Where Beans Are Planted, Beans Grow

Cha Eui-jae was in a relatively peaceful state for someone who had become the center of everyone's attention. That is, except for the heavy weight of Lee Sa-young's body leaning on him indiscriminately without considering his own weight.

Thunk! Thud!

"Sa-young, is this right?"

"Ah, Guild Leader! Just hang in there until the auction ends!"

"This is the right way, right?"

"Yeah. Just block, don't counterattack… we need an excuse."

Clang! Clang! Because the blades flying towards Lee Sa-young were hitting a huge wall and clattering to the ground, things were relatively peaceful beyond that.

As Lee Sa-young answered lazily with his eyes closed, Bae Won-woo let out a breath through his nose and adjusted his stance. He had been standing in front of the sofa blocking the pouring attacks since the moment Lee Sa-young made a small gesture.

"Guild Leader! Can I scream?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Kang Ji-soo, a red-haired woman who Cha Eui-jae had seen a few times at the hangover soup restaurant, took a deep breath and then raised a paddle with the number 7 on it and shouted with a lion's roar.

"7-BID—!"

It was so loud it seemed like the entire building was shaking. Two hunters, who were throwing punches at each other, grabbed their ears and collapsed. Cha Eui-jae saw even the paddles on the table shaking and slightly opened his mouth to gape. The auctioneer, who had been holding his ears, grabbed the microphone again.

"Yes, yes… number 7!"

An auction is supposed to be where the highest bidder wins the item. They even prepared paddles for bidding, so why were these super hamsters using the paddles to beat people? Instead of calling higher bids, the hunters were physically reducing the competition.

And Cha Eui-jae saw it. Beyond the sturdy back of Bae Won-woo, Honeybee jumped like a butterfly and struck a hunter on the head with a paddle. Whack! The paddle made a crisp sound and broke. Honeybee cursed softly and threw the broken paddle pieces away.

"Matthew! Do you have a spare?"

"No."

A voice as low as a cave responded. Cha Eui-jae glanced to his left. There was one other calm spot in this war, besides the space where he and Lee Sa-young were. It was the space where Honeybee and a bear-like man were sitting. Even as Honeybee started beating up hunters, the man was quietly staying in his seat.

Then the man, Matthew, turned his head and looked toward Cha Eui-jae. More precisely, his gaze landed on Lee Sa-young, who was leaning on Cha Eui-jae with his eyes closed. Despite his bear-like size, the man in a gray suit and silver-framed glasses gave off quite an intellectual impression.

"Lee Sa-young-ssi, don't you think you should take control of this situation?"

Lee Sa-young, who had been resting his head on Cha Eui-jae's shoulder with his legs crossed, answered sluggishly.

"What did I do that needs controlling?"

"Didn't you provoke the hunters' pride?"

"Isn't it their fault for lacking patience… I can't be blamed for them not receiving proper patience training."

Though his body was in pain, his mouth wasn't, and Lee Sa-young started sarcastically as if he'd been waiting for this moment. Cha Eui-jae, who was caught between the current number 2 and 3 in a power struggle, just wanted to run away to a quiet place. He wished they would have their conversation without involving him.

"…"

Matthew didn't immediately raise his fist or retaliate but just listened quietly. Clicking his tongue, Lee Sa-young sighed briefly and added.

"Just take care of Honeybee… You'll need an excuse when Jung Bin arrives."

"…I see. Thank you for the advice."

Matthew bowed his head politely. He took it as advice, not provocation?

'Is he a saint or something…'

While Cha Eui-jae was in shock, Matthew began taking something out of his inventory. Cha Eui-jae watched his actions out of the corner of his eye. Could he be charging in anger after all? But his doubts were unfounded because what Matthew took out was…

'The nostalgic taste! Corn Snack.'

It was a long yellow packet of corn snack.

Despite the blatant curious stares, Matthew calmly opened the packet and raised his right index finger. A small flame popped up at his fingertip.

What followed was even more astonishing. He began roasting the corn snack with his finger flame. Even the control over the flame was impeccable. Noticing the savory smell, Lee Sa-young muttered.

"That bastard is roasting it again…"

"…Does he often roast corn snacks?"

"Well…"

Lee Sa-young, slack, spoke in a hoarse voice.

"When Guild Leaders gather, he roasts buttered squid for them sometimes."

Is he the snack provider? While Cha Eui-jae's expression became a bit perplexed, something warm and golden-brown suddenly popped up from the left. Matthew was offering two corn snacks.

"Please, have some. They're roasted nicely."

"…"

"Take it."

At Lee Sa-young's words, Cha Eui-jae, reacting with the persona of a secretary, politely received the corn snacks with both hands. He bowed his head slightly in thanks, and Matthew also bowed before starting to roast another corn snack.

As the chaotic noise of the hall slightly subsided, Honeybee, brushing her hair back, returned to her seat.

"Ah, weaklings keep coming at me… huh? What's this?"

"Eat."

"What, I thought you didn't bring any! Thanks."

Smiling brightly, Honeybee bit into the corn snack and sat on the sofa, crossing her legs. When the wall provided by Bae Won-woo lowered, the almost-ruined hall came into view. Most of the super hamsters who were wielding weapons had collapsed onto the floor.

"Well then… with all the competitors taken care of…"

Muttering, Lee Sa-young straightened his drooping body and sat up properly. He gestured towards Kang Ji-soo, who was still holding up her paddle.

"Kang Ji-soo."

"Yes, Guild Leader."

"Collect all the paddles on the tables and break them…"

"Okay."

Kang Ji-soo disappeared like the wind. Lee Sa-young, with his bound hands, picked up the paddle with the number 2 on it from the table and looked at the auctioneer.

"Did you say you need paddles to participate?"

"Ah, yes! That's correct."

"…"

His violet eyes swept around the room. Crack! Crack! In the distance, clear sounds of paddles breaking were heard regularly as Kang Ji-soo did her work. Lee Sa-young raised his paddle to head height and smirked.

"Hmm… looks like I'm the only one who can participate."

"What? Hey! Who said you could!"

"Honeybee, I also roasted marshmallows."

"Mmm! Mmph!"

"What? You want buttered squid too? Got it."

As Honeybee tried to butt in with gestures, Matthew continuously stuffed roasted treats into her mouth. The auctioneer, looking flustered, turned to Hong Ye-seong, but he had already mentally checked out. Hong Ye-seong snatched the auctioneer's gavel and shouted.

"Then it's settled! Lee Sa-young wins the auction. Let's wrap this up quickly!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! The cheerful sound of the gavel filled the hall. Letting out a long sigh, Lee Sa-young blinked slowly. Then he leaned his head on Cha Eui-jae's shoulder again and whispered in his ear.

"Then… Hyung."

"Yes."

"Just tell Jung Bin one thing."

"…"

"Tell him I'll collect this debt twice over."

Muttering in a whisper-like voice, Lee Sa-young's upper body slumped forward. At the same time, the paddle he was holding fell to the floor. Cha Eui-jae quickly caught his falling body. It was chillingly cold.

One word popped into his empty mind. The surrounding murmurs seemed distant.

'Why?'

Wasn't he just in bad shape? Could the binding of his power cause such a significant toll on his body? Was he in such poor condition that he would collapse like this? Who should I call? Where should we go…

Thoughts tangled messily, and his heart started racing. With a dry mouth, Cha Eui-jae called out to Lee Sa-young.

"Sa-young."

"…"

"Hey, Lee Sa-young."

For some reason, his pulse seemed to be getting slower. Even his breathing became faint.

No, this can't be. His hands, holding Lee Sa-young's torso, trembled. As he urgently looked around, a massive figure appeared before him.

Bae Won-woo, clearly panicked, hurriedly created a wall around them. He quickly checked if the area was well covered and then asked.

"Secretary, what's wrong with him? What's happening?"

As Cha Eui-jae opened his mouth to answer, he bit his cheek hard on purpose. The sharp pain and metallic taste of blood brought him back to reality. Fortunately, his voice came out calmly.

"I don't know. He's been in poor condition since being bound, but he suddenly collapsed."

"What's going on? He's never been this bad before… I've been bound before, but it wasn't this bad… Ji-soo! Go get Jung Bin!"

"Damn it… where is Jung Bin anyway!? I'm on it!"

Kang Ji-soo slipped through the gap in the wall. Meanwhile, Bae Won-woo took out all sorts of potions from his inventory, laying them beside him, and held his head in frustration.

How much time passed? When Cha Eui-jae's neck was soaked with cold sweat, a rhythmic knocking came from the wall. One side of the wall opened, and Kang Ji-soo, panting, dragged Jung Bin inside.

"Kang Ji-soo-ssi, can you explain why the hall is in such a state?"

"Jung Bin!"

"…Lee Sa-young-ssi? What on earth…"

Jung Bin's expression changed instantly as he knelt down in front of Lee Sa-young. A heavy silence filled the air as he examined his condition. He sighed deeply.

"I apologize. I underestimated the situation. I didn't realize so much time had passed."

With slightly hurried hands, he removed the chains that bound his wrists. His limp arms fell to his sides. Bae Won-woo, who was also kneeling, muttered worriedly.

"Sa-young has never been in such a bad state before. What is happening?"

"Hmm…"

Jung Bin's face showed a hint of hesitation. After a moment of contemplation, his expression turned resolute. He spoke in a low voice.

"You are aware that my chains have the ability to restrain the source of an Awakened's power. Yes, that's what is publicly known, but…"

Holding Lee Sa-young's cold arm, Cha Eui-jae raised his head at Jung Bin's next words.

"To be precise, they revert the Awakened's body to the state it was in just before their trigger for their awakening. It temporarily fixes the body in that state by rewinding its time—"

At that moment, a voice not present in the room, that of Nam Woo-jin, echoed in Cha Eui-jae's memory.

"In the midst of the black ruins, he was sitting alone, wearing loose patient clothes."

"—To the body of a normal person, just before becoming an Awakened."