The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 491

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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
Part 3, Episode 95

No matter how I looked at it, those weren’t the clothes of someone who’d just come from exercise.
Kang Han, who always wore light training clothes while moving around the Guild grounds, was dressed differently today.
There was a time when Han Ji Sung and Yang Hwa Yeon had nagged him about maintaining the Guild Master’s dignity, telling him to dress more formally.
But Kang Han had let it go in one ear and out the other.
His reasoning was simple—comfortable athletic wear was perfect for teaching Guild members and training alongside them.
I hadn’t said much about it either.
After all, he was someone who didn’t need to advertise his position as Guild Master just to avoid discomfort.
How many people in this country didn’t know who Kang Han was?
They’d recognize him even if he wore nothing but swimming trunks.
But right now, Kang Han was fully dressed in combat gear and the Justice Guild uniform.
That was basically the equivalent of wearing formal attire.
“Do you have something scheduled for today?”
I didn’t think so.
Other than going to the Awakeners Association with me in four days, Kang Han’s schedule was empty.
“Did you eat breakfast well?”
While I was lost in thought, Kang Han approached and asked.
It sounded like an ordinary morning greeting.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched his composed expression.
“This is strange. The Guild Master causes trouble every time he acts like this.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you’re not answering directly when asked where you’re going. You’re not suddenly entering a Gate right now… am I right?”
“I’ll make sure there are no delays to the schedule for visiting the Awakeners Association and return quickly.”
“That’s… that’s not what’s important here.”
I almost burst out in frustration, but caught myself and lowered my voice.
I had no reason to get angry at Kang Han for suddenly deciding to clear a Gate.
It wasn’t like he was going somewhere he shouldn’t be.
But I was angry.
No—there seemed to be something more to it.
For now, the irritation was overwhelming everything else.
“I understand. Take care of yourself.”
“… Aren’t you going to ask where I’m going?”
“You’re going to Chungju to help with clearing an A-rank Gate.”
I’d already heard the details from the breaking news that had poured in throughout dawn.
High-rank Gates usually opened in urban areas.
Places with large populations and high impact potential if a Dungeon Break occurred.
Yet for some reason, a mid-sized A-rank Gate had opened at the summit of Gyeongmyeongsan near Chungju Dam.
Since there were no high-tier guilds in the vicinity capable of clearing an A-rank Gate, the Awakeners Association decided to act directly.
That was the extent of the progress I knew about.
“Did the Association Director contact you directly?”
“Yes, during dawn training.”
Why call someone who’d barely survived an SS-rank Gate and come back alive again?
I understood they wanted to be prepared for contingencies since something had happened in the Gimpo Dungeon, which was also A-rank, but there weren’t only S-rank Hunters like Kang Han.
“Even if it’s a request from the Association Director, you know you can refuse, right?”
At my question, Kang Han fell silent for a moment.
His green eyes, looking intently at me, felt heavy.
Like someone unable to fully express tens of different emotions bottled inside.
Watching him like that, my own chest twisted.
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
“… Yes.”
Whether he meant he didn’t want to go, or that he understood there was no obligation for him to step forward.
I was about to ask again, but Kang Han was faster.
“I’ll take Lee Yu Eul and Jang Su Ho with me. I also want to confirm some hints we gained about the principles of Re-awakening through Sa Ma Young’s situation.”
In the end, Kang Han had only explained the reason he needed to enter the Gate.
“Talk to me when you get back, Guild Master.”
“Are you waiting for me?”
“Why would you ask something so obvious?”
As I gave Kang Han a sidelong glance, Jung Je Hwa held out a mug of warm coffee.
He’d been busy with something while I was talking with Kang Han.
I smiled at Jung Je Hwa in gratitude and took the cup.
But my heart wasn’t at ease.
Because Kang Han hadn’t answered my question: “You know you can refuse, right?”
Even if Association President Ji Jung Hwi had called first, perhaps it was Kang Han’s own wish to enter the Gate as well.
“Take care of yourself. The most important thing is that the Guild Master doesn’t get hurt.”
I didn’t want to make the person who would be away from home for several days feel uncomfortable.
So I tried to send him off as casually as possible.
“Kang Han?”
“… I’ll be back.”
Kang Han looked at me with those heavy eyes once more, then turned away.

* * *

After Kang Han, Lee Yu Eul, and Jang Su Ho left to help the Awakeners Association clear the Gate,
the rest of the world kept spinning busily.
And somehow, so did mine.
“I shouldn’t have said what I said to the Guild Master.”
“Hm? What did you say?”
As I muttered to myself, Association President Ji Jung Hwi, who’d been reading documents in one hand while sipping tea, asked back.
“Nothing really. I was just saying the tea is good.”
“The tea leaves have had an excellent harvest this year, it’s true.”
Just like Kang Han, who’d accepted the Association Director’s request to help with the Chungju Gate, I too had received a favor from the Association Director.
“But you don’t really need my help, do you? You know that yourself, right?”
“You mean the brainwashing that Shin Tae Jung had imposed all broke?”
“Yes, the ones affected would know best themselves that they’ve escaped the skill’s influence.”
After Shin Tae Jung’s disappearance, all the influential figures in society whom he’d turned into puppets with his Brainwashing Skill suddenly snapped back to their senses.
This gave weight to suspicions that the Vice Cult Leader was truly dead or in such critical condition that all the brainwashing needed to be undone.
“This isn’t like some kind of viral infection that lingers and flares up later. There’s really no need for you to meet with them.”
What Association President Ji Jung Hwi was asking was for me to meet with those influential figures and use my Purification Ability on each of them once.
Apparently, he’d heard rumors that my Purification Skill had broken Shin Tae Muk’s brainwashing.
“Just being cautious. And it wouldn’t hurt for you to build favor with those people in the process, would it?”
“That’s true, but the favor comes at quite a premium.”
When Association President Ji Jung Hwi first brought up the matter, I’d refused.
My excuse was that I was “too busy.”
The truth was closer to just not wanting to be bothered, but either way.
After hearing my refusal, they’d come back with a counter-offer.
“We’ll provide financial compensation proportional to the Healer’s busy schedule,” they’d said.
“And they’re really going to pay that amount? That much per person?”
“They’re more sincere about their well-being than anyone. Even if you’d asked for 5 billion per head, they’d have thought it was fair. You’re too soft-hearted, tsk tsk.”
“Maybe I should have asked for more.”
I thought I’d quoted a pretty substantial amount, but apparently I should’ve gone higher.
1 billion won in real money, not counterfeit X Rumble currency issued by Sprout Bank.
As I was shaking my head at this, the Association Director’s secretary entered to announce that the guests had arrived.
“Will you come along too, Director?”
“Of course. You think they’d know how to handle you?”
“I’m glad if you’ll come. It’s reassuring.”
“Ahem, let’s go.”
Association President Ji Jung Hwi led the way, hiding the corner of his mouth that had slightly risen with a pointless cough.
The distance from the office to the VIP Reception Room wasn’t far.
“But I didn’t know there was a separate VIP space. I’ve visited the Association so often.”
“I’d forgotten about it too.”
As Association President Ji Jung Hwi spoke briefly, an elegant door without any nameplate opened, and everyone inside turned to look at me at once.
Counting quickly, there must have been about thirty people in one space, yet the room was silent as the grave.
‘Ugh, this is overwhelming.’
I returned their eager gazes with a faint smile and scanned the interior.
After spotting Sa Ma Jin sitting in the innermost seat, I looked more carefully at the area around him.
‘Is Sa Ma Young… not here?’

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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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