The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 620: We’re Getting Married (3)

“It’s been filthy working with you, let’s never meet again!”

Looking like a homeless guy who’d rolled around in the streets for three months and ten days, with dark shadows smeared under both eyes, Do Hamin yelled. In reality, he’d only rolled around for two days.

“You moving out?”

“…C’mon, obviously I’m joking. No more, no less, let’s live for exactly the next hundred years under two roofs and two buildings, keeping our distance, Lord. The socially appropriate minimum distance between landlord and tenant is one thousand meters. It’s in the law, apparently.”

That still boils down to “let’s not see each other,” doesn’t it. The distance between the Breeding Facility and the building was less than five hundred meters. Guess he really did want to get kicked out. Still, he’d worked hard.

“You did good. Might as well do some sightseeing while you’re at it?”

“No thanks? I’m outta here. What good could possibly come from sticking around for this!”

He quickly backpedaled. Sharp as ever. Well, I could always call him back if I needed him, so I’d let him go for now. I sent him a warm, gentle look and he shuddered.

“I’ll have the Breeding Facility cover your travel expenses, so fly first class. Buy some good food, too.”

“Obviously I’m gonna.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I would’ve liked to see him off at the airport, but it was still dangerous for me to show my face and head to the airport openly. We hadn’t heard a peep from Cho Hwawoon’s crew since I left Africa, but there was no telling when they might start their crap again.

After sending off Do Hamin, I asked the French Hunter Association for cooperation. Obviously I couldn’t tell them, “We’re going to go wreck Sesung’s guild leader’s wedding.”

“We’ve discovered one of the terrorist group’s bases. We’re planning a quiet raid with only Korean Hunters so the information doesn’t leak. Fortunately, it’s an uninhabited area.”

I glossed it over like that. It wasn’t even really a lie. The group chasing us had also targeted Isabella and Samir, so chances were high they were connected to Mari. Same birds of a feather.

Since the location wasn’t far from the Swiss border, we also contacted the Swiss Hunter Association just in case. If some part of the Alps blew up, don’t be too alarmed, just issue a dungeon break evacuation order please. “A dungeon blew up” is the ultimate excuse.

Once that groundwork was laid, the next step was:

“A wedding’s gotta be black and white.”

I meant our guest looks. It was my dear partner’s wedding, so we had to show up dressed properly.

“You think the Sesung guild leader will go for a white suit? Feels like he’d wear something light instead of black.”

“I think so too. Soyeong unni agrees.”

Yerim said that as she furiously tapped away on her phone.

“She says to hand over the cash gift for her, too. Same for Evelyn unni. Says if they don’t send anything, it’ll probably get annoying later.”

“Hyunah also asked. Whether it’s a political marriage or a kidnapping marriage, you still have to give a gift so there’s no hard feelings afterward.”

We had the envelopes ready, but how much were we supposed to put in? I had never in my life given more than fifty thousand won in wedding money. Before Awakening, I was broke and young, and after Awakening I never had to go to other people’s weddings. Even fifty thousand was a lot. Before I turned twenty, people just said, “Just eat and go.”

“…Fifty?”

“Come on, it’s the Sesung guild leader.”

“So, five hundred then?”

I looked down at Peace pressed against my leg, rumbling a purr. His meals cost ten million won a pop. …Then five thousand? No, someone like Seong Hyunjae isn’t going to care about the amount anyway. The sentiment’s what matters, but still…

“…Gotta spend when it’s time to spend. Let’s splash ten billion on him!”

At my words, Yerim clapped her hands. Of course, not in cash – in kind. We’d treat him right.

“All right, let’s go pick out clothes. As I said, the dress code is black or white. Chief Song, don’t look away. You’re coming too.”

“I’ll pass.”

“This is work, too. We’re infiltrating to rescue a kidnapped Korean Hunter; we can’t show up in sloppy outfits. I heard this place has plenty of big–size suits. They say it’s easy to find hunter–grade suits with dungeon byproducts mixed in.”

Didn’t suits originate in Europe? …Maybe not? Close enough. When you think “country of gentlemen,” you think the UK.

“And Noah says he knows a good shop.”

“It’s mostly custom, but high–rank Hunters often need suits on short notice, so they keep a wide range of off–the–rack sizes. I’m sure they’ll have something that fits Chief Song.”

Since he’d be ripping them a lot. I sidled up cheerfully to Chief Song and murmured:

“If you don’t dress properly, the groom will bring it up a hundred times over for the rest of your life.”

“…”

“He’ll say, ‘My dear, beloved Chief Song Taewon must not have had time to get ready, to show up at my wedding looking like that,’ and send you a custom suit a day.”

“…”

“In every color. To your house, too. And if you keep turning them down, he’ll say your sincerity is lacking and make you something himself. Oh, unless you actually want a handmade piece from the Sesung guild leader?”

“Understood.”

Chief Song’s voice was low. Time to pick something sturdy and expensive! Maybe they had a buy–one–get–one deal.

“Yuhyun! You want black or white?”

“I’ll be throwing my regalia over it anyway.”

“But I wanna see you in it.”

“Then you pick, hyung.”

He smiled, but he really looked like he didn’t care. Better than two days ago, but his mind was clearly still somewhere else. Even when I gently coaxed him, trying to ask what was wrong, he just kept saying it was fine.

‘…If this is just temporary because of the whole Chatterbox thing, that’d be a relief.’

We’d grab Seong Hyunjae, drag him home, and I’d glue myself to my little brother and comfort him. I missed the Breeding Facility kids too. They said everyone was fine, but I’d been gone for a month already.

“Mister, so, about me.”

In the car on the way to Noah’s usual shop, Yerim hesitated and spoke up.

“After we rescue Sesung Mister, I was thinking I’d stay with Bella for a bit.”

“…Huh? With Isabella?”

“It’s nothing big. I just wanna clear a few dungeons with her and, y’know, free the prince on the side.”

Rescuing the prince was the “on the side.” Before that, she was basically saying she’d be staying overseas. And it was pretty far.

“Yerim, you’re only fifteen.”

“I’m turning sixteen soon.”

“You’re still too young.”

“It’s not that different from before, is it? And it’s not like I’ll be alone, I’ll be with an adult. I’m not planning to stay long either.”

Strictly speaking, she wasn’t wrong. But I barely knew Isabella, and to be honest, I couldn’t say I found her all that reliable… If it were Hyunah, I’d just bow and go, “Please take good care of our kid,” without worrying.

“And we can’t just leave things like this.”

“That’s true. It’s basically our mess, too.”

We could’ve dissolved the contract easily with a good bless–type item. So we decided to table it until after we pulled out Seong Hyunjae. Once we tracked down Samir, we could just un–bind him. As for his family problems, once he was free, he should be able to handle those himself. He was still an S–rank, after all.

We arrived at a suit shop that took up an entire three–story building. A middle–aged man with a kind face greeted us warmly.

“Hello, Gaber.”

“Knight Luhir! Long time no see!”

…Knight? Gaber’s sparkling eyes swept over us.

“With a little tailoring, they’ll fit you perfectly. Didi! Come with me!”

Telling us to wait just a moment, Gaber went upstairs. He’d checked all our sizes in that short time? Did he have a related skill or something. More importantly—

“Knight?”

Yerim stared up at Noah with wide, curious eyes. Noah led us to a small sitting area and answered calmly:

“In some parts of Europe, awakened dungeon raiders are also called knights. In the UK, S–rank Hunters are actually granted noble titles. Hunters of A–rank and below can be knighted for merit as well.”

“Whoa, then that means I’d be a knight too… Knight Park sounds kinda weird.”

“You can use ‘Sir’ instead.”

“…That’s not much better.”

“Or chevalier…”

“I’m doomed!”

Yerim grumbled. It did clash a bit with Korean surnames. Still, “Sir Park Yerim” didn’t sound that bad. That meant Yuhyun was a knight here too. Chief Song would fit the image perfectly.

“Shouldn’t Korea make something like that, too? They have royalty here and hand out titles.”

“South Korea is a democratic republic.”

I mean, just because they hand those out doesn’t mean it’s all good. Samir looked practically bound to his against his will. Still, the title sounded a little tempting.

Soon enough, Gaber came back down with the staff, carrying suits. As requested, they were formal outfits in black and white.

“I want black. This one looks good.”

“Chief Song, white! White!”

“I’ll take black…?”

“White! White! White!”

This chance wasn’t coming again. I thrust a pure white formal suit embroidered with gold into Chief Song’s hands. His body flinched. I was sure it’d look great, just once. In the end, he took the clothes I gave him and went into the fitting room.

“Noah, you’d look best in white too, but should we go with black this time? Yuhyun, this one and this one. Try both. Gaber, do you have children’s formalwear too? He’s about this tall, average build for a kid but a little on the slim side. And a bow tie for Peace, please.”

We had to dress Gyeol too. Sitting quietly on my shoulder, Gyeol puffed out his chest.

“Mister, how is it?”

Yerim was the first to come out, twirling in midair. The tail of her black tailcoat fluttered behind her like an actual tail. Sharp and sleek, she really looked like a swallow.

“You look amazing! Seriously, it’s perfect!”

She’d clearly grown since Seong Hyunjae’s last birthday. Not just taller, but her frame had filled out a bit too. Then Chief Song stepped out.

“…Whoa.”

“Whoa, Chief Song, you look totally different. You used to be a civil servant Mister!”

The definition of “government worker” had turned into a brand–new groom with one outfit. He could’ve stood next to the bride instead of Seong Hyunjae.

“Chief Song… it suits you so well. You should dress like this more often! Look at that, your face just pops. Bright clothes really do brighten your image!”

“…Black would be…”

“Come on, it looks great! Let’s just go like this, like this! Damn, you look good. Perfect!”

Gaber agreed with me, fussing over Chief Song and pinning seams here and there. Meanwhile, Yuhyun stepped out too. He was wearing a black suit embroidered with intricate silver patterns. Holy crap. My jaw literally dropped. I’d seen him in suits plenty, but full–on formalwear was a different story.

“…My little brother, you look so, so good.”

“Well, it does look alright. His face is doing all the work, though.”

“You okay with it?”

“Of course.”

“Even without a title, you could smack a noble silly with that. We walk into someone else’s wedding dressed like this and it’ll crumble automatically, damn.”

Whoever’s little brother he was, he was ridiculously handsome. I had to get a picture. Maybe we should take a group photo before the ceremony? I’d stand off to the side. Lastly, Noah came out in a solid black suit, with almost no decoration unlike the others.

“Whoa, Noah oppa looks like a legit prince.”

“He really does. Prince material, seriously.”

He practically glowed. If anything, the plain black made his hair, face, and eyes shine even more. Man, he really was good–looking. Soyeong would be pounding the floor in despair. I should send Liette a picture.

“This one’s for Mister!”

While Gaber and the staff went to grab more clothes, Yerim lifted up a bow tie. Huh?

“Isn’t that for Peace?”

“Nope, it’s yours, Mister.”

“…Yerim?”

“A jet–black cat definitely needs a bright red bow tie!”

“Yerim!”

So that’s why she’d been so quiet! I rushed to explain that that skill was for turning into a Delroux, a Transcendent, not a normal cat, and only for emergencies, to escape, not something I’d ever use just for fun. Yerim ignored every word, smiling as she asked if a blue one would be better.

“Sesung Mister would love to see it too.”

“No, Yerim.”

“Chief Public Servant Mister said he wants to see it too.”

“I did no such thing.”

“He wants to pet you.”

“I do not.”

“Noah oppa really, really wants to pet you too.”

“…Not that much.”

“Just one day a week. Mister, I’ll even buy you a cat tree.”

“…Yerim, I’m a person.”

“Hyung, try this on.”

Don’t tell me you too, Yuhyun! I spun around in a panic, but thankfully my little brother was holding a normal suit. I had to try something on anyway. …But this was embarrassing. Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested dressing up. I had to stand in the middle of all these people…

“I look whatever in a suit. Maybe I should just wear a mask.”

“Mister, if you just add the bow tie, you’ll stand out the most!”

Please give it up, Yerim. Also, Peace is cuter. And so is Gyeol. With three in black and one in white, Gyeol and I went with white. Peace got a gold bow tie.

The day before the wedding, after finishing the favor Hwang Rim had asked for, we headed back to the hotel we were staying at.

“I wanna see it too, such a shame. So you’re saying it’s going to be a group wedding? Bold move.”

“What insane crap are you talking about. What happened to Cho Hwawoon anyway? I thought you were the one keeping an eye on him?”

“When you raise a dog, sometimes they run away from home, you know. I’ll put up flyers.”

He didn’t deserve to own a pet. Not that he was a pet – he was a person. A person, but not very people–like.

As the sky turned crimson and the sun began to set, we headed to the venue with ten billion won worth of gifts in hand.