Chapter 80. Night of Conspiracy (1)
Even after the Durandal Replica pierced her chest...
Daji continued resisting.
But Seok Taejun, Lee Jukheon, and Joo Minha joined the fight.
Other Contractors also began arriving at the scene.
Eventually...
Daji was completely subdued.
In the end...
She was restrained with special binding items designed to suppress her power.
"What's happening with the Church?"
"They understand the situation and are in chaos."
"They'll probably be overwhelmed with cleanup for a while."
"They were probably only worried that the truth would come out about how they imprisoned and exploited Ha Mina."
"Now they've learned Ha Mina is already dead..."
"Of course they're panicking."
Listening to Lee Hyeonje and Seo Youngmi...
Kang Yujin stared at Daji.
They were currently inside an abandoned warehouse.
Daji had talisman-like seals plastered all over her body...
And was bound in special chains that suppressed her power.
Once the transport vehicle arrived...
They planned to take her to Gangbuk in Seoul.
"Daji."
"Then I'll ask again."
Lee Hyeonje looked toward her.
"There are two main things I want to know."
"Who released you from the seal?"
"And what is your objective?"
"..."
"Are you really not going to answer?"
"Who knows?"
Daji looked away.
"If you remove these irritating talismans and chains..."
"I might answer."
"Impossible."
Lee Hyeonje frowned and sighed.
"Kang Yujin."
"Seo Youngmi and I need to step outside for a while."
"Can you watch Daji?"
"I can handle that."
"Then I'm counting on you."
Lee Hyeonje left the warehouse with Seo Youngmi.
Everyone else was guarding the surrounding area outside.
That left only Kang Yujin...
And Daji...
Inside.
"..."
Kang Yujin silently approached her.
Then crouched in front of her.
"Daji."
"Yes, Kang Yujin."
"If there's something you want to say..."
"Say it."
"..."
For a moment...
Daji looked caught off guard.
"You're not going to interrogate me like Lee Hyeonje?"
"You ignored every question he asked."
"So just tell me whatever you actually want to say."
"Hehe."
A smile appeared on Daji's lips.
"Kang Yujin..."
"You must be popular with women."
"Men who are actually prepared to listen to what a woman wants to say..."
"Are rare."
"I've never been popular with women once in my life."
"Really?"
"With such a handsome face?"
"Stop wasting time."
"But you're the one who told me to say whatever I want."
"Is joking around with me what you want?"
"Wouldn't it be nice if we got along?"
Daji smiled with her eyes.
"I want to get along with you, Kang Yujin."
"Come to think of it..."
"You were interested in me."
"Yes."
This time...
Daji's target had been Kang Yujin.
Just as she had controlled countless rulers throughout the history of the Fantasy Realm...
She had planned to seduce Kang Yujin.
"Honestly..."
"I don't understand."
"What part?"
"Someone like you could have hidden your identity..."
"And seduced one of the Eight Guardians."
Until now...
Daji had fooled everyone by pretending to be Ha Mina.
Wouldn't it have been possible...
To transform into someone else...
And seduce one of the Eight Guardians?
"I don't understand why you targeted me."
"..."
Daji silently stared at him.
"I'll tell you one thing."
Her voice lost its playful tone.
"What I truly want isn't to throw the Capital Region into chaos."
"What?"
"I've done that enough for the last three thousand years."
"After the Scenario two years ago..."
"I was finally released from that role."
"Role..."
Daji had described everything she had done throughout history...
As a "role."
What did that mean?
"The Eight Guardians?"
"What would I gain from seducing them and destabilizing the Capital Region?"
"..."
"Yes."
"For three thousand years..."
"I repeated that kind of thing."
"But now..."
"That's no longer what I want."
Her voice was serious.
But there was no guarantee...
She was telling the truth.
"You doubt me."
Daji seemed to read his thoughts.
"That's fine."
"Believe me or don't."
"That's your choice."
"True."
"But..."
"What?"
"I realized I might need to abandon my assumptions."
"What does that mean?"
"Just because you did certain things in the past..."
"Doesn't guarantee you're trying to do the same thing now."
"..."
"I'm not saying I believe you."
"But there is a possibility you're telling the truth."
Daji looked genuinely surprised.
"Then..."
"What exactly did you want to do with me?"
"Kang Yujin..."
"If your goal wasn't to seduce me and throw the Capital Region into chaos..."
Kang Yujin searched his memory.
"Three members of the Eight Guardians have approached me so far."
"..."
"Jegal Geum came first."
"Then Cheon Sangwoon."
"Then Lee Hyeonje made me an offer too."
"Why?"
"They wanted to use me in the next Scenario."
"..."
"Is this about the Scenario?"
Kang Yujin stared at Daji.
"Did you want to participate in the Scenario with me too?"
"..."
Daji said nothing.
To Kang Yujin...
That silence felt like confirmation.
"You're not a Contractor."
"Can you gain something from participating in a Scenario?"
"What exactly are you planning to do there?"
"..."
"Wait."
Kang Yujin recalled something Daji had said earlier.
"Is it connected..."
"To what you said about being released from your role?"
For the first time...
Daji's eyes trembled.
"Yaaawn..."
Seok Taejun yawned.
Lee Jukheon smirked beside him.
"Sleepy?"
"A little."
"This should be over soon."
"Hold out a bit longer."
The two had been assigned to guard the area around the warehouse where Daji was temporarily being held.
Joo Minha was standing guard in another direction with other Contractors.
"Today really was chaotic."
"Yeah."
"I never thought we'd end up fighting Daji."
"We didn't really fight her."
