“Do you still want to kill me?” Her words slipped into my ear, gently tapping at my heart. I closed my eyes for a moment, turning her question over in my mind. Did I truly want to kill Go Yeon-ju?
”…”
No, that wasn’t it. Not exactly. I didn’t have a blind desire to kill her. It was more about necessity. The answer came quickly, but I hesitated to voice it. How should I put it? How could I explain? My thoughts tangled, and I opened my eyes again.
Go Yeon-ju said nothing more, just watched me with calm eyes and a quiet face. Her gaze steadied my wavering heart. As the Shadow Queen had once said, it was better to reveal my true intentions than to hide behind clumsy excuses or eloquent words.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a cigarette, but I didn’t light it right away.
“No, I don’t want to kill you.”
“Don’t lie. Even now, there’s a subtle menace in your eyes and your voice.”
“I won’t deny it. But it’s true that I don’t want to kill you. It’s just…”
“Just?”
I paused, placing the cigarette between my lips. After a deep drag, I exhaled softly into the air.
“There is a necessity to kill you.”
I stopped speaking, trying to read her expression, but it was unreadable. Even after burning through half the cigarette, she remained silent. Realizing more explanation was needed, I broke the silence that had settled around us.
“Remember when we met with user Jeong Ha-yeon? You said you wanted to kill me. You asked what I was doing, arguing in the Hall Plain.”
“Yes, I did.”
“I feel the same. It might sound unfair, but as you said, in the picture I’m painting for the future, you’re a huge, unpredictable variable.”
“A variable. There’s nothing unfair about it. The Hall Plain is that kind of world. So, you want to eliminate an unpredictable variable in advance. Is that why you want to kill me?”
I nodded slightly in agreement. Her lips parted, and her voice carried a strange tremor.
“Are you sure I’m a dangerous variable? I don’t have any ill feelings towards you or your group. Who knows, I might even be beneficial in the future.”
“That’s possible. But in the Hall Plain, yesterday’s ally can become today’s enemy. No one knows what the future holds. I thought it would be better to deal with it cleanly now than to regret it later.”
“You seem oddly certain.”
“Call it intuition from experience, or perhaps a man’s instinct.”
Returning her words to her, she seemed momentarily at a loss for words. I sensed it was time to make my move. I had said all I needed to. I flicked away the burnt-out cigarette and spoke calmly.
“Leaving you here feels too risky. You’re a user any clan leader would covet. If I can’t have you, if I can’t embrace you, then killing you here seems like the right decision. So…”
”…”
“I want to hear your answer now, user Go Yeon-ju.”
As I laid bare my true intentions, I finally saw an expression on her face. Yet, it was still hard to read. She seemed happy, sad, excited, or perhaps overwhelmed.
Go Yeon-ju let out a deep sigh, taking a few breaths as if to steady herself. Then she ran her hands through her hair and spoke.
“Do you want me that much? Enough to kill me if you can’t have me?”
I might have been mistaken, but her cheeks seemed to flush slightly. I tilted my head, but since it wasn’t entirely wrong, I answered, “Yes.”
“Are you serious? Truly?”
“I am.”
Hearing my firm reply, she smiled softly and continued.
“Alright. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll give you my answer now.”
With that, she raised her right hand, revealing a dagger that gleamed sharply.
”…”
As she lifted the dagger, a void filled a corner of my heart, but the orb of Horrence I carried quickly filled the emptiness. I licked my lips and gripped the hilt of the sword at my waist.
“User Go Yeon-ju, can I take your actions as your answer?”
“Yes, user Kim Soo-hyun. The Shadow Queen will join your clan.”
I had to stop my hand from drawing the sword. What did she just say? Her words were so unexpected that I felt momentarily bewildered. I quickly turned my gaze to her face. Go Yeon-ju looked calm, but her eyes burned with an inexplicable desire. She tossed the dagger a few times before speaking clearly.
“You said you wanted me. So why are you looking at me like that?”
”…May I ask why?”
“It’s nothing special, just the usual reasons. I don’t want to die, I want to live. And more than anything… I want to see what you, as a user, can do.”
“What I’m curious about is why you raised the dagger. I almost misunderstood.”
“It wasn’t a misunderstanding.”
Go Yeon-ju cast a sidelong glance at me, quickly catching the dagger she had tossed into the air. Then she pointed it directly at me and spoke.
“I heard your answer. I know the source of your unease. But just because it’s surfaced doesn’t mean it’s resolved.”
“You’re more cautious than you seem.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not up to me to resolve this unease; it’s up to you.”
”…It seems like a rather rough way to resolve it.”
I sighed deeply and drew my sword. The thought of the unused sword in my storage crossed my mind. I had planned to pretend I got it from the Chaos Mimic after this was over, but its absence was sorely felt. Not that I thought I would lose. I knew Go Yeon-ju’s abilities and skills thoroughly from the first round.
“Just so you know, don’t assume the skills I showed in that cave are all I have.”
“Of course.”
“Did you think recruiting a user like me would be easy?”
I silently agreed and took my stance. Even though I had the advantage, Go Yeon-ju was still a user who had reached the top ten. Underestimating her could lead to more than just a big mistake; it could mean losing. She smiled broadly, bending slightly, and spoke in an excited tone.
“From now on, I’ll come at you with everything I’ve got, with the intent to kill you, user Kim Soo-hyun. So you…”
As she spoke, shadows began to split into dozens around her. This was the special ability of the Shadow Queen, the Abyss Crowd. Its rank was S+. Seeing her come out strong from the start, I swallowed hard.
The shadows multiplied beyond count, and Go Yeon-ju licked her lips, drawing a thin line with her eyes as she concluded.
“Shatter this unease completely, destroy me perfectly. Show me you can subdue the Shadow Queen.”
“Gladly.”
The word “completely” resonated with me. She wanted to be subdued not just barely or with difficulty, but perfectly, without flaw. I responded with a confident answer. As I did, the shadows swirling around her split into dozens of strands, shooting towards me like arrows.
When I slowly opened my eyes, warm sunlight streamed through the window. I had returned to the inn at dawn, but I had slept longer than usual. After completing my morning meditation, I stepped out of my room.
Descending to the first floor, I found my companions gathered around a table, chatting animatedly. Sensing my approach, they turned their heads towards the stairs. A cute user in a priest’s robe waved at me cheerfully.
“Oh, it’s you, brother!”
“Hey, why are you up so late today?”
“Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve seen you come down after us.”
Ignoring their playful greetings, I plopped down on a nearby chair. Normally, sleep left me refreshed, but today I felt a bit stiff.
“Kim Soo-hyun, what were you up to last night? I waited for you, but you never came, so I just went to bed.”
“Vivian? You can’t lie. Who was it that dashed to their room claiming they were too sleepy to function the moment we arrived at the inn?”
“Ugh!”
Vivian, who had been chatting with me, pouted as Ha-yeon playfully interrupted her. I chuckled softly, glanced around, and then spoke quietly.
“Has User Go Yeon-ju not come out yet?”
“Uh, no, she hasn’t. It’s unusual for both of them to be late today. Did something happen last night?”
Just as Shin Sang-yong’s sudden question threatened to make things awkward, the tightly shut inn door swung open with a bang. A group of three or four users, all women, entered. They were unfamiliar faces in Mule.
A woman with long hair looked around the inn and spoke in a bewildered voice.
“Hey, wasn’t this place closed until yesterday?”
“Yeah, did they reopen? Lucky us! I’m exhausted. Let’s grab a good room before it gets crowded.”
“Excuse me, are you staying at this inn?”
A woman with a sword at her belt turned to us and asked. The group remained silent, looking at me expectantly, so I had no choice but to answer.
“Yes, we are currently staying here.”
“Oh, then do you know where the innkeeper is?”
“Over there.”
I pointed towards the kitchen, and the women followed my finger with wide eyes. There, Go Yeon-ju emerged, looking disheveled.
Her appearance was quite a sight. Her clothes were torn in places, revealing reddish bruises on her skin. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were half-closed, making her look intimidating to newcomers. It seemed she had collapsed into bed as soon as she arrived last night. Perhaps we overdid it yesterday.
The women whispered among themselves before cautiously speaking up.
“Um, about the rooms…”
“No, there aren’t any.”
“What? But these people…”
“This isn’t an inn anymore. Try somewhere else.”
Go Yeon-ju cut them off, waving her hand dismissively. The long-haired woman, flustered by her appearance and response, ran outside to check the sign.
“But there’s clearly an inn sign here. We came because it was recommended…”
“You’re really persistent, aren’t you? Can’t you take a hint?”
Go Yeon-ju frowned at the woman’s insistence, then slowly followed her outside, looking up at the sign.
“See? It says ‘The Modest Lady’ right there…”
Before the woman could finish, Go Yeon-ju raised her hand, twisted it behind her shoulder, and slammed it against the inn’s wall.
Bang! Crack! Thud!
”…”
“See? It’s not an inn anymore. You must have heard wrong.”
Go Yeon-ju muttered, picking up the fallen sign pieces. One of the quick-witted users grabbed another’s arm and whispered.
“Ye-rim, let’s go. We must be in the wrong place.”
“Y-yeah, sis.”
The two quickly dragged the remaining confused user away.
It wasn’t just the departing women who were stunned. Our group also watched Go Yeon-ju with bewildered expressions. But she ignored us and headed back inside.
“Sorry, I slept in after a rough night. Are you hungry, my dear?”
“N-no, I’m fine… Wait, rough night?”
“Just wait a bit. I’ll make breakfast soon.”
Go Yeon-ju spoke to An-sol, who initially shook her head but was taken aback by the mention of a “rough night.” Was it the “rough night” or being called “dear” that surprised her? Go Yeon-ju didn’t elaborate. She kept brushing her messy hair back, then tore off a ragged piece of her collar.
With the torn fabric in her mouth, she elegantly tied up her hair and walked back into the kitchen. An-sol, watching her retreating figure, quickly turned to me, likely shocked by the former.
And so, the morning after our first exploration began with a sigh.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yu-jin.
With this, we’ve completed the GET of Go Yeon-ju, the Shadow Queen. Let’s give a round of applause! Haha. Regarding the subtitle, many comments have been made. Here’s a hint: the users you’ve met in the second round aren’t the ones. It’s one of the users from the first round. Hehe. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Kuroshion: Haha, congratulations on being first again. It seems like a new legend of first commenters is emerging. :)
Rephil: Haha, Kuroshion is quite formidable these days. Honestly, if I were asked to be the first to comment at midnight, I don’t think I could do it either. ㅜ.ㅠ The new user is very… Oops, almost spoiled it. Oh, and I’ve decided on the stats to raise. I’ll keep them for now, but if you don’t mind spoilers, send me a message!
gkgngh: Yes, it’s not possible right now, but I’ll serialize that content before leaving Mule. Also, I think it’s more about projecting. I imagine how someone would act in that situation rather than it being about me. :)
Cheongeop Hyeol Sin Cheon Mu Jon: If you don’t mind spoilers, send me a message. There are decided stats and undecided ones.
Hwang Geol: Wow, you even dreamed about it. Will Gold appear? ’~’
Pacheon Maheon: Oh, someone got the answer right. Yes, that’s correct. It will probably appear in the next or the following episode. Haha.
Hyun Oh: It’s about time to recruit one more person. I’m currently pondering what kind of personality the new user should have.
Kashin M: Wow, you even bought a cultural gift certificate. Thank you for the coupon. (__) I’ll try to continue the serialization as much as possible!
Mecha Star: Oh, I see! I’m seriously considering whether to buy a tablet or switch to a Galaxy S4 in May or June. I want to escape the contract, even if it means paying a penalty. ㅜ.ㅠ
Insaneluna + T.Dragon: Thank you for the coupon. I’ll try to do a burning serialization if I have the time. ㅜ.ㅠ
hohokoya1: Haha, thank you. I also miss February. Back then, I had so much time that I could do two serializations a day, but now I’m too busy. I have assignments to do but can’t. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
Passion: Quizzes, assignments, exams. It’s a storm. I really need to cut down on sleep time. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ. But living a busy life seems good. :D Let’s cheer each other on!
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous serialization. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t feel too disappointed if you’re not in the comments.
If you’re really curious, send me a message, and I’ll reply!
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
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