The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 66

 

 

“I’m actually seeing it with my own eyes.”

 

I’d only ever heard about it from Shayna. This was my first time seeing the fruit in person.

 

☆ Eat!! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Wouldn’t eating it make Aether’s body stronger too?

 

☆ Exactly! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

If he gets sturdier, then using divine power won’t overstrain him!

 

☆ God of Life has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

The odds are fifty percent, but I sent it just in case it helps. I hope it does.

 

From Luminium’s words, I finally understood why a Monster Wave—something that had never existed before my regression—had suddenly appeared. So Luminium had asked Corne for a favor, and Corne had created a Monster Wave just to deliver this?

 

If you were going to give me something, couldn’t you have just handed it over nicely? Why put me through hell first?

 

Well, if Corne were the type to give things nicely, he wouldn’t have used me to play hero in the first place.

 

“Luminium’s fruit…”

 

I held the warm fruit in my hand, turning it over for a while before setting it down on the bedside table.

 

☆ Why! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Why aren’t you eating it?! Why?!

 

☆ I Gave You Something Good! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Why won’t you eat it?! Eat it now!

 

☆ No way has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

You’re not thinking what I’m thinking, right? No! It’s for you! Please! Just eat it!!

 

I ignored the pop-ups as they flashed and disappeared. 

 

Fifty percent.

 

In the end, there was only a fifty-fifty chance the fruit would strengthen my body. I couldn’t afford to waste something this precious on odds like that. My mind drifted back to what had happened before the world ended in my previous life—how Yeon Do-jin and Choi Tae-hyuk had died.

 

After Yeon Do-jin fell, Choi Tae-hyuk had died soon after, and the Hunter System had collapsed entirely. I couldn’t care less whether Yeon Do-jin lived or died—but Choi Tae-hyuk… he was my hero. I had to save him, no matter what.

 

‘I’ll keep it for now, just in case.’

 

Just as I was about to lie down, I heard scratching at the door—they must have already finished eating.

 

“Are you done eating?”

 

“Meow.”

 

“Kyu!”

 

They must’ve rushed through their food—their faces were smeared with bits of it.

 

“Good grief. You’re like little kids.”

 

I dampened a towel and wiped their mouths clean, then climbed into bed with them. It was meant for just me, but I’d had it made the same size as the one I used in heaven, so there was plenty of room. I hugged Bia’s warm, grown body, while Saphi curled up into a ball on my pillow.

 

It was the first peace I’d felt in a long time. I must’ve pushed myself too hard—building a school and dealing with the Monster Wave back-to-back. My body felt heavy, pleasantly relaxed. Gazing at the red sunset, I slowly closed my eyes.

 

* * *

 

“I’m against it.”

 

“Gumiho.”

 

“I oppose it as well.”

 

☆ We’re Against It Too! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

You’re really going to store the gift instead of eating it?

 

☆ So Frustrating has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Eat it! We’ll find a way to increase the success rate!!

 

☆ Have You Lost It has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

You definitely got hit in the head that day! You’re not thinking straight!

 

Hearing this during breakfast made both Gumiho and Choi Tae-hyuk twist their expressions.

 

“No, please listen to what I’m saying.”

 

“With a fifty percent chance, I think it’s worth trying.”

 

“No, Gumiho. Let me just—”

 

Let me talk too!

 

Gumiho stopped when I spoke, but Choi Tae-hyuk jumped in immediately, as if he’d been waiting for that moment.

 

“She’s right. It might not work—but it might.”

 

What kind of logic was that?

 

I felt irritation rising as he stubbornly repeated the same flawed argument. This whole situation had started because of An Bom’s curiosity.

 

She’d asked about the gem we obtained yesterday, so I explained that it was Luminium’s gem and told her about its effects. Pretending not to care, Choi Tae-hyuk spoke the instant I finished.

 

“The Guild Master must consume it.”

 

I tried to brush it off, saying I didn’t need to discuss it and that I’d decided to save it for later—but Choi Tae-hyuk and Gumiho, sharp as ever, caught on immediately.

 

‘This is why I hate quick-witted hunters. Tsk.’

 

When I clicked my tongue in frustration, it only confirmed their suspicions. The two of them quickly joined forces, and things spiraled into this mess.

 

“No, think about it! It could even save someone on the brink of death!”

 

I pressed a hand to my throbbing head and shot back,

 

“Isn’t it more important to make the Guild Master healthier than saving someone who’s already dying?”

 

But despite how frustrated I felt, they remained firm.

 

“I agree. Guild Master, you’re lucky with things like this. You should take it.”

 

“I’m not eating it.”

 

I quickly grabbed the fruit off the dining table, where I’d left it on display. Choi Tae-hyuk looked like he was seconds away from forcing it into my mouth.

 

“Why won’t you eat it?”

 

“It’s not like I need to use that much power.”

 

“When have you not used that much power?”

 

Stubborn bastard.

 

And yet… I had no comeback.

 

☆ That’s right! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

How many times have you coughed up blood?! Just eat it already!!

 

Choi Tae-hyuk raised his voice. Ji Yun-seo, sensing the tension, looked visibly shaken. With a sigh, I stood up, my headache pounding even harder.

 

“Choi Tae-hyuk. Let’s talk in the study.”

 

Dragging the clearly furious Choi Tae-hyuk along, I entered the study and shut the door.

 

“Choi Tae-hyuk—yes, I’ve pushed myself in the past, but only because I had no choice. And every time, I was healed. I’m fine.”

 

“Being bedridden for days and unable to stay conscious is ‘fine’ to you?”

 

“During the Monster Wave—”

 

“If you were ‘fine,’ you wouldn’t have needed healing at all.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk rubbed his forehead, clearly trying to hold back his anger.

 

☆ Nice one! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Push harder!!

 

Wait—does that mean he saw the moment I was healed while fighting Talos?

 

Terrifying man.

 

“No matter how low the success rate is, you should still take it.”

 

“No. Just listen to me this once. This is something I need to save for a truly critical moment.”

 

“If we’re talking about what’s important, isn’t the Guild Master’s health the most important thing?!”

 

Seeing Choi Tae-hyuk lose his temper made my own anger flare up.

 

The gods went insane over it, screaming at me to eat it—and even with all that noise, I still refused!

 

Why? Because he might die. Because not taking it was the only way I could save him. But he doesn’t even know that!

 

“The importance is for me to decide!”

 

“No. Isn’t it that the Guild Master is incapable of making the right decision?”

 

“Choi Tae-hyuk!”

 

“Please. Eat it.”

 

Why won’t he listen? It’s not like I’m talking to a wall!

 

I sighed, staring at his stubborn expression.

 

“As I said earlier, this fruit only appears once every thousand years. We won’t be able to obtain another one. In fact—we’ll never see it again. So instead of gambling on a fifty-fifty chance—”

 

“And because we’ll never see it again, why refuse to eat it?!”

 

His sudden outburst sent my temper spiking.

 

“Because you’re going to die! If my hero dies, of course I have to—!”

 

☆ Aether! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Stop!!

 

The gods’ sudden popup hit me like a slap. Only then did I realize what I’d just said. My mouth snapped shut.

 

Choi Tae-hyuk’s eyes widened as well. I bit my lip—the words had slipped out before I could stop myself. 

 

Normally, I would’ve persuaded him calmly, but for some reason, my emotions refused to stay under control today. My head throbbed, and I’d blurted out something I never should have said. 

 

I knew I needed to fix this somehow, but my mind went completely blank. My lips opened and closed uselessly before I finally turned away.

 

“L-let’s stop talking about this. Just… please follow my decision.”

 

Without even properly correcting myself, I spat out the first thing that came to mind and left the study, leaving Choi Tae-hyuk frozen behind me.

 

What should I do? How do I fix this? Why did I bring up things from before the regression and make everything worse?

 

I hovered anxiously outside the door, then hurried back to the dining table and sat down. Everyone looked worried—they must have heard the argument.

 

“Let’s eat.”

 

“What about the Vice Guild Master?”

 

“I’m here.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk had returned to the dining table. I could feel his gaze fixed on me from across the table. Pretending not to notice, I grabbed a piece of toast and mechanically shoved it into my mouth.

 

My face burned, probably from the argument earlier. As I swallowed, my throat felt swollen and irritated.

 

☆ He’s Staring Holes Through You. has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Aether’s face is about to get pierced.

 

☆ Like That… has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆
Of course he’s staring. Who wouldn’t after hearing someone say he’s going to die?

 

Still… I really wish he’d stop. My already blank mind is getting emptier by the second.

 

“So… have you decided to eat it?”

 

“No. I’m not eating it.”

 

“Vice Guild Master, I thought you’d persuaded him?”

 

At Gumiho’s question, An Bom—who had been quietly placing side dishes onto Ji Yun-seo’s plate while eating—finally spoke.

 

“I agree with the Guild Master.”

 

“Bom!”

 

“Rather than relying on an uncertain chance, wouldn’t it be better to save it for when the Guild Master is seriously injured?”

 

At her words, both Gumiho and Choi Tae-hyuk fell silent.

 

“Last time, I saw it myself—even when he could’ve stayed back, the Guild Master still jumped into the fight. There’s a limit to how much we can protect him. Saving it for that moment makes more sense.”

 

An Bom shot me a look—the kind you’d give a troublemaking son. It wasn’t exactly what I’d been thinking, but maybe they found logic in her words, because neither of them argued further.

 

☆ Oho has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Exactly. Better to save it for when Aether gets injured.

 

☆ As Expected has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Humans need education. Look at that—such a well-reasoned argument.

 

☆ I Said From the Start has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

I was leaning toward storing it anyway!

 

‘They’re making such a fuss.’

 

Just moments ago, they’d been shouting that I’d lost my mind—yet now they were praising the idea of not eating it. Clicking my tongue inwardly, I picked up another slice of toast.

 

“Guild Master, could we talk for just—”

 

“Ghk.”

 

My throat was suddenly blocked by an unexpected attack. Choi Tae-hyuk clicked his tongue, poured some milk, and handed it to me. I hurriedly drank it. As I did, he kept staring down at his own hand—and then at me.

 

‘Do I have something on my face?’

 

I was about to put the glass down and check when Choi Tae-hyuk suddenly stood and walked away.

 

“Is something wrong?” Gumiho asked.

 

I was just shrugging when Choi Tae-hyuk returned—thermometer in hand.

 

“Hold still.”

 

He didn’t wait for my response. He pressed the thermometer to my ear, his expression growing grave.

 

Beep.

 

“It’s 38.7 degrees.”

 

The moment he saw the number, his face crumpled like paper.