Chapter 146 : Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Cha ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Myeonghan’s urgent voice rang throughout the banquet hall.

“The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Phantom Thief is definitely still inside the estate! From this moment on, all exits are sealed! If anyone has a complaint, come and argue with me!”

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the announcement that all exits would be controlled, Choi Suhyuk let out a hollow laugh.

“Ah, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I was thinking of looking around for a bit and then leaving.”

“Rather ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍than the Phantom Thief being a problem, it seems leaving is your priority, senior.”

“Well, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it is obviously some sort of event. The Phantom Thief would have to be insane to set foot in the Hyeonseong estate. Above all, Chairman Cha Myeonghan’s eccentricity is quite famous within Seoul.”

“And if, by some chance, it really was the Phantom Thief who stole it? What if that is why I am here?”

Only after leisurely draining his glass did Choi Suhyuk respond.

“If that were the case, you would have rushed to the stage immediately. It seems you have already realized that this is not the real Phantom Thief, have you not?”

As he said, the Phantom Thief had not truly appeared.

If those numbers had really been left by Lee Eunho, there should have been a gap between 210 and 703.

This time, however, they were written in a continuous sequence.

That meant someone had imitated the Phantom Thief and staged the situation.

In that case, the most likely culprit was Cha Myeonghan.

Of course, there was a possibility that a copycat had infiltrated the estate and touched the Red Mana Stone.

But if that were so, would it not be more accurate simply to call that person the Phantom Thief?

After all, anyone who managed to breach the notoriously tight security of the Hyeonseong estate would undoubtedly possess real skill.

I continued to listen to Cha Myeonghan’s speech.

“Whoever manages to retrieve the Red Mana Stone will be granted the opportunity to become my granddaughter’s partner! I swear it upon the name of Hyeonseong!”

A declaration that did not deviate in the slightest from expectations.

Whoever found the Red Mana Stone would be allowed to become Cha Yeri’s partner.

At that line, both Choi Suhyuk and I let out dry laughs at the same time.

The banquet guests, now understanding the situation, gradually lost their earlier tension.

“I will give you two hours! Within that time, bring the Phantom Thief and the Red Mana Stone before me!”

Soon, the mini-game hosted by Cha Myeonghan began.

Those old enough to be parents would likely observe the situation with interest, while those around Cha Yeri’s age would probably move desperately.

Becoming her partner—the sole heir of Hyeonseong—was tantamount to inheriting Hyeonseong in the future.

“So, what do you intend to do, Investigator in Charge of the Phantom Thief?”

Choi Suhyuk asked as if he had no interest whatsoever.

I answered in the same spirit.

“If you are planning to slip out quietly, at least give me a hint.”

“Why?”

“So I can leave with you.”

“Is an investigator from the Special Affairs Division going to flee because he is afraid of the Phantom Thief? I would not mind gaining an accomplice, though….”

Choi Suhyuk subtly lifted his chin toward Cha Yeri in the distance.

“But are you really fine with this? What if someone snatches her away like this?”

“I cannot lose something I never had.”

“Is that your stance? That is somewhat disappointing.”

“Did you truly believe she would be swayed by such a promise?”

“Absolutely not. Still, would she not harbor a slight hope? If possible, she would prefer that the person she wants be the one to catch the Phantom Thief.”

“Senior, may I ask something? Are you always this meddlesome?”

“Yes. Watching other people play with fire is immensely entertaining.”

“That is unfortunate. I have no intention of moving even a single step—”

That was when Choi Suhyuk cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

“Ah! Everyone! We have the investigator in charge of the Phantom Thief right here!”

In an instant, the attention of the entire banquet hall turned toward me.

He had already stepped away from the table as he shouted, and my eyes met Cha Myeonghan’s from afar.

“…”

In the end, driven by the crowd’s attention, I stepped onto the stage.

Though this was almost certainly a game orchestrated by Cha Myeonghan, the name of the Phantom Thief was involved. At the very least, some verification was necessary.

As I approached, Cha Myeonghan acknowledged me.

“Hm, so you are that fellow.”

That fellow?

He spoke as if he clearly recognized me.

Whether that was in a good sense or a bad one, I could not tell.

Of course, there was little to be gained from catching the attention of the eccentric Cha Myeonghan.

“Yes, hello. May I take a brief look at the storage case?”

“By all means. If you can catch the Phantom Thief who stole Hyeonseong’s prized jewel, that is.”

I casually examined the empty space where the Red Mana Stone had been.

As expected, there was not even the slightest trace of the Phantom Thief.

When I stepped back, Cha Myeonghan posed a question.

“What does the investigator in charge think? Does it truly seem like the Phantom Thief’s doing?”

“I am not sure. Anyone can write a few numbers. However, the culprit is certainly nearby.”

“Why is that?”

I gave him a meaningful smile.

“Because you said the Phantom Thief is within the estate grounds, Chairman.”

“…”

Cha Myeonghan narrowed his eyes, an ambiguous expression crossing his face.

It was the look of someone thinking, So you noticed?

Strangely, in that scrutinizing gaze, I saw a trace of Cha Yeri’s expression.

Blood truly does not lie.

“Very well, then. I look forward to it. Let us see whether the investigator in charge can truly find the Phantom Thief and the jewel. Try and surprise this old man.”

In other words, if I was in charge of the Phantom Thief, I was not to run away.

Game or not, if the truth remained unclear, withdrawing would be no different from dereliction of duty.

This was precisely why I had tried to remain still.

“There is no time to dawdle. Five minutes have already passed.”

“So there is a time limit to catching the Phantom Thief?”

“Hah. The security of Hyeonseong is so tight that not even a rat can slip through. I assumed that even the Phantom Thief could be kept within the grounds for two hours.”

“….”

In the end, it seemed I had no choice but to play along.

After offering a brief bow, I stepped down from the stage.

In the distance, I caught sight of Choi Suhyuk smiling in a thoroughly irritating manner.

Ah, that man….

***

The banquet hall, once filled with artificial laughter, gradually grew tense.

Quite a number of guests had begun moving in search of the Red Mana Stone.

Not only those of Cha Yeri’s age hoping to sit beside her, but also those seeking connections with Hyeonseong, hurried about the estate.

“To invite guests to one’s grand estate and hold a deduction game—there is a certain romance to it.”

“Were you not planning to leave earlier?”

“I was, but I cannot possibly miss the opportunity to observe your reasoning.”

Choi Suhyuk and I stood atop the roof of one of the estate’s buildings.

From there, we looked down at the bustling guests below, enjoying a rather leisurely atmosphere.

“So, are you just going to stay here?”

“Why?”

“Everyone else is running around frantically.”

“When one lacks intelligence, one must compensate with physical labor.”

“That is unusual. You sound uncharacteristically arrogant.”

At some point, Choi Suhyuk had procured a glass of wine and tilted it to his lips.

His handsomeness alone was enough to make one’s stomach churn.

It was so cloying that I suddenly craved a carbonated coffee.

“The hint has already been given. There is no need to wander aimlessly without knowing what to look for.”

“A hint?”

“Yes. The color of the numbers written on the glass case.”

“Hmm, was it brown? With all the lighting in the hall, it was difficult to tell.”

“It was red. A matte shade, not runny like blood.”

“And why would that be a hint? It could be a meaningless color.”

“It might seem that way, since red is not particularly associated with Hyeonseong. However, this is a game. That means there is a designer.”

“A designer….”

“Designers of such riddles typically want their challengers to notice their devices. Nine out of ten are self-absorbed individuals indulging in intellectual vanity. This red is no different.”

“Wait a moment. Now that you mention it, only the roof of this building is red….”

I silently nodded.

This building, finished with red bricks on its roof, was the employees’ dining hall and kitchen.

Even now, dishes were being prepared there in a frenzy for the banquet guests.

Did that mean the fictional Phantom Thief was among the staff?

No. They would not designate someone unknown to the guests as the Phantom Thief.

What drew my attention was that this building stood close to the estate wall.

In other words, if the fictional Phantom Thief had entered the grounds, this would have been the first roof he stepped on.

I leapt down onto the wall in a single motion.

Then, imagining myself as the Phantom Thief, I jumped back onto the rooftop and immediately noticed a loose brick among the others.

It bore marks suggesting a deliberate crack.

When I lifted the fragment of brick, I found a high-quality piece of paper folded like a small tag.

Unfolding it revealed a clue.

—Beneath the red mountain that holds the birth of life.

“….”

So it was to proceed in the form of riddles.

Beneath the sentence, a polite note read, “Return this to its original place for the next person.”

Since it was handwritten rather than printed, Cha Myeonghan must have written it himself. The thought of the chairman of the nation’s top market-cap group carefully writing such tiny letters drew a faint laugh from me.

For a moment, I felt like abandoning the entire thing.

Choi Suhyuk, who had been watching, clicked his tongue.

“I cannot make sense of it.”

“Is it referring to the location where the Red Mana Stone is hidden? Or perhaps describing the Phantom Thief’s attire?”

“Well, one of the two. Do not expect anything from me. I have emptied my brain entirely. Simply watching your performance is more than enough.”

“So you intend to remain a bystander.”

“To be precise, I am more of a spectator.”

“In any case, this one also has colored letters. Green….”

I photographed the hint and returned it to its place.

As I briefly scanned the surroundings, a particular group participating in the search caught my eye.

They were near the wall of a nearby building.

Amusingly, the group had surrounded a single woman.

The woman was Cha Yeri, and the man standing directly before her was—

“That is Song Beomsin, the grandson of the dean of Golden Meister Academy.”

According to Choi Suhyuk, the young man was named Song Beomsin.

In the original story, Song Beomsin was a mere extra who followed Cha Yeri around and eventually received a harsh lesson from Lee Eunho.

True to form, he had cornered her against the wall and was spewing nonsense.

“It seems the Chairman has arranged all this for the sake of finding you a spouse, has he not?”

“It is nothing more than light entertainment.”

“Come now, let us not make things difficult. You know where the Phantom Thief and the Red Mana Stone are, do you not?”

“As I said, I know nothing about it.”

Golden Meister was regarded as the finest production academy in the industry.

If compared to Hero Preparatory School, Song Beomsin would be in a position similar to Do Minyeong’s—at least in terms of being the dean’s blood relative.

In any case, he was the grandson of an influential figure in the production field, yet he was treating Hyeonseong’s heir with unwarranted condescension.

That baseless confidence likely stemmed from Cha Yeri’s excessive composure.

No matter whom she faced, she nodded gently and smiled kindly, which inevitably made others underestimate her.

Incidentally, public opinion described Cha Yeri as unusually polite for her generation, possessing a benevolent smile to match her beauty and a temperament that rarely gave way to anger.

“You are quite dense. I am making you a proposal. Rather than associating with some insignificant hunter from Hero Preparatory School, would it not be better for us to create good news within the same production industry? Golden Meister and Hyeonseong joining hands… There would hardly be a more profitable business arrangement, would there?”

“I am afraid I do not quite understand what you mean.”

“There you go again. I am not speaking of marriage. We could simply stir up a scandal and reap the benefits. Perhaps a contractual relationship?”

Even from this distance, I could clearly see Cha Yeri’s expression.

She wore a smiling face.

At this rate, Song Beomsin might not live to see old age.

“If you have nothing further to say, may I take my leave? This building happens to be where Hyeonseong’s Guards rest. If we gather here any longer, it may invite unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“A misunderstanding? We are merely conversing.”

“In that case, may I call the Guards?”

“W-Well, that is not what I meant….”

Cha Yeri, who had been pressed against the wall, suddenly stepped forward boldly.

He flinched and retreated.

“And if you truly wish to associate with me, would it not be faster to find the Phantom Thief yourself? Rather than making demands of me, earning the Chairman’s recognition would be more effective. Of course, he merely said he would ‘grant an opportunity.’”

With that, she slipped effortlessly through the crowd, turning her back on Song Beomsin.

The fundamental difference between a production awakened and a combat cadet of Hero Preparatory School.

At that moment, however, Cha Yeri’s eyes met mine.

The instant she noticed my gaze, her face crumpled slightly, as if she had shown something she would rather not have.

For some reason, she began walking in my direction.

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Choi Suhyuk swiftly turned away.

“Ah, my glass is empty. I should return to the banquet hall. I will see you later.”

What a shameless man.

Once she had put sufficient distance between herself and Song Beomsin’s line of sight, Cha Yeri leapt at tremendous speed, reaching the red rooftop in a single bound.

Her movement was a stark reminder that she was a ranger.

She came straight up to me and spoke in a tone of accusation.

“You look rather idle. Someone, on the other hand, is having a truly miserable time.”