The City I’d Only Dreamed Of

Tak tak.

Garum slapped his ear because it felt itchy.

After doing that three or four times, the itch disappeared, but Park Deokpal was staring at him strangely.

“Why are you doing that all of a sudden?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Garum answered coldly and looked forward again.

Up ahead, Lee Jaehun was walking in front.

Monsters popped out here and there, but it was the same as before.

It meant they died in one second in his hands.

Kang Jungbae was sticking his lips out, but that was it.

He didn’t seem to have any intention of resisting or complaining.

Though just looking at him was enough to rot one’s eyes.

‘I want to punch him once.’

Garum suppressed the urge rising inside.

Instead, he talked to Lee Jaehun.

“How much farther do we have to go?”

“A little.”

“How little is ‘a little’?”

Lee Jaehun turned his head and stared straight at him.

His gaze wasn’t sharp, but it had a force that made Garum shut his mouth.

Garum decided to walk quietly without arguing further.

They crossed through the ruins of an old city and walked for a long while.

Only after walking for half a day did they arrive at their destination.

He had always said he wanted to enter a city, but this was the first time he had actually seen one.

Because for non-city people like them, the area around a city was dangerous.

All sorts of people gathered there and formed settlements.

Lee Jaehun walked calmly through the fierce-looking people.

Garum hurriedly followed.

If he fell behind even a little, it felt like he’d be torn apart.

Park Deokpal passed quietly, but Kang Jungbae looked like he wanted to lunge at them any second.

“Hyungnim, let’s just keep walking.”

Hearing that, one couldn’t tell who the real ‘hyungnim’ was.

The four of them reached the city gate.

At the large gate, two awakened guards in unique uniforms stood watch.

“Welcome. Please show your identification.”

Lee Jaehun passed easily.

The problem was the three behind him.

“The three in the back are not citizens.”

The awakened guards looked troubled.

“I’ll take responsibility.”

“We trust you, Mr. Lee Jaehun. But three seems a bit too many.”

“Oh, then I guess I’ll step out.”

Kang Jungbae grinned as he said it.

“You must not value your life.”

Lee Jaehun replied coldly.

“For now, I’ll grant this one a citizen certificate. And the other two will enter as temporary laborers.”

The awakened guards nodded.

“That should be acceptable.”

‘I thought he’d just force his way through.’

More rational than expected.

‘But… a citizen certificate?!’

With that, one could be recognized as a city citizen—able to stay, receive food rations, and be protected.

And he was just giving that away?

Garum remembered what Park Deokpal had said before.

‘Is he really a ranker?’

Garum glanced at Lee Jaehun.

He looked calm.

After passing the gate and a long corridor, there was another door with more guards.

After passing that, Garum finally saw a real city for the first time in his life.

“Wow!”

A gasp slipped out unconsciously.

The clean roads and sidewalks, the tall aligned buildings—everything was neat.

People in clean clothes walked around with relaxed expressions.

“This is Zone 2.”

“Zone 2?”

According to Lee Jaehun, the city was divided into five zones.

Zone 1 was the center where the wealthy and high-ranking awakened lived.

Zones 2 and 3 surrounded it, filled with people below that status.

“What about Zone 4?”

“The labor class lives there. They mostly do physical work. And Zone 5 is for those without sponsors or temporary workers. They handle the filthiest jobs in the city.”

“Then those two will go to Zone 5?”

“No. For now, they’ll stay where I’m staying and help you.”

“Thank goodness.”

Garum sighed in relief.

Better people he knew than total strangers.

Following Lee Jaehun, the last place they arrived at was a building so tall he couldn’t see the top.

Lee Jaehun entered without explanation.

When Garum hurried in, several people blocked his way.

“Let him through. I brought him.”

Only then did they step aside.

“Those two as well?”

A deep voice rang out.

A muscular, dark-skinned man approached.

“Kang Yujun.”

“You’ve returned.”

“Yes.”

“But what made you bring three people at once?”

“I need them. The smallest one will get a citizen certificate. The other two will be temporary laborers.”

The smallest one!

Garum stared at Lee Jaehun in shock.

It wasn’t wrong!

But still!

It hurt his feelings.

He would’ve grown too—if his environment wasn’t so terrible that he couldn’t get proper nutrition.

Clenching both hands, feeling dejected, he heard Lee Jaehun continue.

“And the artificial farm I mentioned earlier.”

“Yes. We cleared a whole floor as you requested.”

“Give that to him.”

“What?”

Kang Yujun’s eyes widened.

The artificial farm was a specialized area filled with advanced technology to grow plants.

Which meant it required astronomical money to build.

And he wanted to give that to this scrawny kid he’d just met?

It was a shocking request.

“He used to be a farmer. If he needs land, we can prepare plenty.”

The artificial farm wasn’t small, nor was it cheap.

Giving such a place to one person would spark complaints.

Rumors were already spreading about their guild leader who always wandered outside.

“Give it.”

But Lee Jaehun didn’t change his mind.

Kang Yujun hesitated briefly, then answered:

“Yes.”

“Give him a room close to mine. And make sure no one except the two behind me and myself can access the farm area.”

“Yes.”

This time he answered without hesitation.

He had made up his mind.

To Kang Yujun, Lee Jaehun was absolute.

How could he disobey?

He began moving quickly.

“I’ll guide you to your room first.”

The first person he guided was Garum.

He led him to a small door.

Once Garum stepped inside, Kang Yujun pressed one of many buttons lined up inside.

The room began rising.

“W-what is this?”

Startled by the unfamiliar technology, he widened his eyes, then barely recalled its name.

“Elevator!”

“Correct. Mr. Lee Jaehun stays on the top floor.”

Then he looked at Garum.

“Park Garum, right?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll be staying near him.”

“What about us?”

Park Deokpal asked.

“Temporary laborers use a separate building. I’ll guide Park Garum first, then take you.”

He was being respectful, but his attitude toward the two was noticeably different.

Well, it made sense.

Unlike Garum who had washed and looked clean, those two looked like beggars.

And they were entering as temporary laborers.

Of course the treatment would differ.

Garum’s room was spacious and clean.

It had all the necessary furniture, and he basically only needed to bring himself.

Most importantly—hot water!

There was even a bathtub!

Garum’s eyes sparkled.

“You should rest today. You can start at the farm tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll have your meal delivered.”

“Thank you!”

Once Kang Yujun left with the other two, Garum immediately threw himself onto the bed.

“Oh my god, a bed! A real bed!”

If heaven existed, it must be this.

“What should I do first?”

A bath?

Yes, a bath.

Garum tossed off his clothes without hesitation.

But just as he was about to rush into the bathroom—

The door opened.

“Huh?”