“You fools, tsk tsk.”
Hassan clicked his tongue while still grabbing Abdul Aziz by the collar.
Abdul Aziz was in a state where he could have resisted, but he remained motionless without saying a word.
“To have Isthart’s first official move be something like this… Are you all out of your minds? First of all, Abdul Aziz, you’re dismissed.”
“E-Elder!”
A flustered Abdul Aziz desperately called out to Hassan, but it was no use.
“You all are no different. You were supposed to assist him, yet you joined in persecuting others? And you still call yourselves honorable members of Isthart?”
The people lying on the ground did not move.
They only trembled uncontrollably.
“Abdul Aziz, first, apologize immediately to Awakener Lee Kyu-seong. And also to the child beside him.”
“……”
As Hassan let go of his collar, Abdul Aziz staggered.
However, he followed Hassan’s instructions exactly.
“I’m sorry. I was too arrogant and insolent.”
“Apologize to Ara as well.”
“I’m sorry. I disgraced you with vile words that shouldn’t even be spoken.”
Abdul Aziz bowed deeply to Ara as well.
Ara folded her arms and nodded her head toward him.
“You are forgiven! Will Kyu-seong also forgive him?”
Ara suddenly tilted her head cutely and looked at Kyu-seong.
At the sight, Kyu-seong let out an awkward smile before sighing once.
“I’ll let it go this time.”
“Thank you.”
Abdul Aziz still looked dazed.
However, his pale complexion showed that he wasn’t in good condition.
“Don’t worry. When we return, I will make sure he pays the price dearly.”
“Uh, his life isn’t in danger, right?”
“……”
“…Sir? Elder? Why are you not answering?”
Only after Kyu-seong asked again did he receive confirmation that Abdul Aziz’s life was not at risk.
Though he had been ignored and insulted, Kyu-seong hoped the matter wouldn’t escalate further.
Besides, being dismissed was already more than enough of a punishment, in his opinion.
“As always, I find Mr. Kyu-seong to be too kind-hearted.”
“M-Me?”
Just how cruel of a world had these people lived in for them to consider such leniency as kindness?
Scratching his head, Kyu-seong took a seat.
Only then did the members of Isthart finally take their places.
But rather than sitting, they all remained standing.
The once-proud guild members of Isthart all had their heads bowed.
Some even trembled.
As he watched the scene unfold, Kyu-seong came to a realization.
That kindly Elder, Hassan al-Din Sinan, was only kind to Kyu-seong and Ara.
To others, he was as fearsome as Kyu-seong had originally imagined.
Time dragged on.
It was difficult to continue the meeting in such an awkward atmosphere.
Moreover, since Abdul Aziz was now undoubtedly dismissed, it was no longer appropriate for him to negotiate with Kyu-seong under the name of Isthart.
Thus, the first day of Isthart’s visit ended on a bitter note.
“I’m sorry.”
Hassan apologized to Kyu-seong.
Ara, who had been watching from the side, pondered deeply over why Hassan was apologizing.
“Why are you apologizing, Elder? They’re the ones who did wrong.”
“As a superior, I must take responsibility. But more than that, I am truly sorry. The truth is, I could have stopped Abdul Aziz before he said those words, yet I chose not to. That was my mistake.”
“No, please don’t think like that.”
Kyu-seong waved his hands, saying it was fine, but Hassan still bowed his head apologetically.
“Elder! Geez. I told you, you don’t have to!”
When Kyu-seong forcibly lifted him up, Hassan suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha.”
“?”
Now what was so funny?
Kyu-seong couldn’t keep up with Hassan’s thought process at all.
“Kyu-seong, you are truly an unusual person.”
“Excuse me?”
“No one has ever treated me like this before. They either feared me, revered me, or sought to serve me.”
“I do respect you, though?”
“Hahaha.”
Since becoming the head of his clan, Hassan had never met anyone who treated him so casually.
His slowed aging due to his awakening had also made him the village’s eldest, and no one addressed him comfortably anymore.
“I will personally deliver the message to Isthart. Besides, Kyu-seong, you have no intention of leaving Korea, do you?”
“That’s right.”
“As you know, our guild is extremely closed off. Even if they accept most negotiation terms, moving to another country would be difficult.”
“Then it will be hard to form a contract with Isthart.”
“…Of course, I will try to persuade them. Wouldn’t it be about time for Isthart to establish an Eastern branch? Hahaha.”
He was essentially offering Kyu-seong the position of the Eastern Branch Head.
It was a sign of how highly he regarded him.
Kyu-seong smiled, feeling a mix of joy and awkwardness.
“Thank you for the offer. But I don’t think I am capable of handling such a high position.”
“Haha, but I see no such limitations in you. Are you denying my judgment?”
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
“Hahaha.”
After laughing heartily, Hassan looked Kyu-seong straight in the eyes with a serious expression.
“Lee Kyu-seong.”
“Yes.”
“You are far greater than you think.”
“Excuse me?”
“You may believe you are unworthy, but your actions prove otherwise. The people you’ve healed—Kim Si-young, Baek Seung-hyun, Ryu Cheon, Emily—each of them is extraordinary.”
“That was just by chance…”
“That is not the point I am making. What I mean is, despite healing such exceptional people, you never sought any great rewards.”
“Well, I did receive some rewards…”
“But did you heal them with that as your goal?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Even now, Kyu-seong was distributing a diluted antidote globally, leaving barely any profit margin.
This was something he had asked Ara Hongryeon to handle, which in turn had significantly increased Choi Young-seong’s workload.
“Do you know what is the hardest reward for a human to receive?”
“I’m not sure…”
“That would be the hearts of people.”
At that, Kyu-seong suddenly thought about the people he had met along the way.
People who now cared for him and worried about his well-being more than anyone else.
“You have gained that goodwill. It is a reward not just anyone can receive.”
“Ah…”
“Winning people’s hearts is incredibly difficult for an ordinary person. And even more so when it comes to those who hold some level of power.”
Thanks to Hassan’s words, Kyu-seong found himself reflecting on the life he had lived.
If someone were to ask if he had any regrets, he was confident he could say no.
He had lived his life without regrets.
Thinking about it that way, he realized he had led quite an impressive life.
“Of course, I am not trying to force you into our guild. After all, we don’t yet know what the terms will be. I just wanted to say this because I don’t want you to underestimate yourself.”
“Thank you for your words, sir.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Watching the heartwarming scene, Ara suddenly raised her thumb.
“Kyu-seong-Kyu-seong is amazing!”
“Yes, but our Ara is even more amazing.”
“I am amazing! Amazing, cute, and cool!”
“Haha! That’s right.”
Looking at the faces of Hassan and Ara as they gazed at him, Kyu-seong felt deeply comforted.
After causing so much commotion upon their arrival, Isthart’s members departed the next day.
The media and online platforms were in an uproar once again.
Speculations and rumors swirled, and among those leaving with Isthart was a Korean.
“Hmm, won’t it be uncomfortable?”
“If they’re uncomfortable, what can they do about it? They brought it upon themselves.”
“Airplane!”
Kyu-seong boarded Isthart’s private jet with Hassan and Ara.
As a result, the atmosphere inside the plane was unbearably awkward.
“Is Cheong not coming?”
“Hmm, the desert might be a bit difficult for him. But our Ara is strong, right?”
“I am strong! I will eat the entire desert!”
Dressed in her tiger pajamas for the first time in a while, Ara mimicked a lion’s stance with her tiny hands curled up like claws.
Hassan laughed as he admired her adorable display.
“Now that we’re here, I must say I’m very grateful.”
“Eh? For what?”
“For deciding to plant the World Tree’s seed in our village.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s a win-win situation. Honestly, I was wondering where to plant it, and you made the offer first, so I was relieved.”
As they chatted, the plane took off.
Inside the aircraft, only the soft murmur of conversation between Kyu-seong, Hassan, and Ara could be heard.
After an 18-hour flight, they arrived in Saudi Arabia.
The moment they disembarked, Hassan gave Abdul Aziz an order.
“You are under house arrest until a decision is made regarding your punishment.”
“Yes.”
Abdul Aziz obediently complied.
At the airport, Isthart’s staff had already gathered, but the atmosphere seemed tense.
“This is a bit scary. They all look angry.”
“I informed them beforehand. They are not angry at you, so do not worry.”
As Hassan said, a man who seemed to be the representative of Isthart’s employees stepped forward and approached Kyu-seong.
“We caused you great trouble in Korea. I sincerely apologize, Mr. Kyu-seong.”
“It’s alright. Everything is settled now. I have already received an apology.”
“We will ensure that the perpetrators are severely punished. We will establish strict regulations to prevent this from ever happening again.”
“Uh… I mean, it’s already fine…”
“After your schedule with Mr. Hassan is completed, we would like to invite you to our guild. If you feel burdened, you are free to decline.”
“No, I’ll come visit.”
“We shall go together.”
After the unexpected conversation ended, Kyu-seong and Ara immediately headed to Hassan’s village with him.
Kyu-seong had expected endless sand, but as they traveled toward the village, he was amazed by the modern scenery outside the window.
“I don’t see a single grain of sand.”
“This area is relatively fine. But where my family lives, it’s much worse.”
Just as Hassan said, after about three hours of driving, the sandstorms began intensifying.
Four hours in, they finally arrived at Hassan’s village.
Or rather, calling it a village didn’t quite do it justice—it looked more like a city for the wealthy.
“Ohh…”
But unfortunately, despite its beauty, the city was covered in a veil of swirling sand.
“I was gone for just a few days, and it’s already gotten worse.”
Hassan furrowed his brows.
Then, he led Kyu-seong and Ara to his residence.
A towering building that looked to be around 150 stories tall.
The grand sight left Kyu-seong speechless.
“Wow.”
“S-So tall…”
As Ara admired the building, Hassan laughed and urged them forward.
“How long do you intend to stand in the sandstorm? Come inside.”
“Yes!”
The interior of the building was just as extravagant.
Kyu-seong had heard of how wealthy this region was due to oil, but seeing it in person left him in awe.
“I heard you make quite a bit of money yourself.”
“Seeing your building and city makes me feel humble.”
“You could earn just as much, but you choose to live modestly. There is no need for humility.”
Everyone in the building recognized Hassan and greeted him with bows.
He returned each greeting and soon, guided by his secretary, took Kyu-seong and Ara to the top floor.
“Whoa…”
The view from the top was breathtaking once again.
Hassan’s village—no, his city—was far larger than Kyu-seong had expected.
Even from the 150th floor, it was difficult to take in its full scale.
However, just as Hassan had mentioned, the sandstorms cast a hazy veil over everything.
If the sandstorm could be eliminated, the city would surely look even more magnificent.
“Call the management team.”
“Understood.”
After speaking to his secretary, Hassan turned to Kyu-seong and Ara, who were still gazing out the window.
“It is time for serious discussion. We must find a suitable place to plant the World Tree.”
“Would a place for the World Tree even exist here?”
“I plan to reshape the city.”
“…Excuse me?”
For a moment, Kyu-seong thought he had misheard.
Hassan grinned at his confused expression.
“We will plant the World Tree in the center of the city. I will show you what true extravagant spending looks like.”
Cliche Novel 