Ch.230Guild House

# 230. Guild House

In conclusion, I got discharged from the hospital and quit my job.

“Well… after hearing your situation, it’s unfortunate, but the contract is what it is. You understand, right?”

“Of course, I understand completely.”

Between my disappearance and hospitalization, I’d lost four months’ worth of rent on my studio apartment. In the past, I might have felt the sting of that loss, but now I didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret.

Since my lease was ending anyway, I transferred the remaining rent and decided to stay at Subin’s place for a while, just as we’d discussed.

“Welcome, unemployed friend.”

“Yeah, I’m officially jobless now.”

Moving wasn’t much work. I didn’t have many belongings to begin with, but I threw away anything useless or old. Actually, Subin told me to do that. She said to leave behind anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary. Since we’d be living together, we could share things.

“Looks like you’ve entered the house-husband route.”

“You just figured that out?”

“Oh my.”

In Subin’s spacious house, it was just the two of us. Yuri and Seyeon were at university, Yehyun noona and Soyu noona were at work, and Arang was still in the hospital.

“We should start preparing early to welcome everyone else.”

“Let’s do our best as the unemployed duo.”

While they’d have to handle their own belongings, Subin and I could certainly prepare rooms for them to move into.

Subin had no particular use for her money and no attachment to corporate life, so she thought maintaining our Veritas group here on Earth wasn’t a bad idea. As for me, I’d come to realize how meaningless all those markers of success I once valued really were.

More accurately, I’d reached the point where I couldn’t give a damn about other people’s opinions.

Think about it—how problematic and awkward would it be for one man to live with six women in the same house?

They weren’t family, it wasn’t a dormitory, and we were just gaming friends living together.

But after going to the Tower, experiencing countless things, and nearly dying—and almost losing all those experiences and memories completely—my perspective had changed.

If my precious partner hadn’t sacrificed herself to save my memories, even if I had returned, I would have forgotten all those experiences and connections, and my real-world job would have been ruined by my unexplained absence.

Anyway, the most important things to me now were my raid team members, who had truly become my “family” in every sense of the word.

“We need to visit furniture stores, bedding shops, and supermarkets to stock up on food.”

“When did they say they’re moving in?”

“Everyone said they’d be here within this week. They could have come earlier, but they pushed it back since you were coming first, Suhyeok.”

So what if people point fingers? So what if they spread exaggerated rumors and gossip? So what if they’re jealous?

Are they going to spew lava at us? Lock us in an endless maze?

What else can they possibly do to us?

Subin and I began filling our real-world “Guild House” one by one.

*****

“Hell yeah! This house is awesome!”

“I’ll be in your care from now on, unnie.”

“Don’t say that—this is your home.”

Friday came after everyone had finished moving in. The spacious house that had felt empty with just Subin and me quickly filled with life as the other raid members moved in.

The new home Subin had prepared for us was a three-story house with enough rooms for everyone to choose their own.

The younger ones mostly chose the third floor, including Arang. We had expressed concern that she, the only one among us who still needed hospital care, had insisted on the third floor.

“I’m going to keep rehabilitating at home to shorten my recovery time. Someday I’ll be able to run up these stairs.”

We respected Arang’s decision. Even though all the talents, skills, and superhuman physical abilities we’d gained in the Tower had been taken away, our experiences and memories remained.

Currently, Arang was struggling up the stairs one step at a time, gripping the handrail, but we didn’t rush to help her. We simply watched her back, believing in her determination and effort.

The lonely Tae Arang who had been confined to a hospital room, suffering from severe depression and loneliness to the point of contemplating suicide, had now become Neo Tae Arang.

“Hello? Big sis? When are you coming?”

[Ah… Yuri… I’ll try to get there as soon as possible…]

“How soon is ‘as soon as possible’?”

[After disappearing for months and being hospitalized, the workplace really shows no mercy…]

“I get it, but what time approximately?”

[…If I hurry, around 7:30?]

“Okay! Good luck!”

Unlike me who had cleanly quit my job, Yehyun noona had returned to work. I thought teachers got off work early, but maybe it’s different for high school teachers? Or perhaps because she’s a young teacher? She sometimes had late days.

“I’m home.”

“Welcome back, Soyu noona.”

“Being greeted by you after work, Suhyeok—I still can’t believe it.”

Meanwhile, Soyu noona, who worked as both a Pilates instructor and YouTuber, came home relatively early. When I gave a light hug to the slightly tired-looking Soyu noona, she embraced me fully, squeezing me tight before heading to her room to change clothes and help with party preparations.

That’s right. A party.

A celebration for the opening of Guild House Branch #2.

Property owner: Eun Subin, Financial backer: Eun Subin

Party planners: Eun Subin, Ban Suhyeok

Party preparation team: Eun Subin, Ban Suhyeok, Ah Yuri + In Soyu

Looking at it this way, Subin held the majority share in party preparation. Thinking that without her, this relationship wouldn’t have developed and maintained as it has, I felt a surge of gratitude.

So I gave Subin, who was washing and preparing vegetables, a back hug.

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

“Just grateful.”

“So you do know.”

“I’ll do well.”

“Good. Oh, while you’re at it, move these.”

“As you command, my lady.”

“What are you saying?”

Seyeon was working on a group project, and Arang was in rehabilitation. They had both offered to help with preparations, but we had declined. With enough people already helping, we told them to focus on their own tasks first.

About 30 minutes later, Seyeon came out of her room stretching and helped with preparations, and soon after, Arang came down the stairs one step at a time like a baby deer to help with what she could…

Finally, around 7:30, Yehyun noona arrived home with the exhausted face of an office worker.

“I’m home… Oh? Everything’s already prepared?”

“We couldn’t ask someone who worked late to help with preparations too, could we? You worked hard, noona. Just change your clothes and join us.”

“Okay! I suddenly feel energized!”

Yehyun noona’s face brightened as she hurried off. Though she was the oldest among us by age, her personality and appearance made her look quite young, and her smile suited her best.

*Sizzle*

“Wow. Listen to that sound.”

“Feels like it’s been ages since I’ve had this.”

“After eating hospital food for so long, meat… looks so delicious.”

“You have to grill it well!”

“I got it. I’m pretty good at grilling meat.”

While I grilled the meat on the grill, six women gathered cozily around the table in the yard, chatting away. On such a good day, drinks and beverages were essential.

In the past, grilling meat at company dinners was nothing but a chore. It seemed like it was expected of me, and people would snatch the meat as soon as it was cooked without even a token offer to help…

But who knew grilling meat could be this enjoyable?

The thought that my raid members were waiting for the meat I had chosen and grilled well made me focus even more.

“Oppa! Let me take over after you finish that batch!”

“It’s fine. It’s better if the person who started grilling continues.”

“Come on, still…”

“I said it’s fine.”

Look at that. She’s offering to take over even though I’ve barely started grilling. How sweet is that?

Perhaps because the heat was good, the meat cooked quickly. As soon as I placed it on a plate, Seyeon, who was standing nearby, swiftly moved it to the center of the table.

*Sizzle*

“Suhyeok. First glass.”

“Ah. Right. Thanks.”

“You should say something.”

“Say something?”

“As the raid leader. No, now you’re…”

Subin smiled as she poured a drink into my glass.

“The head of the household.”

“What.”

“Kyaaak!”

“Oh my goodness.”

“She said it!”

Suddenly the glass in my hand felt several times heavier. Perhaps it was weighted with the gazes and expectations of my raid members.

I realized Subin’s intention—she wanted me, as the leader, to officially acknowledge our relationship that had until now been only implicitly, unofficially recognized.

Here, at this moment, celebrating the opening of Guild House Branch #2.

A new home. A new relationship.

And a new future we would walk together.

It was difficult to convey all of that in just a few words, but…

“Thank you for being with me, and I’ll continue to be grateful going forward. I’m counting on you all. And.”

“And?”

“Though she’s not here with us, to Radaniya.”

“…To Radaniya.”

When sincerity is present, formalities aren’t that important between us.

We clinked our glasses and drank, looking up at the darkening sky, remembering the mysterious, beautiful, and devoted cat.

“Can I keep a cat?”

“…I don’t think anyone here dislikes cats?”

“Should we name it Radaniya?”

“That’s a great idea! How about getting one that looks as similar as possible?”

“Maybe two would be better than one? I heard they can get lonely alone.”

“So, Rada and Niya?”

About four months and fifteen days after our return.

We had settled into our new home. We called it the Guild House.