Whistleblower (3)
I didn’t know what exactly had happened the first time around, but considering his stats, I knew Kim Hyunsung had been granted a high position back then. Assuming that Cho Hyejin was his lieutenant, the guild that he had led in the past must have been straightforward and inflexible.
If their enemies had been like Lee Jihye or me, it would have been easy for us to defeat them. In this way, I could guess just how Hyunsung had failed.
It was very simple to beat humans who weren’t used to backstabs, for they were unaware of the complexity that humans like me possessed. With this in mind, I surmised that Kim Hyunsung must’ve been hit by Jung Jinho, and then had probably gotten harassed by Ito Souta.
‘What would you do if you didn’t have me, Hyunsung?’
No, perhaps Lee Seolho would have been enough to humiliate him. Assuming that Ito Souta managed to settle in Lindel through that old geezer, he would’ve been able to wield great power as well.
Returning to my senses, I realized that Kim Mi-young was staring at me.
“If you have any instructions…”
“No, no, it’s fine. I think it would be nice to wait for now. Oh, but you’ll still have your insurance, so it would be beneficial for you to have books and materials that could be used when the Imperial Auditor strikes.”
“Ah! Of course, sir.”
“It’s very reassuring to have you here, Kim Mi-young.”
“T-Thank you.”
“I’m sorry for taking your time on a day off. I’ll best be off now.”
“No. I’m glad to have been able to help you.”
Cho Hyejin had not left my mind the whole time I conversed with Kim Miyoung. Though nothing about her had been officially decided, I had already made it my plan to control her.
Blue had already accepted Cho Hyejin, and I had already affirmed as to how much Kim Hyunsung trusted her. Considering that they had been together back in the first timeline, there was a high probability that I wouldn’t be able to break the trust they had for each other.
Considering Cho Hyejin’s growth potential, it would also be hard to find faults with her.
The most appropriate way to make her interested in me was to turn her into the same way as I had done with Hayan. However, just thinking about it made me self-conscious. I had already seen the side effects from Hayan and Heeyoung, and they weren’t pretty at all.
Plus, I don’t think I’d be her type…’
After I bid Kim Mi-young goodbye and left, I walked around the halls, feeling lost for some reason. It would be nice of me to take a break without worrying about anything, but with the sudden events, I knew it would be impossible for me to relax, given my personality.
Of course, it didn’t take long for me to decide on my next destination. I could only think of one place to go.
‘Hyunsung.’
It would only be right for me to talk to Kim Hyunsung, the Guild Master of Blue, about the guild’s future plans for Cho Hyejin. If he knew what the future would hold, then he would probably make the most rational decision based on that future.
‘How is this a holiday?’
I had been busy the moment I had woken up.
“Is Guild Master there?”
“He is probably in the office right now.”
“Ah, okay.”
I didn’t know if I should feel comforted, but at least I wasn’t the only one working hard. This would definitely be a great time to talk about work.
As I knocked on the door, I heard a familiar voice.
“Come in.”
I walked in and found Kim Hyunsung seated on his desk. Cho Hyejin was also there, and the two of them looked at me as I approached them.
“Ah…”
I didn’t expect to see her there.
“Good, you’re here! I was about to call you soon enough.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Have you eaten already?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Then, let’s have a meal together…”
“Yes, of course.”
‘This is more bothersome than I thought…’
I was beginning to understand why Jung Hayan got so angry seeing me with other women. Of course, this situation was different, but the fact that Hyejin and Hyunsung talked to each other in private bothered me. In Jung Hayan’s case, she was worried about what I did with other women. I now felt sorry for her.
I’ll be more careful in the future, Hayan.’
As I sent an apology to Jung Hayan in my heart, Kim Hyunsung cleared his throat.
“Did you have some business with me?”
“Yes, but it’s no big deal…”
“You can speak comfortably.”
Kim Hyunsung spoke with affection evident in both of his eyes. Of course, this was a natural reaction. Before I had even gifted him the griffon, Hyunsung already trusted me a lot.
“I was just curious about any future plans or schedules we had in store…”
“Ah.”
“Thanks to Hyejin, the stabilization of the guild is being finished to some extent. It seems okay for us to go on an expedition. It’s time for me to get back to my job. I wonder if you’re thinking the same as I do.”
“Yes, in fact, I had been thinking of that, too.”
‘As expected.
“I think it’d be better to tell you in advance. In your case, you’ll need to prepare a schedule in advance, as you’re handling several jobs at the same time.”
“Yes. Hyunsung is right.”
Of course, Kim Hyunsung had no intention of abandoning me during this time’s expedition. I had proved my worth in the previous one, and he had judged that having me with him would prove to be an advantage. Though my attack power was insufficient compared to other wizards, I had the ability to handle Jung Hayan, the flexibility to adapt to sudden situations, and the drive to carry the party should the need arise.
He must’ve felt like I needed to work more than expected, as he also wanted to see my growth as an alchemist. For this reason, he wouldn’t leave me behind. The most important thing for me to focus on was to not fall behind during this time’s expedition.
“There have been no definite decisions yet, but I think you’re right. It’s important for us to expand our funds through various businesses, but thanks to Kiyoung-ssi, we can now afford to go out. I’ve also been focusing on a lot of things, but I think it’d be better to tell you in advance.”
“Ah…”
“I think our next destination will be Castle Rock.”
“…Castle Rock?”
“Yes.”
‘Marlene Young-ae will definitely be happy.’
“I don’t know exactly, but I heard that they’ve seen signs of abnormality with the monsters in Castle Rock. Either a new dungeon appeared, or a hero-grade monster had made the area it’s home.”
“Hmm…”
“The probability is small, but this could also be a monster wave. There are many hunting grounds near Castle Rock, so it would not be bad to go on an expedition around it. I want to hear what you think, Kiyoung-ssi.”
“Ah, it also sounds good. I’m a little surprised to find out that it’s not near Lindel. Come to think of it, Cho Hyejin said she was from Castle Rock, so I think it’d be a little easier with her help, right?”
“Yes, Vice Guild Master. I know its geography.”
“I neglected to tell you, but I was thinking of expanding our sales with the basic potion. Of course, we’ll prioritize the expedition, but it won’t be bad to sign supply contracts with stable guilds within Castle Rock, am I right?”
“…Yes, Guild Master. Though it’s not larger than Lindel, the market itself is good. Most guilds there make a living out of going on expeditions. There will also be fewer priests there than here in Lindel.”
‘That’s right.
I glanced at Cho Hyejin and saw that she wasn’t looking too well. She had settled for guiltily biting her lip as she answered my inquiries, and it seemed as if she wasn’t expecting us to head to Castle Rock for our expedition, either. However, Kim Hyunsung seemed to think he had to bring her along.
‘Will this expedition be that hard?’
The answer lay in Hyunsung’s answer. It could be a simple dungeon expedition, or it could turn out to be a hero-grade monster raid.
Then there’s the possibility of encountering a monster wave…’
At this point, I was beginning to feel like we were heading to Castle Rock to take care of whatever would happen in the future. In any case, I would be able to benefit from this expedition. I was going in order to improve the quality of our party, after all.
What I liked most, however, was the fact that I’d get to learn more about Cho Hyejin.
‘Yeah, that’s definitely the best part.’
I would have a chance to talk directly with the leader of Little Rock under the guise of visiting for business purposes.
Although Hyunsung looked sad upon seeing Cho Hyejin, who suddenly stopped talking, he seemed to have no intention of changing his mind.
“When can I prepare for the expedition, Hyunsung-ssi?”
“Hmm…”
“How about leaving immediately tomorrow? In the case of commodities, they can be procured later, but I think I’ll personally need to find out about how we’ll be distributing the potions.”
“I see. In fact, I thought we would leave within a month or two, but there seems to be nothing wrong with doing that. The problem is where we’ll be staying.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about accommodation. I’m a little intimate with the daughter of Lord Castle Rock… Perhaps we could make use of that.”
“Ah!”
Marlin Young-ae would definitely welcome me with open arms.
Even after we had arrived at the restaurant for our meal, our conversation revolved about our Castle Rock expedition. Cho Hyejin wasn’t as participative, and though Hyunsung noticed this, he chose not to point it out
‘She evidently has bad memories of the place.’
Though Hyejin knew she’d come back there at one point, she wasn’t expecting to come back this early. Considering that she had only been in Lindel for a short while, she was still likely to be one of Castle Rock’s hottest topics.
Other than that, the conversation was a bit plain. It felt like routine pleasantries.
Kim Hyunsung seemed to praise Cho Hyejin consciously and seemed to appeal to me about her good points, but by the time the meal was almost finished, I was able to realize why he had said these kinds of things to me.
When Cho Hyejin had gone for the loo, Kim Hyunsung spoke to me.
“What do you think, Kiyoung-ssi?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, about Hyejin.”
“She doesn’t seem to be a bad person. She is capable, and her disposition is fine. I think I know well why Hyunsung-ssi recruited her. Given the strength and potential for future growth, she is a coveted person everywhere.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried that you would be uncomfortable.”
‘Would I openly say I’m uncomfortable if I really were, you bastard?’
“It feels like the timing is a bit early, but as I said yesterday, I would like to appoint Hyejin to a key position… I’m curious about what you think.”
This may very well be the reason as to why Hyunsung had tried to call me today. As he looked at me expectantly, I felt happy that he respected me enough to ask me, yet I also felt a little uncomfortable.
‘Ha…’
“Well, I am…”
I had to think about this thoroughly before I could even give a reply.