Chapter 85: A New Arrangement

#85

The slight magical contact with another’s seal brought with it an intoxicating rush, a euphoric high akin to drunkenness. Han Dokyeom, of all people, was certainly aware of this sensation.

Han Dokyeom hesitated for a moment, contemplating his options, before finally letting out a sigh. He decisively seized Taeseongyeon’s hand, pressing it firmly over his own seal, all while narrowing his eyes and leaning in close.

“Since you’re clearly not in a good mood, Taeseongyeon, I’ll overlook this just for today,” Han Dokyeom stated, his voice low. “But next time, let’s reveal your seal first before we start touching, alright? I’d like a turn to touch *your* seal too.”

“How very gracious of you,” Taeseongyeon replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

“Hah, just eat your bread,” Han Dokyeom retorted, gesturing to the pastry. “Before you get hit with it.”

“Very well,” Taeseongyeon murmured, tilting his head to whisper low into Han Dokyeom’s ear. Simultaneously, he activated his seal with a sudden surge. Han Dokyeom’s jaw stiffened in startled surprise, and a choked curse escaped his lips like a pained groan.

Taeseongyeon’s hand wrapped around Han Dokyeom’s rigid neck, his Adam’s apple prominent beneath the skin, as his gaze drifted over Dokyeom’s shoulder. The armor, imbued with the hues of the sunset, appeared scorched, exhaling plumes of fire.

Within those shimmering flames, a general with eyes like burning embers knelt in supplication, resembling a warhound awaiting its master’s command.

‘Go. Handle it.’

At Taeseongyeon’s silent command, the flames dissipated as if vaporized. All that remained in their wake were scattered, dripping bloodstains.

****

The scathing articles that had tarnished the Sahyeon Guild’s reputation abruptly vanished from circulation, all traces disappearing simultaneously after the day their authors confronted Taeseongyeon. The news cycle, previously dominated by accusations and rumors of corruption, was swiftly replaced by the Sahyeon Guild’s official statement, a public apology, and a comprehensive announcement regarding their internal restructuring.

The measures proposed by the Sahyeon Guild involved a full acknowledgment of their transgressions and a promise of standardized compensation for all victims.

In essence, they had opted for a direct confrontation.

Furthermore, the Sahyeon Guild’s internal restructuring culminated in the dismissal of all department heads, with the sole exception of the legal team. Though termed ‘dismissal,’ widespread rumors within the guild suggested these were effectively termination proceedings, and that the guild was actively seeking new talent for handover.

Consequently, Beom Yeonhu, who had been exploited like a beast of burden without receiving a single penny, finally received both compensation and his long-overdue wages. Yet, even with this newfound sum, it amounted to little more than enough for him to catch his breath.

After settling his back rent, the paltry sum that remained was truly minuscule.

“Hyung, have you packed everything?”

“Yes, I’ve got most of it,” Beom Yeonhu replied.

Han Dokyeom sat casually before the wide-open front door, casting a sidelong glance at Beom Yeonhu. Beom Yeonhu, a large cross-body bag slung over his shoulder, moved methodically around the cramped room.

It was a shabby rooftop room, barely five *pyeong* in size. The space bore only the faint traces of Beom Yeonhu’s solitary life, and the few daily necessities he owned could scarcely fill a single bag.

It wasn’t long before Beom Yeonhu emerged, having tidied up the last of his belongings. A quick glance past him revealed the now-spotless room.

Today, Beom Yeonhu would bid farewell to the room he had called home for several years.

This was entirely Han Dokyeom’s stubborn insistence. He had spent days trying to persuade Beom Yeonhu, straining his voice so much that he’d had to subsist on warm tea throughout the summer.

Ultimately, his persistence paid off; he had succeeded in convincing Beom Yeonhu to move his belongings today and live with him at the hotel where Han Dokyeom resided.

After all, Han Dokyeom’s hotel suite was equipped with two unused spare beds, meaning Beom Yeonhu’s presence would cause virtually no inconvenience.

“Dokyeom, I keep telling you not to sit like that.”

“Ah, come on… Even if I appear this way, I’m E-rank,” Han Dokyeom countered with a dismissive wave. “I’m sturdier than an ordinary person. My knees won’t suffer any harm.”

“Just get up. It’s time to go now.”

With Beom Yeonhu pushing him, complaining about the stifling heat, Han Dokyeom reluctantly rose to his feet. As they emerged from the cramped, dilapidated residential area, a small compact car came into view, parked along the alley.

The moment Han Dokyeom and Beom Yeonhu appeared, the car blared its horn.

“What took you so long?!” a voice bellowed. “Ugh, I nearly roasted alive in this scorching sun!”

Leaning out of the car window, bellowing at them, was Beom Yeonhu’s friend, his face flushed crimson from the heat. This was Kim Seongyun, the same man who had once drunkenly poured out his grievances to Han Dokyeom.

“Then why didn’t you just turn on the air conditioning?” Han Dokyeom asked innocently.

“Hunter-nim, how many times do I have to tell you my air conditioner is broken?” Kim Seongyun groaned.

Han Dokyeom scratched his chin, vaguely recalling such a conversation. Kim Seongyun, meanwhile, repeatedly thumped his own chest, then impatiently gestured for them to get in.

Han Dokyeom leisurely folded himself into the back seat, while Beom Yeonhu stowed his bag in the trunk before climbing into the passenger seat.

After a few sputtering turns of the engine, the car finally pulled out of the alley and merged onto the main road. The weather was oppressively hot, with scorching winds whipping at their cheeks.

“How did it get so sweltering hot so quickly?” Kim Seongyun grumbled.

Beom Yeonhu simply offered a slight smile and a nod. Han Dokyeom, on the other hand, slumped lazily in his seat, retrieved a forgotten fan from a corner, and began to wave it languidly.

His gaze then happened to meet Kim Seongyun’s in the rearview mirror.

“…What is it? Do you have something to say?” Han Dokyeom asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “Why are you looking at me so… slyly?”

“Looking slyly? What are you even talking about…” Kim Seongyun scoffed. “Ah, anyway, Yeonhu, that scoundrel, he’s living at your place now, isn’t he? I mean… it must be big enough for two people, so you invited him, but then I also saw that foreigner and a child living there too. Just how many rooms does that place have…?”

“So, what exactly are you trying to say?” Han Dokyeom cut him off.

“You’re not staying in some motel, are you?” Kim Seongyun pressed, his expression grave.

Kim Seongyun’s question was delivered with an utterly serious expression. Han Dokyeom had wondered what his friend’s true purpose for coming along was, and now he knew.

Witnessing his friend tag along like a worried puppy, convinced he was being sold off somewhere and needing constant supervision, made Han Dokyeom momentarily question if he truly appeared that untrustworthy.

“Ah, yes. Something similar,” Han Dokyeom replied nonchalantly.

“What? Similar? No, hold on, Hunter-nim! What do you mean, ‘similar’? Do you think I’m just going to blindly trust you because you solved this incident, huh? I’m an incredibly suspicious person, and I don’t just put my faith in anyone, understand?”

As Kim Seongyun’s incessant nagging flowed in one ear and out the other, Beom Yeonhu, sitting beside him, silently input their destination into the navigation system, then gave Kim Seongyun’s arm a light nudge.

Only after glancing at the building name displayed as their destination did Kim Seongyun’s mouth snap shut, as if stitched with a needle, and he quietly focused on driving. From that moment until their arrival at the hotel, an almost oppressive silence permeated the car.

Upon their arrival, it seemed his ‘stitched’ mouth had come undone, for he continued to grumble all the way into the lobby. His complaints ranged from questioning how luxurious a hotel could truly be, to arguing that it wasn’t a real home, and even worrying if he’d be asked to pay.

Yet, the moment they stepped into the guest room, his mouth clamped shut once more. His eyes merely blinked, wide with astonishment.

“Hyung, you can use this bed,” Han Dokyeom explained. “Your clothes can go in the built-in closet by the living room. Agon uses the bathtub, so please try to avoid it and use the shower in your room instead.”

“Also, Dali sometimes wakes up at night to eat, but they’re incredibly quiet, so don’t be startled if you hear something moving.”

Han Dokyeom, having delivered his calm instructions, then flopped onto the sofa and let out a wide yawn. It was only then that Kim Seongyun, who had been gaping at the hotel’s interior, subtly approached and settled beside him.

“Hunter-nim, could I also stay here for a few days…?” Kim Seongyun began tentatively.

“If you have a death wish, then by all means,” Han Dokyeom retorted flatly.

Agon’s permission had extended strictly to Beom Yeonhu and no further. Han Dokyeom’s seal still ached faintly around the edges, a testament to the sheer amount of magic he had expended over several days to convince Agon.

The persuasion had been anything but easy. He had eventually secured Agon’s reluctant assent by offering food and gentle coaxing, but there was little Han Dokyeom could do about the demon’s continuous growling whenever its territory felt invaded.

Han Dokyeom watched Beom Yeonhu tidy his clothes, and when their eyes met, he beckoned him over. Dokyeom promptly sat up, patting the empty space beside him.

Beom Yeonhu, resembling a loyal puppy, quickly approached and settled down.

“Let me see your hand, Hyung.”

Despite having offered his hand countless times over the past few days, Beom Yeonhu, as always, hesitantly extended it. Han Dokyeom firmly grasped it, his fingers sweeping over the palm, and felt a lukewarm warmth emanating from it. Dokyeom quietly activated ‘‘.

A cool, tingling sensation spread across his skin, and a tangled, indistinct mass appeared before his hazy vision. As he calmly observed these unclear forms, a thought suddenly struck him: ‘It’s certainly better than it was initially.’

Perhaps due to his consistent use of the skill whenever he had the chance, Beom Yeonhu’s internal energy flow had improved significantly. The stubbornly tangled blood vessels were now almost entirely resolved.

If he could just dedicate another month or so to this, perhaps something truly significant would happen.

“Hyung, how does it feel when you use your skill now?”

“It’s much better. I still can’t use it extensively, but I can use it multiple times on a smaller scale.”

“Is that so?”

‘Then why hasn’t his rank increased?’

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t fed Agon any magic stones, or maybe it was simply impossible for his rank to ascend any further. Regardless, there was no sign of change in Beom Yeonhu’s rank.

Han Dokyeom had expected him to reach at least A-rank once his blood flow was completely cleared. Given the progress, he should have already been B-rank, but the verification certificate from the Association yesterday still showed him as C-rank.

‘Could C-rank truly be Beom Yeonhu’s limit?’

After a long period of contemplation, Han Dokyeom finally released Beom Yeonhu’s hand and stood up. There was no point in dwelling on a question without an answer; it was merely a waste of time.

“If you’re mostly done tidying up, let’s go, Hyung.”

“Ah…”

“We need to go sign our contract.”

There was something more pressing to attend to first.

****

[‘???’, a demon of ‘Lemegeton’, observes you.]

It had been days already. Han Dokyeom’s eyes traced the characters floating in the air. This unidentified divine being had appeared a few days after he acquired Dali.

A demon, refusing to reveal its name, had been lurking around Han Dokyeom’s vicinity for some time, exploiting Orias’s absence.

Of course, this was only possible because Orias, summoned by the ‘Overseers,’ had remained incommunicado. Typically, sanctions from the ‘Overseers’ were only imposed if a divine being infringed upon the rights of others.

The only harm Orias could have inflicted upon other divine beings under the guise of infringement would have been the ‘Request for Salvation.’

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