The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 508: Priority (2)
“Before the Rewind, I know I was clumsy. I don’t know the details, but I probably couldn’t bear to abandon myself.”
Hwang Rim’s words came back to me. Retaining one’s humanity—damn it. I should have sewn his mouth shut.
“That’s not it, Director Song….”
“I must have felt… pleasure back then, too. So I cannot delay any longer.”
With one hand outstretched as if persuading, Song Taewon continued. I’d had my patience tested many times because of him, but today was the worst. Refusing an item was mere playfulness in comparison.
“This time, I will not fail.”
“Director Song!”
“I cannot promise success. I am sorry.”
He apologized again, and Seong Hyunjae—still half-hidden behind him—looked up lazily.
“But any Transcendent who helped craft me must know about me. They know how to truly consume a Transcendent.”
“It’s not certain! There’s no guarantee she’ll help. First, we should contact Hwang Rim calmly and gather more information before—”
“If she bears goodwill toward Han Yujin and tried to abduct me ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) alive, her goals are few. A Transcendent uses another Transcendent, or Seong Hyunjae himself. Since the Guild Leader was also a target, the latter is more likely.”
Calmly, Song Taewon explained his plan.
“But she didn’t insist on abduction, so she may consider the former. In that case, the target is the Crescent Moon. By creating a shadow to devour the Moon, the Puppeteer becomes an enemy of the Crescent Moon.”
Director Song knew little of the Crescent Moon, White Bird, or the Origin. Even with the least information among us, he combined Hwang Rim’s revelations and recent events to chart his course: the path of self-abandonment.
“Guild Leader Seong, Mr. Seong Hyunjae. If you remain, the Crescent Moon will appear. If we can negotiate with the Puppeteer, I will ask her to stop Chatterbox instead of devouring the Crescent Moon.”
He’d twisted Yuhyun’s and Seong Hyunjae’s plan slightly. In short—
“And you, by whatever means, will be freed.”
Excluding even Seong Hyunjae, only Song Taewon would be sacrificed. My chest ached. Why are people like this? Who could say he wasn’t human when seeing this?
“To devour the Moon, or to devour me.”
Seong Hyunjae removed the hand under his chin and let it rest on his knee, lips curling. The foot of his crossed leg twitched.
“Either way, it’s the Moon.”
“Please come with me.”
“I said no! And I—! How far is ‘here’? Do you just slice me off like that? Why do you decide for me, Director Song!”
I hated it, too—always left alone, always surviving alone.
“If you shoulder everything by yourself, do you think I’d be grateful?!”
“I know. It’s my fault. So I’m glad you hate it, Mr. Seong Hyunjae.”
…His explanation, his request to go with him—it was not seeking consent. He intended to bear the guilt himself.
“This is my selfish insistence, to ease myself.”
“Hey! Song Taewon!”
“It’s all my fault.”
“You frustrating human! If you go like this, I swear I’ll die of rage!”
“Han Yujin will be fine.”
Song Taewon turned his head slightly to look at Yuhyun and me.
“He has more precious people. With Hunters Han Yuhyun and Park Yerim by his side, he won’t curl up indefinitely.”
He was right—I would not collapse if I lost Song Taewon. As long as there was something to protect, something to reclaim… I’d somehow crawl forward. Still.
“…It will hurt. It will hurt terribly.”
“Yes. I am sorry.”
I felt hopeless. I was certain no amount of words could persuade him. My throat and eyes burned.
“…Brother.”
Yuhyun pressed his face to my shoulder.
“Yuhyun, just once. Hmm? You can catch him.”
“I… you come first.”
“That’s why you should catch him all the more….”
“I’m sorry, brother. If it were Park Yerim, she might have listened. She’d at least have considered it. But she’s not here. If I step in, you— we—will be in danger. If we let him go, we can keep living like this.”
“…Yuhyun.”
“For me, there’s no need for hesitation or doubt. Sorry, but you love those two; I don’t. They’re among the things I’d feel nothing for if suddenly gone. I only worry about you. So I must comfort you—that’s the natural choice.”
Yuhyun’s voice brimmed with concern, unshaken. His priorities were clear: me first, then our current life. Even if those two vanished, we—our family—would carry on.
He loosened his grip. But even if I ran away now, there was nothing I could do. No way to catch him. At best, I’d endure a few days in the drawer before exiting, and isolating Song Taewon and abandoning others— I couldn’t.
I frantically thought. To negotiate with the Puppeteer, we’d need Hwang Rim. Damn, I should have taken his contact. Did the guest record include it? Even calling him wouldn’t make him return Song Taewon—if anything, he’d enthusiastically deliver him to the Puppeteer.
So if Director Song left here, it would be over.
“…Gyeol.”
At my call, Gyeol shook his head.
I can’t embrace everything. Sometimes you must let go.
“…I know I’m being selfish, too.”
“No.”
“Don’t tell me to believe—you look hopeless.”
“No.”
“I know I look like an F-Rank trying to bite an elephant, yet screaming that I’ll be fine while flailing.”
“Han Yujin.”
“But I’ve come this far.”
This far— to this moment.
“I was really just F-Rank, you know? I’d never properly cleared a mid-rank dungeon as a team member—not even upper mid-rank. I was just a porter. Yet now, S-Ranks all stare only at me.”
A hollow laugh escaped.
“You tell me to end it here? I’d refuse out of sheer injustice. Damn it, if I’d lived quietly under gentle protection, fine— I’d respect Director Song’s wishes! How could I argue? But that’s not who I am. I’ve done my part, and with these results, I can insist! Look at me!”
Our eyes met. Dark, and to me, beautiful. They say eyes are the windows to the soul—no wonder they seemed lovely.
“I will pursue him.”
“…….”
“And Seong Hyunjae, since you passed it to me, I’ll answer you. I will resist!”
Seong Hyunjae, who’d been watching us, suddenly burst into laughter. He collapsed sideways on the sofa and laughed louder.
“…What the hell are you laughing at?”
“Because you two are so beautiful.”
“…Yes?”
“Life really is wonderful.”
He giggled again. Infuriatingly smug.
“Yuhyun, let me go. Kick that man and grab Director Song by the collar.”
Hesitant, Yuhyun released his hold and strode to the sofa, kicking Seong Hyunjae’s sprawled legs.
“Don’t laugh! You’re turning my insides upside down!”
“Apologies. Ah, right now I cannot withstand Mr. Song Taewon. Even your kick, Han Yujin, hurt a bit.”
“What? Why that reaction!”
“I thought I’d live a little longer.”
Golden eyes blinked slowly from beneath tousled hair.
“Here.”
“…Then why pass it to me?”
“I still believe Han Yujin must set the priorities. It’s a crossroads. If you let go now, it could open another path or method—but if too late, it may be mere loss.”
Seong Hyunjae was right: if we missed the moment, Song Taewon’s plan might be impossible.
“You’ll have to keep choosing. And some will refuse their choice.”
His gaze lifted behind me. I turned—Song Taewon was standing there.
“…You really have no strength? My kick hurt.”
“Actually, you’re about B-Rank.”
“A B-Rank kingfish at best.”
My little brother wouldn’t do—but doubling my attack skills was possible. Fortunately, other Hunters were outside; if things got noisy, Yerim, Noah, or Hyun-ah would come. The issue was Song Taewon.
‘He’d subdue an F-Rank and a B-Rank in an instant.’
Leaving him no sound. And I couldn’t slip back into the drawer—if I took Seong Hyunjae, the Crescent Moon might approach.
“Yuhyun, can you help?”
Yuhyun tilted his head thoughtfully, then spoke to Song Taewon.
“You mustn’t hurt him.”
Right—just not on the same side as Director Song.
“Director Song.”
“I can’t give much time.”
Song Taewon replied calmly. He truly had no intention of changing his mind. If I tried an item, he’d sense it and seize me before I could. We were too close.
“Of course, Director Song.”
I swallowed hard.
“Shall we make a wager?”
“I decline.”
“No, hear me out. If you win, I won’t speak—I’ll let him go. You know me: if you leave now, I’ll follow you to hell and turn everything upside down.”
A frown tugged at Song Taewon’s eyes. I’d caused trouble more than once. If I’d lived quietly, he’d never react like this. But after everything he’d endured, he couldn’t ignore me.
“…What bet?”
“Simple: let’s fight.”
“…….”
“Brother?”
…Even if others don’t know, Seong Hyunjae, you mustn’t look at me like that! This is all to protect someone.
“…Should I subdue Han Yujin now?”
“No, no. Yuhyun, you have the Chatterbox invitation, right? Take it out.”
Grudgingly, Yuhyun produced the invitation.
“When Chatterbox visited, he proposed a sort of preliminary. In case invites ran short. He said the contracted invitees should fight each other, and the winner takes all the invitations.”
It wasn’t hard to persuade Chatterbox. With so many initial guests, a filter was harmless. Plus he wanted us to attend—especially me. After all, my significance to him had completely changed; he regretted not giving me the invitation personally.
And it would begin on day three of my party. Though that detail would be revealed later—it was possible at any time.
“Each invitation contract is for two people….”
At my words, Yuhyun spoke.
“Brother, this is definitely safe, right?”
“Yes. It’s just a light preliminary; afterward, we return to our places. But you—”
Yuhyun used the invitation, then handed it to Song Taewon.
“I will help you.”
…What. Dumbfounded, I watched as my brother gave a sweet smile to me.
“Please take care of me, brother.”
…So fighting me and Seong Hyunjae is what he wanted.
“So Han Yujin and I become a team?”
The B-Rank spokes up.
“I feel like swapping party members.”
“Fighting with brother might not be so bad.”
Yuhyun and I both looked at Song Taewon. He spoke gravely.
“If, once the fight is over and Hunter Seong Hyunjae recovers, you agree to help restrain him, I will accept.”
He probably thought I couldn’t win and was stalling. He nodded in acknowledgment.
“Then may I swap Yuhyun and Seong Hyunjae?”
“…No.”
“Han Yujin, do not abandon me.”
“Don’t cling. Complete the invitation contract.”
I took out my invitation, contracted it, and handed it to Seong Hyunjae. Then I took back an invitation and placed it on the table.
“Place them side by side. Gyeol, don’t go anywhere—stay still.”
I infused the invitation with mana, and the surroundings shifted immediately.
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