[It’s a scroll. The destination is Baekyoung’s house, so you can tear it right away.]
A small scroll was rolled up in the note.
A scroll is a magic item that instantly transports you to a location designated by the creator the moment you tear it. Should he say it’s an item that only high-grade mage-type Espers can make?
It wasn’t strange for Na Geonwoo to make scrolls, but the instruction to come to Gu Baekyoung’s house was somewhat unexpected. What did he have to say?
Onyul walked deep into a narrow alley where people didn’t come and go and tore the scroll. With a flash and a small light, Onyul’s figure disappeared.
When he opened his closed eyes, the surrounding scenery had completely changed. A spacious area without much furniture—it was Gu Baekyoung’s house.
Gu Baekyoung and Na Geonwoo were already in the living room. Gu Baekyoung, who had been sitting on the sofa, jumped up and grabbed Onyul’s hand.
“Honey, are you okay?”
It felt like words laden with many meanings. He would at least know that Park Hanil had visited the convenience store, so that fact would be what he was most worried about.
As if that guess wasn’t wrong, Gu Baekyoung gripped his hand especially tightly today.
“Didn’t you feel bad because something dirty touched you?”
“It was dirty.”
“If you allow it, I’ll cut off just one of Park Hanil’s arms.”
The answer flowed from both Onyul and Na Geonwoo simultaneously.
“No, Baekyoung.”
“You can’t do that.”
Gu Baekyoung, who quickly deflated, sat Onyul on the sofa. His body temperature as he sat with their hips pressed close together was hotter than usual.
“Team Leader, can’t we get rid of this bird?”
Kiki, who had been attached to Onyul, was now pecking at Gu Baekyoung’s crown.
Come to think of it, even in his previous life, Kiki hadn’t particularly liked Gu Baekyoung.
The creature strangely pecked at ability users who showed excessive interest in Onyul.
Among them, it seemed to peck Gu Baekyoung the most diligently. Onyul used to guess it was because he was big and gave off a gloomy aura.
“Ki…… No, stop pecking and come here.”
Onyul hastily swallowed what he’d almost called Kiki and recalled the bird.
Kiki fluttered over and sat on Onyul’s shoulder. Naturally, as if that spot was its rightful place.
“It only hates me again.”
Gu Baekyoung looked at Kiki with murderous intent, but Kiki didn’t shrink back at all. Because the creature wasn’t an ordinary bird living in survival of the fittest.
“…….”
And Na Geonwoo looked at them with curiosity.
The bird pecking Gu Baekyoung’s crown and Kang Ian looking at that sight amusedly. For some unknown reason, it was a scene that reminded him of the past.
Only the person had changed from Kang Onyul to Kang Ian; it was a scene he’d seen many times when Kang Onyul was alive.
He wondered why Kiki was acting like before. Kiki didn’t usually follow anyone except himself, its creator.
Kiki liked Kang Onyul, who gave off good energy. It even followed Kang Onyul better than him.
‘Maybe it preferred someone who adored it over a creator who didn’t even give it a name.’
Na Geonwoo originally didn’t name the creatures he made with magic. Because even though he packaged it nicely, he thought the essence was fake.
Since he used messengers most often, he only made birds occasionally.
But Kang Onyul gave affection to the bird as soon as he met it, adored it, and even gave it a name.
After that, if he didn’t call it by the name Kang Onyul gave it, it wouldn’t listen at all, so Na Geonwoo also started calling the bird Kiki.
There were times when Kiki wouldn’t return to Na Geonwoo even though its role was finished. Because it would hover around Kang Onyul until it dissipated.
Na Geonwoo had watched the friendship between the non-biological being and the human with quite some interest.
But after Kang Onyul died, he hadn’t made Kiki even once. Because if he made Kiki, it seemed like it would remind him of Kang Onyul who had died futilely.
Though he’d never once told Gu Baekyoung and the team members, Na Geonwoo had also been considerably wounded by Kang Onyul’s death.
Making Kiki for the first time in nearly 6 months and sending it to Kang Ian was an impulsive action.
He judged that using a messenger was the most suitable method to quietly call Kang Ian to Gu Baekyoung’s house without leaking clues about the cat helmet’s identity.
And now, an unexpected scene was unfolding.
Kiki was behaving toward Kang Ian as if Kang Onyul had come back to life.
‘……It must be because he gives off a similar aura.’
The strange energy that had been underlying the vast Guiding. It was similar to Kang Onyul’s energy. It was probably a special ability of an S-rank Guide.
In any case, Na Geonwoo didn’t mind Kang Ian getting along well with Kiki. Enough that he thought he should use the messenger when contacting Kang Ian from now on.
“The bird’s name is Kiki.”
“Ah, does Team Leader Na Geonwoo keep birds too?”
“No. That’s a fake bird made with magic. It will naturally dissipate when the mana imbued in it is depleted.”
“Such a thing is possible? Amazing! But still, dissipation…… It’s so cute, what a shame.”
“It’s not dying, so you don’t need to feel sorry.”
“Ahh…….”
Onyul, who nodded as if he understood, glanced at Na Geonwoo.
Wasn’t his reaction awkward? Since the content Na Geonwoo mentioned was all something he already knew, he broke into a cold sweat pretending to be surprised.
The moment he let out a small sigh, he felt Gu Baekyoung’s gaze. He was staring intently at Onyul as if to drill a hole in his cheek.
“Why?”
“You’re…….”
Gu Baekyoung, who uncharacteristically drew out his words, finally completed the sentence.
“It seems like you’re getting along too well with Kiki whom you just met.”
“Haha, animals also like good-looking people. Well, it’s a fake bird but it’s still a bird, right?”
Even at the jest, Gu Baekyoung’s face was somehow complicated.
Onyul addressed Na Geonwoo to turn Gu Baekyoung’s attention elsewhere.
“By the way, Team Leader Na Geonwoo, what’s the reason you called me?”
“Ah, first please receive the scrolls.”
Na Geonwoo thrust a bundle of scrolls he’d made himself at Onyul and explained.
“The scrolls are set to three destinations. This is Baekyoung’s house, this is the Alpha Team member room, and this is the convenience store.”
The destinations could be distinguished by color. The one going to Gu Baekyoung’s house was red, the one going to the Alpha Team member room was blue, and the one going to the convenience store was yellow.
“I made them because I thought you’d need them. If you need any other destination, please let me know.”
For Onyul whose identity was confidential, the scrolls would be very useful.
“Team Leader, you’re the best.”
“What about me?”
A question immediately came back from Gu Baekyoung. Onyul answered without much contemplation.
“Baekyoung is even better.”
As Gu Baekyoung’s exclusive trainer, he knew too well what answer he should give to make him quiet.
“……Yeah.”
Gu Baekyoung’s face, who answered briefly, visibly softened.
As expected.
Onyul continued his conversation with Na Geonwoo with relief.
“What Guide Center Director Park Hanil did was something our team members didn’t anticipate either. I said I’d protect you, but such a thing happened, so I’m truly sorry.”
“No! There’s no need for Team Leader to apologize.”
“I also tried my best to settle the situation, but…….”
Na Geonwoo’s gaze reached Gu Baekyoung.
“Since it’s a matter the Management Bureau Director is involved in, it’s not easy to settle it at my level.”
The Management Bureau Director. He was also an intervener Onyul had somewhat expected.
He’d vaguely thought there must be backing enough for Park Hanil to run wild like that.
The Management Bureau Director wasn’t as strange a person as Park Hanil, but he too valued talent importantly.
If Park Hanil stepped forward saying he’d recruit an S-rank Guide, there would be no reason to stop him. Because whether it was criticism or praise, all attention would pour onto Park Hanil.
The Management Bureau Director could get what he wanted in exchange for staying silent.
“…….”
As soon as the Management Bureau Director’s story came up, Gu Baekyoung’s atmosphere darkened.
He was the only being who could grab the Management Bureau Director by the collar, but he seemed unable to do anything about the Management Bureau Director’s decisions.
Because he was the adoptive father who had saved Gu Baekyoung.
“Honey, even if the situation goes wrong, I’ll handle it somehow…… You don’t need to worry about the Management Bureau Director’s side. You too, Team Leader.”
Onyul held the hand of Gu Baekyoung, who for some reason seemed reluctant to bring up the Management Bureau Director. He could see his pupils grow slightly larger at the warmth suddenly felt.
“Baekyoung, my plan won’t fail.”
Since he’d even perfectly awakened his therapy ability, there was no reason at all to fail.
Onyul just needed to decide when within the week he would visit the Management Bureau. The upper hand was already tilted this way.
“So, Mr. Kang Ian, how will you get through this matter?”
“Well, about that…….”
Onyul told Na Geonwoo what he’d explained to Gu Baekyoung.
Na Geonwoo also had an atmosphere of not readily believing it like Gu Baekyoung, but he didn’t doubt Onyul’s words. Rather, his face seemed to be considering various possibilities.
“Since we’ve met, there’s something I’d like to consult with Team Leader about.”
“Yes, please tell me.”
“When would be good to visit the Management Bureau?”
Na Geonwoo’s eyes beneath his square glasses gleamed sharply. He recited a clear answer as if asking when he’d ever been confused.
“The more it’s a fight the opponent started first, the more important psychological warfare is.”
