Chapter 20: I Want to See the City (3)

Even after the appearance of Gates had thrown the world into chaos, developed countries remained developed.

Seoul had managed to preserve most of its original state, excluding contaminated areas. The majestic Gyeongbokgung Palace before them was a prime example of this success.

The rough-hewn bricks bore the weight of centuries, topped by navy blue roof tiles. No matter how high the girl stretched or craned her neck, she couldn’t see where the palace ended.

“Wow… It looks so old and rugged!” she exclaimed.

The Guild Master realized that without historical knowledge, the girl would see it as just another ancient building. After all, she had pointed at the crosses jutting out from churches all over Seoul and cried, “Ah! The heretics are copying us!”

“Indeed. It was built over 600 years ago,” he explained.

“600 years?!” The girl jumped in surprise.

Startled by her sudden movement, a sparrow’s head popped out of her bag with a chirp.

Unfortunately, the girl was too amazed to notice the sparrow family’s complaints. First, she was astonished by the palace’s vast size, and then by its age.

600 years! That meant… well, that meant…

The girl glanced up at the Guild Master, her mind working furiously.

“Oh! That’s enough time for you to die twelve times, Guild Master!”

“…Hmm.”

While technically correct, her precise calculation of his remaining lifespan as 50 years somehow irked the Guild Master, even though he knew she meant no harm.

As the small blue-haired figure trotted ahead eagerly, the Guild Master’s brow furrowed slightly. What thoughts were running through that little head? He wondered how he could possibly teach this child some common sense.

Meanwhile, the girl was too excited about her first city tour to notice his frustrations.

How could a building be so enormous? Surely ordinary people couldn’t have built this.

“Were people in the past gigantic?” she asked.

“No, actually, compared to modern humans…”

“! Maybe there were Awakened people chosen by God back then too, just like us!”

“No, Awakening only started ten years ago when the Gates…”

“Guild Master! What kind of clothes are those? They look like spinning tops!”

The girl pointed at the full, billowing skirts of traditional hanbok dresses.

“Aha! They must all have really thick legs!” she concluded.

“…Hah.”

The Guild Master felt dizzy from the girl’s exuberance, whether in the air or on the ground. As he stood still, she tugged on his hand, chattering away.

Despite his stony expression that screamed “I have no thoughts,” the girl showed no signs of tiring.

Their odd appearance began to draw attention from passersby.

“Hey, isn’t that the Chungseong Guild Master?”

“Huh? No way such a busy person would be… Oh my god, it really is him!”

The stark contrast between the Guild Master and the girl was impossible to miss. He towered over others in his pitch-black suit, while she sported long, vividly blue hair that seemed unnaturally vibrant. They stood out among the sea of hanbok-clad visitors.

“Guild Master! Can we go inside there too?” The girl pointed at Gwanghwamun Gate, tugging on his hand excitedly.

“Wow… Is that his daughter? She’s so cute…”

The Guild Master realized they couldn’t linger any longer. Citizens were slowly inching closer, likely hoping for a photo.

Thanks to his keen senses, he could hear every gossipy whisper.

“Was the Chungseong Guild Master married?”

“No? That’s why it’s even more intriguing!”

While he wouldn’t mind the attention if he were alone, he worried about the girl. She had already been through so much trauma; the last thing she needed was strangers speculating about her relationship to him.

Reluctantly, the Guild Master decided to postpone their palace visit.

“I’m sorry, but I haven’t had lunch yet. Would you mind if we visit Gyeongbokgung another time?” he asked.

“Oh, of course not!”

Though she must have been looking forward to it, the girl nodded vigorously, grabbing his hand to lead him away. She showed no hint of disappointment.

“You should eat meals on time. That’s how you stay healthy,” she lectured.

Wasn’t that what Mia always said? No matter what else, please eat three full meals a day.

The Guild Master was so big; he must need to eat a lot.

The girl swiveled her head, searching for a place to eat nearby.

The Guild Master, however, was troubled by her behavior. Sometimes she acted like an innocent child her age, but other times she was more resigned, meticulous, and considerate than most adults.

He gently lifted the girl into the air using his telekinesis.

“Eh? Eeeeh?!”

As she flailed in surprise, he said, “Don’t kick. Stay still. You don’t even know where the restaurants are.”

He then reached out and scooped her into his arms, settling her on his forearm to keep her from bumping into others.

“Let the adults handle things like this.”

He strode forward, ignoring the approaching citizens and those surreptitiously snapping photos.

Hurriedly, he pulled out his smartphone to call his secretaries, who were likely enjoying themselves at the amusement park.

As the call connected, he felt the girl’s intense stare boring into him.

He could almost hear her unspoken question: “Mister, what’s that?”

Damn. Was he going crazy?

Despite his unease, the Guild Master explained, “It’s a smartphone. It’s for contacting people far away.”

The girl gasped, nearly toppling off his arm in shock.

A device for contacting faraway people! Surely this was a gift from God himself!

Could it possibly connect her with Mia, who appeared and disappeared at will? No! It might even give her a chance to speak directly with God!

Breathless with excitement, she asked, “Then! Then! Can you contact G-God with it too?!”

For once, even the Guild Master, who usually indulged the girl’s innocence, couldn’t bring himself to lie. False hope often led to deeper despair.

“No. The other person needs to have a smartphone too. You need to know their contact information, and most importantly, they have to be willing to talk to you,” he explained gently.

The girl tilted her head, murmuring softly, “…Maybe if I make a wish…?”

Though the Guild Master’s sharp hearing caught her words, he chose not to acknowledge them. He wasn’t entirely sure about the extent of the girl’s abilities yet, and his secretaries had just picked up the call.

Noticing this, the girl whispered, “Don’t mind me!” and turned her head away primly. It seemed to be her way of being considerate.

Finally able to focus on the call, the Guild Master heard:

“Ah! Wait! It’s a call from the Guild Master! Hello? Guild Master? Hello…?”

As expected, the background noise suggested they were indeed at the amusement park, clearly enjoying themselves.

Pleased by this, the Guild Master got straight to the point, partly out of consideration for his employees’ time.

“Is there a place near Gyeongbokgung that sells snacks a child might like?”

“Uh… Yes…? Just a moment!”

After sending them all to the amusement park with tickets, this sudden request was startling. They were relieved it wasn’t something more serious.

…Wait a minute.

Should they really be relieved?

Did the Guild Master just ask about snacks a child might like?

The man who had always treated everyone, regardless of age or gender, with the same cool indifference, was now looking for gifts and snacks? Just what kind of child could inspire such behavior?

Though they knew it was impossible, the secretaries couldn’t help but wonder if their Guild Master had been secretly hiding a child all this time.

Fortunately, despite the unexpected request, the capable secretaries quickly scoured social media and the internet, finding a well-reviewed snack shop nearby.

“There’s a tanghulu specialty shop not far from there. I’ll send you the address via text.”

“Good work.”

“Please let us know if you need anything else!”

The secretaries hoped that by working hard, they might get a chance to see this child who had captured their Guild Master’s attention.

Sadly, their efforts were in vain.

“Guild Master? What’s this?” the girl asked, pointing at the glistening tanghulu skewers.

“It’s tanghulu. It’s a snack made by coating fruit in melted sugar and letting it harden,” he explained.

The girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at the shimmering treats.

The Guild Master’s worries about her disliking extravagance or fruit melted away at her enthusiastic response.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his unlimited black credit card and ordered, “I’d like one of each variety, please.”

“Ah… Certainly!”

The card, capable of handling transactions in the hundreds of millions, was being used to purchase tanghulu worth just a few tens of thousands of won.

While the girl’s positive reaction was heartening, there was a bittersweet element to it.

‘Come to think of it, don’t kids her age usually have their own smartphones? I should buy her one while we’re out,’ the Guild Master mused.

Whether it was payment for the VVIP free pass tickets or his desire to see the girl, the Guild Master seemed to have forgotten his usual employee-friendly mindset.

He continuously messaged his secretaries, who were trying to enjoy the amusement park:

Was it okay to get a phone contract for someone else?

What were good smartphone models for children?

What else should he buy along with the phone?

Were there any good phone shops nearby?

[…So to avoid being looked down on by other kids, the Opal phone would be best. If the child has small hands, go for the Opal Mini. If their hands are larger, the regular or plus version would work.]

“Hmm…”

An Opal phone, huh?

While over 2 million won for a single device might seem steep for a premium smartphone, to him it was as cheap as shopping at a nearby convenience store.

Moreover, the thought of the already low-self-esteem girl being looked down upon by other children made giving her an inferior product feel like a crime.

Expensive means good.

So he should just buy the most expensive one.

‘Plus… Opal Pro Max 16. That should do it.’

As the Guild Master busied himself with shopping plans, the girl had already received her packaged tanghulu.

“Your order is ready!”

She was now struggling with both hands full of tanghulu bags, wobbling unsteadily due to her small frame.

“Let’s go. You said you wanted to see people, right? You can eat while we look around,” the Guild Master said, taking the bags from her and pulling out a skewer.

“Apple!”

The one he’d chosen was a green apple tanghulu, a whole apple coated in hardened sugar.

—