When working on a task directly assigned by a member of the Protect family, the pay was significantly inflated. Being a staff member for the beauty contest, working in one spot, was an incredibly easy and rewarding job. In a typical scenario following the main storyline, Lin should have been thrilled to be doing this work alongside Lucy. However, the goal of this temporary job was to freely roam the closed-off island and search for the Demon Sword. Due to Lin’s terrible luck and Lucy’s obsessive actions, they had lost one of the three festival days.

Additionally, Lin needed to use Lucy to confirm the presence of the Demon Lord’s party. According to the episode settings, their presence on the Zramun Archipelago was certain, and the job classes they would appear as were fixed, so there was no need to worry about unexpected variables. However, the demons had already infiltrated the island, disguised as one of the islanders. The weakened Demon Lord, after a long rest, would attack people each day to regain strength. If left alone, by the end of the three-day festival, the Demon Lord would fully recover, reveal his identity, and force a battle—a sort of boss fight.

Conversely, if they identified who the Demon Lord was ahead of time and subtly or overtly interfered with his attacks, he would appear in an incomplete state. The job classes being fixed was a balance measure to offset the high difficulty level.

“We’ve moved everything.”

“Next, take these steel frames and set them up. They’ll be the floor and stage for the beauty contest.”

Lucy kept glancing over at Lin, but he didn’t even spare her a look. Although they had walked hand in hand earlier, they had been separated due to work, and Lin was entirely focused on his task. Unlike before, Lin had clammed up, and this terrified Lucy. Her chest felt tight, and her heart sank, but she was too scared of doing something wrong to even start a conversation. She was left with nothing but a gnawing anxiety.

“Mr. Chun-sik? Please carry these boxes to the backstage area. They contain accessories for the beauty contest, so even if it takes longer, be careful with them.”

“Miss, those are your personal belongings…”

“Shh, shh!”

What frustrated Lucy even more was Ibis Protect’s behavior. Upon realizing that Lucy was strong, Ibis had immediately sent her off to help set up the stage, thus keeping her away from Lin. Meanwhile, Ibis stayed by Lin’s side, constantly giving him orders to move this or that. Without the comfort of holding Lin’s hand, Lucy was forced to suppress her anxiety by focusing intensely on setting up the stage. The weather was scorching, and both Lucy and Lin were drenched in sweat. Men around them licked their lips at the sight of Lucy’s revealing, sweat-soaked figure, but Lucy only yearned to lick the sweat off Lin. If she could just have a taste, it would give her the strength to keep going all day.

“Alright! Lunchtime! Line up in order to get your lunchboxes. But since I’m the employer, I go first!”

Wielding her power as the boss, Ibis grabbed two lunchboxes and immediately walked over to Lin.

“You must be hungry. Let’s eat together.”

No, Lin, don’t do it. I’m right here.

But Lin ignored Lucy’s desperate gaze. There was no way he could refuse the invitation of the region’s influential figure.

“…Sure.”

“Great! But how do we eat with these masks on? Should we lift them up a bit?”

Ibis chattered on without a break, more like a lively young woman from a village than a noble lady. Lin remained mostly silent, only answering when necessary. The two of them looked very much like a perfectly matched couple.

“Miss, did you come here alone? There’s a shaded spot over there; why don’t we all eat together?”

A sturdy young man offered Lucy a lunchbox.

“No, thanks.”

“Oh… but at least take the lunchbox. You need to eat.”

“……”

“Here, take it.”

The man forcibly handed the lunchbox to Lucy, who was staring at the ground. He wiped his nose and returned to his group under the shade.

“What did she say?”

“She’s not interested.”

“She’s playing hard to get.”

“Playing hard to get makes it more interesting. If she were easy, she’d be no fun. But she did take the lunchbox I offered her.”

“Oh, nice! Maybe she’s still sizing you up.”

While the men entertained themselves with hopeful thoughts, Lucy shoved the lunchbox into the nearby trash bin. She then grabbed a handful of sand and rubbed it against the spot on her wrist where the man had touched her.

“Damn bastard…”

What if Lin had seen? What if Lin saw another man approaching her? What would he think?

“Dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty.”

Lucy continued rubbing her wrist with the sand until her skin was raw and bleeding.

“Hey, if you’re thirsty, maybe you could… Whoa! You’re bleeding!”

It was the same guy from before. He had returned with a drink, probably trying to make another move, but upon seeing her bleeding wrist, he panicked.

“Are you okay?! I’ll get a first-aid kit…”

“Get lost!”

Lucy finally snapped, unable to hold back her anger any longer. She had no choice; the man had touched her shoulder.

“What the hell is wrong with this crazy woman?!”

Shocked by her extreme reaction, the man backed away in disgust. Ignoring him, Lucy grabbed more dirt and roughly scrubbed her shoulder.

Forgive me, Lin. I’m trying. I’m really trying to change. I’ll never let myself be a whore again.

Even though she knew Lin wasn’t watching her, she continued scrubbing her wrist and shoulder until the work foreman and the Protect family’s maid came to get her for more work.

The heat showed no signs of relenting. Even though Ibis had been considerate enough to assign Lin to move contest supplies instead of setting up the stage, he was still soaked with sweat, right down to his back. No matter how easy the work might seem, any task worth paying someone else to do was bound to be strenuous. Still, compared to Lucy, who was hauling scorching steel beams under the blazing sun, at least Lin was under a tent.

“Whew.”

Despite appearances, Lin was a man who had made a living as a porter. After moving two or three wooden boxes at a time several times, he finally reached the last one. As he spread his legs, bent his knees, and grabbed the box, someone suddenly shoved him from behind.

Thud!

“Oof!”

He fell forward with a loud crash, landing face-first in the dirt.

“L-Lin… Chun-sik!”

Lucy tried to run to him, but Lin gestured for her to stay back as he looked up. The next thing he saw was a flash of stars.

“Oh, my bad! I didn’t see where I was stepping. You okay?”

Before he could regain his senses, someone grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up. When Lin managed to focus, he saw a muscular man with dark, greasy hair holding him up.

“I heard you were handpicked by the Protect lady, so I expected something impressive, but you’re just a nobody, huh?”

“I have work to do, so could you let me go?”

“Huh?”

The man’s face twisted with irritation as he sneered at Lin.

“You’re just some lowly outsider. Do your job quietly and get out of here without causing any trouble.”

“Yes, I intend to work hard, considering the generous pay.”

“Hah, this guy…”

The man, frustrated by Lin’s calm response despite the insult, raised his fist.

“Something about you pisses me off. As a member of the security team, I think I’ll rough you up a bit.”

“Gendry!”

Thankfully, Ibis appeared just before the punch landed.

“What are you doing?”

“Miss Protect! You’re looking especially beautiful today. I heard you’ll be competing in the beauty contest this evening. With your looks, you’re sure to win first place. And when you do, you should make me your partner for the festival’s best couple event…”

“Gendry, I asked what you were doing.”

“Ah!”

Gendry finally let go of Lin, then made a show of dusting him off.

“This guy tripped over my foot and fell. Hahaha! Poor guy’s clumsy and weak. I was just helping him up.”

“Gendry, why did you kick a worker?”

“Miss, I didn’t kick him…”

“Are you trying to make excuses to me right now?”

“Miss…”

“Do I look like an idiot to you?”

Despite her small stature, Ibis’s stern demeanor was enough to make the muscular Gendry falter. He couldn’t brush off her presence as easily as he had with Lin. Still, Gendry cleared his throat uncomfortably, prompting Ibis to sigh before she bowed to Lin.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Chun-sik. Please accept my apology.”

“Miss Protect! You have nothing to apologize for!”

“Quiet, Gendry. I’m apologizing because of you. Understand?”

Though Gendry tried to stop her, Ibis firmly shook off his attempt and rebuked him sharply.

“Out of consideration for your father, the head of security, I’ll have a word with you privately. Just the two of us.”

“Phew, understood. Just the two of us, then.”

Lin couldn’t understand why Gendry emphasized the “just the two of us” part while glaring at him. As Ibis grabbed his arm and forcibly led him away, Gendry followed with a smug grin. Lin signaled to Lucy that he was okay and tried to pick up the box again.

But there was someone already sitting on it.

“Don’t you have any pride?”

A young girl with wavy black hair and a black dress sat on the box. Her skin was so pale it almost seemed to reflect the sunlight, and her eyes were filled with a sharp intensity, unusual for someone her age.

“Aren’t you angry? Don’t you feel insulted? Don’t you think it’s unfair to be treated like this?”

She seemed oblivious to the fact that her actions were just as provocative as what she was accusing him of. Lin stared at the girl, unsure how to respond.

“Ugh…”

Unexpectedly, the girl blushed and looked away.

“You’re so cowardly.”

For what, exactly?

“I came to see what kind of person you were, but you’re completely uninteresting.”

The girl’s voice dripped with disdain as she radiated coldness.

“I’m leaving. I don’t talk to people who are as fake as dolls.”

“Maybe it’s not being fake, but being mature?”

When Lin countered, the girl hesitated and looked back at him. Then, she smirked.

“Hmph, mature, huh? Who ever told you to be an adult?”

Leaving behind another harsh comment as if trying to provoke him, the girl walked away.

“Not like anyone would care.”

With that, the darkness lifted.

Lin hadn’t even noticed the shadows creeping in around him. He didn’t know when the darkness had begun to envelop him. As soon as the girl left, he felt the intense heat of the sun again. Seeing him, Lucy ran over in a panic.

“Lin! What happened? For a moment, I couldn’t sense your presence at all.”

It felt like he’d been enchanted by a will-o’-the-wisp. But Lin smiled faintly.

“Lucy, I think I’ve found the Demon Sword.”

At last, it seemed this cursed game of terrible luck was finally starting to work in his favor.