Chapter 41: The little kid who noticed like you is just awkward

[The guild will be closed for 24 hours, effective immediately.]

As soon as the broadcast ended, iron bars descended, and the entrance began to be sealed.

At the same time, agents moving swiftly here and there caught his eye.

‘What is this? It reminds me of when I first entered the training camp.’

The feeling of being forcibly confined somewhere.

An unpleasant sensation he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Sihyun was simply dumbfounded by the lockdown situation that unfolded as soon as he arrived at work.

“I came to work, not to enroll in a camp. What on earth is this? It’s only been five minutes since I arrived, five minutes!”

As Sihyun stood bewildered by the confusing situation, a woman with elegant steps approached him.

“Your reactions are still amusing, Sihyun.”

Elissa Haze.

An elite agent dispatched to Korea as a representative of the Eden Guild in the UK.

‘And for some reason, she’s a woman who strangely talks to me a lot.’

She was wearing a white blouse and an H-line skirt.

‘Tsk… This isn’t the time to be thinking this, but Elissa’s figure is really good.’

Her body line, with its perfect curves, was astonishing every time he saw it.

And her chest, which was close to the “big chest, small waist” type, truly…

‘It’s surprisingly strange that I’ve rested my face there.’

No, snap out of it. Yoon Sihyun!

This isn’t the time to be thinking such things.

‘Enough admiring her figure… First, I need to understand the situation.’

Sihyun looked at her with a slightly serious expression.

“Elissa, what is all this? Iron gates suddenly came down, and what are all those machines over there?”

–Vwoom.

Machines, spread throughout the building and in various places, hummed with complex circuitry.

Sihyun pointed at the machines and questioned Elissa.

“I don’t know much about them, but are they some kind of detection equipment?”

“Oh, my… Sihyun, you truly amaze me every time. That’s an MDM, a detection device specially developed in the UK. It’s incredible that you recognized it as a detection type just by looking at it!”

[Myth Detection Machine (MDM).]

A new product boasting significantly superior performance compared to existing detection equipment.

Sihyun also had the task of reviewing various reports, so he possessed some knowledge about MDM.

‘I vaguely remember seeing the development report last month, but they completed it this quickly?’

It made him realize anew how impressive British scientific prowess was.

“So why is that equipment installed everywhere? And why are all these people being investigated?”

Sihyun looked around to see people in black suits questioning guild agents, scanning them with detection equipment, and writing reports.

“Hmm… It seems some explanation is needed. Could you please come over here for a moment?”

Elissa took Sihyun’s hand and gestured for him to follow.

Sihyun followed Elissa and took a seat in the seminar room located right next to the entrance.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. Others will be arriving soon, but before that, I’ll briefly explain what’s happening.”

As soon as Sihyun sat down, he articulated his questions to Elissa.

“First, the reason the detection equipment is installed, and why people are being investigated. And finally, please explain the most important thing: the 24-hour lockdown measure.”

“I feel like I’m being interrogated for doing something wrong, don’t you? Hehe.”

In contrast to Sihyun, Elissa appeared relaxed.

She looked as comfortable as if she were chatting with Sihyun during lunchtime.

Conversely, Sihyun’s insides were filled with irritation.

‘Did she just say “hehe”…? My insides are burning, but she’s laughing. Is being pretty all it takes?’

I have to go get engaged(?) with Luna tonight.

If I can’t return to Luna for 24 hours…

‘…Something really big will happen. No joke, it’ll be the day the prologue to world destruction is filmed.’

Then, Elissa began her explanation, folding her fingers one by one.

“First, the reason the detection equipment was installed is for performance testing, and literally to detect myths. The MDM can detect even the weakest energies.”

“In a guild overflowing with awakened individuals, it seems like it would constantly go off. Awakened individuals use the power of myths, after all.”

“The MDM can differentiate between the energy of pure myths and the abilities of myths emitted by people. We didn’t pour our efforts into developing it for nothing, you know?”

Elissa, talking about the MDM, seemed like a child looking for praise.

This was because she was the main developer.

Sihyun, noticing Elissa’s intention, gave her a light compliment.

“Whoever made it, it’s amazing.”

“You think so too, Sihyun? Hehe.”

It was actually a backhanded compliment.

If the MDM hadn’t been developed, none of this would be happening today.

‘Wait… So, the reason for installing the MDM might be?’

As soon as Sihyun heard the answer to the first question, he could immediately infer the answer to the second.

The detection equipment installed for performance testing.

‘And if that’s why they’re investigating people one by one, then it’s obvious.’

“Then, are people being investigated because there might be a myth hidden in the guild…? Or to find someone connected to something?”

When Sihyun presented his own inferred answer, Elissa showed a slightly surprised expression.

“…Sihyun, your ability to draw out information from me, and your deductive reasoning, are quite good. It’s a waste for you to just be an office worker; how about coming to the UK?”

“I’m sorry, but I like Korea. And I have a sibling to look after at home, so I’ll decline. It’s not like you were serious anyway, right?”

“Hehe. But I was half-serious, you know?”

Half-serious, my ass.

It’s written all over your face, you big-chested woman.

Elissa leaned forward, resting her chest on the desk, and looked at Sihyun.

“Then, I just need to answer your last question. The reason for the 24-hour lockdown is— Hwaaaang—?!”

*Squeeze.*

The moment Elissa opened her mouth to reveal the final reason, a small hand suddenly emerged from under the desk and began to grope Elissa’s chest.

“Heeuugh…! W-wait…! Haah!”

‘Oh, what a great live show this morning.’

Sihyun briefly cleared his mind and focused on watching the “watermelons” being kneaded before his eyes.

‘As a man, turning away from such a precious scene is unforgivable.’

Sihyun felt slightly better than when he heard about the lockdown.

“Haaauugh…! T-there, not thereee!”

Oh, what a bonus.

He didn’t know whose hand it was, but Sihyun unconsciously began to cheer that hand on.

Then, a soft voice came from under the desk.

“Elissa, I’m disappointed you were talking to that man first without me.”

“Heeuugh…! O-older sister…! Please stop touching my chest first… I-I made a mistake, so, haaah!”

“It’s punishment for going ahead without me. I’ll just touch a little more.”

“Sihyun is watching, it’s embarrassing… Hwaaang…!”

Sihyun, completely unfazed, widened his eyes and etched every detail of the scene before him into his mind.

“Hahaha, just think of me as a talking statue and feel free to continue what you were doing.”

“Sihyun… please close your eyes… Haah!”

“I’ll stop now. For some reason, it feels like I’m doing that man a favor.”

A blonde girl suddenly emerged from under the desk.

The Master of the Eden Guild, Victoria Crawford.

“Little Victoria, when did you get here?”

“I slipped in quietly a while ago. More importantly! Don’t call me little! You rude jerk!”

Victoria bounced in place, protesting.

However, far from being threatening, she was merely cute.

Sihyun raised his right hand and lightly tapped Victoria’s forehead.

–*Boop.*

“Don’t. do. that? Your words seem a bit short, Mr. Loser.”

“Ugh… Don’t… do it, please.”

“Good. You remember well. Why did you do it when you know better?”

–*Stroke.*

Sihyun unconsciously stroked Victoria’s head gently.

“Hwaaah…?”

The blonde girl froze instantly.

‘Ah, that habit of doing it to Luna just slipped out.’

Sihyun quickly removed his hand from her head and apologized.

“My bad, my bad. You probably don’t like being treated like a child, but I stroked your head without thinking.”

“Ah, if you know, then that’s fine… Hmph!”

Victoria placed both hands on top of her head and thought.

‘H-how rude…! I’m a knight. No one but Elissa has ever stroked my head…’

Victoria, having her head stroked by a man for the first time in her life, was momentarily flustered but soon shook her head vigorously to clear her thoughts.

Sihyun straightened his posture again and requested an explanation from Elissa.

“Anyway, Elissa, please continue what you were saying. About why the guild has been closed for 24 hours.”

“Haa, haa… Yes, Sihyun…”

“Are you alright? Your face is incredibly flushed.”

Elissa still seemed to be feeling the lingering effects of Victoria’s mischief.

“Victoria, Elissa is like this because of you, so you explain instead.”

“Alright… There’s a purpose for a thorough internal inspection, but actually, there’s only one reason… you see.”

She seemed uncomfortable with polite speech, using it haphazardly.

“Victoria, just adding ‘yo’ doesn’t make it polite speech. Just explain it informally. It’s confusing.”

“R-really…? Can I speak comfortably then?”

“Yes. I permit it.”

“Ahem! You’re quite a good person after all! I’ll specially forgive you for calling me little.”

Victoria smiled brightly, then climbed onto Elissa’s lap and settled in.

“Where was I… Ah! The reason the guild was closed for 24 hours is because of Phantom. That man is definitely connected to this place, the Dawn’s Light Guild. More precisely, there’s someone connected to Phantom inside here, I suppose?”

Sihyun was surprised by the unexpected mention of Phantom’s name but maintained his composure, showing no outward sign.

‘Could it be that they’d go this far just to find me…? But something’s off. How did they link Dawn’s Light with Phantom? And what does finding Phantom have to do with a 24-hour lockdown?’

If they were just looking for a myth, detection equipment would be enough, so why force so many guild members to stay here?

The phrase “24 hours” bothered Sihyun.

‘A period that includes both day and night… And the lockdown was a measure to find Phantom. In that case…’

“So they closed the guild, perhaps hoping to discover something about Phantom when night falls…?”

“Hoo… There was someone else who noticed that besides me. Sihyun, you’re good at swordsmanship and you’re smart too?”

Victoria genuinely admired him.

To think there was someone who made the same deduction about Phantom as she did.

Of course, Sihyun only knew it because he himself was Phantom.

The reason he brought this up first was to curry favor with Victoria and Elissa and extract more information.

“Just as you thought, Sihyun, we hypothesized that Phantom is a being who can only appear at night. And if there’s someone connected to him here, we believed there would definitely be a reaction after sunset. That’s why we requested the 24-hour lockdown from the Master of Dawn’s Light.”

“First, there are a total of three individuals we’re focusing on who might be connected to Phantom. Of course, there are others, but aside from these three most likely candidates, the suspicion level for others is almost negligible.”

“No, then you should focus on investigating those three first, and then do something like this. Who exactly are those three?”

At Sihyun’s question, Victoria’s blue eyes began to shine brightly, as if burning.

“Good question, Sihyun. First, the individual is Han Gaeun, the Master’s daughter. She owed her life to Phantom during the ‘Forgotten One’ incident. Since she was the first human Phantom directly saved, we thought there might be some connection. However, she’s currently on long-term dispatch overseas, so she’s out of the question.”

Victoria folded one of her three fingers and continued her explanation.

“The second individual is the Master of Dawn’s Light, Dojin. He was on the verge of death at the hands of the Collector, the first destruction-level entity, when Phantom appeared and saved him. Of course, the Head of the Countermeasure Department was also there, but Dojin is somewhat bundled with Han Gaeun because of the possibility of her connection to Phantom. Honestly, I don’t think he’s hugely connected.”

Victoria folded one of the two remaining extended fingers.

She had only her index finger left extended.

“Then, who exactly is the last person you think is connected?”

At Sihyun’s question, Victoria slowly extended her raised hand forward.

Her last finger pointed precisely at the one man sitting in that direction.

“The third and final individual is you, Yoon Sihyun.”