Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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Finally back at my place after so long.
The Justice Guild does communal living in the Jongno building.
But it's not some hardcore setup where everyone crams into one room—everyone has their own space.
Now that I was officially part of the Justice Guild, I had to move into the guild building too.
"Feels kinda weird, though."
Just a little while ago, I'd been convinced I'd be living here alone forever.
And now, off to the Justice Guild.
"Life's unpredictable, huh."
Muttering to myself, I pulled two bags out of my subspace.
The same bags I'd taken to the Justice Guild when handing over the check.
I'd grabbed them in a rush, but they held more than expected and seemed sturdy—definitely useful going forward.
The one downside? No wheels, since they weren't actual travel suitcases.
"Eh, with subspace, who needs wheels."
Subspace was like a personal warehouse for Awakeners.
The moment you put something inside, its weight, volume, and even the flow of time vanished.
But capacity varied by Awakener rank.
S-ranks could stash dozens of items with ease, while the lowest F-ranks filled up after a lunchbox or two.
"I'm A-rank, though~."
Plenty of room for the little things I'd need right away at the Justice Guild.
"They said they have furniture and basics covered anyway."
Keeping that in mind, I started packing.
"...Nothing to pack."
It was downright embarrassing.
A few changes of clothes, toiletries, makeup, and some small furniture not provided at the guild dorms—that was it.
Finally, my hand went to the picture frame by the bed.
"Gotta take Mom and Dad with me."
It was a photo from a week before the accident.
Sixteen-year-old me, grinning innocently between my parents.
Seven years without seeing their faces—I needed them close, or I'd forget.
"Sold all the unneeded furniture on Pumpkin Market already."
Thank goodness this world had the Pumpkin Market app, my go-to for used goods pre-possession.
Once the furniture was gone, I'd hand over the keys and pocket the 20 million won deposit.
It'd be a drop in the bucket after that 25 billion breezed through my account.
Still, I'd invest it right back into the Justice Guild.
I'd paid off the debt, but needed operating funds to keep things running.
"Good thing I have that maturing fixed deposit."
Tomorrow, I'd collect the 30 million won I'd saved up.
Deposit plus savings: 50 million won total.
Peanuts for running a guild, but better than nothing.
"Alright, time to go."
Leaving the now slightly emptier house behind, I locked the front door tight.
"Ah, crap. Forgot they're fixing the elevator!"
In a world overflowing with clean mana stone energy, I had to burn calories climbing stairs.
A fatal mistake.
I finally reached my room on the Justice Guild building's third floor and flopped onto the bed.
"What is this? I can feel every damn spring."
Ugh, should've brought my mattress from home.
But going back was even more hassle.
I lay there spread-eagled, rolling only my eyes to survey the room.
Simple layout.
Double bed opposite the door, tiny attached bathroom.
Furniture? The bed I was on, a desk, chair, and built-in closet—that was it.
"Gonna need a bedside table, blackout curtains too."
I was mentally listing other necessities when—
Beep-beep.
The door lock on the next room over clicked open in the hallway.
Jang Su-ho must've returned—he shared the floor with me.
The top floor, fourth, had the office I'd seen before and Kang Han's room.
Third: me and Jang Su-ho.
Second: the twins and Han Ji-seong.
"So everyone's in the basement right now?"
They'd knocked out ground and basement levels for a training room.
For a guild, rooms and offices weren't priority one.
A proper training ground for honing skills was.
"Even a broke guild like this has to have decent facilities, right?"
Clutching that small but precious hope, I headed downstairs.
"What the hell is this?"
The training room, where I'd expected the Justice Guild crew, was dead silent. Empty.
But that wasn't the issue.
"A gym?"
Hunter training systems were pricey.
I'd braced for some leanness, but this?
No training system, no Awakener gear at all.
In the spacious double-level area? Just basic weight machines and one treadmill, all lonely and forlorn.
"Training with this?"
I figured even rock-bottom Justice Guild would have a proper setup!
Debt, trashed rep, bare-bones training room, and a busted elevator on top.
Total disaster.
Then—sharp whoosh of air, followed by a heavy, dull thunk.
Whoosh—thunk!
Thought it was empty, but there was Lee Yu-chan in the corner.
'Right, stealth's his specialty.'
C-rank or not, he could vanish his presence at will.
"But what's that?"
Even for an archer using bows and arrows, this "facility" was worse than a recreational archery cafe.
Just a single target at about 10 meters—civilian-grade, too.
My info window skill didn't work on it, confirming as much.
So his bow and arrows weren't items either.
"How's anyone supposed to train properly like this?"
Lee Yu-chan's low stats weren't just from a tofu mentality.
Whoosh—thunk!
He ignored my approach, doggedly focused on training.
Classic gold-spoon deliberate snub.
Still, every arrow nailed dead center, burying way past the tip—impressive.
I slipped in during a gap between shots.
"I'll get you new training gear first thing."
He froze.
Lee Yu-chan lowered his bow mid-nock and turned to me.
"Justice Guild has nothing worth taking."
"Yeah, it shows."
I have eyes.
"Then why bother?"
"Do I look like a scammer to you?"
"Yes."
This kid.
"To a guild so broke it's ass-ripped poor, like you said?"
"...I never said it that bad."
"You heard me talking to the guild master yesterday. I owe my life to Hunter Kang Young-won."
"Even so, this much?"
Lee Yu-chan's bratty face showed zero qualms about doubting me.
"I'll be watching. I'm not naive like the others."
"Knock yourself out."
I waved him off casually.
"Whoa, time's flying."
My meetup with Han Ji-seong was imminent.
Feeling Lee Yu-chan's arrow-sharp stare in my back, I left the training room.
"I'm not naive like the others~."
Kid stuff, kinda cute.
I chuckled, recalling his last affinity reading.
"Must've really liked the promise of new training gear."
Kids always fall for gifts, as expected.
The Sama Guild occupied an entire 48-story building smack in Gangnam's heart.
A visitor arrived at the guild master's office on the top floor.
"Have a seat and wait a moment."
Sama Young glanced at his S-rank security hologram and gestured to the Sama Bank president.
The president knew it was no mere suggestion—an order—and scurried to the black sofa, shrinking like a mouse.
Only after a long wait did Sama Young turn his attention.
The black sofa, made from A-rank monster hide, suited him like a second skin.
"You have a report."
"Ah, yes. About that Justice Guild acquisition you ordered last time."
"Go on."
"...It didn't go as planned."
Sama Young's bored finger-tracing on the armrest halted.
"You failed the acquisition?"
"Y-yes... My deepest apologies, Guild Master."
"Why?"
The room felt five degrees warmer; the president swallowed hard.
"We sent our best collector from the bank, but..."
"No excuses. Why?"
"Turns out Justice Guild had an investor."
"An investor in that junk heap?"
"Yes. They paid off the entire 25 billion debt in one go."
Sama Young's lips curved into a grin.
"You found out who this lunatic investor is, right?"
"Yes, right here..."
The president handed over his prepared documents deferentially.
"She's 23. But get this—she's an A-rank healer..."
"A-rank healer?"
His mask-like, decadent face turned to the president, expressionless.
"Our country's A-rank healers: one in Camellia Guild, one in the Association, one hospitalized. That's all I know."
"Yes, it's the one from the Awakener Hospital."
The A-rank healer four major guilds, Sama Young included, had scrambled to recruit.
Sama Young recalled the empty hospital room.
"She went to Justice Guild. With 25 billion."
"Yes."
Red glints sparked in Sama Young's pitch-black eyes.
A sign of true fury.
The sweltering heat like midsummer sun made sweat bead and trickle down the president's forehead.
"Interesting."
Sama Young waved a hand at the skyscraper view.
He swatted away the pesky system window as always and ground his teeth.
"Very interesting."
To beat his twin, Sama Jeong—rival for Sama Group heir—he needed Justice Guild.
The family grudge since Grandpa Sama Jung was ousted by founder Kang Je-won and started Sama Guild.
Accomplish that, and he'd crush the annoying Sama Jeong for sure.
"President."
Sama Young gripped the sofa back.
"Find out everything about this woman, Nayeo-ju."
"L-leave it to me."
Eyes wide at the gray smoke sizzling from the black leather under Sama Young's hand, the president nodded frantically.
The next day.
After sleeping in for once, I met Han Ji-seong in the office.
"It might look complicated, so ask if anything's unclear."
Han Ji-seong, who'd managed the guild's scraps so far, handed over the ledgers.
"I did some part-time accounting at a small factory once. Should be fine..."
I was speechless.
True to form, Han Ji-seong's ledgers were impeccably neat and easy to read.
Or rather, there was nothing to read.
Staring at the dismal final page, I looked up at him.
"Totally bankrupt, huh?"