[ Older Sister’s Trouble… (2) ]
To get to the rooftop garden, I had to go down to the first floor and take the elevator up. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go directly from my house.
Also, I needed to notify the security office in advance for any garden strolls. That way, they could focus their surveillance on the rooftop garden from the building’s side.
At least they didn’t install surveillance cameras inside my home.
…They didn’t, right?
‘The sunlight hurts…’
As soon as I stepped off the elevator, the blinding summer sun pierced my tired eyes. I had heard the garden was beautifully landscaped, but I couldn’t really take it in.
‘Stamina potion… I need that dungeon to appear soon…’
There was still a long wait before it was due, but with dungeon appearances speeding up, I was praying for it to show up before I died from exhaustion. Maybe I should meet with the System people and beg them to make it happen.
Comet, who had woken up in the middle of the night, fell asleep again after playing for about an hour and eating.
Then an hour later, she woke up again. After playing for another hour, she slept. Thirty minutes later, she woke up crying, whined for about ten minutes, fell asleep, woke up, slept, woke up… And that pattern repeated until 8 AM.
I had buried my head in my pillow, and exactly one hour later, at 9 AM, Blue let out a booming cry, and at that moment, I felt like I might actually die.
‘Peace was really an angel…’
Compared to this, even Chirp and Blue are angels. At least they let me sleep properly. Blue sleeps at 9 and wakes up at 9, like clockwork. No fussing before bed. Yeah, she’s definitely a good boy.
— Kyaaaoo!
Blue let out a delighted cry and soared into the sky. The sight of the cream-colored griffon gliding across the brilliant blue sky was blinding. As excited as she was, she still kept track of where I was and didn’t fly too far away. How adorable.
Meanwhile, Chirp, nestled in my arms, was flapping his wings excitedly as he looked out at the garden. Smart Chirp, knowing better than to jump out right away.
“Alright, go on and play.”
— Chirp!
I set him down in the flower bed, and he immediately started kicking up the fresh green grass and tugging at it with his beak.
“Just don’t eat it.”
I had specifically told them not to spray any chemicals here for the kids, but still, he shouldn’t eat random stuff.
After following Chirp for a bit, I saw a bench and plopped down on it. The bench was surprisingly comfortable for something so simple. Maybe I could get some rest here.
‘I need to start training Blue, too.’
Since the keyword applied just before entering the A-rank dungeon, I hadn’t been able to use My Kid Is The Best on her yet. I need to train her up quickly so she’ll require less attention… right? Surely, she won’t stay like this when she grows up.
— Kyaa! Kyaa!
Watching Blue strip the ornamental trees bare left my mind in a daze. She’ll calm down when she grows up… she will, right?
‘I need to bring in the special skill awakeners soon, too. I’ve got to get things organized and delegate to other people or I’m going to get crushed under all this work.’
And now my phone’s ringing. More and more random people have been reaching out to me, so I ended up getting another phone, but only a few people have this number.
‘It’s Liette’s brother.’
It was the number I had saved from Liette. I’d heard he was coming today, but this is earlier than I expected. Is he planning to sneak in like his sister? Well, he won’t be able to get past the mini portal.
I answered the call, and a polite yet notably young voice came through the speaker.
[This is Noah Luhir, Guild Leader of Arc. Am I speaking to Hunter Han Yujin?]
…Guild Leader? Noah Luhir?
“Yes, this is him. But wasn’t this the number for Ms. Liette’s brother?”
[Yes, I am her brother.]
Her brother? Something seems off. I assumed they weren’t guild-affiliated since they were clearing illegal dungeons together. But he’s a Guild Leader? And even the name isn’t one Liette ever mentioned. I guess Liette also uses a different name for public matters.
‘Arc’s Noah Luhir… Who was that again?’
I don’t remember every overseas guild or hunter. But one thing is clear: he wasn’t ranked in the top 30 hunters before my regression. I’m sure that’s changed now that he and his sister have earned the title Dio Valsesis.
“The name is different from what I heard.”
[Yes. My sister would have just called me Pebble.]
So, he is her brother.
“I didn’t know you were a Guild Leader. Ms. Liette didn’t mention that.”
[My sister doesn’t like guilds much. She has a lot of hostile relationships with many of them. That’s why she wanders around the world, finding illegal dungeons. When she feels overwhelmed, she contacts me. But she doesn’t care about my schedule and drags me around, so I often find myself in tricky situations.]
His voice sounded bitter. Must be tough dealing with Liette.
[There are also guilds in Korea that she’s clashed with, so I’d appreciate it if you treated me as the Guild Leader of Arc, separate from her.]
“Of course.”
Seeing how recklessly Liette infiltrated that giant guild’s dorms, I can imagine many guilds aren’t fond of her. No matter how strong an S-Class Hunter is, you can’t just run around like that.
Noah requested an official invitation from me. While he’d already received approval from the Hunter Association, MKC, and Hanshin, he was still waiting for responses from the other three guilds. For an official visit to the breeding facility, he needed my invitation. Haeyeon and Breaker’s Guild Leaders were away, but why hadn’t Sesung responded?
I told him I’d pass the message to the Association and scheduled the visit for the afternoon. I’ll drop Blue off at the breeding center and get some shut-eye in the meantime.
Yerim was looking at me with a lukewarm expression.
“Mister, seriously…”
She stared pointedly at the back of my neck and let out a heavy sigh. This can only mean one thing.
‘I didn’t think Kang Soyeong was the type to gossip.’
She must’ve talked. How far has this spread?
“I’ll stick with you today. I already finished my morning classes.”
“Just morning classes won’t be enough.”
“I’ll make it up in the evening if I have to. Anyway, don’t go meeting anyone alone from now on.”
“…Please don’t file a complaint. There really wasn’t any bad intent behind it.”
Yerim’s gaze felt like daggers. Is Chief Song okay? I’m sure this has reached Seong Hyunjae’s ears by now, and he’s probably milking it to the fullest. Wrecking his car wasn’t enough?
Noah Luhir arrived a little earlier than our scheduled time. Unlike Liette, he had bright blond hair and metallic gray eyes—quite the handsome young man.
A notification about the Lautitars’ Natural Enemy skill briefly flashed and disappeared. I’m guessing his eyes were affected by the Dio Valsesis’s Twin title. His hair color was completely opposite as well, likely influenced by the twin dragon combination.
“Thank you for allowing me to visit. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Noah greeted me very politely. It was surprising to see an S-Class Hunter with such normal manners. Even Song Taewon was polite, but this was on another level.
“You must be tired from your long trip. Since the weather’s nice, would you like to head up to the rooftop?”
This was per the security office’s request. They said it’s easier to monitor and respond to emergencies outdoors. They could see our actions without hearing us, which worked well for secretive requests.
“Hunter Park Yerim will be joining us. Is that alright with you?”
At my question, Noah nodded.
“I can just take off my translation item. Hunter Park Yerim, do you speak English or French?”
“Only a little English.”
Yerim pinched her fingers close together to indicate how little she knew. No problem then. But it’s probably best not to mention Liette’s name if we can avoid it.
“I apologize for the rudeness my sister showed you. I don’t know the details, but I’m sure she acted recklessly.”
As soon as we settled at a table in the garden, Noah gave a slight bow. He knows her well. How did such a responsible younger brother come from that kind of sister? Or maybe it’s because of her?
“It wasn’t an unpleasant encounter. Thanks to her, I got to meet you as well, Noah.”
An S-Class Hunter with an SSS-class title, and thanks to that double skill effect, the keyword should apply easily. It’s a shame he’s a Guild Leader, but even getting one extra S-Class out of this is a win. I should’ve applied the keyword to Liette when I had the chance.
‘She said her brother is well-behaved and listens well, so that’s even better.’
Just to be sure, I’d already checked their relationship. As Liette assured me, Noah seemed polite and good-natured. This was practically the perfect setup for the keyword.
“Noah, I’m sure you’ve had a hard time. Coming all the way here is because of your sister’s request, right?”
“That’s not entirely the reason. I can’t go into detail, but I plan to stay in Korea for a while.”
He has other business here? I wanted to check Noah’s status window, but I wasn’t sure if Liette had mentioned my skills to him. If she hadn’t, maybe it meant she’s been keeping my abilities secret even from her brother. Oddly enough, that makes me trust her a bit more.
“I heard from your sister that you have a monster you’d like to entrust to me.”
“Yes. I couldn’t bring it along this time, but it seems they’ll soon allow us to transport monsters by air instead of by sea. The current priority is ensuring that S-Class Hunters accompany them, either on private or chartered flights. The regulations will gradually ease up over time.”
So, for a while, I’ll need S-Class Hunters to personally deliver their monsters. That means I’ll get to sit back and meet all the famous faces. I wonder if any hunters I’m a fan of will come.
“Of course, if I can obtain a mount, I’d like to entrust it to you as well.”
Noah smiled softly. He seemed easygoing and friendly. I hope the other S-Classes who come are like this.
“You’re welcome anytime. Since you’re here, feel free to take a look around the facility. Oh, where are you staying, if you don’t mind me asking?”
If I can’t apply the keyword today, I’ll have to pay him a visit.
“I came alone this time, so I haven’t arranged anything yet. There are plenty of places to stay. Thank you for your concern.”
“It’s nothing. You’re a beloved client of mine, after all.”
Will I be able to apply the keyword in one go? And by the way, he’s got two names—does it matter which one I use? As I was trying to gauge Noah’s reaction, Yerim suddenly poked my arm.
“Mister, don’t you think you’re throwing around ‘beloved’ too lightly? You said that to the Sesung Guild Leader, too.”
“It’s just business.”
“Well, I don’t like it.”
Oops, I’d better avoid using keywords in front of Yerim. I have been saying it in front of her quite a bit recently.
“Alright. But in Western culture, don’t they use ‘love’ casually? I’ve seen it used a lot as a greeting or expression of admiration. So if I say, ‘I love you, Noah,’ he might not think much of it.”
“…Really?”
I have no idea. Anyway, I’ll have to meet Noah separately when Yerim’s not around if I want to say the keyword.
As I thought this, I turned back to Noah, but something was off. The friendly smile was gone, and he was staring at the table, his expression rigid.
“…Noah?”
It didn’t seem like a reaction to the keyword. Did he take issue with the love talk? I was about to speak again when—
Crack!
The corner of the table under Noah’s hand shattered.
Yerim was the first to stand, and I quickly followed. His metallic-gray eyes remained fixed on the table. I could hear him muttering quietly.
“…Weaker than me.”
What the hell is he—?
“Mister!”
Yerim grabbed my arm and pulled me back just as—
Crash!
The table broke apart, and my chest erupted in pain.
“Ugh!”
I was flung backward, my body rolling across the ground a couple of times before coming to a stop.
I barely had time to process what had just happened before I tried to get up, only to feel a sharp pain in my chest and collapse again.
Blood was splattered on the ground.
I grabbed a potion, but more importantly— I cast Perfect Nurturer toward Yerim.
“That crazy bastard!”
Clang!
Her icewood spear blocked an attack. Clashing against it was a set of long, razor-sharp claws. Overpowered, Yerim retreated with a teleport.
Boom!
The ground where she had stood was torn up by the force of the strike. Dirt and grass shot into the air, along with debris from the building itself.
Shadowless Day was already deployed, and the mists of Cold Sigh swirled across the ground. Through the bluish mist, Noah’s figure came into view.
His eyes had turned reptilian, his arm was covered in golden scales, and sharp claws like those of a beast extended from his hand. But most of all, his face, his expression—he looked completely deranged. What the hell just happened?
“Yerim!”
I splashed the potion onto my wound and struggled to stand.
“Stay back, Mister!”
A surge of cold energy radiated from where Yerim stood.
Whoosh—!
A rain of ice came pouring down on Noah. But Noah merely swung his arm, shattering the attack like it was nothing. Shadowless Day slowed him down, but it only briefly hindered his steps.
Yerim, on the other hand, was already covered in blood. No, it’d be fortunate if she was just wounded. The blood flowing from the deep gashes on her left arm was black. Poison.
Dammit, the gap between their strength is too wide. Yerim can’t go all out either since I don’t have ice resistance and would get caught up in her attacks.
“Stop, Noah!”
I shouted hastily while pulling out equipment focused on mental strength from my inventory. I really shouldn’t use this, but…
“…Huh?”
“What?”
Both Yerim and I let out confused noises at the same time. Noah actually stopped?
He kept his gaze fixed on the ground, trembling. A faint murmur reached my ears through Yerim’s enhanced hearing.
“…It’s fine. Weaker than me. Weaker than me. I can kill…”
I had no idea what the hell he was talking about, but I took the opportunity to use Promising Talent to check his status.
[Awakener ? Noah
Current Stat Grade: S
Awakening Potential Stat Grade: A
Optimal Initial Skills
Silent Scream (S) Acquired
Stat Lending (A) Acquired
Healing Hands (B) Acquired]
…I couldn’t believe my eyes. His awakening potential stat grade is A. Not A~S, just A. Even with optimized awakening, he should be A-Class, yet his current stats are S-Class.
He grew to S-Class in less than three years. There’s no way that’s normal.
I hurriedly checked the My Kid Is The Best skill window.
(Noah — S)
As expected, the keyword had been applied. Noah’s strange reaction, his rapid growth to S-Class, Liette’s claim that she raised him. And now, he feels like I’m his older sister.
…Holy crap, Liette, what the hell did you do?
–TL Notes–
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