23 – 23.

It was around the time when Hye-won and I started living together.

The whole world was abuzz with the news that the third Primordial Stone had been discovered in India, known for having the most awakened individuals in the world.

The place where the third stone was found was a hidden cave on the first floor of a tower.

As they say, the darkest place is right under the lamp. It was found at the starting point of the tower.

“The person who discovered it must have really hit the jackpot in life.”

The F-rank awakened individual who accidentally found the stone became a national hero, obtaining immense fame and wealth.

As someone who didn’t even have a chance to find that stone or whatever it was, I couldn’t help but feel envious deep down.

“Wow… People really don’t know what life holds for them. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right. …I wish I could find a stone like that too.”

It was a time when I absentmindedly watched TV, caressing Hanyeorwon’s body.

Leaning against me, she glanced at me and offered me a choice.

“Finding the Stone of Genesis or marrying Leyowon. Which one?”

“Hmm.”

“Huh? You’re actually thinking about this?”

“Can’t I find the Stone of Genesis and marry Leyowon?”

“I should be better than a stone there!”

“I’m greedy.”

“What about you…? Oh, wait! The sofa will get wet…!”

“I’ll clean it up anyway. Go ahead.”

Since we started living together, we have become much closer than before.

Except when we were apart, we were almost always together.

As soon as our eyes met, we would immediately engage in a battle of words.

There were times when we spent more time undressed at home, exaggerating a bit, than when we were dressed.

“Should we order dinner…?”

“You said you would make fried rice earlier. What happened?”

“I’m still trembling because of someone… I can’t move…”

“Who’s causing trouble again?”

“Heh. My mistake. Husband, please let me order dinner.”

They say that when you live together like this, there’s always something that doesn’t match.

We both have a tendency to accommodate each other, so there haven’t been any major problems in our daily lives.

…Except for the occasional unexpected appearance of my ex-girlfriend’s shadow.

“Oh, it’s Mayeonseoda.”

“…Yeah.”

Mayeonseoda, who went to the United States, was making remarkable progress by making contracts with superior beings from a different dimension.

In the media, they call it a one-person army or something.

They were highly praised for the overwhelming firepower of their summoned creatures, and even reached the top of the global power rankings.

Thanks to that, the president of the domestic awakened association resigned after receiving all sorts of insults.

So naturally, they appeared quite frequently on domestic TV and in the media…

“I have something I’m curious about. Can I ask?”

“What is it?”

I wondered if they were developing a sense of competition or something. Whenever Mayeonseoda appeared on TV, Hanryeowon would ask me for a comparison.

“Between me and them, who was better?”

Most of the time, it was an obvious attempt at assassination.

“Well…”

Honestly, in terms of “satisfaction,” Mayeonseoda was slightly closer.

Just by a minuscule amount, like the difference in breast size.

But I couldn’t say something like that straightforwardly, so I always pretended to think for a moment and gave her an answer she would like.

“You’re much better.”

“Really? I’m not saying that on purpose, am I?”

She squinted her eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

“To be honest, I don’t remember what it was like with him anymore.”

“Lies.”

“Maybe you did more with him than me?”

“Do you really think I’ll fall for such an obvious lie?”

“I’m serious. I only have you, Ryowon.”

Ryowon couldn’t help but smile secretly at her obvious answer.

She had a charming side to her.

“It’s surprisingly okay living together.”

As I began to realize that we were a perfect match, I suddenly started to think more seriously about marrying her.

“Marriage….”

Having grown up in an imperfect environment since birth, I always had a longing for a complete family.

Of course, it’s not that my time with my mother wasn’t happy. But the absence of a ‘father’ was always deeply felt.

At times, I even wondered what it would have been like if the ‘man’ had really been our father.

Well, fortunately, he wasn’t.

Anyway.

I had a strong feeling that I would be happy if I married Ryowon for some reason.

But first, I needed to prepare.

“First, I need to save money.”

Objectively, Ryowon was a much more significant presence to me now.

A refined and adorable appearance, an excellent figure, and intelligence that excels in my field.

It was too much of a waste to marry someone who only does part-time jobs or odd jobs like me.

I needed to become someone who was not embarrassing to her.

So, I decided to learn a skill.

A specialist in managing special magical equipment. It was a profession that could manage equipment related to magic, just as the name suggests.

“I’m sure this is the right thing to do.”

It seemed like a certain qualification was necessary, and fortunately, the company “Mercury” had just established a certification acquisition process in collaboration with the government.

The mobile phone that the demon book gave me as a gift, famous for awakening users, was also a Mercury product.

“Lucky me.”

Afraid that the slots might be filled quickly, I immediately confessed my application to Hanyeo-won.

“I’m getting a certification.”

Until now, I thought she would support me without a doubt.

“Well…?”

Contrary to my expectations, she showed a hesitant reaction.

“Isn’t it too early? You could think about it a little more slowly…”

It felt like she wanted me to keep doing part-time jobs.

“But if I want to get married in the future, I have to start preparing now.”

“W-what…? M-marry?”

“But it’s only once in a lifetime, so shouldn’t I try putting a diamond on my finger?”

“A diamond…?!”

She stood there like a broken doll, subtly bringing up the topic of marriage.

“Why. Don’t you want to marry me?”

Teasingly, she laughed and playfully waved her hand as if stirring up a match, speaking.

“Oh, no! It’s not that I don’t want to…! It’s just that I didn’t expect you to have such thoughts…”

Embarrassed by her shy voice, Hanyeo-won bit her lip with a slightly flushed face, suppressing the rising laughter.

She had always felt it, but she was the type who couldn’t tell a real lie.

“So, what do you think? About getting a license. It would be great if it works out, but if not, it’s okay, right?”

“Wow, that sounds really good…! I’ll cheer you on! I hope everything goes well! Really!”

Having changed her position as if flipping her palm, Hanyeo-won wholeheartedly supported my plan.

“…Let’s give it our all.”

With determination, I took the first steps towards the future.

*

While Kang Yoo-chan was leaping towards a new future,

In a luxury hotel in the United States,

“You were so amazing today too! With ‘The Hand of Silhouette’ all at once! Ugh…! You should’ve seen the other awakeners around, dumbfounded and watching…”

A woman in a light suit was uncontrollably excited, swinging her fist in the air.

And,

By her side, silently listening to her story, there was one person.

With damp, black hair that looked slightly cold and a perfect figure revealed beyond the thick coat.

It was none other than Ma Yeon-seo.

“The Association is watchful, the United States is meddling, and Korea is trembling!”

“……”

Ignoring the chatter of her manager, Lee Ye-na, Ma Yeon-seo tightly tied her bathrobe and quietly made her way to the reception room.

Lee Ye-na, naturally following behind her, continued to talk about Ma Yeon-seo’s achievements.

“Surely she will take the first place in the next power ranking!”

With a sigh, Ma Yeon-seo sat down on the sofa without saying a word and discreetly spoke as she filled a crystal glass with whiskey.

“What about this month’s report?”

In response, Lee Ye-na eagerly handed over the tablet she was holding, calming her excitement.

“I prepared it while you were in the bathroom. It’s a total of 11 pages, and the attached photos are organized separately.”

This was the reason Ma Yeon-seo kept Lee Ye-na as her manager.

Noisy when excited, but gets things done properly when necessary.

Her loyalty, willing to die if needed, was her strength.

“…You supported the educational program?”

As Ma Yeon-seo sipped her drink and checked the tablet, she suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked at Lee Ye-na.

In response, Lee Ye-na quickly summarized the information she had already familiarized herself with.

“Yes. Mr. Kang Yu-chan supported the certification program established by Mercury Korea Division.”

It was about none other than Kang Yu-chan in Korea.

“There is still no news about the part-time job you are currently working, but it seems you have applied with the intention of considering a career in that direction.”

Ma Yeon-seo looked at the application form of Kang Yu-chan that appeared on the tablet and felt a strange emotion.

“…Yu-chan is at our company….”

Mercury’s grandfather, who raised her in the United States, was a prominent conglomerate.

She couldn’t help but be surprised by the fact that Kang Yoo-chan was once again connected to her.

It was not an exaggeration to say that it was a fateful relationship.

“Indeed, Yoo-chan is the perfect match for my destiny.”

Mercury recalled the day she broke up with Yoo-chan a few years ago.

She remembered losing consciousness from the terrible shock that shook her whole body and the conversation with the self-proclaimed “Goddess of Luck” she met at the door of death.

“Become stronger. Then, someday, your destined partner will naturally come to you.”

“It’s hard to believe, but destiny is like that.”

With a scent that exuded the aura of a scammer, she truly defied Mercury’s death.

Having experienced death like that, Mercury got the opportunity to make a contract with a higher being at the cost of sacrificing her life for her purpose.

Since then, Mercury has been running without rest.

From Noble mtl dot com

With the belief that Yoo-chan is her one and only destined partner.

The reason she came to the United States was solely for that purpose.

And even more so, to become stronger quickly.

As a side note, she also used the excellent intelligence network in the United States to regularly hear news about Yoo-chan.

“Make sure Yoo-chan passes without fail.”

“Understood. Should I prepare a place in advance?”

“Don’t make it obvious. Make it a position that’s not too difficult… so that no one bothers him for no reason.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

After giving her instructions, Mercury checked the remaining report from Yoo-chan, her heart pounding for the first time in a while.

However,

– Estimated total of 82 times over 15 days.

Except for the content related to qualifications, it was filled with disgusting details about how Han Lye Won flirted and had relationships, and where she went to have fun.

The thought that Kang Yoo Chan was defiled again tore my heart apart.

“Damn b*tch.”

Thunk. Unconsciously, I lightly tapped the Mayeonseo on the shoulder, suppressing my anger with burning revenge, and handed her the tablet again.

“Dispose of it.”

Then, I swiftly took out the sleeping pills and whiskey I had prepared in advance, exhaled a sharp breath, and buried myself deeply in the sofa.

“…Yoo Chan… just wait a little longer….”

Her love was still ongoing.

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