The Returnee’s Guild Must Grow Properly

|Pr. 9th Circle Archmage|: When did my personal information get leaked again?ㅠ
I was about to tell them that everyone’s personal information in Return had already been exposed to that person but decided to reveal the culprit instead.

|Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|: Ask the Demon King, and you’ll get your answerㅎ
What came back was a flood of messages filled with “ㅋ.”

The archmage let out a deep sigh before moving forward. The destination was right in front of the Demon King.

“Mahun-ah.”
“……?”
The archmage called out a name they’d picked up somewhere, smiling brightly.

“Were you scared?”
The Demon King turned his head away, his face pale.

“Hyungnim, the archmage has lost his mind!”
“!!”

The archmage gave me a look as if asking, What’s wrong with this guy?
What was I supposed to do? I avoided their gaze and shared one crucial fact.

|Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|: That one’s not someone you can reason with.
|Pr. 9th Circle Archmage|: LOL, why’d you tell me so soon?ㅋㅋㅠ

Woo Mahan chastised Woo Mahun, telling him to take a proper look at the archmage’s face—surely it was someone he recognized. Woo Mahun recoiled in horror, asking his hyung if he had also gone mad.

“…Is everyone insane?”
At my brother’s soft murmur, I nodded.
Yeah, probably.

Kiiiiieeek!
“……!!”
A beast’s cry echoed from a distance, drawing everyone’s attention.

Boom. The ground trembled, and the crimson sky began to clear.
At the same time, white gates adorned with red patterns began to appear all over.

“Oh, the gate’s closing.”
No sooner had the archmage spoken than the gates burst open, and people poured out.

*****

[Breaking News] The Hero of Gangnam Avenue! Who is Hunter H, the Office Worker?!
―So they’re a hunter and an office worker?
└ If it were me, I’d quit my job and just be a hunter.
└ Maybe they can’t quit because they’re earning millionsㅋㅋ
└ Nope, I heard they’re barely scraping by.
└ Then why bother with the office job?;;

“To make a living…”

Apparently, we were reading the same article.
Hunter H, the office worker, slumped onto the table with a defeated expression.

“My life is ruined… I shouldn’t have taken that half-day leave….”

Thunk. The sound of a fist hitting the table made the Demon King frown.

“Archmage, don’t pound the table. You’ll spill the cookies.”
With a solemn face, the Demon King popped a cookie into his mouth.

“……”

The archmage stared at the Demon King in disbelief before sighing and running a hand over their face.
The three of us—the Demon King, the archmage, and I—were currently at a place called the Center.

The people who had poured out of the gates stood dazed, unsure of what was happening. When they saw my brother and Woo Mahan, they shouted their names in delight.
Then, upon spotting the archmage, they began sobbing and expressing their gratitude. Amid the chaos, we had hurriedly escaped to the Center.

It was a relief that Woo Mahan had a teleportation skill.

Knock, knock.
The sound of someone knocking made all of us raise our heads. The face that appeared was someone I knew very well.

“D-Do Haun.”
Do Hain stood there awkwardly, calling my name and gesturing for me to come out.
What was this about? Tilting my head in curiosity, I pushed my chair back.

|Pr. 9th Circle Archmage|: Guild Master?
|Pr. 9th Circle Archmage|: You’re not planning to leave me alone with the Demon King, are you? Huh??

I stood up abruptly.

|Pr. 9th Circle Archmage|: HEY!!!
|Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|: Good luck.

Ignoring the archmage’s desperate messages, I stepped outside.

Do Hain leaned against the wall with a deeply furrowed brow.
Why was he trying to strike a pose?

“Weren’t you in a meeting with oppa? Am I supposed to go home first? What about Seoha? Is Seoha awake?”
“Do Haun.”
“What?”

After taking a deep breath, Do Hain suddenly started speaking rapidly.

“Do Haun, how did you meet that crazy? What? Friends? Are you seriously calling that a friendship? Cut the crap and tell me properly. And how did you meet that hunter? They’re supposedly from the elemental realm—is that true? Did you see for yourself?”

“……”
The barrage of questions made me instinctively take a step back.

“S-Summarize it in three lines.”
“Hey!!”

The sharp sound of his voice echoed down the hallway.

*****

While Do Haun was fervently making up an explanation for her twin brother about the Demon King, Woo Mahun, and the office worker Hunter H, the three men were enduring an awkward silence.
Well, technically, the awkwardness only applied to Hunter H.

The sound of crunching cookies filled the otherwise tense air.

Hunter H, who now faced not only a wasted half-day but potentially the loss of his job, looked on the verge of despair. Meanwhile, the 9th Circle Archmage finally let out a deep sigh and called out to the Demon King.

“…King.”
Woo Mahun glanced at the archmage, seemingly asking, What now? The archmage, looking nonchalant, asked a question.

“Is it good? You’re really enjoying it, huh?”
“It is quite delicious.”
“Oh… I see.”

Woo Mahun glanced at the last remaining cookie and the archmage before, after some hesitation, picking it up. He handed the now-empty cookie dish to the archmage.

“You may have it too.”
“……”
What was he even offering?

The archmage looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for an explanation, but the Demon King simply ignored the gaze and put the cookie in his mouth.

Crunch. The sound of chewing echoed cheerfully. And beyond that sound…

“I told you to stop talking nonsense!!”
“It’s not nonsense!! Did you see it yourself? No, right?!”

The guild master’s shouting, though coming from someone he had just met today, was crystal clear in the distance. The archmage leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs.

If it were up to him, he’d teleport home right now. He certainly had the skills to do it. But doing so would leave a massive cleanup problem. If the guild master came chasing after him, things would get even messier.

As he debated his options, the Demon King suddenly spoke.

“When I sit like that, my hyung often says something.”
“……?”
“He says it’ll ruin my posture and cost 17 million won to fix it.”
“……”

The archmage straightened his posture and gave a wry smile.

“King, you’re really good at being annoying, aren’t you?”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Yeah, it’s a compliment.”
“Thank you.”
“……”

The archmage rubbed his forehead and began sending messages to the guild.

|9th Circle Archmage|: Everyone, listen to me carefully.

“Archmage, why are you sending messages instead of just speaking?”
“King, could you kindly keep quiet for a moment? You’re about to give me high blood pressure.”
“Do Haun! The archmage told me to shut up!!”

As the guild chat filled with question marks, the archmage shared some brutally honest advice.

|9th Circle Archmage|: There’s no fixing King.

|Northern Grand Duke|: ??
|Northern Grand Duke|: Did you meet the Demon King? LOL
|Hero|: Grand Duke, stop joking and get back to work.
|Northern Grand Duke|: Yes, ma’amㅠ

After the Grand Duke’s response, the chat went silent.

|9th Circle Archmage|: Everyone?
|9th Circle Archmage|: Guys?
|9th Circle Archmage|: Guild Masterㅠ?
|Godslayer (Guild Master)|: Shut up.
|9th Circle Archmage|: ｡•́︿•̀｡
|9th Circle Archmage|: I have no allies in this world!!
|Hero|: What’s wrong with him now?

The 9th Circle Archmage buried his tearful face on the table.

*****

“Do you seriously expect me to believe that?!”
“What are you gonna do if you don’t believe it?!”

Do Hain glared at me, fuming. I glared back just as fiercely, refusing to back down.

As we continued our glaring contest…

“Hain-nim.”
My brother’s secretary, Eun Yul, appeared.

Do Hain ran a hand through his hair in frustration before asking, “…Has the meeting started again?”

“That’s not it. But the CEO of H-Entertainment is expected to arrive soon. Once they do, the meeting will likely resume.”

At Eun Yul’s words, Do Hain let out a deep sigh before turning back to me.

“Do Haun, behave yourself until the meeting ends.”
“Nope.”
“You…”

Do Hain cut himself off, sighing again.

“Fine, just stay put with Office Worker Hunter H.”

Office Worker Hunter H, the 9th Circle Archmage had stuck around with us after giving a brief rundown of the situation at the gate. He said he’d explain things properly once everything settled down.

I stuck out my tongue at Do Hain, and he retaliated by sticking his tongue out as well.
Eun Yul, who had come to fetch Do Hain, looked at us with a lifeless expression, like a fish on a chopping block. Feeling awkward, I cleared my throat and opened the door.

“Whoa! You scared me!!”

The archmage jumped back dramatically, clutching his chest. I frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?! I was about to leave since the conversation sounded over!”
“Trying to run away?”
“Can I run away, Guild Master?”
“What do you think?”

The archmage grumbled with a sulky expression, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like an insult directed at me.

“Say it louder.”
“Oh, most beloved Guild Master, would you kindly step aside for a moment? This poor archmage is in no condition to remain like this. I was just going to the restroom to change into the clothes provided by the Center.”

He waved a paper bag and gave me a sarcastic smile.

I stepped aside, letting him pass, and turned to the Demon King, who was lounging diagonally in his chair.

“King, why don’t you accompany the archmage?”
“What?! No way!!”
“I refuse. I am not an idle man.”

Both the archmage and the Demon King immediately rejected the suggestion, leaving me to shrug at the display of “harmony” between my guild members.

“King, what happens when I take on a mission?”
“You grow stronger.”

The archmage glanced at me incredulously, clearly thinking that made no sense. I ignored his stare and continued.

“I’ll give you a mission. Go with the archmage. If he tries anything weird while changing, bring him back immediately.”
“Understood.”