[Chapter 164]
[Clan Establishment (4)]
Academy Cultural Center Sky Lounge.
Eun-ha, who came up to the top floor from the cafeteria, looked at Eun-ah, Yeon-hwa, and Chang-jin sitting across from him.
To think they'd come to the academy. I really have to acknowledge our noona's proactiveness.
Seo-na and Pa-rang went to introduce friends to Nam-hoon and U-bi.
So no one was sitting on either side of Eun-ha.
"Actually, when I joined Regulus Clan, I made a promise with the Clan Lord. If you ever create a clan, I'll join your clan so don't hold me back."
"I know, I heard from Yeon-hwa noona before. Did you really make a contract to receive less treatment even in a situation where you didn't know if I'd create a clan or not?"
"Yeon-hwa, you..."
"I'm sorry. Somehow I ended up telling Eun-ha. I won't do it again in the future. Are you... angry?"
"No. I didn't say it was a secret so it can't be helped. But I wanted to surprise Eun-ha..."
"I'm really sorry."
Noh Eun-ah glancing at Ryu Yeon-hwa for a moment.
Then Ryu Yeon-hwa showed an apologetic look.
"Is there a reason you're trying to leave Regulus Clan and join the clan I'll create?"
"Why is he asking such an obvious thing?"
Noh Eun-ah will join.
Not just her, but Ryu Yeon-hwa and Han Chang-jin too.
But Eun-ha couldn't be simply happy hearing that the three named players would join.
Of course he was happy.
But worry came first.
They were well integrated into Regulus Clan, but they'd join a new clan with no achievements?
It wasn't that Eun-ha didn't understand Eun-ah's heart.
Even so, Eun-ah's decision wasn't readily understandable.
As a new clan, it would be full of inefficient work in many ways during the early period when the foundation wasn't properly established.
So Eun-ha asked with that nuance.
To this, Noh Eun-ah said─.
"─It's because I want to work with you!"
"..."
"I can stick right by your side. Not just that, I can also monitor whether you're doing dangerous or strange things."
"Monitor..."
Noh Eun-ah listing out her reasons for joining the clan he'll create to Eun-ha.
He sighed briefly seeing her tap the table with her finger.
It was then.
She took a sip of her cafe latte and continued speaking.
"─I have eyes to see the future too. People are saying your clan might barely last 5 years, but I don't think so."
"..."
"I don't know what you're thinking, but you're not creating a clan to only do it for 5 years, right? With your personality Eun-ha, wouldn't you rather raise the clan to S-rank within 5 years?"
"...Of course."
Eun-ah smiled brightly.
Eun-ha nodded vigorously at her words trusting him.
"I'm joining because I'm looking at you, and I'm certain about the future of the clan you'll create."
She said she wants to be a founding contributor rather than just a promising talent of a clan.
Noh Eun-ah stated her ambition.
Eun-ha couldn't help but smile bitterly hearing her grand ambition.
I only just realized our noona is such an ambitious person?
It probably wasn't sincere.
She's just worried about him.
But to hide that, she spoke of ambition that Eun-ha didn't have.
There's no way he wouldn't know what kind of person his noona is.
It's good if thinking about the clan's strength. We needed supporters and hunters, and people who could lead kids unfamiliar with how the industry works, and people who could blend well with the kids while doing that.
They were exactly the talents Eun-ha wanted.
He slowly examined the faces of the three people looking at him again.
The problem is─.
─It's dangerous.
Is it really okay to bring in noona?
Eun-ha worried inwardly.
The clan he'll create will continue to stand at the forefront of future disasters coming.
It was very dangerous.
But his worries disappeared before long.
Maybe it's much safer to keep her by my side.
And noona is a player now too. She would have prepared for danger herself, so it's strange for me to worry about noona being in danger now.
In the first place, Eun-ah was someone who firmly established her position in just 4 years after graduating from the academy.
She wasn't a child he had to simply protect and shelter.
Finally finishing his thoughts, Eun-ha opened his mouth to her.
"─I won't go easy on you because you're noona. As Clan Lord, I might work you hard like the other kids. Is that okay?"
"Do you think I can't distinguish between public and private matters? You don't need to worry about that. Work me hard! How much have I been worked since joining Regulus Clan, and how much am I still being worked?"
"Alright, I understand. I'm actually grateful if noona joins."
Noh Eun-ah, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Han Chang-jin.
He decided to recruit the three people.
He extended his hand over the table.
Then Eun-ah grabbed his hand.
"I'll be in your care from now on, Clan Lord."
Then Ryu Yeon-hwa also placed her hand on top of theirs.
Finally─.
"─I'll follow you as Clan Lord too. I'll be in your care from now on..."
"Hyung can stay in Regulus Clan."
"C-Clan Lord... You're joking, right?"
"It's a joke."
I see he's trying to follow Eun-ah.
Eun-ha who saw through Han Chang-jin's intentions said jokingly.
Han Chang-jin tightly grasped the three people's hands as if he wouldn't let go.
☆
On the weekend.
Eun-ha went to visit Bruno.
"Boss Eun-ha! What brings you here?"
"Is ahjussi inside?"
"He's folding laundry now. Come in!"
"Wow, hyung! Did you come to play with me!?"
"Avenir, go to your room and do your homework quickly."
"Mom, I already finished my homework!"
"Really? Then should mom check if you really finished?"
"Ugh..."
Julieta welcomed him warmly.
Then Avenir who burst open the door and came out lit up his eyes seeing Eun-ha.
Unfortunately, Avenir had to trudge back to his room to do homework.
"Ahjussi."
"Welcome."
Julieta hummed a tune then went downstairs saying she'd go see her mother.
Eun-ha who stepped inside found Bruno folding laundry in the living room.
Bruno who was neatly folding small clothes with his large hands welcomed him.
"Ahjussi, you've heard the news that I'm creating a clan too, right?"
"Hmm."
Bruno nodded.
He rummaged through the pile of laundry looking for matching socks.
Eun-ha continued speaking while watching him work.
"So if it's okay with you ahjussi, I'd like you to join the clan I'll create in the future."
"..."
Then, abruptly.
Bruno paused.
He who was reaching into the laundry pile straightened his posture and turned his gaze to Eun-ha.
"I'd like to hear the reason."
Bruno asked.
While raising Avenir.
Eun-ha could no longer find the sharpness Bruno had when he first saw him.
In 10 years, he had become a slightly scary neighborhood ahjussi with a protruding belly.
He who chose daily life over non-daily life had been gradually weakening since Avenir was born.
Not just that. Now his age was over 50.
So Bruno asked Eun-ha.
It's natural for ahjussi to ask.
I decided to create a clan mainly with people around my age.
Eun-ha understood Bruno's question.
He was thinking of creating a clan with people who had a lot of room for growth and could be together for a long time to prepare for future disasters.
In that sense, Bruno didn't fit Eun-ha's criteria.
But the clan Eun-ha envisioned─.
"─It might have been if it was a clan that ended with just recruiting friends. But a clan isn't like that, right? If it was, I would have created a party, would I have created a clan?"
Eun-ha opened his mouth.
It was something he hadn't told anyone yet.
"Academy students will graduate every year in the future too, and recruitment wars between clans will continue every year."
"..."
"And we'll participate in the war from next year too. To keep leading the clan, we'll eventually need an influx of new recruits."
"Hmm."
Eun-ha spoke of his concerns.
This year he recruited all his friends considered promising talents.
But he couldn't guarantee what would happen next year.
Of course, it shouldn't be a big worry since his friends have been interacting with juniors.
But even so─.
"─It's a problem even if we recruit new members. Unlike our time, they won't be familiar with the field. We'll help them get used to the field, but there will be limits to solely educating new recruits. It's too inefficient too."
It's good to recruit new members.
But educating them to get used to the field is inefficient.
Eun-ha stated his thoughts.
Eventually he brought up the main point.
"So I want to recruit you as a technical advisor for the clan."
"..."
"You're skilled in martial arts, and you should be sufficiently experienced in the field. Seeing how you teach Avenir, you seem like you'd teach others well too. I thought there was no one better than you ahjussi around."
"Hmm..."
Technical advisor.
Eun-ha wanted to recruit Bruno as a technical advisor, not a player.
There was no one more suitable than Bruno.
Moreover, he would be in charge of educating clan members.
He had to be someone Eun-ha knew well and could trust and entrust with the task.
There's no one better than this ahjussi.
We work well together too.
He waited for Bruno's answer.
And not long after.
Bruno opened his mouth.
"I shouldn't refuse since you're asking. I guess I'll have to tell the chairman I won't be able to serve as a guard from next year."
It was the answer Eun-ha wanted.
Bruno raised the corners of his mouth.
Only then did Eun-ha relax his stiff face.
"But I wonder if the chairman will allow it..."
"You don't need to worry about that."
"Hmm. Well, I guess so."
Eun-ha quickly answered Bruno's muttering.
There was no need to worry much.
After all, the person who hired Bruno was Jung Ha-yang's grandfather, the first chairman of Alice Group.
Since we're receiving Alice Group's sponsorship, unnecessary problems shouldn't arise.
There won't be any noise.
Eun-ha was certain.
Moreover─.
─I agreed to get engaged to Ha-yang too, would Alice Group possibly say it's impossible?
It's fortunate I'm getting engaged to Jung Ha-yang.
I'll be able to comfortably enjoy vested interests entangled with Alice Group in the future.
Eun-ha smiled bitterly.
Ah, come to think of it, there was one more thing to ask.
Meanwhile.
Eun-ha suddenly recalled something he had forgotten.
"And ahjussi."
"Hmm."
"There are 2 guardians joining our clan now?"
At the mention of guardians in the clan.
Bruno showed curiosity.
He was interested as a guardian himself.
He sent Eun-ha a look to continue speaking.
"One is small in stature but quite tenacious and quick. He has a gift that captivates enemies' attention with his voice."
"Hmm."
"And the other one has some talent and good physique... But well, he doesn't show any results at all."
Eun-ha talked about Kang Si-hyung and Lee Cheon-seo.
No, he tattled.
Bruno who heard the story just nodded as if he didn't need to hear any more.
Having said this much, Eun-ha's request was obvious now.
Sure enough─.
"─I'd like ahjussi to work them to death until next April."
Kang Si-hyung is doing well even now.
Bruno wasn't now, but in the past he was a player with skills comparable to the Twelve Zodiac.
Eun-ha wanted to give Kang Si-hyung the opportunity to learn from such a player.
Of course, without Kang Si-hyung's permission, forcibly.
This works out well.
I couldn't even touch them since I'm not a guardian.
Eun-ha laughed gleefully.
They say Kang Si-hyung and Lee Cheon-seo's hell began after this.