The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 44

That smug, grinning face is irritating. ‘No intention of causing discord’ my ass.

Just then, Moon Hyuna’s phone rang.

“Oh, looks like it reached his little ears.”

She held up her phone to show me. The screen displayed ‘Crazy Bastard 2’.

“The original crazy bastard is, of course, Sung Hyunjae, that old man.”

“…Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“Want to answer it?”

I took the phone she offered and pressed the call button.

[Moon Hyuna, you—]

“Yoohyun.”

A short intake of breath could be heard.

[…Hyung?]

“Yeah, it’s me.”

[…Is the Breaker Guild Leader there?]

“She’s right next to me, grinning like a Cheshire cat.”

“It’s not that extreme.”

Moon Hyuna grumbled.

[Are you okay? Has that woman been saying weird things?]

“She’s been talking smack about you behind your back.”

[…What did she say?]

“To sum it up, that you’re not normal. But don’t worry about it. Honestly, you’re cut from the same cloth, so it’s nothing new.”

[…Huh? Okay?]

Yoohyun’s voice was full of bewilderment. Moon Hyuna’s eyes widened too. Seeing their reactions, I smirked.

You think you’re the only one who can talk behind people’s backs? I can do it too. Or rather, since it’s in front of the person, is it ‘front-talking’?

“Should I tell you an old story? It happened a year ago. To be exact, it was a year ago in spring. Around 5 PM on April 2nd, at the CS convenience store in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province—”

“Han Yoojin-ssi!”

Moon Hyuna shouted, snatching the phone away and turning it off. Her cheeks were slightly red.

“Ah, no, maybe not, but…”

“It seems the Breaker Guild Leader knows the story?”

“Very few people know about it…”

“But it’s not like no one knows. I overheard it by chance. I’ll keep the source a secret.”

The embarrassing and crazy thing Moon Hyuna wants to hide was used as a card to damage her reputation later. It’s a secret that everyone will know eventually, but not now.

It was truly an unforgettable anecdote.

“…Damn it, I can’t even kill you to shut you up.”

Her eyes, rolling towards me, were filled with murderous intent.

But she can’t touch me. We’ve already signed the contract. Unless she wants to fight 5-on-1 including the Association, she has no choice but to endure.

Since Gi Seungsoo is the most needed right now, she herself would regret messing with me over something like this. Without me, upper-tier Gi Seungsoo won’t be available for another two years.

“That’s what you get for talking about my brother behind his back. You reap what you sow; if you talk about others, your own secrets will come out.”

I smiled sweetly, creasing my eyes, and Moon Hyuna’s eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

Just then, her phone rang again, as Yoohyun was calling back.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“…Will you keep your mouth shut?”

“It’s a loss for me, but I don’t want to hear more bad things about my brother, so let’s agree to keep our mouths shut.”

“Fine.”

She answered the phone and glossed over the conversation. Moon Hyuna shrugged her shoulders dramatically as she took back her phone.

“You’re not easy, Han Yoojin-ssi. I never dreamed that story would come out. Can I trust you?”

“Of course.”

“Even if it leaks, it’ll just be embarrassing, ruin my reputation, and make me want to hide for half a year. But that’s it. But I’ll definitely kill whoever blabs.”

Her voice was calm, but it was clear that she meant it. Especially the ‘kill’ part. There’s a limit to her patience, huh.

“Don’t worry. Moon Hyuna-ssi is my beloved client. If you hide for half a year, it’ll be troublesome for me too. Why would I do that?”

“You talk a good game. Is there anything else?”

Of course, there is. Even though I look like this, I’m a dedicated viewer who never misses hunter-related programs.

I know a lot, but if I blab too carelessly, it’ll not only be annoying, but unlike the murderous S-Class in front of me, there are many people who won’t hold back, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.

As long as they don’t mess with me first, I’ll be quiet too.

“Would you believe me if I said there wasn’t?”

“Ah, right. Crazy Bastard 2 is his hyung [older brother or male friend]. I thought you were a bit naive, unlike that guy, but I really did something stupid. I need to remember that.”

…Naive? Did I act like that? I thought the negotiation went well.

“…I guess I was underestimated a lot.”

Moon Hyuna scoffed at my words.

“Of course, I underestimated you. Think about it, a newly awakened F-rank who can’t even shake off the air of an ordinary person says that Han Yoohyun is gentle. It’s like advertising, ‘I’m a complete newbie who knows nothing about the hunter world.'”

Ugh, I guess it could look that way. Officially, I’m a rookie who awakened less than a month ago. In reality, I have the longest hunter experience among the people gathered there, but who would guess that?

In the end, it would seem like a semi-ordinary person is saying that their brother is mild-mannered based on ordinary standards. Of course, they would underestimate me to the point of thinking, ‘Oh, this easy kid has a useful skill, should I poke him?’

Just like Moon Hyuna did a while ago.

“No wonder they were being strangely kind, even though they’re not usually like that.”

A sigh escaped me.

“Surely not everyone will be as annoying as Moon Hyuna-ssi.”

“Why so formal with the ‘-ssi’? Call me ‘nuna’ [older sister or female friend].”

Having regained her composure, Moon Hyuna rested her chin on her hand and smiled brightly. Hey, I’ve lived for over 30 years, you know.

“I’m desperate because of Gi Seungsoo. The others will probably approach you too. Good luck, like brother, like brother.”

I should probably not step outside the guild building for a while.

“But the young master really seems to cherish his hyung.”

“Yes?”

“The Haeyeon Guild Leader hardly ever makes personal calls. Not just to me, but to other guild leaders as well. The saved number is for the Haeyeon secretary’s office. You get connected through there. Other guilds are similar because of security, but…”

Moon Hyuna said that it was the first time the person in question had contacted so quickly.

“Even though they’re fellow S-Class hunters, they don’t contact each other?”

“The young master doesn’t. It’s not like other S-Class hunters are on good terms either. How should I put it, Han Yoohyun seems particularly uninterested in others. He didn’t have any friends when he was in school, did he?”

Moon Hyuna said with a smirk. No, that’s…

“He was popular! He received a lot of chocolates on Valentine’s Day and a lot of gifts on his birthday too.”

“Is that just because of his face? Did he ever bring friends home?”

…He didn’t. I can’t make any excuses for this. But he might not have wanted to bring them home!

Seeing me searching my memories, Moon Hyuna clicked her tongue and flicked her fingers. I could feel the surrounding air wavering. Then, the voices of the people that had been blocked off came rushing in.

“Ahjussi!” [Term of endearment, like ‘Uncle’ or ‘Mister’, used by younger people]

Yerim ran over, glaring at Moon Hyuna.

“Didn’t you promise not to bother him when you came here?”

Did I make such a promise? Well, Yoohyun wouldn’t have just said okay.

“Did I bother him? I just had a conversation.”

Moon Hyuna said, raising both hands. She definitely didn’t touch me.

“Ah, unni, really!” [Older sister or female friend]

“Oh, you wanna fight!”

Moon Hyuna jumped up and wrapped her arm around Yerim’s neck, pulling her into a hug.

“You’ll ruin my makeup!”

“You’re prettier without it at your age~”

The two of them get along better than I thought. What if Yerim really goes to Breaker in three years? It’ll be a complete disaster there later. Of course, there’s no guarantee that the future will be the same.

…Should I bring Moon Hyuna here instead?

She’s a woman I don’t like, but it would be a waste to let her be buried as a caretaker.

‘Applying the keyword wouldn’t be too difficult.’

Besides the fact that it’s easier to say the keyword between people of the opposite sex, Moon Hyuna was the S-Class who would visit me most often in the future. Since she has a great interest in Gi Seungsoo, she would likely come often to check on the monster while it’s being raised.

She even came to see me on purpose today.

So, I could slowly apply the keyword with playful love talk and appropriate kindness.

The problem is the keyword’s additional effect.

‘The possibility of no one thinking of her as a caregiver is low.’

Unlike the neglected Yoo Myungwoo, Moon Hyuna was an athlete who had advanced to the world championships. She would have had care from her parents, as well as coaches, professional trainers, and seniors.

If it’s related to sports, I’d be grateful, and a dad would be fine, and if it’s a mom… I could handle Moon Hyuna calling me ‘mom’. Since she’s older than me, it would feel playful.

I could gain trust with the keyword effect and then pull her out when the internal problems of Breaker get too big.

‘I don’t want to get close to her, but there’s no harm in putting her in Haeyeon. Her skills are certain, and she gets along well with Yerim.’

The current S-Class dungeon raid teams were basically one S-Class hunter and a majority of A-Classes, but later, when the dungeon difficulty increases, there will be teams with two or more S-Classes. Yoohyun and Yerim have conflicting attributes, so they can’t work as a team, but Yerim and Moon Hyuna would get along well.

A powerful one-shot attack and a wide-area skill specialized in binding opponents. Yerim even has a wide-area buff.

If they work together, they would be a really good combo.

‘Imagining it is quite appealing.’

Well, is Yerim her partner or my partner? I’ll just act as a strong supporter and try to reel her in.

After making up my mind, I found the sight of the two of them playing to be quite heartwarming. Please continue to get along well in the future.

* * *

The filming went smoothly.

There weren’t any particular difficulties. It was just explaining about Peace, answering questions, and checking minor things like throwing balls, grip strength, and reaction speed.

They asked me to show my affection and love for Peace, which was really easy. Our Peace is lovely, after all.

I’m glad Peace is my brother’s Gi Seungsoo; if I had to send him far away, I would have been so lonely. I can keep him with me when I’m not raiding dungeons, right?

“Ahjussi, are you drinking mana potions again?”

After the filming, I put Peace down for a moment and took out a mana potion, and Yerim approached and asked.

“Want one too? It’s orange flavored.”

“It only smells like orange, but it’s barely sweet and tastes sour. The apple flavor is bland and doesn’t taste good either.”

I think it’s okay. I’m not drinking it for the taste.

As I opened the bottle cap and drank it in one gulp, Yerim gave me a worried look.

“That’s the third bottle today. Is it okay to drink so much? Is there no recommended intake?”

“What recommended intake? It’s just for recovering from mental fatigue.”

I can’t say it’s because I’m short on mana from using the Seedling Skill.

Even after looking like crazy, I couldn’t find any worthwhile status windows. Since there were so many people, I just quickly checked the alphabet, and C-rank was the highest for both skills and stats.

‘The camera director can get what seems to be a C-rank special skill, but…’

Applying the keyword is secondary, and the optimization that can be used once a month is too precious. I need to save it as much as possible in case an A-rank or higher pops out anytime, anywhere.

Why is the Awakening Center made for combat specialization? If they awakened various aptitudes, there would be no need to be disappointed. Should I just set up a private Awakening Center? I can see the initial skills of optimization, so I can adjust the environment to suit the person… Hmm… As expected, it’s not a scale that I can handle alone.

‘But I feel guilty about just leaving the Awakening Center as it is.’

There were a lot of problems there. In the first place, the Hunter Association itself had many problems.

“Ahjussi! Why are you spacing out again!”

Yerim shouted, jumping up and down.

“You said it’s for recovering from mental fatigue, but you’re spacing out even right after drinking it. Are you not feeling well? Being constantly tired, that could be a sign of a serious illness…”

She panicked at her own words, and even her complexion turned pale. What serious illness? I’m healthy until five years later. Getting hurt while raiding dungeons was unavoidable, but my insides were fine.

“I can space out for a bit. Peace, come here.”

“But Ahjussi, you’re F-rank! Shouldn’t you get a health checkup? When was the last time you got checked?”

Well, even if F-rank is weak, I’m still just an ordinary person. I’m just paper compared to an S-Class.

“I don’t remember, but I’m fine. Hey, hey! Where are you trying to call!”

“The Guild Leader. To get a comprehensive health checkup—”

“No! I’m really fine!”

I don’t want to go to the hospital! And if it’s a comprehensive checkup, I’ll have to get an endoscopy, and what if I say nonsense? I can do it without sedation, but it’s hard.

“Kim Sunghan Ahjussi also worries about your health all the time. Take better care of yourself.”

Yerim grumbled, putting her phone back in her pocket at my dissuasion. No, that person thinks of me as a seventy-year-old, that’s why.

“Hello~ Would you mind if we took a picture together?”

Just then, two pretty girls who looked like celebrities approached and asked. Both were FF.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Can we touch him?”

“Just in case, no.”

No matter how kind and gentle Peace is, he’s still a monster. Broadcasting appearances are only possible with the Association’s special permission and the accompaniment of hunters like Yerim and Moon Hyuna; I can’t take him outside alone. It’s still illegal.

Thanks to Peace, the laws related to accompanying tamed monsters will likely change faster than originally planned.

“Can I take a picture too?”

Seeing the two girls taking pictures, another person approached. Then, the number of people surrounding us began to increase one by one.

Were these people just waiting for a chance to take pictures? I won’t be out here again, so I’ll let them.

“Peace is so cute!”

“Do you have any social media?”

Social media, should I try it? I have some pictures and videos of Peace. Especially the photos before he grew up; it’s a shame to keep them to myself. He’s cute now, but he was even cuter when he was small.

“I don’t yet, but I’ll think about it.”

“Please make one!”

Yes, yes. I also think I should spread the cuteness of my child far and wide.

Just then, the people gathered in the back stirred, and a gap formed as a man walked in. At the same time, the gazes of me, Yerim, and the people around us were fixed on him.

Wow, really…….

“He’s disgustingly handsome.”

…Yerim, watch your language. But he really is disgustingly handsome.

And his potential awakening stats were B, and his skills were A.

[Unawakened – Park Hayul

Potential Awakening Stat Grade B

Optimized Initial Skills

Unable to Take Your Eyes Off (A)

Comforting to Look At (A)

Perfect Combination (A)]

Triple A skills. And they all seemed like special skills. Something… related to appearance.

Is appearance also a talent? With that face, there might be no change even if he awakened to S-Class stats. Stat correction isn’t about becoming handsome, but about balancing things out, so there’s a limit. If the features are already perfect, there’s no way to add more. That’s why there are people who don’t change much even after awakening.

“Excuse me, can I get your autograph!”

Park Hayul said to Yerim, blushing. He’s probably a celebrity, but the tables have turned.

“…An autograph?”

“Yes! I really respect and like hunters! It’s my first time seeing an S-Class hunter in person, so I really wanted to go to the Association when you went to get your rank, but I couldn’t because of my schedule. But I heard you were filming here and came urgently!”

Park Hayul couldn’t hide his excitement and politely handed over the autograph paper. There are some kids like that. People who have fantasies about hunters and act like fans chasing celebrities. Especially since S-Classes have good looks, their fan base has become thicker.

But it’s ironic that someone more handsome than an S-Class is doing that. And if he awakens, he’ll be at least B-Class.

‘Optimization awakening would be impossible though.’

It was the kind of skill that you could never get through the Awakening Center. If he’s not careful, he might end up with only B-Class stats and ruined skills, making him half-baked.

But it’s a bit too… ambiguous for me to reel him in. I really don’t want to say the keyword to that face.

He’s a celebrity with a good face, so he’ll probably eat well and live well on his own. Let’s ignore it.

“I’m filming a movie right now. If it’s okay, can I send you an invitation to the premiere? Of course, you don’t have to come! Just, along with a small gift… I’d like to send you at least an invitation…….”

“Oh, yes. Go ahead. Send it to Haeyeon Guild.”

“Thank you!”

He’s a serious fan. But he’s filming a movie. Unconsciously, my head tilted.

I don’t remember seeing such a handsome actor. I was far from cultural life around this time, so I might not have seen the movie he’s filming now, but with that face, he would have continued to appear in various media afterward. He’s not a face that’s easily forgotten.

But why isn’t he in my memory? Did he retire early?

“Han Yoojin-nim!”

Park Hayul, who got an autograph from Yerim, now sends a burdensome gaze towards me.

“Please give me an autograph! Could I possibly get Peace’s paw print?”

“…Only autographs are allowed.”

Let’s quickly sign it and send him away. He’s someone I’ll never meet again.