“Sigh…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Is something the matter?”
“Why does his face look so gloomy again?”
As I let out a sigh without realizing, the kids immediately clung to Kang Sihyun’s shoulders and arms, pouring out their worries. It was as if they had been taught to worry first whenever they saw a gloomy expression on my face, without exception, they all shook my shoulders and asked. Slightly shaking his head, Sihyun gently removed Lee Hamin’s hand that was gripping his shoulder painfully and stared at Kang Haewoon’s phone screen as if glaring at it.
If I ever meet God again, I feel like I should complain about being made to work without pay. I wasn’t asking for much, just wishing to live a peaceful and happy life, yet I found myself burdened with a heavier workload than most.
“They really don’t give me a break…”
The triangular building in the news was unmistakably the pyramid from my dream. Just like the other dreams Pia had shown me, I had expected the pyramid to appear eventually, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.
Especially not right after killing Titan, and certainly not at the time when I was looking for traces of Adam and Eve. Sihyun was lost in thought, looking at the notes he had written the night before and the news.
Egypt was where Adam and Eve first left their disciple, and it was also where the suspicious building first appeared.
Could this really be a coincidence?
Strangely, as you live, you come to realize what you thought was a coincidence was actually fate, and everything is a product formed through cause and effect. Thus, believing this incident was not a coincidence, Sihyun held onto Haewoon’s phone until the news broadcast ended.
The news reporting on the situation in Egypt soon switched back to an interview with Sihyun. Considering it was just ordinary news compared to the urgent broadcast, Sihyun didn’t hesitate to turn off the news and returned the phone to Haewoon, immediately contacting Russ.
[You’ve heard about the situation in Egypt, right?]
He sent the message, assuming Russ would surely know, but he received no reply. Holding the phone slower than usual, he frowned several times before contacting Haehyuk. He hadn’t seen the message either.
“Maybe Haehyuk is being called to the association by now? If it’s made it to the urgent news, it must be an urgent situation, so he might have gone for a meeting?”
“Ah.”
Peeking over, Haewoon who had been sneakily looking at Sihyun’s messenger window, resolved Sihyun’s question, which had been making him anxious due to the lack of response from both guild leaders. Given the situation, Sihyun couldn’t even think to scold him and instead let out an exclamation, only to push away the boy who had been leaning on his shoulder.
When told to back off, the boy blinked with eyes too clear to bear any burden, staring straight at Sihyun.
“So, what startled you so much?”
“It feels like we’ve waited long enough. Time for an explanation.”
Taking advantage of the moment Sihyun’s fingers rested from typing, Class A kids, led by Haewoon, dragged Sihyun to one side of the bed and began their interrogation. Faced with Daun’s threatening gaze and Seowoo’s subtle scrutiny, Sihyun had no choice but to confess honestly.
I dreamt of the pyramid, and a being appeared telling me to visit it, so it seems I should go to Egypt.
Pushing aside uncertain entities like gods, Adam, and Eve to a certain extent, the kids erupted in outrage. From “That’s just a dream” to “Why should you go?”, “Send Haehyuk instead”, “Just stay put” – a barrage of worries and complaints poured out. The uproar was overwhelming.
Though I knew they would oppose, the intensity of their reaction was unexpected. Caught in the whirlwind of nagging, Sihyun, dazed and excluded from the group’s murmuring, soon found himself confronted by them drawing a conclusion.
“You’re planning to go even if we object, aren’t you?”
This time, it seemed Down was taking the lead. Facing Down’s seemingly lethal expression, Sihyun hesitated only momentarily before nodding.
Despite their objections, I had to go. If they tried to lock me in my room to prevent me, I was prepared to enlist Russ’s help to leave. It seemed better to be honest about my intentions rather than facing their wrath later, so I simply nodded, and Down too nodded before speaking up.
“Well, then, there’s nothing we can do. We’ll have to go too.”
“What?”
“Just so you know, all eight of us are going this time. Don’t even think about leaving anyone behind like with Titan. We’ve built up enough achievements by now.”
“Are you serious about going?”
Their declaration seemed utterly preposterous. There was no need for all of them to go to such lengths, all the way to distant Egypt. Who would cover the expenses, and who would act as their guardian? If all of them went and happened to go missing, South Korea would mourn the loss of eight promising high-ranking Awakened Individuals of the future, filled with regret.
The potential impact on relations with Egypt was also uncertain. Imagining the worst-case scenarios by the dozens, my head spun with worry until Down proudly raised his chin.
“Why are you so surprised? Did you not expect us to step up like this?”
“Right. And Sihyun, you would have followed us without hesitation if it was written on this piece of paper.”
“That’s true, but…”
Unfolding a piece of paper to reveal a note about going to eliminate a catastrophe-class Irregular, Jihye presented it, leaving me without room for rebuttal. Having planned to follow them after finding out where a catastrophe-class Irregular had appeared, I kept silent, and Hamin smirked slightly.
“So, it’s okay for you, but not for us? Kang Sihyun, talk about double standards.”
“At this point, aren’t you just considering us as burdens? If Sihyun does it, it’s helpful, but if we do it, it’s reckless and foolish?”
Though their words were somewhat irrefutable, I couldn’t simply agree. As I began to protest, Hamin and Haewoon quickly pushed me into the corner of being the bad guy.
Then, suddenly, a firm hand grasped my chin. It was a grip that was gentle yet inescapable, somewhat forcefully lifting my head. The eyes that met mine were of a deeper, more vivid blue. Their saturated hues entangled.
“Let’s go together.”
“…”
“No point in giving up now.”
When all the kids opened their mouths, pecking at me like a group of penguins, Gunwoo, who usually remained silent, unexpectedly spoke up. His words didn’t feel like a joke, nor did they carry a hint of jest. Gunwoo, pressing his case with that handsome face, left me speechless for a moment before I closed my eyes tightly against his face, which had moved even closer.
“…We can think of a way to make it possible for everyone to go.”
This was beyond foul play. It was illegal to appeal like this with a face born for it, eliciting sympathy and a protective instinct with Geonu’s expression that was both firm and subtly pathetic. As I muttered this, Hamin snickered beside me.
“Kang Sihyun, always shining so bright.”
“Seems like you prefer handsome over pretty.”
“We’ve always thought so, but Sihyun really does have a consistent and clear preference.”
Hamin, Seowoo, and Haewoon took turns throwing their jibes. To their teasing tones, which seemed mocking at a glance, I internally protested that Geonu’s looks transcended mere handsomeness; he was a national treasure, even as I fiddled with my phone.
It didn’t seem like I could dissuade the kids from their determination to accompany me.
The thought that sneaking away on my own might actually endanger my life, given their passionate demeanor, crossed my mind.
I knew they weren’t just kids, but accepting that fact was entirely different from understanding it. Even knowing they were no longer the children from their entrance ceremony, freshly turned 16, I still saw glimpses of their younger, more vulnerable selves beneath their growth.
Hence, it was true; I became more protective and set stricter danger standards for them. The exception might be Seowoo, who seemed capable of surviving alone on a deserted island; to my eyes, the rest were still innocent and needed protection.
As I dwelled on whether I was pushing them into a corner with my decisions, a finger flicked my forehead, creating a noticeable red mark with a “snap.”
“…What’s that for?”
Rubbing the hit area and frowning at the unexpected act of violence, Jihye, who had flicked my forehead, gave me a smiling eye.
“Stop overthinking and let’s go together, Sihyun. You know what I mean?”
Her voice was the softest and most tender, yet a faint ferocity could be sensed within it. Kids who are always smiling, kind, and affectionate turn out to be the scariest when angered. So, I closed my mouth and nodded, only for another hand to mess up my black hair before gently smoothing it back down. It was a touch as cautious as if handling a fragile piece of art.
Just the feel of the touch seemed to reveal who it was. Lifting my eyes slightly, I saw Haru with a hint of worry in his expression.
“You don’t dislike the idea of us going together, do you?”
“It’s not that, but…”
“Then, that’s settled.”
“…”
“It’s settled, Sihyun.”
If you just say the word, we’re ready to follow you anytime. That’s all there is to it.
Haru, who rarely interrupts, closed his eyes slowly as he spoke. For the first time, amidst the usually chaotic and boisterous Class A kids, Haru displayed a maturity that seemed beyond his years. Sihyun, momentarily lost for words at the sight of the seven pairs of eyes staring at him, let out a sigh.
It was a sigh that seemed to signify surrender as he shook his head.
There’s a saying that parents can never truly win against their children. In the end, Sihyun conceded to the will of the children he had metaphorically raised in his heart.
Yes, up to that point, it was peaceful.
However, the real issue arose from a higher level than Sihyun.
Thank you for reading this far! You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.
As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For $5
- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
