By Zephyria “The Deputy Guild Master seems to have a problem with his last words, always….”
Min-gi Seo covered the microphone with his palm and muttered in a small voice. His face was as gloomy as if he had lost his country. Bae Won-woo on the other end of the phone asked back, “Huh?”
“What? I didn’t hear you.”
“No, sir. I’ll contact you after the investigation. Should I report directly to the Guild Master?”
“Yeah, and report this one to me too. Keep it a secret from Sa-young.”
“You know that such independent actions are also subject to reporting, Deputy Guild Master.”
“Just turn a blind eye once, you rascal. It’s all for that guy’s own good.”
Then, I’m counting on you! Bae Won-woo, who threw the bomb without considering the other party’s circumstances, hung up the phone without hesitation.
Min-gi Seo, who suddenly ended up embracing the bomb, put down his phone and slyly glanced at Eui-jae. Eui-jae was still smiling gently with his arms crossed. The sight made his spine tingle even more.
‘I have to somehow contain the bomb from exploding!’
Min-gi Seo first let out a big sigh. Then, he lowered his sunglasses slightly to adjust the angle so that his dark circles were clearly visible. If his Master was human, he would surely pity this face. He preempted Cha Eui-jae before he could open his mouth.
“It’s not going to happen.”
“…….”
“No matter how much you are my Master, this is not going to happen.”
“…….”
“Even if you look at me like that, it’s really, really not going to happen….”
No. Turn back. Min-gi Seo held out his palm firmly, as if he were a judge. But the other party was also steadfast. Eui-jae unfolded his arms and bumped his palm against Min-gi Seo’s palm. A so-called high-five.
Smack―!!
“Ugh.”
Of course, it was a bit too powerful to be called a high-five. The hand that received the unexpectedly strong impact shrank like a mimosa. Min-gi Seo trembled his shoulders at the stinging pain. Eui-jae took out an Elixir from his Inventory, sprinkled it on Min-gi Seo’s hand, and said awkwardly.
“No, how could you refuse like that when you don’t even know what I’m going to ask?”
“Of course, you’re going to say you want to go with me on the investigation. Do you think I wouldn’t know! You’re acting exactly like the Guild Master when he was in his prime!”
Min-gi Seo pushed up his sunglasses, which had slipped down, and shouted sharply. Eui-jae, who had been hit right on the mark, cleared his throat. Min-gi Seo muttered gloomily.
“…In this case, my Master also needs mental conditioning. I understand.”
“No, who’s conditioning who….”
“No matter how much you are J, you cannot accompany me on the investigation.”
“Why?”
“Because you are my Master.”
It was an unexpected reason. Eui-jae’s eyes widened. Min-gi Seo fumbled to put the tablet and pen into his Inventory, muttering to himself.
“This is also related to the Hunter pride of me, the 36th-ranked Hunter in Korea, specializing in stealth and infiltration, Master. Have you ever seen a guide take a Master to a place where safety is not guaranteed?”
“…….”
“While we’re on the subject, let me tell you a few more things.”
Min-gi Seo wiped his hand, which was wet with Elixir, with a handkerchief and said in a determined voice.
“When you go somewhere, you must do at least a minimum of situation assessment and safety assurance in advance. I know very well that you are very strong, Master, but you can’t just push through without thinking.”
Situation assessment in advance? Safety assurance? Eui-jae, who had never done that in his life, blankly looked at Min-gi Seo.
In my day, as soon as we entered, we finished the situation assessment, safety assurance, and problem-solving all in one go. Why bother increasing the procedures?
Even he thought it sounded like an old fogey, but Eui-jae tried hard to swallow it. If he actually said it out loud, Min-gi Seo, who had never been angry before, might get angry. Eui-jae had that much sense.
Min-gi Seo continued to speak like he was rapping.
“Even if you’ve never done it before, you have to do it from this moment on. Why? Because I and the Wave Guild will finish the situation assessment and safety assurance of that place first.”
“No, but….”
Eui-jae carefully opened his mouth, but Min-gi Seo shook his head firmly.
“If you want to refute this, please do so directly to the Guild Master. The Guild Master will have the same opinion as me.”
That bastard? Eui-jae rolled his eyes. Of course, Cha Eui-jae doesn’t know everything about Lee Sa-young. But from what he’s seen so far, he seemed to prefer to be directly involved rather than relying on other people’s hands.
While he was hesitating, Min-gi Seo said primly.
“The Guild Master also went through such a mental conditioning process once. I was scouted, but he didn’t give me any work to do. I gave him a very stern scolding.”
Cancel that. It’s not exactly that kind of problem. It was just that very small Min-gi Seo was digging his own grave. Eui-jae looked at Min-gi Seo, who was buried in the work he had brought upon himself, with pity. Fortunately or unfortunately, Min-gi Seo, who had finished speaking, seemed satisfied.
“You heard the phone call just now, right? Try to use me properly, even if it’s only half as much as the Guild Master does.”
“Ah, yes.”
The phone in Min-gi Seo’s hand rang briefly. He checked the phone and bowed to Eui-jae.
“The address has arrived. I’ll see you again next time.”
“Ah, wait a minute.”
Eui-jae, who had been lost in thought for a moment, called out to Min-gi Seo. Min-gi Seo, who had half crawled into the shadow under the chair, raised his head.
“Yes, please speak.”
“After the investigation is over, please contact me too. Information about Prometheus, that address, everything.”
Min-gi Seo stared at Eui-jae intently and asked in a sighing voice.
“Secretly from the Guild Master?”
Eui-jae smiled.
“Yes.”
Min-gi Seo nodded so small that it was almost invisible, then disappeared into the shadows with a whoosh. And silence fell in the narrow store. Every time he was suddenly trapped alone in this silence, he couldn’t help but feel down. Eui-jae put his hands together and held them to his mouth.
“Haa….”
Even though he knew that chasing the traces of someone who was already dead was a meaningless act. He had no choice but to follow helplessly behind.
Because, that child….
The hand that roughly swept across his face turned on the TV. The irregular noise made him feel a little relieved.
Eui-jae held garbage bags in both hands and went out of the store. Someone must have been smoking for a long time, as the acrid smell of tobacco lingered in the air, stinging his nose. He raised his head and looked up at the gray sky.
Click, a flickering flame rose from an old fluorescent green plastic lighter. Beyond the swaying small flame, the sky was cloudy with thick clouds.
The young man, who had been staring at the flame, soon pushed the lighter into his pocket. The cigarette pack brushed against his fingertips, showing off its presence, but he didn’t take it out. There were too many people in the building to do that.
Where people gather is noisy. Sometimes, it’s unbearable.
“……!”
Whether the senses that had developed to the extreme with the Awakening were a blessing or a curse. It sometimes made him hear things he didn’t want to hear. The young man pretended not to hear the noise in his ears and stretched out his legs, placing his feet a few steps below. He was sitting in the middle of the outdoor stairs that showed the passage of time.
The Awakened Management Bureau, which was hastily launched to solve the rampant Awakening criminals, was located in one of the police stations that had failed to fulfill its role since the Day of the Rift. There was no money or time to build a new building.
On the walls, there were traffic safety posters and no-smoking posters, as if to remind people that this was a police station. The campaign posters had not deviated from the date three years ago and continued to remain on that day.
Someone’s footsteps were getting closer and closer. Tsk, the young man clicked his tongue in a voice too small to be heard and closed his eyes tightly.
‘This is a bust too.’
Soon, the footsteps came right below the stairs. Along with the peeking movements, a voice full of welcome rang out.
“J! You were here!”
J slowly opened his eyes and glanced down the stairs. A Hunter belonging to the Awakened Management Bureau, whose face he had seen several times, was sticking his head out from below the stairs and looking up at him.
Was he a rookie who had been here for three months? It seemed so. As befitting a rookie, his eyes were shining brightly. J replied indifferently.
“Summons?”
“Yes! That’s right.”
J took his eyes off the rookie Hunter and stared at the cloudy sky. In the middle of the sky, a black Black Hole was swirling.
“Tell them I’ll be there soon.”
“Uh, but it seems like you have to come right away….”
“…….”
J didn’t answer and just stared down at the Hunter. Because he was wearing a mask, it was impossible to read his expression, but the meaning of his gaze was clear. The Hunter, who was receiving the chilly gaze, stammered.
“It’s, it’s an urgent matter…. They told me to bring you no matter what….”
“Who?”
“Hunter Song….”
“…….”
Haa, a short sigh escaped. J slowly got up.
Tak, tak, the sound of the hard Walker soles hitting the stairs rang out rhythmically each time he stepped on the stairs. He, who had covered his face under a mask, came down the stairs with his hands in his pockets and passed the Hunter.
At that moment, a strong smell of blood stung his nose. The Hunter unknowingly frowned slightly, then covered his mouth in surprise.
Pretending not to see it, J nodded his head. It had already been three years since he had been hailed as a hero since his Awakening.
“Thank you for telling me.”
Looking back now…
“Go to work.”
He seemed exhausted. Very much so.