Chapter 70
“Ah, Leader! You actually came.”
The Guild members who were going on the raid today were gathered in the center of the lobby. The one who greeted Seo Jae-yi most enthusiastically was her direct subordinate, Moon Soo-hyun.
“What, you’re the raid leader today?”
“No, it’s me.”
Kim Yoo-sung emerged from the crowd.
“Are we going to crush a dungeon today?”
A raid team with two S-ranks and a top-tier A-rank. It was a lineup that could even handle a Rank 2 dungeon, let alone a Rank 3.
“I’m going to supervise you, in case you go wild.”
“I told you I’ll behave! I even promised Baek Joo-won!”
“You promised Baek Joo-won? That’s reassuring.”
Wasn’t his attitude towards her too different? Seo Jae-yi felt a bit wronged, but even she had to admit that Baek Joo-won seemed more trustworthy.
“Oh my, Seo Jae-yi. It’s been a while.”
Someone popped up between them.
Beautiful slanted eyes, long hair tied back, a gentle smile that suited her innocent appearance. It was Kwon Ye-na, Kim Yoo-sung’s paired Guide.
“Unnie Ye-na! How have you been?”
“Not good. I haven’t been well because Jae-yi hasn’t visited.”
Kwon Ye-na sighed sadly.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve been a bit busy lately.”
“You must have been really busy. You haven’t even come to the headquarters, even though your shop is right next door. I even went to your shop, but it was always closed.”
It wasn’t like she was always away from the shop, but Kwon Ye-na seemed to have visited mostly when she was out meeting Baek Joo-won.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been diligently seducing someone lately.”
“That 93% Guide, right? Good. I’ll forgive you if you successfully bring him in.”
Seo Jae-yi nodded eagerly, hearing her wish for them to become a Pair.
She was already excited after receiving his positive response yesterday.
“Is everyone here? Let’s go.”
Kim Yoo-sung, who had been checking the headcount, called out.
The raid team, consisting of eight Espers, including Seo Jae-yi, and two Guides, started moving.
“But Leader.”
Moon Soo-hyun stealthily approached Seo Jae-yi as they headed towards the bus waiting in front of the headquarters.
“What’s in your bag? I sense something.”
As expected of a top-tier A-rank Esper. She had noticed Airok’s presence, even though he was suppressing his energy. Only Moon Soo-hyun, besides Kim Yoo-sung, had noticed him.
“I brought some dungeon plants, just in case. Don’t worry, they’re securely tied up.”
“Aha, I see.”
Moon Soo-hyun quickly dismissed it, knowing that living dungeon plants were essentially monsters.
Seo Jae-yi gently patted Airok, who was shifting slightly inside the bag.
***
The Haeil Guild members headed towards Ilsan. A dungeon had emerged near a military base, requiring a swift subjugation.
“It’s a relief it’s not a Fixed dungeon. The soldiers must have been worried.”
Moon Soo-hyun commented as they got off the bus and headed towards the gate.
Fixed dungeons remained permanently and could cause breakouts if the monsters weren’t regularly subjugated.
Guilds regularly subjugated them, but the soldiers must have been worried, considering its proximity to the base.
“And if there’s a crazy superior, they’d probably order them to go in and extract resources.”
Such risks often occurred because even ordinary people could enter Fixed dungeons.
It was a dangerous act, even with nine lives, but there were many people in the world who did incomprehensible things.
“But what’s that? They don’t look like soldiers.”
As Seo Jae-yi said, there were several people near the blue gate.
They were mostly dressed in suits, not like spectators.
“I’m Kim Yoo-sung, Haeil Guild Leader. Please identify yourselves.”
Kim Yoo-sung approached them cautiously and asked, but their response was unexpected.
“Ah! You’re here! We’ve been waiting for you.”
Who were they to wait for them?
“We’re staff from the South Chungcheong Guiding Center branch.”
“This isn’t South Chungcheong. Why are you here?”
“Our Branch Head ordered us to… well…”
The staff member, who had been looking at the Guild members, brightened up when he saw Seo Jae-yi.
Seo Jae-yi’s face contorted, sensing a bad omen.
The South Chungcheong branch, could it be…?
“Ah, there you are! Esper Seo Jae-yi!”
All eyes turned towards Seo Jae-yi. She felt wronged by the Guild members’ gazes, which seemed to be asking what trouble she had caused this time.
It wasn’t her causing trouble; it was them.
“You’ve heard about the Guide with a 48% Matching Rate with Esper Seo Jae-yi, right, Guild Leader? We brought him here because we heard she’s entering a dungeon today!”
Gong Ju-hyun, who had appeared out of nowhere, rushed towards them as soon as he finished speaking. He looked at Seo Jae-yi, his face flushed.
“You might become family soon, so say hello.”
“Hello, I’m Gong Ju-hyun. I was from the South Chungcheong branch and am currently working at the Central headquarters.”
Gong Ju-hyun bowed deeply to the Haeil Guild members.
He was polite, but the Guild members, looking down at him, were cold.
Becoming family soon? Who decided that?
“…I’ve heard about you, Gong Ju-hyun. Nice to meet you.”
But Kim Yoo-sung, more rational than the other Guild members, shook Gong Ju-hyun’s hand instead of getting angry.
“But Esper Seo Jae-yi isn’t entering the dungeon for combat, so she doesn’t need a Guide. Thank you for coming all this way, but we’d appreciate it if you could return.”
And he immediately rejected him.
“What? An S-rank Esper entering a dungeon without engaging in combat? What does that even…?”
“Do all S-rank Espers have to fight? Esper Seo Jae-yi’s role today is a porter.”
“What kind of nonsense is that…!”
“Are you questioning my decision as the Guild Leader and Seo Jae-yi’s decision?”
Kim Yoo-sung’s light green eyes glared at the staff member. He finally realized that all the Guild members, including Kim Yoo-sung, were looking at him with disapproval.
Flustered, he turned to Seo Jae-yi with pleading eyes.
“E-Esper Seo Jae-yi! You need Guide Gong Ju-hyun! There’s never been a case where the Matching Rate between a non-paired Esper and Guide has increased so rapidly. Guide Gong Ju-hyun is special! He might even be your Imprint…!”
“Don’t cross the line.”
Kim Yoo-sung spoke coldly at his outrageous statement.
Imprinting was a mental and physical bond that made Guides and Espers devoted to each other.
Once Imprinted, a Guide could only Guide their Imprinted Esper, and the Esper would dedicate their life to protecting their Imprinted Guide.
It was an incredibly significant event for Awakened individuals, and he was speaking about it so casually.
It seemed like the staff member mistook Imprinting for some romantic destiny.
“I-I apologize! Please forget about the Imprinting. I wasn’t even thinking about it!”
Gong Ju-hyun quickly bowed, sensing the danger. The staff member, finally realizing his mistake, shut his mouth and bowed as well.
“I just came here because it’s my dream to participate in a dungeon subjugation with Noona Seo Jae-yi. I’ve been admiring her for eight years.”
‘Admiring her? Did I hear that right?’
‘My ears must be malfunctioning.’
The Guild members exchanged bewildered glances at his shocking statement.
Admiring our raid leader, the most ill-tempered, disobedient member of Haeil Guild, who sets things on fire at every opportunity? He must be crazy.
“I’ve trained hard for this day. I won’t hold Haeil Guild back. Please, won’t you give me a chance?”
The Guild members were flabbergasted when he even knelt. He seemed genuinely sincere.
“What should we do? We have eight Espers, but only two Guides. We’re a bit short-handed…”
Moon Soo-hyun whispered to Kim Yoo-sung. They had only brought two Guides because few Guild members had paired Guides, and they were hesitant to send precious Guides into dungeons.
An A-rank Guide would be helpful, but they were worried that the government would use this as an excuse to push Gong Ju-hyun onto Seo Jae-yi.
“Hmm. How old are you, Gong Ju-hyun?”
Kwon Ye-na, Kim Yoo-sung’s paired Guide, asked. All eyes turned towards her.
“I’m twenty-two. It’s almost been a year since I awakened.”
“Twenty-two, you’re young. It might be a bit harsh, but it’s good to face reality early.”
Kwon Ye-na muttered something cryptic and smiled at Gong Ju-hyun.
It was a gentle smile that suited her innocent appearance, but… it felt strangely menacing.
“What? What do you…?”
“Seo Jae-yi, is it okay to bring him along?”
Honestly, Seo Jae-yi didn’t want to. She didn’t want to give him false hope.
‘Unnie Ye-na must have a plan.’
If Kim Yoo-sung was the Guild Leader whom everyone trusted and followed, his Guide, Kwon Ye-na, was Haeil’s mental pillar. They could trust her judgment.
“Let’s do it.”
Gong Ju-hyun’s face brightened as Seo Jae-yi agreed.