Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Heroine Saves the World
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While I was momentarily frozen, I belatedly noticed that the training ground had changed too.
"A kitchen's appeared?"
"Yes! There didn't seem to be a separate restaurant inside the building, so I made a simple one. Ah, I'm, I'm sorry for doing it on my own without asking first....... I thought using the conference table as a dining table too would be nice....... Since it's a sub-space, I can, I can remove it right away!"
"No, no need for that."
I quickly raised both hands to stop Seong Yona.
In truth, I'd long grown tired of buying every meal out.
And now someone had made a kitchen for free? Thank you very much.
I flashed a smile at Seong Yona, who still looked tense, then checked out the new kitchen.
"Ooh, it's so spacious and nice. Even all these appliances are possible, huh."
The kitchen was neat and tidy, yet somehow gave off a warm feeling— the kind any cook would dream of, equipped with everything imaginable.
Ovens and a huge fridge included.
"Hehe, anything I know well, I can make. Can't take it out of the sub-space, though."
"I'm really jealous of that ability."
Some people have to grind out favor just to get a trickle of dark purification from a water purifier filter.
Seong Yona, Jang Su-ho...
I was starting to wonder if I was really A-rank.
'Wait, what's Seong Yona's favorability at?'
No dungeons to enter for a while anyway, so no rampages, but still.
The moment the thought crossed my mind, a little speech bubble popped up over Seong Yona's head.
Hoo, that's a great starting point.
Compared to some guild master who started in the negatives, this was generous.
As I reminisced about the past, a heaping plate of fried rice was slid toward me.
"If it's okay, would you like some breakfast?"
"Smells amazing. I'll gratefully dig in. But you don't have to do things like this, Seong Yona Hunter."
I really meant she didn't need to go to such trouble.
But for some reason, Seong Yona's face fell again at my words.
"When I was on the run, I just ate whatever I could grab every day. So I really wanted to have proper meals like this....... At least let me handle breakfast for the guild members from now on...... Is that okay?"
"No reason it...... wouldn't be."
We were grateful, after all.
Seong Yona's eyes sparkled at me, big and pleading.
"......Do whatever you want, Seong Yona Hunter."
The words slipped out before I knew it.
Tch, weak against pitiful faces, huh.
"Pfft."
I turned at the stifled laugh to find Jang Su-ho nearby.
He grinned at me, cheeks rising like a clown's.
What? Why?
I shot Jang Su-ho a glare, then shoveled a spoonful of the fried rice into my mouth.
"What is this? Why is it so delicious?"
"Cooking's my hobby. Does it suit your taste?"
"Wow, first time having fried rice this good."
No exaggeration—it was really tasty.
"Good......"
Seong Yona beamed genuinely at my reaction, chuckling happily.
She served Jang Su-ho a bowl too, then sat nearby with her own.
Despite her small frame, she scooped huge bites and chewed away contentedly.
But her nose had turned red before I knew it.
Sniff.
After a life of constant flight, sharing a peaceful meal like this must have stirred up all kinds of emotions.
Thankfully, Jang Su-ho was too busy with his fried rice.
I discreetly looked down, pretending not to notice.
Never imagined eating home-cooked meals in the Justice Guild building.
'Not bad, though.'
After feeding the twins and Im Cheongsu breakfast and sending them to school, the other guild members scattered to their tasks.
Back in the now-quiet training ground, I sipped post-meal coffee and asked,
"By the way, didn't you say you can't use space-transfer skills?"
During breakfast, we'd agreed I'd drop formal speech since I was only three years older.
Seong Yona would do the same with her dongsaengs.
"Ah, yes....... That's right."
"Then how'd you end up on Jeju Island?"
"Jeju Island......?"
Seong Yona tilted her head.
I briefly explained what happened in the Sinchon college district.
All possible because Fantasia Guild skimped on pay and terminated the contract early.
No more nondisclosure clause holding me back.
"I was sighted on Jeju Island?"
Seong Yona seemed even more shocked, asking back.
"I was hiding in the Justice Guild building the whole time yesterday......"
"Must've been someone else then."
Her disguised face was pretty ordinary, after all.
Pure luck, then.
I sipped my coffee to hide my expression while thinking.
Bringing Seong Yona into Justice Guild was more than just recruiting talent—it was a challenge.
A kind of experiment, even.
She was supposed to die yesterday, after all.
The Seong Yona sitting here now, blowing on her warm coffee, wouldn't have existed in this world.
Unlike bringing in Im Cheongsu, who would've joined Maestro if left alone, this was different.
A test of whether I could change a death predetermined like fate.
'Worth a shot.'
If I saved short-lived ones like Seong Yona one by one, stopping this world's end might not be impossible.
I slurped the iced Americano she'd hand-ground the beans for.
"Um, if it's okay, could I handle guild security a bit?"
"Huh? Security?"
"Yes. Yesterday, the guild building's lock looked like a regular padlock. And it wasn't even locked......"
Her face reddened, mentioning how she'd trespassed.
"We don't have much worth stealing in Justice Guild. Ah, but things are changing now, huh."
Seong Yona was here now.
And Cheongsu's potions weren't cheap either.
"As you know, regular locks are useless against hunters."
"True."
Even Lee Yu-chan and Lee Yu-eul had broken more than a few doorknobs.
"Could I work on the guild entrance a bit?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
I waved my hand casually.
Good cooks make good coffee too, huh.
Should ask her to teach me tomorrow.
"I think creating a sub-space between the entrance and inner door would be best."
Seong Yona said after coming up to the first floor and looking around inside.
"Sub-spaces work like that too?"
"Usually for expansions like the training ground, but...... the applications are pretty wide."
"I see."
I acknowledged it, but couldn't picture how it'd secure the place.
Reading my reaction, Seong Yona explained.
"The entrance stays open to anyone like now, but if I make a sub-space there and expand it."
She pointed to the narrow hallway between the entrance and inner door.
"Registered people like guild members can naturally open the inner door and enter, but others won't be able to— I can set it that way."
"Like a security checkpoint? Gotta wait standing."
"Yes, exactly!"
Seong Yona clapped, nodding vigorously.
"Unnie, want to try coming in from outside? I'll show you how it works temporarily."
Outside, the midday summer sun blazed harshly.
Waiting a moment, her voice came from inside.
"Unnie, come in!"
Hmm.
No visible change from outside.
Not doubting her ability, but still hard to imagine.
Half-skeptical, I opened the entrance door.
Like entering a gate, surroundings shifted instantly into a white, empty space.
And far ahead, a sturdy-looking iron door with what seemed like a CCTV camera watching me.
"This......"
This was no joke.