The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 467: Good People Too (3)

“The time’s come to let the others know, right?”

Moon Hyun-A pressed the elevator button and said.

“Or Director Song. Even if you’re smoothly turned down, we still have to do the rank survey, right?”

Lowering one’s hunter rank for notification isn’t much of a problem. Falsely claiming a higher rank, however, is taboo—it could lead an unprepared team into a dungeon they can’t handle, endangering everyone.

But this case was different. This was a visit arranged specifically to meet someone of Stat F who had already been targeted several times. Even if circumstances demanded secrecy, at the very least Director Song Taewon or an S-rank hunter under contract to the Mount Breeding Facility should have been informed.

“It’s still too early.”

The elevator doors closed and shot upward to the top floor.

“After all, if it were anyone else—especially the young master—they’d draw a blade first. You might fail, too. You might end up talking business the whole time and come back empty-handed.”

Moon Hyun-A giggled and leaned sideways against the elevator wall. Then her laughter abruptly died. Listening to the mechanical hum, she spoke softly.

“It must be Yu-Hyun’s fault after all. The whole bit about going back to the past.”

“If it were any less reason, you wouldn’t be someone to give up on the present or the people around you so easily, would you?”

“There’s more. Sometimes it feels desperate. It’s less now, but… it’s like a parent who’s lost a child.”

Han Yujin had been awakened for barely half a year, yet he knew hunters well. And yet he worried excessively over his S-rank brother, Han Yu-Hyun—though the latter was far stronger. He certainly wasn’t ignorant of S-rank abilities.

The elevator doors opened. The two headed straight for the emergency exit. With neither guests nor staff around, the corridor was silent.

“You said five years later, didn’t you? Even if it’s something unrelated to me now, it’d be curious. But how would I ask?”

Moon Hyun-A narrowed her brow and unlocked the emergency-exit door with a key she’d prepared. A dim staircase appeared.

“You still have areas of insecurity, big brother.”

She scaled the stairs in one bound; her footfalls were nearly silent. The door to the rooftop, which had been locked, swung open. The sun had long since set, and the sky was pitch black.

“Wounds from truly losing something don’t heal easily.”

Even if you’d gone back to the past. As long as memories and experiences remained, things inevitably changed.

“Especially in someone like you—if push came to shove, you’d throw away your life. You can’t lose twice. You couldn’t endure it.”

Moon Hyun-A’s lips twisted into a bitter expression as she walked to the far edge of the rooftop. From there, she had a slanted view of the terrace garden where Han Yujin stood below. The height difference was considerable—no ordinary voice would carry up—but she could still read his lips and expressions.

Because the lounge lay some distance from the terrace, and because he’d walked slowly, Han Yujin only now emerged into the garden. His tense face was clearly visible to the two watchers. He glanced around briefly, then stopped at the terrace railing.

“He remembers even the exact height—he must’ve liked it a lot.”

“He looks scared, too.”

“Of course. Being heartbroken would be better—at least the person you like remains the same. Oh, he’s talking. Still only about the broadcast.”

At the moment Moon Hyun-A leaned slightly forward, her body suddenly twisted wildly—

Thok!

A hand shot up and caught something. From the clenched grip, a faint trickle of blood seeped. An arrow.

“What’s this?”

Moon Hyun-A’s eyes sharpened. The arrow had come from the opposite building. Her cold gaze swept over the skyscrapers lined up beyond the eight-lane road.

“Is sniping in vogue these days? You think I’m not needed? Or let someone below know.”

Moon Hyun-A’s toe found the rooftop’s edge. At the same instant, her Seeker’s Chain manifested. Rather than its usual electricity-absorbing sheen, the chain glinted a pale silvery hue as it extended. Moon Hyun-A leapt into the air, stamped on the chain, and rocketed across to the opposite building. She landed lightly, then drew a long spear.

A faint aura of lethality seemed to signal to her—Moon Hyun-A ran without hesitation toward the source of the presence. She hurdled the more than ten-meter gap to the building behind, then came to a sudden halt as she raised her spear.

In the long shadow cast by the neighboring building stood someone. Still holding a bow, as if with no intent to hide the attack. Through their glasses, their eyes curved into a faint smile.

“…What.”

Moon Hyun-A’s expression darkened.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hello, Breaker Guild Master.”

Evelyn Miller greeted her nonchalantly. Moon Hyun-A flung the arrow she held—it whizzed past Evelyn’s polished shoe and embedded in the rooftop floor. The feather quivered, faintly smelling of blood.

“What kind of prank is this? You’re not confessing to being an Association terrorist, are you?”

“Did I look like a fan of Director Song Taewon to you?”

“Still no eyes for it, huh?” Moon Hyun-A’s voice turned harsher.

“And you know I’m not too fond of the smell of metal and gunpowder.”

“I don’t care.”

Moon Hyun-A snapped back coldly.

“Like you said, I have no eyes for it. I can’t tell where the real ends and the fake begins.”

“Still sulking, are we?”

“No. I just… I don’t match. My disposition. I like honest people.”

Moon Hyun-A seemed to stumble backward, as if her foot caught.

“I like honest people.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“You’re someone I couldn’t help but like, Moon Hyun-A. That’s why.”

“So you fired once to prove it? Fine. I’m going.”

Moon Hyun-A turned to go without a backward glance. Evelyn’s voice caught her ankle.

“If you run at me, I’ll drop you.”

A white finger hooked the bowstring. There was no arrow yet—but Moon Hyun-A knew how fast one could materialize. By utilizing her inventory, Evelyn’s hands could immediately draw arrows into existence. And Evelyn’s speed—pulling the bow and releasing the arrow were virtually simultaneous. No S-rank hunter could match that pace, and the skill-imbued arrow’s power was formidable. Without a flight skill, Moon Hyun-A would have great difficulty evading mid-air.

“Explain your reason.”

Moon Hyun-A forced down her irritation as she spoke. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“I was merely asked to hold you for a moment.”

“A request—from whom? Surely not Seong Hyunjae?”

“Who else would there be?”

“…What’s his scheme, that man?”

Moon Hyun-A roughly smoothed back her hair. Evelyn’s gaze reflected empathy—as if she understood.

“I’m curious, too. He opened his candy box, glanced only with his eyes, then closed and just shook it. Normally, he’d taste each one in ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) turn before discarding them.”

Even if the candies were various, if they all felt similar, he’d have dropped them midway.

“Maybe he expects the candy to be offered willingly.”

“…Who knows. Better to walk away than loiter here.”

Baring her teeth fiercely, Moon Hyun-A vaulted over the rooftop railing. Instead of leaping to the adjacent building, she dropped straight down—then disappeared among the cityscape.

I hadn’t held great expectations. I’d thought the possibility was high—that it might go like this. I swallowed hard. Re-enabled Fear Resist. My racing heart calmed, but my tangled emotions remained.

Yeah, things can turn out like this. Right.

When I thought back, everyone I’d known had turned out fine. My relationship with Yu-Hyun improved without question. The people I’d been with in dungeons weren’t as close as before, but we had good relations again. I could repay their kindness. Even those I’d had bad blood with—Seok Siyoung, Kim Seong-Han, and others in Haeyeon—I was on good terms this time. Those who had harmed or threatened me before were either estranged or strangers to me prior to my return.

So this could happen, too. If things can improve, they can worsen.

‘…From the start, it was me loving unilaterally.’

And they were still good people. I wasn’t sure whether it would’ve been better if her broadcast persona had been a façade, or if it was better that it’d all been real.

“…I just wanted to tell you.”

My gaze fell unwillingly. My chest ached. I wanted to pull out a cigarette from my inventory and light it. Maybe I should’ve drunk more.

No, now wasn’t the time for that. I had to wrap things up. The conclusion was reached.

The same message popped up as it had with Park Ha-Yul. Then Chloe too likely had received help from that “noona” figure. I still couldn’t identify who “noona” was, but she seemed a separate force from the cult and the filial-obsessed.

‘They kidnapped me to China, but didn’t harm me further.’

Had they been dealing with the Chinese military? They’d abducted me, but I couldn’t yet label them foes. If they weren’t Chatterbox’s faction, there remained a chance for persuasion—few truly wished for the world’s end.

“Director Han Yujin.”

“…Yes.”

“Since you spoke honestly, I’ll answer candidly as well.”

My fist clenched reflexively. How would she respond? Try to placate me? Or—

“I don’t like someone like you.”

“Wha…?”

Startled, I raised my bowed head. Gyeol on my shoulder fluttered his tiny wings. I’ve been told “I don’t like you” many times, but—

“It’s unwise to judge someone you’ve barely met, but I couldn’t view you favorably.”

“Is—Is that so?”

Had I done something wrong? Publicly, I was just someone who’d been kidnapped… because I was weak? But she wasn’t the type to dislike me for that.

“Demanding the right to breed a mount, and only seeking a mere pet monster, does not align with my values.”

Chloe said coldly. That… that’s—

“I’m not unconditionally against luxury. But handling one’s unique power so lightly—treating it as if it were ordinary goods—repels me.”

…I think I understand now why Hyun-A said I was somewhat like Director Song. Director Song had also been wary of me, though for different reasons.

“It wasn’t lightness—it was necessity.”

“Does a golden hamster have any special ability?”

“…No.”

She really was just a pet. Though intended to lure Do Ha-Min, still—Chloe’s repulsion was justified. I’d taken it lightly. And I couldn’t reveal Do Ha-Min’s abilities—my explanations would sound like excuses to curry favor.

“I have no defense for that.”

I cradled the fairy dragon in my arms to soothe him, tail flicking in agitation. Still, it was fortunate it wasn’t for another reason. Just as I’d liked Chloe based solely on her broadcasts, Chloe too could dislike me from seeing only part of my actions.

“Thank you for your honesty.”

Well, that was a clean break. So clean I could hardly believe she was the same faction as Park Ha-Yul. Maybe in reality a dozen people could buff me. They made a fuss about how fosterers of abominations were rare, so I assumed there were no such powers.

Still, I had hidden my rank. To that extent… wait a moment.

“But why have you come all this way?”

It wouldn’t make sense if she disliked me from before meeting.

“You had no reason to accept the golden hamster capture request…?”

Helping catch a hamster, without being a guild member, deceiving me about your rank, even coming to Korea—strange. If you had other matters, you could have come separately. Meeting me—a Stat F, not an awakened needing protection—hiding your rank wouldn’t be an issue. It wasn’t like dueling with prizes in Japan.

So why come here…?

At that moment, the glass doors opened. A familiar face stepped in. Chloe moved aside, and Seong Hyunjae approached me.

“…What is it?”

The fairy dragon in my arms crouched defensively, ears flattened.

“Should I console you first?”

“Tell me the truth.”

I couldn’t grasp the situation.

“Did you two know each other before? Already acquainted?”

“No. But Hunter Chloe didn’t come for Han Yujin. She came to see me.”

“…You?”

“When it concerns Director Han Yujin, it’s easier to approach the Sesung Guild Master.”

Chloe explained. So that’s why… But when did you meet, and what did you discuss? I wanted to step back, but the railing prevented me. If needed, I’d jump—eyes fixed on the two of them.

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