Disowned by the Park Clan
After returning to the Park family villa in Haeundae, we spent quite a bit of time settling the accounts. Dividing the loot with Salao had to go through the Association, and we needed to confirm the payout the Association itself was claiming. Anyway, the moment the procedures wrapped up, Salao jumped on a boat, saying he had to catch more fish, and took off. What a total workaholic... Doesn't he ever get tired running around like that...? Anyway... Once everything was done, it was just Ha-eun, Terra, and me grabbing seats at a nearby restaurant. The sun had set, the changing rooms were closed, so we were stuck wearing clothes haphazardly thrown over our swimsuits.
Word was, after operating hours, even hunters pull back to a minimum and all facilities get locked down.
"Haa... Should've changed into proper clothes first if I knew it'd be like this."
So damn uncomfortable. As I wiped my hands with a napkin,
"Aigo~ Young ladies came by~ Did ya come to play with yer big sisters?"
"Eh...?"
The ajumma came over to take our order. Terra froze at the thick dialect.
"Y'all look so colorful—foreigners, are ya?"
"Ahaha... It's the Awakener thing. We're Korean."
"Aigo, you two pretty young things had me thinkin' ya came from abroad!"
Ajumma's are chatty no matter where you go.
"We'll have the large grilled shellfish platter, three bowls of razor clam noodle soup, a large mixed sashimi set, seafood pancake, and... three bottles of soju, please."
"Isn't that a bit much for just you ladies?"
"Ah, well... Awakener's eat a ton normally. And with two of us... haha."
The ajumma teasingly warned us not to waste food and headed inside. And then...
"...Why're you staring like that?"
Ha-eun narrowed her eyes at me.
"Didn't know you'd order that much."
"Awakener's do eat more though...?"
"Not that much... We eat extra just to keep moving."
...Okay, truth be told, I was pretty hungry. All I'd eaten was a bit of that kraken earlier.
"Terra's here too. We'll polish it off between us."
"Sounds good to me!"
"Haa..."
I pulled Terra, sitting next to me, close by the shoulder and said,
"We got a lot sorted today thanks to you, Terra."
She'd released her polymorph in my place and fought hard.
Clink—
"Ugh... Booze again."
"This is what you drink it for. Come on, cheers."
I poured Ha-eun a shot and clinked glasses. The sharp, crisp alcohol slid coolly down my throat.
"Kuh~ Ah, this is the life."
"Unnie's not even human."
"Hey, that's discrimination!"
As the seafood pancakes arrived right after, I picked at them with chopsticks and murmured,
"So, what was that thing you wanted to do with me? You've been dodging it since earlier."
"..."
Ha-eun fidgeted with her mouth at my words, then held out her glass.
"Lemme get... a bit drunker first."
"Words spilled on booze can be dangerous."
Saying that, I still refilled her glass. By the time we'd gone through two or three bottles,
"I-I... actually got kicked out of my house."
"...Yeah?"
"Yesss... I still remember every word, every voice from back then so vividly."
We're withdrawing all expectations of you.
Not used to drinking, she downed her shot fast and opened up.
"I... I have no talent..."
A penthouse in central Seoul with its own training hall.
Thud!—
"Eek?!"
"Get up."
A heavy thud and a sharp scream leaked out from there, along with a low, gravelly voice. The users of this place were always the same: the prestigious Park clan of Danhyeon, the Kyungyeol faction, who had produced a first-generation A-rank hunter. It was their private training hall.
"Y-Yes, Father..."
Naturally, the Park family wanted to raise the next generation of hunters to lead the future. That's why they'd selected young Awakener Park Ha-eun.
When she Awakened at age 12, the whole family celebrated a genius in their midst. But five years later...
"Watch closely. Bold and confident. Slash the opponent down. Infuse it with fire qi and swing."
"Y-Yes...!"
"...Having to repeat this for five years is utterly exhausting."
Her skills hadn't improved a bit. Sighs replaced claps, reprimands over praise.
Slash!—
"That's not it. Fiercer—I told you how many times!"
"S-Sorry...!"
But the Park clan's swordsmanship was inherently masculine. Too much for a delicate-looking girl, let alone a man. Her body couldn't keep up—lacking strength, speed, her stance wobbly.
Still, she swung the sword. Bold and confident, as her father taught. To not disappoint her family.
"Huff... huff..."
Eight years of her struggling through training. The year she turned 20.
Slash!—
Fwoosh!—
Clang!—
"Excellent."
Ha-eun's brother, Park Sang-hyuk, had Awakened late too—with the same sword and fire-attribute artifact. Unlike her, he had talent for the clan swordsmanship. In just three months, he ignited the flames she'd failed to in eight years.
The family's eyes turned to him.
"Better than your sister."
"Thank you, Father. What'd I tell you?"
"Tch, shoulda raised a son from the start."
"..."
Thud—
"A clan traditional spar soon. Outsiders coming to observe, so prepare. Especially you, Park Ha-eun."
Open discrimination and contempt right in her face.
"Can't really hurt her, right? Could slice her wrist easy though."
"Keep it moderate."
And Sang-hyuk's twisted need for recognition, always second fiddle before. Ha-eun was terrified. Of losing her place, her efforts meaning nothing, no one acknowledging her.
From that day, she trained alone. No more father's guidance. No more cheers. Nothing left around her.
Clang!—
"Huff... sob... ugh..."
In the dark training hall, the exhausted girl dropped her sword and shed silent tears.
Why can't I do it? What's wrong? Where did I go wrong?
Thoughts tangled, burrowing into her heart. Probably then it started—the bandages wrapping her blade. Self-protection to staunch wounds? Or her heart bandaged over? She didn't know.
The bandages multiplied day by day. And the spar day arrived.
With hunters and VIPs mingling.
Clang!—
"Urk?!"
Ha-eun couldn't last even one exchange, dropping her sword. Sang-hyuk, now A-rank. She, still D-rank despite efforts. The gap was vast.
Thud—
Her grotesquely bandaged sword hit the floor. Then—
Thwack!—
"Guhk?!"
Sang-hyuk kicked her defenseless gut. He said something, but rolling on the floor, she didn't hear. Agonizing pain, crushed pride. Countless gazes looking down.
"Ah... aaah..."
Mentally broken, Ha-eun stared at the floor and laughed. Looked at her father and cried, her brother and raged. Like a wreck, the words she heard were singular.
"What a disgrace. Lock her in a psych ward?"
She didn't remember clearly after, but probably ranted there.
"Who'd I learn the sword for?! You stole my place too! No one listened to me!! How hard I tried!!!"
Grabbed her fallen sword, lunged at her brother.
Crack!—
Stopped immediately, of course.
"Let go! Let me go!"
"Father, withdraw expectations for this one."
"...Indeed, shaming us before all these people is grave."
Tsking, bug-eyed glare. Last words before Sang-hyuk knocked her out:
"Withdrawing expectations of you. But you're still Park blood. No restraining body or freedom. Get out."
Kicked out.
Maybe because of the public shame. Or planned all along.
Thud!—
She woke in some Seoul alley. Only her artifact in hand. Days, hours motionless. Near death before scavenging food. Sympathetic locals, homeless shared meals. Her mind was spent, she said.
Luckily, D-rank with artifact deterred trouble.
Nearly two months later.
Thud—
"...You Park Ha-eun?"
Middle-aged man checked his watch, looked down.
"You're a mess. That's why I said bring food."
Set water and bread before her.
"Eh...?"
"Hunter Association Seoul Branch, Suppression Team 3 Leader Kim Sang-cheol. Here to scout you."
"M-Me...?"
"Higher-ups say so. Need your talent."
She trembled,
"I have... no talent."
"Not your call."
Sang-cheol thought he'd gotten another hassle. Plus,
"Odd though... Even for that clan, dumping their daughter? Doesn't add up."
Stank of something off.
"Anyway, higher-ups say join the Association, we'll get you past the clan."
"Huh...?"
"Noble coming to Earth soon."
"..."
She was wronged. She'd tried so hard. Wanted to surpass them—the clan that made her strive then discarded her.
She shoved the water and bread in her mouth. Followed Sang-cheol to join the Association. Cut her long hip-length hair short. Handled work, waited. For the noble.
"That noble's me?"
"...Mail didn't say. But I believe it's you, unnie."
"So that's why you approached me straight away."
I'd sensed she wanted something from the start. That's why I probed at the Association last time.
"...Soon, the clan traditional spar. Last place I can stand as a Park."
"Again, I could smash them myself."
"Huu..."
Ha-eun swayed after nearly four bottles. Gonna be rough tomorrow.
"If I don't do it myself... what's the point...?"
"Fine, one question then. You're asking me for help, right? If I make your goal happen, what do I get?"
Gold Dragons handle greed. Gotta weigh gains and losses clear.
"The contract... you always talk about. I'll do it."
"Hmm."
Terra, slurping noodles beside me, shuddered. Using her contract as collateral. Must irk the little dragon. A mere human boldly bargaining before me—near insult.
But as I'd said before, I saw potential in Ha-eun. Human emotion completing the gem. A treasure I couldn't claim in my old world.
Plus, maybe 'cause I was human once. Weak to "justice" sometimes. Didn't sit right. That clan.
"Pfft—Alright then. No rest starting tomorrow, Ha-eun."
"...Huh?"
"A-rank? Whatever. I'm training you to National Power level."
Special training starts tomorrow. To the brink of death... no, even past it, I'll grind you.