If it was just me, then I would’ve joined the Red Mercenary Guild, no, at the very least, I wouldn’t have joined the Blue Guild. In my eyes, the Blue Guild was a guild that was already falling apart and with the combination of rotten and stagnant water, it was appropriate to say that the guild was flooded with shit water.
If I were to decide by only thinking about the present, choosing the Blue Guild was unreasonable since it felt like the guild master may have already died somewhere. Lee Sang-Hee, the sub guild master, was the only person that had been showing her face around us and the old gramps that were still living in their days of glory were eating the guild away, making it easy for the other guilds to neglect them.
Lee Sang-Hee was the only normal person here and deciding to join this guild was no different from getting on a sinking boat, but if I joined the Red Mercenary Guild’s boat, then I would be extremely delighted for sure as I could watch the guild sink while laughing.
I wasn’t overconfident in my stats, to begin with, and I didn’t expect there to be any changes just because I joined the Blue Guild and I was sure that Kim Hyun-Sung was also thinking of the same thing.
‘Since our fox is surprisingly cautious.’
Despite that, Kim Hyun-Sung still wanted to join the Blue Guild and he had been like that since the beginning. Of course, it seemed like he did consider the other guilds, but up until this moment, the regressor believed that this was the right path.
I was able to come up with one conclusion and whether it was in the near future or the far future, joining the Blue Guild was more profitable than joining the Red Mercenary Guild.
There was no reason to buy a different lottery ticket just because the lottery ticket that had a high chance of winning was difficult to get.
The regressor placed his bet on the side that had a bit more certainty.
If the guild threw out the blessing that landed on their hands just because a few old gramps felt uncomfortable, that would be a stupid thing to do.
Of course, it wasn’t like there weren’t any problems.
‘My safety.’
My safety was the most important and as long as I didn't ruin the regressor’s plan, making a plan for my safety was the reason why I was looking for Cha Hee-Ra. There may come a time when I would have to ruin Kim Hyun-Sung’s plan for my safety but now wasn’t the time.
‘I can handle it.’
I can handle a senile old man and a dying guild.
“Are you talking about the Red Mercenary Guild?” Kim Hyun-Sung asked.
“I’ll be right back,” I said.
“Why are you suddenly…”
“I have something to discuss with the mercenary queen,” I said, cutting him off.
“You’re referring to…Cha Hee-Ra,” he said and then I nodded.
Kim Hyun-Sung’s expression looked ambiguous and just as I expected, there was a commotion on Park Deok-Gu and Jung Ha-Yan’s side. For them to react that way was understandable because despite experiencing a difficult time during the incident that day, I told them that I was going to visit her. Jung Ha-Yan was openly expressing her anxiety and Park Deok-Gu was feeling awkward because of her. In Jung Ha-Yan’s case, not only did her face turn pale, but she looked as if she was panicking.
“Oppa…” she called out.
“Hey, hyung-nim…you’re…not trying to join that lady…”
“I’m not. It’s something that’ll help the party,” I said, interrupting Park Deok-Gu.
“But still…she’s a cunning woman…” he said.
“O-Oppa…” Jung Ha-yan called out.
To Jung Ha-Yan, I was sure that it was a bolt out of the blue because she was trying to pretend that nothing had happened between me and Cha Hee-Ra. When I suddenly told them that I was going to visit the Red Mercenary Guild, I was sure that this action of mine was something she never expected. I was honestly worried that she was going to cause trouble, but I thought that it would be fine for now since I was arranging my own safety gear for the future.
“Can I ask why?” Kim Hyun-Sung asked.
There was no reason for me to hide it.
“I thought we needed someone to watch our backs, but I’ll tell you the details once things work out,” I replied.
“Oh…I see.”
Kim Hyun-Sung’s reaction wasn’t bad. Since I was telling him that I was making a connection with her, I was sure that he welcomed the idea.
Jung Ha-Yan looked scared. She seemed to be thinking that I was going to abandon her, but of course, I wasn’t going to do that. She was moving her lips as if there was something she wanted to tell me. I wasn’t sure if she was choking up or she thought that interrupting my conversation with Kim Hyun-Sung was rude, but she didn’t interrupt us.
Park Deok-Gu also remained silent.
I had no choice but to lightly grab Jung Ha-Yan’s hands.
“I’m going to talk with her for a bit and come right back,” I told her.
“Okay,” she said.
Normally, Jung Ha-Yan’s face would turn red, but I guess she was shocked in many ways after I saw her reaction. As I ignored Park Deok-Gu’s unexpectedly pleased smile, I started walking down the hallway with Jung Ha-Yan and that was when I heard her quiet voice. “P-Please don’t go.”
“Nothing will happen,” I told her.
“Still…”
“I’m just going to have a short conversation with her, so you don’t have to worry,” I said.
“I..want to…go too,” she said.
“It’ll be better if I go alone.”
“Please…please don’t go. If…If you go…”
Her voice became even quieter. I sort of expected this to happen, but when I felt an unknown chill, I couldn’t help but feel a bit confused by the situation.
However, doing this was the most important, not only for the party but especially for me.
Jung Ha-Yan didn’t have the ability to protect me right now.
I lightly pushed her against the wall and the small frown that was on her pale face was replaced with a shocked one.
“O-Oppa,” she said.
I didn’t say anything and instead, lifted her chin using my hand. Her face turned so red that it looked as if it was going to explode and it seemed like she couldn’t pull herself together because of the sudden situation. Her quiet voice was now replaced with a voice that sounded nervous.
“Oppa…oppa…”
When I moved my face closer to hers, she looked at me as if she was trying to take in my entire face. I started feeling something soft on my lips. Even though it was a simple kiss with no romantic atmosphere, it seemed like it was working on Jung Ha-Yan. After wrapping her arms around my head, our tongues started playing with each other. This wasn’t part of the plan, but it didn’t matter.
Jung Ha-Yan stuck to me desperately as if she was trying to disinfect the dirtiness from the incident that day.
My head started hurting because she grabbed my hair tightly, but because of the strangely exciting atmosphere, even that pain felt good.
“Ah…”
I was the one that initiated the kiss, but Jung Ha-Yan’s body started trembling, which made it seem like she was trying to do more. As if she was trying to release the desire that she had been suppressing all this time, she was continuously biting and dragging this on, so pushing her away from me wasn’t easy.
Once we were out of breath, our saliva stretched out and I finally got the opportunity to catch my breath, but Jung Ha-Yan lost her mind and opened her mouth as she wrapped her arms around my neck again.
“Oppa. Oppa. Oppa. Oppa.”
She kissed me again and there wasn’t a reason for me to avoid it because accepting her childish behavior was what was important right now.
I wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but I felt my tongue sting. I realized that Jung Ha-Yan had bit my tongue. I slightly frowned, but it wasn’t a problem. When Jung Ha-Yan looked at me with a surprised look, that was when I was able to slowly get her off of me.
“I like you.”
I whispered sweet words to her and saw her body shaking with joy.
Yes, joy.
Her face was definitely showing joy.
“I…love…love you too,” she said.
“I want to protect my lovely Ha-Yan,” I told her.
Only half of it was true.
“Me…me too…”
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I said.
“Me too!” she yelled.
“That’s why I need to do this. Maintaining a good relationship with that woman is what we need since I’m not strong,” I explained.
“Because…I’m not strong…” she said.
“Right, because we’re not strong,” I said in agreement.
“Still…still…”
“It’ll be fine,” I told her.
I saw Jung Ha-Yan kept quiet with a complicated look on her face. I had an idea what she was thinking about. Of course, I didn’t bother interpreting it, but I lightly kissed her again after retracting my hand.
It was nothing.
Jung Ha-Yan must have been thinking that I was getting sold off against my will, but I was simply going there to talk.
But I thought that the current situation wasn’t that bad.
‘Good.’
I couldn’t trust an unpredictable woman. It was dangerous, but the person that would be able to protect me the best was right in front of me. Her face was filled with an unknown responsibility.
Starting today, Jung Ha-Yan was going to focus on her growth a bit more because she realized the fact that I had to rely on someone else since I was powerless.
While releasing large tears, this situation may seem like a documentary to her, but to me, it was a melodrama. I couldn’t help but laugh because she was treating it as if it was a big deal when it really wasn’t.
“What happened last time won’t happen again,” I told her reassuringly.
“Hiccup…”
“I love you,” I said.
“Ah…Ahh…”
Even though I have never said these words before, seeing Jung Ha-Yan fall to the ground because she was weak in the knees and then seeing her body shake made me think that it wasn’t a bad decision. After kissing her lips once more, I started walking slowly.
A part of my plan was ruined so I had no choice but to speed up my relationship with Jung Ha-Yan. Of course, I thought this was pretty good. I could have done it romantically in a nice setting, but this kind of crisis will strengthen our relationship a little bit more.
‘Crazy old man.’
I lacked the power to eliminate the unexpected impurities. Little wit in the head made much work for the feet, however, it was also true vice-versa.
It only took a moment for me to leave the guild. After walking a short distance, I saw the location where the Red Mercenary Guild was staying. One of the guild members looked at me with a surprised expression and then quickly ran towards me.
“How can I help you?” they asked.
“I’ve come to meet Miss Cha Hee-Ra,” I answered.
“Oh! Could you please wait a moment?” they asked.
“Of course,” I said.
They seemed kind of excited.
Moments later, the same person nodded and continued the conversation from earlier.
“You may come inside. It’s the last room over there.”
“Got it,” I said.
I thought about what I should say to her, but I had no idea how I should clear up this situation.
Every step I took felt heavy because I was sure that Cha Hee-Ra wasn’t all that interested in me, Lee Ki-Young, personally. It would have been different if I came to tell her that I wanted to join the Red Mercenary Guild, but that wasn’t it.
When I knocked once, I heard a voice from inside the room.
“Come in,” she said.
“Okay.”
When I walked in after opening the door, I saw her yawning while lying on the bed. As always, she had her red hair and was wearing clothes that looked as if I would be able to see through them. Just like last time, I thought about where I should look, but I faced the powerful person in front of me without panicking.
“Did you change your mind?” she asked.
“No, I haven’t,” I answered.
“Then…you should start by explaining why you came here all by yourself…I was having a pleasant dream. To be honest, I’m a bit offended. I don’t really like men that just dip their toes into the water…and I’m sure you didn’t visit your noona just because you couldn’t forget about me when you already have such a wonderful girlfriend…”
I didn’t know how to start the conversation because I haven’t really figured out what kind of person Cha Hee-Ra was. Her vigor and valor personality confirmed that she didn’t feel intimidated or scared.
Since I came here to make a proposal, I needed to be confident in front of her.
After taking a deep breath, I spoke the words that were in my head.
“I would like for you to become my sponsor.”
There was silence within the room.
Cha Hee-Ra looked slightly surprised and then spoke while looking at me as if she was really excited. Her voice sounded slightly seductive.
“Hm…are you…good at it?” she asked.
‘What is she talking about…’
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