ushernet Chapter 136
Chapter 136
In celebration of the start of the joint research on the saintess between Korea and the U.S., a dinner gathering was held. Though this tradition was unfamiliar to the American researchers, the atmosphere turned out to be surprisingly lively.
The head of the American research team was Sibylla. And, naturally, those selected to work with someone as top-secret as her were not your average researchers. Many were battle-hardened and quite unlike the usual desk-bound academics, so none of them were reluctant to enjoy a voluntary dinner gathering.
Thus, everyone outside the VIP room where the heads of the two teams sat laughed and shared drinks enthusiastically.
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"Are you his girlfriend or something?"
"And if I am?"
This was where the tension between the two women intensified. Sia’s sharp gaze was aimed squarely at Sibylla, making it crystal clear she was not pleased.
Naturally, Yujin noticed, as did her father, Clan Leader Yoo Jungchul.
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‘That look... It reminds me of my wife in her younger years. Sia takes after her in fierceness...’
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His expression grew more complex. After all, Yujin was the target of this jealousy. He was the man the Cheonhwa clan had recruited before he became an S-class—a talented and reliable individual expected to become a pillar of South Korea after Seol Hayeon. He was flawless in both character and skill.
If Sia ended up with someone like him, as the Clan Leader, Yoo Jungchul would welcome it with open arms. Such a relationship would be a blessing not only for the clan but for Korea.
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‘But still... sigh, just last year, she was still in a school uniform.’
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-Resigned sigh.-
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However, as her father, Yoo Jungchul couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Just last year, his little girl was wearing her school uniform, still smelling like street food from the snack shops she frequented.
Now, this girl—barely half a year into college—was wearing outfits like that, getting overly attached to a man, and openly showing jealousy. Though he knew he couldn’t keep her close forever and had hoped to bless her with a good man eventually... still, it hadn’t even been half a year.
As he nursed a headache, he could only drink in silence.
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"Sigh..."
"Ah, sir, drinking alone? Allow me to pour for you."
"...Thank you."
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Across from him, Yujin quietly poured him a premium soju, displaying impeccable manners and a warm smile. However, his back was already drenched with cold sweat.
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-Sweat trickling down.-@@@@
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‘Sia, what are you doing... please stop, especially in front of your father...’
Yujin knew exactly how her father felt. Anyone would notice his expression souring in real-time.
But what could he do?
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[Sia, sorry for the telepathic message, but your father is here. Could you maybe ease up a bit on the atmosphere?]
[Stay out of it.]
[...Right. Got it.]
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He tried to calm Sia down from the sidelines, but to no avail.
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[Sibylla? Please calm down. She’s not the enemy...]
[This is fine. She’s young, but I’m an adult. I’m not fighting a little girl.]
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Sibylla, on the other hand, simply declined with an air of utter calm.
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With two titans locked in a silent battle, Yujin, the shrimp caught between the whales, could do nothing but down his drink.
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-Gulp.-
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‘If things get out of hand, I’ll have to intervene...’
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He remained vigilant, prepared to step in if a fight broke out. A clash between awakeners could lead to disaster. He signaled Complete Hypnosis, who stood ready at any moment.
Meanwhile, as the two men continued to sip their drinks, Sia prepared to strike once more, her slightly accented but fluent English filling the room.
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“You said it’d be ‘interesting.’ What does that mean? Does the idea of me being Yujin’s girlfriend interest you so much?”
“Oh, of course. The whole world would be shocked if that were true.”
“If? So, if it isn’t, would you... dash after him or something?”
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Sia’s tongue danced as she carefully phrased her challenge in English, doing her best to express “don’t even think about it” in every possible way.
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“Dash...? Haha, you can speak Korean, you know.”
“No. I don’t want to see you making excuses by pretending you don’t understand Korean when it’s convenient.”
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Although “dash” was classic Konglish, which left Sibylla with the impression of “why would I suddenly run at him?” she still noted Sia’s intense hostility.
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-Sip.-
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“Young blood sure is fierce. Why are you so mad? Relax, sweetheart.”
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“Dating Sia... Sure, it’d be wonderful to date someone as beautiful, intelligent, and kind as Sia.”
As he spoke, Yujin let his words flow smoothly.
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“If I could date her, I’d be lucky indeed.”
“So, you’re saying... you’re not dating Sia?”
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“Relationships can’t be so easily defined. If that were the case, then I’d say I’m also ‘dating’ Sia, Alice, and my mentor.”
“Hmm. Continue.”
“Yes. These days, relationships... well, young people don’t always clearly define them as dating or not. We have close friends, and sometimes, well... a little something happens.”
“So, does that mean... you’re in a ‘some’ with
Sia?”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions. I believe in defining relationships as we follow our hearts: fun, cool, and sexy.”
“...What does that even mean?”
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Yujin’s convoluted response was enough for Sia to send a telepathic message exclaiming, “Are you insane!?”
But meanwhile...
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-Tatatatatat.-
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[Complete Hypnosis launches its ultimate move, a rapid hypnosis flurry at a rate of 16 hits per second!]
[It grumbles about how much easier it was when it was just a spirit.]
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While Yujin kept them distracted, Hypnosis-chan delivered a relentless barrage of hypnotic attacks to Yoo Jungchul under the table, quickly overwhelming the non-awakener.
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“So that’s what you mean. Sexy... really? Kids these days are impossible to understand.”
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He finally nodded reluctantly, thinking that maybe young people today were just different, thanks to the power of hypnosis.
Then, Yujin and Hypnosis-chan both shifted their focus toward Sibylla.
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“In any case, I think relationships are best determined after getting to know each other. Not in just a day or two, but over at least a few months.”
[Complete Hypnosis crouches down and takes off with a battle cry, flying toward Sibylla’s ankle!]
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Yujin’s verbal barrier struck at the same time as Hypnosis-chan’s kick, directly hitting her ankle.
Sibylla, the unofficial S-class awakener, simply chuckled.
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“Good point. Americans could learn from that.”
“...?”
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[Complete Hypnosis tumbles back in surprise, wondering why its attack had no effect.]
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Thankfully, Sibylla nodded without any resistance.
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“Ah, I’m glad you understood...?”
[Complete Hypnosis, a bit anxious, looked back at its master, as if to say, “I did my part. The rest is on you!”]
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And so, the sudden interrogation during dinner ended with Sibylla taking a step back.
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Or so it seemed...
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“Sibylla?! Are you drunk? You’re totally drunk! Please—”
“You said fun, cool, and sexy, right?”
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-Swish.-
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“I’m not cool. I’m hot. Hot enough to melt you like ice cream.”
“...Sia, Mr. Yoo! Sibylla’s drunk and taking her clothes off! Somebody help me!!”
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The dinner only seemed to end... until Sibylla stormed into the men’s bathroom.