Chapter 6: Why are you coming out there

“Elysia, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean? I merely conveyed my position to everyone efficiently.”

Elysia replied with a subtle expression, letting out a snort.

That tone made it clear she had said it to mess with me.

Still, it was certain there was no pretense in Elysia’s words.

Elysia was the type who would say such things and mean it.

“Anyway, thanks to that, I couldn’t even ask about the guild.”

My mind was so occupied with getting Elysia out of that crowd that I forgot to ask about guild establishment.

It wasn’t immediately important, so it didn’t matter.

“Anyway, it’s about time you head back to your world and explain the situation to Irene. She might know something.”

“Yes, I understand, Master.”

Elysia showed a hint of disappointment even as she said she understood.

She hesitated, her expression suggesting she had something more to say.

“…Alright. I’ll summon you again right away tomorrow. Just make sure you do what I asked.”

“Okay!”

Elysia’s expression only softened after a definite date for their next meeting was set.

As the summoning was dispelled, a halo of light appeared, just as when she was summoned, and Elysia vanished.

‘Then, shall I take a look at the Awakened-only community?’

The ‘Awakened-only Community’ was a place one could only join with an ID card issued after officially registering as an awakened person at the Awakened Management Office.

There, one could obtain information not easily accessible on the regular internet.

That alone made the effort of registering with the Awakened Management Office worthwhile.

[ Current Gate Information in Korea ]

[ Artifact Information Distributed by the Awakened Management Office ]

[ Monster Strategy Guides by Grade ]

[ Guild Recruitment Information ]

[ Latest Hot News ]

Various bulletin boards were noticeable, well-organized for easy viewing.

Each one contained useful information.

While spending time browsing through various bulletin boards,

I noticed a familiar title on the Hot News board.

[ Breaking News ] Newly Emerged S-rank Awakened, Single-handedly Defeats 30 A-rank Monsters!

‘Ah, it’s already up.’

Clicking on the video, I saw that everything from last night was captured intact.

From Elysia defeating the A-rank monsters to me stroking her head.

Opening the comment section, I saw hundreds of comments already posted.

[Awakened Association Certified]

– Is this for real? 30 A-ranks by herself?

– It’s clear if you watch the video. It’s a complete one-sided massacre.

– An S-rank would be capable of that much… but she’s doing it too easily?

– Isn’t that guy, that person? The one who used to beat up goblins before awakening.

– Looks like it.

– But why is that girl so obedient?

– Look at 2:34. She looks completely happy when he strokes her head lol.

– What lol. She’s not a dog or something.

– What is this chemistry… a master and disciple?

– I saw them at the Awakened Management Office today, and she really knelt before that guy and called him Master.

– But I heard that guy’s rank is F-rank… is that true?

– Yeah, I went to the Awakened Management Office today for something and saw him.

– An F-rank having an S-rank as a disciple?

– Lol, what’s his ability, some kind of hypnosis app?

– Would an S-rank fall for an F-rank skill?

– We offered him a guild recruitment proposal and he flat-out refused ㅠㅠ because of that guy.

– Us too… no matter how good the conditions, he said no.

– Just give up, looks like they’re going to create their own guild.

Reading through the comments, people’s reactions were quite interesting.

They were full of speculation and curiosity about me, and about my relationship with Elysia.

‘I attracted more attention than I thought.’

There probably wouldn’t be any problems.

After all, gaining some fame was part of the original objective.

I just brushed off this level of gossip.

‘Is there anything else to see?’

As I idly scrolled through other posts with my thumb,

Another hot news item caught my eye.

[ Breaking News ] Cha Seorin Fails S-rank Promotion Exam… “I will challenge again next time”

‘Cha Seorin?’

The familiar name made me click.

Reading the article, the content was quite interesting.

It described her as a legendary figure among Awakened, someone who had awakened as C-rank and climbed all the way to A-rank through her own efforts.

The news was that she had challenged the S-rank promotion exam this time but had unfortunately failed.

‘Could it be the Cha Seorin I know?’

I carefully examined Cha Seorin’s face in the post.

Her childhood image, lodged in my memory, subtly overlapped with the current one.

Opening the comment section, this one was also quite lively.

– Seorin-nim, you worked so hard ㅠㅠ You’ll definitely succeed next time!

– That’s right! It’s amazing enough to have climbed from C-rank to A-rank!

– A true icon of effort… I respect her.

– She’s truly amazing. I’m A-rank too, but I don’t think I could even attempt it.

– I’m C-rank too, I wonder if I can become A-rank someday?

– In our guild, the guild master always tells us to emulate her. There’s no end to the nagging because of that woman lol.

– It’s impossible from the start. There are quite a few B -> A, but A -> S has never happened even in America.

– It’s probably never happened anywhere in the world.

– Seorin can do it, though.

‘Ah, right. It’s that Cha Seorin.’

It was certain.

It was indeed the Cha Seorin I used to know.

Even as a child, she was known for being diligent and pretty.

It seemed she hadn’t changed even after ten years.

Seeing the unusually high views and comments on Seorin’s post, her popularity seemed to remain.

****

Cha Seorin, the number one A-rank Awakened.

For the past ten years,

She was the only Awakened who, after awakening as a C-rank, had achieved a rank increase to A-rank solely through her own efforts.

She was a beacon of hope for low and mid-tier Awakened.

She was an Awakened person who was more than capable of being their role model.

Moreover, with her stunning looks that rivaled an idol’s and her strong personality,

Seorin possessed all the qualities that the public would adore.

“Kyaa! Seorin! Please give me an autograph!”

“Me too! Here’s a paper…”

“Yes. I’ll do it for everyone, one by one. Please line up slowly~”

Her popularity had spread not only among Awakened but also among ordinary people.

However, such fame did not feel particularly valuable to Seorin.

Rather, she considered it a nuisance.

Nevertheless, the reason Seorin maintained such a public image was

Because she was looking for someone.

“You worked hard at the autograph session today, Seorin.”

“Yes~ Manager, you worked hard too.”

The man called Manager handed Seorin a bottle of water and sat beside her.

“Seorin. You’re still looking for that friend, aren’t you? Any progress?”

“No. Well. It’s always the same.”

An older brother figure she had grown up with in the orphanage.

A person Seorin had trusted, relied on, and followed since childhood.

To find him, who had gone missing ten years ago after the gates and monsters appeared,

Seorin had not hesitated to seek unwelcome popularity.

If she became famous and spread the rumor that she was looking for him across the country,

Wouldn’t there be a day when he would come looking for her again?

Believing this, Seorin had held an autograph session even today.

But it had already been ten years.

Seorin was growing increasingly exhausted.

‘Given there’s been no news for so long, could he have died in a monster attack?’

Lately, such thoughts had constantly lingered in her mind.

Even when she lost her precious necklace,

“Here, I found it. Don’t lose it and take good care of it, kiddo.”

Even when the thugs in the alley provoked her, calling her an orphan,

“Get lost before I make you orphans too.”

The person who always appeared from somewhere to help her,

She couldn’t sleep at night, thinking he might already be dead.

‘…Now, she was strong enough to protect him.’

Was it too late?

If she had become A-rank sooner.

Or if she had awakened as A-rank from the beginning.

Would things have been different?

As she was lost in thought,

Seorin’s gaze fixed on her smartphone screen.

[ Breaking News ] Newly Emerged S-rank Awakened, Single-handedly Defeats 30 A-rank Monsters!

A new S-rank.

It wasn’t particularly welcome news.

She had endured such hardship to barely climb to A-rank,

And she couldn’t help but feel indignant thinking of those who got S-rank with a mere ‘click’ of luck.

Moreover, since Seorin had recently failed the S-rank promotion exam,

The blonde woman visible on the phone screen looked unpleasant to her.

If only she had awakened as S-rank from the start.

Or at least as A-rank.

Wouldn’t she have been able to find him then?

Seorin thought such thoughts every time she saw S-rank Awakened.

The thought that his continued disappearance was somehow her fault.

While her mind knew it wasn’t true, she couldn’t help but feel such sullen emotions bubbling up in her heart.

Therefore, Seorin became even more obsessed with S-rank promotion.

‘Hmph, just you wait. I’ll definitely reach S-rank soon.’

It was something no Awakened had ever achieved before.

But Seorin vowed that she would accomplish it someday.

“Let’s wrap things up and get going.”

“Okay.”

At her manager’s words, Seorin, who was putting away her phone and about to stand up,

Her body stiffened at the silhouette of a person caught in the video.

Behind the blonde woman called Elysia,

Stood the man in the video, quietly observing.

The person she had been searching for.

It was Kang Siho.