The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 130

If words had a visible form, they would be sharpened knives. It was a rude remark that would have made even the most tolerant person frown, as it carved out past shame, but Song Tae-won’s expression remained unchanged.

I was secretly hoping he would get angry.

‘Well, someone who’s been tormented by Sung Hyun-jae wouldn’t be provoked by a word from me.’

That man even said that he wouldn’t be easy to deal with. The reason he came this far was because I touched the Association; if I had directly stabbed him, he wouldn’t have batted an eye. He’s difficult, really. The most difficult people are those who are stuck in their positions and complacent.

You can’t fill a full cup. Forcibly emptying it is difficult because it’s not a cup but a huge tank, hard to knock over. I tried kicking it, but not even a ripple appeared on Song Tae-won’s face.

“It seems you are closer to the Seseong Guild Leader than I thought.”

“No, not at all. We have a very dry relationship with clear purposes.”

He’s just a frustratingly useful person, so I had no choice but to join hands with him. Please don’t misunderstand.

“So, what brings you here? Did the higher-ups beg Director Song to silence me?”

“Hold out your hand.”

What hand? Wondering what it was, I held out my palm, and he dropped a square key onto it. It was a portal key [a key that allows immediate travel to a specific location]. Then, the key to the front door was added. Both keys had fresh bloodstains on them. It looked like a prop from a horror movie.

“This is a key secretly made by an executive of the Association. They said there were no more, but you never know, so please be careful for a while.”

So, it wasn’t the key I got from Guild Leader Han Shin. Making spare keys, how adorable.

“Is the owner of the key alive?”

“Of course. They were carrying it in their inventory, so I had to use some tricks.”

Some tricks. It seemed the person was an Awakened [a person with supernatural abilities]. I looked up from my palm to Song Tae-won. His dark, sunken eyes were still hard to read. But he gave me the key.

That means he prioritized my safety.

“I’m touched that you prioritize me over the key’s owner. It would have been nice if you had accepted the ball I threw as well.”

Instead of taking it to the Association.

If you’re going to be a dog on a leash anyway, why not give me the leash? I’m grateful for the key, but it would have been nice if you had given me a little more.

“Han Yu-jin.”

Did he notice the hidden meaning in my words? His voice, which had been businesslike as if dealing with a civilian, became sharp. If I didn’t have fear resistance, it would have been quite threatening.

He took another step closer. A large hand lightly grabbed my left shoulder. Peace, who had been tense since a while ago, bared his teeth.

“It’s okay, Peace.”

– Grrr.

At my soothing words, Peace let out a heavy warning sound and closed his mouth. Song Tae-won, who had been watching the Flame Horned Lion sitting obediently, turned his gaze to me.

“I think you have reason to be confident. Because you have more than one or two tamed beasts.”

The hand on my shoulder gradually tightened. It didn’t hurt yet. But if Song Tae-won wanted to, he could crush it in an instant.

“But you are too weak to be a leash.”

“That’s nothing new. Weren’t you fond of thin threads that break with just a flick of a fingertip, Director Song? Or should I introduce you to a sturdy chain?”

If he wanted a strong restraint that could reliably bind him, he wouldn’t be here. Sung Hyun-jae would have kindly put a leash on him without going far.

But Song Tae-won probably, or definitely, wanted to be bound by the ordinary. A thin string that could stably wrap around and hold his extraordinary self. But such a thing couldn’t exist. Should I get Gleipnir [a magical rope used to bind the wolf Fenrir in Norse mythology]? Fenrir is also a canine.

“Anyway, the ‘us’ that Song Tae-won is squeezing into isn’t that strong either. In the first place, no one can catch someone unless you willingly lower your head and crawl in.”

“Even if it’s not strong, it won’t disappear. Even if some of it collapses from being touched wrongly, it will soon be restored like a spiderweb with hundreds of spiders clinging to it.”

That’s true. Unless a crazy tyrant S-Class who wants to kill everyone and rule appears, the country won’t collapse. And the possibility of such a tyrant appearing was slim. If it were the Middle Ages, maybe, but modern civilization has too many convenient and precious things to sweep away.

They say that the middle class in modern times lives much more richly than the kings of the past. Instead of creating a troublesome new system, it’s better to enjoy capitalism with the money earned from dungeons.

“On the other hand, Han Yu-jin is finished with one bite.”

“My kids don’t bite.”

“I do.”

Two gazes simultaneously turned to my palm. I wondered why he brought the key with blood on it. It was like a warning that he had already bitten. I’m sorry. I thought you even had a muzzle, but it seems you only had a leash.

“I’ve been through a lot of rough stuff, you know. I don’t care about a few bite marks. I’ve already been bitten by Song Tae-won.”

“That’s why it’s more difficult.”

Song Tae-won released my shoulder and took a step back. Why is it difficult?

“Be satisfied with reshuffling some of the Hunter Association.”

His voice returned to being businesslike. Did he come to warn me to eat 적당히 [jeokdanghi – Korean for ‘moderately’ or ‘appropriately’] and leave? He’s very protective of his territory.

‘What to do.’

He was originally a big man, but he felt like a wall again. It was good that I set fire to the mountain and a tiger came out of the cave, but he’s just telling me to stop playing with fire and crawling back in.

‘This reshuffle will improve the state of the Association compared to before the regression, but…’

I couldn’t rest assured. The dungeon difficulty will increase faster than before, and if the response is lukewarm, the Association will still be grabbing at the guilds’ ankles. In particular, they did more than one or two stupid things trying to coordinate the guilds and create a stable competitive structure.

Monopolies are not allowed, I understand, but it’s not something to talk about when the world is about to end. So, unless they want to collapse and be swallowed up like before the regression, there needs to be someone at the top who can move toughly in response to the rapidly changing reality.

I sighed once and stared at Song Tae-won.

An S-Class Awakened who wants to be tied to his past position. He knows very well that it doesn’t suit his size, but he’s forcing himself into it, which is both devoted and selfish.

‘Still, the Association President’s seat is still within our territory, isn’t it?’

He’s not in a low position now either. Due to his special nature, he’s closer to being on the ground receiving instructions, but if he goes all the way up to giving instructions, it’s as if he can’t stand it himself.

I can’t know all of his contradictory insides.

“Since you’ve come all the way here, let’s have a drink together. They deliver here, so let’s get draft beer.”

At my casual words, Song Tae-won’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“…Are you saying that now? I’ll decline.”

“You really don’t want to badmouth Sung Hyun-jae?”

There aren’t many people who will badmouth that man with me. Even more so if they’re at the level of ordinary people. I called the security office and urged him again. Song Tae-won frowned but didn’t turn away.

* * *

“Yeah, nothing’s wrong. I’m just having a drink. What are you worried about when you know I have poison resistance? Don’t worry about it. Don’t work too late.”

It’s okay, everything’s okay, there’s no problem, I said and hung up the phone. It seemed the fact that Song Tae-won had come had reached Yoo-hyun’s ears. Then, Ye-rim also asked if I was okay, and I received a text from Moon Hyun-ah. Sung Hyun-jae was quiet because he was attacking a dungeon. If he had contacted me, I would have told him that I was badmouthing him.

“So, someday when the Seseong Guild Leader and Director Song are together, if you say that Director Song looks like a hyung [older brother or respected male figure in Korean], wouldn’t that sting him quite a bit, that man?”

“I would prefer not to be there.”

“Why, don’t you want to see it?”

“I think my stomach would hurt first.”

He spoke bluntly, but his eyes softened slightly. I couldn’t get drunk, but the beer was cold, and the snacks that came with it were edible.

“But he’s not the type to openly retaliate, is he?”

“He doesn’t *not* do it either.”

“It doesn’t seem like he would hold onto something like that.”

“It’s a problem because he unexpectedly returns it when he suddenly remembers it.”

Has he been a victim before? He must have been involved much longer and more often than me, so he must have had reason to grind his teeth, but he was surprisingly calm. No, the fact that that man is opening up like this probably means he has a lot built up.

– Peep!

The Ppiyak that was floating around us landed on Song Tae-won’s head. Not there, Ppiyak. Even with a baby bird on his head, he emptied his glass as if nothing had happened.

And then trivial words were exchanged again. However, as if by tacit agreement, they didn’t bring up stories about themselves. I subtly poked at the position of Association President, but Song Tae-won smoothly changed the subject.

* * *

On TV, news was flowing about the corruption of one of the Hunter Association’s board members. Compared to the previous smuggling of S-Class items, it was a minor crime, but the enraged public immediately called for his removal. There was also talk of conducting a full investigation. Rumors circulated that a special investigation team would be formed to target the Hunter Association.

Those among the Association’s members who had something to hide were anxious about when the fire would spread to them. If they had hidden a significant flaw, they couldn’t even sleep properly at night.

Of course, among them, the ones with the most deadpan faces were those who had received warnings from Han Yu-jin.

“We can’t let this continue. We must divert public attention.”

That was true. The reason why even things that would normally be buried were being dug up was because people’s attention was focused on the Association due to the kidnapping incident.

But how?

“A dating scandal won’t even work.”

There was no issue that would cause more buzz than the kidnapping of the Mana Beast Tamer. How could they beat the sensational story of buying and selling humans for huge sums of money, with all sorts of embellishments added?

Then a man quietly opened his mouth.

“Let’s break a dungeon.”

At his words, the other two people flinched. But the surprise didn’t last long.

“Can we time it right?”

“Originally, we should have started attacking the illegal A-Class dungeon ten days ago. The attack was postponed because of this incident, but it will break within two or three days at most.”

“This person has been deliberately delaying it.”

“There’s nothing better to divert attention.”

No matter how sensational the article, wouldn’t the threat to real lives be greater? It was a pity about the A-Class dungeon, but the Hunter Association’s position is such that they can embezzle even more than that.

A long-awaited high-level dungeon break would be enough to take the top spot in the headlines.

* * *

– Kkiuung.

Peace rubbed his head against my chest as if he didn’t want to fall. After acting spoiled for a moment, he glanced at Yoo-hyun and jumped out of my arms.

“Have a good trip, Peace.”

– Kyaang!

He made a sound as if answering and stood next to Yoo-hyun. Then, my brother looked at me with a slight worry.

“It won’t take long, so stay home obediently.”

“I’m your hyung.”

He’s acting like a guardian. It’s not like this is a one- or two-day thing.

“Anyway, I have no intention of going out because my face is known. Unless a dungeon breaks nearby, I’ll stay cooped up obediently.”

“You really have to stay obedient, ahjussi [a Korean term for ‘uncle’ or a respectful way to address an older man]!”

Ye-rim also said worriedly. These kids, really. I’m mentally twice your age, you brat.

“Worry about yourself, Ye-rim. This is your first time officially going on an S-Class dungeon attack. And it’s not even a low-level one.”

Due to the incident in Hong Kong, Han Yoo-hyun judged that Park Ye-rim had grown enough to create an S-Class dungeon attack team. If she had enough experience, he said that in terms of firepower, she could attack up to mid-level S-Class dungeons if the dungeon environment was right.

So, that’s why she was accompanying them on this S-Class dungeon attack.

Our Ye-rim, you’ve really grown a lot. It’s only been two months since she awakened, but she’s growing really fast. The Mermaid Queen’s help was significant, but it was an exceptionally fast growth.

“Don’t worry! I matched the Guild Leader, you know. I’m strong enough.”

“It was 3 against 1.”

At Yoo-hyun’s words, Ye-rim raised her eyebrows.

“The Seseong Guild Leader only kept me in check, and Noah oppa [a Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by females] didn’t attack either, so I did it all? And I received the Guild Leader’s buff too.”

“Attribute buff, stat rental, Noah Hunter and Seseong Guild Leader’s assistance, flame resistance coat, and even the environment was perfect. From the middle, I put hyung in a safe place, so there was no buff either. But you still tied.”

“I’m two months in, you’re three years in! And from then on, the Seseong Guild Leader also stepped back to protect ahjussi. It’s 2 against 1! Noah oppa was still only assisting.”

Um, they’re getting along well.

“Don’t fight in the dungeon. Yoo-hyun and Ye-rim, I love you both. Peace too, of course. Don’t try to finish the attack too quickly, safety is the most important. Ye-rim, you especially need to watch and learn well.”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

“Really don’t fight. Always be careful.”

The three of them, including Peace, got into the car. I held the Ppiyak above my head in my arms and watched their receding figures. Yoo-hyun, that guy, shouldn’t run wild again. He needs to let Ye-rim gain experience too.

‘By the way, there haven’t been many contacts yet.’

Among the Association executives I politely asked to step down, only four have given positive answers so far. There’s one more day left, but if they hold out until the end, will I really have to forcibly drag them out? I wanted it to go smoothly.

Unexpected news came that evening.