The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 48

 

First of all, I handed something to Gumiho, who might have felt left out last time.

 

“What’s this?”

 

What I gave her was a Star Pad, crafted from dungeon byproducts. The device, marked with a logo that looked like two bites taken out of a pineapple, wasn’t something that came directly from a dungeon—it had been heavily modified, and illegally at that.

 

Compared to standard pads, it boasted greater storage capacity and faster processing speed, but its most notable feature was the sheer number of shady apps installed on it—apps used to access and monitor various kinds of data.

 

It was the sort of thing only high-ranking executives in major guilds would use—just as one would expect from the Hunter Market. Along with that, I gave her a self-defense pen and a single-use shield ring, just in case of emergencies.

 

“Even though you’re not human, Gumiho, you’re still not a Hunter—so I figured you’d at least need this much.”

 

“Oh my, even for me? Thank you so much. I’ll use them well.”

 

To the healer An Bom, I distributed defensive bracelets, rings, and earrings; and to Ji Yun-seo, I gave a location-sharing bracelet I’d purchased earlier.

 

The golden bracelet shrank to perfectly fit Ji Yun-seo’s wrist, with a red magic stone gleaming at its center.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“It’s a present from your uncle.”

 

When Ji Yun-seo looked between me and the bracelet, I rolled up my sleeve to show her my own wrist. Her eyes widened when she saw I was wearing the exact same bracelet.

 

“See? Uncle has one too. With this, I can find you no matter where you are.”

 

“Anywhere?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Ji Yun-seo’s face lit up instantly. As I gently patted her head, she fiddled with the bracelet, smiling brightly.

 

“Guildmaster, Ji Yun-seo is officially part of our guild now, right?”

 

At Jeon Ha-eun’s question, I nodded.

 

“Then does that mean she’ll be entering dungeons too?”

 

“No. Not until she’s an adult. She’s still too young and doesn’t fully understand her skills or when to use them.”

 

“That makes sense. If she’s a Tamer, she’ll need to practice taming too.”

 

“Exactly. That’s why I plan to bring in monsters for her to practice with—either by capturing them myself or buying them at auctions. For proper training, I’ll probably invite an experienced Tamer to teach her.”

 

“She might be a guild member, but for now, her job is to grow up healthy and do well in school,” An Bom added helpfully. “Right, Yun-seo?”

 

“Yep!”

 

As Ji Yun-seo answered cheerfully, I stroked her hair again and pulled another item from my bag.

 

“And for Imoo—oh, I mean Seo-ho—this is for you.”

 

I handed him a bow, and his gray eyes widened in surprise.

 

“…F-for me?”

 

“Yes. It’s provided by the guild. Since you already use a bow, and this one’s water-elemental, I figured it’d suit you well.”

 

Seo-ho accepted it with a moved expression.

 

Now, what else could boost his attack and defense? Rings, bracelets, necklaces… maybe earrings? I glanced at his ears to check if they were pierced—only to find them completely absent.

 

Huh? No ears?

 

“Do Imoogis not have ears?”

 

“Ah, well. When we’re in serpent form, no—but right now…”

 

Seo-ho gently undid his neatly braided hair. As the silky gray strands cascaded down, small ears appeared beside his antler-like horns.

 

☆ CuteEars has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

Corne himself isn’t cute, so why does the world he created have so many cute things?

 

☆ ItMoved has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

The cute thing moved! It’s moving!

 

“So cute!”

 

Ji Yun-seo clapped her hands over her mouth, startled by her own outburst. Seo-ho just smiled at her, as if to say it was fine.

 

With ears that small, earrings probably wouldn’t work anyway…

 

“But why are you asking about my ears?”

 

Seo-ho asked as he began braiding his long hair again, his fingers deftly weaving the strands. When he finished, a small pink ribbon tied off the braid neatly at the end.

 

“There’s a pair of earrings that boost defense, but since you don’t have ears…”

 

“Oh! You can just attach them here.” Seo-ho pointed to his horns.

 

Earrings… on his horns? How was that supposed to work?

 

I instinctively looked at Gumiho, who only shrugged—as if to say she had no idea, or maybe she just didn’t care.

 

Gumiho, you’re obviously more interested in your own stuff right now!

 

“Then here you go.”

 

“What about me? Don’t I get anything? Give me something too!” Jeon Ha-eun demanded, holding out her hand.

 

I rummaged through my bag and pulled out a golden tin case adorned with ornate jewels—an item crafted by a Smoke Artisan.

 

“No way—that’s a cigarette case made from dungeon byproducts! That design, that pattern… that’s definitely the work of the world-renowned artisan, Lily!”

 

She was getting excited far too early.

 

I carefully took out the cigarette holder I’d packed away earlier. It was almost as long as a bow—made of ebony, with a sleek black surface inlaid with a mother-of-pearl camellia flower, a diamond glittering at its center.

 

From start to finish, it was crafted entirely from dungeon materials—not a single ordinary component. It would be nearly impossible to find another piece so flawless. I’d really lucked out.

 

Jeon Ha-eun’s usually sharp, narrow eyes widened in disbelief. I handed her the two of them first, and she accepted them with both hands.

 

“This can’t be real… These are both handcrafted by a master artisan—the price must be insane!”

 

She pointed at the small signature engraved along the side.

 

“You’re seriously giving these to me?”

 

“You’ll have to return them once your contract ends,” Gumiho said flatly.

 

But Jeon Ha-eun nodded eagerly, clearly too thrilled to care about that part.

 

…Were they really that amazing?

 

I still had more things to hand out, but decided to save them for later. Scratching my head, I turned to Choi Tae-hyuk.

 

“Sorry. I couldn’t find anything that matches the sword Yeon Do-jin gave you.”

 

“This sword is more than enough for me,” he said.

 

“Still, I did find something decent.”

 

Since he usually used a simple leather belt for his sword, I handed him a belt, bracelet, and necklace made from dungeon byproducts—each one boosting both defense and attack power.

 

“These three—belt, bracelet, and necklace—enhance both your attack and defense. I figured you wouldn’t like anything too flashy, like gold or silver.”

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk immediately began putting on the bracelet and necklace, so I helped him fasten them. Maybe because of their simple design, they matched perfectly with his all-black outfit—black shirt and black pants.

 

Right on cue, the door opened, and platters of grilled meat and side dishes were brought in. The savory aroma of alcohol filled the air, and I couldn’t help but smile. It had been a while since my last beer with Choi Tae-hyuk.

 

“You’ve earned all this and even built a guild from scratch, huh? I guess smoking’s not allowed here?”

 

“Right. It’s a non-smoking area. You’ll have to go outside if you want to smoke.”

 

“As expected, Guildmaster—you’re so cool,” Jeon Ha-eun said playfully.

 

“Yun-seo, you need to eat your vegetables too.”

 

“Nooo. Uncle Tae-hyuk, do I have to?”

 

“Yes, you do. You’ll get more meat once you finish your veggies.”

 

The dinner continued in a cheerful, lively mood.

 

* * *

 

By the time everyone had eaten their fill and stepped outside, Seo-ho was completely drunk. He looked like the type who could handle alcohol well—but apparently not. As he staggered, Choi Tae-hyuk walked over and effortlessly hoisted him onto his shoulder like luggage.

 

“Ugh…”

 

He might’ve been lean, but he was still a grown man—yet Choi Tae-hyuk lifted him like he weighed nothing. As expected of my hero, Choi Tae-hyuk.

 

“Shall we go then?” Choi Tae-hyuk asked.

 

“I’ll stop by the convenience store first. You go on ahead,” I said.

 

“No, I’ll come along after dropping off Mr. Seo-ho.”

 

“It’s just around the corner. Yun-seo might catch a cold—go ahead without me.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk hesitated, clearly worried about Ji Yun-seo.

 

“I’ll really just grab some beer.”

 

“Should I carry Seo-ho-ssi with smoke instead?”

 

Just as Jeon Ha-eun reached for her cigarette, Choi Tae-hyuk glanced toward Ji Yun-seo, who was holding An Bom’s hand.

 

“In that case, I’ll lay him down and head to the store myself.”

 

“No need, I’ll be quick.”

 

Before Choi Tae-hyuk could follow, I hurried off toward the convenience store. Seo-ho had gotten drunk faster than I expected… and I wasn’t even tipsy yet.

 

Ding-ling!

 

The bell chimed as I entered the convenience store. I grabbed a few cans of beer and some dried snacks. While browsing, I tossed in a few of Ji Yun-seo’s favorite chips and some jelly that An Bom and Gumiho liked.

 

Choi Tae-hyuk seemed like a good drinker—should I get something stronger too? By the time I was done, my hands were full. I paid for everything and stepped back outside.

 

The cold night air hit me, sobering me a little. I quickened my pace. The streets were empty—probably because of the chill.

 

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

 

Without a coat, the wind cut right through me, making me shiver. I decided to conserve my energy instead of using wind magic and hurried toward the guild building. The closer I got, the emptier the streets became—and the stronger the wind grew.

 

“Hm?”

 

I stopped when I noticed a flickering streetlight ahead. It blinked on and off erratically. I paused and took out my phone, opening the camera app.

 

There were a lot of women in our guild, and even if they weren’t all members, it was dangerous to leave a streetlight flickering like that. I decided to record it and report it later.

 

I hit record and pointed the camera at the light.

 

☆ Huh? has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

Aether?! Behind you!!

 

☆ WatchOut! has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

Now’s not the time to film—turn around!!

 

☆ LookBehindYou! has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

Behind you!! Behind you!! Behind you!!!

 

Startled by the sudden flood of chaotic pop-ups, I lowered my phone and turned around.

 

Thud.

 

Pain exploded in the back of my head, and the plastic bag in my hand fell to the ground.

 

“Ugh…”

 

“He didn’t pass out?”

 

“Then hit him again.”

 

Unfamiliar voices echoed in my ears as my vision went dark.

 

* * *

 

“When’s Uncle coming home?”

 

After finishing her bath and brushing her teeth, Ji Yun-seo sat on the bed, swinging her legs.

 

An Bom, who was brushing her hair, replied, “Uncle’s probably coming home late today. Go ahead and sleep first, Yun-seo.”

 

“But I didn’t say good night to him yet.”

 

“That’s okay. Auntie will tell him you fell asleep waiting.”

 

Ji Yun-seo nodded and lay down on the bed.

 

“Good night, Yun-seo.”

 

“Good night, Auntie.”

 

An Bom kissed Ji Yun-seo on the forehead, checked the blanket, then turned off the lights and left the room. The large room across the hall was still dark—the owner hadn’t returned yet.

 

‘Is he downstairs?’

 

Tilting her head, An Bom took the gate down to the seventh floor and headed toward the secretary’s office. The staff had increased lately, but there still wasn’t much actual work to do. Even so, Gumiho was the type who always found something to keep herself busy.

 

Knock, knock.

 

“Unnie?”

 

When she looked up, Gumiho was wearing glasses. She rarely wore them—meaning she’d been buried in documents again.

 

“You’re not off work yet? We just had dinner and you’re already back at it?”

 

“I just feel grateful, that’s all. He takes such good care of us.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Ji Yeon-woo was strangely generous when it came to taking care of others. The cost of Awakening wasn’t cheap, but he covered it himself. Other guilds would’ve forced a slave contract—but him? No greed. Just a fair agreement, quality equipment provided, and even—

 

‘He sponsors Ji Yun-seo, who’s not even blood-related.’

 

In a way, he was someone worth respecting.

 

“Where’s the Guildmaster?”

 

“He hasn’t come back yet.”

 

“Isn’t it a bit late?”

 

“Yeah, it is.”

 

It had already been over an hour since the company dinner ended. Far too long for a quick convenience store trip. Gumiho pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

 

Ji Yeon-woo was the type who always answered his phone unless he was inside a dungeon. But this time, it rang and rang until it went to voicemail.

 

“That’s strange.”

 

“He didn’t answer?”

 

“Nope.”

 

Knock, knock.

 

Just as Gumiho was about to try again, the office door opened—and Choi Tae-hyuk stepped inside.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“Has the Guildmaster come back yet?”

 

“No, not yet.”

 

“He’s not answering his phone either.”

 

Gumiho held up her phone, Ji Yeon-woo’s name glowing under the dialing indicator.

 

Choi Tae-hyuk nodded grimly and turned to leave, but An Bom stopped him.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I’ll check the nearby convenience stores. Contact me if anything happens.”

 

“Okay.”

 

As Choi Tae-hyuk left, An Bom turned back to Gumiho. Gumiho shook her head, indicating that the call still wasn’t going through.

 

Nothing could’ve happened… right?

 

As that thought crossed their minds, both of them shook their heads. Even if he was ranked F, Ji Yeon-woo had cleared A- and B-rank dungeons and had even fought Yeon Do-jin.

 

Not to mention, he’d slain a Kraken in the newly upgraded Sea Dungeon. This wasn’t a dungeon—it was just a regular neighborhood.

 

There was no reason for anything to happen.

 

“Maybe he’s just having a beer at a convenience store? You know, since he can’t really drink at home with Yun-seo there.”

 

“Or maybe he’s staying in one of the empty dorm rooms?”

 

“No — those rooms have security programs running. If they were unlocked, I’d get an alert.”

 

An Bom swallowed hard, stopping herself from asking, “Then where is the Guildmaster?”

 

Gumiho took off her glasses and set them on the desk, then stood up. She couldn’t sit still any longer.

 

If Ji Yeon-woo had been the sort to go out often, this would be different. But he preferred staying home when he wasn’t working — a total homebody.

 

Footsteps thundered down the hallway. At the sound of someone running, An Bom squeezed her eyes shut and Gumiho bit her lip.

 

The door slammed open. Choi Tae-hyuk burst in, and in his right hand was a phone Gumiho recognized at once — Ji Yeon-woo’s.

 

Choi Tae-hyuk’s usually expressionless face was pale, and his hands trembled as he held the phone out to Gumiho. Sensing that something was very wrong from his uncharacteristic expression, Gumiho leaned closer and tapped the screen of the phone still in Choi Tae-hyuk’s hand.

 

A video had been recorded on it. It began with the flickering streetlight — then a loud thud as the phone hit the ground. After that, only audio remained.

 

— Thud.

— “Ugh.”

— “He didn’t pass out?”

— “Then hit him again.”

— Thud.

— “Let’s drag him.”

 

With each passing second of the audio, the color drained further from An Bom’s face. Choi Tae-hyuk’s grip tightened around the phone, veins bulging as if he might crush it at any moment.

 

“I’m going out right now to find the Guildmaster—!” he blurted.

 

“W-wait. We have to report this first. We don’t even know where he went. Bom, call the police…” Gumiho stammered.

 

“Y-yes…!” An Bom replied, voice shaking as she dialed.

 

Choi Tae-hyuk pulled another phone from his pocket and dialed a number written on a business card he’d once received in secret — a contact he’d been given when they first met, without Ji Yeon-woo knowing.

 

—It might be too late to call just to say thanks, but if you have more to say…

 

“There’s no time for nonsense. I need your help.”

 

—Help? So even Choi Tae-hyuk is asking me for help now. Weren’t you working for Ji Yeon-woo?

 

“Guildmaster Ji Yeon-woo has been kidnapped,” Choi Tae-hyuk said, voice low.

 

— …That guy really is something else.