Episode 8 - Graduation Ceremony (3)
Even though the graduation ceremony had ended, Seojun had not arrived, so Sua asked Ayeong beside her in a worried tone.
“Auntie. Seojun is okay, right?”
“Oh my, are you already worrying about your boyfriend? Let’s wait a little longer. It hasn’t even been ten minutes yet.”
“But his trait only awakened recently, so isn’t it dangerous?”
“They said it takes an hour at most, so let’s secure a table at the restaurant first. Since it’s graduation day, almost all the restaurants are fully booked.”
Meanwhile, Seojun, who was receiving plenty of Sua’s worry, was pressing the female secretary gripping the steering wheel beside him.
“Can’t you step on it harder? If we don’t arrive within thirty minutes, you’ll be saying goodbye to this world forever. Got it?”
“Hnng, hic, y-yes!”
Using the car that the Cheongeom Clan had arrived in, Seojun loaded the unconscious Manho and the female secretary who would serve as the driver, then headed to the World Association’s Jeonju Branch at full speed to eat with his family on time.
Committing speeding violations as if they were meals, they arrived in Jeonju in fifteen minutes and were able to enter the Association with the unconscious Manho.
“W-what brings you here?”
An Association employee looked suspiciously at Seojun, who had the unconscious Manho on his back.
“Hmm, I’ve come to volunteer representing the Cheongeom Clan regarding the border zone matter.”
“What? The Cheongeom Clan? P-please wait a moment. I’ll call the person in charge.”
The moment the name of the Cheongeom Clan, one of the two families symbolizing the Republic of Korea, came out, the flustered employee seemed to realize this wasn’t something he could decide and hurriedly called his superior.
And some time passed.
A man who looked to be in his late thirties with neatly groomed hair came out and greeted Seojun.
“I am I Sehun, in charge of the Jeonju Branch of the World Association. Pleased to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. I’m Sin Seojun.”
“I heard you came regarding the border zone conscription matter. Might I know which of you is the clan representative?”
“Here. The one who came as the clan representative is this friend sleeping beside me. I think he’s nervous; he won’t wake up at all, so please understand.”
In truth, he wasn’t sleeping but unconscious, but that didn’t matter.
“Ahem, let me verify for a moment.”
He took out a palm-sized object from a bag he had brought and began placing the unconscious Manho’s hand on the center of the object.
“Yes, confirmed. Sin Manho. Age confirmed as eighteen.”
‘This bastard spoke informally to me, so I thought we were the same age. He’s completely out of control.’
With the household hierarchy in such a state, tsk tsk.
Seojun, who was sharply criticizing the Cheongeom Clan’s family education, spoke to the Association employee who was writing something down.
“Might I know what you’re writing?”
“Ah! I was writing documents related to the service application. Would you like to check?”
Checking the document held out before him, he could see Manho’s personal information and today’s date written on it.
“I understood this was possible immediately without such procedures.”
“Still, we have to do at least a show of procedure so that there won’t be gossip later.”
‘Since they tried to drag me away like a dog, I thought there were no procedures. But it seems even a minimal procedure exists.’
“Excuse me, if the clan later designates a new representative and says they’ll take Manho back, what happens then?”
‘I already knew the answer without asking, but because there might be variables.’
“Hmm… If that were to happen, the World Association wouldn’t sit still, would they? As you know, the fact that we appointed the person brought here first as the clan representative without any procedure means we have already shown considerable accommodation.”
“Then the original procedure must have been more complicated.”
“Of course. Regarding the border zone, it’s no exaggeration to say the Cheongeom Clan has no authority at all, so further interference would be difficult even for the Cheongeom Clan.”
‘Then I can rest easy.’
Having judged that it would be rather difficult for the Cheongeom Clan to exert influence here, Seojun could finally set his mind at ease.
“I see. Then what happens to Manho now?”
“Since the Cheongeom Clan has been delaying the deadline until now, the Association has been eagerly waiting for this too. A plane departing from headquarters will arrive in twenty minutes. He’ll probably be moved immediately then. Normally he’d have to use the airport, but the Cheongeom Clan separately requested a plane from the Association. Please keep that in mind.”
‘The reason the clan kept delaying was probably because of me. And seeing how they even requested a separate plane… they’re thorough.’
Perhaps because of the plan of Hajin, who had visited Seojun some time ago, the clan had continuously asked the Association for understanding and delayed the deadline. Furthermore, by requesting a separate plane, one could glimpse their will to send Seojun a day sooner without any variables.
‘Well, thanks to that, our Manho will get to go to the border zone a day sooner.’
Looking proudly at the unconscious Manho, Seojun bid farewell to the branch manager and moved toward the car.
“Phew, it’s finished now. What are you doing? Aren’t we leaving? We have to arrive within fifteen minutes. Hurry.”
“Y-yes! I’ll take you right away.”
Yun Dabin, the female secretary who had become Seojun’s driver overnight after being Manho’s secretary, bit down hard and slammed the accelerator.
‘…I miss my parents. If I get back alive, I’ll live my whole life being filial… hmph.’
Recalling her parents who had suddenly come to mind, Dabin showed a miracle by arriving from Jeonju to Iksan in thirteen minutes.
“Oh~ you’ve certainly got driving skills? I was going to take care of you too, but since today is a happy graduation ceremony, I’ll let you off.”
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Rest well in the car today. From tomorrow, go down to your hometown and live quietly. Well, it’s not like you can return to the clan anyway.”
By tomorrow, she would likely be known to the clan as the unprecedented traitor who had secretly collaborated with Seojun to send Manho to the border zone.
“Hic, hic, yes! Th-thank you! Thank you for sparing my life! I’ll live honestly from now on…”
“Do as you like with that. You’ve been through a lot mentally, so get some sleep.”
“What? What do you— *snore*.”
‘Since I don’t know what might happen if I let her go back right now.’
Having decided to spare the female secretary with his generous heart(?), Seojun knocked her out with just the right amount of force so she couldn’t wake up in the car for a day, then headed to the restaurant Ayeong had reserved.
Ding-a-ling.
As he opened the restaurant door, a pleasant bell sound rang through the entire shop.
It seemed to be a place selling Western-style food; upon entering the restaurant, the faint smell of soup was in the air.
“Let’s see, it was the window seat on the second floor, right?”
Seojun went up to the second floor of the restaurant and walked toward the women talking and laughing at the window seat.
Seojun sat in the seat next to Sua and joined their conversation.
“Would you two beautiful ladies grant me the opportunity to join your conversation? Haha.”
“Hoho, if it’s someone this handsome, the honor is mine.”
Mom seemed satisfied and responded to the humor.
“Mr. Sin Seojun, who left without leaving a single text. Did you finish your business? Hmph!”
“Uh, huh? Anyway, the matter is resolved. But… Sua, are you angry?”
“I don’t know! Figure it out yourself!”
Not giving him a single glance, Sua was only gulping down water.
Seojun instinctively realized that if he didn’t fix her mood right now, he would suffer for a week.
‘If I screw up here, I’m done for.’
“Sua, I’m definitely in the wrong. I’ll contact you properly from now on. Can’t you forgive me just this once?”
“Hmph! I’ll see how you act.”
Though she said that, she put on a coy face and was able to let go of her anger toward Seojun.
“More importantly, Mom, what did you order?”
“For now, I ordered two sets, the A set and the B set. You can eat it all, right?”
“Of course. I think it might not even be enough, actually?”
“Hoho, let’s eat first and speak up if it’s not enough. By the way, do you know how much Sua was worried about you? Hohoho.”
“Auntie, seriously! I just did that out of courtesy… Hmph!”
“But you’re not denying it?”
As if embarrassed, Sua yelled “What?!” and denied it at Seojun’s question.
“I said it was just courtesy! There’s no special meaning. Don’t worry about it.”
“Got it. More importantly, the food seems to be coming out now.”
A waiter was pushing a cart with food toward the table where they were sitting.
“Here are the A set and B set you ordered.”
Thus, a plentiful table was set.
After finishing their meal in a harmonious atmosphere, they moved home in the car driven by Ayeong.
“Right! Your diploma is in my bag, so grab it yourself. Got it?”
“Ah, I forgot. Anyway, thanks. Since we’re in the car now, I’ll get it when we arrive home.”
This was possible because Sua also had business at Seojun’s house and was heading to his home together.
“Seojun. When are you going to get your license?”
“Hmm… I’ll probably do it tomorrow. Want to do it together?”
“Sure. Then let’s meet around lunch tomorrow.”
“Sua, instead of that, why don’t you sleep over at our house today? Auntie wants to hug you and sleep together after so long, can’t you do that?”
“H-huh? But Seojun is there too… *ahem*.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Seojun has grown up lately. He doesn’t even come near Auntie’s room when sleeping. It was so heartbreaking.”
“Th-then can I just sleep over tonight?”
“Really? Then in that spirit, shall we all go to the department store today for the first time in a while? It’s been quite some time since I went shopping with our Sua.”
“I love it! Absolutely!!”
‘Ah… please, anything but shopping…’
“No!!”
Seojun urgently tried to stop them, but there was no way to stop them already excited at the thought of shopping.
It was the moment Seojun boarded the special express train to infinite shopping hell.
***
Inside a room barely six pyeong in size, only a desk and chair sat emptily.
A man sitting in a chair with his belly fat swaying every time he moved spoke to his secretary.
“It seems some time has passed since Manho departed. Has there been no contact yet?”
“Yes, perhaps the young master is taking time to make sure everything is certain?”
“Phew, Elder Brother asked me so earnestly that I agreed, but I don’t know if this is the right thing.”
“Still, for the sake of the clan, sending a worthless trash-grade fellow instead of Young Master Jinwoo was the best option.”
“I suppose so. If even Butler Gim says so, this must have been the best course.”
“….”
“More importantly, how is the clan head? I heard he got a new prescription today.”
“Still the same, they say.”
“Phew, we don’t even know why he suddenly collapsed in the first place. It’s so frustrating. Rumors are circulating that we should soon elect a new clan head.”
“But the Supreme Clan Head has gone to the Tower to find a cure for the clan head. I don’t think you need to worry so much.”
It was then.
Knock, knock!
After a light knock on the door, a man in a suit entered.
“I came to report that the Association contacted us saying the clan representative has just arrived at the border zone.”
“It seems Manho succeeded. But why hasn’t he contacted us yet?”
“Though the mission wasn’t difficult, perhaps Young Master Manho was nervous since this was his first mission? Hehe.”
“I told him to report and then rest. Phew. Very well. You may leave now.”
“Yes! Thank you for your hard work.”
“Butler Gim. If that bastard Manho returns, tell him to come see me first.”
“Hehe, it’s because it’s the young master’s first time and he’s nervous. Please don’t scold him too harshly.”
“Because you shelter Manho like that, the child is becoming arrogant. Sigh…”
“Hehe, let’s just say it’s this old butler’s only pleasure.”
***
“He must have arrived at the border zone by now. Manho, hang in there. When you get back, this hyung will treat you to a hearty bowl of gukbap.”
“Hey! Sin Seojun. Hurry up and pull the cart over here!!!”
“Haah, my life…”
Seojun had fallen into the endless cycle of Ayeong and Sua’s shopping, unable to rest for two hours while serving as a porter.
‘My stamina stat should be much higher than Mom’s and Sua’s. Why am I the only one this tired?’
Seojun had failed to realize for years that women don’t get tired when shopping.
Thus, after four hours of torture… no, shopping.
As soon as Seojun returned home, he went into his room and lay on his bed.
“Haah, why does running three dungeons in a row seem less tiring?”
Having barely escaped the aftereffects of shopping, Seojun reviewed his plans for after obtaining his license tomorrow.
“Going to the border zone and absorbing monsters is great, but the problem is where to go.”
Truthfully, when Seojun first made plans to go to the border zone, there was already one place he had in mind.
“No matter how much I think about it, Africa is the only answer.”
Madagascar Island in Africa.
One of only nine demonic beast border zones in the entire world, and a place teeming with the highest-ranked SS-grade Gates in the world.
It was such a dangerous place that it would be no exaggeration to say the World Association had practically given up on it.
Seojun was trying to head to such a dangerous place.
“I could go to Jeju Island in Korea, Iki Island in Japan, or Hainan Island in China. But their Gate grades are all too disappointing.”
Excluding the three places mentioned above, the remaining six frequently produced A-rank or higher Gates, which was satisfactory from Seojun’s perspective.
Among them, Madagascar was.
He had heard that at least three SS-rank or higher Gates were generated every week there, making it the peak even among the six.
Thus, unlike other border zones, it had exceptionally become a place with a level restriction and where only those who “volunteered” could enter.
SS-rank Gates were dangerous to the extent that even High Rankers might fail to clear them even while risking their lives.
The fortunate thing was that Madagascar was surrounded entirely by sea, so the demonic beasts were trapped on that island.
“I’ll probably need to be at least level fifty to volunteer. But I can raise that quickly, so no worries.”
Possessing nonsensical strength compared to his level, he could clear higher-ranked dungeons without difficulty, so leveling up was no longer a concern.
“Phew, the problem is how to convince Mom.”
Ayeong was worrying about all sorts of things for Sua, who would soon go to Jeju Island’s border zone.
If Seojun were to tell such an Ayeong that he was going to Madagascar?
“She’d never allow it.”
Moreover, she believed that Manho was going instead of Seojun because of this incident.
Until before the graduation ceremony, upon receiving Hajin’s notice, she had been unable to sleep for a month at the thought of Seojun going to the border zone.
Fortunately, now that Mom had heard the news that Manho was being conscripted instead of him.
‘Even though she didn’t say it, she was incredibly happy.’
Though Seojun didn’t necessarily need Ayeong’s permission. The reason he was worrying so much was because he didn’t want to cause her worry.
“My growth is very important too. But if my family is unhappy, there’s no meaning.”
To do that.
“I’ll need to show her that I’ve become strong enough to be trusted.”