The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 653: Villain (4)

“I’m pleased to meet you, Guild Leader Moon Hyunah of Breaker.”

Her Korean was fluent. Moon Hyunah rose from her work desk, headed to the sofa, and gestured for Marisa to take a seat as well.

“I almost wondered if you were using a simultaneous translation item. What brings the British Hunter Association all the way out here?”

“Isn’t this the country the hunter world is watching most closely these days? Associations everywhere are eager to actively exchange with you.”

“To be blunt, our dear association just sat back and watched. I suppose we should be grateful they at least stopped getting in the way.”

Before the shakeup, they would have harped on Han Yujin attending Chatterbox’s party several times more than they did now, and then made a fuss trying to claim credit if things turned out well.

“Coffee? Or black tea? I’m not sure if either will suit your taste.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine.”

Moon Hyunah casually poured two glasses of water, set them on the table, and took the sofa opposite Marisa.

“Let’s stop pretending we don’t know what this is about.”

Mana stirred around Moon Hyunah, and a light breeze curled around them. The sound–proofed area spread to nearly twice what it had been when she’d spoken with Han Yujin in the past.

“I got a text from Director Han Yujin two days ago.”

“About me, I assume.”

“It means I more or less know everything already.”

She said that, but Moon Hyunah still hadn’t decided how to treat the woman in front of her. The information Han Yujin had given her had been vague. After Seong Hyunjae’s wedding ended, Han Yujin had briefly told her about Mari and her mother, Marisa.

Mari was the one who had kidnapped Seong Hyunjae, with Marisa Moore, an employee of the British Hunter Association, behind her. Marisa was tied to a Transcendent, and the wedding had been safely called off. The broad strokes of the situation had been explained, but the exact goal of the wedding, of Mari and Marisa, had been left out.

She’d even texted back jokingly, So that young lady really wanted to marry Seong Hyunjae? but Han Yujin had dodged the question, saying it didn’t seem like that. It had been obvious he didn’t want to go into detail.

“From the sound of it, you’re not exactly an ordinary association employee.”

At her words, Marisa’s lips curled faintly at the corners.

“I do the work I’m given, collect my salary, buy bread, butter, a bit of tea, and put gas in my old car.”

“Swap the bread for rice and the tea for coffee, and that’s roughly my life too.”

“I hope you end up on the paying side of the salaries as soon as possible.”

“And that the income outside that salary will be much larger as well. Sesung has sent over some information on you too.”

Marisa Moore. B–rank Hunter with the British Hunter Association. Awakened at an advanced age, presumed to be lower ranked than the grade she would have been expected to reach had she awakened in her youth. Holder of a special skill. Believed to have had a significant impact on the formation of the European Hunter Alliance. Followed by many high–ranked Hunters. And, as a businesswoman rather than a Hunter, presumed to have amassed considerable personal wealth since her younger days.

Much of it was speculation rather than solid fact, but it was clear Marisa was no ordinary person.

“So why don’t you get straight to the point.”

“My remaining lifespan is four years.”

Marisa said it calmly. One of Moon Hyunah’s eyebrows twitched upward.

“The me before the regression died. It was about four years from now. At that time, I had already made a contract with a Transcendent, and I brought that contract over intact to the current me.”

“…In other words, you’re sharing the same fate as the pre–regression Ms. Moore? Because you brought the contract over?”

“Yes. You can’t pick and choose only the good parts when you accept a person.”

With Crescent Moon’s help, the current Marisa Moore had been able to accept the same contract – the same fate – as the pre–regression Marisa Moore. As a result, her body was destined to die in four years.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring over all of the memories as well. We’re the same person, but at the same time, we’re different people.”

“Honestly, I don’t understand.”

Moon Hyunah cut in flatly.

“You accepted that, knowing you’d live only four more years and then die?”

“It also means I moved those four years up.”

Moon Hyunah quietly studied the calm eyes beneath that white hair. She remembered having seen a similar gaze a couple of times before. Seong Hyunjae. A look he had very occasionally, back before he met the regressed Han Yujin. The eyes of an old person who’d grown tired and bored.

But Seong Hyunjae wouldn’t throw himself away like that.

“In four years I’ll be close to seventy, so it’s not all that early.”

“You’re very well preserved, then. So this isn’t, I assume, an invitation to the funeral.”

“Some of the fragmented memories I received from my pre–regression self included information about you, Guild Leader. And I’ve done my own research besides.”

Moon Hyunah leaned back deeply into the sofa. She’d never asked Han Yujin for details about her pre–regression self. The pre–regression Moon Hyunah and the current Moon Hyunah were different people. They had diverged and would walk different paths, so there was no real need to know – though she was, admittedly, a little curious.

“Hunter Moon Hyunah.”

Marisa continued slowly.

“If you could save the world by sacrificing one person, what would you do?”

Moon Hyunah’s brow furrowed slightly. Words along the lines of What kind of nonsense is that almost slipped out, but instead she let out a short sigh. Her gut told her this wasn’t a pointless question.

“I don’t know. You only really know when it happens. I go with my mood more than I look, you know. But.”

She sighed again, longer this time.

“I’d save the world, sure. There’s a lot I have to protect. But that doesn’t mean I’d behave like you.”

What happened in China. Park Hayul’s older sister. She’d heard the information about that too. Moon Hyunah met Marisa’s gaze head–on. Two pairs of eyes, each holding a different kind of strength, collided.

“You pay the price. If you gain something, there has to be something you give up. But pinning everything on some random person and calling it a sacrifice For the greater good – does that really make it right?”

“Even if they’re such a valuable talent it would be a waste to see them punished by law?”

“…Valuable or not, a criminal is still a criminal. And it’s a little funny for me of all people to say this, but.”

Moon Hyunah scratched her head slightly, then spoke in a low, firm voice.

“The world keeps turning even without geniuses.”

They say a small number of exceptional people lead the world. But even if every last one of them disappeared…

“It might be messier, it might be slower, but it’ll still run on its own. It’s nice when talented people help out, sure – but acting like the world can’t function without you and demanding to be the exception is just pathetic.”

“And yet you, Hunter Moon Hyunah, are carrying a great deal on your shoulders, aren’t you.”

“Oh, I can toss it all away anytime. I just want the people I care about to be a bit safer and more free, that’s all. Nothing grand about it. Things turned out this way because I live how I want. So.”

Moon Hyunah grabbed her water glass and drained it in one go. Clack – the empty cup tapped lightly against the table.

“If I had to kill someone, I’d kill them. Then I’d turn myself in. I’m not so naive and virtuous that I’d shout No one must be sacrificed.”

If something has to be done, she’ll do it. And she’ll shoulder it. There was no trick to it. She might make mistakes, she might regret them. It might turn out to be the wrong path.

“I don’t think I’m always right. That’s exactly why I don’t dodge responsibility.”

That was Moon Hyunah’s best. Her path was neither perfect nor driven by some lofty purpose. She did what she could, did what she had to, did what she wanted, and took responsibility for it. In a way, it was simple and ordinary.

“I see.”

The fine lines around Marisa’s mouth shifted gently as she smiled.

“I think the bravest people are those who don’t run away from their own lives, but accept them.”

“No, I’m not like that all the time either. Me sitting here right now is also the result of having dodged and taken detours.”

When she’d just awakened, she hadn’t been able to slam head–on into a contract that was clearly disadvantageous and had accepted it instead. And besides that, she’d of course done or avoided various big and small things she hadn’t wanted.

“And you’ll get out of it again. At the final moment, you’ll do what has to be done without running away.”

“…I don’t know what you’re expecting, but I can’t promise that.”

“Then shall we talk business.”

All right, then – Marisa lifted the bag she’d brought and set it on the table.

“Business?”

“If the world is still around in four years, I’ll need to get things in order before I die. To start with, I own a small winery in France and have ties with one of the five First Growth châteaux.”

The sudden change of topic threw Moon Hyunah a little, and she glanced toward the door.

“We do have a separate business division that handles wine.”

“It’s precisely because Hunter Moon Hyunah has started a wine business that I’d like to start coordinating from that side and eventually merge them.”

“…Excuse me? Merge them? Even if you don’t have much time left, you have a daughter, don’t you?”

“Explaining about that child is a bit complicated. Let’s just say she didn’t exist before the regression.”

Moon Hyunah’s eyes narrowed. A daughter who hadn’t existed before the regression. Did that mean an adopted child? Or was there something else at play?

“There are other people around you as well. There’s Chloe, for one.”

“There are three conditions I want. Someone who has had significant contact with beings from outside, who knows exactly what they have to do, and lastly, someone who believes in themselves.”

Moon Hyunah closed her mouth. Silence swayed slowly in the currents of air. Marisa’s hands took documents and a laptop out of the bag and laid them neatly out on the table. For her age, her hands showed surprisingly little of the passage of time – yet it wasn’t as if there were no traces of hardship there either.

“It can’t have been easy, climbing all the way to that position.”

Maybe she’d been born an S–rank like Seong Hyunjae, Liette, or Han Yuhyun. Even if she’d been born different from ordinary humans, much of what Marisa had accomplished was the result of her pre–awakening life. At Moon Hyunah’s words, Marisa’s eyes crinkled as she let out a quiet laugh.

“It was dull.”

Instead of being taken aback, Moon Hyunah just shrugged. After dealing with born S–ranks and even Transcendents, that sort of odd temperament wasn’t all that unfamiliar anymore.

“I don’t intend to flat–out refuse Ms. Marisa Moore’s proposal, but I have no intention of accepting it unilaterally either. To be honest, it’s pretty suspicious.”

“Nor do I want to push it forward immediately. Above all…”

Marisa lifted the head she’d bowed while gathering the papers and looked straight at Moon Hyunah.

“…there’s still something left unfinished.”

A snowy–white reindeer had a small, equally white crown sprouting from his head. Sorok had grown into a fairly slender shape, though his body was still barely big enough to carry a person and closer to a spiritual form. He plodded across the snow–covered training field, and beside him a still round, small black lamb trotted along after him.

“Sorok, Little Song.”

– Baa–aa.

At Moon Hyunah’s call, Little Song bounded over. Sorok, on the other hand, sauntered toward her with the air of someone who was all grown up. After racing over first and getting a treat from Moon Hyunah, the lamb ran back to the reindeer and circled around him in loops.

“I think Sorok will have to be moved to the Gyeonggi Breeding Facility before long.”

The Hunter in charge of the Breeding Facility said, cradling a fox kit in their arms. Horang flicked its ears and thumped its tail in a vaguely annoyed way. It had gotten its hopes up about visitors and been disappointed.

“Adult Snowfield Reindeer do get quite large. Even so, I’m thinking of arranging a place as close to Breaker as possible. Thanks to Blue, the image of Monster Mounts has improved.”

“When monsters appeared simultaneously all over, Blue and Comet were a huge help. Especially Blue – she’s so affectionate. The training center Hunters often upload clips of themselves playing with her on social media.”

Thanks to the flying Monster Mounts that quickly hunted down the monsters that had poured out after Ru Ga Pheya interfered with the Japanese dungeon, the damage had been minimal. Because of that, citizens’ anxiety about Blue traveling alone between the Gyeonggi and Seoul Breeding Facilities had all but disappeared. On top of that, many people had come to see an S–rank Monster Mount as just as reassuring as an S–rank Hunter.

“It’s about time Director Han came back too.”

Muttering to herself, Moon Hyunah left the Breeding Facility after roughhousing a bit with Sorok, who’d become much more energetic than before. She’d gotten a message: We’re going to take down the group of Prophets, head to the States, and crack Chatterbox’s vault, so if you have time, come to New York. Liette was also scheduled to fly out to help with the job. She just hoped they’d wrap it up well and return safely.

[Moon Hyunah!]

Just then, a message popped up in front of Moon Hyunah.

[(??ヮ?)?Please help Seong Hyunjae!!＼(°▽°＼)]

“…Huh? Seong Hyunjae?”

Moon Hyunah let out a disbelieving laugh. Just what was he up to this time.

“If it were Hyung–nim, sure, but why Seong Hyunjae?”

[Your fellow Hunter next–door is hoping to become one of your own♡]

“He’s not my neighbor and as for fellow, hmm. And I can’t even contact him to ask.”

Staring hard at the message, Moon Hyunah accepted the affiliation request. A sparkling message saying Thank you! popped up, but nothing in particular changed. Tilting her head, she stopped by the café in the building and then headed back to her guild.

And after some time, a spatial movement request appeared. Moon Hyunah wrapped up her work to a reasonable point and accepted the teleport. Her vision darkened for a moment, then brightened again. Splash – water squelched underfoot. She saw fish flopping in the shallow pool that had collected.

“Welcome, Hunter Moon Hyunah. Or should I say Guild Leader of Breaker now.”

Seong Hyunjae turned to look at her.

“…”

So did Song Taewon, standing drenched in the middle of a wrecked indoor garden. One shoulder of his clothes was ripped in a long tear. Taking in and assessing the situation in a flash, Moon Hyunah ran a hand through her hair and grimaced.

“…We’re screwed. Hyung–nim’s on the other side, right?”

“Correct.”

“Then we’re the villains.”

“Our dear public servant is in the middle of refusing.”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

Song Taewon straightened up. His darkened eyes met the golden ones curved in apparent amusement.

“State your exact objective, Mr. Seong Hyunjae.”

“Should I just write The end of the world.”

“And what happened to Hunter Seong Hyunjae?”

As if to say What on earth is that supposed to mean, Moon Hyunah looked back and forth between the two of them.