“Jinseok!”
“Uh? Kang Shin-hyuk!”
Jinseok Lee returned home late that night. As he watched Jinseok return with a deathly tired expression while carrying a load of mercenary equipment, he felt that he had become an adult one step earlier than Kang Shin-hyuk.
“Kang Shin-hyuk, I wish the association had this much work… oh, hello!”
“Hi. Are you Shin-hyuk’s friend?”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
As soon as he saw Kang Shin-hyuk, Lee Jinseok ran up in excitement, but he quickly quieted down as he noticed Claire standing beside him. Claire was still wearing her modest but elegant outfit, but Lee Jinseok stiffened in shock at the smile she had.
“Ah… move out the way. Hello, Shin-hyuk is my friend too!”
At that time, a girl pushed him aside and bowed her head to Claire. She was a pretty girl of smaller stature than her peers, with her long hair braided so that it wouldn’t get in her way. This was Yoo Hye-na, one of the idols of the Starlight Orphanage alongside Kang Shin-hyuk.
“I heard from the sister earlier. Are you Hye-na?”
“Yes! You’re so pretty!”
“Oh, thank you. You’re so pretty too; your complexion is so nice.”
“Ehehe, it’s really rough from my work as a mercenary. I think you must’ve been born with perfect skin, how…?”
What sort of affinity was this? Kang Shin-hyuk felt a bit terrified as the two started to chat right away. The larger boy who appeared from behind them just bowed his head to Kang Shin-hyuk.
“It’s been a while, brother.”
“Ah, Woonhyung. How’re you?”
“Yeah. I’ve been well, too.”
It was Jo Woonhyung, a boy who was one year younger than them, but he had quickly gone through school to go on to become a mercenary. It was thanks to his superior body that he had made it that far, and since Kang Shinhyuk taught him several fighting techniques, there was no one at the orphanage who could overcome him. Since he learned martial arts from Shinhyuk, Jo Woonhyung treated him like some kung-fu master out of a book. He was an earnest and reliable child.
“Hey, are you in a relationship? The Alchemist is like that with you…”
Jinseok whispered to Kang Shin-hyuk while glancing at Claire, who was talking with Yoo Hye-na. Kang Shin-hyuk clicked his tongue and looked away from his blushing friend. This guy couldn’t help it in front of Claire’s charm. Of course, he was proud of himself.
“I heard you’re preparing for an expedition?”
“Ah, did she talk about it? Anyway, I have a lot of worries. It’s on a big scale this time. It’s a little risky, but if we succeed. It’ll turn things around.”
“Do you know how terrible the monsters are in Africa?”
“You, how do you know we’re going to Africa?!” Lee Jinseok screamed in surprise before hurriedly lowering his voice.
“You didn’t tell mom, right? If you tell her it’s Africa, she’ll hang me up to dry to stop me from going!”
“Ha, so you knew.”
At first, he thought the mercenary guild was deceiving him, but he had volunteered, knowing he would be going to Africa. Kang Shin-hyuk was stunned.
“Are you insane? Aren’t you a beginner mercenary, yet this is where even high-rankers don’t want to enter?”
Kang Shin-hyuk felt it was absurd. He couldn’t even imagine that Jinseok would try to participate. Wasn’t the scale too different?
“Hey, we’re not allowed to go into dangerous places. I need to fortify a position and keep track of the luggage.”
“But don’t you know that the first thing that happens is that the mercenaries die?”
“That’s the same everywhere, Shin-hyuk.”
Lee Jinseok laid down an ironclad fact.
“Woonhyung and Hye-na are also in agreement. If it’s dangerous anyway, let’s go to the place with the greatest rewards. We can’t be shy about putting our own lives in danger; this is our job.”
“I think so too. Thanks to you, I got stronger, so we can do it.”
“That’s right, Shin-hyuk.”
Yoo Hye-na said so with a laugh after finishing her conversation with Claire.
“Thank you for being worried, but we aren’t kids anymore.”
“Aren’t we all kids?”
Without the special law for superhumans, these guys couldn’t even use a gun. Countless gaps in the Constitution that had arisen since the opening of the gates, and the special status of orphans, led them to a field of life and death at a young age. It was only more miserable than they had volunteered themselves.
“We’re old enough.”
“Oh, was Shin-hyuk like that before?”
“Since elementary school, he’s been strangely quiet like an old man…”
Claire nodded at Yoo Hye-na’s words and subtly signaled at Kang Shin-hyuk. It meant it was time to go to Plan B.
“Then, let’s head inside to talk.”
“Let’s stop talking about this. Rather, how about you and the Alchemist…”
“Including that, let’s talk about it inside.”
He took the group and went into a quiet, soundproofed room where no one could hear them. It was the room given to Claire.
“Shall we eat some chicken?”
“Thank you!”
For Claire, meeting new people meant eating chicken. She ordered enough for the entire orphanage to eat some and glanced over at Kang Shin-hyuk.
“Then, I’ll wait outside until the food arrives. Are you comfortable speaking alone?”
“Yes, thanks.”
“Save that for later.”
Claire approached Kang Shin-hyuk for a quick kiss and then left the room. Everyone who saw it froze.
“Uh, uh, you, really…”
“Right, but that isn’t very important.”
“It’s not important?! What? Wasn’t the Alchemist dating Shin Eun-hyuk?”
“You must be Shin Eun-hyuk!”
While Lee Jinseok was sputtering in confusion, Yoo Hye-na shouted boldly like Detective Conan, revealing the criminal.
“I’ve seen you on TV! Mom was talking about it!”
“That was real? I thought she was seeing things because she missed you…”
Indeed, Sister Esdel had already guessed the truth. If so, it was no wonder she assumed he was dating Claire. Kang Shin-hyuk nodded.
“Right.”
“OMG… Death Puppeteer? My friend?”
“Uh…”
“Empress, what about the Empress?”
“She’s very pretty.”
The question to be asked as soon as he realized he was Shin Eun-hyuk was that. Lee Jinseok wasn’t aware that Yoo Hye-na looked at him with pity. Hyena, giving up all her expectations of him, turned back to Kang Shin-hyuk.
“How did it happen? Shin Eun-hyuk is an adult.”
“It’s counterfeit.”
“How did you forge it?!”
“With the Empress.”
“Ah!”
Lee Jinseok yelled out as if he had been enlightened.
“Then, getting us in the Gunners…”
“It was the Empress.”
“Crazy…”
The Gunners were the 2nd largest mercenary guild in the industry. They had a good reputation, and many of the people who joined them were surprisingly popular. They were known for not engaging in reckless activities, so it was surprising that they had agreed to participate in the expedition. Perhaps the association put pressure on them.
“Of course, it’s a secret. Some people know, but we can’t talk about it in public.”
“Sure.”
“Thank you for believing in and telling me.”
“…But why now?”
Jo Woonhyung tilted his head and asked that question. Kang Shin-hyuk briefly thought that this guy was the most reliable before he responded.
“I’m also going on the expedition.”
“OMG!”
“Wow… come to think of it, you’re ranked fourth in the world!”
Yoo Hye-na’s eyes twinkled as she looked at him. It was a glance he had received a lot when they dated briefly in middle school.
“I have a girlfriend.”
“Oh, yes. Claire won’t be able to win.”
“You?”
“You’ve lost too much of your image today.”
“Kh.”
Kang Shin-hyuk solemnly declared so to Lee Jinseok, who looked betrayed. Next to him, Yoo Hye-na nodded in agreement.
“Where is there a good man? Shin-hyuk, is there anyone you can introduce me to?”
“I know one.”
“Hey?!”
As he wondered if he should tell her about the guy who acted like Lee Jinseok but had more ability, Jinseok grabbed him.
“Don’t do it, ah, I’m dizzy now. Anyway, if you’re going to go to Africa, stick close to me whenever possible.”
“…It’s really great. Thank you.”
Jo Woonhyung bowed his head. Then, gently raising it, he looked straight at Kang Shin-hyuk.
“Would you mind training us until we leave?”
“I’ll do it.”
“… Thank you.”
“Ah, me too! Hehe, it’s been a while since I learned from you.”
“Hey, me too! Look at me too!”
“I got it. It’s no different whether I look at one or all of you.”
He smiled at the sight of the three young mercenaries jumping around happily. His anxiety still didn’t go away, but it was true that mercenaries were put in danger no matter where they went. If so, it would be best that Kang Shin-hyuk did what he could to keep them safe.
“Oh, and give me your equipment too. I will upgrade it.”
“Can you do that too?!”
This was his main job. He collected their equipment and checked the conditions of it first. All of them were of the same standard, with the Gunners’ mark on them.
“Supplies?”
“Yes. The higher the grade, the better.”
“You’ll have to return it, right?”
“No, it’s a deal we were all given.”
Indeed, there was a reason as to why they had one of the best reputations. He had heard most mercenary guilds only connected their mercenaries with the seller and let them buy it themselves, but they provided it like this. Kang Shinhyuk meticulously examined the equipment to see if there were any hidden defects or equipment and then analyzed the source with his spiritual power.
“But, just in case, I should make the upgrades secretly.”
“Shin-hyuk is so cool…”
“Hey?!”
At that moment, Claire returned with a box full of chicken in both of her hands. When Kang Shin-hyuk accepted it, Claire nodded and looked around the room.
“Did you finish talking?”
“Yes, about the first topic.”
“The first?”
Jo Woonhyung tilted his head, and Kang Shin-hyuk smiled bitterly.
“If you know anything about Zeus, tell me.”
“Zeus.”
Yoo Hye-na’s eyes brightened, and he wanted to believe it wasn’t at the sight of food.
“We know a lot.”
“Because of our training. Zeus does some dirty things in secret.”
“Yeah, some dangerous stuff.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s sit down.”
Jo Woonhyung raised a chicken leg with a serious look.
“I’ll only stick to the facts.”
Kang Shin-hyuk sat down, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Claire took her own chicken leg out and bit into it.
“They’re really like a couple.”
“Hey, Hye-na, do you want a leg too?”
“I’ll get it myself.”
“Shin-hyuk hyung, what Zeus is doing…”
For two hours, they discussed the accusations surrounding Zeus. All in all, the evidence was insufficient to confirm the facts, but the circumstances around it were roughly understood.
Kang Shin-hyuk had a sense of what he should prepare.