Chapter 862

EP.862 [Light Novel Side Story] Creation of Deathenas Volume 1 Chapter 009

It’s been a few days since Yuinah officially started commuting to Xian’s office.

Kim Nori, who was guarding the office desk, had left for school with tears in her eyes as winter break ended and it was time for the last school meal. This left Xian and Yuna alone in the now empty office.

– If I don’t apply for the guild training by the 28th, I’ll be expelled.

– Doesn’t the guild application review take a day?

Yuna informed Xian about her situation, and Xian, setting February 27th as the deadline for registration, redoubled efforts to recruit new talent.

Until someone else showed up, the two decided to use this downtime for some light training.

<February 3rd, 2025, Monday, 10:00 AM>

“Guild Master… It’s too hard…”

“Hold on.”

“Can’t we rest just a little? Hiccup!”

“Resting will make it harder. You’ll be fine. Just endure a bit longer.”

“It hurts so much, ahk!”

Unable to exert any more strength into her tingling wrists, Yuna dropped her gun. Xian’s eyes widened dramatically as he barely managed to catch the gun.

“Phew. That was close.”

“…Sorry, but isn’t that gun too heavy?”

Yuna complained while rubbing her wrist. The 50-caliber single-shot revolver ‘Triple Action Thunder’ that Xian had repeatedly modified was practically beyond being called a pistol anymore.

Xian swung the hand cannon with his right hand as if it were a lightweight plastic model gun.

“It’s made from Shadow Dragon armor. After modifications, it weighs nearly 7kg, you know?”

“……I don’t even know where to start with my complaints.”

Yuna sighed deeply.

Ever since she made a contract with this blonde foreigner, Yuna found herself sighing far more often than before. Whenever he made statements that defied common sense or suddenly dropped bombshell comments, Yuna couldn’t help but sigh.

“Shadow Dragon, that’s the Illusion Demon Dragon (환마룡), one of the S-Rank Monsters that appeared at Dodgers Gate.”

“The first Spirit-form Monster ever discovered. This is a pistol made by melting down that dragon’s armor.”

Should she point out that acquiring the Illusion Demon Dragon’s armor is questionable, or that using it to make a gun is bizarre? Yuna’s head throbbed.

“Really, Guild Master, being around you gives me a headache.”

“I’m going crazy thinking about you all night.”

Caught off guard by Xian’s sudden confession, Yuna’s face turned red for a moment before she frowned.

“Another lie, right?”

“…You seem to misunderstand; I really do think about you. In all my life, I’ve never met an ability user like you.”

“Yeah, sure. Someone whose potion skills are worse than a beginner and can only defeat slimes with borrowed weapons, yet still couldn’t reach D-Rank after clearing a dungeon. What a special ability indeed.”

Yuna grumbled as she slumped onto the sofa. The yuzu tea ordered from the café downstairs was still warm. Glaring at Xian, Yuna spoke.

“Con artist.”

“……So, you’re canceling the contract?”

Xian shrugged. Yuna shook her head.

“There’s no penalty clause anyway. Seriously, does a guild exist that spends 30 million won annually on E-Rank jobs? Will you still use me when I get kicked out of the Hero Academy?”

“Of course. You’ll regret it later! ‘Ah, I should’ve re-signed the contract, paying ten times the penalty fee!!'”

With quite a realistic imitation, Yuna gave him a scornful look.

“I’m 21 years old, you know? Do you even realize what 300 million won means?”

“Ah. Good idea. Let’s name our future office pets after money. How about ‘Ten Thousand Won’?”

“…I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Her usual antics made her appear younger than even Kim Nori, who only eats school lunches. Deeply sighing inwardly, Yuna recalled the evening of the Lunar New Year.

“…….”

That day, when her mind was in turmoil and no one stood by her side, this man was the only one who reached out to her.

Thump, thump. Her heart raced, but every time she looked at him sprawled across the desk like an octopus on land, the excitement quickly faded. Sometimes, Yuna even wondered if her vision was distorted.

“One Ten Thousand Won… Haha. No, let’s go for One Hundred Thousand Won? No, raise it higher. One Million Won! Mil…Mil… Ughhh!!!”

Xian buried his head on the desk, pulling at his hair. Yuna walked to the fridge, took out pre-cut fruit, placed it on a plate, and set it beside Xian.

“Have some pear.”

“Pear? Pear…g. Mil. ……Ah. Sure.”

Finally, Xian calmed down. Holding the tray, Yuna asked.

“Why are you so worried?”

“Yuna, have you ever gotten a perfect score in your life?”

“Suddenly?”

Despite Yuna’s question, Xian’s expression remained serious. Though embarrassed to admit it, Yuna truthfully revealed her academic record.

“Four times in three years of high school? Three finals and a June mock exam where I got full marks. I missed the perfect score on the college entrance exam by one question.”

“……Is that impressive?”

Yuna felt genuinely hurt.

“If I hadn’t entered Hero Academy, I would’ve been the second-highest graduate in New Seoul University’s Magic Engineering Department!”

“What? Some regional university I’ve never heard of.”

“?!?!?!?!?!?”

Though not her alma mater, Yuna was furious at the dismissal of the university she almost attended.

“Then, Guild Master, which prestigious university did you attend?”

“……”

Xian tightly shut his mouth. Clearly unwilling to answer, Yuna smirked and mocked him.

“Hmph. Fine, I won’t ask anymore.”

“…Wait. Does your mention of university include graduate school?”

Hesitating, Yuna stopped in her tracks. Leaning back in his chair, Xian scratched his cheek.

“I finished undergrad at Stanford and graduated early from Harvard’s graduate program.”

“……How old are you, Guild Master?”

Frowning, Xian raised both hands and began counting his age on his fingers like a child.

“Since I was born in October 2000, I’m 26 Korean age this year?”

“……If true, Guild Master has truly been blessed with an extraordinary mind.”

Annoyed, Yuna clicked her tongue, prompting Xian to seriously reply.

“You shouldn’t say that. Comparing yourself to someone like me… No, forget it. I’m feeling sorry for myself, so let’s stop this.”

Xian buried his head on the desk again, muttering under his breath. Since discovering how good Yuna’s hearing was, he now silently mumbled his complaints by only moving his lips. Yuna chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject.

“So, with the Lunar New Year holidays over, are there any applicants coming based on the recruitment notice?”

“Nope. Not a single one. Some keep joking they’re S-Rank and asking to be admitted, but they’re too real to be jokes. Yuna, if the office phone rings later, block this number, alright?”

“I signed a contract as an ability user, not as an office assistant.”

Still, Yuna reluctantly accepted the number Xian handed over. Blocked, registered. Now, this number could no longer reach her.

Ding Dong. The doorbell rang outside. Checking the time, Yuna glanced around.

“It hasn’t even been ten minutes since we ordered lunch…”

“Yuna, tidy up.”

Already tidying up the scattered items on the desk and smoothing out his wrinkled clothes, Xian hurried. Yuna followed suit, cleaning up the office.

Knock knock knock. The sound of knocking echoed. Their delivery person always loudly announces “Your food!” and never knocks politely like this.

Straightening his throat, Xian opened the office door.

“Welcome…?”

Standing outside was a beggar.

“Who are you?”

“……”

The face hidden under the hood was covered with a scruffy beard. Yuna couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment, while Xian awkwardly scratched his cheek. The man smelled strongly of neglect, as if he hadn’t bathed in days.

“Eh, so, um…”

“I came here after seeing the guild member recruitment notice.”

“Welcome! Would you like some coffee?”

Xian welcomed the beggar inside with enthusiasm.

* * *

Ping! The detector read the beggar’s magic power. A replacement for the several detectors Xian used until they broke, this new device quickly assessed the potential guild applicant’s magic power.

Squeak, squeak.

The detector spat out a long receipt, which Xian leisurely picked up and read through.

“Putting aside other factors, your Wind Attribute is A-Rank, correct? Maximum growth limit is 76.”

“…Yes, I’m A-Rank.”

“Next, Water Attribute is 72. With another 4 points, you’d reach Double-A.”

The applicant nodded. However, Xian’s expression wasn’t particularly impressed.

“But why would someone like you come to such a place?”

Startled. The applicant, who had been fidgeting with their hands on their knees, froze. Like a criminal caught red-handed, the applicant trembled slightly. Xian flashed the fierce smile he practiced in front of a mirror.

“Applicant, are you trying to scam us?”

“I’m not lying. I am A-Rank. My application form was filled out honestly.”

“……Alright, then can you explain why the ‘current magic power’ listed on your application is D-Rank?”

The applicant bit their lip. Clearly reluctant to reveal the reason, Xian blinked and rechecked the results.

A maximum growth limit clearly indicating A-Rank, yet current magic power was merely D-Rank. There must be some ulterior motive behind why someone claiming to be A-Rank would show up at such a trivial place dressed as a beggar. Xian sighed deeply, causing the applicant’s shoulders to instinctively shrink.

“This is a bit problematic…”

“I assure you, I can work hard.”

The applicant’s voice became urgent.

“I’m willing to accept E-Rank treatment. I’ll do whatever you tell me. I promise to give my best within my capabilities.”

“Accepted.”

“Thank you… huh?”

The applicant looked up. Just then, Yuna arrived from the first floor with coffee, placing it on the table. Xian sipped the coffee from the glass cup.

“First, sign the contract, then fill out your personal information afterward. Enjoy your coffee while you do it.”

“Are you sure? About someone like me… Ah, no, I’ll sign!”

“‘Discard’…?”

Yuna glanced skeptically at the applicant’s appearance.

Although the window was open for ventilation, the unpleasant odor emanating from the applicant still stung the nose. Hesitating as if fearing Xian might change his mind, the applicant hastily wrote down their name and completed the signature. Yuna subtly peeked from the side and tilted her head.

“Park… Ra-on?”

“Incredible how fate works, isn’t it? So, let me ask something.”

Xian snatched the application form while tapping his finger against the corner of his mouth. The poorly attached fake beard wobbled as if it would fall off.

“How did someone who worked at the airport security team just a month ago end up looking like this and arrive here?”

“……You have a good memory.”

Removing the disguise beard, the worn-out applicant, Park Ra-on, calmly replied.

“Fired and currently job hunting.”

* * *

One month ago.

Park Ra-on, who was part of the security team at Gimhae Airport, received a unilateral contract termination notice from the airport management. For Ra-on, who had secured an extension contract after completing a three-month minimum wage internship last year, it was a tragic blow akin to a bolt from the blue.

– We kept the airport security team thinking they could handle things, but they couldn’t even properly deal with a B-Rank monster.

Ra-on felt wronged but couldn’t argue. During the B-Rank monster bird Argentavis’s attack on the airport terminal, the security team diligently evacuated people but hovered near the scene, trembling in fear instead of confronting the beast.

– Wouldn’t it be better to disband the security team and use the funds to hire a resident A-Rank hero?

While seemingly bureaucratic, surprisingly, this statement resonated.

Thanks to Wind Devil’s grandiose self-promotion and his agency’s publicity push, public opinion largely agreed that “one A-Rank hero is better than a hundred security personnel.”

In the end, all non-high-ranking ability users among the security team received unilateral termination notices, leaving Ra-on unemployed.

– You were hired because you were A-Rank before, but now you can’t recover and are utterly useless.

That was the final remark from the airport HR manager responsible for firing Ra-on.

Feeling as though a dagger pierced his heart, Ra-on locked himself in his room intending to drown his sorrows in alcohol. However, having lived in the security dormitory, Ra-on found himself unceremoniously dumped onto the street without even a place to lay down.

January. The coldest winter days. Ra-on shivered from the cold as he searched for lodging.

He desperately sought new employment while securing an affordable room, but nowhere wanted to hire him. With dwindling funds, he eventually ended up homeless in the airport terminal. Scrolling through the shared computer’s job board at the airport, Ra-on stumbled upon a recruitment ad that seemed like a joke.

Family-like atmosphere.

A guild growing together.

He ignored it at first, but with no cash left—not even enough for a wallet—Ra-on burned his last travel fare and somehow made it to New Seoul.

“Guild Master, what should we do with this person?!”

Yuna tearfully clung to Xian.

Relating to Ra-on’s plight through her own experience, Yuna empathized and focused all her attention on helping him.

“Alright. We need to figure something out. In that spirit, Yuna, could you do me a favor?”

“Favor?”

Xian grinned as he pulled out a card. Yuna stopped crying when she saw the black credit card.

“Could you take Ra-on to the bathhouse? It’s starting to sting my nose.”

Lowering his head dejectedly, Ra-on remained silent, but Yuna grabbed Xian by the collar.

“Is that something you should ask a woman to do?! …Achoo!”

“…We can’t keep the window open forever, can we?”

“Sorry……”

In the end, the two had to head to the nearby bathhouse.