Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: A Sweet Deal
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Having learned that Sama Young was up to no good, I first set up a meeting with Magma Guild.
It wasn't just a casual invitation to grab a meal outside.
"It's surprisingly close by—Magma Guild."
I said it while gazing at Magma Guild's building near Independence Gate.
"But the land is huge, huh?"
It was a plot large enough to fit a full-scale general hospital.
Kang Han, who had gotten out of the van behind me, explained.
"It's land that Guild Leader Yang Hwa-yeon's grandmother left her."
"Oh. So she was a rich girl from a wealthy family."
I nodded, thinking that her straightforward, fun-loving personality might come from a stable upbringing.
"But the building seems kinda small compared to the land."
"Her grandparents only left her the empty lot. Apparently, it used to be a parking lot."
"Aha."
In other words, the guild didn't have the funds to build a massive structure worthy of the land.
"It's been a while since we'll have a proper spar!"
"I'm gonna do rapid-fire shooting practice."
"Don't forget to warm up properly."
The excuse we'd used for visiting Magma Guild today was joint training.
Thanks to that, Jang Su-ho and the other guild members were buzzing with excitement, while Han Ji-seong was busy calming them down from the sidelines.
It was like a kindergarten teacher on a field trip with the kids.
"Too bad. It would've been nice if Teacher Yoo could have come along."
"It's Ga-young's checkup day today, so no choice."
"Yawn."
As I chatted with Kang Han, I spotted Im Cheong-su, the last one out of the car, yawning so wide it looked like his mouth would split.
"Hey, Im Cheong-su the teenager. Be honest. What time did you go to bed last night?"
"......Around 3 a.m."
"Why?"
"Well, one of the dungeon plants in the greenhouse suddenly bloomed."
"So you picked the flower and ran all sorts of experiments, staying up late?"
"......Yeah."
"Sigh. I keep telling you to hire an assistant already. Then you'd have tons more time for the experiments you love."
"That's... I'll think about it."
Lately, Im Cheong-su had been stubbornly refusing to hire help.
He didn't like the idea of anyone else entering his space, or something like that.
I could kind of understand, but between school, making potions for deliveries, and everything else, the kid was overworking himself, which worried me.
"If you keep pushing yourself like this, what am I supposed to do? I promised your grandma and grandpa I'd take good care of you when I brought you along."
"Got it, got it! Nag, nag!"
I sighed deeply as I watched Im Cheong-su's fluttering hair while he dashed off to Lee Yu-eul and Lee Yu-chan to avoid me.
"Raising kids ain't easy, huh."
Kang Han, who had watched my back-and-forth with Im Cheong-su, said it with a hint of amusement.
"They don't listen when you tell them not to overdo it. They get these weird stubborn streaks. Tell them not to go somewhere dangerous, and they go anyway, making your heart drop."
"Is that about Im Cheong-su?"
When I shot him a glare, Kang Han changed the subject.
"We might be late for the appointment at this rate. Let's head in."
......I don't think that was about Im Cheong-su.
Still, it was about time for our appointment, so we entered the Magma Guild building.
"Fine, just go already."
"Guild Leader Yang Hwa-yeon, it seems like you don't understand our offer..."
"We're not saying we won't pay you, and there's still days left until the deadline!"
Hey, haven't I seen this situation before?
Entering the guild office on the second floor, I blinked in déjà vu.
"Why not drop the stubbornness and sign the contract today?"
The suited man shoving a paper full of fine print at her.
And...
"Ugh, I said I'm not selling the guild!"
The guild leader desperately trying to protect it.
"Get out of my building!"
My first thought was, Thank goodness I sent the kids to the training grounds first.
They didn't need to see this.
"We'll leave then."
"No, why is Justice Guild here..."
The suited woman jumped in surprise at Kang Han's intervention, then frowned when she saw me.
Why's she looking at me like that?
It wasn't just displeasure.
Her reaction felt more like dismay.
"We'll head out for today. Think carefully, Guild Leader Yang Hwa-yeon—the deadline's approaching."
She glanced at me once more before quickly backing off.
"Haa, damn it."
Yang Hwa-yeon finally ruffled her hair and grimaced.
Then she apologized to me and Kang Han.
"Sorry. You had to see that mess."
She seemed pretty humiliated, unable to meet our eyes properly.
I sat on the office sofa first and said to Yang Hwa-yeon,
"Mind if we talk for a bit?"
Looks like I'd timed this visit perfectly.
"Hold on. Let me sort this out. So, Sama Guild recently took over Da-jung Bank, and now they're using the outstanding loan there as leverage to force Magma Guild into Sama Guild."
"Exactly. We've been paying back the loan steadily, and guilds usually get automatic extensions since we're profitable. But the bank changed their tune."
"Haa, those tactics never change."
We'd been through the same thing once, so it pissed me off even more.
"My fault. I took out too big a loan to expand the building."
Unlike regular buildings, ones for hunters cost a fortune to construct.
Most materials came from dungeons, and you had to hire awakeners who could handle them for the labor.
"How much is the immediate repayment amount? You don't have to say if it's uncomfortable."
"After all this, what's uncomfortable about it? Roughly just under 10 billion won."
"Can't borrow from another bank?"
"That bastard Sama Young blocked every avenue."
Yang Hwa-yeon ground her teeth.
"That's why you needed money last time, right?"
"Yeah. Thought paying down even a little principal would help, but nope."
A shadow fell over Yang Hwa-yeon's usually bright and cheerful face.
"Talked to a few other guilds, and we're not the only ones. That jerk Sama Young's serious—he's already absorbed over twenty mid- and small-sized guilds."
"But no one's pushing back?"
"Some were struggling financially anyway, so they think it's for the best. Plenty of hunters actually prefer joining a big guild like Sama."
"Magma Guild has zero interest in that?"
Yang Hwa-yeon shook her head firmly at Kang Han's question.
"The name Magma Guild disappearing? Fine by me. But my guild members getting scattered? Absolutely not."
"What? So we couldn't even work as one team?"
"Seems that way. Sama Guild's infamous for their factory-style operations."
Taesan Guild came to mind suddenly.
Kwak Ho-young, who ended up as the youngest in their notorious 4th Raiding Party after absorption, suffering away.
Back then, I'd thought he deserved it, but imagining Magma Guild in the same boat darkened my expression too.
"Sorry. You came to visit, and here I am dumping this on you."
"I asked. So, Guild Leader, what do you want to do?"
"Honestly, no real choices. Holding out until the deadline, then... I'll have to negotiate with Sama Guild somehow. On the condition they don't split up the members."
"What if we did that?"
"In this situation... No, maybe sell this land to raise funds. Haa, but that's the last thing I want."
It was the land her grandparents left her.
So it made sense she didn't want to let go until the very end.
"Man, this is driving me crazy."
Yang Hwa-yeon rubbed her dry face anxiously.
Kang Han looked pained seeing his friend like this.
His face mirrored the heaviness.
I joined in the somber mood outwardly, but my mind was racing.
Magma Guild. Not a bad pick.
For a mid-sized guild, their hunters' abilities were top-notch.
Plus, as confirmed during the last joint raid, they meshed well with our guild.
And above all, I liked how genuine the people were—no two-faced nonsense.
In the crises ahead, reliable comrades you could trust at your back were crucial.
And we're hitting our limits soon anyway.
We were at the point where Justice Guild needed to expand.
Small elite teams were great, but they limited the number of dungeons we could raid and businesses we could run.
Having sorted my thoughts, I said to Yang Hwa-yeon,
"Guild Leader Yang Hwa-yeon, what do you think about merging?"
"Sama Guild? No way, no matter the terms."
"No, merging with our Justice Guild."
Yang Hwa-yeon blinked, clearly not getting it.
"With Justice Guild... merge?"
"Yes. We'll pay off all of Magma Guild's debts right now. Sorry, but it'd be an absorption merger."
"So Magma Guild disappears, and we join Justice Guild?"
"Yes."
Yang Hwa-yeon fell silent for a moment.
Then, meeting my eyes again, her face was more serious and composed than ever.
"I can accept absorption. Better to be part of Justice Guild than Sama. But I have conditions."
"What are they?"
"Magma Guild members stay as one team and keep working together. And Justice Guild takes on not just the hunters, but our non-awakener staff too."
I barely suppressed the urge to jump up and shout.
......Jackpot? Pure honey?