CH 228

After a long drive, we arrived at the JS Korea branch right next to the G32 Area in Cheonan. Officials and employees who were waiting for our car to enter the parking lot one after another quickly approached us as soon as Cheon Sa-yeon got off.

“Welcome, Requiem Master. I was waiting. My name is Raymon (레이먼), the general manager of JS Korea branch.”

“Nice to meet you, Raymon.”

Raymon, with reddish-brown hair and glasses, exuded a cool yet sophisticated atmosphere. It was obvious that the general public didn’t feel the energy of the talented person.

Raymon smiled slightly at me, standing next to Cheon Sa-yeon.

“Are you Talented Han Yi-gyeol? It is an honour to meet you like this.”

“Thank you for the welcome.”

After shaking hands with Cheon Sa-yeon and me, Raymon guided us to the elevator.

“Roheon Deputy Master arrives first and is waiting for you. We will guide you right away.”

We all got on the elevator and left the parking lot. The elevator, which had a clear view of the outside through the transparent glass wall, went up high.

“I have listened to what the Athena Guild said. All preparations have been made so that there is no time delay. Deputy Master Ha Tae-heon watched the whole process, so you can check it later.”

The elevator stopped on the 30th floor. The inside of the building that appeared through the door was wider than I thought.

“This way please.”

Following Raymon in the lead, we crossed the hallway and went inside.

As I walked, I noticed a significant number of researchers and staff working here. Judging from the energy I felt, they were all talented people. They must be producers.

‘The facilities look pretty good. The president used it, so it must have been the right place.’

Min Ah-rin, who was following Raymon like me and looking around, lowered her voice and whispered.

“The scale is much bigger than expected. If it’s like this, the cost of each use of space-moving is no joke.”

“That’s what I think.”

It was suggested by JS first, so it could be used at no cost, but that was the only time it was. As they explained, I was always willing to use it more if I could go abroad without major side effects.

Woo Seo-hyuk, who was listening to Min Ah-rin and me, opened his mouth.

“I know that corporate officials and politicians have been using it from time to time. There are a lot more people overseas using it.”

“If only such people are using it, the cost must be quite high.”

Ordinary people like me wouldn’t even know that such a facility existed. If I knew it, I wouldn’t be able to use it.

Kwon Jeong-han shrugged his shoulders lightly and intervened.

“Well, it’s worth the value of technology. It’s not because you’re going to the mountains behind the town, but because you can move space overseas. How many billions will it cost to build the machine?”

Right. I didn’t know much about this subject, so I just nodded.

When we reached the end of the hallway, the automatic glass door opened slowly. Inside the room, I could see many machines and researchers, and in the centre was the huge machine I saw in the last document.

“Uwa, that’s really cool.”

The ceiling was very high and the interior was spacious, but it looked full because the machine was so big. Hearing Min Ah-rin’s sincere admiration, I looked up at the machine.

‘If it was that high, it would be over 30 meters.’

I could relate to Kwon Jeong-han’s statement that the production process alone would have cost a lot of money. I wondered how it worked.

As I slowly looked around, I found a familiar face.

“Ha Tae-heon-ssi.”

Ha Tae-heon, who was standing with Roheon’s bodyguards near the entrance, looked back at my call. As I approached Ha Tae-heon, Fox sitting on my shoulder in a state of invisibility cried low.

“You come not too late.”

“Yes. Did everything go well?”

Since there were many eyes to see, instead of stroking my head as usual, Ha Tae-heon lightly grabbed my shoulder once and turned his head to Cheon Sa-yeon.

“Are you here?”

“Yeah. You came early.”

“The work was done quickly, so I left first.”

Contrary to my nervous mind, Ha Tae-heon and Cheon Sa-yeon had a fairly normal conversation. Well. Strictly speaking, we were currently working.

“After a brief explanation, we will start right away. Would you all come this way?”

At Raymon’s gesture, the employee tapped the tablet PC he was holding. Then the tightly closed machine opened the door with a jiing sound.

“You can go in and stand in the middle of the machine. The pattern engraved on the floor will glow when space-moving is activated, but it’s a normal reaction, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Raymon and his staff, who followed us into the machine, gave detailed instructions on where to stand.

“Please note that some individuals may experience mild dizziness or nausea when the machine is running. Your destination is JS New York branch.”

I listened to Raymon’s explanation by putting on the small badge-shaped interpreter item that Woo Seo-hyuk gave me.

It seemed to be a way of moving with both machines. Raymon, who recited other basic things, smiled and bowed his back.

“Then let’s get started with the space-moving. If possible, please stay in your current position.”

With those words, Raymon and his staff went out of the machine. Through the transparent window, dozens of staff and researchers could be seen running around and running machines.

‘It takes a lot of manpower to move through space… how can the Praus Cult be able to move with one small marble?’

Even recalling the raid on the guild management headquarters, close to 10 people disappeared at once. The activation time was very short.

‘No matter how high-ranked Doctor is, it would be impossible to make such an item.’

Was there something special that couldn’t be obtained even at the gate? I should look into this part when I got a chance.

Uuung!

Soon after, the machine vibrated and the floor began to glow bright blue. At the same time, a dizzy feeling spread throughout my body as if I was falling from a high place.

I frowned at that unpleasant feeling and closed my eyes.

* * *

The person who greeted us, who came to New York in an instant, was Emily (에밀리), the general manager of the New York branch of JS.

“Nice to meet you, everyone.”

Emily, with her sharp features and scarlet hair tied together, looked carefully at us as we came out of the machine and asked.

“The space-moving has been successfully completed. Do you have any physical discomfort? Tell us and we will help.”

At those words, everyone focused their attention on me as if they had promised.

‘…what is it?’

Embarrassed, I quickly shook my head to say that it was okay and Emily showed a relieved expression on her face and led us to the front door of the building.

“The car sent by the Athena Guild is here. It takes about five hours to get to Washington from here, so it would be better to go directly.”

“Thank you for taking care of us. Thanks to this, we were able to come to America with ease.”

When Cheon Sa-yeon sent his thanks as the representative, Emily shook hands and smiled.

“It is an honour to have such a precious relationship with you all. We hope you have a great time until the last schedule.”

We got in the car of the Athena Guild parked in front of the JS New York branch and headed straight for Washington.

The Athena Guild was said to be located by the Potomac River, but I had never been to Washington, so I wasn’t sure what it was even if I heard the explanation.

* * *

As Emily said, after travelling for five hours to Washington without a break, we were finally able to arrive at the Athena Guild.

When I got off the car and faced the Athena Guild building for the first time, I was a little surprised.

‘The building is smaller than I thought.’

It was said that tall buildings couldn’t be built in Washington because of height restrictions, was that because of that? Cheon Sa-yeon, who knew what I was thinking, whispered in my ear.

“Athena has several buildings all over the place. This is the representative building, so the security is the most secure.”

As expected. After being checked by the security guards who stood guard at the front door, we followed the guide and went up to the drawing-room.

“Han Yi-gyeol-ssi!”

As soon as the security guard opened the door to the representative’s office, someone rushed over with a bright voice. I happily hugged the little body that ran straight into my arms.

“Edward-ssi.”

“Long time no see!”

Edward was an independent producer and the only younger brother of Athena’s Deputy Master Chloe. Edward, whom I met again after a few months, had grown a little taller.

As I stroked his golden hair with pride, Edward smiled and gently took my hand. Then he looked at Cheon Sa-yeon.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Cheon Sa-yeon-ssi.”

“Yeah. How have you been?”

“Yes! I’ve been well. It’s nice to meet other people behind you. My name is Edward, a producer.”

“He’s Deputy Master Chloe’s younger brother.”

In addition to Edward’s words, I asked Edward.

“Where is Deputy Master Chloe?”

“My sister went to pick up Athena Master. They will be here soon. Please come in first.”

I followed Edward, who took my hand and led me into the drawing-room. Not long after, Athena’s staff brought tea and dessert.

“Hyung. Here you go.”

“Han Yi-gyeol, eat this.”

Kwon Jeong-han, who occupied the seat next to me, pushed tea and Kim Woo-jin pushed cookies in front of me. I suddenly took a cup of tea and put the cookie in my mouth, thinking blankly.

‘This… I don’t really feel like I’m in America.’

Except for the appearance of Fox whimpering in a state of invisibility of whether he wanted to eat too, it was so similar to the usual room atmosphere that it gave me goosebumps.

Cheon Sa-yeon and Woo Seo-hyuk, who sat across from each other and talk while looking at documents, and Ha Tae-heon, who informed that we had arrived, were also very familiar.

“Umm, if it’s the National Assembly, I know the way.”

“Can I ask for directions later when you have time?”

“Of course. I also know a lot of good tourist spots, so please feel free to tell me.”

“Okay~!”

Min Ah-rin and Edward had a chattering conversation while looking at travel magazines as if they had become close friends. They had seen each other a few times, but it was so easy to talk to each other. Awesome.

That was when I spent about 10 minutes like that. The drawing-room door opened and Chloe, who we had been waiting for, appeared.

“Sorry. I’m a little late.”

Behind Chloe, who smiled like a flower on a spring day, a man I had seen for the first time followed behind her.

As he neatly brushed his dark blue hair, he had a frown on his forehead and ferocious eyes, so he looked very sensitive.

‘That man…’

Master of the Athena Guild and Chloe’s husband. His name was Jake (제이크).

I recalled information about Jake that I had personally found before coming to Washington. Like Chloe, he was an SS-rank man with a strong energy that could both attack and defend through the shadows.

‘He must have been a formidable man because he was the one who raised the guild to this extent in America.’

As I was looking at Jake with high expectations, I noticed that he was glaring at Cheon Sa-yeon with a sharp gaze. What?