[ Older Sister’s Trouble… (3) ]
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed from not too far away. I could see the shadow of a person between the garden’s landscaping. They were A-rank Hunters.
And before long,
“Please step back.”
Kim Seonghan leaped over the rooftop garden’s wall and approached me. It hadn’t been long since the commotion started, so he definitely didn’t come all the way around by taking the elevator. He must have jumped. It looks like he’s the one responsible for that noise just now.
Noah remained standing, frozen as if shrinking in on himself. A visible, thick poisonous aura was swirling around his feet.
“Yerim, come here.”
I reached out a hand to Yerim, who was wobbling slightly as she made her way down onto the lawn.
“No, I can’t. Your antidote doesn’t work on this poison.”
“I have poison resistance. Just get over here, now!”
Once an attribute resistance reaches B-rank or higher, the range of effectiveness broadens. At S-rank, it covers not only the body but also the surrounding area, including clothing and gear. My poison resistance is L-rank, so I should be able to protect at least one person.
I spoke commandingly, and though she hesitated, Yerim came closer. I quickly pulled the blood-soaked girl into my arms.
“How’s your arm?”
Yerim, resting her head against my chest, examined her poisoned arm. The torn-up wound had turned black, and just seeing it made me wince. I’ve seen injuries like this countless times, yet it still makes my insides churn. Honestly, I’d rather be the one hurt instead.
“It doesn’t seem to be spreading anymore. The pain’s gone too. It hurt earlier, even after I took a Hunter-grade painkiller.”
“That’s a relief. If you start coughing up blood, don’t hold back—spit it out.”
“Hmm, my insides feel fine, though.”
Looks like there’s no internal damage. Thanks to her agility-focused teleportation skill, she even managed to tie up her opponent’s movements, holding her ground against someone much stronger. It was both impressive and pitiful.
Thunk!
A large iron slab, about 1.5 meters on each side, slammed into the ground in front of Kim Seonghan. The sound made Noah lift his head slightly. His eyes still weren’t normal.
‘How can anyone call that a well-behaved, obedient little brother?’
Well, maybe he acted meek in front of Liette because he knew she was a terrifying opponent he couldn’t handle. But now that he perceives his older sister as weak, he’s lost all sense and lashed out. I can’t even imagine how much he’s been suppressing until now.
The double effect of the Lautitars’ Natural Enemy skill, along with the Dragonslayer title, must have triggered some kind of favorable reaction like it did with Liette, which made the keyword apply so easily. But who could have predicted it would cause such a mess? It was my mistake not to do a proper background check. I should have listened to the one being raised, not just the one raising him.
“How long until the other S-rank Hunters arrive?”
“They’ve been notified, but even if they left immediately, it’ll take about ten minutes.”
Kim Seonghan had just recently become S-rank, but as a defensive-type Hunter, he could probably hold out for that long. Still, if Noah goes on a rampage against Kim Seonghan, there won’t be much left of the area. Unlike Yerim, this would be a battle of pure strength, and I don’t want to see my house destroyed just one day after moving in.
I swallowed a sigh and pulled out my phone. Thankfully, it was still intact.
‘His target of hatred is definitely Liette.’
There’s no way he’s trying to kill me, someone he just met today, out of pure anger. Noah is clearly furious but also terrified of someone—his sister. And that’s understandable.
‘It’s not easy for an A-rank Hunter to become S-rank.’
Even Kim Seonghan had remained A-rank for over five years. He progressed slowly due to being a defensive type, but even the most aggressive types take years to advance from A to S-rank. The fastest recorded growth was still over five years.
But Noah had reached S-rank in under three years. How brutal must his training have been to grow that quickly? I wouldn’t be surprised if Liette had earned a title like Child-Raiser from Hell.
[Hey there, darling~.]
Liette’s bubbly voice chirped from the phone’s speaker, which I’d turned up to maximum volume. The moment it reached Noah’s ears, he froze again, just as he had been about to lunge at Kim Seonghan.
“Liette.”
[Yes, yes~. Have you met my little brother yet? Isn’t he adorable?]
“He’s here. But there’s a bit of a problem.”
[What kind of problem?]
“He’s attacking me.”
[Hmm? That doesn’t sound like him. Pebble?]
At the sound of her voice calling him by his nickname, Noah’s eyes widened. Fear flickered clearly in them, and despite everything, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him, even though he was the one who attacked me and Yerim.
[Didn’t I tell you to behave politely? You’re listening, right?]
Noah inhaled sharply and replied in a small voice.
“…Yes, Sister.”
[Why so quiet? Is what he said true?]
“…Yes. I’m sorry…”
His voice was barely a whisper, yet it managed to reach Liette through the phone.
[Why would my sweet little brother do such a thing? Sorry, darling. Are you okay? You’re fine, right? Of course you are, but I thought I’d ask.]
“…I’m fine.”
Looking at Noah’s completely cowed expression, I blurted out a lie without thinking. I’m the victim here, but why does it feel like I’m the one bullying him?
Just then, a voice I wasn’t expecting rang out, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It’s a shame the young master isn’t here. I would’ve enjoyed watching the show.”
It was Seong Hyunjae. He arrived faster than I anticipated, and he even brought a healer. The man with dark brown skin and a healer emblem on his chest was none other than an A-rank healer from Sesung. If I remember correctly, he’s one of only two A-rank healers currently in Korea and is of Indian descent.
“She’s been poisoned. It seems partially neutralized, but I’d appreciate it if you could finish the treatment.”
Upon hearing my request, Seong Hyunjae glanced between me and Yerim and then smirked.
“You have poison resistance. At least S-rank, no doubt. Han Yujin, you really are quite the talented one.”
For some reason, he sounded overly satisfied as he said that. Why is he feeling good about my skill? Is it because I’ll be less of a hassle to deal with?
More than anything, how did he figure that out so quickly? He could’ve just assumed I gave her an antidote and was supporting her. How did he catch on right away?
[Oh my, oh my, who’s that voice? Darling, don’t play with that man. He’s incredibly sly and dangerous.]
Look who’s talking.
“If you’ve come all the way to Korea, you should’ve shown yourself. I was disappointed not to hear from you, Miss Liette.”
[Oh dear, do you have plans for renovations? Or maybe rebuilding?]
“You’ve mellowed out. I thought you’d go further than that. I suppose you’ve finally matured.”
[Why can’t I use skills through a phone? Darling, could you stab him once for me? Nicely, of course.]
These two really get along. Why don’t they just cut me out and contact each other directly? They probably have each other’s phone numbers, too.
After handing Yerim off to the healer, I turned my gaze back to Noah. His hands, which had been clenched into fists, were now relaxed, and the venomous aura around him had dissipated. The nearby A-rank Hunters still didn’t dare approach, though.
Sensing my gaze, Noah glanced up at me before quickly looking down again.
‘…What am I supposed to do with him?’
I can’t undo the keyword. Trusting Liette was a mistake. She honestly believed her brother was obedient and well-behaved. What a joke. She might’ve been affectionate in her own way, but her behavior bordered on cruelty.
A phrase I’d once heard came to mind: The affection of high-rank Awakeners can sometimes feel like violence. Both Liette and Noah are high-rank Awakeners, but since she’s naturally an S-rank, maybe that’s why…
‘Maybe I should try to talk some sense into him.’
I don’t know if reasoning with him will work, but I can’t leave things as they are.
Just then, more people arrived. It looked like the Association had sent their people, including Chief Song Taewon. He glanced briefly at Noah before walking over to me.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m… well, I’m not fine, but I’m okay.”
My shirt was torn up, and I was covered in blood. But I had used a potion, so the bleeding had stopped, and the wounds had mostly healed. Without poison resistance, I might’ve already crossed the River Styx.
[Hey, Public Servant~!]
Liette was being overly familiar with Song Taewon.
“Don’t trade illegal contracts in Korea.”
[Oh, I’ve already been caught? That was fast. I thought I was being careful.]
Ignoring her cackle, I took a step toward Noah, but the moment I did—
Thunk.
Both of my shoulders were grabbed. Seong Hyunjae and Song Taewon were both looking down at me. Their expressions were different, but somehow, they felt oddly similar.
“I see you haven’t changed much in a day. Still as defenseless as ever.”
“For once, I agree with Chief Song. If you really want to approach him, wait for a bit. I’ll neutralize him first.”
Neutralize…? I’d rather not ask for details.
“There’s no need. I’m just going to talk.”
I’m not an idiot. I wasn’t planning to just rush in without a plan. I just wanted to get close enough to have a conversation. With Seong Hyunjae and Chief Song here, it wouldn’t be dangerous as long as I kept some distance.
Besides, Noah had already lost his will to fight. Occasionally, he would glance at Seong Hyunjae, which made me wonder if they knew each other. He had already met Liette, so maybe.
“Liette, it seems your brother holds a lot of resentment toward you.”
I asked to get a clearer picture of the situation. Both Liette and Noah flinched at the same time.
[No way! I’ve taken such good care of my little brother!]
“How exactly?”
[Well, you can tell just by looking, right? I didn’t abandon the weak kid. I raised him to be this strong. I went through so much trouble, too. He was so frail that he always acted like he was about to die. If I didn’t love my little Pebble, I would’ve dumped him ages ago. Right, Pebble?]
The moment Liette’s words about her “loving little brother” came out, Noah bit down hard on his lower lip.
“Yes, Sister.”
[See? He agrees.]
“…Still, your brother looks pretty young. Weren’t you a bit harsh on him? He must’ve been even younger when he Awakened.”
[Young? He’s almost twenty. He’s nineteen.]
Her cheerful response made my neck ache. He looked like he was in his early twenties, but he’s younger than Yuhyun by a year.
[If I hadn’t raised him, he’d still be weak and useless, barely able to do anything on his own. Even now, he doesn’t quite meet my standards~. Just look at him today—what’s so hard about meeting someone? And yet he still messed it up. My dear Pebble, when will you finally be useful?]
Every time Liette nonchalantly shredded him with her words, Noah’s eyes seemed to die a little more. I had thought she only put him through physical hell to make him grow stronger, but apparently, it wasn’t just that.
[And to think he started his own guild. It’s frustrating to watch him play house instead of working hard. He’s so lazy.]
…Liette is an S-rank Hunter. Not just any S-rank, but one with an SSS-class title. If there was a current ranking system, she’d definitely be fighting for the top spot. Crossing her would be disastrous. I should be trying to stay on her good side.
…Screw it. My warning system is completely off right now.
“Liette, what kind of garbage are you spewing at your own brother?!”
[Huh? Why are you getting so worked up, darling?]
“What do you mean ‘why’?! How could you push him so hard and berate him to the point where he’s like this?! Every time you open your mouth, his face looks like it’s dying a little more. Did you really not notice how much he’s suffering?!”
[Well, sometimes you have to scold kids, right? Isn’t that normal?]
“You’re not the only one who’s raised a sibling. I’ve raised one too, but I’ve never spoken to Yuhyun like that!”
Of course, we’ve had our share of misunderstandings, but I never belittled him like that. Even when we were on bad terms, I never tore him down like this.
[But darling, my brother’s weak. Kids toughen up when they go through hardship, and that helps them survive in a harsh world.]
Liette, flustered, started making excuses.
“If your brother’s weak, then protect him! Don’t shove him into danger! You’re strong enough to keep him safe! And besides, he’s only nineteen! He must’ve been even younger when he Awakened… Are you seriously out of your mind? He was probably A-rank when he Awakened, which is impressive. How is that ‘not good enough’?!”
[A-rank is weak. He’s my brother.]
“No, it’s not! And so what if he’s your brother? Even parents don’t have the right to control their kids like that! Are you proud of treating him like your personal project? Forget it. Don’t even think about coming to Korea again.”
[But, darling, that’ll be a problem.]
“Unless you fix that twisted mindset and apologize to your brother, don’t even think about showing your face here!”
[Wait-!]
I ended the call. Liette immediately tried to call back, but I ignored it.
Well, I’ll need to be careful for a while. At least Liette still thinks I’m stronger than I really am. Even if she figures out I’m weaker, she’s got monsters that she wants me to raise, so she probably won’t kill me right away.
“…My sister…”
A faint murmur broke through the silence. It was Noah. He was staring at me in shock, his expression dazed, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed.
Maybe I went too far, even considering the unusual sibling dynamics.
“What happens to Noah now?”
I asked Song Taewon. Given that there were injuries involved, this couldn’t be swept under the rug. He would likely be detained, but I hoped we could avoid any extreme measures like deportation.
“There were no non-Awakened victims, so he’ll be taken into custody, and a settlement will be requested. Since it was a foreign Hunter attacking a Korean Hunter, if you wish, we could pursue immediate deportation and file a formal complaint with his home country’s Association.”
“I don’t want him deported. Would it be possible to issue a travel ban instead?”
“That can be done for up to thirty days, until the settlement is reached.”
“Then please arrange that. Thank you.”
“It’s part of my job.”
At least I’d bought some time. I’ll try talking to him slowly and see if I can get through.
“You two seem close. Should I strangle you next?”
Seong Hyunjae chimed in with his usual nonsense. Looks like he overheard everything.
“Then I’ll report you. You’d definitely end up behind bars, and that might improve our relationship—at least you’ll be out of the way.”
“Such preferential treatment.”
Meanwhile, Song Taewon cuffed Noah with a special set of restraints. They were designed for Hunters, but even so, they wouldn’t hold an S-rank for long. Still, Noah didn’t resist. His venomous aura had completely vanished, and he looked like a lost child, staring at me as if I were the only thing left in his world.
…Suddenly, I really missed Yuhyun. When is that brat coming back?
–TL Notes–
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