The S-Ranks
"Hoo—"
Seong Ye-han roughly loosened the tie choking his neck. The interview with the reporters, conducted while wearing a custom-tailored luxury suit he'd thought he'd never have in his lifetime, seemed minor but had quietly drained his mental energy. The recorder placed nearby, the massive filming equipment. And beyond that, the countless staff members eyeing him with sparkling anticipation... Honestly, it far exceeded his expectation of just chatting casually with one reporter.
"What a hassle..."
Why had he suddenly agreed to this interview? It was because, even after quite some time since becoming an S-rank, the world's interest burned as hot as ever—hotter, even—without cooling off, just like at the beginning. In his search for a solution, he'd taken Lee Yun's advice.
Lee Yun had said that since becoming an S-rank was inevitable to draw the world's eyes, pretending to ignore it wouldn't work. The emergence of a new S-rank hunter wasn't some trivial issue that would fade with time anyway. From humanity's perspective, locked in daily survival struggles against monsters, an S-rank hunter was bait that couldn't cool even if they tried.
"Rather than this, it's better to step forward and throw them some appropriate bait. They're poking because you haven't expressed any intent—wondering 'what if?'"
That day, instead of her usual slim, carefree vibe, Lee Yun appeared in the neat, intellectual yet somehow erotic office look that Seong Ye-han always saw at the lab. It was exactly the image he'd always admired at the company, making his chest itch uncomfortably, but he pushed it aside and listened intently.
"Excluding TV appearances and such, just pick a decent media outlet for an exclusive interview, and it'll be resolved. At the end, say something like: 'I thank the public for their interest and love. However, due to work and training commitments, I politely decline all other media requests.' That alone will improve things a lot."
With that, Lee Yun mentioned she knew a good reporter and to let her know if he thought it was okay. When he asked if it really was that simple, she replied:
"It's thanks to that crazy bitch with the Shin surname who stirred up hell. Heh heh."
Back then, public opinion had been very favorable, praising how he'd given the trash reporters a proper lesson... And when Shin Ye-hwa recently dropped to A-rank amid controversy over her rude remarks, Lee Yun laughed, saying the world was consistent—you could tell from how she'd roughed up the reporters back then.
In the end, Seong Ye-han decided to follow Lee Yun's advice and do the interview. To get it over with quickly without dragging it out, as he suggested, she promptly scheduled it. And somehow, she even provided a perfectly fitted suit in his size. That was the setup, and it had just wrapped up.
It was supposed to be custom-made for his size, so why did it feel so stuffy...? Anyway, having somehow finished the interview, Seong Ye-han finally returned to a private waiting room-like space where he could relax.
"Good work, Ye-han-ssi."
Waiting for him was Han Si-won. Normally glued to Lee Yun like a shadow, her presence at his side was, of course, due to Lee Yun's orders. It was like assigning her as his daily manager. For Han Si-won, who prioritized Lee Yun above all, this was undoubtedly unwelcome.
Perhaps because of that, her already emotionless gaze carried an icy chill. Yet she handled her assigned duties impeccably, her polite demeanor creating a strange vibe. It felt like dealing with a beautiful secretary who shot him contemptuous looks but obeyed with her body... Lately, with his sticky, intense harem life involving Ye-hwa and now Na Yu-ri, was his head getting weird?
He chuckled idly at the thought, and Han Si-won noticeably stepped back a pace, sensing something. Oops... He'd probably lost more points with her, who already didn't think highly of him.
"If you'd like to rest more, you may stay here. If you wish to head home, I'll prepare immediately."
With that, she swiftly exited. It was so natural and quick that Seong Ye-han couldn't catch her. By the time he blurted "Uh?", it was like the bus had already left... He actually just wanted to go straight back to the mansion, but he'd missed his chance to say so.
In the end, Seong Ye-han killed time fiddling with his hologram tab. About 30 minutes later, he'd speak up, he figured.
The woman frowned at the newspaper scrap on the table, which looked fully read. An object out of step with the times. Yet it suited the middle-aged man before her perfectly.
"Hey, old man. What era do you think this is? Still reading stuff like this?"
"It's just my taste."
Dense text packed into the pages. Bright gray paper exuding a dry, musty scent. A paper newspaper. The woman seemed shocked at the revival of an artifact that had been fading even before the Gate incident.
"And who even prints these anymore...? How'd you get it?"
"I made it myself."
"Whoa... Like a home industry thing? I knew you were a lone wolf, but this is next level..."
Well, he could make one if he wanted. The question of why lingered, but... Thinking that, the woman picked up the newspaper-like thing with both hands. Seeing portal site logos intact amid the printed content, it looked like he'd scraped articles from various sites and edited them onto old newspaper-style paper for personal printing.
A true testament to his dedication to his tastes!
"I knew you liked analog stuff, but... not to this extent. Total otaku, otaku."
"Keep it up, and I'll kick you out."
"Hng~ Me? How?"
At her defiant head tilt and chest puff in response to his mild threat, he just shook his head. Kicking her out wouldn't work anyway—with her power, she'd literally fly back through the window.
"How'd I end up with a bitch like you... Hoo..."
"Ufufu—"
He wanted to flick her giggling forehead, but he held back. Sensing his restraint, she dropped the teasing.
"So, why'd you come today?"
Free-spirited and willful by nature, she rarely visited his place, calling it stiff and boring. Only occasionally, like the wind—coming and going on her whim. For her to seek him out? Exaggerating a bit, it was like the sun rising in the west.
"You'd know if you've seen this newspaper? thing."
She shook the paper scrap. As his face soured, she quickly set it down with a pouty smile.
"This one's pretty decent, right?"
"Hard to say. Gotta see the face in person."
"Pfft... If it was a bitch like Shin Ye-hwa, you'd know from the interview alone?"
"That girl was a special case..."
He still got a headache recalling it. A promising overwhelming rookie in the hunter world, ruined by her personality... She at least showed respect to fellow S-ranks like him, but when she unprecedentedly demoted to A-rank, he'd thought it divine punishment.
"Pfft. An S-rank who can communicate normally like that is a blessing, inside or out."
Me, the fifth one, and that unofficial fourth crazy trash bastard—we're all far from nice. Except you, old man? As she crossed her long legs and bobbed her foot, he frowned but held his tongue. It was undeniable fact.
"And you, old man... Hm. Not exactly normal... Your obsession with weird shit scares me sometimes~"
She picked up the newspaper? again, flapping it. The crisp paper rustled against the air, echoing in the room. After fidgeting hands and feet a few times, she spoke.
"Anyway... Mind if I meet this one?"
"Think you'd listen if I said no?"
"Of course! Nah, a fresh young male S-rank."
"Sigh... Then why come here?"
"Gotta tell you first, for easy cleanup if needed?"
"You... don't tell me?"
"Ufufu! Don't worry. Just a little taste~."
Mana suddenly filled the room. But she sprang from the sofa like a nimble cat, dodging his large, rough hand, and hurled herself out the window.
No shattering glass—whoosh-crash—just a flash, and a neatly square-cut glass pane floated eerily, landing softly inside on the floor.
"You!!! Cut it out!!!!"
"Don't worryyy~"
Shouting at the tiny black dot in the sky, his bellow carried on the air, met by her clear, high-pitched reply laced with mirth.
"Haa... At least he's the same type as me..."
Feeling the fierce wind through the gaping window, he inwardly pitied the young man about to face disaster. She knew boundaries, but for a fresh S-rank newbie, it'd be a bolt from the blue.
"And why can't that bitch leave a window intact? It's cold enough already."
Even S-rank awakeners felt cold as cold, hot as hot. They endured stronger and longer, but ice was still cold. Still midwinter's biting gale.
Vowing next time to raise a huge lump on her tiny head, he called the association's facility management team. Used to this, the team leader efficiently directed repairs.
"Association President... again?"
"Yeah."
"Did you finally put a lump on Sword Saint's head...?"
"..."
"Always clean work, though. Haha..."
"Sorry as always..."
"No problem. It's my job and responsibility."
At the team leader's hearty laugh, the man could only sigh.