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Jiho froze. Not only has no one ever said that to him before, but Jiho has never even entertained the thought that anyone would ever say that to him.

Chungram Guild is, after all, a part of Chungram Group. Jiho’s father is the chairman of Chungram; there’s no way any other guild would be as important to Jiho as Chungram.

Tae Yong smiled warmly at Jiho, who was still stunned.

“I do not mean that you should turn your back on Chungram and hold hands with us from now on. Since Chungram Guild is a guild run by Guildmaster-nim’s family, I am well aware that what I am saying is unreasonable.”

“Then why….”

“That is how intimate of a relationship Mireu Guild would like to foster with No Name Guild and Hunter Shin Jiho. Mireu is prepared to work together with No Name whenever you would like it.”

Working together with an S-rank guild.

Of course, this is something Jiho wanted. It’s something he wanted, but…

Rather than this being a relationship built on mutual benefit like that with Apollon Guild, the kind of relationship Kim Tae Yong is referring to is more unconditional, like that with Chungram Guild and Jiho.

While it makes sense for Jiho to be that way with Chungram since they’re connected by blood and region, Mireu Guild’s inexplicable goodwill towards him has been making Jiho feel uncomfortable.

It’s like when a cult acts friendly at first in order to lure a new follower in. Because Kim Tae Yong is a little different from the average person, this feeling is only amplified.

“For what reason are you going so far? Everyone knows that there is nothing special about being the first awakened one. If you are acting this way out of pure curiosity, then it is a little extreme.”

“What do you mean there is nothing special?”

Tae Yong reached out towards Jiho, who was in a state of confusion. Tae Yong stretched halfway across the table to take one of Jiho’s hands into his two, sending a deep, sincere gaze to Jiho.

“To me, Guildmaster-nim is an incredibly important person. I have great interest in Guildmaster-nim, and I would like to foster a much deeper, closer relationship with you.”

“….”

Chills ran down Jiho’s body.

He was just as taken aback as when Joo Yiwon suddenly slipped that so-called “engagement” ring onto his ring finger.

No, maybe even more than that.

To be honest, Jiho’s heard people say similar words to him all throughout his life. He’s received confessions from the female classmates he got along with, the classmates he didn’t know the faces of, the random passerby, and even from males too.

But of those confessions, Tae Yong’s was the most sincere and persistent one he’s heard yet.

Rahui looked between Jiho, who was frightened, and Tae Yong, who didn’t know that something had gone wrong, with a complicated expression. She let out a deep sigh.

“Guildmaster-nim, if you say it like that, then he will think that you are flirting with him.”

Tae Yong tilted his head to the side, as if he didn’t understand.

“Flirting?”

“Hunter Shin Jiho will think that Guildmaster-nim is trying to seduce him.”

Tae Yong turned bright red at Rahui’s answer.

“N-no. I did not mean it that way!”

“Yes, I know that you did not mean it that way….”

Jiho answered tiredly. Even though Tae Yong’s words sound like a confession, they don’t actually feel like one.

Kim Tae Yong’s confession was somewhat different from the ones Jiho received from people who liked him. Unlike with them, Jiho doesn’t understand where Kim Tae Yong’s curiosity and persistence is coming from.

In the midst of this chaos, Lee Rahui was the only one to be laughing. It seems that Mireu Guild’s vice-guildmaster’s hobby is teasing her naive guildmaster.

“But isn’t he pretty good too? From what I can tell, Hunter Shin Jiho will go better with our guildmaster than Hunter Joo Yiwon.”

“Excuse me?”

Is this person… being for real?

Jiho was starting to feel confused as to whether this was a meeting between two guildmasters or a meeting between two people interested in dating with a matchmaker beside them.

By this point, Tae Yong’s face was dyed completely red.

“Pre-preposterous. Between two men!”

“What does that matter in the 21st century? And doesn’t Guildmaster-nim not discriminate between sexes?”

“That is true, but!”

Why would you agree there?

“I am just expressing my genuine favor…”

“Let’s just stop here.”

Jiho said. He scratched at the goosebumps appearing on his arm again and subtly scooted further into the sofa until his back was touching it. 

The more Tae Yong tries to explain, the worse the situation gets. Kim Tae Yong must have realized this too, as he obediently stopped talking.

“I was just joking as well.”

Lee Rahui’s carefree smile was annoying. Whatever her reason was, she was seemingly thoroughly enjoying teasing Kim Tae Yong just now. 

They say that the person who actually runs Mireu Guild is Lee Rahui. Looking at Tae Yong, who’s rendered helpless by Rahui every time, Jiho feels like he has a clear understanding of how Mireu Guild is usually run.

“I will stop with the jokes here. I apologize; I acted a little overbearing because of how cute you are. I hope that you will be generous in forgiving me.”

The laughter in Lee Rahui’s eyes disappeared and was replaced by sincerity.

“We understand that you will view our words as strange at this moment. The reason we are not beating around the bush despite this is because we believed that with how obvious our interest is, Hunter Shin Jiho would only suspect us more if we approached you in a roundabout manner.”

Rahui smoothly explained. Like she said, no matter how Kim Tae Yong approached him, Jiho, who’s developed a slight distrust in humans over the last year, would’ve definitely found him suspicious.

“We already told you that our guildmaster has a lot of random trinkets. Because Guildmaster-nim’s clan’s history is long, they possess a lot of valuable objects that have been passed down within the clan for a very long time. A few of those objects turned into items after the fissures appeared.”

“I see….”

Feeling that this was going to get long, Jiho turned his attention towards her.

When the fissures appeared, awakened ones weren’t the only changes to this planet. There were a couple of animals that awakened, and a few normal objects that turned into items as well.

Tae Yong nodded at Rahui’s words and continued.

“When I saw the objects I saw everyday turn into items, I was fascinated. This is why I began to hold an interest in the things from the previous world that changed. Are there not academic circles interested in Hunter Shin Jiho?”

“They do… pay a lot of meaningless attention to me.”

Though it’s not developed enough to call a field of study yet, people have started researching fissures and awakened ones. One of the biggest mysteries these people want to solve is why the first fissure and first awakened one both appeared in the same place at the same time.

In contrast to Jiho’s lukewarm attitude about this subject, Tae Yong was very passionate.

“Their attention is not meaningless. The act of researching information related to fissures and awakened ones is all for the future of the human race.”

“As you can tell, our guildmaster is very curious about things that changed after the fissures broke out. He chases after interesting awakened ones and buys all sorts of strange items….”

Rahui shook her head out of helplessness.

“That is why it makes sense that he would be so interested in Hunter Shin Jiho. After all, you are the world’s first awakened one.”

If it is for the sake of research, then yes, it makes sense that Kim Tae Yong is interested in Shin Jiho. Since the newly-established field of awakened ones views Shin Jiho’s existence with high regard.

However, there is still a question that remains unanswered.

“But… I have been active for quite some time now. Why are you only approaching me now?”

Rahui blinked and turned towards Tae Yong. Tae Yong made a face and sighed.

“I wanted to approach you sooner, but… there was a person blocking me….”

“Ah.”

There’s no need to ask who; it’s definitely Joo Yiwon. When Jiho threw out, “Joo Yiwon?” Tae Yong nodded.

“Because he was blocking me with such killing intent and warning me not to come close to Hunter Shin Jiho, there was nothing I could do…. It is not like I was going to do anything; I told him that all I wanted to do was speak with you, yet he refused to listen. He even threatened to blow up Mireu Guild if I played any tricks….”

“B-blow up?”

“Yes. But it was coincidentally at that time that Hunter Shin Jiho was looking for a dungeon for the rank assessment, so I thought this would be a chance to talk to you.”

“….”

Mireu Guild tried that hard to meet him? And Joo Yiwon forcefully blocked that meeting from happening…. Even going as far as to bluff about blowing them up.

‘Why would he do something like that on his own?’

Jiho was flabbergasted. Just why, and with what authority, was Yiwon preventing Jiho from interacting with other people all on his own?

‘I know a lot more than you think I do.’

‘Jiho, be careful of Kim Tae Yong.’

Jiho thought back to the words Yiwon said while they were in Gwangju Dungeon.

Joo Yiwon warned him about Kim Tae Yong. Since Yiwon is further ahead and knows a lot more than Jiho, there might be a compelling reason that explains why Jiho has to avoid Tae Yong.

But shouldn’t Yiwon have at least told him?

‘It has to do with me, after all.’

Even if everything will go the way Yiwon wants it to in the end, he could at least give Jiho a heads-up. Had Yiwon told Jiho that Tae Yong was dangerous from the start, Jiho would’ve put his guard up around him.

Hearing about something Yiwon did without his knowledge from another’s mouth….

Makes him feel really, really upset.

“Hunter Shin Jiho. Are you okay?”

Tae Yong asked with a worried expression on his face. With his clothes that look like they were pulled right out of a historical drama and his round, gentle eyes, Tae Yong looks like a young, upright man, not dangerous at all.

Jiho put away his complicated thoughts for now and carefully opened his mouth.

“Well… I understand why you approached me now. But truthfully, this is too sudden for me….”

“Yes, you are saying that it cannot be rushed, correct? Let us get to know each other slowly. I, too, will not rush you, I will wait for Hunter Shin Jiho.”

“Yes…”

Jiho nodded powerlessly at Tae Yong’s, again, somewhat ambiguous words. Rahui comforted Jiho.

“Because our guildmaster is eccentric, he’s a little different from most people. When something sparks his interest, he’s the type to see it to the end. I ask that you understand that this is just the way he is. At the very least, he won’t go stalking you.”

“I am not eccentric…” 

“So you do stalk people?”

“I do not go stalking either…. I am a law-abiding citizen.”

Rahui held her stomach as she laughed, as if she found Tae Yong’s answer hilarious. Seeing Rahui’s ears turn red, Tae Yong’s face turned the same color.

“But I think Hunter Shin Jiho is a good person.”

Though his face was red, Kim Tae Yong spoke sincerely as he stretched a hand out towards the window. Jiho turned his gaze in the direction that Tae Yong was pointing towards.

The thing Kim Tae Yong was gesturing to was the vase Jiho brought over from the old office.

“According to that person the guildmaster is a hard-working and diligent person.”

Maybe Tae Yong really is nothing more than a slightly bizarre eccentric person.

Seeing the conversation come to an end, Rahui checked the time.

“Guildmaster-nim. In two hours, you will have to enter a dungeon.”

“Ah, it is about time to leave.”

Despite his words, Tae Yong looked back at Jiho.

“I will be entering Jung-gu Dungeon #4 today. Would Hunter Shin Jiho like to join?”

“Me?”

“Yes. If you come along, I can explain a few battle tips as well as distribute a couple of items to you.”

Jung-gu Dungeon #4 is an A-rank dungeon. 

To Jiho, who doesn’t have a lot of experience with dungeon raids yet, the offer was tempting, but after thinking about it briefly, Jiho ultimately shook his head.

Although he does want to enter a dungeon with Kim Tae Yong one day, there’s no need to rush. Jiho should go with a person he trusts. Not be stuck between Kim Tae Yong and Lee Rahui by himself.

“Unfortunately, I will have to pass on that offer because our guild still has a lot to do to finish setting up. If the chance arises next time, however, I will join.”

“Yes. Let us definitely go together.”

Seeing Tae Yong’s bright and shiny eyes, Jiho, who was just being polite, realized that he can’t say empty words in front of this person.

“Then I will head out now.”

Kim Tae Yong bowed at the waist extremely respectfully.

“I have given you the box out of truly good intentions, so please use it when you need to.”

“Yes, I will use it well.”

Jiho sent off the two strange people from Mireu Guild heading off to a dungeon. When he returned, Jiho became lost in thought.

“Does Kim Tae Yong know about that attack too?”

The attack by that monster that was able to disguise itself as a human on No Name’s original office.

Taking the chaos it would cause into consideration, the attack was kept a secret, but an alert was probably sent out to all of the S-rank hunters. If Kim Tae Yong knows of the danger Jiho was in, then this random item makes a little more sense….

Jiho pulled [Ambrosia] and [Treasure Chest from the Dragon Palace] out of his inventory again and tapped his fingers on the box.

As he was thinking about how casually those two people were in giving away two S-rank items, Jiho suddenly remembered something else.

“Wait….”

Kim Tae Yong, a hunter who’s at least SS-rank. Lee Rahui, a hunter who’s S-rank.

If there’s one more person in Mireu Guild hiding their rank, could they be the three people who raided the Great Dungeon?

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LaZ Bird Corner

Tae Yong’s a little awkward ^_^

Next week, a very cute and fluffy character will appear. Please look forward to it!!!

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