Hug Me

One day after the second exam ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Palace Lord's Selection wrapped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up, I was living the high life.

"Hey! There are still fish bones left!!"

"S-sorry…."

It was all because I was being waited on hand and foot by a young lady from a prestigious family who'd been pampered her whole life.

Yu-jin of the Nam Young Yu family. They say she's the most outstanding later-generation talent from the family renowned for their strategic brilliance in the North Sea Ice Palace. If I had to compare, she's like a pint-sized Zhuge Liang or something.

"Sigh, whatever. I wanna see the view—let's head to the top floor."

"Got it… but why are you spreading your arms?"

"Piggyback me."

"…."

But right now, she's just my slave.

After Yu-jin lost our ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bet to me, her family stepped in and declared she'd serve as my maid for exactly one week to settle things. They couldn't let their precious jewel of a daughter be enslaved for life, so they drew the line there. Of course, I got some nice perks in return.

"Hmm… what a comfy back to lean on."

"Shut up!"

"Hey now, know your place, slave!"

"Kyaa?! W-what are you touching!!"

Poking her here and there when she gets feisty gets the juiciest reactions. She's pretty as hell, too, fitting for a noble house lady, so yeah—satisfied slave all around. I could just goof off with her until the next exam.

"Sion?"

"Oh, Hyeji senior?"

That was my plan—until Hyeji senior caught me horsing around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on Yu-jin's back on the stairs.

"…What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh… exercising the winner's rightful privileges?"

"Cut the crap and get down."

"Yes, ma'am."

Should've just stayed in the room and behaved.

"Sion."

"Yes?"

"You aiming to become the Palace Lord for real or something?"

"Nah, nothing like that…."

"Then why'd you go and snag another perfect score?"

After getting busted enjoying my fun slave days, I was getting chewed out by Hyeji senior in the storage room. For the ridiculous reason of acing the exam too hard.

My total score was 20 points—way ahead of the other candidates.

The problem? I didn't want the Palace Lord's seat.

"You know we're backing Han Yu-wol for Palace Lord, right?"

"Yup."

Our supported candidate for this round was Han Yu-wol. My original role was to hang mid-pack during the exams, then at the end declare, "I support Han Yu-wol for Palace Lord!" And done.

But I went full runaway train and rocketed to first place. Gotta be confusing as hell for everyone else.

"And you're a high schooler?! What's with the childish slave crap after winning that bet?"

"Well, since I won…."

Plus, the perp was off frolicking with a girl amid all that frustration. No wonder she's pissed.

It was my bad, honestly. The first exam was whatever, but the second was pure solo play on my part—no excuses.

Exaggerating a bit, I, a total newbie, straight-up ignored the strategy set by Cheonam Guild and the Association folks.

"Ha… It's weird for me to be yelling at you for doing too well on the exam…."

"I agree."

"Don't rile me up more—just stay quiet."

"Got it."

At least it wasn't the worst outcome. Just deviated from plan, but still a win.

"Sigh… The raid team's actually discussing switching the strategy to back you for Palace Lord."

"Wait, me as Palace Lord?"

"Not impossible in theory."

More variables than I thought—now they're considering a full strategy overhaul. Feels like I caused a bigger mess than planned.

"So, what's your take?"

"My take?"

"Can you beat the other candidates and take the Palace Lord spot?"

Senior looked me dead in the eye, asking for my opinion.

The mood had been light a second ago, but now it was time for real talk. Maybe the key to clearing this dungeon.

"I can do it."

"…Got it."

I gave an ironclad yes.

Senior nodded like that was enough—no more questions.

"Rest up till tomorrow. Take care of your condition."

"Will do!"

In a spot like this, you'd think someone would say it was my responsibility if we failed. But not a single hunter I passed in the dorms blamed me on the way back to my room.

"Don't stress—just do your best. If it flops, it's on us for changing the plan."

"Team lead…."

"Ditch the teary eyes and go crash."

Instead, they cheered me on to stay loose. Not just the team lead—I-hwa sensei and the Cheonam Guild raiders too. Kinda touching, honestly.

The night before the final exam of the Palace Lord's Selection hung heavy with the weight of leading the clear to victory. I closed my eyes.

"Hey… I'm not a pillow."

"No backtalk from a slave."

Lying with my head on Yu-jin's thigh somehow melted the fatigue faster. Felt like tomorrow's exam would be a breeze.

Just as I was drifting into sweet sleep, Yu-jin shook my shoulder awake.

"…Baek Sion."

"Call me Master."

"Not the time for jokes. I hear movement outside."

"…For real?"

Her face was dead serious—not a prank. I sat up and scanned with mana. Outside the inn, a crowd—over 30, all trained martial artists.

No matter how I spun it positively, armed goons sneaking in at night pointed to one thing.

"Assassins…!"

Someone sent them to stop my rampage. Probably the faction that opposed the old Palace Lord's tyranny.

Officially, I was her hidden daughter. But for a do-or-die crisis? Not sweating it.

"Don't worry, just lie back. They won't reach us."

"You don't even know who they are! We should link up with the others…."

"No need."

Why was I chilling in bed with potential killers outside? Simple—the fix was already in.

Focus a bit more, and I could sense it: voices from an unknown group outside the inn, facing off against one woman.

"Our target's Baek Sion. Step aside if you're not involved."

About 50 meters from my room, in the snowy field. My mana-boosted senses picked up a man's voice.

Definitely not friendly. Flat, mission-only tone—kinda creepy, but no biggie.

"Can't do that."

Ruby-red eyes glared at the man.

"She's my disciple, in her own way."

My sword teacher, I-hwa sensei, had her blade trained on him.

"Yu-jin. Let's just sleep."

"Huh?"

Assassins? Honestly, laughable.

"If they can come, let 'em try."

Does an A-rank hunter look like a joke?

I closed my eyes to the screams of men outside the window.

A ton of people watch the Awakener Association's record broadcasts in Korea. The hunters' banter in all sorts of situations was comedy gold, and the sporadic fights felt like action flicks.

So today, like always, viewers flocked to the Awakener Gallery as the broadcast rolled.

The gallery was peaceful as ever. Laughing at the broadcast, chatting, occasional grandma pics.

Until the top-rated broadcast suddenly flipped to adult-only.

All that effort for nothing—her disciple was drooling on a noble lady's thigh, dead asleep.