The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 524: My Image Rights (3)

“What happened?”

At my question, Yerim, who’d been watching, answered.

“You should’ve seen it, Mister. As soon as Grandpa saw Sesung mister, he went ‘You crazy bastard!’ and kicked his shin and dragged him away.”

“Really? He got kicked and dragged?”

“Yes. Grandpa was incredible. I could barely follow with my eyes. I couldn’t even see the kick properly. Sesung mister tried to dodge but couldn’t.”

Even if you could foresee it, if your body couldn’t follow, it was pointless. Moreover, if Seong Hyunjae’s combat foresight came from accumulated experience, the elder probably had just as much accumulated.

“So what did he say?”

“I don’t know that. After dragging him over there, I couldn’t hear any sound at all.”

They seemed to be talking even now, but the elder’s mouth wasn’t moving at all. Seong Hyunjae showed signs of speaking, but with movements so small they were imperceptible. What on earth had Seong Hyunjae done for the elder to be like that?

Young Chaos, who’d been looking at Seong Hyunjae with an extremely displeased expression, raised his hand. Then he flicked Seong Hyunjae’s forehead with his finger.

“That must hurt.”

Yerim muttered. The motion looked light, but it must have hurt. Seong Hyunjae’s forehead turned red. Looking closely, one of his ears was also reddish. His ear had been grabbed too.

“Newcomer, do you happen to know what happened?”

[I’m not sure either.]

The volleyball tilted and said. I was dying of curiosity.

“Hyung, sit and watch.”

Yuhyun pulled out a chair and poured tea as well. The newcomer bounced around saying it was healthy tea! By Honey’s world human standards! I wondered if there were worlds where poison was a tonic. Then again, tonics in our world weren’t mild either.

“I’ve arranged to receive compensation from Chatterbox. For our image rights. They said participants can directly edit footage going forward.”

I said while watching Seong Hyunjae, who stiffly lifted his head to face Chaos before immediately lowering his eyes again. I should have shown this to Chief Song too. Seong Hyunjae felt not just ordinary but even slightly pitiful. Wasn’t his forehead swelling? They shouldn’t hit the face.

“Then the whole party will really be broadcast?”

“They said they’ll mosaic it if desired.”

“I don’t mind, but Mister…”

“You’re going to attend?”

Yuhyun asked. I took a sip of tea and looked at Seong Hyunjae again. The weather was nice and the scenery was nice. Oh—the elder was holding a long branch like a switch. Surely he wasn’t going to hit his calves. Or his palms maybe. Fortunately, he only tapped his shoulders.

“It’ll be worse if I back out now. I’ll forever become an F-rank protected by S-ranks.”

“You’d decided to maintain that image publicly.”

“If Chatterbox hadn’t stepped forward before the public like that. Before, I didn’t need to come forward publicly either.”

Rather, since I had to hide, it was advantageous for my public image to be different. But now I had to step forward too. At my words, Yuhyun let out a short breath.

“I know you don’t like it, but hyung, actually—you can be protected. Your low stats are simply a fact. It’s not wrong and it’s not shameful.”

“…That’s right.”

I knew it wasn’t my fault. If someone blamed F-rank stats, that person was the one in the wrong.

“But the world isn’t like that. When it’s peaceful, it’s fine. There’s room to look after weak people. But if everyone has to flee together and there’s someone limping, even though it’s not their fault, it becomes their fault.”

Of course, there were good people who tried to look after the weak until the end. But if abandoning that one unhelpful person could save the majority, reality wasn’t so forgiving.

“If I don’t want to only be protected from start to finish, I need to step forward. If I’m not going to keep hiding, it’s better to make a splash now. I need to show everyone that I’m not a hindrance and that I’m helpful. People don’t necessarily need others’ approval, but I do.”

They say being proud before yourself is best, but I—

“I still have things I need to do. And things I want to do too.”

I could give up and remain as a special skill holder protected by S-ranks. Even so, my value wouldn’t disappear. Rather, establishing myself by emphasizing that position would be a decent method too.

I lightly patted my worried younger brother’s arm.

“It’s not dangerous. And even if I don’t accomplish much, if I struggle well until the end, they’ll view it favorably, right? Then I can dress it up nicely with something like ‘innate stats can’t be helped, but I tried hard.'”

Of course, in reality, I planned to finish by taking down at least one S-rank. One or two should be possible. Even if they weren’t overwhelming like the S-ranks around me, I’d at least take them down with me.

“Sometimes I want to burn it all down.”

Yuhyun said, slightly sulky.

“Though maintaining society would be more convenient for hyung.”

I absolutely couldn’t say in front of Yuhyun that I wanted to go live in the countryside or mountains when I got old. I did have that kind of dream a little. Well, these days even in the mountains you had running water, electricity, and telecommunications. Modern civilization really was convenient.

“If modern society collapses, heating and hot water all disappear. You’d have to gather firewood and draw cold water.”

“You’ve got me and Park Yerim though.”

“We’d be fine even on a deserted island, Mister.”

How reassuring. Still—

“Yerim, there’d be no chicken, pizza, hamburgers, or cola. You couldn’t watch TV and new dolls wouldn’t come out.”

“That’s why I’m protecting the world.”

[That’s right, chicken is important!]

Yerim nodded vigorously and the newcomer agreed. On the other hand, Yuhyun looked displeased. From Yuhyun’s perspective, not having such things might even be better. Still, let’s protect it for now, little brother. Having water come out just by turning the faucet is convenient.

“Youngest.”

Then the elder’s voice was heard. When I jumped up from my seat, Chaos beckoned me with his finger. …Did I have to go kneel there too? Yuhyun looked even more flustered than me and handed me the chair cushion.

“Sorry, hyung.”

“Well, Grandpa’s doing it all for Mister’s sake.”

Right, exactly. I took the cushion over, placed it next to Seong Hyunjae, and knelt. Young Chaos and Seong Hyunjae looked at me simultaneously.

“What are you doing?”

“I came voluntarily. Should I remove the cushion?”

Like this, I’d look a bit shameless, wouldn’t I?

“Should I take off the earring too? So it’s easier to grab.”

Though he preferred to grab higher than the earlobe. Chaos made an exasperated expression and patted my head with his small hand as if tapping it.

“Having you next to that bastard makes me not want to touch you.”

“It’s relative, and I’m an ordinary adult male too. But why is Seong Hyunjae-ssi being scolded?”

Seong Hyunjae remained silent and the elder clicked his tongue. Then he looked at Seong Hyunjae coldly.

“If you’re going to die, die prettily.”

“What? No, why? By the way, Elder, did you perhaps watch some weird drama?”

His words were too harsh. Seong Hyunjae opened his mouth with his usual attitude, not like someone being scolded.

“It’s not what I wanted.”

“That’s why I’m ending it with words.”

For ending it with words, Seong Hyunjae’s forehead was quite red. I asked again what on earth had happened, but neither answered.

“It’s that bastard’s business, so I can’t say.”

“Seong Hyunjae-ssi?”

“Everyone has at least one personal secret.”

Seong Hyunjae’s gaze seemed to say, ‘Aren’t you the same?’ No, still, but—I wanted to grab him by the collar and demand to know what happened, but since I also had several things piled up, I obediently kept my mouth shut. At least the elder knew, so he must have reasoned with him well.

…Though I didn’t know if Seong Hyunjae would listen.

“I saw it too.”

Young Chaos said to me with pitying eyes. Was he talking about… the video Chatterbox broadcast? To the elder’s eyes, it might really have looked like… a small child who couldn’t even walk properly, flailing about.

“It was in a de-awakened state.”

“Yes.”

“Even so, the difference was clear, yet you struggled desperately.”

“I used guns.”

“You youngsters really… Still, you worked hard. Except for you, chain-wielder.”

Was Chief Song included? Well, originally Chief Song and I didn’t have much of an age difference. I was thirty inside.

“Seong Hyunjae hasn’t even lived forty years if you count just memories. Compared to you, Elder, he’s young.”

Though that was absolutely not an age to treat as a youngster. The elder made a frustrated expression.

“First, what’s wrong with you that you’d embrace even that bastard?”

“Well, we’re acquainted anyway. We contact each other, do business, occasionally eat together. We’re just reasonably close. More importantly, Elder.”

I asked him to make it so the newcomer and Yerim couldn’t hear, then continued.

“Do you know someone called the Puppeteer?”

“There are many with such a name.”

“Chief Song, the person seen in the last nightmare dungeon. Good physique.”

“You mean that frustrating kid almost as much as you, First?”

“That person… is supposedly a transcendent who helped create the eclipse.”

“What?”

Young Chaos tilted his head as if to say ‘what are you talking about?’ Did even the elder not know?

“They said they sowed seeds. When I brought the soil where those seeds were, Chief Song couldn’t move at all. Do you have any guesses who it might be?”

“If it’s sowing seeds, I only know the Gardener.”

“The Gardener?”

“There’s one rather strange fellow. But as far as I remember, the Gardener has never been called the Puppeteer.”

The Gardener. With seeds and soil, just looking at the title, it fit perfectly.

“There could be things you don’t know, Elder. You haven’t even come outside the first Source—ow. Anyway, what kind of transcendent is the Gardener?”

“That one also rarely comes outside their territory, so I don’t know much.”

“Really?”

“I did drive them out once when they tried to crawl into the first Source.”

“…Are you on bad terms by any chance?”

“I don’t have any particular feelings.”

Well, usually the person who got hit had the feelings. I wasn’t sure if the Puppeteer was the Gardener, but I felt I should be careful with my words. For now, I should pretend not to know about the elder. When Hwang Rim could contact the Puppeteer again, I could try mentioning the Gardener.

“First, get up. You keep kneeling.”

“Should I lend you the cushion?”

“First.”

“His clothes are expensive. Even if Sesung Guild Leader’s knees don’t wear out, his clothes do.”

“I’m grateful, but I’ll decline. If this much can appease the elder’s feelings, I should endure it.”

“Bow your head to the ground too.”

What on earth had he done that was so wrong? I quickly stopped the elder. Young Chaos gestured to the newcomer and the kids. The newcomer, who bounced over first, created a new table and chairs. Everyone sat down, but only Seong Hyunjae remained on the floor. Yuhyun didn’t care, but Yerim kept glancing at Seong Hyunjae, seemingly bothered.

“Sesung mister, would you like some tea?”

“The little miss is quite kind.”

Yerim really was kind. Among the people around Seong Hyunjae, she probably treated him the best. Seong Hyunjae accepted the teacup while kneeling. Yerim even handed him cookies. An angel.

I also told Seong Hyunjae and young Chaos about Chatterbox.

“For now, the goal is to catch at least one person.”

“But you know.”

Young Chaos said, setting down his teacup.

“It might not be combat.”

“Pardon?”

“From what I saw, they compete with all sorts of things. Even with things like singing or cooking.”

They said the elder only watched one drama. Yerim went “Ah” and nodded.

“That’s right, they could hold a cooking competition. Since it’s a party, it could be a dance competition too.”

“…After gathering S-ranks?”

It would be funny. Whatever they did, Seong Hyunjae would be most advantageous. Was he good at singing too?

“Even if they make us cook, we’d probably have to utilize skills and such. Or fight to get ingredients first-come-first-served. It really is like a variety show. Newcomer, isn’t there anything you can help with? Like monitoring Chatterbox.”

[Interfering with Honey’s world itself isn’t easy for us. Oh, could you ask not the newcomer, but Blacksmith-ssi to come?]

Why were they trying to call Myungwoo the newcomer? Let Myungwoo go.

[Like last time, just enter a forge in any dungeon. Since we’ve connected once, even a Korean dungeon is fine.]

“Don’t torment Myungwoo.”

[I’m treating him so well! I’ve been teaching him with my utmost effort!]

“Especially no tentacles.”

[Honey, tentacles are so convenient. With tentacles, you can even play Spanish Rhapsody!]

What was that? What was the point of playing it?

[Blacksmith-ssi is from Honey’s world, so he’s much freer. So if I teach him just a bit, just a tiny bit more, he’ll be able to do something. Probably. Anyway, learning it won’t hurt.]

“I’ll tell Myungwoo, but you can’t overwork him. Absolutely not. Really no tentacles.”

[Don’t worry! He’s my precious junior!]

I really couldn’t trust them. Myungwoo was also the type to pull all-nighters at the drop of a hat…

“If you have time before the box party, you come visit with the kids too, First.”

“Me too?”

“Yes. I’ll teach you a bit. It won’t change much, but…”

Young Chaos looked me over as if watching water parsley wilting in the scorching sun.

“And bring that bastard and that kid too when you have time.”

“Yes. I’ll speak to Chief Song.”

“Think about what I said before too.”

Yuhyun’s shoulders stiffened slightly. I reached out and lightly hugged my younger brother. He must mean the offer to take at least me away. I took out mini-mini cookies and stood up. Since they might complain about why we’d entered a dungeon in the middle of all this chaos, it was better to hide our appearance when returning too. I’d bought a lot, but at this rate, they’d run out quickly.

The newcomer sent us out and the original dungeon appeared.

– Grrrowl!

As soon as the monster bared its teeth, flames shot out, and not falling behind, an ice spear flew toward the opposite side. Following that, light burst forth, and I too drew my gun and pulled the trigger at the confused monster.

Bang! The monster fell with the sound. While charging mana, I said—

“I’m sorry, but Yuhyun, I’ll go alone.”

“Hyung?”

Following Yuhyun, Yerim and Seong Hyunjae also turned to look at me as if asking what I meant. I smiled under the gaze of the three.

“Without teammates, alone.”

There was no need to necessarily be in pairs. So this time, going alone was right.