Chapter 884. Vacation (2)
- I called it a vacation, but I’m not saying we should do something fancy. I just want to go on a date. Oppa, we’ve been through a lot in the past few years, and we’re going to get busy again anyway... We won’t get a chance like this again.
- Considering that we need to have another event in a few years, we need to start preparing for it now. We need to hold a meeting to plan things out with Mr. Bel...
“Hmm...”
- People already have varying opinions about Mr. Bel's plan. Benigoa’s side...
“They want to minimize the damage. It makes sense,” I said.
- The direction they want to take to grow is different. Benigoa’s side wants to minimize the damage because the continent still isn't as stabilized as before all of this.
- However, Mr. Bel’s side believes the continent is stable enough. Belial thinks we need to gather as much holy power as possible to advance swiftly.
- If you look at his plan, it’s really not that bad. I understand where both sides are coming from, and we’ll have to keep coordinating and working with each other. Think about the upcoming workload. This really is our only chance.
“You’re definitely right...” I commented.
- I’m not suggesting we just play around. It’s not like we’re going to go out looking like this. You went out last time looking like a civilian, so let’s do the same this time.
“So, you want to see how the denizens and ordinary adventurers are doing? Aren’t you doing that already? Don’t you have the reports from the Black Swan Guild's psychological counseling and treatment centers?” I asked.
- Of course, I have access to the results, but it’s different seeing it for myself. How many people do you think will admit on the survey that they have a mental illness? Adventurers are particularly sensitive when it comes to that.
‘Ah, she’s right about everything...’
“There’s no way the Black Swan Guild will be so clumsy when it comes to reports, so I don't see anything wrong with it at all,” I asked.
- I’m not saying the reports are wrong. I’m simply suggesting that we need to see it for ourselves. We need to see what the denizens are currently thinking and whether the majority of them don't have any mental illnesses.
“Since when were you so interested in the mental health of the people?” I asked.
- You think I’m doing this because I’m actually interested in that? It just makes things easier to coordinate. Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on down there because I’ve been busy working on so many documents these days.
- However, I’m sure you feel the same way. There’s a difference between experiencing it yourself and just reading a report.
Lee Ji-Hye was right.
I had to coordinate with Belial and Benigoa for the next event, and I also needed to know what the denizens were going through at the moment.
I was receiving reports about them, but there were some things I couldn't quite understand. In other words, taking this chance to go out...
‘It sounds like a good idea.’
More importantly, I needed to keep my promise because I did make a deal with her.
I wasn’t trying to avoid her, and it wasn't that bad of an idea. The idea just had to be right. I knew trust was important, and things would become awkward between Lee Ji-Hye and me if I were to break that trust.
“How is that a vacation?” I questioned.
- It’s definitely a vacation. If we stay out together for a long time, then it's a vacation. Being able to live a new life in a new place... I call that a privilege.
- Since the Federation has received the most damage, how about we visit it? We’ll join an adventurer guild and go on raids with them. Let’s come up with a concept and go. We can also eat a ton of local specialties.
I couldn’t help but keep thinking about it while I was talking to her on the phone.
“What am I going to tell the others?” I questioned.
- Just tell them that you’re going to do work. We’ll have an escort, and I’ll let Hye-Jin know as well. The problem is that there are two people who will not understand us. I think I can convince Jung Ha-Yan...
“How?” I asked.
- I need to find a way, but...
“Kim Hyun-Sung is the problem, right?” I asked.
- You do something about him. You can’t really sneak out in this day and age.
There were voices around me. When I went outside, the people outside greeted me immediately after seeing me. I nodded and greeted them back. The guild house looked as familiar as ever. As I drank my coffee while sitting on the terrace, I looked up at the Goddess’ Hand Mirror as if I had long gotten used to it.
- Let’s set the Federation as our destination. I’ll decide on the sub-regions. I’ll be the immature son of a noble family—no, I’ll be the son of an influential guild or family. I’ll be a really selfish and arrogant bitch. You can be the maid of the family who’s deep in debt.
“Does it really need to be that detailed?” I asked.
- If we're going to do this, then we might as well go all the way.
[The Federation's Adventurer Guild]
I saw many different pieces of information when I typed those words on the Goddess’ Hand Mirror. There wasn’t anything new, but I saw a variety of registered quests and dungeons. Many clans and guilds had submitted quests and dungeon conquest requests for Adventurers to take, but this was supposed to be a vacation, so it was better to take up easy requests—something that mid-rank adventurers could do.
‘Goblin hunting? There’s also the Cobalt dungeon...’
Perhaps this was too easy, as the overall level of the Adventurers had gone up.
I think it was better to accept requests that were at least Average or Rare.
- I’m going to equip that item. I’ll obviously look like a kid, but I’ll have expensive items. I’ll be the typical rude piece of trash because I have my influential parents backing me up. I’ll pretend to be someone who likes to show off, and I pretend like I love expensive things...
“Why would you do something like that?” I asked.
- Is there really a reason to do so? It just sounds like fun. Anyway, I'll go ahead and create a proper identity. I’ll send your character details later, so just check it once it gets there.
[Lee Ki-Yeon]
[Lee Ki-Yeon had been living the life of an ordinary Adventurer until she encountered Lee Ji-Hoo. Lee Ji-Hoo was the only son of a large guild's guild master (guild name and family name to be decided)]
[After catching Lee Ji-Hoo's attention, Lee Ki-Yeon was caught up in a wicked and dirty plot against her will... omitted... In the end, she was left with a huge debt, and she suffered every day... omitted.
[She started liking Lee Ji-Hoo without her realizing it... omitted... She could still remember Kim Hyun-Sung, an adventurer whom she met in Rift Land, but she eventually gave her body and heart to Lee Ji-Hoo, surrendering to him... omitted...]
“Ah... what the hell, noona? This is too much,” I complained.
- That’s why I said it's going to be a vacation. It's only fun when it's too much. Don’t you think something stimulating needs to happen between us? We’re going to be working together for a long time, so this will help a lot when it comes to getting our spark back. You really think we’re roleplaying for no reason here? Also, this is a part of the contract.
‘Yeah, she’s not wrong.’
- This is only a rough draft, so I’ll send you the details and what we're going to do once everything has been finalized. You take care of Kim Hyun-Sung. I’m sure it won’t be that hard.
With that, Lee Ji-Hye hung up.
‘She’s really determined.’
I knew she was looking forward to it, but I was still taken aback by the amount of preparation that she had done beyond the scenes.
‘She’s been preparing for this for quite a while now.’
It was an understatement to say that the document was packed to the brim with texts.
I felt kind of bad because I could feel how stressed she had been feeling all this while, but she had this sense of madness that I couldn’t quite describe, which made me feel confused as to what to feel.
This was probably all she had been thinking about while she was busy working. Lee Ji-Hye was probably in the middle of making her bucket list as if she were an ordinary worker thinking about going overseas once their vacation was approved.
I was definitely correct. Otherwise, her plan wouldn’t be this detailed.
Lee Ji-Hye even wrote a detailed explanation of how we were supposed to talk to each other, our habits, and how Lee Ji-Hoo had influenced Lee Ki-Yeon. I was so shocked that my jaw dropped.
I didn’t feel like it, but this would be worth it if she'd feel recharged by the end of it.
As expected, Kim Hyun-Sung was the problem.
Just then, I heard someone shouting my name.
I looked down and saw him waving at me.
He didn’t look all that different from before, and the only difference was the length of his hair. Back then, he couldn't really care less about his hair, but now, he had been taking care of it, making sure that it would look neat.
His hair had gotten short as well, and it was probably because I told him that his hair was too long. He was handsome, so he’d look good in anything, but he needed a haircut, which would be better than his messy hair at the time.
‘Actually, that messy hair of his was charming in its own way.’
He looked like an untamed wolf at the time.
However, he was unemployed at the moment, so I believed he had to at least look neat.
“Mr. Ki-Young!” Kim Hyun-Sung shouted. He was holding something heavy while waving at me. I was pretty sure that he had gone to the auction house again without me realizing it.
“Are you done training Thronus?” I asked.
“I’ll head up there right now,” Kim Hyun-Sung said.
‘No, I’m asking whether you've finished training him or not.’
His innocent and bright attitude was still there, but he had truly changed drastically.
Since everything was over, Kim Hyun-Sung rarely had things to worry about, which led to his dramatic change. Of course, I was sure there were other reasons, but the biggest reason behind his change was probably the fact that he had finally gotten rid of the heavy burden on his shoulders.
He was no longer encumbered, so he was picking himself up from the mistake he had made in his first life. He was making sure that he wouldn't make the same mistake in his current life.
I was sure having a reason to become the regressor made him happier than anything.
This wasn't the best example, but Kim Hyun-Sung was probably searching for himself at the moment. It was about time he figured out what kind of life he'd live and what he was supposed to be living for. In his first life, Kim Hyun-Sung was too busy surviving, while in his second life, he just had to remove the burden on his shoulders.
Kim Hyun-Sung seemed like he wanted to live a normal life, but he knew better than anyone that he could not be normal. Moreover, there wasn’t much he could achieve.
He was the Guild Master of the most popular guild throughout the continent, and he was in the top three of the most powerful adventurers. He no longer had the desire to achieve something with his own hands; all he wanted was peace for his brother, who had carried and shared that immense burden with him.
He was no longer using his signature armor, and it had been quite a while since it was stashed in his personal storage unit. He didn't really need his armor as he was already intimidating with just his sword.
Kim Hyun-Sung was starting to wear comfortable, everyday clothes as well.
“How was your day today?” Kim Hyun-Sung asked.
He was being overly clingy.
“Have you eaten?” he asked.
“Not yet,” I answered.
“I found a delicious restaurant. How about we go out...”
“I want to eat here today,” I interrupted him.
“If there’s something you’re craving...”
“...”
“...”
“Whoo...”
I sighed, and I saw Kim Hyun-Sung frowning slightly.
I was sure his instincts were telling him that I was acting in a different way than usual.
He was probably assuming that I was either in a bad mood, was worried about something, or even worse—he had done something wrong without his knowledge.
Angel Ki-Young whose warm smile seemed permanent wasn’t there. The patience and understanding Lee Ki-Young wasn't there as well. Instead, I was looking at him coldly.
“Um, Mr. Ki-Young. I got a really rare item from the auction house today. It’s not the Chanelia Hermes you’ve been waiting for, but it’s a Louisgucci made by Leathersmith...” Kim Hyun-Sung trailed off.
“...”
“I’m sorry. There haven't been any discounts these days...” Kim Hyun-Sung said.
‘He really is out of his mind.’
I was hoping that he wasn't thinking that I was sulking because there hadn't been any sales that day, but it seemed like he was actually thinking that way. Yeah, he definitely thought I was sulking because there had been no discounts recently.
“Whoo...” I sighed again, and Kim Hyun-Sung looked uneasy.
“...”
“...”
“Ah, about Thronus’ training...”
“Yes?”
“He seems to be getting stronger without any issues whatsoever. I can’t say that he’s very talented, but... he’ll at least meet your expectations...” Kim Hyun-Sung said.
“...”
“...”
“Haa...”
Kim Hyun-Sung had to have realized it by now.
'That’s it for the build up.'
I had to say something, so I spoke coldly, “Mr. Hyun-Sung, how long have you been taking a break?”
‘Why aren’t you working, damn it?’
I pushed aside the bag on the table, and I looked like someone who finally had enough.
The heavy bag fell to the ground with a loud thud.
For some reason, the way it fell looked dramatic.
“How did you even buy this bag?” I questioned.
‘You have no money.’
“Don't you think you've been overdoing it?!” I shouted.
‘You’re really crossing the line.’
“I’m tired of it...” I muttered. It was just a mutter, but I was sure it sounded extremely loud in Kim Hyun-Sung's ears—loud enough for the entire guild to hear.