The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 306

304. It Was Your Home (1)

“Director Song, please wait. I told you I’m still considering it.”

I stopped Song Tae-won, who had already gotten up from his seat. Then, I drank the rest of my juice. It really is delicious.

“And the fact that you haven’t made a decision, the fact that you’re bothering to tell me this, doesn’t that mean you won’t lay a hand on me?”

I looked up at Sung Hyun-jae. Why is he saying something so unlike him?

“First, let’s hear the reason. You offered to be my guardian and took care of everything, so why are you suddenly sulking? You’re still feeding me like this. Are you fattening me up enough to slaughter me now?”

“It seems I’ll have to raise you for life in your current state.”

“I’m all grown up. Answer before Director Song draws his sword.”

The glass was refilled. The ripe, sweet scent overflowed. The smell, reminiscent of softly puffed-up bread, still lingered throughout the kitchen.

“I’ve always had a sense of déjà vu.”

“Would you like some more?” he asked, offering me a croissant.

“A feeling that I’ve experienced something similar, or even the exact same thing.”

“It’s highly likely that you actually experienced it.”

Not just because of my regression, but because of his experiences in some world in the past. Sung Hyun-jae’s fingertips twisted open the lid of a small, pretty jam jar. The sweet scent mixed in again.

“I quickly become accustomed to anything, and quickly become bored. It always ends up being anticlimactic.”

“Even if it’s a completely different world, people’s lives won’t be that different.”

Even in our world, there are various cultures, but inside, they’re bound to be similar. Eating, dressing, sleeping, fighting, getting close, falling in love, being consumed by hatred. Sung Hyun-jae must have been an object of worship in any world. Always easily rising to the top, always in a position to look down on those around him.

It must have been really boring for him.

“But you know the reason now, so aren’t you a little relieved?”

Even though being tied to Crescent Moon [Sung Hyun-jae’s guild] must be infuriating. As I spoke, I glanced at Song Tae-won. He probably has no idea what we’re talking about, but he’s standing there, silently watching Sung Hyun-jae’s movements.

“Thanks to you, the two of you have become even closer.”

Sung Hyun-jae smiled as he picked up a knife. So close that he wants to kill him?

“Our Director Song Tae-won must be really unique.”

Following Sung Hyun-jae’s gaze, I also looked up at Song Tae-won.

“I guess so. I didn’t know he’d be such an unprecedented person.”

Director Song, who had no idea why we were acting like this, furrowed his brow slightly. There might be rare people who suppress themselves to the extreme, but it seemed truly rare for that person to be an S-Class Awakened [a person with superhuman abilities]. It seemed like Sung Hyun-jae was seeing it for the first time.

Sung Hyun-jae must have met many S-Classes, and even innate S-Classes. He might have even encountered a caretaker. An innate S-Class Awakened who cherishes their guardian. Wouldn’t he have experienced innate S-Classes with tendencies like Yoo-hyun or Riette creating and maintaining their own nests at least once? Of course, my brother was special even among them… But since his strong interest only lasted about three months, he wouldn’t have guessed that far. Even the Transcendents [beings of immense power] didn’t expect it.

“Seeing the same scene repeated over and over is never a pleasant thing. If it’s only a couple of times, you can still find it amusing, but it’s never as good as the first time.”

“Good things are good no matter how many times you see them. Yes, yes, you’re terribly sensitive and picky.”

He’s feeling the forgotten past in his memories. Looking at Sigma, it didn’t seem like he was like that from the beginning, but he seemed to have become more sensitive as he repeated his life.

“Han Yoo-jin is also very special.”

Jam was generously spread on the croissant. He elegantly scraped the jam that had dripped onto the white plate with the tip of the knife, creating a pattern. Just looking at it made the tip of my tongue sweet.

“I am quite special and unique.”

Declared by the Transcendents as the only perfect caretaker. It was rare for a human with F-Class stats [low-level abilities] to be dangling S~L Class title skills [high-level abilities]. With a very arrogant attitude, I crossed my arms and looked up at Sung Hyun-jae, lifting my chin.

“You won’t be able to see this again, so look at it while you can.”

There won’t be a second chance like this. On top of the jam, even whipped cream was placed, white as snow. Stop it, are you trying to kill me with sweetness? And why are there fruits on top? It’s pretty, though.

“So I wanted to cherish you. Even for my sake. It was for my own enjoyment.”

“It looks like it’ll be a mess when I eat it.”

I’ll have to cut it with a knife. Annoying. Can’t you just give me a croissant? Sung Hyun-jae held up something like a thin thread. The thread flicked sharply, slicing the croissant. Probably. The movement wasn’t even visible to my eyes. The croissant, and even the cream on top, didn’t have the slightest bit of disarray. He flicked it four times, so I guess it’s divided into five pieces, but you can’t tell from the outside.

The plate was placed in front of me. I picked up a fork and gently pushed the end, and the cut gap opened.

“It looked like you were having fun to me. Are you perhaps bored now?”

“If I were bored, there would be no need to hesitate. I don’t destroy things just because my interest has waned. I simply turn my gaze away.”

“And the abandoned person collapses on their own.”

“It’s a misnomer to say I abandoned them. I simply leave them in their place. But if they can’t accept it and try to chase after me and grab my ankle, then I have no choice but to intervene.”

Delicious. It was sweet, but surprisingly not too sweet. It’s as Sung Hyun-jae said. Kang So-young said that things rarely ended well, but as long as I don’t leave any lingering feelings for Sung Hyun-jae, there shouldn’t be any problems. Just look at the people around me, they’re all fine. Yoo-hyun would be relieved if I disappeared, and Seok Si-myung would feel the same. Hyun-ah is doing well as just an acquaintance, and So-young seems to be enjoying her life. Noah doesn’t seem to have any problems caused by Sung Hyun-jae either. Riette is the problem.

“I won’t grab your ankle. I keep my personal and professional lives separate. I might feel a little empty, but I’m good at parting ways. Even if I’m left alone, I can survive.”

I did live for eight years. And I’m much better off now than I was then. Sung Hyun-jae pretended to be sad at my words.

“You make me feel disappointed when you say that.”

“I said I’ll feel a little empty. Unlike someone, I’m not good at cutting things off cleanly. I’ll think about it from time to time. There was a really talented and strange person. He wasn’t bad. The croissant was delicious.”

I put the remaining piece in my mouth.

“So why? You keep telling me reasons why you can’t get rid of me.”

“I can’t give up on Han Yoo-jin. I have no intention of letting go.”

…I almost choked on my juice. What is he saying?

“What, you’re saying things that don’t make sense.”

“I can make some sacrifices for my own interest and enjoyment. Especially since I’m in desperate need of stimulation. Now that I know the reason for my condition, I feel like losing an arm is nothing.”

“…Is it that bad?”

“Believe it or not, I’m quite worn out.”

Suddenly, his faded hair color caught my eye. Is he talking about his body, his soul, or both? Is he in danger of stopping if he doesn’t get repainted with new stimulation? Of being buried in boredom?

“But recently, it’s been a bit too much. The line has become blurred. I don’t know if it’s for my sake, or purely for Han Yoo-jin’s sake. The boundary has become confusing. If I were to cut open Han Yoo-jin and dig inside, new facts that I desire would pour out.”

“Um, isn’t that like a goose that lays golden eggs? It’s a loss if you kill it by cutting it open.”

“These days, you don’t die just from having your stomach cut open. It would be fun to cut it open, then sew it up and heal it.”

Yeah, right. That’s probably true these days. Or maybe just take an X-ray.

“S-So, the fact that you’re holding back for my sake, not for your own, is… bothering you? Am I having too much of an influence on you……?”

I felt strange even as I said it. No, how did it come to this? Is that really the reason? Even if it’s an influence, it’s probably just like getting a splinter in your fingertip. Sung Hyun-jae is someone who has no reason to endure even such a small annoyance.

“It is annoying, but I wouldn’t cut off my precious goose’s neck for that reason.”

Sung Hyun-jae chuckled softly, saying that he was a little disappointed that I saw him that way. Thank you so much for saying that you’ll cut open my stomach but not my neck, really.

“That’s also a new stimulus. When else would I experience such confusion?”

“Then what is it, what is it, what?”

I felt a little annoyed. What’s the real reason? I thought it was unlike Sung Hyun-jae from the beginning. It’s not like him to get rid of someone who still has value just because he’s displeased. But then why?

“So it’s not Han Yoo-jin’s fault.”

“…Huh?”

“If you hadn’t come, I might have hesitated a little longer. It’s good that the two of you are together.”

“Excuse me, can you please speak in a way that I can understand?”

Now, not only Director Song, but even I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“It seems like it will be difficult to take care of you for a while, so don’t worry the young master and the little miss too much.”

“Are you going abroad?”

“This isn’t my taste, but it’s not bad once I try it. Your legs have gotten better, and you’re sleeping at least seven hours. Judging by your expression, you seem to be much better.”

My brow furrowed at the question of whether he should pack some egg tarts for me. What is he trying to do?

“What do you mean pack? I’m not going back until I get a proper explanation. No, I came here to tell you something. I haven’t even brought up my business yet.”

“You could say it’s a kind of overload.”

“Yes?”

“I’m very worn out, and at the same time, a lot has accumulated. Even the scout said so. That I’ve reached my limit.”

If it’s the scout, is that the horse foal that’s one of the pieces of Crescent Moon?

“It means that I need something new, but at the same time, I don’t have the capacity to accept anything new. I was already in a precarious state, and I was shaken, so it became difficult to endure.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“If I get rid of Han Yoo-jin now, I can regain stability. If I eliminate the source of instability with my own hands, I’ll likely calm down quickly.”

…So, my existence itself has become a threat to Sung Hyun-jae, is that what he’s saying? That I’m like a balloon filled with water, not only adding more water but also poking it, that’s what I am?

“…What exactly are you talking about?”

Song Tae-won, who had been silently watching us, couldn’t hold back any longer and opened his mouth. Sung Hyun-jae looked at him with an expression that wasn’t apologetic at all and replied.

“I’m sorry, I can’t explain it to you.”

“Director Song, I’m sorry. Later. Can’t we endure it for a while by just not seeing each other? Let’s not run into each other for a while and find a solution.”

“I’ve already found a solution.”

“What, then why-”

“It’s a little dangerous, though.”

He said that and smiled. A little? That sounds like there’s a one in a hundred chance of success? I jumped up from my seat and glared at Sung Hyun-jae.

“There must be another way.”

“Han Yoo-jin. Go back.”

“I don’t want to-”

In an instant, the air surrounding Sung Hyun-jae changed. Song Tae-won grabbed my waist and quickly pulled me back. Golden eyes thinly contained laughter. It still looked like Sung Hyun-jae, but it was heavy.

Something that had been piling up and accumulating was faintly leaking out. It felt like something enormous, almost like a world, was compressed into a small human form, and was about to burst.

“…You said you had a plan!”

“I do.”

“What is it!”

“Since the problem is that too much has accumulated, all I have to do is take some of it away.”

“That’s easier said than done! Can you do that?”

“If my dear Director Song Tae-won does a good job.”

Sung Hyun-jae and I looked at Song Tae-won at the same time. Song Tae-won frowned.

“Please explain exactly.”

“It’s simple. Use Plunder well. Extract and swallow the monster that you’re feeling now, the one that’s even worse than the usual me.”

“…….”

“I might get swallowed up as well, but in that case, let’s just say it’s a gift for Song Tae-won.”

…Is that a gift? That’s strangling Director Song. Song Tae-won let out a short breath. A sword was already in his hand.

“If you leave it like this, what will happen?”

“It’s okay for now, but if the survival instinct gets stronger, it will try to kill Han Yoo-jin. And then it will be your turn.”

“Then I will stop you.”

“With your current skill level, it will still be difficult to make delicate adjustments. Try to survive on your own.”

It sounded like he was putting an apple on the head of someone who had never shot a gun before, saying, ‘If you’re lucky, you might survive.’ I don’t even know how to use the Plunder skill, but Song Tae-won lowered his center of gravity slightly and prepared to attack.

“D-Director Song! Do you think it’s possible?”

“I don’t know. But that thing.”

The hand gripping the hilt of the sword tightened.

“It’s not human.”

“…You don’t mean you’re just going to kill him and see what happens, do you?”

There was no answer. I’m going crazy. Are we all going to die here? I honestly don’t know if Song Tae-won will be safe after killing Sung Hyun-jae. He’ll probably survive. But the problem is whether he’ll live properly.

“Damn it, Director Song! Wait a minute!”

“Get out.”

Song Tae-won said in a calm tone. I know something will happen if I go out! But he didn’t seem to have any intention of listening to me. How do I stop him? Should I activate Grace and block him with my body? Yoo-hyun… would probably try to cut off Sung Hyun-jae’s head with him, so should I call Evelyn…….

“Or I can take you to a safe place myself.”

Song Tae-won’s hand grabbed my arm. The sword that was in his other hand disappeared and handcuffs appeared. He noticed that I was going to interfere. Haha.

“Grace!”

At the same time as I shouted,

Flash, light burst out. The explosion was small. But powerful magic swirled in a narrow range and pushed Song Tae-won back in an instant. Grrr, the floor scraped as Song Tae-won stood his ground without falling. In the meantime, I quickly ran to Sung Hyun-jae.

I stood in front of Sung Hyun-jae as if to protect him, and took out a gun, aiming it at Song Tae-won. At the same time as I pulled the trigger without hesitation, a magic bullet was fired from the muzzle. Song Tae-won straightened his posture in the meantime, drew his sword, and was holding it. The blade wrapped in black energy deflected the magic bullet as if cutting it. With a small pop, the bullet scattered. It’s probably the first time he’s seen a gun-type weapon, but he’s responding skillfully.

“I never thought I’d blow off Sung Hyun-jae’s head, but I never dreamed I’d be protecting you! I’m really thrilled to have two once-in-a-lifetime experiences in a row!”

Ah, life is so fun.