Chapter 208: Abnormal Phenomenon (2)
Peace shook himself roughly, sending droplets of water flying in all directions.
“Stay still.”
— Kkaang.
“I’ll dry you off quickly.”
I wrapped him in a soft towel and turned on the dryer. Peace grumbled and licked my hand.
“I can dry myself, you know.”
Yuhyun muttered as he stepped out of the bathroom.
“But you’re already tired. No need to use more magic. Peace’s fur dries fast, so it won’t take long. Do you want me to dry your hair too?”
“Yeah.”
“Sit over there.”
As my little brother obediently sat down, I quickly finished drying Peace’s fur. His shedding seemed heavier than usual. It was already September—time for him to start growing his winter coat.
Still, the shedding wasn’t too bad when transitioning from summer to winter. It was going from winter to summer that was the real problem. I remembered a medium-sized dog that came to the vet clinic during shedding season—every time I touched its undercoat, clumps of fur would come loose.
I should get a couple more robot vacuums. And buy more lint rollers.
After letting Peace go, I moved over to Yuhyun.
“When you were little, I used to sit you down in front of me and dry your hair.”
We had both been sitting back then. But now, only he sat while I stood.
I wiped his damp, curlier-than-usual hair with a fresh towel. He often straightened it these days, but when he was younger, he used to leave it as it was. It had been really cute.
Setting the towel aside, I picked up the hairdryer and finished drying his hair. My little brother really was handsome. They say even hedgehogs find their own offspring adorable, but considering he had always been good-looking, it was only natural that he now seemed completely perfect.
“All done. You’re sleepy, right? Go to bed.”
It wouldn’t be bad if we just slept together. But Yuhyun never let Peace stay in his room. Was it because of the fur?
“You’re not going out, right?”
Yuhyun looked up at me.
“Where would I— Oh, right. I was going to give Sorok some treats but got distracted. The dried fruits in the kitchen basket—don’t eat those. They’re for monsters. Most of them haven’t been approved for human consumption yet.”
“…You dry fruit for monsters too?”
“There’s too much of it, so I asked Myungwoo for help. Thanks to Ismuar, it dries quickly, but prepping the fruit is no joke. I wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
It was embarrassing to ask someone so esteemed for such a favor, but if I made all of Sorok’s treats myself, I wouldn’t have time for anything else. Some of the fruits were tough and required delicate handling—what took Myungwoo a minute would take me over an hour.
When I said I was just going to drop off Sorok’s treats, Yuhyun immediately stood up.
“I’ll go with you.”
“It’ll only take a second.”
“But what if…”
“What if what?”
“…What if you go looking for the volleyball alone?”
So that’s what he was worried about.
I did want to check on things, especially since I was concerned about Yerim.
“Don’t worry. I won’t go alone. Yerim should be out by tomorrow anyway.”
I wasn’t so impatient that I couldn’t wait a single day. As I walked, my brother trailed after me. Peace followed too. Then, as we passed through the living room, Chirp and Belare joined in.
Great.
In the end, I had to carry them—one in my arms, one on my head, one wrapped around my wrist. Yuhyun held the fruit basket.
“Sorok.”
— Ppiiiieeek!
Sorok, who had been sprawled out in the breeding facility’s garden, scrambled backward as soon as he saw us. It was the first time I had seen him move so fast.
The unicorns approached but hesitated. Was it Peace or Yuhyun they were wary of? I tried to hand Peace over to Yuhyun, but he had no intention of holding him, so I just set Peace on the ground.
When I approached alone with the fruit basket, Sorok twitched his short tail.
He sniffed at the fruit and eagerly ate it. The unicorns each got a couple of pieces too.
I reminded the caretaker to give no more than five treats a day and to use them as rewards for walks whenever possible. Then, I handed over the basket and left the facility.
“Now both of you, go to bed for real. I have no reason to go out.”
I did have things to do, but I decided to just stay home. The gaze Yuhyun had sensed… It could have been nothing more than a new recruit or another system manager checking in. Other than that, there hadn’t been any real issues.
Yet, when I sat on the living room sofa, Yuhyun and Peace immediately came over again.
“You’re not going to sleep?”
Peace could nap on my lap, but what about Yuhyun?
“You’re twenty now, but you cling to me more than you did as a kid.”
“…Is that bad?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say— Actually, no. You should go out and make some friends. Maybe even date someone. Speaking of which, Yuhyun, do you seriously not have anyone you’re interested in?”
At twenty, he should have at least one or two dating experiences, right?
…Not that I had any right to talk.
I absentmindedly asked if there was anyone he found attractive while turning on the TV. On-screen, people were discussing Yuhyun’s dungeon clear time.
“I don’t.”
“Not a single person?”
Yuhyun fell silent for a moment. Then, slowly, he spoke.
“Do I have to like someone?”
“…Huh?”
“I don’t really know how to like someone. Except for you.”
…That reminded me of what those filial duty addicts had once said.
That innate S-Class individuals struggled to connect with others of their kind.
Was simply feeling attraction toward another person difficult for him?
But Liette hadn’t seemed that way.
As for Seong Hyunjae… Honestly, I had no idea. It was always hard to tell whether he was being genuine or just putting on an act.
“At least you like me.”
“Yeah.”
“Then maybe you’ll be able to like other people too?”
“But there’s no one who likes me as much as you do. You’re… different.”
“Hey, don’t say that. That’s not true.”
His lack of confidence upset me. Was it because of how our parents treated him? I had tried my best to make up for it, but it was impossible for it not to have left a mark.
“There are plenty of people who care about you. There are a lot of people in Haeyeon who treasure you. And don’t you get along well with Peace? Even Yerim looks after you in her own way. She even bought you pajamas. And you take care of her too, don’t you?”
“Park Yerim is… not bad, I guess. And Peace, well, we do get along.”
“See? Even if it’s small, that still counts as liking someone. Liking someone doesn’t have to be complicated. If you keep thinking about them, want to take care of them, and want to stay close, then that’s a connection. It starts like that and gradually grows.”
Some people fall in love instantly, but for others, it’s a slow build—something that deepens and solidifies over time.
“And there will be someone who likes you as much as I do. Maybe even more.”
“I don’t think so.”
“There will. You never know how life turns out.”
Even if being born an S-Class made it harder, nothing was certain. Kang Soyeong, thanks to her skill, got along just fine with Liette. …If Yuhyun gained a Dragonkin title, maybe it would be possible for him too. Or maybe if he got a spirit-related or fire-based skill.
“I want the whole world to love you, Yuhyun. The same goes for Yerim.”
Both of them deserved it. They were already popular, but my greed knew no bounds.
“Of course, the best thing would be for you to be with someone who loves you deeply. You’d have to like them too, but they should love you even more. Otherwise, I won’t approve.”
Even in ordinary relationships, it’s better to be the one loved more. But for marriage, that’s even more important.
Not just for Yuhyun, but for Yerim too.
Since neither of them had parents, they could easily become vulnerable. If they also gave more of their hearts, it would be a disaster.
All of a sudden, all the unhappy marriages I had heard about, family conflicts, and even the makjang dramas I had seen before my regression flashed through my mind. There was still a long way to go before marriage would even be on the table, but I already felt suffocated.
“…No, absolutely not. Both of you must find someone who would stake their life on loving you. If it’s one-sided, or if they’re only half-serious, then even if I die, I’ll oppose it. Yerim worries me even more since she’s still so young. There aren’t any weird guys around her, right?”
“Don’t worry, hyung. If Park Yerim ever ends up with some weird guy, I’ll take care of it quietly.”
It was so admirable that he was even looking out for Yerim. Yeah, he should protect his sister.
But when was he planning to sleep?
Peace had already curled up on my lap and dozed off, but Yuhyun eventually passed out in a crumpled position on the sofa. He could have just gone to bed properly.
That evening passed, and the next day, Yerim still hadn’t come out.
The gate was still intact, so we knew she was safe, but I was starting to get worried. One of them might have been inexperienced, and the other might have been in a high-level dungeon for the first time, but they were both S-Class.
For an A-Class dungeon, they should have been out within four days.
Not to mention, Blue was a fast-flying monster mount, and Yerim had wide-area attack skills. So why…
“Calm down, hyung. They wouldn’t let you enter that dungeon anyway.”
Yuhyun trailed closely behind me.
“But you never know. There might be a way.”
“And if there is a way? There’ll definitely be a price. Hunter Park Yerim wouldn’t want you to sacrifice something for her.”
He didn’t even say she probably wouldn’t—he was completely sure.
But sitting around was making me too anxious.
“If you’re worried about going alone, then—”
Just as we stepped outside the building, I waved toward the rooftop.
Lately, Noah had been spending more time indoors, socializing with others, but today, he was perched on the rooftop in his dragon form. As I called, he transformed back into his human form and flew down to us.
Noah glanced between me and Yuhyun.
“What’s the matter, Yujin?”
“If you have time, would you like to go into the dungeon with me? If Noah comes along, it should be fine, right?”
Even though he was more of a support type, he was still S-Class and could contribute in battle.
“I’d be happy to hel—”
“No.”
A cold voice cut through Noah’s words.
The next moment—
“Urk—!”
Noah’s throat was caught in a firm grip.
It was Yuhyun’s hand.
In an instant, Yuhyun had moved behind Noah and seized him by the throat with one hand.
Noah wasn’t just going to let it happen—he lifted his free hand, intending to counterattack.
But Yuhyun was faster.
He grabbed Noah’s wrist before he could strike.
At the same time, Iryn had climbed onto Noah’s remaining free hand. The fire-laced lizard’s body flickered with flames, and the dragon’s scales beneath it took on a reddish hue.
“Yuhyun!”
“He’ll only be a burden.”
“Hey, do you even know how many Hunters are stronger than you?!”
“If Hunter Park Yerim comes out, we’ll enter a dungeon with a large river or lake. Once she’s settled, even I wouldn’t be able to touch her easily. But Noah is different.”
Noah bit his lip in frustration.
But he couldn’t refute it.
The truth was, if Yuhyun wanted to, he could overpower Noah effortlessly.
Poison could be blocked with fire, and even if Noah transformed into a dragon and took flight, all he could do was escape.
If he used the Blue Thunderbird, even his speed would increase, meaning the fight would be over the moment he got close. The difference in stats was just too great. That’s why Liette had also chosen to keep running away.
“Blue is supposed to be playful. It could be that they’re just messing around and that’s slowing down the raid. Or maybe, since this is Park Yerim’s team’s first dungeon run, they’re intentionally taking it slow to get used to each other.”
Yuhyun released Noah and took a step back, and Iryn quietly slithered back to its master.
It was true that Blue enjoyed playing with monsters. That had caused a delay in a previous dungeon as well, but…
“…Alright. Noah, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s true that I’m… lacking.”
Noah rubbed his neck and stepped aside. He glanced at Yuhyun before letting out a sigh.
“…I suppose I really should start raiding dungeons more regularly.”
Before I could tell him that he didn’t need to, Yuhyun spoke first.
“That would be ideal. I appreciate you helping protect this place, Hunter Noah, but it’s a waste for you to remain idle. When I or Hunter Park Yerim are here, you should enter dungeons.”
…I agreed with him, honestly.
Noah nodded and turned to me.
“I’ll do my best not to be a burden, Yujin.”
“No, you’re already helpful enou— Hey, Han Yuhyun. You could’ve just said that from the start instead of going straight to grabbing him.”
Did he really have to put his hands on him first? Noah looked completely deflated.
Even as I scolded him, Yuhyun casually added,
“I can help with simple sparring if needed.”
“Thank you.”
Sparring? That was actually a good idea. Maybe he was looking out for Noah in his own way.
In the end, we decided to wait another day, and time passed slowly.
The next day, however, it wasn’t Yerim who emerged from the dungeon.
It was Seong Hyunjae.
The unexpected news had me immediately heading for the dungeon he had entered.
“I’ll be fine, so just let me in.”
I said, but the Sesung Guild members looked troubled.
Seong Hyunjae had yet to step outside.
The S-Class dungeon building was located in the heart of a busy district in Seoul. Normally, high-level dungeons caused the surrounding areas to become deserted, but this place was different. The property values had only dropped right next to the dungeon itself, while the surrounding streets remained just as crowded as before.
If every area around a dungeon became abandoned, there wouldn’t be many places left to live. So instead, more effort was put into managing these locations. That’s why Sesung had taken responsibility for this one.
“You said you received a message that there was no problem.”
“Yes, but that message came directly from the Guild Leader himself.”
Normally, when Sesung’s raid teams finished a dungeon, they would wait an hour or two before coming out. Even if nothing happened, that was standard protocol.
It was the same when Seong Hyunjae was involved. After completing the raid, a team member would contact the guild and then wait before exiting. But this time, the person who made the call had been Seong Hyunjae himself, not one of the other team members.
In other words, the other team members had been in no condition to report in his place.
“It could just be one of his whims, but we have to be cautious.”
“Even so, I need to go in. No, I have to go in.”
Something was off.
That meant there was a high chance that Seong Hyunjae had experienced an abnormal phenomenon, just like Yuhyun.
Waiting an hour or two was one thing, but after waiting two whole days, my nerves were on edge.
“Even if you’re okay with it… And since we don’t know the internal situation, the Haeyeon Guild Leader definitely cannot enter.”
At those words, Yuhyun furrowed his brows.
I wasn’t an S-Class, so even if I were C-Class, I wouldn’t be allowed in.
But Yuhyun was different.
“Let’s just wait, hyung.”
“But…”
Should I try calling him? Would he even pick up?
There were too many people around to have a proper conversation, so I decided to get in the car and make the call there. Just as I was about to leave, Evelyn approached.
“Wouldn’t it be fine to let Director Han enter?”
She said with a light smile.
“We’re worried too, so if you check his condition for us, that would be appreciated.”
“I won’t let him go in alone.”
Yuhyun immediately objected.
“But it’s just right there. Should I give him an emergency signal button? Also—”
Evelyn extended a hand forward.
With a graceful spin, a large bow materialized in her grasp.
“If you give the signal, I’ll neatly demolish the building for you.”
Her eyes gleamed behind her glasses as she reassured me.
She wasn’t just worried about Seong Hyunjae—half of this was probably just for fun.
Still, I had no reason to refuse her offer of help.
I accepted the emergency signal button, calmed Yuhyun down, and activated Grace at an S-Class level before stepping into the dungeon building.
–TL Notes–
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