Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Gaze
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Early morning sunlight poured through the window into the room.
Seol Yu-wol opened her eyes in the bed that still felt unfamiliar.
She began stretching, loosening the muscles that had stiffened overnight.
It was a basic morning routine, as natural as breathing.
That was when it happened.
- Knock knock knock.
All of Seol Yu-wol's movements froze in place.
Her heart sank with a thud.
Before she knew it, she was already rushing to the door.
Maybe the doctor is here already, she thought.
But the voice from beyond the door wasn't his.
"Hello, Seol Yu-wol? I've brought your breakfast~"
An unfamiliar woman's voice.
It seemed to be her morning meal.
Seol Yu-wol opened the door with slightly slumped shoulders.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
The association staff member handed her a tray with breakfast, beaming cheerfully.
"......Yes."
Seol Yu-wol carefully bowed her head and took it.
"Breakfast today is a simple sandwich. Just hold it like this and eat it."
The staff demonstrated kindly before turning to leave.
At that exact moment, Seol Yu-wol stopped her with a tiny voice.
Seol Yu-wol quickly asked,
"Um......"
"Yes?"
"Today...... the doctor......"
"Oh, you didn't hear? It's his day off today."
Ah.
Then she remembered.
Yesterday, before they parted, he had definitely said tomorrow was an official holiday.
She had spent the entire night thinking only about the homework he gave her, completely forgetting that important fact.
Yu-wol's shoulders drooped even lower than before.
The staff member quietly stepped out upon seeing her expression.
She closed the door without a word.
The sand......wich? Whatever it was on the table didn't look appetizing at all.
Seol Yu-wol stared at it blankly.
However.
'All food provided here is safe.'
'From now on, you must eat whatever anyone brings you. Promise.'
The doctor's words suddenly came to mind.
She had even promised.
- Nom.
"......"
In the end, Seol Yu-wol took a small bite of the sandwich.
"......?!"
Her eyes widened in shock.
- Crunch crunch.
It was a taste completely different from any food she knew from the Central Plains.
Thanks to the doctor's words again, Seol Yu-wol fell into a new world.
Monday morning.
I headed to the association for work today as well.
I planned to keep doing this for the time being.
"Oh, really? That's a relief."
According to the association staff, she had eaten all three meals yesterday.
I was glad I had told her beforehand.
"Thank you."
I smiled and thanked the staff member in charge of Seol Yu-wol.
She blushed slightly at my greeting and waved it off.
"No, no! It's just our job."
Just as the conversation seemed to wrap up,
she turned her head as if she'd made up her mind and cautiously spoke.
"Um...... Counselor. Do you have plans this evening by any chance?"
"Pardon? No, nothing in particular......"
I asked back, puzzled.
Ah.
I understood her intention.
Unlike usual, I wasn't wearing my white doctor's coat.
I only had two to begin with, so I rotated them.
One had suddenly disappeared.
The other had gone into the laundry late last night and was still drying.
So today, I had no choice but to wear casual clothes.
Slacks and an ivory polo, more or less.
To her, I might have looked like someone heading out on a date after work.
Emboldened by my answer, she shyly continued.
"Ah......! Then...... maybe dinner after work......?"
Before she could finish, I gently declined.
"What can I do? Work's been so busy lately. I have an Otherworlder tour scheduled today...... I'll gratefully accept the thought."
"Ah...... I see......"
I added softly to her disappointed expression.
"Instead, let me treat you to a nice meal next time."
Her face brightened up as if nothing had happened.
I waved goodbye to her cheerful hand-waving and moved on.
Now it was time to face Seol Yu-wol again.
Had she found the answer to the homework I gave her?
It didn't matter if she hadn't.
Just the effort of trying was enough.
Before I knew it, my footsteps had stopped in front of her room.
- Knock.
I knocked very lightly.
The moment I was about to call her name,
"Yu-wol......"
- Bang!
The door flew open violently.
I startled and instinctively stepped back.
Seol Yu-wol stood there, breathing heavily.
Fixing her gaze on my eyes, she said clearly,
"Homework."
"......Pardon?"
"I couldn't do it."
What?
For a moment, I thought I misheard.
That she had said, 'I did it.'
But what was with that expression?
Acting so confident like she'd done something great......
"I see...... Understood for now."
I nodded and entered.
I was curious about the source of her confidence, but...
That could wait.
First, I checked her condition.
"Feeling stuffy at all?"
Friday, Saturday, and now Sunday. It had already been three days confined to this room.
No matter how perfect the ventilation and sunlight, it had to feel stifling.
Of course, her risk level had been downgraded from 'Caution' to 'Safe' as of yesterday.
She hadn't shown any aggression or unusual behavior.
We also considered her initial aggression was due to the special opponent, Jahwa-yeon.
It was the unanimous conclusion of me and the observation team.
What changes when downgraded to Safe?
This was a controlled area under the strict management of the Hunter Association.
Within it, limited external activities become possible.
So today's task was...
To take her out of this stuffy room and show her this world.
The first field trip to help her find what she wants to do herself.
To give Seol Yu-wol some fresh air.
I smiled at the dazed Seol Yu-wol.
"Shall we go outside?"
At my words, she tilted her head as if hearing unfamiliar words.
I glanced at her outfit.
Seol Yu-wol was wearing a gray shirt and pants provided by the association that only fit her size.
A female staff had helped, I heard.
We needed to buy clothes too...
"Let's go shopping for clothes first."
And eat something tasty.
I took her hand and led her outside.
I brought Seol Yu-wol outside.
- Vroom...
Every time cars whizzed by on the street, I felt Seol Yu-wol's shoulders beside me twitch.
There was surely a difference between seeing them in educational videos and feeling massive iron horses pass by.
Gripping my sleeve tightly, Seol Yu-wol walked inward from the road.
Today's destination was Luna Field.
Not the S-rank hunter Luna.
It was the name of a massive shopping mall.
The reason for choosing it was simple.
It was the most suitable place for experiencing a new world.
Lots of people came to hang out...
It was good for buying clothes or eating.
Of course, all costs were covered by the association.
The economic benefits from successfully integrating Otherworlders into society were far greater.
I led her small hand toward the huge automatic doors.
As Seol Yu-wol hesitated in front of them, the transparent glass doors slowly opened.
The moment we stepped inside, her view flipped once more.
The interior was far larger and more impressive than it looked from outside.
The clamor of thousands of people.
Ears filled with noise, music, and endless stores stretching on.
This time, she instinctively gripped my palm tightly.
I whispered quietly in her ear.
"It's okay. If anything surprises or overwhelms you, just tell me anytime."
I felt the tension leave her shoulders at my voice.
Instead of replying, she squeezed my hand tighter.
That was enough.
Holding her hand, I slowly wandered the department store interior.
Her eyes widened at the moving stairs—the escalator.
I smiled and led her onto it.
"Eek."
Her small cry was swallowed by the noise.
I spent a while showing her the world's wonders.
As I guided her first steps, a thought crossed my mind.
'Feels just like being a real dad...'
Was this the feeling of a father holding an ignorant child's hand and teaching them everything from the start?
I checked her condition.
"Are you hungry at all?"
She shook her head.
Her stomach was still fine...
"Then shall we go buy clothes as originally planned?"
I led her to the quietest-looking women's clothing store.
I doubted she'd prefer shopping amid crowds.
But before hundreds of clothes, I was just as lost as her.
'...What should I dress her in?'
I was clueless about women's clothes too, so I asked the nearest staff member.
"Um...... Could you recommend something that would suit her?"
The stylish staff glanced over me and Seol Yu-wol, who clung tightly to my hand.
With a practiced sales smile, she said,
"Oh my, you two look perfect together. Boyfriend shopping for his girlfriend?"
I laughed awkwardly it off, while Seol Yu-wol, clueless about 'boyfriend,' just tilted her head.
She smiled even brighter and gently took Seol Yu-wol's arm.
"Come this way, miss? Flowy dresses like this are in trend lately...... Your skin is so fair, anything would......"
I followed behind at a proper distance as the staff led.
The staff chatted nonstop with Seol Yu-wol.
What colors she liked, usual clothes, occasions.
Of course, Seol Yu-wol couldn't answer properly.
As I was about to interject politely,
"Just...... something the doctor would like......"
Seol Yu-wol glanced back at me and murmured lowly to the staff.
The staff's eyes widened, then she gave a knowing smile, picked an outfit, and led Seol Yu-wol to the fitting room.
A sudden wave of mysterious unease hit me.
Moments later, the staff's voice came from behind the curtain.
"Customer~"
I approached the fitting room she pointed to.
- Swish.
Someone's hand softly drew the curtain aside.
And Seol Yu-wol appeared from within.
"......"
I was speechless.
Seol Yu-wol wore a light gray dress that perfectly hugged her curves.
It had always been hidden by baggy gray clothes, and she never paid attention, but...
Seeing her curves so openly displayed was disconcerting.
Seol Yu-wol didn't avoid my gaze at all.
Instead, she locked piercing blue eyes on mine, staring intently.
As if trying to read my every thought, those eyes bore into me relentlessly.
Under that intense gaze, I swallowed dryly without thinking.
"This one's a bit......"
I tried to smile sheepishly and ask for another option.
But right then,
"I'll take this one......"
Seol Yu-wol said softly.
A satisfied smile played on her lips.
She didn't wait for my response.
The staff beamed and moved to help with payment.
'...She's gotten more assertive.'
I stood dazed, watching her back.
The clothes didn't matter.
What mattered was that she chose something for the first time.
If she wanted this dress, that was enough.
'Good.'
I nodded at her positive change.
Luna ultimately gave up on laundry.
Well, not exactly gave up...
She had come searching for a new, powerful fabric softener.
The moment lunchtime hit, she headed to the massive shopping mall across from Union Guild: Luna Field.
She went straight to the household goods section.
With a serious expression, she sniffed each colorful product.
"As close to strawberry as possible......"
But then.
- Hmm...... How about fried pork?
A familiar voice was followed by a familiar scent.
Luna reflexively ducked behind a huge display shelf.
She peeked out ever so slightly through the gap.
'Teacher?'
It was the teacher.
Why was Teacher here at this hour?
The moment Luna's gaze shifted to beside him,
her heart sank.
She was startled first by his outfit.
Seeing him in casual clothes for the first time made her heart race unexpectedly.
For a split second, she thought stealing his coat was the right move, but she dismissed it.
But that wasn't why her heart dropped.
He wasn't alone.
Beside him was an unfamiliar woman.
A skintight dress that blatantly revealed every curve.
Mysterious hair blending black and white.
And her hand gripped his naturally, as if it belonged there.
Moreover, the gaze.
Luna had a habit of analyzing others' gazes first.
It was beastkin instinct.
The unfamiliar woman's gaze was always fixed on Teacher.
Not deviating for a second. All her attention on his next move, his next words.
Undoubtedly, eyes of absolute trust and dependence.
The silver lining was Teacher's gaze—soft and gentle as always, never meeting hers or roaming her body...
But that didn't comfort Luna much.
"......"
She just stared blankly at their backs as they held hands like lovers and disappeared into the restaurant.
- Plop.
Without even hearing the fabric softener sample drop from her hand.