The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 334: Second, Third (3)

“You remember how to do it, right? Make the incision above the heart. It’s better to do it in the bathroom.”

That goes for me, but since Yuhyun also has to bleed, the bathroom would be better. If there’s bloodstains on the bed, it’d be a hassle to explain. Plus, Peace would get startled too.

“Peace, it’s nothing serious, so stay here quietly, okay?”

– Kkiang.

I said as I petted Peace. Chirp and Belare had gone home with Yerim. I was reluctant to keep Belare at the hospital for long due to her poison, and Chirp missed the TV. Chirp had actually teleported home even before Yerim took him, probably because he was bored being alone, but he came back not long after. What am I going to do once Belare is gone?

I stood up, taking off the patient gown top. The attached bathroom in the hospital room was large and spacious. There was even a patient-use bathtub installed. I took out the Black Dragon’s heart and handed it to Yuhyun.

“Painkillers.”

Yuhyun asked as he received the heart fragment.

“No point in taking meds. It doesn’t hurt that much. I’ve done it alone before.”

“But it still hurts, doesn’t it.”

“What’s the big deal.”

It hasn’t been that long since we were swinging swords at each other for real. I mean, this is my actual body now, but still. I reassured him again that I was fine and turned around. The large mirror reflected Yuhyun’s face, all scrunched up. He’s going to get wrinkles if he keeps that up. Though maybe S-classes don’t worry about that.

“The closer to the heart, the better.”

At my reminder to be precise with the location, Yuhyun sighed and drew the Ruler’s Sword. From just behind me, I heard the cool sound of the blade sliding out of its sheath. My whole body reacted instinctively, nerves standing on end. It wasn’t fear—thanks to my resistance—but a conditioned response from long experience. The sound of battle beginning. It already felt like the scent of blood was spreading across my tongue.

Fingertips touched my back. If I hadn’t checked Yuhyun’s reflection in the mirror, I might have swatted him away by reflex. For some reason, the sensation felt slightly sharpened.

‘Is it because of that fight we had?’

It had been a while since we rolled around and really fought like that. Even after regression, I hadn’t exactly lived easy, but things had been comparatively smoother. Yuhyun, Yerim, and others around me would always tell me to take care of myself, but honestly, I looked fine on the outside.

His fingers lightly traced over my skin as if searching for the heart’s location. No, he must’ve found it quickly—he just seemed hesitant.

“…That mark, it’s not a problem?”

“Yeah. The Elder checked it too. It’s a bit too much for me to use right away, so I’m going to ask Myungwoo to make a regulating item…”

There aren’t any issues yet, so maybe it’s fine as is. But if I want to use it properly, I should still have something made. Since the engraving is nearly sealed, the only current effect is that magic control is slightly easier.

“You’ll catch a cold. Hurry up and do it.”

I wasn’t cold at all, but I urged him on. The hand on my back moved away, and the Ruler’s Sword spun in a half circle. The chill touched me, and my back stung slightly.

“Did you really stab it properly?”

Instead of replying, the sword was planted into the floor. It sank into the white tile like it was cutting into whipped cream. Then Yuhyun took the heart fragment back out of his inventory and brought it to my back. The hot, hard object pressed against my skin. I slowly moved my mana and activated Diarma’s skill. A strong, burning presence seeped into the wound.

Next, the mana stone was absorbed into the wound, and finally, Yuhyun rolled up his sleeve. He picked up the sword again and brought it to his exposed forearm.

“Just a little—”

Before I could finish, he slashed it without hesitation. With a sickening sound, blood splattered all the way to the mirror. Some even hit my cheek as I reflexively turned my head.

“Hey! I said just a small cut!”

The blood overflowed and soaked into the wound on my back. This damn kid! I grumbled but focused on using the skill. The Black Dragon’s heart fragment, the mana stone, and Yuhyun’s blood. The three combined and settled in place stably. I hoped it would finish sooner than with Changeling.

“Why did you do that!”

As soon as the mana stone combination was complete, I turned around and checked my brother’s arm. He hadn’t even used a potion yet, and the bleeding hadn’t stopped. Was this his way of protesting? I frowned and quickly took out a potion to heal his wound.

“Doesn’t that hurt, seriously.”

“Not really.”

“What a joke.”

He rolled up his sleeve for nothing, and now his shirt was soaked in blood. My back wasn’t just damp—it was wet down to my waist. Of course, the bathroom floor was a complete mess. At least it was the bathroom, so it wasn’t a total disaster.

“How am I supposed to explain this? Let’s rinse off first. I’ve got a spare pajama set, but it’s probably too small for you. Contact Haeyeon and ask them to bring you clothes. Isn’t the secretary’s office 24/7?”

Dungeon breaks don’t care about day or night, so big guilds usually have people standing by around the clock. Though things should be more relaxed by now.

“Are you okay?”

Even after slashing his own forearm without mercy, Yuhyun worried about me and touched my forehead. No fever, he muttered—and I really wanted to smack him on the back.

“I’m fine, so you should take care of yourself. You’re always scolding me, but you’re no better. Do you even know how much I…”

At the scene that came to mind without thinking, I closed my mouth. Yuhyun tilted his head and said,

“Come to think of it, my skill used to be one where I had to injure myself to use it. Not anymore, though.”

“…Y-yeah.”

“But I didn’t really use it much, right? Back then, I wouldn’t have gone into higher-level dungeons with you.”

“We didn’t go into dungeons together, but. There were the ranking matches. They were broadcasted too.”

Taking off his shirt, Yuhyun looked at me with curious eyes.

“I was always a bit curious—how was I in the ranking matches?”

“You? You always forfeited.”

“What?”

“You insisted on not going overseas. If it was just by win rate, you were ranked second in the world, but your best placement was fourth. Up to the quarterfinals, battles were filmed inside dungeons, but from the semifinals on, it was broadcast live overseas. Mostly on uninhabited islands in the middle of the sea. If there were ranking matches now, Yerim would probably wipe the floor with everyone.”

Even reaching the top four was thanks to the organizers going out of their way to accommodate Yuhyun. His opponent always had to come to Korea.

“The guild master of Sesung was first place, right?”

“Until he went missing. After that, everyone basically considered you number one. A lot of people talked nonsense about it though…”

Just remembering it got me slightly annoyed again. People saying he only took the top spot by default and wasn’t the true strongest, all that crap. My brother had an amazing skill but couldn’t use it, that’s all! I even ended up harboring unnecessary negative feelings toward Seong Hyunjae because of that. After the first ranking match, the brackets were arranged to prevent strong contenders from facing off early, and Yuhyun kept forfeiting, so they never really had a proper match. Still, everyone said that guy was the strongest.

“Even without using the Sword Predator skill, you crushed most S-classes easily. So many people were disappointed you wouldn’t go overseas.”

Since Seong Hyunjae had disappeared too, if I hadn’t regressed, they probably would’ve tried to hold the next semifinals in Korea no matter what. People were clamoring for him to not forfeit again, saying it didn’t even have to be broadcast live.

It might seem strange to be so passionate about something like a sport in an increasingly dangerous world, but the power shown by strong Hunters was a kind of hope. A hope that we could survive.

“If there’s another ranking match this time, let’s go for first place.”

At my light pat on his shoulder, Yuhyun smiled. Seeing that I was doing fine must’ve completely eased his mind. Yerim’s still underage and can’t participate for a few more years, so this is the chance. Once the Ruler of Water becomes an adult, well, it’s basically over. Earth is the blue planet, after all.

We washed up in the bathroom and, after some deliberation, completely burned the blood-soaked clothes. I was calming down Peace, who was anxious from the smell of our blood, when Haeyeon delivered clothes for Yuhyun. The staff looked confused, wondering what on earth had happened in the hospital that required a change of clothes. If they asked, should I say we spilled soy milk? Or maybe: “I tried to air-dry it, but the heat was too strong and it caught fire.”

I told him to go home and get some rest, but Yuhyun didn’t leave until morning, after Yerim arrived and we had breakfast together. TV was still off-limits, so I was flipping through the book Yerim brought when Moon Hyunah came to visit.

“Hey, boss. You’re looking good.”

Moon Hyunah handed me a fruit basket and a small shopping bag. The logo on the bag… I’d seen it before.

“Uh, Hyunah. This is…”

“Lately, Chief Han’s been getting into makeup, so Soyeong—”

“No I’m not! Don’t tell me—it’s lipstick again?”

“It’s nail polish.”

“Hyunah!”

Moon Hyunah giggled and tossed the shopping bag to the side.

“Looks aren’t the issue, health management is more important for you. But really, back in the hospital again?”

“I’m fine now. They just admitted me so I could rest properly. At home, I end up finding work to do.”

I’m scheduled to be discharged tomorrow.

“You’re not planning on going to Japan, right? You must be busy enough with things here.”

“I’d love to tag along, but Yerim said she’s leaving the day after tomorrow.”

“Yeah. It’s close, but I still worry.”

If Hyunah went along, I’d feel more at ease. Moon Hyunah pulled over a chair and sat down as she spoke.

“What are you so worried about?”

“She’s still young. And now she’s saying that once she becomes an adult, she’ll go to the other side of the world. Sure, dungeons are dangerous too, but… I just feel uneasy. It’s like Yerim’s trying to do everything on her own.”

Like during the clam incident. Unlike Yuhyun, who clings to me, Yerim seems like she’s already preparing for independence.

“I feel like it’d be okay if she relied on us a bit more.”

“Easier said than done, boss. No matter how close you are now, at the end of the day, you were strangers.”

“Huh?”

“You three have been getting along great, sure—but it’s only been a few months. And Yerim’s a high-rank awakener at that age. You know how many kids run away from home?”

“What? Run away?”

Moon Hyunah nodded seriously.

“They feel like they can do anything now. Stronger than most adults, too. So, even among middle or high schoolers, once they reach mid— or high-rank, a lot of them go, ‘I can handle things on my own!’ and leave home. It’s pretty common. Less so in Korea, but it’s really frequent overseas. Even your brother ran away, didn’t he?”

“Well, Yuhyun’s case was a little different…”

“Did you know Yerim acts like the head of your household?”

A mischievous smile formed on Hyunah’s face.

“Head of the household?”

“Lately, Yerim keeps saying, ‘they can’t do anything without me,’ you know. You should’ve seen her face when she said it. She was so proud that she looked after you and the young master again this time. She even bragged that she shut down the Sesung Guild Master when he tried to stir something up.”

I’d heard that Yerim made calls here and there in Yuhyun’s stead, but Seong Hyunjae tried to pick a fight?

“It’s actually a big deal, feeling like other people need you. It’s a desire to be recognized—especially by people you care about.”

I nodded instinctively at Moon Hyunah’s words. I’d been through the same. Back when I felt there was nothing I could do for Yuhyun, it had been truly, deeply painful.

“Being confident that you can handle a lot on your own—it’s not a bad thing. Quite the opposite. And right now, Yerim is in that phase. She was treated like she didn’t exist at home for years. Of course she wants to be acknowledged.”

“…Even now, I still want to go flip that uncle’s house.”

“That’d hurt your image. They did raise her, after all.”

That may be true, but it still pissed me off.

“So it’s good to dote on her, but sometimes, ask her for help. Not chores or anything, but something you can’t do. Not just to use her, but something that’ll make her feel like you really can’t manage without her.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be too much pressure?”

“She’s an S-class. How many things are really too much for her? If you ask her to help carry a heavy, important load—it might be hard, but Yerim would be happy. Leaving someone out just because they’re young only makes sense if they really can’t contribute. If it’s something that’d only make her feel helpless, sure, keep it from her. But if she’s capable, there’s no need to exclude her. And kids know, you know?”

“…That’s true.”

At Yerim’s age, she’d definitely be aware of everything. I felt a firm resolve that I should tell Yerim about the regression too. I’d kept hesitating, wondering if it would just burden a young Yerim for no reason. But after hearing Hyunah’s words, I felt like sharing such an important secret would bring more joy—because it means she’s trusted and relied on—than any sense of weight.

“Still, I just hope she won’t try to do everything on her own. She said she would lean on us when it’s really hard, but she’s just so capable with everything.”

“That’s just wishful thinking, boss. It’s only been a few months, right? If you keep being like this, she’ll come to you naturally one day. Besides, she sees your brother all the time. Once she feels more comfortable, she’ll probably think, ‘maybe I can do that too.’”

Maybe. …If it’s being clingy like Yuhyun, I’d welcome it, but the rest—no thanks. Not that Yerim seems like she’d go that route.

“I always think this, but I’m really glad you’re around, Hyunah.”

“Can’t take responsibility if you fall for me.”

Moon Hyunah gave a wide grin. Ah, no, that’s not what I meant.

“You’re teasing me again. Your standards are high anyway. Didn’t you say you liked faces like the Sesung Guild Master’s?”

“You’re cute too. I like you.”

“…Wait, that sounds weird the way you put it!”

I hugged Peace, who was sitting nearby, for no reason.

“How’s Breaker doing?”

“Still quiet for now. I’m working on roping Liet in. Even a short-term contract would help. Two S-class Hunters is always a good thing.”

“If the Sesung Guild Master goes abroad, it’d be a good chance to draw attention.”

Moon Hyunah suddenly frowned.

“If Seong Hyunjae goes overseas, Evelyn will probably act as acting guild master, right? Then I’ll have to run into her. Ugh, that’s already annoying.”

“You dislike her that much?”

“We don’t get along. Me and her. If it weren’t for Soyeong and Comet, she’d be just barely an S-class. Can’t she just stay out of the way?”

Originally, it would’ve been Kang Soyeong doing the job. I still didn’t really understand why things were so bad between her and Evelyn. She didn’t seem like such a bad person.

“Ah, by the way, could you stop by Seok Hayan’s lab for a bit today? I want to call Myungwoo over to the hospital.”

Noah was around, but when it came to protecting research data and working with people, there was no one more suited than Myungwoo. The most important materials were stored in the forge anyway. Still, with so many outsiders coming and going now, I was hesitant to call him away.

“I was planning to swing by anyway.”

Hyunah readily agreed. Since my body was fine, I figured I should take this chance to ask Myungwoo to check out Black’s mana stone and get the synthesis done. …And the mana engraving issue, too.