HSF 3

3

Akhaeng’s feelings toward Cheong-hyeon seemed to go beyond simple in-game inferiority, displaying an obsessive malice. Though he was clearly watching the chat, Akhaeng remained silent and motionless.

[Guild] Ittorang: It’s not like we’ve ever fought.

[Guild] Ittorang: And I haven’t really done anything wrong to you.

[Guild] Ittorang: I don’t understand why you dislike me this much.

[Guild] Ittorang: Let me at least hear your reason.

[Guild] PuPuding: Did your fingers suddenly break?

[Guild] PuPuding: Either say something or leave the guild already.

Still, Akhaeng showed no signs of movement. With the instigator of this entire situation keeping his mouth shut, a suffocating silence fell over the guild room.

After enduring this uncomfortable atmosphere for a while, Akhaeng finally showed a reaction. He moved slightly from side to side, used a basic attack a couple of times, and then stopped moving as if typing again. Everyone held their breath.

[Guild] [Seohee1 has logged in.]

Instead of Akhaeng’s anticipated message, a login notification appeared, and Seohee1 materialized in the center of the guild room with a spectacular effect. Having logged out from the guild room previously, they seemed to have been summoned there as soon as they started the game.

A golden star spun above their head before bursting into countless sparkles that slowly descended around Seohee1. This dazzling effect, coveted by many fashion-conscious users, was a limited-time entrance effect granted only to PVP content rankers.

As the effect faded and Seohee1 was fully revealed, they appeared as a male character with white hair and golden eyes. Matching the color scheme, they wore a white uniform with gold trim and held a moon-shaped staff adorned with blue jewels and feathers, exuding a sacred aura befitting a light-attribute priest.

Seohee1 was about to leave immediately but stopped in their tracks. The unusually large crowd in the guild room seemed suspicious. That was understandable, as spectators had gradually increased until nearly twenty people had gathered.

[General] Seohee1: ?

[General] Seohee1: Don’t crowd around like this. It’s creepy^^

Seohee1 just dropped that comment and left the guild room. Despite the unusual gathering of people, which might have sparked curiosity, they showed no interest whatsoever. Though they were in the same guild, Cheong-hyeon, who had no special interaction with Seohee1 before, was slightly taken aback by their tone and behavior, but the other guild members seemed used to it and carried on.

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Haha…Hello, Seohee-nim.

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: We have some things to discuss.

[Guild] [Akhaeng has logged out.]

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Ah.

While people’s attention was diverted by Seohee1’s outrageous comment, Akhaeng escaped by logging out.

[Guild] PuPuding: The cr1azy guy ran away.

[Guild] Ittorang: Can’t we just kick him out?

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Akhaeng is the Vice Guild Master ㅠㅠ

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Only the Guild Master can kick out a Vice Guild Master.

[Guild] Ittorang: Ah..and of course the Guild Master isn’t here today.

Cheong-hyeon had wondered why they were arguing instead of simply kicking him out, but it seemed the only option was to persuade him to leave voluntarily.

[Guild] PuPuding: The Guild Master hasn’t been seen since yesterday.

[Guild] PuPuding: Yesterday, Heekkom-nim wrote that callout post.

[Guild] PuPuding: And shared the link in the group chat.

[Guild] PuPuding: Since then, they haven’t appeared in the chat.

[Guild] PuPuding: And haven’t logged into the game either;;

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: I wonder if something happened…

StrongestSpirit used the “cross-legged sitting” action to plop down on the floor, and others gradually sat down in a circle. This created an atmosphere like a campfire gathering where people chatted comfortably.

[Guild] PuPuding: Ah, Ittorang-nim.

[Guild] PuPuding: I’m sorry for confronting you earlier ㅠㅠ

As the seated PuPuding offered an apology in a much gentler tone, Cheong-hyeon instinctively used the “cross-legged sitting” action as well. PuPuding seemed to feel bad about speaking harshly to Cheong-hyeon after only hearing Akhaeng’s side of the story.

[Guild] Ittorang: No, it was understandable ㅎㅎㅎ It’s fine.

[Guild] PuPuding: At first I thought Akhaeng was just talking nonsense.

[Guild] PuPuding: But he kept talking like he had evidence, so I misunderstood ㅠㅠ

[Guild] PuPuding: I’m really sorry.

[Guild] Ittorang: Really, really, it’s okay.

[Guild] Ittorang: He was so insistent that even I thought I might have done something wrong ㅜ

PuPuding, being a victim themselves, had nothing to feel guilty about and Cheong-hyeon casually accepted the apology before steering the conversation back to Akhaeng. As guild members who had accumulated grievances against Akhaeng began speaking up one by one, the chat window quickly became lively. After quite some time discussing Akhaeng, the conversation turned to guild members who had left after arguing with him, and the mood suddenly became somber.

[Guild] PuPuding: Sigh, Akhaeng just ruined the guild atmosphere.

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: ㅜㅜ Five people have already left the guild.

[Guild] Mike: Actually, I’m also going to be one of them lol

[Guild] Mike: Planning to leave because of Akhaeng.

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Oh no, Mike-nim, please don’t leave ㅠㅠ

[Guild] Mike: lol I’ll stay if Akhaeng leaves.

[Guild] Mike: Akhaeng that **

[Guild] Mike: Ah sorry lol

[Guild] Mike: Anyway, he would get super jealous whenever I talked to female members ㅋㅋ

[Guild] PuPuding: lol lol lol

[Guild] PuPuding: I was wondering why Akhaeng was after Ittorang-nim.

[Guild] PuPuding: You must have been seen as competition.

Ittorang, who had been mostly observing and occasionally responding, became the topic of conversation again. Cheong-hyeon felt rather unfairly treated, as he hadn’t been particularly close with any guild members and had never paid much attention to their gender when chatting with them.

[Guild] Ittorang: I don’t even have close friends in the guild ㅠㅠ

[Guild] PuPuding: Ah, it’s not because you were close to women.

[Guild] PuPuding: Ittorang-nim was actually quite popular.

[Guild] PuPuding: When guild members were chatting before

[Guild] PuPuding: We said you seemed like a likable person.

[Guild] PuPuding: People said you’d probably be fun to get close to.

[Guild] PuPuding: Though you probably didn’t know lol lol lol

Cheong-hyeon was used to easily winning people’s affection with his striking appearance wherever he went, but receiving goodwill in a game where no one knew his face or name felt a bit awkward.

In truth, Cheong-hyeon wasn’t unaware that some guild members wanted to befriend him. However, since he hadn’t planned to stay in the Seven Guild long-term, he deliberately kept his distance, though he couldn’t say this outright right then.

[Guild] Ittorang: I’m just not good at picking up on these things ㅎㅎ

[Guild] PuPuding: lol lol lol lol This kind of thing.

[Guild] PuPuding: Your boss-control was good and you seemed polite but sometimes funny.

[Guild] PuPuding: That kind of talk was going on.

[Guild] PuPuding: And Akhaeng would always criticize you ㅠ

[Guild] PuPuding: I wondered why he was like that.

[Guild] PuPuding: I guess Akhaeng has been jealous of you since then.

[Guild] PuPuding: And he finally snapped today.

[Guild] JayJ: A man’s jealousy…scary.

[Guild] Ittorang: ㅠㅠ!

Thinking they had grown somewhat closer to Cheong-hyeon after today’s events, guild members began asking him things they were curious about. Seeing the flood of personal questions, it seemed their claim about wanting to befriend him wasn’t a lie.

When someone asked if he was really an elementary school student, Cheong-hyeon’s face turned beet red. He didn’t feel the need to reveal personal information like his name or age in the game, so whenever someone asked such things, he would joke around and deflect.

Previously, when a group project took longer than expected, he had asked his party members for understanding and postponed a raid appointment. When a party member asked if he was a college student and what his major was, he had jokingly replied that he was doing a math workbook assignment. Since then, some party members consistently referred to him as a student, and the rumor seemed to have spread. As Cheong-hyeon was facing the consequences of his past deception, the long-absent Guild Master finally logged in.

[Guild] [Lucky has logged in.]

[Guild] PuPuding: Guild Master…

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Ah Lucky-hyung, why are you only coming now ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[Guild] Mike: Finally here, hello.

[Guild] JayJ: Kick Akhaeng out quickly.

[Guild] Ittorang: Hello~

[Guild] Lucky: Hi hi hello!

[Guild] Lucky: I had something urgent so I’m just coming now ;_;

[Guild] Lucky: Just a moment, I’ll kick Akhaeng out first.

[Guild] [Akhaeng has been expelled from the guild.]

[Guild] StrongestSpirit: Such a simple thing to do…ㅠㅠ

As Akhaeng was finally kicked out and the matter seemed resolved, guild members began leaving one by one to attend to their own business. Cheong-hyeon was no exception.

[Guild] Ittorang: Finally ㅎㅎ

[Guild] Ittorang: I’ll be going to do my daily missions then!

[Guild] PuPuding: Ok ok, thanks for your hard work.

[Guild] JayJ: I’m leaving too, bye bye!

[Guild] Ittorang: Thanks for your hard work~

Cheong-hyeon left the guild room with a lighter heart than when he entered. He thought that perhaps staying in this guild wouldn’t be so bad after all, but this feeling didn’t last long. It was because of Lucky’s unexpected whisper.

[Whisper] Lucky: Ittorang-nim.

[To Lucky]: Yes?

[Whisper] Lucky: I heard there was a misunderstanding with Akhaeng-nim 🙁