Building a New Family - 5
Soo Kangyeon bit her lip hard, waiting for his reaction. I absolutely can't lose. No matter what it took, she had to avoid clashing with him. Katus already had far too many pressing issues, and she had no desire to pile on something as insane as "fighting a man who can massacre elite monsters."
"If you're planning to take Haena into your organization, Katus will treat that as a serious matter."
Of course, Kangyeon herself would choose her words as carefully as possible to minimize friction between the two groups. But to keep that conflict to a bare minimum, some compromise was necessary.
"Even if you release Haena freely, a solo hunter's odds of survival aren't great."
"Hmm..."
"But it's not impossible."
There was no doubt this man was a good person.
"We can report that the orphanage folks captured Kim Haena, and you bought her as a slave."
"Is that okay?"
"Yes." Kangyeon nodded calmly. "Your group may be small, but your power is on a level no one can ignore."
"Mm..."
"It's trading the life of one patrol squad member for that kind of force. The higher-ups won't find it objectionable."
In truth, it was an embarrassingly lopsided deal for an inter-organization exchange. No matter how much they valued discipline, Kim Haena's worth wasn't that high. At best, she was a promising novice hunter with some potential. Nothing more.
Trading her for the life of a well-trained, armed patrol member. System-wise, becoming someone else's slave meant fully surrendering your life and will to another. Sure, some might think, "Better a slave than dead." But even accounting for that, it was a pretty brutal punishment.
It wouldn't cause any unrest among Katus members. She'd gotten lucky enough to survive without dying outright—fitting end for a traitor.
"Of course, this is a massively unfavorable deal for you."
Kangyeon laid it bare without hesitation. In a world rife with lies and deception, there were lies you could afford and lies you couldn't. And the man before her was someone who could single-handedly devastate Katus if he ever felt betrayed and flew into a rage.
"Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Kangyeon cautiously gauged his expression.
"Of course."
He nodded readily.
"I can't promise much right now, but Katus won't forget this. We'll repay you in a way that satisfies you, somehow."
He was different from the other men she knew, but owing a debt to a man was still dangerous. Even so, something told her he might be the exception.
...Good.
Kangyeon let out a sigh of relief. Haena was gazing at her with eyes full of gratitude.
"And... once again, thank you."
Kangyeon bowed her head to the man before her. Bowing to the strong wasn't shameful. Even if he weren't strong, bowing to a man like this carried no disgrace.
"We'll never forget saving our lives. Truly."
Kangyeon swore she'd report this faithfully. Relations between massive organizations were rarely good. The more people you had—especially outsiders—the more threats emerged. Conflicts arose over limited land or production facilities, or wars to assert authority and pride.
But he'd saved combatants from another organization—ones unrelated to him—without asking for anything in return. That was solid proof of how safe they were and how favorably Katus viewed them.
"Eh, that's enough."
He extended his hand. Realizing it was for a handshake, Kangyeon took it carefully. It was a large, firm hand. The kind that made you want to trust its owner unconditionally. It felt reassuring.
Night had fallen. Seon Yeowon stood on the rooftop, gazing at the empty streets below. The darkness wasn't over yet. At least not until tomorrow—and the guests would stay a few more days.
Everything was shrouded in shadow. Even with her exceptional eyesight, she spotted nothing but zombies. A few supply points glowed faintly, that was all.
But Yeowon was staring at a light that no longer existed. The light that had climbed upstream against the overflowing river of darkness, like a beautiful ship. The light from his sword, like a star fallen to earth.
He saved us...
She'd thanked him endlessly. Rejoiced endlessly.
Lee Hari and her friends had returned alive, without a word to her before leaving the orphanage. Kangyeon, who was more Katus patrol leader than orphanage kid these days but still looked like a child to Yeowon, had come back. Even Haena, whom she'd half-given up on, had survived and returned.
The world was still dark. But Yeowon could face that darkness without sorrow. The light that had illuminated those streets last night hadn't vanished somewhere. It had simply entered this building, sharing happy moments with those it had illuminated.
He even... loves Haena.
It was a request she'd thought impossible for herself. Yeowon knew how fragile and weak Haena was. When she heard Haena was being hunted by Katus, she'd been heartbroken. It was a cowardly, ugly act. In the end, Yeowon was the one who'd urged Haena to go to Katus—and she just lacked the resolve to own the consequences.
But it was all resolved. Without reason or warning. Like a god who'd descended because he couldn't bear the tragic ending of the tale, forcing a "happily ever after" on everyone.
Having received such grace, she had no choice but to repay it. With everything she had.
"Here you are? Aren't you cold?"
"Y-yes! Huh?"
The man had returned to the rooftop. After changing clothes.
His clothes... fit a bit tight...
It was only natural. His original outfit was ruined with fluids, and the orphanage had no large clothes ready for a well-built adult man.
But what he wore now highlighted his muscles in a way that felt almost vulgarly revealing.
"You must be tired. It's cold out here—why not go inside?"
"..."
Like most women in this world, Yeowon had no experience with men. And to her, what he was doing now was an irresistibly seductive temptation.
"Sunwoo-ssi. I feel like... I've received so much from you."
"Well, life throws these things—"
Yeowon sidled up beside him, pressing her soft, massive breasts against his body. No need for awkward poses or excessive closeness. Her breasts were enormous enough to touch him naturally.
"Y-Yeowon-ssi?"
"What's wrong?"
"This time, it wasn't even about food... Honestly, we both know the score. I'm not the type to make a fuss over unpaid debts—"
"I trust you."
Yeowon felt the deep-seated pressure in her chest lift. A mother desperate to save her daughter had dismissed her plea to "just bring her to the orphanage" as pointless. The man who'd said repaying that grace was a criminal act. Watching her die horribly, Yeowon had vowed deep down: she'd never get involved with men. Even if she did, she'd never do anything that might let a man claim he'd "bestowed a favor."
Lee Hari's biological father was a special case, but the other men she'd met weren't much different. A man who'd abandon his own child at an orphanage probably couldn't have good character anyway.
"That's why I'm here like this."
But she'd met a good man. She wanted to give him everything. To become someone precious to him. To leave proof of their love.
She'd raised countless children. Now, she wanted to bear and raise his child.
"Wait a sec!"
Yeowon dashed over, locked the rooftop door, then grabbed his hand and pulled him into a simple tent in the corner.
"What's this tent?"
"The kids' hideout. For now... it's ours."
It felt like slipping back to childhood. Whatever came her way, as long as she was with him, it wouldn't be scary.
"Just for a bit... will you play with me?"
Yeowon flashed an innocent smile.