The Support Ate it All - Chapter 594: Persuasion Sloth
From the Blood Cult’s perspective, I was an irreconcilable enemy—but for this particular matter, I’d basically been a bystander.
Ever since winter break started, I’d had zero points of contact with them.
But the moment I stepped up for the Dang family—and the Clan Head granted permission—I became directly involved. That was why a main quest had triggered.
If not, I would’ve been waiting a long time.
Something might not have appeared until an all-out war broke out… or I might have remained a bystander to the very end.
Which would’ve meant a reduced main quest reward—or missing the chance entirely.
The Clan Head emphasized it again.
“If this goes wrong, not only you, but even I won’t escape responsibility.”
What if, in some catastrophic failure, the Twin Heroes of the Dang Family died?
With two A-rank experts gone, casualties in the later all-out war would increase exponentially.
Even as Clan Head, he was taking on a massive risk burden.
So this time as well, I answered with confidence.
“I won’t overreach. I’ll move carefully. Please don’t worry.”
“……I’ll trust you.”
In the meantime, my teacup had emptied again, but the Clan Head didn’t seem inclined to pour more.
Fair enough—we’d talked about this and that for a long time. It was about time for an order to see me out.
But there was one more thing I needed to ask, so I set down the empty cup and spoke.
“There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Go on.”
“All this time, you’ve shown us consideration in many ways, and you’ve indirectly helped even with our friction against the Elder Council.”
“…….”
“And judging by the fact you even arranged this meeting, it seems like you care a great deal about Lady Dang. So why are you so cold to her, personally?”
“……That’s sharp.”
Dang Gunak let out a quiet, impressed murmur.
On the very first day we arrived, the only exchange between him and Dang Gyu-young had been a polite greeting between strangers.
After that, he hadn’t called for them once.
“…….”
I gave him a look that demanded an answer, but the Clan Head kept his mouth shut for a long time.
How much time passed in that silence?
Then he spoke, as if talking to himself.
“My younger brother always tells me something. That I’m a coward… and if I’m honest, I think he’s right.”
“…….”
“After my daughter left the clan, I had countless chances to speak again. At the very least, I could’ve sent a single letter. But I could never bring myself to do it.”
“…….”
“And it was the same when we met again. I had so much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t get any of it out. Even after living to this age, even after rising to this seat… it seems I’m still a coward.”
“Could you find the courage just once?”
I looked him straight in the eye and continued.
“It seemed like she had a lot she wanted to say, too. Whether because she’s afraid as well, or for some other reason, she couldn’t.”
“…….”
“If you approach first, she won’t push you away coldly. At least not like that.”
Dang Gunak looked more conflicted than he had when I proposed the operation.
A decision as a father was harder than a decision as Clan Head.
But in the end, he slowly nodded.
“……I’ll think about it.”
*****
Back at the guest annex.
I shared what had been said with the Elder Council Head and the Clan Head.
Except the last part—that was for father and daughter to resolve.
“……!”
Dang Gyu-young’s face turned a little moved. Then they grabbed me and started smothering me with kisses.
“You’re so damn cute, seriously.”
“And I told the Clan Head about the bond, too.”
Dang Gyu-young froze mid-motion.
“……You told him that?”
“Why not? Everyone else told their families and got permission.”
The Seo family hadn’t made a fuss, and neither had the Hong family.
Dang Gyu-young squirmed as they spoke.
“It’s not that, it’s just……”
“…….”
“That—there’s the seal.”
“What about the seal?”
“What if he asks to see it? To prove the bond.”
“You don’t have to prove it with a seal. If he asks, I can just show the status window.”
“……Right?”
Dang Gyu-young’s eyebrows shot up.
They’d been so focused on the seal that it hadn’t occurred to them.
So I asked,
“Where is it, anyway? Why are you like this?”
“……Curious?”
“I think it’s about time you told me.”
Dang Gyu-young toyed with the hem of their skirt, seeming to hesitate.
Then a faint blush rose on their cheeks, and they shook their head.
“No. Nope. This is really not okay.”
“Why are you doing this—starting and stopping?”
“I’m embarrassed. This is my first time.”
“You can at least say it. Between us.”
“Just because it’s ‘between us’ doesn’t mean you get to skip steps. We have to do this properly, step by step.”
“Do we really need steps for this?”
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in had been quietly watching our tug-of-war.
Then they said something unexpected.
“I know where it is.”
“?”
Dang Gyu-young and I looked at each other—then looked at Seo Ye-in at the same time.
“How would you know that?”
“I can just see it.”
“Because your eyes are good?”
“Yeah.”
Seo Ye-in nodded. They were about to say more when Dang Gyu-young darted over and clapped a hand over their mouth.
Then, with the warmest, gentlest expression imaginable, Dang Gyu-young said,
“Seo Ye-in. There are things in this world you shouldn’t say out loud.”
“I already showed it.”
Seo Ye-in tilted their head as they answered.
They looked genuinely confused why it needed to be hidden so tightly.
That seemed unexpected even to Dang Gyu-young. They blinked a few times and asked,
“……You showed it? Where?”
“Here.”
When Seo Ye-in lifted their shirt slightly, Dang Gyu-young’s body leaned about forty-five degrees toward it.
“……Ah. Um. I see.”
Then they shot me a sharp glare.
“Hey. You saw that?”
“If they show it, am I supposed not to look?”
“You’re so shameless I don’t even have anything to say.”
Dang Gyu-young let out a hollow puff of air.
Then, as if competitive instinct kicked in, they hesitated again—whether they should show it after all.
But the conclusion was the same as before.
“No. Nope. Sloth-sloth.”
“Yes?”
“Until I say otherwise, keep it a secret from Kim Ho. Got it?”
“Okay.”
“If you let it slip… our alliance is over on the spot. No—war.”
“War…!”
Those gray eyes widened.
The two of them snapped fully into a little skit, suddenly acting grave.
“Poisons won’t work on either of us.”
“★All-Poison Immunity★.”
“But is there really no way? Eunbi got through once, and I have my own trump card too. For example……”
“……?”
Dang Gyu-young spoke in a chilling tone.
“Sprinkling hellfire chili powder.”
“Hellfire…!”
“Nothing you eat or drink will be safe.”
“That can’t be…!”
“The price of spilling secrets is that heavy. You’ll be careful, right?”
“Careful, careful.”
Seo Ye-in nodded.
It felt like their alliance had become even more solid.
Then we moved on to the next topic—the real point.
Searching for the Blood Cult’s temporary base, or a hideout.
Dang Gyu-young said, looking impressed.
“I’ve been watching the whole time, so I believe you… but I didn’t expect you to get permission from Father— I mean, the Clan Head. How’d you do it?”
“I leaned on my reputation, and I pushed a little. I figured this time I needed to force it through.”
“Yeah… if we can find them, it’s all profit.”
If we reduced the Blood Cult’s strength with a preemptive strike, the Dang family’s casualties later would drop as well.
Even if some people openly hated Dang Gyu-young, they’d still been relatives once.
They probably didn’t want to watch them die.
Dang Gyu-young asked again.
“Are my brothers going too?”
“I asked for them specifically.”
“And of course I’m included.”
“Of course.”
“Hmph. Good.”
Dang Gyu-young smiled in satisfaction.
Seo Ye-in tugged lightly at my sleeve and asked,
“Of course I’m included.”
“I want you to be, but won’t your butler oppose it? If they say no, you can’t go.”
It wouldn’t be mere opposition, either. It would be fierce.
But as if they’d already thought about it, those gray eyes sparkled.
“I’ll talk to them.”
*****
The next day.
Seo Ye-in and Depresso-Sloth were deep into a throwing match when Hyeseong Group employees appeared at the training grounds.
Ahn Jeongmi greeted them in a polite tone.
“Miss, have you been well?”
“I trained and sparred.”
“You did very well.”
Ahn Jeongmi looked pleased.
Then I laid out everything that had happened yesterday, and explained the Blood Cult search operation too.
Including the fact that Seo Ye-in wanted to come with us.
Ahn Jeongmi’s reaction was exactly what I expected.
“Absolutely not.”
“The butler is going with you anyway.”
“That’s when you go out. This is an operation.”
If we went out, we’d be sticking to safe places, so the odds of encountering the Blood Cult were low.
But we were going to specifically pick places where the Blood Cult might be hiding—so from the start, we had to assume combat.
With the danger on an entirely different level, Ahn Jeongmi couldn’t possibly accept it.
They even issued a threat, as if to shut down any room for debate.
“If you continue like this, we’ll have no choice but to escort you back to Hyeseong by force.”
Instead of stubbornly digging in like usual, Seo Ye-in spoke in a calm, grounded voice.
“I’m grateful that you worry about me and take care of me.”
“Miss……”
“But I can’t be protected forever. I’m a comrade who formed a [Bond] with Kim Ho.”
“……!”
“If something dangerous happens, I have to do my part as a comrade.”
Dang Gyu-young looked a little shocked.
“Could they always talk that well?”
“They could. They just said it was annoying.”
Honestly, that explained most of what Fast-Sloth had been doing lately.
They’d just been too lazy to bother before.
Of course, Dang Gyu-young’s shock was nothing compared to Ahn Jeongmi’s.
Seo Ye-in, who normally answered in single words while stubbornly refusing everything, was persuading someone.
At this point, I decided to provide supporting fire.
“I’m sorry, but I want them to come with us too.”
“Kim Ho……”
“As you know, they’re Lucky Charm. Their instincts are good, their luck is good. They’ll avoid danger.”
Ahn Jeongmi looked like they felt a hint of betrayal toward me, but at the same time, they seemed to think I had a point.
That Lucky Charm radar was weirdly accurate.
After a moment of contemplation, they opened their Inventory.
“I understand what you’re both saying. However, this isn’t something I can decide on my own.”
What they took out was a communication crystal ball.
“Since it’s a condition set by the Chairman, I believe it’s ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) right to receive permission directly from the Chairman.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to him.”
Seo Ye-in nodded readily and took the crystal ball.
The call connected.
Just as they’d done with Ahn Jeongmi, Seo Ye-in laid out a clear, orderly argument into the crystal ball.
I could practically see the Chairman Grandfather’s shocked face.
In the end, it looked like Seo Ye-in succeeded in getting permission.
They flashed me a V sign with their fingers.
