Chapter 97: Experience (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 97: Experience (3)
In the heart of Seoul's forest of skyscrapers, sunlight glinted off glass walls.
The Lotus headquarters was bustling from early in the morning.
Today was the day the students from Gaon were visiting for their experience program.
The PR team, HR team, and various other departments were all busy preparing to welcome the students, but Sub-Guild Master Yu Serin was sitting at her desk for a slightly different reason.
"Hmm..."
On her desk lay a recent financial flow report her secretary had just printed out.
In her hand, she held a record of Director Choi's movements—the Guild Leader's closest aide.
The tip of an elegant finger quietly drew a line under a name.
"You're going to get yourself stabbed at this rate, Director."
The softly spoken, jesting murmur cut through the office.
Yu Serin's gaze slowly drifted toward the window.
Between the distant buildings, clouds were faintly veiled by the sunlight.
A moment later, she pressed the intercom button.
– Beep...
A light electronic tone sounded.
Her secretary's response followed shortly.
– Yes, Sub-Guild Master.
Yu Serin set the document down and continued speaking in a gentle voice.
"Student Jung Hae-in. Could you send him an interview request? Something light, like an invitation to a meal. Make it as polite as possible... but not too over-the-top. Just—"
She trailed off for a moment.
Glancing out the window once more, she added with a faint smile:
"Like a slightly curious senior asking him out for a bite to eat?"
Before the secretary could ask anything over the intercom, Yu Serin raised a hand to stop her.
"Ah, and you don't need to press for an acceptance. If he refuses... that's the end of it. Absolutely~ absolutely~ do not bother him any further."
A beat later, her fingers tapped on the desk.
"I get the feeling he's the type to disappear in a flash if you pester him."
Yu Serin murmured quietly.
Her last words were likely too soft for the intercom to pick up.
"Well then, I'm counting on you!"
With that, Yu Serin stood up from her seat.
"Time to go meet the little ones~"
It was time to greet the students.
*
Saturday morning.
As summer drew near, the sun seemed to match its pace, beating down with intense heat.
Since I hadn't been able to get my morning workout in, I'd decided to run instead of taking the bus waiting in front of the checkpoint....
But I've never been good with heat, and I was suddenly starting to regret that decision.
The first day of the experience program.
I was heading toward Maengju's main building.
[belief_]: Where are you? I'm in front of the building now.
I sent a message to Kang A-rin as I walked.
Since she and I were the only first-years on the list, we needed to go in together.
She'd suddenly given me her contact info yesterday.
[RIN]: Hae-in, something urgent came up, so I think I'll be a little late today.. I already told the hero in charge.
[belief_]: Is something wrong?
"What's this?"
Did she have a reason to suddenly be late?
It didn't seem like it.
Then again, it was a busy time.
Figuring that was probably it, I continued toward the building.
– Ping, ping.
Suddenly, an alert started ringing from my Watch.
[Jo Seoyoon]: Hello, Student Jung Hae-in. This is Lotus. We would like to request an interview.
[Jo Seoyoon]: It is for a simple meal, so please don't feel pressured. We can schedule it at your convenience.
"..."
Lotus?
My steps toward the building faltered.
They could have found my contact information easily enough....
Jo Seoyoon.
Jo Seoyoon....
"Ah."
I remembered.
The woman who had been standing quietly behind Yu Serin during the information session.
That was her.
She's part of Yu Serin's circle, and for her to contact me first like this...
It seems she's caught on to Maengju's scheme.
'Sharp of her.'
I had thrown a comment her way back then.
But she could have easily dismissed it as nonsense. Her intuition must be good.
That didn't mean I had any intention of responding, though.
[belief_]: No, thank you.
[Jo Seoyoon]: Understood. Have a good day.
The reply arrived instantly.
That's unexpected.
I thought they'd be more persistent, but they backed off cleanly.
I liked their clean response.
There was no more time to think.
I was almost out of time.
I closed the Watch interface and continued toward the building.
In front of the company building.
A glass-covered entrance and a set of turnstiles in front blocked my way.
When I held up my Watch to display the entry code, the gates opened with a beep.
"Whoa."
An involuntary gasp of admiration escaped my lips.
From the outside, it had just looked like a tall building, but the inside was a completely different world.
A wide, open lobby with a ceiling that stretched up endlessly.
It was on the level of a palace.
In the center of the hall, a group of students stood clustered together.
Even without a guide, I could tell that was our meeting spot for the day.
I made my way over.
"Oh? Are you Student Hae-in?"
A woman in a neat suit approached from the center of the group.
A thin badge was pinned to her shoulder, and she held a tablet in her hand.
She looked like a staff member.
"First-year experience student, Jung Hae-in, correct? Welcome."
She greeted me with a welcoming smile, but I found myself hesitating because of the atmosphere around me.
Behind her, the upperclassmen were staring at me.
Their outfits were, without exception, over-the-top.
Combat uniforms etched with flashy patterns, pauldrons slung over their shoulders, gleaming weapons.
They even had several rings on their fingers.
They looked like Active Heroes.
'It's a bit much...'
So much so that it made the term "experience program" feel like a joke.
Even if there were a real combat mission, it would be limited. For them to come armed like this...
It was probably for show.
Not that I didn't understand. They had to make a good impression, after all.
Compared to them, I was dressed casually.
Just a shirt.
Was I being too careless?
The moment I realized it, the stares directed at me began to feel even sharper.
Some wore faint smirks, while others silently scanned my unequipped body.
"Hah, honestly."
I even heard a small scoff from somewhere in the group.
Just then, the woman standing at the front clapped her hands lightly.
"Alright, everyone, your attention please. Before we officially begin, I'll give you a brief overview of today's schedule."
The woman in the neat suit. Her tone was gentle but clear.
"I'm the A-Class Hero, Kim Ha-eun. I'll be your guide for today."
Smiling leisurely, she tapped the tablet in her hand and spoke.
"The first day will focus on giving you a feel for the Maengju Guild's organizational structure by briefly touring each department. There may be opportunities to participate in actual fieldwork... which you might get to do, if you're lucky. Or should I say unlucky?"
She continued with a slight smile.
"You'll experience fieldwork by supporting heroes on deployment. You will be going directly to the battlefield, so... it would be wise to be careful."
A subtle tension rippled through the students at her words.
I saw one student straighten his posture and finger the weapon at his hip.
"Our first stop... is the Research Wing. Everyone, please follow me."
She turned smoothly.
The Research Wing was on the second floor.
As they climbed the stairs, she continued her explanation.
"The Research Wing is the technological foundation of the Maengju Guild. From dungeon analysis and battlefield map design to weapon testing and artifact restoration... you could call it the core of the guild."
The hero in charge continued speaking as they moved.
But she wasn't the only one talking.
A voice, barely a whisper, came from behind me.
"So he actually came?"
They didn't say who they were talking about, but it was clearly directed at me.
"I get Kang A-rin, but don't they usually not pick first-years?" another student muttered in a low voice.
They were whispering, but they were close enough for me to hear.
"His rank isn't even high... he's not affiliated with anyone... If this was all it took, I should've just gone and sliced up a Medusa myself."
It was pretty low-class gossip.
The kind of trash talk that only works between students.
'Wow...'
I was a little taken aback.
I wondered if these were really the kind of students worthy of coming to the Maengju Guild.
There was one truly terrifying fact they didn't know.
The truth was, from the moment they entered this building, every conversation the students had was being recorded.
The hero, Kim Ha-eun, who was smiling and continuing the tour up ahead.
She was, in fact, hearing every bit of this gossip from behind.
In real-time, through the earpiece in her ear.
The fundamental spirit of the Maengju Guild is simple.
Strength and mentality.
In other words, even at this very moment—
their scores were steadily being docked.
Very quietly.
'Tsk.'
I could just leave them to it.
Still, I was willing to stop them, just this once.
I turned my head.
I recognized his face.
I'd seen him a few times. A second-year.
"Senior."
I said with a bright smile.
"Shut your mouth."
The simplest and most effective way to make someone shut up.
At my words, the other guy's face instantly turned red with anger.
"Pfft!"
Kim Ha-eun, who was leading the group, burst out laughing.
The students' heads all turned in unison.
"Ah... I'm sorry. Pfft. I just... thought of something funny."
Meanwhile, the senior in front of me just glared, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Hey... you."
But then, another male student standing beside and slightly behind him tapped him on the shoulder.
"Let's shut it. Hyun-soo."
Then he glanced my way, the corner of his mouth curling up as he spoke quietly.
"Our dear junior... told us to shut it."
His tone was smooth, but his eyes were not.
The type to move people without stepping forward himself.
Just as I thought, there was someone else pulling the strings.
"Everyone, please move along quietly~"
Kim Ha-eun's cheerful voice rang out from the front.
It was a signal to cut it out and follow her.
I turned my gaze away.
Just then, my eyes met Kim Ha-eun's.
Her gaze was filled with interest.