027. Don’t Starve, Guest From Seoul
There was no separate signboard.
To someone who knew nothing, it would simply look like a quiet fish farm in a fishing village.
Nothing more.
But...
Huh.
Without realizing it, Kim Seongju placed a hand over his unusually calm heart.
For some reason, he felt relieved.
Almost like...
When he used to visit his grandmother’s house as a child.
The car carrying him would enter the quiet yard, its tires crunching over countless pebbles.
A Jindo dog would bark loudly.
Before the dust had even settled, his grandmother would open the little door and come outside.
He did not know why, but memories of his happy childhood suddenly appeared in Kim Seongju’s mind.
Kim Seongju shook his head.
I came here for work. Focus.
“Guest?”
“Hm? Ah! Yes!”
“It appears Lord Suho is away for a short while. Would you like me to show you around the fish farm while we wait? Peep?”
Orlan, who had been quietly observing Kim Seongju, approached and offered.
“What? Is that really okay?”
“Yes. Of course. Lord Suho has gladly permitted it.”
Kim Seongju was a little confused.
Yang Suho was the first man in Korea to successfully domesticate Fantasy Creatures.
Would he really reveal such an incredible achievement so openly to an outsider?
Well, he did the same in earlier broadcasts. It isn’t like the inside of the fish farm has only appeared once or twice. Maybe that confidence has a reason behind it.
After thinking for a moment, Kim Seongju nodded strongly toward Orlan.
“Please!”
“This way. Peep!”
A dignified voice suitable for his huge body.
But because a chick-like peep! always followed it, Kim Seongju struggled not to laugh.
“Ahem...!”
Even Orlan himself seemed aware of it.
Every time the peep sound appeared, he looked bothered.
“Now, guest. This way. This is...”
“Oh...!”
“The area where the Fantasy Creatures, Dragon Palace Rockfish and Jewel Sea Bream, are farmed. Peep!”
Kim Seongju looked at the wide farming tanks in admiration!
...Because they looked completely ordinary!
What?
There was truly nothing special.
Before coming here, he had researched countless Korean fish farms for comparison.
The structure and appearance here were no different.
There was only one difference.
The species of fish swimming leisurely inside the tanks.
Rogue Skill, Precision Search.
Kim Seongju’s eyes glowed yellow.
Basic information about the two species being raised in the tanks entered his mind.
...This isn’t any different from the information already public on the Shop. More detailed information...
Kim Seongju focused and increased the power of his Precision Search.
However...
...!
All he discovered was that there were areas his ability could not examine.
It did not seem like Yang Suho had deliberately hidden them.
It was simply...
The level of the Area and power surrounding this place was too high.
Realizing there was nothing else he could investigate, Kim Seongju quickly turned his gaze away.
“This is an extremely clean and excellent fish farm!”
Kim Seongju smiled at Orlan like an experienced office worker.
Orlan quietly watched him, then nodded.
“Lord Suho truly loves his work and the sea. Peep!”
Even after taking a complete tour of the fish farm under Orlan’s guidance, Yang Suho had not returned.
“Hmm. He is later than expected. Peep...”
“Nothing happened to him, right?”
“Impossible. Daldal may have an unreliable personality, but his ability is real. Peep! They will likely return soon.”
Would you like to walk along the beach while waiting?
Orlan suggested.
The internet did not work.
Even phone calls did not work properly.
With no other choice, Kim Seongju slowly walked across the silver sand while waiting.
But for some reason...
My heart feels so peaceful.
He loved the slow passage of time on the beach.
How long had it been since he had done absolutely nothing except look at the scenery?
Probably not once since he began living in Seoul.
Nothing in his hands.
No distracting thoughts.
Only enjoying the view.
White clouds soft like cotton.
A calm sea resembling a lake.
Several nameless uninhabited islands scattered in the distance.
The faint sound of a ship’s horn.
Most of all...
The sound of waves brushing across the fine sand.
Kim Seongju listened.
Whoosh...
Splash...
Whoosh...
Splash...
The clear melody mixed with a faint salty scent slowly soaked into his heart.
After enjoying the duet between waves and sand for quite some time, Kim Seongju suddenly looked at the sky.
I feel like I forgot something.
He thought he had been worrying about something that stabbed sharply at his stomach.
He thought anxiety had been filling his head.
Was it simply because he had not visited the seaside in a long time?
Or was it because of the strange energy surrounding this place?
He did not know.
All he knew was that both his thoughts and stomach felt much more comfortable.
As he continued looking at the sea and sky, he failed to notice something.
Black smoke slowly leaked from the back of his head.
Then, accompanied by the sound of the waves, it scattered into the air and disappeared.
Kim Seongju, now completely relaxed, continued staring at the crashing waves.
Then...
“Guest. Lord Suho has arrived.”
At last, the Yang Suho he had been waiting for appeared.
From underwater.
“Oh. You’re here.”
“Ah.”
“Hello, Awakened! I’m Assistant Manager Kim Seongju from the Korea Awakened Association, the one who greeted you before... Huh?”
I felt seriously sorry.
Our guest had been waiting for me on a beach under the blazing sun.
I had spent so long wandering through the Dragon King’s Sea searching for things for Rako that I completely lost track of time.
What should I do?
I should at least offer him something to drink.
