[ First, It’s a Date (2) ]
“It feels like too much trouble to add more people just because of me. I really don’t want to be a burden.”
In reality, it’s more because I don’t want to run into Seong Hyunjae, the leader of Sesung Guild. It’s not just that he gives me the creeps, but more importantly, my current condition is the problem. Even Yuhyun mentioned that I seemed a bit off, so there’s a good chance Seong Hyunjae might notice something too.
Sure, I could just use the Lizard on the Wall skill and bluff my way out, but there’s no reason to walk right into danger on my own two feet.
“What burden? Absolutely not!”
Kang Soyeong looks at me with genuine sincerity filling her eyes. Those big, sparkling eyes are really beautiful. It’s like her whole face is the epitome of the word ‘adorable.’ She speaks again, her voice equally earnest.
“This is for the person who will raise my child, after all!”
…Yeah, I’ve heard this nonsense before. Never thought I’d hear it again so soon.
“…Saying things like that is a bit inappropriate. Other people could misunderstand if they hear you.”
“It’s fine. Everyone says it like that.”
Wait, what?
“Everyone…?”
Kang Soyeong nods her head cutely.
“Yep! Hyunah unnie—that is, the Breaker Guild leader—said it a few times, and before I knew it, it had spread everywhere.”
Damn it, Moon Hyunah! What do you mean it’s spread everywhere? What kind of nonsense are you spreading now? I told her to stop gossiping about my brother, and now she’s talking about me? What makes it worse is that it’s not entirely untrue, which just makes me want to strangle her even more.
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to use terms like ‘mount’ or ‘monster,’ or even ‘beast’? Referring to them as your child seems a bit too much.”
“That sounds so cold! Besides, a top-tier mount is something you spend your life with, a partner you can’t easily replace. I’m going to take care of mine with real love, just like I would my own child. I already feel my heart racing just thinking about it. How adorable will my baby dragon be?”
Her cheeks flush slightly as she talks. I can’t say I don’t understand how she feels, but still… still…
“There’s no need for you to feel burdened! You can even ask for more if you want! Is there anything you need? I may not look it, but I’ve saved up quite a lot of money.”
Considering she’s an A-rank hunter from a massive guild, of course she has a lot of money. But if I actually ask for something, I’d feel like some scumbag trying to extort a kid. Not that she’s much of a kid—well, six years younger, I suppose. She’s not even twenty yet. Anyway, I don’t really need anything.
“No, I’m fine. I don’t need anything.”
“In that case, I’ll at least help you with your garden stroll.”
“No, but really, I can’t bother you with something like that.”
“Don’t worry! Everyone will be happy to help. But if it really bothers you, I’ll make sure to get permission from the guild leader.”
With that, she immediately takes out her phone. Well, it’s not like it matters since Yuhyun’s not going to allow it anyway.
‘…Though I do kind of want to go to the park with Peace.’
Still, meeting Seong Hyunjae right now is risky. Let’s wait until next time, Peace.
“Yes, Guild Leader! Yes, yes.”
In the meantime, Kang Soyeong was already chatting with Seong Hyunjae. The conversation was much more cheerful than I had expected.
“The Guild Leader says it’s totally fine for you to come anytime! He’s even going to send some people over right away.”
Ah, I see. Well, there’s still one more hurdle to clear. Smiling at Kang Soyeong, I took out my phone.
“Then, I’ll get permission from the Haeyeon Guild Leader. I can’t just leave whenever I feel like it.”
“Of course! You should do that.”
She smiled so brightly that I started to feel a little bad. There’s no way Yuhyun’s going to agree. I dialed his number, and soon enough, Yuhyun picked up. I briefly explained the situation and asked,
“It’s still too soon for me to go out, right? It’s okay if you say no. I understand.”
Come on, just say no quickly.
[It might be too soon, but if you’re okay with it, you can go.]
…What? Hold on a second.
“I mean, this is a visit to another guild. Are you sure I can go?”
[Of course, MKC is off-limits, and I’m still uneasy about Breaker and Hanshin, but Sesung is fine.]
Yuhyun repeated that it was okay to go. Wait, this isn’t the Yuhyun I know. Did I dial the wrong number?
[I was starting to feel guilty about keeping you cooped up indoors all the time. It might do you good to get some fresh air once in a while. That place is pretty well-maintained too.]
…Okay, seriously, this can’t be my brother. He’s never been like this. Why the sudden change? I trusted you, damn it. And now it’s too late to say I don’t want to go anymore.
When I glanced over at Kang Soyeong, she gave me an innocent smile and mouthed, “All good?” while tilting her head. Ugh.
“…Aren’t you worried or concerned at all?”
[Well… no, it’s fine. You must be feeling suffocated, right? It’ll be much safer than anywhere else, so don’t worry. I’ll send two people from our side to accompany you as well. Just take it easy and enjoy yourself.]
“…Uh… okay…”
The call ended. My brother had betrayed my trust. My head felt like it was throbbing from the shock.
‘…Is Sesung really that trustworthy?’
Or… is it because of Kang Soyeong? Could it be that my brother already has a thing for her? Is he seriously selling out his older brother just to look good in front of a girl?
“I’m so glad you got permission! I’ll start preparing for the trip right away.”
Seeing her pure joy, I started to think it made sense if my brother had already fallen for her. Then again, what guy wouldn’t? Even if Yuhyun isn’t interested, she’s got that kind of charm. Not that I’m sure if she really has feelings for him, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Yeah, it’s fine. I just need to be careful. They do seem like they’d make a good couple. Besides, Yuhyun always looked lonely in that big house. They might as well just start dating and get married. My niece or nephew would probably be cute. Mixed kids are often really adorable and pretty, after all. It’d be nice if they looked like Yuhyun.
“Yes, I’ll be in your care.”
And so will my brother.
“We’ve arrived~.”
Kang Soyeong chirped cheerfully. Sesung’s rooftop garden was located on the 15th floor of their second building, which was connected to the main building. As she opened the glass door, the scent of fresh grass drifted in with the breeze.
It’s been ages since I’ve been to a place like this.
‘…I can’t even remember when.’
There had been dungeons with forest or meadow environments, but that’s not quite the same. A leisurely walk in the park? I definitely didn’t have time for that.
…No, that’s just an excuse. I could have made time if I’d really wanted to. It doesn’t take that much time to visit a nearby park. Besides, you don’t even need to go to a park specifically—you can just take a walk as soon as you step outside your house.
You can take a slow stroll, looking around with fresh eyes, occasionally tilting your head up to check the sky. See what kind of shapes the clouds are making today, how much the trees lining the streets have grown in the summer, maybe even read the flyers stuck to the walls or watch an ant crawl between the cracks in the pavement.
‘Well, I can’t do that anymore, even if I wanted to.’
It’s not like I can just wander around freely on my own anymore. Maybe I should make something like this at my own place.
The rooftop garden was expansive. While open and spacious, tall trees lined the edges thickly enough to disguise the fact that we were on a rooftop. The walking paths were well-designed, flower beds meticulously arranged, sculptures scattered here and there, with a fountain and even a small greenhouse.
And not a single person was in sight.
“There’s no one here.”
“We’ve restricted access so that you can use the space freely. There are still some people around though, keeping watch. Someone might try to fly in, after all.”
Who would even try that in broad daylight? Still, they’re thorough.
“Peace, look at this. It’s a lawn.”
-Kkoong.
I set Peace down on the grass, but instead of running around, the young Flame Horned Lion stuck to my leg. The weather’s great, the sunlight’s lovely, and the view is nice, but he doesn’t seem interested at all.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”
-Kkiing.
“Look, there’s a butterfly over there.”
Even the little yellow butterfly fluttering around failed to catch his attention. At this point, I started to get a bit worried. Is his trauma worse than I thought? Do they have animal therapists?
“What should I do, Peace?”
Squatting down, I reached out to stroke his neck, and Peace clung tightly to my arm with his front paws. He seemed especially clingy. Does he just not want to be separated from me?
‘Maybe it’s not about being kidnapped, but the fact that we were suddenly apart?’
He had been suddenly taken and locked up alone for a long time. And since he’s sensitive enough to detect emotional skills, even if he was asleep, he might have been somewhat aware of what was going on around him.
“You won’t have to go through that again.”
I’m not sure how much he understands, but I tried to comfort him anyway.
“See that woman over there? You can tell how strong she is, right? She’s here to protect you.”
“That’s right, Peace. I’m here, so you don’t have to worry.”
Kang Soyeong chimed in, crouching down next to me. Then, without warning, she pulled me into a light hug. At the same time, Peace tensed and bristled his fur.
-Khrung!
“It’s okay, Peace. This woman is a good person. She’s not trying to hurt me.”
“Exactly, we’re close! Look.”
Then she kissed me on the cheek. Whoa, wait, that’s a bit much… Is it because she’s foreign? The physical affection is a bit over the top.
-Grr?
Peace tilted his head, watching us, clearly puzzled by the scene.
“You can relax and play now, Peace. You’re safe.”
Peace’s red-tufted ears twitched. Finally, he let go of me and started to cautiously look around. Since the Flame Horned Lion dungeon is in a volcanic area, this lush greenery is probably the first time he’s ever seen such a thing.
Plop.
His little paw scraped against the grass. The freshly cut blades scattered in all directions. He sniffed the air, taking in the scent of the grass, and then spun in a little circle before looking back up at me.
“Do you like it?”
-Kkiang!
He jumped in place before starting to explore his surroundings. He didn’t seem ready to stray too far yet, but I’m sure he’ll recover soon enough.
“I think it’s fine for you to let go of me now.”
I told Kang Soyeong, who was still hugging me. There were watchers around, so it’d be better if we maintained an appropriate distance.
“Do you need help standing up?”
“No, I’m fine.”
As if I can’t manage to stand on my own. I might look like a sickly chick on the verge of collapse, but I can handle myself, thank you.
Following Peace in the direction he wanted to go, we strolled along the path. He leaped into a flower bed full of hydrangeas, and soon, the light purple petals scattered everywhere. The flower bed was a wreck in an instant.
“That’s—”
“It’s fine!”
The moment I opened my mouth, Kang Soyeong gave me a bright smile and spoke.
“Don’t worry about it. He can tear up the whole garden if he wants. We can just redo the landscaping later.”
As expected of a big guild, they have resources to spare. Peace seems so happy too. Once the Boeun skill’s effect wears off, we’ll have to come here often.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how long does it take for a top-tier mount to grow? I haven’t heard the specifics yet.”
Kang Soyeong asked cautiously.
“It depends on the species, so I can’t say for sure. The type and rank play a role, as well as how well they respond to training. For a dragon from an S-rank dungeon, I’d say it’d be around grade 2 or 3?”
If only one appears, it’s probably grade 2, but if there’s a nest involved, it’s almost certainly a group. Kang Soyeong nodded in response to my explanation.
“Yes, it’s a grade 3 dragon species. A Thornwing Rock Dragon. For a dragon species, it has great stamina and defense, and its overall stats are impressive.”
Dragon species tend to be on the weaker side of the draconic spectrum, but because of their exceptional flying ability, they’re extremely useful as mounts.
“It’s got three massive spikes like this sticking out of its wings, and they’re just so cute.”
“…Excuse me?”
Did she just call spikes cute? Spikes the size of her outstretched arms?
“There’s also this scale-like spike at the end of its tail, and it can shoot that too! It’s about the size of my arm, and it’s even coated in paralyzing venom. Plus, even though it’s a dragon, it has all four legs, which makes it even cuter. It’s sturdy, and its scales are tough too. The scales are black and glossy, like a string of polished black gems. It’s just so beautiful.”
Uh, to be honest, I can only imagine a terrifying giant winged lizard with spikes all over. A monstrous black dragon with a fierce, intimidating appearance. Her tastes are a bit… unique.
“Ever since the first raid, I’ve been dying to tame one, and I never thought I’d get the chance. Ever since I learned the monster taming skill, it’s like I’ve been walking on clouds every day. Ah, can I hug you one more time?”
“No, you cannot.”
So that’s why she’s been all bubbly since we first met. She’s been on cloud nine this whole time. Even now, she’s this happy. I bet if I said “I love you” after helping her raise the mount, the keyword effect would kick in instantly.
Still, I don’t know what the keyword might do, so it’s better not to risk it. I don’t want to end up being called “Dad” or “Mom” by my sister-in-law. Better watch what I say.
Just as I was debating whether or not to bring up Yuhyun,
[Weakling’s Instinct warns you of danger!]
The premonition skill, which had triggered countless times already today, went off again. And this time… shit, it’s an S-rank. Don’t you people have anything better to do than show up out of the blue?
–TL Notes–
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