When the rain beat down, it rained very hard.
Once, Sophie had been beaten like a drum.
It had been a sunny day. She had done a great job in applying her makeup, and she liked the clothes that she had picked out. It was a great day where she was about to head toward a hair saloon.
Everything had been great until that bastard had suddenly barged into her room.
“Kyahhk! You can’t enter this place! This is a holy place where males are forbidden—”
“Step aside if you don’t want to die.”
“Kyahhk!”
Kwahng!
Sophie was surprised when the door suddenly burst open. Then, frightening her, a bald man entered through the broken door.
“My god! Where do you think this is? You can’t just enter—”
Lee Gun kicked the next door.
Kwahng!
Sophie tried to close the door, but it was futile.
“I told you to go to the hospital as soon as possible.” It seemed Lee Gun was pissed off about something. He took rapid steps toward Sophie.
Sophie immediately picked up a teacup with hot liquid in it. “How dare you! Get o—”
She didn’t even get the chance to yell get out as Lee Gun grabbed her hair in one motion.
“Kyaahhk!”
Crash!
After grabbing Sophie, Lee Gun spoke, “Are you mad? You ordered your men to kill people who saved you? Moreover, you did so knowing they are recuperating in the hospital?”
Sophie was baffled. She had wondered why he had come here, but it had to do with the injured soldiers in the hospital. “They brought it all on themselves! I’m really busy right now… Let me go! You’ll ruin my expensive hair!”
“Their legs will have to be amputated. They got injured saving you. You told them you will heal them, yet you bounced?” Lee Gun pulled at Sophie’s hair as he exploded in anger.
“Kyahkkk!”
She felt as if her hair was about to be ripped away, so she yelled out loud, “Let me go! I have an appointment at a hair shop! Do you know how hard it was to get an appointment, fucking orc bastard!”
When she became hysterical, Lee Gun took off his mask. Sophie scrambled. Lee Gun’s face was hard to look at. His skin was marred, and his face was smushed. He really looked like an orc. Sophie’s histrionics lasted only a moment as her face was brought up in front of Lee Gun’s face.
“You should come with me while I’m being nice.” It was a threat. Lee Gun was implying he would make her face look like his if she didn’t follow him.
In the end, the defiant Sophie had been beaten like a drum that day. She had been dragged to the hospital by her hair. She had tried crying, but he had been merciless.
***
The Saintess trembled as she remembered that incident. ‘Why did that memory pop up!’
However, that wasn’t important right now.
‘My magical energy is being taken away…!’
To be precise, it was her Divine Status. She was the Chalice Bearer because she possessed the Divine power. She had no idea how, but the power that she had received from her god was flowing toward someone else. It was as if a snake was greedily drinking from the water jar after eating mutton.
[The Chalice Bearer’s power is being stolen]
[Divine Status 40%] (Recharging)
[Piggy Bank took an active role in stealing Divine power.]
[When your Divine Status reaches 70%, a particular skill will be available for use.]
Sophie couldn’t hear it, but Lee Gun was rapidly siphoning off her power. It seemed as if he wanted to fill his body with power before meeting her. Her power was siphoned without reserve. And that wasn’t all.
[Badge Approval! Sophie Mardi-nim: Gelato $38 at 4:24 PM]
'When did I lose my badge?' Someone was using her badge without consent. The badge not only contained her rented skills, but it was also connected to her credit card. That was a common way to pay for goods at the Integrated Exchange. It seemed like the person who had taken her card had realized this. The badge was being used with reckless abandon.
[Badge Approval. Sophie Mardi-nim: Gelato $88 at 4:25 PM]
[Badge Approval. Sophie Mardi-nim: Gelato $478 at 4:26 PM]
[Badge Approval. Sophie Mardi-nim: Gelato $1089 at 4:28 PM]
[Badge Approval. Sophie Mardi-nim: Gelato $13880 at 4:30 PM]
'How much is this person going to spend on ice cream?' Sophie’s hands shook as she watched the texts appear on her phone. However, she was afraid to go look for her badge.
Why?
‘I’m sure I dropped it at the appraisal house.’ What if the man, whom she had seen in the appraisal house, was the one with her badge? He had been way too familiar, including the way he was stealing from her.
[You dropped your card, so I used it. I reached the credit card limit, so I’m returning it. You don’t have to thank me. This is payment for the last time when I saved your life.]
Lee Gun.
‘No, it can’t be.’ She had seen the specter of Lee Gun when she saw the man in the appraisal house. However, that man in the shop was very young and handsome. ‘Moreover, I’ve never seen that magical energy before.’
Suddenly...
“What’s wrong?”
The deep voice of a man startled Sophie. It was Steven Marker, who sat next to her. He was the Leo Saint.
Steven Marker looked at Sophie with a surprised expression. “I don’t know why you're sticking to my side while shaking. Either calm yourself, or fuck off to the restroom!”
As always, he was a very rude man. Of course, Sophie had no plans of staying near this man for an extended amount of time. She had met him by chance in front of the teleport zone. However...
‘I have to endure it.’ Currently, it was her best move to stick with this man. It was understandable since he was the strongest man in the world. ‘At the very least, he has a similar level of power as Lee Gun had. No, he might be more powerful.’
She had no idea who the man inside the appraisal house was. However, she knew this place was the safest place for her once she had sensed the specter of Lee Gun.
The Leo Saint laughed when he saw Sophie’s trembling hands. ‘She’s a Saint, yet is scared.’ He had no idea who she had encountered, but that wasn’t important at all. “Don’t you dare covet Lee Gun’s holy item today!”
“!”
The Leo Saint made the declaration as he got up. He headed toward the door.
“…!” Sophie yelled out in surprise. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be back before the auction starts.”
The aghast Sophie looked at her surroundings.
The Leo Saint snorted when he realized Sophie was afraid of being left alone. “This is a lounge where only the VIPs can enter.” The Leo Saint said what he wanted to say. He didn’t wait for a reply as he left.
This was how Sophie was left alone. She was afraid, but she told herself that she would be ok.
It was as Steven had said. Not everyone could enter the VIP lounge. Moreover, the auction was about to start in ten minutes. What could go wrong in such a short amount of time? Despite that...
Sophie, who had reassured herself, quickly turned her head.
* * *
“What? He entered the VIP lounge? How?” Hugo’s mouth fell open.
As soon as Lee Gun boldly stated that he was going to steal a badge, Hugo had quickly rushed toward the exchange center. When he had arrived there, he had found out that Lee Gun had entered the VIP zone of the teleport zone. One needed a lot of money to enter the VIP zone, so he had no idea how Lee Gun had entered that place. However, Hugo decided not to think about it.
‘I have to find him..’ Hugo searched for the employees who were his fans. He bought them off to quickly enter the lounge.
Somehow, Hugo was able to enter the lounge, but Lee Gun wasn’t there. It seemed Lee Gun had gone to a different location. On the other hand, Hugo encountered a different problem...
“What are you doing here?”
He heard a voice he hated. Hugo looked up to see the owner of that voice. “It has been a while.”
A woman dressed in a white robe was in front of him. The robe was shaped differently, but it was similar to the robes worn by the pope of the Catholic church.
Aquarius Saint! The Chalice Bearer was present here. She was a beauty with the face of a young woman.
Sophie burst out laughing when she saw Hugo. “You were once the most handsome of the twelve Saints, but it seems your looks can't win against the test of time. I guess having disciples makes a big difference.”
In truth, Hugo didn't look old. She was just mocking him.
“I thought I felt a familiar wave of energy, so I came here. I never expected you to have become an ahjussi.” Sophie clicked her tongue in pity and sat down next to him. “You should've listened to me. Why did you stay loyal to a dead man? Your wife died while you protected your cheap loyalty.”
Hugo felt a surge of anger at her words. He glared at her. His power as the Archer ignited in an instant.
The Saintess laughed when she saw this. “I see. It seems you aren’t dead yet. I’m sorry! I have a hard time recalling past events.”
“…”
“However, I guess you aren’t really living either.”
Veins popped out on Hugo’s hand. His hand had risen above Sophie’s shoulder, and he wanted to wring her neck. However, he stopped himself. Ten years ago, he had lost in a fight against the twelve Saints; the terms of his defeat was that he would no longer bother them.
Hugo was barely able to restrain his anger as he lowered his hand.
The Saintess smiled as if she had expected this outcome. “Anyway, I didn’t come here to talk to you about that.”
Sophie wasn’t here to talk about the past. “I have a question. If I’m being honest, this is a question that only you can answer. The other Zodiac Saints can’t answer it.”
“Hmmph.” Hugo was cold as he stood up. She wasn’t worth his time.
This reaction made Sophie yell in a sharp voice, “Wait!” Her next words stopped the mighty Hugo in his tracks. “Did Lee Gun have a son?”
Hugo instantly turned around; he had quite the expression on his face. He thought he had misheard. ‘What did she just say?’
However, it seemed Sophie was being serious. There was no way Lee Gun was alive, but she couldn’t deny the sensation that she had felt inside the appraisal house. It had triggered her trauma regarding Lee Gun.
Sophie became anxious as Hugo stared at her. She tapped her fingernails on the armrest of her chair.
“D... Did he have a child! Answer me!”
“…”
There was no way Lee Gun had a child. It seemed Sophie had read something from his expression. Her eyes widened, and she suddenly started laughing. She found her question to be ridiculous. “Look at me. I’m sorry! It was a slip of the tongue. Please forget I asked that question.”
“What?”
“There is no way a woman would have been attracted to that bastard’s face. Even if he did have a child, the child would've taken after his father. He would've looked ugly and monstrous.”
“…”
“Am I wrong? If I were his child, I would've killed myself while resenting him. He helped society and the environment by not having a child.”
Hugo’s face scrunched up. He was at his limit, so he clenched his fists. He could endure insults to himself, but he couldn’t standby when his friend was being disparaged.
Sophie was oblivious. She couldn’t stop laughing. “Anyway, I’m glad that bald orc has nothing to do with him.”
Sophie had been afraid of something until a moment ago. But now, she was finally able to relax and lean back into the chair. “Haha. I can finally relax...”
Suddenly...
Hugo, who had lost his cool, was about to grab Sophie by the back of her neck.
“Hey.”
“!” Sophie froze when she heard a familiar voice. Then...
Boom!
Someone kicked the back of Sophie’s chair.
“…!”
Hugo was surprised when he saw who had done it. Sophie had no idea who had done it.
The man sitting behind her spoke in a provoking manner. “I was wondering what you were going to say. You are really good at babbling nonsense.”
