NoveLight ™
Seomun Ye-jin, who had retrieved her belongings lost during the villain attack, returned home with Baek Seo-jun.
"Ta-da! What do you think? This is my house!"
Seomun Ye-jin's house exceeded expectations.
Not only was it a three-story residence, but each floor had several rooms. The property also boasted a small swimming pool in the yard and even a karaoke room in the basement.
“Not a bad place.”
However, for someone like Seomun Ye-jin to live here alone, it seemed overly quiet and lonely.
Still, Baek Seo-jun didn’t ask her about it.
Like himself, Seomun Ye-jin probably had her share of a troubled family life, and prying into it would have been disrespectful.
“Even though she’s one of the heroines of the original story, her background wasn’t elaborated on in detail.”
In the original novel, Seomun Ye-jin appeared as an active hero who was four years older than the protagonist, Baek Seo-jin.
Nicknamed the "Innocent Glamour Idol Hunter," she enjoyed popularity not only as a hero but also as a model.
While she had never actually worked as an idol, her fame as a model had earned her the nickname.
“In the original, her main role was apprehending villains.”
Ramisa, the Black Serpent, acted as the final boss in the original story. Before descending into the world, Ramisa had seduced many villains into joining her.
Though the villains didn’t realize the world’s end—and their own destruction—was inevitable, they became intoxicated by the stronger powers they gained through contracts with Ramisa. These contracts led many to wreak havoc.
Ramisa didn’t seek mana but rather the elevated quality of souls. Growing the "rank" of villains' souls made them more lucrative for harvesting.
Fighting these rampaging villains was Seomun Ye-jin’s main occupation, and the story depicted her joining forces with Baek Seo-jin and other heroines, ultimately establishing her role as one of the main heroines.
“But Ramisa is wrapped around my neck now.”
The power of Ramisa was now his.
And only Baek Seo-jun knew the existence of an even greater threat than Ramisa—the Fox That Devours Worlds.
The villains’ actions, too, would deviate from their original paths since Ramisa’s intervention would no longer guide them.
Likewise, Seomun Ye-jin’s experiences in this timeline would differ from those in the original story.
“Baek Seo-jin’s entry into the Academy is still nine years away.”
The original story was set to begin nine years from now.
***
Nine Years Until the Original Plot Begins
There were nine years left until the original story’s timeline began.
Until then, I had to quietly establish myself and prepare everything for the perfect revenge. The key to proper vengeance is to let happiness soar high before casting it down into the depths of hell.
I wouldn’t make the mistake of acting rashly.
However, there was no reason to wait nine years to deal with villains.
“Hoo~”
Taking a deep breath, I held back the urge to rush out immediately. Before hunting down So Kang-seok, I had secured a place to stay, which meant I also needed to handle my relationship with Seomun Ye-jin.
"Which floor do you prefer? First? Second? Third? Just say the word!"
Seomun Ye-jin confidently asked me to pick a room, showing no trace of suspicion or wariness toward me.
"Where do you stay?"
"Me? I’m on the second floor. Do you want the room next to mine?"
She asked with a mischievous grin. Would she genuinely be fine if I moved into the room right next to hers?
Ramisa suggested I peek into Seomun Ye-jin’s thoughts. It seemed she was curious about what was going through her head.
With my current power, I could easily read someone’s mind without being detected. However, I didn’t feel the need to do so with Seomun Ye-jin, at least for now. I might use it later, but for some reason, I had no desire to intrude on her thoughts at the moment.
Telepathically silencing Ramisa, I looked Seomun Ye-jin up and down.
Despite being only fifteen, her development was already remarkable. The traits that earned her the title "Innocent Glamour" in the original story were clearly evident.
The heroines in the original world were all hailed as the most beautiful figures in the setting, and it was easy to believe she was one of them.
Sensing my gaze, Seomun Ye-jin gave me a slightly dangerous(?) smile.
“Oh my, what are you thinking about?”
She seemed to expect me to get flustered and embarrassed, but unfortunately for her, my composure remained unshaken.
"I was just wondering if you’re scared to sleep alone."
"A-ah..."
My words visibly unsettled her.
Watching her reaction, I quickly pieced together what might be going through her mind.
“She’s scared.”
Although she was pretending to be fine and cheerful, what she experienced today wasn’t something she could easily brush off.
Being kidnapped by villains and almost sold at a slave auction—just imagining what horrors could have awaited her if she had been sold was terrifying.
Even now, she was likely suppressing her fear of being targeted by villains again, intentionally ignoring it to maintain her composure.
And the reason she could even manage that much was probably...
“It’s me.”
It was likely because of me—the person who had saved her with overwhelming power. Without realizing it, she had come to rely on me.
“Savior syndrome, huh.”
“Pardon?”
Seomun Ye-jin tilted her head at my muttered words, but I merely chuckled.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter.”
I looked her in the eye and spoke firmly. “As long as you’re staying here, I’ll protect you. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Oh...”
Her blue eyes trembled as she processed my words, seemingly realizing what she truly desired. She had thought offering me a place to stay was her way of showing gratitude. Yet, deep down, she had been seeking my protection.
Realizing this, she lowered her head, looking flustered.
"Are you feeling guilty for trying to rely on me?"
"Yes... I’m sorry..."
She admitted honestly, her voice heavy with remorse. Considering she was only fifteen and had just experienced such a harrowing event, her reaction was completely understandable.
"An apology is enough. Don’t worry about it; I’ll be here for a while."
"Okay..."
"And since you promised to handle the tasks I don’t want to bother with, I’ll be counting on you."
"Of course! You can count on me!"
Her cheerful response immediately lifted the atmosphere. It seemed this bright side of her was her true nature.
"Alright, let’s pick a room now."
"Sure! You can use any room you like."
Her tone became cautious again, likely because she’d realized she wanted me to stay close by. Her overly careful demeanor made me consider saying something, but I decided against it.
“She’s confused right now. She’ll get better.”
I reached out my hand toward her.
"Let me see your hand for a moment."
"Huh? Oh, okay."
Without hesitation, she placed her hand in mine, and I spoke calmly.
"If you ever desperately need me, just think of me. No matter when or where, I’ll help you."
"Ah..."
Her gaze grew dazed, her face slowly turning red. It seemed my words had made a stronger impact on her than I intended.
"And you’re best when you’re cheerful. So don’t feel pressured; just be yourself."
"Yes! By the way, you just came out of a rift. Aren’t you hungry? While you pick a room, should I order some chicken for delivery?"
"That sounds good."
"What kind would you like?"
"Fried."
"Alright! I’ll order fried chicken right away!"
Her energetic response made me smile faintly.
“Bright, isn’t she?”
True to her role as a heroine, she had a knack for brightening the mood. It was refreshing, especially considering the fifteen years I’d spent without this kind of light—excluding the five years in the dimensional rift.
“Hmm, so that’s where you are.”
While Seomun Ye-jin placed the chicken order, I didn’t bother looking at the rooms.
So Kang-seok.
I had pinpointed his location. It had taken some time due to the global search radius of my mana, but now I knew where he was.
“Somalia, huh?”
He had gone far, indeed.
“All done with the order!” Seomun Ye-jin announced cheerfully.
"Thanks, Miss. Could I borrow your phone for a moment?"
"My phone? Sure!"
She handed it to me without hesitation.
“After we eat and pick a room, I’ll get you a new phone. Is it because you don’t want to register it under your name yet?”
"Yeah. I’d rather keep my presence hidden for now. But don’t worry, I have a way."
If necessary, I could find a random villain, modify their brain, and make them register the phone on my behalf. Ideally, it’d be someone with a clean record to avoid complications.
"Thanks for the phone."
I accepted her phone and immediately searched for information on the Baekho Guild.
“As expected.”
Seeing the search results, I clenched my teeth.
The Baekho Guild was up to their usual tricks.