Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Ordinary Daily Life is Strange (2)
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The flipped gate created an entirely different terrain. The pitch-black maze that had surrounded us on all sides vanished, replaced by a vast open plain stretching far into the distance.
More precisely, a terrain that was open only in shape, but utterly packed with monsters.
All we could do was face death. With hollow expressions, we set down our weapons.
But seeing your face harden coldly as you stared at that scene made my breath catch in my throat.
Your figure protecting us with techniques I'd never even heard of, extending light toward the front. The way you naturally took command and barked orders at the others felt so out of place, and for some reason, my chest started to itch.
- We'll break through the front. Everyone, raise your swords.
Saying that, you issued another order to me before charging ahead alone. Even though I'd seen it before, it was divine prowess. Flawless swordsmanship flowed seamlessly, accompanied by blasts of something shining.
I still had no idea what it was, but one thing was certain: it felt holier than anything else.
You'd said you didn't want to reveal your power or draw attention from others, yet you ignored the shocked reactions of the other hunters and swept the front lines clean.
Light whipped through the air. Our front line was steadily being pushed back by the bizarrely powerful monsters, but you pressed forward alone.
My heart thumped hard at the sight of your resolute figure, visible even from afar.
It was a strange sensation I'd never felt before, but I forced myself to ignore it. This wasn't the time to get lost in my feelings.
Aside from the path you were carving ahead, the situation was deteriorating rapidly. Monsters surging from the rear began piercing our lines, their claws reaching right up to me.
Mages were snatched up one by one, screaming as they fell into the monsters' grasp, and I fired arrows in desperation. The problem was that hunters were mixed in among the monsters, so I couldn't unleash any proper area attacks.
In this hopeless situation, suffocation closed in on me, and I flailed about uselessly trying to turn the tide. But the one who saved us wasn't me—it was you.
Sanctuary
You closed the distance to us in an instant and selectively obliterated the monsters. For a brief moment, your eyes met mine, and then you traced those mysterious circuits in the air—the ones you'd shown before.
Unknown symbols were etched into existence, scattering outward, and atop them, a massive door swung open.
And in that split second I couldn't even comprehend, you shut the door again and spoke to me.
"Yuna, fire that thing from earlier again. In the direction I'm heading."
With those words, light bloomed over your body as you shot forward. I launched the illusion just as you'd instructed, my gaze blankly tracing your path.
The light was radiant. And the blood was horrific. Amid your glowing form, your clothes—dyed red—spewed blood they could no longer contain. The trail you'd left behind was already paved in crimson.
It was a path that I, or anyone else here, could never have endured. Walking it was both wretched and noble.
Above that body wracked with agony floated your face, brimming with resolve.
My heart stabbed sharply. The more I saw you soaked in blood, the fiercer the pang grew, leaving my emotions in turmoil.
You advanced.
Shining even more brilliantly, treading a path that seemed impossible for anyone to survive.
My heart kept pounding wildly.
An inexplicable throbbing tormented me, even as death loomed right before us.
At last, you shattered something and slowly let your body collapse.
At that sight, I bolted toward you in a panic. Trembling hands cradled your motionless form as I gently stroked your bloodied face.
This noble sight felt dear to me... no, not quite. I still didn't know. Sorrow at your grievous wounds... I'm not even sure that's accurate. I couldn't make sense of my own feelings.
My heart trembled uncontrollably, refusing to settle. I'd never worn my emotions on my sleeve before, so this unknown sentiment left me in chaos.
Before I knew it, tiny droplets fell from my eyes. For the first time, they were wet, endlessly spilling those tears. I had no idea why I was crying.
Overwhelmed by this feeling I couldn't yet name, my body shook.
I'd only carefully pulled you into my arms.
********
The anomaly in the S-rank gate was quietly buried as a secret, following an unwritten rule that kept it from the public. To prevent widespread panic among civilians, it was shared only via official documents with the Hunter Association and guild leaders.
On top of that, the details of my exploits were hushed up at the Luna Guild level.
I heard Yuna had put a stop to it, but that healer who'd been so eager to recruit me earlier threw such a fit that it embarrassed even me to hear about it.
- Hunter Ansiu must be thrilled. I never dreamed Hunter Lee would put on such a pure display of affection? She threatened to wipe out the entire guild if any info leaked, glaring daggers the whole time.
- Don't say it...
- I thought she was about to shoot lasers from her eyes. She assembled the whole guild—guild master included—and had everyone bowing their heads.
- You... get out.
- Yes, yes. Enjoy your cozy time together. The third wheel's heading out.
Are healers just naturally bold? Yuna was glaring daggers, but she blabbed everything without a care. The other hunters would've bowed their heads immediately.
After that, Yuna couldn't even meet my eyes and just pretended to be busy elsewhere.
Lying in bed, I grabbed Yuna's cheeks and stretched them. She stared blankly, avoiding my gaze as her face followed my tug.
"Hey."
"...Yeah."
"I'm just supposed to hang around nearby, right?"
"..."
"Since when does charging through monsters count as 'hanging around'? Huh?"
"...Dunno."
I kept tugging her cheeks, and though she wouldn't meet my eyes, she didn't resist my hands.
"I'm not tagging along on any more S-rank gates. Actually, planning to take a break from gates entirely for a bit."
It seemed like my presence was triggering the anomalies. Probably best to steer clear of A-rank gates too, for the time being.
"Ung..."
Her deeply sulky nod was pitiful as always—like an abandoned puppy, though she wasn't.
I asked with a hint of concern.
"So, you okay? Not hurt anywhere?"
I'd vaguely heard screams amid the chaos of cutting through those beasts.
"...! N-no, I'm fine..."
She stuttered. The way she avoided my eyes and bowed her head screamed lie.
"What? Where'd you get hurt? Let me see."
"No, I'm fine. Stop pulling..."
"Come on, you're dodging my eyes. What is it—your face?"
"No...!"
I grabbed her dipping head and lifted it. I examined the trembling Yuna.
No obvious wounds, no magic contamination, nothing out of the ordinary...?
"Hey, why's your face so flushed? You running a fever? Or did you catch a cold?"
I pressed my forehead against hers. Hmm, she did feel a little warm.
"You got a fever...? Hey, hey. What's up with you?"
"Don't know..."
Yuna's face burned bright red as she shivered, then buried her head straight into my blanket. No matter how much I called out to her, she just turned away, refusing to show her face.
She held out like that until Sihyun came back and dropped a single line.
"Hunter Lee Yuna, get away from my brother."
Sihyun approached with a hardened expression, declaring a no-approach zone, and Yuna looked back and forth between us like she'd been struck.
"And stay away from my brother for the foreseeable future."
Unable to properly rebuff my little sister, she hemmed and hawed before a single tear finally rolled down her cheek.
That pitiful tear threw both me and Sihyun into a panic.
"No, wait. Hunter Lee, I'm the one who should be crying here...! Why are you...?"
"Don't know..."
Yuna kept mumbling "don't know" as she soaked her sleeve, and even Sihyun—who still had dampness around her eyes—started crying along with her.
Once again, my hospital room brimmed with tears. They each clutched one of my arms, sobbing nonstop. All I could do was let out a sigh.
What the hell was this?
********
Once I came to, I went through discharge procedures right away. The place felt stuffy, my body was already healed, and I just wanted to get home and rest.
Unable to refuse Sihyun's words, Yuna had returned to her guild, so I saw her off before heading home with Sihyun.
"Bro... you like Hunter Lee Yuna?"
"No."
"She definitely seems into you."
"Dunno."
"Dunno, my ass. Look at you playing dumb when you know. Total jerk."
"If I have no intention, then it's unknowable."
At least until I could reunite with Seren, I had no plans to get involved with anyone else.
"No, I don't like her that much either... But good luck finding someone better? You impotent or what?"
Sihyun grumbled, still not over it, while voicing her doubts. Though that last bit was weird.
"Hmm... Sihyun, our country's not polygamous, right?"
"Obviously not. Why ask out of nowhere?"
"Then it's a no-go."
"...?"
Sihyun tilted her head as she walked beside me, frowning like she hadn't caught on yet.
"Let's hurry home~"
I quickened my pace toward home, and Sihyun—finally realizing—let out a groan behind me.
"Ah, ah...? You're totally insane! Who's the other girl this time?!"
I fled from the charging Sihyun, thinking to myself.
A person I'd spent ten years with.
A precious bond.
After getting hurt for the first time in ages, I missed Seren's glow even more.