The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 67

 

Now that I thought about it, my head had been throbbing and my throat had felt scratchy all along… I couldn’t believe it was actually just a cold.

 

☆ What’s a Cold? has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

A god who knows about colds? The explanation here is lacking. If there are unfamiliar terms, please explain them.

 

☆ God of Disease has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

A condition marked by high fever, body aches, coughing, and—if severe—death.

 

☆ Huh?! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Die? Die?! Aether, don’t die! My only joy these days is you!! I don’t want to start over again!

 

‘Is that really what matters right now? This is what they’re focused on?’

 

Clicking my tongue internally, I rolled my eyes and set down the bread I’d been eating.

 

“Hm. I think I’m actually— Ah! Choi Tae-hyuk!”

 

Suddenly, my body lifted off the ground. With one arm under my knees and the other supporting my back, Choi Tae-hyuk scooped me up in a princess carry and headed straight for my room.

 

“I’m really fine!!”

 

“…”

 

Ignoring me entirely, he carried me inside. An Bom followed closely behind, quickly pulling back the blankets.

 

As Choi Tae-hyuk gently laid me down, I rolled my eyes again and quietly reached for the fever patch.

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

A hand moved faster than mine, snatching the patch and pressing it to my forehead. The moment the cool surface touched my skin, the pounding in my head eased slightly, and my body relaxed.

 

“Should I heal you?”

 

“It’s okay. It’s just a cold—there’s no need to use healing on it. We never know when another Monster Wave might happen.”

 

An Bom was exceptionally skilled at healing, but that didn’t mean her power should be used lightly. In hunter work, you never knew when healing would be desperately needed.

 

Using an A-rank healer’s abilities to treat a cold could mean lacking power when a real emergency struck. This was such an obvious fact that neither of us argued.

 

…Though Choi Tae-hyuk was staring at me as if I’d been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

 

“Are you in a lot of pain, Ahjussi?”

 

Kwon Beom-gaun, who had already recovered from awakening sickness, peeked in through the door, her expression bright.

 

☆ Oh! My Future Apostle has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Oh my! I’m glad the child recovered! I must watch her closely from now on.

 

☆ Turning a Human Into an Apostle? has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

You’re making an apostle, not an angel?

 

☆ Then has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

A child like that is rare. I can’t leave someone who carries even a fragment of my power as just an angel.

 

Kwon Beom-gaun looked radiant, as if she’d never suffered from awakening sickness at all. Even the mighty Choi Tae-hyuk had looked rough for a while after his Awakening, so… I guess youth really was the strongest stat.

 

“No. I’ll be fine with medicine. You finished everything you needed to do, right? Let’s go to the hospital.”

 

“You may not.”

 

“Hospital?”

 

Kwon Beom-gaun tilted her head, clearly thinking, Why hospital? I’m already healed.

 

So this is what it feels like when people read my expression so easily. Everything really does show on my face.

 

“We’re transferring your brother to a different hospital. Didn’t you sign the contract with Gumiho?”

 

“That’s true, but—”

 

“The Guild Master needs to rest today.”

 

“Rest? For a cold? We still need to transfer his brother, then take her to the Hunter Association to issue her hunter license.”

 

I tried to sit up, but Choi Tae-hyuk pressed a hand to my shoulder and pushed me back into bed.

 

“No. You must rest today.”

 

“No, but we need to move her—”

 

“No. He’s in the ICU. If the Guild Master goes while sick, you’ll be a hindrance. And if you wander around like you always do and collapse—when you’re already this frail—what then?”

 

Hey… I’m only frail because I overused divine power.

 

I’m a perfectly healthy adult man. And yet he was treating me like someone who’d collapse from a simple cold. Wasn’t that a bit much?

 

☆ Hmm… I’m Confused. has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Is that scolding, or worrying?

 

☆ In Human Terms, That’s… has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

It’s a factual attack. And supposedly, these days the slang got upgraded—like it went up by 2,000 won.

 

Unlike the gods’ blunt, emotionless remarks, the hands adjusting my blanket were gentle and careful.

 

“Then please go in my place.”

 

“Yes. Gumiho will handle—”

 

“No! No, Gumiho’s busy. It’s fine. I’ll take the medicine and rest.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk frowned, then seemed to agree that dragging Gumiho in wasn’t right either. He nodded and stood.

 

“Then I’ll call someone else.”

 

“You don’t have to go that far—”

 

“Please rest.”

 

Ignoring me completely, Choi Tae-hyuk left the room with Kwon Beom-gaun.

 

‘I give up.’

 

After yesterday—and after what I’d let slip earlier—it was hard to refuse anything Choi Tae-hyuk said. I knew he meant well… but I also sensed there was a specific reason behind his overprotectiveness.

 

‘I really am sick, huh.’

 

I stared at the ceiling as it wavered through the haze of heat, then closed my eyes. Come to think of it, I used to get sick around this time every year. 

 

Back then, I couldn’t afford proper heating, the house was full of mold, and I skipped meals constantly—so I’d always assumed it was just a cold.

 

The human body was incredibly inconvenient. You had to eat, use the bathroom, get sick at the slightest thing, and get injured.

 

Ah. I really want to go back to being a god.

 

“Ah! You’re awake?”

 

A cool sensation on my forehead made me open my eyes. A pair of blue eyes looked down at me.

 

‘Did I fall asleep?’

 

I reached up and felt a cold, damp towel.

 

“The fever patch doesn’t seem to be enough. I bought some porridge—do you think you can eat it?”

 

I shook my head. After waking up, my throat was so swollen I could barely swallow.

 

☆ Are You in a Lot of Pain? has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Your face is completely red.

 

☆ Seeing Aether Sick… has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

It feels… fatal. Am I trash for thinking that?

 

☆ You Are Not! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Our Aether is cool just by existing, deadly when sick, and sexy when smiling!

 

“A-hem. Ahem. K-Kiyo, when did you get here?”

 

“About an hour ago. You were sleeping, so I didn’t wake you.”

 

“Cough, cough… How did you—”

 

“Choi Tae-hyuk called me. Gumiho let me in.”

 

So that was the “other person” he meant—Emelyn Kiyo. She picked up the towel from my forehead, soaked it in the ice water on the bedside table, wrung it out skillfully, and placed it back on me.

 

“You’re good at taking care of people.”

 

“Yeah. There was someone who got sick a lot.”

 

Did she have a sick family member? As far as I knew, both her parents were healthy. She was the only daughter of a wealthy French family.

 

“Not family. Someone else. If you’re going to take your medicine, you need to eat porridge first.”

 

Emelyn Kiyo reached out and helped me sit up in bed. She then placed a tray of porridge and various side dishes on the bed table.

 

☆ What? has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Does she pick him up and set him down like a doll? And she’s not even using strength.

 

☆ I’m Good at Nursing Too has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

I’d wipe the holy water from Aether’s forehead, give him water—he’s human, he must have sweated. Then!

 

☆ Shayna! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Ban that pervert from donating!!

 

“Here, drink some water first. It’s warm.”

 

I took the mug she handed me, letting the warmth seep into my hands. When the warm water slid down my throat—which hurt to swallow—it eased the discomfort slightly.

 

“…Pine nut porridge.”

 

“Mm. You don’t like pine nut porridge?”

 

“No, I like it.”

 

It had just always been too expensive for me to buy. If I ever got the chance to eat it for free, I’d choose pine nut porridge.

 

When Emelyn Kiyo lifted a spoonful toward me, a piece of mul-kimchi sat on top. She said, “It tastes best with mul-kimchi.”

T/N: Mul-kimchi is a type of Korean kimchi served in a watery brine, milder and more refreshing than the usual fermented cabbage kimchi.

 

“We have similar tastes.”

 

All the side dishes she prepared were ones I liked.

 

“I’ll eat well.”

 

“Good.”

 

The savory porridge and crisp mul-kimchi filled my mouth. But even though I liked all of it, my throat felt raw and dry, and I couldn’t manage even half before putting the spoon down.

 

“Eat more.”

 

“I’ve eaten a lot.”

 

If it were Choi Tae-hyuk, he would’ve tried to force-feed me. But Emelyn Kiyo simply set aside the tray and handed me more warm water. As I drank—much easier than eating porridge—she pressed my medicine into my hand.

 

“Take your meds too.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

After confirming I swallowed them, she took back the mug and held my hand.

 

☆ W-What! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Why is she holding your hand?

 

☆ Whoa?! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

Is she trying to take advantage of Aether being weak in body and spirit?!

 

☆ I Hate This Vibe has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

I don’t like this atmosphere. Just get better and go back to dungeons!

 

As expected of a fire-type hunter, her body temperature was pleasantly warm.

 

“Feels nice, right?”

 

“Yes. It does.”

 

“I can give you some energy too. Want me to?”

 

“I’d rather not. I’m a wind-type hunter, remember?”

 

When my tone implied Are you trying to set me on fire?, Emelyn Kiyo made an “oh no” face. I smiled at her, and she reached out with her free hand to cover my eyes.

 

“Sleep more. They say the best cure for a cold is sleep.”

 

“I’m not sleepy.”

 

“Stay like this and you will be.”

 

I’d been sick since dawn, but I’d also gone to bed early last night—and dozed off earlier—so I wasn’t sleepy at all. The silence in the room felt a little awkward, so I spoke first.

 

“Did you sneak out again today?”

 

“No. I came out proudly today.”

 

For someone claiming to have come out proudly, her smile looked exactly like a kid who’d done something wrong. I eyed her suspiciously.

 

“It’s true. I told them I was leaving to take care of you.”

 

“And Bong Seon-hwa agreed to that?”

 

“Why would I need permission? I’m the Guild Master.”

 

Ah. So she boldly declared it and ditched work.

 

When I chuckled, Emelyn Kiyo made a grumpy face, then burst out laughing.

 

“What are they gonna do? Fire me? I’m the Guild Master.”

 

“How do you even fire a Guild Master?”

 

“Exactly. That’s why I can do whatever I want. Hold on.”

 

She placed the cold towel back on my forehead. The icy touch made my body flinch, so she held my hand again.

 

“Cold and warm at the same time—feels good, right?”

 

“Yes. It does.”

 

“I’m a genius at caretaking.”

 

“I can tell.”

 

She giggled. When I stared at her, she rubbed the short, grass-like stubble on her head.

 

“What? Does it look weird with my head shaved?”

 

…What? Why are we talking about her hair all of a sudden?

 

“What about your hair?”

 

“I mean… I’m not a boy, so I wondered if shaving it all off looked strange.”

 

☆ How Intriguing! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

I guess women here aren’t supposed to shave their heads.

 

☆ Seems Like It. has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆

And men aren’t supposed to grow their hair long.

 

☆ Aether has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆
If Aether gets too used to it in the human world, won’t he cut it short again when he becomes a god?

 

☆ No! No way!! has donated 100 Mana Stones.☆
Aether looks gorgeous with long hair! ㅠㅠ Your long blue hair is so pretty!

 

In the human world, managing long hair was annoying, so I kept it short. In the divine realm, there was no need—my hair doesn’t get greasy, and angels wash me anyway, so why cut it? Scoffing internally at the gods’ nonsense, I answered Emelyn Kiyo.

 

“No. There’s no rule saying only men can shave their heads. It’s your hair—do whatever you want with it.”

 

“Well, yeah, but still…”

 

“And besides, you have a pretty head shape. It still looks good even shaved.”

 

It was true—Emelyn Kiyo’s head shape was really pretty. So round from front to back that I finally understood what the elders meant when they talked about a ‘perfectly shaped head.’ At that moment, her expression changed.