I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 74

74.

“You didn’t really dislike Sujeong that much, did you?”

Noh Yoon-ji’s pupils wavered at Seo-ah’s sudden question. Her eyes were clearly shaken.

“Wh, what. I hate her.”

“If you hate her, just ignore her. Why are you so interested? I saw you couldn’t take your eyes off Sujeong before the match.”

“That’s…! I have to observe my opponent!”

“Hmm, I see. Then I’ll change the question. Why do you hate Sujeong?”

“That’s….”

Noh Yoon-ji lowered her gaze, flustered, and hesitated to speak.

It was quite cute to see her usually haughty and pretty face blushing. Seo-ah waited patiently.

[Skill ‘Gentle Sunlight’ is activated!]

The skill activated at another strange timing, but it wasn’t bad. This skill has good sense.

Noh Yoon-ji, who had been looking at her toes the whole time, slowly raised her head and met Seo-ah’s eyes.

“At first… I tried to be nice to her. Because E-ranks are weak, and if no one takes care of them, it’ll be tough here.”

Seo-ah nodded silently, faintly sensing the scent of Baek Eun-hee in Noh Yoon-ji’s way of speaking.

“I see.”

“But even when I kept talking to her, she wasn’t interested in me, and all she ever said was how great ‘Seo-ah unnie’ [older sister or respected female figure] was….”

“…….”

Seo-ah, who was in charge of that ‘Seo-ah unnie’ role, gave an awkward smile.

*Sujeong, it’s nice that you like me, but you should still take care of your peers.*

*No, when I saw her last time, she seemed quite popular. So, is this jealousy?*

“Then, well, I heard some things, like Park Seo-ah Hunter is flirting around… I said something like that.”

Noh Yoon-ji avoided her gaze slightly, embarrassed to say this in front of the person in question.

“Kang Sujeong rushed at me. At first, I thought it was ridiculous that an E-rank was rushing at me, so I tried to deal with her appropriately, but she was so desperate that I got angry too… that’s how it happened.”

Seo-ah listened to Noh Yoon-ji’s words without saying anything. Noh Yoon-ji glanced at Seo-ah’s expression.

“…Are you angry?”

“Huh? No, ah. But why did you say I was flirting around? What did you hear?”

“Yes? That… there’s a rumor that you’re dating Hunter Song Jin-ho, but there’s also talk that you’re closer to Hunter Yoo Ji-an, and that’s not true, you’re actually the Guild Leader’s lover.”

“…….”

Seo-ah, with a dumbfounded expression, began to seriously contemplate.

“I’m also curious, what’s the truth?”

“The truth… none of those are true. How dare I with those people… ugh, no way.”

“But it’s true that those people are particularly concerned about you.”

“That’s right, but it’s for a completely different reason. If I had to say, it’s because I have some unique aspects as a Hunter.”

“Hmm.”

Noh Yoon-ji still seemed doubtful but nodded as if she understood. Kang Sujeong suddenly getting stronger in the tournament match must be related to Seo-ah.

“Anyway, you wanted to be friends with Sujeong, but Sujeong only talked about me and didn’t pay attention to you, so you kept bothering her, right? Looking at it, you were the only one talking to her.”

“When did I…!”

Noh Yoon-ji’s face turned red, then slowly subsided. It was the effect of the skill [Silent Night].

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Someone like her. Don’t bother trying to reconcile us or anything.”

“Yeah, it’s impossible to be friends now.”

“…Haa.”

Noh Yoon-ji sighed deeply and rubbed her face roughly with her dry palms.

“I really don’t know why I’m rambling about this to you… I’m seeing you properly for the first time today.”

Seo-ah didn’t say anything about that.

In fact, it was a familiar occurrence for Seo-ah.

Like Yang Tae-woo of the old Royal Guild, she often heard the same words throughout her life. *That being with you makes me want to tell you everything*, or something like that.

“Anyway, I saw you’re okay, so I’ll go. Please don’t say anything to Kang Sujeong.”

“Okay.”

Noh Yoon-ji looked at Seo-ah’s dry response with a sullen expression.

“Why?”

“…No.”

She looked a little disappointed, but Noh Yoon-ji turned her head away, vaguely.

As Seo-ah watched Noh Yoon-ji leave, she tilted her head, seeing a system message she had never seen before pop up.

[Your title is beginning to sprout. Accumulate more achievements.]

‘Title, achievements…?’

***

Noh Yoon-ji flung the door open and went outside.

“Oh!”

Then, she was startled and gasped when she saw Yoo Ji-an leaning against the wall next to the door.

“…You scared me.”

Unable to get angry at Yoo Ji-an, Noh Yoon-ji calmed her surprised heart. She tried to pass by, but Yoo Ji-an’s low voice was heard.

“Don’t live too greedily. Unless you want to die early.”

“Yes…?”

Noh Yoon-ji turned around, but the door Yoo Ji-an had entered had already closed with a thud.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t heard it. She had clearly heard it.

“What… is she telling me not to mess with her? Tsk, it’s too much for an S-rank Hunter to threaten me.”

Noh Yoon-ji interpreted the words in her own way.

When Yoo Ji-an entered, Seo-ah was already getting up and trying to get out of bed.

Half-heartedly shoving one shoe on and lowering her other foot, her center of gravity was slightly disturbed.

Yoo Ji-an, who had come in at the right time, lightly grabbed the end of her outer garment near her shoulder with her thumb and forefinger so that Seo-ah would not fall. And as soon as Seo-ah stood up straight, she let go.

Thanks to that, she regained her balance, but Seo-ah looked at her shoulder with a slightly sullen face.

“Um, well. I took a shower this morning… it’s not that dirty.”

“…….”

“Ah, do I smell?”

Seo-ah brought her sleeve to her nose and sniffed. The clothes that had been washed and delivered this morning only smelled of fragrant fabric softener.

“You’re fine.”

“You don’t smell.”

“Really…?”

But what was that gesture of grabbing something dirty just now? It was too much to argue, so she decided to just let it go. *If people saw this, such rumors would never spread.*

“Let’s go.”

Yoo Ji-an walked ahead, and Seo-ah followed closely behind. Yoo Ji-an strode along, and when she saw Seo-ah falling behind, she slowed down.

“What about Sujeong and Hunter Song Jin-ho?”

“They left first. The staff called them because they had something to take care of.”

“Ah, I see.”

In fact, it was true that the staff had called Sujeong, but Yoo Ji-an had almost chased Song Jin-ho away.

*Now that the healer’s role was over, there was no need for him to be here any longer, right?*

As they were going up the stairs, Yoo Ji-an thought for a moment and then opened her mouth.

“Park Seo-ah.”

“Yes.”

“What did you talk about with Noh Yoon-ji?”

“Um, we didn’t talk about much. It was mostly about Sujeong. She had her own reasons. She’s still young, though.”

“Don’t give her too much of your attention.”

“Um…?”

At the unexpected words, Seo-ah stopped and stared at Yoo Ji-an. Yoo Ji-an also met Seo-ah’s eyes with the same expressionless face.

“Why do you say that?”

“Just because.”

“You said something similar at the gate before. Is it the same meaning?”

“To some extent.”

Seo-ah’s face became serious in an instant. Seo-ah grabbed Yoo Ji-an’s sleeve slightly and stepped closer.

“Are you saying Noh Yoon-ji might die?”

“There’s… that future too.”

Yoo Ji-an changed her words, trying to answer definitively.

She was also concerned about Seo-ah’s darkening expression, and there were many things she couldn’t be sure of in this life.

“Is this also your prediction? Similar to how I might kill you?”

“Do you really believe I can predict the future? But why don’t you believe that I regressed?”

“Don’t joke around, this is about someone’s life.”

Seo-ah firmly cut off Yoo Ji-an’s question and walked up the stairs ahead.

But unfortunately, Han Seok-hyun and Noh Yoon-ji’s father, Noh Hak-young, were in the lobby where the two entered.

“Assemblyman, calm down.”

“How can I calm down right now…!”

Noh Hak-young seemed to be protesting something to Han Seok-hyun.

“Oh, there, they’re coming right over!”

Noh Hak-young pointed to Park Seo-ah and Yoo Ji-an, who were coming up the stairs.

Han Seok-hyun’s face turned pale rapidly when he saw them.

“To throw a sword at my daughter to save that E-rank Hunter, does that make sense? I trusted Guild Leader Han and ran around until my feet were sweating. Seriously…!”

“W, wait a minute. Assemblyman.”

“Why, tell her to apologize right now! How can an S-rank Hunter be so thoughtless…!”

As Noh Hak-young openly criticized Yoo Ji-an, Han Seok-hyun, who had been somewhat gentle until just now, changed his expression and became serious.

“What did you just say? Assemblyman?”

He still seemed to be smiling, but a coldness like a north wind gathered around him.

“I didn’t say anything wrong! No, Guild Leader, why are you suddenly making that face?”

“If you want to criticize Hunter Yoo Ji-an, fine. Let’s properly examine the rights and wrongs. And Assemblyman, you don’t have to accommodate us anymore. Instead, the support we provided to Assemblyman Noh will also be nullified….”

“Dad!”

As Han Seok-hyun coldly retorted, a clear voice echoed from behind Noh Hak-young.