CH 279

It had been four years since the Requiem Guild was established.

Requiem, which provided not only welfare for guild members but also life allowance and basic items, had grown at a tremendous speed, beating out other guilds that were only thinking of making money by using talented people.

Around that time, the Requiem Guild moved its office from Pangyo to a 10-story building in Gangnam and the number of gates it owned exceeded 20.

The media, who talked about being Korea’s first SS-rank awakener, now focused their attention on Cheon Sa-yeon, who was on the road to success at a young age, and Requiem Guild was selected as the No.1 guild for talented people.

「Don’t you need a personal secretary now?」

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was selected as one of the representative guilds in Seoul from this year and had to attend the meeting of the guild management headquarters, wore a suit for the first time.

When Park Geon-ho handed over the documents with the list of guilds attending the meeting without sincerity, Cheon Sa-yeon answered while wearing a wristwatch.

「I spent most of the year at the gate, so why should I?」

「I’m saying that because that’s the problem.」

Park Geon-ho’s short hair became somewhat longer, which was quite similar to his recent one.

「I understand when there weren’t enough guild members to enter the gate, but isn’t that enough now? There’s no need for Master to suffer every single time.」

「I’m bored of just hearing about it.」

「Originally, the representative position is boring. You’re a guild master by name, so buy some useful weapons and use them.」

「You nag a lot today. I don’t need it, so go and do it to your lover instead.」

「I got dumped yesterday?」

Park Geon-ho, who smiled brightly, lightly grabbed Cheon Sa-yeon’s shoulder.

「I mean… I know you work hard. But now that the guild is established, it’s okay to take your time.」

A bitter emotion was reflected in Park Geon-ho’s black eyes as he stared at Cheon Sa-yeon, who had became reached an eye level similar to his own.

「If you keep running without even having time to catch your breath, you will end up getting tired and collapse.」

「……」

「Take care of yourself.」

Cheon Sa-yeon didn’t respond to that sincere advice. I looked down and heard Cheon Sa-yeon’s heart.

「You want me to relax?」

He had never experienced leisure in his life. Wasn’t everyone else living like this in the first place? To be honest, Cheon Sa-yeon didn’t understand at all what was Park Geon-ho saying.

As the size of the guild grew, he had less work to do than before.

Most of the paperwork was handled by the relevant departments, so he only needed to check the last one himself and if he distributed the schedule for the gate, the guild members would take care of it. Above all, there was nothing to worry about as Park Geon-ho, who had been with him since the beginning of the guild, was holding the centre firmly.

So he moved more freely. When there was a vacancy at the gate, he entered himself, regardless of the grade, rather than hiring mercenaries. It was safer that way. He was an SS-rank and Park Geon-ho must be well aware that the more he moved, the more comfortable he became. He didn’t know why he was talking like that.

「You seem to be worrying unnecessarily.」

In the end, Cheon Sa-yeon, who couldn’t find the answer, came to a conclusion inside. Park Geon-ho, noticing this quickly, released his shoulders and took a step back.

「Well, if it’s nagging that doesn’t really touch you, ignore it. Take good care of the old people you will meet at the meeting.」

「It’s not even a day or two.」

「It’s okay to leave other things, but let’s find a personal secretary right now, shall we? If not, should I do it?」

After seeing Park Geon-ho once with the gaze of whether Cheon Sa-yeon was crazy, he left the representative office without hesitation.

* * *

Average age 50 years. The Guild Management Headquarters meeting, where most of them hadn’t even awakened, let alone their rank, was very dull and boring.

They were the ones who set up guilds only to make money using talented people. Cheon Sa-yeon, a handsome young man sitting in the middle, was enough to catch the eye.

An SS-rank talented person with strong power, a rising comet, a topical figure who established and raised a guild at a young age. There was no way they could see such Cheon Sa-yeon with kind eyes.

「Orphan bastard.」

Cheon Sa-yeon, who had been staring at them throughout the meeting, heard a swear word as soon as he came out into the hallway. Perhaps he had visited for other reasons, so it was a matter of hanging the pass around his neck.

Kang Seung-geon, who laughed openly at Cheon Sa-yeon, passed by.

‘That guy is really the same…’

At that time, Kang Seung-geon hadn’t yet awakened. Cheon Sa-yeon, who had become accustomed to such malice while living in the mansion, ignored it without any reaction.

「Master Cheon Sa-yeon.」

Still, not everyone was like Kang Seung-geon. A low, soft voice called for Cheon Sa-yeon.

「It’s really nice to meet you like this. My name is Kim Hyung-won (김형원), Master of Roheon Guild.」

「I’m the Requiem Master Cheon Sa-yeon.」

Cheon Sa-yeon didn’t refuse the polite handshake request and greeted.

When I said that his face was familiar somewhere, he was the first Master of the Roheon Guild I saw in the data before.

Kim Hyung-won, who was also the early master who established Roheon, was so special that brought the awakened Lee Joo-ha himself, informed her about various things, and even entrusted her with the position of Deputy Master.

「It’s great to have a guild with a talented person like Master Cheon Sa-yeon. It’s a pity that our Deputy Master isn’t here. Like Master Cheon Sa-yeon, I’m looking forward to the future.」

「Is that so?」

「She is an important child who will follow in my footsteps and take charge of Roheon.」

His wrinkled face had a gentle smile.

「In order to keep a safe daily life, the guild needs a lot of development in the future.」

「……」

「It seems that Master Cheon Sa-yeon and our Deputy Master can become a good cooperative relationship.」

Kim Hyung-won, who took out a business card from his arms and handed it to Cheon Sa-yeon, left first. I looked at the back view that was moving away from the other side of the hallway and turned my gaze to Cheon Sa-yeon.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who touched the business card Kim Hyung-won gave him, seemed quite complicated.

‘It’s fortunate that there’s still one decent adult.’

Come to think of it, Lee Joo-ha brought in Ha Tae-heon, who was currently Roheon’s Deputy Master. Just like Lee Joo-ha succeeded Kim Hyung-won, would Ha Tae-heon be like that someday?

Pararak, the sound of the paper turning was heard and time passed quickly again. 1 year, 2 years, 3 years…

In the year Cheon Sa-yeon turned 26, as Park Geon-ho advised, he hired his personal secretary and created a new secretarial team. His personal secretary was Woo Seo-hyuk, as I expected.

It was a time when there were rumours that there was a high risk of going rampage, and people with the ability to transform were discriminated against. Whether or not, he didn’t care and whether he liked Cheon Sa-yeon’s attitude, who hired him as his personal secretary, Woo Seo-hyuk worked alongside him, but never let his guard down.

However, after a year or so passed, he stopped doubting Cheon Sa-yeon. Instead, he paid more attention to Park Geon-ho, who quarrelled with him every time he met.

「Hello!」

After Cheon Sa-yeon turned 27, Min Ah-rin moved to Requiem. Min Ah-rin immediately took over as the team leader of the healer team and Park Geon-ho also created a special operations division with like-minded guild members with Cheon Sa-yeon’s permission.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was 24 years old, turned 28 years old now and in the meantime, he had obtained a flame-resistant red jacket and an S-class sword that slowed healing from the A-grade boss gate and the S-grade boss gate, respectively.

The guild had now become the number one guild in Korea recognized by everyone. Following the Requiem, various guilds in the right form were created and grew. Among them, the guilds selected as representatives were Roheon, Jayna, and Blun.

All of a sudden, the people around me were getting closer to the figure I knew well. And Cheon Sa-yeon…

「Master, isn’t this too much?」

「Really? Let’s hear what’s wrong.」

「I think someone can break a piece of equipment while exercising.」

「It’s not just one. There are a total of five this month and the amount of damage is about 75 million won.」

「Wow, that’s very expensive!」

When Park Geon-ho protested, Woo Seo-hyuk broke in by tapping the tablet PC, and Min Ah-rin, who was watching while drinking tea, responded with a bright voice.

「What kind of exercise equipment is so expensive? Master, Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk is lying now.」

「It’s more expensive because it’s a device for talented people. Do you think I am you? I don’t lie about this.」

「If it’s 75 million won, you have to go to the gate once or twice.」

「…Park Min-jae and Shim Soo-yeon also broke them together, so please split them into three, Master.」

「You mean since you’re a team leader then you sell your teammates?」

「I was just telling the truth.」

Cheon Sa-yeon, who looked at the documents, smiled slightly at the shameless answer. As I watched it, a smile came to my lips.

「Master.」

Woo Seo-hyuk, who ignored Park Geon-ho’s words with a sullen expression, handed over the tablet PC he was holding to Cheon Sa-yeon.

「The awakener’s information you mentioned earlier has come up.」

An image of a document filled with personal information along with a photo appeared on the screen of the tablet PC.

「He’s 26 years old and has no family. It’s said that he lost both his parents in a gate accident five years ago.」

「Where is his current location?」

「He’s being managed separately in the measurement room on the third floor of the Guild Management Headquarters. 」

While listening to Cheon Sa-yeon and Woo Seo-hyuk’s conversation with arms folded, Park Geon-ho opened his mouth with a hint of knowing who it was.

「Is it that person? This time, I heard that he had awakened to a new SS-rank.」

「Yeah.」

What? With that said, I hurriedly approached Cheon Sa-yeon. When I went to his seat, I saw a picture floating on the tablet PC.

A young man with sharp features and a hard expression on his face. It was Ha Tae-heon, 26 years old.

‘It’s something that didn’t even appear in the novel.’

The content of Abyss started after Ha Tae-heon finished his awakening and entered Roheon, so it was the first time I had ever heard of it before.

I also knew that Ha Tae-heon didn’t have a family, but I didn’t know he had a gate accident…

「I heard that Master Roheon is showing great interest.」

「Oh, isn’t this something to be careful about? It’s not like any other guild, but it’d be a little scared if Roheon took an SS-rank.」

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was touching the corner of his mouth, returned the tablet PC to Woo Seo-hyuk and said.

「Let’s get one talented person as soon as possible.」

「What kind of power are you talking about?」

「A person who can be used to following others.」

Woo Seo-hyuk, who immediately understood Cheon Sa-yeon’s meaning, asked as if he was surprised.

「If you’re concerned about the SS-rank awakener, wouldn’t it be better to scout?」

「Well. It seems unlikely that the management headquarters or other guilds will stand still.」

There was already the SS-rank Cheon Sa-yeon as the master. There was no way other people would acknowledge taking all of the SS-rank, which only two in Korea, from Requiem.

「Since Roheon moved quickly, there’s a high probability that he will belong to Roheon. Still, it’s necessary to obtain at least a minimum of information, so bring a competent person.」

「I understand.」

Woo Seo-hyuk calmly nodded. Taking a step back and looking around the representative room, I stared at Cheon Sa-yeon, who seemed more comfortable than ever.

There was only one year left until he met Han Yi-gyeol and everything started. What the hell was going on in that one year.