Chapter 24:
Kwon Yi-soo was observing her with his usual impassive expression.
She didn’t understand why he was always watching her, even though she had promised not to harm Baek Joo-won.
‘Is it because of my condition?’
The incident where she coughed up blood at the Center had been unexpected, even for her.
Perhaps Kwon Yi-soo was monitoring her to be safe, considering her poor health.
Baek Joo-won was still a rookie Guide in training.
Seo Jae-yi also felt reassured with Kwon Yi-soo watching, so she decided to ignore his scrutiny.
***
She had hoped that Baek Joo-won might visit her flower shop after witnessing her impressive shooting skills, but that hope was quickly dashed.
He maintained his impenetrable smile and disappeared, leaving her behind.
“He’s a difficult man.”
But that made it more fun to pursue him!
Left alone, Seo Jae-yi clenched her fists, determined to bring him to the flower shop next time.
However, her good mood was short-lived.
“Oh, Esper Seo Jae-yi?”
A slow, slurred, and unpleasant voice echoed in the quiet hallway. Seo Jae-yi’s mood, which had been cheerful, instantly plummeted.
“It really is you. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
She turned around to see a man with an equally gloomy face standing there.
Researcher Park Jung-soo. It had only been about five years since she last saw him, but he looked ten years older.
“…”
Seo Jae-yi scanned him from head to toe before turning away again. She didn’t want to waste her time talking to him.
“It’s a bit hurtful to be ignored so coldly. I was quite curious about your recent activities… I heard you were diagnosed with a terminal illness. What a shame.”
Bark all you want; I’m leaving.
Seo Jae-yi started walking, ignoring his rambling.
Why was he talking to her when they weren’t even close?
“Ah, but I heard you found a Guide with a high Matching Rate. It would have been nice if I had known sooner. I could have designed a better experiment instead of the one I’m currently working on.”
Experiment.
Seo Jae-yi’s face contorted at that word. That bastard was still obsessed with those crazy experiments.
“Well, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I was kicked out of the Central Center.”
What?
Seo Jae-yi, who had been striding away, stopped in her tracks. She turned around abruptly, unable to believe what she had just heard.
“Kicked out?”
“To be precise, I was demoted to the Chungnam region. I’m only here today for a report. It’s been three years since I last visited this place.”
It was shocking news. Park Jung-soo was the head of the Esper Research Team, the team responsible for conducting various experiments on Espers.
In other words, he was the leader of the madmen who had experimented on Seo Jae-yi in the past.
And he had been kicked out of the Central Center, where the Center Head, who oversaw all the Centers in the country, resided? The man who had been in charge of crucial research?
“How did you get demoted with such strong backing?”
“It seems I offended the new power holder.”
Kwon Yi-soo must have orchestrated the personnel change. No matter how strong his backing was, Kwon Yi-soo’s authority within the Center was absolute.
‘But why would Kwon Yi-soo…’
The Esper Research Team wasn’t Kwon Yi-soo’s creation; it had been established by the previous Center Head. Back then, no one could stop the horrific experiments conducted at the Center.
After Kwon Yi-soo ousted the previous Center Head and seized power, he had abolished most of the unnecessary experiments, but the Esper Research Team hadn’t disappeared.
But to demote Park Jung-soo, the head of the team? Significant changes must have occurred after Seo Jae-yi left the Center and joined a Guild.
“It seems the Center Head finally has his eyes in the right place. I’m relieved to know I won’t have to see your face here anymore.”
“I’m disappointed. With your high Matching Rate Guide, I could have learned so much more about you… It was a chance to explore your limitless potential…”
That bastard still hadn’t learned his lesson.
Seo Jae-yi scowled at Park Jung-soo’s lecherous gaze, which treated her body as a test subject.
A madman obsessed with research, an emotionless freak, a psychopath who didn’t see people as human beings.
She wanted to punch him, fueled by years of pent-up anger, but this was the Guiding Center, where Guides’ safety was prioritized over Espers.
Even a rotten fish could still stink. If she touched Park Jung-soo, an A-rank Guide, the government would likely seize the opportunity to prevent her from forming a Pair with Baek Joo-won, using her “violent tendencies” as an excuse.
Therefore, she had to eliminate him discreetly, not in a public place like this, but in a dark alley where no one would see.
‘Be grateful to Mr. Baek Joo-won.’
Seo Jae-yi glared at Park Jung-soo one last time before turning away. Ignoring him was the best way to deal with a madman.
‘This is unexpected.’
Park Jung-soo was quite influential within the Center. It was surprising that Kwon Yi-soo had removed him so decisively.
She briefly recalled Kwon Yi-soo’s face from earlier and shrugged.
Well, he must have done something to deserve it. In any case, she was relieved to know she wouldn’t have to see Park Jung-soo often.
***
Despite her unpleasant encounter with Park Jung-soo, her mood improved quickly.
“Thank you! Please visit <Fire Flower Path> again!”
The number of customers had slightly increased since she started selling the unique dungeon flowers. And thanks to Airok’s coaching, her bouquets had significantly improved. She now had a customer every other day.
After a customer, who had visited out of curiosity for the flower shop named “Fire Flower Path,” left, Seo Jae-yi smiled happily, counting her earnings.
“You named the shop, didn’t you, Master?”
Airok fluttered over and perched on Seo Jae-yi’s shoulder. It had become his designated spot.
“Of course. I’m a heat manipulator.”
“It’s a name that makes me think the flowers will catch fire.”
“…Well, the shop almost caught fire a few times.”
“Unnie, you have to be honest. It didn’t just ‘almost’ catch fire; it actually did.”
Seo Won-yeong, who usually sided with her sister, interjected, unable to let her lie.
Seo Jae-yi was indignant but couldn’t argue, so she swallowed her frustration.
It would have been a disaster if the Haeil Guild members, who were on standby 24/7 right next door, hadn’t rushed over and extinguished the fires. They had insisted on locating her shop next to Haeil headquarters for a reason.
“As I expected.”
However, she felt a bit wronged when Airok nodded in agreement.
“I haven’t burned anything recently!”
“You haven’t burned down the shop, but you’ve burned the flowers a few times. It’s only thanks to me that it didn’t turn into a major fire.”
“…”
Airok shook his head, determined to protect the greenhouse where he had been hatched.
Seo Jae-yi decided to keep quiet. Continuing the argument would only make her look worse.
“Oh, really? I like this new employee.”
Seo Won-yeong clapped her hands, impressed that Airok had helped Seo Jae-yi. Airok puffed out his chest, proud of his abilities.
Seo Won-yeong had rushed over as soon as she heard that Seo Jae-yi had a new employee.
She was surprised to learn that the employee was a monster hatched from an egg, and even more surprised to hear that the monster was a dragon who had lived for hundreds of years.
She had initially been wary, wondering if he would harm her precious sister, but she quickly warmed up to Airok after realizing he was not only knowledgeable about dungeon plants but also possessed water abilities that were a great help to Seo Jae-yi.
They became friends instantly.
“I was surprised when you said you were going to sell dungeon flowers, but now you’re selling plants too? That’s a good idea.”
Seo Won-yeong examined the dungeon plants, which had taken root in a corner of the greenhouse.
On one side were the harmless dungeon flowers, boasting their exotic beauty, and on the other side were the more intimidating dungeon plants.
She was more interested in the plants, whose abilities she couldn’t even guess, than the flowers.
Unaware that Seo Jae-yi had personally collected them from the dungeon, she wholeheartedly believed Airok’s excuse that he had obtained them from somewhere. She pointed at the plant that caught her eye.
“This one has saw-toothed leaves.”
It was a plant with long stems and densely packed leaves the size of her fingers, the edges of the leaves incredibly sharp and jagged.
“And the leaves aren’t thin; they’re stiff like cardboard.”
“Logi said they’re still thin because they’re young. They’ll become thicker and tougher as they grow.”
Tough enough to cut through not only human skin but even monster hides.
“Wouldn’t this be useful for Espers who have to deal with multiple monsters?”
What would happen if they threw bundles of these plants at a horde of monsters? Even if it didn’t kill them, it would at least injure them.
This would reduce the Espers’ energy expenditure when eliminating the monsters, increasing their survival rate.
‘And it could be used as a self-defense tool for Guides, who are much weaker than Espers.’
Dungeon raids could last for hours, or even weeks. Espers couldn’t endure such long periods without Guiding, so Guides had to accompany them into dungeons, often putting themselves at risk.
But with these plants, Guides could protect themselves without relying on Espers.