Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 214 : The Suit Shop That Brings Storm (3)

The Suit Shop That Brings Storm (3)

After taking off his suit and changing back into his usual clothes, Park Jung-woo looked at Alencia's oddly disheveled outfit with puzzlement.

"Where did you go?"

"H-huh? Nowhere?"

"Really? It just looks like your clothes are a bit messy."

It wasn't just that they were messy—blue static was sparking from the zipper area of her outfit.

He figured she must have used her powers to go somewhere.

Under Jung-woo's gaze, Alencia hurriedly changed the subject.

"Should we check out another department store? It's better to look around elsewhere, right?"

"But aren't all the brands pretty much the same? Or maybe we should just go to that suit shop Soo-ah talked about..."

"Soo-ah unni said she was busy for a bit and went somewhere."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, Lee Soo-ah was busy in the underground with Mimos, dealing with the erosive ground.

If Jung-woo were to find out about this, he'd definitely rush over there again.

'I can't let that happen.'

After all, everyone needs rest.

At least today, Alencia hoped Jung-woo would relax without thinking about anything.

'She's up to something.'

Of course, Jung-woo had already noticed that Alencia was acting strangely.

More than anything, the sharp gazes he'd felt until now had completely vanished.

'Did something happen?'

He thought about mentioning it, but chose not to say anything aloud.

If it was really serious, they would have mentioned it anyway.

'Even if it was Shin Ah-yeon or Soo-ah, Hwang Yeon-ji is with them too.'

So, Jung-woo just nodded, thinking it wasn't a big deal, completely unaware of what was happening downstairs.

***

"If we leave it like this, this land will turn into something like the demon realm, right?"

"Probably so."

Dashing through the department store's basement, Soo-ah brought Mimos to the designated spots pointed out by Shin Ah-yeon and Hwang Yeon-ji, cutting off the flow of demonic energy.

Fortunately, nothing particularly dangerous happened, but people passing by in the parking lot were looking at them with very odd expressions.

'Seriously, what are we doing right now.'

'Didn't you say this is dangerous if we DON'T do it?'

'But isn't it unfair that only we have to do this?'

As Soo-ah carried Mimos around, she exchanged glances with Ah-yeon.

On reflection, it was true.

While they were running around the basement, Alencia was probably out in the department store enjoying a date with Jung-woo.

"You two asked Alencia to make sure Jung-woo doesn't notice what's happening today, remember?"

Yeon-ji commented dryly, watching them.

"That's true, but..."

"Soo-ah has to stay here because of Mimos, but I don't."

"Unni?"

Soo-ah turned to look at Shin Ah-yeon, eyes wide at the sudden betrayal.

She never imagined Ah-yeon would say such a thing here.

At that, Soo-ah's hair gradually turned blue, the nearby magic power beginning to smolder.

Seeing Ah-yeon's eyes shining an azure blue, Ah-yeon hurriedly spoke.

"Kidding! Just kidding!"

"Right, you were kidding, weren't you?"

The blue flame extinguished.

Seeing Soo-ah grinning brightly, Ah-yeon felt a wave of frustration she hadn't felt in a long time.

'I'll have to use Estella's power, no matter what.'

Honestly, burning magic power was like cheating, wasn't it?

As a mage, Ah-yeon could never gain the upper hand against Soo-ah, not even if she were reborn.

After all, what good was it for a mage—whose magic power had all been burned away—to recite spells into the air?

"Meow."

And as if responding to Soo-ah's emotions, Mimos's eyes glinted sharply.

Now she had to even consider the cat's feelings.

'But this still isn't right.'

Ah-yeon quickly glanced around.

To be honest, she really had no reason to be here.

She'd already shared everything she knew, so at this point, there wasn't much she could actually do.

All she really did was follow them around and clap whenever Mimos cleared away demonic energy.

'Well, it can't be helped.'

Ah-yeon quietly moved her magic power.

She was planning to leave behind a doppelganger using illusion magic and sneak out.

Tap.

But her meek resistance was brought to an end as Yeon-ji grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Let me guess, you weren't about to use illusion magic to run away, were you?"

"......"

Now that Yeon-ji was also S-rank, simply fooling her was pointless.

Ah-yeon felt it was unfair.

She'd helped Yeon-ji so much when she was relearning magic.

"...... Let's just hurry up and finish this."

But that was all Ah-yeon could say.

She was determined to pay back this humiliation someday.

***

The suit tailored with Alencia's help wasn't bad at all.

Though he'd have to come back to pick it up later, it would be ready in time for the awards ceremony.

"So, what happened?"

After everything was done, as they stepped outside the department store, the three women waiting for him all looked exhausted for some reason.

"Well, about that..."

Shin Ah-yeon cautiously began to explain.

Thanks to her, I realized why that bizarre, lingering gaze I'd felt had disappeared so abruptly.

"That erosive phenomenon has already spread that widely?"

"Yes. If it gets any worse, it could lead to a huge disaster."

Erosion into a demon realm was a phenomenon that couldn't be prevented once dungeons or gates started appearing.

Worse, with the continual arrival of top-rank demons, its speed was accelerating.

Normally, for top-rank demons to utilize their full strength, the environment needed to be close to the demon realm. But the demons had overcome this using divine art and technology that created Mimos.

Thanks to the increasing number of top-rank demons, the erosive event was also escalating.

'This isn't good.'

For now, he didn't see any clear movements from the demons in Korea.

They were probably plotting something since they fled America.

Perhaps they were preparing to wage all-out war with this world.

'Jin Su-hyuk.'

The data I saw at Alcatraz flashed through my mind.

Jin Su-hyuk was still missing—whether he was dead or, if not...

"Manager, aren't you going to give me that?"

While lost in thought, Alencia tugged on my sleeve.

'For now, the only thing I can do is keep watch on the situation.'

Finding the demonic zone where demons might be hiding.

Getting permission to enter the demonic zone was my first job.

So until then, my role was to stay alert and prepare thoroughly.

"Lee Soo-ah."

"Yes?"

I took a small box out of the bag I was carrying and handed it to Soo-ah.

The instant they saw it, all their eyes widened.

"And this is for you, Yeon-ji."

"... Oh wow. What's this for?"

"What else? It's a present."

Honestly, I hadn't intended on buying gifts at first.

But after having my suit fitted, something Alencia said changed my mind.

"Manager, you've never given anyone a gift like this, right?"

"If you mean gifts, I feel like I've given some before."

"Not those kinds."

Not gifts based on practicality, but gifts just for the meaning of giving something.

Thinking about it, I realized I'd never given anyone that kind of present.

So Alencia suggested this was the perfect opportunity.

A simple, practical-less, ordinary gift.

"That's more or less what happened."

After hearing that, the three of them exchanged odd looks.

Especially Shin Ah-yeon, who quietly averted her gaze from Alencia.

"Here."

"T-thank you."

Finally handing the gift to Ah-yeon, the three of them glanced at each other before they opened the boxes.

Inside were sparkling accessories.

They weren't especially fancy from the outside, but the price tags were hefty.

Of course, in the past this would have been an issue, but now even buying a few didn't matter.

"So, what's with those faces? Don't you like them?"

"It's not that..."

Ah-yeon fidgeted, stealing glances at Alencia.

"As expected... the current Saintess is just built differently."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just that my pathetic little conscience..."

For some reason, Soo-ah and Yeon-ji also looked away at Ah-yeon's words.

Their reactions left me and Alencia a bit confused.

Still, it seemed they liked the gifts, so it was fine.

I didn't think much of it.

***

The 'Korea Guardian Award' that happens just once a year.

It's an immensely prestigious event, attended by only the most distinguished hunters who've excelled in Korea that year—even the invitation alone is a huge honor.

Those who win the award are pretty much regarded as Korea's representative hunter.

For hunters for whom public recognition didn't come easily, this was a big chance to appeal to the masses.

"Who do you think will win the Guardian Award this year?"

"Well, honestly, I think it's between two people."

Unsurprisingly, countless reporters were at the event, and speculation ran rampant about who would win.

The hunter who shone the brightest this year.

That narrowed it down to about two candidates.

"It's got to be Shin Ah-yeon from Unique, or Lee Soo-ah."

"Of course..."

This year could be considered Unique Management's year.

Lee Soo-ah achieved S-rank and made huge accomplishments, including her performance at Odyssey.

And Shin Ah-yeon, who saved many people at Mount Seorak and is one of only seven great mages in the world.

"Especially since Shin Ah-yeon once declined the award in the past due to an unfortunate incident."

"Ah, right."

At those words, the reporters recalled the incident from three years ago.

The rift incident that had plunged Shin Ah-yeon's hunter career to its lowest point.

With her achievement of saving so many people at that time, she was considered a strong candidate for the Guardian Award.

But Shin Ah-yeon didn't even attend the ceremony that year.

As if to say she didn't deserve to be there.

"That's how someone else ended up winning. That was... Kang Min-gi, I think."

"At that time, hunter Kang Min-gi looked really uncomfortable too. It's been three years, but I still remember his face clearly."

That year, everyone had expected Ah-yeon to win.

But instead, she didn't even show up, and Kang Min-gi received the award—people even called it "the stolen award".

"Still, it's such a relief to see her make a comeback. Unique's Park Jung-woo deserves a lot of thanks for that."

The return of the great mage, thought never to be seen again.

Shin Ah-yeon, now a nominee for the Guardian Award once more.

For reporters who had followed the hunter world for years, it was a moving sight.

"And... rumor has it, that person is among the invited hunters this year."

"That person?"

"No Name, apparently."

The mysterious Awakener who became a sensation by closing S-rank gates.

His name was listed for Odyssey, but he ended up not participating.

"Didn't Hunter Hugo say that Manager Park Jung-woo is No Name?"

"Come on, no way. He must have made a mistake, right? Westerners can't really tell Asian faces apart."

"But Park Jung-woo never exactly denied it, either. And the association acted strangely, too."

There was plenty of evidence pointing to No Name being Park Jung-woo.

But reporters had trouble believing it simply because Jung-woo was "just a manager".

A manager with power matching, or surpassing, that of an S-rank Awakener?

No matter how you looked at it, something didn't add up.

"But if Manager Park Jung-woo really IS No Name..."

Then the winner might not be Shin Ah-yeon or Lee Soo-ah after all.

And then...

"Shin Ah-yeon."

"Yes?"

"You were a nominee three years ago. Why didn't you attend?"

"Back then, I had to clear a new raid—Parkle, remember? That's why I didn't go."

In truth, the reason Ah-yeon hadn't attended the Guardian Award that year wasn't anything special.

She'd just been too lazy to go.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Proof that Ah-yeon never changes. 3 years ago, she prefers games, and she still prefer games now.

Also, the difference of Saintess in each era.

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】