The Manager's Iron Fist and a Relieved Heart
"Hmm..."
Watching Yunjae, who stood in silent composure while radiating the sheer aura of a strict administrator, the S-class hunters found themselves strangely unable to move.
S-Something is weird!
Was it because he had wiped out thousands of monsters in a single blow during the random portal incident? No, this was different. For some reason, they felt an instinctual urge that they must never cross this administrator. They could only exchange uneasy glances.
Even the words Slender Forearms floating above his head didn't seem funny anymore. They were completely frozen!
"We aren't here to fight you. We just want everyone to respect basic boundaries."
Having regained much of her confidence thanks to his support, Mari spoke up and handed the floor back to Yunjae. Meeting her grateful gaze, Yunjae offered a gentle smile.
"I think the main issue is that you all lack unity!"
His voice had returned to its usual bright, clear tone, but everyone flinched and stared at him.
"Unity...?"
"Are you speaking casually to us?"
"...sir."
They had already witnessed how he was still holding a grudge against Gyojin. While he was fundamentally a sweet, gentle soul who would make an easy friend, crossing him would make him an unimaginably troublesome enemy.
"I mean, community service isn't actually that hard! We just set a schedule, go somewhere together, do some hard work, and take a group photo at the end!"
"But we don't really have a reason to do that... sir."
"That's usually for C-class or lower-ranked hunters..."
"It's different when you do it. After all, you have fame and recognition. People recognize you on the streets. If people like you step up to help, it will carry far more weight. And it will do wonders for the Blast Guild's public image!"
Having worked in the marketing department, Yunjae had experienced firsthand just how abysmal the Blast Guild's reputation was.
"How long are we going to be called money-grubbing slaves of capitalism! It's time to wake up!"
So now, I will take charge and drag this image out of the gutter!
"I've already checked everyone's schedules. Your weekends are clear, so we'll be going on a team-building hike!"
A team-building hike, of all things!
"U-Uh..."
Everyone recoiled. Yet, no one present seemed to possess the courage to douse the flames of this fired-up workaholic.
"Of course, if you have personal plans, please let me know in advance. I'll make sure to remember. I'll never forget it. For the rest of my life."
T-This guy! He's going to hold a grudge!
If they skipped without a valid excuse, they would be blacklisted forever!
It seemed he was fully prepared to whip even the S-class and A-class hunters into shape. It was true that they had enjoyed a cushy, untouchable status until now. Even if they acted out, the ordinary human managers of the support department couldn't do anything to them, fearing retaliation too much to even report them to the higher-ups.
And Ryu Taejun, knowing this, rarely interfered as long as they remained efficient, regardless of their contract terms.
But now, a massive problem had arisen. The new administrative assistant-turned-manager was not only the strongest awakened being on Earth, but he was also incredibly meticulous.
They all knew how desperately Taejun wanted to recruit Yunjae. And since they had witnessed during the random portal incident that Yunjae alone could replace their entire roster, they knew Taejun would gladly discard all of them to keep Yunjae.
We might actually get fired!
Of course, they would be welcomed with open arms by any other guild, but none could match the scale of the Blast Guild. The perks of Blast were unparalleled: high survival rates due to powerful teammates, and stable, massive payouts driven by the guild's exceptional business acumen. Losing that would be a devastating blow.
"No one has any personal plans, right?"
"U-Uh, right."
"Great! I'll take your word for it. Now that I've delivered all the announcements, let's get along well from now on!"
How could he sound so bright and cheerful right after making such a chilling declaration!
"It's best for everyone to get along. As long as we respect each other's boundaries, we'll never have to frown at each other. Neither you, nor I."
At the words of their new manager, "Slender Forearms," indicating that this would suffice, everyone reluctantly nodded.
"...We're just hiking that day, right?"
"Actually, I'm thinking of having the support department join us! Field agents and office staff need to collaborate, but after working in support, I realized there's a complete lack of communication. We're supposed to help each other, but everything is too one-sided right now."
"Wait, isn't that a bit much?"
"Why is that?"
"Well, because they're just ordinary humans..."
At that moment, Yunjae let out a soft chuckle.
"You don't happen to think you're better than ordinary humans just because you're awakened, do you?"
As he spoke while looking directly at Gyojin, everyone fell dead silent.
"Because if that's the case, I will treat you exactly the way you treat them."
If ability and power are the only metrics that matter, then I'll play by those rules too!
A shiver ran down their spines. His voice was undeniably sweet and gentle, yet it carried a terrifying undertone.
"I might be a game character, but you are all human beings. Fellow humans shouldn't treat each other like that."
Though his words carried a faint, melancholic ring.
Yunjae...
But he quickly clapped his hands with a soft chuckle.
"Then we'll stop here for today! I believe the message has been delivered, so I'll see you all this weekend! If I have any other business with you, I'll contact you individually!"
"Good job!"
"That was amazing!"
Unlike his usual timid self, he had shown quite a bit of charisma today. Akemi and Suyeon, who had always disliked how awakened hunters looked down on ordinary humans, looked thoroughly refreshed.
"Mister!"
Even Taerin, who didn't care about the details and just loved being near Yunjae, chimed in!
"Honestly, I was so nervous. It's my first time in a managerial role..."
"Me too."
Turning to Mari as she let out a sigh of relief, his expression softened with sympathy. He knew she had been incredibly stressed about this. Though Yunjae fundamentally disliked using power to dominate others, perhaps his firm stance today had been entirely for her sake.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just nervous at first, but now that we've done it, it's really nothing!"
As long as he was by her side, there was nothing to fear. Seeing Mari's bright smile, Yunjae beamed in return, when—
"Hmph!"
"Ah!"
Taerin suddenly covered Yunjae's eyes.
"Forget about that old lady! She'll be in her forties in ten years!"
"I won't be in my forties, I'll be thirty-seven! You little brat!"
"It's basically the same thing! Thirty-seven, forty, what's the difference!"
How could a five-year-old be so precocious!
"Ugh..."
She was truly Taejun's daughter. Mari looked utterly exhausted, realizing she had met an incredibly formidable opponent.
"My stomach hurts from all that tension."
"Ah! Mari! Should I cast Cure?"
"No, it's not that bad. I think I just need some fresh air."
With him always ready to cast recovery magic whenever she felt even slightly unwell, she had been completely spared from physical exhaustion or suffering lately.
"Mister, do you like that old lady? Why are you so nice to her?"
"Ah! I-I'm just nice to everyone!"
"Think about twenty years from now! I'll be twenty-five, and she'll be forty-seven! You have to keep that in mind!"
It was an incredibly pragmatic point, highly fitting for Taejun's daughter.
"...But by then, I'll be nearly a hundred years old."
Indeed, his age was the real issue. Having been sucked into Mamon Saga at twenty and spending fifty-seven years there, his chronological age was seventy-seven.
At that moment, Yunjae cried out as if he had just had a sudden realization.
"I went to an arts high school where the female-to-male ratio was over nine-to-one, and I even did b-boying, yet I've been single for seventy-seven years! I used to get thirty or forty chocolates every Valentine's Day, and I got confessed to at least three times a week..."
Putting it into numbers made the reality embarrassingly tragic.
"I can't take this! Living a life like that and still being single for eighty-seven years would be too miserable!"
"Boo! Seventy-seven, eighty-seven, what's the difference!"
"Ah! It is a difference! If I wait another ten years, I might end up in the afterlife!"
Though he had been momentarily swayed by Taerin's logic, his senses had fully returned. His desperate cry made everyone burst into laughter.
"No! I'm going to marry you, Mister! Even if you have a secret second family, I'll wait for you!"
"Ah! I haven't even been in a relationship yet, so why am I already having a second family?!"
"You're the only one for me, Mister!"
As the side effects of her K-drama obsession finally reared their head, Mari clicked her tongue.
"Anyway, let's go outside for a bit. We need some fresh air."
"Yes, Mari! Especially since Taerin is currently attempting a rear naked choke on me..."
"Aw! My hands keep slipping!"
Seeing the physical attack prompt pop up for the first time in a while, Mari let out a snort of laughter.
"Taerin might not be able to, but I can! I'll rescue Yunjae from his single life!" Akemi chimed in, seizing the opportunity.
"How does a chick chirp?" Taerin asked with a sullen face, throwing out a sudden riddle.
"Huh? So suddenly? Is it a trick question? A chick goes..."
While Akemi tilted her head in confusion, the five-year-old delivered a savage blow with a straight face.
"Flat, flat."
"I'm not that flat!"
As expected of the daughter of the world's strongest mental-type awakened, she was incredibly adept at psychological warfare.
"Haha."
Suyeon let out an awkward laugh, clearly not expecting Taejun's daughter to have such a colorful personality.
"Mister! Don't get close to that lady! She's dangerous!"
Having deemed Suyeon a major threat, Taerin clung to Yunjae even tighter.
"Huh? B-But she's perfectly fine now!"
"She means you're pretty. Don't take it to heart," Mari clarified, making Suyeon smile in embarrassment.
"...Demian must have suffered so much. I'm sure of it."
Demian was probably the type who couldn't say no either.
"Anyway, let's head out now."
"Yes! Taerin, you need to calm down too!"
At those words, Taerin seemed to realize something.
"Hmph! You keep treating me like a kid! Just you wait! In ten years, I'll be the prettiest of them all! We'll settle this then!"
It seemed this clever child had realized she couldn't win the battle in her current state. Since she would only be treated as a child right now, she decided to bide her time for the next ten years!
"Ah! I'd actually be very grateful for that! Thank you!"
Pouring his heart out, Yunjae carried Taerin in his arms as they walked out of the Blast Guild headquarters.
"Have you been well?"
Hearing a familiar voice, the eyes of Yunjae, Mari, Akemi, and Suyeon all widened in surprise.
"Demian!"
"Huh? Wasn't he Damion?"
"Ah, Damion wears a black shirt! The white shirt is Demian!"
"Huh? What on earth does that mean...?"
Meeting them after a while, Demian tilted his head, utterly baffled by the strange shirt-color distinction.
"B-But what brings you here!"
Yunjae asked, his face a mix of delight and sheer panic. After all, the girl currently snuggled tightly in his arms was...
To think a seventy-seven-year-old lifelong solo like me would cause Demian to suffer a heartbreak!
This was Ariel, the girl presumed to be Demian's future lover.
Looking at Yunjae's deeply apologetic face, Demian spoke with a puzzled expression.
"Ah, I actually came to introduce Ariel..."
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I'm truly, deeply sorry, Demian!"
"Excuse me?"
"Ariel isn't Ariel anymore, she's Taerin! The future is no longer...!"
At that moment, a stunning Black woman with beautiful dark skin stepped out from behind Demian. Both she and Demian tilted their heads, completely lost.
"This is my girlfriend, Ariel... We came together to express our gratitude..."
At that moment, Yunjae froze in absolute shock.
"Huh?!"
Hearing his unusually loud gasp, Mari and Akemi—who were just as surprised but found the situation infinitely more hilarious—burst into fits of laughter.
"...Huh?"
Even Suyeon stood there, completely oblivious to what was happening!
"W-Wait a minute! You're Ariel?! But Taerin is...!"
"That's right. I'm Ariel too," the woman replied.
When a thoroughly flustered Yunjae gestured to Taerin in his arms, Demian let out an understanding "Ah!" and nodded.
"Ah, she must be Taejun's daughter. I believe she just happens to share the same English name, Eriel."
Oh my god...
So Demian wasn't a lolicon after all! No, more importantly, they had absolutely no romantic connection!
"T-Then the reason you two clashed in the future was..."
"We clashed a lot over business matters. We were competing over major dungeon raids and contracts, so things naturally got tense. Taejun's personality is such that he can't stand not being at the very top..."
Given Taejun's pragmatic nature—believing that once his daughter turned fifteen, she should fend for herself—there was absolutely no reason for them to clash over anything other than business. Realizing this belatedly, Yunjae's mind went completely blank.
"Though that won't be happening anymore!"
"Neither of us wants that kind of future. There won't be any need to form the Nemesis Guild."
Having reunited with his beloved Ariel and overcome the trauma of Kadmus, Demian looked incredibly happy.
"But is something wrong? You look incredibly shocked."
Unable to admit that he had mistaken him for a lolicon, Yunjae laughed awkwardly and shook his head.
"O-Oh, it's nothing."
Realizing that he was the one who had almost looked like a lolicon through his wild misunderstandings, Yunjae let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"I'm so sorry for everything, Demian!" he apologized.
"No, seriously, why are you apologizing...?"
Watching Demian look utterly bewildered, Mari and Akemi were practically suffocating from trying to hold back their laughter.
"Ugh... I can't breathe..."
"It's nothing! Really, it's nothing!"
Seeing the two girls laughing hysterically and Yunjae flustered out of his mind, Demian and Ariel couldn't help but chuckle along, even though they had no idea what was going on.
"Anyway, I'm really, really sorry!"
I'm so sorry for misunderstanding you as a lolicon!
Watching him offer such a sincere, heartfelt apology for a reason he couldn't speak aloud, Ariel, Demian's actual girlfriend, laughed warmly.
"You really are an entertaining person."
In truth, she didn't know all the details. She had simply heard from Demian that they were lovers in the future, and that she had been the anchor connecting his past and future memories. It must have taken a tremendous amount of effort and explanation to make her believe it. But once Ariel understood the truth, the two had naturally fallen back into each other's arms.
"Can we continue to trust you with the future of humanity?"
"Ah! Well, since I'll be going on team-building hikes on weekends now, if there's ever an emergency, please let me know two weeks in advance! So I can clear my schedule!"
"Are you going to save the world based on your weekend schedule?"
"Ah, well, as an administrator, I expect to be quite busy, so..."
As Ariel's eyes widened at his schedule management—which was rapidly evolving into that of a middle-aged department manager obsessed with weekend hiking—Demian chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Anyway, when you have time, let me buy you all a drink. I promise I won't need to book three unused hotel suites like last time!"
"Yes, yes! Let's do that!"
Feeling immensely guilty, Yunjae would have agreed to absolutely anything. As he nodded eagerly, Taerin, still cradled in his arms, piped up with an excited expression.
"A double date!"
"Huh?"
At her words, Demian and Ariel both flinched.