Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 230 - Mouth of Doom (2)

It was a strange thing.

 

“…What is this?”

 

It was his business account from when he had been working at Cosmo.

 

Even Park Minjae had completely forgotten about it until the notification came up. Even common spam mails didn’t come up now that Cosmo had been reorganized into AAU.

 

“Reply? From who?”

 

But the moment he checked the sender.

 

“!”

 

Park Minjae remembered.

 

Memories of the past.

 

It was this account.

 

Through this account, he wrote down a bunch of criticisms about the operating structure of Arcana and Cosmo and sent them to the CEO, Raymond Sean. This was a reply to that email.

 

His teeth automatically gritted.

 

“You crazy bastard.”

 

It was unwelcome.

 

Raymond Sean.

 

After he went missing, the Cataclysm began.

 

When he thought of those who had died in the Cataclysm and ruptures, he still felt angry.

 

It also included personal feelings.

 

“Do you know how hard we worked?”

 

Even if it was now a thing of the past.

 

Back in the early days of cataclysm.

 

Cosmo’s employees had been treated as accomplices to Raymond Sean and had been subjected to various investigations.

 

Even if it was a misunderstanding, he still hadn’t been able to get rid of the feeling he had at that time and the guilt of not being able to help.

 

So Park Minjae gritted his teeth.

 

“You made a mistake.”

 

Currently, Raymond Sean was the worst war criminal in human history, wanted by every country in the world.

 

Considering the superhuman abilities of the players, Raymond Sean was probably not an ordinary person either.

 

But he shouldn’t underestimate science.

 

If the signal that was sent in response was traced back, it would not be difficult to determine the sender’s location. It was the first opportunity to track Raymond Sean’s whereabouts since the Cataclysm.

 

However.

 

“…!”

 

After checking the contents of the mail, Park Minjae couldn’t help but pause.

 

Raymond’s goal was not him.

 

Park Minjae murmured.

 

“You’re as sly as ever.”

 

If he were to summarize it in one line, it was simple.

 

──────

 

I want to meet Player Lee Hoyeol.

 

──────

 

That man was really like a snake.

 

“Damn it.”

 

Park Minjae agonized.

 

What if, instead of being swayed by Raymond, he reported this directly to the AAU? The world would immediately seek to locate Raymond.

 

‘…Would Raymond just stand by and watch?’

 

Even now, there were attempts to track Raymond San’s whereabouts. Still, it didn’t produce results.

 

For Raymond, going into hiding again might be a piece of cake.

 

“Haha. You damn bastard.”

 

Park Minjae spat out a laugh.

 

This guy.

 

He didn’t just send him a message for no reason.

 

“You’re messing with my rebellious temperament.”

 

Even if the opponent was his boss.

 

Even if it was the rule of AAU.

 

He had a temperament of striking where he thought was right.

 

Park Minjae immediately took out his smartphone.

 

“Yes, I’ll strike you again this time.”

 

He should make a phone call straight away…

 

“As expected, a sudden phone call would be against formality, right?”

 

He mumbled and hurriedly wrote a text message.

 

Naturally.

 

The recipient was Hoyeol, not AAU.

 

“Huft–”

 

Transmission complete.

 

The moment Park Minjae sighed in relief.

 

Ring!

 

A reply from Hoyeol immediately arrived.

 

“A-Already?”

 

Park Minjae had some knowledge of Hoyeol’s daily routine.

 

He probably didn’t even have enough time to catch his breath …

 

Wasn’t this reply too quick?

 

Park Minjae was surprised and checked the reply.

 

“…Eh?”

 

Soon, a question mark appeared on his face.

 

It was only natural.

 

The reply that arrived was only in four letters.

 

– I guessed it.

 

“Y-You did? How?”

 

It was shocking.

 

*

 

I had mentally prepared myself so I was less shocked.

 

Thanks to my mouth dropping it in advance.

 

Even though the news was truly shocking, my mind was tight.

 

“Raymond.”

 

Perhaps he was the main culprit behind the Cataclysm.

 

Who on earth would happily welcome Raymond Sean?

 

I hate Raymond Sean!

 

If it weren’t for him, I would have…

 

‘I wouldn’t have to worry about my dark shameful history!’

 

Of course, Grandfel felt the same way.

 

“As I said.”

 

Well, after the duel with Sword Saint Shegwin.

 

The moment the duel between me and Shegwin at the Colosseum was recorded into a video clip on the official Arcana Website. From the moment the duel, which was complicated to explain in words, was turned into a simple spectacle.

 

“I see no pride in your actions.”

 

Grandfel had been in a state of deep resentment.

 

Now that I thought about it.

 

It reminded me of what I said.

 

– “I look forward to the day when we can meet again.”

 

Clearly, I had said that.

 

‘At any rate, I’m looking forward to this meeting in many ways.’

 

If Grandfel was someone who had to make his words come true, then just meeting him wouldn’t be enough. We might be able to find a way to return to the Arcana Continent. 

 

“Please do not disappoint me.”

 

I recited coldly for a moment.

 

Then I manifested the portal.

 

The coordinates were AAU’s Korea branch.

 

It was Park Minjae, the head of the Korean branch, who delivered the news about Raymond Sean.

 

I needed to have a detailed conversation with him first.

 

Goo–

 

While the light of the portal was disappearing.

 

I could see Park Minjae’s back.

 

He seemed to be in the middle of talking to someone.

 

During the conversation, one word was particularly stuck in my ear.

 

“…So I wonder if  it can be considered a ‘boomer’ or not.”

 

Wait a minute, boomer….?

 

Was he talking about me?

 

Was this a situation where a thief’s feet gone numb?

 

But rather than a thief.

 

Grandfel was more like a tiger that appeared when mentioned ^[1] In Korea, they have the idiom ‘Even a tiger will come if you mention them.’. It’s basically the Korean version of ‘Speak of the devil’. .

 

I took a step towards Park Minjae.

 

Tap tap–

 

“H-Huuuh?!”

 

The man who was talking to Park Minjae blinked.

 

“…What’s wrong with yoooouu?!”

 

Park Minjae’s face distorted when he looked back belatedly.

 

He really looked like he had seen a tiger.

 

Perhaps he really had been talking about me behind my back.

 

But I could understand.

 

‘I probably look like a boomer.’

 

Just look back on my previous records.

 

– “I can’t find any formality.”

 

– “Therefore.”

 

– “I will not take any questions.”

 

Of course, the reporters too.

 

– “The order is wrong.”

 

I instilled formality in the Arcana rankers as well. Well, that didn’t mean that Grandfel was so petty that he would criticize someone for talking behind his back.

 

…But, the problem was, in many ways, he had an unimaginable personality. Yes, I was poking fun at the mouth of doom again this time.

 

I said coldly.

 

“Please fill out the documents according to the 5W and 1H principles.”

 

“…Y-Yes? What documents?”

 

“…Does Branch Manager Park send documents to the General Manager?”

 

Park Minjae asked back, and the man turned his eyes.

 

I was the general manager of Yusra.

 

They seemed to misunderstand that I was the secret real power of the AAU Korea branch. However, the document was just Grandfel’s fancy way of saying the text messages we exchanged.

 

‘You keep doing this.’

 

You pay attention to formality even in your texts, Grandfel.

 

But since the situation was like this.

 

It was also necessary to be flexible.

 

“However, since it is an unexpected situation, I will take it into consideration.”

 

Park Minjae answered quickly.

 

“Thank you! I’ll correct it next time!”

 

Grandfel is just being stubborn, so there’s no need to correct it, Branch Manager Park.

 

You will correct it next time, you said.

 

Rather than that, shouldn’t we hope there is no next time?

 

“Then, I will tell you the situation with the 5W and 1H principle.”

 

At the branch manager’s office.

 

I listened to Park Minjae.

 

While listening, I thought.

 

How come around me…

 

‘There are only unusual people?’

 

You hit the CEO?

 

How reckless can you be!

 

This was something Lee Hoyeol could not have imagined when he was a member of society.

 

‘No, I did imagine it.’

 

Well, right after waking up as a player.

 

I submitted my resignation early on because I thought I might pour coffee on my manager’s face if I went to work like this. Was it because of that consensus?

 

“I understand your pride.”

 

Except for me, who is a middle-class citizen, the two of you communicate well.

 

“Thank you!”

 

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

 

Grandfel didn’t like Rayman.

 

Park Minjae attacked Raymond Sean before he could even show his true color.

 

I understood why Grandfel generously said that.

 

‘By the way.’

 

I was the general manager of the Yusra branch and a member of the AAU.

 

Once I took on something, I didn’t do it half-heartedly, even if it meant I had to sink.

 

Thanks to this, I was familiar with all the rules of AAU.

 

‘He even broke the rules to tell me first.’

 

Park Minjae also did not forget to explain it.

 

“I thought there must be a reason why Raymond wanted to meet with General Manager Lee Hoyeol. I was relieved when I received a text message from the General Manager saying that you had a guess about it, I wasn’t mistaken.”

 

…Actually, this was not what I had guessed.

 

In any case, I would find out if we faced each other.

 

There was no need to correct it.

 

“Lastly, Raymond added that he would like to make an appointment to meet in advance.”

 

Make an appointment to meet.

 

Raymond, you must have heard about me.

 

Well, if you don’t know, you must have lived under a rock.

 

Especially about Baek Yiseol.

 

No, when I took care of the succubus.

 

There were so many articles about it.

 

‘My oldest sister even called me about it.’

 

In that regard, you’re trying to be formal in your own way, Raymond Sean.

 

I was currently submitting a leave of absence to the Mage Tower and the Yusra Kingdom.

 

There was enough time to make an appointment.

 

‘If it were a normal situation, I would have just captured him.’

 

The time and place didn’t matter.

 

Distance wasn’t a problem for me since I could manifest a portal.

 

But the problem was that the person who made the appointment was Raymond.

 

I opened my mouth.

 

“I understand your consideration.”

 

“It’s nothing much.”

 

“However, I hope you will follow the rules from now on.”

 

“…Yes, the rules?”

 

Raymond, you seem to be mistaken.

 

Do you think I will obey your request?

 

As I’ve said over and over again.

 

Grandfel and I never give up on anything.

 

I didn’t find any pride in it.

 

To make an appointment with you.

 

I won’t make any compromise with the established rules.

 

I continued.

 

“As of this time, in accordance with AAU’s rules.”

 

“…I’m listening.”

 

“We will pinpoint Raymond Sean’s location.”

 

“!”

 

Park Minjae’s eyes opened wide.

 

“I’ve considered that too, but… I judged that there was a risk that Raymond Sean might run away. Even if we pinpoint his location, it’s only a matter of time before Raymond also figures out the traceback… Realistically, it would be difficult to catch Raymond…”

 

“Do you really think so?”

 

“…!”

 

Park Minjae’s eyes widened further.

 

He looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

 

Park Minjae managed to spit out a laugh.

 

“I felt stupid. What was I thinking…!”

 

Yeah, it seemed he finally got the idea.

 

Tap tap–

 

The sound of my shoes was louder than any other sound.

 

The sound of those shoes didn’t come from far away.

 

Why had he heard it only when I had been right behind him?

 

An unrealistic emergence.

 

Portal manifestation.

 

It was because of 『magic』.

 

Bow–

 

Suddenly, Park Minjae bowed his head to me.

 

“Thank you for reminding me.”

 

I was already feeling smug inside.

 

I felt very embarrassed to receive such a greeting in public.

 

However, I shamelessly didn’t show it.

 

“I will act according to the rules as you said.”

 

Why do you look so excited?

 

Maybe it was because his concerns had been solved.

 

As a branch manager, he must have agonized in many ways for breaking the rules.

 

‘As expected, it was a good thing I quit my job.’

 

The weight of being a member of society was enormous.

 

While I was feeling pity.

 

I heard him murmuring to himself.

 

“I can finally strike him properly.”

 

…No, he was just excited to pay Raymond Sean back.

 

Once again, maybe it was because they were just friends.

 

I didn’t know how only these kinds of people gathered around me, but.

 

I knew one thing for sure.

 

‘You messed up with the wrong things, Raymond.’

 

Humanity, the Arcana Continent, and my past.

 

The price for messing with them would be extremely heavy.

 

He seemed to contact me because he had the confidence to hide.

 

“I’ve captured the source!”

 

If you look down on me, you’ll be in trouble.

 

[Science] that tracked the source of the message.

 

And 『magic, portal』 that manifested the source as coordinates.

 

Goo–

 

You should give up any thoughts of running away from [『oddity』].

 

A cluster of lights fluttered.

 

As my field of vision brightened, I opened my mouth.

 

“I refuse any form of hospitality.”

 

Even if you serve me green tea with tea bags that cost 300 won each.

 

With the intention of resolutely refusing.

 

I went beyond the portal.

 

Ah, he was ‘at that place’.

• 1. In Korea, they have the idiom ‘Even a tiger will come if you mention them.’. It’s basically the Korean version of ‘Speak of the devil’.