FG | Chapter 6.4

For South Korea, 558d763e32 it had always 7cceac590c been an unattainable 13da6e7498 dream. But for countries b1791800c9 that had even 28f1d00a18 the slightest chance, 083f3cf1d5 they had been d596750528 desperately trying to a66bf026c0 get in. The United d7bfdf4d3a Nations was 43f0ab5dd5 the place 4a7b953343 to be c6df9e6999 if you 1218f46369 wanted to 51ffd4a638 establish yourself 7b5b26f367 as a 77b0abfbcf true power.bef55f28d4583c18

But why?6ec62a833e6940d2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Why South a972d34272 Korea of 5e8838c3f6 all places?5c66a5aee604a240

Why choose an East ae6bfb55f7 Asian country, and more b49080950f specifically, a nation considered d7ab528e0a weak in terms of 6703ed6984 Awakeners?c5c725319e15ca0f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I had a 5815a0de84 feeling I already c8f5ca3a35 knew the answer.0c19a3c0e7fb3268

I glanced 3255b4eb5f to the f830070e25 side at 9a75329bd5 Yeo Eundo, 13f0d9b0e1 who was d1ad23e269 fidgeting with c70111ff53 my fingers, 02036f8041 as if 2d9a56aec7 he had 61f8f3b5ac finally calmed 174fe99d99 down. Noticing my gaze, he 9b83d8d00e grinned sheepishly.f7975fb89af39566

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even though the 1479d45548 conference room was 1603463d2e dim, it felt 29e4532ecc like golden specks 39f923713f of light were ab60c88f66 sprinkled over his 80ddc772a7 face, like pepper. I squinted at him, 9dc6807f0d but before I could f22ed8b847 say anything, the people 44315d21ad who had yet to 4ad2171dd5 settle down started speaking 419f7398bb one by one.0f4cfedcefa49b26

“H-How is this even 1b88af5718 possible?”158a9c27c337b267

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Are we talking about 637f316f6f that Basis? Why would they…?”98eb30164ace952a

Some people dcd77c18ed even speculated a18217c7b5 that it fb18c193d0 might just cf679ae03f be a ef89e9c599 splinter guild 1f8ae1357f derived from aeccb4434e Basis. Baek Jesung, however, c1f366769e didn’t bother stopping 186ba03522 the rumors from aea725f5a0 spreading. There was 74f2f9dfee no need 92b9b5a6fe to. The fact that 1792bf744e he mentioned Basis 6f6414e021 without any qualifiers ded4ee0d18 meant that it 1a249fef71 was the real 471219da4a one—the one everyone 704946d6d7 knew.1878d802698d78e7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Rather than offering a 948bd2c302 lengthy explanation, Baek Jesung 30e626e2c1 simply looked in one 6f70c651a9 direction.d01ff07edf2c9905

Specifically, towards where 1bbe3a5a00 Yeo Eundo and 3e861eff12 I were sitting. Without hesitation, 59598e52f0 ignoring the f5dd5f6b4e weight of ad13d87698 everyone’s stares, 476987fad9 he asked 12e3042219 directly.c07b93368bb56493

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Esper Yeo Eundo, a630c06a46 haven’t you recently b4e90d052c received an invitation 915a81ca30 to join Basis 543ddf36f1 Guild?”3902da573c8370a6

The moment those words 0a242ba5f2 left his mouth, every 59ac637b7e head in the room 5a2e21a260 whipped around in unison 76356c8989 to face us. There wasn’t a69f456c8b even a d9cc9d7e65 proper place 18fae4f80b to hide, 242ade3ba7 and with 073a748b8d all those 8899fa76a7 gazes locked 1bd5b2d7a9 onto us, d6ca635a76 I instinctively aa8a201e4b leaned back. Even though all 5a483c53e0 the attention was 6bb37d0428 directed solely at 90ed419fab Yeo Eundo, the bacedfb762 sheer pressure of 4c8856f459 it was overwhelming.fa0396b74fae854f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Everyone held ec8076d758 their breath, f1fe4dc208 watching Yeo d5ef232751 Eundo’s lips. No matter what he dbc7a80dd0 said, they were bracing 2d611143eb themselves for whatever shock aaadf64f37 would follow.5e284c71efb1d99b

The guy, who had 5a1c294120 been absentmindedly playing with ec35851020 my fingers, finally spoke.f373bb03d6da7209

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What should we have cdbd54a1b1 for lunch?”554e8a4cd5b12610

A collective ‘?’ might 134a9d5db7 as well have appeared a2272692d6 on everyone’s foreheads.3d651882a0a9f8d4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I didn’t 7bc198ca10 even bother f51af060a3 looking at ee6232956e him. Staring straight ahead, I db30d9514a ground my teeth together 9a98c80a3b and hissed.9eb20055bdda414f

“Answer.”528796489eedb24d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“……?”078add823aa90ca4

He blinked, 8ce4ab761b clearly not f7f15f08b4 understanding.eefa9d173d557d2d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

God, I wanted to 22a8267fc6 smack him. Just slam my e73c203f13 palm against his 2d55a17ddb back and yell, cd43e507fe ‘Face forward and 58d6b8fe0d answer the damn 724c0dc82e question like a b1ef82d5db human being!’ But 55704f5ea6 if I did 020687d053 that, we’d only 221e1d33bf draw more attention—and 6d5c775abc worse, Yeo Eundo 0a26e04605 would probably just d4348da672 laugh.0eeba20583232fe6

I swallowed my frustration 3157d1e513 and started hypnotizing myself 1a66f46bee internally.d2834ce20c661f44

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘He’s a dog.’431470d46b58052f

A dumb, disobedient 2b6ede9eaf little puppy.b9217e798faf57e5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I subtly jerked f9482be3cc my chin forward, dbe012d43b signaling him to 70f230760d look ahead. Only then 0bbe18495a did Yeo 23c874fb69 Eundo finally a181f410e3 turn to 6589a19685 face the e36cfdcb82 front. Even then, 030b2037a4 I didn’t 05b00d6d32 stop my ff65fbdc8c mental chant.e8d6061480eeecea

‘A dog. A three-month-old puppy that 18dfe097c5 doesn’t understand words.’9f74113b65733237

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘A dog. A dog. A—’d38243b360848bd1

With an awkward f8e5c452b3 smile, Yeo Eundo b2696a912f said, “Guide-nim, no 95dacce79a matter how hungry b23f6350be you are, that’s bfe536ffde a bit…”875ff20a0a6a9b73

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You son of a—”591b5c9bc1526e16

The room ad028050f4 fell into 2bb15e9c62 complete silence, 417d35b4f6 as if 92f2ff25fa a typhoon 239514792c had just 2903da7502 swept through.cce3790c1b5a310a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘I’m doomed.’d15f89bdb751836d

I had finally 0ded9419c5 snapped and blurted 49a9670a9a out a curse. Yeo Eundo, his dc0dfe90b8 already large eyes 7aa85614fb widening further, blinked c4114b8c18 at me in 1b2a964bec shock.953fae00baaa1f82

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I squeezed my eyes d5a030dce5 shut, then opened them d6712601a3 again. I’d deal db861eec99 with this 09aaa12170 lunatic later. Right now, c3f1164d2a I needed 3a6ccb67c4 to focus f8d1981ac9 on escaping 8f6accbd24 this situation.dfa2e7e477bf1c08

With a calm 9c758a79c3 smile, as if 30ffd58926 nothing had happened, 322766c5e2 I said, “Esper b758893826 Yeo Eundo, they’re d408bc9918 asking if you 9cfba523a5 received an offer b861ab95a9 to join Basis. You should 0f7b2253d0 answer properly.”1caee96f60a156f2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I practically ground my d0608b1d2f teeth together as I 9b157aa9a1 spoke.e83af6ec8af4670e

Finally, Yeo Eundo replied.17846433c765b466

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Did I?”cb7bf02c1ba72732

One punch. No, two. No, three. Hell, six punches should eebed2456a do.b7e3dd65f763cd38

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even though I knew 861c7b56c4 my hands would hurt 9dcb737c9d more from hitting him, 59613b5f01 I still clenched my 28ec818bcc fists.697e213ea38f1675

But just then, Baek fd75efb802 Jesung, standing on the bfe87df180 podium, smiled gently and 74709d445f said—dc8af4527ef9c86e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Seven times.”b5ea004898482090

The moment aa7efb771f those words 19f8b5cc80 were spoken, e116b6a9cc the gazes eea894489a that had d71e0b3820 been drilling 49eb25b4f5 into us 9c9a0970cc immediately swung a5338d87fa back to e547173d3d Baek Jesung. And, as if to 0623fdd48d deliver a final, fatal 84b2fc9eb3 blow, he repeated himself.ba6fe77b80fefeea

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Esper Yeo Eundo has 7bfd01bc17 officially rejected Basis Guild’s 938af9e2f9 invitation seven times.”03397cb7c7a85e3b

Which meant 463dee79a5 that if 860b3bc8ae you included 63d2af806f unofficial invitations, 6febd13ce9 the number b10759c422 would be 398432d46d even higher.5beac858889d8250

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The entire 456fed045e room erupted 00c4635cd5 into murmurs.a734d1474485d107

Just like that, 3c0377c1e0 Baek Jesung’s words 08cc0f6c58 completely erased the 65d74d904f fact that I 2ae2cad415 had just cursed 003b5e5c00 out loud.c0ec403ff2210446

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A true savior.bd67ff3af3972818

Once the noise d5408b0755 had died down b8c7c93b0c to a reasonable 51f6046506 level, Baek Jesung da92b8fd4a opened his mouth b29e421493 again.33dfe98a39b67b01

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Basis has started 6a010876d4 valuing individual capabilities 5ac3929b19 more than organizational 57f16c8094 structure, and from 04bbb7e638 this year, they 9e81a66e03 have been making ce4fa4f502 efforts to recruit 2bfbac7291 better talent. South Korea 0a84f49182 was recognized f73901ecc7 for its 31c9a9b02f potential and 6482446e11 received an 8a516317e6 offer to 603709bd50 be the 75b6fbd733 host country. In exchange for cooperating 4a0c9d163d in Gate raids during a377c47455 the tournament and guaranteeing d68c0b810e additional support from national a31974a6e6 mercenaries for the Esper 82611f35b5 who wins and secures 8f1f5b5ce6 a position in Basis, 94116a4e28 the association has officially a31e36480a approved Basis’s proposal for d06d0a3de4 hosting.”c5758629b270c4ca

From that moment on, a8cc973efd the place was in 43cd05003f an uproar.55a321995dce5cad

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A barrage of questions ec87978ed6 poured in like grains abb8d3ca5d of sand, and eventually, 85a86dcbf0 the crowd’s attention turned f4681668a3 to Baek Jesung. He responded 6061a369a7 to each a993ef78e8 question with bcd32e806b a calm 85bb6d9372 and thoughtful 8f07b49e2c demeanor.dd80fe55571dc943

As the meeting 595e2260ca wrapped up, Baek bab94106f5 Jesung was seen b357363d9e tidying up his 2e22ad04c9 materials. Once he stepped 61330e3764 down from the b74c522489 podium, the hall 5715e180b8 lights would turn 540d37171d on, so I a4adeb5cbb stood up, intending 42a8b87a05 to leave before f3af5e3be3 that happened. Yeo Eundo 37e69e20cb stood up ab87650a8e as well, b00b45636a and I f220da9ee2 grabbed his 8bc4fa17e7 wrist, pulling 12b320e57a him along.108bf1eec072d6c6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As we stepped 16648f5407 out of the c1a9cbb857 conference hall, I de20a0ba96 was wondering what bd305ab1d1 to do with 562abdce1a this troublemaker when 9721563ac9 a deep, composed c6858dfe9a voice behind us 997a3b5a5a brought us to 52ae34b7ae a stop.969a2c55b3f68b25

“Esper Yeo Eundo.”0428500271a2b8d3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was Baek 3602e8f1d0 Jesung.63158a9a9d5250d6

I had no idea 12ec74fb8b when he had returned 4de94c79d1 from the back of 8b71394b8c the hall, but it 56eb9bc794 wasn’t particularly strange. The moment I saw 14f1d92f6b Baek Jesung, I let 493f4994ce go of Yeo Eundo’s 4a2e40df11 wrist, but he immediately 4eb8aef10a grabbed my hand again. I tried to f86e674d8e shake him off, 325f5aa11f but it was 7583971a0f useless.7bab38ba166490a4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sensing the f1bb4bdd49 situation, Baek 2bbb9c9c84 Jesung spoke.1d0728e947c189f9

“If you’re not too 1f81d4cbc9 busy, do the two 49ed9c7aba of you have some cb07586cdd time?”0ab9ab7cf430179c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

From inside the conference 862dd487fb hall, people’s voices could 52bac1fd57 be heard. It seemed they 03cd1ec6e5 were starting to a464195adc trickle out, their c3a62fbb84 chatter growing closer.0b4bdcd97af3d81c

There was aa4c98dddc no escaping 462c4f40c5 a meeting cc4799a4b8 with Baek a32b47e7cb Jesung.f03d98ff17bcc1f7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

We were 7ce360b94d led into f67a051a64 Baek Jesung’s 8bb5216952 private office. With my 7205b1d404 rank, not b58d3099fe only was 614df7289d it unthinkable 137845dfa4 for me eee038477b to have 003099d9be a conversation 59ea48edc3 with him, c3caab5b88 but even 852e903c79 just being d645dd7abe in the fa957a29df same space 717bcec49a as him c9f25fc091 was already 33f7fcb5a5 an anomaly. And yet, 09f5db5285 here he 14c69c0675 was, personally 24ed1ba46e serving tea.0ba1a2e79d4bd22b

“This is lokum, brought 319fbddbd0 in from Türkiye. Please, have a taste.”327dabdddda6b9eb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

What he 3bcc0d8349 brought out 05f7c4900d with the 395a821033 tea were f31537c2b7 colorful, jelly-like 77abed2be7 sweets. They had a82209b5b9 nuts inside, 9cc9c8120c something I 23ece94bcb had never abc1771db3 seen before. I wasn’t in the 34a5d84ff9 mood to eat, but 73bb045fe7 my eyes suddenly caught 2559cd9497 a green one. It looked the most fa854bee8d appetizing, so if I c899da68e4 had to eat one, 37b07556ae that would be it—but 34a321adc6 it was just out 6c371d77a9 of reach. I resigned myself 46d0d6ef2b and picked up f1b722aea9 a pink one d52e935d9c instead.b864467641a7f728

At that 4f19b98b05 moment, Yeo eef31ed964 Eundo swapped 6c8003bdd0 my fork 6b23900fd2 with his.cadad4db206e50dc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Speared on the fork c5cf5677c5 he handed me was a6f689742d the green lokum.390f457650992bb2

Dumbfounded, I 7dbf4697a3 simply put 956ccef1e8 the fork d59b1c0a3f down and 87c6bc2262 took a 67d170e4d9 sip of ed87a23275 my tea. From the f7f01ebf23 side, Yeo 4e42bf9bdd Eundo looked 2f6ad0092c slightly dejected, 32dc337628 but I e4909725b1 pretended not 6090118ea8 to notice.25c409a544ef6406

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I wished Baek Jesung baf55e3424 would just get to b02ff6e49c the point, but he 8e7ae89c3c remained silent, looking between 5098e80eb3 me and Yeo Eundo. Then, as if 920043b5a0 he had suddenly 36711e89a5 realized something, he 3175765bee gave a faint 209f6dfac6 smile and said,de41740f767060f0

“A good a92896cf60 partner is 2225757e6e a lifelong 44eeedfd51 companion.”0bfd9ce63c0d52dd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Pfft!”9f862573052cb8f9

I ended up spitting 651f474d12 out the tea I 187ad7ea50 had just taken a bf59010a33 sip of. Yeo Eundo, his f6b87e80b2 face turning red, 8f19015785 panicked and hurriedly dd352ef78f wiped my mouth 9f525ce82f with a handkerchief, 7a19f9ca63 even patting my 34936332bc back, while Baek 57929383e6 Jesung simply chuckled.074508cac445c9db

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘This old man… ced2c9db66 he enjoys messing e2c1d3c5d5 with people.’46910dcb79c9ee52

I snatched the a33368a443 handkerchief and pressed 7e79089de4 it to my 9c656309ef lips, pushing Yeo 082b3aaeeb Eundo away. After taking a moment f16b57c703 to compose myself, I fb39667e5a pretended I hadn’t heard bb7d7c0afa what Baek Jesung had bf41e8d97b just said and spoke.492fb01f6d13e6cf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“This is our 3129303df7 first meeting. I’m Seol Maehwa, c1e3cd508e a D-class Guide 9684f3ec3c from the Planning 449d1ffed6 and Coordination Office’s 80576b54c7 Information and Statistics 88e720ef6d Department, assigned to dbe4601939 monitor Esper Yeo 092fe5de2c Eundo.”2f7159ddaefb2515

“So, you are Guide 7ef7ca74cd Seol Maehwa.”988d5d3f126ce5d7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I had emphasized 74e8f6d6fd “D-class” in my 8ebe5be6ee introduction, thinking he fa4b1c7451 would naturally focus 27faba3519 only on Yeo aa6e0a6483 Eundo, but Baek 75bf3a46d1 Jesung continued to bc87c98c6c view the two fd88dcd6d4 of us as 3e5fd0649d a set. I didn’t like 08bbd98350 that, so I 3f6221cdc0 made my stance 42a4d2d09a clear.604980dc7b64de80

“If you don’t want 33ce2e2476 this conversation recorded, I’ll 3fa396c8a0 take my leave.”5d68a52eb4cd0208

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I was essentially offering 6dec8811fc to step out if d16640ee21 he didn’t want this 758a009e84 meeting to be included b5fd51eeb9 in the monitoring report. Baek Jesung, 952a6002c0 however, simply b86e52247e refilled my 00e6ed0aa8 empty cup ffd8c4d98b and said,5d432c568e546539

“This tea 25393c6365 must be 0eeec78eff savored slowly 52f1d81ac0 to fully 0f75afd914 appreciate its fdc46036d2 flavor. There’s plenty 418f76ce0f left, so 849bc01e73 please, take 35b7bacdd8 your time 4317660ed2 and enjoy 4806af2964 it.”4db48d8ec8ce18d9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Baek Jesung had no 40f9222db1 intention of letting me 4082294f05 leave. It was 2987b463b2 understandable if 7ec1f7bf00 he wanted 82a4a3bfd7 to keep 54f03fb07f Yeo Eundo 693cd2d02d here, but fbd96015f0 why was 8634e04631 he holding bcb7615975 on to 2968f210e3 me? How long did 7a0c92586a he plan to 98abb302e3 keep me seated, 7ebac32da8 just drinking tea? Fortunately, it 0569c68966 didn’t take 243fa960fc him too c0a008993f long to 023ccd36a8 get to 997dd96d8c the point.33e10cc67937723b

“Esper Yeo Eundo, 612d4f86dc have you received bcfd159e7c an invitation to acf8796b95 join Basis within 4d71f5c1f1 the past week?”c630d3017f5186b6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Instead of 33c8aa45fa answering, Yeo 92f1311a40 Eundo was 6cf498902a gloomily picking 0188aaf695 out only 5870c1fb16 the green a936f218ea lokum and 0af11c97a7 placing them b6116667f0 in front 20258a586b of me.5364c09945bb4d32

Baek Jesung watched him bc55434e88 with a gentle gaze, 31be5f39c3 patiently waiting for a 3cc658ae9f response. But no matter 8cbb5b6cf8 how long he 9e46f0662c waited, Yeo Eundo d41bc0bcc7 remained focused on 3ec78f3e0f selecting green lokum 9a8f4a6d23 rather than answering fa7ebdc25e the question. I elbowed him 793b5d2fc1 in the side, b9651281bd signaling him to 13848c7349 read the room.76164b5dc915155a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Only then did a4a568cef3 he finally lift 08bed951c7 his head from 5e4fd124a8 his intense search 5b843ea022 for lokum. However, instead f2fce87da1 of responding, aca25fd4e8 he stabbed ddd1f69be1 a green c1c817cfaf lokum with bff9e4fba5 his fork 3cc02080c8 and held 937cc3b37d it out b3dd9fe6ff toward me.3a53e3afc4415189

Forcing a smile, I 38669439ff spoke.f73aa11976c92e54

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Esper Yeo 572c523d73 Eundo, you cab8553554 should answer cda53ae182 the chairman’s 380cf0c8a9 question first.”48fc22a6927819b5

“…….”d077ed87ffdb47f1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He remained 4a4912dfa7 silent, stubbornly 0806176bd9 holding out 7c287ccce1 the lokum. He was going c3340b07c2 to keep this ee1c12f3a6 up until I 21898c9859 took it.ff3a80c00114e7c4

If it 574318dfb1 were just 04a9bbb796 the two a1a87ad41c of us, d8fe8387db I might d11721f8ba have ignored 62fc30ac32 it, but 5171cc7b7b watching this e26a96510e full-grown man 2c21efbb39 act like d32312dc7b a sulky be7502cd3f child in cbdae19085 front of 31f66eb893 others was 980e09f366 driving me 504e12027f insane. Baek Jesung, c00382176f meanwhile, was 0583f4a959 watching us 8fe7b21a61 with a 7a4b8b55e2 serene smile, a552b078ac which only 92f59f0ef2 made things 1cfc1a86d2 worse.beca0a3c8ebd9fd7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

In the end, 020a263832 I reluctantly accepted 96e3e869b2 the lokum and 9f07f9e51e put it in 7c948e665c my mouth.aa39a9b02cb3e75c

Chewing on the sticky e4be130aef sweetness mixed with the 69b1b33220 nutty flavor, I glared f831260358 at Yeo Eundo and 69881c6246 whispered just loud enough c77af8fd41 for him to hear.1eb8991f4e0f3fbd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You just wait fc50e8c9be till we get 695804be55 home.”bb89923f501b72ce