Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: A-Rank Hunters Have No Romance (1)
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In my clear field of vision, there was nothing but the petite figure of a woman. A rather pretty, familiar face with arms outstretched toward me, filling my entire view.
The hand approaching without hesitation touched my cheek, and her large eyes simply gazed into mine, doing nothing else.
It was still the peaceful start of the day, a scene that others might call a close sibling relationship unfolding naturally.
"I'm sowwy..."
"You do know better."
"I know I did wrong, but... can't we skip the re-measurement?"
"You still don't get it."
"Ugh... ungh. I'm sowwy."
I never said it was a good scene.
Back home after my vacation, my cheeks were being endlessly stretched. Of course, it wasn't me doing the stretching—it was my sister Sihyun, who was now scowling fiercely in front of me.
I couldn't even joke around in response to her repeated sighs, wondering if hiding my rank had been such a grave sin. I just stayed obediently still.
"Haa... Oppa. You hid your rank on purpose... No, even trying to hide it in the first place shouldn't be that easy. How did you pull it off...?"
"Uh... It just worked when I did it."
All I had to do was keep the mana rotating inside me from leaking out. It wasn't anything grand.
"Anyway... let's go get it re-measured. There are occasional cases where ranks go up after awakening, so we can just play it off as that."
"Eh~ Isn't it normal for ranks to go up? Proficiency increases, experience builds, mana grows..."
I raised what I thought was a perfectly reasonable question. People naturally grow stronger with training and experience, after all.
"You're right. That's true. But the rank you get on your initial measurement is basically your limit. If you're C-rank, no matter how hard you try, you'll top out at upper C-rank. In simple terms, a mudsucker stays a mudsucker for life. A goldsucker stays a goldsucker."
"Whoa... That's a really bleak story."
"Can't be helped. Still, just awakening at all means you're luckier than a regular person, so we don't call it misfortune."
As long as you're not F-rank, you'll earn more than an ordinary office worker.
Sihyun said that as she pushed my back. She was already showered, dressed neatly, and waiting for her shift to start.
"Oppa, hurry up and wash up and get dressed. We're going together when I head to work."
"Okay..."
With no choice, I headed into the bathroom, turned on the water, and wet my body. Then, I rolled mana over one hand and sank into thought.
What should I do? If I run, she'll get mad. She definitely will. So do I have to get re-measured? They said high ranks mean forced conscription... Do I have to make it that high? If it's just one rank up, Sihyun won't buy it...
This is hopeless.
"Sihyun-ah, what if the rank comes out moderate? Will you get mad?"
"Try it and see."
"No, I was just asking..."
Sihyun grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the Hunter Association. The familiar building gleamed coldly, like a slaughterhouse, and I was nothing more than a helpless creature being led to its fate.
- Hello, Team Leader An.
"Yes, hello."
- Why is... your brother...?
"Oh, we're here for a rank re-measurement. Seems like his rank went up."
- Ah~ Got it. I'll notify the measurement room ahead of time.
"Thank you. See you."
Sihyun nodded and passed the counter. I gave a pitiful look to the staff member I hadn't seen in a while—the one who'd played hide-and-seek with me—but he grimaced and shooed me away with a hand gesture. Extra points for that.
Hey, that's too much.
In the measurement room we were dragged back to, the same staff member who'd measured me before greeted us.
- Uh... so, re-measurement, right? Hunter Ansiu thinks his rank has gone up?
"Yes, exactly. My brother unnecessarily leveled up and caused us extra work."
- Haha, no problem. Long time no see, Hunter Ansiu. Just like last time, come over here.
"Yeesh..."
The massive crystal orb welcomed me once more with its iridescent glow.
"Sir, at what rank does forced conscription start?"
- Well~ Dangerous gates start at A-rank, but B-ranks get drafted during manpower shortages too. Though once you're in a guild, it's all moot~
"...Oppa."
A voice colder than anything else. That hand gesture telling me to prepare for consequences—no, why is she mimicking slitting her throat?
"N-No, I wasn't thinking anything."
I placed my hand on the orb again, naturally keeping most of my mana on it.
- Yes, just keep your hand there and wait a moment.
I'd left more mana than last time, so I figured it'd come out around B-rank. That should be moderate enough to slack off comfortably.
- Oh my, can ranks jump this high...? You're done. Wow, it's way up! Probably no other case like this worldwide! Jumping three ranks at once~
The word on the rank certificate I received was A. My face twisted at that disastrous result. My freedom, my healing life, my house husband days—all vanished into thin air.
"Hmm... Oppa. Is this really A-rank? You didn't fake this one too, right?"
Sihyun whispered in my ear, her voice still full of suspicion.
"Uh... Judging by your face, it doesn't look faked... No, Oppa. You hate the rank going up that much?"
"Yeah..."
I hate forced conscription...
"It's not that common anyway. Maybe worry about guild offers instead? A-ranks are premium talent—guilds go crazy trying to recruit them."
"Ugh, I really hate that..."
Having experienced it before, I couldn't help the aversion. Great power comes with great responsibility.
The weak only bear the responsibility of being protected by the strong. No need to protect anyone myself—just that level of duty. A life where I could even delegate protecting my own body.
But as power grows, the shackles tighten with a persistence that crushes any sense of superiority or arrogance from that strength. They cling tenaciously, whipping endlessly.
The shackles of being a hero were like that. I had to be the strongest. All humans had to rest safely behind me, and blood-soaked battlefields were my domain. Screaming wails were my daily life.
Earth might not be like that, but still, I just wanted to live protected and at ease now.
Because even I get tired—as a human should.
"If you hate it that much, I feel kinda bad... Want me to handle guild offers on my end? I'll always go with you for forced drafts."
"Yeah..."
- Haha... Probably no one worldwide hates getting a high rank this much...
"Hng."
I was just aggrieved.
I didn't expect Oppa to hate it this much. This is kinda throwing me off.
Usually, people are thrilled with higher ranks, right...? Even I was relieved to hit A-rank, and most of my team felt the same.
He looked so down, so I'd been consoling him nonstop since the measurement room.
"Oppa, want some pork cutlets? Anything you want? I'll buy it."
"Sure..."
I'm getting dizzy.
Like grooming a cat, I kept soothing him as we walked the hallway, only to run into Team 1 Leader.
- Team Leader An, good vacation? But... why is Mr. Ansiu with you...?
Team 1 Leader's face, mid-natural greeting, filled with questions. Like, why is Oppa here again? An uncomfortable expression.
"Here for rank re-measurement. Think it went up."
- Ah, I see. Yeah, it definitely needed redoing.
Team 1 Leader nodded naturally, agreeing as if it were obvious. And that sparked a sense of wrongness in me.
"How did you know, Team 1 Leader? That my brother needed a re-measurement."
- Huh...? Oh, no. Just figured someone that striking deserved it. D-rank... was honestly too low.
He clasped his hands behind his back again. Bit his lip.
"You're lying."
- ...N-No, I'm not? I mean it...?
Team 1 Leader's eyes trembled violently. And his gaze kept drifting to Oppa beside me.
"Oppa."
*Gulp.*
The gulp echoed hugely, hitting me right in the head again.
"Both of you, follow me."
Even to my own ears, my voice was chillingly cold. The two followed silently behind me.
"That special gate clear you hid last time. Oppa solved it."
The fact I'd learned was more shocking than I imagined. I'd wondered why it was hidden so desperately, but I never dreamed the reason was Oppa.
"Ungh..."
That familiar voice. The short "Hey—" that made me feel so relieved—I finally realized why.
This immature guy kneeling here with hands up like a kid. The fact that he'd saved me from near-death filled me with an inexplicable emptiness.
"And after that, Team 1 Leader got scared and promised to keep quiet."
- No... It wasn't fear, just seemed believable...
An aura crushing even Team 1 Leader with intimidation. Power to lightly sweep away the lich that downed my entire team and went for my throat.
"What the...? He's stronger than me."
Not even A-rank level.
"You... you damn...! Hid your rank again...?!"
Probably higher rank than me, tougher body too.
I smacked his back with all my strength.
- All Oppa has to do is stay outside the gate and keep civilians from approaching. That's it. You can handle that, right?
During the festival, I'd naturally led him to safety, assuming that was his role.
- But you called quick, Oppa~ Thanks, I survived because of it.
Not even knowing he'd saved me, spouting nonsense about the call.
- But don't come in too late! Don't get lost, be careful?
Worried about a stronger-than-me human wandering late at night.
- Oppa, even hunters drown in tidal waves. Get pierced by a monster, you're dead. Might look fine to you, but I was worried. Even without you, guild hunters would've saved me. No need for you to risk it.
Me, lecturing the guy who casually handled the lich I couldn't touch.
- Good thing, but still, I worry. What if something goes wrong?
I'd worried so much.
Looks like I'll need thick blankets for the next few days.
I'm gonna die of embarrassment.