The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 185

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World
Part 2, Episode 6

“That’s quite an odd question. Why wouldn’t I dislike you?”
“You know exactly what I’m asking.”
I couldn’t give an honest answer. What could I do?
“Hmm.”
I paused to think before responding.
“Because I don’t see the point, I suppose.”
“Explain it so I understand.”
Seeing Sa Ma Young’s stern expression, it was clear he wouldn’t back down without a satisfactory explanation.
“Our beginning wasn’t good. You followed me all the way to the Market Floor and tried to erase me. But that was it, wasn’t it?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Of course, it was unexpected that Hong Joo chose your side. But now Hong Joo seems to have adapted well to her new home. So I’m letting it go—both the fact that you tried to kill me and that you’ve been a good master to Hong Joo.”
“So you’re saying you don’t dislike me now?”
“Well, something like that. Hating someone takes more energy than you’d think.”
In other words, I wasn’t willing to spend that much energy on you.
Sa Ma Young, perceptive as he was, seemed to read the meaning between my words, and his expression grew even colder.
He was still handsome, but somewhat frightening.
I instinctively took a step back toward the Conference Room where Kang Han was.
It was a foolish decision.
The moment I retreated, a flicker crossed Sa Ma Young’s crimson eyes, and he closed the already narrow distance between us further.
“You’re too close—”
Naturally, I took another step back to create distance, and after repeating this a few times, our positions had reversed.
I was cut off from the exit.
That alone was enough to make me panic.
Ding—

《 ♥ 14 》

…Why is my favorability toward him rising?
“Sa Ma Young, we need to maintain distance now.”
I forced my voice to remain calm, refusing to let my fear show.
“Distance?”
Sa Ma Young murmured those words before stepping half a pace closer.
“Why should we?”
“Because you’re part of the Gong Gil Yeon Alliance, aren’t you?”
This is all your doing anyway.
I spoke to him as if explaining rules to a stubborn elementary school child.
“I absolutely cannot condone the Gong Gil Yeon Alliance’s response method, which nearly caused a Dungeon Break.”
So I don’t want to be near you—stay away.
But somehow, he seemed to interpret my words differently.
Sa Ma Young’s crimson lips curved into an ominous smile.
“So you’re saying you dislike the Gong Gil Yeon Alliance’s—my—response method?”
“No, that’s not what I meant….”
“Hmm.”
Sa Ma Young shoved both hands into his pockets and slowly bent forward.
Then he whispered near my ear.
“Should I spread the rumor that you have the ability to stop a rampage?”
“…I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“The truth is, I never lost consciousness for even a moment back then.”
“That’s a lie. I saw you pass out….”
“Remember this clearly—the moment you embraced me, my rampage symptoms began to fade slowly.”
That cunning bastard.
So he remembered everything, yet came to my Dormitory last time pretending to only know half the story?
My voice naturally took on an edge.
“Even so, who would believe that?”
“Well, maybe not everyone, but I’m sure there would be people curious enough to verify it. Don’t you think?”
“You son of a bitch….”
Sa Ma Young, who had been calmly looking down at me from close range so that my grinding teeth reflected in his eyes, suddenly let out a snort of laughter and pulled back.
“Just kidding, Yeo Joo. If I spread rumors, how could I bear to see you embracing someone else?”
Having regained his composure, he smirked wickedly, one corner of his mouth raised.
Watching him, my anger—which had been burning to the tips of my hair—slowly subsided.
I realized I had been completely played by his joke.
Thinking rationally, Sa Ma Young, who possessed possessiveness more than anyone, would never go around telling others about my ability.
This is infuriating in its own way.
It’s only been a few hours since I vowed not to be swayed by Sa Ma Young!
As I took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed my anger, true to his nature as a flame-type ability user, he reignited the fire.
“So don’t say such terrible things about keeping distance. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”
Despite the ominous words he uttered, Sa Ma Young, whose exterior was as impeccable as anyone’s, smiled with disarming innocence as he added this.
“I want to be loved by you, not hated.”
Ding-dong—
Ding-dong—
Ding-dong—
Ding-dong—
With an endless barrage of notifications, the system burst into a cascade of pink fireworks visible only to me, exploding again and again.
And finally, amid the settling confetti effect, I could see the speech bubble floating above Sa Ma Young’s head.

《 ♥ 25 : Mine 》

…Good grief, the lunatic.

* * *

Traffic had snarled on the drive back to the Guild after the meeting ended.
But the car, with no music playing, remained silent.
It wasn’t awkward, though, nor did the quietness feel uncomfortable.
I only realized we hadn’t spoken at all long after the car had started moving again.
I turned my head to the side and caught sight of Kang Han’s face reflected in the bright red brake lights of the car ahead.
With one elbow propped against the window frame and his gaze fixed forward, he seemed lost in deep thought.
Kang Han, who had remained unmoved even under the weight of countless hunters’ stares filling the conference room moments ago, was like an unwavering stone.
But now it was different.
This contemplative expression was another side of Kang Han that others couldn’t see.
Looking at him, it struck me that this man too was ultimately a ‘person’—with warm blood flowing beneath soft skin.
And in this moment, I somehow sensed what Kang Han was thinking about.
“Hmm.”
I turned my gaze toward the window and spoke.
“You seemed a bit irritated earlier. When they said, ‘The hunter’s true enemy lies beyond the Gate.'”
“…It showed?”
The skin beneath Kang Han’s eyes flushed slightly.
“Don’t worry—the others wouldn’t have noticed.”
“But you noticed, Yeo Joo.”
“Well, I was sitting right next to you. Besides… it’s me, after all.”
It was a lighthearted remark meant to make him laugh.
But Kang Han simply nodded with utmost seriousness.
“No one knows me as well as you do, Yeo Joo.”
…Is that so?
“It does seem that way. Still, everything they said was spot on. We’re swamped just hunting monsters and closing Gates—and now they want us squabbling over scraps among ourselves.”
“It won’t last long.”
“But if it ends too quickly, that would be problematic too.”
“A moment ago, you called it a rice bowl dispute….”
Kang Han’s green eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck, reflecting a hint of betrayal as he looked at me.
I could have backtracked and claimed it was a joke, but I chose honesty instead.
“It is a rice bowl dispute. So the biggest rice bowl belongs to us.”
“That means….”
“Let’s raise the Guild’s ranking.”
Ranking is an indicator that intuitively represents various aspects of a Guild.
The Guild’s scale, the number and grades of Hunters belonging to it, achievements in conquering Gates, and so forth.
It’s not for nothing that Hunters are obsessed with Guild rankings.
“With so much the Justice Guild needs to do going forward, it’s infuriating to be dismissed for having a low ranking every time.”
I had seen it earlier.
While Kang Han spoke with sincere conviction for the greater good, some Hunters had scoffed with eyes that asked, “Who does he think he is?”
I pulled out my phone from my pocket and checked the most recently published Guild rankings.
“As of today, the Justice Guild is ranked 87th.”
“That’s quite a rise.”
It was a ranking that reflected the contributions from resolving the Pangyo incident.
Considering the state the Justice Guild was in when I joined, it’s an impossible growth.
But looking at it another way.
“There are 86 Guilds above us, and I can’t stand the sight of them. I need to see the Justice Guild’s name standing at the very top.”
And fearing Kang Han might misunderstand, I quickly added.
“I’m not asking for permission. I’m just giving you a heads-up so you won’t be too shocked when it happens.”
Just then, the traffic light turned green and the car began moving forward.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Kang Han lifted his foot from the brake he had been pressing and stepped on the accelerator, laughing.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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