The Player that Can’t Level Up

t?” Gi-Gyu couldn't hide his shock.
Feeling irritated, Soo-Jung frowned and asked, “Why do you look so shocked that I’m the same age? Do I look that old?”

“N-no! It’s just that you seem to know so much more than me, and… You’re so ex-experienced,” stammered Gi-Gyu.
Based on just her appearance, Soo-Jung looked younger than Gi-Gyu.
However, her demeanor was very mature, so Gi-Gyu always assumed she was older than him. 

“Well, I have a good reason for that.
But my earth age is the same as yours, so just treat me like your friend.
You may be my pupil, but you don’t have to act all formal and respectful toward me.” 

Feeling more at ease now, Gi-Gyu stated, “All right.
Then I’ll call you Soo-Jung from now on.” 

“I like how you switched your tone so quickly,” Soo-Jung replied with a giggle.

Gi-Gyu found this new situation oddly comfortable since he had always feared meeting new people and allowing them into his personal space, but he found Soo-Jung an exception.
They didn’t exactly meet under the best of the circumstances, and their relationship was a strange one.
So, why did he feel like this about her?

“It’s because our relationship is a strictly business one,” answered Soo-Jung as if she could read Gi-Gyu’s thoughts. 

“Could it be that the evil eye allows you to read my mind as well?” Gi-Gyu asked cautiously.
If this were true, it would be a big problem. 

“What are you talking about? I could just read it on your face, that’s all,” replied Soo-Jung quickly.
Sure she wasn’t lying, Gi-Gyu touched his face and wondered,

‘Am I that easy to read?’

-Of course.
Why is that even a question? 

-Unfortunately, I must agree with Lou, Master.

-That’s right! You’re an open book, Master!

Lou, El, and Brunheart’s voice echoed in his head.
Since even his Egos believed this, Gi-Gyu had no choice but to accept it as fact.
Another silence fell, but it wasn’t as awkward as the first one. 

Within a few minutes, Soo-Jung announced, “You must have many questions, don’t you? You must be wondering how I appeared at the perfect time back then.
Also, why I made that deal so readily as if I already knew everything.
You’re free to ask me anything you want.”

Betraying Soo-Jung’s expectation, Gi-Gyu asked something completely different. 

“What’s the evil eye? I thought I had a decent understanding of black magic[1], but I don’t know what the evil eye does.”

The evil eye came under black magic, Lou’s territory, but what Lou knew about it didn’t apply to Gi-Gyu’s evil eye.
One day, the color of his right eye changed suddenly; with that, his personality also began changing.
So, knowledge about the evil eye took priority over many things for Gi-Gyu.

In a bitter voice, Soo-Jung replied, “It’s a long story”—she sighed—“It has been a long time since I returned to Korea.
Can we talk at a cafe or something?”

A deep sadness fell on her face; surprised by her reaction, Gi-Gyu didn’t refuse her request.

***

‘I think I really chose the location of our house well.’ 

The Bukhan River area was known for its numerous cafes.
They were inside one of the pretty coffee shops, and Soo-Jung was enjoying the river view while sipping coffee, seemingly pleased with the location Gi-Gyu chose.
Meanwhile, Baal remained seated with his usual emotionless look. 

‘Maybe I can ask about Baal’s identity now,’ Gi-Gyu thought expectantly.
He had been curious about Baal since the first time they met.
Baal undoubtedly had an odd look to him, and Gi-Gyu remembered Jung Soo-Jung telling Lee Sun-Ho that fighting both of them would be difficult.

So who was Baal? 

Gi-Gyu didn’t hesitate long before he asked bluntly, “Is Baal a player?” What he really wanted to know was if Baal was a human, but asking that would be too rude, so he picked his words carefully. 

Soo-Jung smiled innocently at Gi-Gyu, sending a chill down his spine.
Lucifer was renowned as the cruelest and most vicious high ranker despite not being a red player.
That innocent smile didn’t suit her code name one bit.

“He isn’t a player,” answered Soo-Jung.

“…?” When Gi-Gyu waited for her to give him a real answer, Soo-Jung asked instead, “Why don’t you ask your sword?”

Gi-Gyu flinched at first, but he nodded in the end.
Before he even voiced his question in his head, Lou muttered.

-He’s a demon.

‘What?’ Gi-Gyu shouted in his head. 

-I said he’s a demon.
And he’s one of the most villainous of them all.
In the past, he used to be…

Suddenly, Baal rose, and darkness fell around him like a black curtain.
Gi-Gyu worried the other people around them might find this odd, but no one noticed anything.
Then, Gi-Gyu realized the darkness was some form of a barrier. 

Baal greeted formally, “The great emperor of all demons… Greetings to his grandmaster.”

Baal kneeled on one knee in front of Gi-Gyu.
Soo-Jung’s face remained blank, while Gi-Gyu couldn’t hide his shock.
Meanwhile, Lou smirked loudly. 

-Hmph!

Knowing Baal couldn’t hear Lou, Gi-Gyu said to Baal, “He says ‘Hmph!’”

“What? Pffttt! Hahahaha!” Soo-Jung burst into laughter at Gi-Gyu’s words, while Baal maintained his usual calm.
Soo-Jung asked after laughing for a bit, “Your new name is Lou, right?”

-Indeed.

“…?” Gi-Gyu gaped in surprise.
Soo-Jung talked directly to Lou.
He stuttered, “C-could it be…? You can hear my Egos?”

“Egos? Ah, so they’re called Egos, huh?” Soo-Jung had laughed so hard that tears rolled down her eyes.
Wiping them away, she replied, “Yeah, I can hear them.”

1.
Black Magic is a skill, while black magic is a type of magic. ☜