Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 120

“What the heck? We’re not playing a game right now, are we?”

“I don’t have a weapon… and my skills aren’t working…”

“Really, really, are you the Guild Leader? Is someone projecting a hologram here or what?”

Most of the guild members who were seeing me for the first time reacted similarly.

I understood. They probably never imagined that their incredibly cool Guild Leader would actually be a flawless, beautiful middle school girl in real life.

“It’s true. I am Yeo.”

Ahem—

As I nodded with my arms crossed, the guild members began to murmur in acceptance.

“It really is her…”

“It’s just like the game…”

“Wow…”

Although I had received help from Sohee, I was the one who arranged this gathering.

I stepped forward and spoke to everyone.

“Everyone, feel free to come in. Once you sit down, there’s a name tag for you. You can write your nickname on it and stick it on your chest.”

“A name tag?”

“Yeah, since you all look different from in the game, I prepared them so we can distinguish one another.”

Actually, it wasn’t me who prepared them; it was Sohee.

I turned my head to check the long table lined with name tags.

A classy pen and a neat name tag were placed on each chair.

“Guild Leader, you shouldn’t have overdone it.”

The one who spoke up was Iyap.

His demeanor was always the same—a gentlemanly thief.

I shook my head at Iyap’s words. Honestly, if it weren’t for Sohee, I wouldn’t have been able to rent a place like this.

“It’s fine. I didn’t overdo it.”

Sohee was the one who went all out.

Iyap nodded with a confused expression at my reply.

“Everyone, please come in and eat comfortably.”

Buffet food was prepared. Since no one else except our guild was present, we could act freely.

People, who had initially seemed a bit shy, soon started chatting comfortably, just like in the game.

It seemed they hadn’t engaged in conversations naturally because they couldn’t tell who was who.

As I watched the guild members and nodded, a tall woman approached me.

It was a familiar face, the Snow Mage I had met during the first guild gathering.

“Guild Leader!”

“Yes?”

At that moment, my body was slightly pulled back.

It was because Sohee tightened her grip on my arm.

I frowned and lightly slapped her hand.

Hey, let go of this.

People are looking at us weirdly.

“Um, can I take a picture with you?”

I nodded at the Snow Mage’s question.

Sohee seemed to have something to say, but my answer came out faster.

“Of course. In fact, it was weird at the last first gathering. Didn’t everyone say they didn’t take pictures back then?”

“Yeah, I didn’t even think of taking one. To be honest, I still feel like I’m in the game.”

The Snow Mage said this while waving her arms in the air.

It was as if a transparent staff was in her hands.

I totally understood her feelings.

I often felt like I was in the game when looking in the mirror, too.

Both my game and real-life appearances were perfect. With a confident smile, I nodded.

“Let’s take a group photo.”

I pulled away from Sohee and walked toward the podium while holding her hand.

In the end, it seemed like we had compromised on holding hands instead of hugging.

As I moved, the attention of the guild members began to gather one by one.

The party hall was prepared; there was also a microphone set up.

Holding the microphone, I turned it on and a white noise filled the hall.

[Hehe-]

I gently blew on it to check the sensitivity.

The sound spread without any issues throughout the hall.

[This is Yeo, the Guild Leader. Please listen while you eat. You don’t need to respond. We plan to take a group photo here on the podium, so if you want to be in the photo, please come forward.]

All eyes from the seated diners turned to me.

I confirmed each gaze and nodded.

[Again, this is an announcement. Please listen while you eat. You don’t need to respond. We plan to take a group photo here, so if you want to be in it, please come forward. That’s all.]

As I wrapped up my announcement and turned off the microphone, I noticed the expressions of the male guild members change.

Why are they looking at me like that?

I neatly placed the microphone back where it belonged.

“Hayun seems to handle the microphone well.”

“Oh…”

I awkwardly laughed at Sohee’s comment. It’s just something I picked up.

I looked away, recalling my hazy memories.

*

“Ah-”

Chloe felt an inexplicable chill upon hearing the Guild Leader Yeo’s announcement.

The environment was completely different, and her tone was different too. Yet, she strangely felt as if she had fallen back into that same place.

“Are you not getting up?”

“Ah, we should go…”

Chloe nodded at Priscilla, the female user who had spoken to her, and stood up.

It seemed Priscilla hadn’t felt that special sensation, but the other male users looked puzzled as they gazed at Guild Leader Yeo.

Chloe thought.

Honestly speaking, I still felt like I was in the game. Even knowing that the Guild Leader was an active middle school girl.

She generally appeared as an ordinary middle schooler. Watching her enjoy the game and engage in various concept plays made her feel joyful too.

However, the unconscious vibe of a middle-aged guy that emerged now caused a significant sense of dissonance.

It’s really not in the game, right?

Chloe, with a familiar gesture, drew a sign in the air and looked down at the ground.

If it had been Deron, the motion would have summoned a small Imp at her feet.

But there was nothing. It was evidently reality.

As the members of the First Party stood up, other guild members began to stir as well.

If they just sat and hesitated, their pictures wouldn’t make it into the group photo.

Everyone who had been eating began to gather near the podium.

The small girl, Guild Leader Hayun, looked at her guild members with a satisfied expression.

None were missing as they came out to take a picture. This was a positive sign.

It meant all guild members were firmly following their leader.

“Just wait a minute!”

Hayun hurriedly moved her short legs and started adjusting a large tripod.

Iyap, who approached, offered to help, but she rejected him with a determined expression.

“I’ll do it myself. Everyone else, please return to your seats and wait.”

Her commanding manner felt as natural as in the game.

The guild members naturally gathered around.

The central spot—the place where everyone’s gaze was directed—was, understandably, reserved for their small Guild Leader Hayun.

At that moment, everything set, Hayun waved her hand and shouted.

“Everyone, smile!”

No one could help but smile.

Watching the little girl run to set the timer on her phone camera, everyone naturally wore smiles.

Click—!

The sound of the camera shutter was heard. But it seemed she wasn’t finished yet, as the little guild leader dashed back to the tripod once more.

“Everyone, wait! We’re going to take two more pictures, so change your poses!”

Hayun moved quickly, and as people watched her, their expressions softened with genuine smiles.

“Mm-mm!”

Hayun smiled satisfactorily as she viewed the pictures they had just taken.

Everyone looked good. Sure, a few were blinking, but by the last shot, everyone’s smiling faces were clearly captured.

It felt natural. It wasn’t a forced smile. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

“I’ll post these in the group chat!”

Yeo shared the photos they had just taken in the chat.

The three pictures uploaded were quickly saved by everyone present as they pulled out their phones.

We had achieved our goal of taking a group photo. Just as people began to disperse to resume their meals, a woman raised her hand and shouted.

It was the Snow Mage.

“Guild Leader!”

“Yes?”

“Could we take a picture just the two of us?”

All gazes turned towards her as the crowd scattered.

“Sure. Is there anyone else who wants to take a picture with me?”

With Hayun’s words, everyone began to exchange glances. It wouldn’t look good if older men sought to take a picture alone with an active middle school girl.

No one stepped forward.

Hayun nodded, having roughly grasped the situation.

Objectively speaking, she was a perfect middle school girl. Her presence likely felt a bit burdensome to older guys.

Following the Snow Mage’s request, Hayun agreed to take a photo together.

The Snow Mage beamed brightly as she began to tap away at her phone with excitement.

Hayun looked down from the podium.

Everyone hesitated. If it had been in the game, they would have all eagerly raised their hands to join in.

The atmosphere began to settle awkwardly.

Hayun thought. This was precisely the moment when the Guild Leader needed to step up.

Hurriedly, Hayun jumped down from the podium and yanked one leg off the tripod.

The weight in her hand felt substantial. It wasn’t greatly different from in the game.

Hayun took the stick and leapt back onto the podium.

Tap-tap—tap-tap—

She moved with remarkable lightness, skipping two steps at a time, her movements nearly indistinguishable from the game.

Whoosh—! Swish—!

The black stick twisted in the air, producing a rather intimidating sound.

The guild members, who had stepped away, merely stood by gazing at what their Guild Leader was up to.

Hayun didn’t cease her movements.

At that moment, the guild members watching realized what their leader was doing.

She was reenacting Yeo’s appearance from the game.

“Hyat!”

Her voice was identical to how it was in the game. With a short battle cry, the stick extended toward the empty air, swaying pitifully.

“Take the picture!”

“Uh…?”

“Capture my magnificent self quickly!”

The guild members began snapping photos of Hayun with confused expressions.

What started as a photo time soon gathered even more people onto the podium.

Everyone began to imitate their Guild Leader. Each struck familiar poses.

As if they were wielding their weapons, like when using skills in Deron.

Watching her guild members enjoying themselves, Hayun rested the stick on her shoulder.

Just like how one would carry a sword in-game.

The initially awkward atmosphere dissipated. The guild members freely captured Hayun’s image on their cameras.