Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Visit to Sama Guild
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I arrived in Samseong-dong, where the Sama Guild was located.
I'd hopped in a taxi and just said, "Sama Guild!" and the driver had brought me straight here without needing any extra details.
"Where the heck is the guild entrance?"
The problem was that I'd been dropped off right in front of the main road in Samseong-dong, and now I had no idea where to go.
"It has to be around here somewhere."
It had come up a few times even in .
They said it was located in the building once called the Samseong-dong Trade Center.
"No way they're using that huge building all by themselves."
I muttered as I looked up at the massive building with "Sama" written boldly in Korean.
"Maybe... underground?"
I'd heard that most of the sprawling underground shopping mall, like an anthill, was taken up by the Sama Hunter Market.
Just then, a somewhat familiar voice called out to me.
"Hello, Hunter Nayeo-ju."
"Ah, Hunter Woo Jun-kyeong... right?"
"Yes, it's been a while."
Woo Jun-kyeong, who could be called Sama Young's right-hand man, was suddenly standing beside me.
"How long have you been here?"
"I saw you getting out of the taxi."
So he'd just let me wander around looking lost.
But I wasn't surprised.
Woo Jun-kyeong wasn't Sama Young's right-hand man for nothing.
All those top guys were cut from the same cloth.
"I got a call that Hongju was acting a bit strange, so I came. Mind showing me the way?"
"Understood. I'll take you to the lord."
Wait, he was taking me to Hongju?
But since Hongju, the familiar, would be near Sama Young anyway, I quietly followed Woo Jun-kyeong.
"I'd never have found it alone."
Sama Young's place was deep in the heart of it all.
It was inside the massive Sama Group building, but I had to take an elevator to a floor that only activated with a security card.
And after getting off, there were no signs—just a maze of corridors twisting this way and that—until finally, a huge door appeared.
"Please go in. He's waiting."
The enormous wooden door, big enough for six people to pass through at once, slid open smoothly at the slightest touch from Woo Jun-kyeong's fingertip.
At the same time, a woman's voice came from inside.
"Ugh, I'm so upset."
I turned to Woo Jun-kyeong, who was still standing in the doorway.
"Sounds like she's not alone in there. Is it okay to go in?"
"Please enter. He's waiting."
What, was I talking to a robot?
I didn't expect detailed answers from Woo Jun-kyeong, so I started walking inside.
Meanwhile, the woman's voice kept going.
"Can't you just look at me for a sec?"
...Was I really okay to go in?
Once I passed the corridor decorated with ink paintings and orchids, a spacious living room came into view, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking all of Samseong-dong.
And there, in front of the sofa, was the back of a woman kneeling on the floor.
"Hongjuuu."
Thank goodness—the woman was talking to Hongju, not Sama Young.
"Look here. Let sis touch you just once, okay?"
No matter how much she begged, Hongju wouldn't even glance her way.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat loudly on purpose to announce myself, and the woman whipped around.
Her black wavy hair and sharp eyes with a reddish glint caught my eye first.
'Bang Liri.'
The one who treated Sama Young like a demigod and obeyed him blindly.
She also harbored an insatiable possessiveness toward him.
"Who are you?"
And sure enough, she wasn't looking at me kindly.
"I'm Nayeo-ju."
"Nayeo-ju?"
I hadn't noticed when she was sitting on the floor, but standing up, she towered over me.
"I don't know who you are, but this isn't a place you can just barge into..."
"Meow."
It was right as Bang Liri was trying to shoo me away.
Hongju, spotting me, leaped down from the sofa where he'd been lounging and rubbed his forehead against my leg.
"Hongju, been good?"
"Meow."
Now he was even responding nicely.
I crouched down right there and gently stroked Hongju's back.
Purr... purr...
Lost in the thrill of hearing Hongju's purring for the first time, I heard Bang Liri let out a scoffing laugh.
"Who the hell are you? How'd you bewitch Hongju like that?"
"I'm the temporary guar..."
I was about to say, 'temporary guardian,' when—
"You don't need to know. Get out."
"My lord!"
Sama Young emerged into the living room, his hair still wet like he'd just showered, a towel around his neck and wearing comfy loungewear.
"My lord, Liri was just..."
Bang Liri's eyes turned to hearts at the sight of Sama Young, but he was ice-cold.
"Didn't I tell you to get out?"
"But I can't leave you alone with some unknown woman."
"She's my guest. Watch your mouth."
Sama Young flicked his hand dismissively.
And that seemed to be the final warning—Bang Liri bit her lower lip in frustration but turned and left the living room.
A distant click of the door closing echoed, and Sama Young turned to me with a soft smile crinkling his eyes.
"How've you been, Miss Nayeo-ju?"
Hey, no point smiling like that now—I just saw your nasty side.
"I've been fine, and Hongju looks good too. So what's this about him being weird?"
I said, glancing between Hongju and the surroundings.
As his temporary guardian, I felt proud—Hongju was living like a princess.
For starters, there was a huge floor-to-ceiling window perfect for Hongju, who loved gazing outside.
And it made me feel guilty for making him sit on my room's cold, hard windowsill every day—a sturdy, plush solid-wood cat tree stood proudly by the living room window.
That wasn't all.
True to a home raising a cat-shaped familiar, there were several adorable hiding spots scattered around, and the transparent, sparkling water bowl was clearly crystal at a glance.
It wasn't Sama Young's forest mansion from the magazines, but as his residence inside Sama Guild, the interior was gorgeously beautiful, no need to say more.
"His fur's all shiny and glossy—looks like his energy levels are fine too."
"Ah, about that."
Sama Young poured me a glass of water and said,
"He's strangely not eating his snacks. I tried everything cats supposedly like, but he won't touch them."
"What'd you try?"
"Everything made by the Hongju-specialty chef I just hired."
...They even had a dedicated chef for Hongju.
I'd momentarily forgotten Sama Young was an S-rank hunter and a chaebol heir.
I gently petted Hongju's round head with my fingertips and asked,
"Hongju, wanna try a snack from Uncle Cheong-su?"
"Nyaa."
Before coming to Sama Guild, I'd grabbed a bag of snacks from Im Cheong-su just in case. When I shook it, Hongju's eyes sparkled at the sight.
"Here, the upgraded version this time. Try it."
He'd said something about adding this and that.
I'd forgotten the details the moment he told me.
But whatever it was, it worked.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Hongju polished off three pieces without even lifting his head.
"What's that?"
"A familiar-exclusive snack made by our guild's potion master."
"Can I buy like a hundred of those?"
"It's not for sale. But since Hongju likes them, I could bring some over sometimes..."
Wait, something felt off.
Seeing Sama Young's smile deepen, I changed tack.
"I'll ship them. Courier service."
"Too bad. You're too quick on the uptake, Miss Nayeo-ju."
Just as I'd suspected—that's why he'd dangled it. Sama Young licked his lips.
Watching him, a sudden thought popped into my head.
"The 'Hongju acting weird' thing was just an excuse too, wasn't it?"
"Half and half? Something like 'come see the cat at my place.'"
This guy didn't even deny it.
I set the snack bag on the table and stood up right away.
I'd confirmed Hongju was thriving, and I'd send plenty of Im Cheong-su's snacks by courier—no more reason to stay.
"Leaving already?"
"Meow."
"Even Hongju looks so sad."
Hongju gazed up at me with glowing red eyes, his tail tip swishing—it softened my resolve a bit.
But getting too tangled with Sama Young was bad news.
"I'm pretty busy myself, you know?"
"Yeah. Wonder why. If you were mine, you wouldn't have to work so hard."
Sama Young stood, and I really felt his towering height and build.
As I took a step back, he chuckled and said,
"What would it take for you to be mine? Money, like you want?"
Honestly, even if I asked for hundreds of billions—no, trillions—it felt like he'd say yes, and that scared me.
I snorted derisively and named something Sama Young could never do.
"If you became as kind as our Justice Guild Master Kang Han."
"In your eyes, is Kang Han kind?"
"Of course?"
"To me... he's just a hypocrite."
"Even hypocrisy is good. Do good deeds long enough, and you become good."
That's the Kang Han I knew.
A man who spared no effort for the justice he believed in.
Sama Young was the exact opposite—chasing only his own desires.
"Hongju, Baekho's doing great. If you miss Baekho... just come by yourself."
Tired of talking to Sama Young, I gave Hongju one last stroke and turned away.
Before leaving the living room, I glanced back—Sama Young was still standing there.
Hands in pockets, smiling.
But his eyes were chillingly cold.
"Oh. Has the guest already left?"
Woo Jun-kyeong came into the living room with two cups of tea and asked Sama Young, who sat alone on the sofa.
"How'd it go?"
The lord's demeanor, which softened like flower petals around that woman Nayeo-ju, had already cooled to marble-like chill.
Woo Jun-kyeong clicked his tongue inwardly and replied,
"We carried out your orders. The ultimatum should have reached Magma Guild by now, my lord."
"Make sure they've got no room to escape—seal them tight."