The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 367

365. Disposition (1)

Unlike Yoonyoon, the world’s first goblin and king, the goblin race was generally harmless and lacked significant abilities. Most goblins possessed only low-level stealth, the ability to create small bursts of goblin fire, and limited flight. While stealth and flight were valuable skills for their grade, the problem lay in the race’s inherent nature.

“Blood, scary!”

“Don’t want to die!”

Goblins were averse to initiating harm. Pulling pranks like blowing up an uninhabited island was acceptable, but causing death or serious injury was not. Even when attacked, they struggled to kill their attackers, be they people or monsters.

This pacifistic nature made leveling up nearly impossible. Furthermore, their base stats, aside from a select few, were comparable to or even lower than those of non-awakened individuals. Espionage might seem like a suitable task, but their personalities made training difficult. If instructed to follow someone and gather information, they were easily distracted by butterflies, puppies, cats, balloons, and anything else that captured their fleeting interest.

The same held true for goblins with exceptional short-range teleportation abilities. Moreover, their teleportation was even more limited than Yoonyoon’s, likely due to their lower grade.

Their teleportation range was short, and they could only move objects less than half their body size. They also couldn’t move creatures or items with a higher grade than their own stats. Of course, they could store items in their inventory.

‘It’s fortunate that the strongest goblin’s stats were equivalent to a baby water dragon.’

And then there’s MiniMini Cookie for size comparison. I’m really glad I bought it as a set; it’s quite useful. In any case, goblins were a challenging race to assign ordinary tasks to. They were best suited for harmless pranks and a life of leisure.

“D-don’t come any closer.”

After the water dragon evolved into a sky dragon, my bedroom was relocated. The dragon wasn’t particularly large, but the old room was too small. I insisted that I needed to train the ‘kid’ and that he would become stressed if others were nearby, so I secured the space that had previously served as a training room.

“Especially people with high grades, don’t approach. If they feel threatened, they’ll grow accordingly, and their stats will decrease.”

I waved my hand dismissively. Of course, it was a lie. The truth was that I was afraid of being discovered with the fake fin. I had attached it securely, but I wanted to be cautious. I directed the guards to the far end of the room and stroked the dragon’s head.

“Good boy, stay still. It’s okay, so don’t worry. It’s really okay. Let’s lie down here, good boy.”

With three S-class hunters present, I couldn’t act carelessly. Originally, I had planned to simply announce, ‘Oh, the baby water dragon disappeared,’ rather than presenting a fake… After all, there was little chance they would suspect me, given how closely I was being watched. I likely would have been questioned, but that would have been the extent of it.

However, the kind dragon’s teary-eyed and worried demeanor prompted me to slightly alter my plan. If they turned the place upside down searching for the missing water dragon, it would hinder the goblins’ movements, so this approach was preferable.

‘Now, I just need to find Yoonyoon and解除 [release/undo] Park Hayul’s skill.’

I didn’t have a viable solution for either problem yet. If I resolved the latter first, the kids wouldn’t be held back because of me, and we could join forces to search for Yoonyoon together. But why was Hwangrim so confident that I couldn’t escape Park Hayul’s skill?

‘First, he said I have to be attracted to his appearance. So, if I think his face is ugly, will the skill be解除d [released/undone]?’

But that’s not easy. With an average sense of aesthetics, one could never call his face ugly. He explicitly stated it was easy, implying there’s something wrong with me – something that sets me apart from other people.

Hwangrim is unaware of my regression. What does monster breeding have to do with it? Most people have low stats, and he doesn’t know about curse resistance, and poison resistance is irrelevant… and…

‘…Fear resistance.’

Could that be it? Hwangrim had repeatedly commented on my lack of fear. If I experience fear – if I become afraid of Park Hayul’s skill or Park Hayul himself – then I might be able to escape the skill.

Since it’s a skill based on attraction, it makes sense. To test this, I asked them to summon Park Hayul.

“Yujin hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or sibling]!”

Soon, Park Hayul appeared with a bright smile. …Even without fear resistance, I don’t think I’ll be scared of that guy.

-Krrr.

“No, no. Good boy, let’s just bear it once. Hayul, don’t come closer; sit over there, on that side.”

I pointed to a distant table. Then, I reassured the dragon to remain still and approached Park Hayul. Park Hayul looked at me with a concerned expression.

“Does your leg hurt a lot?”

“Then wouldn’t it hurt? You seem to be doing well.”

He’s a bit annoying. I sat down in a chair. I was about to directly ask if the weakness of his skill was that it didn’t work if you felt fear, but I hesitated. Am I not even allowed to make guesses? Then I’ll have to test it myself. I was worried if it would be okay, but I’m just going to check for a moment.

I took a short breath and deactivated the fear resistance skill.

“It’s hard to find people among the S-class hunters who aren’t violent. But you should be a little quieter.”

My heart began to race. My injured leg throbbed with renewed intensity. The bandaged hand came into view.

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or sibling]?”

Park Hayul rose and reached out to me. The events of the morning flashed before my eyes, and my body instinctively recoiled.

Thump!

-Kyareuk!

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or sibling]! Are you okay?”

I fell to the floor, entangled in the chair. My leg couldn’t support my attempt to get up quickly. It was like this before.

The cold gaze directed at me resurfaced in my mind. I could easily imagine the darkness burning within him, hidden behind those eyes. I quickly reactivated the fear resistance skill and shouted.

“I’m okay! I just fell.”

I shook my head, signaling him not to approach, and got up with Park Hayul’s assistance. Damn it.

“Be careful, hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or sibling].”

“…Okay.”

It worked. I wanted to flee from Park Hayul, from this place. But as soon as the fear resistance skill was activated, I immediately returned to normal. I no longer felt the urge to escape.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

That bastard Cho Hwa-un, it’ll be okay after a while. Because it was a familiar thing. But I can’t do it until my leg is healed. I looked down at the tips of my fingers, which were still faintly trembling.

Things have become incredibly complicated.

* * *

Song Taewon, the head of the Awakened Management Division, was seriously injured and hospitalized. The incident occurred while he was intervening in a dispute with the head of the Sesung Guild, who was dissatisfied with the Hunter Association and the government’s response to the kidnapping of Han Yujin, the director of the Beast Breeding Center.

The Sesung Guild issued an official apology but expressed deep regret for not responding more forcefully to China. The apology also included self-reproach for failing to protect its own F-class hunter, despite being Korea’s top guild and having a close contractual relationship with the Beast Breeding Center.

Consequently, those who were suspicious of China’s involvement instead rallied behind the Sesung Guild Leader, who had caused the incident, and expressed sympathy when he announced he would be staying home to reflect on his actions.

“On the one hand, they seem to highly value Director Song Taewon’s sense of responsibility. Although he will be spending his vacation in the hospital, there are articles stating that the facilities and services of the special room are comparable to those of a luxury hotel.”

Sung Hyunjae said, reading the related report.

“As the perpetrator, I should pay him a visit. How is your body, Mr. Song Taewon?”

Song Taewon responded with silence. Han Yoohyun and Park Yerim had already departed for China, and a plane for the remaining two was prepared. Sesung Guild had more active overseas exchanges than other guilds in Korea, so they openly had a private plane waiting. They didn’t hide the fact that they were heading to China. The purpose was also to cooperate in the search for Director Han Yujin.

However, the official passengers were not the Sesung Guild Leader, but guild members below A-class. They were scheduled to arrive in China, hold talks with the military, and return home the next day, leaving the two behind. It was a blatant trick, but China did not object, perhaps expecting Sung Hyunjae to be included as well.

“It’s not like I’ve never been involved in fights overseas. If the Sesung Guild Leader causes trouble, it’s possible to speculate that Director Song Taewon will come as an excuse, because there’s no other choice.”

As he had done many times.

“Or maybe they’re thinking that I deliberately had Director Song Taewon hospitalized to avoid that. Which one do you think it is?”

“…The latter is more likely. The government and the association have already expressed a passive response, so the Sesung Guild Leader wouldn’t want to be disturbed.”

Sung Hyunjae said, stepping onto the stairs leading to the plane.

“I’ve accompanied someone on entry before, but this is the first time I’ve accompanied someone on departure.”

Song Taewon, who boarded the plane after him, stopped abruptly after a few steps. The interior of the plane, as wide open as a reception room, was entirely pink. Rainbows and unicorns adorned the pink walls, and the large sofa was also pink with fuchsia cushions. A life-size Peace doll, the wing version of which only a few samples had been produced, was proudly displayed on the light pink table.

Sung Hyunjae walked into the bewildering scene and sighed with regret.

“It was prepared in case of Han Yujin’s kidnapping.”

“…Excuse me?”

“My partner is particularly fond of pink. So, if I decorate it like this, wouldn’t it alleviate the anger of being kidnapped?”

The image of Han Yujin getting annoyed and threatening to jump off immediately came to Song Taewon’s mind. He also imagined him complaining at length about the misunderstanding that he liked pink, and then casually lounging on the sofa.

The cabin door closed, and Sung Hyunjae sat on the sofa. Song Taewon stood upright and looked at Sung Hyunjae.

“Why are you leaving Han Yujin alone?”

“Did I say the destination was America, India, or Spain?”

“You could have protected him enough. If it was the Sesung Guild Leader.”

Although there would have been coercive aspects that restricted his freedom to some extent, his safety would have been guaranteed. No, in the first place, letting Han Yujin go was not an action that suited Sung Hyunjae as Song Taewon knew him.

Even if he was the same S-class hunter, he never treated him as an equal. He didn’t regard anyone as anything more than an element to satisfy his interest.

“Why don’t you take him and leave him alone?”

Song Taewon asked again, a rare action for him. Sung Hyunjae tilted his head slightly and looked up at Song Taewon. The corners of his lips faintly rose before he spoke.

“I think quite fondly of Mr. Song Taewon. But I didn’t know you could be so spoiled.”

“……”

“It seems that Han Yujin is difficult for Mr. Song Taewon after all.”

“That’s.”

“If I take Han Yujin, as I would treat other talented awakened people that I covet, Mr. Song Taewon’s mind will surely be at ease. He will be taken care of and cared for by the Sesung Guild Leader, and he will become an F-class hunter under his management.”

It is strange for a sheep to associate with wolves with its own will and strength. But if the strongest wolf is capricious and places the sheep under its protection, it will be able to treat even other wolves nonchalantly, as if it were relying on the power of its master.

The golden eyes narrowed as if in ridicule or pity.

“If it’s Han Yujin who belongs to me, I can protect him without any reason to worry or feel repulsed. Is it because one more lamb has been added? To the point where you’re even saying you want to pass him on to me and run away.”

Song Taewon shut his mouth without saying anything. It was simply a question expressing doubt about Sung Hyunjae’s attitude, but he couldn’t deny that he didn’t have such a feeling at all.

“Sit down.”

As if following an order, Song Taewon sat on the opposite sofa. At that moment, a presence was heard outside the door.

“Excuse me.”

A Sesung Guild member entered after receiving permission. He politely handed a tablet PC to Sung Hyunjae.

“A video of Director Han Yujin has arrived from China. According to the Chinese military’s investigation, the kidnappers of Director Han Yujin headed to the Middle East via Dalian Airport.”

“The Middle East.”

“They said they speculate that it will be put up for auction at the free auction house there.”

It meant that they were simply kidnapping for money. Since there have already been two incidents, it would not be strange if a similar incident happened again. But no one in this place believed that story.

Song Taewon got up and approached, and Sung Hyunjae pressed the video playback button. The eyes of the two narrowed at the same time at the sight of Han Yujin appearing on the screen.

[I’m safe.]

They tried to edit the video naturally, but they couldn’t hide the traces of it being cut off.

[They said they’re going to ask for a ransom before the auction. If you need money, just ask me. This is too much, anyway, I’m safe and sound.]

The video ended. Sung Hyunjae silently handed the tablet PC to the guild member. After the Sesung Guild member left and a short silence, Sung Hyunjae opened his mouth.

“It’s more unpleasant than I expected.”