Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Meeting (3)
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Kim Suho cleaned up the trashed café.
Watching him comb through the mess with wind magic was pretty entertaining.
A short while later, he returned carrying the only two coffee mugs left intact.
I casually lifted my mug and took a sip of the pitch-black liquid.
Black coffee—the first time I'd touched it to my lips since getting this body.
“……Ugh.”
The instant it hit my tongue, I failed miserably at keeping a straight face.
Damn, it was bitter. Way too bitter.
The numbing bitterness made my brow furrow involuntarily.
I'd downed it like water back in the day.
But now, I couldn't force it down my throat.
Had my sense of taste regressed completely to that of a kid?
Kim Suho didn't miss the change in my expression and let out a small chuckle.
“Haha.”
It seemed he'd sorted out his thoughts while brewing the coffee.
“I guess I have no choice but to believe it. That you’re... that newbie.”
Kim Suho appeared to have accepted the unbelievable reality.
That I—a girl who looked like a little kid—was the mysterious ranker and mage shaking up the internet and the world.
But there was still a hint of confusion in his voice.
Even as we talked, he kept spacing out, lost in thought.
Ah, this awkwardness was unbearable.
Before diving into the main topic, I tried some light small talk.
“By the way, about that comment of yours—saying you were becoming a mage.”
“......Huh?”
“It looked like you were still using it. What's the goal there?”
At my question, Kim Suho's eyes wavered.
Somehow, I could tell he felt incredibly sorry toward me.
No clue why, though....
He hesitated several times, picking his words, then changed the subject.
“...Come to think of it, you really ate dirt for 30 days? Why? Just because of my one comment?”
“I figured comments could be conquered that way.”
“That's seriously your only reason?”
“Well, if I got lucky and awakened, great.”
“And climbing the tower? That must've been terrifying and grueling....”
“Nah, not really? It was no big deal. I've got a bit of a talent overflow with magic.”
“No, even so. Sigh.... What am I supposed to do with this.”
Anyone could see he was hiding something.
But I had no intention of digging deep.
Thanks to him, I'd become a mage, after all.
In a way, the guy in front of me was my benefactor.
An S-rank hunter was bound to have a secret or two he couldn't share.
‘He looks so uncomfortable....’
Truth be told, I'd felt pretty at ease with him behind the “Poongdeong” username.
How many chats had we exchanged on the gallery?
But the real-life Kim Suho right here was visibly awkward and uneasy.
He looked like a guy with zero idea how to act around me.
Like he'd done something wrong to me or whatever.
‘No, even I'd be thrown off if a real middle schooler showed up to a community meetup. That's probably it.’
I set down my coffee mug nonchalantly and leaned back in my chair.
Swinging my legs idly, I observed him.
Kim Suho sat stiff as a board.
He gripped his mug with both hands but didn't drink.
He just alternated glances between my face, his coffee, and the window outside.
Every time our eyes met, he flinched and looked away.
Sigh. I let out a breath and spoke up.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yeah?”
“Just relax. Be comfortable.”
“Oh, sorry. I'll try.”
He gave an embarrassed smile and adjusted his posture, but he still didn't look relaxed at all.
Awkward silence flowed again.
Kim Suho broke it with a dry cough.
“Ahem!”
Whoosh!
The moment he coughed unexpectedly, wind whipped through the café.
Crack!
The small table in front of me split in half.
At the same time, both cups of coffee launched into the air.
‘He's totally wrecking the café....’
But not a single drop touched me.
Just before the hot coffee could pour down, a thin sand barrier formed automatically around me, blocking the liquid perfectly.
Kim Suho stared blankly at the scene.
Then he snapped out of it, his face turning pale.
He rushed over in a fluster, checking me for injuries.
“Y-You okay? Hurt anywhere?”
“S-ranks break tables just from coughing?”
My teasing joke turned his face red this time.
“N-No, it's not... I never do this normally....”
“Can I post this on the gallery?”
“Huh?”
“Met S-rank Kim Suho, but he got so nervous 'cause I'm too cute, shook the place apart.... Something like that? One pic and I bet comments would explode.”
“...Pfft. Yeah, right.”
Only then did the tension drain from Kim Suho's shoulders.
His rigid expression softened.
Not an awkward smile—a real laugh.
He dropped the cautious attitude he'd had toward me and grumbled like he was talking to an old friend.
Now he was back to being Poongdeong.
“No, but seriously, it's just so disorienting. Your appearance is way, way off from what I imagined.”
“...So what did you picture?”
“Obviously someone around my age. Never dreamed a kid like you was climbing the tower.”
“Like showing up to a PriPara meetup and a real elementary kid pops out?”
“How old were you when you started on the gallery? Sigh.... What even is this.”
Kim Suho rubbed his forehead.
Watching him, I quietly stood up.
The coffee was gone anyway.
“Shall we head to the association? No point lingering too long.”
“Oh, sure.”
At my words, Kim Suho rose too.
We walked side by side down the empty street toward the Hunter Association building.
In the surreal silence created by the S-rank's barrier, our footsteps were the only sound echoing.
The building inside was empty too.
Kim Suho led me familiarly to the registration and measurement area deeper in.
“No staff here for measurements, so I'll handle it myself.”
He stood before the massive measurement device, operating the terminal as he spoke.
Complex codes flashed across the screen.
“Ready to start the registration process?”
Kim Suho turned to me.
“First off, got any ID? Like a student card....”
I pulled a crisp card from my pocket and slapped it down in front of him like I'd been waiting.
It was a resident registration card.
Kim Suho's eyebrow twitched.
He compared the photo on it to my real face over and over.
“...An adult? You?”
The blatant disbelief in his voice.
I felt a slight pang inside but kept my most confident face.
“Stunted growth.”
“Sigh....”
Kim Suho let out yet another sigh of the day.
He stopped asking and scanned my ID into the terminal.
Once he entered the name and registration number, related info popped up.
“It's in the missing persons database.”
He muttered softly.
Tch, so it didn't work after all?
He'd spotted it was fake right away.
His gaze sharpened back at me.
“Where'd you get this?”
“...Just use it anyway. Can't use my real name.”
My answer was simple.
No excuses, no explanations—just a demand.
Kim Suho stared at me for a moment.
His eyes drifted to space, like he was recalling someone from a distant past.
The silence stretched on.
Finally, he dropped a meaningful line.
“Yeah... Surviving comes first, anyway. By any means necessary....”
He sighed deeply, then looked me straight in the eye, decision made.
“Fine. I'll do it. But don't get the wrong idea. I'm not just indulging your ridiculous request.”
Kim Suho placed my fake ID on the terminal and began manipulating the system with S-rank privileges.
“I can't let you stake your life on something this sloppy. I'll make it real—undeniable by anyone.”
He made several long calls to various places, then handed the resident card back.
“But don't go back to the broker who made this. Once is enough dipping into the shadows.... Now you'll qualify for A-rank, so no need anyway, right?”
Ditch the broker uncle?
Hmm, that'd be a problem.
Kim Suho continued.
“And one more thing. Registering with this means your real name vanishes forever. You cool with that?”
I nodded without hesitation.
And so my new identity was set.
My name was now Kim Hanbyeol.
Probably someone who was already dead.
Well, it wouldn't be public for a while anyway.
The ID registration wrapped up quicker than expected.
All that remained was the official test to prove A-rank hunter qualifications.
Kim Suho led me to another room.
Inside the vast space, all sorts of mysterious measurement devices gleamed coldly.
“We'll measure comprehensive data here—stats, total mana, skill output, etc.”
He pointed them out one by one, explaining.
I pondered briefly, then spoke.
“Hey, should I hold back a bit?”
“Hm?”
“I mean, if I go too hard, it could be trouble. Maybe match it to the A-rank cutoff?”
He thought for a second, then shook his head.
“Nah, no need. I gotta know your max output to handle things.... I'll tweak the data appropriately, so don't worry—just go all out.”
Relieved by his words, I relaxed.
The test began with a simple health check and physical measurements.
“Health is perfect. Good.... Holy crap, strength stat at 160?”
“How's that stack up?”
“A-rank warrior average? Must be from all-stat bonuses.... Insane. A mage with this stat?”
“Hehe. Get hyped. The mana stat's even crazier.”
And finally, the moment we'd been waiting for.
Time for the mana measurement.
We stood before a huge machine embedded with a crystal orb.
Intricate magic circles were engraved around the orb.
Feeling mischievous, I grinned and said,
“If I do this, won't the machine break and explode with a boom?”
Kim Suho smirked at my cliché-laden joke.
“Give it a shot.”
I placed my small hand on the crystal orb like I'd been waiting.
Then I gathered every drop of mana inside me and unleashed it all into the machine in one burst.
Vrrrrrum-!
The crystal orb vibrated violently, emitting light.
A blinding flash erupted, too intense to look at.
Beeep-!
A shrill alarm blared from the entire machine.
Finally, cracks spiderwebbed across the orb's surface.
Boom-!
The next instant, it shattered with a massive bang.
Shards flew everywhere, but my barrier kept me unscathed.
Black smoke billowed from the machine.
I admired my handiwork with satisfaction.
‘That's it. Perfect. Gotta deliver at this level.’
I pulled out my phone to capture the historic moment.
Prime material for the mage gallery.
That's when it happened.
“Pfft—haha!”
Laughter exploded from beside me.
I turned to see Kim Suho doubled over, cracking up.
I'd never seen him laugh that hard.
“W-What's so funny?”
He barely stifled it to answer.
“That one... I left it with low limits on purpose.”
“What? Why?!”
“'Cause I figured you'd love something like this.”
Oh... damn.
Heat rushed to my face.
My epic protagonist moment was just a little staged play?
Embarrassment flooded me.
Seeing my flushed face, Kim Suho couldn't hold back and burst out laughing again.