Chapter 55

Chapter 054

I was honestly taken aback by the sudden call.

Why would this woman call me at this hour?

It's almost 10 PM, isn't it?

Why is she calling me now, when I should be having a meeting about the demon doppleganger and the goblin that appeared today?

[Where are you right now?]

"Excuse me?"

[Can you meet me now?]

Her voice was strained.

I immediately understood what it meant for a woman to call and suggest meeting at this late hour, but unfortunately, I was in a situation where I couldn't physically get close to her.

"Well... It's a bit awkward to say, but I'm currently outside Sejong Island."

[What?]

"I'm on Ulleung Island right now."

[.......]

Baek Seul-hee fell silent.

I felt guilty even though I hadn't done anything wrong.

Honestly, I was wrong.

When a woman calls with a sad voice at night and you're in a position where you can't reach her within an hour, it's the man's fault.

Especially if the woman is single and living alone.

I don't know why she called me, but if I think about what Yoon Eun-seon said, it seems I'm doing a good job as a counselor for the heroes.

She probably called for a consultation.

That's why she suggested meeting.

"Did something go wrong at the meeting again?"

[Ha...!]

I guessed right.

Most of the heroes' complaints are about the numerous civilian casualties caused by armchair theorizing and hasty administration, and the ones who suffer the most are, of course, the S-Class heroes.

"Who was it that gave Seul-hee a hard time again, asking why she couldn't catch the goblin, why she didn't attack on the spot, and why she let it escape? Was it some middle-aged man with a balding head and a potbelly?"

[My head isn't bald. Do you have some kind of spy on me? Or can you hear information through the phone?]

"I can tell just by your voice. You want to vent your frustration about the 'high-ups' to me in person."

Not only from my experience as a reader of the original novel, but also from Seul-hee's voice, the situation, and the background of this world, it was clear.

"I can talk on the phone. I'm at a resort on Ulleung Island right now."

[...A resort?]

"Yes."

[......Who with?]

What is this?

I'm soaking in a hot spring, but I feel a chill down my spine.

It's cold.

It feels like a magic blade has pierced my heart.

Is this what it means to make someone tense just by voice?

"By myself."

[You're lying. Ulleung Island resorts are expensive. How could you go there alone? And to 'Ulleung Island' of all places?]

She emphasizes the word 'Ulleung Island' as she asks me.

Considering the social status of Ulleung Island, there are only two scenarios where someone would go there alone.

Either she went there with someone to engage in patriotic activities and is lying about it.

Or she met a woman on Ulleung Island and is lying about it.

It's the same as saying she went to a club in Gangnam to dance.

"Do you want to do a video call?"

[What?]

"I'm soaking in a hot spring right now, so I can only show you my upper body, but I can do a video call with my Taeguk Watch."

[Right now? ...Okay. Do it now.]

I took my hand out of the water and directed the Taeguk Watch towards me. Soon, Baek Seul-hee's face appeared on the small screen of the Taeguk Watch.

[Ah.]

Wearing a white shirt, Baek Seul-hee blushed and looked flustered when she saw me.

I wasn't planning to have a goblin party, so I was soaking up to my collarbone when I answered the video call, but she still blushed and looked flustered.

"Do you believe me now?"

[No one else... You're really at a resort by yourself? That, that looks like a nice resort.]

"It has a hot spring."

[...Is the water warm?]

"Yes. It's maintained at over 40 degrees. Ulleung Island is a volcanic island, so the hot spring water is heated by geothermal energy."

[You must be enjoying it....]

She genuinely sounds envious.

If I were to continue the conversation or try to persuade her, introducing this place would be the best choice, but it feels a bit awkward to talk about it.

'This is a place to increase mana, you know?'

The most efficient place in the world for mana recovery and maximum mana enhancement.

A place where I can recover my depleted mana overnight and even see my mana stats increase in real time.

It stacks by 0.1 every hour, but compared to others who see their stats increase by 1 in the fourth decimal place, it's incredibly efficient.

It can't happen every day.

There's a cooldown period.

Maybe it's nature's way of saying not to stay here too long, or a device to ensure that very appropriate and light novel-like activities take place in a hot spring.

But.

If I can recruit Baek Seul-hee by telling her about this place?

Even if I have to give up this place, if I can make Baek Seul-hee an ally?

'It has to be Baek Seul-hee.'

Not because of her looks.

It's a strategic and rational choice.

'Baek Seul-hee is shaken today. This is the perfect time to make a move.'

If I can listen to her complaints after she was scolded by the high-ups today and recruit her into our guild?

"Seul-hee."

[Can I come?]

"Excuse me?"

[Can I come there? Ulleung Island isn't that far.]

"...At this hour?"

[Ah.]

Baek Seul-hee smiled at my question.

[By asking if it's this hour, you mean I can come if the time is okay, right?]

"Well, that's true, but wouldn't it be a bit awkward? If people find out a man and a woman are together on Ulleung Island, Seul-hee might be in a difficult position."

[Don't worry about that. I can get to Ulleung Island in 10 minutes.]

What a bold move for an S-Class.

"Ten minutes?"

[Yes. I can get there in 10 minutes by moving underwater without getting wet.]

"You mean you'll use your ability to come here?"

[Of course. How else could I get to Ulleung Island in 10 minutes?]

That's true.

Using the power of mana, I could also travel between Sejong Island and Ulleung Island in under 20 minutes using the goblin bat and imagination.

[Give me the address. And... I'll be there in 15 minutes, so open the window.]

"Wait, that, hold on. If it becomes a scandal...."

Click.

The call was disconnected.

By hanging up, she was essentially pressuring me to send the address.

If I don't send the address?

My relationship with Baek Seul-hee is over.

It's the same as saying goodbye to her.

"...Tsk. Ah. Sending a message to Baek Seul-hee. Ulleung Special Self-Governing Province...."

I sent the address to Baek Seul-hee via text message on the Taeguk Watch.

The reply was just [Okay.]

"...Phew."

It's suspicious why this woman suddenly decided to meet me so urgently.

Even though it's an outdoor hot spring, I don't need to open the window for her to see me and land here, but I'm still quite flustered.

"Ah. Text. Leave the Taeguk Watch behind."

I left a message just in case.

S-Class ability users are essentially tracked in real-time by the Hero Association's information network.

But she's coming here with it?

[Shocking] Hero S, spending a night at a resort on Ulleung Island with a man.

[Breaking News] Prince appears for Snow White? Dwarves weep

[Exclusive] Librarian Taoist, who is he?

It's bound to happen.

"Ugh, I'm going crazy...."

I checked the text message on the Taeguk Watch, but the '1' next to the message I sent after 'Okay' hasn't disappeared.

What should I do?

Should I call her?

"...No."

There's no reason to be flustered.

No, this is what I wanted.

If I become involved in a scandal with Baek Seul-hee, it will be a huge gossip story, and I might get more opportunities to approach her circle.

Specifically, the protagonist.

Baek Seul-hee is one of the heroines in the original novel, and she's a 'teacher position' heroine.

Yoon Eun-seon, the student.

Baek Seul-hee, the teacher.

As one of the most popular heroines, the protagonist will surely be involved with Baek Seul-hee.

When that happens, I can meet the protagonist through her.

And using Baek Seul-hee, or with her, I can....

"Tsk. I'm a complete scumbag."

Using a woman's feelings to achieve my goals.

Especially using a hero's vulnerable and shaken heart to corrupt her for the benefit of the guild.

"...Manipulating a hero's mental weakness to turn them into a villain is