The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 13

13. The Second S-Class (2)

– Sizzle.

Marbled sirloin, its pattern like delicate flowers, sizzled invitingly as it met the hot grill. Beside it, Korean beef intestines [Gopchang, a Korean delicacy] bubbled, their fatty insides expanding with heat.

Yes, this world is worth living in.

I’d love a shot of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] or a cold beer with this, but the timing isn’t right.

“You can drink, you know.”

“…Huh?”

“You look like you really want to. I’ve seen plenty of drunk people, so don’t worry about it.”

…Is my longing that obvious, or can she read my mind?

“I can’t afford to get drunk when we’re about to sign a contract. Besides, the person sitting across from me is no pushover. I’m too afraid of getting fleeced if I’m tipsy.”

“Isn’t it more that you’re the easy one, rather than me being particularly shrewd?”

Park Yerim laughed, sounding much lighter. Her gloomy mood seemed to have vanished completely.

We were in a private room for easier conversation, so there were no other customers nearby. Besides, it was an odd time of day, so the restaurant was mostly empty anyway.

Kim Sung-han refused to join us, glanced around the restaurant, and then went outside, saying he’d wait there. Should I just give up on making that guy an S-Class? He just won’t warm up to me.

“By the way, are you really acquainted with my parents?”

Park Yerim asked, picking up a piece of cooked meat with her chopsticks.

“How else would I have found you if I didn’t know them? I don’t know them well, but I owe them a favor from when I was younger.”

“When you were younger?”

“Yeah. I lost my parents early, too. I had a hard time making ends meet while taking care of my younger sibling.”

I’m going to milk my sob story for all it’s worth. But that’s what resonates with Korean sentiments, isn’t it? Losing parents young and struggling with no one to rely on. You could practically become president on the sympathy vote alone.

“Your parents gave me a small amount of help back then. It’s been about ten years, so you probably don’t remember.”

Of course, I don’t remember either. I poured cider into my glass instead of alcohol and continued.

“Until I Awakened, I was too busy just trying to survive to even think about visiting them. I did have an S-Class Awakened younger sibling, but we weren’t on good terms until recently.”

“Really? I don’t think I’ve ever heard about the Haeyeon Guild Leader’s family.”

“We reconciled just a few days ago. I Awakened, got some useful skills, and made up with my sibling. Now that I’m doing better, I suddenly remembered the past. Isn’t that a bit selfish?”

“Selfish? Look at my uncle! There are plenty of people who repay kindness with malice, so it’s great that you remembered, even if it’s late.”

Park Yerim said, puffing out her cheeks. Those cheeks were soon filled with a neatly wrapped meat ssam [Korean lettuce wrap]. She eats well.

“Hey, that’s a hot pepper.”

“I’m fine with spicy food.”

She even dips raw garlic generously in ssamjang [thick, spicy paste]. How much garlic is she putting in that ssam? I can’t eat it unless it’s grilled, or my stomach will protest.

“So, I immediately made inquiries and found you. At first, I just came to see if there was anything I could help with, but it seems you have a very high aptitude as an Awakened.”

“Eueueoe.”

“Swallow before you talk.”

Did her uncle starve his niece or something?

“So, all I have to do is sign the contract with you, right?”

“Yeah. Awakening can happen right away depending on the situation, or it might take a few days. It shouldn’t take long.”

“I hope it happens right away. I’m going to be in big trouble when I get home.”

“It’s partly luck, but I’ll do my best.”

How should I drop the keyword? Should I talk more about her parents?

First, I took out the contract from my inventory. Park Yerim’s eyes widened as the parchment appeared out of thin air.

“That’s an inventory, right? It’s my first time seeing one in real life.”

“You’ll have one soon, too. You can only put dungeon-related items in it, but it’s convenient.”

You can’t put ordinary items in it. Only things that came from the dungeon or were made using dungeon byproducts can go into the inventory.

“There are three contract conditions. You will not tell anyone about my skills. You will be my bodyguard for the next year. You will contract with the Haeyeon Guild.”

“Your bodyguard?”

“Yeah. I’m only F-Class, so I need someone to protect me. That’s why I was looking for someone suitable with my skill, and you caught my eye.”

“Come on, still, trying to be protected by a fifteen-year-old. Aren’t you embarrassed?”

“Even a ten-year-old is stronger than me if their stat grade is high enough, so I’m not embarrassed.”

What’s the point of being embarrassed now? I replied casually and took out a pen. This pen and the ink inside are also made from dungeon byproducts. As I opened the contract and started writing down the conditions, Park Yerim stretched her neck to peek.

“A 20% decrease in overall stats for one year if you violate the contract? Is that all the penalty is? It doesn’t seem like a big deal to violate it.”

“A 20% decrease means the dungeon grade you can clear will drop by one level. The difference in earnings is huge.”

“But you could just rest for a year.”

“That’s true. But this is a Hunter Association-guaranteed contract. If you violate the contract, your credit rating will plummet. Depending on the severity, your Hunter license may be suspended.”

That’s why, unless it’s a backroom deal, a Hunter Association-guaranteed contract is much better than an illegal contract with harsh penalties.

“I thought Awakened contracts had terrifying penalties and stuff.”

“Some do. But they’re illegal.”

“Stats are only for Awakened, so is it effective to contract now?”

“It doesn’t matter. This is applying a curse skill, and even non-Awakened people receive the skill effect, so your physical abilities will decrease by 20%, right?”

“A curse… that’s a little creepy.”

I wrote down all my conditions and signed. Park Yerim, who had been watching, quickly reached for the pen.

“I just have to write my name, right?”

She took the pen and contract and was about to sign when—

“Huh?”

I snatched the contract away. Park Yerim looked at me, questioning my actions.

“You’re still a kid, after all.”

“No, why?”

A sulky, sharp voice asked. I shook the contract in front of her eyes.

“You have to check properly before you sign.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.”

There is something wrong.

“Your conditions are missing.”

“…Oh, that’s right.”

Park Yerim muttered blankly. This contract only contained my one-sided demands. Her face turned slightly red, as if she was embarrassed.

“I can forget things sometimes!”

“Of course, you can forget things. But that kind of excuse doesn’t fly with a contract. Becoming an Awakened, becoming a Hunter—that’s what it is. You have the same rights as an adult when it comes to Hunter work, but at the same time, you also bear the same obligations.”

I took back the pen and added the conditions for Park Yerim’s Awakening and support to the contract.

“And usually, these contracts are negotiated. I’ve already revealed that you can become a high-grade Awakened. Expected Awakening grade B or higher. This is very favorable information for you. You can get good treatment anywhere, and if you become A or higher, you can get a free pass to the Big 3 Guilds.”

I pointed to the Haeyeon Guild contract condition with the tip of the pen and continued.

“But signing to enter the guild without negotiating the contract conditions is just foolish, right? It’s too unfavorable to accept just because you’re tempted by the promise of immediate Awakening.”

I crossed out the Haeyeon Guild contract and revised it to prioritize contracting—contract conditions above the Hunter industry average, depending on the conditions.

“Here. This should be a reasonably fair contract.”

Park Yerim looked at me with an expression that was hard to tell whether she was sulking or surprised. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

Is she angry?

“It might sound like nagging, but it means you’re still at an age where you need adult help. There will definitely be many people approaching you after you Awaken. Even if you’re just B-grade, the dungeon two grades lower is D-grade, and if you clear it safely ten times, you can enter a B-grade dungeon.”

An orphaned middle school student with a potential annual income of billions of won. What a great set of qualifiers to exploit. Moreover, Park Yerim is S-Class. If that’s revealed, it will be a sensation not only in Korea but also overseas.

“Among them, there will be many who approach you pretending to be good people like I am now, trying to exploit you. As you just experienced, you’ll be easily fooled.”

“……”

Park Yerim’s gaze was fixed on the contract. Her expression was still stiff, but it was more of a thoughtful face than an angry one.

“…But I hate my uncle.”

“Yeah, I know. That kind of person isn’t someone you’d recommend as a guardian. It would be a relief if he didn’t embezzle the money and run away.”

“He’d definitely take it all and run.”

The stiff atmosphere eased slightly as she started talking badly about her uncle.

“If you’re okay with it, I’d like to play that role.”

“…Isn’t that what sponsoring is?”

“It’s different. A simple sponsor can’t interfere with Hunter transactions. But if you have a guardian, you can demand invalidation even if a minor Hunter makes an unfavorable contract alone. Even with special laws, a minor is still a minor. Usually, parents take on that role.”

A Hunter can’t immediately become a guardian just because they’re blood-related. The Hunter has to directly designate them.

“So… I was thinking of replacing your parents, taking on their role.”

I coughed awkwardly, pretending to be embarrassed. It was actually a bit awkward. Even before the regression, I wasn’t old enough to have a fifteen-year-old daughter. She’s about the age of my niece.

“P, parents?”

“Y, yeah… um. Of course, I’m not suitable in many ways, and I have many shortcomings, but.”

“…Why are you trying to do so much for me? You said you only owed my parents a small favor.”

“Because I had a hard time too.”

It was both a lie and the truth.

“Maybe it’s just vicarious satisfaction. If I had reliable support back then, I wonder what would have happened. Well, I don’t look very reliable, but.”

“I think you’re reliable enough.”

“Really?”

“…Don’t you think there’s no need to ask again?”

She didn’t seem to want to give me a compliment twice. It was my fault for not being satisfied with just one.

“Anyway, I understand.”

Park Yerim rubbed her cheek with her palm, embarrassed.

“Um, please take care of me in the future……?”

“Yeah, me too. So……”

I should have just drunk alcohol. I regretted it belatedly, but there was no choice. I had to say it sober. It’s more natural to be awkwardly embarrassed.

“I said I’d replace your parents, but of course, I’ll be lacking in many ways. But as much as your parents loved you—well, not that much, um, what should I say… Yerim, I… care for you?”

“Eek! What is that! That’s so weird!”

Park Yerim screamed, her face flushed, and rubbed her arms as if she had goosebumps. My face must have turned red, too. It’s damn hard to say nonsense sober.

But with that kind of reaction…

[Non-Awakened ‘Park Yerim’ has been moved by the keyword!]

It worked.