The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 699: Things Taken, Things Gained (3)

Seoul, which I was stepping into for the first time in a while, was as peaceful and as crowded as ever. It was early evening in England, but here in Korea it was already past midnight. Even so, lights rippled through the streets. Maybe because the chaos in London had even gone out live on air, there were few windows in either houses or apartment buildings that were completely dark.

‘The Chatterbox party was at the end of November.’

It had been well over a month since I left home. Since I’d been going in and out of places where time moved differently, it felt even longer than that. I’d ended up spending both Yuhyun’s birthday and New Year’s overseas. I looked out past the car window at the row of shops that still held remnants of Christmas.

‘My birthday isn’t far off either.’

About three weeks left, maybe. Long if you called it long, short if you called it short. I wasn’t sure if I’d be back in Korea by then. Honestly, I couldn’t even picture what state I would be in. I might be peacefully blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.

Anyway, I just had this feeling… that by then, one way or another, everything would be wrapped up. Whether I was here or not.

“This way.”

When we arrived at the Hunter Association and I got out of the car, Choi Youngjun came striding over. He lowered his voice and asked,

“Is the Chief safe, sir?”

“Yes. It’ll just take a bit longer for him to return.”

“Because of the London incident, I assume.”

I didn’t know exactly what Chief Song had said before he left, but it seemed he’d left them with a reasonable explanation.

“Everyone’s extremely worried. We’ve had dungeon breaks happen several times, but… nothing like this has ever happened before.”

We’d lost an entire city. Not just any city, either, but the capital of a country and one of the world’s great metropolises. Refugees, of course, and everyone who watched it happen were bound to be shocked. But it wasn’t something you could hide, nor something you could simply reassure everyone about unconditionally.

Right beside me, pressed close, Yuhyun grabbed my hand. He was probably holding back the urge to say I didn’t need to step up, that we should just go home and rest.

“…Dad.”

Gyeol also called out to me anxiously. I really couldn’t let my expression get too bad. I took a deep breath.

“You’re checking everything, right? Give me a brief rundown… ah, Team Leader Seok. Team Leader Seo.”

The Haeyeon folks had also arrived at the Association in the meantime. Beside Seok Gimyeong stood Seo Kyunghoon. The two of them moved quickly, coming to stand in front of Choi Youngjun as if to block him.

“Guild Master, how about you head straight back to Haeyeon?”

“Is it the Hunter Association’s way to keep someone who just finished several hours of battle and torment them further?”

Kyunghoon–hyung snapped, his tone sharp. His eyes looked a lot like Seok Gimyeong’s, which worried me a bit. Gimyeong did his job well, but… please don’t become too much like him.

“The broadcast was at Director Han Yujin’s request. And it’s not as if Haeyeon’s Guild Master is going to just go home alone. If you wish, the Haeyeon members can go ahead first.”

At his implied “as if that would ever happen”, Seok Gimyeong’s expression said it was only obvious.

“We have no intention of leaving without Director Han. He’s incredibly important to Haeyeon as well. That’s why I’m asking you to be careful with him.”

It was a warning that if they mishandled me, Haeyeon would respond. Choi Youngjun showed a genial smile.

“The Hunter Association also considers Director Han extremely important. After all, I wouldn’t be standing here if not for him. How could I dare treat him carelessly?”

…Why are you having a staring contest over me right now? Just explain the situation. Thankfully, the three of them stopped there, and as he started walking again, Choi opened his mouth.

“We keep getting requests from Hunter Associations around the world to share information. At the same time, they’re saying they want to join Team Hangyeol, like Europe, America, and Japan.”

“Team Hangyeol?”

“I heard the one who led the support during the London incident was none other than young Hangyeol himself. Was that wrong?”

“No, that’s right. Our Gyeol did it.”

Gyeol, who’d been dozing off in Yerim’s arms because Dad was tired, blinked sleepily when he felt my gaze and then beamed at me. He really was an angel.

“There have been riots in several places, and even domestically there were protests and attempts at looting, people saying the end was coming. The mood has calmed down thanks to the perfect evacuation in London, but a lot of people are still afraid.”

The large conference room was lined with broadcast cameras. I could see logos from foreign stations as well.

“And the goblins…”

“We need to tell the truth.”

Since we couldn’t hide the existence of goblins in Korea, both the government and the Hunter Association already knew. But thanks to the goblin we’d already had, Yun Yun, they’d kept quiet and cooperated. The people at the top knew well what Yun Yun could do and had long thought goblins were not something to mess with.

“Director Han Yujin! Explain the London incident for us!”

“Did you know in advance?”

“Why didn’t you warn people–”

Yuhyun stepped forward. As his low, spreading pressure filled the room, the reporters, who’d been opening and closing their mouths like a school of fish rushing at food the moment they saw me, all shut up at once. We walked up onto the platform set up for the press conference. I was pretty tired, so I pulled a chair out and sat down. Peace circled behind the table, then flopped down with his cheek resting on my foot.

“We couldn’t pinpoint the location.”

I began slowly.

“We only learned about it recently, and the monster hordes were going to invade cities at random. If we’d announced that in advance, obviously it would have caused a huge uproar. Even so, if we hadn’t had any kind of countermeasure, we would have told you.”

From the entrance we’d come through, Noah appeared, bringing Yun Yun and the goblins with him. The goblins tried to wander around, wide–eyed with curiosity, and Yun Yun stopped them with a surprisingly grown–up air. Though you could tell she herself was dying to jump in.

“Everyone, we lost the great city of London in an instant. At the same time, we didn’t lose a single person. So please, go on living your lives as usual. Just keep any absolutely irreplaceable valuables on you at all times – that’s enough.”

We didn’t yet know if something like this would happen again, or if we’d be able to take London back. But there was no need to abandon our daily lives out of fear.

“Yun Yun.”

“Okay!”

Yun Yun teleported to my side. The other goblins popped in after her one by one. The cameras focused on them. Yun Yun cleared her throat importantly.

“Dear Mister Kims, I am Goblin King Yun Yun, sir.”

“I’m– mmph!”

“You idiot, I told you to stay put.”

“But I wanna introduce myself to the Mister Kims too.”

The goblins chattered in little voices. Yun Yun coughed again.

“We goblins made goblin gates and helped the London Mister Kims. From now on, we will also help the Mister Kims… the humans.”

“Are the goblins an awakened group?”

One of the reporters asked. I answered in Yun Yun’s place.

“Goblins are neither monsters nor humans. They’re a new race – people – born when dungeons appeared and through their influence.”

As the goblins kept increasing in number and tried to live in this world alongside us, there was no way we could hide forever that they were a different species. And right now was the best time to reveal it. Because right now, the only beings who could create perfect evacuation routes from monster outbreaks that could happen anywhere at any time… were the goblins.

Several reporters sucked in sharp breaths. Hunter Association employees who didn’t know the inside story also looked shaken.

“…They’re not dangerous?”

“Goblins are afraid of blood and can’t harm living things. They’re reluctant to hurt monsters, never mind humans. Since that’s how they’re born, they won’t be the ones to attack humans first.”

Extremely safe, and a huge help. Compared to Monster Mounts, it would be even easier for human society to accept them. The problem was…

“We can’t hurt Mister Kims, humans. But if Mister Kims hurt us, we’re not just going to sit still, sir.”

Yun Yun said, her face stiff. The goblins clung to her, dangling off her. Goblins couldn’t attack others. In other words, humans would find it easy to think about bullying or exploiting them, and easy to follow through on it.

“We can’t fight, but that doesn’t mean we’re weak. If anyone hurts a goblin, I’ll cling to that Mister Kim forever.”

At Yun Yun’s words, the reporters looked puzzled. “Cling” sounded too light to be a threat.

“I’ll pop out anywhere, twenty–four hours a day. I can’t hurt you. But I’ll splash water on you and trip you. If you’re about to fall asleep, I’ll yell in your ear, if you’re eating, I’ll flip your table, if you’re working, I’ll get in the way, if you go to the bathroom, I’ll grab your ankle and hang on. You won’t be able to run anywhere. Goblins can go anywhere.”

People who’d laughed when she mentioned splashing water and tripping someone slowly went stiff–faced. It was just pranks. But that would be happening anywhere, anytime, around the clock. And with teleportation, you couldn’t run away. Even an S-class Hunter wouldn’t be able to catch Yun Yun. Ordinary people wouldn’t last a week.

“Dodam Monster Mounts Breeding Facility is sponsoring the goblins. Haeyeon Guild, of course, as well as the Hunter Association, Sesung Guild, and Breaker Guild are also cooperating.”

We weren’t going to just stand by either. Since the goblins were helping humans, it would be ideal if we could all get along. But realistically, that was impossible. This was a world where even humans alone turned everything into a mess if you took the law away.

“The European Hunter Association and Healer Association will also cooperate.”

A completely unexpected voice spoke up. It was Saint Emily Spence. She came in together with Hwang Rim. Why on earth was she in Korea?

“The goblins’ abilities will be of great help to healers who attack dungeons. Healers will be able to safely enter higher–grade dungeons.”

Right, that was true. The main reason we couldn’t easily take healers into higher–level dungeons was safety. But if they had a teleporting goblin with them, they could be perfectly protected. For now, hardly any goblins besides Yun Yun could teleport with a human, but they’d all barely awakened; their numbers would increase.

Emily walked up to Yun Yun and held out her hand. Yun Yun shook it.

“As the representative of healers, I welcome the goblins.”

“Okay, thank you, Saint!”

Yun Yun smiled brightly. Emily came to stand by my chair. Ah, should I be getting up?

“Please stay seated.”

Emily’s eyes flicked briefly toward Gyeol. I followed her gaze. If goblins were accepted safely, the world would be much easier on Gyeol as well. And on the other kids, and on the Monster Mounts.

“Is London just going to disappear like this?”

Emily spoke. She asked me, but her eyes were on the cameras.

“Yes. But we’ll find a way to take it back.”

How far could I go with this? The more people learned about the Transcendents, the weaker the power protecting our world would become. But they’d already interfered too much. And if this bet ended safely, the Transcendents had promised not to touch our world again. …Not that I could trust that completely.

“There are beings outside our world who create dungeons.”

I heard people swallowing dryly. The aftershocks of the Chatterbox party had rippled through everyone. Even if the memories of non–awakened people and low–rank awakeneds had been erased, the sensation would remain.

“…Are they gods?”

One reporter asked in a trembling voice. I could see how they’d think that. But I shook my head firmly.

“They were once beings similar to us.”

Transcendents were still people. Long ago, they’d lived ordinary lives.

“You all faced one of them directly. The man who freely manipulated dungeons, blurred in your memories.”

“Chatterbox.” Someone murmured. Even though he’d become hazy and hard to recall, everyone knew. That very haziness would let people feel that he was a being from outside the world.

“And he died.”

They could lose their lives too. They weren’t perfect.

“Right when he tried to shake the world, he was killed. By people.”

By people. I’d never been alone. I’d had my little brother’s power, and the powers of others at my side. It was only possible because all of them were there. Once, twice, three times. Maybe we couldn’t do it more than that.

“So it’s okay.”

I was speaking to everyone. But also to myself.

I exhaled slowly. Silence followed, until–

“Do you have a concrete method?”

“What is their goal?”

“When will a second London incident occur?”

Questions started pouring out. Emily patted my shoulder and smiled, then answered in my place.

“The details aren’t known, everyone. We’ve only just barely caught their tail.”

Go and rest already, she whispered as she helped me to my feet. I hesitated, feeling like I was dumping my responsibilities on her, and she smiled with her eyes.

“It’s normal for the young ones to fight on the field and for us to handle the aftermath.”

“…Thank you.”

“Thank me? We’re the ones overworking you. I’m used to this kind of thing, so don’t worry.”

She had the support of Hunters and ordinary people alike; she’d be able to organize things much better than I could. I bowed my head slightly and left the platform. Time to finally go home–

“Sweetheart~.”

…If it were Liette, that’d be better. Flames flared up right in front of Hwang Rim as he strode after us out of the conference room toward me. “Whoa there,” he said, raising both hands.

“I’ve got a message to pass on. From someone above me.”

If he meant “above”, that would be the Puppeteer, right? I frowned and motioned for him to follow. Hwang Rim glanced around.

“I really need to talk to you alone–”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Yuhyun cut him off coldly. I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of being alone with this guy either. Just then, Gyeol yawned and handed me a sound–blocking item.

“Dad, use this.”

“Thanks, Gyeol.”

Wait, wasn’t this Seong Hyunjae’s? Had Gyeol been carrying it around all this time? I activated the item, and with barely any movement of his lips, Hwang said,

“They really can’t interfere until the bet is over.”

“…That’s useless information. That much is obvious.”

“And there’s someone with the Puppeteer who asked me to pass this on.”

He whispered. At first I had no idea what he was talking about, but his last sentence jolted me wide awake. Hold up, no way.

“Not the Puppeteer, but the person with him? Are they a Transcendent too?”

“No. They seem to belong to the Puppeteer’s side. I don’t know the details, but the Puppeteer seems to cherish them quite a bit.”

…Cherish them? I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on.

“Can I meet them–”

“Nope. The only reason they were able to get this message to me is because London went that crazy. The line’s been bad until now.”

Hwang Rim clapped a hand on my shoulder and looked down at me.

“My dear Jin. I’m cheering for you. I’ve got an escape route, but this is more fun anyway. You could say I’m totally head over heels for–”

“Beat it.”

I said as I turned off the sound–blocking item. Ruler’s Sword, still in its scabbard, drove straight into his stomach. Hwang let out a choked groan and grabbed his belly.

“You’re so cruel to your devoted fan!”

Puppeteer, could you at least take this bastard with you?

“Home! I’m home!”

Yerim threw her hands up in victory and practically kicked her shoes off. Wide awake now, Gyeol scampered off after her. Ah, how long had it been. I’d missed this.

– Kyyaaang!

Peace rolled over and over, tumbling across the floor, happy to be home. Chirp wasn’t back yet?

“Hodu, turn on the lights.”

The living room lit up brightly. I held myself back from collapsing onto the couch and instead washed up and changed into pajamas. After all that chaos, I couldn’t just flop down right away. There was still stuff to do. Still bursting with energy, Yerim opened the fridge.

“It’s all frozen food, but who wants ice cream!”

So much energy. I went back to the living room and turned on the TV. It was all London–related coverage. Everyone–

“Now hand him over to Hangyeol–gun.”

“Holy crap!”

“Ugh! Did you bring the Sesung Guild Leader back too?”

Yerim jumped a mile, and Gyeol frowned. Well, I couldn’t exactly throw him away. I took off the necklace and handed it to Gyeol. Seong Hyunjae climbed up onto his shoulder.

“You’ve gotta look after him, Gyeol. There’s no helping it.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Gyeol grabbed his ice cream spoon. Our Gyeol really was so responsible. Now that we were back home like this…

“Hey, Gyeol. Want to meet your little siblings?”

It would be safer for Seol and Byeol to stay at home too. At my words, Gyeol gulped down his ice cream and his eyes went round.

“Uh, yeah! Wait, yeah! I’m ready.”

He checked his clothes, smoothed down his hair, then nodded. Then let’s start with Byeol. Seeing him tense up made me a little nervous too as I called Byeol out. A fluffy round ball popped out into my palm and turned into a toddler. Gyeol swallowed hard. Byeol’s eyes landed on him, and in that held–breath moment–

“No!”

“Don’t eat that!”

Byeol grabbed Seong Hyunjae in an instant and, without hesitation, shoved the shiny head straight into her mouth. Oh no, Byeol!