Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 442

It was a sunny early spring afternoon. Beom-seok, who was visiting the Colosseum in Lima City, bid farewell to his teammates as they headed to the gladiatorial waiting room, and walked alone along the corridor to the top floor.

Today, he was here as a spectator, not a gladiator. He’d been participating in matches recklessly after taking a well-deserved rest during the World Cup host city selection process, and his stamina was exhausted, forcing him to take a break.

Fortunately, Tiela and Yosia had been doing a great job refining the team’s organization, and he felt relieved knowing their opponent was Desert Scorpions, a team weakened by Rakami’s transfer. Besides, God’s Knights had already secured a significant number of their target wins, so even a loss in this game wouldn’t be a major setback.

After playing 29 league games, God’s Knights had a record of 20 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses. They were still in 5th place in the league, maintaining a comfortable 24-point lead over Volcano Fires, who were in 8th.

Considering there were only 9 league games left, it seemed likely they would achieve their goal of 7th place without much difficulty.

Beom-seok entered the VIP room, which offered a panoramic view of the stadium through a large glass window. He calmly took a seat, enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

‘I’ve secured enough funds to buy Prisika, but I’m still uneasy.’

If God’s Knights finished in 7th place in the league, they would receive a total of 600 million Krang [currency unit in this world] from their main sponsor, Chaplin Electronics. Additionally, they would receive substantial sponsorship from the Avand government as a result of their lobbying efforts for the World Cup host city rights.

They had agreed to receive 1.6 billion Krang by securing Julian’s two votes, Angela’s faction, and Richard’s faction. They also managed to secure an additional 1.3 billion Krang by significantly influencing the remaining Ibrahim faction, bringing the total sponsorship from the Avand government to 2.9 billion Krang.

Thanks to this, Beom-seok was expecting to invest at least 9 billion Krang in the upcoming summer transfer market. 3.9 billion would come from the main sponsor and government sponsorship, and an additional 4.5 billion Krang would be generated by using Lenka’s ‘Answer of Origin’ [presumably a financial strategy or asset]. Daily ticket sales in the second half of the season were projected to exceed 500 million Krang, and the team’s existing funds before the second half of the season were well over 600 million Krang, adding another 1.2 billion or so.

With these funds, he would have enough to buy Prisika, greatly relieving Beom-seok’s worries.

However, the future was unpredictable. She was being sold at an auction house called the World Walker Auction Market. If some crazy nouveau riche decided to splurge and drive up the price, her value could skyrocket.

Of course, Prisika wasn’t a product that held its value for a long time, like jewelry or artwork, so the possibility was low, but as a precaution, he needed to secure even more funds.

“To do that, we have to achieve good results in games other than league games.”

Games other than league games meant the GA Cup and the League Cup. Even without winning, a significant amount of money would come in, and daily ticket revenue would also increase substantially, greatly boosting transfer funds.

The reason Beom-seok was taking a break today was precisely for that reason. To ensure he was in top condition for the away game in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final, which would be held next Wednesday, it was best to rest.

As Beom-seok was lost in thought, the gladiators from both teams began entering the stadium, signaling the start of the game. He pulled his chair closer to the window and switched into cheering mode.

Even though it was a game where losing wouldn’t matter much, winning was always better. The Desert Scorpions team they were facing today was technically Angela’s team, but Teresa was the manager.

“Okay, everyone, do your best!”

Just as the game was about to begin, someone knocked on the door. Beom-seok checked the CCTV screen to see if it was a reporter or an enthusiastic fan, but they weren’t holding cameras or autograph requests. Still, the visitor caught his attention. It was Teresa.

‘Why is she here? There’s no reason for her to come looking for me. Did she suspect something?’

Anxiety began to creep into Beom-seok’s mind. He recalled Angela’s rescue. He had tried to be as discreet as possible, but the operation had been rushed and somewhat sloppy. If she was sharp, she might suspect him, so he had to be careful.

But he couldn’t turn her away now. That might make her even more suspicious. He had no choice but to unlock the door and stand up. He greeted Teresa with open arms as she entered.

“Welcome, Ms. Teresa.”

“Hello.”

Beom-seok pulled a chair closer and placed it next to his. After carefully looking around, he brought tea and offered it to her.

“Here, have some.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

Beom-seok returned to his seat and cautiously began the conversation.

“So, how did you know I was here?”

“I just came because Mr. Beom-seok wasn’t on the list of players. This is originally God’s Knights’ VIP seat.”

“I see. Well, you came at the right time. It was lonely watching the game alone, so it’s great to have company.”

Teresa’s gaze was already fixed on the stadium. Both teams were engaged in a fierce battle, clashing intensely. Relieved by this, Beom-seok was about to lean back comfortably when her question suddenly burst out.

“Mr. Beom-seok, why haven’t you contacted me?”

“Yes, yes? Contact?”

“During the World Cup host city selection, you told me you liked me, right? But it’s been almost two months and you haven’t contacted me, which seems a bit strange.”

Teresa’s eyes narrowed. It was the look of a woman disappointed in her lover. Sensing potential trouble, Beom-seok scratched his head and answered awkwardly.

“Well, that’s because I made a mistake before. Didn’t I commit a big faux pas against Ms. Teresa at the hotel cafe? I felt sorry and embarrassed about that, so it was difficult to contact you.”

“Is that all?”

Beom-seok put on a gloomy expression.

“No, actually, there was a bigger reason.”

“What reason?”

“It’s because of Ms. Angela. When I heard the news that she had been kidnapped and rescued, my heart ached. At the time, I was disappointed that Angela had cheated on me, so I confessed to Ms. Teresa, but I thought I was too hasty.”

Teresa looked at him with a strange expression. The fact that Angela had secretly cheated was something she had fabricated.

Of course, her mother often went on secret trips with other men without her knowledge, but he should have suspected something at least once. Yet, he hadn’t said anything during the police investigation.

‘Oh, Beom-seok. There’s a high possibility he knows my identity. I must figure out what his intentions are.’

There were many reasons why she suspected Beom-seok knew her identity. He had MR Security, an excellent intelligence organization, under his command, and he was the one who first revealed the presence of a Black Society spy in the Youth Business Association in the past.

Furthermore, he didn’t have a clear alibi during the police’s Angela rescue operation, and a close investigation revealed that the operation’s primary executor was Inspector Lexter, a key member of Ilsimhoe [secret society]. Also, the day after her mother was hospitalized under police protection, he happened to gain the cooperation of Richard’s faction and made a significant contribution to Avand’s acquisition of the World Cup host city rights. Angela held the key to influencing Richard’s faction, but she was secretly hospitalized under police protection, so she could only contact them a few days later.

“I see. So, are you saying that what you said to me meant nothing?”

“Maybe that’s what I should do. I might become Teresa’s stepfather. I hope you’ll forget about what happened at that time.”

Teresa, with a sad smile on her lips, turned her head and stared at him.

“Well, I guess so. Love between a stepfather and a stepdaughter can’t work.”

“Yes. It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do.”

“But can I ask you just one question?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Did Mr. Beom-seok ever love me?”

Beom-seok looked embarrassed. Teresa was undeniably beautiful. She certainly fell within the range of women he could be attracted to, but he definitely wanted to avoid her as much as possible. Only an innocent Snow White, oblivious to the world, would eat a poisoned apple. Flirting with her for no reason would only lead to trouble.

But he couldn’t deny it outright. He immediately affirmed it.

“O-of course I loved you. It’s just unfortunate because it can’t be.”

Teresa, seeing his awkward expression, slightly raised one corner of her mouth. Whether Beom-seok was telling the truth or lying, this reaction was advantageous to her. It would be easier to manipulate him.

‘Anyway, I must get rid of Beom-seok. He’s the only flaw in my life. The reason my father went to prison and all my plans failed was all because of him. I should have killed him a long time ago.’

Teresa quietly stood up and calmly walked in front of Beom-seok, then grabbed both of his hands. The rough skin of her enemy felt unpleasant on her beautiful hands, giving her goosebumps, but she had to endure it to eliminate him.

Beom-seok was one of the strongest gladiators in the world, making it difficult to succeed with ordinary assassins. For a sure and perfect elimination, she needed to catch him off guard while he was at ease.

“But if you love each other, isn’t any barrier useless?”

“W-well, that’s true, but I might become Teresa’s stepfather. This is a problem that’s difficult to overcome.”

“You mean if you marry my mother and me at the same time. But if we only share affection, there’s not much of a problem, right?”

‘Why isn’t there a problem! It’s obvious I’ll get stabbed in the back!’

Beom-seok was disgusted by Teresa’s advances. There was no way he could accept this behavior from a woman with zero favorability. It seemed certain she was trying to kill him or use him.

“W-well, that’s true, but isn’t there a moral problem here?”

“Really? But why are you afraid of that, Mr. Beom-seok?”

“No, what if our dating scene is reported in the newspaper? Surely there will be a flood of public criticism, so I’m naturally worried.”

“But Mr. Beom-seok is already receiving criticism for advocating heterosexual relationships. And the media doesn’t know about our relationship with my mother yet. I don’t think there’s much of a problem.”

As she gently approached, Beom-seok pulled his chair back.

“H-haha. That’s true, but I’m still reluctant.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t Ms. Teresa say before that she didn’t like me at all? I’m not interested in a woman who doesn’t love me. I only get hurt for no reason.”

Teresa shook her head and said.

“Of course not. I was just surprised at the time. I was so embarrassed when you suddenly confessed that I didn’t know what to say. But in the process of rethinking our relationship, I finally realized it. Deep down in my heart, I love Mr. Beom-seok. When I thought of the scene of my mother and you walking together affectionately, I couldn’t help but be jealous.”

“I-is that so? I-I see. But please give me time to think. This is so sudden that I can’t answer right now because my head is spinning.”

Teresa, who had pushed Beom-seok into a corner, stepped back without going all the way. No matter how much she tried to reassure him, she didn’t want to go through the process of physical intimacy. She wanted to eliminate him while keeping her body as clean as possible. And anyway, there was a CCTV camera installed on the ceiling of this room, making assassination impossible.

“Yes. That makes sense. Okay. I’ll wait as long as it takes for you. But please give me an answer as soon as possible. If you take too long, my heart will burn completely.”

“Ah. Yes. I’ll make a decision as soon as possible and contact you.”

Teresa, who smiled gently, blocked his mouth with her index finger and said quietly.

“But I can’t accept rejection. I’m always yours.”

“Yes, yes. That’s a bit…”

Before he could finish his answer, Teresa got up and kissed him on the cheek as a farewell greeting. It was a terribly unpleasant feeling, but eliminating Beom-seok required this much sacrifice.

“Then, Mr. Beom-seok, I’ll go now. Goodbye until we meet again.”

“Ah, ah. Yes. Please go ahead.”

Soon after Teresa waved and left, Beom-seok’s body slumped back into the chair. It seemed he was properly caught in a trap, no matter how he looked at it.

It was clear she suspected something based on her actions, so he needed a countermeasure. But the problem was, he couldn’t think of anything. He could avoid her unconditionally, but that would be useless if Teresa kept pursuing him.

‘Damn it. I don’t know what to do. Anyway, I have leverage over her. If she keeps this up, I’ll just end it right away, no matter how satisfying the revenge might be.’

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed deeply. Then, he began to touch the clothes that Teresa’s hand had touched, searching for something. It was possible she had planted a wiretapping device.

============================ Author’s Note ============================

There wasn’t much of a problem with this typhoon. It just felt like a rain cloud passed by. Hahaha.

Have a nice day, everyone. I’ll see you again tomorrow.