The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 517: One Table

Song Taewon stood guard in front of Seong Hyunjae’s guest room door. Not only was he protecting the room, but his posture—leaning diagonally against the door—suggested he was also trying to prevent anyone from coming out.

“…Don’t tell me you’ve been standing here the whole time?”

“About an hour now. It’s more comfortable standing outside.”

Just how much had he been tormented for Chief Song to have fled like this? Even though Seong Hyunjae was weaker now, he’d still been driven out—I couldn’t even imagine what he’d done.

“I got a text from Chief Song’s phone.”

“It was taken.”

“…What?”

“I cooperated in being tied up instead.”

Song Taewon showed me a wire leading inside the door. It seemed he’d tied him up because he was anxious about leaving him alone. In his current state, Seong Hyunjae wouldn’t be able to break an S-rank wire. Chief Song’s face, as he told me that Seong Hyunjae had been relatively well-behaved after being tied up, was deeply marked with fatigue. What on earth had happened in just a couple of hours?

I opened the door and went inside. The long wire extended toward the kitchen area. It moved slightly from time to time, suggesting he was doing something. Would he get dragged if I pulled? I kind of wanted to try pulling it.

“Seong Hyunjae.”

Even with his lowered rank, there was no way he hadn’t noticed us coming in, yet Seong Hyunjae had his back turned. The wire was tied around his ankle. In the narrow kitchen attached to the guest room, water was boiling.

“I’ll serve black tea to the heartless Chief Song Taewon who abandoned me. How about hot cocoa for Han Yujin?”

Yuhyun glanced at me cautiously.

“Not too sweet. I heard cacao is good for you.”

“And lastly, for the young master—”

“I’ll decline.”

Yuhyun answered formally, and Seong Hyunjae looked at me as if he’d expected as much.

“Americano then. Or green tea. Though I drink clean water most comfortably.”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“I’m a bit particular about water.”

While I drank whatever was given, there was a very slight tell. Among them, he liked the water Yerim created with pure mana best. Only I knew that so far though. If those two found out, nine times out of ten they’d fight. Besides that, perhaps because he’d drunk it since childhood, he was also fine with barley tea. Yerim drank barley tea well too, but preferred brown rice tea a bit more.

“Please have a seat.”

“Should I help? It feels a bit strange to make you work with your ankle tied up.”

Seong Hyunjae lightly lifted his bound leg.

“It’s my pleasure, master.”

That made it even more uncomfortable. Chief Song holding the wire also seemed to feel uncomfortable. He probably wanted to throw the wire away right this instant.

“Can’t we untie him now?”

“…Yes.”

Chief Song immediately untied the wire and put it in his inventory. Really, even if he were sold as a real slave, he seemed like he’d eat and live better than his owner. The owner would probably end up begging him to please leave, offering to set him free.

After going to the living room and sitting down, it wasn’t long before Seong Hyunjae appeared carrying a tray. He set down the cups on the table, then took his own milk tea and sat down.

“How’s your condition?”

“Would you like to pull again?”

Seong Hyunjae lightly pressed his own cheek as he spoke. Yuhyun and Chief Song looked at me with expressions wondering what he was talking about. No, that’s—

“Don’t say weird things. The cocoa’s delicious.”

For a chocolate drink, it was clean-tasting.

“I’m sure you didn’t call me here for cocoa. If we’re going to discuss the future, let’s call the others too.”

Not just Yerim, but also Hyunah, Noah, and Myungwoo too. I felt like Liette should know more now as well. As for matters from before the regression, since they were connected to Noah, it would be better to talk with Noah separately.

“I had a brief conversation with Song Taewon about that.”

At Seong Hyunjae’s words, Song Taewon set down the teacup he’d been holding.

“I plan to take another leave of absence.”

I barely swallowed the gasp that tried to escape.

“If possible, I’d like to step down from my position, but that would be difficult.”

“Chief Song?!”

This time I couldn’t hold back and shouted. What was he suddenly saying! He met my gaze directly. Without any sign of embarrassment, it was a calm and straightforward look.

“Before the bet, I decided to respect and trust Han Yujin’s method. But I need to investigate myself thoroughly. This leave is for that purpose.”

“About you, Chief Song—to the puppeteer?”

“Yes. I think a last resort is necessary just in case.”

After hesitating slightly, I nodded. If both sides weren’t wrong, I had to be satisfied with establishing priorities.

“I probably won’t be able to let go of my attachment to the end.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. But the others won’t feel the same.”

At those words, my chest turned cold. The others—

“They’ll want to end it with just me and Song Taewon. Han Yujin, heroic tales without sacrifice are extremely rare.”

Seong Hyunjae continued.

“Sacrifices in heroic tales are usually considered desirable, and if the person involved volunteers, it even becomes a touching story.”

“So, bringing this up now means—”

I unconsciously swallowed dryly.

“Once they hear the details, there will be people who want to sacrifice the two of you. Among those not here now.”

“There’s one right next to you too, Han Yujin.”

I looked at Yuhyun. My brother answered calmly.

“I won’t do it secretly. I’ll tell you first, hyung.”

“…What? No, you lost.”

“I only helped Chief Song. And while my promise with you is important, your safety comes first.”

…So that’s why he accepted the bet so readily.

“Since you and Chief Song reached a conclusion, I’ll stay back, but my priorities haven’t changed.”

“Well, I feel the same, but—”

My head became complicated. Just because we said among ourselves there’d be no rash sacrifices~ didn’t mean everyone would accept it.

“First, Liette—we need to be careful. He’s not the type to offer someone as a sacrifice, but he has no reason to keep faith either.”

“He doesn’t care about himself, but there’s a possibility he’ll move to protect his sister. He’s gotten quite close with Soyeong too. And Hunter Yu Myungwoo is also likely to be merciless.”

“…Myungwoo’s kind though. With you, Seong Hyunjae, he might try to throw you out. Wasn’t he pretty okay with Chief Song?”

“I’m personally grateful.”

“What? I heard you refused all the items.”

“After the Golden Forge became known, high-rank hunters have been much more restrained compared to before. Even the belligerent hunters among them are careful not to cause problems in order to easily enter and exit the building.”

Ah… there was that effect. Well, if a hunter caused trouble, they’d block building access for safety.

“He almost never gets involved in dangerous matters, unlike Han Yujin.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Myungwoo got involved because… of me. I’m reflecting on it.

“Noah doesn’t like you either, Seong Hyunjae. Honestly, this is your own fault. But Yerim should be okay, right? And Hyunah too.”

“Moon Hyunah is an S-rank hunter and guild leader, but at the same time, she’s an ordinary person. A normally good person.”

The word ordinary didn’t seem to suit Hyunah.

“Well, she is a good person. So—”

“Both parents are healthy, she has a harmonious family, and normal sibling relations too. Unlike Han Yujin.”

“…Sometimes she curses out her brother.”

She grumbled calling him pig bastard, then saying pigs were too cute, wild boar bastard.

“She’s a trustworthy person, a good leader, and a hardworking strong person. How precious that ordinary appearance is, with enough humanity.”

“So she’s not ordinary or normal then.”

“She’s what society calls an ordinary person. Becoming special is surprisingly easy. You could become special just by running naked down the street in broad daylight.”

Mm, well that would get you called crazy, and that would be special in a bad way.

“Moon Hyunah would be truly sorry and sad. And people would truly give their lives for her. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if Song Taewon had gone under Moon Hyunah. They’d surely suit each other well.”

My gaze unconsciously went to Chief Song.

“…You mean Hyunah would choose to sacrifice the two of you?”

“Think of the protagonists in movies about saving the world. The typical ones.”

I could really imagine it well. More than suitable, it would be cool.

“But reality is different.”

“Because it’s reality. Opinions will diverge again. I’m telling you to keep in mind the possibility of division beyond mere opinions.”

Did he mean we might split apart entirely? I knew that. Even though it was unavoidable circumstances and misunderstandings piled up, I’d once grown distant from my brother too. Even with the people here now, who openly shared secrets and stayed close, there was no guarantee this relationship would be maintained forever.

“I trust Hyunah. But this matter belongs to the two of you, Seong Hyunjae and Song Taewon. So I’ll accept your decision.”

I finished drinking the remaining cocoa. My mouth tasted slightly bitter. Different opinions couldn’t be helped. How could everyone’s thoughts be exactly the same? Right here in this place, even our drinks were all different.

But even if we’re different, we can still sit at one table. Even if we clash, I hoped we’d continue going together.

“We won’t be able to hide it to the end. So we’ll tell them, but I think it’s better to inform them after getting accurate information from the puppeteer first.”

Seong Hyunjae agreed with Song Taewon’s words. I let out a short breath. Then I spoke, lightly raising my voice.

“Then will Chief Song be attending Chatterbox’s party too?”

“It depends on the situation, but I do need to be more involved.”

“Let’s see, to get bonuses. You could do a round with Yerim.”

“…Pardon?”

“If the opponent is reluctant, we’ll make a contract that Yerim won’t use water before going in. Then they’ll think it’s easier. Seong Hyunjae already got his bonus, and nobody would fight you anyway. For Hyunah, should I use myself as bait again? Since Noah took down an S-rank while supporting an A-rank… Oh, Hyunah and Noah could just team up and you and Chief Song could lose to them.”

Wouldn’t Noah feel a bit better landing a headshot on Seong Hyunjae? We decided to finalize the details over dinner together. We had to grab as much as we could.

As I was about to leave saying I’d see them later, Song Taewon approached me. He tried to say something but just closed his mouth. I spoke instead.

“No matter what happens from now on, please don’t forget that there are many people who like you, Chief Song.”

“I’m not… a person.”

“At least I like you. And Seong Hyunjae will like you in his own way too.”

Even if he became something other than human in appearance. Perhaps he had that fear too. If he saw himself as a monster… when that was clearly revealed, he thought no one would remain around him.

While feeling unqualified to give affection to people, he might have simultaneously been afraid to give affection. Being abandoned by someone precious was truly painful.

Song Taewon, who’d been quietly looking at me, opened his mouth.

“If you think that way, please take better care of yourself.”

“…I’m sorry.”

I had nothing to say to that.

“I shoot guns well!”

At my comment that we needed to be able to handle firearms once de-awakened, Kang Soyeong raised her hand brightly.

“Survival games were my hobby even before awakening. My brothers taught me. I shot real bullets at the shooting range a lot too. They said if it was dangerous, shoot first and they’d handle the cleanup.”

Uh… good brothers.

“Your brothers admirably didn’t stop you from being a hunter, Soyeong.”

“Now I’m stronger so they can’t stop me. That’s why they cried when I left home.”

So… the brothers cried? Soyeong said she called frequently and went home often. Anyway, since Soyeong was A-rank, opponents would easily accept a match.

“I want to shoot Han Yuhyun! Then I can shoot Chief Song at the end, right?”

Yerim said after gulping down the meat she’d been chewing. Song Taewon briefly answered yes.

“Chief Song can shoot me too.”

“No.”

“You can though.”

“It’s fine.”

“I want to try turning around, taking ten steps, then bang. Please?”

Yerim wheedled, but Song Taewon refused to the end. Yerim, let’s do it for you.

“Peace, you can’t shoot a gun so you can’t participate.”

— Kyang.

I held and shook the front paws of Peace sitting on my lap. Even though our Peace was smart, it would be hard to shoot a gun with these round little paws. Gyeol tapped my shoulder as if to say he could do it.

“Noah, you’re familiar with firearms too, right?”

“Yes. When I was young, my sister… taught me.”

Noah wore a bitter smile, saying she’d taught him thoroughly. When he was young. Hyunah also said shooting was her hobby, so she’d fired real bullets several times too.

Leaving out Chief Song’s story, I briefly explained only about Hwang Rim and the puppeteer. That Hwang Rim seemed connected to a newly appeared Transcendent, and the puppeteer was likely favorable toward us.

“Just from the name puppeteer, they sound sinister. But they gave advice to hyung-nim?”

“Yes. It’s certain they’re not hostile.”

Though I couldn’t trust them one hundred percent.

After finishing dinner and deciding on teams, I received Hwang Rim’s contact information that I’d asked to be investigated. When I made the call, an unfamiliar voice soon answered.

[I’m honored you contacted me first.]

The voice was so perfectly normal it slightly annoyed me. Puppeteer, you should have beaten him up more.