Revenge

As my race shifted into that of a Ho-jok, it initially felt like wearing clothes that didn't quite fit, but as time passed, the discomfort faded away. In fact, I could tangibly feel my physical specs becoming slightly stronger.

The racial traits of the Ho-jok were clearly centered around sorcery and fire-related abilities. However, after doing some research on the internet, I found that sorcery is a talent-exclusive ability. Furthermore, outside of the Ho-jok who receive special benefits as a racial trait, it is a field very rarely used by anyone else.

‘...Do I really need to learn it?’

I have an S-class Ho-jok right next to me who can use sorcery on my behalf, so why bother learning it myself? In the end, after much deliberation, I emptied my remaining coins and purchased a skill from the shop.

It was one of the "semen series" skills. There were others that boosted strength, agility, and stamina, but I decided that mana was what Miho needed most, so I bought the Semen of Mana first.

‘Holy crap.’

After obtaining the A-rank Semen of Mana and pouring all of my daily stamina into it, Miho’s mana rose to S-rank.

Whether it was thanks to the massive growth rate boost from the Pendant of Submission or the semen that matched the grade of her mana, I was extremely satisfied with the performance of the newly acquired skill.

I went with Miho to the Baekryeong-ga branch of the Hunter Association, which handles various civil complaints.

“What brings you here?”

“There’s an outsider who crossed over a week ago, and I’m here to apply to be their guardian.”

Outsiders who cross from other worlds to Earth for reasons still unknown ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are collectively called "strangers." Most of them understand their situation and try to adapt to Earth, but the problem arises when a powerful lunatic starts running wild. That is why the Hunter Association, a public institution, is always searching for gates where strangers might appear and is prepared to respond when they are found.

Since I am an F-class hunter, I explained that my original power was weak, which caused the delay in my discovery, and I was able to go through the simple procedure of obtaining Ho-jok status. Besides, asking about an outsider's original world is a taboo of sorts. Homesickness is a universal disease, after all. Thanks to that, I was able to deceive them more easily.

“Name is Doyen, 26 years old, crossed over from a gate a week ago, no special remarks... Is there anything incorrect?”

“No, there isn’t.”

Miho smiled at me, acting smug at the news that she would become my guardian. Doyen, a two-letter name, Ho-jok. It was the moment I gained a new identity.

“Hehe... It’s finally over. To think the day would come when I’d become a guardian...”

After Miho stretched to her heart’s content, we ate a rough meal on the street and headed toward the building of the Baekryeong-ga guild, the heart and namesake of the city. Walking through the streets, I felt that Baekryeong-ga was indeed overflowing with Ho-jok. And among them, there wasn’t a single Ho-jok pretty enough to satisfy my eyes, which had been raised by looking at Miho.

“Ah, Master, you have something on your face.”

Whether there was a tiny speck of dust or not, she gently wiped it away with the back of her hand. Recently, the frequency of such skinship has increased. To be precise, ever since I took the transformation pill, her attitude toward me feels a bit softer.

“......”

“Why?”

She is definitely pretty. Every time our eyes meet and she smiles brightly at me, I feel my heart flutter.

“...It’s nothing.”

Still, I don’t want to see her get all puffed up if I tell her that.

Arriving in front of the Baekryeong-ga guild building in the city center, Miho suddenly said something out of the blue.

“Master... do you have any thoughts of going back from here...?”

“Now of all times?”

I wondered why her expression had been dark since earlier, and now she was even looking restless. I felt like I could guess why the quest content was about "settling down." I gently stroked Miho’s lower back and said,

“What’s wrong? I told you my ability roughly. If I stick with you, both you and I get stronger.”

“Th-that... yeah....”

She’s an S-class hunter entering her own guild building, so what could have made this hopeless fox, who usually seemed to have no worries, so dispirited? Her pure mana stat had even risen to S, bringing her total mana stat up to SS-rank. It was time to find out why.

“You can’t even do a simple job like this properly?!”

On a quiet afternoon, Moira, the team leader of the Baekryeong-ga guild’s 2nd Raid Team, was venting her anger on an innocent team member.

‘That bitch Miho... not only did she take a week of leave, but she’s trying to come in late on the last day using her guardian as an excuse?’

It was true that Kim Doyen, who didn’t know the ins and outs of this place, could be excused, but Miho, who knew it would take some time, had procrastinated until she was finally cornered on the last day to finish her status procedures. Even without this fact, Moira had already disliked Miho.

Moira, who had dumped all her work onto her subordinates, had her gaze fixed on the main entrance in front of the building.

‘She’s finally here... but who is that?’

A fox who was already starting to chase after her own career, which she had built up by lying about being 120 years old, despite being pretty and having big breasts. Moira, who was jealous of young and firm Miho, narrowed her eyes at the male who was strangely close to her.

After going through a simple ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠entry procedure, the place I followed Miho into was a quiet, office-like room.

“Team Leader Moira. It’s been a while....”

I bowed and greeted her alongside Miho. Then, I used Peek Status.

‘Crazy.’

Miho had warned me to be careful because she was an SS-class hunter, but this was beyond my imagination. ‘201 years old? That’s a legendary old hag.’ Moira’s stats and skills were overshadowed by her massive age. Above all, I had ignored her because, except for her stats, she was inferior to Miho in both unique ability and skills.

“Phew... I think this every time, but Miho, you seem to have no common sense.”

“I-I’m sorry....”

The look in her eyes, as if she were about to kill someone, was ominous. As I swallowed dry saliva in the stiff atmosphere, Moira spoke to me first.

“By the way... who is the gentleman next to you?”

“Ah, I crossed over to this world by chance a week ago, and I came to experience the Baekryeong-ga guild, following Miho.”

“Ah, you’re an outsider? Where are you from?”

When I threw out the pre-prepared lines, Moira smiled and played along. It felt incredibly shitty that she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was sending me suggestive, flirtatious looks, but I endured it because she was an SS-class hunter. I introduced myself as 26, my actual age, and I assumed she wouldn’t be interested in someone nearly ten times younger than her.

As I exchanged short words with Moira, I was left speechless by one question.

“Oh my, Doyen, then when do you think is a good time for a meeting?”

“......Ahaha. Wouldn’t it be better to meet someone of the same age?”

I came here for a guild experience consultation, so I don’t know how the conversation flowed to this point.

“Hmm... really? But wouldn’t it be a good experience to meet an older woman who can lead you? Our Doyen is... still very young.”

Fuck.

Shut up, lady.

You’re out of my defensive range.

Taking the advances of an old maid head-on made me feel like cursing at the top of my lungs. And then, Moira’s next words broke the patience I had barely managed to maintain while forcing a smile.

“I hate to say this, but... is it really okay to be right next to her? That... Miho has a bit of a smell....”

Was it because of this? I felt like I finally understood why she had been so self-conscious about her own scent before I performed my "lick every corner of her body" verification. Anyway, my action after listening to Moira was simple.

“I like it, though? Above all, Miho is young and pretty.”

Grab.

I pulled Miho’s waist, who had been holding her breath next to me, toward me with one hand.

“Y-you’re young, so... I see....”

The way Moira treated Miho, and the way Miho accepted it. The stiff look on her face wasn’t just how one treats a boss. Is this woman the reason Miho’s "settling down" quest appeared?

The quest that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠popped up just in time gave me certainty, and I committed Moira’s information to memory.