The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 175

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 175

Once I discovered that Sa Ma Young was up to something shady, I immediately scheduled a meeting with the Magma Guild.
It wasn’t just a casual arrangement to grab a meal somewhere outside.
“The Magma Guild is surprisingly close by.”
I spoke while gazing at the Magma Guild building located near Dokdok Gate.
“But the land is incredibly vast, isn’t it?”
The plot was easily large enough to accommodate an entire general hospital.
Kang Han, who had stepped out of the van following me, offered an explanation.
“The guild master Yang Hwa Yeon inherited this land from her grandmother.”
“Ah. So she was from a wealthy family.”
I nodded, thinking that her carefree, playful personality might well stem from such a stable upbringing.
“But the building seems rather small compared to the land, doesn’t it?”
“Her grandparents only left behind the vacant land. It used to be a parking lot, apparently.”
“I see.”
In other words, the guild’s finances weren’t sufficient to construct a building befitting the land’s size.
“Finally, a proper sparring match!”
“I’m going to do some archery practice.”
“Don’t skip the warm-up exercises—make sure you do them properly.”
The pretext I’d established for visiting the Magma Guild today was a joint training session.
As a result, the guild members, including Jang Su Ho, were brimming with excitement, while Han Ji Sung was busy trying to calm them down beside them.
It was like a kindergarten teacher taking children on an outing.
“It’s a shame Teacher Yu couldn’t come with us.”
“Today is Ga Young’s checkup day, so it couldn’t be helped.”
“Mmm.”
As I conversed with Kang Han, Im Chung Soo, who had been the last to exit the van, let out a yawn so wide his mouth nearly split in two.
“Hey, Im Chung Soo. Be honest with me. What time did you actually go to sleep last night?”
“…Three o’clock.”
“Why?”
“Well, one of the dungeon plants in the greenhouse suddenly bloomed.”
“So you stayed up late plucking that flower and running all sorts of experiments on it?”
“…Yes.”
“Good grief. I keep telling you to hire an assistant. Then you’d have plenty of time to do all those experiments you love.”
“That’s something I’ll… think about.”
These days, Im Chung Soo had been stubbornly refusing to hire an assistant.
He didn’t like the idea of other people entering his personal space.
I couldn’t say I didn’t understand her feelings, but between attending school and crafting potions for delivery, I worried she was pushing herself too hard.
“If you keep straining yourself like that, what am I supposed to do? I promised your Grandmother and Grandfather I’d raise you well when I brought you here.”
“I get it, I get it! You’re such a nag!”
Watching Im Chung Soo’s hair flutter as she dashed away from me toward Lee Yu Eul and Lee Yu Chan, I let out a deep sigh.
“Raising a child isn’t easy, is it?”
Kang Han, who had been observing my exchange with Im Chung Soo from the side, spoke with a slight hint of amusement.
“No matter how much I tell her not to overdo it, she won’t listen. She’s stubborn about the strangest things. Even when I tell her not to go to dangerous places, she goes anyway and gives me heart palpitations.”
“Are you talking about Im Chung Soo?”
When I glared at him, Kang Han changed the subject.
“We’re going to be late for our appointment. Let’s go inside.”
…That didn’t sound like he was talking about Im Chung Soo at all.
In any case, it was time for our appointment, so we entered the Magma Guild building.

* * *

“I understand, so leave.”
“Guild Master Yang Hwa Yeon, I don’t think you understand our proposal….”
“It’s not like I’m refusing to pay, and there are still several days until the deadline!”
Wait, I feel like I’ve seen this situation before.
Stepping into the Guild Office on the second floor, I blinked at the overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
“Why don’t you stop being stubborn and sign the contract today?”
A woman in a business suit was thrusting forward papers covered in text.
“No, I’m not selling the guild!”
A guild master trying to protect her guild.
“Get out of my building!”
My first thought was, ‘Thank goodness I sent the kids to the Training Facility first.’
There’s no good reason for them to see this.
“Leave this place.”
“Wait, why is the Justice Guild here….”
Startled by Kang Han’s intervention, the woman in the business suit looked at me and frowned.
‘Why is she looking at me?’
The problem wasn’t just that I felt uneasy.
The woman’s reaction was closer to disappointment than mere displeasure.
“For now, let’s call it a day. Guild Master Yang Hwa Yeon, do think carefully about how little time is left until the deadline.”
After glancing at me one more time, the woman quickly retreated.
“Ugh, damn.”
Only then did Yang Hwa Yeon brush off her hair and contort her face.
Then she apologized to Kang Han and me.
“Sorry. You had to see that mess.”
Her pride clearly wounded, she couldn’t even meet our eyes properly.
I settled onto the sofa in the Guild Office and spoke to Yang Hwa Yeon.
“Do you have a moment to talk?”
It seemed I’d picked the right time to visit.

* * *

“Wait, let me get this straight. So the Sama Guild recently acquired the Public Bank, and now they’re using the outstanding loans as leverage to force the Magma Guild to surrender to the Sama Guild?”
“Exactly. We’ve been paying back the loans faithfully the whole time, and normally guilds get automatic loan extensions since our revenue is solid. But the bank changed their tune.”
“Ugh, their tactics never change.”
It infuriated me even more because we’d experienced the same thing before.
“It’s my fault for pushing too hard to expand the building and taking out such a large loan.”
Unlike ordinary buildings, structures used by Hunters came with astronomical construction costs.
Most of the materials had to be sourced from Dungeons, and the workforce required Awakened individuals capable of handling such materials.
“How much of the loan needs to be settled immediately? You don’t have to answer if it’s uncomfortable.”
“At this point, what’s the harm in telling you? It’s just under 100 billion won.”
“There’s no way to borrow from another bank?”
“They’ve all shut their doors. That vicious bastard Sa Ma Young blocked them all.”
Yang Hwa Yeon ground her teeth in frustration.
“Was that why you needed money last time?”
“Yeah. I thought if we could pay down some of the principal, things might improve. But it didn’t help.”
The brightness that had always characterized the Magma Guild leader’s expression dimmed.
“I talked to several other guild leaders, and I’m not the only one. That bastard Sa Ma Young has clearly made up his mind—he’s already absorbed and merged over twenty small and mid-sized guilds.”
“But there’s no resistance from them?”
“Some were struggling with management issues, so they figured it worked out. A lot of Hunters actually prefer joining a major guild like the Sama Guild.”
“And the Magma Guild has no desire to do the same?”
At my question, Yang Hwa Yeon shook her head firmly.
“The Magma Guild name disappearing—that’s fine. But I absolutely won’t accept my guild members being torn apart.”
“What do you mean? You can’t even work as one team then?”
“Apparently not. The Sama Guild is notorious for running operations like a factory.”
I suddenly recalled the example of the Taesan Guild.
After being absorbed into the Sama Guild, Gwak Ho Young had suffered as the youngest member of the infamous Fourth Subjugation Squad.
Back then I’d thought it served him right, but now the thought that the Magma Guild might face the same fate made my expression grow serious as well.
“I’m sorry. You came to visit and I’m burdening you with all this.”
“You’re the one who brought it up. So, what do you want to do, Guild Leader?”
“Honestly, I have no choice. I’m holding on until the deadline, but after that… I’ll have to negotiate with the Sama Guild somehow. On the condition that my guild members don’t scatter.”
“Will they agree to that?”
“The way things are now… I’ve even considered selling this land to raise funds. But honestly, that’s the one thing I really don’t want to do.”
She said it was land her grandparents had left her.
So it was only natural she didn’t want to let it go until the very end.
“This is driving me crazy.”
Yang Hwa Yeon, the guild master, grew anxious and wiped her face dry.
Kang Han seemed to find it difficult watching his friend in such a state.
Judging by the somber expression we both wore.
I outwardly participated in the heavy atmosphere, but my mind was racing.
‘The Magma Guild. Not a bad choice.’
For starters, the hunters under their banner possessed exceptional abilities, unusual for a mid-sized guild.
Moreover, as I’d confirmed during the last joint dungeon raid, their compatibility with our guild was excellent.
And most importantly, I appreciated that these people were consistent—no two-faced behavior.
In the crises we’d have to navigate ahead, the presence of reliable comrades we could trust with our backs was invaluable.
‘And we’re reaching our limits too.’
It was time to expand the Justice Guild’s scale.
A small elite force had its merits, but it severely limited the number of dungeons we could conquer and the ventures we could undertake.
Having organized my thoughts, I spoke to Yang Hwa Yeon.
“Guild Master Yang Hwa Yeon, what do you think about a merger?”
“The Sama Guild? No matter what terms they offer, I’d refuse.”
“No, I mean a merger with our Justice Guild.”
Yang Hwa Yeon blinked, clearly not understanding.
“A merger with the Justice Guild?”
“Yes. I’ll pay off all of the Magma Guild’s debts. In exchange, I apologize, but it would be an absorption merger.”
“So the Magma Guild disappears and joins the Justice Guild?”
“Yes.”
Yang Hwa Yeon fell silent for a moment.
When she met my eyes again, her expression was unusually composed and thoughtful.
“I can accept an absorption merger. Becoming part of the Justice Guild would certainly be better than the Sama Guild. But I have conditions.”
“What are they?”
“The Magma Guild members continue operating as one team, and the Justice Guild must accept not just the hunters, but all the non-awakened staff as well.”
For a moment, I had to forcibly suppress the urge to jump up and shout.
…This is incredible.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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