Memorize Chapter 228

As the day drew to a close, the room grew dim. The light stones embedded in the ceiling were off, allowing shadows to creep in. Yet, a sliver of space near the left wall’s window remained untouched by the darkness, bathed in the deep orange glow of the setting sun. On a bed, slightly too large for one person, a woman lay sprawled.

Her face was less innocent and more seductive, with alluring features. Her disheveled hair, scattered across the bed with strands clinging to her face, didn’t look messy—instead, it amplified her sensuality. Her body was slender, but her breasts rose prominently, avoiding an overly gaunt appearance. This was Seong Yu-Bin.

Breathing evenly, Seong Yu-Bin suddenly grimaced and sat up. She shook her body a couple of times, shed the robe covering her, and pulled down her undergarments, spreading her thighs. Lowering her head to inspect her private area closely, she let out a coarse curse.

“Fuck. It’s swollen again. Can’t that crazy bastard take it easy?”

She gently rubbed the area, then rummaged through her robe with practiced ease. Pulling out a glass bottle, she popped the cork and poured its contents onto the reddened, inflamed skin.

“Ah, ah, ah. This hurts like hell. All because of that damn bastard. Ah, ah, ah.”

Each time the clear liquid touched her, Seong Yu-Bin flinched, letting out pained moans. But the remedy worked— as the bottle emptied, the swelling gradually subsided. After pouring out every drop, she tapped the bottle with her slender fingers and flung it backward. A crash echoed as it shattered.

“Haa. Now I can breathe.”

Pulling her undergarments back up, Seong Yu-Bin spread her arms and flopped back onto the bed. Just as she was about to close her eyes, a knock came from the door. Reflexively, she spat out another curse.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Clan Member Kim Han-Byeol. I was told you summoned me.”

“Kim Han-Byeol? Oh, right.”

“…I’m coming in.”

The door opened cautiously, and Kim Han-Byeol stepped inside. Taking two steps into the room, she stood silently before Seong Yu-Bin. A brief silence passed. Without looking at her, still lying on the bed, Seong Yu-Bin spoke.

“Why do you think I called you?”

“…”

“No answer, huh. Well, by now you probably know without me saying. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve asked. So, how’s it going?”

“…”

“Still no progress, I see.”

Kim Han-Byeol didn’t respond—she couldn’t. The orders from above hadn’t advanced an inch. Bracing for a scolding or even a slap, she squeezed her eyes shut. But Seong Yu-Bin’s next words caught her off guard.

“Hey, just drop it. Stop.”

“…What?”

“If you don’t want to do it, quit.”

Kim Han-Byeol doubted her ears. Opening her eyes, her face was etched with disbelief. Seong Yu-Bin sighed and sat up again, crossing her legs and speaking in a weary tone.

“Orders came from above. We don’t have to stick to this method anymore.”

“Oh, I see. So we’re giving up on the Mercenary Lord?”

“Are you nuts? It’s the opposite. They’re saying we can use any method. Do Youngrok wants results by the end of the week, no matter what. Since the higher-ups want quick answers, we need to try different approaches.”

Seong Yu-Bin’s expression turned irritated as she spoke. Sensing her sincerity, a fleeting look of relief crossed Kim Han-Byeol’s face. But then, something clicked in her mind, and her eyes widened.

“You’re changing the method?”

“Yeah. I’m thinking I might take a shot at him myself. What do you think?”

“What?”

“I wouldn’t mind rolling around with him a few times. Honestly, he’s got a decent face and a pretty good body. Plus, I think he’s into me, so why not do something good for both of us and build a nice relationship? I’m a Golden Lion executive, and he’s a promising year 0 player. Not a bad deal, right?”

“B-But there’s no guarantee it’ll work. And approaching him out of the blue in this situation might seem suspicious, don’t you think?”

“Exactly. That’s the problem. Thanks to someone, we’re running out of time. The academy’s almost over, so we need to wrap this up by the end of the week. Nothing’s set yet—I’m just considering options. If it gets too tough, we’ll use the last resort, but that’s truly the final option, so I’m saving it.”

At Seong Yu-Bin’s mention of the “last resort,” Kim Han-Byeol’s face went blank. Though not explicitly stated, the words carried an instinctive sense of danger. In that moment, her mind turned white as a sheet. The sharp wit that usually spun quickly ground to a halt, replaced by a swelling worry for someone in her heart.

Seeing Seong Yu-Bin still mulling things over, Kim Han-Byeol blurted out words she couldn’t take back.

“I’ll do it!”

“Goddamn, you scared me! Speak quietly! My head’s already killing me… Wait, what did you say?”

Seong Yu-Bin’s brow furrowed at Kim Han-Byeol’s outburst. But sensing something, she quickly raised her head and questioned.

“I-I’ll do it. Please let me handle it. I’m begging you.”

“What? Hold on. Weren’t you reluctant? Why the sudden change?”

“I was just hesitant. Give me a little more time, and I’ll deliver solid results.”

“‘Give me more time.’ How many times have I heard that? What if you screw this up? You're gonna take responsibility?”

Seong Yu-Bin’s skeptical tone jolted Kim Han-Byeol’s stalled mind back into high gear. Steadying her wavering resolve, she spoke.

“The Mercenary Lord is drawing attention from many clans. If an executive like you approaches him sexually or uses other aggressive methods, it could stir up bad rumors, right? We don’t need to give anyone ammunition.”

“That makes sense. But doesn’t that apply to you too?”

“No. The Mercenary Lord and I have history from the rites of passage. It’s not perfect, but it looks much better than you or other methods. At least there’s a plausible excuse.”

“True. If we play it right, we could spin a decent cover story or two. That’s what we wanted from the start. So why the sudden change of heart?”

Seong Yu-Bin tilted her head, her tone laced with suspicion. Kim Han-Byeol fell silent briefly, then cautiously gauged her reaction before continuing in a low voice.

“I’ve seen how hard the executives have been working lately… You’ve helped me a lot, and… as a provisional executive, I want to contribute to the clan…”

“…Hmm.”

“I think I’ve been wrong all this time. I’m sorry. I’ve been under a lot of stress, but now I want to be free of it…”

“…Pfft.”

Seong Yu-Bin had been eyeing her warily as she stammered, but her later words drew a small laugh. She stared at Kim Han-Byeol, who kept her head bowed, for a moment. Her expression shifted subtly, and she slowly rose from her seat.

Seong Yu-Bin circled the motionless Kim Han-Byeol, then placed a hand on her shoulder.

“That’s the first thing you’ve said that I actually like.”

“…”

“That’s the attitude. Admitting your mistake and wanting to do something for the clan. You’re still just a provisional executive, not a full one, right?”

“Yes. You’re right, Executive.”

At Kim Han-Byeol’s response, Seong Yu-Bin flashed a deep smile. Her hand slid from the shoulder, grazing her chest, then trailing down to her stomach. Kim Han-Byeol’s face flushed with shame, but she bit her lip and endured.

“Can I really trust you?”

“Please give me one more chance.”

“Heh. You’re a provisional executive now, but soon you’ll be an unprecedented year 0 executive. You need some results. Alright, if you pull this off… you know what I mean?”

“Yes. I’m confident I won’t disappoint.”

“How admirable. Very admirable. Our precious gem princess is begging—sorry, requesting—to spread her legs herself. How could I refuse? Fine! I’ll leave this to you.”

Seong Yu-Bin’s sharp words clawed at Kim Han-Byeol once more. But she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and assumed Seong Yu-Bin, ever suspicious, was testing her. With that in mind, she bowed slightly, signaling submission.

Seeming convinced that Kim Han-Byeol had finally surrendered, Seong Yu-Bin bared her teeth in a triumphant grin. Laughing under her breath, she wrapped an arm around the bowed woman’s shoulders, patting her encouragingly and whispering to do well.

“Hahaha! Hahaha!”

As Kim Han-Byeol left Seong Yu-Bin’s quarters, the woman’s cackling laughter echoed behind her. Only then could Kim Han-Byeol relax her clenched jaw. But a clear bite mark scarred her lower lip, and a thin trickle of blood seeped from her tightly gripped hands.

*

Following my orders, Go Yeon-Joo left Babara immediately. Her eyes never lost their worry for me, but my heart felt strangely at ease. I wanted to understand why I felt so calm without reason. To find out, I sank into thought, methodically reviewing the events that had unfolded.

The biggest issue right now was the godmother’s murder. The burning question was who killed her and why. There were two possibilities: an internal act or an external one.

If it was internal, it split into two paths: either Golden Lion and its allies did it, or the non-expedition clans were responsible. Objectively, both had ample motive. Killing her offered clear benefits for either side.

But something felt off. It was as if I was on the verge of grasping something, yet missing a piece. I mulled over the two paths for a long time, but the murky feeling wouldn’t fade. So, I decided to pivot to a third direction.

‘What if it wasn’t an internal act?’

Then the answer was singular: vagrants killed the godmother with some purpose. Sure, there were inconsistencies, but for now, I focused on the outcome.

Why would vagrants kill her? For what purpose? The only grievance they had was the vagrant extermination plan…

“Ah.”

That thought triggered a memory that jolted me upright. A chill crept into my chest. I’d avoided referencing my first life, thinking the future had diverged. But in that life, vagrants did invade the North Continent. They sought revenge on Golden Lion, backed by the Western Continent, while the southeastern clans merely watched.

‘Right. There’s no need to treat those three possibilities separately. If I combine them all into one answer…’

It fits. Perfectly. Realizing this, goosebumps prickled my skin. At the same time, I understood why I’d felt so calm.

Before, the unknown future had subtly unnerved me. But not anymore. The current situation, despite internal differences, was mirroring my first life. If so…

Just as a puzzle piece in my mind was about to click, a soft voice broke my reverie.

“Um… Oppa.”

“…?”

“Aren’t you sleeping?”

Turning my head, I saw Han-Byeol with her face half-buried in her pillow, nodding quietly. A brief silence hung between us. Then her lips slowly parted.

“Oppa, are you free this weekend?”

“The weekend? Another dinner appointment?”

“N-No.”

“Then what?”

“Just… Never mind.”

“Lame.”

Her interruption irked me slightly, as I was deep in critical thought, but I didn’t show it. Her voice drifted to me again.

“S-Still… you’ll come back to the lodging, right?”

I gazed at her calmly. She lowered her eyes, trailing off. I replied casually, “Probably. Gotta sleep somewhere,” and closed my eyes. She didn’t speak further, seemingly out of things to say.

The early morning air felt chilly in the lodging. I pulled the blanket higher, replaying my earlier thoughts.

One side wants to reclaim control. The other wants to seize it. It’s a situation ripe for conflict. And some want that conflict to erupt. So…

‘The future has changed. But it hasn’t.’