Chapter 206

Jo Sunghyun and Hyun Junghwa had worked in tandem for about three days. They were both the taciturn type, so their Playing was often interspersed with long stretches of silence.

Today was the same.

[The 'Gatekeeper and Seedling Gate' has been cleared.]

Hyun Junghwa dipped her head slightly first.

"Good…"

…work. But the words were spoken extremely quietly, and Sunghyun didn't hear them. He also bowed his head.

"Good work."

"..."

"..."

Conversations between the two of them often went like this. A slight period of silence descended. They left the gate, which was located in Gapyeong. Sunghyun was a student, so he didn't have a car, but Junghwa had one.

Hyun Junghwa said, "I'll give you a ride."

"..."

Conversations between them were slow paced. Well aware of that, Junghwa patiently waited and said, "But you'll have to pay for gas."

"...Thank you."

Junghwa wasn't actually in need of money. She was the granddaughter of the Daeheung Group, ranked 10 in the financial world. A pittance like gas money meant little to her, but she purposefully asked for it so that Sunghyun could accept the ride without feeling bad.

She drove the car herself.

"..."

"..."

Sunghyun sat in the passenger seat. The two of them didn't talk unless it was strictly necessary for Playing. But Hyun Junghwa had something to discuss.

"Mr. Sunghyun. I have something to tell you."

Sunghyun wasn't used to this "Mr." title. He had been called such a way only a few times, and he found it a little awkward to the ear.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked politely back.

"You said you were looking for the Wind Temple, right?"

"Yes."

Their conversation was slow, but it was also just as concise. Junghwa went straight to the point without going around in circles.

"I found the way in."

"..."

"There's this gravestone I found. Apparently, I need to break it in the right place."

"...I see."

The problem was that she didn't know where the "right place" was.

"I think not just anyone can break it." A special condition needed to be fulfilled. "It says only a True Ruler can."

"..."

It was silent again in the car. Sunghyun's thoughts raced inside his head.

'True Ruler.'

He didn't know what that meant. But he now had a clue.

"It might be possible to find out more if I ask my guildmaster."

"Will you do that?"

"With your permission."

"Of course you have my permission."

That concluded their conversation, and not a single word was spoken between them during the rest of the 1.5 hour trip from Gapyeong to Seoul. Neither of them found the silence awkward. In fact, they were both at ease. Their personalities matched quite nicely.

Sunghyun relayed the information he got from Hyun Junghwa to Kim Hyukjin, and as someone who had two True Ruler titles, Kim Hyukjin immediately knew what the 'True Ruler' was.

"Introduce me to Miss Junghwa."

He decided to meet the Divine Archer, Hyun Junghwa.

* * *

Hyukjin was already very familiar with the Divine Archer, a figure who was of comparable skill to the 8 Heroes but had never clashed against the Demon King. Where 'archery' was concerned, she was a top Ranker famous worldwide. That was the kind of person she would become in the future.

"Nice to meet you. I'm the guildmaster of Giantgod, Kim Hyukjin."

"Hello. I'm Hyun Junghwa."

Kim Hyukjin, Hyun Junghwa, and Jo Sunghyun met in the cafeteria of a certain hotel in downtown Seoul. Knowing Hyun Junghwa's personality, Hyukjin molded his speech to suit her.

"It may be a little hasty for our first meeting, but… I'll cut straight to the point."

Hyun Junghwa preferred such directness. She didn't like things like greetings and pointless formalities.

"I have an item called Sylphid's Wing."

"..."

Junghwa's body flinched. But she didn't say that she had one as well, since it wasn't really his business to know. There was no reason to reveal her weapon to someone she had just met today.

"I'm looking for the Wind Temple in order to get the Complete Sylphid's Wings."

"..."

"My guild member Sunghyun here has his own reasons for finding the Wind Temple. I don't know your reasoning, but I heard you're looking for the Wind Temple as well. Sunghyun gave me a quick rundown."

"Yes."

"I've never told this to anyone other than my guildmates, but I…" Hyukjin lowered his voice a little. "...already know what a True Ruler is."

"What is it?"

"A dungeon title."

"Dungeon titles exist?"

Hyun Junghwa stared at Hyukjin. This was her first time hearing about any 'dungeon titles'. No, she did hear rumors about it, but she'd never seen anyone with an actual dungeon title.

"They're titles that can be acquired when you clear a dungeon with special conditions. I imagine they're somehow related to the gravestone you possess."

"..."

"Also, there's a place in the Gran Seoul that screams 'the right place', isn't there?"

"..."

"..."

Sunghyun and Junghwa were both silent. The person to break that silence was Sunghyun.

"Come to think of it… I did hear there was a cemetery field. I know Yoohyun hyung cleared it."

Sunghyun had gone in and out of the Gran Seoul several times with Taeguk Shield and many other Players. There was definitely a cemetery field. Several spots were missing gravestones.

"I bet you would have been able to grasp the field more precisely if you were there, Hyung."

Hyun Junghwa stared at Sunghyun in fascination. This was the first time she'd seen him say so much and show such a high assessment of someone. They'd worked together a few times with other Players, but Sunghyun was frustrated each and every time. He didn't show it, of course, but Junghwa could tell since they were the same type of person and she herself was feeling the same way.

"Let's work together," Hyukjin proposed.

Junghwa didn't stop to think about it for long. "Alright."

The more people they had, the easier the clear would be. But it also meant the rewards would be split among more people. He was even someone who wanted the same thing as her.

'He wants the Complete Sylphid's Wings, and so do I.'

In the very slight chance that only one reward related to the 'Complete Sylphid's Wings' was given, what would she do?

'But I can't do it alone anyway.'

They would need to conduct an appropriate trade or negotiation if that happened. But Kim Hyukjin spoke up first.

"I heard you're an archer."

"Yes, I am."

"I'll ask you to be 100% sure. Do you also want the Complete Sylphid's Wings, Miss Junghwa?"

"..."

She nodded, thinking there was nothing to gain from lying here.

"If only one reward to complete the Sylphid's Wing is offered…"

"..."

"And I end up getting that reward…"

"..."

"I'll give you first pick."

"..."

Junghwa had the feeling he had seen through her.

"How come?"

"I'm not an archer."

"Is that so?"

"My class is sovereign. A sovereign needs to know how to handle people, you see."

"..."

He wasn't wrong. She accepted the answer.

"However, I'm not saying I will give it to you for free."

"That's fine." Junghwa actually felt better after hearing that. "If that happens, what do you want?"

Hyukjin grinned.

"Money."

Those words really put Junghwa's mind at ease.

* * *

Hyukjin returned home.

"Oppa!"

Like always, Sunhwa ran out barefoot and jumped Hyukjin. He hugged her back with a throaty laugh. She wasn't his biological little sister, but she felt like one. Of course, he was well aware there were no actual little sisters who would greet their biological brothers this happily, but in any case, she felt like a real sister to him.

"Are you listening well to Mom?"

"I even left a drumstick for you."

"Really? Well done."

The drumstick-lover Sunhwa leaving behind a drumstick was a display of impressive patience.

"Huh? Where'd it go?"

Sunhwa felt wronged. She definitely left one drumstick, no mistake about it. She shouted, "HEY! KIM DARONG!"

Darongi was nowhere to be seen, which meant he was currently in stealth mode.

"The culprit is Kim Darongi. I definitely left one for you!"

"It's alright."

Hyukjin didn't care much whether his chicken was a drumstick or a wing, and he wasn't as enamored with drumsticks as Sunhwa was. What he wanted to know was when Darongi got the last name 'Kim'.

"Did you just meet an unnie named Hyun Junghwa?"

"How'd you know?"

"Mister Sung-gu was telling me."

Hyukjin snorted. How did Sung-gu find out? Obviously, because Sunghyun had told him. Sunghyun wasn't a talkative person and kept mostly to himself, but Sung-gu knowing meant that Sunghyun was extremely fond of him, despite all the squabbling that went between them.

'That's nice.'

Giantgod guild members getting along was a good thing. But Sunhwa seemed to be thinking about something strange.

"That Unnie is really pretty."

"That so?"

Was she? Hyukjin tilted his head.

'Mm.'

When he thought back on it, it was probably true that she was pretty. The Divine Archer was famed for her equally divine appearance. It was just that Hyukjin was uninterested in such things. After returning to the past, his eyes were strangely numb to the beauty of women.

"I think she was pretty, yeah."

"Looks like she wasn't your type."

Sunhwa turned and walked away, her steps light and happy. Hyukjin heard a voice.

(A very commendable attitude, hubby.)

Hyukjin wondered to himself what Isabel was going on about now.

(A man should always be as unfeeling as stone when seeing other women.)

(When you met that woman, I noticed your heart didn't tremble at all?) Isabel seemed exceedingly satisfied. (I'm very pleased. As expected of my husband.)

Hyukjin didn't bother responding to Isabel's monologuing. There was something more important to do than that.

"Senia. Are you streaming?"

Senia wasn't there.

(That angel? Why? Why're you looking for her? I don't like her.)

Isabel's blade quivered intensely in his Inventory.

(Did you choose your Intermediate Administrator on appearance? Did you?! And you even picked out the number 1 beauty among the angels and made a contract with her! Why? I'm serious, if you look at other women, I'll kill you!)

(Answer me. Don't hold Senia's hand, don't even make eye contact with her. Don't do anything. Got it?)

Hyukjin acquiesced absentmindedly. "Yeah, okay."

He had zero intention to get romantically involved with an Intermediate Administrator anyway. No matter how beautiful Senia was, he'd never seen a happily ever after for anyone who'd gotten involved with an Intermediate Administrator. That was how it was in the past, and how it would be in the future.

(I'll trust you, okay, husband?)

"Yeah, trust me."

The blade's quivering quieted a little at that.

(As expected, my husband is trustw…)

And then, she fell asleep. Hyukjin waited a little. It was about time for Senia to appear. She was showing up around him even when he wasn't full-on Playing these days.

After some time, Senia appeared.

"Were you waiting for me?"

For some strange reason, Senia's wings were trembling ever so lightly.

"I was."

"How come?"

"I'm gonna open the shop."

"...Is that all?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Senia shook her head. "It's nothing," she said, stealthily moving her hand behind her back. In her hand was a snack of angelkind, a bag of 'Sky Carp Bread'. After hiding it, she stowed it in her Inventory. She absolutely 120% didn't bring it because she wanted to give it to Hyukjin.

The 'Arrow-Shooting Cupid' must have read Senia's actions, because he sponsored them 300 Coins each.

"When you say shop… do you mean the 1-time shop bestowed by the Merchant of Venice?"

"Yes."

He left the words, "It's good content, right?" unsaid.

[Open the '1-time Venice Shop' of the 'Merchant of Venice'?]

He opened the shop.

[The 'Venice Shop' can be utilized for 3 minutes.]

A list of purchasable items unfurled before Hyukjin's eyes.

[Time left - 03:00]

The timer began to count down. After just three seconds, Hyukjin's eyes widened.

'No way.'

The item he saw made him swallow a mouthful of saliva.

'Iron Lion's Harmonica?'

That item was here.

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