Chapter 28: What I Desire

“Congratulations on your promotion to B-rank. You’ve broken every record imaginable.” Seo Yeon-hwa smiled faintly.

She added quietly, “Of course, given Hunter Taejun’s abilities, it wouldn’t be strange if you were promoted to A-rank immediately.”

“I just got lucky,” I replied.

“Well, I don’t know about that. After all, dealing with the Lich using only luck, or blowing away a monster buffed by the Lich’s subordinate aura with Fireball…”

Seo Yeon-hwa took my smartphone and continued meaningfully, “I doubt you possess Mana reserves that far surpass those of most A-rank Hunters.”

”…”

“You don’t need to be so guarded. I won’t pry. I didn’t bring you here to interrogate you, either.”

She brought me here.

Her words confirmed my suspicions.

“This isn’t a hospital, is it?”

“It’s the Cheongyeon Guild’s recovery room. We designed it to resemble a private hospital room for psychological comfort.”

That explained it.

I had wondered why Seo Yeon-hwa had brought a basin of wet towels.

The Cheongyeon Guild’s recovery room is renowned, befitting their status as Korea’s premier support guild.

The recovery rooms within the Cheongyeon Guild’s headquarters are frequented by numerous S-rank Hunters for Mana restoration and medical treatment.

Of course, the usage fees for these rooms are notoriously exorbitant.

If my memory served me right, a single day’s use cost 50 million won.

Immediately, Seo Yeon-hwa waved her hands dismissively.

“Oh, needless to say, we have no intention of charging you anything.”

My concern must have been evident in my expression.

I nodded and spoke.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Well, there were several reasons. First, if we admitted Taejun-nim to a regular hospital, we knew reporters and scouts would swarm the place like bees.”

Seo Yeon-hwa looked at me and continued, “I figured Taejun-nim wouldn’t be as attention-seeking as our Serine.”

That was definitely me, Lee Taejun.

I do enjoy being the center of attention, but I’m far from being an attention-seeker.

Anyway.

“So, as soon as Taejun-nim collapsed, we transferred him here—discretely, of course. By the time we left, reporters were already camped out at the dungeon entrance.”

Hmm, makes sense.

If I’d been admitted to a regular hospital…

I would’ve been suffering from headaches long before I could even recover properly, thanks to all those people.

I needed to thank Seo Yeon-hwa for this.

“And secondly,” Seo Yeon-hwa continued, her demeanor shifting slightly. “Just in case, we needed to protect Taejun.”

The reason was straightforward enough.

“So the Hunter who summoned the Lich wasn’t the mastermind?”

“Well, he claimed he acted alone out of personal resentment toward Cheongyeon and Hwarang, but it still feels fishy. His motive is too vague.”

Seo Yeon-hwa and Matthew were convinced that someone else was behind the manipulation of the advancement exams, not just the Lich’s Contractor.

I shared their conviction.

This wasn’t the kind of incident that could be planned and executed by one person alone.

From the mastermind’s perspective, I was an unforeseen intruder who had disrupted a critical operation.

He was, quite literally, a thorn in my side.

Now that all our plans had been ruined, it wouldn’t be surprising if Hwarang and Cheongyeon turned their broken arrows against me.

They had decided to protect me out of concern for that very situation.

“Of course, it’s not publicly known that Taejun-ssi made a significant contribution to the Lich extermination or the discovery of the traitor hiding among us. But considering how openly they’ve planted spies within the alliance headquarters, they’ve likely grasped the full scope of the situation by now.”

That was a valid point.

“So, I’d like you to stay here for the time being.”

For the time being.

“Oh, and just to reassure you, Kim Junhyun Hunter is already being handled by Hwarang. We were originally going to take charge of Taejun-ssi’s ancestral home, but…”

Seo Yeon-hwa finished her sentence with a bitter smile.

“I’m sorry. I had no choice but to verify Taejun’s personal information regarding his parents.”

“It’s alright.”

They must have confirmed that my parents passed away in an accident long ago. Still, I was grateful for their concern. Seo Yeon-hwa and Matthew had acted remarkably swiftly.

So, the only choice left is mine.

I hesitated briefly. I couldn’t stay hidden too long, not with my life on the line due to the Synchronization Rate. But as long as it wouldn’t disrupt my future plans…

“I understand. I’ll use this place as my base of operations for the time being.”

“That’s right. You should rest comfortably here for a while… Huh?”

Seo Yeon-hwa tilted her head, puzzled.

“Base of operations?”

“Yes.”

“Does that mean you plan to move immediately?”

“I’m planning to move out in a few days, if not immediately. I can’t stay stuck here forever.”

Seo Yeon-hwa paused, then nodded in agreement.

“Then I’ll assign you a bodyguard when you decide to move.”

“A bodyguard… I’ll let you know if I think I need one.”

“Understood. Rest for now. I’m going to check out the room you’ll be staying in.”

Seo Yeon-hwa rose to her feet and reached the door of the recovery room when she seemed to remember something and turned back to me.

“Oh, and I’ve been giving it some thought.”

“Thought about…?”

“Your wish.”

She smiled, holding up a single finger.

“I promised to grant you any one thing you desire, remember?”

Ah, right. That promise.

“Hwarang must be waiting anxiously, wondering what Taejun-ssi will demand,” Seo Yeon-hwa said, humming as she disappeared down the hall, eager to report that Taejun Hunter had awakened.

After she left the room, Manager Mi spoke up.

“It’s gotten a bit messy, hasn’t it?”

I realized that I might now have enemies targeting me. Clearly, this wasn’t ideal. However, the gains had been substantial.

I had successfully obtained my B-rank Hunter license.

I had earned the favor of Kang Gun and Yoo Se-rin, two rising stars, adding them to my list of indebted contacts.

With minimal personal information disclosed, I had successfully imprinted my image in the public consciousness.

Moreover, I now enjoyed the protection of Hwarang, one of Korea’s top three guilds, and Cheongyeon, ranked fourth.

I got far more out of this mess than I had any right to.

“Oh, right.”

I’d forgotten the most crucial part of my earnings.

I immediately opened the Status Window.

Executing Parsley Market.

After confirming there were no CCTV cameras in the recovery room, I began checking the items I had listed for sale.

Lich’s Heart and Hand Bones

These might come in handy later, so I decided to keep them for now.

Next.

Obsidian Crystal

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

I had found this item in a hidden dungeon location. The Item Analyzer couldn’t identify it, so there was no need to take it out again. The problem was figuring out what it actually did.

Then…

The chat window lit up.

“The Parsley Bestiary?”

“Yes. The Parsley Market handles items from multiple dimensions, so it has a bulletin board where people share information.”

Aha.

As Manager Mi said, there was a “Chit-Chat Log” entry in the corner of the Parsley Market’s window.

I, Lee Taejun, am the guy who spent 20 days just lurking around the Parsley Market in the Training Tower. There’s no way I could have missed something like this.

I immediately clicked on it and found:

[ Time to go home! It’s Fri-yay! ] - OrdinaryMercenary

[ Coming to share some good news. ] - CthunMartyr

[ Ah, I wanna fuck! ] - DefinitelyNotALustfulBastard

[ Beautiful sunset from our dimension…^^ ] - AtunMountaineeringClubPresident

“Ah.”

Just as I thought.

I had seen this “Chit-Chat Log” in the Training Tower before. I just quickly backed out after glancing at those chaotic thread titles.

This is supposed to be a Q&A board?

“It’s just a dump for pointless posts.”

Still, just in case, I clicked on a post.

A grotesque landscape painting reminiscent of Picasso accompanied the following text:

[ Feel-good sunset scenery in our dimension…^^ ] - Atun Mountaineering Club President

Have a cheerful day finishing with this intermission of nonsense riddles!

The most feel-good wind in the world…?

Another day… finishing healthy while riding the wind of excitement! Have a great day.^^

”…”

Just as expected.

“Would anyone provide real item information in a place like this?”

It felt like looking at the community where I sought help when my Status Window first went on strike.

“Hmm.”

Yeah.

There’s no harm in posting here.

After posting the crystal’s photo and description,

I closed the chaotic conversation log and returned to the sales listings.

“Now, only this remains.”

Swish.

A silver skull staff materialized in my hand.

The sole drop item from the Lich in the entire world.

I worried that it might fail to analyze this item like the crystal,

But fortunately, the function worked properly this time.

The moment I reviewed the partial analysis results displayed before me,

”…This…”

A silent smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.

“It’s decided.”

Hours later, I stood before a lavish, 330-square-meter suite, struggling to maintain my composure.

Who would have thought a suite rivaling a top-tier hotel would exist within the Cheongyeon Guild headquarters?

One wall was entirely glass, offering a panoramic view of Seoul’s dazzling nightscape. The living room was adorned with opulent furnishings and a sumptuously patterned carpet.

“This is the suite reserved for executives of foreign companies that trade with the Cheongyeon Guild. I apologize if it doesn’t meet your expectations.”

“Not at all. This is more than adequate.”

After all, I’ve never even stayed in a room half this size in my entire life.

“That’s a relief. If you need anything, including meals, just use the phone over there. Now get some rest.”

Seo Yeon-hwa said this as she turned to leave the room.

I spoke up to her receding back.

“Ah, Guild Leader.”

“Hmm?”

“Can I tell you my wish now?”

“Now…?” Seo Yeon-hwa tilted her head in confusion, then her eyes lit up in realization. “You mean your wish from the Parsley Market. Have you given it enough thought?”

“Yes, I’ve considered it carefully before speaking.”

The Cheongyeon Guild Leader smiled and turned to face me completely.

“Alright.”

I nodded.

Looking into her clear, brown eyes, I began, “What I want is…”

Just a moment.

“May I speak with you now?”

“Now…? Ah, you mean about your wish. Have you given it enough thought?”

“Yes, I’ve considered it thoroughly before speaking.”

What could he possibly want? Seo Yeon-hwa wondered inwardly. He wouldn’t ask to join our guild… would he?

Despite her skepticism, she couldn’t suppress a flicker of hope.

Two days had passed since the Demon Sealing Cave incident. Now that all suspicions surrounding the manipulations had been dispelled, Taejun was not only the savior who had rescued Cheongyeon’s greatest talent but also an invaluable asset they couldn’t afford to lose.

“No, if he possesses that much mana, honestly, he might be interested in our Cheongyeon.”

While restoring Taejun’s mana through infusion, Seo Yeon-hwa assessed his mana reserves to some extent.

At least 500.

For comparison, the future of Cheongyeon, Yoo Se-rin, currently possesses 200.

No, we don’t even need to consider Serine.

Seo Yeon-hwa, as an S-rank hunter and the “official” holder of the highest mana capacity in the country, boasts 3,000. Yet Taejun, who had been a D-rank porter just a month ago, already possesses one-sixth of her mana reserves.

Right. Our guild would be the best choice for Hunter Taejun, after all.

Thus, Seo Yeon-hwa harbored high expectations.

From her perspective, Taejun was undeniably a “Mana-specialized” Hunter.

During his recent promotion examination, he had only used Fireball, an elemental magic skill.

“If he wants to join Cheongyeon, we should naturally offer him the best possible treatment. If he desires any particular skill books, we’ll provide them to the fullest extent…”

Taejun was more than worth such an investment.

His accomplishments to date.

His unwavering courage, standing firm even before Seo Yeon-hwa herself and Matthew.

His innate talent as a Hunter.

“What I want is…”

Seo Yeon-hwa gazed at Taejun with anticipation-filled eyes.

”…Guild Leader Seo Yeon-hwa.”

At Taejun’s shockingly bold declaration, her smile instantly froze, leaving her face utterly still.