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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Elizabeth
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*Thwack! Thud, thump, bam!* The massive body bounced off the floor and walls before coming to an abrupt stop.
“Uh…?”
As she stood there, dazed by the sudden turn of events, a soft message descended before her eyes, like a gentle caress.
【The System Administrator's fierce rage shakes the system!】
【Warning! The Administrator's anger is reaching its limit!】
The content, however, was anything but gentle.
“Ri-Rija-nim?”
The successive messages felt like the Administrator's roar, sending a chill down her spine. He was so enraged that she’d been targeted for death that it was affecting the entire system.
Seora stared blankly, her gaze shifting between the half-dead Park Jinyong and the messages.
‘He’s so angry it’s affecting the system…’
She was grateful that he clearly cared for her, but this was also a little terrifying…
【The blessing ‘Protection’ has faded.】
The blessing that had sent Park Jinyong flying with triple the force was gone. Seora subconsciously rubbed her arm as she looked at the bloodied mess that was Park Jinyong.
“Is there anything else I need to do?”
He must not have even put up a defense, as he seemed completely unconscious. Not that she felt sorry for him. She was more concerned about the Administrator, whose anger was apparently rocking the system.
“I’m fine, so please calm down, Rija-nim.”
Unlike usual, no emoticon appeared in response. The absence of his typical playful messages sent a jolt of fear through her.
He seems genuinely furious. What do I do?
The unconscious Park Jinyong was no longer the problem. Calming down the Administrator, who seemed to have gone off the deep end with protectiveness, was the priority.
“My dear Rija-nim, thank you so much for looking out for me. And thank you for punishing him for me. You’re so pretty. So lovely. So good. So let’s just calm down now. There, there.”
Seora gently stroked the message declaring the Administrator’s fury. But perhaps she was too focused on soothing him while simultaneously stomping on the stirring Park Jinyong with her foot.
“…What are you doing?”
She hadn’t even noticed Kang Sejun approaching until he was right beside her. Seora, who had been caressing the air while muttering “pretty” and “good,” jumped in surprise.
“Gah, you again! You! Make some noise when you walk!”
“There was a commotion nearby, so of course I’d approach with my presence concealed. Did you want me to announce my arrival for all to hear? More importantly, Rija? Who in the world is that, that you’re talking to thin air?”
“…”
Oh, crap. He heard all of that. Seora stopped stroking the Administrator’s message and cleared her throat.
“My… my Constellation…”
“Is ‘Rija’ the epithet of your Constellation?”
“Not exactly. I just, ahem, decided to call him… El-Elizabeth.”
Seora shut her eyes and let the lie slip out. In response, she received a scornful look from Sejun and, finally, the emoticon she’d been waiting for from the Administrator.
【Administrator: ꒪⌓꒪……?】
Though it wasn’t exactly a pleased expression.
*I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But I can’t just say you’re the Administrator, can I? Elizabeth is a classic name, so let’s just compromise on that.*
【Administrator: ꒪⌓꒪!!!!!!】
Seora deliberately ignored his message.
“Anyway, what are you doing here? We weren’t supposed to meet here.”
“How could I not come when you were making such a racket?”
Kang Sejun’s gaze shifted to Park Jinyong, who was being crushed under Seora’s foot.
“You’re too money-grubbing to do this to an innocent person. Did he pick a fight? What did he do to get beaten half to death?”
“It wasn’t me… Never mind. This bastard deserves it. He’s the one who threw me into the werewolf dungeon.”
“Why did he seek you out?”
“He says it’s my fault he’s a criminal now.”
“What an idiot. Who was the one who tried to commit murder in the first place?”
A cold smile touched Kang Sejun’s lips.
“His actions did lead to your rank increasing and you contracting with a top-tier Constellation… but still, that’s that and this is this. Are you going to kill him?”
Kill him, huh? Seora looked down at the completely unconscious Park Jinyong.
Yes, she wanted to kill him. The desire was there. The terror she had felt in that C-rank dungeon still haunted her from time to time.
She would probably never forget it.
“He paid the price for throwing me in that dungeon. He was abandoned by Cheongrang and received legal punishment. That matter is over.”
“But?”
A cold smile spread across Seora’s face as she looked down at Park Jinyong.
“His attempt to kill me just now has nothing to do with that. This incident requires its own appropriate price, don’t you think?”
“Then kill him.”
Kang Sejun said it so casually that Seora, with an equally dispassionate face, raised her gun.
He had paid the price once. Now, for the second time, he had to pay a price that fit the crime.
She aimed the barrel of Heat, which she had transformed into a Colt, at the unconscious man’s head.
“What a joke. Crying about how unfair it is. He’s allowed to kill me, but I’m not allowed to do the same to him? Because he’s an A-rank and I’m just a pathetic F-rank?”
She heard Kang Sejun scoff beside her.
Yes, it was truly pathetic. What was so great and important about rank? Even a mighty S-rank could die in an instant, and a pathetic F-rank could survive through sheer luck. That was just how this world worked.
*Click.* Her finger pulled the trigger. Two bullets burst from the end of the silenced barrel.
“Ugh, aghhhhh!”
The pain must have jolted Park Jinyong awake, as he started screaming again. Seora tossed the gun back into her inventory with a bored expression. Kang Sejun watched her with a strange look on his face.
“You’re not killing him.”
“Because I’m a good person.”
“Your eyes aren’t smiling.”
Honestly. He should learn to play along. Seora wrinkled her nose.
“You seem to have forgotten, but for all my faults, I’m still a civil servant. I don’t go around killing people out of personal anger. I’m furious, of course, but I haven’t forgotten my duty.”
After she quit, maybe, but as long as she held her official position, she had to be careful. The Association, and by extension Song Hanna, had many enemies. Seora didn’t want to cause her any trouble.
“And most importantly, there’s a witness, isn’t there?”
Seora gave Kang Sejun a subtle smile, and a flustered look crossed his face.
“My apologies for that.”
“I’m kidding. But since you’re a witness, you’ll have to help me out. With that.”
She gestured with her chin toward Park Jinyong’s knees, which she had just shot. The knees he was clutching while screaming were completely shattered; he would never walk properly again.
“I thought you said you don’t engage in personal revenge because you’re a civil servant?”
“Even civil servants are allowed to act in self-defense.”
Kang Sejun, who had been staring blankly at her bold reply, let out a dry laugh. He muttered something about how there was no winning with her.
“Well, to be honest, I wasn’t that angry anyway. My Rija, you see, got incredibly angry on my behalf.”
Seora looked up at the empty air. The Administrator was probably watching her.
His rage had been unexpected but also pleasant, and it had quickly washed away any anger she felt toward Park Jinyong. The Administrator was far more important than this man, who would never appear before her again.
【Administrator: ꒪⌓꒪ 】
However, the Administrator, having been given such an absurd nickname, was still in a state of disbelief. Seora shrugged.
*Let’s compromise. This way, even if someone overhears, calling you Rija won’t be a problem. From now on, when we’re not at home, I’ll call you Rija.*
【Administrator: (╬◣д◢)】
*It’s no use saying no. I’ve already made up my mind. My Rija, what a pretty name. If you don’t like it, I can call you Liz or Lizzie. Haha. Elizabeth has so many nice nicknames.*
【Administrator: ( ◣д◢)൭൭⁼³₌₃!!!!】
“…Pfft.”
His familiar reaction made Seora burst out laughing.
Ah, it felt like everything was back to normal. Laughing together like this was much better than seeing him angry.
【Administrator: ╭☞◣‸◢╭☞】
Just then, the Administrator, still fuming, pointed toward a specific direction. Seora’s head snapped that way.
“Someone’s coming.”
“Your senses are sharp.”
“I didn’t know until my Rija told me.”
The fact that she had only just noticed them, despite them not being far, meant the newcomers were powerful.
“An S-rank?”
“It’s Han Su-eon and Director Do. If it’s those two, they’ll catch up to us quickly even if we try to leave.”
Of all people. The so-called king of mages, Han Su-eon, and Do Junyeong, whose sensory perception was said to be incredibly wide. Seora stared at Park Jinyong’s bleeding knees.
Oh, if I get caught, I’m royally screwed.
“Mr. Mage, I’m going to need your help.”
“…What are you planning now?”
The instantaneous souring of Sejun’s expression must have been her imagination.
With no time to explain, Seora quickly reached into her inventory again. She pulled out Heat, transformed, and shoved it firmly into his hand.
“What are you doing?”
“From this moment on, the one who shot Park Jinyong was an L-rank mage. I’m just a frail F-rank who was barely saved thanks to you, Mr. Mage. I’m counting on you.”
“You have got to be kidding me, you crazy woman.”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence. Do Junyeong and Han Su-eon appeared around the corner at the end of the alley.
And in that same instant, Seora’s masterful performance began once more. Her body trembled violently, and she collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had left her.
