Chapter 1008: Side Story – Hope City Guild’s Daily Life (2)

Hye-eun and Cheon Jihee, clad in training gear at the training ground, continued their sparring match, exchanging blows.

Contrary to my expectations that she’d be training her shield techniques against AI hologram monsters, Hye-eun was training against a real person. I never imagined Cheon Jihee would be accompanying her training instead of going on the morning expedition.

‘…Well, come to think of it, it makes sense.’

After all, an A+ rank Hunter like Cheon Jihee wouldn’t be lacking money to the point where she had to go on expeditions every day. Rather, spending time with Hye-eun, even like this, would have been a slightly better option for her.

“Hye-eun, next!”

“Yes, Jihee-ssi!”

‘I heard Hye-eun became a bit depressed after she started taking a break from the party.’

Seeing her like this, it was a relief that she seemed to be doing fine as usual. According to Han Min-ah, Cheon Jihee’s condition seemed poor after Hye-eun started her break.

She might be spending time with Hye-eun like this because she wants to fill the void left from usually being active together in the party.

Cheon Jihee’s actions like this didn’t seem particularly strange or unpleasant. If her depression could be resolved even in this way, it would be a good thing for me too.

…Of course, the best thing would be for Cheon Jihee to take maternity leave this time, just like Hye-eun, and rest together.

“……”

-A glance.

“…?”

“H-Hye-eun! Next! I’m going to do it three times in a row this time, so focus and block!”

“Bring it on anytime, Jihee-ssi!”

…Really, she’s so transparent.

She noticed I entered the training ground, but Hye-eun continued the training, deliberately not speaking to me or acknowledging my presence.

‘Since she’s spending time with Hye-eun for once, it means she doesn’t want my interference.’

Managing guild members’ mental health was important even as the Guild Master, so I watched their training for about 10 more minutes without specifically stopping Cheon Jihee. Soon after, their mock combat training also entered a break time.

“Hoo, well, shall we take a short break, Jihee-ssi?”

“…Yeah, Hye-eun.”

Hye-eun was sweating quite a bit, even while employing shield techniques with minimized movement using only her arms and legs, while Cheon Jihee, despite delivering punches and kicks with flashy consecutive moves, appeared almost untired.

It couldn’t be helped. No matter how strong Hye-eun’s shield techniques were, she wasn’t alone right now.

Although it wasn’t very noticeable outwardly yet, she must feel the weight anyway, so there must be psychological pressure too. Since she was moving as carefully as possible, it was unavoidable that she was always in a state of tension.

As such, Hye-eun’s eyes met mine directly as she headed towards the training ground entrance for a moment’s break.

“Oh, Taekyung?”

“……”

Hye-eun approached with a happy face as soon as she saw me, and following behind her, slowly walking with a slightly displeased expression, was Cheon Jihee.

“Is it break time?”

“Yeah. I’m going to do just one more set now and then head back inside.”

“Are you helping Hye-eun with her training, Cheon Jihee-ssi?”

“…Yeah.”

She wore a slightly displeased expression, perhaps annoyed at being interrupted while spending time alone with Hye-eun, but still, she didn’t openly show dislike or exhibit wariness like she might have in the past.

Although our relationship was formed with Hye-eun in between, we had become intimate several times, so she couldn’t possibly hate me to the point of shuddering.

At least by Cheon Jihee’s standards, I might be the one she likes the most among men. Of course, I probably couldn’t match her level of affection for Hye-eun.

“You should have said something when you arrived. How long have I waited?”

“I came to watch you, Hye-eun, train, and talking to me midway would just break my concentration for no reason.”

“Hmmm….”

“It seems you were really focused too, Cheon Jihee-ssi. Judging by the fact you didn’t even notice someone came in.”

“…Yeah.”

As if remembering making eye contact with me earlier, Cheon Jihee answered quietly, casually avoiding my gaze.

So, at the training ground entrance, we talked a few times about how intense Hye-eun’s recent training was, and whether she was overdoing it or overworking herself.

“…So. Usually, I’m exercising just enough not to lose my touch. 30 minutes of training followed by 30 minutes of rest is one set. Four times a day. I rest in the afternoon.”

“Isn’t even that a bit much? Since you’re not going back to work right after giving birth anyway, you could take it a bit easier….”

“Oh, come on! I’m not even 3 months pregnant yet! Besides, usually, Hunters are actively working in the field even up until 7 months of pregnancy, right? Honestly, taking a break right now feels like I’m making a fuss over nothing.”

“…Still, it can’t be helped. I don’t want to see anything happen to you, Hye-eun, or the baby in your belly.”

“Honestly… Taekyung is too overprotective….”

Even as she said that, Hye-eun gave me a smiling glance, as if she didn’t dislike my overprotectiveness.

“The next one is the last set, right? Shall I help a little too?”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“It’s for you, Hye-eun, so I can spare that much time.”

“…Tsk, honestly.”

Perhaps because my words felt like empty promises, Hye-eun looked at me and smiled strangely.

…Well, considering the number of women I’ve met so far, I guess it can’t be helped that Hye-eun might feel they’re empty promises.

“Ah, um, then I’ll step outside for a moment. I need to get something from the waiting room.”

“Shall I bring it for you? You’re pregnant, so you should rest.”

“Ah, i-it’s okay! And that’s really overprotective….”

“Or else I could ask Eunbyul to bring it. A towel? A spare training outfit? Or….”

“Aaah…! I-I was just trying to go to the bathroom! I d-didn’t want to say it because I was embarrassed, but really….”

“Ah….”

I was only trying to be considerate because I thought she was pregnant, but instead, I ended up unnecessarily holding back Hye-eun, who was trying to leave with a natural excuse.

“…Anyway, I’m going now!”

“Ah, Hye-eun. I was just about to….”

“Huh?”

“Cheon Jihee-ssi, could we talk for a moment, just the two of us?”

“……”

As I was naturally about to follow Hye-eun out, she turned her gaze towards me at my call, glancing cautiously.

After scanning our gazes-mine and Hye-eun’s-she cautiously made a decision.

“Jihee-ssi?”

“…Sorry, it’s nothing. Go on ahead, Hye-eun.”

“Ah, yes.”

Although time with Hye-eun is important, she probably thought there must be some significance to me calling her out like this for a private talk.

And more than anything else, Cheon Jihee was essentially caught in my grasp because of her peculiar sexual preferences.

In any case, without my permission, Cheon Jihee wouldn’t be able to roll around in the same bed with Hye-eun, or engage in physical contact with Hye-eun using me as an excuse.

Hye-eun walked away, leaving just the two of us in the training ground. With her arms crossed, Cheon Jihee turned her gaze towards me.

“…What is it about?”

“First of all, please listen without thinking it’s strange.”

“…Hearing you start like that, it sounds like you’re going to say something strange.”

“You don’t need to be so wary. Perhaps it’s good news even for you, Cheon Jihee-ssi.”

“……”

“…What is it?”

Hearing that it was good news for her too, she seemed to intuitively sense it was related to Hye-eun.

To meet her expectations, I carefully proposed to Cheon Jihee something I had told Han Min-ah before.

“Cheon Jihee-ssi, are you not thinking of having a child, like Hye-eun?”

“……?”

“Hye-eun is currently on leave due to pregnancy, and soon there will be one more person going on maternity leave within the Sky Blue Shield. Since things have turned out this way, I’m suggesting that you take a break this time too, Cheon Jihee-ssi.”

“…The condition is pregnancy? That’s absurd.”

“Aren’t you interested?”

“Do you think I am?”

I expected she might react negatively to my proposal to some extent, but I never imagined she’d refuse so firmly.

“The reason I sleep with you is purely because I want to stay by Hye-eun’s side. Having a relationship with you maintains my awakening ability, and it gives me a chance to be intimate with Hye-eun in the same bed.”

“I know that too, Cheon Jihee-ssi.”

“Thanks to you, I am grateful that I can stay without separating from Hye-eun, even like this. But that doesn’t mean I’m grateful enough to have your child. If you’re unhappy that I’m the only one left working with the party while everyone else is resting, then I’ll take temporary leave too, instead of using the strange method of having your child.”

“Unhappy? If a Hunter of your caliber, Cheon Jihee-ssi, rests, it’s naturally a loss for our guild too.”

“…Hmph.”

Perhaps she didn’t like my proposal, as she glared at me, still with her arms crossed.

I hadn’t even considered that I could easily persuade her in the first place, so I simply proceeded as planned, making an offer she couldn’t easily ignore.

“Since you’re pregnant now, you might think it’s fine as long as you return after your leave, but later on, there might be even fewer points of contact between Hye-eun and you, Cheon Jihee-ssi, isn’t that possible?”