The hall inside the gate, where the statue of the goddess stood in the centre, was much bigger and wider than what I saw as I passed by.
Walking in front of the huge statue, I carefully used my ability and flew up. I saw the guild members resting, from over the goddess statue, looked small.
"If you look at it this way, it's just an ordinary statue, but…"
Was the horror I felt earlier was due to my mood? The goddess statue carved out of marble was delicately sculpted down to every hair, giving it a lively feeling as if it were alive.
I kept snooping around the statue like a fly hovering around a person, but I didn't find anything particularly special.
"Umm…"
I guess it was an illusion. It's ridiculous to keep doubting a normal statue. I sighed, turned off my ability and went downstairs.
"Huh?"
Something round was trampled on the floor on the right side of the statue. When I leaned down and looked closely, I saw a blue jewel. It looked just like the jewel that was embedded in the door. Why is this here?
Geugeuk.
At that moment, a strange sound was heard from somewhere. I frowned and looked around, but there was no problem.
'Did I hear it wrong?'
I scratched the back of my head for nothing, leaving the goddess statue behind and moved.
"Yi-gyeol-ssi! Where have you been? I've been looking for you for a while."
"Yes?"
When I appeared, Kim Soo-hwan started talking to me as if he was waiting.
"I made some simple soup. It's mealtime. But there's nothing left now…"
"Oh, I'm fine."
I don't really feel hungry at all. It didn't matter that it wasn't a big deal to skip a meal. I smiled at Kim Soo-hwan, who was sorry and said not to worry about it, but something flew away from the other side.
"Ah."
Reflexively I accepted. It was a wrapped sandwich.
"Eat it."
Ha Tae-heon, who threw the sandwich at me, said in a hard voice. It's really good. I guess I just made you worry.
"That's right, Yi-gyeol-ssi. If you're hungry later, it's hard to keep up. And Yi-gyeol-ssi needs to eat some. You're too skinny."
Kim Soo-hwan, who looked at Ha Tae-heon with sparkling eyes, nagged with a stern expression.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Look, your wrist. I can hold it all in one hand."
Kim Soo-hwan grabbed my wrist and chattered. Isn't the wrist the part that can be held in one hand?
'Han Yi-gyeol doesn't look good.'
He is too skinny. For a man, his skin is too white. Should I go to the beach in summer and burn it on purpose?
"Kim Soo-hwan-ssi."
I just nodded my head to Kim Soo-hwan's words while thinking of something else, but Ha Tae-heon interrupted with a cold voice.
"Aren't you too rude? Let go of your hand."
"Huh, yes! I'm sorry. Sorry, Yi-gyeol-ssi."
Kim Soo-hwan was embarrassed by the chilling point that came to the bone and released my wrist. At the same time, I was perplexed.
"No. I'm fine…"
"Han Yi-gyeol-ssi."
"Yes?"
"Follow me."
In this situation? All of sudden?
'Crazy. What's wrong?'
I glanced at Kim Soo-hwan and shook my head, but Ha Tae-heon didn't care and only sent a glance, asking what I was doing. Ha, I can't honestly say no.
In the end, I left behind Kim Soo-hwan, who had become gloomy, and followed Ha Tae-heon. Kim Soo-hwan's expression did not look good at his idol's voices he heard.
"Ha Tae-heon-ssi, wait a minute."
I almost ran after Ha Tae-heon, who was walking with long legs. The place where he stopped and stood was behind a large pillar, where the light did not reach and a thick shadow was cast.
Ha Tae-heon looked down at me after confirming that the distance with the guild members had widened to a certain extent. His expression was not much different from his usual expression, but looking at his cold eyes, it was clear that he was in a bad mood.
"Is this okay? If you talk to Kim Soo-hwan-ssi like that…"
"I guess you've just become friends. You worry about him unnecessarily."
"Who am I friends with? I'm talking about Ha Tae-heon-ssi's attitude."
"What about my attitude?"
"Are you asking because you don't know? Even in the Shriker room earlier."
"As long as we entered the gate together, it is more unnatural to not care."
"Don't make excuses. Are you the type of person who gives someone a sandwich because someone you don't know has skipped a meal?"
Ha Tae-heon raised his eyebrows at my words and pointed to the sandwich.
"You spoke well. Others eat everything on time, but where are you and what have you been doing, so you can't do that?"
"Should I even report what I did during my break? And it's okay to skip over one meal."
"Are you proud of skipping meals on a topic that you're already squeaky? Stop talking nonsense and eat right now."
How do you eat in this situation? I handed him the sandwich I was holding.
"I don't like it. Just take it. I don't even have an appetite."
"Eat it yourself before I force you."
"I said I didn't need it."
As I refused firmly, an ominous light flashed in Ha Tae-heon's eyes. Ha Tae-heon grabbed my neck as I instinctively tried to step back.
"Ugh, what—"
"Be quiet."
I grabbed Ha Tae-heon's arm and gave it strength, but I couldn't escape. His arm felt as hard as a rock.
While I was struggling, Ha Tae-heon, who took the sandwich, ripped open the wrapping paper with his teeth.
"Wa, wait a…"
Were you serious when you said you will force me to eat? This crazy!
"Open your mouth."
"Ha Tae-heon-ssi, wait a minute. I'll eat it. Let this go."
"I don't want to be deceived by such obvious lies. Open your mouth."
A sandwich with the wrapping paper removed came to my mouth. I shook my head in fright, but Ha Tae-heon looked at me with an expression that he would keep this posture forever until I eat it.
"Ha Tae-heon-ssi… I was wrong. If you let it go, I will eat it with my own hands. I'm not lying."
This can't. I changed my method and began to beg to Ha Tae-heon with a very sad and pitiful expression. Ha Tae-heon's forehead twitched when I appealed to him to let me go with my eyes full of sincerity. Is it working?
"This is the last time. Open your mouth. If you don't open it again…"
"Ah, oh! I got it. Open it, open it!"
You're stubborn bastard that it's annoying! I closed my eyes tightly and opened my mouth as slowly as possible. Then the sandwich came between my lips.
"Chew and swallow."
"..."
Shit, bastard.
My face heated up at the words he said as if he was teaching a child. I felt like I was going to die from shame. It was fortunate that a large pillar covered Ha Tae-heon. I didn't want to show anyone this ugly face.
"Uup, wait, slow down…"
"There's a lot you want."
That's why I'm going to eat it myself! I tried to look at Ha Tae-heon with resentment, but he firmly shoved a sandwich into my mouth.
Munch munch…
"It takes a year to eat just one sandwich."
Munch…
Unfortunately, I couldn't answer because I was eating. Fortunately, Ha Tae-heon lightly grabbed my neck and I could swallow it.
"Is it because your mouth is small?"
No matter what Ha Tae-heon mumbled, I was absorbed in chewing. I was full of thoughts of wanting to get away from Ha Tae-heon as soon as possible.
When I barely chewed the whole sandwich and swallowed it, Ha Tae-heon released my neck. Ha Tae-heon laughed as he saw me tapping my chest, which had become cramped from eating in a hurry.
"It's funny."
"..."
Let's be patient.
I asked, tidying up the messy collar.
"…weren't you dissatisfied with me? Ha Tae-heon-ssi."
"Dissatisfied?"
"The Roheon Guild used to make such a fuss, but now I've skipped meals, so they take care of me. Which rhythm should I match to?"
"Match the rhythm."
Ha Tae-heon, who looked at me with a sad expression, answered.
"I'm surprised you were willing to match it."
"If it's Ha Tae-heon-ssi, I could provide enough service for that level, but I don't think you want it very much."
"It will be fun to watch."
I sighed and said in a tired voice.
"I'm suspicious that you're going to find it hard to believe in me. I know it well."
"..."
"But this attitude doesn't help anything. For Ha Tae-heon-ssi…"
"It doesn't matter."
He cut me off. The words that I could help with anything that I couldn't spit out lingered in my mouth.
"I don't care what you are hiding. I just want to know if you're a good guy. I will make that decision on my own."
"…Ha Tae-heon-ssi, I—"
I hesitated for a moment.
"I thought that Ha Tae-heon-ssi and I at least had enough trust to make a deal."
It was not that I didn't know Ha Tae-heon's position. It's been the worst since I first met him. I know it all. I know.
'It's still sad. I mean it.'
In my heart, I wanted to tell you everything if I could. How sincerely I supported and liked Ha Tae-heon.
"But now that I see it, it seems that I was the only one who thought so."
If you can't do that, it's probably right to back off. It's ridiculous to force someone to believe in you.
I focused my eyes on Ha Tae-heon, who was listening to me without any reaction.
"Do you remember the terms of the contract? You said that if I provide an S-class or higher item, you will get one thing I want."
"I remember."
"What I want, I will tell you now."
I didn't want to tell you this way, but I can't help it. It would be better to keep things neatly organized.
"You will have a schedule in China in three months."
Ha Tae-heon frowned at my words.
"There, you will meet a prophet who can see the future. Just give me information about him."
"…you're sure. I will meet the Prophet."
"For now."
Since the flow of the original has changed a lot since I intervened, there was a possibility that he wouldn't meet. Still, there was nothing to lose by saying it first.
"If you can't meet him then, please let me know when we meet at any time after that."
"From what I hear to what you say, it seems that you are the prophet."
"I'm not."
"If you're not a prophet, how do you know the future?"
"…I'm sorry."
When I apologized while avoiding his gaze, Ha Tae-heon's expression became even colder.
'There is a novel that I enjoyed reading, and you're the main character of the novel… If I tell the truth, what kind of reaction will you have?'
If you do well, you'll be treated like a madman. It's not much different from now.
"Please keep the contract. If you do that, I will not interfere with Ha Tae-heon-ssi anymore."
"Ha, yes. Contract."
Ha Tae-heon spat out the words like he was chewing.
"Don't worry. I'm curious as to how far your words are true."
Ha Tae-heon turned his back and walked out of the pillar. Being left alone, I took a deep breath that I had been holding back.
That's why I tried to talk about the contract slowly when things got better. It's all gone wrong.
The Prophet didn't sit still in one place but travelled around China, so I needed Ha Tae-heon's help to meet him. If it went according to the original story, Ha Tae-heon would definitely meet the prophet.
'It's bothering me.'
Now, it had become difficult to openly help Ha Tae-heon. Well, I guess I'll have to secretly help out from behind.
Brushing off my clothes one last time, I slowly walked out of the pillar.
I sighed at the situation where I had to go around the gate for three days with Ha Tae-heon, who became furious. I hope everything's fine.