The Novel's Extra - Side Story 61 – Chae Nayun (16)

Lee Suro sat all alone at the head of a rectangular wooden table in the meeting room on the highest floor of Cube.

Soon, holograms suddenly appeared around the table and nine silhouettes came to attend the secret meeting.

“I have no idea why they went there or what they were after…”

Someone raised a question before the meeting even officially began. The topic was none other than what happened to the Pharmacy Club, which became a hot topic in Cube as well.

Of course, what happened took place during official club activities under the supervision of an association hero, Seo Youngji. However, Chae Nayun’s actions these days caught the higher-ups’ attention.

“I don’t have any particular reasons, but we need to keep an eye on them. Who knows what those kids will do? They could stir up trouble while believing their backgrounds will save them…” the deep voice sounded angry.

“How? Are you brave enough to mess with them?” someone responded in a mocking tone.

The deep voice pointed his finger and retorted, “It’s better than not being able to say a single word like you…”

“Enough.”

A single word was more than enough to stop them from bickering. Everyone sat up straight after the hologram at the head of the table spoke.

The silhouette grew clearer. It was the former president of South Korea, Kim Sukho.

The other hologram silhouettes also became clear after Kim Sukho appeared. A conglomerate chairman, guild leader, neutral city-state owner, and other influential figures in society gathered around.

“I don’t think those kids are investigating us. She must be going around trying to save her elder brother.”

“But will it not be an issue if he woke up?” the chairman asked.

Kim Sukho glared at him in response and the chairman immediately lowered his head.

“There’s no way he’ll wake up. Besides, we can just get rid of him if he somehow did,” Kim Sukho said.

He was confident as long as it was the Chae family because he could easily suppress Chae Joochul. If Chae Jinyoon wanted to be a filial son and grandson, then he shouldn’t wake up.

After all, Chae Joochul was no longer the legend he once was.

“Continue monitoring the situation. I noticed two new names in their little gang.”

“Yes, they’re Kim Suho and Kim Hajin. Both of them are Cube cadets.”

These two commoners dared to loiter around Chae Nayun. One had quite the talent and potential while the other was naturally born with a bad attitude.

“Go ahead and get rid of those two if the opportunity ever presents itself. However, you must make sure to do so only at the right moment. Remember to operate covertly at all times…”

***

[Kekeke… We got quite a lot of items today.]

JaJangMan (Male: Barbarian) flexed his muscles at X-Man while sitting on a rock. Meanwhile, X-Man sat on the ground and looked over their loot.

[It’s really strange how the loot turns out good when I’m playing with you. Keke!]

Four days passed since they returned to Cube. Hunting for items with Chae Nayun became one of Kim Hajin’s new routines during those days. Coincidentally, the class synergy between X-Man and JaJangMan was quite good.

[Is that so?]

X-Man (Male: Elf) curtly replied while brushing his long golden hair.

JaJangMan crossed his arms over his chest.

[Oh right, I heard the Direkuma raid will open soon. Do you want to go raid that? Keke!]

[If I have time, but you do know finals are coming up soon, right?]

[Doesn’t matter to me keke! It doesn’t matter to you as well, right? Kekeke!]

X-Man simply smiled in response and passed an item to JaJangMan.

The warrior item, [Gondor’s Battleaxe], went to JaJangMan while the archer items went to X-Man.

[Keke! This thing will fetch at least fifty million won if I manage to enhance it five times!]

[Can you stop doing that keke thing?]

[I have to live up to my character, right? Keke! Also, this is a macro. Keke!]

X-Man stared at JaJangMan’s hideous smile before shrugging.

[Sure, whatever you say. Anyways, I’m going to sleep. You better go to sleep too.]

[Sure keke! I’ll test this ax out for a bit before going to sleep. Keke!]

The barbarian’s scarred eye shone red.

[Keke…!]

The barbarian flashed a spine-tingling smile.

Kim Hajin cut off the connection and threw his VR helmet aside. He went to bed and tried to fall asleep before suddenly recalling the Heart of the Amazon he stole.

[Heart of the Amazon] [Treasure]

— The essence of the Amazon. The holder’s abilities will be significantly enhanced with this item in their possession while in a swamp or jungle.

This treasure enhanced the holder’s abilities in swamps and jungles. Of course, its main weakness was the fact that a swamp or jungle wasn’t common terrain. However… I could probably change that with [Setting Intervention].

Then I suddenly received a message.

[Hello, you didn’t forget about our appointment tomorrow, right?]

It came from Yoo Yeonha. I stored the Heart of the Amazon inside stigma and immediately replied.

[Yeah, but do I really have to go?]

[I have something to discuss about that person. There are other things I want to talk about as well.]

I pondered for a moment before agreeing.

[Sure, I’ll see you tomorrow at three then.]

***

D-7 until the final exam. I went to Seoul with a week left.

“This Seoul isn’t Seoul at all…”

The scenery looked completely different from the Seoul I knew. I had no idea if it was because so many guilds crowded the place, but a lot of people walked around with swords and bows.

I stole glances at them while trying to find my way.

“Huh? Kim Hajin?” A familiar voice called me.

A limousine stopped in the nearby traffic and the window rolled down. Then a head peeked out.

The person smiled at me, “It’s Kim Hajin! Hey, Kim Hajin! H-Huh? W-Wait!”

The traffic light turned green and the limousine began to move. Chae Nayun urgently said something to the driver and brought the limousine to a halt. Then she got off.

I watched in disbelief as she ran towards me.

“Hey! What a coincidence, right?” Chae Nayun said with a wave.

I forced a smile and nodded.

“Why are you here?” she asked. “You don’t usually come to Seoul.”

“I have somewhere to go,” I replied and walked away.

“Oh, really?” Chae Nayun walked beside me with her hands behind her back. She skipped and hopped before suddenly asking, “Where are you going? What are you going to do?”

“I have someone to meet.”

“What? Who?”

“…”

I arrived at my destination just in time. I looked up at the building that was the headquarters of the second largest guild in the world, Essence of the Straits. They truly lived up to their reputation with a state-of-the-art complex that sprawled out 165,000 square meters in the heart of Seoul.

I shifted my gaze from the building to Chae Nayun.

She flinched and stepped back before asking, “Don’t tell me… You’re here to meet Yoo Yeonha…?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would you?! Hey, did… perhaps…?!” Chae Nayun exclaimed with her eyes and mouth wide open in horror. Then she asked, “D… Did… something happen between you two in the jungle…?”

I could see mana smoking out of her head as she stuttered and asked in horror.

***

“Hmm…”

Yoo Yeonha crossed her arms over her chest and looked at both of them. She never imagined they would come together.

“Here, take a look at this,” she completely ignored Chae Nayun’s grumpy expression and handed them a document.

Kim Hajin and Chae Nayun’s eyes naturally shifted to the document.

“I investigated the mansion that Zomer mentioned last time. It’s quite close to Pandemonium, but it’s worth taking a look. The contamination over there is something I’ve never heard of in my life,” Yoo Yeonha added.

“Then, is this our next destination?” Chae Nayun asked as she glared at Yoo Yeonha and snatched the document she wouldn’t understand anyways. She added, “But why were you only going to tell Kim Hajin? I’m the club president.”

“… You were the one who told me you were busy. I even texted you last night that I had something to say,” Yoo Yeonha grumbled in response.

“Hmm… Did you? I don’t remember…” Chae Nayun muttered and checked her smartwatch.

She scrolled through her messages in an attempt to find the message that Yoo Yeonha probably never sent…

[Hey, Nayun. Are you free this weekend? I have something to tell you.]

“… You did. Ha! Don’t tell me you thought I forgot? I just asked for the sake of asking. I was a bit busy because I had to go to the hospital, but I ran into Kim Hajin on the way so I dropped by as well,” Chae Nayun explained.

She finally relaxed and leaned back on the sofa.

‘Heh, I got worried for nothing,’ she thought.

“But that’s not what’s important,” Yoo Yeonha said with a sigh. She looked back and forth at Chae Nayun and Kim Hajin a few times.

Kim Hajin noticed her seriousness and set down the document.

“There’s something strange these days… Should I call it being stalked? It feels like someone is following and observing me…” Yoo Yeonha said.

Chae Nayun’s eyes widened and she frivolously nodded, “Yeah, me too. I thought it was just a paparazzi or something!”

“Right?” Yoo Yeonha said as she looked at Kim Hajin.

However, Kim Hajin looked like he didn’t care at all whether someone tailed him or not. He seemed fairly confident that he could beat whoever planned to ambush him.

Yoo Yeonha realized something and said, “That’s why I’m planning to bring a few bodyguards to our club’s next activity after our final exams. I’ll make sure they don’t stand out, so don’t worry.”

“Ah, well. It doesn’t matter to me,” Chae Nayun nonchalantly agreed.

What about Kim Hajin? Yoo Yeonha intently stared at him for a while before he finally nodded in agreement.

“It might be uncomfortable for you, but please bear with it temporarily. We don’t know who is tailing us right now or why. Anyways, you can take that document. Oh, right… You can take this business card too,” Yoo Yeonha handed a business card to Kim Hajin.

He took it and saw that it had Tomer’s alias, Zomer, written on it.

“Zomer…”

“Yes, Zomer asked me to pass it on to you. She won’t be able to reply because she’s out on a mission, but you can probably reach her in two days.”

“Sure.”

Chae Nayun intently observed the exchange between them until Kim Hajin abruptly stood up and left. She hurriedly bid goodbye to Yoo Yeonha and chased after him with a smile.

“What are those two doing? They look like puppies playing tag…” Yoo Yeonha muttered.

She was left all alone in her office when someone suddenly called her phone. She frowned at the name on the screen. It didn’t seem like someone she was comfortable speaking to.

— Hello, how are you?

“Hello?”

— Yes, my knees.

It was Yoo Yeonha’s uncle who was banished from their family, Yoo Jinhyuk.

“… What? Knees?”

— Yes, my lovely little niece! What’s up?

“You know very well. What happened to the thing I asked you, Uncle?”

She asked her uncle to investigate Kim Hajin. The abilities and strategies he showed in the jungle weren’t something that could be mastered in a day or two. She couldn’t help but grow curious about his secret.

— That? There’s not much progress.

“That’s probably because you didn’t do it properly. Just give me back my money if you don’t plan on doing it properly…”

— Hey, niece. What are you going to do with your lunch money?

“What did you say? Give it back this instant!”

— Alright, alright. I’ll do it properly. But there really is nothing… hold on. I’ll call you back… request…

Beep… Beep… Beep…

“What? No! Don’t you dare hang up! Hello! Hey!”

The call abruptly ended.

Yoo Yeonha sat on her sofa as steam rose from her head. However, she realized that someone mentioned something right before the call was disconnected.

‘… Request? Did he have a customer?’ she wondered when she received a message on her smartwatch.

[Niece, you better stop snooping around that Kim Hajin or whatever his name is. Someone just came and he seems to be quite dangerous.]

Yoo Yeonha stared at the message.

***

I called for a taxi outside the building.

Chae Nayun naturally sat beside me. I thought she would start chattering, but she only looked out the window for twenty minutes.

“Hey…”

I broke the silence first and Chae Nayun looked at me with wide eyes in surprise.

“You forgot about the archery duel?”

“Ah, that?” Chae Nayun smirked and shook her head, “I’m just going to use a sword from now on.”

“… What?”

It was quite an anti-climactic conclusion. I purposely practiced my archery because Chae Nayun’s growth was faster than in the original story.

“You’re giving up that easily…?”

I probably shouldn’t have asked. I got the result I wanted without having to compete, but grew curious as to why she suddenly changed her mind.

Chae Nayun just stared at me without saying anything. I saw my reflection in her eyes, which looked clear as a lake.

“I’m not giving up…” she said with a smile. “I just chose to believe in you.”

My eyes looked into hers, and it felt as if time stopped. I couldn’t say anything and simply looked out the window.

The city’s scenery and the trees passed by as the sun shone on me.