[ Even If You Tell Me to Rest (2) ]
So, Yuhyun doesn’t have a good reputation?
‘Is it because he blew up that dungeon building the other day?’
He did clean up the surroundings too thoroughly. Or maybe it’s because he and Peace trashed the Association right after clearing the dungeon? But that was something I held him back on. Then again, there was the quarantine incident yesterday, which probably caused some talk. And when dealing with Noah, Chief Song Taewon had people evacuated. Although it’s been a while since then, I did meet with Chief Song back when I was kidnapped.
‘But this… it’s mostly because of me, isn’t it?’
Ah, damn.
“…How bad is it?”
“You really don’t browse the internet at all, do you?”
Moon Hyunah looked at me with a bit of surprise, then spun around.
“Yerim said you should rest since you’re on vacation. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
Her long legs strode down the walking path, and I quickly gestured to Blue beside me. Blue leapt ahead, blocking Moon Hyunah’s path.
-Kyakyak
“You’ve trained her well.”
“It’s less training and more that Blue just pays close attention to my movements. Thankfully. Now that you’ve started, let’s hear the full story.”
“I didn’t expect you to be completely clueless. What are you planning to do on your vacation?”
I hadn’t really planned anything. Just thinking about Yuhyun made me—
“Do you have anything you want to do? Like a hobby?”
A hobby… I didn’t have anything in particular these days.
“I’ll probably just laze around at home. Take a walk now and then. Satisfied?”
“You’re so dry. You don’t look it, though.”
“Just tell me about Yuhyun.”
“Pulling that sullen face makes you look cute.”
Cute, my foot. I may look young next to Moon Hyunah, but I’m still older than her. Well, I thought she’d see me as a senior, but she’s looking at me like a junior. Makes me wonder what kind of senior she was.
“Stop beating around the bush.”
“You want me to tell you what Seong Hyunjae doesn’t like?”
“Boring, tedious things?”
“There’s more to it than that.”
I was curious, but I didn’t want to keep being strung along. I called Blue back to my side. The griffon, as big as a large dog, wagged her tail excitedly. Even with her size, she still had that playful look.
“The reason I asked to meet you today is to discuss something about Blue.”
“Blue? With me?”
Moon Hyunah leaned in curiously. Breaker Guild still hadn’t managed to acquire a monster cub. Even if they did get an advanced grade one, there was no telling when they’d obtain a top-tier monster cub.
“Yes. It feels like a waste to keep her just as a guard at home. Plus, I think Blue would work well with you.”
I tossed out the bait with a friendly smile. Originally, I was planning to hand Blue over easily, but you brought this on yourself, Hyunah.
“Of course, it’s too good to waste! So, what do you want? Just name it!”
Seeing her beaming face in the summer sunshine made me feel like saying, “Nothing, really. Just take good care of Blue.” She seemed way too happy about it.
“First, why don’t you finish what you were saying?”
“Keep it a secret that I told you this, though he’ll figure it out soon enough. Oh, and watch out. This could put me in a fight with your little brother.”
“You still have an exilir, don’t you?”
“There are a bunch of old folks hanging around, so I can’t use it freely—wait, are you saying I’d lose?”
“No, not exactly.”
Yuhyun would win, though. Moon Hyunah looked annoyed but began to explain.
“You know we manage public images, right? High-ranking hunters can get away with most things as long as non-awakened people don’t get hurt. Even if there’s some injury, a well-handled settlement can make it disappear.”
I knew that. Just watching the news, you could tell that hunter-related accidents rarely get coverage. Instead, they focus on successful dungeon raids, faster clear times, and safe management of dungeons.
It’s only been three years since the Dungeon Shock, so the government wants to reassure the public. With the dungeon threat already unsettling people, they won’t add to it by highlighting the risks of high-ranking hunters. So, they cover it up as much as they can.
“But lately, the Haeyeon Guild isn’t getting the same coverage. They’re not openly talking about it on the news, but there are rumors here and there, even internet articles expressing concern over the Haeyeon Guild Leader.”
So, public opinion is turning sour? It reminded me of the backlash after the Awakening Center opened before the regression. The casualties among poorly trained awakeners led to an outcry, with certain guilds and high-ranking hunters becoming the targets of criticism. Haeyeon Guild was among them. And of course, I got my share too.
But there’s no reason for it to happen now.
“What’s their goal?”
“Maybe it’s you?”
“Me?”
“They probably want to catch you. You’ve been cooperating smoothly with major guilds, declared neutrality, and kept a low profile without doing much publicly. Just think about it. How tempting must it be for the Association?”
Moon Hyunah tilted her head, tapping her finger.
“You’re the perfect bait for controlling high-ranking hunters. With F-rank stats, it’d be easy to manage you. They’re probably dying to put a leash on you somehow. So be wary of Song Taewon. One day, you might wake up in a cage, at the mercy of some shady plan.”
“No way they’d go that far. There are laws, and Chief Song doesn’t seem like someone who’d break them.”
“Don’t you think it’s suspicious? A beloved little brother who listens to you might be causing concern these days. But he’s an S-rank, so they can’t just rein him in. Then, wouldn’t it make sense for you to take responsibility? Look at this.”
Moon Hyunah pulled up an article on her phone, showing me a photo that took up the entire screen. It was of Yuhyun and me, with Peace nestled in my arms. It must have been taken the day we walked from Haeyeon Guild to the Breeding Facility.
“…Isn’t this an invasion of privacy?”
“You’re practically a public figure, aren’t you?”
I winced as she showed me the comments. I didn’t want to look.
-Haeyeon Guild Leader and his brother don’t get along, right?
-Can’t believe he looks 20. Lol
-Han Yuhyun is handsome. He’s even better looking when he smiles~♡
-Can’t believe an S-rank walks around so casually.
Most were comments expressing surprise at Yuhyun’s new demeanor. There were lots of comments about his relationship with me, especially given my F-rank stats. People were saying things like, “He’s different with family.” Since he often kept a cold front in public, likely conscious of his age, he almost never showed expressions on TV.
Another article appeared, with a photo of Yuhyun and me taken right after we left the dungeon that day. The image showed me standing in front of Yuhyun.
-Didn’t Han Yuhyun’s brother have F-rank stats? Is he just covering for his brother because he’s an S-rank?
-Lol, F-rank covering for an S-rank? Hilarious.
-Peace is so cute! Peace!!!
-An S-rank hunter leaves a dungeon and behaves so calmly.
“So, is this bait for when I get involved?”
“Maybe? It fits, doesn’t it?”
“Perfect for making it look legitimate.”
If they keep setting things up this way and Yuhyun causes a big incident—or if they make it seem like he did—public opinion could be swayed. And instead of teaming up and working together, they’re just making things harder. Lovely.
“Your brother won’t sit back and take it, but he’s still young. So what are you going to do?”
“Oh, I’m on vacation.”
Moon Hyunah looked surprised.
“You’re just going to watch?”
“Yuhyun won’t be duped so easily.”
There were plenty of issues before the regression, but he grew up fine. He’s not obsessed with filial duty, and this is just between people, so at least he won’t get physically hurt. Plus, he’s a guild leader now, so he’s doing better than me back then.
“Well, if it gets really bad, I’ll step in and turn everything on its head at the last minute.”
“Knew you’d do something like that.”
Moon Hyunah chuckled, giving my shoulder a playful punch. It hurt. When Peace growled, she backed away dramatically, waving her hands.
“Even within the Hunter Association, there are divided opinions. Some want to keep tightening control over high-rank hunters, while others argue for more freedom. MKC seems to be getting some Association backing as well.”
“MKC?”
“Yeah. Their guild leader already has limited authority, and with the recent string of failures, the Association’s finding it easy to interfere. They might use this chance to put a leash on them to better handle other large guilds. Actually, Sudam was facing the same issue until yesterday when they got wiped out. MKC might not go down easily, though, with Seong Hyunjae around.”
She laughed, suggesting that MKC might end up having to hand things over to the Association. She added that they’d already taken a lot from MKC and that Haeyeon and Sesung were currently dividing up what was left of Sudam.
“So, are you just going to watch this unfold?”
“If I step in, it’ll only feed the ones behind me. Maybe I should just quit altogether.”
“You’re welcome anytime. Blue’s here, too.”
-Kyaw!
Blue spread her wings in response, melting Moon Hyunah’s expression once again. She’d definitely take good care of Blue.
“What does Seong Hyunjae dislike?”
As we walked, I asked this while sitting at a table under a pavilion.
“Nothing special. He’s just oddly conscious of how young he looks.”
Moon Hyunah propped her chin up, smirking.
“He’s been mistaken for being young ever since before his awakening, so it’s been a bit annoying. That’s why he goes for a heavier look. His outfits, his hairstyle. But don’t you think he’s overdoing it with the way he talks?”
“He changed his way of speaking?”
“Yeah, about a month ago. It wasn’t light before, but now it’d suit someone in their forties. It feels natural, as if he’s always spoken this way.”
Even if he cares about looking young, I doubt he’d change his speech. And a month ago… wasn’t that right after I regressed?
‘Wait. Isn’t forty how old Seong Hyunjae was before I regressed?’
It’s a stretch, but if he somehow took on traits from his future self… If he had more than just his mannerisms—if he actually remembered things…
‘…Then he’d know a lot more than me, that guy.’
It wouldn’t even be close. He even has that connection with Crescent Moon. Sure, it’s just a hunch, but…
…That guy. If anyone could recall, he would, and it’s irritating.
“What’s with the look? You don’t look so good.”
“Seong Hyunjae’s insufferable.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
Should I try to confirm it? How would I even ask? Do you have memories of the future? That’d make me sound like a cultist. Maybe it’s better to just ask why he changed his way of speaking.
“If you’re free, let’s go out. I’ll treat you to something good.”
“Let’s stop by the Association on the way.”
“Aren’t you on vacation?”
“I am. I won’t do anything.”
Unless they do something first. Will they make a move or just leave things alone?
“Would it be okay if we brought Noah along?”
“That kid from the Breeding Facility? Absolutely!”
“He’s a person. Don’t target him.”
Noah sure has a lot of admirers… strange admirers.
The sky, clear in the morning, darkened as lunchtime approached, looking ready to pour down rain.
Han Yuhyun loosened the tie around his neck, glancing at the ash-colored sky through the window. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and took a short breath.
Endurance was second nature to him, but he couldn’t do anything about the occasional, overwhelming sense of suffocation. Like a lantern flickering in front of a parched mountain. Just one step, and it’d spread out of control.
But once a fire grows, it can’t return to the lantern. By now, maybe it had already melted the lantern itself.
‘Another five years should be manageable.’
He turned, muttering to himself. There’d be people who’d frown at his disheveled look, but that was what he wanted. If he intended to clean out those harboring twisted ambitions, it’d help to stand out and get on their nerves.
He made his way toward those waiting for him with light steps.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt