Free Web NovelI changed clothes and stepped out of the bathroom. When I returned to the living room, Im Haekyung was leaning against the sofa, staring at me blankly.
“You look neat.”
“I washed up properly.”
Like he was offering something nice, Im Haekyung said,
“If you’re feeling too rough, you can stay a bit longer before heading out.”
Normally I would’ve clicked my tongue and called that crazy talk, but today had been unusually loud from dawn till now, so I was pretty tired.
I glanced at him and asked,
“Can I sleep over?”
“Hm?”
I wasn’t actually planning to; I just asked. His reaction was oddly noncommittal.
“You’re going to sleep here? The sofa will be uncomfortable.”
“I’m a patient and you’re suggesting a sofa?”
“Patient?”
Not a shred of intent to offer a guest his bed. For someone who said he wanted to see me so badly, that 180 in attitude was impressive.
“In a place this big, you only have one bed?”
“Yeah. I don’t bring guests over often.”
Fair. In the original, he pretty much had no close social circle. His home never even showed up.
'Then why did he collect those bugs if he doesn’t even host people?'
At the thought, I looked over the scattered “objects.” Following my gaze, he said magnanimously,
“Want to take one if you like it?”
“No. Not my taste.”
“I paid quite a bit for them, though...”
Those? With a touch of pity, I offered a solution.
“Press charges. Pretty sure you got scammed.”
He chuckled at that, then cleared his throat.
“Mm... They said they processed them with dungeon magic stones.”
“I fail to see what that’s supposed to mean.”
“They’re limited editions, apparently.”
Of course. Who else but him would buy those? If they tried selling them year-round, the shop would go bankrupt.
Anyway—ignore the nonsense.
“Guild Master.”
“Yes?”
“That thing you said you’d help me with earlier—is that still on the table?”
Before I came here, he’d basically agreed to take the cult bastard off my hands. Technically he hadn’t said those words, but people turn into “items” when you treat them like items.
“Ah, you mean store the item for you?”
“Yes.”
“Well... that’s not a problem. Where is it?”
“At my place.”
He seemed to mull it over, then asked,
“Will it be a lot of work to move it?”
“Mm.”
Depends how violently it resists.
“A little? But I think you could move it without much trouble.”
“Then I’ll drive you home later and pick it up on the way.”
Good. I’d add a bit of explanation en route. Just then he called to me out of nowhere.
“Jehyun.”
“Yes?”
“I told you I offered Yehyun a job change.”
“Right.”
What, did he suddenly get the urge to recruit me too?
But what came out of his mouth was different.
“Do you have any interest in changing jobs?”
“Changing jobs?”
“I don’t know what your current terms look like, but I can offer better. Haeseong needs an appraiser, too.”
“Haeseong doesn’t already have one?”
“Of course... they do. But your ability is good, isn’t it?”
Not really. If this were truly about ability, Haeseong already had an appraiser with an A-rank skill. I must not have looked convinced, because he shrugged and added,
“Not just that. There’d be other benefits. I’d be watching your back.”
“......” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“If something like today happens again... I can stop weird rumors from spreading.”
“Weird rumors?”
'He means the penalty?'
He narrowed his eyes and gave me a slow once-over.
“Well... I didn’t say it because I figured you’d get treated soon, but just looking at you coughing up blood and all that—yeah, it looks pretty strange.”
“Strange?”
“Yeah.”
He paused, then stated the obvious.
“You look like someone who’s about to die.”
“......”
“And it’d be better if I were nearby when I prod your mind and try this and that.”
So hire on just so he can keep a dead-man-walking next to him and run Mental Domination? Ridiculous.
I cut him off flatly.
“I’m not considering a job change.”
“Are SH Guild’s terms that good?”
“I’m just the type who values loyalty.”
I said it straight, but he snorted. Not in agreement—more like he found it very funny.
Sure enough, he cocked his head and stared.
“I felt this from the start, but your standards are a bit different from other people’s.”
“What is?”
“Why did you join SH? When you went to Sokcho, it seemed like it was to meet the SH Guild Master.”
“What makes you think that...?”
“Wasn’t it? The moment Guild Master Song arrived, you ran straight to her.”
...Not wrong. He smiled faintly, a shade eerie.
“First time we met, you said you were my fan.”
“I did? When?”
“You did. You don’t even remember?”
What nonsense—then a memory surfaced.
‘It was a good time, Jehyun.’
‘Me too. Ah...’
‘......’
‘I’m a fan.’
How long ago is he talking about? He was dredging up the impulsive jab I made when we first met in the night market.
“Ah... I’m a fan. I am, really.”
“......”
I managed to recall it and even kindly confirmed it, but he didn’t bother to listen anymore.
Anyway—does he really feel nothing for Song Hwayoung?
“By the way, are you acquainted with Guild Master Song privately, too?”
I tossed it out to probe him, and his reaction came back... off.
“Same as back then—you already know and you’re asking, right?”
Lie and I’m dead, huh. I admitted it neatly.
“Yes.”
“I figured. Did Guild Master Song tell you?”
“Yeah. We talked briefly not long ago.”
So much for probing. Should I just ask straight out?
“You’re not telling me to quit because you’ve got friction with SH Guild, are you?”
“Huh?”
He laughed like he’d heard complete nonsense, then shook his head.
“No way. Not at all. I actually think we’re on friendly terms.”
“If that’s so, Guild Master Song told me to be careful of you.”
“You say you talked—and she said that?”
His smile faded. He didn’t speak for a while.
After a long pause, he began.
“Well. It’s true mental-types look dangerous, but honestly, most Awakened are threatening. You’re low-rank, sure... but to non-Awakened, you’re threatening enough. So it’s not just a ‘me’ problem.”
Fair enough. But with him it wasn’t only that.
“And as for Guild Master Song and me, we just have a difference of opinion. If she went as far as warning you, maybe she cares about you...”
“A difference of opinion?”
“Yeah. Just about efficiency. We see it a little differently.”
Efficiency? After a brief thought, he straightened from his lounge and faced me squarely.
“Truth is, I think you and I would get along well.”
“In what way?”
“Not just in work—those various human relationships we just mentioned, too. You don’t seem aware of it yourself, but...”
'What am I not aware of?'
He hesitated, then tossed it out like it was nothing.
“Jehyun, your personality’s pretty bad.”
“...?”
What the hell?
I opened my mouth to object, but he kept going.
“I don’t mean that as purely negative. In times like these, a few defects of character can be an advantage.”
“What supposed ‘defects’—”
“I’m stating facts. Anyway, I can compensate for those lacking parts of yours. I agree with them to some extent, after all.”
'He’s not listening to me at all.'
Having said his piece, he nudged the coffee table away with his foot and stood. I only followed him with my eyes.
Stopping in front of me, he spoke gently.
“There are people who’re useful to the world to some degree, and people who aren’t. Before or after the world changed—that covers everything.”
“......”
“And I keep wondering why the world became like this.”
He smiled, slid a hand across my shoulder, then let it drop.
“I’m not the only one who wonders. And there’s one thing you said that I agree with.”
He kept acting suspicious on purpose—maybe he wanted me suspicious.
He paused, then met my eyes head-on. We were nearly the same height; our gazes lined up perfectly.
Locking eyes, he grinned.
“I do think we should live decently. For the public good, if nothing else.”
Then he narrowed his eyes and lobbed something I didn’t expect.
“You’ve been chasing something strange lately. Want to change jobs on the condition that I help?”
“......”
“You’re interested in some religious group, right? Aren’t you?”
