Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Pilgrim Guild House Call
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Today's house calls were for mid-sized guilds, more or less.
First Union Guild, then Haetae Guild.
Of course, things hadn't gone smoothly with Haetae, but this was my way of balancing things out before anyone could complain that I was only favoring the big guilds.
Honestly, the idea that I was controlling the schedule was pretty funny. From the start, I'd thought we should prioritize visits to smaller guilds that desperately needed the association's support over the major ones.
It only clashed mildly with the association's stance of prioritizing large guilds.
My thinking was fundamentally sound, anyway.
Large guilds had far more robust systems in place than small ones, so their hunters were exposed to far less unnecessary mental strain.
Today's guild was Pilgrim.
Seol Yu-wol and I left the association building straightaway to head there.
Even mid-sized guilds weren't exactly strapped for cash.
Guilds weren't something you could just throw together on a whim, after all.
They had buildings—just not massive ones.
It was close enough to walk, so we could get a proper feel for bodyguard duty...
That's when my thoughts were interrupted. At the association's main gate, a familiar face was waiting for us.
It was Mary.
She'd been leaning against a pillar with her arms crossed, and upon spotting us, she approached slowly.
I glanced at Seol Yu-wol, worried she might shrink back, but she seemed utterly unbothered.
But Mary's eyes told a different story. She clearly didn't like the sight of Seol Yu-wol practically glued to my arm.
"Yu-wol, come here for a sec."
Mary walked up and called her aside.
Since this was master's territory, I gave Seol Yu-wol's shoulder a light pat and sent her off.
"Didn't I tell you? Yu-wol's my bodyguard."
Mary's voice was icy.
"I know."
Seol Yu-wol replied softly.
Was she getting chewed out because of me?
"Sigh..."
Mary pressed a hand to her forehead.
"...You need to grasp the whole perimeter. Not stick right next to him—from a distance."
"Got it."
"So why is the bodyguard plastered to the protectee...?"
"Teacher told me to stick close."
"Pardon...?"
Mary's gaze shifted to me.
Yeah, better me than her.
I cleared my throat and walked over.
"Something up?"
"Seon-woo, did you tell her to stick close?"
"Yeah. I did."
I answered nonchalantly.
Mary tilted her head in surprise.
"Why?"
Her question left me momentarily speechless.
Because I didn't want Seol Yu-wol wandering off?
Honestly, that distance would've been fine.
It was more like an overreaction stemming from yesterday's backlash.
I had nothing to say.
So I decided to stick to my guns.
I stared at Mary with a playful grin.
"Wanna stick close too...?"
"Sure—"
Mary started to reply, then coughed and straightened up.
"We'll talk about that later. For now, she's gotta learn the job."
She shook her head vigorously, slipping back into master mode.
"So, walk a bit further back. That okay with you?"
She even checked with me again. Mary was respecting me completely.
"Yeah. Thanks."
I had to respect her as my master, too.
At my words, Mary's cheeks flushed faintly as she said,
"And... that outfit looks good on you today."
"Yeah? Thanks."
"Yeah... Wear it like that more often."
With that, Mary headed toward Seol Yu-wol.
I took the lead, and Seol Yu-wol and Mary naturally fell into position about five steps back, one on each side. Proper escort formation.
Guilds were clustered in this area, so we strolled through downtown for a bit.
Eyes turned our way.
Impossible not to, really.
Truth be told, the two women behind me were among the most stunning around.
Not just passing male hunters—all the salarymen, too—had their gazes locked on them.
That's when someone slipped up beside me.
Mary.
"They're staring a lot."
She nodded toward the surroundings.
"Yeah. You okay?"
I replied, concerned for her.
She wasn't the type to enjoy attention...
"No, you. The women are all staring at you."
"Huh?"
They're looking at you guys, why me...?
"That outfit? Forget what I said about wearing it more."
Mary huffed, her expression pouty, then spun on her heel and returned to her spot.
"...?"
I let out a wry chuckle and kept walking.
Before long, we arrived at Pilgrim Guild. It wasn't huge, but the building was neat and well-kept.
I opened the door and stepped in right on time.
"Counselor!"
The moment the door swung open, a woman who'd been waiting anxiously at the entrance greeted me warmly.
Her face rang a bell—she had to be the Guild Master.
For someone of her stature to greet us personally spoke volumes about how badly they needed this visit.
Her gaze lingered on my face for a moment.
"Hold on."
It froze stiff under the overwhelming presence of Seol Yu-wol stepping in front of me.
"Hello. Yoo Seon-woo here."
I gave a slight bow in greeting.
"Ah... Yes! Yes!"
"That's the Guild Master..."
Mary sighed from behind me as she grabbed Seol Yu-wol by the scruff and dragged her off.
"Don't mind her. She's in training."
"Ah... Okay..."
I smiled and approached the master.
Visibly rattled by the intimidation, the Guild Master fumbled as she led us inside.
"This way, then... We've set up the counseling room here!"
I noted the two following with my eyes, then trailed after the master down the hall.
The explanations continued as we walked the corridor.
Regular mental healing sessions for hunters, meditation programs, and so on...
Or high-risk hunters who needed extra attention.
I'd reviewed the files beforehand, so I had a rough idea, but still...
"This isn't a good situation."
It couldn't be anything but bad.
"Yes..."
The master bowed her head deeply.
"These kids trusted me and followed me out... It's just..."
From what I'd heard, they'd split off from somewhere else.
Unavoidably, they lacked the systematic setup of a major guild.
I stopped in front of the counseling room door and pulled out my pen.
"Send them in one by one."
Time to earn my keep.
Yoo Seon-woo began his counseling sessions.
Meanwhile, Seol Yu-wol and Mary waited in the room next door.
They couldn't exactly listen in directly—privacy for the clients and all that—so they weren't joining him.
Instead, if a crisis hit, Seon-woo could press the emergency button hidden in his sleeve, and the two S-Rank bodyguards would rush in.
"......"
"......"
The two faced each other in chilly silence.
Not a word exchanged.
The issue was...
They both had powerful backers.
- So, when do you think those feelings started...?
Seon-woo's counseling voice filtered faintly through the thin wall into the next room.
An ordinary person wouldn't hear a thing.
But as S-Rank hunters, they could pick it up crystal clear with a little focus.
Mary crossed her arms, eyes closed, concentrating on his voice.
'Gotta listen in case something happens. For protection.'
Seol Yu-wol clenched her fists on her lap, ears attuned.
'For oppa.'
Content that would horrify the client if known.
Anyway, the two S-Rank hunters were currently doing the exact same thing, for the exact same reason, pretending not to notice each other.
The session was straightforward: a young A-Rank male hunter.
Lately, he couldn't focus during gate raids.
Seon-woo was probing the reason.
Then—
- So, basically, the Guild Master's so pretty and sexually alluring that you can't concentrate, right?
- ...Pardon?
Mary and Seol Yu-wol both widened their eyes.
Extremely blunt phrasing.
Not the warm, empathetic style of counselor Yoo Seon-woo they'd known.
- Honestly, yeah? She keeps popping into my head, and I lose focus.
- ...Yes! Exactly!
With just a slight prod from Seon-woo,
The dam he'd been holding back burst in a torrent.
- Truth be told, when she wears those sexy stockings that show off her legs, or when her perfume wafts over me right in front of me, it gets me so worked up...
Thus began a fervent confession laced with words too crude to repeat, going on for a good thirty seconds or so.
- Ha... Thank you so much. I finally feel relieved. No one else I could tell...
- That's understandable. I get it.
Even a sigh of relief.
- So, what should I do?
The A-Rank hunter sought final advice.
- Just confess straight up. You're handsome. Bound to work.
- Yes! Thank you!
- Screeech, bang!
The sound of a chair scraping back, then footsteps bolting out.
And right after—
"Noona!!"
The door to the Guild Master's office next to the counseling room burst open.
Then slammed shut.
"......"
"......"
Mary and Seol Yu-wol knew everything but gave no sign.
As the next client entered, the crisp counseling continued.
- Just do it like this.
- Get some sleep.
- Why are you even stressing that?
Incredibly simple, almost bafflingly so.
- Thank you! Thank you!
But the clients' reactions were unanimously glowing.
As if they'd been saved.
Mary rested her chin on her crossed arms.
A side of him she'd... seen before.
Not entirely familiar, but not wholly alien either.
Like...
The Yoo Seon-woo from the Otherworlder quarantine ward, listening to other Otherworlders' stories.
Thus, the final morning session wrapped up just as lunchtime approached.
- Bang.
The counseling room door opened, and Yoo Seon-woo strode out with a satisfied look.
"Let's grab lunch!"
He flashed a refreshing smile.
"Sure."
Mary and Seol Yu-wol rose from their seats.
Just as they opened the waiting room door to head into the hall—
- Tap tap.
"Tough wait?"
Seon-woo patted Mary's hip.
Just like back in the quarantine ward.
Mary's steps froze solid.
Then as now, it wasn't actually her hip he was touching.
She just wanted to believe it was.
Precisely, it was right above her hip, around her slender waist.
But that natural, fluid touch.
This sensation.
This casual, assured attitude.
The familiar hand movements of a man handling his woman, his possession.
This was the side of Seon-woo that had vanished some time ago.
"Yeah..."
As she halted, Seon-woo tapped her waist a couple more times, as if urging her on, puzzled by the hold-up.
- Pat pat.
"Eep..."
- Twitch.
Mary hid her flushed cheeks as best she could and followed him down the hall.
Focusing every nerve on the warm sensation at her waist—or rather, her hip.
The touch she'd been waiting for...