Chapter 4
Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Profile
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Profile
Arshirientra.
The strongest in Elantara, the hero even the Demon King feared.
She single-handedly defeated the Demon King's twelve apostles and annihilated the Pert Kingdom, which had sided with evil, in just three days.
If I stomped my foot, earthquakes would rumble. If I swung my sword, it would become a typhoon.
But thirteen years old...
Of course, it was a fabricated age, but what would people think when they looked at me from the outside?
What about my dignity as a hero? My decorum as the Grand Preceptor of the Entara Empire?
I stared into the void, feeling a despair I hadn't known in ages.
"St... still, isn't being younger a good thing? There must be some upsides...!"
"Isn't it too young...?"
"Uh... yeah... Ah! It's already this late. Is there anything you want to eat? Just say the word...!"
Something to eat... My heart scolded me, asking if my stomach could even handle food right now, but my mind recalled all the foods I hadn't tasted in a thousand years.
Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten anything since returning to Earth.
"Really... anything at all...?"
"Of course! I might not make it myself, but I'll order it for you!"
Cha Seo-yoon hesitated mid-sentence and changed her words.
"Then... I'd like some kimchi stew..."
"Kimchi stew? Got it! I'll order it right now!"
Kimchi.
As the Grand Preceptor of the Empire, I'd sampled most foods, but this was one I never got to try.
I didn't know how to make it, so whenever I described the taste, they brought out bizarre dishes like cabbage pickled in vinegar and mixed with chili peppers...
Cha Seo-yoon tapped away on her phone to order the food, then fidgeted restlessly, stealing glances at me.
I shouldn't just lie here like this. I need to show some adult composure.
I gently tugged at Cha Seo-yoon's sleeve.
"I'm... fine, so don't worry about me..."
I'd finally shown some poise, so why did she look even more anxious?
"Th-then, until the stew arrives, want to play with my phone? Here, you can borrow it."
"Mm. A phone... It's been ages. If you would..."
"Sure! Here you go. I'll go wash up, so entertain yourself. And don't get too down."
I nodded weakly.
A phone, huh...
The familiar heavy grip felt nostalgic after so long. Maybe I should look at that photo they said was taken when I came out of the gate.
It was called the Hunter Gallery, right?
I clumsily typed 'Hunter' into the search bar on the unfamiliar keyboard.
'Related searches? How to become a hunter... No. Hunter monthly income... No.'"
There it is.
The fifth related search was Hunter Gallery.
Logging into the gallery, the top post caught my eye.
It was titled, "So who is that girl from the Gwanghwamun Gate?"
I scrolled through the post, but not a single comment made any sense.
Just then, Cha Seo-yoon emerged from the bathroom in a bathrobe, steam rising from her damp hair.
"Ar~ Feeling any better? Having fun with the phone?"
"It's not bad. But do you know what 'lol' means here? It doesn't seem like 'funny'."
I held out the screen to Cha Seo-yoon, who was drying her hair with a towel.
"Huh? Whoa?! How'd you get in here?"
"I saw there was a photo of me, so I got curious and searched. Was that not allowed...?"
"No... It's not that it's not allowed... but for kids—no, you're not a kid.
This... Argh—! How do I explain this..."
Cha Seo-yoon ruffled her hair in frustration.
"Basically... um, you should avoid galleries if possible. Full of weirdos."
"Mm. Understood. I'll be careful next time."
"Good, thanks for listening."
At that moment, Cha Seo-yoon's phone buzzed with a delivery complete notification.
"Perfect timing. Wait at the table. I'll go get it."
"Alright, thank you."
What could 'lol' mean, though? I couldn't bring myself to ask Cha Seo-yoon again. She seemed clueless too, so I'd figure it out myself sometime.
I sat at the table waiting for Cha Seo-yoon, and soon she returned with a white plastic bag.
She set it on the table and unpacked five or six plastic containers.
"I figured just kimchi stew might feel lacking, so I ordered a bunch of sides too."
Opening the lid released a tangy aroma that pierced my nose—the scent I'd missed so much.
"Hold on, let's change before eating. Can't get it on white clothes."
"Hm? Sure."
Cha Seo-yoon pulled a black T-shirt from the bundle of clothes she'd brought earlier.
"Might be a bit big... Wanna try it on?"
I nodded and went to the room to change.
The shirt hung down to mid-thigh.
The loose neck kept slipping off my shoulders, which was annoying, but the soft fabric felt nice against my skin.
"All dressed. Can we eat now?"
"Ah, yeah. Let's eat qui— Gah—"
"Why... why are you doing that again?"
"No, wait—just stay there a sec? For real, just a moment."
Cha Seo-yoon pulled out her phone from her pocket and turned the back toward me.
Click— The sound of a photo being taken.
"Done now? I'm starving to try it."
"Yeah! All done. Let's eat. Sorry to make you wait."
I grumbled a bit as I sat down.
On the table: white rice, steaming kimchi stew, and a few side dishes.
I scooped a spoonful of broth first and put it in my mouth.
Spicy heat and sourness hit, followed by umami coating my tongue.
No matter how long I'd lived in Elantara, I was Korean at heart.
This single spoonful of kimchi stew outdid any delicacy from Elantara.
Spoon of rice, spoon of stew. Alternating bites, I noticed Cha Seo-yoon watching me fondly.
"There's drinks too. Eat slowly and chew well."
"Ahem— Thank you. Best food I've had in nearly a thousand years."
"That good? This place is famous among our guildmates."
"It's delicious. You eat too."
After a few dozen minutes, Cha Seo-yoon and I polished off every bowl.
"You ate it all... That hungry? I ordered for four."
"I don't feel hunger. I just ate a lot because it was good."
"You don't feel hunger? Then where do you get energy?"
"Anyone can do it at a certain level. Breathe in mana from the air... like this."
I placed my hand on Cha Seo-yoon's chest and infused mana.
A soft sensation transmitted through my palm.
"Huh? Whoa...! I feel power surging! You can use mana like this... So mana works this way—."
She mimicked it perfectly after one demo.
A moment where my time as Grand Preceptor shone.
"This is insane... But most hunters couldn't even attempt it. Mana manipulation is too tricky."
"That's why I said 'a certain level'."
Cha Seo-yoon practiced the breathing method for a while, then her eyes lit up.
"Gotta report this... The bar for 'certain level' is high, but if it pans out, maybe even the Shurell Prize."
"What's the Shurell Prize?"
"Award for the hunter with the best research achievements in a year. I've won it once."
Like a Nobel Prize, maybe.
Though I wasn't sure it was that impressive—in Elantara, anyone at master level did it routinely.
"Mm... Well, give it your best."
"Yeah! Ah— It's been ages since I felt this fired up... I'll make sure you get the Ar Shurell Prize."
Seeing her clench her fists like she'd made a historic discovery, I couldn't bring myself to nitpick.
Instead, I started clearing my spot.
"No, I'll handle it. Ar, go rest. Busy day, you must be tired."
"I'm fine. Let's do it together."
And so, we chatted amiably as we cleaned up side by side.
"So, what's this mana technique called?"
"A name? It's my modification of the Gelrud Breathing Method."
"Really? Gelrud must've been amazing to invent this."
"He was. My master."
"No wonder you're so strong. Blue emerges from blue, huh~."
Blue from blue... Not wrong. Gelrud died by my hand in the end.
I gave a wry smile and nodded.
"Well, I'll head out then. Rest well, see you tomorrow~!"
I waved goodbye as Cha Seo-yoon left.
She'd said there'd be a press conference tomorrow to announce the Gwanghwamun Gate incident and reveal my existence.
Going to be a hectic day. With that instinct, I recited the facts I needed to memorize once more.
Seo Ar, 13... years old, S-Rank Awakener, caught in Gwanghwamun Gate—
Reciting the paper in my hand over and over, I drifted off to sleep before I knew it.