Chief Choi bowed politely and made his way out of the executive office. Only after the door shut completely did Eunseong let out the breath he had been holding.
I need to go over the original story’s flow again. This insane guild is constantly itching to shove Mujin into the jaws of death the moment they get the chance!
Eunseong quickly rubbed the silver ring and scanned the inventory list.
“Let’s see. There should be something in here that could save his life….”
Eunseong searched thoroughly for armor from the Lord of Darkness series, but after confirming it wasn’t in the list, he clicked his tongue in disappointment. He reached for an S-Rank plate armor set and a legendary-grade shield with fitting options instead — then stopped short.
“No, wait. I just gave him an S-Rank sword and an elixir.”
Eunseong muttered with a small pout.
“If I hand over this too, he’ll feel too pressured to accept it, won’t he? If I suddenly start showering him with things, he’ll think I’m out of my mind — no, he’ll find me incredibly suspicious.”
Reluctantly, Eunseong put the bulkier armor pieces back and turned his attention to items that could guarantee survival without being too conspicuous.
His fingertip, busily scrolling through the translucent list, came to a sudden stop at one entry. A bracelet with a soft platinum sheen glowed with a peculiar, quiet radiance that stood out even among the countless items around it.
[Paladin’s Blessing (A)]
Rank: A-Rank
Category: Accessory (Bracelet)
Options:
— Auto-activates when HP drops to 10% or below
— Nullifies all physical/magical damage for 5 seconds (Absolute Shield)
Cooldown: 24 hours
“This is it!”
Eunseong tapped the listing and the bracelet dropped into his palm. The cool, metallic sensation traveled through his skin. The sacred mana condensed within it carried a pleasant warmth.
“Five seconds of absolute shielding is more than enough.”
The one thing he was worried about, though, was what kind of look Kang Mujin would give him when he held this out. Most likely, those sharp eyes would move back and forth between the bracelet and him before asking in that low voice why. And then, no matter what answer he gave, Mujin would fall into silence as if it still weren’t enough.
…Well, there’s nothing to be done about it.
Eunseong sprang to his feet and pushed the bracelet deep into his pocket. He stepped in front of the mirror and straightened the collar of his rumpled shirt.
The thought of going to see Kang Mujin again filled him with excitement — and at the same time, an unplaceable nervousness rose from the tips of his toes. The mere possibility that he might be allowed into his favorite character’s personal space made his heart pound wildly. He did his best to slow his quickened breathing and fidgeted his toes needlessly inside the dress shoes he had changed into.
While I’m giving this to him, I should firmly remind him one more time to get plenty of rest. That he doesn’t need to watch himself — he can rest as much as he wants.
Eunseong gave both cheeks a light slap to steel himself and stepped out of the executive office. Despite the late hour, a secretary on night duty was still keeping watch at the desk.
Startled by the sound of footsteps, the secretary rose reflexively and bowed respectfully.
“Where is Hunter Kang Mujin’s room?”
Eunseong asked in a voice carefully drained of all emotion. The secretary looked briefly flustered, but quickly tapped a holographic panel and replied.
“Room 1104 in Building E, the Hunter-exclusive residential area.”
Eunseong gave a short nod and stepped into the private elevator. The elevator descended smoothly and came to a stop on the first floor. Despite the late hour, there were plenty of Hunters coming and going through the lobby. They noticed Eunseong and offered greetings, but he gave only a vague wave and boarded a separate elevator heading to the Hunter-exclusive residential zone.
The elevator stopped at the eleventh floor. When the doors opened, a grey concrete corridor stretched endlessly ahead. It was so bleak it was hard to believe it was the same building.
Which way is room 1104?
There wasn’t even a room directory sign in the corridor. Eunseong glanced around and turned in one direction. If it was room 4, it should be toward the front — but the numbers read 1120, 1121. He felt like he was moving further away.
He came to a stop in the middle of the corridor, where identical doors lined up endlessly on either side. Left and right looked exactly the same.
In the corridor without a single soul in sight, only the lonely echo of his dress shoes rang out.
Is there anyone passing by? I can’t exactly say I’m lost — this is maddening.
His footsteps were growing faster from the anxiety when, from the deep shadows at the far end of the corridor where even the sparse fluorescent lights didn’t reach, came the sound of steady, rhythmic footsteps.
“……Sir?”
A low, heavy voice resonated through the empty hallway. Eunseong startled, his shoulders jolting as he snapped his head around.
Stepping out of the darkness was Kang Mujin. The Lord of Darkness hung heavily at his hip.
As if he couldn’t quite believe Eunseong was here, Kang Mujin’s brow drew together ever so slightly. A refined scent — entirely out of place amid the stale corridor smell of Hunters’ sweat and antiseptic — hit his nose sharply. It was the same scent he had caught in the executive office earlier.
Kang Mujin slowly tightened his grip around the scabbard. And then, step by step, without a sound, he closed the distance.
Just when Eunseong had been wishing desperately for anyone to appear, Kang Mujin showed up at exactly the right moment — and he nearly stepped forward out of instinct, delighted, before catching himself with a small cleared throat and planting his feet firmly.
He straightened the shoulders that had hunched from the fear of being alone in an unfamiliar place and adjusted his posture. He had barely resolved to play the role of Baek Eunseong, yet the moment he saw Kang Mujin he had almost crumbled. Eunseong stood with an air of cool composure and waited for Kang Mujin to come to him.
Kang Mujin’s approaching steps came to a halt. Against the dark, grey world, Eunseong alone stood in pure white, glowing as if lit from within. An inexplicable sense of incongruity made Kang Mujin’s eyes narrow.
“What brings you here?”
Kang Mujin asked as he drew near. It was a polite manner of speaking — yet to Eunseong’s ears, it was laced with suspicion, as if questioning why he was here.
When no answer came even after waiting, Kang Mujin asked again.
“Is there a Hunter you’re looking for?”
“Yes.”
“If you tell me who, I’ll go get them.”
“Found them.”
At the unhesitating answer, Kang Mujin paused.
“…Is it me?”
“Yes.”
Kang Mujin’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly. His face said he couldn’t make sense of Eunseong having come to find him in person out of nowhere.
“If you had called for me, I would have come.”
Kang Mujin lightly ran his thumb along the scabbard and looked down at Eunseong steadily. Eunseong’s gaze drifted to that scabbard without him even realizing it.
It really suits him. Black really is the color for Kang Mujin.
Feeling quietly pleased with himself, Eunseong deliberately dropped the words flat.
“Because I wanted to.”
Kang Mujin’s gaze settled into something unreadable.
What’s his angle this time.
Eunseong glanced away without any particular reaction.
The reason he had come in person instead of simply calling was simple — he wanted to see where his favorite character, Kang Mujin, actually lived. He was curious about what kind of life he was living.
It had been mentioned in the original, but not in detail. Kang Mujin spent most of his time in dungeons, so there were very few scenes set in his room. But now that he had come to see it for himself, the bleakness of the atmosphere was more than he had expected and left him a little taken aback. Still, having Kang Mujin nearby eased his unease somewhat.
Then the reason he had come here crossed his mind, and Eunseong slipped his hand into his pocket and fidgeted with the bracelet.
What do I even say when I hand it to him?
No natural way to do it came to mind. In the end, Eunseong chose the direct approach and walked stiffly toward Kang Mujin. The sound of his heels on the corridor floor seemed unusually loud.
He had to tilt his head back to look up at Kang Mujin’s considerable height.
“Hand.”
“……Pardon?”
Kang Mujin’s left eye twitched. This wasn’t training a dog — demanding a hand out of nowhere. Kang Mujin concealed his wariness and slowly extended his right hand, and Eunseong, without warning, took that large, rough hand firmly in his. Unlike his own cold hand, Kang Mujin’s was warm. The contrast in temperature hit him sharply.
At the sudden contact, Kang Mujin’s shoulders went rigid. His instinct was to pull away — he barely managed to hold it down. In the dark eyes looking down at that small head, a flash of killing intent surfaced and vanished in an instant.
Kang Mujin clenched his jaw and watched in silence as Eunseong did what he was doing. Eunseong, meanwhile, was marveling inwardly.
His hands are really big. Is Baek Eunseong the small one? His fingers are thick too. Is it from using a sword?
It was a true Hunter’s hand — a stark contrast to the pale, unblemished hands that looked as if they had never known hardship. Eunseong felt a strange, quiet emotion stir in him. These hands felt like proof of everything Kang Mujin had been through.
Eunseong let that brief feeling pass, and then carefully placed the small platinum bracelet into the center of Kang Mujin’s wide palm.
[Paladin’s Blessing (A)]
Rank: A-Rank
Category: Accessory (Bracelet)
Options:
— Auto-activates when HP drops to 10% or below
— Nullifies all physical/magical damage for 5 seconds (Absolute Shield)
Cooldown: 24 hours
At the item description showing in the system window, Kang Mujin’s brow furrowed again.
His brow had hardly relaxed the entire time he’d been with Eunseong. Kang Mujin slowly closed his eyes and opened them. After the S-Rank sword, now an A-Rank bracelet. And not just any A-Rank — top-tier options even within that grade. Put it up for auction and it would easily fetch tens of billions.
“…….”
“……Why?”
When Kang Mujin said nothing even after receiving the bracelet, Eunseong asked cautiously. Does he not like it? Are the options not good enough? Is the design strange? A rush of questions flashed through his mind in an instant.
“Are you giving this with no reason again?”
“Yes. Don’t take it off.”
“…Understood.”
Kang Mujin put the bracelet on right then and there. Given the item’s properties, the size adjusted to fit the wearer’s frame. The bracelet, with its sturdy circular design, thickened and settled with a solid, weighty presence on Kang Mujin’s wrist bone. Watching it, Eunseong pressed his lips together to hold back the smile trying to form at the corners. His expression only became more rigid and cold-looking because of it — but his eyes alone were sparkling.
“Rest.”
With his business done, Eunseong turned and made to leave quickly. If he stayed any longer, he felt like he’d end up grabbing Kang Mujin by the arm and shouting lead the way to your room! Being in the same space as his favorite character took far more restraint than he had anticipated. And doing it while performing as someone else made it all the more draining.
Eunseong’s retreating figure as he all but fled the scene was, as ever, nothing but graceful. With each step, the hem of his pristine white shirt swayed lightly.
Kang Mujin watched until Eunseong disappeared from view. The platinum bracelet clasped around his wrist let off a quiet glow in the darkness.
