Chick 196
by Cristae196
Meanwhile, after receiving a message in the helicopter, Shun Yamaoka nodded and spoke.
[“Let’s go now. I’ll escort you to the airport.”]
“I wanted to finish building the bicycle before I left. Sorry about this, Guru-chan.”
[Emergency! The caretaker ‘Amakusa Kazuki’ is in danger!]
Dori-dori.
Guru shook their head and tugged on Kazuki’s sleeve.
“Master, you mustn’t go.”
Kazuki, who had turned to leave, gave an awkward smile.
Guru tightened their grip on Kazuki’s sleeve.
Now, even without a warning signal, Guru could tell—if he let his master leave with that expression, something would go wrong.
Tututututututu—
The helicopter landed in the courtyard before the main hall, ready to take Kazuki away.
Thump, thump, thump.
Guru’s heart pounded as if they’d just finished a race.
He already knew what to do if he didn’t want to let Kazuki go.
His skill, his level—both had grown.
‘It’s scary getting scolded, but…’
If there’s something I can do, I’ll do it.
“Bay!”
[Activating skill: ‘Squish-squish.’]
“Don’t let Master leave.”
Swoosh—
In that instant, a child with shark-like teeth appeared.
Stars glittered in the child’s eyes, and sharp fangs flashed behind a smiling mouth.
The right arm had turned pitch-black, transformed like the limb of a demon. In the palm, a black sphere the size of a baseball formed, radiating a chill power.
Swwooooo—
The ominous air emitted by Veilach instantly thickened the tension.
There was even a faint sensation as if space and time were distorting.
[“What is that!”]
[“It’s a monster!”]
Sensing danger, the special forces aimed their weapons at the child.
Even Shun Yamaoka took a ready stance for sword-drawing.
If necessary, he would cut down even a child!
Seeing this, the familiar spirit seemed to greatly enjoy the pathetic struggle of these insignificant creatures—
—I obey, my lord.
The reply came in a laughter-tinged voice.
Thud—!
Crack—!
The helicopter was mashed in an instant, as if struck by some great machine, compressed into a thin disk.
A circular crater opened up around it.
The special forces, flattened against the ground, were as still as statues.
Kazuki gaped at Shun Yamaoka, who sat dazed on the ground.
What on earth just happened…?
Meanwhile, Guru turned Veilach back into a hamster.
Ugly as ever, the hamster scurried up Guru’s shoulder.
“Myuuuu…”
It seemed regretful at having spent its strength so quickly.
Guru kept stroking Veilach’s head encouragingly.
“You did great, Bay.”
“Mi?”
Maybe unaccustomed to being praised, Veilach hesitantly accepted the child’s hand.
At that moment, Kazuki turned to Guru, his face stiff.
Gulp!
Am I going to be scolded?
Now that he’d actually done it, Guru felt a little guilty.
After all, he’d broken the helicopter as he pleased, and slammed the bad guys (probably) into the ground.
Meanwhile, in the background, Monk Hyeongak was letting the murmuring crowd inside, asking what on earth had happened.
“……”
Guru pouted and bowed his head, steeling himself for a scolding.
“Wow! Guru-chan, you can do that too?!”
Wah!
“Saaabuu!”
With teary eyes, Guru rushed over and dove into Kazuki’s big arms.
Kazuki, still on his knees, comforted the sniffling Guru.
It was a somewhat comical scene.
Here was a child who’d just subdued a squad of special forces at once, yet now worried for his own, perfectly unscathed Kazuki with wide, anxious eyes.
“You’re really scary… Master’s even broken into a cold sweat. Can you feel it?”
“Um…? It’s damp. Sniff!”
“Right? I was super scared just now!”
“…Sorry for doing as I pleased, Master. But please, don’t go to the bad people. Sniff!”
“It’s all right, you’re such a good kid. Why are you crying?”
“Because, sniff! …I did it as I pleased, I broke the helicopter… hic!”
Kazuki cupped Guru’s cheeks in both hands, gently wiping away the falling tears.
“Why are you crying, Guru-chan? You did great. Don’t cry, or your doting Papa will think I made you cry.”
“Hyuung, sniff!”
Just then.
“Is that so?”
Startled!
An all-too-familiar voice made Kazuki stiffen and turn.
“…On-chan?”
“Sorry for being the doting Papa.”
Joorim looked closely at Guru, then turned his gaze to the wrecked helicopter and sighed.
“Haa…”
He pushed back his hair.
Shun Yamaoka, who’d been watching the whole scene dumbfounded, finally managed to shakily get up.
[“Joorim On?”]
[“Is it really Joorim On?”]
His name spread like wildfire among the squad members.
Their voices were laced with both fear and reverence. A dangerous sign.
“Hm, Guildmaster Joorim On…”
Shun Yamaoka cleared his throat and spoke in clumsy Korean.
He had to handle Joorim. No, more precisely, he had to calm and send him away.
Joorim checked his wristwatch, then slowly turned to look at Shun Yamaoka.
Their eyes met abruptly, and Shun Yamaoka swallowed dryly.
Overwhelming, unfathomable mana tightened around his chest.
He felt that if he moved even an inch, his entire body would shatter.
Joorim, in contrast to Shun Yamaoka’s pale anxiety, maintained a cool expression.
“Take it.”
What?
Before he could give voice to the question, his phone rang.
Trillllll—
Shun Yamaoka bit his lip as he saw the Prime Minister’s Office number on the screen.
“For heaven’s sake…”
Seated in the center of the main hall, arms folded, Joorim stared at Kazuki and Guru, who stood before him, heads bowed.
“I step away for just a moment, and there’s already trouble.”
After receiving the call from the Prime Minister’s Office, Shun Yamaoka withdrew with his special forces, but those who remained now had to face Joorim’s anger.
Guru had already learned how to escape scolding as quickly as possible in situations like this, and so dropped to his knees without a moment’s delay.
“…?”
Kazuki, confused, followed Guru’s example, knelt, and under Guru’s pressure, lowered his head in apology almost unconsciously.
“I’m sorry things turned out this way… sumimasen…”
Guru, watching, gaped in shock.
That wasn’t “죄송합니다.”
“Sumi…?”
Rolling his large eyes, Guru copied him in a small voice, and Kazuki smiled and whispered back.
“Sumimasen.”
Hot.
“Sumimangshee…”
Guru folded himself down bowing awkwardly.
Kazuki pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at the little body curled up like a pill bug and the babyish pronunciations that trickled out.
“How can you be so cute? Guru-chan, can’t I just raise you myself now?”
“No way.”
Guru shook his head, but Kazuki pulled him closer by the shoulders.
“Stepdad will teach you Japanese, build you all the bicycles you want, and take good care of you.”
“I really might kill you…”
Joorim muttered quietly with jaw clenched in anger.
“If you keep this up, it’ll be really bad for you.”
Kazuki, surrendering, raised both hands and rose to his feet.
“But On-chan, how’d you make them leave? Did you threaten Takahashi or something?”
It was said as a joke.
But Joorim answered coolly.
“Yes.”
“…What?”
Joorim rested his chin on his knees, perched cross-legged, and smiled slyly.
“I called and said I’d tell you who cast the debuff. The reaction was amusing.”
For having just admitted to threatening the Prime Minister of a country, his tone was far too nonchalant.
Kazuki couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.
“On-chan, you really don’t discriminate against anyone!”
Despite his intention, it came out rather sarcastic, but Joorim seemed unfazed.
“So, will you help or not?”