Overthrow the Spirit King (2)

Jeong Ri-on and Mulsuja were strolling through the Phoenix Resort.

They were heading to the meeting spot to escort Kang Hyunwoo into the Water Park.

"You've really gone all out, haven't you?"

At Mulsuja's words, Jeong Ri-on tilted his head as if he didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

"What else? The Water Park. It's all coming out of the guild master's pocket."

Jeong Ri-on shrugged. "A few bucks for a junior? Not a big deal. Especially one contracted to a Spirit King's successor."

"Spirit King's successor... It's still astonishing, even thinking about it now."

Jeong Ri-on cocked his head at Mulsuja's words. "Astonishing? You mean Aqua's true nature? Wasn't that obvious?"

Mulsuja bristled and shouted, "If it was that obvious, why didn't you tell us sooner?! Do you know how hard it was keeping a straight face?!"

As Mulsuja raised her voice, Jeong Ri-on's sylphs swiftly perched on his shoulders and head, arms crossed.

[How ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dare the vice-captain yell at the captain!]

[The Knights are totally upside down!]

[Next she'll be talking down to him!]

Mulsuja shook her head in disbelief. Her undines took up the offense instead.

[Anyone would think you were the captain!]

[Weakling sylphs acting all high and mighty!]

[W-what? Weaklings? You always lose in spars!]

[There are three of us! Only two of you!]

[Numbers are just numbers! We're stronger, that's a fact!]

[And you lost to Aqua alone!]

[What?! We didn't lose! Fights are best of three!]

Jeong Ri-on watched the bickering undines and sylphs for a moment before asking, "Didn't the Fire Spirit King tell you not to talk about the successor?"

[Oh, yeah. He said not to mention successors in the human world.]

"Why?"

[Beats us.]

The sylph shrugged nonchalantly.

This time, Mulsuja asked, "You guys aren't usually the type to follow a Spirit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠King's orders so obediently, are you?"

The sylphs exchanged glances and whispered, "The Fire Spirit King is kinda scary."

[He gets mad if you disobey.]

[Ugh, just thinking about it...]

The sylphs huddled together, trembling. The undines wore similar expressions.

Mulsuja nodded in understanding.

The group's silence lasted only a short while on the path before Jeong Ri-on broke it abruptly. "What a tempting newbie."

"Newbie?"

"I mean Junior Kang Hyunwoo."

"Ah, the topic changed again."

Jeong Ri-on's eyes gleamed like a scholar observing a fascinating specimen. "My current mood? It's like a gym coach watching a cocky middle-schooler brag after beating three adults at 500 push-ups, oblivious to how impressive he is."

"...What does that even mean? Explain it so I can understand."

"Simply put... Yeah. Like a village matchmaker spotting a country girl who doesn't know she's beautiful, wandering around all natural and unadorned."

"Why give such a weird example when you said you'd explain it simply?"

"Weird? It's perfect for a newbie shaking up us veterans!"

Jeong Ri-on chuckled softly. "Junior Kang Hyunwoo will go all the way to the top. Just nurture him a bit, and he'll reach the summit."

"Sure. His spirits are one thing, but he's smart as hell himself."

"I nearly fell over when I saw that technique he developed with Aqua."

"Oh, the Destruction Orb?"

Mulsuja chuckled. "Naming sense aside, it was incredible. Who knew he could pull that off... The other water spirit users in the Knights would faint hearing about it."

"Yeah, I really wanna raise him."

Jeong Ri-on looked at Mulsuja with the eyes of a kid begging for a toy. "How do I get Junior Kang Hyunwoo under me? I'd even sacrifice my salary to keep him."

"You lost the bet to Jang Gilsan, so no scouting."

"That's the problem! Should've gone all out back then."

"An S-rank going full throttle against an F-rank? You might've won the bet but lost his respect."

Jeong Ri-on sighed. "Jang Gilsan that fox... He calculated I'd hold back and that Hyunwoo would shine anyway."

"That's why he's heir to a major guild."

Mulsuja gathered her thoughts and spoke. "If you really want him that bad, build a rep as a mentor? Plenty of spirit users wanna learn from you now. Prove you're a great teacher, and someday Hyunwoo might come asking."

"But they're not appealing. One-sided clinginess is boring. Even mentor-disciple needs some push-pull."

Mulsuja shook her head at the nonsense, but Jeong Ri-on was lost in his own world. "Look at Kang Hyunwoo, though. He asks just for training methods, determined to do it himself. Bet he's acing it. He'll keep that up—minimal help, all on his own. Such a proud newbie!"

"...Proud newbie? What's that?"

Jeong Ri-on clucked his tongue pityingly. "Play some games. You wouldn't get it."

"Do your job instead of gaming! I'm covering for you as captain!"

Mulsuja exploded for the second time. The sylphs and undines jumped in, turning the scene into chaos in seconds.

* * *

I arrived at the meeting spot with Aqua, Jang Gilsan, and his secretary.

It was the underground parking lot of the VIP building.

"Right on time."

Jeong Ri-on and Mulsuja were already there.

"Jang Gilsan, good to see you."

Jeong Ri-on shook hands with Jang Gilsan. They smiled, but Jang Gilsan's was purely professional.

"Likewise. We meet often."

"That doesn't sound like 'wish we met less,' does it? This way!"

Jeong Ri-on grinned slyly and led us.

We'd chosen the underground to dodge scouts—and it was a shortcut.

Phoenix Resort buildings are all connected underground anyway.

Near the VIP building, screen doors blocked outsiders even below ground, minimizing unwanted encounters.

At the Water Park screen door, Jeong Ri-on smoothly opened the staff passage.

"Staff ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠corridor?"

"Shortcut."

We followed through the narrow, winding path.

"Here we are."

Jeong Ri-on opened the final door. A vast space unfolded before us.

I looked around in awe.

A massive Water Park stretched out.

So the staff path connects like this.

Domed ceiling, twisting attractions from above, pools of every shape and depth. The enormous indoor-outdoor Water Park was silent, emptied for the night.

"Thanks to our guild master's boundless generosity, we're opening just for you tonight."

I surveyed the empty Water Park with fresh wonder.

An abandoned amusement park felt surreal, like magic was afoot.

[Wow...!]

Aqua's entranced voice drew my gaze. Her eyes sparkled like stars.

[Is this a Water Park? Incredible!]

Aqua buzzed like a kid at her first theme park.

[Si-sit! Si-si-sit!]

Mandu perked up on Aqua's head like a meerkat, sensing fun ahead.

No worries about her fearing water after the ocean incident.

[This'll be super fun!]

[Aqua! Play together after training!]

[Of course!]

The sylphs chuckled at Aqua.

[Aqua's such a country bumpkin spirit!]

[Never been to a Water Park!]

[We've played here till we're sick of it!]

[We'll show you the best stuff!]

[Ooh! Really?!]

We toured the Water Park briefly.

Aqua was too hyped for training otherwise.

Phoenix Resort's Water Park was enormous. The quick look took nearly 20 minutes.

[Ooooh! Humans are amazing! A playground made of water!]

Aqua, riding my neck, beamed around. She whipped her head so much that Mandu, dizzy on my crown, retreated to my pocket.

[Si-si-sit!]

Of course, Mandu hadn't lost interest. It flicked its tongue, eyeing everything.

Aqua fixated on the attractions.

[What's that?]

"Attractions. Water slides and such."

[Ooh! In the Spirit Realm, undines and I slid down rock slides!]

I pictured Aqua and undines cheering as they whooshed between rocks. My cheeks hurt from smiling.

[Aqua! That's super fun!]

[You gotta try it! Gotta!]

Mulsuja's undines clustered around Aqua, chattering.

[That one's fun too!]

[It's one of our Big Three!]

[The other two are over there!]

The sylphs pretended nonchalance, flitting over Aqua's head, pointing out highlights.

After touring indoors ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and out, we made a promise.

"Playtime after training."

[Naturally! Niagara comes first!]

Aqua nodded sternly, tough on herself.

I stroked her cheek proudly.

[Heehee!]

She smiled shyly, knowing her own cuteness.

I chuckled softly, scooped her up, and eyed the wave pool ahead.

Everything else had shut down, but waves still crashed here, as if waiting.

"Whew..."

I shook my head at the unreal sight.

Renting out the wave pool for surfing...

I turned to Jeong Ri-on.

Before I could speak, he waved it off. "No need for thanks. I told you."

"...Spirit users help each other without reason."

"Right. You'd help a spirit user in trouble someday too, Hyunwoo."

Of course.

But chartering a whole Water Park? The scale's insane.

I couldn't guess the manpower or cost.

"Whew..."

I took a deep breath.

No time to gawk. Not in front of Aqua, as her contractor.

I focused, shaking off the daze.

"Got it. I'll repay this for the spirits' greater good."

"For the spirits' greater good... Nice words."

Jeong Ri-on nodded as Mulsuja said, "I'll call a surfing instructor."

"No need."

I eyed the artificial waves. Manageable height.

"I surfed since high school."

Park Uncle's shop specialized in banana boats and surfing school. I worked surf lessons mostly.

Even had repeat summer students.

One reason I suggested surfing for Aqua: I could teach her.

I'm no pro...

But basics for Aqua? Easy.

I began stretching slowly.

Time to show Aqua something cool.