Chapter 345
Alice, holding my hand with a little force, sent me a look full of heat. It was closer to the enthusiasm heat rather than the regret of not being able to meet continuously.
But before I could answer, Woo Seo-hyuk came in between me and Alice.
“You can’t.”
With a firm refusal, Woo Seo-hyuk forcibly removed my hand from Alice’s hold.
“If you want to make an appointment with Han Yi-gyeol-ssi, please go through the procedure through the guild.”
“I’m trying to go through that procedure, but they keep refusing. Do you think I don’t know that you just dismiss my request while making all sorts of excuses?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway, you have to go through the procedure.”
Oh my God. What’s the procedure?
I couldn’t help laughing at Requiem trying to manage my meeting by mentioning the procedure. I said while forcibly pushing Woo Seo-hyuk, who was blocking my way, to the side.
“I can make time. I was free anyway.”
“Really?”
At other times, I would have respected Woo Seo-hyuk’s opinion, but since he thoroughly deceived me, I should do what I want.
I never thought Woo Seo-hyuk would lie to me like this. To be honest, this time I felt a bit hurt. I was really genuinely concerned about him.
“Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.”
“What.”
When I asked again while suppressing my irritation, Woo Seo-hyuk also noticed that I was in a bad mood, so he couldn’t stop me and turned away.
Ignoring it, I spoke to Alice.
“I also wanted to meet and talk one more time. Thank you for the suggestion in advance.”
“It’s nice to hear you say that. To be honest, I was worried that Talented Han Yi-gyeol might have asked the Requiem Guild because you didn’t want to meet me.”
“I didn’t. I also had something I wanted to ask.”
At that point, I turned my attention back to Woo Seo-hyuk. I proudly asked Woo Seo-hyuk, who was standing next to me, with a somewhat sullen expression.
“Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi. Can I rent a drawing-room so I can talk to Deputy Master Alice?”
“You can’t.”
“If that doesn’t work, I’ll go to the reception room at the hotel where Deputy Master Alice is staying.”
“…I understand.”
Woo Seo-hyuk reluctantly nodded. But he quickly continued as if he hadn’t given up yet.
“Instead, I will go into the drawing-room with you.”
“That’s…”
“I will sit next to Han Yi-gyeol-ssi without interrupting the conversation. You can’t do it alone.”
If I refused this time, he was ready to bring even Cheon Sa-yeon here, so I had no choice but to look at Alice with an understanding look. Fortunately, Alice readily agreed as if it didn’t matter if Woo Seo-hyuk was there.
After the meeting, we took the elevator and moved to the drawing-room. As soon as Woo Seo-hyuk arrived at the drawing-room, he called Cheon Sa-yeon and reported the current situation.
“I’m sorry.”
After hearing Woo Seo-hyuk’s explanation, Cheon Sa-yeon’s voice came through the phone clearly.
[I thought they wouldn’t bump into each other because the meeting was over.]
“Based on the situation, it’s estimated that Deputy Master Alice deliberately waited in the hall cafe on the first floor without leaving.”
[She’s persistent anyway.]
In response to the blatant call, I unknowingly cast a glance at Alice, who was sitting across from me. Alice lifted the teacup with her graceful gesture and smiled softly when she heard it.
“During the entire meeting, Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk wasn’t by Cheon Sa-yeon’s side. Originally, I would have thought it was intentionally left out so that Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk and I wouldn’t meet… I was suspicious because of his behaviour of repeatedly rejecting meetings with Talented Han Yi-gyeol. I waited just in case and as expected. It’s because the master in charge of the guild is so irresponsible.”
[Isn’t it a problem to wait gloomily for someone you don’t want to meet? I really can’t understand the mindset.]
A sigh came out at the sight of Alice and Cheon Sa-yeon, who started fighting on Woo Seo-hyuk’s cell phone. I really didn’t know what this was about.
“Stop it. Mr. Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi, if you’re going to keep holding on to your phone and report it to him, please leave. It interferes with our conversation.”
“No. I will hang up.”
At my point, Woo Seo-hyuk hurriedly ended the call with Cheon Sa-yeon. It was so fast that I wondered if the person on the phone wasn’t his boss.
“Now that the intruder is gone, shall we have a proper conversation?”
After taking a sip of the tea, Alice smiled brightly and put the cup down. Surprisingly, she went straight to the point without a single word of rhetoric.
“I told you in a meeting last time. I’m looking for a way to use my wings to fly with others.”
“Yes. However, I don’t know if it will help because the difference between my wind ability is huge.”
“I don’t want a clear answer from Talented Han Yi-gyeol. I just want to see you use your ability and discover something. Even the smallest things can come in handy someday.”
Alice looked at me with mild eyes. Her big, round eyes gave off a puppy-like feeling with the tails down.
“So can you help me? Of course, if you help me, I will help you as much.”
It wasn’t an easy atmosphere to refuse, but it wasn’t a bad deal from my point of view as Alice had the information I wanted.
“Anything is fine as long as it shows your ability.”
“All right.”
After I agreed, Alice stood up from her seat as if she had been waiting.
“Then I will show you my ability first. We both have to use our abilities to compare anyway.”
There was a hint of excitement in the way she explained how genuinely glad I had accepted the request.
Alice took off her jacket and turned her body around.
Then, the pure white back was revealed. I thought it was a normal blouse, but the back was pierced like a dress like that?
“I wear clothes that look like this on purpose so that I can use my ability comfortably at any time. Instead, I put another coat over it.”
“I see. Certainly, the wings are large, so they look comfortable that way.”
“Hmm…”
Alice made a strange expression after hearing what I said.
“You’re much calmer than I expected.”
“Pardon?”
“Actually, men are usually surprised when I show my back like this. However, it’s a bit surprising that Talented Han Yi-gyeol didn’t respond much.”
Confused, I laughed awkwardly at the explanation that followed. Maybe I should have acted like I was surprised.
“On the outside is like this, but I was surprised on the inside.”
“It seems like a lie, but… I will trust you this time.”
Immediately, cold energy flowed from Alice’s body. Then, as the smooth back was covered in pure white light, something began to take shape.
It was none other than wings. The wings that appeared embracing the light grew in size in an instant. In the blink of an eye, large white wings slowly unfolded.
“Incredible.”
Alice moved her wings and her feathers fluttered. Alice, smiling with white wings attached to her back, was like an angel, just like her nickname.
“Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi can turn into a wolf, but is Deputy Master Alice the same?”
“Of course. S-rankers with transformation ability can transform into a perfect body. Only part of the body is possible below the S-rank and it’s difficult to transform completely the entire body.”
“I see.”
Since there were no people around me with the transformation ability other than Woo Seo-hyuk, there were many things that I learned about for the first time.
I should have asked Woo Seo-hyuk earlier. The apologetic feeling I felt at the café earlier came back because I didn’t seem too interested in it.
Following Alice, I also got up. Since she showed her ability, I should show her mine, too. I raised Han Yi-gyeol’s energy, which I become accustomed to now.
Huung, the wind that came from the fingertips wrapped around the whole body. Using a much weaker wind than usual, I floated slightly upward.
“The wind is in the form of wrapping around the body. How much energy have you used right now?”
“I don’t know exactly, but probably less than 10%. Right now, the strength is weak and I was the only one who floated. Energy consumption varies greatly depending on the strength and number of people.”
After hearing my answer, Alice stared at my body wrapped in the wind with a complicated expression. After thinking for a while, she let out a deep sigh.
“I’m sorry, Talented Han Yi-gyeol. There’s not much I can tell by looking at it here.”
“I think it’s because it’s indoors.”
Alice found a moderately wide window in the drawing-room. She went straight to it, unlocked the lock, and opened the window.
“Can we go outside and check it out? How is it?”
“I’m fine.”
I nodded and Alice stepped on the window sill.
Alice easily escaped through the window and flew freely through the air moving her large wings. My gaze was directed to a similar yet different appearance to me. It sure looked cool with wings.
“Come on, hold my hand. Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”
Alice held out her little hand toward me as if escorting me. It was at that time that I put one foot on top of the window sill to go outside while not ignoring that hand as well as holding it.
Someone grabbed my arm with strong force. Woo Seo-hyuk stood there with a terrifyingly hardened expression when I reflexively looked back because the force was strong enough to make my eyebrows slightly frown.
“Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi?”
“……”
I was very surprised by the face that looked clearly angry, different from the one I had always seen. Woo Seo-hyuk, who met my gaze, bit his lip as if hesitating.