Chapter 33: The Weight of a Guild Master’s Burden

Just as Im Seung-ju harbored a deep dislike for Shin Ji-ho, Ji-ho, in turn, felt no particular fondness for Seung-ju.

The year-long accumulation of resentment, born from constant scorn, mistreatment, and wary glances, belatedly surged within him. While cat videos on MeTube had offered a temporary balm, the underlying hurt had never truly vanished.

Im Seung-ju froze, his face a mask of utter bewilderment, mirroring his earlier shock. Such was his agitation that beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Normally, Ji-ho would have simply brushed him off with a casual, ‘It’s fine.’ This time, however, he merely offered a radiant smile, patiently awaiting a response.

After several agonizing rotations of the clock’s second hand, Im Seung-ju finally moved.

He bent at the waist, a perfect ninety-degree angle.

“I apologize for my insolent behavior towards the Guild Master until now!”

It was an apology so thunderous, it practically made the Guild Master’s office reverberate.

Ji-ho was genuinely taken aback.

While he had indeed wished for an apology, he certainly hadn’t envisioned one delivered in such a manner—a rigid, gangster-esque bow.

Fearing Seung-ju’s booming voice might have carried beyond the office walls, Ji-ho nervously scanned his surroundings before rising from his seat. The sheer volume was enough to make any passerby mistakenly believe Ji-ho was physically apprehending Seung-ju within.

“I swear I will never again behave insolently towards the Guild Master!”

‘First, I need to silence this man.’

“Ah, I understand. I understand, so please…”

As Ji-ho gently took hold of him, Seung-ju straightened his upper body. Ji-ho instinctively recoiled, confronted by a gaze so intensely fervent, it seemed to blaze with an inner fire.

With an intensity fueled by an emotion Ji-ho couldn’t quite decipher, Seung-ju seized one of Ji-ho’s hands in both of his. The A-rank hunter’s grip was searing and painfully tight, yet the solemnity of the moment prevented Ji-ho from voicing his discomfort.

“That day, the skill the Guild Master bestowed upon me.”

“Yes? W-what?”

“I’m captivated.”

Im Seung-ju declared, his voice a low, resolute rumble.

‘……’

‘I wish he would include a subject when he speaks like that.’

‘I hadn’t realized it until now, not being particularly close, but this man has a rather surprising tendency to suddenly become intense.’

“I wish to serve you for the rest of my life.”

“I understand, but please, lower your voice. Everyone outside will hear you.”

Ji-ho gently guided Seung-ju to a sofa nestled in a corner of the Guild Master’s office. After instructing him to wait, Ji-ho stepped out briefly, returning with a refreshing Americano and a sweet Frappuccino.

Upon returning to the guild office, Ji-ho found Im Seung-ju’s face flushed crimson up to his neck, as if a belated wave of embarrassment had finally washed over him, rendering Ji-ho’s earlier advice to calm down utterly meaningless.

Ji-ho set the Americano and Frappuccino on the table before the sofa, gesturing for Seung-ju to take his pick. Naturally, Seung-ju reached for the Frappuccino. Unaware of Ji-ho’s subtle flinch, Seung-ju took a generous, refreshing gulp, only to frown deeply as he pulled his lips from the straw.

“This seems excessively sweet.”

“Is that so…”

‘Of course, I added extra syrup for myself…’

Given his frequent consumption of Americanos in the office, Ji-ho had naturally purchased one for himself, never imagining Seung-ju would opt for the Frappuccino. Had he foreseen this, he would have at least added syrup to his own coffee. Internally weeping tears of blood, Ji-ho forced himself to drink the bitter Americano.

It was bitter.

Ji-ho struggled to smooth out the frown that had involuntarily creased his brow.

What else could be done? Such were the tribulations of a Guild Master. For the sake of appearances, Ji-ho feigned enjoyment while sipping the flavorless, acrid Americano, patiently waiting for Seung-ju to regain his composure.

As Seung-ju finished the frappuccino, heavily laden with an exorbitant amount of syrup, the color gradually returned to his face. Ji-ho set down his Americano, barely touched, and posed a question.

“Is your decision to remain in Noname solely driven by your desire for my skill?”

“No, that’s not exactly…”

“It is, isn’t it? You claimed you were captivated.”

‘……’

Seung-ju found himself unable to deny it, even to the very end. And rightly so; his demeanor had undeniably shifted ever since he acquired that particular skill.

Having once been a combat-oriented hunter himself, Ji-ho could vaguely grasp the underlying sentiment. The yearning for greater strength was a natural byproduct of engaging in life-or-death battles. Furthermore, Im Seung-ju possessed a notably fierce competitive streak.

“But… my words aren’t solely motivated by the skill, truly. While it’s accurate that I didn’t particularly enjoy my time in Noname, I never intended to prematurely terminate my contract. I also developed a sense of responsibility for managing this guild. Of course, I admit to harboring a slight prejudice against the Guild Master initially, but witnessing your diligent efforts quickly dispelled any misunderstandings. After all, you’ve always been exceptionally conscientious.”

“No… you really don’t have to flatter me so profusely.”

“It’s the truth, I assure you. My regrettable impudence towards the Guild Master was due to…”

As if gathering the courage to speak, Im Seung-ju rapidly drained his frappuccino. Having consumed more than half in a single draught, he finally, with evident difficulty, began to speak.

“Well, every time the Guild Master collapsed, I was left to shoulder all the remaining tasks, constantly working overtime, and it became rather…”

“Ah.”

“My apologies, I was overly emotional.”

“No, not at all.”

Ji-ho understood.

Though Ji-ho himself was an enthusiastic Guild Master, he harbored a deep aversion to Mondays and frequently found himself reluctant to go to work.

From Seung-ju’s perspective, merely fulfilling his contract obligations, how infuriating must those frequent overtime shifts have been?

Ji-ho, too, had his justifications. Awakened individuals specializing in administrative tasks were highly sought after, even by regular corporations, making them disinclined to join Noname. Hiring non-Awakened staff, however, invariably led to a succession of reporters attempting to dig into Ji-ho’s past.

His days were already fraught with exhaustion, and he had no desire to maintain a constant vigil even within the guild’s own walls. Thus, for the sake of his peace of mind, he simply chose not to hire anyone.

Instead, the workload fell upon the three of them: Ji-ho, the Guild Master; the amiable Heo So-ri; and Seung-ju, the Vice Guild Master…

Given her status as a regular guild member, Heo So-ri’s capacity for handling tasks was inherently limited. Furthermore, promoting So-ri would only ignite the flames of favoritism already smoldering within the guild.

Consequently, only Ji-ho and Seung-ju possessed the authority and capability to manage the crucial responsibilities…

Ji-ho had shouldered a considerable portion of the work, finding it difficult to delegate to Seung-ju. However, on the days Ji-ho collapsed, that entire burden inevitably fell squarely onto Seung-ju’s shoulders.

He must have resented it. Ji-ho understood. After all, he himself found it arduous every single time.

Misinterpreting Ji-ho’s expression, Seung-ju’s complexion visibly paled, turning ashen.

“All of that is merely a relic of the past. From this moment forth, I shall personally handle everything. Therefore, I implore you, do not cast me aside.”

“I understand, so please, compose yourself.”

Ji-ho once again attempted to calm Seung-ju, whose voice was rapidly escalating in both speed and volume. Seung-ju behaved with the agitated urgency of someone desperate to offer a swift explanation. Ji-ho, careful not to be swept away by the other’s frantic pace, slowly gathered his thoughts.

“No, of course, I have no desire to dismiss Hunter Im Seung-ju. He is a highly skilled and capable A-rank hunter, is he not? Furthermore, he serves as our Vice Guild Master, possessing intimate knowledge of the guild. Rest assured, since Hunter Im Seung-ju wishes to remain, I harbor no intention of expelling him whatsoever.”

“Yes. Then, I will redouble my efforts from now on.”

“Well… I had always intended to hire more administrative staff, so I’ll have them manage all the paperwork. Please bear with it for a few more days, then you can focus on rift and dungeon攻略. [TL: 攻略 (gongryak) refers to ‘strategy’ or ‘capture’ in gaming/dungeon contexts. Here, it implies focusing on actively clearing/capturing dungeons.]”

“Yes. Understood. Thank you.”

Im Seung-ju bowed profusely. Ji-ho gave up trying to stop him, simply accepting it. As long as he didn’t act like this outside, it was fine, wasn’t it?

“So, then…”

Im Seung-ju brought the straw to his lips. However, the frappuccino, which had been bolstering his courage, was already empty.

Ji-ho removed the straw from his own Americano and offered it to Seung-ju. Though Ji-ho had given it away because he didn’t want it, Seung-ju, with a rather joyful expression, opened the cup lid completely and gulped it down. He then spoke, his face showing clear refreshment.

‘If he drinks Americano so well, why did he take the frappuccino?’ Ji-ho momentarily felt a surge of indignation, but he tried to compose himself.

Empathizing with Seung-ju’s frustration from all the overtime, Ji-ho offered a gentle smile, aiming to appear as a benevolent Guild Master. This, in turn, flustered Seung-ju.

“Uh, uhm… Why are you s-smi…”

“Smi?”

“…Never mind.”

It seemed as though a word starting with ‘smi’ was about to follow. Seung-ju not only clamped his mouth shut but also averted Ji-ho’s gaze.

‘Did he notice my annoyance about him taking the frappuccino instead of the Americano?’

Ji-ho leaned forward and firmly grasped Seung-ju’s hand, which rested on the adjacent sofa.

Perhaps it was from wielding a sword recently, or perhaps it was because he had originally aspired to be a baseball player… Ji-ho held Seung-ju’s hand, which was significantly larger and tougher than his own, with both of his.

“If you have anything you want to say, feel free to speak your mind. If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with, just… get it all off your chest today, and let’s go back to being a normal Guild Master and Vice Guild Master.”

“A normal Guild Master and Vice Guild Master… Yes, that’s right.”

Seung-ju exhaled a sigh that seemed to carry incredibly complex emotions, then subtly withdrew his hand from Ji-ho’s grasp. He then raised his hands and slapped both his cheeks, a sharp sound echoing in the room.

Ji-ho quietly returned to his seat, awaiting Seung-ju’s words. With a reddened face, whether from the slapping or some other reason, Seung-ju dramatically knelt.

“No, I told you not to do things like this!”

“Then, please, take me with you too. I wish to accompany you.”

“What? Take me… where?”

“To the training facility, of course. The one Hunter Heo So-ri and Hunter Yang Ho-jin have been commuting to every day lately…”

“Ah.”

Seung-ju clenched his fists in frustration at Ji-ho’s calm response. Seeing his eyes well up, Ji-ho became extremely flustered.

“I also participated in that defense battle, so why am I the only one…”

“Ah, I get it. We’ll go together. Starting tomorrow, you’ll commute to the training facility.”

Ji-ho quickly replied, trying to calm Seung-ju’s increasingly loud voice. He then made Seung-ju sit back down in his seat.