The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 392

390. A Christmas Carol (4)

“No, you should say Vice Guild Leader, Vice Guild Leader-nim [a Korean honorific].”

A nearby Hunter interjected quietly. Park Yerim retorted, sounding displeased.

“I haven’t accepted it yet.”

Vice Guild Leader. Not an S-Rank, but an A-Rank Hunter, and young, yet her skills were definitely being recognized. Park Yerim examined herself, who appeared to be about three or four years older.

She was taller than she was now, easily over 170cm [approximately 5’7″]. Her hair, just touching her shoulders, and her face made her look more mature. Perhaps because of the wary expression, her eyes looked slightly fiercer than they did now.

She still had some of her younger self, but she also felt very different.

Under the blatant observation, the Park Yerim in the dungeon’s face grew colder.

“If you’re from the Sichuan Tang Clan [a famous clan in Wuxia fiction, known for hidden weapons and poisons], are you a Hunter from China? State your purpose.”

At Park Yerim’s frigid words, Park Yerim, now Dang Ye, tightened her grip on the bow.

‘Even if it’s a purpose…’

What should I do? It’s Park Yerim. My future self. No, since this is a dungeon, there’s a high possibility it’s a monster. The Christmas Carol Dungeon, influenced by the memories of the Raiders.

‘So, is this before Ahjussi [a respectful Korean term for an older man, often used for close acquaintances] regressed? The future me who didn’t meet Ahjussi…?’

When she heard about the regression from Han Yoojin, she had been curious. What happened to the original me, Park Yerim? But no matter how much she thought about it, she figured that Park Yerim, who hadn’t met Han Yoojin, would have had a harder and lonelier time, so she deliberately didn’t ask for details.

Maybe she didn’t want to know about the possibility of an unhappy future.

“…Looks better than I thought.”

“What did you say?”

“That, I, uh, was just passing by!”

Honestly, a good solution didn’t come to mind. Even if the other party was a monster, she didn’t feel like fighting, and she was worried about whether she could touch her carelessly. Dang Ye cleanly admitted her lack of experience. Let’s meet Ahjussi first and ask what to do. Just as she concluded that and was about to use Instantaneous Movement.

Saaaaa-

The surrounding air began to freeze. A cold sigh. A pure white mist rapidly appeared, blocking Dang Ye’s retreat. With Instantaneous Movement, not Space Distortion, it was impossible to escape without touching that mist. But Dang Ye fearlessly used the Instantaneous Movement skill.

Sizzle, the mist swirled and scattered around Dang Ye’s body, moving so fast it was almost invisible. The cold tried to freeze and hold the enemy, but it didn’t work on Dang Ye. It seemed like she would escape that easily, but.

“You have cold resistance?”

Park Yerim asked, puzzled, but instantly followed behind her. It was the same Instantaneous Movement skill. Dang Ye widened her eyes in surprise.

“What, are you faster?”

Park Yerim’s skill proficiency was higher, of course, but that didn’t mean her speed was faster. The reason Park Yerim could immediately follow Dang Ye was thanks to the chilling mist she had laid around. She sensed the scattering of the sighing cold with magic power before her eyes, predicted the direction, and immediately followed.

Park Yerim was known to be on par with S-Rank Hunters in terms of magical abilities. It had not even been two years since she had awakened, but her combat abilities were comparable to those of early awakened Hunters. Compared to another her, who was an S-Rank, her experience and senses were superior. Moreover, she received a buff from the dungeon, raising her stats to the S-Rank level.

In other words, there was no reason for Park Yerim to be pushed back.

“Everyone, step back! Middle-grade and below, evacuate to the basement!”

Park Yerim shouted to the guild members. The Hunters who were outside the building began to move in an orderly fashion. Most went inside, and a few A-Ranks remained to support. As the surroundings quickly cleared, Park Yerim fiercely raised her momentum.

“Why are you targeting our guild?”

“No, I’m not! Targeting, what are you talking about!”

“Don’t lie when you’ve prepared cold resistance. Instantaneous Movement is also a good skill for escaping.”

Park Yerim, who had branded Dang Ye as a spy, exuded an even thicker chill as she spoke. Dang Ye frowned, feeling wronged.

“What’s wrong with me having my own skill? And, I, I belong to the Haeyeon Guild!”

“What?”

Park Yerim narrowed her brows.

“A Haeyeon Hunter?”

“Yes! I’m well acquainted with the Guild Leader too. The Haeyeon Guild Leader even makes me packed lunches, ah!”

Dozens of slender ice arrows flew towards Dang Ye. They were surprisingly fast. Dang Ye quickly used Instantaneous Movement to dodge. Thwack, the ice arrows pierced the sidewalk, and Park Yerim took out a long spear.

“Haeyeon Guild Leader Han Yoohyun is so friendly with his guild members? That cold-blooded man? What a clumsy spy. You have to say something that makes sense!”

“No, I know Han Yoohyun is a jerk! But still, Ahjussi is good to his brother. He’s not a completely bad guy…”

The spear spun at Park Yerim’s fingertips. A pure white chill swirled around the spearhead and flew towards Dang Ye. If she didn’t have cold resistance, her body would have frozen before the spear even touched her, making it difficult to dodge properly. But Dang Ye retreated backward without any effect.

“Good to him, my foot. That bastard.”

Park Yerim growled quietly. Park Yerim’s spear, which had passed by Dang Ye, struck the parked car as it was. Crash, the car froze and split in half. The end of the spear swung as if scooping up half of the split car. The halved car body flew towards where Dang Ye had dodged.

“I said I don’t want to fight!”

Dang Ye shouted and swung the bow she was holding. The half car floated up like a ball hit by a tennis racket and rolled across the floor. In that brief moment, Park Yerim used Instantaneous Movement to rush right in front of Dang Ye. Having confirmed that ice attribute attacks didn’t work, the gleaming spearhead flew, charged with electricity instead of cold.

“Wh-what is it!”

Dang Ye panicked at the unexpected attribute power and used Instantaneous Movement. But it was useless against Park Yerim. If she used Instantaneous Movement, she would use Instantaneous Movement as well and immediately follow. Dang Ye hurriedly raised her bow to block the attack. Clang! The spearhead struck the bow, leaving a faint scratch on the bow. Dang Ye’s eyes narrowed sharply at the sight.

“Wait! Time! Stop! This is borrowed!”

“From that Haeyeon Guild Leader you know so well?”

“No, from Evelyn Unni [Korean term for older sister or female friend].”

Park Yerim’s expression grew even colder at Dang Ye’s words.

“You’re on such good terms with the head of the Seseong Guild’s American branch that you borrow weapons from her. Impressive.”

“Huh? American branch? Evelyn Unni isn’t in Korea?”

“…What are you even talking about?”

The words kept going strangely awry. Park Yerim felt a sense of bewilderment and jumped back. It wasn’t like she was pretending not to know in order to extract information; Dang Ye didn’t even know widely known facts.

“The head of the Seseong Guild in Korea is Kang Soyoung. Officially, she’s the Guild Leader’s proxy, but she’s practically the Guild Leader-”

“Soyoung Unni!”

Dang Ye’s mouth dropped open.

“Wow, seriously! Seriously! Soyoung Unni finally took over the Seseong Guild? Then Seseong Ahjussi, Seong Hyunjae Ahjussi, what about him?”

“……”

Park Yerim stared at Dang Ye as if she was even stranger. It had already been a year since Seong Hyunjae, the Guild Leader of Seseong, had gone missing. Even if you weren’t Korean, as long as you were a Hunter, there was almost no possibility that you wouldn’t know that fact. After all, the world’s number one ranked Hunter had suddenly disappeared.

“You, what are you, really?”

“I am.”

Dang Ye, Park Yerim, confidently straightened her shoulders and said.

“I am Han Yoojin Ahjussi’s Guardian and the future Guild Leader of the Haeyeon Guild, or rather, the overseas branch, and the future world’s strongest Hunter who will suppress even Han Yoohyun and Seong Hyunjae Ahjussi! I’m also going to have a Water Spirit, and my Ride-Type Skill has appeared!”

“…Sometimes, when young children awaken as high-grade Hunters, they have ridiculous dreams.”

Park Yerim put away her spear and sent her a look of pity. She thought she looked young, but she was just a kid with foolish delusions. Dang Ye bristled at her words.

“Ridiculous! I’m halfway there, you know? I’m different from you…”

Dang Ye couldn’t continue her words and closed her mouth. Park Yerim and Park Yerim are different. The things that Park Yerim thought she could achieve were nonsense that Park Yerim couldn’t even imagine.

The young Park Yerim bit her lower lip. She felt strange. She didn’t want to feel this way.

The Park Yerim here didn’t seem bad either. Judging from the building, it didn’t seem like a very big guild, but it wasn’t small either, and she was recognized as the Vice Guild Leader. But compared to now, it was clear that she was very different.

The facts that she didn’t want to think about kept popping up. What if she hadn’t met Han Yoojin?

“…Hey, when did you awaken?”

“When I was eighteen.”

Park Yerim answered, puzzled. Eighteen years old. A full three years later. Until then, Park Yerim would have had to live with her uncle’s family without being independent. That alone made her head spin. Even right after awakening, it was hard to imagine that things would have gone smoothly.

An A-Rank Hunter with relatively low value, and no adults to help her. Just thinking about her uncle, there must have been many hardships.

And above all else.

‘She would have been alone. All the time.’

She was alone even in her uncle’s house. She would have been alone even after becoming independent. There would be no one to answer when she said, “I’m home,” no one to welcome her.

The current Park Yerim’s house was warm. Not only at home but also outside, she was surrounded by good people. But all of that was because of Han Yoojin.

Unlike S-Rank Hunters, there were relatively many A-Rank Hunters. So, Han Yoojin, before his regression, must have had more than one or two A-Rank Hunters he had his eye on. Among those A-Rank Hunters, Park Yerim was lucky enough to be chosen. That was all.

Just lucky. Coincidentally. She tried not to think about it, but that was the truth. Even just looking at the Park Yerim in front of her, that was the case. Han Yoojin and Park Yerim might not have known each other at all. No, they had already passed each other by once, as nothing to each other.

Park Yerim suddenly recalled the illusion that the pearl oyster had shown her. What if she had been family with Ahjussi from the beginning, like Han Yoohyun, a blood relative?

She had said it was okay. She was envious, but it was okay. She had tried to think it was okay because she had parents who loved her. In reality, it seemed okay.

But was it really okay? When so much was uncertain.

“No, well. It’s common for kids to be like that.”

Park Yerim said, a little embarrassed, seeing the young girl’s eyes distort as if she was about to cry.

“I’m not trying to blame you. You said your name was Dang Ye, right? Are you really from China? I know the situation in China isn’t good. What about your parents?”

“…They passed away.”

“I see.”

“You’re not saying you’re sorry.”

“I lost my parents early too, and I hated hearing those kinds of things. Sorry, too bad, pitiful, things like that. I don’t care much now, but I really hated it when I was young.”

Park Yerim nodded slightly at Park Yerim’s words. She hated the gazes and voices that pitied her. It was as if they were pushing her to be pitiful and unhappy because she had lost her parents. In reality, she couldn’t be said to be in a happy situation, but that’s why she lived more brightly. It was partly out of defiance and partly a defensive attitude of not wanting to be a pitiful child.

But now, like the Park Yerim in front of her, Park Yerim didn’t care much either. Park Yerim wasn’t pitiful or pathetic; she was a strong S-Rank Hunter.

“I don’t know what your situation is, but it’s dangerous to go around selling the name of an S-Rank Hunter. Did you enter the country illegally? If you’re a high-grade Hunter, they’ll accept you unconditionally unless you’re a criminal. It’s hard for a young Hunter to have a high-grade weapon, so did you steal that bow? That’s why you’re running-”

“I told you, it’s borrowed.”

“Let’s return it. That much scratch can be fixed perfectly if you repair it. It’s partly my fault, so I’ll pay for the repairs.”

“I have a lot of money… I have enough for repairs. And it’s really borrowed.”

Even at Park Yerim’s words, Park Yerim didn’t seem to believe her. Park Yerim smiled slightly, a small laugh escaping from between her lips at the sight of herself trying to comfort her, saying not to worry, and that she had caused some trouble when she had just awakened. Her hardened expression also softened slightly.

It wasn’t bad. Definitely. Even Park Yerim without Han Yoojin was okay.

“The name Dang Ye is actually a fake name.”

“Really? I thought so.”

“I’m not Chinese, I’m Korean.”

“I knew it, your Korean was too good. You don’t belong to any guild, do you?”

“No. I am a member of the Haeyeon Guild. This is real.”

Looking at Park Yerim, who was saying that there was no need to lie, Park Yerim untied the cloth covering her face. She took off her half-wig as well. As the familiar appearance was revealed, Park Yerim’s eyes widened. Her surprised expression was deeply reminiscent of her younger self.

“My name is Park Yerim. I’m you at fifteen years old.”