The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 492

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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 3, Episode 96

I’d known from the start that Sa Ma Jin would be among today’s attendees.
He was the one who’d made the strongest request to Association President Ji Jung Hwi to arrange this gathering.
So I’d harbored some quiet hope.
Hoping that perhaps Sa Ma Young would come along.
But Sa Ma Young was nowhere among the four people standing behind Sa Ma Jin.
It wasn’t worth dwelling on for long.
Sa Ma Young’s beauty was striking enough to notice even through a speeding car window.
‘Guess they’re that busy.’
But I didn’t let my spirits sink.
My mouth just drooped a little, that was all.
“Well, well.”
A small disapproving sound escaped Association President Ji Jung Hwi’s lips.
I felt the same way.
In the VIP Room packed with people, only eight were actually seated.
Despite the empty chairs, not a single one of these “VIPs” had invited their own attendants to sit comfortably.
And this strange, oppressive silence on top of it all.
If my nature had been just a bit more disagreeable, I would’ve turned and walked right out.
“You’ve all come a long way.”
Association President Ji Jung Hwi attempted to break the stiffened atmosphere with the first greeting, but no response came back.
“Ahem.”
“Mm.”
Only brief, hollow coughs sounded.
Several of them, Sa Ma Jin included, pointedly refused to even glance in his direction.
As if Association President Ji Jung Hwi ranked too low to mingle with their company.
‘Did their brains get fried along with their minds being cleansed?’
What curse would make otherwise sensible people act this repugnantly all at once—unless it were some hex that tanked a company’s stock price for showing basic courtesy?
My patience was wearing thin.
An aide standing behind one of those corporate chairmen—famous for rolling in on a wheelchair when facing police investigation—finally opened his mouth.
“Of course our chairman is a busy man, as are all these distinguished guests. The Awakeners Association seems to have quite a flexible schedule, it appears.”
It was Korean, undeniably.
Yet I couldn’t quite grasp his meaning.
From his sarcastic tone, it certainly wasn’t meant kindly.
Unlike me, Association President Ji Jung Hwi was well-versed in such double-edged courtesies, and he smiled knowingly before responding.
“There’s little to rush about, is there? Haste tends to mar the work, wouldn’t you say? Heh heh.”
Then he turned his gaze toward me and added,
“Well, folk like myself and our guests who’ve stepped back from the front lines can afford leisure, but our healer Yeo Joo—every second of her time is precious beyond measure.”
Translating the exchange that had just occurred into simpler terms, the flow seemed to be something like this:
‘You keep such distinguished guests waiting this long?’
‘If you keep rushing me, do you think you’re busier than Yeo Joo?’
At Association President Ji Jung Hwi’s refined rebuke, the aide clamped his mouth shut and said nothing more.
Now it was my turn to step in.
I deliberately pulled out my phone and made a show of checking the time before speaking.
“There’s still about five minutes until the appointed time, and yet everyone’s here already. You must have been quite eager to meet me.”
In other words: ‘Aren’t you the ones in a rush?’
Watching Association President Ji Jung Hwi’s lips twitch with satisfaction, the message seemed to have landed.
I leisurely sipped the tea placed before my seat while scanning the faces of those gathered around the VIP Room.
They were wealthy enough that even someone with zero interest in economics—like me—recognized their caliber.
So naturally, even when they found themselves in the subordinate position, they acted the way they always did: as if they held all the power.
‘If I let this escalate, it’d put the Association in a difficult position.’
Yet I wasn’t disposed to cater to their whims either.
Association President Ji Jung Hwi had been right when he said ten billion won was too cheap a price.
Clink.
I set down my teacup and smiled.
“Shall we get this over with quickly?”
And then, a short while later.
“Mm.”
Sa Ma Jin, who’d been last in the sequence, closed his eyes and let out a low sound of satisfaction.

[ Not an Awakener. ]
[ No Dark Addiction to purify. ]

It was as good as not using my skill at all—there should have been no effect whatsoever.
Yet he carried on as if he’d just drunk a warming medicinal tonic, which I found ridiculous.
With his eyes closed, his face bore a faint resemblance to Sa Ma Young, though his mannerisms mirrored Sa Ma Jung’s perpetual fussiness.
‘They say he’s been grief-stricken since losing his son, but he looks fine to me.’
Yet he clearly treasured his own body enough to pay good money for a purification skill that had zero actual effect.
The other VIPs were no different from Sa Ma Jin.
One man was even shifting his body about, saying, “I can feel my blood flowing better now.”
Watching them, Association President Ji Jung Hwi let out a quiet laugh and, raising his voice as if for their benefit, asked me,
“Seems taxing. Are you alright, healer Yeo Joo?”
“It is draining, yes, Mr. President.”
I joined in the act, pressing a hand to my forehead.
And I didn’t forget to slip in one more thing.
“It’s a shame you’re all so busy, really. I was planning to introduce you to some defensive equipment that could prevent incidents like this from happening in the future.”
“Defensive equipment?”
One of the corporate chairmen—the one whose aide had let his displeasure show earlier—suddenly brightened.
“Yes, but since you all seem so pressed for time…….”
“We have time for that!”
“Cancel the golf appointment, for goodness’ sake!”
“Cancel the next meeting, Secretary Kim!”
The other chairmen spoke up too, their voices rising over one another.
I’d figured they’d sewn their lips shut from all the silence, but apparently not.
“Are you really sure you have the time?”
“Of course we do. Do you really have such defensive equipment? Something that can block even S-Rank?”
“It’s effective only against Mental-type Skills and is a single-use item, but the effect is guaranteed.”
I retrieved a small box from my Subspace and placed it on the table.

[ Defense Ring (S)
: Mental-type attacks only. Single-use. ]

The description was quite different from the items given to me—sparse and perfunctory—but it was still defensive equipment crafted by Je Hwa.
He’d said making it block only Mental-type Skills was hardly difficult.
“The single-use aspect has its own advantages. When the item activates, the Mana Stone shatters and immediately alerts you to the attack. However…….”
I unfolded the item description so the chairmen could see it clearly, then smiled as if troubled.
“Since it’s an S-Rank item, it’s quite expensive. And, well…….”
“What’s the problem?”
“The item is difficult to produce, so inventory is limited. I only have three, I’m afraid. What should we do?”
In that instant, I saw it.
The glimmer of ravenous desire flashing across their eyes.
‘These were originally supposed to be sold at the Justice Guild Shopping Mall for a much cheaper price.’
There was plenty of stock to go around to everyone here.
But I pulled out exactly three ring boxes onto the table.
Well, how about that.
A single word can pay a debt of a thousand coins, and a single forgotten greeting can cost you a thousand coins—such is the world.

* * *

“Whew, I’m exhausted.”
After pleasantly emptying the chairmen’s coffers and returning home, Na Baek Ho lay sprawled out on the floor of the Common Space.
He’d headed to the Mountain early and returned to take an afternoon nap.
“I earned my keep today, so let me rest a bit.”
“[Don’t wake…….]”
As I slowly crawled into his embrace, Na Baek Ho let out a purring growl and muttered as if sleep-talking.
“I won’t wake you. I’m going to sleep too.”
“[Mm. Sleep, sleep.]”
Having been outside in the crisp, cold depths of early winter, curling up against the tiger’s warm body brought sleep rushing over me in moments.
‘If he grew just a little bigger, it’d be perfect.’
Na Baek Ho’s size was slightly smaller than a full-grown tiger, which was a minor disappointment.
Cold seeped up from the hard floor where my body touched it.
But I didn’t want to open my mouth and let sleep slip away, so I kept the thought to myself.
Shwish.
“[That should do it.]”
Na Baek Ho expanded his body and lifted me onto his back.
He even draped his wings over me gently.
‘Na Baek Ho, you’re the best.’
Wrapped in warmth and comfort, with his rumbling purr as a lullaby, I drifted into sleep at once.
Who knows how long I slept.
Just as I felt it was time to wake and was opening my eyes,
Bang!
“Unnie! Yeo Joo unnie!”
“Yeo Joo!”
Someone rushed into the house and called out to me.
It sounded like Lee Yu Eul and Jang Su Ho.
But I couldn’t see them, so how could I know for sure?
With that thought, irritated at the uncertainty, I began to sit up, and Na Baek Ho silently lifted his wing for me.
“I’m over here.”
“Unnie!”
Lee Yu Eul came running and practically tackled me in a tight hug, crying out,
“I—I’ve been Re-awakened! I did everything Kang Han told me to do, and now I’m S-Rank too!”

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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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