightly, and she trembled where she lay.

Considering the magical power and profession that Kee Miyoung possessed, Yura knew he was the type of man Lindel needed to get rid of, a pest that needed extermination. He probably would've ended up in the slums if he hadn't found a party to cling to.

It was absurd to see others so easily deceived by him. She always knew he was thick-skinned, but she never expected him to be as shameless as he appeared. He even had the audacity to apologize to her, as if she was the one threatening him. Though his words sounded sincere, his eyes told a different story. He had successfully fooled everyone around them.

When she recalled his expression once more, anger surged within her.

"Damn..." Yura yelled.

As she tried to lie still, a voice emanated from outside her room.

It was one of Yura's companions...

"Yura, are you there?"

"I am. How's the situation looking so far?"

"Same, it's all just the same. We haven't heard anything new yet."

"Ha..."

"It's still too early to make a formal protest."

"Just how long will it take for them to assess the situation?"

"Well..."

"Why the hell didn't we notice this earlier? It seems like there's some sort of agreement between the Blue Guild and the Red Mercenary Guild. What the hell are these Red Mercenaries even up to? I have a feeling they're the ones pulling the strings."

"We've only been told to stay quiet and stay wary. We thought it is best not to draw too much attention to ourselves yet... Cha Hee-ra might be watching."

"What's the matter with Cha Hee-ra?"

"It seems that the guild executives have been meeting with the Red Mercenaries."

"What do you mean? Are they saying there's no need to understand the situation anymore? Did they not read what we wrote in the report?"

"Of course, they did, but..."

"And we all know we're not the culprits! All the witnesses seem to think that we, the Black Swans, are the villains here! Do they want the people of Lindel to think we're fools? And why are you all so scared of that woman?! Her and that... That's Kee Miyoung! That son of a ****!" Yura shouted!

"There's nothing we can do for the moment... There are rumors that Kee Miyoung has become Cha Hee-ra's confidant. There are even stories suggesting they might have been lovers in a past life. Perhaps that's why the two guilds seem so closely connected... It's not that I don't understand your frustration..."

"What?"

"Anyway, it would be better to watch the situation a little longer. There will definitely be a chance for payback."

"Yes, you're right. I won't settle for mere retribution. I'll torment Kee Miyoung endlessly until he begs for mercy. He seems to think that Cha Hee-ra will protect him forever. Let's see how long that faith lasts."

"Yes, you're right."

"Besides, they've caused so many blunders during the guild expedition, right?"

"Yes, initially, but now..."

"Ugh, I know what you mean. However, we can still use that to our advantage."

"Anyway, we still have a shot at this. Since they've sent us our items, it means we haven't been completely ignored, right?"

"Right."

"Yeah. We've received plenty of rare-grade items, and looking at the list, we got more than the Blue Guild."

"As we should. No matter how much the Red Mercenaries protect them, we deserve more rewards."

"I agree... Anyway, want to go out for a bite to eat? I'm hungry."

"Yes, sure, I'm hungry too."

"I heard a new restaurant opened up nearby. We should check it out."

Yura nodded and stood up, eager to shake off thoughts of that oily smirk and those calculating eyes. If she stayed cooped up in her room any longer, she'd lose it.

Opportunities for revenge would come in the future. No matter how much the Blue Guild was protected by the Red Mercenaries, they should know better than to mess with one of the major guilds like the Black Swans. With this thought, she started to feel better.

Yura left the guild building quickly. she didn't think much of the unusually large number of people outside until they reached the square, where a crowd had gathered.

"Ugh... There really are trashy people like this."

"Even if I close my eyes, I can imagine how barbaric they must be."

"Tsk."

Voices filled with disdain echoed through the square. She might have dismissed it as common chatter until she noticed that every single person held a newspaper.

She blinked. This was an unusual sight. The Lindel media wasn't known for being powerful or influential, and hardly anyone bought newspapers.

At most, they contained news about new monsters or the Holy Empire, usually only of interest to adventurers.

However, seeing non-adventurers with newspapers in hand piqued her curiosity. A dark feeling began to envelop her, and she couldn't resist grabbing a paper for myself.

"Oh, unnie..."

"T-This..."

["Bashing on Blue!"]

["Kim Hyunsung's Party, Recruited for Blue, Successfully Completes First Dungeon Trip"]

[The fastest tutorial dungeon completion with only four members!]

[Kim Hyunsung Party's Expedition With Multiple Guilds Sparks Controversy]

[Conflict and Rumors Surround Kim Hyunsung's Party in Expedition]

[Black Swan Guild Member Jung Yura's Involvement Causes Uproar]

[Allegations of Threats and Harassment Against Blue Guild]

[Speculations About the Future of Black Swan and Red Mercenary Relationship]

In less than a day, her entire world had crumbled. Her hands trembled as she continued to read.

She couldn't quite grasp what was happening right now.

But one thing was clear, the mastermind behind all this chaos, the one who had orchestrated it all, became painfully evident.

"Damn... you're one lucky son of a ****, Blue Guild. If it were us, we wouldn't just be insulted... we'd be dead."

"People like them are the reason Lindel isn't making any progress."

"Shh, keep it down!"

"Am I wrong?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Wait... isn't that Jung Yura over there?"

"Shh. She can hear you."

'That... that son of a ****.'

Only now did she truly understand how this had happened and who was responsible.

'Kee Miyoung, you cunning son of a ****...' Yura thought.....