The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 607: Looking for the Cat (1)

Screeeech– His coat hem split long–ways from a kick that hadn’t even touched him. A faint red line was drawn not only across the shirt underneath, but on his skin itself. The instant he thought at least he’d avoided a direct hit—

Thud!

Before he knew it, the small body spun and drummed an elbow into Seong Hyunjae’s back as if shoving him. His dress shoes scraped the ground as he tried to brace himself, but only for a moment; leaving behind only a furrow in the dirt, he rolled like a leaf caught in a gust of wind. Rather than force himself to his feet, Seong Hyunjae obediently rolled his body three or four times to open some distance, then planted a hand on the ground and raised only his upper body. If he stood up right away, an attack would come in aimed precisely at that spot. Even though he’d predicted that—

Whip–!

A thin cord snapped toward his neck. Neither his battle instincts nor his own predictions were of any use. A dagger appeared between Seong Hyunjae’s fingertips. The moment he raised it, blade outward, in front of his throat, the cord wrapped around it. Almost as if he’d been waiting for that, he sliced through the cord with the blade, and before he could even feel the cut, Young Chaos was already in front of him.

Indifferent red eyes met golden eyes that carried a faint excitement. A small fist cut through the air, and as if to block it, current flashed. Kraa–boom! Light burst forth together with thunder. Terrifying mana poured out, but Young Chaos didn’t care and opened his hand. His hand blade slid cunningly into the light. Like a fish smoothly cutting through rushing water, it parted the rampaging current and went for Seong Hyunjae’s shoulder.

Following the line of the shoulder he twisted away in a hurry, the hand blade slid down. Sliiice— Just grazing him shredded all the layers of his clothes, leaving marks across his hard muscles like savage claw swipes. Blood that came a beat late ran down his arm, soaking the back of his hand.

Barely managing to step back out of range, Seong Hyunjae took a breath. Young Chaos flicked his fingers clean.

“Your lessons are rather rough.”

“Lesson, my ass.”

Chaos spoke, brows knitting.

“The second and the youngest are the ones teaching you. I’m the one who beats the crap out of you.”

“Such discrimination. Compared to you, Elder, I’m still quite young myself.”

“So what, you want me to treat you cutely? You gotta do something cute to be cute.”

Seong Hyunjae glanced at the drops of blood plopping from his fingertips and smiled shamelessly.

“I assumed this was your way of doting on me in your own way.”

“…What?”

“Since you’re putting so much effort into me.”

“This is just me trying to patch things up because you blew away the contract and a piece of yourself just to help the eldest!”

Young Chaos clicked his tongue, as if at a loss for words.

“That spatial movement ability will never be yours again. Even if you couldn’t use it, it was still yours, but now it isn’t.”

If it were simply something he’d lost, that would still be fine. But when part of Seong Hyunjae’s power disappeared, it left behind a small hole. His state had already been unstable, and now a tiny additional crack had formed. To compensate for that, Young Chaos was personally taking him on. It was only possible because the connection formed by the contract was still there.

A thin switch appeared in Young Chaos’s hand. Seong Hyunjae’s brow twitched slightly.

“Getting whipped even after doing a good deed. So Santa Claus really doesn’t exist in this world, huh.”

“Are you trying to call that pure self–sacrifice?”

“Let’s go with fifty–fifty.”

“The eldest has to live.”

Without a sound of footsteps, Young Chaos’s body sprang forward. At a near–teleport speed of approach, Seong Hyunjae drew a greatsword. Gripping the long blade, about as tall as he was, with both hands, he spun his whole body and swung up hard with all his strength.

“And so will you!”

Clang!

Branch and sword collided. Seong Hyunjae’s foot bit into the ground with a crunch. The branch was cut away, and Young Chaos’s body spun in the air and landed on the tip of the raised blade. Crackle— At the same time, current flowed down the sword. Concentrated in the S–class metal, light flared violently. This time, even Young Chaos backed off to avoid it.

Thump. Seong Hyunjae twisted the sword around and drove it into the ground, then pulled his buried foot free.

“No matter how many times we clash, it’s hard to believe we’re both S–class.”

“Other S–classes looking at you or the second probably think the same thing.”

“My affection for Mister Han Yujin, at least, is entirely sincere.”

Shooom– The severed half of the branch shot at him like an arrow. The upright sword tilted, and the branch thunked into the flat of the blade. Immediately afterward, the remaining half of the branch dropped from the sky. It grazed Seong Hyunjae’s cheek and stabbed into the ground at his toes. It was the upper half that had just been cut off. Seong Hyunjae brushed away the bead of blood on his cheek with his fingertips.

“It happens to be something the eldest you cherish so dearly is quite fond of.”

“As long as the second is there to bite and chew on me, why does he need that thing too? Anyway, the eldest…”

“He’ll still like me no matter how broken I end up.”

If anything, he would cherish him more than before, and pity him. And the other one as well. Song Taewon wouldn’t be able to leave Seong Hyunjae abandoned, even if he fell all the way to rock bottom. His lips, stained with trickling blood, curved into a satisfied smile.

“That’s what life and death really are, don’t you think. In peaceful everyday life, they feel distant, but when you’re mired in the muck, nothing can feel closer.”

Even if he touched the bottom of the bottom, for Seong Hyunjae it was only another moment confirming his own life. He did not change at the highest heights or the very lowest depths. Young Chaos looked at a man who would never lose himself, no matter the situation.

“…That’s why Crescent Moon chose you, I suppose.”

You could hardly even call it a choice. It was because he would never find anything that could replace him. And that was how things had held out until now.

“The harder the egg, the more it can hold inside.”

Not someone who had already broken out like a Transcendent, but an egg before hatching. The moment that hard self finally shattered might be terribly horrific, yet possibly blindingly beautiful. If the birth of something new were proportional to the scale of the sacrifice made for that hatching, it wouldn’t be strange even if a godlike being were born to take the place of the Source.

A sigh escaped unconsciously from between Young Chaos’s lips. Even he had no sense of what to do with the thing before his eyes. It felt as if a whole pile of complicated problems had suddenly crashed down in front of a path that had been long and long, yet simple if anything.

“What am I going through all this trouble for at my age.”

“It is fascinating to see you volunteering for hardship like this.”

Drawing his greatsword again, Seong Hyunjae spoke.

“Is there some special something about Mister Han Yujin?”

“If that were the case, it’d be a relief!”

This time, Seong Hyunjae charged Young Chaos first. The greatsword he usually didn’t use traced a fluid line as it drove toward Chaos’s nape. It was the smooth movement of someone who’d wielded a sword for a long time.

“No matter how I look at him, the eldest is ordinary.”

Young Chaos dropped his body low. The blade skimmed just barely over his head.

Immediately after that ruler–straight dodge, a rope lashed toward Seong Hyunjae like a whip. The sword cleaving the air suddenly flipped upright with an oddly smooth motion, blocking the rope. Swish, the rope wrapped around the blade and climbed all the way to the hilt.

“Other than loving the second, there’s nothing particularly special about him.”

That was all. Just that he cherished something he could not hold.

Chaos yanked on the rope. Instead of resisting, Seong Hyunjae let himself be pulled and swung his sword. It was the kind of strike you absolutely couldn’t avoid unless you teleported, and a small palm gently turned it aside.

“And that’s the problem. Everyone may have the potential to grow, but there are still differences they’re born with.”

That was one reality you couldn’t help.

“Everyone’s talent is different. There are a few who break their mold, but most people live beneath their own limits. To put it bluntly, the eldest is an ordinary person. The so–called qualities of a hero would be in the youngest or that redhead.”

Their nature and their talent both were like that. Whump! The palm that had guided the sword thumped against Seong Hyunjae’s chest. Having prepared for it, Seong Hyunjae leapt far back, softening the impact. Young Chaos immediately caught up with the retreating man and hooked his leg.

“But the eldest has erased three Transcendents.”

You couldn’t say that was thanks only to his own power. But it was unmistakably because of Han Yujin.

Screee— Dragging his other foot, Seong Hyunjae barely managed not to topple. But only for a moment; the rope that had flown in before he knew it smacked his remaining leg, and his body finally fell. Young Chaos landed on Seong Hyunjae’s chest and looked up at the sky, blurred with smudged light.

“And usually, the higher and harder the mold you break compared to your limits, the greater the price you get in return.”

What those with the right qualities accomplished stayed within a range you could predict. But ordinary humans—

“…Just what did the White Bird see in him.”

Because he couldn’t measure that range.

“The Clown bastard more or less had it coming, so it makes sense the other Transcendents don’t particularly guard against the eldest, but the fact that he’s the third is the problem. Once or twice, a Transcendent has been brought down by those of the lower world and disappeared. But there was never a third time.”

And Crescent Moon as well. Young Chaos’s gaze dropped to his own feet. By now, he could distinctly feel the approach of the moon that had fully awakened.

Under fine silver hair, golden eyes were staring into the empty air beyond the helicopter window. His attitude was fairly calm and composed, but—

‘So it’s impossible to keep it from showing at all.’

I could sense a faint trace of anxiety from Gyeol. If it were only for a short while it would be one thing, but having to keep up the act of being Seong Hyunjae nonstop must be a strain. Even so, Samir only looked half–convinced. Because if it were Seong Hyunjae, he could deliberately act like that on purpose.

‘Sounds like he knows a bit about Seong Hyunjae.’

Well, if he’s come all the way to demand a political marriage with me, he must have done at least basic research on Korean Hunters. And Seong Hyunjae, even aside from that, has made plenty of waves overseas. Anyway, since he’s someone whose true thoughts are hard to read to begin with, Samir didn’t seem able to outright suspect Gyeol’s behavior.

Meanwhile, Isabella was kneading me while checking her SNS. It was in a foreign language so I couldn’t make it out, but messages seemed to be pouring in from all over. Samir was busy too, with phone calls and texts, but Isabella’s fingers moved at a speed my eyes could hardly follow. Yerim’s pretty quick, but she’s no match for Isabella.

“What’s the cat’s name?”

Isabella asked Gyeol. Without taking his eyes off the view outside the window, he replied,

“He doesn’t have one yet.”

“Want me to name him?”

“No.”

“Let’s call him Lemon.”

Why Lemon. The average naming sense in this world really is about the same as mine.

I tried to slip away several times, but the moment I tried to get off her lap, the hand that had been on her phone would drop down in a flash and grab me. Let me go, seriously.

I couldn’t escape Isabella’s hands all the way until the helicopter arrived at the villa. And even though Gyeol showed signs that he wanted to be alone, Samir didn’t look ready to leave him.

[Hang in there a little, Gyeol. Your uncle and aunt will be here soon.]

That’s what I said, but it would still take more than a day to get from America to here. The distance was huge, there were procedures they’d have to go through, and there was no rule saying they’d be able to come straight here as soon as they landed in Africa.

‘It’s already been five days, and if it takes a few more…’

Yuhyun’s birthday. There was only about half a month left. Not exactly generous on time. I hadn’t even gotten his present ready yet! The watch, the watch should be about done by now, right? Should I go fetch it myself? Switzerland’s, uh, near France, right? They said France is right up above this neighborhood, so that’s close enough, isn’t it?

On top of that, there was Seong Hyunjae’s wedding mess. Why is that guy getting married at the crazy year–end of all times? Even if it’s not his choice, can’t he at least adjust the date; who gets married on January 1st! At this rate it might get called off anyway, but still. I had to send New Year’s cards too! He’s still the Monster Mounts breeding center director; I can’t just let it slide without doing anything.

‘Damn year–end!’

As soon as that bastard Chatterbox’s party was over, reality came in like a tidal wave. At this rate, even if I got back home, I could kiss any rest goodbye. The New Year would come, and before I could blink, Lunar New Year would be on top of us. Forget the end of the world, can we at least rest up until Lunar?

“In that case, it means we’ll be family.”

Samir suddenly drew close to Gyeol in a show of friendliness, then thrust his face right up to his. Their noses were practically touching; Gyeol flinched and leaned back. I instinctively fluffed up my fur. Wh–what are you doing!

To Gyeol, who couldn’t hide his bewilderment, Samir spoke as if puzzled.

“It’s just a simple greeting. You should know that.”

What kind of greeting…? The cheek–kissing kind?

[Gyeol, stay calm!]

Doing as I told him, Gyeol furrowed his brow just a little.

“In my current condition, I can hardly be pleased about intimate contact with an S–class, can I.”

“That could be the case, I suppose.”

Quit checking his liver, Your Highness. If you split hairs, there’s about 0.01 percent of Seong Hyunjae in Gyeol, so just treat them as basically the same person.

“Return the cat now.”

Gyeol said to Isabella. Looking reluctant, Isabella handed me over. He hugged me tight, and though I couldn’t hug him back, I patted him with my front paws. My poor Gyeol, you’re working so hard.

The others withdrew, and I followed Samir’s guidance deeper into the villa. The garden was lush and the air warm; it made my sense of the seasons blur.

“You said you know about Hunter Han Yujin’s regression.”

Once we reached a spacious reception room, Samir got to the point.

“Is the five–year regression real?”