Chapter 116
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Off to Camp!
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General public, get out quick!
After safely evacuating from the camp interior that had turned into a battlefield, the commotion was quickly quelled not long after.
Thanks to that, So-yeon's worries didn't last long.
New-gen Hunters staggered out looking like defeated remnants.
And mixed in among them was Haneul, her hair now sticking up in all directions.
"Haneul unnie!"
The moment So-yeon and the others spotted Haneul and moved to approach, Su-hyeon noticed something.
"Uh."
"What's wrong?"
Behind the new-gen Hunters, a line of council-side Hunters was being dragged out one after another.
They actually looked relatively unscathed by comparison.
"Let go of me. I'll walk on my own two feet."
A few elders, including Jang Tae-won, tried to salvage their pride, but there was no sign of any intent to flee.
They had realized they couldn't escape no matter what they did.
The ropes binding their hands were merely a symbolic gesture of surrender, with no real restraining power.
"...Over there."
"Shh, Su-hyeon...! It's dangerous, I told you?"
At that moment, Su-hyeon timidly drew closer.
"...What is it?"
An Jung-bong shot Su-hyeon a displeased glare.
Based on the knowledge he'd accumulated over his lifetime, Su-hyeon was definitely not human.
Not dangerous perhaps, but still a loathsome monster mimicking a person.
He genuinely believed they'd only lost because Camellia had betrayed humanity.
There was no way he'd look on her kindly.
"Ah, um... Back then, when I broke the flowerpot... I'm sorry... You seemed really upset..."
"...What?"
An Jung-bong was left utterly dumbfounded by the unexpected apology.
"Uh, well... Might not get to see you again after this, so... I actually wanted to say it sooner... Sorry..."
"Not you again!"
She bowed her head deeply and scampered off once more.
The woman who'd come with the kid chased after her.
"......"
An Jung-bong's gaze slowly dropped to the ground.
He turned to his longtime friend.
"Did you know?"
"...Sorry, Jung-bong."
Monsters acted out their duties like programmed machines.
Meat puppets mimicking life—that was the perception held by him and the other veteran Hunters toward monsters.
In that case, there was no need to come apologize for something that had happened ages ago.
Especially not now, when victory for her side was all but assured.
This meant Jang Tae-won had only fed them carefully curated information.
"...No, that's not for me to say. I've been the one loafing around while dumping everything on you all this time."
"......"
"We'll talk more once you're on board."
Carmen urged the two elders onto the bus.
Coincidentally, it was the very same bus Su-hyeon and Ga-eun had arrived on.
"Why'd you go apologize?"
"I mentioned breaking the flowerpot before, right? Because of that..."
"Jeez, still. Who apologizes to the people trying to frame you as a monster? You're too softhearted."
Ga-eun stroked the top of Su-hyeon's head.
"It's not that. It just feels nagging if I leave it be."
Looking at her age, she'll probably rot in prison for life now. Won't ever cross paths again.
Probably wouldn't see her alive again, at that.
Rumor had it she was pushing past ninety.
What if she croaked in her cell?
Best to just apologize quick and wash away the lingering guilt.
"That's what makes you so sweet."
"Ughhh... Ah."
A man with his hands shoved in his pockets approached the pair with light steps.
"Yo, heard you wrecked T-bag good."
"T-bag? What even is that."
It was Jun-hyeok.
Ga-eun gave Su-hyeon a gentle shove away, her face full of distrust.
"You. You're no B-rank. Cut the lying already?"
A regular B-rank Hunter couldn't just strut around freely while chatting up people like that.
No matter what, some shady guy acting buddy-buddy with Su-hyeon didn't sit right.
"Ahem."
"You're late."
Jun-hyeok had swapped his sunglasses for tame glasses at the last second, but it did nothing.
Su-hyeon, cheeks puffed out indignantly, jumped to her friend's defense.
"It'sh fine. Fwiend. My fwiend..."
"What're you talking about? Even roughly, the age difference..."
A sudden thought flashed through Ga-eun's mind.
From Brüel's story, she'd speculated Su-hyeon might actually be older than twenty-three.
"Anyway, Camellia... Wait, are you Gu Jun-hyeok? S-rank?"
"Well, yeah. Sorry for the deception."
"...My lord."
Ga-eun's face, half-expecting it, twisted in shock.
"See? My friend! Isn't it cool?"
And there was one pint-sized girl proudly puffing out her chest.
"Why are you so thrilled? I'll grill you proper later."
"Ah."
"Hah, haha. Even young ladies know me now—guess I'm still kicking."
"...You're nothing like I imagined. Thought you'd be more... dignified."
"Eh, that's pretty solid for an S-rank. They're all like this, y'know? No need to watch their backs."
"Sigh. Kinda disappointing."
"Ahem, most folks don't say it to their face, though..."
Ga-eun's disappointment was blatant.
At that moment, a stern-looking woman approached with perfect posture.
Her disheveled hair and singed suit bore traces of the fierce battle.
"...Preparations are complete."
"Oh, good work. But couldn't you have just called?"
"...Hmph."
"Ow."
She pinched his side.
Why?
"Go handle the escort."
"Carmen can..."
"You know that's impossible."
As Jun-hyeok grumbled off, Ye-rin turned to give a greeting.
"Hello, Su-hyeon-nim. Lee Ga-eun Hunter."
"Ah, hello."
Su-hyeon bowed after Ye-rin, seeming awkward, but the delighted rustle of her leaves gave her away.
Heh.
So this is really that student, same age as the master...
A faint smile crossed her face for a moment.
"Hello. If it's not rude, who might you be...?"
The woman was acting like old acquaintances with Su-hyeon, leaving Ga-eun puzzled.
She had the same badge as Su-hyeon, so probably connected somehow.
Come to think of it, this wasn't some souvenir...?
"I'm her secretary, Kim Ye-rin. I also handle vice-master duties on the side."
"Pardon...?"
Who casually says they double as vice-master...?
Like a COO in a company?
No, secretary even...?
Ignoring Ga-eun's fluster, Ye-rin pressed on with her business.
"Actually, I came to make a proposal to you, Ga-eun-ssi."
"A proposal? Right now...? Here...?"
"I'll send over the e-contract for now—let's set a time later..."
As they delved into business talk, Su-hyeon quietly glanced around.
Haneul was busy chatting with So-yeon...
"Ah, there."
Su-hyeon spotted the person she was looking for in one corner of the clearing.
"I-I'm gonna head over there real quick."
"Sure, sure. Huh? Oh, got it. Don't go too far, okay?"
Su-hyeon dashed off, gravel crunching underfoot.
In that area, healers had gathered to treat the wounded.
"You're safe!"
A bright voice rang out to Chan-seong, who was healing people while covered in grime.
Chan-seong turned to see Su-hyeon scampering over.
"Su-hyeon. No injuries?"
"Nope! But you're fine too? How?"
Su-hyeon asked, half-relieved, half-curious.
Truth be told, mere survival was a miracle at his level.
"Truth is, before the fight broke out, the master ordered me to stay out of harm's way. Almost like she'd foreseen the whole mess."
"Ooh..."
A-rank perceptiveness? Or straight-up foresight?
Su-hyeon turned to search for Na-rin.
No sign of her usual hat, outer layer shed to bare her shoulders.
Her hair ends looked singed and shorter.
Yet her pipe seemed perfectly fine.
Even in that wrecked state, puffing incense looked impossibly cool.
"Want me to help out?"
"Much appreciated. With a healer far superior to me, the situation would improve dramatically."
"Ah, no. Don't set your hopes that high."
Su-hyeon was bashful, but her shoulders rose proudly anyway.
"Huu—."
Seo Na-rin exhaled a long plume of smoke.
Her pale shoulders were exposed, and with her hair cropped short nearby, she looked even younger than usual.
The broken heel laid her true 160cm height bare as well.
"Tsk."
She grimaced around her pipestem.
Mystic's Guild Master.
A-rank Hunter.
Patron saint of supports (though still young, her stature was that of one).
Even she, hailed as top-tier among support types, hadn't shone in this fiasco.
She'd charged at An Jung-bong full of spite, but that was it.
Amid true-blue monsters, she was just a decently scrappy support—nothing more she could do.
She even felt like they'd gone easy to keep her alive.
Annoying.
Truth was, she wasn't the only one who'd flopped.
The council elders were stronger than expected.
Mana reserves, activation speed, application, savvy...
Bar a tiny elite few, even matching them was a stretch.
The new-gen had talent in spades, but they were bound to get pushed back for now.
By modern tactics, they were commanders, not frontline warriors.
That punk. Called us when he didn't even need backup.
The elders had been neutralized by Jun-hyeok's solo effort.
In one shot, no less.
She'd probably worn the same look as those geezers for a split second.
No, he showed this on purpose...
It was a message.
Offering a glimpse of the power everyone vaguely speculated about, while declaring Su-hyeon under his protection.
And a warning wrapped in a plea for silence on her odd origins—cooperation demanded.
There was reason he'd summoned only them, despite smooth ties with other guilds.
"...So we're trustworthy enough, huh."
Her feelings were a tangle.
Miffed at being played, but not entirely bad to be acknowledged...
"Huu......"
Lost in thought, Na-rin had Chan-seong approach.
"Master."
"Hm? What? ...Ah."
Turning, she caught a flash of light green in her peripheral vision.
"Ah, hi. I, um, wanted to help out too..."
"Hehe, thanks so much. But I'll just take the thought."
"Eeeeh..."
Na-rin squatted and kneaded those soft white cheeks.
Thinking she'd suffered for this eased her mood a bit.
"Master, Su-hyeon is an extremely capable healer. Enough to handle every patient solo."
"...Pardon? What do you mean?"
Na-rin's amused smile soured into a frown.
Healer? She'd seen plant control with her own eyes.
And the caliber was no joke.
Regular plants toying with an A-rank like a chewtoy? No way it was weak.
Sure, she could flex her abilities creatively too, but it wasn't simple.
If someone could pull that off...
"......Can you show unnie?"
"Un... Yes......"
Su-hyeon let out what sounded like a sigh.
Na-rin, leading Su-hyeon to the makeshift aid station, couldn't hide her shock.
"This is..."
Truthfully, there weren't many with serious injuries left.
Major trauma had already been roughly patched up.
Now only inefficient cases remained—like exhaustion or concussions—things best left to natural recovery or waiting for ambulances.
"Oow, my head..."
"H-Head hurts?"
"Nah, just reflex... Huh, where am I...?"
"Aid... station?"
Su-hyeon tilted her head.
"Whoa, my legs feel weak...?"
"Was I asleep...? Yawn, what time is it...?"
A certain guild master stirred awake from unconsciousness.
Hunters with hairline spinal fractures from Carmen's handiwork rose fully hale.
Mana-drained healers regained their pep.
And even her own singed, choppy hair regained its luster.
The length hadn't returned, but at least the parts still attached were pristine.
"...Looks completely healed, no matter how I check."
This wasn't mere recovery—it was like vitality injected straight in.
As Na-rin fiddled with her hair, Chan-seong asked.
"Shall I send the ambulances back?"
"Keep a minimum just in case... No. Tell 'em to head out and get checked proper. We'd need choppers to reach here anyway."
Things looked set to wrap far quicker than expected.
Na-rin silently watched the flustered little one, who was at a loss amid the grateful thanks.