The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 59

 

 

“Did you wait long?”

 

“No. Did you finish greeting everyone?”

 

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

 

In the next instant, Choi Tae-hyuk smoothed the confusion off his face and reached out to take Kwon Beom-gaun’s schoolbag.

 

“Huh? It’s okay, I can carry it myself.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

With the backpack in hand, Choi Tae-hyuk headed toward the car. I followed behind him with Kwon Beom-Gaun trailing beside me.

 

“Thank you for coming with me.”

 

“We didn’t come with you. We followed you.”

 

“Still.”

 

Seeing her giggle like that—genuinely happy just because we were with her—reminded me of Ji Yun-seo. I reached out and ruffled her hair.

 

“Ahk!”

 

“Don’t smile like that. Someone might actually grow fond of you.”

 

“I get told I’m pretty all the time, you know?!”

 

I snorted and climbed into the car Choi Tae-hyuk had already opened for us. I expected her to get in right after me, but Kwon Beom-gaun hesitated outside.

 

“What are you doing? Get in.”

 

“I’m really going to become a Hunter and join your guild, right??”

 

“I’m not a scammer or a charity worker.”

 

“Then…”

 

“You’re someone I absolutely need. That’s why I’m sponsoring you. And all of this is debt. Once you awaken as a Hunter, I’m going to work you to the bone.”

 

At that, her hesitation disappeared, replaced by a bright smile.

 

“Yes! You can work me as hard as you want!”

 

“Good. Then get in.”

 

“Yes!!”

 

Once she was inside, Choi Tae-hyuk shut the door and asked from the driver’s seat,

 

“Are we heading to the guild?”

 

“No. Vice Guildmaster—let’s go to the Awakening Center.”

 

Hearing that, she clenched her hands tightly. She trusted me, but she was still anxious about whether she would truly awaken.

 

“Don’t worry. You will become a Hunter.”

 

“Okay! I believe you.”

 

“By the way, are you good with your hands?”

 

“I’m really good at making things. I always got perfect scores in art class!”

 

Of course she did. It would be strange for a future blacksmith to have bad dexterity. Feeling satisfied, I smiled at Kwon Beom-gaun.

 

That very evening, Kwon Beom-gaun awakened as the second blacksmith hunter in the entire world. 

 

The problem was…

 

* * *

 

☆ Wow This Is Insane has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

I meant well, but I didn’t expect this outcome.

 

☆ No Way~ has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

You know the pain scales with rank, right?!

 

☆ God of Blacksmiths has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Ahem. Aether, my apologies. I’ll send the kid a gift later—please pass it along.

 

☆ Gift Or Not has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

How could you! That poor girl is suffering! I didn’t think you were that kind of god, God of Blacksmiths…

 

Because of whatever deal the God of Blacksmiths and Corne made, Kwon Beom-gaun awakened as an SS-rank—higher than what I had seen through my clairvoyance. And the moment her awakening completed, a brutal fever hit like a truck. 

 

We brought her back to the guild and left her in An Bom’s care, but she’d already been sick for four days straight. Her fever would go down, spike up again, drop, then rise once more. 

 

An Bom hadn’t slept at all while taking care of her. Kwon Beom-gaun insisted she could endure it since it was the price of becoming a Hunter, but watching a minor suffer like that was hard.

 

“An Bom.”

 

“You’re here?”

 

“Did you sleep at all?”

 

“I slept a little after switching with Miho unnie.”

 

Just like with Choi Tae-hyuk and Ji Yun-seo, I was the one who caused the trouble, yet An Bom was the one dealing with it. I felt guilty.

 

“I’ll watch her for a while. Go get some rest.”

 

“But—”

 

“Unnie, go sleep. I’m okay,” Kwon Beom-gaun rasped, forcing a weak smile despite her cracked, dry lips—clearly only because An Bom was still in the room.

 

“Go rest a bit. I’ll take care of her.”

 

After being urged twice—by both of us—An Bom finally nodded and stood up.

 

“Then I’ll rest for a bit. Please take care of her, Guild Master.”

 

The moment An Bom left, the smile on Kwon Beom-gaun’s face crumbled. She had clearly been holding it in. I checked her temperature: 39.8°C.

 

Damn you, Corne. Why did you make Awakening symptoms this painful?

 

“Alright, let’s put on a cooling patch.”

 

I took the same fever patch I’d used on Ji Yun-seo and placed it on her forehead. She exhaled deeply at the cool sensation. I summoned a gentle breeze to help dry the cold sweat on her skin. It irritated me that this was all I could do.

 

“What about my brother…?”

 

“He’s okay. Once your awakening sickness is over, we’ll move him to another hospital, just like we talked about.”

 

“Where?”

 

“I’m looking into it now.”

 

Her eyes reddened again as the fever surged. After telling her to sleep, I stepped into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa. In the quiet room, my gaze drifted to the hospital documents Gumiho had given me.

 

If her brother had been awakened too, An Bom’s healing would’ve fixed him instantly. But healer skills only worked on awakened people. That meant I had to admit him to the best hospital possible. After comparing options, the top choice near Myeongdong was Gangbuk S Hospital.

 

They were famous for using rare materials found inside gates to develop medicine—said to cure anything. The problem was that getting a room there was nearly impossible, no matter how much money you threw at it.

 

And yet going to a second-tier hospital instead…

 

It felt like swallowing my pride. I’ve always insisted on giving my heroes the absolute best. Settling for second-best just felt wrong.

 

“Ah, seriously…”

 

Did I seriously not have one connection inside the S Group?

 

As I tapped the document folder in frustration, Choi Tae-hyuk’s offhand remark suddenly flashed through my mind.

 

“He is the second son of S Group.”

 

“No way. Not Yeon Do-jin.”

 

☆ Yeon Do-jin?? has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Get involved with Yeon Do-jin! Things always get wild around him.

 

☆ When’s the Sparring Match? has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

I just wanna see them fight already.

 

Despite the gods’ enthusiasm, I’d already gotten more involvement with Yeon Do-jin than I ever wanted thanks to the Ji Yun-seo incident. The way he talked and looked at me—like he knew something—and the fact that he had Corne’s power… everything about him made me uneasy.

 

Letting out a long sigh, I leaned back in my chair. Back to square one.

 

“Should I just admit him to the nearest hospital?”

 

☆ What?? has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Aether giving his hero anything less than the best?

 

☆ God’s Pride has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Impossible. Aether is a high-ranking god~

 

☆ Our Aether has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

That’s not it! He’ll do anything for his heroes!

 

Right. I was a god who would do anything for my heroes.

 

I forged blades infused with my power, descended to the mortal world from time to time, and even sent my cherished Bia to guide them.

 

The problem is… he’s basically a mad dog.

 

Between dealing with a mad dog or dealing with my uneasiness, I hesitated—then picked up my phone. At this point, getting tangled up any further wouldn’t change much. With that thought, I tapped Yeon Do-jin’s number. Before the ringtone could even finish once, he answered.

 

—I was actually about to call you.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

—Nothing serious, but next week’s sparring session might be difficult. I was hoping to move it up a bit.

 

Right, I completely forgot about that.

 

—The World Hunter Association is holding an emergency seminar, and I’ll need to be there. Are you free today, by any chance?

 

Maybe it was better to discuss this in person anyway. Making my decision, I nodded.

 

“I’m fine with that.”

 

—Then… is right now okay? My flight leaves tonight.

 

At that exact moment, light flared at the end of the living room. An Bom stepped out of a gate, freshly showered and in clean clothes. She flashed me a quick smile and headed toward the patient’s room. Kwon Beom-gaun would be in good hands.

 

“Yes. Where should we meet?”

 

The air tore open. As the rift widened into a large opening, a lush forest and a grand mansion came into view on the other side.

 

“This way.”

 

☆ Sparring Time!! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Everyone who’s been waiting—hurry up! The sparring’s starting!

 

☆ Opening Space Like That has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

That’s basically Corne-level. Something’s definitely going on between them.

 

☆ Who Cares— has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Just fight! Aether, crush him!

 

Yeon Do-jin—dressed in a black mandarin-collar shirt and black pants—extended his hand toward me.

 

I really need to strengthen security.

 

Clicking my tongue, I bent down to grab my shoes, about to take his hand when Choi Tae-hyuk’s warning suddenly resurfaced: Don’t go anywhere without telling me.

 

“Guildmaster Ji Yeon-woo?”

 

“Just a moment.”

 

Instead of calling An Bom, I grabbed my phone and sent a text to Choi Tae-hyuk.

 

[Yeon Do-jin said he has an emergency seminar and needs to fly out tonight, so we’re going to spar—]

 

‘Too wordy?’

 

I erased everything and sent a shorter message saying I’d be sparring with Yeon Do-jin for a while. Then I reluctantly took Yeon Do-jin’s still-extended hand and stepped through the rift.

 

A pristine forest stretched out before us. Towering conifers rose above my head, the air rich with the smell of fresh grass.

 

“Where is this?”

 

“My home.”

 

The mansion he gestured toward was obscene in its grandeur, swallowed on all sides by endless trees.

 

The ultimate flex of money.

 

“Is this where we’re sparring?”

 

“Yes.”

 

For once, Yeon Do-jin wasn’t wearing gloves. He unfastened the buttons at his wrist and rolled up his sleeves.

 

“You seem decent with a sword.”

 

“I am.”

 

“Then let’s use swords.”

 

When I nodded, he opened another spatial rift and drew out a sword. I took it, gave it a few test swings, and widened the distance between us.

 

“Shall we begin?”

 

The moment I spoke, I charged at him first.

 

☆ First Strike! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

The first hit always counts!

 

“As expected.”

 

Even though I closed the distance in the blink of an eye, Yeon Do-jin parried my blade effortlessly, as if he’d expected it from the start. A sharp clang rang out as our blades met and slid apart. In one fluid motion, Yeon Do-jin pushed off the ground and widened the gap.

 

☆ Yeon Do-jin Too has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

He’s good. Good enough to keep up with a god.

 

☆ That Human has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

What is he? How is he that good?

 

“Shall we get serious now?” Yeon Do-jin said. With a deep, confident smile, he rushed toward me.

 

I charged straight at him as well.