Chapter 35 Reunion with the Guild Master Who Rejected Me

Although I encountered Yoo Eun-ha, it didn’t particularly matter.

Just like meeting an old classmate? It was just that, nothing more.
It wasn’t something to care about more, nor did I want to care about it more.

I left that place with Park Jin-ha without any regrets, and we headed to the clothing store.

We went to a department store in downtown Seoul.

By the way, as Yoo Eun-ha said, we must indeed look like a couple.

People around us were all mistaking us for a couple,

And seeing Park Jin-ha’s red face, they were convinced of it.

I don’t have a hobby of dating 17-year-old high school girls though…

To me, Park Jin-ha was just an affectionate younger sister like Si-eun.

“Si-woo. How is it? Does it suit me?”

“Yes. It suits you well.”

Right now, Park Jin-ha was showing me the clothes she had just changed into.

Park Jin-ha wearing a skirt that matched her red hair and a cute jacket.

That look was quite stylish and pretty.

Plus, considering her kind and affectionate personality, I thought she must be very popular among her classmates.

Well, no matter what, she’s still nowhere near my sister Si-eun.

“Si-woo. Could you pick out one outfit for me…?”

As I was watching Park Jin-ha’s fashion show, Park Jin-ha approached me.

And this time, she asked me to coordinate an outfit for her.

“Sure, why not.”

It wasn’t particularly difficult.

And I have fashion sense accumulated from when I worked as Yoo Eun-ha’s manager.

Using those skills, I began scanning one by one for clothes that would suit Park Jin-ha’s casual appearance.

Going around the store here and there, I picked out clothes one by one.

A white bunny hat that would match well with her red hair.

Skinny jeans that showed her figure and a leotard top.

And a spring-scented cardigan that would slightly cover her revealed figure.

I completed a fashion that quite suited Park Jin-ha.

“Would you like to try this on?”

“Yes…! Si-woo.”

When I picked out the clothes, Park Jin-ha smiled and went into the changing room.

And a few minutes later, Park Jin-ha came out wearing all the clothes.

“Does it suit me?”

“Yes. Not bad.”

As I expected, it gave a good impression.

A moderately pretty and cute feel.

“So Si-woo likes this style…”

“Hmm… not exactly. I just thought it suited you.”

Fortunately, Park Jin-ha also seemed to like it.

Her expression was so pleased that she was grinning.

“Si-woo. Would you like to try this on?”

“Shall I?”

And so we continued shopping.

Well, I should enjoy it when I can.

And then we happened to see an unexpected connection there.

“Oh my. Isn’t that Si-woo? And next to you… is that Park Jin-ha?”

I turned my head to examine the owner of the voice.

A person with purple hair and a mature figure, and a lady who knows how to make an adult expression with a haughty face.

It was Min Seo-jin, the guild master of [Witch’s Temptation] guild and the 8th ranked S-class hunter.

“I see you in such a place. Si-woo.”

“It’s been a while. Nice to see you, Guild Master.”

“Nice to see you too.”

We exchanged greetings pleasantly with each other.

Although it was just a formal greeting.

“Are you two on a date?”

“Well, it’s not exactly a date, but something similar.”

Min Seo-jin examined us both, then slightly narrowed her eyes and continued speaking as if she understood.

I can roughly predict what Min Seo-jin is thinking.

Like other people, she’s misunderstanding that we two are dating.

But that was completely off the mark.

A date? That’s a complete misunderstanding.

It’s merely an accompaniment for buying clothes.

“Si-woo always seems to have women around him. Is it because of your appearance?”

“Haha. Thanks for the compliment. Guild Master should also have many men around…”

“Ahaha. Si-woo… it seems like you’re subtly hitting back at me for teasing you a bit. Unfortunately, I’m too busy with work. I don’t have time for that.”

“Take it easy.”

I explained adequately and continued the banter with Min Seo-jin.

Min Seo-jin and I were meeting again after I went for a guild interview four days ago, and the reunion wasn’t too bad.

“Haah… what business do you have here, Witch?”

But unlike me who wasn’t particularly interested, the expression of Park Jin-ha beside me gradually darkened.

“Hello to you too, Jin-ha. Don’t be so wary.”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

“… It makes me a bit sad to be disliked like this…”

Park Jin-ha was being wary of Min Seo-jin.

Min Seo-jin sighed bitterly looking at such a Park Jin-ha.

Park Jin-ha doesn’t get along well with large guilds.

Not just [The Order], but she doesn’t get along well with the Sword Saint Society or Witch’s Temptation guild either.

So, it’s natural for her to be wary like this.

“Jin-ha. Let me ask you once more, do you have any intention of joining our guild?”

In contrast, Min Seo-jin obviously didn’t want to lose a big fish like Park Jin-ha.

“No. Absolutely not. As I’ve said before, I’m going to be in a guild with my brother.”

“… If you say so, I’ll have to give up.”

Min Seo-jin sighed as if she was disappointed.

“By the way, who is the child behind you?”

I was looking at the two of them and discovered a girl behind Min Seo-jin.

“…”

It was a small-figured girl who was sticking close behind Min Seo-jin and glaring at me.

She was a quite cute, small-figured girl with a reddish tinge.

She was cute, sticking close behind Min Seo-jin, the Witch, like a wary dog.

“Aha! So Si-woo doesn’t know her either. She’s the 9th ranked S-class hunter. She’s An Se-ah, known as the Explosive Wolf.”

“The 9th ranked S-class? It’s a face I’m seeing for the first time.”

“That’s inevitable. She’s our Witch guild’s most important combat power.”

“Is it okay to reveal such a crucial power like this?”

“There’s no point in hiding it anymore.”

I honestly expected her to be an unusual child,

But it was quite unexpected that she was the 9th ranked S-class power.

“… That child. Is she an experiment subject?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

But more than that, I felt something else.

Animal ears and tail…

There were slight traces of artificially tampering with human genes.

So I asked Min Seo-jin, and Min Seo-jin didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it.

Genetic modification.

I already knew that the Witch’s Temptation did such things.

[Witch’s Temptation] is said to conduct human experiments.

They are said to not hesitate even with quite inhumane acts.

To obtain more useful guild members.

The result would be An Se-ah now in front of me.

I certainly knew from investigating information that there was a 9th ranked S-class in the [Witch’s Temptation] guild, but she was a figure shrouded in mystery.

But now, meeting her in a place like this, it was quite a new feeling.

“Guild Master. Will you become the #1 guild?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Why do you want to become the #1 guild?”

“Haha. Isn’t it obvious?”

Indeed, the reason Witch’s Temptation guild conducts such acts was to become the #1 guild.

The three guilds—[The Order], [Witch’s Temptation], and the Sword Saint Society—used any means necessary to occupy the position of the #1 guild.

Even if it meant dirty and sordid acts, inhumane acts.

The reason Park Jin-ha disliked large guilds was because of these dark aspects.

But separate from that, the reason for wanting to become the #1 guild is very simple.

Gates that suddenly appeared one day, and after society became a hunter society, the government lost the ability to manage society.

Because in this hunter society, the military armed with guns and cannons cannot function properly.

In a situation where each hunter is a living gun and cannon, naturally, the government has no ability to control them.

That’s why the government had no choice but to adopt one method regarding security, apart from policy.

That is to delegate all police powers to one #1 guild.

Making the #1 guild, which has been delegated police powers, protect the country’s safety and security. That was the government’s policy.

If asked why they adopted such a policy, there was no other way.

Because the #1 guild is the strongest armed group in the country.

In other words, the #1 guild effectively reigns as the police, military, and institution of this world.

Therefore, the honor and status that the #1 guild holds in this society is very great.

The #1 guild can be seen as the practical ruler of the country.

It becomes an absolute group in this country that no one can stop, even wielding public authority.

Not even the head of the Hunter Guild Association, not to mention the national leader, can treat the guild master of the #1 guild carelessly.

That’s why all three large guilds are aiming to become the #1 guild now.

Because they can become the most practical ruler in the country.

So they are trying to become the #1 guild by any means necessary.

Even if it means inhumane acts.

“Si-woo. Are you going to meddle unnecessarily?”

“No. It’s not something that has anything to do with me.”

But honestly, I didn’t particularly feel anything.

Because the guild I belonged to, Yoo Eun-ha’s [Frozen Heart], didn’t do such honorable things either.

Of course, [Frozen Heart] already occupied the position of the #1 guild, so it didn’t do as many bad things as other large guilds, but it’s true that it wasn’t an honorable guild.

It must be the inevitable circumstances of adults.

I’m also an adult who knows and understands that.

It wasn’t something to be concerned about.

Unless it directly harms me like [The Order] did.

“Si-woo. Let’s go now.”

Park Jin-ha urged from the side.

It seems Park Jin-ha feels very uncomfortable in this place.

“Okay. Well, see you next time.”

“Yes… see you next time, Si-woo.”

We smiled and greeted each other like that, and left the place.

But.

[Grrrrrrrrrrrr]

An unknown earthquake occurred.

“…!”

And a red gate opened in front of our eyes.

“Run away…! Right now.”

We heard an urgent shout upon seeing the gate, but it was already too late.

“Ugh…”

After a moment of dark silence, when I came to my senses and looked around, we were inside the gate.

Me, Park Jin-ha, and An Se-ah.

The three of us had been sucked into the Red Gate.