[ First Date (1) ]
“Uh… um.”
His eyes were red, as if he had been crying the whole time. His face was pale, and he looked so weak that he resembled a paper doll that had been fished out of the water and left to dry in a hasty manner.
Honestly, he looks worse than me, the one who got kidnapped.
“… Are you okay?”
Technically, I’m the one who should be hearing that question.
Before the words even fully left my mouth, Myungwoo started dropping tears like chicken poop. Is it time for a hug now? Well, since he seems to have been worried a lot, I should just accept it calmly. I owe him a lot anyway.
But instead of approaching me, Yu Myungwoo just silently cried without a sound. Why’s he like that? Did the shock hit him too hard? Shouldn’t he be the one going to the hospital instead of me?
“… I’m fine. Really. I’m totally okay. I didn’t even get hurt.”
Come on, say something. I’m not sure what to do here. Should I set Peace down and be the one to hug and comfort him first? I’m the victim here, though.
“… There was nothing I could do.”
Finally, Myungwoo opened his mouth.
“I really… I really couldn’t do… anything….”
His voice, strained and wrung out, was stained with guilt.
It’s not that I didn’t understand. The person who helped him multiple times was in danger, and he had to stay locked away, probably feeling utterly helpless.
But still.
“It wasn’t your fault. You were probably locked in without being able to move.”
Yu Myungwoo wasn’t even a guild member, let alone part of the staff. He was staying with us because of the contract I had with him. Naturally, in sensitive situations like this that involve internal guild issues, he would’ve been restricted from acting.
Honestly, it just ending with house arrest was quite the relief. He could have easily been suspected and interrogated, too.
“As an outsider, if you tried to intervene, it could’ve made things worse. So, don’t worry about it.”
“But I…”
He bit down hard on his lip, swallowing his words, and wiped away his tears. He raised his bowed head and gave me a small smile.
“Sorry. You must be tired, and I’m just bothering you. Come in.”
“No, it’s okay…”
His reaction was more concerning. What’s going on? If he had clung to me and cried his heart out, I would’ve just brushed it off like always. But this atmosphere, like he had already come to terms with things and steeled himself, felt unsettling.
“I’m really fine. Anyway, it’s the guilds’ job to protect me. That’s what the contract’s for.”
I said again as I stepped inside, taking off my shoes. Myungwoo absentmindedly nodded and asked if I wanted something simple to eat. I was planning to sleep early, but I hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner, so I might as well fill my stomach a little. Peace needed to eat dinner too.
-Grrr
Peace jumped onto the bed and spun around in circles. After having his meal, he seemed to be in a better mood.
“You shouldn’t be jumping up without washing your paws. Come here.”
I picked him up and carried him to the bathroom attached to the bedroom. He let out a pitiful whine, pretending to be miserable.
“You went outside, so you need to wash. Besides, the place we were wasn’t exactly clean.”
-Grumble
“Yeah, yeah. We’ll just do a quick shower.”
Maybe it’s because he’s part of the feline species with fire attributes, but he really hates bathing. After some coaxing, I managed to wash him and dry his fur, but even with my improved stats, I was still tired. It was more of a mental fatigue than physical. If I had to care for five animals after reverting to my original stats, I might just die of overwork.
“Let’s go to sleep.”
I turned off the lights and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes. But before long, I opened them again. In the dim light, I could see Peace curled up right next to me, his body pressed tightly against mine. His red fur, mixed with strands of golden hair, stood out more vividly than usual. My night vision has gotten better, huh?
As I stared at him, I pulled out a glass vial from my inventory. Inside the vial, a red stone glowed faintly.
‘But still, everyone’s either S-rank or close to becoming S-rank.’
Although Yu Myungwoo’s stats were F-rank, he didn’t need to clear dungeons, so he should be safe. As long as he gets a skill, he’ll be almost as protected as I am.
As for the other four, there’s not much to worry about. Even five years from now, when dungeon difficulty rises, only one S-rank hunter died during a dungeon raid worldwide. Well, two if I count Yuhyun. Anyway, unless they do something stupid, they’re not likely to die.
The mortality rate for A-rank hunters was also quite low. Lower-ranked hunters, on the other hand, died in large numbers due to sheer volume, and surprisingly, B-ranks had a higher death rate than C-ranks. That’s because B-ranks participated in higher-level dungeon raids.
‘For my sanity, I should only apply the keyword to S-ranks, or at least A-ranks, who can handle it.’
Top-tier mounts are rare, so they’ll be well taken care of.
If worst comes to worst, I can disable poison resistance and rely on modern medicine. Before my regression, when I was drinking my life away, people suddenly showed up and took me to the hospital for alcohol addiction treatment. They took good care of me, too.
‘… Was that Yuhyun’s doing?’
I wasn’t in the right state of mind back then, so I didn’t think much of it. But it was kind of strange that they barged in after just a week of heavy drinking. The facilities and counseling were excellent, too. The counselor even gave me a card, saying I could contact them anytime if things got tough. I wonder if they’re still working there.
Anyway, I hope I won’t have to activate the Final Recompense skill again. Seven days isn’t enough for these people. They’re too valuable.
I put the glass vial back into my inventory and closed my eyes again.
The next day, I stayed inside all day. Peace didn’t seem interested in going out, and Myungwoo didn’t go to sharpen blades but instead made me some snacks. I didn’t know he had a talent for baking. It was hard not to blurt out that I wanted to live with him forever.
In the afternoon, Yuhyun visited with a locksmith. They searched the whole building but couldn’t find the key to the inventory-sealing bracelet.
That’s because I have it. I should’ve left it behind, but I completely forgot and brought it with me.
“And Hunter Park Yerim was cursed with stat reduction for breaking the contract.”
While I was rubbing my wrist where the bracelet had been, Yuhyun mentioned the news with a troubled expression.
“What? Contract breach?”
Well… I guess since the contract was for her to guard me, it counts.
It turns out the curse was triggered not right after the kidnapping but some time later. It must’ve been when I was getting beaten. Since the contract vaguely stated “guarding,” it seems the condition was set when a certain level of violence was inflicted on the target. Being kidnapped wasn’t enough since I wasn’t harmed when they took me. I only passed out because of mana exhaustion.
“You just need to notify the Association that it wasn’t a contract breach, and the curse can be lifted by the one who cast it. The problem is, Hunter Park Yerim is refusing to have the curse lifted.”
“Why would she refuse?”
“She said since she failed to fulfill the contract, she’ll accept the consequences.”
Yerim… What a stubborn kid.
“I’ll talk to her.”
“Please. She listens to you well.”
She doesn’t listen that well, though.
“Oh, wait.”
I stopped Yuhyun as he was about to leave. He turned back to me.
“So, uh, about the Gate Stone. Do you happen to have a spare?”
Asking for something so rare made my face flush with embarrassment. But I really needed it.
Right now, I’m close to an A-rank combat hunter. That means I can solo a lower-rank dungeon.
Of course, the real goal wasn’t to clear the dungeon but to make contact with the one behind the system.
If I maximize my use of the wall lizard, it shouldn’t be too hard to sneak out. If I buy an exclusive pass for F-rank dungeons, privacy is guaranteed.
The only issue is the possibility of encountering an out-of-rank monster due to some system error.
‘If I can make contact at the dungeon entrance and immediately use the Lizard on the Wall skill to escape if something happens, I should be fine. But who knows if they’ll reach out before the gate closes?’
Just in case, I wanted to carry a Gate Stone. Worst case, I could wait for a bit after the gate closes, and if nothing happens, I’ll just leave. But it would be a waste of money and opportunity. There are only six days left on the Final Recompense skill.
“Why? You’re not thinking of going into a dungeon, are you?”
Yuhyun frowned immediately.
“Well, it’s not like I can avoid them entirely. I want to get to level 30, at least. Who knows? I might get a defense skill or something.”
Of course, that’s not going to happen. I don’t have any combat talent. What even is my affinity? Maybe I’m just a plain old regular A with no special talents.
“But with what happened recently, and that giant bird attack last time… I’m feeling pretty anxious. I know it’s rare, but if you have a spare…”
Ugh, the more I talk, the more pathetic I sound. Maybe I should just bid for some exclusive F-rank dungeons and go in and out. Is there a penalty for entering a dungeon and not clearing it? I’ve never wasted money like that, so I can’t remember.
“… Leveling to 30 wouldn’t be a bad idea. Your level 10 skill is S-rank, and one of your starting skills is A-rank, so there’s a high chance of getting a high-tier skill.”
Yuhyun reluctantly nodded.
“But I’m picking the team to go with you for dungeon runs. Is that okay?”
“It’s not like I can do it alone. I’d need your help anyway.”
I joked, and Yuhyun pulled out a Gate Stone. My conscience stung a little. Still, I’ll be good and not do anything reckless while my stats are still F-rank.
“You’ve got spares, right?”
If this was the only one, I’d rather not take it.
“I do. Not that I’d ever want to use them. If I ever need to use a Gate Stone, it means most of my main raid team is gone. It’d be better than me dying, but it’d be a disaster for the guild.”
He’s smiling, but his words are terrifying. Like he said, I hope I’ll never need to use it. I nodded and put the Gate Stone into my inventory.
Time to look up nearby F-rank dungeons that allow exclusive bids.
“Peace, let’s go out today, okay?”
Normally, Peace would’ve whined to go out first, but today he didn’t seem interested in leaving. It was probably from the shock of the kidnapping, even though he had been asleep most of the time.
I couldn’t just leave him like this. I picked him up and headed outside. It would be better if we could go to an outdoor training field instead of just the underground training room.
As I was soothing Peace, who was unhappily flicking his tail, I made my way to the elevator. Today’s bodyguard was…
‘Huh? That face…’
I recognized her. Bright blonde hair and deep blue eyes, close to navy in hue. She looked like a fairy, beautiful as could be. She flashed a radiant smile at me.
“Hello! I’m Kang Soyeong from Sesung!”
Sesung’s A-rank hunter, Kang Soyeong. She wasn’t born in Korea; Sesung’s guild leader scouted her and got her Korean citizenship. For hunters ranked B or higher, dual citizenship was granted without conditions.
She was talented enough that Seong Hyunjae brought her himself. She was 19 years old now, and…
‘There were rumors about her and Yuhyun, weren’t there?’
It wasn’t confirmed that they were dating, but the rumors were widespread. This young lady could end up being my sister-in-law.
She’s even prettier in person. Still looks a bit young and cute. Her expressions are bright and lovely, too.
“Hello, I’m Han Yujin. Thank you for your help today.”
“It’s my pleasure! Nice to meet you!”
Yeah, she’s adorable. Seems like a nice person, too. Her cheerful voice made me smile.
“And this must be Peace! He’s even cuter in person than on TV!”
Kang Soyeong spoke in a bubbly tone. Well, my Peace is indeed cute. She’s a good kid.
“You’re heading to the training room, right?”
“Yes.”
She pressed the elevator button and gave me a sparkling gaze. It was a bit embarrassing, like I was a celebrity being admired by a fan.
“I was so shocked when I heard what happened. I’m really glad you’re safe.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“I really mean it. Truly. Mr. Han Yujin, you’re my only hope.”
“Your hope?”
What does she mean by that? She nodded enthusiastically as she stepped into the elevator.
“I actually have an SS-rank skill.”
She said in a low voice. SS-rank skill? I’d never heard of her having something like that. I wanted to use my Promising Talent skill on her, but she was staring at me so intently that it wasn’t the right time. I’ll do it later when no one’s around.
“Would you mind telling me what the skill is?”
“Well… you’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
Her voice dropped even lower as she leaned closer.
“Dragon Rider.”
Ah… no wonder she considers me her hope. For real.
The most difficult monsters to tame are dragons. And Kang Soyeong, being an A-rank hunter, would have found it nearly impossible to get a mount that matches her rank. Dragon-type mounts are rare and hard to come by, so it must’ve felt like she had to ignore that SS-rank skill all this time.
“You must’ve been through a lot.”
Her expression was filled with heartfelt emotion as she nodded.
“Yes. I can’t explain it all in detail, but this is a really, really amazing skill. If only I had the right dragon mount. But where am I supposed to find a high-rank dragon mount…?”
She trailed off, her eyes welling up with tears. An attack-type hunter unable to use an SS-rank skill? I can only imagine the frustration.
“But dragon-type monsters are hard to come by, even as babies.”
Even if I could raise mounts, I can’t create them out of thin air. You need to have a high-rank dragon egg or baby to start with.
“Don’t worry! There’s an S-rank dungeon under Sesung’s jurisdiction where dragon nests sometimes appear. The problem is that the only thing that spawns are eggs, and we can’t hatch them. But this time, we’re going to wait it out until they naturally hatch.”
“… You all must be working really hard.”
“Well, if we succeed, we might get a top-tier dragon baby, so it’s worth the effort.”
True, it’s a dragon we’re talking about. If they can get one, it’ll be the best mount they could hope for. Especially if they pair it with her incredible SS-rank skill… She might be A-rank in name, but that combo would rival S-ranks.
I should introduce her to Yuhyun. I bet they know each other already, though. Maybe I could make their meeting happen a bit sooner than in my previous life. Since they had some feelings for each other, that’s probably why the rumors started.
In this warm and friendly atmosphere, we arrived at the training room. But Peace still refused to leave my arms. I tried setting him down, but he just climbed back up and latched onto my shoulder.
“Oh dear…”
“Peace must’ve been really shaken by the kidnapping…”
Kang Soyeong said with concern in her voice.
“He was asleep most of the time, but I guess he still sensed something. It’d be nice if I could help him relax, but we can’t really go outside.”
“Oh, then how about coming to our guild building? We have a rooftop garden! It’s wide and really well-maintained!”
“A rooftop garden?”
It’s tempting, but I doubt Yuhyun will let me go out right now.
“Unfortunately, given the kidnapping incident, it’s probably not safe for me to leave just yet.”
At my words, Kang Soyeong puffed out her chest confidently.
“Don’t worry! We’ll bring in more people and keep you perfectly safe. Plus, our guild leader is there right now. There’s no safer place!”
Hmm, now I really don’t want to go.
–TL Notes–
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