The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 492

490. Not Much to Offer (1)

Airplanes continuously landed at the modestly sized airport. Most were private jets of various designs, not typical commercial airliners, and only a few passengers disembarked. At most, there were fewer than ten people, and sometimes just a single person jumped down without waiting for the boarding stairs. Song Tae-won silently observed these scenes.

“Hunter Song Tae-won is here as a guest this time, isn’t he?”

Standing next to Song Tae-won, Shishio commented that since the Amaterasu Guild was managing the event, there was no need to worry. However, Song Tae-won continued to monitor the arriving guests.

“The possibility of this gathering remaining peaceful is slim, so we need to gather information.”

“Prepare?”

“To protect our country’s hunters in case of international incidents. So, please back up all video data as frequently as possible.”

“What if evidence unfavorable to Korean hunters surfaces?”

“Preventing that beforehand is my responsibility.”

Song Tae-won answered calmly. Shishio looked at him with a curious expression.

“You’re truly unique, just as I’ve heard. An S-Class Hunter acting like an ordinary civil servant.”

“I am a civil servant first, before being a hunter.”

“Don’t you ever feel the urge to cut loose instead of playing the boring watchdog?”

“I don’t enjoy it.”

“No way! You might be wearing a cat mask, but you’re a tiger inside.”

“There aren’t many S-Class Hunters who enjoy waiting.”

“Hmm?”

Song Tae-won tilted his head and looked up at the sky.

“When the airport reaches capacity…”

Before he could finish, something plummeted from the distant sky. And then.

콰앙!

The ground cracked with a deafening boom, and debris flew everywhere. Song Tae-won calmly made a note.

“Éric Didier from France. Bill him for the airport repair costs.”

“Do you know him?”

“I haven’t met him directly. He’s the Guild Leader of the Tour Seine Guild, who protested to the Korean Hunter Association about Noah Luthier’s affiliation. He is likely to cause trouble for Director Han Yu-jin and the Haeyeon Guild, so he is a person of interest.”

“Then I should remember him too.”

At Shishio’s words, Song Tae-won glanced at him. The Amaterasu Guild Leader’s eagerness to befriend Han Yu-jin was odd. Even though he had suffered a significant loss, expecting to raise the Flame Horned Lion, his behavior was excessively proactive. Could there be another, hidden reason?

“As long as I am here, no one will lay a finger on Director Han Yu-jin!”

Shishio laughed heartily and dramatically glared at the French hunter heading towards the waiting car.

‘…His simple personality seems to have a significant influence, too.’

He certainly didn’t seem to hold grudges. Among S-Class Hunters, there were some with such carefree personalities. They possessed enough power and ability to live like that, so they quickly forgot about significant losses if they chose to.

In any case, it wasn’t a bad thing for Han Yu-jin to have his goodwill. Song Tae-won checked the hunters disembarking from the plane that had just landed and spoke.

“Han Yu-jin asked me to tell the Amaterasu Guild Leader not to come on the first day.”

“Why?!”

Instead of answering, Song Tae-won took out the earphone and microphone connected to it and handed it to Shishio.

“Director Han Yu-jin!”

[Just one day, just one day. I’m being good. I need a reliable S-Class Hunter to greet any uninvited guests who might arrive late from outside the island. I really trust Mr. Shishio!]

“I, in that case…”

[Thank you! Mr. Shishio is the best!]

“Hahaha! Of course!”

Shishio handed the communicator back to Song Tae-won with a beaming face. Song Tae-won felt a slight irritation as he put the earphone back in his ear. Another person had been added to Han Yu-jin’s circle.

At that moment, a familiar plane landed on the runway. The private jet, speeding down the wide road, gradually slowed and came to a stop. Before the stairs could be positioned, the plane door opened, and someone lightly jumped down. Golden hair shook vigorously like a tail as Kang So-young stretched out her arms.

“I feel like I’ve been locked up for a week! Chief Song! Hello!”

Kang So-young skipped over to Song Tae-won. Then, she lowered her voice and whispered.

“It wasn’t a place for people. It was only about two hours, but the air was so stuffy~. Amaterasu Guild Leader, hello~ I like your hairstyle!”

In the meantime, the stairs stopped in front of the door, and the remaining passengers emerged. Song Tae-won’s eyebrows twitched slightly at the familiar black-red coat. The rumor that the Seseong Guild Leader had gifted Do-dam’s Director with Silesia’s Wings [a powerful artifact or weapon] had been circulating for some time. But openly wearing Silesia like that was like directly denying the rumors. Furthermore, the credibility of the rumors suggesting a close relationship between the two sides was likely to be diminished.

If information is spread and then revealed to be false, the stories related to that information naturally lose credibility.

Following the Seseong Guild Leader down the stairs, Evelyn and Chloe also exited the plane. Seong Hyun-jae’s gaze swept over Song Tae-won and Shishio next to him in turn. Seeing this, Evelyn quietly spoke.

“I’ll go ahead.”

She turned around as if she didn’t want to get involved. Chloe also followed her. Kang So-young glanced around and slipped away.

“Um, I’m supposed to meet Riette, so I’ll go.”

Kang So-young quickly left the scene, and Seong Hyun-jae shrugged his shoulders as he approached Song Tae-won.

“Everyone’s so heartless.”

“The Seseong Guild Leader is also heading to the island…”

Song Tae-won stopped speaking as if he had bitten his tongue. Among the guests heading to the island, there were some faces he knew. And Seong Hyun-jae would know even more faces.

“If you don’t mind, would you wait a moment and accompany me?”

At Song Tae-won’s words, golden eyes narrowed slightly. To someone who didn’t know him, it was a gently smiling face. But Song Tae-won could easily sense that Seong Hyun-jae wasn’t in a good mood. Above all, Kang So-young had said that she felt stuffy the whole time.

The island was already a place where a war of nerves was unfolding among the guests. Sending Seong Hyun-jae alone was like throwing a grenade with the safety pin pulled.

“Have I ever refused Chief Song Tae-won’s request?”

Song Tae-won swallowed the words, ‘There were many times,’ down his throat. At that moment, Shishio suddenly interjected.

“Is the rumor that you’ve lost interest in Director Han Yu-jin true, Seseong Guild Leader?”

“That’s a rather sudden question.”

“No, I was just wondering if it wasn’t welcome news for our Director Han. Anyway, I’m glad it seems to have ended cleanly!”

Shishio smiled brightly, saying he had been a little worried. Song Tae-won sighed and said to Shishio.

“I’ll continue to monitor this area, so please check the helipad. There’s a high possibility of disputes arising over the order of departures. There may also be hunters who refuse to ride with other hunters.”

“That could be true.”

Shishio nodded and left in large strides. Song Tae-won watched the hunter who had just arrived looking at this side, specifically Seong Hyun-jae, and spoke.

“If you’re willing to wait, I’d like you to go inside.”

“Aren’t these welcome faces I haven’t seen in a while? It might not be bad to greet them like this.”

“There are people who won’t be happy to see the Seseong Guild Leader.”

“That’s a disappointing thing to say. I’ve been living a decent life, you know.”

Song Tae-won narrowed his brow slightly and took out the list of attendees from his inventory to check who hadn’t arrived yet. The only fortunate thing was that Seong Hyun-jae wouldn’t provoke other hunters first. It was an environment where he would be provoked just by standing still, but he could prevent that first.

“Wasn’t there also the option of not attending? I heard you contracted to receive information about Gi Seung-soo first.”

“Director Han personally handed me the invitation, so how could I refuse?”

“Aren’t you ignoring it now?”

“Did you check the nape [of his neck]?”

At Seong Hyun-jae’s words, Song Tae-won’s face hardened even more. He had been worried about it all along. Han Yu-jin said it was just a simple invitation mark, but he had a bad feeling.

“Even though it was covered with Han Yu-jin’s magic power, it was still bothersome.”

“Is it dangerous again?”

“As always. He wouldn’t have taken care of himself.”

“This is troubling.” Seong Hyun-jae’s eyes held a subtle smile.

Several planes landed and took off again, vacating their spots, and then other planes landed in the empty spaces. The noise of the airport echoed in the ears of the two men. There were a few hunters who kept their eyes on Seong Hyun-jae, but fortunately, they didn’t approach and left.

And then another plane landed. This time, too, the hunter jumped down without needing stairs. He was wearing a flashy Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sunglasses, as if he had just returned from a vacation. Beach sandals without any sense of the season tapped against the floor.

“Seseong Guild Leader!”

The hunter, Hwang Rim, took off his sunglasses and smiled brightly. At the same time, Song Tae-won’s eyes turned coldly.

“It’s been a while. Chief Song Tae-won, too. Ah, didn’t we run into each other back then? I saw you from afar.”

Hwang Rim approached the two with a friendly attitude.

“Hunter Hwang Rim is not on the list.”

Song Tae-won said in a cold voice. Hwang Rim hooked his sunglasses on his shirt and raised the corners of his mouth.

“I received an invitation under an American name. Richard Hwang, I thought you’d recognize it.”

“Are you talking about the A-Class Hunter?”

“It’s annoying to be called an S-Class overseas. The owner of the name is an A-Class.”

Hwang Rim smiled, folding his eyes, and took out a cigarette case from his inventory.

“Wouldn’t alcohol and cigarettes go hand in hand? I’m here to do business, so don’t be so hostile.”

Hwang Rim joked, saying he couldn’t miss such a good promotional opportunity.

“This time, I’m not an S-Class Hunter, but an ordinary merchant.”

He spread his arms, showing that he had come with a light body and mind. Then, he turned halfway around and faced Seong Hyun-jae.

“I heard you’ve been showing your bad habits again.”

“Why are there so many people who like to gossip about other people’s affairs?”

Seong Hyun-jae drooped his eyes as if he was bored. Unfazed, Hwang Rim made a curious expression.

“It’s probably just a rumor.”

“Aren’t you standing in front of me perfectly fine?”

Hwang Rim laughed out loud at the words that he wouldn’t be safe if it wasn’t a rumor.

“You’re not someone who gets tired easily. Our Woon is also missing you so much that he’s been listless. I had a hard time stopping him from coming with me in his weakened state.”

“Hunter Hwang Rim’s visit doesn’t seem like a good choice either.”

“I’ve only been kind to him. More than that, Seseong Guild Leader.”

The cigarette case touched Seong Hyun-jae’s tie.

“Would you like a cigarette?”

“I’m quitting.”

“Oh, my. The moving billboard is refusing. What a pity.”

The metal case, lightly held in Hwang Rim’s hand, disappeared like magic. His fingers snapped, making a sound.

“If you suppress it too much, you’ll get sick.”

“Isn’t it the opposite?”

“What’s precious in my eyes is precious in others’ eyes. Especially if it’s good enough to catch the eye of the Seseong Guild Leader, it’ll be snatched away in an instant.”

Hwang Rim took a big step back.

“I’m just a spectator, but I also love peace. Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone if there was a clear owner?”

Hwang Rim said he was going to sell his goods and left. A brief silence fell, and Song Tae-won sighed and said.

“He also has American citizenship, and officially, the kidnapper of Director Han Yu-jin’s breeding center is not a Chinese hunter.”

“I know.”

“Don’t kill him rashly.”

At Song Tae-won’s advice, Seong Hyun-jae tilted his head as if he was puzzled.

“Shouldn’t you be telling that to other people? To prevent a pile of ashes named Richard Hwang from accumulating on the island.”

“…….”

“I’m not particularly upset.”

Song Tae-won felt a headache coming on and turned on the microphone he had turned off.

“What’s the situation on the island?”