Chapter 116 : Chapter 116
Chapter 116: The Blue Dragon Guild and the Rare Awakened (1)
A high-end restaurant in Seotafield.
The automatic doors opened, and the air conditioner's breeze brushed against our backs.
As Yoo Jin thrust his two hands into his pockets and took a step outside, the Class A children followed behind him.
“Thanks for the meal, Si-wang.”
Yoo jin patted Lee Si-wang’s shoulder.
“Thank you for the meal!”
“I ate well, Assistant Homeroom Teacher!”
The children bowed and thanked him in a swarm.
“R... Right.......”
Leaving behind Lee Si-wang, who had no choice but to accept the children’s greetings.
They patted their full bellies.
Then they ruminated on the pieces of memories from playing here today in their hands and in their minds.
“The movie was so fun!”
“I liked the rides!”
“No matter what, eating this delicious food again was the best finish.”
In the children’s hands were movie tickets, ride wristbands, and the product of a high-end restaurant—their protruding bellies—as they gathered together, blooming with smiles on their faces.
Laughter scattered like fireworks in the night sky.
In contrast, Lee Si-wang’s face sagged like a signboard drenched in rain.
‘I am sorry... Guild Master... It seems I cannot go out for about a week... Stay healthy... Secretary Kim, please take care of things after I’m gone.......’
Lee Si-wang, who sent away a letter in his heart that would never be delivered, carefully placed the Ignis corporate card he had used to pay inside his wallet.
The way back to Academy City.
Lights flowed like a river beyond the car window.
Inside the bus passing through the downtown area.
Even in the moment the bus stopped at a signal, the children’s faces were full of laughter.
Yoo jin was enjoying the happiness while capturing those children in his eyes.
A large screen soaring in the middle of the city center finished a music advertisement and suddenly played the news.
Yoo Jin's gaze turned to the billboard at the anchor’s voice coming through the gap in the window.
“This is breaking news. Circumstances regarding the infiltration of the international terror organization ‘Carda’ into the country have been captured. Their objective has not been clearly revealed, but since it is an organization that has already caused multiple kidnapping cases of ‘Rare Awakened’ overseas, the authorities have requested special caution.”
A midsummer night.
Urgent breaking news resonating through the city center.
The children’s boisterous voices gradually subsided as if someone had turned down the volume.
The conversation exchanging light jokes was cut off, and their eyes stuck to the screen.
Yoo jin hung his gaze on that screen once, very briefly, and then detached it.
The corners of his mouth moved strictly.
“It probably isn’t... this time.”
Just news.
Something unrelated to him.
Not only Yoo Jin, who spat out the words, but everyone there felt that way.
That.
It is news and.
The world turns, but.
Such things that only appear on television.
Because it was common for ordinary people to think it had nothing to do with their own world.
The bus departed.
And the children, as if nothing had happened.
Resumed their jokes again.
Like that.
The bus arrived near Taewoon High.
Yoo jin and the children passed through the entrance of Academy City.
An ordinary day.
No, a day that was overflowing with a bit more laughter than that.
Like that.
The children could not hide their joy at the vacation life that would start tomorrow.
That they would sleep in late starting tomorrow.
That they would tear up the vacation schedule immediately.
That resting is also training.
That they are seeing their parents for the first time in a while.
Someone said the dormitory with the blasting air conditioner is better.
Like that, dreaming of their own happy vacations, the children stepped on the streets of Taewoon High.
Lee Si-wang and Yoo jin, who were watching from behind.
Smiles spread across their faces at the legal rest called vacation.
It was muggy, but a pleasant night.
Since they knew they wouldn't be able to see such a boisterous scene for a while because it was vacation, they carefully stored this scenery, which was comfortable yet regrettable on the other hand, in their eyes.
There were many events, but as expected.
That the children were safe.
Yoo jin felt the greatest happiness that they greeted the vacation smiling like this.
Just one thing.
He did not like that the strangely uncomfortable feeling did not disappear, but.
Yoo jin tried hard to ignore it.
Like that, the vacation where Lee Si-wang might also miss the children for a moment began.
***
Two days later.
Ignis Guild Headquarters, top floor.
“What is this... I thought I wouldn't see you for a while?”
“Me too. I thought we wouldn't see each other for a month so I was glad... ...”
“Why did you stop talking, do you want to die?”
“So, sorry.......”
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang were there.
Secretary Kim’s phone call that came from early in the morning.
Because of that, Lee Si-wang and Yoo jin, who thought they wouldn't see each other for a while, ended up running into each other in the Guild Master's office.
“But why did they call us from this early morning?”
“How would I know? Unlike you, I’m not even affiliated here, yet from the morning, seriously... I played games until late yesterday to sleep in.......”
“I wasn't envious at other times, but since there is vacation, I envy teachers.......”
“But really, why did they call us? From this morning.”
“Exactly, if it was just me, maybe, but if they called both of us... uh.......”
Lee Si-wang’s expression sank as he spat out the words.
A face that had visibly darkened as if something had come to mind.
“What is it, that face?”
“Um... I'm not certain, but I feel like I've slightly caught on to why we were summoned.......”
“What is it?”
“The... hamburger cost.......”
“Hamburger cost?”
When Yoo jin couldn't catch on, Lee Si-wang turned his head and spoke.
“That... high-end restaurant we ate at in Seotafield.......”
“Ah, that? Don't tell me, you swiped the corporate card for the vacation ceremony too? You earn good money, you guy.”
“I spent millions just on the kids playing before eating, you know? And if you want to eat with the kids there, it comes out to over ten million won. So, anyway! It is all because of you, Teacher.”
“Why is it me, brat! You could have just bought it, but you swiped the corporate card!”
“No, if you suggested we go, you should have bought it, Teacher, why do I buy all of that!”
“Oh, you brat. Always acting tough saying you're A-Rank number 1, Korea's genius and whatnot, but over a measly ten million won.”
“When you haven't spent a dime.......”
“What did you say?!”
“No... my corporate card... If a corporate card execution ceremony happens... my meal money.......”
At that moment.
“Ahem!”
Secretary Kim, who had entered first with tea, made her presence known.
A heavy table, indirect lighting crossing the ceiling.
The air in the Guild Master's office was calm as always, but Lee Si-wang’s heart was not quite so.
“I was summoned because of you, Teacher! I said let's just make do with beef.”
“What can I do when the kids can't forget that place.”
“Isn't the one who can't forget it you, Teacher?”
“Oh my, your backtalk has increased, you.”
“Since I'll be killed by the Guild Master anyway, maybe it's better to die first.......”
They couldn't speak loudly because of Secretary Kim, but Lee Si-wang and Yoo jin did not stop bickering until the end.
Whish!
At that moment, the door opened and footsteps entered the Guild Master's office.
At that weighty sound, Lee Si-wang’s back straightened up stiffly.
Yoo jin, perhaps without much thought, just turned his head to look at the person walking in from the door.
Sharp eyebrows.
Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun was walking to his seat with a sunken expression.
Following behind.
Broad shoulders.
An unfamiliar presence followed like a shadow.
A suit about to burst.
A badge with a blue dragon decoration.
A bulky man with a scar on his face was sticking behind Cho Sang-geun.
“...Gangster?”
It was Yoo Jin, whose voice crossed his lips without him realizing.
Without caring about his voice, the Guild Master of the Blue Dragon Guild, who entered with the Ignis Guild Master, moved his steps indifferently.
Before Cho Sang-geun even arrived at his seat, Lee Si-wang reflexively bent his waist.
“I am sorry! Guild Master!”
Cho Sang-geun’s legs, which were moving, stopped.
“For what?”
His eyebrows drew a diagonal line.
“That... I.......”
They say it's better to be beaten early.
No matter how much he thought about it, he concluded that a quick apology was the only answer.
Didn't they say so since ancient times?
That striking first leads to victory.
“I used the corporate card for the last one inevitably. Even though I knew this wasn't allowed. Due to the children's laughter and... that... the Returnee's pressure, I had no choice.......”
“Wow... look at this bastard. Trying to live alone, seriously.”
“Ah, come on... help me out. Anyway, it's true that I used it because of you, Teacher.”
“What.......”
Yoo jin, who was scratching his nose, raised one hand.
“Sorry. But what can we do. The kids said they wanted to eat. Let's not be stingy over ten million won, I even saved your lives.”
It was a completely different attitude from Lee Si-wang, but considering he was a Returnee, this was practically offering an apology and gratitude in a very human way.
Probably.
Lee Si-wang, who confirmed that, spoke one more time.
“If you just let this one slide well, I will quickly make up for it with performance.......”
Into Lee Si-wang’s view as he raised his head slightly while speaking.
“.......”
“.......”
The faces of Cho Sang-geun and the Blue Dragon Guild Master wearing expressionless looks entered.
Hmm.
Rather than expressionless.
It was an expression saying.
What is he talking about.
Tsk.
Lee Si-wang, who confirmed that expression, sensed something was wrong and slowly parted his lips.
“That... um... You didn't call us to scold me for swiping the corporate card a lot.......”
“No.”
Cho Sang-geun’s low voice resonated.
Then.
“Hahaha. It's not... Hahahaha. I thought so. That the Guild Masters of our Korea's 3 Great Guilds would over such a small matter... Hahaha....”
Lee Si-wang, who was laughing with forced tension, quickly read the room.
In the atmosphere that had settled coldly.
“I am sorry.......”
He slammed down an apology immediately.
Cho Sang-geun and the Blue Dragon Guild Master, who were watching Lee Si-wang, moved to the sofa prepared on one side and sat down.
“First, please sit and talk. I will tell you the reason I called you today.”
At Cho Sang-geun’s voice, which was calm yet sunken unlike usual, Lee Si-wang and Yoo jin met each other's eyes and moved to the sofa.
Well, until they moved.
Poke.
Poke.
Both hit each other with their elbows and continued a fight no one knew about, but.
“Idiot, without even looking into it properly.”
“You thought the same thing too, Teacher.......”
Like that, the corporate card execution ceremony that filled Lee Si-wang’s head fortunately did not take place.
***
Yoo Jin and Lee Si-wang thought.
If it wasn't a corporate card execution ceremony.
Why on earth did they call them from such an early morning?
And facing the Guild Master of the Blue Dragon Guild, one of Korea's 3 Great Guilds, at that.
A voice to silence that question followed immediately.
“I formally greet you. Hello, I am Kim Cheol-gu, the Guild Master of the Blue Dragon Guild.”
A man with a muscular body about to burst.
Kim Cheol-gu, who had a face exuding more intimidation than his large build, greeted Yoo jin politely.
Yoo jin shrugged his shoulders and offered a slight eye greeting.
Lee Si-wang was surprised.
Because he had rarely seen such a calm appearance of Kim Cheol-gu.
The Kim Cheol-gu he remembered was.
‘Cho Sang-geun!!!! Where are you!’
‘You can't die!’
Because he was a strange character who would open the refrigerator door while doing that.
“.......”
While Lee Si-wang was expressing his puzzlement looking at Kim Cheol-gu.
Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun began to speak the reason he called them from early in the morning.
“By any chance, did you see the breaking news a few days ago?”
The gaze directed at Yoo jin was heavy.
“About the criminal organization called Karma or Carda?”
“Yes, that is correct. It is a criminal organization active in South America, and circumstances of a part of that organization entering Korea have been captured.”
“I heard it roughly on the news. But why does that matter?”
This time, Kim Cheol-gu’s mouth, who was next to him, opened.
“You might not know, Returnee, but there are no S-Ranks or Returnees in South America. That is why there are many criminal organizations like that. To the extent that the state cannot manage them. No, it would be correct to say they are not managing them on purpose rather than they cannot. Because they know that them becoming stronger illegally, or increasing their numbers, is the only way for national power to become stronger.”
Behind Kim Cheol-gu’s voice, Yoo jin moved his eyes with a small exhale.
“No, I don't need such trivial stories. There must be a reason you called me from early in the morning, right? It has nothing to do with me, but you.......”
Yoo jin’s eyes stayed on Cho Sang-geun.
“You aren't someone to call me here.”
Cho Sang-geun, who maintained a cold expression beyond composure, made eye contact with Kim Cheol-gu once and then took something out of his bosom.
“We have found out who the target of that Carda is.”
What was placed on the table.
Was a picture of a young student.