"Wow, this is actually my first time going to Egypt!"
"Actually, it's my first time too."
"Considering that probably 90% of people living in Korea haven't been, there's no need to make it sound so novel. Haewoon, stop fussing around."
As Haewoon, who was visiting Egypt for the first time, repeatedly got up and sat down in his seat, acting all excited, Sihyun, unable to watch the boy's restless behavior any longer, grabbed the hem of Haewoon's clothes and pulled him down. Yanked down forcefully, Haewoon, tilting his body, flopped back into his seat. The boy's movements, previously bustling as he peered out the window and scanned the airplane, finally settled down a bit.
"You're not a dog being taken for a walk, why all the fuss?"
"But it's been a while since I've been on a plane! I've never flown on this kind of plane before!"
Haewoon's cheeks flushed red with excitement as he exclaimed. To Sihyun, among the students in Class A, Haewoon was considered the most cunning, yet in moments like these, he could also seem innocently pure. Perhaps it was this duality that made his cunning all the more sinister and ominous.
"I've never been on this kind of plane either, so keep it down."
It was a good thing there were no other passengers, as their presence would have made the situation embarrassingly loud. Chiding Haewoon in a low voice, Sihyun turned his head, his eyes revealing a hint of curiosity as he surveyed the interior of the airplane.
In truth, it was Sihyun's first time on such a plane as well.
Actually, it was almost his first time on any plane.
The experience of taking a helicopter over the sea was novel, but it had not been a good helicopter, and he had been too tired and ended up falling asleep without really getting to see anything. However, this flight was different. Being sent to Egypt as a representative of Korea, the association had arranged a private jet for them.
The luxury of the jet was indescribable, and with only three people on board such a large plane, the flight felt even more comfortable and extravagant.
When would he get to fly on such a plane again?
Caught up in the whirlwind of guild leaders who spent money freely and the children among them, Sihyun had a moment of feeling like an ordinary citizen. He recalled the first time he went to Seowoo's house; even though it was Seowoo's money, he had felt a tingling sensation in his fingertips when he paid tens of thousands of won for the taxi fare. Sihyun's gaze drifted to his fingertips as he remembered feeling a distance from Seowoo, whose wallet was filled with unimaginable amounts of money.
No trembling was visible. Turning his head to look out the window, he didn't even feel out of place or pale. Gradually, he seemed to be getting used to such experiences. When he was Yoo Sihyun, he might not have known, but now that he had become Kang Sihyun and lived as a Quadruple, it seemed likely he would be on planes like this often in the future.
Of course, it would be less about traveling and more about rushing around the world to save it.
As he inhaled, trying to soak in the moment, Haewoon gave him no chance to relax. The boy, having unbuckled his safety belt for a moment, dashed down the spacious aisle. Jihye, sitting across the aisle, covered her mouth and laughed as she saw Sihyun struggling to calm Haewoon down and pull him back to his seat, apparently finding the sight amusing.
Embarrassed by the girl's giggling laughter, Sihyun couldn't help but kick Haewoon's foot. Jihye's expression seemed unusually mature, making Sihyun feel as if he too was an uncontrollable boy because of Haewoon. While he spent time bickering with the children, specifically with Haewoon, a man returned to the plane, chatting leisurely with the flight attendants.
Still looking haggard with the lines of his glasses framing his tired eyes, the man approached Sihyun, who nodded slightly.
"Did you finish your discussion?"
"Yes, it's a mana-powered plane, so it'll take about 12 hours to Cairo. We've arranged to meet the American team as soon as we land and head to the accommodations together, so if you want to rest well, it's best to sleep now. I've seen the list of the American team, and they're not exactly quiet people."
The man replied, pressing his eyelids with his fingers as if exhausted. Sihyun, feeling pity for the man, who seemed no better, perhaps even more tired than before, buckled Haewoon's seatbelt and prepared for takeoff after hearing the announcement signaling the departure.
The reason why Uiheon, serving as both guardian and leader, ended up joining the trip to Egypt with three members of the Redem Guild involved a variety of circumstances. Sihyun gazed at the round backs of heads visible over the seatbacks, recalling his conversation with Haehyuk.
"Let's do it like this then. The team will consist of four from the US and four from Korea, making a total of eight members to investigate the pyramid. Considering an A-grade Awakener has gone missing, we need to form a team that includes at least one S-Class Awakener. The US will provide an S-Class, so we don't have to worry about that."
"Could it be Ruth?"
"I don't think so. They're quite busy over there as well. The important thing is not who the US sends, but who we will send from our side. Since the US is bringing an S-Class, we'll fill our ranks with A-grade or higher Awakeners. Ideally, I or the guild leader of Muam would like to join, but we can't afford that. We'll select three from Redem and the association will provide one more to join us."
"The association?"
"Yes. You can guess who that is."
Haehyuk's words, accompanied by a narrow-eyed look, were clearly a warning not to entertain any foolish ideas. It was a caution against taking whatever the association said at face value, so Sihyun obediently nodded. The contract had been signed, but Haehyuk seemed to be a person of many doubts and anxieties.
Or perhaps Sihyun appeared that unreliable to him.
Watching Haehyuk's reaction, Sihyun decided he would refuse any offerings from the association next time, whether it be ginseng or wild ginseng. Arms crossed, the guild leader among the eight children then selected the members to be sent to Egypt. Initially, it seemed like Sihyun would be the only one sent, but after witnessing the fierce opposition from the seven boys and girls, he sighed and ultimately chose two more.
"If anything happens in Egypt, the responsibility will fall on Mr. Uiheon, who has volunteered to be your guardian. So, please behave yourselves."
Haehyuk, blending a tone of request with command, chose the remaining two people—Haewoon and Jihye. Considering the situation, it was surprising he chose children who had faced Catastrophe-class Irregulars, prompting raised eyebrows from some. But then, sitting back down to review documents, Haehyuk, jotting something down with a pen, imparted words suggesting they gain some experience from this trip.
After that, things moved quickly.
Once the team for Egypt was decided, contracts were exchanged between the association and the Redem Guild's leader, and a private jet was provided almost immediately, finalizing the Egypt trip within two days.
On the third day, finally boarding the private jet and reuniting with Uiheon, Sihyun recalled Haehyuk's advice at the airport.
"If anything dangerous happens, don't get involved and stay back...."
To translate Haehyuk's exact words, it was to let the Americans handle any dangerous situations and to escape. There was even a threat of cutting support funds if anyone was injured. As Sihyun muttered to himself, remembering this, Haewoon showed interest.
"What were you saying?"
Pretending not to hear the boy's question, Sihyun leaned his head against the window. He had intended to enjoy the view a bit more, but recalling Uiheon's expression when he advised them to rest if they were tired, Sihyun thought it wise to sleep now.
The plane swiftly crossed the clear sky, and before long, they arrived at Cairo Airport. After sleeping, eating in-flight meals, and chatting with Haewoon until he was tired enough to sleep again, disembarking the plane felt surreal, the sensation of standing on solid ground novel after being in the air for so long.
Gathering their luggage and waiting for Uiheon, they saw him finish his business with a busy expression and then sigh deeply as he observed the three children. His appearance was reminiscent of an uncle reluctantly taking care of his nephews, invoking pity for Uiheon, who had unwillingly taken on this burden once more. The man, now looking even thinner and exuding a subtle melancholy, made a call and then motioned for Sihyun and the group to follow him.
"We'll wait here."
Moving to a cafe in front of the airport, Uiheon removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"You seem very tired, are you alright?"
"Ah, I was looking at documents even while we were moving...."
"You have a lot on your plate."
"If you feel sorry for me, coming to the association would be nice―"
"Here they come."
Interrupting the conversation as it stretched, Uiheon, trying to coax Sihyun towards the association, was cut off by Sihyun who, after scanning the surroundings, noticed the arrival of four Americans. Perfectly timed, the four, wearing sunglasses and consisting of two with light blond hair and two with slightly brighter brown hair, carried an unmistakable aura and physique, making it immediately obvious even from a distance that they were the Awakened from America.
The group paused momentarily to survey their surroundings before gathering to murmur among themselves. Then, quite suddenly and loud enough for others to turn their heads, they began to argue. Sihyun, who prided himself on his English proficiency, found it challenging to follow their native-speed dialogue, filled with accents and slang beyond standard pronunciation.
Uncertain of the cause of their dispute, Sihyun stood awkwardly aside. The team was supposed to consist of S-Class Awakeners and those close to it, but their current behavior hardly seemed fitting of individuals of such high calibers.
Looking back at Uiheon for confirmation, Sihyun found his expression weary yet confirming. As Uiheon typed on his phone, the American Awakeners checked their devices and then turned towards the cafe with a collective "Ah," realizing their location.
"Ehon!"
One of the blond women, with hair down to her waist, waved her hands vigorously and shouted towards Uiheon.
"Ehon?"
Sihyun tilted his head in confusion, and Uiheon, pressing his forehead, groaned in discomfort. It was then that the jovial group approached the cafe, and an unexpected encounter unfolded.
"Darling!"
In a sudden embrace, the blond woman rushed towards Uiheon, wrapping her arms around his neck. Sihyun and the children froze, their mouths agape at the sudden display of affection. Uiheon's face didn't look pleased as he told her in English to let go, straightening his ruffled attire after she reluctantly stepped back, having rubbed her face against his multiple times before finding her footing.
The woman then turned her gaze towards Sihyun, and upon making eye contact, Sihyun flinched slightly as the man winked at him.
"Sherry, please…"
Uiheon spoke as if in pain, seemingly throwing a flirtatious gesture towards the woman named Sherry. Feeling the weight of her gaze, Sihyun awkwardly turned away, feeling a similar discomfort to what Uiheon had expressed with a soft "Please."
Hoping for a hassle-free mission this time, the premonition of complications seemed stronger than ever. Sihyun sighed, sensing that this journey, too, might prove to be more about dealing with people than Irregulars.
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