Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Twilight Guild's Um Taesu
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Whirrr—
A familiar scent tickled my nose. I turned my head and there was Yena, floating in the air, staring right at me.
"What? If you're here, say something."
"How'd you even know I was here?!"
"Just... I smelled you."
"Whaaat~?"
"Anyway, did things go well?"
"Yeah! We can head right in. Wait, what do you mean I smell?!"
A shy girl embarrassed about her scent...
Yeah, no such thing.
"Here, smell me! I don't smell!"
Yena wrapped her arm around my neck, pulling me close to make me sniff again.
"Alright, alright~ You don't, you don't."
"Eeeeek...!"
Not the answer she wanted, apparently. Now she was glaring at me.
"I'll wait. Let's hurry."
"...I'll let you sniff all you want when we get home later."
Was that good or bad...? It sent a bit of a chill down my spine, but there was nothing for it.
I absolutely couldn't be late for this meeting with the guy I had to persuade.
I needed to keep him from getting offended while extracting Yena with the minimal investment possible.
Following Yena's lead, we got into the elevator and started ascending to the top floor of the building.
'No windows up there, huh...'
We'd just been even higher than the top floor, but we had to come all the way down to the first and take the elevator again. That was the thought that crossed my mind.
Living without windows suggested the Twilight Guild Master might be a real closed-minded type.
No matter how much money and top-tier gear support they offered, if the guild master was "Not For Sale," there'd be no way out.
If he had no intention of letting Yena go no matter what I offered, we'd truly be out of options.
'On the other hand, the fact that he's meeting me so readily gives me some hope...'
Bringing Yena into my guild was critically important—something I desperately wanted—so the tension was high.
Ding—
Lost in all sorts of imaginings about the Twilight Guild Master, we'd already arrived at the top floor.
Vrrr—
"The master's waiting inside."
"Got it~"
As the doors opened, someone standing right there gave us directions before stepping into the elevator and heading down.
She had that polished look of a high-level executive's secretary.
'Maybe I need a secretary too...'
Ever since deciding to form a guild, I'd fallen into the habit of sizing up everyone I met as potential recruits.
Hell, I'd even pitched recruitment to the Crimson Lotus Guild Master, despite getting shot down.
"Hmm, this the place?"
"Yeah! He's gotta be inside."
We stood before a door that screamed "VIP quarters."
"Yena, wait out here."
"Huh?"
"I'll go in alone first and talk. If I need you, I'll call. Cool?"
"...Okay."
It was all for Yena's sake.
If she knew how much was being invested to bring her over, it'd just burden her.
Too much pressure in any field was a bad thing.
She might crumble under it, unable to deliver value whether it was 140 billion or 220 billion poured in.
Above all, I didn't want to have a conversation treating her like merchandise right in front of her.
"Don't go far—just wait right here. It might be dangerous otherwise."
"...Pfft. Got it~"
Of course, my safety came first.
Knock-knock—
"Come in~"
Click—
"Hello. I'm here on Yena's introduction..."
"Ah, yes~ Shin Yujun! I've heard all about you. Have a seat over here."
The Twilight Guild Master, Um Taesu, greeted me warmly the moment I entered.
I'd probably be working under him right now if not for our gracious orphanage director.
Thanks to her, I was enjoying a free life.
Every morning when I woke up, I'd check for new gear forged overnight, then offer thanks to the director without fail.
"Black tea or coffee? Which would you prefer?"
"...Black tea, please."
Um Taesu leisurely took control of the conversation and atmosphere.
This was Twilight Guild territory—his domain—so it was only natural.
All I had to do was avoid getting swept up and seize what I wanted.
"A fine choice."
Um Taesu poured hot water with a faint smile.
The aroma of black tea gently filled the room.
...
Clink.
"Thank you."
He set the teacup before me and took his seat across.
I immediately lifted the cup and took a sip.
'Oh...'
Premium black tea served confidently by a guild master.
Honestly, I had no clue what it tasted like.
"If you're a friend of Miss Yena's, you must be from the orphanage too."
"Yes, that's right."
Slurp—
He sipped his tea, scanning me over like he was appraising me.
Might be an inferiority complex, but his polite demeanor felt laced with subtle condescension.
"I have a tight schedule, so I'll get straight to it. Are you looking for a job?"
Not inferiority, after all.
The moment Yena visited today.
No, probably the instant he recruited her, he'd dug into her activities at the orphanage for the recontract.
Anyone working there could've told him she hung around me daily.
Before I even stepped in, he knew I was an E-rank strength awakener. He probably figured I was mooching off my S-rank childhood friend for an easy life.
"..."
"It's common in this industry, so no need to feel awkward. Hiring one friend to manage an S-rank's mentality is a profitable deal for any guild."
"I see..."
"You're actually on the more conscientious side, Mr. Shin. Leaving the orphanage to strike out on your own—how admirable."
Um Taesu tightroped a strange boundary, spewing words that were infuriating yet hard to snap back at.
'Ah... Should I just summon everything?'
Not just Yena waiting outside, but Chae Yeonhwa, the Saintess, and Hyeji too.
Well, maybe not Hyeji yet.
Anyway, three of my four regulars were S-ranks, and here I was taking this crap.
"Can I talk now?"
"Oh? By all means. Sounds like you have a specific position in mind."
"First, let's clear up a misunderstanding. I'm not an E-rank strength awakener."
"Hmm... I see. Won't matter much once you're managing Kwon Yena going forward."
"Sigh..."
『Recurve Bow (A)』
"Gah!! What the—?!"
Um Taesu jumped in shock as a recurve bow suddenly appeared on the desk.
He was way more startled than I'd expected, leaving me flustered too.
'Come on, you were acting all composed, and now you're freaking out like this?'
"Ack! Cough!... Ahem... What in the world is this...?"
"Pick it up and check the status window."
He eyed me suspiciously but grabbed the recurve bow.
Then he stared blankly into space, rubbing his eyes as he checked the status.
'His pride's in the gutter now...'
I'd hated his smug attitude, but I hadn't expected him to turn this rattled so fast.
"Wh-what is this?! Where did you get it?!"
"I made it. Where else? You think you can just buy something like that?"
"..."
"It's A-grade, for real."
"J-just as I thought!!!"
His hands trembled as he carefully set the recurve bow back on the desk.
"...You hid your awakening ability."
"See for yourself."
"..."
He seemed annoyed by my informal speech now, but he was too shaken to care.
"Upload all the orphanage awakening reports from this year. No, just mine first."
He made a call somewhere, then intently watched a video feed.
"Hmm~"
I had nothing to fear anyway.
This was 100% the guild's—or rather, the director's—fault.
"February..."
The one-month correction period had long passed; the data should've already gone to the Korean Hunter Association.
"Definitely. You reported as a blacksmith, but the grade wasn't..."
"I tried saying EX, but they shut me down. If I'd meant to lie, the detector would've caught it."
"..."
No matter if he was an S-rank or Twilight Guild Master, some things couldn't be helped.
"That doesn't mean I have no way to—"
"Oh? So the Twilight Guild Master has some other trick up his sleeve?"
Sure, he might have options, but would Yena just sit by and watch?
"...My apologies."
Apparently not something he'd risk everything for.
If I'd been even a bit slower, I'd have called Yena in, but he folded quick.
"Now we can finally have a proper talk."
At last, the stage was set for me to respect him and converse like equals.
Slurp—
We returned to our seats across from each other.
I promptly stored the recurve bow from the desk into my inventory and took another sip of tea.
"..."
"I have no choice but to believe... It's already left Twilight's hands, too."
"No need to be that bummed. Why else would I come here and reveal my abilities?"
Legally in the clear or not, there was no need to tip off Twilight Guild unless...
"I'm not asking to join you. Instead, I'm taking Yena with me."
"Pardon...?"
"Her contract ends in 11 months anyway. I'll pay you for all the value she generates in that time."
...
"As you know, Mr. Shin, an S-rank isn't something you can replace with mere money."
"That's why I'm including even the value money can't measure—all in cash."
"...Even if we could quantify it, it'd be an astronomical sum..."
"Twilight Guild Master. Or should I say, Mr. Um Taesu? I've got plenty of money~"
Mouthing that it couldn't be priced, it'd take billions—rejecting verbally, but his brain was surely crunching numbers like mad.
"50 billion."
"Even so..."
"100 billion."
"..."
Still not enough, it seemed.
I could throw out more cash, no problem, but judging by his reaction to the bow, this would hit better.
"I'm planning to sell A-grade gear going forward..."
"Swords too, by any chance...?"
"Oh man~ Forges are full of swords~"
Thud—
"A fine deal."
Swordsmen value blades over gold, after all.