“Seo-ha, don’t worry. Whether he’s a diplomat or whatever, I’ll make sure that bastard gets punished.”

Jung Woo-bin, who had been glaring disapprovingly at Choi Gang-hu’s arm around Ryu Seo-ha’s waist, suddenly boasted. It was like a child’s statement, showing off an expensive snack in his hand.

“It seems like punishment should be given to someone else first.”

Choi Junwan, after glancing around, raised his voice and looked at Choi Gang-hu.

“To act so rashly, wielding force without discerning the situation. Isn’t that a failing grade for someone who’s supposed to lead a company?”

His expression seemed conscious of the reporters who were starting to gather, sensing a scoop.

“It would be a big problem if the Ambassador decides to exclude our Gangseong, no, Korea itself, in terms of industrial cooperation. Gang-hu, how do you intend to take responsibility for this?”

It was a childish attack, so transparent in its intent, thrown to create a plausible framing in front of the cameras. But it was also a perfect point to belittle the opponent as being thoughtless.

“Let’s move to a different location to talk first.”

Ryu Seo-ha, unable to bear it anymore, quietly spoke up. Though Choi Gang-hu probably initiated this situation confident he could handle it, Ryu Seo-ha didn’t want to see his precious lover become the target of criticism even for a moment.

“Seo-ha. I understand your desire to defend the leader of the guild you’re currently part of. But this issue doesn’t seem like something we can just let slide.”

“Of course we can’t let it slide. I don’t understand how such a criminal could be officially recognized as a diplomat. Has the Korean government gone mad?”

It was Jung Woo-bin who retorted to Choi Junwan’s words, who was pretending to be the only rational one, stepping forward with a face full of discontent. Though they were in opposition, neither seemed inclined to listen to Ryu Seo-ha’s words.

“My, how annoyingly he pretends to cherish.”

Go Young-hoon, who was mocking Choi Gang-hu for thoroughly blocking others’ approach while embracing Ryu Seo-ha as if to shield him with his body, was the same.

“Looks like you haven’t even caught a whiff of who the new creditor is? What a fake smart-ass.”

He then sneered at Ryu Seo-ha and rummaged through his pants pocket with one hand to pull out a cigarette pack. His gleaming eyes were carefully observing the relationship between the two to an unpleasant degree. Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes narrowed at the words naturally trying to drive a wedge between them.

Suddenly, he thought that perhaps what Go Young-hoon, who cooperated with the Cult’s kidnapping incident, was aiming for was the loss itself for Choi Gang-hu. Whether it was Choi Gang-hu’s personal achievements or the Gangseong Group he wanted to ruin, it seemed certain that he had antipathy towards that side.

“CEO Go Young-hoon. Do you think that will leave even a scratch on Korea’s top company?”

Seeing his expression harden instantly upon hearing the words casually dropped as if to probe his inner thoughts, Ryu Seo-ha’s conviction grew. For reasons unknown, Go Young-hoon’s target was clearly the Gangseong Group, or the owner family of Gangseong.

Go Young-hoon is a character who never appeared as a villain in the original work. But the butterfly effect couldn’t be overlooked. Many things had changed because of Ryu Seo-ha, so it could be that malice that had been buried until now was revealed.

“You, do you really think that chaebol who has everything sincerely cares for you?”

Ryu Seo-ha smiled gently towards Go Young-hoon, who quickly composed his expression and spoke sarcastically, and nodded.

“Of course.”

Unable to find words at the clean answer without a single unnecessary detail, Go Young-hoon stood there unable to even let out a hollow laugh. Choi Junwan suddenly approached his side.

“Ambassador, first you should receive treatment…”

However, he soon trailed off and turned his head abruptly. It was because Choi Gang-hu’s magic power had spread thinly and widely, invisibly restraining the bodies of those gathered at the hotel entrance.

“What are you doing?”

“Preventing escape.”

After briefly answering his half-brother who asked irritably, he took out an item that looked like a half-broken handcuff from [Subspace] and threw it into the air. It flew in a straight line and closed around Go Young-hoon’s neck with a click, as if choking him.

“Choi Gang-hu!”

Choi Junwan, who had decided to go all-in on securing semiconductor-magic compatibility technology, protested strongly, but Choi Gang-hu paid no attention. He only leisurely withdrew his magic power and rechecked the item’s attachment.

“This project, how important the Chairman considers it…”

“Gangseong Guild Leader.”

Ryu Seo-ha cut off Choi Junwan’s words as he was about to elaborate on why cooperation with El Salvador shouldn’t fall through. It was because his ulterior motive seemed too transparent.

He probably wanted the reporters pointing their camera lenses this way to write more sensational articles like ‘From Hell Guild Leader, Out of Father’s Favor?’ or ‘Choi Gang-hu’s Violence, Is This Okay?’

“I have something to say. Let’s go inside the hotel and talk for a moment.”

Even if the content wouldn’t actually cause much damage, he had no intention of leaving it be. With the share battle within Gangseong Trading, there must be a lot to worry about already, so there was no need to let them become the subject of unnecessary gossip.

“Let’s just do it here.”

Perhaps thinking he had gained an advantageous position by Ryu Seo-ha requesting the conversation first, Choi Junwan slightly raised the corners of his mouth and jerked his chin somewhat arrogantly.

“It’s about the list of artworks received by the Cultural Foundation’s Director, is that alright?”

“What…”

At the sudden mention of his mother’s existence, Choi Junwan, who had been holding his chin up arrogantly, showed perplexity.

“Last month, thirty oil paintings to Gangseong Art Center and…”

“No, wait.”

And at the mention of the slush fund creation route that followed, he waved his hand, unable to hide his flustered appearance. Then, as he unconsciously tried to grab Ryu Seo-ha’s wrist, he had to stop his movement due to Choi Gang-hu’s oppressively emitted magic power.

“Come to think of it, we need to treat the Ambassador’s arm too, so I guess we should move inside the hotel first.”

Choi Junwan changed his words, smiling with an expression that seemed to be trying hard to smooth out his furrowed brow. As he had felt before, he was a person whose inner thoughts were transparently visible in every action.

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

While inwardly shaking his head, Ryu Seo-ha casually agreed. It wasn’t just because of the reporters’ eyes. It was also because Go Young-hoon’s attitude, appearing without wearing a single defensive item, was suspicious.

They didn’t know with what scheme the Cult had exposed him here, or where they were watching from and when they planned to intervene in earnest. They needed to find out properly.

“Shall we go in then?”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

But as he was about to step towards the lobby, he had to stop due to the arm tightly squeezing his waist.

Reflexively raising his head, Choi Gang-hu’s ice-cold gaze caught his attention. Then he felt the sign of [Spatial Jump] about to be cast.

“My sister…”

Ryu Seo-ha urgently opened his mouth, thinking of his older sister who would be left alone without the protection of [Sanctuary], but the scenery in his view had already changed.

❖ ❖ ❖

“To the 17th floor…!”

Ryu Seo-ha, about to blurt out that they should quickly return to Gangseong Hotel before the slight dizziness even subsided, hesitated. It was because the fantastically colored sea spread out before his eyes stopped him.

Over the white beach covered with fine, white sand particles, emerald waves were sending white foam gently to shore. On one side, coal-black stones were gathered closely, seeming to greet them.

The water color changing to sapphire as if a gradient effect had been applied towards the open sea evoked admiration. It was a surprisingly exotic and heart-stirring landscape.

“Do you like it?”

Only upon hearing Choi Gang-hu’s leisurely questioning voice did Ryu Seo-ha snap back to his senses.

“What about my sister!”

Worried about the safety of his family member left almost alone in enemy territory, he unknowingly raised his voice. But Choi Gang-hu, whose coat hem was tightly grasped, still had a calm face.

“Shh, calm down.”

As if he knew Ryu Seo-ha would react like this, he gently stroked his back with his large hand and showed him his phone screen.

“I’ve moved your sister to the house.”

It was an auxiliary function of an application that could remotely control the CCTV installed in the Hannam-dong mansion. On the clear screen, the figure of Ryu Jeong-ah wandering around the house with a bewildered expression appeared.

Choi Gang-hu’s house and Ryu Seo-ha’s house were places thoroughly protected by numerous types of high-grade items. Perhaps the security might be even stricter than the Blue House. Only then did he feel relieved.

But then a small question also raised its head. Including Ryu Jeong-ah, who wasn’t even directly touched, in the range of [Spatial Jump] was something that would consume considerable concentration even for Choi Gang-hu with his superior magic power control.

“But why separately…”

If he had designated one more place and moved only some targets there, there would have been many more aspects to pay attention to. They could have just returned home together, so he couldn’t understand why they came here, exerting more effort.

“You like the sea, don’t you?”

Choi Gang-hu gave an irrelevant answer. He thought he had gotten quite used to his abrupt behavior, but it was difficult to understand this unrelated response.

“…Were you upset?”

Otherwise, there was no way he would suddenly leave the scene like this.

“That’s why.”

Choi Gang-hu, who until just now had been carrying an icy sea in his gaze, nodded compliantly.

“I need to see Ryu Seo-ha’s smiling face to feel better.”

He calmly recited the reason for spontaneously seeking out the sea, then grasped Ryu Seo-ha’s chin and made him gaze at the sea. As if telling him to smile brightly right away.