Hiding Strength Protagonist Trait) Not Hiding (3)
Hiding Strength Protagonist Trait) Not Hiding (3)
"Hey! Aren't you coming back already? This is disobeying orders!"
In the end, Team Leader 1's voice exploded from the phone I'd finally picked up.
Scarlet put the phone she'd kept at a distance back to her ear and replied calmly.
"Team Leader-nim, there's absolutely nothing to worry about."
"What?"
"I know full well how dangerous that delivery rider is. Even if all of Team 1, made up entirely of S-Class Hunters, rushed in, it'd be over in five minutes."
"...Keep going."
"Simple. I'll prove that you weren't wrong to choose me, Team Leader-nim."
"Urgh... Fine. But absolutely do not provoke him. If it looks impossible, abandon it without hesitation. Got it? If that delivery rider goes berserk even by a slim chance..."
"Yess~ I got it~ Why are you still worrying~"
"You little..."
"Can't talk on the phone while driving, so I'll hang up now~♥"
Right on cue, the traffic light turned red.
Scarlet immediately hit the brakes, recalling the image of Hyun-do she'd seen just moments ago.
"Heh heh... Uh heh heh...♥"
Even through the CCTV's crappy resolution, it was crystal clear.
Just looking at his mugshot where everyone else looked like idiots made her tingle.
That man is the one I've been longing for, searching high and low for.
...As Scarlet was lost in such thoughts.
Finally, the light turned green.
—Buuung...!
The red sports car roared to life and shot down the main road.
"Ugh... Urk...! Phew..."
Crack, pop.
Stretching made satisfying sounds of bones slotting back into place all over my body.
The only thing I was grateful to that damn goddess Pattis for was the divine protection of the goddess embodied in Clare.
Even after an 80-year war against Demonkind, I hadn't aged or fallen ill at all.
Body and mind included.
'I have zero intention of ever saying thanks...'
Anyway, despite being a bit over 100 years old, my face, body, and mind were still in their twenties.
Hmm... Mental age might be a tad older compared to kids these days...
Whatever. Breakfast time, so I headed to the sink.
—Zzzt...
I peeled open the instant ramen lid and boiled the water I'd measured into the electric kettle.
Every time I waited for the water to boil like this, I remembered my first time in this era's Korea.
Even in 2090, the taste of yukgaejang unchanged was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Never imagined I'd learn that masterpieces transcend eras through the flavor of cup ramen.
—Glug glug~
I poured the boiling water into the ramen cup.
In this era where a massive unidentified Tower appeared smack in the middle of Seoul, and Monster Cores are used as room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductors.
Thanks to that, everything looked totally different from the Seoul I knew, but things like this cup ramen hadn't changed.
"Things that changed and things that didn't... Haha."
I wonder what the guys I fought Demonkind with are up to now.
Vain, the dwarf warrior and my best friend... That guy was a prince, warrior, and master blacksmith, so he probably went back to his kingdom and became king.
Silas, the elf archer—those annoying long ears of his probably went back to leading patrols in the Great Forest.
'Makes me think of Silas's sister... Sylvia... Such a lovable woman... A bit too clingy, though.'
And finally, Alphonse, the half-human half-demon archmage who wielded holy power and magic.
Born to a human priest father and succubus mother, Alphonse was already a grand magus before meeting me.
His birth was hard to talk about to others, so using the goddess's power was a secret.
Anyway, with all 72 Demon Kings dead, Alphonse probably returned to his magic tower or is tending to his mother.
'Alphonse's mother... Lamia was intense too...'
Even now, closing my eyes brings back that lingering scent.
The sweet, comforting fragrance of the succubus overflowing with maternal love.
As I reminisced on those fun, passionate memories, Clare, transformed into a silver cat, approached me.
"Heh heh... That's the face of a man thinking about the women you shared a bed with, Hero-nim."
"Hey now. As the Holy Sword, use dignified words like I told you."
"Oh, right. You always preferred calling it 'a midsummer night's dream,' Hero-nim."
Should've said that from the start. She totally knows and does it on purpose.
Truth is, besides Silas's sister and Alphonse's mom, there were plenty of other women who shared that same 'dream' with me.
Well... I was the Hero, but not exactly a saint.
So I never forced myself on anyone who said no or raped anyone, but I didn't turn away women who came to me first either.
Back then, I never knew when or where I'd die.
But still, sharing a bed with a comrade's sister or mom? Isn't that a bit much?
As if. As the Hero, it was my duty to wipe away people's tears.
Whether from the threat of Demonkind or from loneliness no one else could soothe.
"Anyway..."
—Slurp~
I shoveled a perfect bite of the well-soaked ramen into my mouth.
This violent umami spreading in my mouth today as always, with just a hint of spice.
The perfect meal for a peaceful morning.
The moment I slurped down the last of the broth.
"Hero-nim."
For once, Clare's voice was low and subdued.
"Yeah, looks like we have a guest."
The presence I'd sensed from afar was approaching my one-room apartment.
Perfectly silent footsteps—decently strong, at least.
But no unusual ki or mana fluctuations, so probably not hostile...
"What'll you do?"
"What else."
If it's a guest, I'll receive them.
If not... Well, nothing to be done.
'Heh heh, Hero-nim has a thick aura of a veteran of countless trials.'
For some reason, a line from that Dark Elf Fortune Teller from ages ago popped into my head.
Come to think of it, that Dark Elf was... pretty, no, very... quite...
—Ding dong~
The doorbell snapped me out of diving back into memories.
"Hmm, come to think of it, first guest in three years."
And so, I approached the door where someone was waiting.
—Click.
"Oh my~ Hello~"
The guest who'd come to see me was really... the last person I expected.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, a body about to burst. The quintessential blonde bombshell, I guess.
'But why is she dressed like that...?'
Shirt buttons barely hanging on for dear life.
Employee ID blatantly pinned right on her cleavage.
A skin-tight skirt that seemed designed to reveal rather than cover.
So stereotypically a honey trap that it almost didn't feel like one.
"Yes, hello. But who might you be...?"
"Hee hee hee, not a suspicious person at all. Here, take a look... Unh..."
The bombshell who'd shown up out of nowhere thrust her chest toward me.
More precisely, the employee ID on her cleavage.
"Scarlet Kim... Changsung...? Changsung Electronics by any chance?"
"Oh, and just so you know, it's not a fake. I can prove it if you want. Even with this body if you desire..."
"No need for that. So, what brings someone from Changsung here to see me?"
Since she was right in front of me, I took a quick scan of the mysterious beauty.
She looks slutty on the outside, but she's no easy woman.
Just the muscles precisely placed where they need to be tell me that.
Judging by the calluses on her hands' positions and shape, her main weapon is a cold arm—like a sword or spear, but not ordinary... Pretty unique style.
'Above all, the mana accumulated in her lower abdomen, her dantian... Impressive for a normal human. High-ranking Demon level, at least.'
Though nowhere near the 72 Demon Kings' level.
The moment I internally assessed her like that, Scarlet's eyes curved softly.
"Hmm... Could we talk details inside?"
"Not something to discuss through the door, huh?"
"Yes. About the monster you took down yesterday, Mr. Lee Hyun-do."
The sharp glint hidden behind her soft smile said this:
I know who you are and what you did yesterday.
Such a blatant attitude... but no hostility or killing intent.
So for now, I can treat her like a guest.
"Understood. Come in. Sorry, but it's a bachelor's pad, so no refreshments."
"Hee hee, that's fine. I get drunk easily and crash anywhere anyway."
"Pardon?"
"Heh heh♥"
What the hell? Not like she picked that up from somewhere just to use it now.
Still... What is this feeling... I've sensed it a few times before... Too long ago, can't quite place it...
"Haa... Such a rich, nice smell..."
"...?"
Why does this woman take a deep breath the moment she enters my place?
Rich, nice smell... Oh, just ate ramen.
Anyway, my place has no guest chairs or tables.
So...
"Have a seat."
I plopped down on the bare floor first.
Scarlet sat right in front of me without a hint of surprise.
"Whew... Kinda hot in here, huh~?"
She said that in March, when winter hadn't fully left.
"If it's not too much trouble, mind if I take off my coat? Hee hee."
"Sure, if you want..."
"Oh, thank you. Then, excuse me..."
Hmm... Honestly, not bad.
A beauty who's clearly worked hard on her body offering to show it—stopping her wouldn't be manly.
I kept a perfectly nonchalant face as I admired Scarlet's increasingly revealed figure.
—Swish...
The suit jacket sliding down slowly, like she's begging to be seen.
The violent curves even more highlighted by the clinging shirt.
Trained women are the best... The thought slipped in before I knew it, and Scarlet's red lips twitched.
"Hee hee, what do you think?"
"Beautiful."
"Oh, thank you. Though I wasn't talking about myself. Ngh heh heh..."
Maybe it's my imagination, but Scarlet seems to be licking her lips while looking at me.
And Clare, pretending to be a decorative cat doll—her eyes look vulgar too...
Now I see her underwear's totally visible. Did she wear that on purpose?
"So, shall we get to the main topic? As you saw, I'm Scarlet Kim. A Hunter working for Changsung. Not bragging, but I'm an S-Class Hunter."
"Top-rank Hunter? Worth bragging about."
"Hee hee, S-Class Hunter means nothing in front of Hyun-do-ssi. If Hyun-do-ssi pinned me down, I'd be helpless... Haa..."
"...I don't do that without reason."
"Aha, so if there's a reason, you would pin me down?"
No, I wouldn't. Just get to why you're here.
Hmm... Old-school otaku humor won't land here.
"First, tell me why Changsung sent you."
"Got it. Could you take this first?"
Scarlet held out a black card toward me.
"This is?"
"The monster you subjugated yesterday was the A-class Identified Magic Beast Hecatoncheires. And we recovered the Core you left behind. This card is payment for the Core, but also our thanks for blocking that sudden Rift and preventing damage."
Thanks for my efforts, huh. Wasn't doing it for that.
Still, curious how grateful they are.
"Aha. Hmm... Not an ordinary card..."
"Right. No spending limit. No expiration. And no matter where or what Hyun-do-ssi buys with it, Changsung foots the bill."
"...Holy shit."
Even if it's partly out of gratitude.
Plus, was that Frankenstein monster corpse worth this card...
The answer to that doubt came immediately.
'As if.'
What kind of group is a corporation?
I left the card on the floor and stared straight into Scarlet's blue eyes.
As if waiting, Scarlet flushed, loosening her already disheveled clothes even more and putting on an act.
"Aaang~♥ Don't look at me with eyes like that..."
"Cut the act. What does Changsung want from me?"
"Not acting... Hmm, don't you already know, Hyun-do-ssi? Why I'm here."
"Well... Probably asking if I want to work for Changsung."
"Exactly. What do you say? Whatever conditions Hyun-do-ssi demands, we'll accept unconditionally."
"Haha."
Not bragging, but I was once the Hero who saved the world.
Trying to buy me with money, huh.
In that case, my answer back is...