# Chapter 30
“Ah, I guess it’s a bit… like that?”
Fortunately, the suffocating atmosphere didn’t last long. Jiwon’s momentum, which had seemed like he would pounce immediately, suddenly died down.
He smiled with an embarrassed face, then embraced Suhyun as if to say he didn’t care anymore. With Suhyun filling his arms, Jiwon’s lips inexplicably went dry.
“Well, let’s try this first. No need to set the hurdle too high from the beginning. If it’s not enough… we’ll think about it then.”
“……”
“I’m saying this because I know guiding can be burdensome for you, Esper Suhyun. If this doesn’t seem stable enough, then… well, yes, we’ll do it, so prepare yourself mentally.”
Jiwon rambled, uncharacteristically. His body was stiff. Whether this was fortunate or not, Suhyun’s body was also rigid. At least Jiwon wasn’t the only one feeling awkward, so it seemed fortunate after all.
Soon, Suhyun’s body relaxed. Jiwon’s body also loosened up. Jiwon embraced Suhyun more comfortably. Thanks to this, guiding became easier than before.
His embrace seems wider than it was two years ago.
Although his physique hadn’t grown significantly since then, for some reason, it felt that way. Perhaps it was just his imagination.
‘Strangely comfortable.’
Jiwon thought, as if newly realizing it.
‘Is it because I’m carried in his arms so much in the dungeon?’
That seemed quite plausible. In any case, it was certain that this type of guiding wasn’t uncomfortable for Suhyun at least. If Jiwon tried to substitute any other Esper for Suhyun, it would be utterly repulsive.
Perhaps from the beginning, it was only okay with Suhyun?
Thinking about it that way, it made sense that he had abruptly embraced him when they first met. Since then, there hadn’t been a single Esper that Jiwon had wanted to hold in his arms.
It might be the sense of stability that comes from Suhyun as a person. Even if he found Jiwon somewhat uncomfortable and tried to keep his distance, Jiwon knew what kind of person he truly was.
Knowing that he was more dedicated to saving people than anyone else, Jiwon couldn’t help but be more proactive in helping him.
There was a time when Jiwon disliked the very idea of having to guide through physical contact. Now, his sentiments had changed a lot. Hadn’t he been able to embrace the hardworking Seo Suhyun, even if under the pretext of guiding?
‘He’s working hard.’
Why was Suhyun the only S-class? Why was Suhyun doing all the hard work?
Jiwon’s arms tightened around Suhyun. Behind Jiwon’s back, Suhyun’s hand moved as if to touch him but then drew away.
***
In front of the Hwashin Group headquarters.
There, a large dungeon entrance had been erected.
Association people and Espers surrounded the area. However, no one was trying to enter the dungeon.
“What are you doing now? Are you just going to stand and watch?”
The one making a fuss was Kim Taeman, the chairman of Hwashin Group.
“Please wait. The Esper will come.”
“Aren’t all these people spread out here Espers? Are you waiting until monsters come out?”
The Hwashin Group headquarters is located in the center of Seoul. If this place were abandoned, the number of refugees would increase exponentially.
Therefore, this dungeon was scheduled for Seo Suhyun and Moon Jiwon to enter. However, not right now.
They were currently inside another dungeon, and after that, they were scheduled to go to two more dungeons consecutively. Those two dungeons had appeared just a day ago, so they needed to be handled first.
In contrast, the dungeon here had appeared only a couple of hours ago. It would be fine if they entered early tomorrow after finishing their schedule for today.
“If the company collapses, will the Association take responsibility? Do you know how many employees Hwashin Group has? How do you intend to take responsibility if something happens?”
But Kim Taeman had no intention of understanding the circumstances. He was demanding that Espers deal with the dungeon right now.
“Chairman. Right now, the Esper to enter that place…”
“What grudge does the Association have against me? I kept quiet when my youngest son awakened and went to dangerous dungeons here and there. Because it’s about protecting citizens! But then you put some strange restraint on my son who worked hard in dungeons, preventing him from going to dungeons. And now you’re going to leave a dungeon in front of my company as is!”
“That’s not…”
The Association employee was sweating profusely.
Despite being of quite a high rank, he couldn’t easily deal with the chairman of Hwashin Group. It would be impossible even if the head of the Association came. Especially considering the money Hwashin Group had poured into the Association since Esper Kim Juyoung’s awakening.
“What exactly are you waiting for? Is that dungeon’s rank that high? Are you waiting for that Seo Suhyun guy!”
The dungeon was only C-rank. The Espers ready to enter were all B-rank to C-rank.
However, they could only enter after Suhyun checked the inside of the dungeon. Without going through Suhyun, Espers couldn’t enter. From the start, no one was trying to enter.
“Please wait a bit, Chairman. It will definitely be resolved by tomorrow dawn.”
Though it was regretful for the two ability users who were working hard all along, they had to appease Chairman Kim Taeman somehow.
“Tomorrow dawn?”
However, he reacted as if he had heard something absurd.
“Do you want to see all the people in this area dead by this evening before you’re satisfied?”
“That’s not the case. No one will die.”
“The whole region is in chaos. Who would believe the Association?”
He knew the Association’s credibility was declining. People were cursing at the Association and blaming Espers and Guides for being incompetent.
But they couldn’t push ability users into danger just because people were scared. Once this issue was resolved, they could focus on rebuilding and elevating the Association’s credibility again.
“Fine. I’ll get rid of that dungeon in my own way.”
“…What are you saying, Chairman?”
“My son will go in. As you obviously know, my son is an A-class Esper. That measly dungeon is nothing to him.”
The employee’s pupils trembled wildly. He shook his head, trying to dissuade Kim Taeman.
“I know Esper Kim Juyoung is strong. But…”
“But? But what? Even though my son is strong, he’s not as good as that Seo Suhyun guy? So wait for that fellow?”
“Chairman…”
“My son alone is enough. Did he say he needs guiding?”
Kim Taeman twisted the corner of his mouth and smiled. From his words, the employee realized that he already knew about the situation.
“My son has an abundance of Guides. If we send him in with three high-matching-rate Guides, there won’t be any problem, right?”
The Association employee hesitated. As if not giving him time to think, Kim Taeman bellowed.
“If you understand, remove that damn bracelet from my son’s arm first!”
It was a loud, tiger-like voice. All the ability users and employees present could understand what he wanted.
He wanted to lift Kim Juyoung’s disciplinary action.
Because Kim Juyoung had sneaked into the dungeon on his own and stirred up monsters, causing Suhyun, who should have just checked and come out, to use excessive abilities, he was prohibited from entering dungeons and was given a bracelet that temporarily restrained his power.
The bracelet, imbued with the power of an S-class Esper, could completely restrain Espers of A-class or lower, like Kim Juyoung.
Thanks to this, Kim Juyoung was bound to his place, unable to do anything. Even if he wanted to interfere with Suhyun and Jiwon, he had no power to do so.
Seeing this state, Kim Taeman came up with a clever idea upon noticing the dungeon that had appeared in front of the Hwashin Group building. He wanted to restore Kim Juyoung’s reputation this way.
‘Of course I can handle that dungeon alone. It won’t even take 10 minutes.’
Kim Juyoung asserted, and Kim Taeman believed him.
If his son quickly dealt with the dungeon and came out, the citizens in the area would cheer. Along with Kim Juyoung’s reputation, his own fame would also rise.
For Kim Taeman, who was considering politics in the future, it was quite a good opportunity.
“Chairman. Though it looks like a low-rank dungeon, no one can guarantee what will happen inside. So, please calm your anger a bit…”
“My son, A-class Hunter Kim Juyoung! He can clear any dungeon! Will you let monsters break through those doors and let everyone die, or will you remove my son’s restraint and send him into the dungeon to keep everyone safe!”
Kim Taeman’s plan was perfect. He and his son, Kim Juyoung, thought so.
Even if they encountered a dungeon like that one, with three Guides, what was there to worry about?
A gleam appeared in Kim Taeman’s eyes.
Due to his force, the Association would soon have to make the decision to remove Kim Juyoung’s restraint.
