The Protagonists Are Murdered by Me
chapter-145

After sparring with Celeste, Yoo Seodam changed into his casual clothing and left the guild’s hideout. Though he called it casual clothing, his white shirt, black pants and beige boots were no different from the clothes he wore at work.

On the other hand, Taylor Nine’s casual clothes were way different from Yoo Seodam. Her fashion sense has developed after reading countless fashion magazines and has caught many people’s eyes and has turned her style into a trendsetter. Occasionally, [Taylor Nine Airport Fashion…] articles appeared on the internet news.

For that reason, it was inevitable for Taylor’s expression to turn sour as soon as she saw Yoo Seodam in his trashy clothes.

“Yuck.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Your clothes are so bad! Are you really going to wear all that crap on a date with me?”

Taylor had to admit. She also didn’t dress up properly today. She didn’t want to make Yoo Seodam feel that she put too much effort in her clothes. So, after thinking about it for 3 hours, Taylor decided to wear a blue jacket and blue hot pants. But, no matter what, she didn’t think that what Yoo Seodam wore was right.

“I don’t really care about what kind of clothes I wear…….”

“You are really… Nevermind. Have you decided where we’re going today?”

“Didn’t you say that we are going to watch a movie?”

“We still have plenty of time left before the movie.”

“Then, how about having a meal?”

“After that?”

“Dungeon?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Why not? it’s your favorite place. The gun fair then?”

“Are you really crazy?”

“Well then, the shooting range……”

“I’m really going to kill you.”

Taylor, who was about to suggest something more to Yoo Seodam, bit her mouth as a really good idea flashed through her mind. She said with a smirk,

“Well then, let’s go buy some clothes. This Noona will pay.”

* * *

Another League was a guild, not a company. Therefore, it was only natural that Another League didn’t follow a strict working schedule that companies had. It was around 4:00 PM when Yoo Seodam left the hideout. In fact, there was nothing strange if he raided a dungeon right after heading out from the hideout.

However, forget the monster infested and bloody dungeon, currently, Yoo Seodam was in a department store with Taylor Nine.

“I thought you only bought things from luxurious brands, was I wrong?”

“I only go there when I buy stuff for myself. Why should I go there to buy something for someone who can’t even tell the difference between a $5 T-shirt and a $50,000 T-shirt?”

She said even though most of the clothes that Taylor currently picked were over $5,000, they were too expensive to buy casually. She was truly a woman whose words and actions didn’t match.

“How about this one?”

“Crazy bitch, why should I wear a floral T-shirt?”

“This is the trend these days man.”

“Really?”

“Do you think I’m playing around? Do you know how much this T-shirt costs?”

Yoo Seodam sighed. He really couldn’t figure out whether Taylor was lying or not.

Yoo Seodam followed Taylor on her shopping spree, both for his clothes and her clothes. Somewhere along the way, he felt that Taylor had become particularly pretty. Her usual grumpy and stoic expression was replaced with a bright and happy smile.

Yoo Seodam was not the only one who felt this way. Everyone who saw Taylor in this state felt the same.

“Wow, is that really Taylor Nine?”

“She’s really pretty.”

When a celebrity appears in front of the general public, people always pick up their smartphone and take a photo of the said celebrity. And the next logical step was for them to upload it to their social media. In other words, the scene where Taylor went shopping with Yoo Seodam by her side would soon be known to many people around the world.

Taylor hated attention, but she was someone who knew very well how to take advantage of her fame.

‘This is not enough.’

Taylor said to herself. Yoo Seodam, who was originally said to be somewhat famous, became even more famous overnight as he monopolized several issues. There were articles about his return from the Rift. There was also news about how he countered Yoo Haram’s opinion in the Hunter’s Meeting.

But for Taylor, the only thing that bothered her was,

[Another League Yoo Seodam and Murim Lord Seol Jungyeon kissing scandal.]

[What is their relationship?]

[CNS, ‘What is the reason behind Seol Jungyeon’s silence? Is this her way of confirming their relationship?”]

[Seol Jungyeon’s dating rumors with Yoo Seodam, people of Murim said, ‘We are confirming with the related party’]

Numerous news related to Seol Jungyeon.

Taylor bit her lip as she thought about them.

As for why she kissed him at such a formal occasion, even Yoo Seodam told her that he still couldn’t figure it out.

Taylor knew that as a Hyunkyung Expert, Seol Jungyeon had an excellent control over her desires. Then, why did she suddenly lose control of her desire on such a formal occasion? Taylor just couldn’t make sense of it. Her mind told her that it was a planned action.

But, when she asked Yoo Seodam about it, he only brushed it aside by saying ‘It will resolve itself in due time. She can just post an explanation. It’s not like both of us are celebrities, and there’s no way the stock price will plummet by something like this.’

Just like he said, these scandals actually did little to no damage to his work as a Hunter. And for Seol Jungyeon, her image that she had built up as a martial artist would be slightly lowered, but it would not bear any negative impact whatsoever. It was proven by the fact that amidst hundreds of malicious comments posted on social media every second, there was hardly anyone who swore at Seol Jungyeon.

But,

‘It’s wrong.’

For Taylor Nine, it wasn’t a light issue at all. She knew and understood the story of this incident in more detail.

At the time when Yoo Seodam told her about the incident, Taylor quietly looked into his eyes. There, she could see exhaustion.

She understood the reason well though.

‘He still doesn’t seem to be ready for a proper relationship.’

Obviously, there was a time when Yoo Seodam fell in love with someone. But, Taylor knew that he didn’t have anyone in his heart right now. As a human being, Yoo Seodam also accepted the affection that came his way to a certain extent, but when they tried to pursue him after a certain level, he would gradually push them away.

Taylor Nine knew it from her experience. She was sure that Seol Jungyeon was also aware of the fact.

It wasn’t that he was an eunuch or that he wasn’t interested in dating or marriage at all. But rather, Yoo Seodam simply couldn’t afford to think about it because he was living with the thought that he could die tomorrow. It was the same as that day, seventeen years ago, when he first became a Hunter.

Taylor always wondered, why did he still live with such a mindset in this peaceful time?

She knew from the stories he told her when they shared the same bed that he had to go on dangerous missions to other worlds and risk his life. However, if it’s really that dangerous, why didn’t he stop?

Just why in the world did he have to do it?

Taylor shifted her attention to her smartphone once again.

The scandal between Yoo Seodam and Seol Jungyeon.

Taylor predicted that Seol Jungyeon must be very nervous right now.

Just like Taylor who was wary of Seol Jungyeon, Seol Jungyeon was also aware of Taylor’s value in Yoo Seodam’s heart and was wary of her. Taylor had only met Seol Jungyeon once but she knew it instinctively.

‘She’s in a hurry too, that’s why I do all of this.’

That’s why Taylor suggested going on a date with Yoo Seodam. It was a really insignificant act, but it had a very big meaning.

Because Seol Jungyeon couldn’t do it.

‘Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for him?’

Taylor looked at Seol Jungyeon on the screen, and then, she slid her hand through Yoo Seodam’s arm and smiled brightly.

People who saw it took a picture of them.

It will soon be beautifully packaged and posted on social media, and sooner or later, articles about them will fill the internet.

‘You are the one who drew first blood, so, I can’t take it lying down.’

* * *

Seol Jungyeon was very troubled right now.

And just like always, Shin Hye-ji was the only one who was aware of it.

“Master, it’s time for dinner…”

“I’m fine. I don’t want to eat anything today, so please tell them not to cook anything.”

“You have to take care of your health.”

“I’m fine.”

Seol Jungyeon’s voice was always low and so it was difficult for ordinary people to know what Seol Jungyeon really felt based on her voice.

It was a sort of self-defense.

Because her appearance was small and childish, with only a slight smile, she would look like a pure country girl. So she had to conceal it. Otherwise, her dignity as the Supreme Cheonma and the Lord of New Murim League would crumble.

“Hmmmm.”

Shin Hye-ji looked at Seol Jungyeon intently. She couldn’t fully understand her, but she was able to get a vague idea of ​​what she was thinking and worrying about.

‘It must be because of Hunter Yoo Seodam.’

She knew what Seol Jungyeon did just a few days ago. She had kissed Yoo Seodam in front of so many hunters. It wasn’t a stretch to call it a kiss to declare and mark her ‘territory’.

But, yesterday. The Internet was buzzing once again because of Yoo Seodam. However this time, it wasn’t because of Seol Jungyeon. It was because of Taylor Nine. She had trespassed the territory her master had marked and replaced it with her own mark.

From Shin Hye-ji’s point of view, her action only implied one meaning. It was a challenge.

‘It is really driving me crazy…’

Shin Hye-ji didn’t know why women did that. She was a woman herself, but she had never been in love, so she couldn’t understand.

In addition, there were also several articles that mention Celeste, a guild member of Another League. Because of this, every time her master browsed the internet in her free time as a hobby, she always looked serious and troubled.

‘Why did she pick up reading news on the internet as a hobby….’

In her opinion, it was too simple and too unusual of a hobby for her master. It was fortunate that she didn’t use social media, but in the current situation, that insignificant hobby didn’t look good at all.

‘…Now that this has happened, there is only one way.’

After pondering for a long time, Shin Hye-ji finally opened her mouth.

“Master.”

“Something wrong?”

“Are you in a bad mood right now?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Is it because of Hunter Yoo Seodam?”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay attention to it.”

“No. I’m not really concerned…”

Shin Hye-ji got up from her seat and approached Seol Jungyeon. As she had expected, Seol Jungyeon was reading articles on her laptop.

“…that’s a challenge against you, Master.”

“Life-or-death challenge?”

“No, no, no! It’s not a life-or-death challenge… It’s like psychological warfare.”

Shin Hye-ji knew that Taylor Nine was well-versed with manipulating public opinion on the internet. She had the power to do so, and she was a pro among pros who clearly understood how the internet works. She even knew how to surely win a battle of wits against another woman.

In fact, her master was completely entranced in Taylor Nine’s counterattack and sighed all day long. She might even think that she had lost the battle.

However, Shin Hye-ji was calm. Because she, who was not a professional, still had a bit of a trick up her sleeve in this aspect.

“The dating rumors that have been floating around for a while have not been clarified yet. Right, master?”

“For now, that’s the case.”

“Let’s confirm it.”

“What?”

When Seol Jungyeon asked in bewilderment, Shin Hye-ji said,

“You don’t have anyone in your heart except that man right, Master? Then you have to win him at any cost. I’ll contact the reporter now. Chief of Staff Park Seong-ho probably hasn’t left work yet… I have to ask for help.”

“No, wait, you don’t have to-“

“Uh-huh! When two cats fight over one fish, it is inevitable that the fish will go bad, right? Now, it’s not about whether the fish spoils or not, it’s about how you take the fish, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Shin Hye-ji didn’t even wait for Seol Jungyeon to say anything and called Park Seong-ho.

“Hello? Chief of Staff Park Seong-ho. Yes, no. It’s nothing. I’m trying to get in touch with the reporters. Yeah? Of course, it’s important. Do you know the dating rumors that surfaced recently? No, we are not going to deny it, we are going to confirm it. Why are you so surprised? No, Master and I are completely sober, we didn’t drink anything. Aww, you’re talking about all kinds of things.”

“Wait, wait…!”

Thus, the official statement from the New Murim League was released swiftly.

That night.

Yoo Seodam was lying on the bed in exhaustion after having spent his entire day at the shooting range to test his recently acquired talent [Shooting (S)]. He checked his smartphone which rumbled like an earthquake.

When he saw the news, he closed his eyes shut without realizing it.

“System.”

<Are you ready to take another mission?>

“Fyuuhhh… Nevermind.”

Yoo Seodam seriously wanted to run away to another world, but he struggled not to.