## Chapter 193 – The Bear Does the Trick, But…
“Your mom is hot.”
I don’t know how [Encyclopedia] translated it, but William raised his chin and greeted me with a triumphant look.
“Hmph, stating the obvious.”
And that mom was behind her son, rubbing her legs together with a flushed face.
People murmured.
“Turning a provocation into a compliment? What’s he thinking? Is that some advanced belittling tactic?”
“He probably just backed down.”
[People didn’t notice your provocation at all.]
It seems they just heard it as a compliment about his mom’s looks.
Of course, Isabel, who had rolled around with me for three years, quickly caught on and turned to me with a gaping mouth.
“Eeeh? N-no, right?”
I shrugged.
Isabel came closer and whispered in my ear.
“How could you even think about sleeping with William’s mom?”
“I didn’t know. Honestly, look at that face and body. Who would think she has a 24-year-old son?”
I just thought she had an elementary schooler or something.
Irina looked like she was in her early to mid-thirties, and especially a Slavic beauty.
They say that from long ago, Slavic women were so beautiful that they were exploited as slaves by powerful countries, and it’s no joke, she was truly goddess-level.
Her genes were just different.
On top of that, she managed her appearance so well that she definitely didn’t look like a forty-something woman.
“Ugh. Hearing that, I guess so.”
After listening to my story and staring at Irina, Isabel nodded in agreement.
William snorted and said arrogantly.
“Seeing your helper flattering me, it seems she already knows this is a lost fight, Isabel.”
“…….”
Isabel didn’t bother replying to the arrogant William.
Does he know? That his mom was just in the employee bathroom 30 minutes ago, squirming and panting under me?
“Anyway, what’s your name?”
“Lee Taebaek.”
“Okay, Taebaek. I like it. I’ll remember that name.”
Then he went over there with his girlfriend and mom.
Irina seemed to want to stay by my side, but still, mom is mom, and when her son smiled and talked to her, she followed William with regret.
As the fight settled down, the onlookers dispersed again, and Isabel, stuck to my left, said while looking at my right.
“But who’s that lady stuck so close to Woojin over there?”
The maid bowed at Isabel’s question.
“No way.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Eating just one is boring, so I came after enjoying it with three.”
Isabel laughed with a ‘of course’ face.
“Really… Then please send me a note next time. I was really worried that something bad happened to Woojin.”
“Hey, you should worry about someone who’s worth worrying about. How can you kill me when I don’t die even if I get shot?”
“That’s true, but still.”
With that, I picked up the wine glass on the table. I was thirsty, so I was going to quench my thirst.
Since my liver quickly detoxifies alcohol even if I drink it, it was like drinking water to me.
But the moment I quenched my thirst, a notification appeared in front of my eyes.
[Poison detected.]
What?
***
It was absurd.
Poison in the food I picked up in the middle of the Ruzgard main family, at the festival site?
I quickly prepared to take out the [Rune of Complete Recovery] from the [Shop Window].
Honestly, after knowing that I don’t die even if I get shot, I hadn’t really thought about death, but poison was a completely unexpected field.
[The poison was immediately detoxified due to overwhelming stamina.]
Fortunately, my body detoxified it.
Thinking about it, it was natural.
+
〈Status Window〉
Name: Jung Woojin
Strength: 46.2
Agility: 23.8
Stamina: 5,332.3
Physical Resistance: 1,781%
+
The stamina, which had been in the double digits, had reached four digits in three years.
Actually, at this point, wouldn’t I not die even if I got hit by a nuclear bomb? I sometimes thought that.
“Uh, uh?!”
Isabel belatedly saw me holding the wine glass and was startled, not knowing what to do.
“A-are you okay? That’s poisoned.”
It seems Isabel had already eaten it too.
I shrugged.
“It says my stamina is high, so I’m okay?”
“Phew. That’s really a relief. I was going to tell you sooner, but so many big events kept popping up one after another that I was out of my mind.”
“It’s okay. It can happen. But are you okay?”
Knowing that it was poisoned meant Isabel had eaten it too.
For reference, Isabel didn’t have as high stamina as me.
It was only at the level of an ordinary person.
“I was able to stop right away because a notification popped up in front of my eyes. So I only ate a small amount, and fortunately, disease resistance activated after a little time.”
Come to think of it, Isabel ate the [Root of the World Tree] and was immune to all diseases.
Disease refers to a condition in which a part of the body or mind malfunctions and cannot perform its normal functions.
In short, the immune system was activated only after the poison entered the stomach and caused problems.
In my case, my body just solved it on its own before it became a problem with my bodily functions.
‘But what kind of poison is it?’
[Depending on the amount ingested, it causes severe abdominal pain and diarrhea approximately 1 hour after entering the stomach.]
[In severe cases, it can lead to death due to dehydration.]
‘Whoever it is, they’re doing something really vicious.’
After confirming that there was no problem, I didn’t care and enjoyed myself again.
I tried this food, drank that wine.
I was quite hungry because I was unintentionally abandoned in the reception room for quite a while. On top of that, the food stuck to my mouth because the chef’s skills were good.
“Woojin. Aren’t you bothered that it’s poisoned?”
“What’s there to be bothered about? It doesn’t do any harm to my body.”
“Still, a little….”
Well, I’m probably the only human on Earth who knows that the food is poisoned and still eats it so deliciously.
Perhaps that’s why Isabel kept looking at me with an expression that she wanted to take the food in my hand and throw it far away.
So I told her.
“And if I eat like this, wouldn’t the person who planned this be relieved when they see us?”
Isabel’s eyes widened.
“In short, is it an action to make the opponent careless?”
It was just a rough excuse, so I didn’t put much meaning into it and just nodded.
Honestly, the reason I was eating it was just because it was edible. There was no other reason.
But Isabel’s eyes sparkled.
“As expected, Woojin! You’re meticulous, just like your friends said! There’s a clear reason for every action you take!”
“Huh?”
“To think you had such deep intentions!”
Then Isabel started eating the food as diligently as I did.
[Her belief in you has greatly increased.]
[Her trust in you is already high enough.]
[Isabel]
[Status: Fanatic]
[She will now believe everything you say, even if it’s an absurd and ridiculous story.]
‘Fanatic, huh.’
Currently, the women who have a fanatic-level belief in me are Seo Junghee, my homeroom teacher, and Lee Hyunji.
I was involved in quite dramatic events with those three, and thanks to that, I was able to gain abnormal trust from them.
‘And this time, Isabel is added.’
Actually, I was involved in a special event with Isabel too.
A child who was abused under Emma for 13 years. I was the one who saved her from that hell.
After that, Isabel followed me around like a baby duck following its mother whenever she had the chance.
‘Still, there’s a question. Why did her favorability skyrocket at this moment?’
I looked at Isabel. Isabel was eating the food very diligently, as if she hadn’t eaten for days.
[She has been the target of several assassination attempts while in the family. She seems relieved now that you are by her side.]
“…….”
In short, it means that she couldn’t eat properly because someone kept trying to kill her.
Come to think of it, Isabel, who returned to the settlement and left a video message for half a year, was always eating in the video.
She was also suffering from the threat of poisoning.
She had been suffering from the threat of poisoning for nearly half a year, unable to eat properly and living every day as if walking on thin ice….
‘I was ridiculously eating it nonchalantly, even knowing it was poisoned….’
Perhaps that confident appearance of mine seemed very reliable to Isabel.
She may have realized the value of the human being ‘Jung Woojin’, which she had forgotten because she had been apart for half a year, more deeply through this opportunity.
‘That’s right, but it’s really a brutal neighborhood. I thought it would be safe in the main family.’
Well, there are not many places in the world as dangerous as the imperial palace.
The fierce power struggles that take place at the pinnacle of power are no different from battlefields.
Perhaps I was now in the most dangerous battlefield in the world.
‘So poison is just child’s play.’
Still, I can’t believe they would openly do this in the middle of the Ruzgard competition.
‘Which bastards are they?’
I raised my head and looked around to identify the mastermind.
Honestly, there was one team that I suspected.
I immediately paid attention to William.
He was stopping Irina from drinking the wine she was about to pick up.
Judging from that, I could tell who was behind it without even looking at the [Encyclopedia].
[This poison incident is the work of Louis Ruzgard.]
‘Hmm? Not that guy whose mom I slept with?’
[He is not involved in this poison incident. But he had prior information and avoided the crisis.]
This really made me feel deeply that there was more than one person who desperately wanted the throne.
I quickly realized that the dirty tricks were rampant and the fight had already begun.
Louis looked at me and Isabel and smirked.
As if to say you guys are screwed.
I didn’t care and ate the food while looking at the others. Many people were eating the food as if it were natural.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
Besides Louis and William’s team, there were quite a few who were quick to notice and didn’t eat.
‘Did they plant spies in the kitchen or among the employees in advance?’
All the likely candidates that Irina had pointed out earlier were not touching the food.
There’s a reason why they’re likely candidates.
It’s easy for them to win people over and obtain information.
‘That’s right, but it seems the son didn’t know that Irina was coming.’
If he knew, he would have told his mom in advance.
I smiled brightly at Irina, who was turning her head towards me with a worried expression.
‘Wait, then Irina isn’t William’s helper? Then who is his helper?’
[The red-haired woman next to him is William’s helper.]
A woman named Scarlett, who looked to be in her late twenties.
I just thought she was William’s lover, but I can’t believe she was the helper.
‘It would be more certain to get help from parents if possible.’
It’s not like the parents don’t have power, and they’re even using power in Ruzgard.
[Only outsiders can be helpers.]
‘Indeed, that’s why.’
Still, she’s too young to be a helper.
If it were me, I would have brought a seasoned old man rather than such an immature woman.
In short, KJ Honorary Chairman, or if not that level, then Im Jieun or Jang Sunyoung.
‘Well, it’s not my business.’
I was briefly puzzled, but I soon shook off the thought.
‘Yeah, that’s not what’s important now.’
I stared straight at the blue-haired white man.
Honestly, I can tolerate what happened to me.
I’ve become so used to being taken advantage of by someone for three years in high school that I don’t care even if I get taken advantage of now.
‘But I can’t let those bastards who tormented my woman, Isabel, for half a year go.’
I’ll pay them back one by one.
And this is the beginning.
[Copied 〈Time Stop〉.]
Some say.
When taking revenge, ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’.
I stopped time, approached Louis Ruzgard, and picked up the poisoned water.
Then I poured four 500ml bottles into his throat as is.
Then, if I dismantle [Time Stop]-
“Kuh?”
“What, what is it. Why does my stomach….”
Hurry.
Hurry hurry hurry.
People who ate the food at the banquet started holding their stomachs and going in and out of the bathroom one by one.
The number gradually increased.
“Ugh. W-why?”
And Louis was also included in that line.
“What, what’s going on?”
“What on earth is happening?”
The banquet hall was in an uproar.
In an instant, the banquet hall became chaotic with people going back and forth to the bathroom.
One by one, they had questions about what was going on, and soon the questions became suspicions, and the suspicions became convictions.
“Someone poisoned the food!”
“What crazy bastard?!”
Fortunately, there were skilled medical staff, so the diagnosis came out quickly.
“Everyone, please calm down. It’s not a deadly poison.”
The conclusion that it wasn’t a very severe poison came out quickly, but the banquet hall was still a mess in an instant.
The hall was noisy with the sound of running footsteps and swearing.
“Who organized this event?!”
“How dare you prepare the banquet like this! Bring the head of the family right now! What are you doing? Why aren’t you bringing him!”
And then someone shouted.
“The head of the family is coming.”
The music stopped abruptly, and the sound of footsteps broke through the darkness inside the building and came out.
I looked at the man who was revealing himself with the darkness as a friend.
An old man with a stern and solid appearance.
The old man was stout and had a straight back for an old man, but the wrinkles on his face, the hair that had turned white like snowflakes, and the beard made me guess his age.
“…….”
The commotion in the banquet hall subsided in an instant with the appearance of the head of the family.
Those who were rushing to the bathroom,
Those who were swearing,
Even those who were shouting to bring the head of the family right away and blaming the responsibility just a moment ago, closed their mouths and lowered their heads as if nothing had happened.
He was a person with that level of charisma and a subtle sense of intimidation.
Even if it wasn’t necessarily that, he was the one and only leader of Ruzgard, who controlled the Western world.
“…….”
The head of the family looked around the banquet hall.
He didn’t add any unnecessary words. He just said quietly and turned his body.
“I will start the competition. The candidates should follow me.”
Then, people quietly followed those words.
At that time, someone protested in a loud voice.
“Head of the family! Someone poisoned the banquet food! We must punish the person who used the poison! And postpone the competition to the next time!”
The one who shouted that was, funnily enough, Louis Ruzgard.
The person who released the poison was spouting those words.
I admired his audacity and thought I should learn from him, and then the head of the family said.
“Of course, if there is someone who did such a thing, they should be punished. But the competition will proceed as is.”
“Yes?”
“Everyone, follow me.”
The head of the family did not change the schedule as if it were natural.
And the older members of Ruzgard accepted that as if it were natural and nodded.
Suddenly, what Irina had said came to mind.
-The head of the family is not the type to make such a mistake, but he is also not the type to reverse a decision once he has made it.
It was as she said.
The head of the Ruzgard family had no room for compromise on matters that he had uttered and decided, to the point where it could be described as stubborn.
“Head of the family? Head of the family! Please reconsider one more time…. Ugh.”
Louis was holding his stomach and trembling, and I passed by him and told him.
“It’s better to put strength in your sphincter and endure than to argue and shout, or you’ll be the first person in Ruzgard history to shit at a banquet.”
“You… how are you guys? You definitely ate so much food?”
“Ah, that?”
Ugh?! I was about to answer, but Louis grabbed his stomach tightly and ran to the bathroom.
Some of those who were following the head of the family couldn’t stand it and turned back to the bathroom, and only 13 teams followed the head of the family into the building.
About 60 teams were eliminated in an instant.
‘The bear does the trick, but the person takes the money, I guess this is what it means.’
I shrugged as I entered the building inside the banquet hall.
‘Anyway, it’s good that there are fewer competitors.’
Next time I meet Louis, I’ll sleep with his mom as a sign of gratitude.
If I make him a younger sibling, he’ll probably like it quite a bit.
‘Okay, so now the real competition begins.’
