The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 444

442. Homecoming (1)

In the Murim Alliance, they gave us an entire detached villa. I appreciated the consideration, but the rooms were chilly, perhaps because there was a hot spring right behind it, or maybe they didn’t bother with the heating because of the hot spring. Honestly, I didn’t like the Western-style setup from the start. At the very least, you should take off your shoes before entering the bedroom. I always keep wet wipes by the front door at home and make sure to wipe the kids’ paws when they come in from their walks. I even have waterless cleanser.

‘Ondol [Korean floor heating system] is the best.’

Floor heating is so great. Or even an electric blanket. I really wanted to go home soon. Even when I was held by the military, the accommodations weren’t great. The hotel in the dungeon was okay, though. At least I didn’t sleep cold because of Yoohyun. Otherwise, I might have caught a cold.

“It’s my first time making this kind of tea, so I’m not sure if I brewed it properly.”

Everyone except our group had been dismissed, so Yoohyun brought the tea himself. Irin stuck to the stone chairs in the backyard, which was surrounded by walls, and warmed them up. It was still early, so the sky was a mix of faint red and purple.

“Thanks.”

“It’s supposed to be good for you.”

It probably won’t taste good then. Last night, seeing my brother seriously consulting with Teacher Horyeon about medicinal herbs made my mouth bitter. He even has the skill to brew medicine, but he said it tastes even worse when he uses it.

‘He had five optimization skills.’

He even had one SS-grade skill. He didn’t get one of the A-grade ones out of the five, but skill-wise, he could be considered an S-grade healer.

– Hyung [Korean term for older brother, used by males], is the chair too hot?

Irin asked, climbing onto the back of my hand. He seemed to be watching me, feeling guilty about what happened at the hotel.

“No, it’s just right.”

– Do you need anything else?

“No, I’m fine, Irin.”

– Yes!

“I appreciate you always siding with Yoohyun. But I wish you would calm down a bit.”

Irin spun around, hiding his head in my sleeve and tapping his tail.

– If Hyung doesn’t upset Yoohyun, Irin won’t have to do that…….

“Even if you’re close, you can still argue sometimes. That’s how you work things out. Irin, you’ll be a hyung soon, so you need to be more mature.”

I don’t know if it’s a hyung, nuna [older sister, used by males], unni [older sister, used by females], or oppa [older brother, used by females]. At the word ‘hyung,’ Irin popped his head out again and jumped.

– The Water Spirit has nothing to do with Irin!

“He’s Irin’s younger sibling, so you shouldn’t do that.”

– I don’t want to! Hyung! It’s fire and water! It’s natural!

“Yoohyun and Yerim get along well.”

– …….

Irin shut his mouth and stared at me. Why, it’s not bad.

“Yerim is closest to Yoohyun after me. Isn’t she?”

– No! She’s only a little okay! And after Hyung, Peace is first, and Park Yerim is second!

I don’t know if that’s true or if he’s just putting Peace first because he’s a fire attribute. Anyway, he’s saying he’s close to Yerim. If you include Peace, he has two friends.

“Peace is close to Yoohyun too, right?”

– Kkeueung.

Peace, who was curled up on my lap, tilted his head. He didn’t seem to understand what I was saying. If you think about it, you could say Irin is a friend too. He can even communicate. That’s a normal friend.

“I wonder when Guild Leader Sesung is coming back. Should I go to the hot spring one more time? It was nice in Japan too, and I like open-air baths when it gets cold. Except for being cold when you come out.”

“Should we build one on the rooftop garden?”

“The walls are high, so if we put a roof on it, it won’t be visible……. Let’s see.”

A personal open-air bath, isn’t that a bit luxurious? Besides, our house doesn’t have hot spring water.

“If we successfully contract with Teacher Horyeon, I’m thinking of pushing the former MKC healer towards the Breakers, what do you think? Or would it be better for them to be unaffiliated?”

Yoohyun paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“I think Breakers would be better. If they’re not affiliated with a guild, they’ll effectively be affiliated with the Association. Going to the Awakened Management Division would be okay, but that’s unlikely.”

“That’s true. The AMD wouldn’t be able to afford their value.”

It would be good to have an A-grade healer in public service, but unless they’re dedicated to 봉사정신 [Bongsajeongsin – spirit of service/sacrifice], they wouldn’t want to go. If it were an item with the same ability instead of a person, it would be easier to get 국비 [Gukbi – government funding]. But if it’s a person, people will definitely say, ‘Public officials get paid~’ And there will be plenty of people who say, ‘Why don’t you treat us while taking our taxes!’

The sky was getting brighter, and Noah also came outside. Yerim stretched a little later and asked what we were having for breakfast.

“I want to eat something spicy!”

“From breakfast? It’ll upset your stomach.”

“My stomach is S-grade, so it’s okay~”

Teacher Horyeon had left ahead of us to meet the family the Murim Alliance had rescued. His daughter and her husband were also planning to go to Korea together. As the family of an A-grade healer, they would get immediate entry and immigration permits.

Just when we were thinking about leaving after breakfast, Seong Hyeonje finally arrived.

“Why are you so late?”

How much did he 쓸어버렸기에 [Sseureobeoryeotgie – sweep away/destroy] that there’s still a 탄내 [Tannae – burning smell], wait a minute.

“What happened to your face!”

There was a faint scar on Seong Hyeonje’s cheek. It wasn’t a big deal, but the meaning behind it was very significant.

“…What happened?”

I asked, rushing over. You could get hurt fighting military hunters. But Seong Hyeonje wouldn’t easily show his face to others. And it hadn’t even healed yet.

“Did you use a potion? If it’s a shallow wound, it heals quickly even without treatment.”

Seong Hyeonje looked around at the Murim Alliance people and then bowed his head to me, using a sound-blocking item. His lips barely moved as he replied.

“It’s a kind of freezing skill.”

“Freezing?”

“You could say it hardens. It seems to apply not only to the opponent’s skills but also to wounds. It’s an ability that fixes the state of the wound, so potions don’t work either.”

“So, will there be a scar?”

Why on his face of all places? It’s the most 봐줄 만한 곳인데 [Bwajul manhan goseunde – decent/presentable place].

“It’s slowly 풀리고는 있어 [Pulligoneun isseo – being resolved]. I’ve been alternating between 해독 [Haedok – detoxification] items and 해주 [Haeju – healing/exorcism] items, but it was on the 저주 쪽이었다네 [Jeoju jjogieotdane – curse side].”

He said it was high-grade, so it hadn’t completely healed.

“‘Hardening what’s cut by a 칼 [Kal – knife],’ it seems to be a conditional type.”

“That’s a convenient condition. Usually, they’re 까다로운데 [Kkadarounde – picky/difficult].”

Curses without conditions or costs were usually weak. Unless it was something inherent to the species, like Rauchitas, the Curse Poison Dragon, curse skills were difficult to use as offensive attacks during battle. That’s why they’re mainly used in the form of mutually agreed contracts.

I reached out and covered the scar on Seong Hyeonje’s cheek. The faint scar completely disappeared.

“If only your face was hurt, did you 대준 [Daejun – offer/allow] to check on purpose? Why your face of all places?”

“I wasn’t the one they were aiming for.”

“So, who was it?”

If Seong Hyeonje was acting like this… My brow furrowed unconsciously.

“…Is it Chatterbox?”

“More precisely, it seems Chatterbox has reached out to those who believe dungeon appearances are the will of God.”

“Ah, those…….”

Them. There were bound to be people who thought that the sudden appearance of dungeons, monsters, and Awakened beings with supernatural powers was the power of God. There were fewer of them in Korea, but there were some serious types overseas.

“Which side is it? If they’re listening to Chatterbox, are they on the 종말 쪽 [Jongmal Jjok – end of the world side]?”

“Those who believe that stopping dungeons is defying God’s will.”

“Oh, geez…….”

A sigh escaped me.

“Well, they’re perfect to 써먹기 [Sseomeokgi – exploit/use]. They’re humans who think the world should end. But as far as I remember, they weren’t that powerful. There were frequent terrorist attacks, though.”

Since they opposed dungeon raids, none of their affiliated hunters were S-grade, and most were low-grade. Still, they used firearms overseas, so the damage was significant.

“They don’t value their lives, so it was quite 피곤했었다네 [Pigonhaesseotdane – tiring/exhausting].”

Seong Hyeonje openly showed his annoyance, saying he had encountered them several times.

“Even if they’re S-grade hunters, their daily lives aren’t much different from 비각성자 [Bigakseongja – non-awakened].”

He said it was annoying when they chased him to hotels, set off bombs, and stormed into restaurants with machine guns.

“It was a 카페 [Cafe] I liked.”

He said they had planted a time bomb.

“I received reports that they were active in North America and Europe and have recently spread to South America.”

“There weren’t any major incidents in Korea even until right before 회귀 [Hoegwi – regression/return].”

Seong Hyeonje explained that hunter guilds had tried to 뿌리 뽑으려고 [Ppuri Ppobeuryeogo – root out] several times, but it was impossible. Above all, the problem was that there were many 비각성자 [Bigakseongja – non-awakened]. There were even cases where 비각성자 [Bigakseongja – non-awakened] shot at mid-grade or higher Awakened, causing damage, but they were released after only paying material compensation.

“The precedent was that actions that clearly recognize that the other party will not die or be injured cannot be considered attempted murder.”

“…It’s not wrong, but it’s unfair.”

As a result, Seong Hyeonje seemed to be quite troubled.

“It was 귀찮았어 [Gwichanasseo – annoying/bothersome].”

“Is that why you went to India and Egypt?”

“And now there are S-grade hunters too.”

I unconsciously looked at Seong Hyeonje’s cheek, where the 사라진 상처 [Sarajin Sangcheo – disappeared scar] had been.

“At least two.”

“…There may be more.”

“He came with a 예언자 [Yeonja – prophet].”

“What? A 예언자 [Yeonja – prophet]? That’s really 사이비답긴 합니다만 [Saibidapgin Habnidaman – cult-like].”

“A 예언자 [Yeonja – prophet] who can’t see the future of Korea.”

As soon as I heard that, I understood. My lips stiffened slightly.

“The memories from 회귀 전 [Hoegwi Jeon – before regression]?”

“He said they started 떠오르기 [Tteooreugi – surfacing/coming up] about a month ago.”

“If it’s been a month, 무해의 왕 [Muhaeui Wang – King of Innocence] might have intervened, not Chatterbox.”

I should have asked him in detail what he had done to our world. Of course, it could have been Chatterbox’s doing. He was acting with 무해의 왕 [Muhaeui Wang – King of Innocence].

“…If he’s a 예언자 [Yeonja – prophet], he’s obviously in an important position, and the S-grade hunter who came as his escort is likely to be the strongest among them. What was he like?”

“If there hadn’t been restrictions, I would have dealt with him on the spot.”

Seong Hyeonje said lightly, as if it were obvious. Well done, really. Our side is too 유리한데 [Yurihande – advantageous], and there’s no way Chatterbox doesn’t know that. He’ll try to find a way.

I asked Seong Hyeonje for information about that 사이비 종교 [Saibi Jonggyo – pseudo-religion/cult]. It seems to have changed a lot due to Chatterbox’s intervention, but I still need to know as much as possible.

“Hunter Miller knows a lot about them.”

“Evelyn?”

“Because she’s 지긋지긋하게 부딪쳤으니까 [Jigeutjigeuthage Buditchyeosseunikka – constantly clashed/confronted].”

Oh, dear.

Anyway, now that Seong Hyeonje was back, we came down the mountain to return home. Of course, there was something to take care of before heading to the airport.

“Alright, don’t worry~”

The five hunters who served as the military’s item storage looked at me with anxious eyes. I held up a round, flat glass plate to them.

“It’s a one-time use S-grade or lower 해주 [Haeju – healing/exorcism] item.”

It’s an F-grade one-time use lighting item. It costs only 10 points, lasts for 1 hour, and has enough light for sleeping. It’s a good item to turn on when camping outdoors. It’s an item that doesn’t exist in our world yet, so they won’t realize it’s fake.

“Don’t move, and take out the item when I give the signal.”

“Is it really… okay?”

“Of course! Trust me. If you overcome a moment of fear, you’ll regain your freedom! 해주 [Haeju – healing/exorcism] items are precious, and this is a rare opportunity! If you miss this opportunity, you’ll have to go to 성녀님 [Seongnyeonim – Saintess]~”

I reassured him and hugged the hunter tightly from behind. Seeing the lighting item start to shine, the hunter began to take out the item from his inventory. A bracelet was in his hand. Of course, nothing happened. The expressions of the person in question and the other hunters around him brightened.

And so did my face. Alright, let’s take everything out quickly.

Various items poured out, and the hunter stepped back feeling relieved. The second hunter, seeing the successful case, approached me without hesitation.

“Please take care of me!”

“Yes, yes. Don’t forget to leave anything behind.”

Of course, I wrote a separate contract. Items piled up again, and I completed the 해주 [Haeju – healing/exorcism] work for the third, fourth, and finally the fifth hunter. 50 points worth of lighting items were 깨져 나갔다 [Kkaejyeo Nagatda – broken/used up].

‘My lips, calm down.’

Looking at the pile of items, the corners of my lips naturally turned up. I feel full just looking at them.

“Don’t touch them. Don’t even think about putting them in your inventory, and step back.”

I was starting to feel like it was a waste to give them to the Murim Alliance. But I have priority. I organized the items with a Murim Alliance appraiser who had signed a contract prohibiting the use of inventories.

“19 S-grade, 57 A-grade, and 3 B-grade.”

Unfortunately, there were no SS-grade items, but there were a whopping 6 S-grade weapons. I’m so happy.

“I’ll take all the swords for now. There are three of them. There’s someone I want to give the S-grade wire to. One of them belongs to Guild Leader Sesung, and I’ll leave the spear behind.”

It’s a bit of a waste, but I promised. Instead of giving away valuable weapons, I decided to take more of the remaining S-grade items.

After dividing them up like that, I ended up with 12 S-grade items. I can get all the 부족한 장비 [Bujokhan Jangbi – lacking equipment] for our Yerim.