His body was suddenly pulled and pushed onto the sofa. A large shadow pounced on the body that was laid down in an instant.

“I could empty all the houses in Seoul for you.”

The words he muttered while planting kisses on his forehead and bridge of nose didn’t sound like a joke.

“You’ll protect both my sister and me, right?”

When he asked without avoiding the lips touching his cheek, the corners of Choi Gang-hu’s well-shaped mouth curled up slightly.

“For a lifetime.”

At the answer that flowed out as if he had been waiting, Ryu Seo-ha smiled back, gently folding his eyes. Then he wrapped the tie around his hand that had been holding the shirt collar and pulled.

Using that momentum to raise his upper body, he pushed Choi Gang-hu over onto the opposite sofa. Pressing down on the large body as he mounted it, he lowered his head to bring their faces close.

“It was you.”

His moist lips moved slowly as if to hold the breath that touched them.

“The one who sent the text to my sister.”

By now, his bright smile had changed to an expressionless doll-like face as he spoke quietly.

“Haha.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had stopped moving for a moment with wide eyes, suddenly let out a small laugh. It was an unexpected reaction.

People who are guilty tend to either get angry and strongly deny it or make excuses. Innocent people usually show bewilderment and hurt feelings.

“…Why are you laughing?”

Choi Gang-hu, who was laughing while showing even pleasure, didn’t belong to either category. Ryu Seo-ha tightened his grip on the tie fabric, trying hard to hide his bewilderment.

“Because it’s cute.”

A loving gaze sweetly pierced down onto the back of his hand that had quickly lost strength. A sense of defeat that he might have guessed wrong and premature apology mixed chaotically.

“Your attempt to threaten me by grabbing my collar. To me, it only feels like seduction.”

Seeing the honey-like smile on his sculpture-like face, the desire to not argue and just rest in his wide embrace for a moment wriggled.

“…Please answer me. Did you send the threatening text?”

But he asked the question again, putting aside the temptation that wasn’t easy to ignore. In the world, there are problems that if not clearly settled, will require a bigger price to pay later.

“What if I did?”

The joy was evident in Choi Gang-hu’s eyes as he casually asked back.

“If I’m the blackmailer, what will you do?”

His attitude was so confident that it became confusing whether he was actually admitting to staging it or not. Ryu Seo-ha grabbed Choi Gang-hu’s shirt collar again with his hand wrapped in the tie. To avoid showing any emotional fluctuation.

“I’ll have to punish you.”

Another quiet laugh flowed out. This side had given a rather serious answer after much consideration.

“How?”

Choi Gang-hu asked back in a whisper, his expression still not losing its smile. It was a sweet voice that naturally weakened one’s resolve. But he couldn’t give in easily. This was an issue involving his older sister, of all people.

“I’ll use your weakness. The part you value most.”

Ryu Seo-ha tried to answer coldly while applying pressure with his thighs that were tightly pressing down on Choi Gang-hu’s upper body laid on the sofa. He tensed his whole body to hide the fact that his legs were trembling from tension.

Would he still show such an affectionate attitude if he said he would hold information useful for revenge as hostage? Choi Gang-hu’s expression immediately turned cold. His heart sank, as if he had secretly been hoping for something.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to attempt self-harm.”

His voice, lowered frighteningly, pressed.

“Don’t you dare.”

It was a heavy and gloomy voice that seemed like it could dig into the Earth’s inner core.

“I’ll tie you up tightly and lock you in my house forever.”

The strong arms that had been lying still all along wrapped around his thin back like a snake. His pitch-black eyes seemed to emit a cold blue light.

“That’s not what I meant…”

As he unconsciously tried to explain and closed his mouth, questions spread across the expression that had become ice-cold.

“Then? What else do I have that’s precious?”

His words got stuck at the attitude that seemed to care about nothing but the existence of the person in front of him. That this man, who held so many things in his hands, thought of Ryu Seo-ha’s well-being first.

Joy and relief, excitement and gratitude stormed through his heart. After opening and closing his lips slightly several times, he calmly responded, giving up on pretending to have an indifferent expression.

“I can give it to you. Information that could help with your revenge.”

“They said you knew more than expected, seems it’s true.”

Only then did Choi Gang-hu’s terrifyingly stiff expression loosen.

“You’re going to torment me with that?”

“…If you really are the one who threatened my sister, and plan to do so in the future.”

“Isn’t that too soft a response?”

The touch arranging his slightly disheveled bangs was as affectionate as usual. So was his smiling face, as if it had never been cold. He could have pressured him to spill everything he knew right away.

“So, why did you do it?”

“Why did you think I was the culprit?”

There were many reasons to suspect it was staged. The overall situation was strange. Although he doubted until the end.

“I heard it was you who introduced my sister to Han Gaeul. And the one who sent people from the guild on leave.”

It was him, who knew Ryu Seo-ha’s schedule and movements thoroughly, who had induced the two to go to the hotel. A man who doesn’t care about others’ anxieties, even going so far as to give vacation to office workers.

“That can’t be the only reason.”

“The descriptions of the people claiming to be YH Capital employees were different from my memory.”

The timing of the commotion at Han Gaeul’s house was also suspicious. It started the very next day after Ryu Jeong-ah received the threatening text and informed Choi Gang-hu.

“And?”

“I couldn’t see Go Young-hoon’s habits.”

The spelling and spacing errors he often made were all corrected. Of course, since it was almost identical in format to the invitation sent by the order, it might not have been a text he sent directly.

“Except for the first text my sister received.”

But the first message reeked of his scent. Unlike the subsequent messages that were sent with slightly changed content every day.

“Seems Secretary Jang did a sloppy job.”

Choi Gang-hu clicked his tongue lowly and muttered as if it was pathetic.

“No, maybe my lover is just too smart.”

His smiling expression as he tapped Ryu Seo-ha’s white cheek showed no trace of apology or guilt. As if he thought he had done something perfectly natural.

“You’re right. I ordered it.”

Then a plain admission flowed out.

“Why…”

“Exactly as you’ve guessed.”

He smiled languidly as he cupped Ryu Seo-ha’s cheek with his large hand.

“I wanted to stop you. Both from staying at the hotel and entering the S-class dungeon.”

The strategy itself was excellent. He wouldn’t have been able to insist in a situation where his sister’s safety was threatened. He couldn’t get angry about secret scheming behind his back. He had many things he was hiding too.

“The first text was really from the order, right?”

“Probably.”

The man who had tried to use the incident that had already occurred to his advantage by greatly exaggerating it, answered while slowly stroking his back. After pondering for a moment, Ryu Seo-ha straightened his half-lowered upper body.

“I’ll move into Choi Gang-hu’s house.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had risen along with him, led by the gentle hand pulling his collar, tilted his head crookedly. As if curious about why he would agree to follow his intention even after knowing the whole story, rather than arguing.

“In exchange, could you prepare one written pledge for me?”

His black eyes held a curious light at the unexpected proposal.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Then please, everyone, do your final checks.”

After the dungeon briefing, Park Je-hyun, who was in charge as the leader, gave a blunt request. He, a first-generation career hunter and A-class hunter, was set to lead the conquest team. Instead of the guild master, whose character was more suited to a free role unbound by position.

From Hell Guild’s first dungeon conquest attempt since its founding, what are the chances of success?

Association official: “An S-class dungeon for the first conquest is reckless”

From Hell in crisis! Ryu Seo-ha is the only official S-class among team members

“Don’t hold onto the precious healer!” Public opinion split on entry permission…

As the level of attention was high, the interview fever was too overheated, so official interviews were omitted. Fortunately, the success rate of equipment enchantment entrusted to Dr. Han Gang-seok was high.

Sis, is the bird behaving?

Nope, it’s being aloof. Thinks it’s a cat or something.

After finishing his personal check and contacting his sister to shake off the tension, an immediate reply came back.

It’s not aggressive like before?

Yeah. But it won’t even make eye contact with me lol

The avian monster born from the Fire Egg. The creature that understood human speech had been employed as Ryu Jeong-ah’s temporary bodyguard. It was insurance created using even a written pledge.

If you sense anything strange, use that item right away.

OK

Try not to go outside if possible. Always be with the bird and bodyguards.

I told you not to worry about me. You should stick close to the guild master.

Okay, I will.

He didn’t like having to leave Ryu Jeong-ah’s side with risk factors remaining.

Status: Remaining lifespan 7 days 14 hours 37 minutes

But there was no choice. The only option was to complete the conquest as quickly as possible and return. He tried to convince himself that it would be fine for now since security had been strengthened in various ways.

“From Hell conquest team, entering.”

Led by Park Je-hyun, all members of the conquest team entered the dungeon in order. As soon as they stepped through the gate, the mark of the mental defense enchantment lit up, signaling its activation. But the very next moment,

You are exposed to the range of the item ‘Defense Nullification Bomb (S-class)’.

The light they had trusted went out.