Chapter 905

EP.905 [Light Novel Side Story] The Death Dinastia of Chwangcheonly 2nd Vol. 022

[If you don’t answer the phone, we’ll raid your studio.]

Xi’an caved under Seok Harang’s not-really-a-threat threat.

The cafe area was already surrounded by journalists and Special Ability users who had figured out Xi’an’s identity, and the appearance of a famous figure like Princess Yu-sah was quite the inconvenience to those around.

“So, what’s the purpose of this call?”

[You’re awfully prickly. First off…]

Seok Harang inquired about Xi’an’s well-being before briefly explaining the purpose of the call.

Xi’an’s injury issue. Upon hearing late that his arm had been cut off, Seok Harang was shocked but then learned it was a prosthetic and breathed a sigh of relief.

Bounty issue. Due to the amount being too large, there could be problems if handled individually, so the Hero Association decided to mediate with hunters.

“Is that all?”

[Nope. This is the most important part…]

Seok Harang pointed at Nuri and Raon sitting next to Xi’an and made a proposal.

“The Association officially invites all of you. All members of Xi’an’s team.”

* * *

<10:00 AM, Hero Association New Seoul Headquarters>

“It’s been a while since I’ve come to the Association headquarters.”

Yuna, who answered the call and joined, stood on Xi’an’s right side and unfurled a map. Xi’an awkwardly extended his hand toward Yuna.

“You don’t have to baby me so much. I’ve gotten used to it without help…”

“……”

Yuna silently looked up at Xi’an. He seemed to understand from her gaze what she was trying to say. Xi’an turned his eyes forward and sighed as he requested.

“Just help me until my new prosthetic is ready.”

“Of course.”

Yuna smiled brightly and clung even more closely to Xi’an. Following behind, Raon and Nuri whispered secretly a step away.

“Do you see how she’s leaning in closer to make an appeal?”

“…Wow, that’s the infamous ‘buddha-wife’ I’ve heard about…”

Zzzt. Nuri got goosebumps all over when she accidentally met Yuna’s gaze. She must have heard. There’s no doubt she heard and sent a warning glance.

Nuri took another step back, and Raon adjusted her pace.

“As they say, a tame cat climbs onto the hearth first.”

“Not a cat, more like a thousand-year-old serpent.”

“Xi’an has definitely fallen head over heels.”

“…Hmph.”

Nuri ground her teeth in frustration. Raon patted her shoulder sympathetically.

“Hold on. There will be other chances.”

“Aren’t you also competing?”

Nuri sulked and argued, but Raon chuckled softly into her ear.

“I have the advantage of being older, but Nuri’s appeal overlaps quite a bit with mine, doesn’t it?”

“…What? What?! …What. This sister is insane, seriously. Goosebumps.”

Nuri shivered in betrayal as she distanced herself from Raon. What she thought was an unspoken alliance turned out to be someone reaching out for a different approach.

“Hmph. We’ll see. I live under the same roof as Uncle.”

“I’m in the same situation.”

“Do you want to get kicked out?”

“In that case, I’ll just ask Xi’an for shelter.”

“Beep! Beep! Beep!”

Nuri let out a scream in anger. It was loud enough that Xi’an and Yuna ahead, along with passersby, turned to look at her.

“…What now?”

Xi’an gave Nuri a lukewarm stare as if to say, “Here we go again.”

“It’s because of the money, okay!”

“…? Oh, the bounty?”

Unaware of Nuri’s attempt to change the subject, Xi’an casually responded.

“Well, a man can’t say one thing and do another. If they say they won’t give 100 billion, there’ll be trouble, right?”

“Will it end with just trouble? …I admit it’s a little regrettable even for me.”

Even Raon, who had suffered financially, licked her lips and expressed regret. Of course, since the money belongs to Xi’an and the studio is his, it’s his freedom to decide how to spend it.

But it’s only natural that people can’t easily agree when dealing with such a large sum of money.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Xi’an reassured his teammates with a kind smile.

“Come on, would they really not help at all after someone personally put up 2 trillion?”

* * *

An hour later…

“…Damn.”

Unlike his usual self, Xi’an openly cursed. His teammates understood his feelings, but Seok Harang, who had joined and taken a seat, held up a paper cup with a completely bewildered expression.

“This is Korea. Cheers?”

“…Cheers.”

Xi’an clinked cups with Seok Harang, coffee against tea. The black coffee was disgustingly bitter and left a thick coating on his tongue.

“……Mr. Seok Harang.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Does the Korean headquarters really offer no financial support at all?”

“Yes. They shamelessly asked me to relay that message. Truly, it’s disheartening.”

Not only was Xi’an upset, but Seok Harang was also visibly angry. The team members felt a sense of unease seeing the woman known as “Busan’s Guardian Spirit” showing resentment towards the Association and the country.

They had already heard about Seok Harang’s intention to join a guild. Nuri raised her hand to ask a question.

“Princess Seol-hwa, are you really thinking of leaving Korea?”

“…It’s not exile or anything, but I just want to travel abroad a bit.”

Seok Harang frankly revealed her thoughts. Xi’an realized she harbored deeper doubts about the ‘nation’ than the image built up over the past two months suggested. Seok Harang continued wistfully to Nuri.

“No joke, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve left Busan. They kept saying I had to protect Busan, so I never got out.”

“Was raising Nuri meant to create a replacement for you?”

Raon hugged Nuri protectively and asked. Having gone through hardships together as partners in the dungeon, the two had grown to care for each other more than just close sisters. With one uncomfortable truth aside.

“That’s not true, Ms. Un-sah.”

Seok Harang clearly denied Raon’s question.

“I just wanted to preemptively act to prevent the Association from putting any more constraints on Miss Nuri. Though that’s no longer necessary.”

Seok Harang glanced at Xi’an. Using Kim Nuri as an excuse to evaluate Xi’an, she had now become the ‘subordinate’ hoping to enter Xi’an’s circle.

“…How about recruiting one S-Rank Special Ability user?”

Seok Harang dropped a bombshell.

Raon and Nuri opened their mouths wide, questioning if their ears were deceiving them, while Yuna closed her eyes tightly as if to say, “This was bound to happen.” Naturally, everyone’s eyes turned to Xi’an.

“…I have two principles when accepting guild members.”

Xi’an stretched out his left hand and spread two fingers. Making a V with his index and middle finger, he wiggled them.

“I don’t hold back those who leave, but I filter those who come. I act as the initial sieve. And the second principle is…”

Xi’an started to fold his index finger but suddenly startled and folded his middle finger instead. Seok Harang’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Approval from more than half of the existing members. Since you’ll be living with the team more than me, I can’t make the decision alone, right?”

Xi’an pointed at Yuna, Raon, and Nuri.

“So, convince these three here. If two or more oppose the recruitment, I’ll reject it too.”

“What? Wait! You’re the leader, aren’t you!”

Suddenly turning the atmosphere into an interview, Seok Harang stood up confused. The team members were equally perplexed, but Xi’an calmly approached Yuna from behind and tapped her shoulder with his left hand.

“I should’ve introduced you earlier. This is our guild leader.”

“……???”

Back and forth explanations.

After explaining his plan to appoint Yuna as the guild leader to the bewildered Seok Harang, Xi’an left with a refreshed face.

“Then, Yuna, Raon, Nuri. Can the three of you conduct the interview for hiring a new guild intern?”

“Xi’an, but the applicant is S-Rank. How can we possibly…”

“No, Raon-ssi. We can do it.”

Yuna encouraged the team members with a determined look.

“We’ll do our best. Is that alright, Mr. Xi’an?”

“……Oh, yeah, sure.”

Xi’an gave a thumbs up to both the team members and Seok Harang for fairness before leaving the room.

“Then, candidate, good luck with the interview!”

“Wait, seriously, it’s not you but this person who decides…? Really?”

“Rather, Mr. Xi’an, where are you going without observing from the side?”

Xi’an sank Yuna’s enthusiastic offer to follow him with a single phrase, “I have something to check,” and barely managed to escape the room.

“Hmph. I trust you guys will handle it well…”

With three people, they would surely weigh the pros and cons of recruiting Seok Harang objectively without bias. As Xi’an walked briskly down the corridor looking for the restroom,

“Hold on.”

Just before turning the corner, someone called out to Xi’an from behind. It was unmistakably a female voice.

“Young man.”

“……?”

Xi’an tilted his head. The voice clearly belonged to someone in their mid-20s—maybe late 20s—but why did the tone and atmosphere sound so old?

“…Hey, blond youth over there. That’s you.”

“Me?”

Only then did Xi’an realize the voice was addressing him and turned around.

“Huh.”

And Xi’an met eyes with a raven-haired woman.

Her curly short black hair framed sleepy-looking eyes that seemed about to close at any moment. Her pupils sparkled like melted golden stars. Her ivory skin was lightly flushed, and her thin red lips, naturally vibrant without lipstick, glistened with moisture.

‘Incredibly youthful.’

She looked young enough to be in her early 20s. However, her tone, mannerisms, and even her tightly fitted suit made her appear much older. Her gold tie seemed to match her eyes, as if deliberately chosen to make her look older.

‘But who is she…?’

She seemed familiar, like someone he’d seen or heard of before, but he couldn’t quite place her. Sensing Xi’an didn’t recognize her, the woman smiled faintly.

“One who transcends worldly wealth for the world’s peace—I see the rumors aren’t entirely false. Am I correct?”

“Uh? Uh, yes, yes.”

Choosing to come to Korea after locking himself in a workshop for research, Xi’an wasn’t entirely wrong in her statement. Finding no falsehood in Xi’an’s words, the woman nodded and pointed to the room she came from.

“Shall we step out for a brief chat? Just the two of us.”

“……Now?”

“If not now, when? Come inside quickly. Time waits for no man, so what are you hesitating for?”

“But I…”

Ignoring Xi’an’s protests, the woman excitedly entered the room without listening.

‘……What should I do? More importantly, who is she? Why is she inviting me in like this? No, rather-‘

Xi’an’s eyes began to wildly flicker. He noticed the woman had a cold beer can hidden behind her back when she turned around.

‘This is the first time someone’s blatantly drinking in the Hero Association headquarters since Jeronimo.’

For some reason, it felt like he’d gotten himself into serious trouble. With the resignation of a sacrificial lamb’s heart, Xi’an followed the woman into her room.

* * *

“The member of Megrez Guild, Yu Sung, has regained consciousness.”

A man in a suit reported to the elderly man sitting in the middle of a spacious office. The silver-haired old man looked utterly exhausted just from sitting there, but his eyes sparkled with gold.

“…That’s fortunate. Is he able to return to duty?”

“Unfortunately, it seems impossible. While daily life isn’t affected…”

The man shook his head pointing to his heart. Not affecting daily life meant the young man would likely have to retire as a Special Ability user.

“We’ve lost a precious talent. Send condolences and process his retirement.”

“Understood. Shall we send a box of apples like last time?”

“Yes… No, wait a moment.”

The old man stopped the secretary who was about to leave. He seemed troubled by the idea of sending off a young man forced into early retirement with merely a box of apples.

“There’s someone who crossed the sea and contributed two hundred million for this country. Would it be right for us to show such stinginess towards our own Yu Sung?”

“…President? Could it be…”

The man eagerly asked but quickly bowed his head. The old man burst into hearty laughter, acknowledging everything with a knowing smile.

“It’s fine. Isn’t he the child you’ve nurtured since Incheon? It’s understandable that you’d feel this way.”

“I apologize. But even so, taking extra care of him as a favorite…”

“No. It’s separate from that. I simply wish to do so.”

Based on years of experience assisting the old man, he knew the old man spoke sincerely.

“Give him a clean retirement package of 100 billion won. Make sure you deliver it personally and handle it smoothly without any complications. Understand?”

“……Thank you, President.”

The man deeply bowed at a ninety-degree angle before leaving the room. Alone in his office, the old man stroked his beard while staring at the photo of a certain blonde man causing a stir online.

“Could this guy…possibly interest my daughter…?”

The old man’s eyes sparkled with golden stars.