RG 165

Cha Sahyeon pushed Kwon Seoyul’s whining face away with her palm, without mercy, and said, “We’re done here. Let’s go.”

“Go? Where? No, wait. Before that…” Hyeon Dowun, who had been about to speak with a sigh, stopped mid-sentence. He’d spotted the crowd of people swarming in behind me. “…Forget it. We’ll talk later.”

“Alright.”

His expression looked annoyed, as if to say, Why do you keep dragging other guys around? I just nodded, not knowing what to say. It’s not like I can do anything about them following me around on their own. Still, we’d be leaving the guild and heading to the hotel soon, so we could talk there instead.

“Hunter Cha Seohu.” As I was wondering which nearby hotel might be worth going to, Ryu Seonghyeon asked gently, “Are you sure it’s alright to stay at a hotel? No matter how nice the facilities, a hotel is still a hotel. There’ll inevitably be inconveniences.”

Seeing Ryu Seonghyeon still worrying about me until the very end brought a warm pang to my chest. For a brief moment, I remembered the Ryu Seonghyeon from before my regression, the one who used to look after me. No matter the situation, he was always so kind and considerate.

“You refused, but… honestly, I still think it’d be better if you stayed in one of our guild rooms instead of at a hotel.”

And he was even thoughtful on top of that. Really, he’s got it all.

‘Maybe that trip to the mountain made him a little more comfortable around me.’

Sure enough, nothing builds closeness between people like suffering together. In the past, he might have worried for me, but he wouldn’t have outright suggested I stay in the guild’s quarters. Knowing Ryu Seonghyeon’s personality as well as I do, I couldn’t help but feel proud of this change.

Of course, I couldn’t show it. We’d only just gotten closer—what if he thought I was weird and pulled away? Suppressing my excitement, I gave a faint smile. “I understand. I’m not planning on staying in a hotel forever—”

“The fuck is this?” a sharp voice suddenly cut into my reply. Startled, I turned my head to see Kwon Seoyul glaring fiercely at Ryu Seonghyeon, brows knitted into a scowl. “Who the hell are you to tell him what to do? Why would my brother stay in a dump like this?”

My heart lurched at Kwon Seoyul’s threatening posture, his body twitching as if ready to pounce any second.

“Kwon Seoyul, stop.”

“Bro, that bastard’s spouting some half-assed bullshit—”

“Shut your mouth.” The chill that ran through me made my voice just as icy. I was genuinely irritated with Kwon Seoyul for trying to ruin the relationship I’d worked so hard to build with Ryu Seonghyeon. I didn’t bother hiding my displeasure. “And who the hell are you to butt in and make a scene? You’re the only one here who doesn’t get what’s going on, so keep your mouth shut.”

“…”

Having been scolded outright, Kwon Seoyul immediately shrank back. His lips pressed tightly together, and he looked at me with resentment, his eyes gradually reddening. The shimmer of moisture in his scarlet pupils made it look like he could cry at any moment—but that wasn’t my problem.

“Sorry, Vicemaster.”

“It’s fine.”

When I apologized awkwardly, Ryu Seonghyeon gave a faint, bitter smile and shook his head. From experience, he clearly understood just how crazy Kwon Seoyul could be. At least my timely interruption seemed to have prevented Ryu Seonghyeon from getting too upset. That was a relief.

“Are you heading straight to the hotel?” Breaking the awkward silence, Kwon Taehyeok, who had been glancing between me and Ryu Seonghyeon with a complicated look, spoke up. “There’s a decent hotel not far from here, but… Hunter Cha Seohu, you still don’t have a phone, do you? You’ll need one to check the location and make a reservation.”

“Well, the two of them here have phones.”

“…You’ll also need it for contacting people.” From the inside pocket of his suit jacket, Kwon Taehyeok pulled something out and held it toward me—a pristine, scratch-free, brand-new phone. “I even bought a new SIM card and put it in. All you have to do is activate it.”

“Oh, uh…” I accepted the phone in a daze. It was a much better model than the one I’d been using before, and the battery was already charged. “Are you sure I can accept this?”

“I’d like you to,” Kwon Taehyeok said weakly. Anyone watching might think I’d begged him to buy me a phone.

“Normally, I’d refuse out of conscience, but this time I can’t. Honestly, it’s been frustrating not having one. Thank you.”

I did need a phone, as I said, but even if I refused, it would only waste time in a pointless back-and-forth.

‘Perks of having a rich friend, I guess.’

Besides, Kwon Taehyeok was wealthy enough that he probably wouldn’t even notice the expense. It might even have been a gift.

“I’ve already saved my number, so once you activate it, please give me a call.”

“Alright.”

He’d just given me an expensive phone, so a single call was nothing. I nodded, and Kwon Taehyeok’s face brightened slightly. Behind him, Ryu Seonghyeon parted his lips.

He stared at me intently, his expression full of words he wasn’t saying, so I waited—but in the end, he said nothing.

“Then I’ll really be going now.”

***

After leaving the Circle Guild, I headed for the best-equipped hotel in the area with Cha Sahyeon, Kwon Seoyul, and Hyeon Dowun in tow. I ignored Kwon Seoyul’s whining about sharing a room and booked three rooms—one for me and Cha Sahyeon, and one each for Kwon Seoyul and Hyeon Dowun.

Kwon Seoyul ended up growling at an innocent hotel employee until he managed to get the room right next to mine. More precisely, my room was in the middle, with Kwon Seoyul and Hyeon Dowun on either side. Not a great outcome for someone like me, who wanted to be as far away from those two as possible.

After that, we headed to my room. I’d booked a slightly larger one on purpose, so I could share it with Cha Sahyeon—we could talk about what needed to be discussed, and then I could kick everyone out.

“While I was waiting for you in the reception room earlier, you got a call.” The moment we entered the room, Hyeon Dowun spoke, as if he’d been holding it in. “It was from Kang Hae-il.”

“Hmm.” The timing was a little suspicious, but I’d expected Kang Hae-il to contact me at some point, so I wasn’t particularly surprised. “What did he say?”

“He asked if I wanted to convince you to come to the district.”

Of course. I perched on the bed, curling one side of my mouth. “Predictable question. You told him no, I’m guessing.”

“…No? Why are you assuming things?”

“If you’d come here to drag me back, you’d have done it already—you wouldn’t have followed me to the hotel.”

I clicked my tongue at him in disappointment, and Hyeon Dowun’s face twisted in irritation.

“And then what?”

Before Hyeon Dowun could swallow his annoyance and answer, Kwon Seoyul spoke instead. “He said he’s going to keep an eye on you. But just watch, not interfere.”

“As expected.”

Kang Hae-il was probably already watching us quietly from somewhere with a clear view of the hotel.

‘He must already know we moved here from the Circle Guild.’

Since I hadn’t sensed the aura of a Hunter as strong as him on the way here, he was probably at a decent distance. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Hyeon Dowun asked, “What are you going to do?”

“Do what? Just leave him be. I don’t even know where he’s watching from, so there’s nothing I can do.”

As long as he didn’t interfere, I had no desire to provoke him. There was no benefit in picking a fight with that lunatic.

“Forget Kang Hae-il for now. Take a look at this.” I handed the phone Kwon Taehyeok had given me to Hyeon Dowun. “I doubt it, but just in case, check if there’s a tracking app or chip in it. Also, I’m planning to sell the office I was using and move somewhere else. Handle that too.”

“You sound like a bossy jerk.”

“Please, honey.”

“Ha, damn it…”

Grumbling, Hyeon Dowun still took the phone. There was no way he’d come outside the district without preparation—his inventory probably had everything from laptops to specialized gear. He’d get everything I asked for done in about a day.

“Until I find a new office, I’ll just be bouncing between hotels. If you don’t like it, go back to the district.”

“Bro, I’m totally fine with hotel life~”

“Where are you planning to get the new office?”

“I’ll think about it for a few more days.”

Leaving Seoul wasn’t an option. I still needed to keep an eye on the Circle Guild, and this was the area where the cultists were most active. I wasn’t sure whether to disguise it as a guild office again or get a private residence instead. Maybe it’d be better to look for a well-secured villa or house, even if it was expensive.

“Just sell the old one first. I need the money to look for a new place,” I repeated my request to Hyeon Dowun, then turned to look at Cha Sahyeon. He was perched on the bed next to me, expressionless as always. Even though selling the office—essentially our home—was no small thing, he looked indifferent. I guess that was better than him making a fuss, crying, and telling me not to sell it.

***

Once I’d finished the conversation and kicked Kwon Seoyul and Hyeon Dowun out, I let out the sigh I’d been holding in. Standing by the window, I pushed the curtain aside slightly to look out. I could see the busy road filled with people and cars.

Tomorrow, I had to participate in the ranking match as Cover.

Honestly, nothing bad would happen if I didn’t go… but since I’d taken first place with my specialties trait instead of my skill, I wanted to take responsibility.

‘It’s fine—Kang Hae-il can’t check inside the hotel…’

The real problem was Kwon Seoyul and Hyeon Dowun. Since their rooms were right next to mine, they’d instantly sense my energy if I transformed into the S-class Cover here. If I tried to leave afterward, they’d hear the door. Even an ordinary person could hear a door opening and closing next door if they were paying attention.

Hyeon Dowun might not notice—he practically lived in his headset—but Kwon Seoyul, who was sensitive to sounds, wouldn’t miss it.

That meant leaving the room, transforming outside, and then leaving the hotel was out of the question.

‘And if I went out in this form, Kang Hae-il would notice…’

I could just tell Kwon Seoyul and Hyeon Dowun that I had the ability to transform into an S-class, but considering the scene Kwon Seoyul had made over just one holy power skill, there was no way he’d cooperate quietly.

‘What should I do?’

I was biting my lip as I stared out the window when—

“Brother,” a quiet voice reached me. At some point, Cha Sahyeon had moved from the bed to a chair at the table and was looking at me. “Want me to help?”

“What?”

“You need to go out tomorrow, right? Without anyone noticing.”

“…”

Cha Sahyeon had pinpointed my dilemma as if he’d read my mind. Well, he was the only one who knew my secret in full. He’d also overheard me talking with Kwon Taehyeok about the ranking match, so he must have pieced things together.

“How exactly would you help?” I asked reluctantly, and Cha Sahyeon rested his chin in his hand, blinking his large eyes.

“Did you forget, brother? My skill.”

With a short wave of his hand, a shadow surged from the floor. Caw— The shadow instantly took the form of a pitch-black bird, flapping its wings before perching on the table.

Only then did I realize what he meant. “You’re saying you’d use your shadow to send me outside?”

“The item I have suppresses my energy, so I can’t manage long distances—but I can get you to an alley behind the building next to the hotel.”

If I could leave through Cha Sahyeon’s shadow, there’d be no door noise and no risk of being caught transforming into an S-class. And if the spot was in an alley behind the next building, it’d be out of Kang Hae-il’s line of sight from wherever he was watching. It was such a good offer that I was tempted immediately—which made it all the more uncomfortable.

After hesitating for a moment, I asked reluctantly, “If I accept, what do I have to do for you?”

“Nothing.”

“…What do you mean?”

A short answer was given without a hint of hesitation, “I mean there’s nothing you have to do.”

I’d fully expected him to name a price, so the reply left me speechless.