The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 484

482. The Gathering Organizer (1)

– Bbaeng.

Sorok rubbed his head against the tree trunk, making a discontented noise. Each time he bumped his head, small marks appeared on the tree. The small, round horns, only about the length of a finger, were still soft and pliable. They were covered in fine, downy skin, which seemed to be very itchy.

When the horns grew larger, that skin would flake off. It might be different for monsters, but probably not.

“You’ll get hurt; don’t rub it too hard.”

Most of the trees in the training center’s yard were from dungeons. Ordinary trees couldn’t withstand the children’s antics, so the Hunter Association granted permission to replace them with trees from dungeons. There were no two of the same species, lest they propagate.

Being from an upper-level dungeon, the tree was sturdy enough that Sorok’s headbutting didn’t affect it, but I was worried about his soft horns getting hurt. Even if there were potions, they couldn’t erase painful memories.

At my nagging, Moon Hyun-ah strode over and lifted Sorok up with one arm. Sorok struggled, bleating.

“You’re strong, aren’t you, little guy.”

Hyun-ah laughed, scratching the head and around the horns of the baby reindeer. Soothed, Sorok soon calmed down.

“He’s grown so much in such a short time. I didn’t think he’d grow at all.”

I said, examining Bare’s wings. The baby Pegasus hadn’t yet mastered his long wings, so they often became tangled or dirty. Sometimes, they were even stepped on by other monsters, causing the feathers to break.

“Even though she’s gone, doesn’t she come to the training center three days a week? He’s not fully grown yet, after all.”

“At first, he didn’t know. We couldn’t tell him, and from Sorok’s perspective, his friend suddenly disappeared.”

I thought he found the baby sheep annoying, but he must have grown quite attached to her. Baby monsters often went out for training, so Sorok was calm on the first day. But when Song didn’t return after a day, he began to pace around the door of the pen.

He would bleat at me in dissatisfaction and tug at my clothes, asking to go outside. Usually, he hated even going to the training room, but he crossed the first floor of the training center and went outside. After circling the training center and going out to the building, he stood there for a long time, watching the passing hunters, before returning to the training center on his own.

“I think he wanted to go find Song, but he must have felt the hunters were too strong. And there were so many of them.”

The hunters at the training center were familiar, but those at the building wouldn’t be. After that, Sorok began to grow noticeably. It was the same even after Song returned the next day.

“Perhaps growth requires a trigger or motivation. Sorok was in an environment where he didn’t need to grow.”

Full, safe, and peaceful. Other baby monsters grew even in the same environment, but Sorok, perhaps, didn’t want to grow in the first place. He might have realized that growing up would only bring troublesome things.

“That’s how change is.”

Hyun-ah nodded, putting Sorok down.

“Usually, if there’s nothing lacking, people tend to settle. Not that it’s a bad thing, of course. I’m even envious. I want to spend my retirement peacefully too.”

“Not now?”

“You have to move when your body is still healthy. It’s a waste otherwise. That’s just me, though. Hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend] can rest for a long time.”

I’m healthy too, but my conscience pricked slightly. But I’m not destined to rest.

“I know it’s true that you need to be prepared to lose something.”

I said, leaving the pen. I took out my phone to check the time. It was almost lunchtime.

“I also know that there are times when struggling won’t work.”

Even if you risk your life, not everything will work out. Of course.

“Are you worried about Chloe’s words?”

“It’s possible that I seem to be insisting on ideals too much. But I don’t intend to change my mind.”

“Then that’s that. Either way, if it’s something truly precious, it’ll be the same whether you’re prepared or not.”

“…That’s right.”

Whether it’s realistic or not, it’s an issue I can’t compromise on. Why worry in advance about something I can never accept? I exchanged a light greeting with the hunter guarding the entrance to the training center and walked along the path leading to the building.

“They’re telling me to come try the cafe menu. Do you want to go, Hyun-ah? I don’t know if it’ll be any good.”

“I’m quite picky, you know.”

“Then I should definitely take you there.”

I said with a smile, but I felt a bit stuffy inside. Objectively, more people would side with Chloe than with me. Save the world by sacrificing a few, is the norm. How many people would choose to just die together instead of sacrificing others? Unless they’re the ones being sacrificed.

‘It would be nice if we could just end it with them being bad guys.’

Of course, to me, to us, they are the perpetrators. So I have no intention of just glossing over it with an, ‘Oh, you had an important purpose~’. But that’s just how the world is.

“I think it’s great to want to help a lot of people.”

I said, glancing up at the sky. It’s not as clear as it will be in five years, but it’s still much clearer than it used to be.

“But I don’t think I can broaden my horizons. I’ll be satisfied just taking care of what’s in front of me.”

“That’s normal.”

Hyun-ah, who had suddenly stopped walking, looked down at me.

“Hyung, you seem to think I’m amazing, but…”

“You are amazing.”

“I’ve just been living, embracing whatever comes my way. That’s how I’ve accumulated everything.” Moon Hyun-ah smiled awkwardly.

“It’s not like I suddenly awakened and decided to set some great, clear goal and move forward with vigor. I was bewildered at first. But because I wasn’t alone, I quickly came to my senses and started moving, but I made several mistakes too.”

She shrugged, saying that even now, the guild itself is annoyingly tied up.

“Doryeon-nim [young master] is the same. He became the leader of a large guild at that age, but he only had a small goal: to protect Hyung.”

“…He was protecting the world, just looking at me.”

“Right. Goals are important, but how you act is more important. You protect your family and end up saving the world. It’s not easy to see far ahead from the start anyway. There are stages. Sung Hyun-jae probably moved according to his plans from the moment he was born, though.”

“That’s tr-, no. There’s Sigma.”

At my words, Hyun-ah laughed loudly.

“That’s right! That’s right. Dal definitely seemed young. He ended up staying in Sollemnis by accident, he said. I wish he had come with us too.”

Hyun-ah said regretfully. I still don’t really feel like they’re the same person, but Sung Hyun-jae did have an immature period. Sung Hyun-jae was always in perfect control, as if he was wearing a mask no matter what he said, but Sigma was fun to poke at. I want to see him too.

We started walking again. As we entered the back door of the building connected to the training center, several hunters greeted us. Construction noise could be heard from one side. A bank and a convenience store were scheduled to open there.

“But are you okay, Hyun-ah? You know her.”

“Huh? Oh, of course, I’m fine. She’s not young like Yerim, and she’s even an S-class. At that level, she can take care of her own business.”

“But if you were close, it might be a bit awkward.”

“I’m closer to Hyung. More than anything, Chief Han was the one in danger, so I’m on Hyung’s side.”

It can’t be helped if we clash because we don’t get along, Moon Hyun-ah said.

“Hunters just get rougher, but everyone lives fighting anyway. Even twins have differences of opinion. By the way, are you okay, Hyung? You don’t look okay.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“A little. Actually, quite a bit.”

I rubbed my cheeks with my palms for no reason.

“I’m complicated inside, but there’s only one answer. I’m fine.”

The souvenir shop next to the cafe seemed to be quite crowded today as well. Only customers from outside the building could access the general public facilities. The cafe was also planned to be like that. Of course, the staff entrance was inside the building. Hyun-ah and I entered the cafe together.

“Wasn’t this cafe supposed to be Peace-themed?”

Moon Hyun-ah said, making eye contact with a giant hamster doll. And what are all those pictures hanging on the wall? There are golden hamsters and regular hamsters mixed together. The regular hamster pictures even have names on them.

“Hey! Do Hamin! Is this a hamster cafe?”

Do Hamin, who was displaying hamster miniatures in a display case, looked at me as if I was talking nonsense.

“Hamsters don’t like a lot of strangers.”

“What?”

“I’m not going to let the kids out.”

“No, the decorations are all hamsters!”

“Peace is over there.”

Hamin stuck out his chin and pointed to the opposite wall. Peace dolls, decorations, and pictures were displayed there, but hamsters were still more prominent!

“Look at this, gold-plated Geumdong~ I’m going to make a life-size version out of pure gold.”

“That crazy bastard. I’m a crazy bastard for trying to partner with that guy.”

“Do you want some coffee? I learned hamster latte art. There are hamster cookies too.”

“What about Peace?!”

“The building owner is learning.”

That damn guy. Minui came out from the kitchen and greeted me and Moon Hyun-ah.

“I’m in charge of the kitchen for now!”

I didn’t trust him at all. They’ll hire regular employees separately, but is it okay to leave it like this? It’s a good thing I’m the building owner. As soon as we sat down at the table, I kicked Hamin, who was shoving his phone in my face to show me Geumdong, and chased him away.

“I’m sorry, Hyun-ah. It doesn’t look like anything proper will come out… Should we order delivery?”

“That’s too much! Wait, Master!”

Hamin shouted confidently, as if Noah’s presence was the source of his confidence. There were also hamster decorations on the table. It’s easy for these to get stolen. Display items in the display case also disappear sometimes.

“Hello, Yoojin-ssi.”

Noah appeared as the door opened. He went straight to the kitchen, so it seemed Hamin’s confidence was none other than Noah’s presence. That bastard is exploiting people.

“Hey! Can you even afford to pay Noah-ssi’s part-time wage?!”

“He’s not a part-timer, he’s a teacher! France is the land of desserts, isn’t it?!”

“I’m not that good at making them.”

Noah said modestly, but his cooking skills seemed considerable. Originally, I asked Myungwoo, but he refused because he was busy. Of course, he’d be busy, the shameless guy. In the meantime, Minui brought out the drinks.

“…Barley tea?”

“Team Leader Seok told Chief Han to give Chief Han water. I’m also watching Guild Leader’s eyes. What should I give Breaker Guild Leader?”

“Water is the best. Then I’ll have bottled water too! With ice, nice and cold.”

Still, it’s a cafe, but barley tea? Ice water was placed in front of Hyun-ah.

“I should start improving my image.”

I said, replying to Yoohyun’s text asking if I had eaten lunch. I’m at Hyung’s cafe.

“You’ve been emphasizing the F-class too much.”

“Chief Han has mostly a harmless and pitiful image. He lost his parents early, and he has good skills but low stats, so he’s been kidnapped several times.”

“That’s why Chloe and overseas hunters seem to look down on me a lot. It was like that in Japan before.”

It’s to be expected. Hyun-ah emptied her glass of water in one gulp.

“It’s the same domestically. Because they manage my image and block information, some S-classes think they just like Hyung. They don’t know that the opposite came first. So there are quite a few hunters who dislike Hyung.”

“They say I don’t know my place and meddle everywhere. They think I should just stay in the training center and raise monsters like an F-class. I don’t even have to see it to know. Do Hamin, my brother is coming too!”

“Oh, I’m burdened by Guild Leader. You don’t eat out often.”

Minui frowned and worried.

“But he’s not picky.”

“Instead, he’s picky about quality. He always eats meals that he prepares himself, and he throws away any ingredients that are even slightly bad. That’s why the people in charge of Guild Leader’s ingredients have to work so hard.”

I see. Well, the ingredients that came into the house were all fresh. But he ate what I bought well. Don’t hold back if you don’t like it… but if I did that, it would be hard to eat out. Yoohyun liked eating out together too.

Minui said not to call him when Guild Leader comes. He said it’s best to just watch from afar.

“Even if Hyung confidently steps forward, they usually see it in two ways. Either the S-classes ordered him to, or he’s acting like that because he trusts the S-classes.”

“That’s a normal perspective. I don’t know if I should change the public image. It’s enough if they know that I’m really close with our kids.”

“Haeyeon has been working hard on that, so don’t worry. They’ve made you out to be inseparable brothers and a loving family with Yerim and Peace. They even leaked an article about the behind-the-scenes of the China kidnapping.”

He couldn’t sleep a wink, Haeyeon Guild Leader regained his smile only after Hyung returned, and so on. It was like that. Seok Simyung is working hard. But wasn’t he the head of the personnel team? These days, he seems ready to swallow the PR team.

“What I want to change is the perception of hunters. Especially the high-ranking hunters. It wouldn’t matter if we were still focused on dungeon raids, but they’ve drawn hunters to their side. High-ranking hunters tend to ignore the words of weak people.”

It’s not just high-ranking hunters. It was the same even for non-awakened people. However, the problem was that to a high-ranking hunter, an F-class was not just a weak person, but something on the level of a hamster. If a healthy adult is told by a child that the road ahead is dangerous, they would still pay attention to see what’s going on. But if a hamster says it’s dangerous! they would ignore it, thinking there’s probably just a cat.

“It won’t be easy. I mean, we’ve experienced Hyung firsthand, but other people haven’t. People don’t believe what they haven’t experienced.”

“That’s why I have to gather them and show them.”

Especially the S-class hunters who received the Chatterbox invitation. We had to make it clear that we were not to be trifled with to prevent them from crossing over. I can’t stop them all, but I have to reduce the number. I need to hold our gathering as soon as possible… It’s a bit daunting.

“Hyung, doesn’t the cafe only have sweets?”

Yoohyun, who had entered the cafe, said worriedly. As if answering his question about whether we could have a proper lunch here, a meal menu, not a dessert, was brought out.

“We’re not selling this here.”

He said he’d give us dessert after we ate. Thanks to Noah’s help, the food tasted pretty good.

The next day, there was still no contact from Sung Hyun-jae. Instead, there was a speculative article that Chloe Alger might enter Seseong [a powerful hunter guild]. As a skilled overseas high-ranking hunter, the reaction was naturally good. And I called Sishio.

“Hello, Sishio-ssi. Do you happen to have a spare uninhabited island?”

Preferably one with a building suitable for holding a gathering. A cruise is too expensive, and it’s a waste to destroy it.