Chapter 130
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: The End of the House Call
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"…I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine."
With the counseling session fully wrapped up, the guild master bowed her head, her face flushed red.
In truth, I should have squeezed in a one-on-one midway through the session, but I hadn't.
"It happened without me even realizing…"
"Yes, there's no need to explain."
She'd been too busy fending off the desires of all those young, vigorous men.
I got it.
At any rate, the house call was over.
We didn't need the master present to handle the counseling.
Surprisingly, every single client had been sorted out in just one visit.
Of course, most weren't severe cases, but even so… it was a massive accomplishment.
It was also proof that my new 'method' was far more efficient than I'd imagined.
Normally, plenty of them would have been referred to my counseling office after the visit at least.
"Um… Counselor, how did it go…?"
She hesitated before asking me.
I smiled and replied.
"No issues. Most of them were resolved nicely."
Relief washed over her face, and she broke into a bright smile.
"Thank you so much…"
"No problem."
I'd just earned my keep.
"If any hunters run into problems down the line… could you pass along that they'd be welcome to visit the counseling office directly?"
"Ah, sure!"
She nodded eagerly.
Just in case.
I rose from my seat.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"…?"
She looked up at me.
"When you get married, let me know. I'll be there for sure."
I said it with a playful grin.
From what I'd heard in her confession… it was years of one-sided love.
"…Ah, okay…"
Her face turned even redder as she nodded.
Looked like she had some thoughts about it. Good for her.
"I'll see myself out."
I left the office with a satisfied smile.
Seol Yu-wol and Mary were waiting right outside the door.
"Good work."
Mary sidled up beside me and said it softly.
"Nah, you two had it way worse."
I at least had work to do.
They'd just been sitting around doing nothing.
Yu-wol was learning the ropes, so that was fair enough, but Mary? Pure wasted effort.
But Mary tilted her head, not getting it.
"Huh? No, I actually had fun…"
"Fun?"
"Uh? Oh… I mean… yeah, sitting on the sofa and getting paid? That's been my dream."
She hurriedly backpedaled.
Something felt off.
No way she'd eavesdropped on the sessions, right?
"Hmmm… okay."
Couldn't exactly stick the bodyguards in a distant room.
Our sweet Yu-wol wouldn't, but Mary? With her mischievous streak, she might've caught something.
At any rate, it was time to head out.
"Wanna grab food? My treat."
Looked like a light dinner before heading home would hit the spot.
Something simple like sandwiches, since we'd been sitting all day.
"Sounds good."
Mary was in.
"Ugh…"
But Seol Yu-wol pouted her lips.
"I have dinner plans with Mom tonight…"
"Got it. Eat something tasty."
Probably called her out to encourage her on her first day.
I nodded, thinking it was sweet.
"I can cancel…"
"Whoa, no way. Don't do that."
I quickly stopped her hand as she reached for her phone.
Mom comes first, after all…
Hold on.
Was even this dangerous somehow?
Every action that put distance between me and Seol Yu-wol was starting to feel like a red flag.
I swiftly checked the fragment.
[Time elapsed: 1 year 6 months later]
[Dependency] [□□□□□□□□□□ (0/10)]
Fortunately, nothing had changed.
This much was fine, then.
Whew.
In that case, time to be firm.
"Tsk."
I grabbed Seol Yu-wol's hands and scolded her like a wayward kid.
She pouted her lips but eventually nodded slowly.
"That's my good Yu-wol."
Only then did I pat her head to soothe her.
We got the sandwiches to go and headed to the park.
The sun had set, and the park… well, it held quite a few memories for me and Mary.
"Takes me back, doesn't it?"
Apparently, I wasn't the only one thinking that.
The moon was rising slowly, and it really felt just like that time.
"Yeah."
I sat on the bench with her.
- Munch, munch.
- Nom, nom.
We ate our sandwiches and chatted about this and that for a bit.
How was the Hunter Association?
What did it feel like going from tearing through battlefields to playing protector?
And then.
It was the moment Mary popped the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth.
I met her eyes and asked.
"How's Yu-wol doing?"
I had some stake in it, sure…
But Mary was the one seeing it up close.
Her perspective might be different.
"Hmm…"
Mary finished chewing and swallowing, took a sip from her canned drink.
Then, with the corner of her mouth curling up, she spoke slowly.
"She's sharp."
"…Huh?"
Sharp?
That was a far cry from the Seol Yu-wol I knew.
I'd seen her get grabbed by the nape twice today alone.
"You wouldn't know."
Mary smirked and continued.
"At first, I was like, what the hell is this girl doing? Not even following basics, had me sighing nonstop from the jump…"
She turned to gaze at me steadily.
"But once you started the counseling? Total one-eighty."
"What're you talking about?"
"When you're not around… she follows the manual to a T. Expressionless, perfect execution. Nothing left for me to teach."
"……."
"Checked every emergency exit and escape route in the waiting room, mixed in the right vigilance too."
"…Guess she studied up."
I'd heard she'd crammed on bodyguard duties.
"Heh."
But Mary shook her head like that was ridiculous.
"'Bodyguards prohibit unnecessary private contact with the protectee, maintain distance, and stay vigilant around them.'"
She started reciting from the manual.
"That's basics of basics. But what I just described? That's pretty advanced stuff."
"……."
"She knows it all, Seon-woo."
Mary poked my cheek with a grin, clearly enjoying my blank look.
"She just doesn't do it in front of you."
"No way."
I objected meekly.
Seol Yu-wol wouldn't.
If anything, she'd pretend to know stuff she didn't just to impress me.
Pretend she didn't know things she did?
"Why the hell would she?"
She always showed me her absolute best side.
Pulled all-nighters studying bodyguard work and all.
I shook my head.
"Kinda hard to explain. Even I'm iffy on it."
Mary shook her head, wrapping up with a nuance that dismissed my take.
She stood from the bench and stretched.
"Anyway…"
Mary tossed her can into the trash and turned back to me with a smile.
"Bottom line: she's good at it. You can trust her… leave it in her hands."
"Gotcha."
Looks like she was doing well.
Glad it suited her.
By now, the moon hung high in the sky.
I gazed at Mary, her whole body bathed in that soft moonlight.
Her mystical light-purple hair swayed against the night sky.
I always felt it, but Mary really suited the moonlight.
[Ugh...]
Seemed like even the system agreed.
I crumpled up the sandwich wrapper and asked Mary.
"You good with leaving the guild?"
"Feels liberating. Easier."
She leaned back against the bench and let out a breath.
"I'll counsel you anytime. Just say the word."
"Pfft."
Mary burst out laughing at that.
She looked at me with eyes full of mischief.
"I prefer getting physical over talking."
"Then I'll work out with you."
I crushed my empty drink can and replied.
Mary's mouth curved higher, like she approved.
She leaned even closer to me on the bench.
"That sounds nice too?"
She smoothly presented her hip to me.
More accurately, she pressed it right up against me.
- Pat, pat.
I naturally patted around her waist.
It was Mary's favorite bit of skinship.
Started out as a casual friendly gesture with no deeper meaning… but at some point, it felt off, so I stopped.
She definitely liked it, though.
Best to just do what makes her happy.
She was happy.
"Ooh… this feels nice. Been a while."
Mary whispered softly into my ear.
"Does it?"
"Yeah, it's been ages."
"I'll do it more often from now on."
"Good…"
Her face flushed, she rested her head on my shoulder.
The night air was chilly, but the warmth radiating from Mary's body was hot.
"Looking forward to working with you."
I said it to Mary—as her protector, as a fellow Hunter Association hunter, and… as her friend.
"Yeah…"
She replied in a drowsy voice, head still on my shoulder.
"Hold on."
Then Mary suddenly lifted her head and stared me down, grilling me.
"What."
"You don't do this—pat here like this—to other girls, do you?"
She patted her own hip as she asked.
Her light-purple eyes narrowed.
Regrettably, no.
I gave a wry smile.
It was just that the system had tipped me off in the past that Mary liked this kind of touch.
That's all it was.
"No."
I shook my head.
"…Good. Keep going."
Her expression softened the instant she confirmed it.
Brazen as ever, she leaned her head back on my shoulder and commanded.
"Got it."
- Pat, pat.
"Hoo…"
Mary rested her head on my shoulder again and sighed in satisfaction.
And so, we gazed at the night sky and talked for a good long while.
Guild stories.
Hunter Association stories.
Even tales from the past.
…For quite some time.