Chapter 72

# 72

User Manual for the Reincarnated 072

Ambitious Man (1)

"Come to think of it, my shoes seem a bit dirty..."

As I spoke, I could see Jung Yura's face contorting.

However, seeing her slowly crawling over, it seemed she had decided to submit.

Though her body was trembling, I felt no malice from her.

'Hmm...'

In fact, it felt more like she was gauging Lee Ji-hye's reaction.

I was more curious about how Lee Ji-hye ended up in this position than why Jung Yura had fallen to this level.

Before I could speak, a voice reached my ears.

"You seem to have a lot of questions."

"Of course. Honestly, I never thought you would treat this woman like this. She was once a talent that Black Swan pushed, and her combat abilities were quite high... Ji-hye, you always hated taking risks. Are you really prepared for the consequences?"

"There's no risk. There's absolutely no risk, so you can rest assured, big brother."

I couldn't help but pause, about to ask what she meant.

It was because of the state of Jung Yura in front of me.

[Checking Player Jung Yura's Status and Potential Abilities.]

[Name - Jung Yura]

[Title - National Antipathy, The Worst Woman Ever]

[Age - 29]

[Trait - Calculating Strategist]

[Occupation - Assassin Thief - Rare Tier]

[Occupation Effect - Acquired Basic Archery Knowledge]

[Occupation Effect - Acquired Basic Dagger Skills]

[Occupation Effect - Acquired Basic Trap Knowledge]

[Occupation Effect - Acquired Basic Assassination Knowledge]

[Unable to Use Acquired Knowledge.]

[Statistics]

[Strength - 41 → 05 / Growth Limit: Hero and Above]

[Agility - 55 → 10 / Growth Limit: Hero and Above]

[Stamina - 43 → 11 / Growth Limit: Hero and Below]

[Intelligence - 40 → 30 / Growth Limit: Rare and Below]

[Endurance - 20 → 05 / Growth Limit: Rare and Above]

[Luck - 23 → 10 / Growth Limit: Rare and Below]

[Mana - 43 → 09 / Growth Limit: Hero and Above]

[Overall Evaluation - Her body is severely damaged due to external shock. Her mana circuits are mostly destroyed, and her abilities have declined due to muscle fiber damage. While she can manage daily life, it's not an exaggeration to say her life as an adventurer is over. If there were a legendary elixir or a high-level priestess's divine healing magic, she might be healed, but... well, anyway, it's really pitiful. Unlike a player like Lee Gi-young, who had nothing to begin with, the sense of loss for someone who has lost what they once had is immense.]

'Hmm...'

More than the new titles, what caught my eye was her terrible physical condition.

I had roughly expected the titles to appear, but her overall stats had dropped significantly.

Before I could fully grasp what had happened, Lee Ji-hye's voice reached me, answering my unspoken questions.

"Her body is damaged in various ways."

"..."

"From the outside, she looks fine, but it's questionable whether she can even manage a normal life. I can't really tell, but if the media hadn't paid attention, she would have died already. Honestly, I might as well say I saved her life. You understand, right? She needs to stay alive. There are still people who haven't grasped the situation... Our guild's higher-ups are very angry."

"I understand."

"There was a lot of trouble with her. She used to go around causing chaos, and from what I heard, this isn't the first time. She's finally gotten what she deserved. I don't know much, but it seems there were quite a few people who thought the guild's power was their own. This time, it seems there was an intention to weed out such people... This woman was just a good example."

"Hmm..."

"There are also some political reasons, but it's an internal matter, so even though you're my big brother, I can't tell you everything."

"Was there a power struggle?"

It was probably the case.

I saw her nod slightly, as I had expected.

I had thought the guild might be in turmoil, but I hadn't expected it to be this bad.

While it might just be my imagination, it was clear that the Black Swan guild had been plagued by people like Jung Yura.

There must have been a movement to reform the guild at some point, and a faction that believed a shake-up was necessary.

In a way, Jung Yura became a convenient scapegoat at the right time.

"That's why they decided to cut out the rotten parts. That's what the current guild master thinks."

"Current?"

"This isn't like her to be so talkative, but I'm sharing this information with you, big brother. Anyway, it's not a big deal since you'll find out eventually. There hasn't been an official announcement yet, but if this matter is resolved well, the guild master will be replaced, and there will be many changes internally and externally. The power transition has been peaceful, so you don't need to worry about any strange thoughts."

"Does your presence here explain that? No, more importantly, the idea of a peaceful transition doesn't feel very reassuring when I look at this woman..."

"What's important is what really happened internally? The world doesn't run on the truth, you know? What matters is what the public thinks. You can think of what you've done this time in a similar way..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about..."

"You worry too much. There's no world with recording devices or recording magic... Anyway, about half of what you think is probably right. I'm not the type to take risks, but I had to stand on one side. Our guild master values various types of talent."

"So?"

"After the incident, I just wrote a few hundred pages of reports and brought them. I analyzed the current situation, the causes, the reasons for the guild's corruption, the direction Black Swan should take, the relationship with the Red Mercenaries, the growth potential of the Blue, and... hmm... what kind of man Lee Gi-young is? I wrote it in a rush, so I don't remember it well."

"..."

"Anyway, my actions seemed a bit refreshing to the higher-ups. In a situation where everyone was just spouting nonsense and no one wanted to take responsibility, what would they think when a regular guild member suddenly showed up in the office?"

They would think she was useful.

The crazy old people on our side would probably react by saying, "What the hell is this?" But if I were in a high position in Black Swan, I would definitely have used Lee Ji-hye.

In a way, she turned the guild's internal crisis into an opportunity to showcase her abilities.

"Actually, the reports weren't perfect. I'm not as smart as Gi-young, and I didn't have much time. But in a situation where no one wanted to take responsibility, the fact that someone was willing to act was something to be appreciated. Well, there was some risk, but I thought it wasn't bad to take it once."

"Did you have a change of heart or something?"

"Of course. Well, you probably know the details better... We can talk about that later. For now, can you tell me what conditions you want? I'll do my best to meet them. Besides the official communication, there are other things, to what extent... Ah! If you want that woman, I can give her to you."

"You're showing quite a bit of sincerity."

"Of course."

Glancing at the floor, I saw Jung Yura still crawling on the ground.

Her desperate service made me almost laugh.

She was extremely desperate.

I naturally knew why she was acting this way.

'She wants to recover, right?'

That's right.

A high-level priestess or an elixir is not something easily obtained.

There were very few people who could truly be called high-level priestesses, and bringing them here would require a significant cost.

The same goes for the elixir.

The materials needed are rare, and there are no alchemists who can make it.

In other words, it depends on the drop rate in the dungeon.

In short, it's impossible to recover on her own.

She would need support from the guild, so it's not surprising that she wants to make a good impression.

Lifting a strand of her hair, I saw her expression.

A mix of anger, resentment, worry, and regret.

In stark contrast to her clean shoes.

"To be honest, I didn't think things would go this well..."

"..."

Honestly, it was hard to say I was interested anymore.

"The world is a bit... isn't it?"

"Yes..."

"Seeing you makes me realize how unpredictable human affairs can be."

"..."

"It might be hard to accept, but think of this as the price for your past actions. As the saying goes, one action can lead to ten consequences. Your actions have come back to you."

"Yes..."

"Your expression suggests you think this applies to me too."

"No, no..."

"Probably not. A spoiled brat who's never been at the bottom, what do they know? Hmph."

"..."

"In your case, it's just bad luck this time. Think of it as stepping in shit. That's the right way to look at it. If you work hard, you might be able to make a comeback. Live your life with vigor. And, hmm... this is for your hard work. I don't really like it, but... you should be rewarded for your labor. That's what makes a beautiful society."

Rummaging in my pocket, I saw her expression contort.

Pulling out a bag of gold and slowly dropping it on the floor, I saw blood spurt from her bitten lip.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

She couldn't help but be angry.

I still looked like trash to her.

"Control your expression?"

"Yes. Yura, you should smile. It's a gift from big brother."

"Thank you."

Picking up the gold slowly, the scene was exactly what I wanted to see.

It was a bit amusing to see how easily a person could fall.

This kind of scene is a lesson.

More than a lesson that you shouldn't live like this, it's a reminder that if you're not careful, you could end up like this.

While it's not a direction a normal person would think, it's not wrong.

You need to increase your value and eliminate your enemies.

In that sense, I was quite satisfied with how this turned out.

It's not perfect, but at least my connection with Jung Yura ends here.

"It was fun. I'll leave now."

She probably won't recover.

There's no reason for a large guild to invest in her again.

However, it's quite satisfying that she hasn't lost hope.

The greater the hope, the greater the despair.

Thinking about how she will continue to cling to life, believing she can recover someday, makes me laugh.

While there's a saying that after pain comes relief, I doubt the pain will end.

Even if it does, it will be a long time.

Still, she will probably masturbate, imagining her life ten or twenty years from now.

'That's what it means to be human.'

I don't know exactly what kind of life she will lead.

She might die when the public's attention dies down, or she might live a normal life.

But if I ever meet her in a slum or a brothel, there's something I want to say.

'You messed with the wrong person.'

As she slowly left the reception room, Lee Ji-hye immediately spoke.

"Are you satisfied, big brother?"

"About half... So, what can you do for me?"

"Of course. I think you'll be satisfied."