“Well, well—if it isn’t the Hyeonak mascot, Princess Guru!”
“Guru, are you here to hang out at the auction? Is the Guildmaster here too?”
“Guru-Guru, who let you be this cute today? If you don’t take a picture with me, that’s a clear violation of our internal policy. You know that, right?”
“Policy my ass. She’s not your little sister—she’s your niece.”
“Then what does that make the Team Leader? Grandpa?”
“Hey! Come on, man. That’s not fair.”
As Raid Team 1 bickered, Gidan leaned down to fasten Guru’s coat. Then he raised his phone and nodded toward the others.
“If you guys want a picture with Guru, you’ll have to get in line. Dani’s always number one with our Guru.”
“Oh god, look at this guy.”
“Ah, the cringe of adults trying to act cute... But since I’m the one Guru likes best, I’ll forgive you all.”
Gidan gave them a playful wink, and the entire team recoiled in mock horror.
While they groaned, Gidan scooped Guru into his arms and took a selfie.
“Wait, hang on—let’s all get in one.”
Raid Team 1 quickly gathered around Guru, posing together for a group shot.
Watching all this from behind, Hwiyeon’s jaw dropped.
Not just Gidan—the entire Hyeonak Raid Team 1. Elite Hunters, every one of them.
And they were crowding around a little girl, desperate to take pictures and spoil her rotten.
Hwiyeon cast a sidelong glance at Gidan. Hyeonak usually sent representatives to these kinds of events—this was her first time seeing him in person.
He’s the one who knocked Dad out of the rankings...
She glared at Gidan with a sulky scowl. When their eyes met, she quickly turned away, her face twisted in frustration.
For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Her cheeks were already burning red.
“Um—Hunter-nim! Can I take a picture with you too?”
The other kids around them had already started handing over their phones, totally starstruck by the Hyeonak Hunters.
“Well... If they’re Guru’s friends, I guess I can’t say no.”
As Raid Team 1 took photos with a few of the children, the rest flocked toward Guru.
“Guru, are your parents in Hyeonak?”
“Nope. Guru is Hyeonak.”
A little girl their age... in Hyeonak? It sounded impossible.
Then Hwiyeon jumped in, her voice sharp.
“Liar! How could you be in Hyeonak?!”
Hwiyeon’s face was flushed, twisted with disbelief.
But Guru, never one to miss a chance to show off, pulled a card from her backpack like she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Not lying. Guru’s a Hunter too.”
“Whoa... That’s insane!”
The kids passed around the Hunter License, gasping in awe.
Guru lifted her chin and pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a smug little smile.
Hwiyeon glanced at the license, then bit her lip hard.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. It’s not her parents—she’s the one in Hyeonak?!
She glanced toward Gidan again.
He was crouched in front of Guru, adjusting the strap of her backpack and gently squishing her mochi-soft cheeks. It was obvious from his expression—he adored her.
Hwiyeon, on the verge of tears, tried to distract herself.
But the other kids were now full-on fan-girling over the Hyeonak team, cheering and squealing.
Not even when her dad fell to fourth place had she felt this upset. This was like sinking into a pit of mud.
“Hwiyeon. Why are you just standing there? You should’ve taken a seat.”
A tall man approached, glancing around.
As his eyes dropped, he locked onto the crouching Gidan.
Gidan stood and gave him a polite bow, beaming.
“Hello, Guildmaster Gu Shinhoo.”
“Dani! You’ve gotten even more handsome, huh? Must be your age—you get better-looking by the day.”
Gu Shinhoo clapped him on the back and pulled him into a friendly hug.
“You’d have been a hit if you’d gone into showbiz.”
“Guildmaster, did you get taller or something? Feels like I have to crane my neck more than usual today.”
“Haha! Listen to this smooth talker.”
Laughing, Gu Shinhoo threw an arm over Gidan’s shoulders and gave a nod to the Hyeonak raid team.
The nod was shallow, barely polite. The team exchanged looks—figures.
“Actually, this is perfect timing. When are you coming to NAG?”
“Sorry—me? Me, at NAG?”
That came out of nowhere. Gidan gave a short laugh.
“Yeah, you never check your email, huh? I’ve sent you so many. We can match whatever signing bonus you want.”
“Ohh, so that’s what those were.”
Gidan muttered something about spam filters and slipped out from under his arm, eyes rolling.
“Well then, at least give me your number. We’ve met a few times now—email’s a bit cold, don’t you think?”
Gu Shinhoo held out his hand, clearly expecting a phone.
Gidan’s expression soured. Team Leader Jongwon let out a deep sigh behind him.
Gidan’s charm and sociability could easily flip into blunt arrogance and rudeness when rubbed the wrong way.
And judging by his face, he was very much rubbed the wrong way.
Before Gidan could say something reckless, Jongwon stepped in.
“Trying to poach in front of a team leader? That takes some guts, Guildmaster Gu.”
Gu Shinhoo’s brow twitched in irritation.
“Shouldn’t a little team leader be more worried about overstepping in front of a Guildmaster?”
“It’s my job to keep our team together. That’s what little team leaders do.”
“Yeah? Then you’d better keep a tight grip—unless you want your little paycheck to go missing.”
The two men stared at each other, smiling thinly.
Guru, who had been quietly watching the adults, opened her mouth.
Lightning’s gonna strike.
She didn’t know exactly what was going on, but she could tell the mood had gotten icy fast after “Fourth Place Dad” showed up.
If so, that made her the shrimp between two fighting whales.
Thinking of a squashed shrimp, Guru shivered and squeezed Gidan’s hand tight. He patted her head, reassuring.
His expression was unusually steady—he meant to handle this properly.
Guru nodded once, trusting him.
As their eyes met, Gidan spoke.
“Are ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) you two seriously fighting over me right now? Wow. Dani’s really something, huh?”
Then he leaned against Jongwon’s shoulder dramatically.
“But don’t worry, Jongwon-hyung. Dani prefers the number-one guild of the next generation.”
With that, Gidan betrayed Guru’s trust and lit the match on this powder keg.
More lightning. Definitely more lightning now.
Guru gave Gidan a blank, almost betrayed look. He winked at her like he’d just scored a win.
Clearly, something had gone wrong in their communication.
Seeing Gidan quote her favorite line, Gu Shinhoo’s eyebrow twitched again.
Gidan, either oblivious or pretending to be, just smiled and picked Guru up into his arms.
“You guys didn’t even recruit rookies this year. You really think that’s sustainable? You’ve gotta train them up while they’re young if you want to use them later.”
“Please. We’ve already got plenty of talent. No shortage here.”
Gidan shrugged and shifted Guru in his arms.
But Gu Shinhoo, misreading the comment entirely, shook his head like he was genuinely concerned.
“I don’t know what Jurim’s thinking. Hyeonak’s too big now to be run by just a few top-rankers. And he’s not the type to get his hands dirty, either.”
“Guildmaster Gu, are you close with our Guildmaster? You’re calling him by name.”
Gu Shinhoo and Jurim had always referred to each other with formal titles.
Gu had made overtures to befriend him before Hyeonak was even founded, but Jurim responded with the detachment of a cow staring at a chicken.
“Jurim’s seven years younger than me. You think dropping honorifics is some kind of capital offense? And here I thought Gidan was loyal—guess I was right.”