The Rankers Guide to Live an Ordinary Life - CH 26

“Minseo’s painting today is really good. I think you just have to pay more attention to the background details and you are good to go. So the next picture… is.”

…

…

“That, sir. It’s the new painting of Zio.”

Art class.

Before they could go home it was time for evaluation.

When he saw the painting on the wall, the director who was leaving comments on the paintings one by one stopped.

Gyeon Zio looked at the group of silent teachers.

Even the children that had been whispering among each other were strangely silent.

A truly breathtaking silence.

‘What? What do you want me to do? What? Why? Fuck…’

“Well…”

‘Teacher, why won’t you talk!’’

“I mean..”.

The elegant art director covered her cheeks with a pale complexion.

“I-Its deep. Was the theme a Monster Wave?”

‘It’s a self-portrait.’

“It’s called the Magician King… I think the topic was a little difficult for Zio.”

“U-Uh Huh. Yeah. Is the mana purifier in the classroom working well? Bad energy could be mixed into the picture. Evil spirits or something. You have to be careful.”

‘I didn’t see it like that, but you have just been saying whatever you want since the beginning.’

Summary: It was a hurtful time…

Even though I said okay, the teacher who told me to take it home gave me a container to put it in.

Zio was greeted by the night wind of Jongno with a lonely look on her face.

My name is Jo, an artist of misfortune.

[Your contractor, “The Reader of Fate,” asks your Majesty carefully, ‘Why don’t you change your course now?’]

‘Unni, did Van Gogh feel this way…?’

[The Deity, ‘Reader of Fate’ is covering his mouth]

[As a matter of fact, he is inclined to say that you almost made this oppa say some bad words, dear little girl.]

Ba-ang-

“Lady, why are you filming a new wave on the street alone?”

“You sound like an old man. Asphyxiation in fifty minutes…”

“You’re more feisty today. Get in.”

“No. I don’t like it. Get out of here.”

The car window slowly lowered until it was completely open.

Raising one eyebrow, Tiger crossed his arms. He was wearing a black turtleneck shirt and an all-black suit.

“I am all grown up and don’t have time to soothe you. I have to send you home by midnight. What’s wrong?”

“Who knows the heart of a lonely artist?”

“Oh, it’s just a heartbreak. Get in. Butterfly, you’re too nice. Come on.”

As he stirred his fingers, the blooming little foxes pushed Zio’s back.

Poorly pretending they won, Zio trudged into the angled car.

The car seat was warmed up in advance.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s not fun, but a place we have to go.”

“Eh. It’s the center.”

Gyeon Zio rested her hands on her chin.

Beyond the window of the running car, the stars and the Babel Tower shone in the night sky of Seoul.

***

There are two powers that are related to awakeners in Korea.

One is the Korean Awakeners Association, which represents the interests and the rights of the awakeners.

The other is the Korea Awakening Administration. The so-called ‘center’.

At first glance, the picture was that the association would dominate, but surprisingly, they were able to properly maintain a balance without bias.

Before the disaster, people expected everyone to move after their own interests by the end of the year, but when disaster really arrived upon the land more people than they thought chose justice and had a sense of duty.

And among them were some of the most talented people.

Those who gave up so many things and dedicated themselves to their nation.

The place they were visiting was the emergency response team under the center.

“Relax your shoulders, Kwon Gye-na.”

“Oh, I see.”

There were several teams in the emergency response team, but the most famous team was Team One.

The primary rescue and suppression team under the ranker Kim Si-kyun.

Under his direct lineage, it was a national elite group that Kim Si-kyun had personally picked and raised.

However, it was hard not to be nervous on a day like this.

Kwon Gye-na swallowed his dry saliva.

Had he ever been this nervous since his first interview with the team leader?

“You’re not relaxing at all. What are you gonna do when the bodyguard is more scared than the security guard?”

Team leader Kim Si-kyun said with an ordinary face.

Kwon Gye-na became a little embarrassed.

“…it’s bound to happen. Leader has seen them a few times, but today’s my first time….!”

“Lower your voice.”

“…Sorry.”

A Korean restaurant on the outskirts of Seoul.

All personnel other than government officials had been kicked out.

Security couldn’t stay in the same area.

In case of an emergency, only Team Leader Kim Si-kyun could come in because of a condition that the other side had asked for.

All the elite agents, selected in order of weight, had to wait in the next room beyond the screen.

It would be ridiculous considering that the only security target is the director of the administration.

If the other person wants to hurt you anyway, there is no way, so you have to accept it.

“Well, aren’t you a scary person?”

“…to the team leader too?”

“Am I not human?”

“I thought you weren’t. I thought you were just a civil servant robot.”

“You are acting up.”

Kim Si-kyun combed his hair using his hands. There was a lot of fatigue under his eyes that were typical for field officials.

“I am a human being in public office because I hate indulging.”

“…”

“There is nothing more annoying or scary than a man that is unpredictable. But the person who is number one in that regard is the one who is at the top of our country and top of this planet. Even a fairy tale would be less than this.”

“That’s scary.”

“You know what? Public officials are the only ones who sympathize with this story.”

Kim Si-kyun muttered as he laughed.

“Maybe the biggest thing I have contributed to in my life was to push that bastard into their education.”

“……what? ‘That’ person?”

“Hush. They are here.”

Tak.

Step, step.

The sound of the grassworms crying. And the sound of the wind.

Two pairs of footsteps rang on the long hallway.

‘It doesn’t make sense…’’

Kwon Gye-na straightened his back with force.

A feeling of pressure was rushing in like atide. He held his breath with nothing else to do.

‘A-a monster.’

It was barely a few seconds yet he was barely conscious. A blackout caused by the extreme difference in magic.

“Tone it down a little. Why are you being so grumpy today?”

“Too many people.”

Taak.

With every step they took, his colleagues next to him collapsed one by one.

‘Their voice is young…’

Kwon Gye-na opened his eyes, giving strength to his tightly gripped hand. A shadow could be seen through the shoji paper door.

A short-haired woman and a tall man. Then.

“…Hup!”

Suddenly, the small shadow stopped right in front of the door.

Raised their hand…

Knock Knock.

“Descendant of Guyuni Guyuni?

…

“You are holding out well.”

Blackout.

The moment her sentence was over, Kwon Gye-na fainted.

***

They had ordered the food in advance so it would cool down a little.

Although it was polite to serve hot dishes, director Jang Il-hyun was rather quick-witted to the person in front of him.

“But this time, you handled it gently”

“There was someone I knew.”

“Really? Besides Leader Kim?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t look like you’re going to tell me. Although I am curious, it seems I have to hold it in. First of all, congratulations, Hunter Gyeon Zio. And thank you. The country is indebted to you.”

Speak more comfortably Jang-ahjussi. Why are you speaking so formally?”

“Ha ha. It’s because I might have to talk about an uncomfortable topic.”

“Then you should be polite.”

The Udyr-level change in attitude made the ones watching feel embarrassed.

Zio munched on the braised short ribs alone with a brazen look on her face.

Tiger skillfully thinly sliced it and placed it on the plate in front of her.

“Eat rice. It’s too salty.”

“This place has good braised short ribs. It’s a good restaurant.”

“Gyeon Zio, eat it with rice.”

“You.”

“Don’t just answer.”

“Cough cough! Rice Gwanggong…”

“What?”

“No.”

‘What’s the point of playing around Ahjussi? Change the subject quickly.’

Jang Il-hyun, who read through her stinging eyes, coughed in vain.

“You hate introductions, so I’ll just get to the point. This time, Timothy…”

“I refuse.”

“No, I mean…”

“I refuse.”

“Now, listen for a second…”

“I refuse.”

“I refuse your refusal.”

“…?”

“……Ahem, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you hated it so much…”

Zio looked back at Tiger with a tearful look in her eyes. It was as if she was asking if he heard what the ahjussi had just said.

The Naeronambool picture had been painted. (A slang for “My fault is not fault but your fault is a real fault”, basically “If I do it it’s real romance but if you do it it’s adultery”)

Tiger ignored it and gave a look of understanding.

The 18-year-old civil servant, Director Jang Il-hyun, coughs with flushed cheeks at the shown sympathy.

He was old enough for her to be his daughter… He felt embarrassed.

“Anyway, Timothy Lilywight is coming to Korea. Not individually, but from the White House. So it is as an official envoy from the U.S. side. As congratulatory ambassadors for… Jo.

“Celebrating like this? The me who doesn’t even speak English?”

Those who created English were her enemies.

Zio’s face chewing on braised short ribs was filled with the energy of an iron wall.

Of course, English was also British, but for her, who wasn’t interested in Western History It was the same thing.

“I know. You must be confused. We were perplexed too. But this time, they have a strong will. They must see ‘Jo’.”

Somehow Jang Il-hyun seemed even more uncomfortable than before. He kept fiddling with his arms.

As a middle-aged man kept stuttering and playing with his hands in front of her eyes, Zio’s planting became quite uncomfortable.

“What? Visual violence? It’s messy.”

“…that’s not it. I was wondering if I should show you this.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Even the vice president doesn’t know. We were planning on scrapping it until we talked, but now that I think about it, it is an official message from that place… It’s really hard to cut it off our line in diplomatic practice.”

Gradually, the curiosity became unbearable.

Director Jang Il-hyun pulled out the envelope from his arms with a hesitant expression.

It was a letter.

On the outside, ‘Dear Zio’ was written in a nice cursive.

Let’s open it.

…

“…Official message?”

“Yes. Directly from the White House.”

“Crazy.”

The three of them blankly looked inside the card.

The most handsome guy in the world according to People magazine.

A card with Timothy’s face as bright as the sun, and a message written in Korean…

[I’ll come to Korea. Who will bring Jo? ^_^]

“…that cheeky Yankee, is this Aggro?”

Aggro was an art.

Gyeon Zio, the Daewongun Heungseon, who was ranked 9th in English SAT, felt upset. (Heungseon Daewongun is a historic person from the Joseon Dynasty, you might have noticed this but Joseon Dynasty is mentioned a lot in this novel.)

She will beat this guy up.

Who can fix this?