Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 95

The camera’s flash illuminated three toys, capturing this moment forever with a click.

As the photo emerged from the camera, Rose carefully handled it and gazed at it.

Satisfaction glimmered in her eyes.

As the image began to clarify, a deeper smile appeared on Rose’s lips.

She shook the photo a few times, waiting for the image to come into focus.

In that moment, Rose’s eyes lit up as if she’d suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, right! There was something I forgot..!”

Rose muttered to herself, her playful smile returning.

She glanced at Hyun, Yoonhwa, and Nomi for a moment.

Confusion and anxiety crossed their faces in response to her sudden change in behavior.

But Rose didn’t explain anything to them; she treated the photo like a treasure and walked out of the warehouse.

Bang!

As the warehouse door slammed shut, Nomi tore off the tape around her ankle and cautiously approached Hyun and Yoonhwa.

Determination filled her face.

Nomi glanced between Hyun and Yoonhwa as she whispered.

“I cut the tape with magic..!”

“I’ll set you and your sister free…”

A slight vibration emanated from Nomi’s fingertips.

She reached out carefully towards Yoonhwa’s bound wrist.

Yoonhwa watched Nomi’s movements, unable to hide her astonishment at Nomi’s abilities.

As Nomi focused, the blue tape binding Yoonhwa’s wrist transformed into fine, sharp thorns.

After a brief moment, with a strange sound, the tape snapped.

Yoonhwa looked at her hand in shock, sending a grateful smile to Nomi.

“Thanks, Nomi…!”

After the tape was cut from her wrist, Yoonhwa looked down at the chains strapped to her ankle.

While Nomi’s magic could sever the tape on her wrist, the chains were beyond her capability.

“Ugh…-!!”

Yoonhwa tugged hard on the chains, but they didn’t budge an inch.

Her face bore evidence of effort, yet the chains remained still.

“Ugh… it’s no use…”

Yoonhwa gasped out.

Nomi approached Hyun, carefully examining the tape around his arms and legs.

A glimmer of focus appeared on her face, and Hyun watched her actions with caution.

Nomi felt that familiar vibration in her fingertips again as she placed her hand against Hyun’s bound wrist.

“Just a bit longer… almost there…!”

After a moment, the blue tape binding Hyun’s wrist transformed into fine, sharp thorns, slowly being cut away.

Next, she applied the same method to Hyun’s leg.

With a snap of the tape, Hyun regained his freedom.

He moved his arms and legs, regaining sensation, and expressed his gratitude to Nomi.

“Thank you, Nomi..”

Hyun’s voice was filled with relief.

Now he and Nomi could move freely, but the chains on Yoonhwa’s ankle remained a problem.

As Rose entered through the door, she held a glinting nail clipper in her hand.

“Have you been good~?”

Rose smiled subtly, surveying the room.

With her hands freed, Yoonhwa could finally feel the power she had been suppressing.

Mystical light began to gather in her palms.

Determination filled Yoonhwa’s eyes as she focused on Rose.

As soon as Rose walked in, Yoonhwa shot the gathered light at her.

The light sped towards Rose like lightning, making her eyes widen in surprise.

Rose instinctively tried to move her body to dodge the attack, but Yoonhwa’s magical light was already too close.

As Rose twisted her body to evade, a part of the light grazed her cheek.

The light that brushed against her cheek left a painful mark.

Rose clutched her cheek, unable to contain her surprise for a moment.

Her eyes widened, and she wore a fearful expression at the sharp pain radiating from her cheek.

“What, what is this…!!”

Rose exclaimed in shock, pulling her hand away from her cheek.

Her eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Yoonhwa watched Rose’s reaction and said with a voice tinged with anger and determination.

“You’re done for!”

Hyun, seeing Rose’s bewilderment, cautiously spoke up.

“This-this isn’t the right way, Roze..!”

Nomi shouted next to Hyun.

“You’re done now!”

Rose was visibly shaken by the words of Hyun and Yoonhwa, still feeling an ache radiating from her cheek.

Her palm stained with blood that dripped from the wound.

“How did this happen…?”

“How did this get undone?!”

Rose spoke in a disoriented voice, gazing at the blood on her palm.

As her gaze fixed on the blood running from her palm, her face suddenly began to pale.

Her eyes trembled, and her body started to sway.

“B-blood..?!”

Rose muttered in a hushed voice before her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the floor.

As Rose fell, Hyun, Yoonhwa, and Nomi looked on with surprise.

Suddenly, tension thickened in the warehouse.

Hyun hesitated for a moment before rushing to Rose.

His hand cautiously touched her nose and mouth.

He leaned in to feel her breath.

After a moment, he sighed with relief and pulled back.

“She’s breathing…”

Hyun said to the others.

Tension still lingered in his voice.

Yoonhwa felt anxious at the thought that Rose could wake up at any moment.

To prepare for Rose’s potential awakening, she began to gather mystical light from her fingertips, creating glowing bonds to restrain her.

These magical bonds were meant to limit Rose in case she awoke suddenly.

While Rose lay unconscious on the floor, Hyun, Yoonhwa, and Nomi quietly contemplated the situation before them.

They needed to resolve the issue of the chains binding Yoonhwa’s ankle.

“What do we do about this..?”

Yoonhwa asked, looking down at her bound ankle.

Anxiety and frustration laced her voice.

Hyun let out a deep sigh and examined the chains around Yoonhwa’s ankle.

“It seems tough without tools.”

“These chains look really solid…”

Nomi fiddled with the chains with her small hands, lost in thought.

“They’re totally stiff…”

“Should we look for the key from Roze..?”

Hyun suggested.

“She probably knows where it is…”

Nomi hesitated for a moment but then stepped toward Rose with determination.

Her small footsteps barely made a sound.

Hyun and Yoonhwa quietly observed Nomi’s actions.

As Rose lay on the floor, Nomi brought her face close to Rose’s hair and playfully tapped her head a few times.

Nomi’s small fingers gently poking Rose’s head looked akin to an innocent child trying to wake someone from a deep sleep.

“Wake up~.. Yoonhwa, let her free-!”

As Nomi poked Rose, she began to stir slightly.

Nomi immediately stepped back and gestured toward Hyun and Yoonhwa.

Rose’s eyelids started to flutter, and her fingers moved a bit.

“Wait, be careful. Rose is about to wake up..”

Hyun whispered.

His voice was laced with vigilance. Yoonhwa tightened the bonds of light, ensuring Rose couldn’t move.

Rose gradually started to regain consciousness, realizing her body was bound by the magical light.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked alternately at Hyun, Yoonhwa, and Nomi.

As Rose began to slowly comprehend her surroundings, a mixture of confusion and embarrassment washed over her face.

She gazed at the brilliant bonds confining her, feeling utterly powerless.

When her gaze turned to Nomi, Hyun, and Yoonhwa, she understood the gravity of the situation.

Rose sighed deeply and lowered her head.

“Ah, what is all this…”

Her voice dripped with defeat.

She pondered how she had ended up in such a predicament but couldn’t find an answer.

When Rose lifted her eyes to look at the three, deep regret and guilt swirled in them.

Bound by the light, she realized the seriousness of the situation she had caused.

Yoonhwa spoke to Rose, her voice filled with anger.

“Rose, you’ve done a lot of wrong.”

Hyun also looked at Rose, adding firmly.

“The key to the chains around Yoonhwa’s ankle…”

“Where is it?..”

Nomi gazed at Rose, her eyes showing innocent worry.

Rose took a deep breath and seriously absorbed their emotions and demands.

After a brief hesitation, she finally spoke.

“Ah-… on the second shelf of my drawer..”

Nomi listened to Rose’s words, appearing to contemplate for a moment.

Her eyes wandered from Yoonhwa’s bound ankle to Hyun’s stern face and finally settled on Rose, enveloped in the bonds of light.

With determination, Nomi said to Yoonhwa.

“Sister, I’ll go get it!”

Hyun paused to consider Nomi’s words. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, stopping her.

“Wait, Nomi. I’ll go!”

Nomi hesitated at Hyun’s suggestion but then nodded.

Her face showed both concern and trust in him.

Rose was seated on the floor, still bound by the light. Her eyes were vacant, and her face bore signs of defeat.

Captured by her powerlessness, she was battling with her inner self without even glancing around.

She seemed completely indifferent to what Hyun, Yoonhwa, and Nomi were doing or saying.

Only a deep sense of despair radiated from Rose.

Hyun cautiously left the warehouse heading for the drawer Rose had indicated.

He walked swiftly but carefully. As soon as he entered the living room, he shifted his gaze to the drawer.

There were several drawers, and following Rose’s directions, Hyun opened the second one.

With trembling hands, he found a small key inside.

It appeared to be exactly what was needed to unlock the chains binding Yoonhwa’s ankle.

Clutching the key tightly, Hyun made his way back to the warehouse.

Upon arriving back, he took a deep breath and approached Yoonhwa.

A glint of resolve shimmered in his eyes as he aligned the key with Yoonhwa’s bound ankle.

Click—

With a heavy sound, the long weight vanished from Yoonhwa’s ankle.

She felt the absence of the chains and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you..!”

Their attention returned to Rose. Yoonhwa cautiously helped her sit up from the floor.

Yoonhwa looked deeply into Rose’s eyes and, in a serious tone, said.

“Rose, it’s time for you to explain.”

“What are you?! A monster?”

Rose didn’t hide her surprise at Yoonhwa’s question.

Her eyes shook, and a moment of silence passed. Rose hesitated before opening her mouth.

“I… am a monster…”

With Rose’s confession, Hyun and Yoonhwa were plunged into deep shock.

Yoonhwa’s eyes filled with suspicion and fear, while Hyun assumed a defensive stance.

Only Nomi looked at Rose with pure curiosity in her eyes.

“You all… were just so lovely. I just wanted to possess you.”

Rose’s voice held a poignant quality, tinged with danger.

Yoonhwa, holding back her anger, replied.

“That’s not your decision, Rose.”

“We’re not anyone’s possessions.”

The shock and sense of betrayal reflected in Hyun’s eyes were deeper than ever.

His heart felt like it had dropped.

All the feelings he had for Rose twisted in an instant.

The love he had felt turned meaningless, and Hyun was overtaken by doubt about how he could have been so deceived.

“Sister.. I truly…”

Rose knelt, head bowed. Her voice turned small and tremulous.

“Ha, I’m sorry…”

“I don’t even deserve to look at you!”