Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Honorable Hyeji (1)
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She'd sent a note so casually just three hours ago, so it was probably nothing serious...
Clinging to that thought, I tamped down my anxiety and hurriedly fired up the forge.
"Saintess! Is something wrong?!"
"Eep...!"
"Saintess?!!"
"...Y-Yes...? Boastful Blacksmith...?"
"Are you okay right now?!"
"Hoo... What brought that on all of a sudden...?"
"Ah... I couldn't get hold of you, so I thought something might've happened..."
"Oh... Sorry. I had something urgent come up and couldn't check..."
Thank goodness she wasn't in any real danger.
In the end, I'd turned into the jerk invading her privacy.
"I'm sorry. I was so worried I connected without asking. Sorry again for interrupting whatever important business you had."
"N-No, it's fine..."
There were still four days until the Holy Nation was supposed to enter that S-rank gate, so I hadn't thought they'd gone in already—but even without an S-rank gate, the saintess's situation wasn't exactly safe by default.
Her sleep schedule probably varied by her daily routine, and if she was focused on something else like now, delayed replies were inevitable.
The problem was I had no way to tell if a delay meant real danger or not.
Which meant incidents like this could happen anytime.
"As an apology, I'll lend you some gear."
"What? No need...!"
I immediately sent the saintess a contract.
"Sign it quick. I'm just lending it till the S-rank gate clear so I can relax."
"Thank you so much... I always end up owing you, Boastful Blacksmith..."
The transaction with buyer 'Holy Piss' has been completed! Contract conditions must be fulfilled and can only be voided by mutual agreement.
"It's a ring that generates a protective barrier once per day if you're attacked. Wear it at all times, and if anything happens, contact me before the barrier breaks."
"Such precious gear... How can I ever repay this kindness...?"
"Like I said, it's for my peace of mind, so no need to feel burdened."
"Oh! I just checked your note—you were asking for guild name ideas. I think Flex fits best."
"Ah~ I see."
"Yes! Honestly, Boastful Blacksmith-nim's flexes develop this world and make it better. Tons of Awakeners will be waiting for Boastful Blacksmith-nim's flexes!"
"Ah... Thank you..."
"Yep! Thanks to Boastful Blacksmith-nim's flex, Yena and I had such a happy night with the moon... Ahem... We're just happy, that's all..."
"Yeah, yeah... Thanks for the input... Anyway, contact me if anything comes up..."
"Yes! Thank you so much!"
...
"Yena, Hyeji. Our guild name's been set: Flex."
"The saintess hates Yuna too?!!"
"Sorry, didn't ask her..."
"A real guild is finally happening!!"
Yena sulking more over her own idea of Yuna not getting even one vote than the guild name itself. Hyeji just thrilled that the guild was actually forming.
But no matter the situation, nothing was properly registering in my head.
'People are actually waiting for my flex...?'
The saintess's well-meaning words hit me like a truck.
This wouldn't do.
People genuinely excited, eagerly awaiting new updates.
This was the exact opposite of a flex.
I vowed to be more careful and thoughtful from now on, delivering only proper flexes.
The moment the guild name was decided, I sent it to Chae Yeonhwa along with the initial three members' names.
"Alright~ Guild creation's official tomorrow at 3 p.m. Let's do a final rundown and celebrate."
Her reply came right away: Just visit the Korean Hunter Association at 3 p.m. tomorrow for guild creation.
Everything really was ready except the naming.
Anyway, we'd be operating as an official guild starting tomorrow, so there was a ton to cover today.
First up: clear hierarchy.
"You both know this, but I'm guild master... Hold on. Yena, this is okay with you, right?"
"Of course~ You prepared everything, Yujun~"
My abilities aside, I'd pulled in Crimson Lotus Guild, so it made sense for me to be master.
But forming a guild had been a goal we'd discussed long ago with Yena.
Things were ambiguous on who was above or below, and more than that, assuming it was obvious could build resentment, so better to confirm.
I'd just weathered Yena's inexplicable anger earlier, so caution was key.
"We're starting this together, after all. Anyway, I'm guild master, Yena's vice master. Everyone knows, right?"
I said "everyone," but it was basically just telling Hyeji.
I'd only invited her to join my guild without sharing much info, so she wasn't fully briefed.
"Wh-What about me? I'm initial member too—am I just a regular guild member??"
"Hmm..."
A fair question.
She had the symbolism of being one of the first three, plus S-rank—or higher—potential. No way I'd waste her as a regular member.
"Let's settle that first? Yeah, regular treatment might feel unfair."
"Mm! Mm!"
"Yena's our top firepower as vice master—no complaints there, right?"
"Nope! She's S-rank Awakener!"
"So what position for a C-rank Awakener? Yena's the only one with guild experience here, so her input sounds good."
I'd be Flex Guild Master soon, Hyeji a proper Flex guild member, but we had zero experience.
Yena, though? Seasoned pro with time in Korea's #3 guild, Twilight.
She knew guilds best.
"Yena, thoughts? What suits Hyeji?"
"In Twilight, C-ranks... combatants? Regular guild members."
"Th-That's 'cause Twilight's a massive guild!"
True enough.
With just three members, everyone had to pull double duty.
"Right~ Like Hyeji says, our Flex Guild's a tiny outfit..."
"Loyalty lacking—deduct 5 points."
"Eeeek...! That's not what I—!"
"Plus you chomped a B-rank gear. Incompetence—deduct 10 points."
"Ahh, th-that was..."
Come to think of it, that B-rank gear might as well have never existed.
I'd said it was fine, and a single B-rank wasn't a big deal, but I needed to know how she'd wrecked it so fast.
"How'd you even break a B-rank? If you'd brought the pieces, I could've repaired it..."
"Huh?! You can fix it?!!"
"...You just ditched it?"
"N-No... I mean... Orcs kept chasing, so I threw everything and ran..."
"Throw it at orcs—what happens?"
"My body gets lighter..."
...
I was so flabbergasted I just gaped like a fish. Yena, who'd been listening quietly, finally chimed in.
"Yujun, wanna try saving someone else?"
"Kuhhheeeeee!!! I did wroooong—I'll just be a regular member—!!"
"Told you already—crying won't fix it. Didn't the orphanage teach you society's hell?"
"Sob... Forgive meee... Next time gear breaks, I'll bring every piece..."
"I've thought it over, and there's a rank perfect for you, Hyeji."
"R-Really...?"
"Yeah, even better than regular member. You're initial crew, and with good gear, you could jump straight to A- or S-rank, right?"
"Yes! Invest in me!!"
"How's Honorary Guild Member?"
"Honorary?!!"
"Yep. From now on, you'll be the only one with that title. Forever."
"Sweet! What's Honorary get over regular!?"
I had zero intention of kicking Hyeji out.
Teasing her was fun, and she'd messed up, so this was penance WWE-style.
Then it hit me: a way to leverage it.
"It means you work for the guild out of pure honor. Rack up enough, and you could out-honor even me, the guild master."
"...What good's honor...?"
"You get free gear loans from me."
"For real?!"
"Yeah, remember that A-rank I made?"
"Yep yep!"
"Yena, show her."
"...You sure?"
"Same guild member now."
"Still nervous..."
Yena reluctantly pulled out Eye of the Storm, face uneasy.
It'd only been a day since they met, but Hyeji clearly didn't inspire trust.
Still, she didn't refuse my request and showed it off.
"What rank you think this is?"
"Eh... A...?"
"Would I handle an A-rank this delicately?"
"N-No way...!"
"Yep. Get honorary enough, and you can hit S-rank too."
"I'll do honorary guild member!!!"
"Great. All your guild activity pay is in honor points. Basic living stipend covered, of course."
"Mmh...!"
"You'll repay the honor debt for that B-rank you ate, obviously?"
"...Yeah..."
"But I'll front you an A-rank loan now."
"I'll do it no matter what!!!"
"Sign here, and it's yours—an A-rank gear."
"Yujun... Thank you so much..."
The transaction with buyer 'Solo Level Up' has been completed! Contract conditions must be fulfilled and can only be voided by mutual agreement.
"Whoa, whoaaa... A-rank gear..."
"Does this make me A-rank right away?"
"Yep. Gear alone does it."
Yena peered curiously—it was her first time seeing one, despite hearing about it.
I was excited too; this was the highest-grade gear I could provide right now.
"I'm A-rank noooow!!!!!"
...
"...Did it work?"
"No... Normally blue orbs come out of old gear and absorb into me..."
...
"Y-Yujun..."
"Why not? Skill cooldown or something??"
"...Says I lack qualifications..."
"Qualifications? What qualifications all of a sudden?"
"Sob... Grade gap too big..."
"What?"
Still baffled, I pressed—then Yena sighed, hand to forehead.
"Sigh... Can't you not jump straight from C to A?"
"Ah..."