Chapter 14: Too Valuable to Be Left Alone

Even after looking again, damn… wow.

Seong Ju-an swallowed unconsciously, then flinched.

The fact that he kept smacking his lips while looking at another man felt strange.

But he quickly found an absurdly convincing reason.

‘This isn’t sexual attraction. It’s pride and satisfaction toward a perfectly designed character I created myself. So there’s nothing weird about it!’

Having finished rationalizing things, Ju-an watched with interest as Mo Jun-young organized his files, rolled his sleeves down, and picked up his jacket.

After pushing his chair in and grabbing his briefcase, Mo Jun-young approached and spoke.

“Do you have a bank account?”

“…Well, um…”

“Are your personal circumstances complicated, making it hard to explain?”

“Yes, well, that’s about right.”

“Then there’s no helping it. You’ll have to open a new account under your status as an Awakener.”

“Is this because of the subsidy you mentioned earlier?”

“I reported that you’d require special management due to being an S-Rank Buffer, and approval just came through.”

Special management?

What exactly did that mean?

Surely they weren’t going to lock him up in some strange facility and experiment on him like in the movies, right?

As the game kept drifting in increasingly bizarre directions, every new development made him nervous.

Opening the director’s office door, Mo Jun-young said,

“Fortunately, there’s an Awakener-exclusive bank on the first floor of the Management Center. Let’s make the account first.”

Wait, there’s really no need for you to come with me-

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up and follow.”

They took the elevator down to the first floor.

Right next to the civil affairs office was a bank.

Ju-an dashed in before the doors could close, while Mo Jun-young walked calmly toward the VIP counter.

“Welcome. Director, what brings you to the bank today?”

As Mo Jun-young handed over the documents, the employee’s eyes widened.

After checking them several times as if doubting their own vision, the employee forced a composed tone.

“An S-Rank Buffer, I see. Shall we open a VIP account?”

“Yes. As quickly as possible, please.”

The moment Mo Jun-young finished speaking, the employee sprang into action.

Before long, a bankbook and card were ready.

“Is this simultaneously registered with the Security Bureau?”

“Yes, there’s no need for concern.”

“Then a double report won’t be necessary.”

Mo Jun-young handed the bankbook and card to Seong Ju-an.

“This is the government subsidy provided to S-Rank Awakeners with rare skills.”

The stiff, businesslike phrasing made it click.

Ah.

So it’s not much.

“Well, I suppose that’s how government work usually goes. I wasn’t expecting much anyway.”

“You’ll probably find it insufficient if you intend to purchase necessary potions or equipment.”

“Just as I thought.”

His vision went dark.

He might be an S-Rank Buffer, but with the Constellations hating him, he couldn’t receive coins.

His body was weak, making solo dungeon runs tantamount to suicide.

And on top of that, he needed expensive potions and gear…?

Isn’t this just a gilded turd?

Hands trembling, he opened the bankbook and checked the balance.

<₩1,500,000,000>

Let’s see, ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands…

The endless string of zeros made him stop counting in shock.

He’d expected maybe ten million won at most.

What was this insane amount?

This is amazing, no, wait.

If potions and equipment were expensive, even this much money would disappear in no time.

If he didn’t stay sharp, he could become penniless in an instant.

“Um, Mr. Mo Jun-young. How much does a potion that restores HP cost?”

“About ten million won. Ordinary potions are ineffective, so you’ll need S-Rank-exclusive ones.”

“Hiiik.”

Ten million won?

How many months’ worth of salary was that?

If he couldn’t restore HP, staying alive would be difficult…

“That’s why I told you. It’s hardly an ample amount.”

As Mo Jun-young delivered reality once more, a shriek loud enough to tear eardrums suddenly rang out from outside.

“Aaaaah! How dare you leave me behind and go off together! I heard everything, so don’t even think about denying it! Give him back! Give me back my Constellation!”

At the sound, Mo Jun-young’s eyes wavered uneasily.

He seemed to recognize the voice immediately.

Ju-an, also familiar with it, craned his neck toward the glass doors.

A vaguely familiar face came into view.

Gong Se-yoon?

Why is he here now?

“Damn it.”

Grinding out a curse, Mo Jun-young hurriedly raised his phone.

“Gong Se-yoon is going berserk. Have all personnel assemble on the first floor immediately. Tell Dr. Choi to come down as well.”

Judging by how smoothly he responded, this clearly wasn’t the first time.

“Please hide here for a moment. I’ll submit an emergency report from my office and come right back.”

Ju-an nodded, and Mo Jun-young shot up to the second floor at lightning speed.

In a situation this urgent, he’s leaving me alone to report?

Thinking about it, that actually sounded like something Mo Jun-young would do.

Even right after saving Ju-an from Baek Eun-hoo, he’d returned to the Center because there was still work to be done.

Being a civil servant really is rough in any world.

Even as the Center Director, does he not have the authority to report afterward?

Ju-an clicked his tongue while staring at the bank entrance.

That was when-

The raging Gong Se-yoon smashed through the bank doors and glared murderously in their direction.

Despite being under a debuff from the Depression status, he casually destroyed the door.

That alone was impressive.

Looks like stat penalties don’t reduce physical strength.

Still dazed, Ju-an glanced at him.

Gong Se-yoon’s face was twisted and flushed bright red, making him look like an angry carrot.

His sleek features and pretty face contrasted sharply with his large frame, exaggerating the effect.

“Won’t you lower your eyes? I hear you awakened as a buffer today. What, a buffer wants to throw hands with me?”

Ju-an’s mouth fell open in shock.

Gong Se-yoon’s attitude toward him had completely changed now that he wasn’t a Constellation.

If it weren’t the same face he’d seen on screen, he’d have doubted they were the same person.

Let’s pretend I don’t know anything.

I’m not a Constellation right now.

Ju-an asked in a trembling voice,

“Um… who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter. I hear you know the Creator of Sacrifice, even though you’re just a buffer?”

Only then did Ju-an understand why Gong Se-yoon was so furious.

He’d ignored all of Gong Se-yoon’s frantic messages as a Constellation and vanished.

And on top of that…

‘Do we really need a contract between us?’

He’d exploited Gong Se-yoon’s obsession just to get through the moment.

No wonder he was angry.

“I don’t know them that well, exactly…”

He trailed off, scrambling for words.

His mind refused to cooperate.

“Even if I did, I couldn’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Not only you, Mr. Gong, but other Hunters are curious about that Constellation. So why should I tell you?”

Tears welled up in Gong Se-yoon’s light-brown eyes.

His lips, bitten until they lost all color, formed an expression so pitiful it made the onlooker want to cry too.

This face felt familiar to Ju-an.

He’d seen it countless times on screen.

But familiarity aside, watching Gong Se-yoon like this hurt.

Maybe it was because Ju-an knew all about Gong Se-yoon’s painful past and story.

“Well… I guess you’re right. Who do I think I am, anyway. But, buffer- I’m sorry for yelling earlier. No, and for breaking the door too…”

Sniffling, Gong Se-yoon suddenly ran a hand roughly through his hair.

His confused expression made it seem like he didn’t even know what he was saying anymore.

Even his eyes, which had seemed fine while he was angry, were gradually losing focus.

Ah… damn it.

This really messes with my head.

“But, buffer…”

“Seong Ju-an. That’s my name, so use it.”

Gong Se-yoon’s eyes widened as he looked over.

“I-I can call you by your name?”

“Of course. What else would you call me?”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks. Seong Ju-an… Um, sorry for asking this out of the blue, but…”

Watching Gong Se-yoon hesitate, bite his lip, stop mid-sentence, and tremble anxiously made Ju-an want to grant him anything.

“Go ahead. At least tell me what it is.”

“That Constellation… I don’t need detailed information. I don’t need their coins either…”

“Then what exactly do you want?”

“I just… want to talk. Talking with the Creator of Sacrifice, exchanging motions, just that alone would make me happy. If that’s not possible, then I at least want to hear something. Even the tiniest bit… Could you tell me just one really small thing?”

“…”

Faced with such a desperate plea, Ju-an fell silent.

He could probably brush it off with something vague like, “They seem to like you,” and Gong Se-yoon would leave satisfied.

But the responsibility afterward felt overwhelming.

Even if they were just game characters, Ju-an had poured genuine affection into creating each one.

He wanted to be sincere with them.

Regardless of Ju-an’s intentions, Gong Se-yoon’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“So… it’s not possible after all, right?”

“No. It’s not that it’s impossible. Actually, I don’t know anything either. This is a secret, but all I know is the name ‘Creator of Sacrifice.’ I came to the Center after hearing it by chance because I was desperate to survive. I thought maybe I could get something out of it…”

Despair spread across Gong Se-yoon’s face.

He looked like the protagonist of a world devoid of hope.

Sniffling, he spoke again.

“So there’s no way to find them. I’ll never… see them again? Haah…”

Letting out a long sigh, Gong Se-yoon turned around without a word.

His shoulders shook as he trudged toward the shattered door, his steps heavy, like someone who’d given up on everything.

‘Well… there’s nothing I can do. It’s not like I can help him any further…’

As Ju-an closed his eyes to shake off the crushing guilt, a piece of Gong Se-yoon’s character setting surfaced in his mind.

<An Ice Spike Embedded in the Heart — Status Ailment: Depression
If the will to survive drops to 0, the subject may attempt suicide.>