Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 495

The World League teams were scrambling to recruit new gladiators for the holiday season. They spared no expense in the cutthroat competition, employing both strategic maneuvering and their considerable financial resources to acquire the gladiators they coveted.

The most aggressive teams in this pursuit were the Ancient Warriors and Chaplin Whisper. The Ancient Warriors needed to bolster their roster to recapture their former glory, while Chaplin Whisper was desperate to solidify their power and gain an edge in the championship race against the God’s Knights.

Shortly after, shocking news broke, enough to send chills down Beom-seok’s spine.

‘Lorelei transferred to Chaplin Whisper for a staggering 7.8 billion Clang.’

Lorelei was the second-in-command of the Forest Elves and a remarkable gladiator, currently ranked 19th in the world. Considering that gladiators in the top 20 possessed skills comparable to S-class gladiators, this news was undoubtedly a major setback for the God’s Knights.

Beom-seok abruptly turned off the hologram screen and exclaimed,

“Damn it! What are we supposed to do if they buy Lorelei for 7.8 billion?”

Lorelei’s value was originally estimated to be less than 4 billion Clang. Chaplin Whisper had paid nearly double that amount for her. Even in a capitalist society, this seemed exorbitant.

If gladiator prices continued to skyrocket like this, ordinary teams would inevitably face elimination. If they couldn’t afford decent gladiators, it was only natural that they would fall behind in the league competition.

Annoyed, Beom-seok let out a long sigh.

‘Whew~ At least it wasn’t Lyfriss…….’

The gladiator Chaplin Whisper originally targeted was Lyfriss, not Lorelei. And although the amount they offered was unknown, they had come close to finalizing the deal. However, she loved her local fans and didn’t want to move to another team. Furthermore, the Forest Elves had no choice but to quickly shift to selling Lorelei due to the uproar from local fans who were furious about the potential sale of their team’s ace gladiator.

Beom-seok rose from his seat and went to the office window, gazing blankly at the distant sky.

“This solidifies the top four system…….”

The fact that the Forest Elves sold Lorelei could be interpreted as a sign that they no longer had the will to compete at the highest level. The strength of the top teams was so overwhelming, and the prices of gladiators were rising so rapidly, making it unavoidable, but Beom-seok couldn’t accept it.

It had turned into a playground for teams that weren’t afraid to spend money.

Now, the best path forward for the God’s Knights was a return to their old strategy: recruiting promising young players. And not just partially developed talents, but aiming for raw potential. Promising players who had already demonstrated some skill had seen their prices inflated to ridiculous levels due to the wealthy teams’ spending.

In that sense, establishing the Elf School and Elf Market was a brilliant decision. Although he had never visited, Erfina had told him that very talented children were developing well.

“Should I visit? It’s been over two years since it was established, and I haven’t been there once…….”

The only time he had seen the gladiators from the Elf School and Elf Market was when they first joined the God’s Knights. He had been avoiding them because he couldn’t control his emotions if he kept seeing them. But since it was almost time for the graduates to emerge, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit.

Even if it was for the purpose of selling them, he had to secure the most promising children in advance.

At that moment, a call came through on Beom-seok’s pocket device.

“Who is it?”

The simple screen displayed a number he didn’t recognize. He worried that his number might have been leaked and some fans might be contacting him, but he decided to answer it anyway. He might recognize the number of an acquaintance he hadn’t saved, or perhaps it was a beautiful woman he hadn’t met yet.

– Hello. Mr. Beom-seok?

The person who appeared on the screen was none other than Theresa. Her number was definitely saved in his contacts, so Beom-seok tilted his head.

“Ah. Ms. Theresa. Did you perhaps change your phone?”

– No, not really.

“But it’s showing up as an unknown number?”

– Hmm. That’s probably because I’m calling from a different phone. It’s a business phone.

Indeed, if she was calling using a business phone, it could be a different number. Beom-seok, satisfied with the explanation, continued the conversation. In fact, aside from these minor details, he had a lot he wanted to say to her. After completing her business training and returning to her team, Beom-seok hadn’t had the chance to meet Theresa even once.

“Ah. I see. But Ms. Theresa, we haven’t seen each other lately, have we? Even when we went to the Desert Scorpions for an away game, the timing didn’t work out, and I had to return disappointed. Lately, even when I keep contacting you, you keep avoiding me, saying you’re busy. Are you perhaps disappointed in me?”

– No. It’s not like that.

“Then why do you keep avoiding meetings?”

Theresa stared at him intently for a moment and finally spoke. Since he would find out eventually, she decided it was best to tell him now.

– Actually, I have something to confess about this.

“What confession could there be between us? Everyone, including the media, already knows that we’re in a relationship, don’t they?”

– Not that. I have something else to confess.

“Really? I’m curious. Tell me.”

Theresa blushed and glanced at him hesitantly.

– Promise me just one thing in return.

“What promise?”

– Please understand my situation, and promise me that you will definitely grant my request.

Although he couldn’t understand what she meant, Beom-seok nodded. He was willing to grant any request from Theresa.

“Yes. Of course, I have to grant it. Who am I to refuse such a request? Hahaha.”

Theresa smiled slightly and brought the camera lens towards her abdomen. Soon, a noticeably bulging belly was visible from Beom-seok’s perspective. He laughed brightly and exclaimed.

“Hahaha! Ms. Theresa! Could it be!”

– Yes. I’m five months along now……. How is it? Are you okay with it?

“Of course, I’m happy! Isn’t it our child, Ms. Theresa? Let’s raise it well together.”

Theresa let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like she had done the right thing by telling him the truth. He was even more excited about her pregnancy than she had anticipated. She was already overjoyed at the prospect of having a child, but her happiness was doubled by the fact that she could share it with someone.

– Thank you so much.

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s a natural thing for a father to do. Hahaha.”

– Then are you coming to the birth too?

“Of course! I have to rush there. Just let me know.”

– Yes. Then I’ll let you know when the due date is near. But one thing: this is absolutely a secret.

“Why? We should share the joy with others.”

Theresa made a serious expression and shook her head. Beom-seok was the only man she had been with recently, and if this fact became known, Lucas would immediately realize whose child it was. Then he might try to exploit the situation. It was better to keep it hidden for now. She didn’t want to make her child a pawn in a political game.

– That’s not allowed. Absolutely a secret. Absolutely.

“Well, if you say so, I will.”

– Thank you.

At that moment, Theresa on the screen looked at her electronic notebook with a flustered expression. She was receiving a call from an unexpected source. She quickly composed herself and said urgently to Beom-seok.

– I think I have to hang up now. I’m getting a call from somewhere else.

“Really? I understand. Then let’s talk next time.”

– Yes. Then take care. I’ll contact you again later.”

After saying those words, Theresa quickly ended the call with Beom-seok. Then, she answered the incoming call and put on a bright smile.

“Oh my. Father!”

Lucas’s face was visible on her screen. He was looking at Theresa with loving eyes, just like any other father.

– Hehe. Theresa. How have you been?

“Yes, of course. But what brings you to call me today?”

– It’s nothing much. I’ve been feeling lonely without seeing you, so I thought I’d check in.

Theresa responded with a bewildered expression. The moment they met, her pregnancy would be obvious. She had to avoid meeting him until after she gave birth.

“T, that’s going to be difficult.”

– Why not?

“That Beom-seok’s lackey is still following me around. It would be a big problem if I got caught.”

– Is that so? That’s strange. You used to come to see me even in that situation, didn’t you?

Theresa hurriedly shook her head and made excuses.

“I think that was a mistake. Whether I was caught when I met Father before or not, Beom-seok’s eyes have changed when he looks at me, and the surveillance has increased a lot. I think it’s better to be careful for the time being.”

– Oh dear, oh dear. Such a thing……. What did I tell you? I told you to always be careful because he’s not ordinary.

Theresa made a sullen expression and lowered her head.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

– Well, it’s in the past, so there’s nothing we can do about it. So, do you meet that guy often these days?

“I do contact him, but I don’t meet him often. The distance is far, and I’ve been feeling a strange fatigue lately. I think it’s better to take it easy for now.”

– Hmm, I see. Anyway, it’s better to proceed with this matter gradually, so don’t rush too much. If you make a fuss, the same thing could happen again.

“Yes, I think it’s better to do that too. That guy is really cunning. It seems like I have to put in a lot of effort to catch him off guard.”

Lucas nodded slowly and said.

– That’s right. Well, then, do you have any other updates for me?

“There’s nothing yet because things haven’t progressed much. If anything comes up later, I’ll contact you and let you know.”

– Okay. Then let’s hang up now.

“Yes. Then, Father, take care of your health.”

As the communication from Theresa was cut off, Lucas clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them. He stared into the quiet darkness for a moment, then slammed his desk hard. He couldn’t forgive her for deceiving him.

He looked at the red-haired man standing in front of him and said.

“Jackson, your report. Is it really certain?”

“Yes, there is no mistake at all. It has been confirmed that Ms. Theresa is currently pregnant, and she has not met with a man named Beom-seok recently. Also, the informants from the Ilsim Society [a secret organization] who were following her have disappeared recently.”

“But Theresa denies it?”

Jackson replied confidently without changing his expression.

“If you are still suspicious, order someone else to investigate again. Then you will know whether my report is true or false.”

“Hehe. Really? So what if it’s not?”

“It can’t be. It’s a fact that has been reviewed and verified multiple times. No, to be honest, I still don’t understand why the chairman doesn’t believe it. Can’t you confirm the pregnancy just by looking at the picture?”

Lucas clicked his tongue with a troubled look. It was difficult to ignore Theresa’s protruding belly in the picture. If she were a woman with some extra weight, it might be different, but there was no way her belly would be sticking out like that otherwise.

In fact, the reason why Lucas was questioning Jackson now was not because he believed the report was wrong, but because he couldn’t accept that Theresa was deceiving him.

“Well, you’re not wrong. I understand. You may leave.”

“Yes, I understand. Then rest well.”

As Jackson left, Lucas fell into deep thought. He wondered how to deal with Theresa. She had deceived him, so she deserved to pay the price, but he couldn’t simply discard the best bait to lure Beom-seok.

According to the investigation, Beom-seok was a man who cherished his lover and his children.

‘It’s better to pretend I don’t know for now. A fisherman doesn’t throw away good bait…….’

Having organized his thoughts, Lucas calmly got up from his seat and went out the door.

“Keukeuke. Things are going smoothly.”

A constant smile never left Beom-seok’s face as he headed to the Elf School located within the team’s facilities. It seemed his efforts were paying off, and Theresa was warming up to him. He had been anxious because her affection seemed a bit lacking, but now he could finally relax.

He entered the blue-painted building and admired the surroundings.

‘Kyaa~ It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.’

The interior of the Elf School was small but neat and clean. Beom-seok, who valued practicality, prioritized substance over appearance. That’s why it looked so compact, but it had everything it needed.

He first entered the control room of the virtual simulation sparring arena.

“Oh my. Master! What brings you here?”

The one who greeted Beom-seok was none other than Erfina. She was currently managing the Elf School and Elf Market.

“Ah, I just came to visit. I was wondering if there were any promising kids.”

“Really? But none of our kids are good enough to play for the God’s Knights yet.”

“I know that too. But there will be kids who will play in the future.”

Erfina nodded. There were definitely some kids she had high hopes for. One of them was the elf named Shiran, who was currently in the virtual simulation sparring arena. Her potential was excellent, and her growth rate was rapid, making her a promising prospect.

“Yes, there are a few. Like Shiran over there.”

Beom-seok slowly approached the glass partition. Inside, a blonde elf was sparring with a virtually created hologram swordsman.