13 – Rope (2)

[Temple of Yu Hee-sin]

The interior of a reception room prepared for consultations or receiving special guests.

A middle-aged man sitting on a prepared sofa there.

boat that came out slightly.

A warm impression.

The hair was shaved from the bangs to the top of the head.

It was Kim Seong-won, the youngest member of the finance department, who cursed and cursed so much.

Before receiving the email that the academy’s barrier had stopped working, Kim Seong-won was already in Seoul.

In fact, as soon as he received a call from Kim Na-hyun, the youngest, the day before, he packed up and went up. Even so, the reason I didn’t show my face at the academy yesterday was because I was praying that this was someone’s bad prank.

In other words, he was escaping from reality.

And his escape was shattered by an email sent a little past midnight today.

Read at noblemtl.com

Returning to the terrible reality, he first called the youngest, Kim Na-hyun. But a beep that cuts off along the way. Subsequently, as Kim Na-hyun received a reply that all communication devices were turned off, Kim Seong-won’s few strands of hair fell to the floor.

Kim Seong-won also did not associate himself with the incident in which the barrier stopped working. However, the youngest child’s sudden dive ignited his anxiety, and Kim Seong-won finally drove to the academy at dawn.

And I went straight to Yu Hee-sin’s temple.

Originally, the door of the temple, which should have been firmly closed, was wide open due to the academy’s sudden accident, so it was not difficult to enter.

Kim Seong-won, with the help of the priest who was standing there, became the bailiff. I was able to meet Clerbin Asen.

-Wait quietly here.

As soon as Claire saw Kim Seong-won, she put him in the living room as if he were imprisoned.

without hearing anything.

“… … ok.”

5 hours after entering the drawing room.

Seven hours have passed since the barrier stopped working.

Even when I came in, it was dark outside the drawing room window. But now the warm sunlight was subtly seeping in and giving warmth to the floor.

‘yes… It’s not like I used it for anything bad.’

5 hours is by no means a short time. However, after entering the parlor, Kim Seong-won had no mental head left to feel the passage of time.

An enforcer who wanted to believe it was an impersonation. Cler bin Asen locked himself in the drawing room.

In other words, the youngest Kim Na-hyun’s report that day was true without lies.

From the moment he entered the drawing room, Seongwon Kim wondered what to say to the professor with the black ring. Also, I didn’t even feel that time was passing because I was thinking about how to explain it.

―It’s sweet.

The sound of a doorknob turning.

Kim Seong-won, who had been shaking his legs constantly from anxiety and nervousness, immediately got up from the sofa and stood facing the door.

His movements were very fast and moderate, and his movements were so swift that if a stranger saw him, he would mistakenly think that he was an enhanced awakening person.

The closed door moves.

First, Claire, dressed in a pure white priestly uniform, came inside. And a tall man came in after her.

untidy black hair.

Large glasses that covered half of the face.

Huge kidneys that make people shudder.

It was the same as the impression explained by the youngest Kim Na-hyun. Above all, a black ring worn on the index finger of the left hand.

“My name is Seongwon Kim, Manager of the Finance Department.”

Read at noblemtl.com

Right-angled waist.

Two hands respectfully gathered on the belly.

A voice brimming with politeness without being overbearing.

From the outside, it was a perfect coping with no anxiety or nervousness to be found.

However, he couldn’t help the sweat dripping from his hairless bangs.

A drop of water dripping down the smooth skin to the floor.

Looking at the small marks on the floor, Seongwon Kim closed his eyes.

However, contrary to Kim Seong-won’s worries, the two people who came inside did not even look at him.

Kim Seong-won, bowed down, is a tall man. Baek Woo-jin sat down on the sofa across from him and opened his mouth. However, the target of the call was not Kim Seong-won.

“Claire. I have something to tell you later, so don’t go out and sit next to me.”

“… … Yes.”

Thinking of avoiding her seat for Baek Woo-jin, she stood by the door and quietly closed the door at his call and passed Kim Seong-won and sat down next to Baek Woo-jin.

Only then did Baek Woo-jin’s eyes turn to Kim Seong-won.

“Stop and sit down.”

“hahahaha… then.”

Seongwon Kim gently lifted his bent waist, wiping the sweat from his sleeve. Then, I put my butt back on the spot where I sat awkwardly.

“You, too, will be uncomfortable here, so there is no need to speak at length. So, please answer concisely by putting only the key points in what I ask.”

“yep… … .”

A deep voice that pierces the ears so hard that it gives goosebumps.

Seongwon Kim nodded his head slightly with saliva on his dry lips.

“I have two questions for you. The purpose of hiding the information, the use of the money not deposited.”

Baek Woo-jin leaned back comfortably on the sofa.

Seongwon Kim, on the other hand, bent down.

chapped lips. The palms and pants dance wet with cold sweat.

Seongwon Kim exhaled briefly and then raised his head.

two questions. There was no reason not to answer anything.

However, just because you can confidently explain the reason does not mean that what you have done is not a crime. Kim Seong-won opened his mouth in a properly recognized state.

“I will answer the questions in reverse order.”

“As convenient as possible.”

“Yes… … . First of all, the money that should have gone into the professor’s account is the students’ scholarships and welfare. And it was used for each temple in the name of donation to seek cooperation from each temple.”

Children who are passionate and have awakened outstanding abilities, but come from a difficult environment in which they grew up.

The academy is to prevent such talented people from falling into rogue guilds and bad sides.

From maintenance costs to equipment and potions so that you can focus only on growing. We support a variety of things, including mass-produced elixirs.

Kim Seong-won used some of the money that should have gone to Baek Woo-jin to increase the quantity of the items a little more and change the quality a little better.

and temple.

Healing skills are very valuable.

However, priests who have received God’s grace can heal wounds using a special power that is slightly more than magical power, called divine power, apart from their awakened abilities.

Of course, it is not at the level of attaching cut off body parts.

Depending on how much they are loved by the gods and the total amount of divine power they possess, there are a few people who can do it, but most of them are just stitching up cuts and restoring slightly damaged internal organs so that there are no aftereffects.

And due to the nature of the academy, injuries to students are very frequent. Even the number is high.

Since it was impossible to cover everything with only potions and healing-type abilities, the academy built each temple within the site and called in priests to help them.

Other than that, like today, when something happens at the academy, they actively step forward and help. Anyway, priests were beings who worked as much as they were given.

Unlike Baek Woo-jin, who was unobtrusively satisfied with his curiosity, Claire, who was sitting next to him, was startled at the part that his money was used as a donation to the temple, and began to secretly look at Baek Woo-jin.

Without noticing the subtle change between the two, Kim Seong-won continued talking.

“professor… … It wasn’t exactly hiding information about the black ring. It is just a misunderstanding caused by the fact that the access rights are set so that only the manager-level personnel and the chairman can read them.”

Black rank registered with the establishment of the academy.

Everyone in the know knows about it, but not everyone mentions it. It’s because the director inexhaustibly threatens that if he divulges information about him in the contract written before he sits in the manager’s seat, he will get a huge disadvantage.

And there was nothing to disclose.

The professor’s personal information was not recorded, and there was no record that he had lectured. Or, there was no history of outside activities.

I don’t do activities, but I get paid.

In addition, there was no trace of the money that was received like that, and it just piled up.

There Kim Seong-won decides.

It’s a huge loss to play with money like that.

First, the payment of salaries was suspended.

Since there was no protest, the wealth accumulated in the ring was used.

There was no protest about this either, and after that, Kim Seong-won started to use money without hesitation and came to where he is now.

Kim Seong-won closed his mouth, and this time Baek Woo-jin opened his mouth.

“Can you do it if I return everything by today?”

“… … You can’t even beat me to death.”

I haven’t used it for 1 or 2 years. It’s almost 20 years.

I’m not joking, but to restore it all, I needed an amount that would be a bit short of even if I used all of my budget for next year.

“Then let’s stop the barrier from working until you fill up all the money you spent on your own.”

“… … !!”

It was unexpected, but as soon as the word barrier came out of Baek Woo-jin’s mouth, Kim Seong-won immediately got up from the sofa and knelt on the floor.

“School, professor. I will try to replenish the professor’s fortune somehow as quickly as possible. So, as for the barrier… … .”

If the barrier is not restored as it is, the academy’s defense facilities, which had not been invested in so far, would have to invest money that would not be enough even with the sound of money.

Then, of course, the budget had to be taken from other places, and that would of course include the students’ scholarships.

Baek Woo-jin asked while looking at the shiny crown of Kim Seong-won, who was bowing his head.

“It’s not embezzlement, why are you investing in students like that?”

“… … Whatever the reason, aren’t they talented people who will risk their lives to protect us from monsters? If those children grow up well, my old age will be comfortable, so of course I should support it.”

Money can be used only when it is peaceful.

In an unpeaceful era, power takes precedence over money.

Kim Seong-won, who is just an ordinary human being, once experienced an era in which power was prioritized over money. That’s why I hoped more than anyone else that such an era would never come again.

Baek Woo-jin nodded at his answer.

“but. It’s not even your money, but you can afford that much.”

“… … .”

“Did your salary go in there too?”

“… … .”

“I guess so.”

Kim Seong-won could not raise his head.

As he said, if a part of his salary had gone into it, he would have been a little more proud.

Unfortunately, Kim Seong-won invested in the fishing of the jokjok, who received a salary.

I have some money saved up, but that was to buy a yacht later.

“Kim Seong-won.”

“… … Yes.”

Baek Woo-jin said while looking at his own face reflected on the top of his head.

“My property that you used at will. You don’t have to put it back.”

Money was not a very important factor in Baek Woo-jin’s plan.

“… … ?”

Seongwon Kim, who was looking at the floor, raised his head.

His own ugly face was reflected in the opaque white glasses.

“Instead, do what I tell you to do.”

“… … Shi, if it’s something you ask me to do… ?”

It is said that units in excess of 100 million will be forgiven, but is there anything you can do?

I am ready to commit even a little absurdity and crime.

However, what Baek Woo-jin said he would do was much less trivial than what Kim Seong-won had thought.

“Annoying things that happen while I am a professor. Administrative procedures to be dealt with.”

“… … Is that the answer?”

“Why. Is it not enough?”

“No, no. It can’t be.”

Concerned that he might change his mind, Seongwon Kim shook his head frantically.

“However, starting this year, it would be better to properly fill the money.”

“of course. of course. Yes. Not like that.”

“I’ll contact you later, so stop going.”

“… … Are you really going?”

“If you have something else to do, you don’t have to go.”

“no. There is not.”

Kim Seong-won jumped up from his seat and bowed to Baek Woo-jin.

“then. Excuse me.”

He left the drawing room very quickly, blowing a few strands of hair.

Baek Woo-jin, leaning comfortably on the sofa, turned his head and looked at Claire sitting next to him.

“When are you leaving Korea?”

“… … For the time being, I will remain here.”

“is it.”

“… … Yes.”

The fact that Baek Woo-jin’s money was used as a donation to the temple, Claire still couldn’t decide what to do with it.

Baek Woo-jin, who had no way of knowing her inner thoughts, continued.

“if. If you have free time, come visit me sometimes.”

“… … Yes. Yes… ?”

Claire, who was looking at Baek Woo-jin from the side, opened her eyes wide and turned her head. Then, seeing his face reflected in the white glasses, he hurriedly turned his head again.

However, that didn’t calm down my surprise.

“There is something I need to consult about Baek Ha-na’s education, so come visit me. If you’re busy, it’s okay if I come to you.”

“No, ah… no. It’s free. Yes. I… I… I will find you.”

“yes.”

“… … Yes.”

The idea of donations was instantly out of her head. And I came to think that it would be okay to receive the contact information I had put off.

When she is thinking about how to speak out.

“And.”

She came to her senses at the sound of Baek Woo-jin’s voice right next to her.

his words continued.

“I want you to lend me some money.”

Claire’s head slowly turned toward Baek Woo-jin. Fortunately, this time he had a normal expression.

“Pay back later-”

“Contact.”

Baek Woo-jin kept his mouth shut, and Claire continued, clearing her throat slightly.

“… Give us your contact information and we will transfer the money.”

There are definitely apps that have that feature.

“I will.”

Clerbin Assen.

A new number was saved to her address book.