IH Ch 67

Chapter 67

Even with Jae-i’s rather curt explanation, the youth leader seemed to understand, his expression becoming difficult to read. As if he couldn’t put it into words, he blankly rubbed his face with the palm of his hand, then looked at Hwang Jae-i again. His face twisted as if on the verge of tears, he suddenly hugged Jae-i.

“…Thank you!”

“……”

It was a completely unexpected move. Jae-i’s face stiffened at the embrace, but the youth leader only hugged him tighter, patting his broad back and shoulders repeatedly. After saying thank you several more times, he finally let go, his tear-streaked face breaking into a wide smile. Watching that foolish-looking grin, Hwang Jae-i frowned. The other men from the village, who had arrived late, were startled and quickly pulled the youth leader away.

“Hey, you can’t just grab someone like that…!”

They pulled him from both sides, but the youth leader didn’t let go easily. As he tried to hug Jae-i again, others panicked and stopped him, saying, “This is serious—don’t do that!” Hearing all this, Jae-i clenched the hand that had fallen to his side.

The youth leader shared what Jae-i had told him with everyone. That the Guildmaster here would take care of the village’s troubles. That people from Jae-i Guild would be coming soon to clean everything up.

At first, the villagers looked bewildered, unsure of what he was talking about. But one by one, they began looking at Hwang Jae-i with astonishment. Eyes full of questions, asking if what the youth leader was saying could possibly be true—Jae-i ignored them all and strode up the hill.

“Guildmaster!”

Even when called from behind, he pretended not to hear and quickened his pace.

“Thank you so much!!”

Even after the thanks, he didn’t turn around.

Because it was strange.

He hadn’t done it for them—it had been for himself. More than whatever Chairman Jang had planned to do in this village, the bigger problem was the fact that Hwang Jae-i had been here at all. No matter how you looked at it, an S-rank had laid hands on civilians, and that would surely be used to tear him apart, which is why he had tried to contain it preemptively. And yet, for them to mistake that and feel such gratitude—it was absurd.

“……”

With a hardened expression, Jae-i rubbed his cheek roughly with the back of his hand. Arriving quickly at the youth leader’s house, he spotted Dohwa sitting on the bench outside. As if he had been waiting there the whole time, he stood up when he saw Jae-i approach. Jae-i averted his gaze from Dohwa, who naturally came to stand in front of him, and lifted his head. At the doorway stood the elder, watching quietly.

Hwang Jae-i bowed his head first to the elder, who simply looked at him calmly. Noticing the perfunctory gesture, the elder spoke up first.

“You’re just going to leave like this?”

“…Others will be coming to handle the cleanup.”

There wasn’t anything else he could do here. If he stayed, it would only make things awkward for those coming later.

“Come again sometime.”

“……”

“The food I gave you wasn’t too much—I owe you at least a hundred bowls of noodles.”

It had been that debt for a meal that pushed Hwang Jae-i to act. That small, seemingly meaningless line about not eating for free had moved his body into action. Looking back, maybe that wasn’t the only reason he’d stepped up.

“…I don’t know if there will be another time to visit.”

From Jae-i’s perspective, there was no reason he’d be back for noodles. This entire situation had happened by pure chance—there was no reason it should repeat.

Apparently dissatisfied with that answer, the elder narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue.

“What a rude brat.”

The elder muttered loudly, then slid open the door and peeked inside before calling out, “Jaehyun-ah.”

“That guy’s leaving. If you have something to say, come out.”

Almost before the words were finished, a round face popped out. Spotting Hwang Jae-i, the boy scrambled out, shoving his feet into his sneakers and limping forward.

In his rush, he hadn’t even grabbed his crutches. Standing before Hwang Jae-i, he looked up at him, clearly with a lot to say, but unsure where to begin. After a moment of hesitation, he finally opened his mouth.

“Guildmaster…”

“Well, I… I mean…”

The boy clenched his hands tightly.

“I’m going to study really hard from now on and get into Jae-i Guild. Even non-Awakened people can join a guild, right? So I’m definitely, definitely going to join Jae-i Guild and work for Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i!”

“……”

“I used to give up on math and science because they were too hard, but not anymore. I’m really going to study hard from now on.”

Clutching his hands as if making a vow to himself, Jaehyun looked up at Jae-i. His face had gained a lot of color. Jae-i had expected him to still be shaken and sullen from earlier.

Just then, Jaehyun turned abruptly to Dohwa. Dohwa, who had only been watching him silently, flinched when their eyes met. Swallowing dryly, Jaehyun spoke.

“I won’t tell anyone what happened. I’ll keep it a secret forever.”

“……”

“And when I get better at drawing… then, please be my model.”

Then, as if asking for a promise, he shyly held out his pinky finger.

Dohwa, eyes red at the corners as if nervous, linked his pinky with Jaehyun’s. They lightly swung their joined fingers up and down. As if sealing a solemn promise. Jaehyun’s face relaxed as he let out a soft laugh. At that beaming smile, Dohwa whispered ever so softly,

“Thank you.”

“Oh, no—it’s me who should be thankful. You saved me back then, and…”

Looking back up at Hwang Jae-i, Jaehyun narrowed his eyes.

“You saved everyone in our village, didn’t you? I won’t tell anyone about that, either. Even when I grow up and apply to Jae-i Guild, I’ll keep it a secret.”

“……”

After saying that much, Jaehyun firmly closed his mouth. His emotions rising, he sniffled and fought to force a smile. He understood it was time to let the two of them go. Seeing him try so hard to smile was almost painful, and a faint wrinkle formed between Jae-i’s brows.

“You sure have a lot planned for when you grow up, little guy.”

Muttering under his breath, Jae-i lowered his gaze to Jaehyun’s awkwardly standing leg and let out a short sigh. Then he bent down and lifted the boy like a sack of rice. Startled, Jaehyun stiffened instead of struggling. Jae-i sat him on the bench and immediately grabbed the right pant leg and ripped it off in one motion.

Seeing his pants torn to shreds, the boy stammered in a panic.

“My mom bought those from the rural market just last week…”

She’d even gotten them in a larger size so he could wear them for a few years. He was supposed to wear them for the next three years. Now that the pants were ruined, his eyes and lips drooped. But Jae-i’s sudden actions didn’t stop there.

He touched the prosthetic leg connected below the knee and immediately removed it. Placing it on the bench, he then pulled a purple mana stone from his inventory and pressed it above the right knee. The glowing mana stone was absorbed, and soon a bright light gathered in his leg. As the prosthetic fell away, the boy froze in place.

“……”

Leaving the stunned Jaehyun behind, Jae-i slowly stood up. Jaehyun sat still, staring at the long, smooth leg protruding from the torn pants. Jae-i lightly flicked the boy’s head with his fingers.

“There’s a physical fitness test in the guild entrance exam too.”

Removing his hand from the trembling child’s hair, Jae-i turned sharply. He shoved his hands into his pockets and strode downhill, quiet footsteps trailing behind him. Hearing them, Jae-i deliberately turned into a secluded path. If he went back the way he came, he’d only run into the villagers again.

It was a quiet place. Focusing, he could hear the cries of insects near his ears. Accompanied by the rustling grass in the wind and the soft footsteps following behind him. Looking out toward the distant hills, Jae-i slowly turned around. There, exactly five steps behind, stood Dohwa.

“What exactly are you?”

“……”

To be honest, he had underestimated him because of the ridiculous iron mask. But what he saw earlier was something else entirely. He hadn’t seen it clearly—Dohwa had his back turned—but something sharp had flown out and pierced that bald man’s head. Was it a weapon? But there didn’t seem to be anywhere on that body to hide something like that.

Dohwa, noticing Jae-i’s gaze inspecting his body, opened his mouth first.

“What do you think I am? I must’ve been dangerous enough to keep locked away somewhere like that.”

His tone was indifferent. Even though he had asked first, Jae-i was left speechless by the answer. Dohwa glanced at Jae-i’s hardened face and muttered like he was talking to himself.

“They must’ve thought it’d be dangerous to leave me out in the open, so they stuck that weird thing on me and locked me in a sealed room. And then you went and brought me out without a care, let me sleep wherever…”

Trailing off, Dohwa stared intently at Jae-i. He didn’t say it aloud, but his eyes clearly said, “Are you stupid?”

Jae-i twitched his lips, dumbfounded. He’d never seen anyone so brazenly admit they were suspicious. Shouldn’t you be doing everything to hide that if you want to stay alive? “You—” he began again, but a car engine rumbled behind them.

It seemed the people sent by the guild had finally arrived.