The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 153

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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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Chapter 153. An Extravagant Table

Though an awkward moment had arisen, once Hugo returned, Seol Jihoo took time to introduce him briefly to his teammates.
“I’m Lee Seol-ah! It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
“Ohhhhh!”
Hugo’s reaction exceeded all expectations. The moment he laid eyes on the wholesome, bright-eyed girl greeting him so cheerfully, his face broke into a broad grin.
“So you said you’re an Archer?”
“Yes. I’m a Level 2 Hunter.”
“Hunter? A hunter?”
“No. I’m a Tracker.”
“Ah! So a future Tracker has joined our team!”
Hugo, speaking with easy confidence, beamed and placed a hand on Lee Seol-ah’s shoulder.
“I’m Richard Hugo. I’m a Level 4 Barbarian Warrior, and you can call me Hugo. Or how about Hugo the Great?”
“Yes, yes. Hugo the… the Great.”
“Perfect! Let’s get along from now on, yeah? Anything hard comes up, just tell me anytime!”
Seol Jihoo watched Hugo thump his chest and laugh raucously, his smile turning wry.
He could easily guess why Hugo was making such a fuss over her.
For reference, when Lee Seongjin had introduced himself with “I’m Lee Seongjin. I’ll do my best,” Hugo had simply replied with a curt “Yeah” and nothing more.
As Cho Hong watched Hugo dancing about awkwardly, she regarded the siblings introducing themselves with a flat, indifferent gaze.
“Level 5 Templar. I’m Cho Hong.”
The terse introduction made the siblings visibly tense. Upper Tier Rank meant she belonged in the top ten percent of Earthians in Paradise, at the very least.
In a single sentence, they had just grasped who the strongest fighter in Carpe Diem truly was.
“The leader and the old man brought you in, so I don’t have much to say….”
She spat out the cigarette butt she’d been grinding between her teeth.
“Just don’t drag me down. Keep that one rule, and we’ll get along just fine. That’s all.”
“Look at you putting on airs. Bragging just because you’re Upper Tier?”
“What’s your problem?”
When Hugo taunted Cho, she immediately reached for the steel thorns at her belt, but the moment her hand grasped the hilt, she had no choice but to release it.
Jang Maldong had raised his staff.
Seol Jihoo felt his chest gradually swell as he watched Cho Hong and Hugo exchanging barbs, observing the bewildered siblings. Something warm bloomed in his heart.
The active roster had grown from three to five members. Including Jang Maldong, it was six.
As he thought about how “Seol Jihoo’s” team was being built piece by piece with his own character, the sentiment felt fresh and new. It was as if he were finally stepping out of Dylan’s shadow, and the strangeness of that filled him with a strange unease.
Yet there was still something that troubled him.
‘Pisora.’
She stood nibbling her lower lip with her front teeth, her face tinged with loneliness as she watched the bustling office.
Seol Jihoo sighed inwardly.
In the end, he had relented. It was because of Jang Maldong.
He hadn’t made a direct request, but the old man, being subtly sentimental at heart, could not ignore the plight of a former student he had taught with his whole heart and soul.
When Seol Jihoo saw Jang Maldong struggling to articulate his discomfort, he sensed what lay beneath those words.
Accepting Pisora reluctantly for Jang Maldong’s sake, Seol Jihoo had laid down clear conditions nonetheless.
First, she was to cease all interference with Carpe Diem affairs—in other words, she should behave like a guest.
He had made it especially clear that if she interfered with the siblings even once, he would throw her out that very day.
Second, she was to vacate her room within a month. It made no sense that someone of Upper Tier Rank lacked the ability to earn money, so it was a condition he felt justified in setting.
Pisora had protested with “I’ll keep quiet as long as you don’t touch me first,” but she had accepted nonetheless.
It wasn’t that Seol Jihoo was unaware of Pisora’s value. She was a “genuine” Upper Tier Rank who had mastered Body-Sword Unity, a technique he’d only ever read about in martial chronicles, and he was certainly interested in her from a personal standpoint.
‘I’m tempted, certainly….’
But if he had to prioritize, the team came without question.
And more than that.
Quite apart from the children, Seol Jihoo felt an odd discomfort whenever he looked at Pisora.
It was because her internal nature—Black and White—resembled his own Golden Rule in ways that felt unsettling.
‘Maybe she really just wants to stay temporarily….’
Since he wasn’t even certain whether Pisora truly wanted to join Carpe Diem in the first place, Seol Jihoo decided to shelve the matter for now.
There was no point in dwelling on it—better not to spill water chasing shadows.
‘Throwing myself into something more productive is the smarter move.’

The morning sun tapped lightly against her nose.
The moment Pisora’s eyes opened, she caught sight of the worn furniture and musty bed, and let out a bitter laugh.
Until just recently, she had lived a life without want. Now, waking to see how far she had fallen, her own circumstances struck her as almost amusing.
But that was mere self-mockery, not self-loathing that sent her writhing in despair. She herself had spent a considerable stretch in slavery once, so she possessed the mettle to adapt to harsh conditions.
Yet there was another reason the bitter laugh had escaped her—something separate from circumstance itself.
To put it bluntly, it was Seol Jihoo’s attitude.
‘That’s rich. Really.’
Of course, there was no law saying Seol Jihoo had to recruit her, but Pisora was a woman brimming with the confidence that she never came up short anywhere.
It wasn’t entirely unfounded either. The Royal Guard class possessed a delicate balance of offensive and defensive power by its very nature, and it ranked as the top priority recruitment pick among countless warrior jobs—a versatile all-rounder.
And truthfully, Pisora had credentials worthy enough to claim she had open recruitment rights whenever she chose to join a team.
All she’d have to do was hold back a little and play humble, and she’d be treated with genuine warmth and respect.
‘What am I lacking?’
The memory of his bland, dismissive face surfaced, and her irritation flared all over again.
‘He thinks he’s so impressive.’
If he’d given her that signal, shouldn’t he have at least broached the subject? That’s what she genuinely thought.
‘I’m generous enough to join a tiny team like this—shouldn’t he be grateful?’
It was a complaint born of not understanding Seol Jihoo’s true nature, but it wasn’t long before Pisora witnessed something that forced her to revise that opinion somewhat.
Organizations that had stopped by to inform her of Seol Jihoo’s ascension to the new leadership began making their courtesy visits one after another.
Among the conditions for evaluating a team’s capability, “relationships with surrounding groups” was a crucial factor.
In that regard, the network surrounding Seol Jihoo and Carpe Diem far exceeded Pisora’s benchmarks.
The first visitor was Teresa Hasse.
“You must be terribly busy these days? I understand.”
“Pardon? No, not particularly.”
“Still, do stop by the house now and then and show your face. Eating alone is so lonely.”
“No. My home is here.”
Why she felt compelled to wear an apron over her armor was unclear, but the princess of the royal house had come calling in person.
Though Pisora knew the Haramag Royal Family differed from other courts, in the formal Sheherazade, a princess paying such a personal visit was unthinkable.
And then there was Kazuki.
“How are things proceeding these days?”
“As expected. Gyeongdanryeon’s been threatening daily.”
“As I thought.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve got our backs against the Triad now. That man Ha-O Win is quite trustworthy. Honestly, I didn’t expect him to honor his word to this degree.”
Kazuki of Gyeongdanryeon was a name even Pisora had heard mentioned before.
He was one of Haramag’s most promising prospects, trained under the King Maker’s guidance, and among the rare few fortunate enough to have been nurtured for a time by Rusheria’s daughter.
Being closely connected with one of the upper-tier ranked figures pointed to have Level 6 potential was undoubtedly a major asset.
Moreover, while the visit from the Triad—that black-suited legion—was surprising, the appearance of a war fiend from the Southern Region was genuinely unexpected.
And one of the infamous six mad women of Paradise visiting in person, no less.
Even if Pisora was rough around the edges, she knew which opponents to pick carefully. The reputation of Agnes was something she’d certainly heard.
There was the famous anecdote from the Haramag civil war: she’d invited a rival faction executive as a guest and served him her subordinate’s corpse carved beautifully onto a silver platter with her own hands.
To such a degree that she’d once made waves across all of Paradise, and even while locked away in the underground dungeons under the strict watch of the Eva Royal Family, she was considered the only psychopath comparable to Yuk Gwang.
Yet Seol Jihoo had the audacity to grin at this demon of terror, shove handfuls of nails into both hands, and offer them as a gift, begging her to accept these “nail clumps”—and got pummeled within an inch of his life.
“No, why! I was just—”
“Shut up! Did you think I wouldn’t hit you just because my teacher’s around!?”
“Mercy, mercy! This is unfair!”
“You’re still talking? Still? Did you think nobody’d notice your abbreviations!?”
Thump-thump-thump-thump.
An indignant Agnes kicking savagely, and Seol Jihoo flopping like a fish with each stomp.
Though his back was being stomped with force enough to shatter ribs, Pisora—knowing how viciously Agnes had earned her cruel reputation in the past—could only see them playing around.
In other words, they were friendly enough to banter with the Sicilian devil instructor.
After Agnes left, as Pisora watched Seol Jihoo collapsed and coughing, her expression became complex and nuanced.
‘This team… is more than I thought?’
Yet neither Pisora nor even Seol Jihoo knew that a visit truly worthy of shocking Pisora was still to come.

Around noon.
Having concluded his consultation with Seol Jihoo, Jang Maldong gathered everyone and broached the main topic.
“We’re heading to Big Stone Rock Mountain.”
At those words, Cho Hong stopped in the middle of lighting a cigarette. Hugo bit into his fruit with an open mouth before going rigid.
A moment later, Cho Hong calmly removed the cigarette from her lips.
“Well, we do need to train the new recruits.”
Hugo quietly popped the fruit into his mouth and asked carefully.
“When are we departing?”
Seeing the two of them respond so matter-of-factly, Jang Maldong chuckled.
“Hard to say. Maybe tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” she said.
“Tomorrow….”
Cho Hong and Hugo, who had been shaking their heads, exchanged glances. Then,
“Let’s meet again alive!”
“I’m getting out of here!”
Crash, bang!
Thud-thud, thud-thud!
Without waiting for the other, they fled as if their lives depended on it.
“Mom!”
Even Pisora shrieked and bolted, then caught herself with an “Oh.” Remembering her situation, she let out a relieved sigh.
Lee Seol-ah, who had been burning with enthusiasm at the word “training,” felt sour watching Pisora stare at the creaking, rattling door with no embarrassment whatsoever—looking instead as though she’d aged ten years.
“Crazy bastards.”
Jang Maldong, his face saying *I knew it*, clicked his tongue in disapproval as he watched Pisora slink back and sit down.
“Why’d you run?”
“I don’t know. The moment I heard Big Stone Rock Mountain, my body just reacted automatically….”
“Still exaggerating, aren’t you?”
“Exaggerating? Grandfather, do you have any idea how much I bled there every single day?”
“Bled? Don’t scare the kids with that.”
“No—! It’s not scaring them, I’m telling you it’s the truth!”
Jang Maldong seemed ready to dismiss it as bluster, but Seol Jihoo, who’d experienced it firsthand, knew Pisora wasn’t embellishing in the slightest.
Nosebleeds were routine; how many times had blood mixed in with everything else—he’d lost count.
Seol Jihoo shook his head slowly and calmly lifted his teacup.
“Those two won’t be seen for at least two days.”
“They’ll hole up somewhere and slink back when they think it’s safe. Predictable.”
“Shall we wait? They might come to their senses and return….”
“Ha. If that happens, I’ll eat my own hand.”
Just then, defying everyone’s expectations, they heard light footsteps climbing the stairs.
Soon after, a shadow appeared gradually in the doorway that still stood open.
‘Hmm?’
Jang Maldong, who’d been momentarily torn over whether he’d actually have to follow through on his vow, saw who had appeared and his jaw dropped to the floor in shock.
When their eyes met, she smiled gently.
“Hello.”
Watching Seo Yuhee greet them with both hands pressed together in a respectful bow, Pisora’s jaw likewise plummeted to the ground.
Rusheria’s daughter had come to the Carpe Diem Office?
‘This team really…!?’
Even the unflappable Jang Maldong rose from the sofa in a flustered scramble.
“Ah, no!”
“If you don’t mind, forgive the intrusion….”
“P-please, come in! Or rather, do come in!”
With elegant bearing, Seo Yuhee declined the seat of honor that Jang Maldong offered and sat demurely beside Seol Jihoo.
“Such a distinguished guest—what brings you to this humble place….”
“As you may know, I moved in next door not long ago. Work has kept me rather busy, so I haven’t had a chance to call on you properly until today, when I finally found a moment. And I’ve been hoping to meet you as well, Master Jang.”
At her courteous address, Jang Maldong was left tongue-tied.
“Well, for the daughter of Rusheria to show such deference to this rough old man… I’m ashamed.”
“Please don’t say that. Master, you are….”
“No, I should be the one….”
The way they exchanged words suggested this was their first meeting, not a reunion.
Yet from how Jang Maldong kept nodding and smiling, it seemed he held considerable affection for Seo Yuhee in his heart.
And little wonder—Jang Maldong was rare among Earthians in that he genuinely cared for Paradise.
Unlike other Earthians who chased only immediate profit, Seo Yuhee’s legendary deeds for Paradise and her selfless conduct throughout had more than earned Jang Maldong’s regard.
Moreover, the two of them shared an unspoken kinship: both had once left Paradise, only to return because of a certain ‘someone.’
After they’d conversed for a while, Jang Maldong’s face brimmed with contentment.
“It’s an honor that you’ve sought us out like this. Though we meet for the first time today, I’ve always considered you a steadfast ally, and I’ve held deep respect for you in my heart.”
“Respect? You’re too kind. And please, speak more freely.”
“In any case, I hope we can build a good relationship going forward. If there’s anything I can help with, don’t hesitate to say so. I’ll do whatever I can.”
At that, Seo Yuhee’s eyes gleamed sharply, and she spoke as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Well, then….”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry to ask, but could I borrow one person to help me? I’m in the middle of organizing my things, and it’s just too much for me alone.”
Just moving boxes—how could that be a problem? Jang Maldong turned to look at Seol Jihoo, who was sitting there blankly.
Seol Jihoo tilted his head in confusion, then realized he owed Seo Yuhee a debt from the banquet. He rose from his seat.
“I’ll be happy to help.”
“Excellent! Do help with all your heart.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
Seo Yuhee beamed, clearly delighted that things were unfolding as she’d hoped, and expressed her gratitude with a bright smile.
“We’ll help too!”
Lee Seol-ah, who had been quietly watching for her moment, kicked Lee Seongjin in the shin and jumped to her feet with enthusiasm, but—
“No, that’s all right.”
Seo Yuhee’s polite refusal sent her right back down into her seat.
“One person will be quite sufficient.”
She delivered the words with a pleasant smile, but—
‘You’d only be in the way.’
Would it be a mistake to hear it that way?
They say a woman’s intuition is remarkably sharp and accurate.
Lee Seol-ah felt a nagging unease she couldn’t quite place and kept tilting her head in puzzlement, but could only watch helplessly as Seo Yuhee hummed a faint, barely audible tune while Seol Jihoo followed her out without suspicion.

(To be continued in the next episode)

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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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