Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Sudden Trip to Europe
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Since I’d be away for quite a while, I called in the Deputy Director, Tae-hwa unnie, and Ha-rin.
“I think I’ll have to step away for a bit.”
“Hm? What’s going on?”
“Oh, well... You know Greek mythology, right?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Nia, you know, the World Tree? She just told me there’s some issue brewing in Greece.”
“In Greece?”
“Yeah. Incarnation Variants who’ve inherited the powers of the Greek gods are apparently setting up Olympus.”
“Why’s that a problem? Aren’t they just forming their own guild or something like that?”
“But they’re doing it while seizing power. They want to remake Greece into the gods’ nation again and conquer Europe.”
“Huh...”
The Deputy Director let out a sigh.
“But in the end, they won’t get past the Director, right? From all the reports so far, there’s no Variant as strong as her.”
“That’s what we don’t know. That’s why I’m going to check it out. You never know. Some Variants might be hiding their power.”
But as if my worries were unfounded, Tae-hwa unnie spoke up.
“Hm... Seo-hyun. You don’t need to worry about that at all.”
“No, unnie. We don’t know that.”
“So why’d you call us?”
“Oh, I wanted to ask you to handle things domestically while I’m gone...”
“There aren’t any issues lately anyway, right?”
“Still, just in case. And when I get back, you can all take some vacation time.”
“Oh, for real? How long will you be gone?”
“About a week...? I’m tagging along on the Ark Angels tour, for starters.”
“Ark Angels tour? This unnie’s going on a trip? Dumping all the work on us.”
“Hehe, it’s work, work. If the gods’ Incarnations start causing trouble there, I’m going to stop them.”
“Take some pictures while you’re at it.”
“You could circle the whole Earth if you really wanted to.”
“Yeah, but work always gets in the way.”
Ha-rin grumbled at me.
“So once I get back from Europe, I’ll cover for you as much as I can, so go have some fun.”
“...Hm. Alright then.”
“Want me to book you a flight?”
“Oh.”
Honestly, considering how much Ha-rin had been through lately, it wasn’t like I couldn’t do that for her.
She’d really been through the wringer.
Anyway, I’d let the Management Bureau agents know too.
Now all that was left was heading to Europe.
* * *
[Han-gyeol: Everyone at the airport?]
[Yeah]
[Han-gyeol: Meet at Gate 3]
On the day we left for Europe, Tae-hoon, Ji-hoon, Min-hyuk, and I met Han-gyeol at the airport.
Han-gyeol was waiting for us with the five Ark Angels members, wearing an oddly troubled expression.
“Why’s your face all sour the second you see us?”
“The schedule’s insanely packed. I don’t feel fatigue myself, but... the people under me are getting shredded.”
She glanced back at them. The Ark Angels members’ managers and the staff mobilized for their events were slumped near the airport chairs, eyes weary with exhaustion.
“Ah, yeah... It’s a world tour, right? No wonder it’s hectic.”
“Wow... Damn. Seeing it in person makes it hard to believe.”
Unlike us who’d seen Han-gyeol often, Min-hyuk and Ji-hoon didn’t seem to have fully accepted her changed form.
“You went radio silent for months, and this is why.”
“Oh, you guys seeing her for the first time since the change?”
“Yeah. We chatted sporadically in the group chat, but this is the first time in person.”
“I thought something happened since the punk wouldn’t pick up calls... Well, technically something did happen.”
At Ji-hoon and Min-hyuk’s words, Han-gyeol flinched slightly, as if caught off guard.
What’s this? She didn’t even contact these guys?
“Oh, sorry about that. I just couldn’t find the time.”
“Eh, it happens.”
“So what are we flying on? No word on tickets.”
“We’re taking a charter flight. What else?”
The mention of a charter flight shocked them.
“Charter flight...?”
“Whose?”
“Mine.”
Han-gyeol pointed at herself as she said it.
“Oh... As expected of a world-class girl group leader. With the caveat that she used to be a guy.”
“Wonder what his ex would say if she knew he turned out like this.”
“She’d freak for sure. Like, ‘What the...?’”
“You think I exposed my identity for nothing? Unlike you, Yoon Seo-hyun, I’ve got a ton of people I’m tangled up with.”
“Anyway, the guy who lived such a turbulent life ends up like that... The world’s doomed, doomed.”
“Hey, I lived way more upright than you guys, at least.”
At Han-gyeol’s words, I chimed in slyly.
“More than me?”
“You... Sigh, dude, don’t use atypical examples...”
“This punk.”
“Oh, Seraph-nim. These are the ones?”
Just then, the Ark Angels members approached us.
“Oh, long time no see. How’ve you been?”
“Don’t ask. Seraph-nim worked us to the bone...”
“She does push pretty mercilessly, huh?”
“Exactly... It was really tough.”
At the Ark Angels’ complaints, Han-gyeol shot them a glance.
“Hey.”
“No, Seraph-nim, it’s true. Touring the whole world like that... We suffered so much.”
“But Dad told me to do it. Am I supposed to just ignore him?”
“That’s not the point... Working us without any rest is a bit much.”
“You were made as angels to handle that in the first place. And complaining to Yoon Seo-hyun won’t help. Think about how she’s been using the Management Bureau agents.”
Suddenly the arrows turned to me? I said to Han-gyeol,
“I at least keep it domestic, and I promised Ha-rin vacation after I get back from Europe.”
“See? The Director gives vacations.”
“Argh, fine. Rest after this tour’s over. Rest up.”
“Yay!”
“By the way, why’s this guy so quiet?”
“Huh?”
Tae-hoon had been unusually silent, so I glanced over to see what he was doing.
He was glued to his smartphone, not joining the conversation at all.
“What’re you looking at?”
“Oh, prepping stuff to watch on the flight. Europe’s a long haul.”
“Anime again?”
“Movies, anime, this and that.”
“But you getting any work these days?”
“Uh... Lately, with rifts popping up everywhere, directors are scared to film.”
“Ah, makes sense given the times.”
“But they’re starting to resume. Got one gig lined up recently... Might film a movie for real after this tour.”
“What’s the theme this time?”
“What else but action for me?”
“Oh, what’s the role?”
“Protagonist, for once.”
“...You?”
“You?”
“Who do you think you are?”
“Wow, damn... That movie’s doomed. How’s Han Tae-hoon the lead?”
At the instant barrage from his friends, Tae-hoon’s face soured.
“You punks.”
We laughed idly watching that. It’d been a while since we teased him like this.
“Talk about a rags-to-riches story. Han Tae-hoon, who used to grind games for cash, now a full-fledged movie lead.”
“Right?”
“Hey, Seo-hyun. That for real? Did this punk sell your autograph?”
“It’s legit.”
Ji-hoon asked me slyly. If it was really true.
I nodded. It was.
“No, dude. I sold it because he asked me to.”
“Wow... You’re not human.”
“Not human...”
“Argh. Let’s not talk anymore, seriously.”
As we bantered, word came that the charter flight was ready.
“Hey, it’s ready. Let’s go. Oh, but we might have a show right after landing, so heads up.”
“What? Right away?”
“That’s how the schedule’s set. After Europe, it’s North America next.”
“The itinerary’s insane...”
“What’s the order?”
“Starting in the UK... Greece last.”
“Then I’ll swing by Greece midway.”
“What about border checks?”
Come to think of it, they’d reinstated checkpoints at every European border.
Not an issue for me, though.
Just a quick spell and click.
“No need to go through checkpoints. I’ll just use magic and pop over.”
“Oh, right. Total cheat.”
“But why Greece?”
At my question, Ji-hoon and Min-hyuk tilted their heads. Ah, they hadn’t heard.
“The World Tree says something’s about to go down in Greece.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. So I’m checking it out while I’m there. Curious about these Olympus gods’ Incarnations too.”
“Olympus crew... Aren’t they just a bunch of thugs?”
“Who knows. It’s all based on myths, so what we know might not be the truth.”
The thug label popping up right away showed that’s how anyone into myths reacts.
Well... Even Hades, the most decent Olympus god, had his issues.
Though that’s excusable? He got hit by Cupid’s arrow out of nowhere.
But legends vary... I’ll have to see for myself what’s real.
Still, building Olympus in modern times? Sounds like they’re not right in the head.
Lots to prepare for.
Might end up fighting the gods’ Incarnations, so I need to subdue them without collateral damage... Not sure.
No clue how strong they are.
Guess I need to brush up on mythology.