Chapter 122:
In Korea, Guide matters were handled by the Guiding Center, and Esper matters by the Esper Association.
Therefore, the unregistered Esper mercenaries who attacked Seo Jae-yi were handed over from Haeil Guild to the Esper Association.
After the press conference, Vice President Jeong Ju-hyung, an S-rank himself, came to collect the mercenaries as planned. He was speechless when he saw them confined in Haeil Guild’s basement detention cell.
“Did you call me here to collect corpses?”
Given the gravity of the situation, he had come personally, but it seemed like a wasted trip.
Their bodies were scorched, covered in burns, their limbs broken, unable to even stand without assistance. They posed no threat.
“Corpses? What are you talking about? They’re all alive. Right, guys?”
At Seo Jae-yi’s question, the mercenaries, sprawled weakly on the floor, responded loudly.
“Yes, yes!”
“……They’re well-trained. Anyone would think they were Haeil Guild members, not unregistered mercenaries.”
“Everyone is equal before my fist.”
Jeong Ju-hyung grimaced at the sight of Seo Jae-yi clenching her fist.
“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about keeping them locked up.”
With their limbs broken, all they needed were magic stone restraints to suppress their abilities and proper surveillance to prevent any rescue attempts.
Realizing this was advantageous for them, Jeong Ju-hyung’s expression brightened.
“Yes, keep a close watch on them. Don’t hand them over to anyone else.”
“Anyone else? You mean the government?”
Jeong Ju-hyung scoffed at Seo Jae-yi’s warning.
“The President wouldn’t listen to them.”
With Guiding Center Director Kwon Yi-soo on a different path from the government, there was no way President Kang Seong-yeon, his loyal subordinate, would comply with an order to release unregistered Espers.
“Well, whatever. Do what you want.”
Seo Jae-yi gestured dismissively towards the mercenaries, telling them to take them away.
Though annoyed by her attitude, Jeong Ju-hyung couldn’t refuse and grudgingly took the unregistered Espers.
They had attacked, but no one was killed or seriously injured, so they would likely receive a few years in prison and a fine. And they would be forcibly registered with the Korean Esper Association.
Whether they would ever recover was another matter.
“Now we just have to wait and see what the government does.”
After the Association’s transport vehicle left with the criminals, Seo Jae-yi murmured quietly.
Would they send another group of Esper mercenaries? Or would they come up with some other outlandish method to target Baek Joo-won? Or would they give up and lie low?
What would Jang Woo-seok and Park Jeong-su choose?
Whatever they chose, they would ultimately be ruined by her.
Several days passed as Seo Jae-yi cleaned up her wrecked shop and chased away the reporters who kept showing up for interviews.
Quite a few things had happened during that time.
First, the government tried to negotiate with the Association to get the unregistered Espers out of the detention cell.
Of course, the Association flatly refused.
After hearing about this from Vice President Jeong Ju-hyung, Seo Jae-yi kept a close watch on the government, but surprisingly, they didn’t make any further moves.
It was so strangely quiet that she wondered if they had finally given up. Jang Woo-seok was a shrewd man, so it was highly likely.
However, she wasn’t sure what Park Jeong-su, who was unpredictable, would do.
Seo Jae-yi wanted to investigate them further, but she had to leave it to Kim Yoo-sung.
Apparently, the sight of Firestarter selling flowers was so shocking that not only Awakened individuals but also ordinary people started flocking to the flower shop, making her incredibly busy.
No matter how important revenge was, her happy, ordinary life was more important, so she couldn’t neglect the flower shop.
Besides, the safety and success of Awakened individuals in dungeon raids depended on her; how could she turn her back on them?
So, while she and Kim Yoo-sung plotted their revenge every night, she diligently ran the flower shop during the day.
But running the flower shop had become even more challenging. Not because of the Awakened customers, but because of the overwhelming number of ordinary people.
People sticking to the windows taking pictures, producers showing up unannounced asking for TV appearances, and so on.
Seo Jae-yi’s stress levels rose as people treated her shop like a tourist attraction, and she ended up temporarily closing the shop and venting her frustration by clearing several dungeons.
“I don’t regret revealing my face, but I kind of do.”
Seo Jae-yi, having just single-handedly cleared a Rank 4 dungeon, collapsed into Baek Joo-won’s arms as he waited for her at the gate.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to seek his embrace, Baek Joo-won smiled and held her close, Guiding her.
Strongly enough to erase the lingering scent of other monsters.
Seo Jae-yi shuddered and burrowed deeper into his arms, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t like all these people suddenly taking an interest in you. Thanks to them, we don’t even have time to relax and Guide in the greenhouse anymore.”
Her hair, already loosely tied because of the fight, was now a complete mess.
Baek Joo-won pulled out the almost-untied hair tie and tossed it aside, gently smoothing her hair. His large hand cupped the back of her neck, the heat radiating from her skin warming his palm.
“Joo-won, I brought you a boss monster’s magic stone.”
“Later. We have unfinished Guiding to attend to first.”
Before she could finish, Baek Joo-won tilted her head back and captured her lips. Her lips, the perfect thickness for biting, were so tempting he could never get enough.
He had molded her kisses to his liking, since she had never kissed anyone before. It quenched his thirst, at least for a little while.
“W-wait…”
Lost in the kiss, unaware that Baek Joo-won was shaping her to his preferences, Seo Jae-yi was jolted back to reality by the ringing of her phone. She barely managed to push him away.
Baek Joo-won frowned, annoyed.
“Do you really have to answer that now?”
“It’s the Guild Leader. He wouldn’t call for no reason.”
“…….”
Damn Kim Yoo-sung.
Baek Joo-won muttered under his breath, but Seo Jae-yi ignored him and answered the call.
Deprived of her lips, Baek Joo-won nipped at her neck in protest. Seo Jae-yi stroked his hair soothingly.
“What is it, Guild Leader?”
—Why does your voice sound like that? Are you alright?
Her voice was lower than usual, a result of the passionate kiss and Guiding session with Baek Joo-won, who was still clinging to her neck.
“If I had to say, I’m…irritated? I was in the middle of receiving Guiding from Baek Joo-won. He’s annoyed that we were interrupted, so make it quick.”
Baek Joo-won’s teeth grazed her neck. Seo Jae-yi gently stroked his hair, trying to appease him.
—……Right. Sorry to interrupt, but come back to the shop as soon as possible. There’s a problem.
Another problem at her shop?
Seo Jae-yi’s face crumpled. After just a few hours away!
If someone had wrecked her shop again, regardless of the reason, she wouldn’t forgive them.
Fortunately, at the mention of a problem at the shop, Baek Joo-won released her without further complaint. They quickly returned.
But instead of a wrecked shop, they were greeted by government officials.
“Are you Seo Jae-yi, the owner of this establishment?”
“Yes, I am.”
“We’re from the Special Administrative Appeals Commission. We’re here to inform you that your flower shop, Blazing Trail, has been issued a suspension of operations.”
Kim Yoo-sung, who was waiting with the officials, and Baek Joo-won, standing behind Seo Jae-yi, were stunned. But the most shocked was Seo Jae-yi herself.
“W-what! Why? Why am I being suspended?!”
Seo Jae-yi yelled after reading the document the officials handed her.
The officials, aware that she was an S-rank Esper, were terrified. But, ever the professionals, they continued, despite their pale faces.
“We received a report that you are cultivating dangerous plants that could harm people in your shop. We also have evidence that dungeon plants were purchased here. Is that correct?”
“That’s true, but! There haven’t been any accidents!”
“That’s irrelevant.”
“There’s no law against cultivating dungeon plants, so why?!”
“While there’s no such law, there is a law that states Awakened individuals cannot threaten non-Awakened individuals without a valid reason. We’ve received reports that many non-Awakened individuals are terrified that you, an Esper, are cultivating potentially harmful dungeon plants in this location.”
She couldn’t deny that.
Seo Jae-yi’s legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor.
The official continued, “The suspension period is seven days. During this time, you are required to dispose of all dungeon plants within the premises. Failure to comply will result in a permanent closure.”
As Seo Jae-yi sat there, speechless, the official posted the suspension notice on the shop door and quickly retreated.
The onlookers, who had been watching the scene unfold, murmured amongst themselves before dispersing.
Now, only Seo Jae-yi, Baek Joo-won, and Kim Yoo-sung remained.
“So this day has come.”
Kim Yoo-sung sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“……The Special Administrative Appeals Commission is under the Prime Minister’s jurisdiction, right?”
Seo Jae-yi’s voice was ominously calm. Kim Yoo-sung nodded.
“This is Jang Woo-seok’s doing. This is his way of retaliating.”
“Aaaaagh! My shop! Damn it, Jang Woo-seok! You petty bastard!”
She had prioritized the flower shop over revenge and left everything to Kim Yoo-sung!
And he used that opportunity to pull this petty stunt! That bastard! She would never forgive him!
Seo Jae-yi’s face turned crimson as she yelled.
Kim Yoo-sung sighed, looking at her with pity.
“But they’re not wrong. We need to clean up.”