Fierce Training and the Ajusshi Blunder
That afternoon, after returning from the dungeon, I was discussing our beastkin ferocity with Levi Nas. Specifically, how I could awaken mine.
"King, won't it be bad if you get even scarier there?"
"Why?"
"Levi Nas might cry from being scared!"
True enough. Levi Nas had no immunity to fear. It seemed better to build up her fear tolerance rather than unleashing my ferocity and terrifying her every time.
"Then how about we train?"
"Train?"
"Yeah. Training to endure scary things."
"Gasp! That's awesome!"
Thrilled at the idea of becoming tougher, Levi Nas bounced right out of her seat. Her upper body even poked out of the burrow we were in. Her jumping ability really was unmatched.
"Levi Nas will become like Long-Lived Horn Rabbit?!"
Long-Lived Horn Rabbit. The name of the boss horn rabbit we'd all hunted in the dungeon together.
"Yeah. Or maybe even a greater horn rabbit?"
"Gasp! A horn rabbit greater than Long-Lived Horn Rabbit!"
Levi Nas clasped her hands in prayer. It showed just how much she revered Long-Lived Horn Rabbit.
"Then let's..."
Plan out the training, I was about to say, when the familiar sound of a cane approached us. It was Sophia. Sensing my tail swishing, I looked up from the burrow in the direction she was coming from. The closer her cane taps got, the faster my tail wagged.
"You two."
Sophia appeared above the burrow and prodded our heads with her cane. She flipped it to use the clean end, so it didn't hurt.
"Sophia, why...?"
"You've turned the pretty park into a construction site."
"Huh?"
I stepped on a foothold in the burrow and poked my head out to look around. The beautiful park of green grass and flowers had been completely uprooted into bare dirt. We'd just tossed the excavated soil haphazardly nearby.
"It's a park everyone enjoys together. Digging up the ground like this will inconvenience others."
"Sorry..."
Sophia was right. It wasn't even my park, and I'd ruined its scenery. I had nothing to say, even if I had ten mouths.
"Digging is fine, but tidy up around it as you go."
"Y-yes..."
Having been scolded by Sophia made my ears and tail droop. I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason.
"I'm not angry, so don't get too down."
"Okay..."
I'd have to replant the flowers and grass. Decorate it to look pretty again. Come to think of it, no one from the guild had complained about me ruining the park's view. A pang of guilt started to creep in.
"Levi Nas."
"Yeah?!"
"I think we should clean up first."
"Clean?!"
"Yeah."
I nodded and looked up at the guild building. Before tending the park, we'd clean the guild building first. It was the bare minimum repayment from someone who only ever received their care.
"Yeah! Levi Nas likes cleaning!"
"You like cleaning, Levi Nas?"
"No! Levi Nas hates cleaning!"
"Huh?"
She said she liked it, then hated it. I couldn't follow her mood swings.
"Levi Nas hates cleaning, but anything with King is good! So cleaning is good!"
"Ah..."
So doing it with someone you like makes everything fun. I felt the same about Levi Nas.
"I hate cleaning too, but with you, it's fun."
"Wow! Same as Levi Nas?!"
"Yeah."
As I spoke, I glanced up at Sophia. A faint smile played on her lips. No need to say she approved too.
Levi Nas and I wandered the guild building with cleaning tools in hand. We wanted to repay the guild members by cleaning, but we had no idea where to start. Maybe sweep the floors first? But there wasn't a speck of dust.
As I stood there blankly staring at the floor with broom in hand, Yu Sang-ah's voice came from nearby.
"Oh, Gyeowol."
"Hello."
I bowed to her, and Yu Sang-ah approached us. Her eyes were on my broom.
"What are you doing?"
"Um, trying to clean."
"Clean?"
"Yes. I always just receive help from the guild. This time, I wanted to give something back."
Yu Sang-ah smiled and pointed to an elevator. It was the one only executives used—the one we absolutely weren't supposed to approach.
"Then why don't you take that to the Master?"
"The Master?"
"Yeah. The first floor has magic that keeps it perpetually clean."
No way. The pond was kept clean with magic, and now the guild building too? That was robbing cleaning workers of their livelihoods. Feeling like a laborer crushed by corporate tyranny, I looked up at Yu Sang-ah with hollow eyes.
"Th-then how do cleaning workers survive...?"
"Not every area has magic. Just the first floor, where tons of people pass through."
"Ah..."
So they coexist by agreement. I felt relieved the guild didn't tyrannize its workers.
"Hiring people is actually cheaper. But the first floor sees so much traffic, they had no choice but to use magic."
People were cheaper than magic, so worth hiring. It was bittersweet, but not bad when thinking of those making a living from cleaning. Convinced, I turned to the elevator Yu Sang-ah had indicated.
"Can I really take that up...?"
"Yes. No problem."
"Ah..."
She'd said it was for executives. Was it a false rumor? After bidding Yu Sang-ah farewell, Levi Nas and I boarded the elevator.
"King, Master lives at the very top."
"Yeah. Want to press it, Levi Nas?"
"Yeah!"
Levi Nas hit the topmost floor button, and the elevator shot upward. It was so fast we reached the top in no time.
Ding—
The doors opened with a light chime, revealing men in black suits and sunglasses greeting us.
"Ah..."
Guild security. Each one was a monster beyond my level. Their gazes made me shrink instinctively.
"Um, excuse me, cleaning..."
I stared at the floor and held out my broom to the guards. This was the executives-only elevator. Otherwise, they wouldn't have over ten guards posted here.
Oh no...
I hadn't expected guards at the entrance. Would they interrogate me about why I was here? As a non-executive riding the elevator, I might even get disciplined.
"Um, excuse me..."
As I tried to apologize, the guards parted left and right, clearing a path. Like it was fine to pass.
"...?"
Why were they letting me through? No pat-down or anything? Puzzled and peeking at them, Levi Nas suddenly charged down the hall with a kiai.
"Hyah!"
Even as she dashed between the guards, none grabbed or stopped her. Guess passing was okay. I hurried after her.
"King! Here! Here!"
"Y-yeah..."
Levi Nas could be incredibly brave sometimes. Feeling admiration for her, I knocked on what looked like the Master's office door.
Knock knock—
"Come in."
The Master's voice. I cautiously opened the door and peeked in, spotting people seated at a round table.
"Y-you're in a meeting... I'll come back later..."
"It's fine. Come in."
"O-okay..."
I opened the door fully and entered with Levi Nas. The meeting attendees' eyes fixed on us. The Master's gaze was on the broom in my hand.
"Why'd you bring a broom?"
"Cl-cleaning..."
I awkwardly swept the floor with it, mimicking a cleaner while watching the Master nervously.
"Cleaning?"
"Yes. I was going to clean, but maybe I shouldn't have come..."
"No, perfect timing."
The Master slid the refreshments from the table toward us. He'd grabbed everyone's shares, which flustered me a bit.
"But these are for the meeting..."
"Doesn't matter. We set them out for atmosphere, but no one eats them. They get tossed after, so take it all."
The Master glanced at the others in the room. They nodded it was fine. They weren't the usual guild faces—definitely outsiders.
"Wow! Snacks!"
Levi Nas bounced beside the Master. She already had one in each hand. Since he'd permitted it, I let her enjoy.
"Mas..."
I started to say "Master" but clamped my mouth shut. Last time, he'd specifically told me to call him Ajusshi. It was rude, but it was his order. I couldn't refuse.
"Ajusshi..."
The moment I said it, everyone in the room flinched. They all stared at me with trembling pupils.
"Ajusshi...?"
"Hah..."
Shocked and questioning expressions turned my way. That's when I realized my mistake.
"Ah..."
I really shouldn't have said Ajusshi. He was the Master of the strongest guild, after all. I was doomed. What now? Hands on my ears, I froze in place.