Chapter 921

EP.921 Part 2 Chapter 8-6: That Person Only Appears in My Eyes

With Architect’s joining, we managed to create not a magic girl bo– no, a welfare facility for the magic girls.

Though labeled as personal rest rooms, these were initially about the size of a standard two-room apartment interior. However, having their own space within the workplace brought immense joy and relief to them.

“Honestly, it’s more like a sex room.”

The purpose of these rooms was rest, but is the separation of rest spaces between magic girls and commanders all there is to it?

Far from it.

“Why do we need a shower room?”

“It’s absolutely necessary! Either build a shared shower connected to all rooms or individual ones—showers are essential!”

“You don’t know how dirty we get after dealing with monsters, do you?”

“I’m not being picky just because I’m a girl. If there’s any issue with funds, we can chip in money, right?”

“Ugh, this is ridiculous…”

Architect accepted the magic girls’ suggestions.

Previously on Vanilla Server, he had set conditions to rescue Seoul’s people and help them settle in New Seoul. Now, though, he readily agreed to our requests.

“Instead of making this place for those people, will you really turn Seoul into Neo Hanyang?”

“Absolutely.”

Even when negotiating with him as Phoenix, he spoke casually, but now, as Commander, he treats me respectfully.

That shows how remarkable a commander is, and since I offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse, he trusted me and joined my team.

We joke about welfare facilities and Neo Hanyang, but we’re still Earth’s protectors.

“If we ever have to go to battle, we’ll prepare fields so others aren’t harmed. We’ll reinforce buildings against monster attacks and villains’ chaos. Emergency escape routes and panic rooms through underground tunnels should be built. Any other requests?”

“For public purposes, this much should suffice.”

“So, let’s move on to private matters, shall we?”

“Yes.”

“Hmph hahahaha…”

Of course, Architect is also a man.

“Does the Commander also enjoy women?”

“The same as anyone else. Pu hahahaha.”

“Pu huh? Your laugh is weird. It sends shivers down my spine. Feels like you’re about to get exploited.”

“Not at all.”

Why does he act like that, even if it’s not an Easter egg?

As soon as we started private conversations, Architect treated me more casually.

“No matter who you are as Commander and I as part of your team, by the principle of ‘long friendship,’ I’ll speak freely in private. Got it?”

“…Do as you please.”

Even someone like me feels some awkwardness.

What is this guy? Some foreigner named ‘Saiwan McClister’ dressed in hanbok, waving a fan?

It’s the end times, truly.

And the world really *is* ending.

“To be clear, this is a mental care facility for heroes protecting Earth. This has nothing to do with what you’re insinuating.”

“Like Nobel’s dynamite, got it.”

“Ahem, I’m no Nobel-level genius.”

People, whether Korean, honorary Korean, or foreigner, love compliments.

Architect pretends otherwise, but he doesn’t seem upset when praised for his abilities.

“Don’t forget our agreement. There will be no canceling the Neo Hanyang plan.”

“Don’t worry. Later, I’ll recruit a politician to support your plans.”

“What? Politicians? Kukukuku! This country would flip if someone tried that. Even the president can’t mess with Seoul!”

“That’s why you try it out. When Daewongun ordered Gwanghwamun rebuilt, did people protest?”

Daewongun.

I referred to a future woman resembling Daewongun, but Architect misunderstood.

“Hmm, true. Anyway, rebuilding Seoul as Neo Hanyang might be unavoidable. It’s faster to rebuild it my way.”

“Later, I’ll gather a team of traditional culture restoration experts. With modern architects’ help, but mainly under Architect’s supervision.”

“Leave it to me. Seoul won’t regress to 1925 but advance to 2125. Haha, imagine turning the 63 Building into the ‘Yeongdeungpo 63-story Wooden Pagoda’? Uwahaha!”

“…”

This guy.

Even his jokes scare me after seeing what he’s already done in 20 years on Earth.

Had I stayed just one more month post-final battle, I’d have seen Yeouido floating in the sky.

Simultaneously, beneath it, a Gaia-like kingdom reminiscent of Tera would’ve unfolded before my eyes.

A-rank Architect can only restore buildings as they were, but S-rank Architect can “reconstruct” them according to his whims.

“Collect as many cores as possible. An apartment block requires at least B-rank, preferably A-rank cores.”

“But wouldn’t that reconstruct apartments from before 2012?”

“Exactly.”

“Then let’s stockpile cores. Better yet, create stacked hanok houses instead. Like building them floor by floor.”

“That’s not my style. That’s Chinese architecture. Have you ever seen Korean residential buildings stack floors except for official structures?”

Architect insists on “our country.”

“All this mimics Western architectural styles, unsuitable for this land’s spirit. Tsk tsk.”

“…”

No awkwardness here.

“Still, you know Seoul’s situation, right? The dense population concentrating in one area.”

“True. Many died when the Han River bridges exploded, leaving Gangbuk residents stranded. But if we’re making Neo Hanyang—”

“Compromise with reality. If you want your ideal land, we can use vacant areas.”

“Vacant areas? Such places don’t exist here…”

Suddenly,

Architect’s eyes began to waver.

“You… surely don’t mean…”

“I’ve looked it up. One unchangeable article in this country’s constitution caught my eye.”

Though it’s a game world, Sun Icheol likely didn’t tamper with the constitution.

The 10th heroine, Baek Hee-a.

Her number “10” signifies the 10th constitutional amendment.

“Article 3 of the Constitution. The territory of Korea—”

“The territory of Korea consists of the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.”

“…You memorized the constitution? I just searched online.”

“Come on, you should at least memorize the first few articles of a country’s constitution.”

After Architect’s comment, I lost the energy to continue the conversation.

“Seriously. Even as a naturalized citizen, you’re brimming with patriotism.”

“Huh? You’re a naturalized citizen?”

“…Oops.”

I accidentally mentioned real-world stuff.

“My heart is already naturalized. After all, once my life as a commander ends, I must live as a regular human.”

“Wouldn’t living as an American be better?”

“In this case…”

Though it’s a game, sincerely speaking,

“I’ll live alongside the person I love.”

I am a citizen of this country.

“Because my bluebird is Korean. Pu hahahaha.”

* * *

Sometime later.

After finishing his conversation with the Commander, Architect headed alone to the temporary quarters but was abducted by mysterious figures.

“…”

There was no trace of vitality from these individuals. Captured by them, he quietly closed his eyes.

Even as Commander, one wouldn’t pay too much attention to surroundings.

Right, there’s no way an S-rank ability user would be assigned to protect him.

Thus, being captured by an S-rank ability user…

“Kuk kuk…?”

Architect felt déjà vu.

The perfume wafting from his captor was peculiar, the kind you’d only smell in the corner of an office—a truly strange scent.

Almost like toothpaste—

“Mint Chocolate?”

“Meow?! Caught me, didn’t ya?!”

A familiar voice.

Architect genuinely got goosebumps.

“…Penril of Gale?”

“You know my name?”

“Whether I do or not…”

Having lived in Seoul for quite some time, during his 13-year tenure under the Tattoo Master, he received comprehensive knowledge.

Naturally, he learned about the Dark Legion, the group requiring utmost caution.

And the fact that they’d already fallen under the Commander’s control.

“What to do now? You figured us out.”

“That’s why I told you to brush after eating.”

“Didn’t catch on, huh? That guy personally invited you to join his team. Not ordinary.”

“With Maamryong Azidahaka and Ji Ryun’s Hydra…?”

“Hey.”

The darkness covering Architect’s eyes disappeared.

He swallowed hard upon seeing Hydra at the wheel and Azidahaka turning her head from the passenger seat.

“Just call me ‘Daha,’ ‘Aji,’ or ‘Hydra.'”

“This body is Kim Penril, nya.”

“Relax. We’re not here to eat you.”

“Ho, perhaps….”

Architect felt genuine fear.

“Se, seriously, are you going to kill me? Considering what you do with the Commander…?”

Even as Architect, the fear of death is inevitable.

“Nope. Totally unnecessary. If we wanted to kill you, we wouldn’t have asked you to make us rooms.”

“So, then…?”

“Follow us.”

Squeak.

Architect entered a certain building.

It looked like a spacious warehouse, where other people were already present.

“Winter Princess? And that woman over there…gulp…!!”

Sun Gyeoul.

Plus a woman who should’ve been in Busan.

Essentially, everyone from Magical Girl Kyul Kyul was gathered, and Architect felt a different kind of terror than death.

“Hey.”

Clack, clack.

A short-haired woman in a light cardigan approached, locking eyes with Architect and smiling faintly.

“Didn’t you talk with the boss?”

“Y, yes. Miss Yuna…?”

“Do you remember exactly what the boss said?”

Yuna pulled something out.

In front of him lay a slice of cheesy, fragrant cheesecake.

“T, stop! You’re trying to feed me foreign food from outside the peninsula?!”

To him, whose diet had become entirely Korean cuisine, it was torture.

“I don’t know what you want, but I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Yes, correct. It’s not a mistake if you confess willingly.”

“What are you asking me?!”

“All we want to know is that.”

Yuna, along with everyone standing behind her, smiled.

“Who does the boss like?”

“W, what…?”

“If the boss were to marry multiple people, who would be the first choice?”

Yuna picked up a piece of cheesecake with a fork and placed it in front of Architect.

“Uncle, you’re a man, so you can have a man-to-man conversation with the boss, right? So, ask: Who is the ‘bluebird’ the boss ‘loves’?”

“…”

Architect.

The facility expert became a spy for the magic girls’ love affairs.

“Aren’t you supposed to work at Tera?”

“You won’t see me going to Tera while you’re gaming. So, I won’t go.”

“…Really.”