Chapter 150:
“He’s a dragon. His name is Airok. He’s been with me since he was an egg! Ah, he’s grown a bit now, so he’s a child.”
“…”
Airok smiled faintly at her explanation. He had a lot to say, but he knew it wouldn’t matter to Seo Jae-yi, so he kept quiet.
“He has water manipulation abilities, so he takes care of all the water-fed plants.”
“…So half of the plants are being cultivated by an S-rank Esper, and the other half by this baby dragon?”
“Yes!”
Kang Sung-yeon looked at her incredulously as Seo Jae-yi nodded enthusiastically.
So this was why only Seo Jae-yi could cultivate dungeon plants. Not only did she possess the dungeon master’s magic stone, but she also had a dragon.
“So you’ve been living with a dragon in your flower shop…?”
“That’s right! But as you know, Logi hasn’t caused any trouble. He’s a good boy; you can trust him!”
“I’m sure. You would have killed him if he was the type to cause trouble.”
Seo Jae-yi just smiled at Kang Sung-yeon’s words. Airok, trembling, asked,
“R-really, Master…? You would have killed me if I misbehaved…?”
“No, I didn’t mean to kill you from the start. Children tend to cause trouble when they’re young. So I was going to educate you first, and if your monstrous nature couldn’t be suppressed, then…”
“Then what?!”
Airok’s eyes welled up, thinking she had been planning to kill him. Seo Jae-yi chuckled, amused by his adorable, teary-eyed expression.
“I was going to send you back here. You’re such a crybaby, Logi.”
She hadn’t actually intended to kill him, even if she had thought he was a dungeon master’s offspring. She had just been teasing him.
“Anyway, you can trust Logi. He’s such a good boy that I even let him stay with Baek Joo-won while I was away.”
Kang Sung-yeon and Jeong Joo-hyung, who had been looking at Airok with suspicion, nodded.
They had sensed a powerful monster’s presence the moment they entered the dungeon. How could they not, when it was so close?
But they hadn’t expected it to be the dragon Seo Jae-yi was raising. They should have known better than to apply common sense to her.
‘And if she trusts him enough to leave him with her paired Guide, their bond must be strong.’
An Esper’s protectiveness towards their Guide was beyond imagination. Kang Sung-yeon and Jeong Joo-hyung, both Espers, knew that very well.
Seo Jae-yi, whose only highly compatible Guide was Baek Joo-won, would be even more protective of him than other Espers.
If she trusted the dragon enough to leave him with Baek Joo-won, they could relax.
“Then I’ll continue with the explanation.”
Seo Jae-yi then explained the abilities of the dungeon plants she was cultivating and showed them a list of the plants she planned to cultivate in the future.
The tour of the dungeon greenhouse ended with her explanation.
Kang Sung-yeon nodded at Seo Jae-yi, who was looking at him expectantly.
“It’s only been a little over a month since you started selling dungeon plants, and you’ve already become an expert.”
She wasn’t perfect yet. But considering it was Seo Jae-yi who had set this all up, it was surprisingly impressive.
“I’m a flower shop owner, after all.”
“That’s true. I was really worried, considering it was you.”
She could always improve later.
Kang Sung-yeon, having made up his mind, told her,
“Give me the prices within five days. We’ll start selling in a week.”
“Yay!”
Seo Jae-yi cheered, finally getting his approval.
It had been a long and arduous journey. She had even shed tears when that damn Jang Woo-seok had suspended her business, but it had all been worth it. She could now run her business without any restrictions or worries.
‘Thank you, Jang Woo-seok. I’ll be waiting for the day you’re released, seventeen years from now.’
She would give him a very… special thank you then.
“But is that… a flowerbed?”
Kang Sung-yeon pointed to a corner of the dungeon greenhouse. Unlike the other bizarre-looking dungeon plants, there was a flowerbed filled with beautiful, delicate flowers.
Some were familiar, while others were new and intriguing.
“Yes. Baek Joo-won said he likes flowers more than dungeon plants, so that’s his exclusive flowerbed.”
A soft smile appeared on Seo Jae-yi’s lips as she looked at the flowerbed.
The flowers were all the ones she had given Baek Joo-won as bribes when she was trying to win him over. He had brought them all here and planted them, keeping them from wilting with his power.
Seo Jae-yi was deeply touched that he had kept all the flowers she had given him, carefully tending to them. She was so moved that they returned to the cave and the bed, even though they had just left the hot spring.
Airok was now banned from the cave, as they didn’t know what might happen there.
“It’s good that you two share a hobby. Let me know the prices when you’ve decided. I’ll review them.”
“Yes, I understand. I’ll work hard! And thank you.”
Kang Sung-yeon and Jeong Joo-hyung, about to leave the dungeon, turned back at her words.
“For revealing the truth about what the government did. Thank you for your help.”
The Esper Association and the Guiding Center had maintained a close relationship since the Esper experiments. Therefore, the Association possessed as much evidence as the Center.
Seo Jae-yi expressed her sincere gratitude for their willingness to reveal the truth, despite the potential consequences.
“Don’t mention it. I didn’t do it just for you. It was time for the Association and the Center to atone for their past sins. I’ve been expecting this day since I became the Association Head.”
Seo Jae-yi and Kim Yoo-sung were surprised by his unexpected words. Jeong Joo-hyung didn’t react, as if he had already known.
“Really?”
“Center Head Kwon Yi-soo terminated all inhumane experiments and removed or demoted everyone involved when he took office. The Association did the same. What we’re doing now is just a continuation of that.”
Kang Sung-yeon patted her shoulder.
“This is what we should have done. It’s just a process of setting things right, so you don’t have to feel sorry or grateful.”
Seo Jae-yi was surprised by his unexpectedly kind words.
She hadn’t had much interaction with Kang Sung-yeon before. They had only briefly met when she had been his bodyguard, when he was still just an S-rank Esper.
She had considered him the most distant among the S-rank Espers, but his hand on her shoulder didn’t feel heavy or burdensome.
It was a firm, large hand, but it was unexpectedly warm.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
His words, too, were unexpectedly kind.
“Wow, that was very… Association Head-like of you.”
“You always have to…”
Kang Sung-yeon’s face contorted slightly.
“Anyway, good luck. We won’t interfere unless something major happens.”
“Yes!”
Kang Sung-yeon and Jeong Joo-hyung left the dungeon. Seo Jae-yi, finally relieved, let out a deep breath.
“Ah! It’s really starting now! I mean, I was already selling them, but being in a dungeon… it feels like I’m opening a new shop; I’m a bit nervous.”
“Just relax and do your best. Unlike the flower shop, I won’t be able to help you much now.”
“What are you talking about? You’re already helping me just by being here and supporting me.”
Kim Yoo-sung was the only one who would clean up her messes and provide her with unconditional support. She couldn’t imagine doing this without him.
“You’re probably the only one who would say that to me.”
Kim Yoo-sung smiled happily, pleased by her words.
“Seo Jae-yi.”
He looked around the dungeon greenhouse with a smile and then called her name cautiously.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Baek Joo-won isn’t human, is he?”
Seo Jae-yi, who had been humming happily, thinking her hardships were finally over and her happy days were just beginning, stared at him, wide-eyed, his question piercing her like a dagger.
“Huh?”
“You don’t have to lie. I’m almost certain.”
The atmosphere, which had been warm and pleasant just a moment ago, suddenly turned cold.
“Guild Leader, what are you…?”
“I saw it when you overloaded. Baek Joo-won was emanating a powerful energy, an energy no ordinary Guide could possess. I felt a similar energy before, and back then, he said it was Airok’s power.”
Kim Yoo-sung’s gaze shifted to Airok, who was standing beside Seo Jae-yi.
Airok knew this moment would come.
“But Airok wasn’t there when you overloaded. He appeared much later to extinguish the fire. And the energy he possessed after extinguishing the fire was different from the one I felt from Baek Joo-won.”
“…”
“That’s when I realized. Baek Joo-won isn’t human.”
Kim Yoo-sung turned back to Seo Jae-yi, who was frozen, unable to lie or speak. He chuckled, seeing her reaction.
“So you already knew.”
He didn’t need to hear her answer. Seo Jae-yi knew Baek Joo-won’s true identity.
“Guild Leader.”
“Seo Jae-yi, I’m not asking as your guardian, but as the Guild Leader of Haeil, the Guild you belong to. So I would appreciate an honest answer, without any excuses.”
Kim Yoo-sung had never exerted his authority as Guild Leader over Seo Jae-yi.
He hadn’t wanted to create a distance between them, and there had been no need, as she had never challenged his authority.
But this was different.
“Baek Joo-won isn’t human, is he?”
She couldn’t lie to her Guild Leader, as a member of Haeil Guild.
Seo Jae-yi sighed and nodded.
“No, he isn’t.”
“Then is he powerful enough to harm humans?”
“…That’s also true.”
She hesitated slightly, but her answer was honest. Kim Yoo-sung’s expression hardened.
“And you still trust him?”
He was a being capable of causing harm. That meant Seo Jae-yi could also be in danger.
Kim Yoo-sung, who cherished her more than anyone, couldn’t help but worry.
But her answer was unexpectedly firm.
“Guild Leader, I would be dead if it weren’t for Baek Joo-won.”
“…”
“I’m not just talking about Guiding. He stabilized my body when I was dying from the overload. If it weren’t for him, I would have died without even thinking about opening a flower shop.”
Kim Yoo-sung’s eyes widened.
“…What?”