Chapter 190
Chapter 190: Guild Window
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【 HERO GATE 】
Guild Lv.1 (Growth: Initial)
Guild Reputation: [Newborn Guild]
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▣ Guild Master: Kim Rae-won
▣ Vice Guild Master: -
▣ Guild Members: 11/10 (Over Capacity)
▣ Guild Assets: 18,750 Silver coin / 234 Martial Goods
▣ Territory Income: 150 coins/Day
[Emergency! Guild is over capacity. If the guild is not expanded within one week, all guild functions will be suspended!]
═══【 Guild Member Details 】═══
[Jeon Ra-hwa]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━
▸ Position: Guild Member (Vice Administrator)
▸ Combat Level: Intermediate
▸ Status: Normal
▸ Trust Level: [Deep Trust]
▸ Main Specialty: Ice Binding Combat Arts (Training)
▸ Sub Specialty: Operations Management, Education
▸ Current Mission: None
▸ Main Equipment: Heavenly Yin Sect Dharma Maiden's Jade Token
▸ Growth Speed: Very Fast
▸ Potential: Supreme [Special Notes]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Kim Ho-ae]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━
▸ Position: Guild Member
▸ Combat Level: Beginner
▸ Trust Level: [Firm Belief]
▸ Main Specialty: Command Ability
▸ Growth Speed: Fast
━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Kim Ho] - [View Details]
[Kim Uk] - [View Details]
(Lower (7) Members)
═══【 Guild Traits 】═══
▸ [Bond of Heroes]: Strengthens overall guild member cohesion
▸ [???] - Unlocked upon reaching Guild Lv.2
▸ [???] - Unlocked upon reaching Guild Lv.3
═══【 Guild Quests 】═══
▣ In Progress:
▸ (None)
▣ Completed:
▸ [Guild Establishment] - Recruitment of 10 guild members complete
▣ Pending:
▸ [First Mission] - Complete the first commission in the name of Hero Gate
Reward: Guild EXP +100, Guild Member Limit +10
※ Available to proceed.
▸ [Facility Expansion] - Construct 3 new facilities at headquarters
Reward: Guild EXP +100, Guild Member Limit +10
※ Available to proceed.
▣ Emergency:
▸ [Guild Expansion Urgent Task] - Guild expansion required within 7 days
Time Remaining: 6 Days 23 Hours
Penalty: Guild Functions Suspended
※ Immediate action required.
═══【 Hero Gate Headquarters 】═══
▣ Location: Former Iron God Society Site (Gangdo)
▣ Scale: Large
▣ Status: Under Reconstruction (Basic Facilities Complete)
▣ Defense Level: Intermediate
▣ Current Facilities:
▸ Training Grounds - In Operation ▸ Armory - Basic Level ▸ Archives - Under Construction
▣ Constructible Facilities:
▸ Medical Room ▸ Alchemy Workshop ▸ Dormitory ▸ Underground Training Grounds
═══【 External Relations 】═══
▸ Gangdo Government: [Cooperative]
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***
Dong Bong-soo climbed up to the main hall roof of Hero Gate and briefly scanned the activated [Guild Window].
The What is Hero system was fantasy-based by nature, so it had twisted somewhat in the process of intermingling with this world's setting.
Even so, its visibility itself was excellent.
The things that needed to be done immediately were also plainly visible.
[Emergency! Guild is over capacity. If the guild is not expanded within one week, all guild functions will be suspended!]
"What are you staring at like that?"
It was Jeon Ra-hwa, who had by now grown capable of climbing up a roof of this height without a second thought. She quietly approached and stood beside him.
"You."
"Tch. You were staring at empty air and now you're pulling this?"
"Believe it or not, it's up to you."
Strictly speaking, it wasn't wrong.
He had been looking at her in the [Guild Window], after all.
▸ Position: Guild Member (Vice Administrator)
▸ Trust Level: [Deep Trust]
The What is Hero system had automatically recognized her as Vice Administrator, and she was extending [Deep Trust] toward 'Kim Rae-won.'
▸ Main Specialty: Ice Binding Combat Arts (Training)
It recognized the Snow Snow Yin Cold Art as Ice Binding Combat Arts.
▸ Growth Speed: Very Fast
"You're training hard, I see."
"How would you know that? Every evening you're always out gallivanting around."
"There are ways to know everything."
Dong Bong-soo smiled, winking one eye.
"I have several eyes, you see. And one of them is always watching you."
"Telling lies that seriously is a sickness too. You know that?"
"Yeah yeah. Believe it or not, it's up to you."
At his words, Jeon Ra-hwa let out a small laugh.
Dong Bong-soo could feel [Deep Trust] woven into that laugh. Whatever she might say, he could now trust her firmly. And the reverse would work perfectly as well. Whatever he might say, this woman would almost certainly believe it and act on it.
Until the system broke down, that is.
"By the way."
"What?"
Jeon Ra-hwa looked down below. There, the children were fiercely sparring among themselves.
"About managing the children and the sect."
"Yeah. What about it?"
"How long are you going to leave it all to me?"
"Is it too much?"
"It is."
Jeon Ra-hwa raised her head and looked him straight in the eye.
"Honestly speaking. What do I have over those kids? It's the same for all of us — none of us have been free people for more than three or four months……"
"You know more characters."
"That's all."
Dong Bong-soo looked her straight in the eye as well.
"You're an adult."
"Is that important?"
"It is."
"How so?"
"For children, the simple fact that a parent exists carries great meaning in itself."
"……A parent? Me?"
"Then how do you think those children see you?"
"……"
"You're the mother."
He pointed at himself with his index finger and smiled faintly.
"I'm the father."
"H-how does that make sense?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"……"
"It was already decided the moment you took those children in. And over these three months, it will have solidified nearly completely."
"No, no, that's not what I mean—"
"Then what?"
"If I'm the mother and y-you're the fa……ther! That means w……e would be hu……sband and—"
"That's not what I said. Do you want that?"
"No! It's just because you phrased it in a misleading way!"
"I know, I know."
"……"
"No need to get all worked up. It was just an example, an example."
"Tch, things like that don't count as examples. You're going to ruin someone's prospects for marriage."
"Then will you take responsibility?"
"Take responsibility for what?"
"The feedback is really satisfying."
"Feedback?"
"You. I mean you."
"You were teasing me again, weren't you."
"Yep."
"Ugh! Fine! There's no point talking to you any longer, I'm only the one losing out!"
As Jeon Ra-hwa turned away in feigned indignation, Dong Bong-soo spoke to her seriously.
"You're doing well."
Jeon Ra-hwa stopped in her tracks.
Dong Bong-soo walked up and ruffled the top of her head with a smile.
"You're doing well, I said. Just keep doing what you're doing now."
Dong Bong-soo passed by her and leaped down from the roof.
"Oh, and also — could you build a medical room, a workshop, and some more dormitories inside the gate?"
▸ Medical Room ▸ Dormitory
He wasn't quite sure yet what alchemy in What is Hero entailed, but it needed to be built regardless. Whether it was for refining rare metals like gold or for synthesizing magic, it went without saying that it would be of some use.
And furthermore—
▸ [Facility Expansion] - Construct 3 new facilities at headquarters
※ Available to proceed.
The guild quests needed to be carried out steadily from now on as well.
"Always just handing out work. Goodness…… Where are you off to again?"
Jeon Ra-hwa fixed her ruffled hair belatedly and called out loudly.
To which Dong Bong-soo simply raised a hand and waved it lightly in reply.
"Out for a stroll."
***
A stroll.
It refers to stepping out briefly to a nearby place for leisure.
And Dong Bong-soo had gone out to 'play' like that every single day for nearly three months without missing a day.
Having left Hero Gate, Dong Bong-soo wound through winding and twisted paths and arrived at an old teahouse.
Cree-eak.
The door sound, old and worn enough to be unpleasant to the ears.
Of course, by now it was familiar. The same went for the tobacco smoke mixed with a stench that seemed like the scent of tea yet was not quite the scent of tea.
"You're a little late to work today, aren't you?"
"What do you mean, work? Anyone who heard that would think I was actually a beggar."
"Huh? Weren't you?"
Dong Bong-soo merely curled the corners of his lips and let it slide past him without a second thought, then pulled back a chair and sat. Across from him, naturally as though it were already decided, the middle-aged beggar with a scraggly beard who had just spoken took a seat opposite him.
"I thought you were one of our kind since you showed up every day without fail?"
"Cut the stale talk — what's the work for today?"
The middle-aged beggar, Ten Thousand Things Known Proprietor Bae Dal-pae, promptly poured a cup of tea and set it in front of Dong Bong-soo as he spoke.
"You'll choke on your own breath. What grudge do you have against work? Every single time you arrive, it's nothing but work, work, work."
"Every day is a war, naturally."
Bae Dal-pae watched Dong Bong-soo reply dryly, then soon opened his mouth again.
"Before I give you today's work, I need to say something first."
"What?"
"The conclusion our Ten Thousand Things Known — no, the Great Beggar Sect — has reached about you."
"A conclusion about me? Why would the Great Beggar Sect be drawing conclusions about me?"
Even in the face of Dong Bong-soo's blunt words, Bae Dal-pae steadfastly continued.
"It was a commission received from Young Lady Jeon. This matter."
"I believe I told you it was fine to stop."
Dong Bong-soo had said it clearly.
Around the time he had begun coming out here for his 'strolls' — he had said there was no need to investigate him any further.
Bae Dal-pae merely smiled enigmatically.
"Truth be told. Even without Young Lady Jeon's commission, an investigation into you would naturally have been initiated."
Bae Dal-pae filled his own cup with tea as well, took a light sip, and continued the conversation.
"There's no need to ask why — Kim is well aware of that."
"……"
"If we didn't investigate the man who cleaned up Gangdo overnight, the Great Beggar Sect would have to take down its plaque as the number one intelligence house in the Martial World from that very day, wouldn't it?"
"So what's the conclusion?"
"That Kim is the high school student Kim Rae-won."
"Your reason?"
"Because if Kim is not the high school student Kim Rae-won, the situation itself cannot be explained."
Slurp — Bae Dal-pae took one more light sip of his tea, then tapped the table with his index finger repeatedly, and continued what was a report that was not quite a report.
"One day, a man who fell straight down from the sky — at that, a fellow with no memories — appeared in Gangdo, and that man cleaned up every faction in Gangdo before even five days had passed? How likely do you think that is?"
"So, a master of that caliber couldn't have been made overnight, therefore it must be the high school student Kim Rae-won?"
"That's right."
"Is that really all? Your reasoning."
"Young Hero's martial arts had an unclear origin to begin with, so tracking the lineage through martial arts was out of the question. Most of all, you gave no room for that."
"Well, that's true."
"In any case, after three-odd months of continuous investigation following the Unification of Gangdo, that is the conclusion the elders of our main sect have reached for the time being."
The conclusion reached by the main sect's elders?
"Then what's your conclusion?"
"What importance could the conclusion of a mere Seventh Formula disciple like myself hold? The elder sirs have already concluded as such."
"Well, I'm just curious."
Bae Dal-pae, at that, looked Dong Bong-soo up and down, then took another sip of his tea, then scrutinized Dong Bong-soo carefully here and there again — repeating this behavior.
"A Chivalrous Warrior."
After all that, Bae Dal-pae finally opened his mouth.
"Aah, in your terms — a Hero."
"A Hero?"
"What does it matter who Kim is? The conclusion I've reached after watching Kim for three months is that."
Dong Bong-soo also took a sip of tea and looked straight at Bae Dal-pae. Deep within Bae Dal-pae's still question-filled pupils, Dong Bong-soo could already read the conclusion he had drawn.
"A Great Hero. Regardless of whether Kim is that 'Kim Rae-won' or not — a Great Hero who will overturn this Martial World."
"Your reason?"
"Fifty-two…… twenty-seven…… thirty……. Ah, forget it."
Bae Dal-pae counted something on his fingers and then gave up.
"What are you counting right now?"
"Madness."
"Madness?"
"What Kim has done over these past three months."
"……"
"Human trafficking cases, fifty-two. Predatory usury cases, twenty-seven. Mountain and river strongholds, thirty locations. And dozens more things on top of that. Most of all—"
"……"
"—To call a person who is practising all these acts — that is to say, all this chivalry — 'paying money out of their own pocket' to carry it out, what else should we call such a madman?"
Bae Dal-pae was right.
The 'strolls' Dong Bong-soo had taken over the past three months were precisely that.
He had paid silver or Martial Goods here at Ten Thousand Things Known and bought information.
The information was about all the 'injustice' occurring in the vicinity of this Gangdo.
In the world, there are people who step up personally to prevent unjust things.
In this world, there are certainly those who come forward to resolve unrighteous matters.
However, a madman who spends money on top of it all to carry out chivalry — at the very least, within the scope of what Bae Dal-pae knew — did not exist.
No, such a person should not have existed.
At that, a Chivalrous Warrior who spent a whopping 123,755 silver coin and 229 Martial Goods as information fees to carry out that chivalry.
The person who practiced it, who proved the very existence of a Chivalrous Warrior.
That was this very 'Kim Rae-won.'