The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 69

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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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Episode 69. Level 2 Leader (2)

“Who are you people? What’s going on?”
Cho Hong, having climbed the stairs, demanded an explanation in a confrontational tone. The Sicilia members she glanced at simply stepped aside without a word.
Once inside, the small office was so cramped by the number of people crammed into it that it felt suffocating. Three people sat on the sofa—two of them were Dylan and Hugo. Across from them sat a single woman, and behind her stood five or six men and women standing at attention.
“So you finally show up, Cho Hong.”
The woman sitting on the sofa, wearing a thick coat draped over her shoulders, turned her head. Her long hair was the color of blood, as if it were flowing fresh from a wound.
Her red eyes, matching that hue, gleamed like those of a ferocious beast. The moment Seol Jihoo saw the clear, jagged scar running from her eye to her cheek, he finally realized who the woman was.
“Wait—Rookie?”
As of March this year, the overall administrator of the Neutral Zone and the boss of the Sicilia faction that ruled Haramag: Cheonji.
“What brings you here, ma’am?”
Cho Hong strode over and sat down beside Cheonji, asking the question. With no seat left, Seol Jihoo stood behind Dylan and Hugo.
“Is there any other reason I’d come here? Obviously, business.”
“Business? What kind of business?”
“The discussion is already finished. It’s nothing that concerns you, anyway.”
“What do you mean by that?”
While Cho Hong and Cheonji traded words, Seol Jihoo subtly let his eyes wander. Setting aside why Sicilia had shown up, there might be someone he knew. Someone like Salvatore Liorda, perhaps….
‘Hm?’
Suddenly, his gaze caught on a woman standing rigidly directly behind Cheonji. Neatly pinned lemon-blonde hair and sharp eyes hidden behind glasses. The moment Seol Jihoo recognized the familiar maid uniform, his eyes went wide as saucers, and he broke into a broad smile.
“Agn—!”
He caught himself before finishing, clamping his mouth shut. He wasn’t so lacking in social awareness that he couldn’t read the room.
“?”
Perhaps sensing the gaze on her. Agnes, maintaining the cool and solemn expression of an elderly family’s head maid, glanced back at the man standing across from her. When their eyes briefly met, the young man grinned sheepishly and waved his hand.
With so many eyes on them, Agnes pretended not to notice and ignored him. That cold dismissal wounded Seol Jihoo deeply. His eyes grew hazy and vacant as he stared, and his hand dropped listlessly. The disappointment gave way to evident despair and dejection.
“…….”
After a silent moment, Agnes let out a quiet sigh. She gave a small nod and discreetly waved her hand in return. It lasted only a brief instant, but Seol Jihoo’s spirits lifted immediately, his eyes brightening.
“Heh-.”
Cheonji, watching the exchange with amusement, propped one leg over the other and lowered her head, her shoulders shaking. She bit down on the cigarette in her mouth and let out a low chuckle before finally speaking.
“Well, well. Even Sicilia’s notorious black lioness turns soft in front of her own chick.”
Agnes’s neck flushed a deep red. She glared at Seol Jihoo with widened eyes.
‘Why does he have to pull such pointless stunts!’
Her look was unmistakably reproachful.
“I’ve passed along the message. I suppose we should head out now.”
Cheonji rose slowly, and Dylan and Hugo followed suit. Sensing she was being left out, Cho Hong opened her mouth with a pouting expression.
“Dylan? What’s this all about?”
“Well… let’s just go and come back, then I’ll explain. It shouldn’t take long.”
Dylan spoke in a measured tone and turned his gaze elsewhere.
“And Seol.”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to talk with you for a moment after we get back. Is that alright?”
“Of course.”
Without knowing what it was about, Seol Jihoo agreed. Cheonji continued laughing softly to herself before speaking.
“Agnes, you don’t need to come.”
“Pardon?”
“You already know what this is about, so there’s no need for you to attend. Since you haven’t seen each other in a while, why don’t you unwind and catch up? A light drink shouldn’t be a problem.”
“B-Boss!”
“That’s an order.”
At those words, Agnes fell silent. Cheonji chuckled and turned away.
“Let’s go. Dylan, Hugo. Everyone should be gathered by now.”

And so, thanks to Cheonji’s thoughtfulness, Seol Jihoo was able to spend tea time with Agnes. He headed off with her, her face rigid and expressionless, to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. But with every step of the journey, he had to experience something strange.
“Gasp!”
A person coming from the opposite direction suddenly yelped in terror and fell flat on their backside, or
“Ahhhhh!”
Some people would turn pale as death and flee in panic.
The same thing happened once they arrived at the tavern. What had been a lively, bustling place fell instantly silent the moment Agnes stepped inside.
Shortly after, someone let out a shriek of terror, and people began fleeing for their lives—”Save me! I’m doomed!”—scrambling over each other for the exit. It didn’t take long for the packed tavern to empty out completely.
Indifferent to the chaos, Agnes boldly crossed to the counter and, noticing the bartender frozen stiff against the shelf, flicked her fingers lightly. A copper coin sailed through the air with a tremor and struck the muttering man squarely on the forehead with a sharp clink.
“Master. I’ll have a bottle of rum and….”
Agnes turned to look back. As the young man, still reeling from the series of events, merely mentioned honey liquor, the man swiftly produced two bottles and set them before her.
“W-why are people acting like this?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“Ha. Anyway, it’s been a while. Good to see you, Agnes.”
“Is it.”
Agnes answered flatly and took a long drink of rum straight from the bottle. As she wiped her mouth and looked at Seol Jihoo, her eyes were subtle and complicated.
How to put it. She didn’t dislike the man before her. But this kind of private meeting itself felt terribly awkward to her. He was asking her to unbend, yet she had no sense of how to go about it. And so naturally, her words came out stilted and clipped.
“I’m sorry to keep you when you seem so busy. But I’ve had something on my mind lately.”
“Something troubling you?”
“Yes. My training isn’t going as I’d hoped.”
Training—now that was a different matter. Agnes felt the stiffness in her facial muscles ease.
“What part are you stuck on?”
Seol Jihoo aired his concerns about Mana training. She was taken aback for a moment upon hearing he’d already reached Level 2, but Agnes opened her mouth.
“It doesn’t sound like a serious problem at all.”
Seol Jihoo swallowed. There was no denying how reassuring Agnes’s dismissive tone felt.
“First, you need to understand that this place is not the Neutral Zone.”
Agnes pushed her glasses up and continued.
“Paradise isn’t a space oriented toward training like the Neutral Zone is. To learn anything here, you often have to accomplish it through your own strength. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“And second… you mentioned Mana Javelin?”
“Yes.”
“How much do you know about Javelin Throwing?”
Seol Jihoo, who had been nodding along meekly, suddenly found his words caught.
“Do you know the origins of Javelin Throwing? The principles behind it? What stance you should take at the start and end for stationary throws versus throws after a running approach?”
Only then did Seol Jihoo grasp what Agnes was getting at.
“I was too impatient.”
“Precisely. You don’t know anything about Javelin Throwing, yet you’re trying to master Mana Shaping. It’s only natural you can’t run before you can walk.”
It was a stern rebuke, but his eyes suddenly widened with clarity.
“I understand your confidence, given how quickly you grasped Mana application, but directly mastering an ability is absolutely not easy. It should be difficult.”
……
“The same goes for the Qi Circulation Technique. It will take time, but I recommend you acquire the foundational knowledge first.”
Seol Jihoo acknowledged this, embarrassed. He couldn’t deny that he’d been thinking of it as too simple. As he sat with a bitter expression, just fiddling with the bottle, Agnes cleared her throat.
“Still, I’m impressed.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve heard of your accomplishments. You could have taken an easy path through public achievement, but the way you resist temptation and keep striving—that’s admirable.”
It was a compliment he’d rarely heard, even in the Neutral Zone. Seol Jihoo smiled awkwardly.
“When you praise me like that, it makes me want to work even harder.”
“I’m not sure what you mean by that, but keep at it. When your Level rises and your abilities evolve, there will surely come a day when your efforts are rewarded.”
Agnes offered the faintest hint of a smile. After offering a few more pieces of advice, she drained the rum cleanly and rose from her seat. Seol Jihoo protested that she was leaving already, but she was, after all, an Earthian with her own business. It wouldn’t do to force her to stay.
Agnes left word that she’d come by to observe his training occasionally, bid him farewell, and turned to go. As Seol Jihoo watched her receding figure, he suddenly remembered something he’d left unsaid.
“Agnes!”
The distant Agnes stopped and turned back. He waved his hand broadly.
“Thank you!”
Agnes merely nodded and turned again. Seol Jihoo called out once more as she was about to leave.
“And give my regards to the bear…!”
“I’ll kill you.”
Whoosh!
Agnes closed the distance in an instant, charging at him like a predator. Despite his shock at that terrifying speed, Seol Jihoo couldn’t help but laugh. He’d endured it several times before—he’d naturally expected this much.
‘No chance!’
He immediately drew his spear and took a defensive stance. But in the next instant, with a single gesture she knocked his spear roughly aside, and her hand strike came at him with serpentine sharpness.
“I told you not to!”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
It wasn’t until after he’d taken a thorough beating in the street that Seol Jihoo realized Agnes was a Level 6 Archer—and furthermore, an assassin-class operative at an advanced rank.

After parting with Agnes, Seol Jihoo limped toward the Smithy. When the Smithy owner saw his condition, there was a moment of surprise, but he managed to complete his business. Upon returning to the office, Dylan and Hugo were waiting for him.
“Where have you been? And what’s that?”
“A Throwing Spear.”
“Oh. So you’re practicing Javelin Throwing… Wait, why does your face look like that? Who hit you?”
Dylan asked a question. Seol Jihoo responded with an awkward laugh and evasion, which made Hugo flare up immediately.
“Jihoo! What kind of bastard are you? Who dares lay a hand on a Carpe Diem team member?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
“Out with it! Tell me who it was! I’ll kill them dead!”
“Ah, it was Agnes.”
Hugo, who had been gripping the Halberd, froze mid-motion.
“W-who did you say?”
“Agnes.”
“Clair Agnes?”
“Yes. But please don’t. It was my fault.”
“R-really? Well, if you say so, I suppose there’s nothing to be done!”
Hugo coughed, clearing his throat, then quietly set down the Halberd and quickly made himself scarce. Dylan, savoring his tea, chuckled softly.
“Quite the surprise. Not only do you know Agnes, but you’ve survived her attacks as well.”
“Ha. Anyway, didn’t you say you had something to discuss?”
Eager to change the subject, Seol Jihoo set down the bundle of spears he’d brought and asked.
“Care for some tea?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.”
Seol Jihoo politely declined and sat on the sofa. Dylan took a sip of tea, then spoke.
“A job’s come in.”
“From Sicilia?”
“That one came to Hugo and me. The Royal Court issued a classified mission not long ago, and Sicilia took the contract. They’re short-handed, so they’ve asked our team for cooperation.”
“If Sicilia is calling for additional hands…”
“It’s a mission that requires upper-rank clearance or higher. Truth be told, getting Hugo accepted was difficult. They said a Warrior who works well with an Archer is essential—and that’s the only reason they grudgingly accepted him.”
This meant Seol Jihoo and Cho Hong couldn’t participate.
“It looks like vacation wasn’t in our cards.”
“But there’s another job. The Raman Village matter.”
At the mention of a job, Seol Jihoo’s eyes lit up. If it were merely routine business, Dylan wouldn’t bring it up separately.
“What do you know about Raman Village?”
“Southeast of Haramag, half a day’s travel away, and a settlement of several hundred people—Earthians, I believe.”
Dylan nodded.
“You know the basics. I’ll cut to the chase: it’s a monster extermination request.”
“Extermination?”
“Raman Village has periodic monster outbreaks. So requests come in regularly.”
Seol Jihoo tilted his head quizzically.
“If they appear periodically, doesn’t that suggest there’s a colony or nest nearby?”
“That’s precisely what’s strange.”
Dylan slapped his knee, pleased that Seol Jihoo had grasped the issue.
“They’ve exterminated monsters dozens of times, and the Kingdom has deployed punitive forces more than once. Each time, the monster packs were suppressed without difficulty. But that’s all. No matter how much they search, no main lair has ever been found. Considering the region around Haramag isn’t fully pacified yet, something reeks of a ghost story.”
“So even if we exterminate them this time, they’ll likely reappear soon.”
“True, but we still have to deal with any monsters that appear. What the village really wants is to rescue the missing residents and uncover the cause of the outbreak, but we don’t need to go that far. What do you think?”
“What does Cho Hong say?”
“Jihoo. I’m asking you.”
Dylan’s voice dropped lower.
“If you’re willing, I’d like to entrust this request to you.”
“But I’m not even an Archer.”
“An Archer is just a Header. Of course, many people serve as both Header and Leader, but generally we distinguish between the two roles.”
A Header is responsible for guiding the Expedition Team in the right direction during an exploration. A Leader, meanwhile, is the person who plans and prepares the expedition from the beginning and oversees the entire operation.
“Can’t you only organize an Expedition Team from Level 4 onwards? And you need the Royal Court’s permission too.”
“This is an Exploration, not an Expedition. You’re perfectly capable of handling it.”
When Seol Jihoo seemed hesitant, Dylan smiled gently.
“Don’t you want to form your own team someday?”
“Ah, you found me out?”
“Heh. Then trying this won’t be a bad thing. It’s a simple request, but you’ll learn plenty from doing it yourself. I did.”
Dylan sets down his teacup.
“Will you do it?”
Seol Jihoo answered without hesitation.
“Of course.”

His first request had arrived. Though not as challenging as the Forest of Negation reconnaissance or the defense of Aden Fortress, taking on the role of Leader was motivation enough.
Since this was to be classified as an Exploration rather than an Expedition, there would be no unnecessary complications. They could even use Raman Village as a base of operations, so supplies wouldn’t be a concern. Porters and wagons could be hired as needed.
The problem arose in recruiting teammates. Warriors were already two-strong, so they just needed one or two more, and finding an archer wasn’t particularly difficult. Mages were out of the question entirely—not even worth dreaming about.
To put it bluntly: priests were the issue. Whether it was an Expedition Team or a hastily assembled party, a priest was absolutely essential.
“Damn it. What are we supposed to do?”
Cho Hong groused while still holding a cigarette between her teeth. She’d unexpectedly ended up paired with Seol Jihoo, and she felt just as lost as anyone else.
“Hey, do we really need a priest? Can’t we just fill out the roster and go? I can handle pretty much everything myself.”
At Cho Hong’s irritation, Seol Jihoo gave a bitter smile. If push came to shove, maybe—but the quality of the team would plummet drastically. Perhaps if this were a one-day venture. But would a decent, skilled warrior or archer really join a team without a priest? In a world where a single moment of carelessness meant death?
Above all, since this was his first contract, Seol Jihoo wanted to pull it off cleanly. He wasn’t about to gamble on it.
‘Good teammates gather around a team with a priest.’
With that thought, Seol Jihoo rose to his feet.
“Where are you going?”
“To find a priest.”
“You? How?”
“I’ll give it a shot. We’ve still got time. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll do things your way.”
Leaving Cho Hong with her eyes wide, Seol Jihoo moved toward his room. He had a promise to keep and advice to seek. He pulled out the Communication Crystal.
A moment later.
– Raman Village?
“Yeah. A request came in.”
– So you’re heading south again after all.
“Cut me some slack. It’s not even a border region. And how else is someone supposed to live except by doing what they want?”
Seol Jihoo pleaded with clasped hands. Kim Hanna snorted, but she didn’t say no.
– Hmm. That said, finding a priest… it’ll be rough. It’s one thing if the entire Carpe Diem roster were involved. But if it’s just you and Cho Hong, you can’t lean on the team’s reputation.
“That’s why I’m asking—is there a good way?”
– There might be.
“Really? Truly?”
At Kim Hanna’s words, Seol Jihoo’s face lit up. When she slowly explained the method, his expression turned uncertain.
“That person is here?”
– Didn’t I mention? Their home base is Haramag.
“I suppose. Anyway, I don’t think they’ll help. There’s history between us.”
– You’ve experienced it yourself, so you know—they’re quite calculating and mercenary, aren’t they?
Seol Jihoo agreed at once.
“True enough. It’s a bit much to pay coins for just this level of exploration.”
– Don’t think of it as money wasted. Carpe Diem’s only weakness is the lack of a priest. Do you know how many teams struggle to find one during expeditions?
Kim Hanna continued.
– And priests as skilled as that are rare. Use this as an opportunity to build rapport. The moment they think following you is profitable, they’ll take the job.
He understood what she meant. A priest was the second rarest kind of person after a mage. This was advice to invest in the future. Seol Jihoo nodded.
“I suppose I have to try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I understand.”
– I think if anything, they’ll probably agree. You’re one of the few people they recognize the value of. At the very least, they won’t slam the door in your face.
“Either way, I’ve got a path forward now. Thanks, Mom.”
– No problem. If anything comes up, contact me again… what did you just say?
Seol Jihoo quickly cut the connection. The crystal, its light extinguished, gleamed brilliantly once more, but Seol Jihoo was already giggling as he left the office.

Seol Jihoo headed for the Lushulia Temple. After speaking with the receptionist and waiting a moment, a woman approached, gestured for him to follow, and led him to the lodging within the temple. She knocked softly on one of the doors lining the hallway and then fled as if running away.
A moment later, the door swung open and out stumbled a small figure. Golden hair, tangled but gleaming brilliantly. Pale skin, wearing only a white dress shirt, her vacant eyes gazing up at him. It was Maria.
Maria, staring at the young man, gestured toward the room with her chin.
“…Come in.”
The room was chaos. The light flooded in through good ventilation, which somehow made the trash even more visible.
It would be too simple to call it merely “messy”—the room looked sad. Seeing cigarette butts that resembled a porcupine, Seol Jihoo felt a strange kinship, but when he noticed the burn marks from cigarettes scorching the walls and bedsheets, he was horrified. The scattered bottles on the floor seemed almost endearing by comparison.
“What brings someone so hot these days to find me?”
Maria, scratching her head, glanced around and smacked her lips.
“Just… sit anywhere. Want some drinks? That’s all I have to offer.”
“No, thanks. Were you sleeping?”
“Yeah. I drank a bit yesterday… ugh, my head’s about to split.”
Maria grabbed a bottle rolling across the floor and shook it. When it sloshed, she didn’t hesitate—she put it to her lips. Her throat bobbed once, twice, three times, then she winced and trembled. “Ahhh, that’s better.”
“Are you… really okay?”
“My body? Much better than when I was conducting a funeral rite.”
Perched on the edge of the bed, Maria fixed the young man with a glassy stare.
“So what brings you? If you’re here to settle a debt, I’d welcome that.”
“I have a request.”
“Ah, hell.”

Before Seol Jihoo could finish speaking, Maria sighed heavily and lowered her head. She continued in that posture.
“You’re not asking me to hold a memorial service again, are you?”
“Hardly. If anything, I’d call it a ceremony.”
Seol Jihoo spoke hurriedly as he watched her grip the bottle upside down.
“A ceremony?”
Maria lifted her head. There was a glimmer of interest in her expression, so the young man quickly broached his purpose—whether she’d participate in the quest involving Raman Village.
“Hmm…”
Maria’s response was lukewarm, as expected. She tilted her head slightly, then shook it dismissively without further deliberation.
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not interested. I don’t see any real benefit to following along.”
“I figured as much.”
When Seol Jihoo acquiesced immediately, she widened her eyes in surprise and let out a short laugh.
“Huh, so the rumors weren’t entirely baseless. Did you drink some of that Paradise water or something?”
“I’m grateful for what happened back then.”
“So am I. I expect to be repaid someday.”
“Of course. I’ll be waiting.”
Perhaps charmed by his straightforward demeanor, Maria—who had remained silent with her arms crossed—soon opened her mouth as if bestowing a favor.
“Still, since you’ve come all this way, it’d feel odd to send you away empty-handed. How about this? I know a few apprentice priests. If you’d like, I could attach one to your group. I know that having a priest makes a significant difference, even if their abilities aren’t exceptional.”
It wasn’t a bad offer—a genuine gesture of goodwill. But Kim Hanna had insisted it was worth spending more coin to build a relationship with Maria herself. It wouldn’t hurt to try.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’d really prefer if Maria herself would help us.”
Maria scoffed. Her face showed genuine exasperation.
“Wait, didn’t you say you understood?”
“I do.”
“And you’re still asking? I mean, you’re right about what you said, but what possible reason would someone at my level have to join some worthless quest like this?”
“You’d gain experience points and receive compensation.”
“Bullshit. Do you think experience at my level is worth a damn? And compensation? Whatever pittance you’re offering wouldn’t even cover my daily drinking costs. You seriously expect me to tag along for that?”
Maria’s sharp tone remained unchanged. Seol Jihoo smiled slightly and reached into his pocket. He’d anticipated this response, so it was time to deploy his countermeasure.
“In any case, I have no reason whatsoever to—”
Clink. He placed a small coin purse on the white table, and she stopped mid-sentence.
“What’s this?”
“Five silver coins. What do you think?”
“You’re something else.”
Maria furrowed her brow.
“How did you know I like this kind of thing? I’m asking out of caution, but do you actually know what one silver coin is worth?”
“One bronze coin is five hundred won. A silver coin is one thousand bronze coins, so fifty thousand won. Five silver coins would be two hundred fifty thousand won.”
“Well, well. You’ve got money to spare, it seems?”
The end of Maria’s sentence rose slightly in pitch. She stuck out her tongue and licked her lips like a serpent.
“Your sincerity is noted, but… I don’t know.”
Just as Maria was about to say something, Seol Jihoo pulled out five more silver coins. He let them drift slowly into the purse as if inviting her to look, and Maria blinked.
“…Can I ask you just one thing?”
“Of course.”
“It’s strange that someone at your level would even have silver coins to begin with. But never mind that. Why are you trying so hard to bring me along?”
“Because I think you’re someone I can trust.”
“You’re not trying to make up for the memorial service with this money, are you?”
“Of course not. That’s one thing, this is another.”
Maria exhaled through her nose and her lips curled upward. Her demeanor had clearly shifted from moments before. If she’d been of higher rank, he’d probably need to pay ten times as much, but Maria was still Level 4. At his current wealth, this expenditure was manageable.
“So you’re offering me advance compensation.”
“Just for Maria.”
“What about the division of spoils during the exploration? And the reward?”
“What do you mean? Of course it’ll be split equally among everyone.”
Maria deliberated for a while. Ten silver coins as advance payment, and she’d still receive her equal share of the final reward. Given the distance and the difficulty of the quest, it was generous compensation. She slanted her eyes toward the young man and twirled a strand of blonde hair around her index finger, speaking playfully.
“That’s not bad… but you see, realistically speaking, someone at my level should earn at least two hundred fifty thousand won for any job, you know~”
Her sharp voice had softened, tinged now with coquetry. Without a word, Seol Jihoo let five more silver coins drift into the purse. Maria swallowed.
“Wow. You’re more generous than you look, aren’t you?”
“Do you think this is enough for us to become close?”
“Wait, what did you just—?”
Hearing something unexpected, Maria’s words faltered. Seol Jihoo smiled faintly.
“Close?”
Soon Maria burst into laughter, her eyes finally sparkling wide open. A genuine smile bloomed across her face.
“I was wondering why you were being like this. So you came here to do some groundwork?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, come on. I’m not that easy, you know? Haven’t you heard the rumors about me? I’ve got more teams that gave up trying to seduce me than you can count.”
It was the first he’d heard of it, but Seol Jihoo merely shrugged as if he couldn’t care less.
“So which is it? You doing this or not?”
“You know what? You’re actually fun.”
Maria shot to her feet. She sauntered over and snatched up the purse of coins with a sharp slap. Then she let out a cry.
“I’m in!”

(To be continued)

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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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