Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Fooled Again! Arin-ah!
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"Rank 3 promotion?! Does that even make sense?"
"Our damn Siwoo is D-rank?! This bastard isn't the type who deserves something like that!!"
The shocked Baek A-rin and Erina. Even that Baek A-rin and second-year Erina were only D-rank.
The top student, Kang Hwa-yeon, was C-rank at best.
"Jumping from E3 to D-rank in one go is an unprecedented privilege. Congratulations."
Kang Hwa-yeon spoke with a slight smile, looking a bit surprised.
What was there to congratulate? No way.
An unprecedented privilege.
That was the problem.
The protagonist of this academy raid should have been Lee Seong-hyeon. He caught Purity Faction members and got medals and media attention, but no promotion privileges.
Yet here I was, snatching the spotlight with a rank 3 promotion?
After the last dungeon collapse, I had no idea what people thought of me, so I'd been extra careful with my personal security.
'Murdered. I'm dead.'
I looked at Lee Dok-sa and asked in a trembling voice.
"Can't I just refuse it?"
Erina grabbed me and shook me at my words.
"Are you insane, Siwoo?!"
"But you just said not to accept it."
Erina grabbed my shoulders and shook me mercilessly.
"When did I say that? I said you're not the type who deserves it! Why kick away good fortune that's fallen into your lap? Are you an idiot?"
Erina was the only one talking rough, but everyone else looked baffled too.
"Kim Siwoo, you're one weird guy."
"Siwoo, this is truly unprecedented. If you're worried it's favoritism, don't be. Considering everything you've handled so far, this feels insufficient."
"It's not that..."
Even Baek A-rin looked shocked.
"Well, I'm all for it, but I never expected you'd make this choice."
"Why are you happy about it?"
"Well, that's..."
She wasn't even hiding her intent to pull me into her faction anymore. This girl.
"Anyway, I want to refuse."
I wasn't about to invite a murder threat on myself.
Becoming D-rank wouldn't bring good things. It just meant more duties instead of rights.
As I thought that, Lee Dok-sa looked troubled but smiled at me.
"Haha... Well, Siwoo. The paperwork's already all processed, so it's hard to reverse."
"What?"
"Basically, administratively, you're already a D-rank hunter. We usually finish everything before the promotion ceremony."
No.
I clung to Erina and whimpered.
"Lord."
"I'm not the Lord, I'm an angel. Congrats, damn Siwoo. D-rank. All thanks to me, right?"
Why are you bragging?
"Don't stress too much, Siwoo. It's good news, so smile."
"Yeah, smile! Why the long face for something good?"
Erina said that and cutely lifted the corners of her mouth with her index finger.
"Fine... Just smile, right?"
I responded by ripping the corners of my mouth up with my fingers.
"Whoa... That's not it."
"I have this condition where I smile regardless of my mood..."
Why was everyone pushing me toward a bad end?
Day 2 since the academy was attacked and classes suspended. After an unprecedented terrorist incident, it would take at least a week for full recovery.
'The real problem is...'
News and papers about Lee Seong-hyeon kept pouring out since the raid.
- Seoul Hunter Academy Raid: The Target Was the Century's Genius 'Lee Seong-hyeon'.
- Breaking News: Testimony Emerges That Purity Faction May Be Behind the Shocking Seoul Hunter Academy Attack.
'And XTube too.'
-"Please Send Lee Seong-hyeon to Japan" "No, He Must Come to America..." Why Japan Pleaded for Him After Korea's Terror Attack and America Blocked It.
They were even making thumbnails like that.
Lee Seong-hyeon was probably reveling in the attention right now.
'And I'd be pouring cold water on it.'
Promotion next week.
It was irreversible now.
With things this tangled, I couldn't delay 'that plan' anymore.
The reason I'd approached Baek A-rin, saved her sister, and tried to look strong.
'Make Snow Mountain Clan my guardian.'
Specifically, Snow Mountain Clan's fourth, and their strongest successor candidate, Baek A-rin, as my guardian.
Lee Seong-hyeon's regression had limits.
[Death not by the Empress incurs heavy penalties.]
Not revealed even to readers until the 8th round, but Lee Seong-hyeon knew.
'Whatever it is, he guards against it desperately, so it must be huge.'
Of course, if undetectable, he'd kill a nuisance or two—that psycho would.
'He even tried before.'
But unless he was crazy, he wouldn't easily kill a man under Snow Mountain Clan's Baek A-rin.
He'd handle it with utmost caution if he tried.
So, minimal insurance.
Of course, there was another reason to make Baek A-rin my guardian.
'I never planned this much contact with Lee Seong-hyeon initially.'
The reason for Baek A-rin as guardian.
To convince Snow Mountain Clan's chairman, Baek Ho-yun.
"Alright, let's go."
Time to use the debt I'd fabricated for Baek A-rin.
Using the debt Baek A-rin promised to repay someday as an excuse, I met her and her father, Baek Ho-yun. An awkward three-way meeting.
'Baek A-rin has no reason to refuse.'
She might have brought me even without my request, curious how her chosen man looked in her chairman father's eyes.
"This place is crazy in its own way."
Snow Mountain Clan estate.
Size and antique grandeur befitting the name. The sleek, modern interior contrasted sharply with Inferno Clan.
Baek Ho-yun matched that.
Unlike the burly, passionate Kang Young-ho, Baek Ho-yun had a sharp impression.
'Surprisingly, instead of wine and steak, there's neat Korean cuisine.'
His white-haired Western look had prejudiced me.
Yeah, Koreans run on rice power.
Baek Ho-yun looked at me and said.
"Make yourself comfortable."
I stared into his eyes as he spoke.
"Chairman Baek Ho-yun. I want something from you."
His eyes sharpened in surprise at my words.
Next to him, Baek A-rin gaped with wide eyes, pure shock.
"What do you want?"
"Reward for saving your daughter. I want compensation."
Baek A-rin was stunned.
She'd convinced her busy father for this dinner.
Of course, gratitude toward Kim Siwoo helped, and her father agreed—same for her. Plus, a chance to see her father's reaction with them together.
So she'd been glad at my request.
But.
'What the hell is he saying?!'
Seeing Kim Siwoo blurt that out on first meeting before her hard-to-approach father, Baek A-rin couldn't help but be shocked.
'At least wait till after dinner...'
No, was he being considerate so he wouldn't choke?
Impossible.
He was just nuts.
She thought that, stuck between them, glancing at her father nervously.
'What to do? How to smooth this. Think, Baek A-rin. You've overcome hardships before...!'
But her mind was blank.
'Right! I know nothing... Aaaah—'
Mental victory included.
But her father's unexpected words came.
"Explain first."
'Huh... Maybe?'
She glanced hopefully at him.
She could tell. Cold, displeased eyes.
'Ah, we're done.'
Kim Siwoo smiled and continued.
"Exactly as I said. The reward is ridiculously low."
"You mean the previous reward money wasn't enough?"
Baek Ho-yun had offered reward money before, which Kim Siwoo refused.
'I thought it was just kindness... But knowing his personality, no way.'
He'd seemed kind at first, but close up, she knew: darker inside than her.
"Didn't you refuse before? This seems odd now."
"Exactly. I refused because the money wasn't enough. That's why I asked A-rin for this dinner."
'Crazy bastard. Crazy bastard. Why drag me into this?!'
Her screams didn't reach Kim Siwoo.
"From what my daughter said, A-ri suddenly dashed out, and the distance was about 3 meters."
'Truth is, she could've frozen a Horned Rabbit instantly if she tried. Considering that, the offered amount was generous.'
Baek A-rin struggled to keep smiling while burning inside.
'Kim Siwoo's messing up. What now? If he'd warned me, I could've prepared a cover! Why does he always...'
As Baek A-rin inwardly blamed him.
"I see it differently."
Baek Ho-yun looked surprised at Kim Siwoo's words.
"Ho, differently?"
Baek A-rin stared at Kim Siwoo in shock too. No, horror.
'Is that bastard pulling another 3D line?!'