The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 58

 

Startled by my question, Kwon Beom-gaun let out an awkward laugh and said,

 

“They bullied me because my family’s poor, but I was good at studying. Said I was a try-hard.”

 

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

 

“Mister, that’s not the point! I want to transfer here. Please let me transfer!”

 

As she rattled off demands without letting anyone breathe, Choi Tae-hyuk raised both hands as if trying to calm her down.

 

“Like I said earlier, this is a hunter school.”

 

“Can’t I just lie and pretend I’m a hunter to get in?”

 

“You need a hunter license to be admitted.”

 

“Hm. Then how do I awaken as a hunter?”

 

…Was this her personality all along? Is that why she avoided people? Some kind of mysterious-loner act?

 

While Choi Tae-hyuk looked genuinely troubled, trying to figure out how to explain hunter awakening, I turned to Kwon Beom-gaun and asked, “Why do you want to come here? Because the tuition is free?”

 

“Yes! I can go all the way to university without paying!”

 

“The government covers tuition until high school, you know.”

 

“That’s only tuition. Here, every single expense—food, dorms, everything—is completely free.”

 

Unlike the other candidates, we had zero information on Kwon Beom-gaun, so I needed to approach this carefully.

 

Kwon Beom-gaun clung to Choi Tae-hyuk like he was her lifeline, insisting she had a “feeling” she’d awaken soon and begging to be admitted.

 

☆ For Real has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

What a personality. She reminds me of Emelyn Kiyo.

 

☆ When They Meet has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

They’d probably get along great. You should introduce them.

 

☆ But has donated 100 Mana Stones… ☆

Why didn’t you pick her like you did with Ji Yun-seo? Is something bothering you?

 

“Delivery!”

 

Cold drinks were set down in front of us, and for a moment we fell silent. But the instant the delivery guy left, Kwon Beom-gaun latched onto Choi Tae-hyuk again.

 

“Mister, please? I have so many expenses, okay? I’m really a pitiful kid. I’m the head of my household, and my younger sibling is sick, so I need to earn money for hospital bills.”

 

At that, Choi Tae-hyuk flinched. Smelling weakness, she immediately grabbed his arm.

 

“I’m really good at studying, okay? I don’t have many friends at school, but I’m super friendly at the hospital! Mister, please.”

 

Despite his tough appearance, Choi Tae-hyuk was weak to both kids and animals. Which is why he still couldn’t shake her off, only staring at her helplessly. Unable to watch anymore, I spoke up.

 

“Student. Not him—I am the chairman of this school.”

 

“You are?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The moment I said that, Kwon Beom-gaun instantly released Choi Tae-hyuk and came to me. Choi Tae-hyuk let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Let’s talk first.”

 

I stopped her from grabbing me the same way and guided her back to her seat.

 

“What did you want to talk about?”

 

“Do you really want to become a hunter?”

 

“Yes!!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because hunters make a lot of money.”

 

Everyone knew hunters earned good money. But that money was the price of one’s life. Whether offense-type or defense-type, the risk was the same.

 

“That money is basically a life fee. They pay you because you might die in a dungeon. Even so, you still want to be a hunter?”

 

Kwon Beom-gaun nodded.

 

“If I don’t make money, my sibling will die. I’d rather struggle and fail than sit back and do nothing.”

 

“You might die before your sibling does.”

 

“Then that’d actually be a relief. If I die, the insurance payout and compensation money would help my sibling get better treatment.”

 

Listening to her, I wondered—before my regression, did she lose her sibling and end up hating people because of it?

 

A world where you desperately struggle, but no one helps. And after losing the only family she had, she awakened.

 

I had only wanted to gauge what kind of kid she was, but now I felt like the villain. I let out a sigh. Misinterpreting it as rejection, Kwon Beom-gaun immediately clasped her hands together and pleaded.

 

“Mister, it’s okay even if I can’t become a hunter. Can you please just let me attend this school? Once I graduate university, I’ll earn money and pay you back every won!”

 

“You are a hunter.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Guildmaster, what are you saying?”

 

Her usually narrow eyes opened wide in surprise. Avoiding her gaze, I looked at the droplets forming on my disposable cup.

 

“You’ll awaken. Once you become an adult.”

 

“That’s too late! My sibling—!”

 

“I know. That’s why I’m telling you this: if you join our guild, I can awaken you now.”

 

A sad story is still just a story. And I’m not a kind enough god to awaken an S-rank blacksmith for free.

 

“I’m a hunter. I use wind.”

 

I swept the droplets off the cup with a light breeze. The way they caught the light as they scattered was beautiful.

 

“And I have a special skill. One that lets me see potential hunters before they awaken.”

 

“Guildmaster!” Choi Tae-hyuk shouted, alarmed.

 

Just like Gumiho, Choi Tae-hyuk wanted this ability kept secret. If word got out, the government, the guilds—everyone involved with hunters—would swarm me nonstop.

 

But recruiting this blacksmith mattered more than any secret. And judging by Choi Tae-hyuk’s reaction, Kwon Beom-gaun realized I was telling the truth; her eyes shifted, growing serious.

 

“More importantly, I’ve got money.”

 

Well, not just money.

 

Even if the guild and the school burned through my funds, what I had now—cash and mana stones—made that look like pocket change.

 

“You’ll awaken on your own eventually. But I can make it happen sooner.”

 

“How?”

 

“You know the Awakening Center, right?”

 

She nodded. If she wanted to be a hunter, she must have looked into it. But—

 

“They’re expensive.”

 

“Yeah. But for me, that’s pocket change. Despite how I look, I’m both a guild master and the chairman of this school.”

 

☆ Catch Her has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

A chance like this doesn’t come twice. Not everyone gets divine backing.

 

☆ So Sad I Cried has donated 100 Mana Stones! ☆

She’s fighting so hard just to save her sibling—my eyes are tearing up. Take Aether’s hand, sweetie. ㅠㅠ You’ll be happy.

 

At the joking comment, the stiff look on Kwon Beom-gaun’s face finally relaxed into a smile.

 

I spoke slowly, clearly. “If you promise to join our guild, I’ll sponsor you.”

 

“Sponsor me?”

 

“Yeah. I’ll awaken you, train you, and I’ll take care of your sibling too.”

 

“…Why?”

 

“I feel better when I take care of my people.”

 

Not just Ji Yun-seo—Choi Tae-hyuk, An Bom, Gumiho, and every hunter in my guild received things no other guild would give. That was the privilege of being my people—my heroes. I’m a god. I can’t raise my heroes on scraps.

 

☆ Then has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

A god is supposed to be generous—overflowing with affection for their people.

 

☆ That’s Why has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Everyone wants a god’s love, but only the chosen receive it.

 

“I’m giving you an opportunity. A chance to take my hand.”

 

“…This isn’t some kind of slave contract, right?”

 

The bratty attitude from before was gone; all I saw now was wariness. I laughed and turned to Choi Tae-hyuk.

 

“Vice Guild Master. Your business card.”

 

He handed one over, and I passed it to Kwon Beom-gaun.

 

“You probably need time to think. If you decide to join, come to the guild and we’ll discuss the contract properly.”

 

She stared at me for a long moment—long enough that my extended hand started to feel awkward—then let out a breath and shook her head.

 

“No. I don’t need time. I’ll sign right now.”

 

“What if the contract is terrible?”

 

“Right now, even if a devil whispered that he’d help me, I’d take his hand.”

 

☆ A Devil? has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

That’s no devil’s hand—it’s a god’s, and it’s a thousand times sweeter.

 

☆ Well Done! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Good choice. All that’s left is to prepare for happiness!

 

Her voice was firm. I chuckled and rose from my seat.

 

“Then get up. Let’s go see your sibling first.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You said you’re joining our guild, right?”

 

She blinked, clearly confused about what her sibling had to do with a contract, but I just smiled.

 

“I’m going to take care of them from now on. I need to see what kind of child they are and what condition they’re in. Come on. No time to waste.”

 

When Choi Tae-hyuk stood, the flustered Kwon Beom-gaun quickly scrambled up after him. She slung her bag over her shoulder and followed behind us—nervous, but resolute.

 

“Which hospital?”

 

“World Hospital.”

 

“The one in Dongjak-gu?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The ride was quiet. The girl who’d talked our ears off earlier now just stared out the window, saying nothing. Choi Tae-hyuk and I didn’t speak either.

 

“All right. Let’s go see your sibling.”

 

After parking, we followed her inside. Her sibling’s condition seemed worse than I expected, because she led us straight to the ICU instead of a regular ward. Through the glass window, a small boy lay inside.

 

“That’s my little brother.”

 

“What’s wrong with him?”

 

She shook her head.

 

“I don’t know. He’s had every test they could do… but they still can’t find the cause.”

 

Even from here, his condition looked dire. His body was so thin the hospital gown hung off him, his skin pale as paper. If not for the beeping machines marking his heartbeat, you might mistake him for a corpse.

 

“They’ve tried to discharge him a few times, but sometimes his fever spikes too high.”

 

“How have you been paying the bills?” Choi Tae-hyuk asked, eyes already red. Seeing a sick child—especially one as small as Ji Yun-seo—must’ve been painful.

 

“We had some inheritance money left from when our parents died.”

 

“Relatives?”

 

“We don’t need people who only see us as cash cows. The moment my brother collapsed, they showed up telling me to give up—that he wasn’t worth the money.”

 

Her voice was calm—too calm. Like someone who’d screamed and cried alone until there was nothing left.

 

☆ I’m Crying has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

She’s just a kid herself, yet she’s trying to act like a big sister… I’m crying.

 

☆ Humans has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Humans really are cruel. How can money twist people like that?

 

☆ That’s Why has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

This is exactly why I don’t create humans in my world. They exhaust me.

 

I gently patted her shoulder.

 

“You’ve been through a lot.”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Her cheeks grew red, like she was embarrassed by the compliment.

 

“Once you become a hunter, the first thing we’re doing is transferring your brother to another hospital.”

 

“What?”

 

“This place is too far. You want to be close to him, don’t you?”

 

World Hospital was only a secondary facility—there was a limit to the treatment they could offer.

And their reputation… wasn’t the best.

 

“But—”

 

“How are you going to work properly while worrying about him?”

 

“Visiting hours are fixed anyway.”

 

“That’s why he should be nearby. It’ll be easier for you to visit when the time comes.”

 

At that, she bit her lip.

 

“…This hospital is cheaper.”

 

☆ If Only Aether Were a Healing God has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

If Aether were a healing god, this would be solved in one shot. What a pity.

 

☆ There, There has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Don’t worry about the money! We’re donating nonstop!

 

☆ The One Who Received My Power has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Seeing that child suffer… I must help.

 

“Kids shouldn’t be stressing over money. I told you I’d take responsibility. I wasn’t joking.”

 

I gave her a bright, reassuring smile and waved my hand.

 

“Stay with your brother for now. We’ll head out first. I’ll visit properly next time.”

 

I even waved to the little boy through the glass, then headed out with Choi Tae-hyuk. Since this hospital was near Myeong-dong, it’d be better to move him somewhere with good facilities…

 

“Guild Master.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“That student… will she awaken as a blacksmith?”

 

I blinked at the question.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“You said so, Guild Master.”

 

“I did?”

 

“Yes. You muttered ‘blacksmith’ to yourself.”

 

I must’ve been so shocked that I blurted it out without realizing. Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my head.

 

“She’s an S-rank blacksmith.”

 

“I see.”

 

His reaction… was far less excited than I expected.

 

Did he not understand what a blacksmith meant? Or is it just not sinking in yet?

 

“You know what that means, right? Once she joins us, our guild won’t have to rely on random dungeon drops anymore. Every single member gets custom-forged gear perfectly matched to their skills.”

 

“Yes.”

 

But despite my excitement, Choi Tae-hyuk still didn’t look pleased.

 

‘Is he upset that I used her weakness to push her into signing with us?’

 

“Are you—”

 

Before I could finish asking what was bothering him, Kwon Beom-gaun came running out of the hospital.