Chapter 77

The following day.

A coffee shop located in Seodaemun-gu.

Hwang Jiwoo had removed her face covering and, for the first time in quite a while, put effort into dressing up elegantly.

Like calls to like, as the saying goes.

The version of Baek Ajin she had witnessed previously had left quite an impression.

Granted, her family background was modest, and she wasn’t affiliated with any prestigious association, but…

She still desired to appear as someone deserving of being by Baek Ajin’s side.

Even if it amounted to nothing more than superficial looks.

What could this meeting possibly be regarding?

Gulp.

Seated gracefully inside a private area of the establishment, Hwang Jiwoo swallowed with anxiety.

It was a highly tense situation.

In truth, she had tried to gauge her father’s reaction the previous night.

• Dad, how would you react if I needed to stay away from the house for more than three months?

Never once in her existence had she spent a single night away from home.

Even after transitioning into adulthood, that reality remained unaltered.

Simply put, a massive obstacle stood in her way before she could accept the proposition from Baek Ajin!

• For what reason? What are you implying?

• Have you found a boyfriend or something of the sort? If that is the case, it will happen only over my dead body!

The very instant she introduced the notion, the entire household had erupted in a frenzy.

From the viewpoint of Hwang Jiwoo, it stemmed from her parents being excessively protective…

Hah.

Nevertheless, she could comprehend their perspective.

The current climate had been quite perilous recently, hadn’t it?

The actions of Baek Jinwoo might have eliminated the criminal organizations, but her parents remained highly anxious.

In what manner am I supposed to win them over?

Right as Hwang Jiwoo was moving her head side to side in frustration—

“Ah, Jiwoo!”

Baek Ajin stepped inside.

“You have arrived ahead of me?”

9:50 AM.

Because they had settled on ten o’clock, Ajin had managed to get there ten minutes early herself.

However, Jiwoo, filled with nervous energy, had reached the venue an entire hour in advance.

This discussion involved a professional proposition valued at one billion won.

Regardless of their friendship.

She had been gripped by an overwhelming urge to be punctual under any circumstance!

“It has been quite a while. I couldn’t even offer a proper greeting last time… Have you somehow managed to become even more beautiful?”

“What are you saying? You are far more beautiful than I am, Ajin.”

The two individuals placed their drink orders and transitioned into the atmosphere with casual dialogue.

A brief period slipped away in that fashion.

“…So, what exactly is the nature of this matter?”

“Well, the reality is, um… I am uncertain how this will come across. Jiwoo… you encountered my Oppa during our last meeting, correct?”

“B-Baek Jinwoo-nim?”

“Why are you addressing him as ‘Baek Jinwoo-nim’? He is simply my Oppa.”

“I did meet him.”

He had approached intending to capture a photograph, but she had been so rigid with tension that she couldn’t even assume a proper stance.

“Given our friendship, I am not going to require you to sign a non-disclosure agreement or anything similar… but you absolutely cannot share details regarding this offer with anyone, understood?”

As Baek Ajin hesitated to get to the point, Jiwoo was burning with impatience.

What on earth could it possibly be?

“I have no one to share it with anyway. You are well aware—the two of you are the sole friends I possess.”

“Ahem.”

Baek Ajin cleared her throat once more.

Confound it.

Where do I even begin to clarify this situation?

Perhaps I ought to present the core concept first?

“I shall get straight to the point. You will reside at Yubaek for a duration of one hundred days and merely remain in proximity to my Oppa. Around the clock, twenty-four hours a day…”

The startling offer from Baek Ajin embedded itself straight into the consciousness of Hwang Jiwoo.

PFFT!

Jiwoo sprayed her iced americano directly in front of her.

“Wh-WHAT?!”

Her facial expression turned completely crimson from the sheer shock.

What in the world had she just uttered?!

To spend nights in proximity to Baek Jinwoo—the very Baek Jinwoo she held in high regard? No, was she instructing her to essentially cohabitate with him?

Jiwoo had leaped to her feet out of sheer astonishment, but then she caught sight of the dark coffee marks splattered across the face of Ajin.

“I-I am so sorry!”

“It is perfectly fine. It is only natural to be startled.”

Ajin retrieved a few tissues and cleansed her face, remaining unbothered.

“Kindly listen to the rest first. A residence will be provided for you within Yubaek City, correct? You will reside there while the summon of my Oppa—you are familiar with the Storm Dragon Sorcerer? You merely need to stay close by while that entity undergoes training. Departing for brief intervals is acceptable, but you must return within the span of an hour… Should the countdown reset, the agreement becomes invalid. Even if you do not succeed, you are assured one hundred million won, and should you achieve the goal, one billion won. What are your thoughts?”

For the record, that initial hundred million won was being drawn directly from the personal wealth of Baek Ajin.

Ever since she took on the role of a director at Yubaek and claimed a twenty percent share of all revenue generated from rune transactions, the wealth of Baek Ajin could easily rival that of most corporate empire successors.

Providing this degree of assistance for a companion was a minor matter.

Particularly when that specific companion happened to inherit the highly uncommon Body of Flames (火炎之體)!

Her Oppa had explicitly requested.

Employ any means required to secure her commitment.

What if Jiwoo declined?

Ajin stood prepared to increase the financial offer.

“My sole duty is to remain near him? Nothing beyond that?”

“Correct.”

“Hmm.”

Hwang Jiwoo closed her eyes tight.

What was there even to ponder over!

There existed absolutely no rationale to decline.

Not only would she obtain the chance to see Baek Jinwoo once more, but the financial compensation was staggering.

“However, why choose me out of everyone?”

“Hm?”

“Is there a particular rationale behind why it must be me?”

“Heh.”

Baek Ajin offered a grin.

An intuitive companion, just as anticipated.

It represented a completely rational inquiry, a highly justified sense of wonder, but…

Baek Ajin functioned as a corporate professional as well.

“I shall reveal that detail to you once you place your signature upon the official document.”

If Jiwoo discovered her unique value, she might press for elevated compensation.

It wasn’t that Ajin harbored distrust toward Jiwoo, but she didn’t offer her absolute faith either.

Commercial matters had to be executed properly—with utmost precision!

“Understood.”

“Yes? In that case, shall we finalize the paperwork this very moment?”

“No, preceding that step.”

Hwang Jiwoo shifted her head side to side.

“There remains a single issue I must address. Once that matter is resolved, I shall make my way to your corporate facility.”

Winning over her parents!

For a female in her early twenties, spending consecutive nights away from home was a monumental issue.

“Dad.”

“Absolutely not.”

Parents, without a doubt.

He was capable of discerning her intent from her facial expression alone, prior to her even uttering a request.

“You are on the verge of bringing up the topic of staying away overnight again, are you not? I am entirely supportive of your path as a player, and I am fine with you affiliating with a guild. You may even venture into dungeons provided the environment is secure. However, spending nights away from this household remains completely out of the question.”

“A highly lucrative professional opening has presented itself.”

“What sort of occupation demands that you sleep in an alternative location?! And for a period exceeding three months!”

“Provided I perform this work for a mere hundred days, they will compensate me with one billion won.”

“Wh—… one billion?”

The eyes of her enraged father widened to the size of large plates.

Subsequently, his facial features turned even more rigid.

“You foolish child! I am oblivious as to what variety of con artist has ensnared you, but ABSOLUTELY NOT!”

The concept lacked any logical basis.

One billion won for a duration of one hundred days?

That calculated to ten million won for every single day.

What occupation on this planet yields ten million won daily?!

The scenario fell into one of two categories.

A fraudulent scheme, or the illicit harvesting of organs.

“Hwang Jiwoo. I operated under the assumption that you possessed intelligence, but you are acting foolishly! Your father has emphasized to you repeatedly—there is no such reality as a cost-free gain in this world. You have clearly lost your senses! That settles it. You are restricted to this house until further notice!”

“Dad!”

“Only over my dead body—no! Even if it means passing over my expired form, STILL NO!”

“The entity involved is Yubaek!”

Ultimately, Jiwoo shouted out the name.

Her father wrinkled his forehead.

What is she talking about at this moment?

The Yubaek that comes to mind?

The independent management firm belonging to Baek Jinwoo—the leader of the national squad?

“You are familiar with Yubaek’s Baek Jinwoo, correct? I previously informed you that he is the older brother of my companion Ajin.”

“…Do you suspect your father is ignorant of that fact?”

His attention was instantly piqued.

Baek Jinwoo had not occupied the public spotlight for an extended period, but by this point, any individual in South Korea who remained unaware of him was effectively a foreign agent.

No—even foreign agents would possess knowledge of him.

“This concerns an occupation that Baek Jinwoo himself is seeking to fill.”

“For what reason would Baek Jinwoo require your services? In what way does that align with logic?”

“I am equally uninformed! However, Ajin approached me today and went so far as to hand over the paperwork. There is nothing illicit involved… I believe it concerns a matter where my presence would be advantageous to Baek Jinwoo-nim. Observe—the paperwork!”

Flip!

Her father ripped the document from her hands and commenced reviewing it with intense focus.

His eyes quivered intensely throughout the entire duration.

Th-this possesses legitimacy?

It was challenging to credit, yet impossible to dismiss—owing to the fact that he had been aware for an extensive duration that Baek Ajin was a companion to his daughter.

I remain uncertain regarding the exact mechanics, but…

This represented a massive opening.

Particularly for his female offspring!

“Ahem, ahem.”

Her father adjusted his neck from side to side.

Then he directed his gaze toward Jiwoo.

“Jiwoo.”

“Are you still lingering here?”

“…Huh?”

Jiwoo gazed upon her parent with a look of utter bewilderment.

“Moments ago, you declared it would happen only over your dead body…”

“Dead body, nonsense. Do you require me to operate the vehicle for you? Proceed to assemble your belongings. Has your father not consistently advised you? One must grasp an opening the instant it presents itself.”

“Moments ago, you asserted that no gain comes without a cost…”

“Shh! Refrain from speaking back to your elders!”

Depart immediately!

Endure the entire hundred days regardless of what occurs!

Do not even entertain the thought of returning to this house!

Positioned directly before the main entry gate of Yubaek City.

Thud!

The vehicle door was pushed shut with force.

Vroom!

In the space where the automobile had just rested, Hwang Jiwoo remained stationary within the vacant area, clutching a sizeable travel case in her grip.

Following the moment she displayed the formal document to her father, every development had transpired with incredible velocity.

Jiwoo remained in a state of disbelief.

Her father had even resurrected his military anecdotes—a topic he routinely avoided—maintaining that a hundred days amounted to nothing, that she was required to persevere through the challenge no matter what, pleading with her repeatedly.

However.

The look etched across the countenance of Jiwoo as she held the spread-out document was fixed with an expression akin to tremendous determination.

I desire to surrender the one billion won… and offer an alternative arrangement.

She lacked knowledge as to why傲 Baek Jinwoo had requested her presence, or what specific worth she possessed.

Which was precisely the rationale behind why she could not press for greater monetary rewards.

Such an approach would fail, and she lacked the desire to pursue it regardless.

However.

What if I requested personal instruction as a substitute for financial compensation—even if restricted to those hundred days?

A single hour…

No, even a mere ten minutes would suffice.

Provided she could obtain guidance from Baek Jinwoo, financial assets ceased to carry significance.

That reflected the sheer intensity of her yearning.

The reality was simple.

She could discern the truth merely from the manner in which the high-ranking individuals responded.

The individual time of Baek Jinwoo was worth more than precious metals.

Even if he issues a refusal, I must at least extend the inquiry.

An entire existence spent mourning words that remained unuttered was more than sufficient.

Let us proceed!

Advance and articulate the thought!

Directly toward the practice grounds.

Should she desire to alter the terms of the agreement, it was far more appropriate to converse face-to-face with Baek Jinwoo rather than negotiating through Ajin.

Particularly when the appeal centered on instruction.

They maintain that opportunities present themselves to all individuals, and the specific instant arrives to grasp them.

As Hwang Jiwoo perceived the situation, that specific instant was taking place today.

With a resolute gesture of her head, Hwang Jiwoo stepped past the front boundary with an air of self-assurance.

“Haah, haah!”

“HRAAAAGH!”

The training grounds were radiating intense heat once more.

The start of the week had arrived, and all four pupils had made their return.

Every single summon had been dismissed and placed under the supervision of Drill Sarge, while the pupils concentrated entirely on physical conditioning.

“Whew.”

Baek Jinwoo had not neglected his personal conditioning routines either.

His muscular structure was now capable of managing his entire physical form with absolute exactness.

In terms of pure STR alone, that was the case.

Now, the objective was to cultivate suppleness and highly refined management.

Maintaining equilibrium in an inverted position atop all ten fingers while governing his respiration, he commenced lifting them away from the surface one at a time.

Little finger, ring finger, middle finger, pointer finger.

And at last.

“Hrgh!”

Stabilized solely upon a single thumb, Baek Jinwoo released a piercing battle cry and propelled himself upward.

Whoosh!

His physical form executed a complete aerial spin and descended precisely upon his feet.

Even throughout the execution of that pattern, he persisted in circulating Geoncheongsimgong (乾淸心功).

The pupils who were running circuits around the training grounds observed the exhibition, moving their heads in disbelief.

An absolute anomaly.

A deeply intimidating older brother figure.

…An extraordinary instructor.

Three of them observed him with deep admiration.

Oh, give me a break. Does he truly believe himself to be a summon or something?

And then there was Hong Ari, observing with a fastidious expression that failed to completely mask her possessive longing.

It represented a highly discussed subject among the pupils.

If an F-rank summon engaged in combat against Baek Jinwoo, who would emerge victorious?

Under normal circumstances, a mortal human could not overcome a summon.

But if the individual in question was Baek Jinwoo?

An F-rank entity might represent a completely different scenario. Particularly in the absence of runes.

And precisely at that juncture.

“Um…”

Clunk!

The entry barrier to the training grounds swung open.

An unfamiliar countenance!

Hwang Jiwoo paced inside with an innocent expression, the formal document gripped firmly in one hand.

Then she became entirely motionless.

Hong Ari?

The very Hong Ari whom she had consistently held in high regard.

Oh Seonyeong, Ki Jaehyeok, and even Kang Jiho?

The realization struck her all at once.

She had just crossed the threshold into a hallowed territory that every active player across the nation could only ever fantasize about entering.