#43
“Guild Master, it’s a misunderstanding. I’d be the one doing the bullying, not the one being bullied. I don’t even know their contact numbers!”
It wasn't that he didn't know them, but rather that he just hadn't saved them.
He only ever contacted Director Shin Yonghyun for work-related matters, and even that had stopped at some point after Juwon brushed him off, saying, ‘Please direct all matters through the guild.’
As for Han Jinho, he had approached Juwon with a friendly smile the first few times. But after exchanging numbers, they had no common interests and nothing particular to talk about. After one or two single-word replies, the contact naturally fizzled out.
As for Kim Hyun-il… Baek Juwon hated people like Kim Hyun-il the most, those who exuded a smooth, grown-up composure to the 200%. Saving his contact information? He should be thankful he wasn't blocked.
“No, Baek Juwon. How can you not know the contact information of people you meet through work? Don't tell me you don't even have Director Shin's number?”
“It’s not that I don’t… have it, it’s probably somewhere if I dig through my messages. I just didn't save it.”
“Do you… not have a social life? Is it because you’re always stuck playing that damn game!”
“No, Guild Master. It’s a problem for me if you say that when gaming is my only joy in life. Besides, I am having a social life, aren't I? At the guild.”
The Guild Master slammed the tumbler he was holding down so hard it looked like it might break, and then sighed.
“Juwon. I always tell you, don’t I? To see the world more broadly. It’s good to be loyal to the guild, but you should also meet other people… Shouldn't you cut back on gaming and social media and get out more?”
“The loyalty of an S-class Esper, isn’t that something you should be gratefully accepting with a deep bow?”
To Juwon, who had lost his family in a Gate accident seven years ago, the Geonyeong Guild that took him in was his family and his entire world.
Perhaps because of that, he had an unusually deep sense of belonging to the guild compared to other Espers.
If it ended there, others might just see it as a touching relationship with his guild and move on, but the problem was Juwon’s temper.
As if his temper had become fiery from handling fire, he acted literally rude and unsociable in all human relationships outside of the Geonyeong Guild.
It was as if no one outside the guild was allowed in his social circle.
“Do you know you just said something that would make other guild representatives go crazy with jealousy if they heard it, Guild Master? Others are dying to receive the loyalty of an S-class Esper.”
“It’s good, it’s good. I never said I didn't like it. But a fool like this… wouldn't it be natural to dislike it? You can’t be a fool. I hear that Kim Hyeonil over there is a problem because he wanders around too much, but what am I to do when our Juwon acts like this?”
“Ah, how am I a fool? Do I have to be called a fool just because I don't know the contact information of other Espers?”
“Don’t tell me… the only contacts in your phone are our guild members, right? What about your schoolmates? Your professor? The teaching assistant?”
“There’s no one I actually see, so why bother….”
“Then why are you even attending university?”
“Ah, the Team Leader said I shouldn’t have a short education, so he submitted an application on my behalf, and I’m just going!”
“That’s not what I’m talking about!”
Bang! Bang! As he kept slamming the tumbler on the table, it seemed a crack had appeared in the glass.
Seeing that, Juwon became just a little scared. He felt like his own head might crack just like that table.
“…This won’t do. Baek Juwon. Right now, pack your things. And go to the Bureau.”
“What? No, Guild Master. So suddenly?”
“I’ll set up a schedule, so contact me when you arrive at the Bureau headquarters.”
“What? What am I supposed to do at the Bureau? Me? Is this finally the time I get to burn the Bureau down?”
There was a joke that Espers from private guilds often made. One day, I’m going to burn down or destroy the Bureau building.
It was a magic spell that calmed the anger welling up in the hearts of guild members whenever the Bureau threw its weight around in coordinating Gate dispatches or various other cooperative matters.
“Burn it down, what are you burning down? If you have nothing else to burn, go burn your own head. Along with that useless phone with no contacts in it.”
“……”
“And the announcement, did you see it? Or the news?”
“No. I was dragged here as soon as I woke up.”
“Then watch the announcement video on your way. And read some news, too.”
“Come on, it’s not the first time the Bureau has made a big deal about some announcement. What on earth did they announce that all the S-classes gathered for it? And why do I have to go to the Bureau?”
Grumbling, Juwon meekly accepted the tablet PC that the Guild Master held out.
“Something that can make your ability stronger has appeared. And it gets rid of your damn side effects. What will you do then?”
“…What? Did they invent some kind of buff-type item? But isn’t that a material that everyone jumped on to research but failed?”
“It’s not an item.”
“What?”
“A person. A person has appeared. Someone who can make an Esper’s ability several times, no, tens of times stronger. And they say the side effects of the ability melt away like snow.”
“That’s… that’s ridiculous….”
“Right? But Shin Yonghyun guaranteed it, and Han Jinho and Kim Hyeonil confirmed it.”
“……”
The tablet PC he received from the Guild Master was open to an internet news page run by the Association.
[The Key to Solving the Gate Problem, What is a ‘Guide’?]
[Government Agency ‘The Bureau,’ Major Announcement on May 11th, 2 PM… The Emergence of ‘Guides,’ Beings Who Enhance Esper Abilities and Eliminate Side Effects]
“Gui…de? What’s a Guide? Is it a new word for that buff-type Esper?”
“You’re going there to find that out.”
***
Was one calming pill not enough? Can I take another one? No, if I'm going to take more anyway, wouldn't it be better to take three more instead of just one?
Wonwoo got up from his seat for no reason, paced back and forth a few steps, then sat down again, unable to sit still.
1:52 p.m. Less than 10 minutes remained until the time Yonghyun had specified.
‘The announcement will now be made in the name of the Bureau. All preparations are complete.’
Having obtained the report written with all of Jihyuk's effort, titled ‘Comparative Analysis of Esper Kim Hyeonil’s Abilities – Centered on the Guide,’ Yonghyun was invincible.
On top of that, Jihyuk had even created a fantastic video with the bodycam footage. Jaesung had been floored, asking if such a thing was possible in less than a day.
‘What’s the point of having a big corporate name? You use it for times like this.’
The person who had cried while editing was someone else, but it was Hyeonil who smiled with composure.
The first thing Yonghyun did after obtaining the report and video was to gather the headquarters director and other executives and notify them.
‘I’ve brought the data and evidence you wanted so badly. So, take a good look.’
Hyeonil’s ability was activated by breaking jewels, corresponding to the size of the broken jewel. Thanks to this, the effect of the guiding could be shown more clearly.
In particular, the editing was so brilliant that the effect of the guiding looked even more dramatic. They even showed footage of Hyeonil using his ability without a guide, from some unknown source.
Excitement tinged the faces of those who watched Hyeonil create a massive waterspout by breaking a jewel smaller than a bean. Everyone gasped in admiration at the sight of Jinho shattering an earth soldier with a powerful punch the moment Wonwoo grabbed his hand.
But what captured everyone’s attention the most was that the expressions on the faces of both Jinho and Hyeonil looked more at ease than any other Esper’s.
Due to the side effects, the more Espers use their abilities, the more sensitive and on-edge they become during Gate raids. That was why the media had even compared Espers to ‘bombs that could go off at any moment.’
In Jinho’s case, this was particularly severe. He couldn’t easily let things slide that he normally would have laughed off, and he would often grimace throughout a raid. As he was widely active as a freelancer, Jinho’s sensitive nature was known to the public, even among S-class Espers.
But Jinho's expression in the video… looked more comfortable than anyone's. If not for the clay soldiers that appeared afterward, it would have been impossible to believe he was in the middle of a Gate raid.
Yonghyun was staring at them with a hardened expression, thinking how nice it would have been if they had just believed him like this from the start. Just then, one of the executives, someone who normally wouldn't have uttered a single word, excitedly fired off a question like a machine gun.
‘Has Director Shin Yonghyun also received guiding? How was it?’
At that question, Yonghyun scoffed. It was laughable to see these old foxes, who had feigned disbelief just moments ago, now revealing their blatant greed without any thought of hiding it.
But what was laughable was laughable, and Yonghyun had to secure an official position for Wonwoo in this meeting.
‘I will explain the details related to that during the briefing for the Han River AA-class Gate. However… let me first say that the guiding was so good it felt like I could do anything.’
After that, everything proceeded swiftly.
Not a single person opposed Yonghyun’s proposal for the Bureau to take the lead, acknowledge and publicize the existence of ‘Guides,’ and then adopt a friendly relationship with them.
Of course, there were suggestions of job offers or bringing him into the Bureau, but it was concluded smoothly with the agreement that an ‘official position’ should come first.
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