[ Chirp (1) ]
It wasn’t easy to suppress the urge to turn around right away. It felt like I was the main character in a horror movie, pretending not to hear the screeching footsteps creeping up behind me.
‘I’m still using Lizard on the Wall.’
Just in case, I had been using it lightly since before I arrived at Sesung Guild. Even Yuhyun, who knows me well, could barely sense it, so no matter how sharp Seong Hyunjae was, he shouldn’t be able to notice easily. I mean, he wouldn’t go so far as to shove his nose into me and sniff around like my little brother did, right?
“Ah, Guild Leader!”
It wasn’t until Kang Soyeong noticed and turned around that I could finally turn as well. The man, looking far younger than his actual age, who was nearing forty, was dressed very casually. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and there was no tie to be seen. He looked so relaxed that I couldn’t bring myself to say something like, “Thank you for making time in your busy schedule.”
“I’m glad to see you looking healthy. I’ve been quite worried.”
Wow, what a kindly expression and tone. If I were just a little more gullible, I might’ve fallen for it and been genuinely moved.
“I’m sorry you had to come all this way just to check on me.”
I softened my inner thoughts of I wish you’d just go away into more polite words. Seong Hyunjae smiled at my response. All S-ranks have it, but he really is ridiculously handsome. Damn these guys who have it all.
“I couldn’t just not come after coming this far. Besides, Han Yujin here is the one raising my child—”
“Thank you so much for your concern!”
Damn it, Moon Hyunah, seriously, SERIOUSLY! Do I really have to live with people saying this to me? I’ll make sure to get my revenge. You just wait. If I don’t pay you back for this, I’m not human.
At that moment, Peace, hearing my outburst, ran over quickly. He stared up at the new arrival.
-Kkwoong.
Sensing some unease, he pressed tightly against my leg. Seeing that, Kang Soyeong pointed at Seong Hyunjae, trying to reassure him.
“Don’t worry, Peace. This is our guild leader. He’s not… dangerous… um, not scary, I mean… kind… um…”
…This girl really can’t lie, can she?
“Anyway, he’s a good person!”
Well, he might be a good person as far as guild leaders go. If Peace could fully understand what we were saying, he’d probably be backing away right now. But since he couldn’t understand, he just tilted his head, confused.
“It’s alright. He’s on our side for now. You can go play.”
“We intend to stay on the same side going forward as well.”
Seong Hyunjae added with a light laugh. What’s with this “going forward” business…? Could it be that Haeyeon and Sesung are working together now? Yuhyun was acting strangely today, too. Even if he’s a hot-blooded youth, he’s still a guild leader. There’s no way Kang Soyeong’s influence was the only factor. Have they made some kind of deal behind the scenes?
“That’s very reassuring to hear.”
“You sound like you don’t quite believe me.”
“I’ve lived a pretty hard life, you see.”
Even without the five years before my regression, my life hadn’t exactly been peaceful. Plenty of people were after the little bit of money I had left for the kids. Life’s tough, you know.
“Your brother, Han Yuhyun, is all about protecting you, but he really should’ve given you more information.”
Seong Hyunjae clicked his tongue and shook his head. I got a bit defensive, thinking he was going to badmouth Yuhyun, but I held back because of the mention of information.
It’s true that Yuhyun hasn’t told me much. Even though I was the one kidnapped, I still don’t know how everything was handled afterward. Whenever I asked, he would just brush me off with “Don’t worry, it’s all being taken care of.”
If I hadn’t regressed and had only gained the monster taming skill, Yuhyun would’ve handled all the negotiations, and I would’ve been left in the dark, clueless and trapped. That thought gave me chills.
“My brother can be a bit frustrating, yes.”
“He wasn’t always like that, though.”
…Should I take Yuhyun out for drinks again? It seems like we’re both in need of an open and honest conversation.
“If you don’t mind, would you like to sit down and talk for a bit?”
Seong Hyunjae suggested, seeing my somewhat sour expression.
What should I do?
I don’t plan on pretending I know nothing forever. My goal may be to live peacefully as a building owner, but I’ll still need to make some effort to protect what I have.
For now, though, I’m still under the watchful eyes and ears of Haeyeon Guild, so I can’t make any reckless moves. Luring in a future informant like Do Hamin would be easy, but that’s something I should do after I’ve established my own base.
I haven’t even begun demolishing, let alone started construction, so I might as well hear a bit from the Sesung Guild Leader.
“Sure, I’d be happy to.”
I nodded with a smile that said, I don’t know anything.
We moved to a table under a pergola in one corner of the garden. Kang Soyeong excused herself, saying she’d bring some refreshments. Peace, still not entirely trusting Seong Hyunjae, climbed up into my lap instead of playing. At least he wasn’t clinging as much as before, so it seemed the walk had helped a bit.
“Han Yuhyun’s recent actions have been hard to understand.”
Seong Hyunjae spoke in his usual relaxed tone. Well, Yuhyun did get a bit messed up because of the keyword effect, but has it gotten worse? I thought he was getting better, especially since he even let me go out today.
“If it were before you got the monster taming skill, I’d understand. But now, Han Yujin, you have more than enough power to gather your own forces and grow stronger. If you establish your position properly, you could even surpass most major guilds. You’ve already laid the foundation with the last negotiation.”
Wow, he’s really overestimating me. Not that I couldn’t do it if I really tried.
“But I’m not that ambitious. As I mentioned before, the demand for mounts will gradually decrease over time.”
At my words, Seong Hyunjae chuckled softly.
“Do you really believe that?”
“…Isn’t it inevitable? Unless people start doing something crazy like using top-tier mounts as disposable items.”
“Of course no one would do that. But top-tier mounts, and especially the best of the best, are on par with A-rank and S-rank hunters. They can be used not just as mounts, but as team members or even entire monster units.”
Well, that’s true.
“But the law limits how many monsters a guild can own, right? Even Sesung wouldn’t be able to maintain more than five or so top-tier mounts.”
Taming isn’t a skill that allows perfect control over monsters like they’re puppets or robots. Even Peace, who I have as a tamed monster, still throws tantrums and acts unpredictably at times.
Tamed monsters view their owner as their leader and don’t harm them. But that’s about it. If tamers could completely control and command them, tamers would be seen as hunters who lead monster armies into dungeons, rather than specialists who tame and sell them.
For this reason, whether a monster is wild or tamed, there’s a limit on how many a guild or organization can possess, ensuring they remain controllable.
“That’s true for now. But what about the future?”
Seong Hyunjae smiled mysteriously as he continued.
“Han Yujin. Laws only exist because nations and societies do.”
“Well, yes.”
“From the first appearance of dungeons until now, their number and difficulty have only increased. For the time being, we have more than enough resources to manage all the dungeons. It’ll become even easier once the Awakening Centers are fully operational. But how long do you think this leeway will last? Personally, I’d say five years at most. Around then, you’ll start seeing significant changes.”
…That’s an eerily accurate prediction. Although, in the timeline I know, even five years later, there were still no changes to the monster taming laws. But thinking about it, there was no need to change them at that time. That’s because there were no top-tier mounts around.
The highest-ranked taming skill at the time was A-rank, so even top-tier mounts were rare. In order to obtain a high-tier mount, you had to tame a B-rank or lower monster and raise it, and not all monsters could grow beyond their rank, making it somewhat dependent on luck.
“…So, are you saying that in the future, it’s possible that dungeons could be cleared using only monsters?”
“Not entirely, but there will likely be teams that include monsters as members. You’ll be the only one who can consistently raise S-rank and A-rank hunters… or rather, monsters. And once you’ve established yourself, you could grow much larger than any of the major guilds.”
I had a bad feeling that I might never be able to retire at this rate. Why didn’t I consider the possibility that the laws could change? But still, wouldn’t it be dangerous to have monsters roaming around outside the dungeons? It’s better than having high-level dungeons constantly breaking out, but still…
“I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.”
“There’s still time, so you can take your time establishing your position. More importantly, unless someone else with a similar skill shows up, your value will only increase. You don’t need to hide and hold back anymore. You can act more freely.”
“More freely?”
“Yes. What’s the worst that could happen if you throw your weight around a bit? Your skill is irreplaceable.”
Seong Hyunjae’s eyes crinkled in amusement as he spoke.
“You can do whatever you want. Even if it’s not with the guilds you’ve already negotiated with, any guild with the ability to hold top-tier mounts will bend over backward to meet your demands. Not just domestically, but overseas as well. In fact, foreign guilds are already lining up, hoping to get in touch with you. Want me to give you a contact? You could call them up anytime.”
“…No, thank you.”
He’s telling me to demand anything I want from any guild? What is this? That’s some next-level power play. I guess it’s true that people who’ve been in power know how to throw their weight around. I’d be perfectly content just owning one building, honestly.
“That’s your position right now. Just imagine telling someone, ‘Oh, I’m too tired to raise this top-tier baby monster,’ and guild leaders will be lining up to ask what you need. They’ll practically beg you for a chance.”
That sounds a bit unethical… This guy’s got a nasty personality, doesn’t he? Why is he sitting me down and encouraging all kinds of power-tripping behavior? Is it because he’s not directly involved, since the contract mentions proper care?
“There’s no way Yuhyun doesn’t realize all this, yet he’s still wrapping you up like a mother bird with her chick. That’s not like him.”
Seong Hyunjae seemed genuinely puzzled by Yuhyun’s behavior. Well, the keyword… since the caretaker is the same person, I think it’s applied twice as hard.
“My stat ranks are quite low, after all. Even if I’m in a position to throw my weight around, a crazy person could still come at me and I’d lose my head in an instant.”
“That’s easily solved by keeping one top-tier monster by your side. In fact, there’s already talk within Haeyeon about using their second top-tier baby monster for your protection.”
“Is that so?”
“Didn’t Yuhyun mention it? MKC will be covering the cost as part of the compensation for the kidnapping incident.”
It’s a good offer for me, but Yuhyun, you sneaky bastard, keeping me in the dark again. He probably would’ve told me once it was finalized, but it wouldn’t hurt to give me a heads-up.
“I feel like I’m becoming more like Moon Hyunah.”
Seeing my expression, Seong Hyunjae shrugged. I had blocked out the sound with a skill, but apparently, Moon Hyunah had told him directly.
“No, it’s a bit different. I’m also aware that my brother’s behavior is overprotective. Still, he’s doing it out of concern for me, and once I leave Haeyeon, he won’t be able to interfere as much, so I’ve been turning a blind eye.”
“I recommend having a proper conversation with him.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure to do that.”
While we continued chatting, Kang Soyeong returned with some refreshments. The treats were luxurious and delicious, though they fell a bit short compared to what Myungwoo had made. Thinking about how busy he’d be once he got his blacksmith skill made me feel a bit down again.
“This is just a small token.”
Seong Hyunjae handed me a small jewelry box with a certificate of authenticity.
“As you might’ve heard from Soyeong, we’ll be relying on you soon, so consider it a gesture of thanks.”
A bribe, huh? The certificate showed that it was an S-rank item. It increased magic and had a B-rank barrier skill effect. Whoa. Even though the barrier is B-rank, skill effect items are rare both now and in the future. I opened the jewelry box to find an earring that looked similar to the Black Fairy Earring I lost, except with a red gem instead of a black one.
“This feels a bit excessive.”
“It should feel excessive. That’s the point. And this.”
He then took out a large wing bone from his inventory. It was dried well, with a bit of flesh still attached. Peace perked up his ears at the sight of it.
“Most high-ranking carnivorous monsters seem to love dragon bones.”
First I’ve heard of that. Peace wasted no time grabbing the dragon wing bone and chomping down on it. He hugged it with his front paws, clearly delighted.
…Maybe Seong Hyunjae isn’t so bad after all.
Early in the morning, I received a message confirming the successful purchase of exclusive access to an F-rank dungeon located twenty minutes by taxi from Haeyeon Guild’s building.
It was the dungeon I had applied for two nights ago. There were no competitors since it was rare for anyone to pay extra to exclusively bid on a low-value F-rank dungeon.
As soon as I received the confirmation message, I contacted Yuhyun and told him I’d be staying home today to rest. I claimed to be feeling a bit under the weather and that I’d take some medicine and sleep, which led to quite the ordeal convincing him not to come check on me. I also asked him to keep it a secret from others, saying it would be a hassle if people found out.
“When did I buy this?”
Rummaging through my half-packed bags for something to cover my face, I found a sunshade hat. It covered everything but my eyes with fabric, making it impossible for anyone to recognize me. Why did I even buy this? Was last summer’s sun that harsh? Or did I have some reason to hide my face?
Even though it’s a bit early in the season, it’s the beginning of summer, so wearing it wouldn’t look too out of place.
I made sure to pack the gate stone in my inventory and double-checked my gear. It wasn’t much, just the magic essence boost. I had plenty of potions and didn’t need to bring emergency food. Even if I don’t exit halfway and clear the dungeon in one go, it shouldn’t take more than an hour given my current rank.
‘It was a forest environment, right?’
According to the dungeon bidding page, the interior was a small forest, and the monsters were Moss Monkeys. Without ranged skills, they could be a bit tricky, but with my 4-meter tendrils, I’d be able to take care of them quickly. The boss monster was a giant turtle lurking in a pond at the end of the forest.
Both the agile, tree-climbing monkeys and the heavily armored turtle made for a fairly challenging F-rank dungeon. That’s probably why the page advised that the dungeon be cleared by teams including E-ranks or higher.
Maybe I’ll clear it myself. If I monopolize the loot, it’ll more than make up for the cost of the exclusive access.
-Grrr.
As I grabbed my hat and stepped into the living room, Peace, who had been gnawing on the dragon wing bone I received yesterday, let out a low growl and ran over to me. I patted him on the horn and spoke soothingly.
“Daddy’s just going out for a bit. Take care of the house, okay? I won’t be long.”
-Kkiing.
“And try not to break too much furniture.”
Myungwoo would be back by evening, but just in case, I left Peace in the living room, telling him I was going to take a nap. I also told Myungwoo to wait before coming home if he couldn’t reach me, since I wouldn’t be answering my phone. Even though Peace is well-behaved, it’s still risky to leave him with someone at F-rank.
“I’ll be back soon.”
I was worried he might try to follow me, but thankfully, Peace sat quietly at the inner door, watching me leave. What a good boy.
Now, I just need to get out of here without any trouble.
–TL Notes–
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