The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 142

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

Episode 142. The Weight of Choice (2)

“You’re saying I absolutely cannot go there?”
Seol Jihoo’s voice rose without thinking.
[The previous emperor was executed during the revolution, and the newly crowned emperor declared it a Forbidden Zone.]
‘A Forbidden Zone.’
It wasn’t an entirely foreign concept. Even in this era, there were places designated as forbidden.
But the weight of it felt different knowing that even the emperor of an empire said to have reached the pinnacle of Demonic Engineering shouldn’t venture there carelessly.
“Why did he declare it forbidden?”
[Eeeeeeeh~.]
Floné whimpered, struggling to recall something so distant.
[Many people died there even after the previous emperor passed. That’s why we were told not to go.]
‘Even after his death?’
Seol Jihoo tilted his head in confusion.
“Did he keep monsters in that villa or something?”
[I don’t know.]
The wisps of smoke shook side to side.
[Many people were curious, but no one ever figured it out. What’s certain is that among all those who entered that villa, only that greedy emperor lived to tell the tale. Neither before nor after his death.]
“Can you tell me more about it?”
Just then, a small cough reached his ears, and Seol Jihoo jumped. Jang Maldong was watching through slitted eyes.
“Are you in communication?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
“Just speak freely. Don’t worry about keeping your voice down.”
“Thank you.”
Jang Maldong closed his eyes again, his steady gaze fading.
Though his questions piled high,
“…….”
Seol Jihoo couldn’t easily open his mouth, feeling oddly caught.

When they returned to Haramag, a communication was waiting from Kim Hanna. The moment he placed his hand on the crystal, the connection opened in less than ten seconds.
She was calling to tell him that she’d found the whereabouts of Cheon Salseong and the white-haired girl that Seol Jihoo had asked about before.
The siblings were last confirmed in Eva, but it seemed they’d entered the Temple and disappeared—likely returned to Earth. Kim Hanna ended by saying she’d notify him if they re-entered, but when she saw he was listening half-heartedly, she frowned.
– What’s with that attitude? I go out of my way to tell you.
“Ah. Thanks.”
– Some gratitude. Why? Is something wrong?
Seol Jihoo wavered over whether to speak.
He wanted to confide, but Bok Jeong-sik had asked him to keep the defection hidden from the siblings, and also requested it be treated as confidential.
Yet wanting information too, Seol Jihoo spoke carefully around the subject, guarding the secret.
But Kim Hanna was far from an easy woman to fool.
– Archer? Don’t tell me it’s Lee Seol-ah?
The moment he mentioned that Jang Maldong had visited to see a skilled archer in the White Rose, she saw through it like a ghost.
“No?”
– You’re lying. Given that old man’s standards, ordinary archers wouldn’t even catch his eye. And White Rose, no less~ the chief archer? Or maybe he went to scout talent.
“Actually, I went to see the chief archer.”
– Yeah? What’s the archer’s name?
“Huh? What was it again…”
– Look at you, not blinking an eye as you speak. Don’t you dare. The chief archer just terminated her contract with White Rose and left not long ago.
When Seol Jihoo fell silent, Kim Hanna gave a laugh that said ‘ridiculous’.
– Who are you trying to fool? Wet your whistle before you speak.
Seol Jihoo’s face went blank with shock.
Kim Hanna, who had been laughing, rested her chin on her clasped hands.
– Anyway, since it’s fine, just tell me.
“…….”
– Suit yourself. As if I can’t figure it out without you talking.
In the end, Seol Jihoo confessed everything that had happened.
By the time he finished explaining, Kim Hanna’s eyes had narrowed to slits.
– Hoo~ho. So the condition for defection is expedition cooperation.
Her pupils gleamed with sharp calculation.
– It’s certainly unusual. And the terms are awfully good.
“You think so too, right? Maybe they were targeting me all along.”
Kim Hanna looked at him with fresh eyes and let out an “Ah,” of recognition.
– Right. There was your grandfather.
“…Even if I dropped dead tomorrow, you wouldn’t think I was the one who figured it out.”
– Well, well.
Seol Jihoo laughed bitterly.
– Anyway, expedition, expedition….
Kim Hanna tapped her desk rhythmically. It wasn’t as though she knew every detail of what happened in Paradise, and Earthians going on expeditions wasn’t particularly unusual.
Yet Kim Hanna tilted her head, pursed her lips at odd angles, and generally wore the expression of someone catching a whiff of something suspicious.
– Something doesn’t sit right with me….
“What do you mean?”
– A foul smell.
Kim Hanna offered a sly smile.
– A very rotten stench of bullshit, wafting thick in the air.
It occurred to him that Kim Hanna had a habit of comparing suspicious situations to excrement.
– Given Bok Jeong-sik’s character, he’d never push something through by force… Hmm.
Crack.
She brought her hand down hard on the desk and fixed her gaze on Seol Jihoo.
– Hey.
“?”
– Don’t tell me you already jumped at the chance and accepted.
“Why would I do that? Of course I turned it down.”
– Good. I’m only saying this out of an abundance of caution, but don’t get involved in this. Whatever form it takes, keep your distance. Don’t even dip a toe in. You understand?
“I turned it down, I said.”
– We’ll see about that.
Kim Hanna snorted dismissively.
Seol Jihoo would understand what she meant a few days later.

“Welcome. It’s awfully hot today, isn’t it?”
“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”
“Yes. Please, come inside.”
Teresa, who had come to greet him at the entrance, personally escorted Seol Jihoo to the reception room.
Teresa wore not her usual breastplate and armor, but an apron instead — and with it came an impression less of buoyant energy and more of warmth and grace.
“I heard you’ve become the new leader of Carpe Diem?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You must not have even had a proper handover, so you must be struggling. It’s difficult, isn’t it?”
“I’m a bit overwhelmed, to be honest. I’m sure I’ll get used to it in time.”
“How sad for you. Tell me, would you like to wash up and rest a bit? Or should we eat first?”
Having said this, Teresa suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth and lowered her head deeply. Her shoulders, drawn up tight, trembled faintly—as if she were making a supreme effort to suppress laughter.
‘What’s wrong with her?’
“No, thank you. I showered this morning, and besides—”
“I see. Then let’s have dinner first.”
Teresa gently took his jacket from him.
“No, I’ll hold onto it, thank you.”
But Teresa simply ignored his protest, took the jacket anyway, and turned toward the dining room. Seol Jihoo thus found himself with the unexpected luxury of tasting food prepared by the princess’s own hands.
Throughout the meal—setting aside Teresa’s periodic questions of “Does it taste good?” and the way she rested her chin in her clasped hands, gazing at him tenderly—it was an excellent dinner in every way.
As Seol Jihoo dabbed his lips with a napkin, Teresa, who had been watching him with satisfaction, spoke softly.
“Well. Let’s stop here for today.”
“Pardon?”
“No, I was just thinking aloud. Anyway~.”
Teresa untied her apron and cast it aside, returning to her usual self.
“I heard you’ve become the new leader of Carpe Diem?”
“Didn’t you just say that a moment ago?”
“Ah, but this time it’s different. The meaning is different.”
Teresa giggled.
“Anyway, how does it feel to be a leader?”
“Well….”
Seol Jihoo paused briefly before speaking.
“I have a lot I want to do, but there’s very little I can actually accomplish? I’d say that’s where I am right now.”
“Why not? Are there things our hero of Haramag can’t do?”
Seol Jihoo couldn’t say when such a strange nickname had attached itself to him, but he let out a soft laugh.
“There are many things in this world that can’t be done without money.”
At the somewhat bitter edge to his voice, Teresa crossed her arms.
“That’s true. Money doesn’t guarantee happiness, but it at least buys you breathing room.”
It was far too practical an observation not to agree with.
“Don’t worry so much. If we’re short on money, we can always earn more, right?”
“That’s true. If there’s no bread, we can eat cake instead.”
Seol Jihoo agreed matter-of-factly.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Teresa waved her hand dismissively.
“I’m asking if you’d be interested in making some money.”
“?”
“Listen. We didn’t plan this, but a job opportunity came up recently….”
As she spoke, Seol Jihoo’s expression, which had been attentive, gradually darkened.
Teresa, who had been chattering away, noticed his face growing increasingly grim and fell silent.
“What’s wrong?”
For a moment she worried she’d misspoken.
“Is this a proposal from White Rose?”
Teresa blinked.
“…My goodness. You already knew?”
“Your Highness.”
Seol Jihoo’s voice had suddenly dropped.
“Did White Rose ask you to recommend us specifically?”
His tone had changed too.
Sensing something was amiss, Teresa quickly straightened herself.
“No. White Rose proposed cooperation and asked if I knew any skilled teams in Haramag they could introduce.”
…….
“It sounded like a decent opportunity, so the first team that came to mind was, well, the Carpe Diem Team….”
Teresa’s voice, which had been flowing smoothly, began to fade.
“Your Highness.”
Seol Jihoo spoke quietly.
“Actually, I visited White Rose not long ago. I received the same proposal at that time.”
“Oh no. You did? I had no idea.”
“Yes. And I refused.”
He’d thought the matter was settled with that refusal, but now the same offer had come again—routed this time through the Haramag Royal Family.
Was this coincidence, or something deliberately orchestrated?
‘Or perhaps….’
Fate.
Seol Jihoo’s eyes narrowed.
“Did you accept?”
“I haven’t given a definite answer yet.”
Teresa shook her head.
“But I did respond positively. The evidence is solid, after all. The Ancient Emperor’s Villa—there’s bound to be treasure lying around everywhere. White Rose has clearly put considerable effort into preparing this, and they’re offering us a share. It felt wrong to refuse….”
Teresa, chattering nervously, ventured a careful question.
“Why did you refuse?”
Seol Jihoo found himself at a loss for words.
At this rate, the Haramag Royal Family would likely participate as well.
He wanted to tell her not to go, but no suitable reason came to mind.
If he blurted out “You’ll die if you go” like last time, he’d be lucky to avoid being called a madman.
‘I could tell her the truth about the Nine Eyes….’
Wouldn’t Teresa be someone he could trust with that?
He pressed his lips together and wrestled with the decision.
As Teresa stared intently at him, something flickered across her eyes.
The Seol Jihoo she saw was someone who never flinched before any reckless tide, never backed away from fear.
Rather, the harder the challenge, the more he seemed to search for solutions—and he had proven more than once that he could actually pull them off.
Yet now he was hesitating over an expedition that was, while not easy, at least well-prepared?
After watching him in silence,
“Actually—”
A thought crossed her mind, and she broached the subject delicately.
“I’m kind of having second thoughts about going….”
Seol Jihoo’s head snapped back.
“It’s just… that’s all good, but the thing is we’d have to enter the Parasite Territory. I hear they’re planning to use sea routes instead of overland, but… you know? What we went through escaping that research facility.”
Teresa picked up the thread without missing a beat.
“Every time I think about it, I still jolt awake in the middle of the night. I don’t want to crawl back into something like that just to make a few coins.”
“Then—”
Watching Seol Jihoo’s expression brighten, Teresa delivered the knockout blow.
“You know what, I’m not going. Life’s worth more than money.”
“My lady.”
“Understand? I’m a woman whose mind changes like the wind.”
“Yes. That’s very wise thinking. Truly wise.”
Seol Jihoo didn’t even quibble about how he’d reversed himself faster than flipping a palm; he simply nodded again and again, as if genuinely relieved.
Watching him even brush a hand across his chest in gratitude, Teresa could finally be certain.
‘That was a close one.’
She hadn’t switched gears on a whim. Teresa had picked up on Seol Jihoo’s secret long ago, if only dimly.
More precisely: when the two of them had escaped that research facility in the Delphinion Duchy. Teresa had led the way, but it was Seol Jihoo who’d warned her when enemies appeared.
At first she’d thought it was just luck, but when his accuracy held at one hundred percent for more than a week, she couldn’t chalk it up to good instincts alone.
He wasn’t an Archer—no, even a high-rank Archer couldn’t predict hundreds of enemy approaches without missing once.
Whatever the case, there was a strong likelihood that some mysterious ability of his had activated on this occasion too.
There had to be a reason for it.
A reason why the young man called the “fixer” had been so desperate to back out since the banquet.
Most of all.
‘If my husband says not to go, then I shouldn’t go.’
Teresa toyed with her apron and smiled softly to herself.

(To be continued in the next episode)

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