“All this time, turns out our Guru’s got a knack for scouting. How’d you even bring Gnosis in?”
Guru leaned her head on Gidan as he teased her playfully.
She’d first heard about Serhi while stacking snacks with Nayeon unni in the break room.
When she found out that the pretty odd-eyed boy had gone around claiming he was Gnosis, she’d been genuinely shocked.
Nobody really seemed to believe the boy was actually Gnosis—but still, Serhi had shown abilities shocking enough to make people hesitate.
That’s why Jurim had been summoned—and Guru had chased after him in a hurry.
Inside the conference room, Guru kept chewing over what Serhi had said.
He got fooled by Gnosis... That’s why he made that face when I read the pattern in his eye...
“Oppaw.”
“Yeah?”
“Is Sewuhi Oppaw gonna be in Hyeonak too?”
“Looks like it?”
The real question was whether Hyeonak would accept someone who had been Gnosis.
But instead of saying that, Gidan simply smiled.
There wasn’t really anything he could do about it, even if he wanted to help. That kind of authority wasn’t his.
Trying to steer Guru’s attention elsewhere, Gidan pulled out his phone.
“Guru, wanna play a fun game with Oppaw?”
He launched the game he’d been sneaking in every spare moment lately.
“Gwaim?”
“This is Oppaw’s character.”
Gidan showed her a hideous green avatar. Floating above its head was the nickname: ‘GrooOppaw.’
Guru peeked in closer, eyes scanning over the character and interface before pointing at something.
“Wight here, spawkly.”
“Oh, looks like you got mail.”
Gidan opened the message box.
[Subject: Yo]
Sender: BaldWizard
I’m in Hyeonak. You scared?
Psycho.
Gidan chuckled, then fired off a message telling him to come out to the lobby.
Still doesn’t believe I’m really in Hyeonak, huh. Guess I’ll have to show him myself.
The reply came instantly.
[Subject: Lobby? Can't right now lol]
Sender: BaldWizard
Come to the seminar room instead lol
Guru tilted her head as she read the message.
Gidan tilted his in the exact same direction.
They both thought in silence for a moment, then reached the same conclusion.
“BaldWizard must be in the seminar room.”
“Looks that way, huh?”
Gidan shot to his feet and flung the door open with a bang
“BALDWIZARD!!”
Every head at ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the table turned toward Gidan.
Especially Serhi’s—his eyes were practically shaking.
“...GrooOppaw?”
GrooOppaw’s actually in Hyeonak? And he’s Gidan?!
Ha! Gidan let out an incredulous laugh.
Serhi flinched. Maybe now that he knew the guy he’d been playing games with all this time was actually Gnosis, he felt duped—maybe even betrayed.
Gidan ran a hand over his face, gathering his composure.
“You crazy bastard, Baldy, you...”
“You’re a foreigner?!”
That’s the issue right now?!
Is this guy actually dumb?
Serhi turned to Jurim.
“...Is Hyeonak seriously a guild for losers? Can I reconsider joining?”
Jurim turned his eyes toward Gidan and shot him a look so sharp it could cut steel.
“Gidan. Aren’t you leaving?”
“Leaving now, sir!”
After the chaos had settled down and the conversation finally wrapped, Serhi was left alone in the empty seminar room.
While he fiddled with his phone, the door creaked open.
He lowered his phone and looked down.
“Looks like you’re doing okay.”
Guru gave a little nod.
“Why’d you come here? It’s dangerous. I am Gnosis, remember?”
“Dangewous peoples not say dey dangewous.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, awkward.
Guru stepped closer and placed a piece of candy in front of him.
“Dis candy’s weal good.”
“Carrot one was nasty, huh?”
Guru immediately clapped her hand over her mouth as the memory of that flavor came flooding back.
“Mmhp!”
“Knew it. Bet they dumped the leftovers on us ‘cause they couldn’t sell it. All the vendors there were scammers.”
They giggled, thinking back on that day.
“Sewuhi Oppaw gave me piggyback dat day. I wiked it.”
“....”
For a moment, it felt like they could hear the leaves rustling through the oak grove at the farm.
Serhi closed his eyes.
It felt like he could even smell the damp bark, sprinkled by the rotating sprinkler.
Guru leaned in close beside him.
“Dani Oppaw say Sewuhi Oppaw not gonna be Gnosis no more.”
Serhi opened his eyes.
“Yeah. I’m done with it.”
“Why?”
“There’s a lotta reasons.”
Gnosis lied to me. So I want revenge. And for that, I needed a faction.
But honestly...
He rested his chin on his hand and looked down at Guru. Poked her puffy cheek with a finger, letting the soft squish tickle his skin.
Because I couldn’t forget this warm, ticklish feeling.
“I got tired of doing bad stuff. Figured I’d rather do a handwriting contest with you.”
If it weren’t for those memories on the farm, he wouldn’t have made this choice.
“Den... you gonna be wit Gwuu now?”
“Probably? If your Guildmastuh lets me.”
“Gwuu’s happy...!”
“Didn’t ask.”
Hmph—!
Guru puffed her cheeks in protest, and Serhi let out a small laugh.
Would’ve been better if I never knew... Then I wouldn’t have wished for it.
The truth was, his heart was still on edge.
If Hyeonak didn’t accept him, then what?
Leaving Irina’s side had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
There was no Plan B.
With that sulky face masking his nerves, Serhi quietly waited for the verdict.
Whether she knew how he felt or not, Guru just grabbed his hand and started listing all the things they’d do together in Hyeonak.
“And den, eat bwead in da bweak room again.”
“What’s a break room?”
“Uuuhm... da place dat gives bwead and snacks?”
“Sounds good.”
“And den... do da handwiting contest!”
The child’s carefree tone slowly loosened the tension in his chest.
“I’ll win that one.”
Serhi laughed softly as their hands clasped.
Guru beamed as she saw Serhi appear in her [Caregiver Slot].
In the next room, Jurim was listening in on the conversation from the seminar room. He turned toward Jin Siwon.
Siwon sipped his coffee with a calm smile.
He’d rushed to Hyeonak as soon as he got the report that Serhi had arrived.
Jurim narrowed his eyes at how relaxed Siwon looked.
“Heard you guys got stabbed in the back. You don’t seem all that bothered.”
Siwon blinked blankly.
“Ah... Sorry. What’s ‘stabbed in the back’? I’m still learning the language—there are a lot of words I don’t know yet.”
Jurim looked at him with a conflicted expression, then shook his head.
“Never mind. Maybe it’s better you don’t.”
Siwon chuckled sheepishly and finally said the words Jurim had been waiting for.
“Everything Serhi said is true.”
In fact, that had been Jurim’s very first question during the call.
—“Team Leader Jin, can you detect lies?”
“Yes. I can.”
—“To what extent?”
“Even S-Ranks.”
So that’s why he was here—to verify Serhi’s story.
An S-Rank Gnosis turning sides.
The higher-ups would want to publicize it, but from Serhi’s perspective, that would only cause problems. It’d be better to keep it quiet.
Jin Siwon, being from Kirrus too, would be able to spin a story that didn’t make Serhi stand out too much.
Still, Jurim hadn’t expected him to be so cooperative.
Considering how Gnosis had ranted about betrayal and backstabbing, he figured Serhi wouldn’t come so easily.
Maybe sensing Jurim’s curiosity, Siwon offered an answer unprompted.
“Serhi... reminds me of my little brother.”
“You mean Irina?”
“Oh, you heard.”
Siwon scratched his chin, embarrassed at having a private detail exposed.
“Actually... there’s another little brother, not Irina. Serhi reminds me of him, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Jurim nodded, disinterested.
“Anyway, you sure you’re okay with Hyeonak taking Serhi? If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll take him.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m totally fine with it. But our kids are kinda obsessed with him.”
Jurim crossed his arms and let out a heavy sigh.
Guru’s response had been completely positive.
Gidan, too—once he’d realized BaldWizard was Serhi, he practically insisted on taking him under his wing.
Normally, even if you told Gidan to bring someone around, he’d protest and say he preferred to be alone.
But ever since he and Guru took down Malikian together, he’d changed. He no longer resisted working with the team. Now, he even kept people close.
“Hm...”
Jurim clicked his tongue in mild dissatisfaction.
“Guild’s just filling up with kids.”
Jin Siwon offered a sheepish smile.

Comments

Loading...