“Dear citizens, Espers and Guides who have kept us safe enough to gather and hold an event like this in front of the large Gate located in the heart of Seoul are assembled here in one place.”
Though calling it the heart of Seoul when it was positioned somewhat to one side, the existence of the large Gate that hadn’t closed for several years had transformed from an object of fear into one of curiosity. That was because the considerable amount of items and magic stones coming from inside were quite useful in daily life. Since they periodically conducted Gate inspections and explorations to prepare for any possible danger, unlike with sudden Gates, people had no anxiety.
“This Gate exploration will unusually include even Guides participating, gathering more resources and information than usual to become a cornerstone for creating the safety and better lives of our citizens.”
Whether he was planning to run in the next election, the Association Director’s tongue was truly smooth and long. As those desperately maintaining proper posture gradually loosened up, the quick-witted Association Director reminded them that Gate entry was imminent while praising the Espers and Guides.
Before entering the Gate, Han Seoha reviewed the situation he’d prepared. He’d arranged everything necessary, so it was just a matter of checking once more.
‘Ryu Jaegeon probably won’t be able to participate officially.’
Ryu Jaegeon, who had been in temporary detention, was confined for 24 hours despite Han Seoha’s pleas. As expected, he looked for Jeong Iro as if reluctantly leaving. The situation on that end was serious. He’d been transferred to a detention facility due to an official report from the Esper side. It was Han Seoha’s lot to run around everywhere trying to somehow draw out mitigating circumstances.
The more Han Seoha struggled, the more Jeong Iro’s behavior became known to the world. Because of that, while pretending not to care about Ryu Jaegeon, Yu Haneul quickly took him away to hide his Esper’s shameful misconduct. Though it was actually a situation that would be resolved in a day, it was distorted as if Han Seoha’s efforts were nothing compared to Yu Haneul’s single word.
‘Maintained my image and reduced unnecessary interference.’
Jeong Iro’s offense was bad enough that no matter how much victim Han Seoha pleaded, it was useless. As if trying to do something, Han Seoha volunteered for the emergency Guide position that was always vacant in the nominal Gate basic guarantee. With help from a staff member who felt sorry that he was trying to join a Gate he didn’t have to for his temporary partner’s sentence reduction, he was able to participate despite being C-rank.
What was unexpected was Baek Uihyeon.
While Han Seoha stirred things up here and there and work progressed, Baek Uihyeon was surprisingly compliant. He persuaded him as much as possible until midway, but when Han Seoha wouldn’t back down, he postponed his scheduled appointments and expressed his intention to participate in the regular Gate exploration in a supervisory role. Rather than blocking Han Seoha’s feelings toward Espers, he chose to protect him from nearby.
What he expected least was Lee Yeongjin’s intervention. Lee Yeongjin, like a gatekeeper of the Guide dormitory, had responded roughly to dangers to Guides. Because of that, he was often misunderstood, but inside the dormitory at least, he was thoroughly sincere about Guide safety. Even so, interfering in matters outside the dormitory was meddling and overstepping authority. Lee Yeongjin didn’t bother looking after things outside the dormitory either.
Even if Han Seoha walked into danger himself, there was no reason for Lee Yeongjin to intervene.
‘And yet he looked after something like this.’
The ring he’d tossed over casually as if picking it up along the way was an item with a recognition reduction function. Though it only worked on low-grade demon beasts and was meaningless to Espers, it could at least provide peace of mind to Guides who were no different from ordinary people.
‘And it’s a ring too, how tasteful.’
It was the most preferred design among various forms of items.
He’d returned all the equipment he’d borrowed for the operation deployment before. He could have sneakily kept the earring-type item he’d received from Ryu Jaegeon, but it became regrettable when Baek Uihyeon stubbornly made him return it. After that, it seemed like he might provide new items, but perhaps judging there couldn’t be better protection than an S-rank, nothing came.
‘Well, even if you enter a Gate, Guides don’t leave the safe zone.’
Since Han Seoha’s plan was far from safe, he gathered supplies inconspicuously. Old but sturdy early-era training uniform that could block low-grade demon beast claws, heavy but safe boots that could cut through thorn bushes, a safety-first talisman containing a low-grade blessing, a canteen instead of a crude weapon that wouldn’t work on demon beasts. He prepared things that would make him look like a timid Guide even if a sharp-eyed Esper noticed.
As a result, to the eyes of the Guides gathered for the regular event known even to ordinary people, Han Seoha looked like a poor person wearing picked-up old clothes.
The B-rank Esper who came as a guide also didn’t seem to know about equipment, as he looked at Han Seoha’s outfit, disappeared somewhere, then reappeared and held out a new uniform.
“Please change into the uniformly distributed uniform and attend. When appearing before the public, remember that we are representatives of ability users and be careful of your words and actions.”
“Ah, thank you.”
For something uniformly distributed, the uniforms the other Guides wore had excessive fits to the point of looking uncomfortable to move in. It was the showing off of those who had clearly been students until recently. Even the rookie Espers wore body-hugging uniforms. Baek Uihyeon’s was also quite tight-fitting, but if his was due to his physique, he wondered if they’d deliberately worn smaller sizes.
Either way, to Han Seoha’s eyes they only looked like chicks excited about their first Gate outing. Since it was an exploration that had already been repeated many times, there was a truck’s worth of information released to the public. With even Guides participating in the exploration schedule that had nothing to be tense about, among those who didn’t have partners yet, they were excited as if going to a group blind date.
Which meant it was a perfect combination for an accident to occur.
“Ah, what the hell? They said it was an official event, but what’s this?”
“At least you got photos taken. We were shoved in.”
The Association Director’s boring speech was shorter than expected, and as soon as the pledge by the representative Esper substituting for Baek Uihyeon, who hadn’t arrived yet, ended, they entered the Gate in time with the command. Unlike the Espers who maintained formation, the Guides remained scattered in a disorganized atmosphere. It was a situation where a few frightened ones rushed and tumbled into the Gate in a rush when the Espers positioned around them as if escorting the Guides lightly urged them on.
Han Seoha was also pushed in without time to change into the new uniform he’d received, which was rather fortunate.
“Gates are nothing special.”
“Right? They said places with high mana levels make it hard to breathe.”
The Gate they entered in confusion was no different from Earth’s environment. The barren field had nowhere to hide and was so clean you couldn’t even find a demon beast’s shadow. Though it was an even lower-risk Gate for that reason, many were a bit disappointed at their first visit.
“Um… Guide-nim, shall I carry your luggage?”
“Huh? Uh? Me?”
“Haha, I’m B-rank so you seem to be B-rank too, Guide-nim.”
“I’m an enhancement type so I’m super sturdy. Want to stick with me?”
With many young ability users among the rookies, the atmosphere was excited rather than tense even at their first Gate entry. Especially since this Gate exploration had rookie Guides tagging along out of curiosity due to Han Seoha’s participation. The atmosphere became even lighter as rookie Espers trying to look good to Guides unnecessarily offered to carry luggage or lingered around saying they’d protect them.
Even the Espers who appeared to be veterans didn’t point out or correct the rookies’ light attitude. Existing teams divided exploration areas among themselves and disappeared in an instant, but almost no one noticed. This exploration would probably proceed with rookies and veteran members divided.
‘It doesn’t matter if this side just skims the surface. The safe zone was the goal from the start anyway.’
Rather, if dragged to an exploration area, he’d have to pretend to be scared and remain in the safe zone. If emergency guiding was needed to that degree, they couldn’t have brought low-rank Guides in the first place.
“Unlike sudden Gates, since this is a constantly managed place, the entrance has been cleared, but if you go inside, flying-type demon beasts or demon beasts that move underground might pop out, so you must not scatter.”
“Yesss.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll protect you.”
“The demon beasts that appear in places like this are only about C-grade anyway.”
The Guides answering half-heartedly and the Espers trying to show off their strength against low-grade demon beasts were endlessly light. Rather, the atmosphere was hoping something would appear.
Though their lightness wouldn’t last long.
The safe zone was positioned quite deep inside since it doubled as a base camp. With only two legs as transportation, they walked diligently, had a harmonious time as if on a picnic with the distributed lunch boxes, and after quite a bit more time passed, the scenery suddenly changed.
It was dense greenery where even the air felt different, enough to quiet the voices of those who’d been grumbling that it was hard and they’d come for nothing.
“Wh-what? Why suddenly……”
“It was just flatland until now.”
As the forest that had felt distant appeared right before their eyes, the frightened Guides stopped and the Espers stepped forward. The guide Esper calmly explained the situation.
“It’s a place where the flow of magic power changes, so it will feel like you suddenly moved. In reality, it was a forest terrain located nearby.”
While they marveled at a phenomenon they’d only seen in textbooks, Han Seoha moved to the very back and set down the distributed uniform in a pile of grass. He’d been thinking of at least leaving his watch behind if necessary, but he was fortunate to have found a suitable item.
‘All that’s left is to move when it’s the right time.’
The problem had been that it was difficult for a C-rank Guide to enter a Gate, but now that he was in, it was an easy task.
