Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant - Chapter 79
Chapter 79
“Uh, uh, uh, uh!”
Park Goong was still just a boy.
Startled beyond measure, he almost raised his voice in surprise when his mother quickly came over and covered his mouth.
“Shh!”
“Uh, Mom?”
With her rubber gloves still on, Park Goong’s mother held a finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet.
Only when he nodded did she remove her hand from his mouth.
Then she whispered softly.
“Don’t let the customer eating over there feel uncomfortable. Pretend you don’t know him, okay?”
“Oh….”
Only then did Park Goong realize that Suho was sitting there, eating.
Two rolls of kimbap and a single bowl of ramen.
It was a quiet time of day with no other customers, and Suho was alone, enjoying his meal, a precious moment that he had almost interrupted.
Park Goong nodded quietly and spoke.
“Got it. Sorry.”
“Alright. But by the way, why are you here? Shouldn’t you be training right now?”
“The tournament’s tomorrow, so they let me go home early.”
“Then why not rest or hang out with your friends? What brings you to the store?”
“Mom, come on. I know you’re here working alone. How could I just not come?”
“Even so….”
“It’s fine. When have I ever skipped training just because of a tournament? Instead, Mom.”
“Hmm?”
“You haven’t taken the Sword God’s check yet, right?”
“No, not yet.”
“Then can I take his payment later?”
At his question, his mother chuckled and replied.
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Awesome!”
With his mom’s permission, Park Goong beamed with joy and hovered around the register.
Not long after, Suho finished his meal, rose from his seat, and approached the counter.
“I’d like to pay.”
“Yes! That’ll be ten thousand won!”
“Here.”
“Would you like a receipt?”
“No, that’s alright. But, uh….”
“Yes?”
“Are you perhaps the archer, Park Goong?”
“Huh? Wh-what?”
“Never mind if you’re not.”
“N-no, I am! I’m Park Goong.”
As Suho casually recognized him after completing the payment, Park Goong froze in shock.
It was only natural.
After all, it wasn’t just anyone—this was the Sword God who knew his name.
Suho smiled and asked.
“Do you have a moment? I’m Ahn Suho from the Korean Hunter Association, and I’d like to have a quick word with you, Park Goong.”
“Oh, of course, I have time… Pardon? Where did you say you’re from?”
“The Korean Hunter Association.”
“…What?”
At that moment, Park Goong’s eyes began to tremble as though hit by an earthquake.
Then he slowly started to back away, responding awkwardly.
“Uh… haha, I’m sorry, but I’m a bit busy right now, so I don’t have time….”
“It’ll only take a moment. Would that be alright?”
“I’m, I’m really sorry!”
With that, Park Goong turned and fled.
By the time his mother noticed and approached Suho, he had already run far from the store.
“Huff… huff….”
How far had he run?
Only when he felt he had put sufficient distance between himself and the store did he find a place to hide and catch his breath.
When his breathing finally settled, he crouched down and buried his face in his knees.
“Why did it have to be now…?”
The reason he had fled.
It was simple: he was feeling the weight of his own guilty conscience.
Slowly, he lifted his head and stared into the empty air before him.
[ Choose the power you wish to pursue. ]
[ Warrior ]
[ Mage ]
[ Archer ]
[ Healer ]
What lay before his eyes was none other than a job selection screen.
Park Goong was an Awakened.
To be precise, he was an unclassified Awakened who had postponed selecting a job.
He had awakened as a player a few days prior.
But he had kept this fact hidden.
Even from the person he loved most—his mother.
Why?
There was only one reason.
‘If it’s found out that I’m an Awakened, I’ll have to quit archery.’
It was true.
That was the law.
Awakened individuals couldn’t compete in professional sports for ordinary people.
Why?
Because the stats of Awakened individuals disrupted the fairness of the competition.
Of course, Park Goong was still at level 1 and had yet to choose a job, so he was an unclassified Awakened.
In simple terms, all his stats were at 1, and he hadn’t received any bonus stats yet, meaning he was no different from a regular person.
In fact, in the future, the law would change to allow level 1 players to participate in professional sports if they could prove their level and stats.
But that wasn’t the case right now.
So, he couldn’t reveal it.
If he reported his awakening now, he would have to quit archery, which meant everything to him.
That was why he ran away.
He was happy to meet the Sword God, Ahn Suho, but he suddenly remembered that Suho now worked for the Korean Hunter Association.
Vrrring!
At that moment, his phone rang.
It was his mother calling.
After a long moment of hesitation, he answered.
“H-hello?”
– Oh, Goong-ah. Where are you?
“I’m, uh, nearby. Why?”
– I heard that Ahn Suho Hunter wanted to talk to you earlier, but you just left, saying you were busy. Is something wrong?
“Th-that’s it?”
– Hmm?
“The conversation with the Sword God… that’s really all he said?”
– What else would there be?
“Ah, no. Nothing. Anyway, Mom, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll head back to the dorm and rest early. I need to get ready for the tournament tomorrow.”
– What about food?
“I’ll figure it out.”
– Alright… if you insist. But nothing’s really wrong, right?
“There’s nothing wrong! Nothing at all.”
– Oh dear, no need to shout. Alright, then~
The call ended.
Thankfully, there was no suspicion, anxiety, or worry in his mother’s voice.
If she had sensed a lie, she would have picked up on it right away.
Because no one knew his mother better than he did.
But the fact that she didn’t seem to sense anything meant…
‘It probably means he didn’t tell her anything.’
His heart pounded.
Did he deliberately keep it quiet?
Why?
No matter how hard he wracked his brain, he couldn’t figure out that part.
Park Goong felt torn.
Should he keep pretending not to know?
Would he have to keep running like this?
But there was no paradise in the place he’d fled to….
His dilemma deepened.
However, no matter how much he struggled, one thing was certain.
He absolutely could not give up on the tournament tomorrow.
‘It’s okay if I have to give up archery. But tomorrow’s tournament….’
The reason for his obsession with tomorrow’s tournament.
There was only one reason.
The prize money.
Tomorrow’s tournament was the largest high school archery competition held domestically, and winning it would reward him with a prize of fifty million won.
Park Goong desperately needed that money.
For none other than his grandmother’s hospital bills.
‘I’ve come this far focusing solely on tomorrow’s tournament… Yes, let’s just finish the tournament tomorrow and then report my awakening officially. That’ll work.’
A determined glint sparkled in his eyes.
***
The next day.
To participate in the tournament, Park Goong cautiously arrived at school.
Fortunately, there was no sign of Suho.
He was nervously waiting for his coach when he heard a voice.
“Goong-ah, what’s up?”
“Oh… Won-seok?”
The person sitting beside him was Hong Won-seok, his closest friend and the runner-up in the selection match who had narrowly missed first place.
Since only one participant could represent each school in the Future Automobile High School Archery Competition, Hong Won-seok couldn’t participate in this competition.
Hong Won-seok asked.
“Nervous?”
“Why?”
“You don’t look so good.”
“Oh… No, it’s nothing like that.”
He’s sharp.
But truthfully, he wasn’t feeling well.
He had tossed and turned all night the previous evening.
Still, he tried his best to get his condition under control.
After all, he had practiced endlessly to be part of this tournament.
Hong Won-seok chuckled.
“Hey, even if you’re a bit off, it’s fine. You’re going to get first place anyway.”
“That’s not something you can just assume.”
“Oh, come on. Since you joined our school, have you ever not taken first place? You’ve always ranked first, even beating seniors. That’s what I’d call a difference in talent.”
Won-seok grumbled.
It made sense.
Thanks to the outstanding skills of Park Goong, Hong Won-seok, despite being in the same grade, was always known as the perpetual second place.
Hearing that, Park Goong tried to console him.
“Aw, come on. It’s not like that. If you think about it, you’ve always ranked second, even beating seniors. Isn’t that talent too?”
“Kid, the world only remembers first place. And with all the money my family spends on my training, I’d better be second, at least. You know how my dad is.”
“If the others or the seniors hear that, they’ll give you an earful.”
“Haha, you think so? Anyway, make sure to win this time. You have a reason to win.”
“To win… yeah.”
Being his closest friend, Hong Won-seok knew just how desperately Park Goong wanted this victory.
With a fist bump from Hong Won-seok, the tension eased a bit.
And then, right at that moment—
“Goong-ah. The coach is calling you.”
The coach’s call.
Was it finally time?
At the mention of the coach’s call, Park Goong quickly headed toward him.
But.
“…What?”
Behind the building, where the coach stood.
There was someone else standing beside him whom he had absolutely not wanted to see.
Suho.
“Why… why….”
His heart began to pound loudly.
Why?
Why now, of all times?
Even though he was staring directly, he still couldn’t believe it.
Why?
Why?
Then, seeing him, the coach waved him over.
“Hey, Goong-ah. Come here for a second.”
His hands and feet shook, and his jaw trembled.
His stomach churned, and his head swam.
His vision spun.
But his feet wouldn’t move.
There was nowhere left to run.
Trembling like an animal dragged to the slaughter, he reluctantly approached the coach and Suho.
When he stood before them, the coach nodded toward Suho and quietly stepped aside.
Suho spoke.
“Park Goong.”
“Y-yes?”
“Were you really busy yesterday?”
“Uh, well….”
“You awakened, didn’t you?”
Awakened.
With that single word, his vision went dark.
His lips trembled.
He was so shaken he couldn’t speak.
But he had to answer.
He hesitated.
Should he tell the truth?
Or lie?
The tournament would start shortly.
If he could just participate, he could win, claim the prize, and pay for his grandmother’s hospital bills.
At least, that was what he firmly believed.
Then, Suho spoke calmly.
“Please be honest with me. This is a very important matter.”
An important matter.
Anyone would be nervous if someone from the Association came to see them, let alone the Sword God himself.
Thus, he felt even smaller.
Any courage he had to lie was minuscule.
After a long silence.
In the end, he had no choice but to admit it.
“…Yes, I awakened.”
“Thank you for being honest. I think it’s best if you report your awakening right away and withdraw from this tournament. If you prefer, I can arrange it so that neither the coach nor anyone else finds out.”
“E-excuse me!”
“Yes?”
“I… is there any way, just this once, that I can participate in this tournament…? I haven’t even selected a job yet, and I’m only level 1. Surely, you know that a level 1 player is no different from a regular person. If I miss this tournament, I really…!”
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“I understand your situation, and I know what you’re trying to say. But that’s the law. And even if I let it slide, reporting your awakening later will nullify any results from tournaments held within two months prior to the report.”
“W-what? Really?”
“Yes, so it’s better to report it now.”
“But that’s….”
“Let’s head to the Association together.”
“….”
With his head hung low, Park Goong felt crushed.
Suho quietly guided him to his car.
However, Suho knew this was for the best.
In his past life, after the tournament, Park Goong did win as confidently as he had anticipated, only to have his victory stripped due to a report from none other than his trusted friend, Hong Won-seok.
‘After that, he turned dark and twisted, becoming a notorious villain.’
Known as the “Bow Demon.”
‘It’s better for him to hurt once than twice.’
Suho, too, got into his car.