The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 472: Letter (3)

‘Within expectations.’

A ballroom or something like it. The overall lighting was a little dim with a bright pool in the center. Round tables and chairs had been pushed to the sides with only one left in the middle. And the scent of flowers and greenery. Not just the tables—every corner was decked out with fresh blooms. How much did all those flowers cost.

‘He really might be fond of flowers.’

Chief Song said he’d received enough over the years to fill several trucks, and there was an indoor garden at his house. On the other hand, Yuhyun and Ms. Hyunah said they’d never gotten flowers. Ms. Soyeong said she got one or two now and then. “It feels like a warning. Mafia do that,” she’d said, grimacing.

The central table, too, was decorated with flowers. A five–tier tray was piled with desserts. An elegant tea set, and garlands spilling to the floor. Beyond them stood Seong Hyunjae. I’d wondered often enough: why go to all this trouble. Granted, he only had to give the order—the underlings did the work.

‘He must pay well.’

Like, a hundred thousand won an hour. Hm, I’m tempted. A day rate on par with a month’s salary. Civilians would handle this kind of errand, and since it involves an S–rank Hunter, there’d be hazard pay, too. Crossing the plush carpet, I couldn’t help asking:

“How much did you pay in labor for this?”

“…Well. I don’t know.”

“You had a budget, right.”

“Pocket money. I don’t set a budget for light hobbies. Isn’t it the same for you, Mr. Han.”

“Nope. I even logged a cup of street tteokbokki in my expense book. I’d set a cap ahead of time for snacks for the month.”

It was the same even as an adult. Even getting a coffee on a winter’s day, I’d think, how much do I have left to spend this month. Now my assets are too messy to tally, so I’ve let go, but I’ve never just thrown money around on personal hobbies. Of course I check, about how much it’ll cost, how much I spent.

“Then again, even if you went bust, you’d bounce back fast, Mr. Seong.”

Even if Awakeners and dungeons all vanished, he could break into entertainment. These days they call upper–rank Hunters the new nobility, but before that, stars were called nobility. His nationality is Korean, but plop him in Hollywood and he’d fit like a child actor who’s been winning since day one.

It was late autumn with winter near, yet the table smelled like spring. I stopped in front of it.

“I got too worked up yesterday.”

I met his golden eyes head–on.

“It’s because I like you, Mr. Seong. That’s why I got angry, disappointed, irritated.”

If there were no fondness, I’d just think, ah, what a headache, and leave it at that. If I’d never stepped inside that line, I wouldn’t suddenly be shoved out. If a close friend suddenly says, I’m moving today, of course you’d be flustered. You’d be hurt he didn’t tell you, and worried something happened. But if it’s some stranger in the neighborhood, you just think, that house is moving, and that’s that.

“I like you very much as well, Mr. Han.”

Seong Hyunjae lifted the teapot.

“If that’s sincere, you can show me the letter. And tell me exactly what you intend to do.”

Tea flowed into a cup.

“You said only that you’d received a proposal and told me nothing in detail.”

Since they were the ones who dragged me to China, I reacted sensitively, but it could’ve been nothing—just dinner, for instance. Maybe Park Hayul’s sister liked Seong Hyunjae. He’s popular with older women. Even Crescent Moon is older than me, if you think about it.

“This letter?”

He set down the pot and took out the letter. I held out a hand on reflex, but of course he didn’t hand it over.

“There are constraints, obviously.”

“A contract? Sure, they wouldn’t have sent something important unprotected. Probably something like, don’t reveal or show the contents to others. Come here.”

A contract, big deal. Hopefully not SSS–rank and up. I spread my arms to hug him, and he set the letter down on the table.

“If the contract breaks, Chloe will leave.”

Ah… of course. Even if we locked down the airport, an S–rank Hunter could cross a border easily. She could swim to China or Japan.

“Then will you cooperate with capturing Hunter Chloe?”

“Perhaps.”

The bastard curved his lips in an annoying little smile.

“They didn’t keep the terms simple. Naturally there are exceptions.”

His index finger tapped tap next to the letter.

“I’m not obligated enough to stake my life. If my ability can’t protect the letter and it’s taken, it’s not a breach.”

“Hey, Seong Hyunjae, if you don’t want to die, hand that letter over.”

Still no. An exception clause like that is basically nothing. How the hell am I supposed to take it. Sweet–talk him and bring him to the Elder?

“If you have time, would you like to go on a date with me? There’s a dungeon with nicely flowing water nearby.”

I’ll treat you well.

“It’s a rare invitation, but we haven’t done the aquarium yet, so I’ll decline.”

“You can make that up at your place.”

He put on a disappointed face, all long–suffering. Seriously, he’d be a hit in Hollywood. Look at that cloying expression.

“Fine, let’s go to the aquarium. Better yet, how about all of us together.”

“If even one S–rank Hunter had accompanied you to this meeting, simply taking the letter out of Inventory could have constituted a breach.”

“…What a pain. So you can only set it out if you don’t feel threatened.”

“Something like that. As you can see, putting it on the table is no problem now. Gyeol hasn’t come, either.”

“It’s Gyeol. Then it’s better to catch Hunter Chloe first and check the contents after.”

How would I take a letter from him by myself. Even with it laid down and him three or four steps back, it’s impossible. He could pin me before my hand touched the table.

“She said she’d come for a reply, but she might not come in person.”

“Then I can ask Haeju to… no, that’d be a waste.”

If Seong Hyunjae stayed on our side, it was better to keep the contract intact whether Chloe came or not. We could squeeze more info. So the best would be to confirm the contents without breaching.

‘…There’s no method. No method.’

F–rank stats, no attack skills, sure I have assorted gear, but my opponent is a disgustingly strong natural S–rank with combat foresight. With my ability, taking anything from Seong Hyunjae is impossible. That’s why he can be so relaxed and still keep the contract intact.

I had to take the letter in a situation where he was certain I could never take it. Like, don’t open the door—pass through it. Don’t break it either, and no teleporting.

His golden eyes curved with a leisurely smile.

“If you take it safely, shall I add a condition: I’ll cooperate.”

He’s toying with me—wait.

“Your confidence is infuriating.”

I scowled and braced my legs. Pretending not to look at the letter, I snuck a glance and then—

Crash!

I hurled myself at the table. The letter that had been within reach vanished in a blink as the table tilted hard to the side. Crash, the floral decorations and even the dessert tower tumbled to the floor along with me. I sprawled long on the carpet, buried under tablecloth and vines. My thigh throbbed where I’d slammed into the table after the full–tilt charge.

“Not a method worth praise.”

I lifted my head out of the flower pile. Golden chains had appeared, cradling the teapot and cups. Not a drop of tea had spilled. Forks and knives jingled daintily.

“At least I tried something.”

I sat in the heap of blooms. With a flick of his toe, Seong Hyunjae tipped the toppled table back up. As if tugged by invisible cords, it righted itself neatly. The teapot and cups set themselves down in a row.

“As you see, I can’t take the letter by force. So, how about a bet. From the way you’re setting conditions, it sounds possible.”

“If there’s even a small chance I lose, it’s impossible.”

“Then one I can’t win. If I win, you hand over the letter intact, readable. If I lose, I grant you any one thing you want. But only something that applies to me. Not stuff like ‘sign over the Breeding Facility,’ ‘make Myungwoo craft a weapon,’ or ‘change Gyeol’s nature.’”

If he made a bet he couldn’t lose and I won anyway, it’d be akin to losing by irresistible force. A loophole of that level was probably allowed, hence whipping the letter out and laying it down in front of me.

“Quite tempting.”

“You can ask me to side with you. You can even take me with you when you leave Korea.”

At that, his eyes narrowed for an instant. Did he read it as, ‘If you’re going over to Park Hayul’s side or wherever, take me along.’

“The condition is what I want, not what you want.”

“Either way. So, what’ll it be.”

“The game.”

“Mm, tag. We can’t go long, ten minutes. I will absolutely not pass through that door, nor will I break the walls, ceiling, or floor.”

“Don’t you have teleportation items.”

“I can’t buy any with the points I have left. And blink can’t pass sealed barriers. Also, it’s just ten minutes—are you saying you couldn’t catch me if I ran outside. If I get help from anyone else, I forfeit. Monsters included.”

He tilted his head slightly. With my strength alone, I couldn’t evade him for ten minutes.

“It’s too unfair for me, so not once but three rounds. How about that.”

“Even five minutes would do for me.”

He studied me closely. Suspicious, of course.

“You said you burned most of your points in the nightmare dungeon.”

“And before that, I emptied out to buy Yuhyun’s sword. I can’t buy a one–off SSS–rank either.”

“You were serious when you tried to kill Chief Song.”

He seemed to be retracing the items I’d used then. At best, the Mini–Mini Cookie might be of use.

“The dungeon reward this time also wasn’t for yourself.”

“You know too much.”

He drew a pocket watch from his Inventory and set it on the table. A contract appeared next.

“Even if I win, no ‘breach the contract and still refuse to hand over the letter.’”

“I’m not loyal enough to eat a penalty. If I lose it because I’m not strong enough, I’ll accept it.”

Just in case, if I won I’d toggle Curse Resistance immediately. We each signed the contract. Right after—

Clink–

“Ugh, wait!”

Chains snapped around me. I was lifted lightly into the air as blossoms pattered down.

“One round.”

“You should give me time to gear up!”

“I’ll give you three minutes. I won’t deduct it from the clock.”

How generous. Just before the chains released me, I used an item. The King of Harmless’s 71st Drawer. The scenery warped at once. Blue sky above, and underfoot—

“Wha—!”

Splash! A loud plunge. Damn it, because it’s a jellyfish! Why water! I had Grace on, of course, but it couldn’t stop water from getting in my mouth. Not salty, though.

“Damn—pfft—jellyfish!”

– Squee! Squeak!

You said it was a drawer! Maybe Grace was startled too—she popped out. I flailed, but even floating was hard. I hurriedly pulled out a wire and threw it toward a tree that came vaguely into view. Whip— the wire auto–coiled around the trunk and I hauled myself ashore by the line.

“Cough— damn near— died…”

I could exit right away, but then I’d lose. Soaked like a drowned rat, I collapsed onto the grass. Both my shoes were gone… they were expensive.

“Wait, can’t I set the location?”

A jellyfish wouldn’t mind the surface, but I do. With Grace, I’d rather a pit of fire. Granted, fire can also be dangerous for lack of oxygen. More importantly, what kind of drawer…

“A drawer…”

– Squee.

As I pushed myself up, a manse came into view. Where— the Mediterranean, maybe? A bright three–story villa like some resort. It was on a small island with water all around, but the lake wasn’t wide. As if trapped in a snow globe, the world was rounded off and sealed.

“…This is ‘small’ the way Myungwoo’s forge is ‘small’?”

You said simple storage. Not big.

“Grace, go back in for now. It could be dangerous.”

Who knew what might be here. To burn ten minutes, it was better not to roam. Thinking how flustered Seong Hyunjae must be by now made me smug. How could he guess I’d gotten an item like this. It was probably L–rank. And the giver had been an enemy who had no reason to be kind to me. Unless he was a fortune–teller, there was no way to know.

I’d just wait here ten leisurely minutes and leave.

“If I can keep using this, it’d make a great actual villa.”

Nice weather, clean water. I didn’t know what the interior was like. Would replenishing the mana be hard. I strolled toward the front entrance and peeked inside.

‘…Huh?’

Something moved. What the.