The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess - Chapter 97



097 – The Goddess of Luck is Full of Mistakes # 1

097 The Goddess of Luck is Full of Mistakes # 1

In the dark night, Baek Yeo-ul headed towards the unfamiliar night streets instead of going home.

As she did, she kept replaying what happened with Ha Nam-jin earlier in her mind.

‘Ha Nam-jjin scolded An Yu-ri, who told me I was useless! And also, he said I was amazing in front of everyone! I am an amazing person!’

Baek Yeo-ul trusted Ha Nam-jin.

To the point where she trusted him more than herself.

It couldn’t be helped since Baek Yeo-ul had always failed and only experienced sad things.

But after meeting Ha Nam-jin and following him around, everything started to work out so well.

That point bothered Baek Yeo-ul.

Because Baek Yeo-ul didn’t want to just follow Ha Nam-jin, she wanted to walk alongside him.

‘I can’t stay like this either. If I do, I’ll really just end up as a funny, stupid-looking female friend and that will be the end! I have to change!’

Baek Yeoul pulled out a few pinches of “Witch’s Weed” she’d secretly grabbed earlier. If she ate this, could she get stronger too?

But, instead of tossing the “Witch’s Weed” into her mouth, Baek Yeoul blew it all away in a gust of wind.

“I don’t wanna get ugly!”

She’d seen Ahn Yuri’s face twist and contort like someone hideous from withdrawal, so she couldn’t bring herself to eat the “Witch’s Weed.”

Wanting to look pretty in front of someone she liked was a point of feminine pride she couldn’t give up.

And so, Baek Yeoul headed toward the container where Jin Eunbyeol was hiding.

Jin Eunbyeol, with a candle lit, had black eyes gleaming in the darkness.

“You’re Baek Yeoul, right? What brings you here?”

Her voice was gentle, but Baek Yeoul was still scared of Jin Eunbyeol. But being left behind and forgotten was even scarier, so she opened her heart honestly.

“…I… I want to get stronger. I’m tired of just being helped and doing nothing, of living without confidence in front of others. I want to be of help to someone, too. And… I thought you might know how!”

Jin Eunbyeol listened quietly to Baek Yeoul’s confused confession.

Then, with a calmer voice, she soothed her wavering heart.

“I knew you would come here. Everything follows the flow of fate. You coming to find me is not just your will, but also the will of this concept.”

*Slick-*

Jin Eunbyeol pulled a small gem out of a box that looked like a ring case. The blue-shining stone was incredibly beautiful.

It was also a concept stone she had shown Baek Yeoul when they first met.

“This is yours. Probably from the beginning to the end. I was just keeping it. The power you wanted, you can get it if you have this.”

Baek Yeoul knew well from today’s experience how difficult it was to obtain a concept stone, and how much people desired it the stronger the concept was.

At the same time, she knew better than anyone how awful it was to possess unwanted power because she had experienced the concept of “Misfortune.”

“You don’t know what concept it is?”

*Whirr-*

Jin Eunbyeol shook her head.

“I don’t know. I just received it from someone else. You know the cleaning lady who worked at our house? That lady, actually, she was very suspicious.”

Baek Yeoul thought of the woman who worked like a housekeeper at Jin Eunbyeol’s villa. She couldn’t really remember her face.

Remembering faces was normally her specialty.

“…Who was she?”

“Right? She was clearly with me, but I can’t remember her. In the first place, I don’t even remember hiring a cleaning lady, but she appeared out of nowhere… Which is why the item she gave me is so suspicious.”

I need to find the owner of this “Concept Stone” -.

At the time, that thought filled Jin Eunbyeol’s head.

The concept of “demon” had turned some into a ma’in, rendering normal thought impossible.

But one thing was clear in this situation: this “concept stone” was incredibly powerful.

And, it resonated well with Baek Yeoul.

“Yeoul-ah, what color does this look like to you?”

“Me? Blue. A very deep and clear… blue.”

“It just looks transparent to me. That’s because we’re not a good match. But I can tell this is a concept with immense heat. The choice is yours.”

*Shkk-*

Jin Eunbyeol slid the ring box containing the concept stone into Baek Yeoul’s hand.

Only then did the feeling of unease and obligation that had been weighing on her mind seem to lift.

The choice was now Baek Yeoul’s.

Baek Yeoul stared at the brilliantly sparkling concept stone for a long while.

‘If this goes wrong, I might become a ma’in too. I’m unlucky, so that’ll definitely happen. But… I don’t want to be just another forgettable girl to Han Namjin!’

Han Namjin had said he didn’t care if Seo Gaeul didn’t reciprocate his feelings. His love was a one-way street that didn’t expect anything in return, and Baek Yeoul thought that was cool.

Baek Yeoul, taking after that feeling, tried to find meaning in the fact that she just liked Han Namjin.

But it wasn’t easy.

People have desires, so when you’re with someone, you can’t help but want to hold their hand.

So, Baek Yeoul made her choice.

“…Are there other options?”

She tucked the concept stone safely into her pocket for now.

# # #

“So, you’re saying I should try cutting this silver coin with my sword? Using the concept of ‘robbery’ to extract the concept of ‘luck’ hidden within the coin? Will that really work?”

Seo Gaeul clicked her tongue, looking half-convinced after hearing my story. I hadn’t heard of extracting concepts from “artifacts” either, so I couldn’t say for sure.

But what about a combined effect of “robbery” and “miracle”?

It was worth a shot.

Ultimately, Seo Gaeul found herself having a staring contest with the silver coin placed on a cutting board in our living room.

“……”

She looked like a headsman concentrating before chopping someone’s head off.

Somewhere in this world, there might have been a rich man who hired a beautiful executioner just to watch them cut things or people, right?

If there was, they would have felt just like I did right now.

Seo Gaeul’s focused profile was as sharp as a drawn blade, and it even made me tense.

But, Seo Gaeul soon relaxed, letting out a long sigh.

“Why?”

“But this face on the silver coin… It feels like I’ve seen it somewhere, but where was it?”

She seemed bothered by the silver coin with the woman’s face engraved on it.

But that was only for a moment.

*Shwing-*! *Thwack-*!

Seo Gaeul slammed the silver coin down onto the cutting board.

The silver coin was split in half.

The problem was, the cutting board was also split in half.

“kk-aaak! My cutting boaaard!”

Seo Gaeul’s blade seemed sharper than she’d expected. Seo Gaeul, also stunned by the cutting power, just stared blankly for a moment before snapping back and poking me in the side.

“More importantly, did it work out like you thought?”

Let’s see.

The lucky coin, now split in half, no longer had words that could be read through «Emotion».

It must be because it was destroyed.

Then?

「Name : Maple – Wakizashi

A sword crafted by a legendary master craftsman. All previous owners of this sword have met a gruesome death.

Possesses : 《Plunder Lv.4》 – Allows you to steal everything from the opponent through an irrational and unreasonable trade.」

Nothing new had popped up for «Maple».

What’s left is confirming Seo Gaeul herself—.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Seo Gaeul, narrowing her eyes, wary of me.

“Don’t forget, I have a knife in my hand.”

“Hehehe, Come heeere!”

“Ugh, what nooow!”

I pulled Seo Gaeul into a tight hug.

Seo Gaeul, completely flustered, started wriggling and screaming.

“aaahhh! You crazy pervert b*stard!”

「Name : Seo Gaeul

Hold: Expand to see details ☜

《Miracle Lv.4》 – Like its name, it’s an existence that defies common sense and rules.

《Lady Lv.3》 – Graceful and refined, like an angel.

《Length Lv.1》 – Can adjust the length of objects like a rubber band.

《Repair Lv.1》 – Can fix things that haven’t been broken for long.

《Luck Lv.4》 – Lucky as a bluebird in a fairytale.

Status: 《Irritated》 – Seriously pissed off!」

Letters floating up from a flustered Seo Gaeul!

《Luck》 has settled upon Seo Gaeul!

My prediction was right. Seo Gaeul was a crazy awesome one capable of stealing concepts by “plunder” and acquiring them for himself!

Even better, Seo Gaeul could bestow his concepts upon others, making his awesomeness tenfold.

Of course, Seo Gaeul himself was thoroughly annoyed.

“Ugh, get off me!”

*Push-*!

After shoving me away, Seo Gaeul hastily adjusted his clothes. His face was completely flushed, like a bomb about to explode.

“You know, you shouldn’t just grab a girl like that, right?”

“I do. But it’s not like I’d do that to just anyone.”

What’s the difference between a man and a beastly male?

That he doesn’t like just any woman.

Whether my sincerity got through or not, Seo Gaeul shuddered as if having a chill.

“Why me, though?”

“Seo Gaeul, it wasn’t me, you chose me.”

Seo Gaeul made a face that said he couldn’t understand.

He’d never know that he’d chosen me.

That frustrated me too.

Why me, of all people?

I should be the one asking that!

Now, Seo Gaeul surveyed the lonely, deserted living room.

Like he wanted to vomit something out but couldn’t, he repeatedly inhaled and exhaled for who knows how long.

He’d been like this all day.

“Baek Yeo-ul.”

I’d been wondering all day what Seo Ga-eul had wanted to say, and she went and said Baek Yeo-ul’s name, of all people.

Being the manly type, I waited patiently for her to continue, and Seo Ga-eul spoke as if she’d sorted through her thoughts.

“Take Baek Yeo-ul out of this raid party. Honestly, that guy’s no help and completely useless. Taking someone ‘unlucky’ like him will just get in the way.”

A harsh critique.

But, is that really it?

Does Seo Ga-eul truly want to exclude Baek Yeo-ul for that reason?

I’ve been watching Baek Yeo-ul and Seo Ga-eul’s relationship closely these past few days, or rather, since today. Some things, you have to look at for a long time to finally understand their true worth.

Based on my observations, it seemed to me that Seo Ga-eul was lying.

“Seo Ga-eul, what’s your real motive?”

“My real motive? I just said it. With Baek Yeo-ul around, nothing will go right!”

“Why not just admit that you’re worried about Baek Yeo-ul.”

“Huh? Who would worry about that guy!”

Seo Ga-eul huffed— she seemed genuinely angry.

But just for a moment; soon she regained her composure.

As if trying to take control of the conversation.

“It’s fine. I didn’t expect you to grant my request without conditions anyway. You always need something in return to do anything, that’s just how you are.”

It seems Seo Ga-eul has been observing me a lot too.

If I look closely at Seo Ga-eul, Seo Ga-eul must look closely at me too.

And this was Seo Ga-eul’s conclusion.

“If you take Baek Yeo-ul out of this raid party, I might make a special exception and go out with you.”