Chapter 72: CH 69

Chapter 69
 
     However, I couldn’t refuse because of the annoying way Jung Garam handed the bracelet over. The Treasure Hunter pierced through my guilt and frustration with logic, “How could you approach someone like Koo Hui-seo without items that counter curses?”
     I just assumed that once we found Koo Hui-seo, Seo Dawon or Jung Garam would deal with him…Shamefully, my complacent mindset was called out. In the end, there was nothing I could do but lower my hand to keep the bracelet hidden from view.
     “You should wear this necklace too.” Seo Dawon approached me very naturally from behind and hung the necklace around my neck–to the very end, these two guys were acting ridiculously.
     What was even more ridiculous was that the necklace that Kim Sangyoon gave me was still within my hands. In short, the necklace I am wearing now was not Kim Sangyoon’s. I didn’t realize that he hung some unidentified necklace around my neck until I saw the updated system message.
 
          ╔═════ ∘◦ ✾ ◦∘ ══════╗
[Ciphe’s Glory]
Type: Necklace
Rank: Rare
Durability: 200
Equipment Restriction Level: None
Special Skills:
Perfect Shield (Total Physical Immunity)
‘Return Home’ (Automatic Return) 1
Description:
*The stored skills will be automatically used for the safety of the User.
*Exceeding a threshold of physical damage will trigger ‘Perfect Shield,’ invalidating all physical attacks within a 1-meter radius of the User.
*The User can teleport to a designated location using the ‘Return Home’ function once a day. However, there may be restrictions on movement due to the limitation on magic power consumption depending on the distance traveled. 
          ╚═════ ∘◦ ❈ ◦∘ ══════╝
 
     “W-what!” I touched my neck in surprise–a totally different texture from the gold filigree necklace that Kim Sangyoon had given me earlier.
     No wonder he came and personally tickled my nape…Is he trying to switch the Warrior’s present for his? He moved so naturally that I missed the timing to refuse his gift…
     “Huh? Did you call for me?” Kim Sangyoon called.
     But I couldn’t even complain to Seo Dawon about his ridiculous action. Kim Sangyoon couldn’t see Seo Dawon, so, if I got angry at thin air, he would think I’m insane.
     Eventually, I told Kim Sangyoon, “Ah, it’s nothing…” with a clumsy smile. Just in case he’d notice the bracelet or the new necklace, I quickly stood up and left the room, “I need to use the restroom real quick…”
 
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[Choi Lee-kyung: Just what do you think you’re doing–]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     Seo Dawon sat in one of the lounges next to the room; I glared at him as he audaciously shrugged back. Argh…!! What’s with that American-like reaction?!
     “Isn’t it better to have a necklace that can be used permanently as long as it’s recharged rather than a three-use disposable one?” He neatly packaged his logic, arguing that he acted reasonably.
     Others might assume that he always thinks of me so devotedly. Does he think I’m ignorant of his desire to be mean to Kim Sangyoon through this strange contest?
 
          ╔═══════════════╗
[Choi Lee-kyung: Honestly, if you’re planning to give me something]
[Choi Lee-kyung: Then you should have told me in advance–]
[Choi Lee-kyung: And Sangyoon-ssi gave me this because he was worried I don’t have some sort of shield. If I wear something different…] 
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     “Why? Does it hurt your heart because it feels like you’re ignoring his sincerity?” Seo Dawon said.
     “Pffft!” Jung Garam laughed.
     But, it was clear that the two of them were unwilling to consider courtesy or the circumstances of the gift. “If you feel too sorry to return it…give it to me instead. You can say you exchanged that necklace with one of mine.” Seo Dawon proposed an absurd solution.
     If you gave someone a gift, would it be kind to say they exchanged that gift the very day it was received? Moreover…at nightfall, Seo Dawon and Kim Sangyoon will move as a team…
     Seo Dawon took it a step further, smiling at Kim Sangyoon’s necklace still clutched in my hand. “You’re going to put that on for me, right?”
     “You’re shameless.”
     Tickling my neck…hanging that necklace…you just did as you pleased.
     Jung Garam, who was laughing at the sidelines, suddenly chimed in, “Hey, Choi Lee-kyung…Hyung made that himself.”
 
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[Choi Lee-kyung: ??]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     “That’s right. I even patented the magic-powered charging circuitry in that necklace.”
     “Kim Sangyoon just buys everything with money; Hyung did everything from scratch–from hunting for materials and designing the blueprint…Who’s more sincere now?”

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     My head started to ache as I saw Jung Garam boldly brag, as if he was the one who made it. The same went for Seo Dawon’s mysterious expression–I couldn’t tell whether or not he was simply teasing or was amused…
     Bullshit. What sincerity…
     And, what’s even more audacious…when did I ever ask for something so precious? Those guys just adopted this competitive mindset on their own, burdening me with playing mediator…
     At first, I was speechless, but I didn’t want to be dragged around like this. I slammed my hand onto the holographic keyboard and sent them a [message].
 
          ╔═══════════════╗
[Choi Lee-kyung: Sangyoon-ssi]
[Choi Lee-kyung: gave me his gift purely because he was worried for my well-being.]
[Choi Lee-kyung: You two gave yours because you don’t like him.]
[Choi Lee-kyung: I think the purity of intent is different.]
[Choi Lee-kyung: kek]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     So, I tried to fight back with some mockeries of my own.
     However, when Jung Garam saw my message, he said something quite strange. “You’re not going to help Sangyoon-ie when he gets hit? You’re just going to watch him?” Was he responding to someone else?
     Perhaps he was influenced by Seo Dawon’s bias and his one-sided interaction with the changed and contracted Warrior. However, discomfort grew in my heart, and I needed to say something to defend the man.
 
          ╔═══════════════╗
[Choi Lee-kyung: Kim Sangyoon probably has a girlfriend ^^;; His ex-girlfriend was a super pretty streamer 2
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     “HUH? With that kind of face?”
 
          ╔═══════════════╗
[Choi Lee-kyung: I guess it’s a type of face that girls like…]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     “Then why does he look like *that* whenever he sees you?”
     His question made me speechless–I searched through my memories of my interactions with Kim Sangyoon.
     But…I really didn’t know what Jung Garam was talking about? I’m not oblivious–Kim Sangyoon has never made any strange advances towards me.
     Rather, I felt that he was worried that I might take his actions as flirting? Whenever he bought me something, he always emphasized his loyalty and denied wanting anything more than acceptance. Besides, only recently has Kim Sangyoon been docile, and it’s all because of the [vow of submission]…
     Above all, I couldn’t imagine that kind of affection from him since my first impression of the man still lingers in my memories. He was never tender in the dungeon either. He was a punk who valued money and was only kind to me when his reputation was in jeopardy.
     Jung Garam may have misunderstood his current actions since he didn’t know what the Warrior was like before. Or, I guess Kim Sangyoon might have gone insane from the stress of the contract.
     But, why does any of this matter?
 
          ╔═══════════════╗
[Choi Lee-kyung: Anyway…I don’t have any feelings for Kim Sangyoon. If I have to choose, you guys are my priority. I signed a contract to settle your grudges.]
[Choi Lee-kyung: So don’t harass me using Kim Sangyoon as an excuse.]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     “When have I ever harassed you? Rather, I’ve been damn good to you.” Of course, Jung Garam had to attack me with his barbed words at least once. But, when I talked about my priorities, this bashful appearance made it worthwhile.
     He looked a little shy…The Treasure Hunter had easy to read facial expressions, so I could easily assume his mood. Did he act so mean in order to hear that I valued them more than Kim Sangyoon?
     I looked towards Seo Dawon, wondering if he felt the same…As expected, I was met with a blank wall of a face–mysterious.
     Maybe it’s a relief that Jung Garam was so easy to read. Anyway, the two seemed to have thankfully quieted down, so I wanted to end the conversation here.
 
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[Choi Lee-kyung: Regarding Kim Sangyoon…Either way, he’s still of use to us.]
[Choi Lee-kyung: It would have taken longer for us to make a reservation here if it weren’t for him.]
          ╚═══════════════╝
 
     The word ‘useful’ was deliberately placed in that sentence. I needed to use an impersonal word like that to break my servants out of their obsession with the man. If I were to paint Kim Sangyoon in a good light, it may rustle their pride…
     My intuition seemed to have guided me well: they both remained calm.
 
 
TL: There’s too much to talk about in this chapter it’s hard to pick one…Lee-kyung’s obliviousness to literally everything despite saying he’s not oblivious? Seo Dawon’s peacocking? Jung Garam exposing their DMs where Seo Dawon’s definitely regretting contracting Sangyoon?
Footnotes In the original, Return home was phonetically sounded out in hangul–the Korean language. The original said “Broadcast Jockey, which is a live-streamer in Korea (or more specifically the streaming service known as AfreecaTV)

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