Chapter 213: Trip to Japan (1)
‘Oh, a reply came.’
A message arrived from Song Taewon.
[There was nothing unusual. Thank you for your concern.]
It was a response to my message congratulating him on clearing the dungeon safely and asking if there had been anything strange inside or if he was feeling well. Did Song Taewon not sense the gaze?
‘Then it really might be related to me.’
Yuhyun, Yerim, and Seong Hyunjae had entered dungeons with me multiple times. On the other hand, Song Taewon had not. It wasn’t certain, but it was better to be cautious.
[Please drop by the breeding facility sometime. I brought back an incredibly cute and fluffy baby lamb, and it reminded me of you, Chief Song. Or I could visit you instead. It’s seriously adorable.]
If he touched it, even Chief Song might fall for it. That texture was addictive. If it weren’t for Peace, I might have brought it home. It was really soft. But at home, my lap was Peace’s designated seat… Should I sneak it in when Peace is in a dungeon?
“Really, I can’t?”
While I was texting, Yerim begged again. Yuhyun firmly cut her off in my place.
“No.”
“I wasn’t asking you, Han Yuhyun! This is Mister’s house!”
“Having Peace and Park Yerim shedding fur is more than enough.”
“What? Fur? Hey! You think your hair doesn’t fall out? Yours is the most noticeable!”
Yerim shouted while hugging the puppies in both arms. The baby wolves in her grasp whimpered softly.
I had told Yerim about Blue when she came over and mentioned that I had brought more baby monsters into the breeding facility. She hadn’t gotten a chance to see them while she was at Haeyeon, so she had gone to take a look and returned with the baby wolves tucked under her arms. She said she had wanted to raise a puppy since she was little.
“Yerim, they’re right downstairs, so you can visit them anytime.”
“But they already love me this much. Can’t I bring them to my room?”
Just as Yerim said, the two white furballs were clinging tightly to her. But rather than because they liked her…
‘They look scared.’
A little ways away, Peace was slowly tapping his tail against the floor while glaring at the puppies. He clearly wasn’t pleased that the baby wolves had entered the house. Even though they were monsters, they still belonged to the feline and canine families, so it didn’t seem like they would get along easily.
Every time Peace occasionally bared his fangs, the baby wolves froze in place. I felt sorry for them, so I couldn’t allow it after all.
“Sorry, Yerim, but they really can’t stay inside. And you’re going to have your own monster mount eventually. When that happens, I’ll make sure you can raise it from when it’s a baby.”
Yerim pouted but obediently nodded. She really was a good kid.
“I’ll come visit often, Milky, Blanc.”
When did she even name them? I think she had dolls with those names before. Watching her turn away made me feel a little guilty. She had wanted to raise a puppy. Even if they were just downstairs…
— Grrr.
As Yerim and the baby wolves left, Peace came up and rubbed his body against my leg. You look happy, Peace.
“You’re taking Peace to Japan too, right?”
Yuhyun asked as he turned around. I followed after him and nodded.
“They specifically requested that I bring him along. Japan is quite unusual. I thought they’d feel uneasy about several S-Classes coming, but they’re actually welcoming it.”
I had assumed that only Yerim would be allowed in and had planned to use safety as an excuse to negotiate permission for at least two S-Class Hunters to accompany her. But Japan had reached out first, saying they would like Hunter Han Yuhyun to come as well. They even welcomed any other Hunters who wanted to join.
“They’re probably thinking they could lure Noah and Liette to their side since they’re both from foreign countries.”
Especially since both of them were currently freelance Hunters—it was understandable that Japan would covet them. Liette had declined, though.
I sat on the sofa with Peace in my arms. When I turned on the TV, another broadcast about the Korea-Japan match was airing. They were analyzing Yerim and the opposing Japanese Hunter.
[Hunter Park Yerim’s biggest weakness is her lack of experience. However, she has an advantage in terrain conditions…]
There were also criticisms about her choosing a slime dungeon. Though they only briefly mentioned it since they had agreed to avoid dampening the mood too much. The way the media manipulated things like this was scary. If they concealed or downplayed issues skillfully, most people would accept it without question. The same went for exaggerating or distorting the truth.
“If it were Yerim or Seonghan, I could understand, but Yuhyun, you’re a guild leader, so it wouldn’t be easy to pull you away. Are they planning to offer something huge? Could the Thunderbird’s Mantle has been bait?”
“Whatever they offer, I’m not interested.”
Yuhyun, who was sitting beside me, replied.
“I already have enough. As long as I can protect this life we have now, that’s enough for me.”
“…You don’t need anything else?”
“I’ve come back home. Home. Unless Japan suddenly produces an item that guarantees your safety, I have no reason to go.”
It would be pretty funny if Japan suddenly revealed a world-saving artifact out of nowhere.
“Yeah, me too… I just want things to stay the way they are now.”
The biggest issue should be whether we can bring a puppy into the house or not. I just want to spend my time worrying about what to have for dinner.
But once the kids entered the dungeon, I’d start worrying again. There was a pile of work waiting, and who knew what new problems would arise? Why was my life so exhausting?
“…Hey, Hyung.”
Yuhyun spoke cautiously. When I turned to look at him, his face was clouded with gloom. What was this? Had he gotten into trouble without me knowing?
“After I awakened… back when it hadn’t been long since I awakened. I made things really hard for you, didn’t I?”
His hesitant words made my mind go blank. That time… so that means—
“No.”
“Hyung.”
“I don’t even remember it well.”
It was eight years ago. So I didn’t really think about it anymore. It was something distant, faded enough to blur.
“So don’t dwell on it. It’s fine. It’s all in the past.”
I smiled as I reassured him. Things hadn’t been all that bad back then. Yuhyun, at least, didn’t know what came after. It was unrelated to him. It was just something that occasionally lingered in my own mind.
“We just had a rough patch for a while, that’s all. That happens in families. You fight hard, and then you make up. Everything’s fine now, so it’s okay.”
There was no need to drag up memories that didn’t matter anymore. I turned my eyes to the TV. Yerim’s interview was being replayed. She was smiling confidently, radiantly.
“Hey, if Japan tries to poach you, act interested and take whatever they offer. No reason to refuse if they’re handing things out. Just grab everything you can, wipe your mouth clean, and come back home.”
They’d probably try showering Myungwoo and Noah with gifts too. Since the ones I’d received so far had been great, I couldn’t help but look forward to it a bit. Just then, I heard the door open.
“Yerim, shake off the fur before you come in.”
“Yes!”
Since they were wolf cubs, they shed less than expected for how fluffy they were, but they still shed. Yerim dashed over and plopped down next to me.
“Pack your things tonight.”
“I already finished packing this morning~”
She was quick. Not that there was much to bring anyway. Just in case, I had bought three extra backup phones. I also needed to remember to pack some side dishes in the morning in case the kids didn’t like the food there.
I just hoped we’d come back without any trouble.
The airport was packed. Reporters, of course, but also crowds of onlookers. Yerim was busy thanking the people who had come to cheer her on, giving interviews, and even striking poses for photos.
“I’ll win and come back!”
When she waved her hand, a loud cheer erupted. Her popularity was on par with top celebrities. Honestly, she wouldn’t lose even standing next to one. She already received tons of advertisement offers, but with this event, countless brands were practically begging her to accept sponsorships. Even the hat she was wearing now was one she had personally picked from a sponsor.
Amidst the endless cheers, we completed the check-in process and headed to the lounge. There, Moon Hyunah was already waiting. I also spotted some people from the Hunter Association.
“Director Han, you dressed up nicely.”
What’s with the ‘nicely’ comment?
“I didn’t know you were so close with Hunter Liette, Guild Leader of Breaker.”
With so many S-Class Hunters heading abroad, concerns naturally arose about domestic security. Although all the dungeons had already been cleared, there still needed to be Hunters available in case anything happened.
At Haeyeon, Kim Seonghan, an S-Class Hunter, remained behind, and he was also entrusted with Blue’s proof of contract. Sesung had Evelyn, another S-Class Hunter, so there was no issue there.
Breaker, however, had been a problem—one they resolved by temporarily hiring Liette.
“She’s easygoing and doesn’t hold grudges. We get along well. Honestly, there aren’t many female Hunters who have a bad relationship with me. I’m pretty popular, you know.”
“Except for Hunter Evelyn, I assume.”
“Oh, her? Our personalities just don’t mesh. I can’t stand people who have the skills but still like to scheme behind the scenes. Why would I want to be close to someone like that?”
She then turned to me and gave a warning.
“Make sure the monsters don’t wander around inside the plane.”
A staff member from the association spoke while eyeing Chirp, who was floating around the lounge. Of course, that was a given, but hopefully, Chirp wouldn’t suddenly teleport somewhere. Belare also wanted to roam, but for safety reasons, I made sure she stayed on my wrist.
Peace was sitting quietly on a chair, while Yerim was picking out snacks with Noah. Myungwoo, on the other hand, looked exhausted. He had said he was cramming work before his break, but it seemed like he had overdone it. Apparently, instead of making items himself, he had been busy training the blacksmiths at the forge.
Just two days ago, Seo Dongbaek and Lee Minseok, both from Myungwoo’s forge, had successfully crafted lower-grade items. While the finished products weren’t highly valuable, the fact that they had managed to make items without a crafting skill was significant. Once they reached the point where they could produce mid-grade items, they planned to make a big announcement.
“Hyung, do you want something to eat? You didn’t have a proper breakfast.”
“Yeah, why not. I didn’t expect the airport lounge to have a full buffet.”
I hadn’t stopped by the lounge when I went to Hong Kong, so I hadn’t known a place like this even existed. Not like I’d had many chances to board a plane before. There was a decent variety of food—even wine. I was considering grabbing a simple sandwich when the door opened and Song Taewon walked in. What was he doing here?
“Are you here to see us off? You must be busy.”
With so many S-Class Hunters gathered, was he really okay being here? There were plenty of regular people around too, of course. At my question, Song Taewon replied in a low voice.
“It’s for accident prevention. I can’t intervene in matters overseas, but…”
Song Taewon glanced around the lounge and let out a quiet sigh before continuing.
“I hope you all return safely.”
His expression seemed to say, Please don’t cause any trouble.
“I’ll be a quiet spectator on this trip to Japan, so don’t worry. You take care as well, Chief Song. And if you have time, drop by the breeding facility. I’ve already informed them in advance.”
Just try petting the lamb once. It’s seriously adorable. But at my words, Song Taewon simply moved to stand off to the side without responding. Had he eaten properly? Should I ask if he wanted a sandwich?
As I placed a sandwich on my plate, Yuhyun poured me a drink. Yerim, saying the cookies were delicious, added some to my plate before dashing off to grab ice cream. Noah, mentioning that the cake was good, asked Myungwoo if he wanted coffee. Meanwhile, Moon Hyunah went ahead and ordered a separate meal. Why was there even a chef in this lounge? Was this a restaurant or an airport?
The atmosphere already felt like a vacation, which was nice. The scent of steak being grilled wafted through the air. Yerim eagerly called out that she wanted some too.
“Yuhyun, why don’t you eat something as well?”
“I’m not that hungry.”
He was pickier than he let on. At home, he never really complained about food, but still. I handed him a cookie, at least. He wasn’t the type to refuse food when offered.
— Chirp!
The door opened again, and Chirp let out a sound. Thinking he had bumped into something, I turned to look—only to find him perched atop a head of pale, slightly faded hair.
Seong Hyunjae entered as if nothing was out of the ordinary. I was about to greet him as usual, but then our eyes met.
…For a moment, I couldn’t say anything and instinctively looked away.
“Is everyone here now? When’s the departure time?”
At Moon Hyunah’s question, someone responded that the plane was already prepared. The clink of a fork against a plate followed, along with Yerim asking if she could take her ice cream with her.
I swallowed once and forced myself to look at Seong Hyunjae again. He was holding Chirp in his hand, and when our gazes met, he smiled. His expression was no different from usual.
“Chirp has caused some trouble. Here, take him.”
Seong Hyunjae, now standing close without a word, handed Chirp over to me. I cradled the chirping baby bird in my arms.
…Say something first, damn it.
As I hesitated, Yuhyun grabbed my arm.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh, uh, yeah.”
Leaving the lounge, we were once again met with a barrage of cameras before finally boarding the plane.
The flight took off, and after just a few hours, we arrived in Japan.
–TL Notes–
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