Chapter 135
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Hug Me...
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135. Hug me...
Mary and Seol Yu-wol.
The two were surprisingly sitting face-to-face by the window of a quiet café near the Association, sipping their tea.
Just the two of them.
It might sound utterly absurd.
But it was real.
The other patrons couldn't even talk, their attention glued to the pair of S-rank hunters.
- Isn't that the new S-rank hunter...?
- And Mary across from her...
- Clink.
Ignoring the murmurs, Mary elegantly set down her teacup.
"So."
Mary gazed at Seol Yu-wol with an expressionless face and spoke.
"How'd you handle it?"
She was her master.
And she had wanted to see.
How Seol Yu-wol had dealt with the situation.
Whether she'd thrown a tantrum or played it smart.
As Seol Yu-wol's master—not the Association's hunter—she had to guide her toward a better path.
This was part of the training, too.
"......Did you read the contract?"
Seol Yu-wol pulled the straw from her mouth and replied calmly.
"More or less."
The second reason Mary had handed it off to her.
She'd known the contract's details roughly from the start.
When Mary had been negotiating her own contract, the Association reps had hemmed and hawed, bringing up Seol Yu-wol's terms.
'No say in additional personnel selection.'
'Control over access to the counselor.'
And so on—options that looked slimy as hell from Mary's perspective.
Intentions plain as day.
And how deftly she'd wielded them.
"Just..."
Seol Yu-wol twirled a lock of her hair and answered.
"Told them to keep it up if they wanted to die."
"Wow."
Mary brought a hand to her mouth at her apprentice's fiercer-than-expected response.
But reckless outbursts without cause were just childish whims.
The fallout would be a hassle.
You needed solid backing.
"Justification?"
"Rough explanation..."
Seol Yu-wol recited the relevant contract clauses.
Mary listened intently, arms crossed.
And nodded.
"......Sufficient."
Well done.
Handled it perfectly overall.
Could've just choked them out.
Mary nodded...
"Pfft..."
And finally burst out laughing. Things had turned out great.
Dealing with S-rank hunters in major guilds always prioritized their tastes and moods above all.
They tiptoed around, bending over backward to cater to every whim.
But the Association? No sense at all.
Or maybe they'd never held an S-rank before and had zero clue—they just wouldn't wise up.
Had to show them who was boss right from jump.
She'd done damn well.
That was when it happened.
"......Sister."
Mary, chin propped on her hand, tilted her head at the unfamiliar term.
But soon...
"Yeah."
Her lips curved up as she replied.
With skills like that... she deserved the title.
Mary acknowledged it.
Especially since she'd handled the annoying crap Mary should've dealt with herself.
"What, little sis?"
Mary teased back playfully.
"What's your deal with Oppa?"
"Whoa."
Straight to the point again.
Felt it yesterday, too.
Now she knew for sure.
Asking that, not a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.
No blush, no pause.
Cool and collected.
Worlds apart from how she acted with Seon-woo there—or not.
And the question itself was pretty provocative.
So Mary fired back.
"What do you think?"
"......"
Seol Yu-wol pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly.
"Doesn't seem like anything ordinary."
"Right."
Mary nodded, pleased.
Seol Yu-wol continued at a measured pace.
Truth was, Mary had been curious.
How a third party would define things between her and Seon-woo.
So Mary waited, arms crossed, relaxed.
"Definitely not lovers."
"......"
A pang hit her for a second.
But she held it in.
As her master. Yeah, it could still look that way.
"From what I see..."
Seol Yu-wol's blue eyes raked Mary from head to toe.
"No mating, that's for sure."
"?"
Mating?
Mary thought she'd misheard.
Had to be.
Not a word out of a twenty-year-old's mouth.
"Sister's brimming with yin energy, so she likes Oppa... but he doesn't seem into it..."
"......"
Seol Yu-wol patted near her own hip.
"Sometimes he gropes your butt, you blush and jump a little, loving it..."
Her gaze flicked between Mary's legs, then back to her face.
"But no guts to push further..."
Seol Yu-wol tilted her head.
"Like attachment to a pet that just likes being petted...?"
"Hey."
A voice stripped of all mirth snapped from Mary's lips.
"......"
But she couldn't follow up.
She should say something.
Push back, scoff, snap What do you know?
Nothing came.
Couldn't even deny it...
Had they mated?
No.
Did she love the occasional butt grope?
...Feels amazing. Honestly, wish he'd keep kneading without stopping.
Was "occasional" accurate?
Yes. Upset it's only sometimes.
No courage to go further?
Yes. Relationship barely patched after years—can't risk breaking it.
Every word a gut punch.
To respond here, she'd have to call out the rudeness as her master and crush her with authority.
But that'd feel like losing somehow.
"...Ha."
Mary swallowed her rising fury with a sigh.
Uncrossed her arms and leaned back against the chair.
"Fine, let's say you're right. You knew all that—why ask?"
Mary owned it coolly.
"Yeah. I'm chicken. Seon-woo's too precious."
Seol Yu-wol nodded in agreement.
And showed an unexpected reaction.
She bowed her head politely.
"Sorry, Sister. Didn't mean it like that—just my take."
"Whatever."
Mary waved it off.
"Reason I asked? Something else."
Seol Yu-wol looked up.
And dropped a bombshell in a quiet voice.
"I like Oppa, too."
"......"
"Not respect or dependence."
She clutched her diamond necklace, adding it like she'd long since sorted that out.
"I know."
Mary wasn't stupid.
Acted the clueless bunny around Seon-woo, cutthroat otherwise.
I don't know anything... Oppa, protect me... Clinging tight.
Then behind the scenes, nooses the Association with contracts.
Pretend innocence, too.
"No way I wouldn't."
Seol Yu-wol began her tale calmly.
"My home world took polygamy as the norm. Not some 'allowed' thing—it was baseline. A strong man claiming multiple women? Just how it was."
"Go on."
Mary gave a small nod of permission.
"So I don't mind other women around Oppa."
Seol Yu-wol stared at Mary with clear eyes.
"You?"
That was the point.
She could say it flat-out.
Same as Seol Yu-wol.
Her world was gone now, but its heroes against evil were all men.
Women supported as saints or became whores. Obey and live.
"No different."
Thus.
She didn't mind, either.
The fear wasn't sharing.
It was getting booted from the table altogether—Seon-woo shoving her aside.
Nothing else.
Seol Yu-wol's face lit up at the candid answer.
"Good."
Good... Felt like ethics and common sense got skipped entirely.
And Seon-woo's input as the man in question? Zero factor.
"My mom likes Oppa, too. Probably."
"......?"
Mary froze mid-sip, straw in mouth.
Just like that.
Her brain kept rejecting the words lately.
Seol Yu-wol's mother was Yi Seo-ryeong.
Former Azure Heaven Alliance leader, famed for her elegant beauty.
Mary knew of her.
"......Huh? What do you mean 'likes'..."
Sure, she could like him.
Daughter's counselor... now ward...
Mary scrambled to cling to sanity.
Flustered beyond measure—then.
"Probably wants to mate with him. Same as me."
"......"
The "mating" bomb fried Mary's brain.
Mom and daughter both after one guy?
- Drip...
Coffee dribbled weakly from Mary's lips.
That was when it rang.
- Ring ring...
Her phone buzzed.
Mary snatched it up in a panic.
Desperate to bail.
Seon-woo, this girl's not right.
"......"
You're no prize either, though.
Caller: Seon-woo.
"...Hello?"
- Hey, Mary. Where you at? Came to the office... nobody's here.
Mary glanced up at Seol Yu-wol across from her.
No sign on her face, but her ears were perked, eavesdropping.
Just hearing his voice had her lips twitching up.
"Watching a horror flick."
- ...This early?
"Kidding. Heading back now."
- Okay.
Mary hung up and bolted from her seat.
Seol Yu-wol did the same.
"Shall we? Sister?"
Seol Yu-wol hooked her arm lightly...
"Hey, unhook!"
Mary recoiled in horror and shoved her off.
Ran full tilt without looking back.
Wasn't some ghost. That was the ghost.
Mary panted raggedly as she raced to the office.
Seon-woo stood fidgeting by the door, waiting for the others to return.
Mary waved casually, forcing nonchalance.
"Hey, Seon-woo... What's up so early..."
As Mary started to ask—
"Eeeing..."
Seol Yu-wol trailed in behind her, wiping tears, and toddled straight to Seon-woo.
"Oppa... the Association... hic..."
"Huh? What happened?"
Yoo Seon-woo asked, flustered.
Instead of answering, Seol Yu-wol sniffled her reddened nose and flung her arms wide to him.
Too scary and sad for words—a pitiful plea for a hug.
Seon-woo stared at her in confusion for a beat...
Glanced at the air, paused.
And then.
- Squish...
He wrapped the rushing Seol Yu-wol in a tight embrace.
"It's okay."
Seon-woo patted her back and shot Mary a look.
His eyes asking her.
What happened?
Mary watched and thought.
Tell me about it.
What the hell was this?
Mary shook her head.
I don't wanna know.
Looks like she had zero luck with apprentices.