[ Noah ]
The rooftop garden was a complete mess.
The table was obliterated beyond recognition, the ground was torn up, and trees were snapped in half. The poison had spread thickly, pooling like a swamp, making it nearly impossible for even A-class Hunters to approach the area.
On top of that, the frozen grass and garden trees were now dripping with water under the summer sun.
I had just moved in yesterday.
‘At least the building itself is still intact.’
Considering two S-class Hunters went at it, this was actually quite a mild outcome. Probably because Yerim’s magic is low-level freezing-based, and Noah’s initial optimized skills are more support-oriented. The skills he used in combat seemed to be connected to his Dio Valsesis’s Twin title, so he likely wasn’t fully accustomed to using them yet.
Noah had left with Chief Song Taewon and the Association’s Hunters. As long as it wasn’t about his sister, he seemed like a decent guy, so he should be fine.
“Mister! You need to get treated too!”
Yerim, fully recovered, was calling me over, waving her hand. She was soaked as if she’d dumped water on herself, probably from the garden faucet. Her arm, which had been bloody and wounded, was now smooth without a single scratch, as if nothing had happened.
High-rank healers are amazing. With enough mana potions, it’s like having a limitless supply of top-grade life potions.
“I already used a—”
Splash!
As soon as I approached, Yerim upended a bucket of water over my head. Even in the summer, the sudden rush of cold water was a shock.
“Hey, you still have scars. Healer! Over here!”
Hovering slightly in the air, Yerim inspected my wounds and called the healer over. I suppose it’s true that when you have a healer or potions around, it’s best to clean the wounds quickly and check before treating them. This kid really is direct, though. Quite the rough personality.
Thanks to her, my scars were erased cleanly. Seong Hyunjae had already left, saying he had other business to attend to, taking the healer with him, leaving behind just a few people to handle the cleanup.
I should go inside, take a shower, and change, but I was feeling tired. I plopped down on a nearby bench. If I went inside soaked, I’d have to clean up the water afterward. The summer sun was strong, so maybe I’d just let myself dry out here for a bit.
“When did you meet that weird woman?”
Yerim sat next to me and asked.
“On social media.”
“This is the downside of social media, huh.”
Yerim mumbled, glancing over at the Hunters dealing with the poison. I think it’s a bit different, though.
“Anyway, seriously, stop saying ‘love’ so easily. You saw what happened earlier, didn’t you? That psycho went crazy just because you said you loved him. I don’t know why he took it out on you, but I guess he’s just insane? If he’s that messed up, he should’ve told you about any trigger words in advance.”
“I’m done with it now.”
I’ll just quietly raise my monsters in peace. I’ll hit the target within five years, no problem. Today’s incident, and just watching Yerim, made me realize that tossing out keywords recklessly might be getting too dangerous.
‘At first, I didn’t plan on overusing the keyword, but maybe this is because of the Fear Resistance skill.’
I’ve been acting recklessly, without thinking about the consequences. Now that I look back, saying the keyword to Seong Hyunjae was outright insane. What was I thinking, applying the keyword to that guy? Was I going to meet with him regularly, using My Kid Is The Best to help him grow?
I should stop messing with anyone who’s already S-Class. From now on, I’ll only use the keyword on non-awakened people who are potential candidates for optimized awakenings, especially those with special skills that could make them S-Class. And of course, after thoroughly investigating them.
‘I thought the title Perfect Nurturer was only positive.’
But it seems like even with negative tendencies, as long as my influence as a nurturer is strong, the keyword effect kicks in.
When you think about it, Liette probably did put a lot of effort into raising her brother. She was like one of those parents who micromanage their child’s every move, sending them to all kinds of extracurriculars, never giving them a break, and keeping constant watch. Like those parents who say, “I’m doing this for your own good,” while constantly pressuring the kid.
And in the end, an A-Class really did turn into an S-Class. On the surface, it looks like a success.
“…I’ve been a bit too careless.”
“It’s more than a bit. You’ve been acting like a rabbit these days, Mister.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re walking around with your guts hanging out for everyone to see. Just like earlier. You got all mad at that psycho’s sister. I mean, sure, you had a right to be angry, but come on, you’re a stranger.”
“It’s just, as someone with a younger brother, it didn’t feel like someone else’s problem.”
Besides, with the keyword already applied, it’s not like Noah’s a complete stranger. The skill name is My Kid Is The Best, after all…
Not that I really think of him like that. It’s just, when I look at the skill window, the name feels a bit awkward. That damn Deer.
“He is a stranger. And why do you keep talking like you raised your brother? Didn’t you say your parents died when you were in high school? Your brother must’ve been, like, twelve or thirteen? That’s practically grown-up.”
“Grown-up, my foot. And I’ve been taking care of Yuhyun since he was in preschool. He even gave me a carnation on Parent’s Day.”
It still hurts that I threw that away in a fit of anger. I should’ve asked for seven years, not five, to go back.
Yerim widened her eyes at my words.
“Why? Weren’t your parents still around? You were just a kid yourself… Was your family situation… bad?”
“No, nothing like that. They were both working… and, well, it just kind of happened. My parents got along great. Whenever they got off work, they’d always go out to dinner together, and on weekends, they’d take trips. The reason they passed away together was because of an accident during one of those trips. They were the kind of couple everyone said was perfect.”
“That’s… kind of unusual.”
Yerim furrowed her brows slightly.
Well, there are parents out there who don’t really pay attention to their kids. Mine took care of all the basics, and people around us thought we were a happy family, so I just went along with it.
‘Now that I think about it, when I used the Wish Stone, I didn’t think about my parents at all.’
Of course, back then, I was solely focused on Yuhyun. Even if I hadn’t been, I don’t think I would’ve wished to go back to before they passed. Even if I had warned them or tried to stop them, I doubt they’d have listened. And besides, I don’t want to go through the dungeon shock again.
Even if the same thing happened, there’s no guarantee the result would be the same. What if Yuhyun hadn’t awakened in time and had been attacked by monsters… That’d be unacceptable.
‘Now I feel a bit guilty.’
When Yuhyun comes back, I should visit the memorial.
Facilities to contain high-level Awakeners were still inadequate. Particularly for S-class combat Hunters, being locked up was practically voluntary. The nation only had one S-class Hunter in government service, so there wasn’t even someone to monitor them one-on-one around the clock. When an S-Class Hunter was detained, like today, a subtle tension permeated the entire Hunter detention center.
Noah Luhir was seated in the visitation room. He had calmed down considerably since his rampage, but his face still showed signs of confusion.
A few moments later, the door opened, and Sesung’s Guild Leader, Seong Hyunjae, walked in. He tossed a soundproofing item onto the table as he took a seat across from Noah.
“I didn’t tell you to cause trouble the moment you arrived.”
His tone was laced with mild disbelief. In truth, even Seong Hyunjae had been a little caught off guard by the events.
Noah’s poison skills were S-class. Even with high-grade poison resistance items, an F-class stat Hunter wouldn’t have been able to withstand it. It was only because the poison wasn’t fast-acting but rather a curse-type poison that took over the victim’s body gradually that he had been able to rush over with a healer.
Though what he saw upon arrival was far from what he expected.
“…I’m sorry.”
Noah’s voice was weak, but at least he didn’t sound as scared as he did in front of Liette.
“I’d like to hear the reason rather than an apology. I really can’t make sense of this.”
Seong Hyunjae had a rough understanding of Noah and Liette’s relationship. After all, Noah had joined Sesung to gain the strength to deal with his sister.
“I barely finished shaping you up, and you go and mess things up like this. If this keeps up, it’ll be hard for you to operate in Korea.”
Seong Hyunjae let out an exaggerated sigh.
“If we’ve paid the price, then you need to fulfill the deal.”
“…Even so, in the end, my sister gained the same thing.”
There was a hint of sharpness in Noah’s eyes. Seong Hyunjae took it in stride, unaffected by the glare.
“How could I have known the title conditions? The deal was for power, not for power greater than Liette’s. So the deal wasn’t wrong.”
Seong Hyunjae’s matter-of-fact tone was shameless, given how well he understood the entire situation. Noah’s eyebrows furrowed, and he shot Seong Hyunjae a look of disbelief.
Liette already had more than enough power, so her obtaining the title Dio Valsesis’s Twin couldn’t have been in Seong Hyunjae’s best interest. No matter how valuable an SSS-class title might be, giving it to someone who could pose a direct threat to him seemed absurd.
“Why on earth…?”
“Rather than that, I’d prefer to know why you attacked Han Yujin. This is the second time I’ve asked.”
Noah fell silent. His hand, resting on the table, twitched slightly.
“…From the moment I first met him, something felt off.”
“Off, how?”
“Yes. Something about him reminded me of my sister, or rather, of a venom and curse dragon species.”
Ever since he sensed that, Noah had been on edge. The strange energy surrounding Han Yujin was even stronger than his sister’s.
“Even though he looked weak and was weak, he felt like a superior species.”
“So, did he remind you of your sister?”
“…I think so.”
Noah answered with a slight tilt of his head, his voice uncertain.
He was sure that he had perceived Han Yujin as Liette. Even now, just thinking about him made his heart race. Noah clenched his hands together tightly.
“A venom and curse dragon specie, huh? Is that the effect of a title? I was wondering where that S-class poison resistance came from. If it’s like yours and Liette’s, then he probably has curse resistance too. That’ll be a headache.”
Seong Hyunjae muttered under his breath. He couldn’t begin to guess how someone with F-class stats could have obtained such a title. And according to Noah, it was an even higher-tier title than Dio Valsesis’s Twin, an SSS-class one at that.
‘But he didn’t seem to have any offensive skills… Did it happen during the kidnapping?’
The report mentioned that two people died from poison, and the others succumbed to a curse skill.
Deep in thought, Seong Hyunjae stood up. He looked down at Noah for a moment before picking up the soundproofing item from the table.
“For the time being, let’s keep our relationship under wraps.”
Since Noah hadn’t reacted during his entry or his visit to the breeding facility, there wouldn’t be any suspicion. A visit from a Guild Leader, out of curiosity about the incident, wouldn’t be strange either.
Even after Seong Hyunjae left, Noah remained seated, unmoving. He heard a signal from outside telling him to leave, but he ignored it. Footsteps shuffled uneasily outside the door, but no one dared enter.
‘…Han Yujin.’
Liette’s voice echoed sharply in his mind. She was undoubtedly furious. Noah’s shoulders unconsciously tensed up.
He recalled her constant reminders to treat Han Yujin well, to get on his good side, to make a good impression. Yet because of him, not only had their relationship soured, but she had been completely cut off. His angry voice, warning her never to set foot in Korea again, never to even dream of seeing him, rang through his mind, mingling with Liette’s.
Then, gradually, Liette’s voice grew quieter and finally faded away.
Decisively.
“…Ah.”
Noah stared at his hand, where his sharp nails had pierced his skin. Blood was flowing, but it didn’t hurt, as if he’d been numbed to the pain.
Instead of pain, his entire body was filled with an anxious dread.
Thud.
Unable to hold back any longer, Noah shot up from his seat.
“All set!”
I mumbled in satisfaction after spreading various toys around the living room.
“The best way to make sure she sleeps well is to wear her out.”
The longest Comet had slept last night was for an hour, and that was after playing a lot. Afterward, we played for another hour, but when I took it easy on her, she woke up in just thirty minutes.
So, I’ll let her play as much as possible, and then she’ll sleep longer. Hopefully.
‘She’s too young to leave at the breeding facility, just like the unicorns.’
And the unicorns didn’t even look for me; they stuck together all the time and never seemed lonely. But Comet, the moment she wakes up and can’t see me, flies around looking for me, chirping.
So I have no choice. I’ll just have to endure with naps during the day. Thankfully, I can leave Blue at the breeding facility during the day. Chirp is calm, as long as he isn’t in his “eating machine” mode. Lately, he’s been having fun with children’s toys and can play on his own.
— Chirp!
Chirp came running over and chirped at my feet again.
“What’s wrong, Chirp? Did you finish the puzzle? Should I flip it for you?”
— Chirp, chirp!
He flapped his wings, signaling that he wanted to be held. As soon as I picked up the fluffy little ball, he calmed down. Blue had already fallen asleep, so maybe I should try putting Chirp down for a nap as well.
That’s when my phone rang. I answered, and Song Taewon’s slightly stiff voice came through.
[Are you alone at home right now?]
“Yes? For now, I guess.”
Yu Myungwoo was in and out like a phantom. He shows up, cooks, and then disappears again. Like some magical housekeeper.
[Noah Luhir has disappeared. Just in case, do not leave the house. I’ve contacted Haeyeon, and Hunter Kim Seonghan will be there soon.]
“…Alright.”
Disappeared? Where could he have gone? Since Noah had the same title as Liette, maybe he had a skill to hide himself like she did. If that were the case, finding him would be difficult.
‘I was planning on taking things slow and trying to calm him down in detention, but this is problematic.’
I thought he had stabilized. What if he comes looking for me again…? No way, right?
I set Chirp down and headed for the entrance. On the wall, there was a monitor that let me check both the area directly in front of the door and the mini portal entrance.
Displayed on the screen was the image of a platinum-blond young man crouched next to the portal.
‘…Is he a stray puppy that got kicked out?’
What is he doing there? I sent a text to Kim Seonghan, asking him to wait outside for a moment. If the two of them fought inside the building, I’d be homeless in no time.
I picked up the intercom connected to the mini portal.
“Noah?”
Noah, who had his head buried between his knees, slowly lifted it. I was worried he’d get agitated just hearing my voice, but thankfully, he just looked a little scared.
“Did something happen?”
I asked as gently as possible. Noah slowly got up from where he was crouched.
[…No. I just… got a little scared…]
“Of Liette?”
He nodded. Well, after making such a big mess, it’s no wonder he’s worried about the consequences. His pupils trembled slightly, and I couldn’t help but click my tongue. Seriously, Liette…
“Do you want to come in?”
I blurted out without thinking and immediately regretted it. No, this isn’t right. Fortunately, Noah shook his head first.
[No… I might lose control again… I’ll just stay here for a bit, until morning…]
“Alright. But in the morning, you have to go back to detention quietly.”
Noah nodded, and I sighed. It’s probably uncomfortable out there.
I hung up the intercom and called Song Taewon. When I told him Noah was sitting outside the portal and had agreed to return in the morning, there was a long silence before he responded.
[If he’s cooperating, waiting might be the better option. I’ll head over there.]
“You could probably wait until morning. Hunter Kim Seonghan is already here.”
[It’s better if I’m there to minimize damage in case something happens.]
“…Should I try convincing him to go back now?”
[No need. It’s better than searching for him all night.]
That’s true. At least the building’s dorms are well-prepared for overnight stays.
I relayed the situation to Kim Seonghan and then turned my attention back to the monitor. Noah was still crouched in the same position I had first seen him.
And in the morning, as promised, he quietly returned to detention.
Just as I was about to finally relax, I received a message that Yuhyun had returned from the dungeon. Much earlier than expected.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt