The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 702: Third Bet (1)

Sunlight streamed in a long beam through the large window. As she spun in a light twirl, her skirt flared out in a circle. There was no real danger of getting her clothes dirty, but she still wore an apron, and though she could easily hold things that were quite hot, she had put on oven mitts as well. Mari peered into the pot of boiling water, humming thoughtfully with a troubled expression.

“The ingredients are really different.”

She had gotten into cooking in the world prepared for the Life Game, but the ingredients in Seong Hyunjae’s space, in this mansion, were different from the ones in that world. Things like salt and sugar were pretty much the same, but the vegetables were completely different in both shape and taste.

“Flour, eggs, milk, butter and so on are similar enough, so let’s try making bread~. Assistant!”

Mari wiggled her fingers at Samir, who was perched on the jutting window ledge. When Samir got up and came over with a helpless air, she handed him an apron. Moon Hyunah sank back against the plush chair and watched them.

‘A fairy tale princess.’

Before being summoned by Seong Hyunjae, Moon Hyunah had met with Marisa. Marisa Moore, saying she didn’t have much life left, had urged Moon Hyunah to take over her legacy – not just her companies, but her connections in the European Hunter world and the people under her.

Marisa had deliberately put Han Yujin in danger. At the same time, she had worked hard for many people. Hurting innocent others for the sake of a goal was clearly wrong. But she had also reached out to help in the right ways.

‘You can’t erase what you did wrong to Chief Han just because you helped other people.’

In the end, Marisa had never truly taken responsibility, so Moon Hyunah still harbored resentment toward her. Even so, she couldn’t help but honestly admire the things Marisa had done. The reason the European Hunter world was relatively peaceful was, on the surface, thanks to the efforts of the Saint, Emily Spence, and behind the scenes, thanks to Marisa’s support.

Marisa moved in the shadows. Thanks to that, very few outsiders knew who she really was. There were only vague rumors that there was someone like a teacher to the Hunter world, spread thinly across Europe and its surroundings. Because of her ability to teach Awakened people and raise the grades of their skills and stats, the Hunters under Marisa could not betray her. The moment their contract with Marisa was severed, their grades would drop as well.

‘She said there was a bit of a mental subordination effect too.’

She had been honest about her own ability and said that for that reason she wouldn’t use her skill on Moon Hyunah. If Hyunah didn’t want to, she could exclude any Hunters contracted to Marisa as well.

It felt unsettling to accept. But it wasn’t something she could easily refuse either. Marisa had been monitoring and resolving Hunter–related crimes that were hard to touch through legal means, and based on her memories from before the regression, she had chosen Moon Hyunah as the right person to inherit that work.

‘I don’t think the me before the regression is the same as the me now.’

Watching the flour drifting through the air, Moon Hyunah murmured that she must have lived a decent life, at least.

Moon Hyunah had never harbored any grand cause. After she Awakened so suddenly, she had just lived dealing with whatever came at each moment. She hadn’t had the leisure to set a destination and look toward it. She simply planted strength in her legs so she wouldn’t be swept away by the raging current and took one step after another.

“The flour here is so much lighter! Look, it’s like it’s snowing!”

She deliberately sent the flour flying so that it dusted her clothes here and there even though she could have avoided it. Mari’s laughter spread out, mixing with the sunlight. A faint smile formed on Moon Hyunah’s lips, simply because she liked seeing that scene. Her comrades who had Awakened with her, the juniors who had Awakened afterward. Seeing Park Yerim laughing brightly in a safe nest just made her feel good. She had walked forward while holding on to those small feelings inside herself, not looking far ahead. And before she knew it, she had ended up moving forward.

Those feelings hadn’t changed even now. That was why she agonized over it.

‘Four years from now, Breaker will already have gone independent. I have thought about expanding overseas, but…’

If Marisa had told her to accept help right away, she would have refused. But Marisa had spoken not of immediate help, but of a slow investment, saying that there was still a lot she had to learn.

Moon Hyunah’s gaze turned back to Mari. She had asked again whether Mari couldn’t do it too, if someone had to learn anyway. Mari had her unpolished sides, but she was also an S–class Awakened, and Hyunah thought her potential was excellent.

‘More than anything, she said she was going to marry Seong Hyunjae.’

Thinking back on that incident, Moon Hyunah let out a short laugh. Even with Marisa’s help, what kind of person tried to kidnap that man and force a wedding? And even after all that chaos, she had gone off together with Seong Hyunjae, getting along with him. She was an even more easygoing and bold young lady than Hyunah had thought.

There was no need to pass on a legacy only to one’s children. If it was something like a social organization, it was even better to hand it to the most suitable person. But Hyunah didn’t think Mari lacked the qualities either, so when she asked the reason again,

“Mari.”

“Yes?”

Mari, who had been puzzling over the difference between heavy cream and milk, turned to look at her.

“I have something I want to ask you. About Ms. Marisa – your mother.”

Mari blinked and glanced over at Samir. Then, with an elegant little gesture and her eyes lowered slightly, she said,

“Would you please go take a walk?”

“Of course. It does seem milk is better for the dough.”

Once Samir had left, Mari hopped over to Moon Hyunah. She dragged a stool over, sat down, and faced her.

“What about my mother?”

“Mm, before Seong Hyunjae called me here, I met with Ms. Marisa.”

Moon Hyunah briefly explained Marisa’s proposal to Mari.

“Ms. Marisa said it was impossible for you because you’re a fairy tale princess. It sounded like she meant you were an innocent child who didn’t know the world well, but… the way she treated you was different, wasn’t it? No one would order a princess who needs to be protected to go kidnap a thousand–year–old giant rat snake prince.”

Even when Mari had just blithely followed Seong Hyunjae, Marisa hadn’t done anything beyond sending Samir along. At Moon Hyunah’s words, Mari wrapped a lock of her own hair around her finger and fiddled with it. After briefly looking pensive, she opened her mouth.

“It’s exactly what she said. I’m an illusion, and a dream from a fairy tale.”

“…Huh?”

“Once upon a time, there was a gentle and beautiful princess. They cut that kind of story out and made me from it.”

Moon Hyunah was so taken aback that she was at a loss for words. Mari gave a small nod, as if to say that it was a secret but it would be okay to tell Hyunah unnie.

“In order to marry Mr. Seong Hyunjae, they needed an illusory princess.”

A princess of illusion. Moon Hyunah thought of Crescent Moon. Of the moonlight pouring into the wedding hall and Han Yujin, dyed in silver. She didn’t know the exact circumstances, but they must have needed a special bride related to Crescent Moon.

“…Then you, Mari…”

“My being here is real. But at the same time, I’m a dream. I don’t really understand it myself, but that’s what they said. So I helped pull Mr. Seong Hyunjae from before the regression, whose traces were all that was left, into reality. Because I’m a dream, and an illusion.”

A princess meant to marry the prince and reach the ending. Hesitating for a moment, Moon Hyunah reached out and wiped the flour off Mari’s cheek.

“Mari, you are definitely here.”

Mari smiled, her eyes holding an oddly grown–up look.

“Mr. Seong Hyunjae now is a different Mr. Seong Hyunjae, but he’s similar to me. He’s a protagonist who came out of a story that had already ended. That’s why I keep helping him.”

That was why she wanted to watch, until the ending came. Mari, too, was a princess who had slipped out of her ending at the wedding hall.

“It’s fun too, of course. I know it’s an important matter for you, Hyunah unnie, and the others.”

“…Yeah.”

Moon Hyunah couldn’t easily continue speaking. It was hard to fully understand Mari’s existence or even get a sense of what she should do. Should she consult Rookie or Han Yujin? But it was a story she shouldn’t bring up without Mari’s consent.

So she smiled instead.

“When everything’s over, come visit Korea. You don’t know seaweed soup, right? The food at our guild cafeteria is amazing.”

“Okay. I ran away from home, so I can go anywhere.”

Mari smiled back. At that moment, thud, a faint tremor was felt from far away. Clicking her tongue, Moon Hyunah looked toward the direction the noise was coming from.

“They’re at it again.”

It wasn’t something that had happened only once or twice. The tremors continued to ripple through, but the two of them soon turned their attention away.

Clatter– with a clear ring, chains coiled around a shattered pillar. Behind it, Seong Hyunjae lightly brushed the stone dust off his clothes. Song Taewon was standing a little distance away, half–crouched. A long crack ran out from under his feet.

“You’re as stubborn as ever.”

Seong Hyunjae took a step forward. At the same time, Song Taewon’s body tensed. The black shadow gathering around the gloved hand slowly reaching out toward him stabbed deep into his eyes. The encroaching Plunder.

“The amount of time since I was gifted this and started handling it isn’t even half of yours, Mr. Song. And yet, compared to you…”

Crack! In an instant, Seong Hyunjae’s hand, which had closed the distance in a flash, clamped down on Song Taewon’s forearm as he swiftly raised it. Shadow and shadow tangled together.

“I’m more skillful.”

The same skill collided head–on. The power that devoured the opponent’s skill surged, baring its teeth to eat the other side whole. Just as they were standing almost evenly matched, taut as a bowstring – crack, the floor cracked under Seong Hyunjae’s shoe, and his other leg drove into Song Taewon’s waist. Song Taewon didn’t stay still either. He increased his body weight and yanked hard on the arm that had grabbed him.

Overwhelmed by the force, the tip of Seong Hyunjae’s foot wobbled. An attack delivered with broken balance should have been easy enough to take. It should have been. But–

“…!”

Hit at an angle in the waist, Song Taewon staggered violently. A black shadow. It had wrapped around Seong Hyunjae’s leg and disrupted the mana protecting Song Taewon’s body. Tugging the arm he held back toward himself, Seong Hyunjae spun around. With the added rotational force, Song Taewon’s body was yanked into the air.

He twisted his body hard, stopping himself just before he could be slammed into the floor, and thud! One knee drove into the marble. Springing back up at once, Song Taewon retreated. Seong Hyunjae drew up a faint shadow at his fingertips. On his other hand, deep darkness still wavered.

“Right now, you can’t separate it, Mr. Song. Even though it’s an inborn ability.”

“…”

“It’s obvious that it isn’t because you lack talent. If anything, it’s likely the opposite.”

Was that simple shadow really the entirety of Song Taewon’s ability? Seong Hyunjae didn’t think so. He had become sure of it after receiving Plunder and trying it out himself. If anything, Song Taewon had far stronger and more innate, natural control than this.

He was suppressing it with everything he had.

That seemed the more likely option. Suppressing oneself would naturally include suppressing one’s innate ability as well.

“Then.”

Seong Hyunjae’s fingertips moved lightly, as if conducting. At the same time, Song Taewon threw himself to the side.

Boom!

The golden chain that had drawn near before he knew it pierced violently through the spot where Song Taewon had just been standing. At the same time, light exploded. Lightning, like a golden hunting dog, chased after Song Taewon. It snarled ferociously, tearing up the floor and walls and leaving blackened pawprints behind.

“I couldn’t try it before the regression, but I wanted to pull you apart and see, Mr. Song.”

As he walked lightly along the second–floor railing that looked straight down onto the first floor, Seong Hyunjae spoke in a sing–song tone.

“What it is that’s pressing down inside you. What would happen if we took all of it off. I was very curious.”

Song Taewon was sturdy, but that didn’t mean he was unbreakable. That was why Hyunjae had only watched up until now. Rumble, a protruding section of the second floor collapsed down onto the first. Song Taewon could be seen sliding down over the building debris. Seong Hyunjae’s body leapt lightly into the air. A book appeared beneath his feet – a thick hardbound volume from the library. Using the books as steps, Seong Hyunjae walked through the air. This space was his, and he could rearrange it as he wished, so he could pull off that kind of trick.

“I thought you’d changed a little.”

Tap, Seong Hyunjae dropped down over Song Taewon’s head. His crossed arms blocked the electricity–wreathed shoe. Hyunjae’s body shot up again, and as if it had been waiting, the golden chain bared its fangs toward Song Taewon’s leg. Crack, thud! The tip of the chain kept stabbing into the floor, barely grazing past him.

“Your fundamentals are the same.”

Still putting a collar on yourself and clutching the end of the leash. If there was one thing that had changed, it was that his eyes now looked outside the box. But the seed of newly born desire was too weak to sprout and grow. No, the shadow cast over it was simply too deep. A shadow that blocked out all sunlight and rain.

“Just what is it you want.”

Kicking up a slab of marble to block the chain, Song Taewon spoke. Amid the scattering fragments and crackling electricity, Seong Hyunjae smiled.

“You know, don’t you. I want you to be able to kill me whenever I wish.”

Crackle! Hundreds of shards were simultaneously wrapped in light. They all flew toward Song Taewon at once. Song Taewon drew in a short breath. Weight settled onto one arm, heavier than his entire body. The end of his arm, his clenched fist, slammed straight down toward the floor.

Thoom! The entire mansion shook as the flooring and everything deep beneath it heaved up. It became a solid shield like a wave made of cement and stone, blocking the space in front of Song Taewon. Immediately after–

Crack!

The chain pierced through Song Taewon’s chest. Somehow having appeared behind him, Seong Hyunjae shrugged.

“This space is cheating.”

Song Taewon felt his vision spin. His back touched the floor. He hadn’t fallen. He’d been forcibly moved. The chain piercing his chest bound his arms and restrained his body. The smell of paper layered upon paper pricked at his nose. His hand brushed over a flawless, soft carpet. The study.

“This time…”

With a gentle smile on his face, Seong Hyunjae looked down at Song Taewon. The slightly pale face stared back up at him.

“I’m still thinking about how exactly I should drag it out of you. But as I’ve already said…”

Seong Hyunjae bent down. His low, whispering voice fell over Song Taewon’s eyes.

“You’re the only one who can give me my ending as a gift, Mr. Song.”

Even now, still, the ending reflected in Seong Hyunjae’s eyes had not changed. So he had to be prepared.

“…You really are different.”

After silently letting out his breath, Song Taewon finally spoke.

“Is it because you’ve already seen the end.”

“It’s closer to ‘the ending already came.’”

“Then why are you here.”

He had asked that more than once.

“Haven’t I told you. Love.”

Seong Hyunjae sat sideways on a ladder chair used for the library and laughed playfully.

“If it’s not a physical issue, then it must be a mental one. Mr. Song, what do you think of yourself?”

“For Hunters belonging to the Special Observation Office, regular counseling is mandatory.”

“The results were boring.”

Song Taewon’s brow furrowed. Naturally, the content of the counseling sessions was confidential.

“I only checked yours, so don’t worry. When you were young–”

[You have been summoned.]

A system message window appeared. Seong Hyunjae closed the random book he had been holding.

“Looks like Mr. Han Yujin’s short vacation is over. It’s a shame, but I’ll have to go.”

The chains binding Song Taewon unraveled roughly. Then a potion was sprinkled over his wounds. Seong Hyunjae’s clothes became clean, and soon his figure vanished. Song Taewon pushed himself up to sit. He silently looked down at the shadow winding around his hand.

Death.

That was what Seong Hyunjae had also called him. Just like the Song Taewon from long ago.

“Did you get a good rest.”

Seeing Seong Hyunjae strike up a conversation, he couldn’t help but knit his brows. Just thinking that the third bet was about to begin made his stomach ache. One draw, one loss. This time, he had to win.