The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 33

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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 33. Misunderstanding (3)

A thick, humid wave of air rolled out. The stench of blood and sweat caught at her nostrils as it passed.
Two maids who had entered ahead emerged, supporting the exhausted Maria on either side.
Her brilliant blonde hair dripped liquid as though someone had poured a bucket of water over it. Her pale white vestments clung to her skin, drenched through enough that her bare shoulders showed through.
“Heave—”
Her cherry-red lips parted and spilled fresh blood. The white fabric bloomed a vivid crimson.
“Maria!”
As Seola rushed toward her, Maria lifted her head with difficulty. A fever was already rising; her pale complexion had flushed pink.
“Are you all right?”
“For fuck’s sake… can’t you see?”
“…….”
“My head’s pounding, so don’t raise your voice… I feel like I’m actually dying….”
After coughing and spitting blood a few times, Maria steadied her breathing and shot Seola a sharp look.
“Don’t forget.”
“…….”
“I’ve just repaid you with this.”
Seola was no fool.
“I understand. I will never forget what happened today.”
Maria lowered her head. As she was dragged away, she eventually disappeared down the stairs.
Seola watched her go with lingering concern, but then her attention turned toward the cheers erupting from the Lodging. It was the siblings squealing and whooping.
“And there’s the protagonist making her entrance.”
Hao Win patted Seola’s shoulder. It was odd that he’d followed her here at all, but Seola was more curious about Yun Seora’s condition, so she moved slowly forward.
“Oho!”
Hao Win stepped inside behind the young man and couldn’t contain his admiration at the sight of the woman on the bed.
She sat upright on the mattress with such neat poise that she resembled a frost flower blooming shyly in a winter ravine.
She kept lifting her right arm and setting it down again. The motion was like a flower of ice that had hidden away all its life, suddenly dragged into the sunlight against its will, bewildered by the warmth it was receiving for the first time.
Truly, worth falling for. Hao Win silently nodded agreement, then subtly pushed Seola’s back. She stumbled forward a few paces, and Yun Seora flinched, lifting her head to gaze up at the young man.
“How are you feeling?”
“…….”
“Is your arm all right?”
“…Yes.”
Her full lips parted slightly, then closed again.
All manner of emotion flickered across her eyes even as her mouth continued to move soundlessly. The subtle gesture conveyed someone wanting to speak but uncertain how—so poignant that any observer’s heart would ache in sympathy.
‘Tch.’
How sweet and fresh—what green vitality!
Hao Win marveled inwardly,
“But how did you manage to accumulate 82,000 Survival Points?”
The girl’s words pulled him back to his senses.
Quickly rolling a cigarette between his fingers, Hao Win thrust both hands into his pockets. He tilted his head at a thirty-degree angle, slouching carelessly, while his gaze bore down on the other person with mild condescension.
“Oh, that would be me here.”
“Congrats, congrats!”
Just as Seola was about to speak, Hao Win cut in smoothly and sauntered forward. He placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder and swept his eyes across the room.
“Looks like the treatment went well. Your arm seems to be moving just fine. Doesn’t it?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, Hao Win.”
“Good, good, all’s well that ends well.”
Hao Win’s mouth twisted. At the nakedly crude smile, Lee Seola’s brow furrowed.
“Since we’ve held up our end of the bargain… now it’s your turn to keep yours, wouldn’t you say?”
“Of course.”
“Just checking, in case you’d forgotten. Wouldn’t want things to get awkward between us.”
“You needn’t worry.”
Seola replied coolly. Given what she’d received, she fully intended to repay the debt.
But that was Seola’s own thinking, and those unaware of the situation could only tilt their heads in confusion.
“Um… what promise?”
Lee Seola bit at the bait.
“That would be—”
“Right, a promise.”
Seola was about to explain when Hao Win beat her to it once more.
“It’s nothing special. I suppose you’d call it… a transaction?”
Yet for all his casual words, his tone and bearing suggested otherwise.
“This friend here’s been running around like a chicken with its head cut off since morning, and seeing how much he was struggling, I figured I’d lend a hand. That’s all there is to it.”
“I, I see.”
“Apparently there’s a woman who absolutely must be saved, and it takes a whopping 82,000 Survival Points? Impressive, really impressive. I was so moved by it that I had to call in favors from my own people just to scrape together enough.”
“Your own… people?”
Lee Seola stared at him blankly, but the young man’s expression remained unmoved.
It wasn’t untrue. Hao Win had indeed helped, and while he called himself a romantic, his team could reasonably be called his own people.
What Lee Seola would later regret was that Hao Win had his back turned, so she couldn’t see his face.
“But we’re not exactly in the charity business, so we settled on a fair deal. That’s how it works.”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold, as if someone had thrown ice water over everything. The sight of Hao Win grinning wickedly, delighted as could be, grated terribly.
“Well, enjoy yourself today. Starting tomorrow….”
He let his words trail off deliberately, and the uneasiness in the air thickened.
“Anyway, there’s a lot I’ll need from you. I’m sure you understand that keeping my people safe depends on you giving it your all?”
She understood well enough. Delpin’s team wanted her combat prowess, after all. As a Warrior, being on the front lines was basic sense.
“Understood. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Good. I’ll be on my way then… oh.”
As Hao Win turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something and looked back at Yun Seora. She wasn’t a fool—far from it. She was sharp, and the grim set of her face showed she’d grasped the general situation.
“Before I go, I should say thanks. Yun Seora, was it? Thanks.”
“…Excuse me?”
Her voice was sharp as a blade, and Hao Win chuckled at it.
“Thanks to you, the best man in the Neutral Zone—the top-ranked one—just fell right into my hands!”
Hao Win’s fingers twitched as he threw back his head in a loud laugh.
The moment Lee Seola felt the strangeness of it, his strong hand grabbed her by the collar.
“Fair warning—don’t think about skipping town. If I don’t collect here, I’ll collect in Paradise. If not there, then on Earth.”
She was about to protest, when—
“Though I’ll say, in all my time, I’ve never met anyone bold enough to pull that stunt in front of the Samhap Society’s name.”
Hao Win released her collar and brought his face close, winking at her with one eye. He flashed a grin and sauntered out casually. The sound of the door closing followed.
Lee Seola straightened her collar with a pat and let out a long breath. The man was tiresome, and utterly impossible to read.
Still, today was a day to celebrate. Though she’d need a few more days to recuperate, fixing Yun Seora’s arm had restored Kim Hannah’s honor. They’d cleared a major hurdle; the rest would be smooth sailing.
It was nearly evening, and Lee Seola was about to suggest they have a hearty dinner to mark both Yun Seora’s recovery and this milestone, when—
“?”
She could only stand there, confused.
Lee Seola and Lee Sung-jin, the two siblings, looked strange. Standing like stone monuments, they gazed at her with glistening eyes.
“Actually, it seemed… odd….”
“Hmm?”
“How you collected so much… so quickly….”
Her hesitant words were heavy with emotion.
“Because of… me….”
Lee Seola’s legs gave way, and she suddenly sank to the floor. Her eyes, flushed red, soon began to spill tears. Alarmed, Lee Seola frantically waved her hands.
“No, no. You’ve got it wrong.”
“W, wrong?”
“Yes.”
“You borrowed the points, didn’t you?”
“That was….”
Lee Seola’s words stuck in her throat. It was borrowed, technically. She had no idea how to explain it. When the other woman’s delicate features crumpled and she began to hiccup, her breath catching, Lee Seola hastily added:
“The borrowed amount is small. The full 82,000 points I handled cleanly, and they just added a little extra for equipment. I can pay it back after running a few Quests.”
“Really, truly?”
“Of course.”
“But he said something about it falling into his hands….”
“He was just joking around. Don’t worry. Really.”
“But you said you’d see him tomorrow morning….”
“It’s nothing, I’m telling you. I just joined his team. He said he needed my strength, so we’re running Quests together.”
At that moment, Lee Seola burst into tears.
She’d put her body on the line for points. No matter how the young man prettified it, there was no other way to see it. From Hao Win’s words and behavior, she could read the truth.
‘Because of me!’
Her brother, who excelled above all others, had been reduced to mere cannon fodder. All because she’d opened her mouth so thoughtlessly. Consumed by mounting guilt, Lee Seola wept bitterly.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Lee Seola could only stand aghast. It was like a lightning bolt from a clear sky, a wooden club in the middle of a quiet night.
‘Why!?’
The more she tried to comfort her, the harder Lee Seola cried.
“Lee Sung-jin…?”
Seola glanced at her brother, hoping for some sign of reassurance, but he was equally lost. His head hung low, gaze fixed on the floor, and his clenched fists trembled as if he were holding back a scream.
‘What’s gotten into him now?’
Seol’s head turned with mechanical precision, creaking like a rusty hinge.
Yun Seora was watching Seol with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. The moment their eyes met, she looked away sharply, her gaze settling instead on the innocent bedsheet before her.
For someone who had maintained an air of indifference throughout their time together, this raw display of emotion was something Seol had never seen before.
It was in that moment, watching her bite down hard on her lower lip, that a strange sense of familiarity washed over Seol.
“Hic.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Yun Seora’s tears spilled over. She covered her face with her delicate hands, her small shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry….”
Watching the woman weep quietly, Seol tilted her head back and stared at the innocent ceiling above.
‘This woman, really….’
When they should have been celebrating, the Lodging had become a sea of tears.
Meanwhile, upon hearing the sounds of anguished weeping from inside the Lodging, Hao Win—who had been leaning against the door with his arms crossed—exhaled a plume of smoke. His work was done; he flicked his cigarette stub away and began walking down the stairs.
As he descended, Hao Win’s expression was one of quiet satisfaction.
He ran a hand along his nose and nodded knowingly to himself.
‘Love is an emotion, after all.’

***

The next morning.
Unable to bear the gloomy atmosphere at the Lodging any longer, Seol had slipped out before dawn. She needed to outfit herself before the morning meeting.
‘Let’s see… how many points do I have left….’
14,780 Survival Points. After spending 600 on breakfast, she was down to 14,180. Lee Seola had refused the money outright, but when Yun Seora mentioned needing recovery time, Seola reluctantly accepted it through tears.
‘What should I buy?’
Armor generally started at 1,000 points and up. Since it was equipment that literally protected your life, the prices were astronomical.
As Seol was browsing the shop, a maid noticed her customer and hurried over. She was a petite woman with her hair done up in twin braids.
“Hello! What can I help you find today?”
“Armor.”
The woman gave Seol an appraising look from head to toe, then nodded.
“What’s your budget?”
“Around 14,000 points….”
“Ah, with the 30% discount on gold-marked items, you’re looking at about 20,000 in purchasing power!”
‘Does she know who I am?’
Seol stared at her intently.
“What about a top-tier discount?”
The woman smiled knowingly.
“Why? Should I just give you the Neutral Zone for free?”
Right. She’d asked knowing full well that a 70% additional discount applied only to certain facilities.
“Would you mind if I styled a set for you?”
She wasn’t opposed to browsing, but time was short. She’d meant to buy something yesterday, but Hao Win had made such a mess of things that she’d been busy dealing with the aftermath. She hadn’t even finished cleaning up.
“Please do.”
“Wonderful! What kind of armor are we looking for?”
“Um… full body?”
“You look like a Warrior. Do you prioritize mobility or defense?”
“Mobility? Well, I think defense is important too.”
“Understood. You use a spear, then?”
“Yes.”
“Are you considering switching weapons?”
“No.”
She was still getting used to the spear, and there was no reason to change now. Besides, her budget was tight.
“Perfect! Coordinator Aragaki Yuzu-ha, let’s do this!”
Watching the maid raise one arm triumphantly and dash back into the shop left Seol somewhat taken aback.
As rustling sounds came from within, Seol leisurely browsed the shop’s inventory.
The items listed in the catalog had straightforward names. The spear she’d purchased, for instance, had cost 580 points and was simply called “Sharp and Sturdy Spear.” It had no special abilities, but she’d bought it for its clean, unpretentious design and length—which matched her own height.
“I’m back!”
Aragaki Yuzu-ha returned with her arms laden with equipment.
The first item she presented was a suit of armor with a deep brown leather that gleamed with a subtle sheen.
“This is Boiled Leather Armor. It’s the finest among leather armor. You boil it in oil mixed with paraffin, then soak and remove it repeatedly for hours until the leather becomes extremely tough. Go ahead, touch it.”
Seol felt the shoulder guard and confirmed it was indeed firm and resilient. Even when she pressed with her fingers, it barely flexed.
“So it has considerable resistance to slashing attacks, but that doesn’t make it invulnerable. If it takes an impact it can’t absorb, it’ll shatter instead of deflecting. Blunt force attacks especially—you have to be very careful with those.”
That’s exactly why! Yuzu-ha exclaimed, holding out her remaining hand. It was armor woven from small, round rings fitted tightly together like a net, though honestly it looked a bit too small to be called proper armor.
“I’d recommend wearing this underneath as reinforcement.”
“Is this chain mail?”
“Not quite chain mail in the traditional sense—think of it as a miniaturized version. It was originally designed for mages and priests to wear under their robes, so it’s light, but the defense isn’t actually bad at all. If you’re unlucky enough to have your Boiled Leather Armor shattered, this might just save your life.”
Two layers of armor. When Seola thought about it, the idea didn’t seem half-bad, so she asked.
“How much are they both?”
“The Boiled Leather Armor is 5,700 points. This one is 6,900 points. Oh, that’s already with the discount.”
“…The second one’s more expensive.”
“Of course! This one’s leather and that one’s steel!”
“Mm.”
“And~.”
Yuzu-ha’s sales technique was impressive enough that Seola ended up selecting Leather Arm Guards to wrap around her arms and shins, Spiked Leather Gloves, and Long Boots as well.
“That comes to 13,980 points total! Ma’am!”
Seola transferred her Survival Points without complaint, and Yuzu-ha was overjoyed.
“Yay, how wonderful!”
……
The small chain mail barely covered down to her shoulders and belly button. The Boiled Leather Armor was a t-shirt style, so it wasn’t difficult to put on. As she removed her shoes and slipped into the Long Boots, Yuzu-ha’s eyes, which had been examining Seola’s spear, narrowed.
‘She’s got no points left.’
“Do you maintain your spear?”
“Maintain it?”
“Yes. The blade looks quite dull. You haven’t taken it to a sharpener even once since you got it, have you?”
“Do I really have to do that?”
At that question, Yuzu-ha made an exasperated expression. Then she asked.
“Do I absolutely have to breathe?”
“…I see what you mean.”
In the end, she had to fork out another 20 points and purchase a Whetstone and towel besides. 14,000 points evaporated in total.
“Thank you so much! We’ve got Named Weapons too, so please come back and earn lots and lots of points!”
Leaving Yuzu-ha’s words behind, Seola descended the staircase to the first floor. Her body felt heavier now, but somehow her mood was soaring.
Buying equipment had been delayed far too long. The moment she shed the clothes she’d been wearing on Earth and dressed properly, her heart began to race with anticipation.
‘I’ll earn plenty of points and get clothes for the kids too.’
Without quite realizing it, she’d come to think of the siblings and Yun Seora as children to look after.
Before long, Seola settled into a suitable spot and began sharpening her spear blade with unfamiliar motions.
Until her companions arrived.

[Ambush (Remaining Attempts: 10/10)]
Ambush and annihilate a pack of Bugaboos passing along the Mountain Path!
Difficulty: Very Hard
Success: +10,000 Survival Points
Failure: Death
*Cooperative play available (maximum 6 participants)

Seola crouched in the brushy hillside, watching the narrow trail. Between the two hills, a Bugaboo pack approached through the desolate path. At first glance, there were easily over thirty of them.
Bugaboos are monsters with a bear’s head and a body covered in shaggy fur similar to a human’s. At one meter fifty centimeters tall, their entire frames were bulging with muscle—nothing to be dismissed lightly.
Seeing their protruding tusks and the sharp claws on both hands and feet, Seola felt her tension spike.
‘Why do they have so many weapons?’
Swords and shields, spears of course, and she even spotted clubs and bows—creatures she’d never seen carry such things before.
Worse, at the center of the pack trudged one that towered over two meters tall. The way it wielded an enormous mace in one hand made it clear this was the leader.
‘If I’d tried this alone, it would’ve been a disaster.’
The difficulty spike starting from “Very Hard” quests was apparently real. Now she understood why the quest was named Ambush—a direct charge would have left nothing but bones to bury.
Soon the Bugaboo pack passed below where Seola was hiding.
‘Not yet.’
Then the mountain, which had been silent, suddenly filled with roaring wind. A Whirlwind materialized in the gorge and swept ferociously in all directions, engulfing the Bugaboo pack. It was Delpin’s magic.
Squawk?
Screech, screeeeech!
Thud—the Bugaboo that appeared to be the leader staggered and fell flat on its rear. The others were no different. They all tumbled and rolled, and the pack’s formation collapsed completely.
As the wind gradually died down, Seola gripped her spear. The haft fit snugly against her palm. She braced her ankles, ready to burst forward at any moment.
Moments later, a sharp twang rang out from the opposite hillside. A Bugaboo just gathering itself upright shrieked as a bolt pierced its neck. Salvatore Riorda and Thongchai—the two archers were beginning to snipe the bow-wielding Bugaboos from the rear.
Most of them still hadn’t gotten to their feet. The conscious ones turned their attention toward the opposite ridge. Already, three or four were charging up the slope.
In that instant, Seola launched herself forward. She raced down the hillside like lightning and drove her spear through the head of a Bugaboo trying to brace itself on the ground. As its face slammed into the earth, she withdrew the blade and pivoted fluidly, punching a hole through another Bugaboo’s temple as it stumbled past.
Confirming that his attacks were landing, Seol pressed forward relentlessly with his spear. While Delpin’s magic and bolts from the two archers kept the creatures distracted, he had to whittle down their numbers as much as possible.
Having sent six or seven of them to their deaths in quick succession, Seol retreated rapidly. The Bugaboos from the rear had noticed the threat and bounded forward, grasping their weapons tightly.
Now the real battle had begun.
As Seol met a charging Bugaboo’s sword with his spear shaft and thrust the weapon forward, another creature tumbled to the ground, spewing blood. The moment he pivoted to slash at the next one with a lateral sweep—
Clang!
Metal shrieked as his spear was blocked. A Bugaboo had raised its shield with practiced speed.
The Bugaboos didn’t charge straight ahead like mindless skeletons. They spread out in both directions, surrounding him in a loose envelopment.
Metal crashed against metal as an axe met spear. Seol’s eyes widened. The force behind each blow was tremendous, and before he could even counterattack, blades and spears came thrusting from both sides. He barely pulled back before axes came sweeping in again, as if waiting for their moment.
Soon Seol found himself too busy parrying to mount any sustained offense. Six creatures circled him, their weapons coming from all directions, leaving him no choice but to retreat.
But that wasn’t all. Caught between deflecting a cascade of polearms, he suddenly felt a sharp impact against his chest and froze.
Ting! An arrow bounced off his armor without piercing through. Bugaboos with bows were drawing their strings, aiming at him. That was when—
Whoosh, whoosh!
With a clean sound of splitting air, a couple of Bugaboos coming up the slope cried out in pain. Bolts were embedded in their backs and thighs. Liorda had begun supporting Seol as his position grew dire.
‘They have archers too…!’
But Seol’s eyes went wide. Behind the one about to draw its bowstring, a bronze-hued hand moved like a serpent, seized the creature’s face, and cut its throat with a dagger. As the dead Bugaboo collapsed, Tongchai emerged, blade in hand.
Trading aggression back and forth. As chaos erupted behind them, the pursuing creatures hesitated. Meanwhile, the relentless volley of bolts was enough to interrupt the Bugaboos’ movements, and occasionally a shot found a vital point, rendering one combat-ineffective.
Liorda would provide support. Tongchai would thin out the Bugaboo archers. Seol stopped his backward shuffle up the slope, firmed his grip on the spear shaft, and switched to the offensive.
He dispatched two that charged at him with killing intent using precise thrusts and angles, then struck down those hesitating at the rear. By the time he descended the slope again, he’d claimed two more victims.
Roooaaaargh!
The leader Bugaboo, who’d been watching in silence, finally entered the fray. It bellowed a threatening cry at Seol and raised an enormous mace high into the air. With more than half its subordinates already fallen, rage consumed it.
‘Should I evade?’
Even Seol had no confidence he could fully block it.
Whoosh—sand and earth were torn away as the mace came down with overwhelming force. In the next instant, just as Seol was about to retreat, a dark shadow burst in front of him.
Boom!
A deafening metallic crash pierced the ears.
“Hngh!”
Hao Win, holding a large iron shield, skidded backward with gritted teeth. Seol, bracing his back, exhaled sharply.
“I was going to dodge.”
“I was going to block. Now!”
Hao Win shook off the mace and retreated alongside Seol.
“That damned priest’s spellcasting is always slow.”
As he spoke, a hemispherical barrier materialized around them both. The leader Bugaboo struck with all its might, but the shield only trembled—it held firm.
“Though I have to admit, the mana reserves are decent enough that the shield’s working well.”
“A few seem to have gotten through earlier.”
“I handled them. That’s why my support was a bit delayed.”
More than ten Bugaboos, including the leader, crowded around the translucent barrier. It was uncertain how long it would hold, but they needed a strategy in the meantime. Yet Hao Win remained calm and collected.
“Still, impressive work. How many did you take down alone? Fourteen? Fifteen?”
“Fourteen. But aren’t we still in combat?”
“Don’t worry. It’s time for the ace to make an entrance.”
Hao Win gestured toward the slope. A figure in a blue robe—Odelet Delpin—came into view. She was pointing a wooden staff at the leader Bugaboo.
“Abar · Aba · Abaritia.”
A humming vibration filled the air. Simultaneously, a blazing fireball streaked through the sky and struck the leader Bugaboo’s head directly.
Roooooaaaaaaaargh!
Flames raced across its fur with terrifying speed. The Bugaboo dropped its mace, cradled its face in its hands, and thrashed across the ground in agony.
“You finish that one! Leave the rest to us!”
The barrier still held. Safe within the protected space, Seol stabbed at the leader Bugaboo as it writhed and rolled helplessly. By the time the shield began to fade, he’d already pierced it dozens of times.
There were still creatures remaining, but their formation had already crumbled. Liorda and Tongchai maintained their steady volley of bolts and daggers, while Hao Win pressed forward with relentless attacks.
His first cooperative battle.
‘It’s easier.’
After the initial struggle to draw aggro, it had grown progressively simpler as they held the line. Had he fought alone, he’d never have cleared this—and any slight disruption in team composition would have made it far more difficult. Especially now, he understood why Mages commanded such respect.
“Good work!”
As the last creature fell, Delpin waved from the slope.
“Mages really are incredible.”
Seol’s exclamation made Delpin tilt her head in confusion. Honestly, she’d been protected safely the entire time and had only cast two spells. The person who’d soloed a pack assault while killing half of them was now praising her—it felt almost like mockery.
But seeing his expression of genuine admiration, she felt suddenly embarrassed.
“It’s easier for a Mage when the Warrior holds the line well.”
Delpin replied humbly.
“So, what do you think?”
Hao Win, wiping blood from his blade, shrugged his shoulders.
“Teamplay’s fun too, isn’t it?”
Seola smiled.

[‘Very Difficult’ Quest completed successfully.]
[Survival Points awarded: 1,667 SP.]
[Survival Points: 1,847 SP]

(To be continued in the next part)

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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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