Chapter 463: Cho Hyejin’s Instruction Manual (8)

It was something I had once mentioned when I once had a moment together with him. I personally couldn’t even remember when it was during a casual meal or a work-related dinner.

I had said it simply to find a topic for the conversation, so I didn’t care for it much.

Who would remember everything someone said because they wanted to find a topic?

People normally listened and then forgot about it.

‘Oh, it seems that the play is popular these days. When I have time, I should go watch it.’

That was all I said.

Of course, I wasn’t interested in that play, and I didn’t intend to watch it. I hadn’t even thought of reaching the cultural industry yet.

In fact, I would’ve forgotten all about it if Kim Hyunsung hadn’t mentioned it.

‘I mean… I’m grateful, but… This is not cool, Hyunsung.’

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to be disconcerted.

It was an unexpected moment from my perspective since I was supposed to tie up Cho Hyejin and Kim Hyunsung somehow. I had now confirmed how Kim Hyunsung thought about me, but it didn’t change the fact that he had rejected Cho Hyejin’s invitation.

What he just said sounded like he wasn’t interested in Cho Hyejin, so it had become undeniable that there was a small problem with the mission.

‘He really doesn’t have any thoughts about her.’

Just a few minutes ago, I thought he might have a little interest in her. No, even if he wasn’t interested, I hoped he would be aware of her as a woman at least.

Although the awakened Cho Hyejin, who earned five stars, was very beautiful, the non-awakened Cho Hyejin was also a woman with her own charm. Above all else, she had been showing interest in Kim Hyunsung.

No man could cold-heartedly reject a woman that liked him. She was a beauty, after all.

Even her ability was no joke.

She didn’t express her feelings, but even from the perspective of someone who didn’t know much about dating, there were some suspicious circumstances.

It was like he was wary of women getting closer to him.

Kim Hyunsung didn’t know that, either.

He wasn’t aware that Cho Hyejin was conscious of him or that the invitation was her way of implicitly asking him out. I didn’t know what I could say about the mean bastard.

-…

Cho Hyejin stiffened in response to the unexpected answer.

However, I shouldn’t remain stunned.

“It would be better to say that I have already watched it with Hayan. Say that I recommended the play. And also that I got you the tickets. Action.”

-The Vice Guild Master has already watched it with Hayan… and also, he directly got me the tickets.

“Since there’s very little work left. Say that you can just finish it quickly and go. That sometimes a break is needed.”

- We don’t have much work left, so why don’t we finish it quickly and go? It seems that the Guild Master is overdoing it these days… no one would condemn you if it’s not completely finished. It seems that you have been living only for work and training for a long time.

She was doing better than I had previously thought.

I didn’t know if the hurdle would be a little high, but I thought I could give her one more order.

“Say that since you’re already going that you would like to go with the Guild Master.”

-…

“Quickly.”

-And since I’m already going to watch it, I want to go with the Guild Master.

-…

-…

‘Good.’

There was a brief silence.

I had no choice but to take a simple fist-clenching ceremony at Kim Hyunsung’s voice.

-If you say it like that… Can you tell me what time the ticket begins?

-8:30.

-I should get ready right now. Could you wait a minute?

-Yes. O-Of course, Guild Master.

‘Let’s go!’

The first gateway had now been broken.

Cho Hyejin’s face, which depicted that she was as happy as I was, was reflected in the hologram.

It was a small step, but it was also essential.

For Cho Hyejin, it could be said that it was no different from the leap of humanity.

It was still too early to celebrate, but it was definitely an achievement. It didn’t feel like they were going on a date, but that no longer mattered. It seemed the same to me, anyway.

Once the wall had been pierced, he would be less vigilant next time.

“Whoa, I’m proud that you’re doing better than I thought. Keep going just like that.”

I saw Cho Hyejin subtly nodding through the hologram.

“Perhaps Hyunsung is also a bit bewildered because you’re showing a much more different side than usual. Both your look and what you’re saying… Although he is expressionless, he must have been surprised too.”

-…

“Ahem. It seems like the top priority is to make him look at you as a woman. I’m not criticizing you, but I don’t think Hyunsung sees you as a member of the opposite sex. It seems that he thinks of you as his deputy, a knight, or a co-worker first before he thinks of you as a woman. You can keep the rejection that just happened out of your heart. You weren’t asking to go on a date or anything, anyway.”

-Okay.

“I don’t have a mission to give besides watching the play… Solving the problem I mentioned earlier seems to be the top priority. You need to be recognized as a woman, so then you can do things like kissing or holding hands.

-…

“Let’s think that there’s a switch. I think we can start by distinguishing between today’s Hyejin and the usual Hyejin. In fact, I think it’s good enough to keep going at this pace.”

-Hmm…

“You don’t have to be on the lookout or bring weapons as you usually do. Walk right next to him in that outfit. Let’s not start with the big things, but rather with the small ones one by one. There is no need to worry about being his escort. We are guarding the perimeter. There will be no other risk factors.”

-…

She seemed to be wondering if she could really ignore her job as his escort, but before long, she slightly nodded.

She must be anxious, but it seemed that I gained her trust with my loud boastfulness.

While we were talking, Kim Hyunsung had gotten himself ready. He had changed into a fairly comfortable outfit.

I was worried that he might have come equipped with basic armament, but it occurred to me that he wasn’t that senseless. He seemed to think that he should wear clothes that fit the place.

-Let’s go.

-Yes, Guild Master.

‘Ah, you look so fresh. Whew.’

Before long, the two were slowly strolling side by side.

‘It’s not bad.’

Based on their appearance alone, it wasn’t too much to say that they looked like a couple.

Cho Hyejin was doing her mission better than I thought.

I was worried that she would walk on the street, glaring in all directions as usual.

After all, I had never seen Cho Hyejin let down her guard when she was with Kim Hyunsung.

Kim Hyunsung wasn’t someone who needed an escort in the first place. He also said that she didn’t have to do it, but by saying she was ready to respond to any accidents, she dismissed his remarks.

She was intently focused on Kim Hyunsung, excluding the dangers around him.

Not only were they walking at the same pace, but they also talked about various things. To exaggerate this situation a little, it was like I didn’t even need to coach her.

It was a shame they kept talking about work, but I thought that would be their style.

However, I intervened appropriately and cut off only when they were going too far, and when the conversation ended, I immediately proposed a new topic.

Of course, it was all things about Kim Hyunsung liked.

‘First, about equipment.’

“Come to think of it. I heard that an interesting item came out in the Crack Museum. You just need to say that much, Hyejin.”

-Guild Master, come to think of it, I heard that an interesting item came out in the Crack Museum.

-Oh, I heard about it too. It’s said that a party that’s rising in the Republic these days got it… Interestingly enough, they said that was the second time. I think it was Pak Sergei. The first was a necklace, and the next is a sword… I heard that they’re using the necklace and put the sword on auction, but I’m not sure what function it has because it isn’t clearly posted, but maybe…

-I heard that it would be sold at a high price. It might even get the highest price in the auction house.

-They did say something about the auction house’s highest price recorded being renewed recently.

-Is it due to that weapon?

-No. I heard it’s a limited edition book. I’m not really sure what it is because I’m not very interested. Rather, about that sword…

As expected, they both felt excited about this topic.

‘Our Hyunsung really goes nuts when it comes to equipment.’

He didn’t use another sword just because he’s already holding a mythic-grade sword at the moment.

It seemed like he thought that it was ridiculous that he had a mythic-grade sword all for himself.

He thought that perhaps, when the peaceful times came, he would collect all the swords he wanted.

I didn’t know if this was because the world actually felt more familiar than Earth, but he indeed cherished his equipment like it was a lover.

‘The second is… about cars.’

I meant the running cars.

By the continent’s standards, it should be called griffons, not cars, but that was also one of the things Kim Hyunsung was interested in.

I felt it when I first presented him with a nice black griffon. He was surprisingly interested in that field.

Of course, he didn’t show it off that much. He regularly changed the saddle, washed the car, no, bathed it himself. He would just arrange the feathers sometimes, but considering Kim Hyunsung’s daily life, that was also unusual enough.

Recently, my griffon White Paul and his griffon had been paired with each other. White Paul was even hatching an egg.

I could still visualize how Kim Hyunsung reacted. He was subtly delighted when he found out about that fact. His reaction was one that was filled with emotions by my standards.

Even though normal mating was almost impossible due to the nature of griffons, somehow, they succeeded.

It was like a miracle, so it was worthwhile for him to be happy about it, but the face that I saw on that day was definitely from someone crazy about it.

He was crazy enough that he even liked to dig up information about it. I found it useful to talk about griffons when looking for a conversation topic.

Actually, there weren’t many things he liked, but those were the few materials that amused him. Cho Hyejin probably knew about this, too.

When talking about something he was interested in, he would get a little talkative.

-When I was in Lindel before, so, before you came.

Sometimes he went back in time like that.

‘She must be really grateful.’

Kim Hyunsung’s keywords were a secret that I didn’t tell anyone.

Since then, we had made some substantial progress. I couldn’t see it as a moment with sexual tension, but the conversation remained uninterrupted.

Lee Jihye, who chattered next to me, coached her with the reaction lecture, so it felt like it covered Cho Hyejin’s awkward expression.

I didn’t know exactly how Kim Hyunsung felt, but at least he might be thinking something along the lines of, ‘I didn’t know Cho Hyejin also had this side.’

He probably wouldn’t have seen it in the first round. There wouldn’t have been time for such an event back then in the first place.

At the moment, I thought that was enough to call it a success.

The atmosphere was good even when they watched the strange art play that I couldn’t remember what it was about, and when I succeeded in dragging them to a wine bar with desperate persuasion, I felt delighted.

The subject of conversation was, of course, the play they watched.

The more memories the two shared, the easier the conversation had become.

It was a plain and simple conversation that no one got excited about, but the situation wasn’t bad overall. When they had gotten around to drinking, I felt even more expectant.

‘Oppa, I think I’m a little drunk.’

Of course, I wasn’t hoping for such immediate results.

I only wanted to instill the image that Cho Hyejin might be a woman who should be protected.

Everything seemed to go as expected. But at that point, the unexpected reaction forced me to swallow hard.

When Cho Hyejin’s face turned red, Kim Hyunsung immediately contacted the guild.

-I’ll bring in some female staff. You seem to be a little drunk.

Despite his excuse, his expression looked tough.

‘Fuck… Don’t be like that, you bastard. That’s not what you should do.’

At this moment, I realized that Lee Kiyeon really had hit him harder than I had expected.