If I pull down the tight tank top just a little, it feels like her breasts might bounce out. Go Yeon-Joo caught my gaze and, with a provocative look, lightly rubbed her chest with her hand. Drawn in by that look, I instinctively reached out toward her chest. At my touch, Go Yeon-Joo flinched for a moment but soon gave a sly smile, slightly leaning her upper body forward as if to say, 'Do whatever you want.'
And, living up to her expectation, I immediately grabbed the handle of the dagger between her cleavage and pulled it upward with a swift motion.
"…"
"It's been bothering me for a while."
Go Yeon-Joo's face went blank at my words, but then she burst into a giggling fit. Whether she laughed or not, I gently touched the blade. The dagger still seemed to carry the warmth from between her breasts, radiating a subtle heat. Watching me quietly, she spoke in a teasing tone.
"Why don't you take a sniff too? I put on something nice today, so it should smell good."
"I'll politely decline."
"It's just the two of us—don't you think you could be a little bolder?"
Once again, she showed signs of steering the conversation into strange territory. I set the dagger, which I'd been idly stroking, onto the table. The sharp sensation transmitted to my hand suggested it wasn't an ordinary dagger.
It was now time to answer her question.
"The reason I told the Shadow Queen such important information is…."
"Hmmm…."
She responded with a nasal sound, acknowledging my words. I paused briefly and glanced around. The table was littered with half-eaten food and empty bottles of alcohol. Picking up a bottle with a little liquor left, I poured drinks into two empty glasses before continuing.
"I wanted to be evaluated by you."
"Evaluated… by me?"
She questioned me back, and I nodded. I handed one of the filled glasses to Go Yeon-Joo. She accepted it but didn't drink right away. Her pale gray eyes demanded more explanation—they weren't satisfied yet.
I decided to test her a little.
"I wanted to hear how someone who has reached the
She smiled at my roundabout response before answering.
"If we ignore the many uncertain factors, I'd say it's a terrifying plan. If those factors become reality… one Secret and two Rares. If that actually happens, the surrounding clans will be drooling over it. And you're going to justify it all with the free mercenary trait and contract operations. Well… not bad. To be honest, I never even considered the idea of a mercenary clan in Hall Plain before hearing this. But…."
After finishing her speech, she downed her drink in one swift motion. I waited for her next words. She swirled the lingering taste of alcohol in her mouth for a moment before flashing a deep smile and speaking again.
"Player Kim Su-Hyeon is really bad at lying, huh?"
Her words stung a little, but I kept my expression neutral. Since I didn't respond, she let out a bright laugh and continued.
"Ah. Maybe calling it a lie is a bit much? It'd be more accurate to say that's not the only reason."
"…Why do you think that?"
"Because when you're being truthful, you always look the other person straight in the eye. But just now, you poured the drink and handed it to me. You used that action as an excuse to avoid my gaze."
I grinned at her speculation and opened my mouth.
"That's just a guess. What if I simply wanted a drink at that moment?"
"No. I'm certain of my guess. I can see it in your eyes."
Go Yeon-Joo responded with unnerving speed, cutting off my words. At the same time, the usual gentleness on her face completely vanished. A shadow fell over her features, and a thick, sticky aura seeped from her entire body.
A thrill ran through me.
This was the presence I had always felt whenever I encountered her in my first life. It had been a long time since I last saw the shadow queen of that time.
Go Yeon-Joo slowly stood up, reclaiming the dagger I had drawn earlier. Then, step by step, she began closing the distance between us.
Her gait was peculiar. If observed carefully, her steps formed a straight line, like a single stroke of a character. To an outsider, it might look seductive, but I knew better. It was a distinct footwork technique—one designed to minimize the gap between her and her target as quickly as possible.
As the rising tension awakened every sense in my body, I slowly prepared myself. But Go Yeon-Joo paid no heed. Instead, she gently placed one hand on my chest and started circling me in slow, deliberate steps.
By the time she had made half a turn and was now behind me, I heard her quiet voice.
"I came to Hall Plain a long time ago. By the calendar, it's been about five years now."
"That's something you mentioned earlier…"
Before I could even finish my sentence, Go Yeon-Joo gently wrapped her arms around me. Her left hand slid up my chest, quickly rummaging inside my coat. A moment later, she pulled out two cigarettes and rested her chin on my shoulder, placing one between her lips.
I wasn't flustered. Calmly, I ignited a small flame at my fingertip and lit the end of her cigarette. In response, she took the other one and placed it between my lips.
"Hei, use this instead."
Go Yeon-Joo took my hand and slowly lowered it, putting out the small flame. Then, she brought her own cigarette closer to mine, urging me to light it the old-fashioned way.
Chiiik. Chiiiik.
A cigarette kiss.
She exhaled a long stream of smoke, satisfaction evident on her face. After savoring the lingering taste for a moment, she spoke in a low voice.
"Aren't you curious why I'm doing all this?"
"A little."
I admitted it without resistance, and I could feel her stifling a quiet chuckle beside me.
"I remember the first thing you said. 'The clan I'm going to build will focus on survival and returning home.' When I heard that, it really struck a nerve."
"Don't you want to go back to Earth?"
"I really, really do."
I once described her as a flower laced with poison, something that could sting if touched carelessly. Back then, her reaction was different from usual, making me think I had misspoken. But now, it seemed she had her own story—one she hadn't shared.
Well, didn't everyone have a story of their own? Still, I couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.
"What kind of person do you think I was on Earth? Not player Go Yeon-Joo, but Go Yeon-Joo from South Korea."
Her sudden question made me pause in thought.
She was past her mid-twenties, so calling her a college student didn't quite fit. Yet, she didn't seem like a career woman either. Her behavior often carried a flirtatious edge, something she wielded as naturally as breathing.
Since I remained silent, she continued in a quiet, wistful voice.
"I know what you're thinking. Yeah, I worked at a bar."
"..."
"But it wasn't as dirty or obscene as you might imagine. Still, in that kind of job, whether you like it or not, there are times when you have to use your body. Clinging to men old enough to be my father, acting cute, accidentally spilling drinks on myself… that kind of thing."
"Everyone has their own circumstances."
Not knowing what else to say, I barely managed that response.
Her hair brushed against my neck as she shook her head.
"Sorry, but I had no tragic backstory. My family wasn't struggling, and no one forced me into it. I just needed money. And… I wanted to satisfy my own desires. I walked into that place on my own two feet."
She paused before continuing, her voice unwavering.
"So, how do you judge someone like me, player Kim Su-Hyeon?"
I didn't answer.
Right now, it felt like my role was simply to listen. But Go Yeon-Joo also didn't press further. That meant she was forcing herself to say things she didn't really want to. She didn't expect an answer, yet at the same time, she wanted to hear one.
A contradiction.
Rather than trying to sugarcoat my words, I decided to just be honest. That seemed like what she would appreciate the most.
In a calm voice, I finally spoke.
"Everyone works a job, at least one in their life. And…"
"And?"
"It's true that the image of a bar hostess isn't exactly the best."
"…Heh."
She let out a quiet chuckle at my blunt response, then unwrapped her arms from around me.
Her body slid away as she took a step back, and then, slowly, she began circling me again.
"What do you think is the best thing about being in Hall Plain?"
"There's nothing good about Hall Plain."
I answered without hesitation, but she wagged her finger in front of me.
"Nope. At least, for me, there is."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"That player from earlier… Ha-Yeong, was it? She had such a clear, innocent face. I bet in the modern world, she was someone who worked hard—maybe in college or something. The kind of person who lived properly, unlike me. Honestly, what pissed me off wasn't just her attitude but her eyes. Her gaze."
Go Yeon-Joo had said earlier that I was lying, and she had caught it through my eyes. Now, I felt even more compelled to listen to her.
"When she first looked at me with those pure eyes, it really got on my nerves. I hate those kinds of stares. That's why I ripped my clothes on purpose, to put myself on full display."
"What kind of stare was it?"
"The kind that sees you as something cheap."
"Cheap, huh…"
Only then did I begin to understand a little of what lay beneath her words.
She was constantly comparing who she was on Earth to who she had become in Hall Plain. A sense of inferiority, or maybe self-doubt. And now, I finally understood why I had been drawn to her in my first life.
Go Yeon-Joo had been disappointed by people—perhaps betrayed—and because of that, she couldn't truly trust anyone. If my guess was right, she and I had something in common.
"Hall Plain is an interesting place."
She spoke again, circling half a step before stopping in front of me, her body turned slightly to the side.
"Someone who was an elite in the modern world can become a beggar here. On the other hand, a nobody, someone who was unemployed or useless back on Earth, can rise to fame in Hall Plain."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"And likewise… A woman who was looked down upon for working in a bar, someone others dismissed as cheap, can become the Shadow Queen—respected, feared, and admired by players."
Finishing her words, she finally turned toward me, our eyes locking. Then, slowly, she stepped closer, pressing her body against mine.
I remained still.
My senses were alert, my body finely tuned to any possible threat. But from her… I felt none.
She lifted her hands, resting them gently on the back of my head, before leaning in, her forehead grazing my chest.
From a distance, we might have looked like lovers in an embrace.
But the emotions I felt in this moment were far from that.
With her face buried against me, she continued speaking.
"I always look into people's eyes when I talk to them. You can tell a lot about what someone is thinking just by looking at their eyes."
Her ability, 'Eyes Of Temptation.'
I had assumed it was simply a skill she gained by becoming the Shadow Queen. After all, acquired unique abilities were extremely rare. But listening to her now, I started to wonder if that was really the case.
"It's been too noisy lately. I wanted some peace and quiet for a while, to avoid annoying situations. So, I came down to Mule, got myself an inn. Who would have thought, right? The famous Shadow Queen running an inn in some small town."
I remained silent, listening.
"I decided to hide my identity. Maybe it was nostalgia. I dressed provocatively on purpose, swayed my hips when I walked, openly flirted. As expected, the male players' eyes gleamed with lust, and the female players gave me those disgusted, condescending looks. It was amusing in a way. Bitter, but still entertaining. Back on Earth, I was always on the receiving end of those stares. Here, I could turn the tables. But then..."
She trailed off.
Then, without warning, her hands tightened around the back of my head, forcing me to lower my gaze. At the same time, she lifted her head, tilting it upward.
Now, our faces were only inches apart.
She was looking up at me from below, and I was looking down at her.
The closeness made every detail of her face stand out in the dim light—her sharp, gleaming eyes, the elegant curve of her nose, her soft, inviting lips.
Then, she exhaled softly.
A mix of sweet alcohol and fragrant smoke lingered in the air between us.
She carefully examined my eyes, as if searching for something, then spoke in a hushed tone. This time, she didn't bother raising her voice.
"You're different."
"…In what way?"
"There's nothing there. Your eyes are empty. No matter how much I flirt or try to seduce you, I've only ever seen two emotions in your gaze."
Had I ever shown emotions through my eyes?
Curious, I smirked slightly. Go Yeon-Joo was proving to be an intriguing person.
"One was annoyance—like I was bothering you."
I nodded slightly. It was true—she had her moments.
"And the other?"
At my question, silence stretched between us.
Her lips pressed together, as if hesitating, but she didn't look away.
For a while, we simply stared into each other's eyes, neither of us breaking the gaze.
Then, slowly, Go Yeon-Joo's lips parted.
.
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