Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Sniffing Out the Impostor
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Do I look like a total sucker to you?
Squish squish.
Hmm, this squishy kneading feels somehow familiar.
Hasn't this happened before?
Yeah, it was definitely back when I was lost in those precious memories from my past life.
Squish squish.
I wonder if Seolgi's okay.
I took down the Alligator Warrior myself, but there could still be other monsters lurking nearby.
More than that, the black portal causing all the chaos hadn't even been closed yet.
The thought of her passing out in that situation sent a sudden chill down my spine.
This wasn't the time to be lying here all relaxed.
Squish squish.
So, time to get up already.
Fortunately, whoever was kneading my body from the outside kept at it, so if I just followed that sensation, I could regain consciousness.
With a deep breath.
"Heh heh... C-can I just 'hump a bit' like this for a moment?"
I opened my eyes toward the voice.
Flash!
"Mommy?!"
"Huh? Deokja noona?"
"Y-you're awake? Hyunjun-ah..."
When I came to, I saw the ceiling of the VIP hospital room—now somewhat familiar after one prior visit.
And right next to me on the bed...
"Gulp..."
"...?"
There was Deokja noona, who'd just looked away from me while swallowing hard.
"Noona, what's with you all of a sudden?"
"Huh?! Oh, nothing. Just... maybe it's my age. When you suddenly lifted your hips, it gave me some backlash."
"Huh?"
No way.
I had no idea her real age, but the woman before me was at most a young lady in her late twenties.
Definitely not old enough for back pain.
Or maybe she had some separate injury around her waist?
"Uh, noona... Is the black portal incident over already?"
I'd ask about that later. Right now, something even more important weighed on me.
"Yeah! The black portal incident's wrapped up. You did awesome, Hyunjun-ah."
"...! Got it."
"Oh, and this time you woke up in just two hours. Means you weren't hurt too bad."
I'd half-expected to open my eyes right back at that Hannam-dong intersection where I'd collapsed, so this was welcome news that had me smiling too.
And with the crisis over, there was one question I absolutely had to ask.
"Lee Seolgi!"
"Huh?"
"Ah... Th-there was a hunter clan successor passed out in the area I was fighting. She was with a kindergarten kid. Know anything about it?"
"Of course. Everyone was rescued safe and sound. They're all getting treated now."
"Really?"
If they hadn't been found in time, the other monsters popping up on the surface could've spelled disaster for them all. What a relief.
"That kindergarten kid and her mom are at Seoul Hospital getting checked out."
"Phew..."
"The kids just have some minor scratches. Mom took a hit to the head, but it's just temporary shock—no threat to her life."
"Got it."
My first civilians protected as a hunter. Hearing the whole family made it out safe let out a big sigh of relief.
"So, what about that hunter clan successor?"
"Huh? Oh, you mean those two?"
"Two of them?"
"Lee Seolgi and Lee Miran are both fine. The younger one's just your standard mana exhaustion—topped her up with the association's mana charger ages ago."
"...! Got it."
Seolgi must be fully patched up by now.
Well, she'd mostly just overdone her abilities and fainted—no real external wounds.
Still, I'd been worried on some level, but hearing it straight from the doc finally put my mind at ease.
...Two people, though?
"Was someone else from a hunter clan there too?"
"Huh? Uh, ah, no! No one!"
"...?"
That's weird.
Just moments ago, when I'd brought up the clan successor, she'd specifically said "those two," right?
What gives?
Maybe some huge drama went down while I was out—something I had no clue about.
I was dying to dig deeper.
But seeing Deokja noona squirming like she was cornered, my gut screamed this was "grown-up business" I shouldn't touch.
It forced my mouth shut.
"Ahem! Anyway, that skank who lost her shit over some guy and got her skull caved in for real—let's set her aside for now..."
"Huh? What was that just now?"
"Huh?! Oh, nothing! More importantly, Hyunjun-ah, how's your body feeling?"
"My body?"
Back to the point. Suit off, just the helmet on, I slid out of bed.
Then I twisted and flexed my well-honed physique to check my condition.
As always, it was in peak form.
'How the hell does she patch people up like this—better than before every single time?'
Was it tied to that squishy massage I'd felt right before waking?
Whatever. Body check done.
"Well, I'll head out then, Deokja noona."
Just like this morning, I'd use the secret passage in the association building that Branch Chief Im Eonnyeon had told me about to slip straight outside.
I had to unequip Armament first if I wanted to go find Seolgi.
To see her not as Hunter Kim Hyunjun, but as her childhood friend Kim Yongchan, I needed to bail fast.
But then.
"...?"
The second I powered on my phone, what the hell was this?
My phone was flooded with a massive pile of missed calls.
All from a single person.
Missed Calls - Lee Seolgi.
'I'm screwed...'
Come to think of it, from her side, she'd come to and found herself safe—but her civilian childhood friend, who should've been with her, gone.
What if it were me in her shoes?
She'd assume her friend got rescued just like her.
But no matter how many times she called, my phone was off.
No one to ask—not even parents.
In other words,
"Ah..."
She must be worried out of her mind.
That was my conclusion.
I quickly powered the phone off again. Couldn't meet her right now anyway.
'Gotta get out quick and come back!'
Change clothes and return.
...or something like that. Seolgi was probably jumping to wild conclusions all by herself right now.
Thinking of that idiot, I hustled toward the top floor where the secret passage was.
"Waaah!"
"?!"
What the—?
"Please, help me, Grandma! Really, you're the only one I can trust!"
"This is problematic right here, Princess."
Right in front of the branch chief's office.
There was Seolgi, clinging tight to Branch Chief Im Eonnyeon's waist while Instructor Kwon Sora tried to hold her back.
'Why's she here?'
Her face was a total mess, smeared with tears and snot.
"...Ah! Hyunjun-kun."
"Ah, hello... Branch Chief?"
This felt super awkward.
Seeing these three people I knew all tangled up in their own weird ways made me feel awkward by proxy.
More than that, Seolgi.
You know the branch chief too?
'So many questions, but home first.'
"Ah! Hyunjun-ssi."
"Instructor Kwon Sora. Long time no see. First time since the 8th floor, right?"
"Haha. Yeah... I'd love to chat leisurely, but..."
"Hahaha... yeah..."
"No no! Do it do it!!"
I exchanged quick greetings with the branch chief, then the instructor.
By then, Seolgi had ramped up to full-blown wailing and tantrum, loud enough to echo down the whole hallway.
'Sorry, Seolgi. I'll be back ASAP.'
At least I knew where she was now.
Figured I'd soothe her in like five minutes, so I tried to slip past quick.
Sniff sniff.
But right then.
"You there. Stop."
"...?"
"Seolgi?"
"Princess?"
For a split second, I thought an S-rank hunter had called me out.
Her voice carried that much pressure—my feet froze on their own.
Just to check, I glanced back.
Seolgi, who'd been glued to the branch chief moments ago.
Wiggle wiggle.
"You. Come here a sec."
Weird.
I'd reactivated Armament on the way up and swapped back into the suit.
She beckoned me over fiercely, like none of that mattered.
"......"
Felt like all hell would break loose if I didn't obey. So I walked over to Seolgi like she said.
Then.
Sniff sniff sniff sniff!
What the hell's wrong with her?!
"L-Lee Seolgi Princess! What kind of spectacle is this?"
"Seolgi, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? Did your period hit yesterday and put you in heat or something?"
No, seriously—not like she's some beast in rut.
Seolgi pressed her nose right up to me as I stood there.
She sniffed all around, zeroing in on my crotch like a bitch in heat.
"Branch Chief. What's this guy's name?"
"Huh? Hyunjun."
"...Hyun, jun?"
She looked up at me.
"...What a load of crap."
Chill.
She smirked like it was laughable.
"Even friends deserve some secrets, right?"
"...?"
"Everyone's got stuff they don't want anyone finding out."
But,
"Still, using that secret to make someone's heart pound and flutter all over the place? Isn't that just bastard behavior? That's my take."
Her words, said loud enough for me to hear clearly, sent another chill down my spine.
I had no clue how she'd pieced it together, but I needed to play innocent. Was about to stammer out some excuses.
But not even that.
"Hey. Hyun. Jun. Ssi."
"Y-yes..."
"So why the hell does your crotch reek of my childhood friend's pussy scent?"
Eek!
The 'detective skills' of the childhood friend who'd been trying to turn me into her personal 'living dildo' since kindergarten.
"......"
A full-body shiver hit me, sealing my lips shut.