At last, I'm finally getting proper fish cake stew.
"Ahh—! This is delicious, boss!"
"I'm glad you're enjoying it!"
The broth, simmered with a radish-like vegetable, Linsu fish, and greens, and spiked with some kind of chili pepper, is simultaneously cool and sharp—it practically calls for soju! All right, bring it on!
"Ah... I'm too old for this..."
"Phew... You've eaten well. Ready to go, kid?"
"...What's your name?"
"Hyun. Baekhyun. I'm from Danguk."
"Baekhyun... I'll remember that."
"No, forget it. The fellow behind you who acts like your father is glaring at us."
"Me?"
"…You mouth off to your folks like that?"
"Oh, my kid... well, it's Christmas. Is there anything you want?"
Unbelievable—the Rat King of Dragon Gate, who moments ago tried to kill someone, is now cowering before his wife.
"That was quite an experience. The meal was great. Do you take cards here?"
"Sure do. What era are we in now?"
Thankfully, I'll just swipe first and get started.
"...What now? Hello?"
"Mr. Wei Yenwu? We have a record here showing two bowls of Linsu fish cake stew charged at 40 Yongmun coins..."
"...Yes, that's me. Everything I pay for today is on me, so note that."
Wait—he actually knows which card he's holding? 40 Yongmun coins? 40 Yongmun coins?!
"Could it be your child here is excessively frugal?"
"Quite possibly. Haha... and, uh, it's already too late. I figured you'd be gone already."
"Miss Swaye, do you know when she left?"
"I have no idea. That girl. Hmph!"
"Haha! It looks like Miss Swaye is furious!"
'She promised to protect me and just left. Unforgivable!'
"I've even prepared the contract, but—well, since this is how things turned out, how about you go to the Guard State and wait there?"
"Excellent idea! An outstanding choice."
"No objections."
After all, it was Wei Yenwu himself who sent Baekhyun out to enjoy the day. He has no intention of recalling him today; he plans to grab a coffee in the Guard State while observing the criminal proceedings.
"Uncle, I've caught the pickpocket."
"Talulah, aren't you being too rough?"
"They've eaten by now... so, what now?"
Come to think of it, Sinclair is my only friend?!
'A pathetic loser cries from misery.'
Still, if I go back I'll become the butt of Swaye's jokes. I don't want that.
"No, wait—I'm a tourist right now, aren't I? Then I should be sightseeing."
Yeomguk's biggest industrial city doesn't earn its title without reason. Where there's industry, there's trade; where there's trade, there are outsiders; where there are people, there's entertainment. That means there are plenty of things I haven't found yet.
"Fine. First, I'll buy something like a camera."
A camera is just a tool for taking pictures, but since it has a hardcore enthusiast base, it comes with all kinds of accessories and gets expensive—it's the kind of hobby that invites a slap from your wife.
But the card I've hidden tight in my pocket has the power to sweep up all of that without blinking.
"Heh heh heh, thanks, Dragon Head. I'll put it to good use!"
"No, put it down."
"Huh? Who—"
As I lean my body back and use the recoil to tumble backward, I dodge the fist hurled at me. Instinctively, I identified the target as my solar plexus and created distance.
"Who are you trying to kill? My solar plexus?"
"Pickpocket. That's my uncle's card, right?"
"Who are you calling a pickpocket?!"
And when I raise my head, wanting to get a good look at who's in front of me, I see the gray-haired beauty Dracona, who will one day lead Reunion and become Kashee's new body.
"That's right! Give it back!"
And then, the blue-haired dragonborn Chen Feijie, who is ten years ahead of everyone else in age.
"...Damn—"
"Opening!"
"Ugh!"
In the moment my guard drops as I try to comprehend the situation, I end up taking a blow to the temple.
"'You can stand. Stand up.'"
Well, as the mountain spirit said, I can get up. After taking so many swings from Otis that a human's vital point no longer feels deadly, that's just how it is.
"'But... something more important than getting up.'"
No, more than that—Chen aside—did that girl still not get sold to Kashee? She's about to be kidnapped by Duke Kashee and raised as his successor and new body.
"'If that's the case...? Reunion might change.'"
It's absurd, but if I could just prevent Kashee from taking her, he might avert a terrible massacre at the Chernobog that becomes District 1's background. I'm serious.
"'Could that be possible? No, I don't even know when that point is.'"
What I do know is that Babel has just been founded and the Salcat internal war has just erupted. It made some headlines, right? But I don't think that's the key to solving the current situation.
"'Besides, I don't even know Kashee's combat power.'"
Still, seeing how she gets taken out by Talulah, she might not be that strong...? Hard to judge yet.
"This is troublesome..."
"Well, you got hit, so you're not wrong, pickpocket."
"No, I'm saying I didn't—"
"You didn't? This is my uncle's card!"
"If I told him you got it, he wouldn't believe it."
"Of course not."
"Sigh... fine, let's go. To clear up this misunderstanding, I have to talk to her face to face."
Apparently, holidays are cursed for me.
With that, half-dragged into the Guard State, I saw Dragon Head, Moejang, and Otis standing there.
"Uncle, I've caught the pickpocket."
"Talulah, aren't you being too rough?"
"Talulah? Chen? And... why did you come back after I sent you out?"
"Heh... Dragon Head. Let's have a word."
"I still can't believe it was just a misunderstanding..."
"So, can't you just believe what someone tells you?"
"Let me apologize on his behalf, Baekhyun."
"Well... all right. I can understand that. But my question is, why were you ready to punch first? Were you out to kill me?"
Good thing I didn't draw my blade in the street—if they had planned to tail and catch me like that, I might've gotten cut a bit.
"That... is inexcusable."
"All right, enough. Let's call this a fluke and move on, yeah?"
After all, I got hit due to my own lapse in concentration.
"Besides, Baekhyun, you always show up at just the right time, don't you? Here, the contract."
"Let me see... pay is guaranteed, deployment orders... contract length... stay confirmation... OK, nothing weird. I was half-expecting some joke."
"Expecting a joke? Stop saying ridiculous things and sign it."
"Wasn't it already decided? Two years—you'll look after me for that time, right?"
"...?? Talulah. Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on here?"
"No, I don't know either. Uncle, is this situation...?"
"Ah, let me properly introduce. This is Baekhyun. He's the kid who's moving in next door for the next two years and joining the Guard State's Violent Crimes Unit."
"Ah, nice to meet you... neighbor?"
"Ah~ don't mind it. I heard the place next door was up for rent, so I signed a two-year lease—it should be spacious enough for him alone."
"Is that so? Well, in that case, we'll see a lot of each other. Again, I'm Baekhyun from Danguk."
"...Talulah. I apologize for my earlier rudeness."
"I'm Chen Feijie. And joining the Guard State?"
"It's a two-year contract position, nothing more. Well then, I'll take my leave."
"Hey, Baekhyun, sorry to ask a favor today, but how about buying something a bit pricey?"
"I was just thinking of splurging on a camera, but I got arrested for credit-card theft and now I have to go buy another one."
"A camera... finally...!"
For a moment, I thought I saw the thrill of finally buying something expensive flash across Wei Yenwu's eyes, but I decided it was just my imagination. I figured I'd head back out and enjoy the rest of the holiday... but then...
"Who are you kids?"
"...Talulah."
"I'm Chen Feijie..."
"No, I'm not asking that—why are you following me?"
"Well... you don't know your way around. We'll be your guides."
"That's not true! I can find my way just fine. It's disrespectful to a tourist."
"Then you must know this direction leads to the Nomadic City departure platform from Dragon Gate."
"....Why—what?"
"Geez... let's just travel together. We're not bored... I mean, we're here to help."
"Chen, did that thirty-seven-year-old lady just say she was bored?"
"Who said I was thirty-seven?!"
I'll end up like that in the future, mark my words.