Chapter 63
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Continuing Relationships (1)
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-Miss Na-young, have you heard? About the incident at the Yoon Family Magic Tournament.
-Ah, yeah, I have. It was a huge deal. Terrorism seems to be happening more often these days. Just last week, there was a big commotion in Gwanghwamun...
-Right? The ringleader, former Yoon Family head Yoon Ji-ae, has been arrested, and the training hall was completely destroyed. It's really unfortunate.
-I hope these terrorist acts end soon.
-We ask that our viewers always stay cautious of terrorism. The world is so chaotic these days.
-Yes... Well, next topic: the White Mask! Who is his true identity...
Beep-.
Irritated by the noisy TV, Seo-hyun switched it off.
She then gazed at Ah-young, who was sleeping soundly.
Normally, all her physical wounds would have reset, so she should have regained consciousness quickly.
But due to the severe mental shock, Ah-young hadn't woken up at all.
Slam-!
Someone threw open the door without knocking.
It was Kang Tae-hyun.
"What about knocking?"
"You don't knock either."
He strode over and sat down beside her.
"Still not awake?"
"..."
Seo-hyun nodded silently.
It had been two days since the tournament ended.
Ah-young still lay unconscious in bed.
The specialist said there was no threat to her life, but the cause was unknown.
"Must've been rough. I can't exactly sympathize, but yeah, it probably was."
Tae-hyun picked up a carved apple.
It was all crooked, with bits of peel still on.
And the shapes were all uneven.
Anyone could tell Yoon Seo-hyun had carved it.
"You can't even carve an apple properly?"
"Huh? Why, what's wrong with it?"
"How old are you, and you can't carve an apple?"
"...Tch."
"Watch closely."
Tae-hyun grabbed a paring knife and started peeling an apple.
Shh-shh-.
Impeccable skill.
He handled any blade expertly.
"Here, a bunny shape. This is how you carve an apple."
"Wow! Amazing. So cute... Teach me too. Like this... like this...?"
Yoon Seo-hyun carved an apple perfectly on her first try.
Even more refined than Tae-hyun's.
'This damn kid... a prodigy...?'
Tae-hyun thought to himself.
Excited, Seo-hyun snapped photos of her apple.
At times like this, she seemed just like any teenage girl.
Knock knock-.
A servant entered cautiously.
"Miss, Mr. Tae-hyun. Lady Yoon Jeong-yeon is looking for you."
"Oh, really? Got it."
Seo-hyun stood up with an apple slice in her mouth.
Tae-hyun followed behind.
They walked down the Yoon Family corridors.
The training hall was still under reconstruction.
Yoon Ji-ae had been arrested immediately, and the Yoon Family's high-grade Mana Manual officially went to Yoon Seo-hyun, who had been closest.
But she graciously yielded the win to me, so now I had it.
I wanted to master the high-grade Mana Manual as soon as possible, but first, there was something to check.
A living, breathing weapon.
It was no longer just a Switch Weapon—it was basically a slime now.
The thing kept whining about being hungry. What a pain.
Normally, it stayed in bracelet form like this, but it could turn into slime whenever it wanted.
"Kyuruk!"
"Ah! You scared me. What?"
Somehow, it was now striking a V-sign over Yoon Seo-hyun's head.
I couldn't fathom why those jelly arms were raised like that.
"Monster...? A slime?"
Seo-hyun looked at me, but I had nothing to say.
"Come back."
It obeyed my command and returned to bracelet form.
"What, a pet that doesn't suit you?"
"Doesn't suit me? And it's not a pet."
"Then what?"
"A weapon."
To be precise, something akin to a weapon.
I didn't know why it had gained a life of its own, but it had clearly evolved for the better.
A-Rank weapon [Great Flame Dragon Spear].
The trophy from Yoon Ji-yeon and Yoon Ji-ae's dragon slaying.
Originally a rare item owned by Yoon Ji-yeon.
She passed it to Yoon Ji-ae before her final expedition, and now I was the owner.
'...Anyway.'
The question was how many weapons this slime could replicate.
If it could devour weapons indiscriminately, I'd have the ultimate arsenal.
Truly invincible.
Squeeze-.
I clenched my fist.
A new goal.
First, master the high-grade Mana Manual.
Then load the Switch Weapon with a ton of A-Rank or higher gear.
"Miss, are you feeling alright?"
On the way to Yoon Jeong-yeon's room, the servant who'd asked me for a favor approached.
He'd come to my room the day the tournament ended to thank me profusely.
Bowing repeatedly for fulfilling his long-held wish.
He smiled and greeted me too.
"Yeah, I'm fine. No issues."
"Glad to hear it. I'll go tend to the guests now."
"Guests? Who?"
"Friends of Miss Yoon Ah-young. They said they've already headed that way."
"Got it, Grandpa. Thanks for your hard work."
He smiled farewell and headed to the reception area.
Thwack!
I immediately smacked Yoon Seo-hyun on the crown of her head with my palm.
"Ow! Why?!"
Yoon Seo-hyun rubbed her head and glared at me.
"You calling him 'Grandpa'? It's 'Grandpa.'"
"Then I call him Grandpa. What should I call him?"
"Grandfather!!! You idiot. Don't you know that?"
"...How would I know..."
Seo-hyun pouted sullenly.
Then muttered under her breath.
"He should just tell me..."
"What?"
No way.
She really didn't know anything?
Her rude personality stemmed from never being taught manners.
Shocking.
I thought that was just who she was.
But growing up under that mother, she'd probably only learned magic.
Come to think of it, Yoon Seo-hyun was a genius who picked up anything quickly.
I turned to her and said,
"Listen up. You always use polite language and honorifics with adults."
"Adults? What's the cutoff?"
"Anyone over 18."
"...Huh. Really? But Grandpa uses polite language with me... I'm 16."
"That's different! Dummy. ...Okay, pretend I'm him and greet me again."
Yoon Seo-hyun pondered for a bit, then said,
"...Hello."
"Just adding 'yo' doesn't make it polite."
"Ah, hello."
"Too curt."
"Are you doing well?"
"Too long."
"A...hello."
"Who answers themselves, dummy?"
"Ah, uh... ah."
Frustrated, Seo-hyun yelled at the top of her lungs.
"...Hello, sir!!!!!"
I jumped.
Her voice echoed down the hall.
"...Hello."
"Uh, yeah? Hi~ Seo-hyun."
Yoon Jeong-yeon accepted Seo-hyun's greeting.
She had no idea why Seo-hyun was greeting her when they lived in the same house.
"So, how's Ah-young?"
"Still out. She'll wake soon."
"I see."
Yoon Jeong-yeon was handling all Yoon Family affairs.
With no family head, everything went through her.
Yoon Jeong-yeon smiled.
"You did great too. Rest up before school. I just wanted to see your face."
"Yeah, got it. Sis."
"Oh, and Tae-hyun, could you stay a moment?"
"Sure."
For some reason, she dismissed only Seo-hyun and kept Tae-hyun.
Yoon Jeong-yeon moved to pour tea but Tae-hyun waved it off.
"This might take a while... you sure?"
"It's fine. What's up?"
She clasped her hands neatly.
"First, thank you. Sorry for dragging you into my sisters' mess."
"Haha, that's just daily life for me."
Tae-hyun scratched his head.
She paused, then said,
"I called you for one reason."
"Yes, go ahead."
Yoon Jeong-yeon spoke calmly.
"Have you decided on your path after graduation?"
"Not yet, but I have things to do."
Her face lit up.
"I see. Then, bluntly: join the Yoon Family. We'll give you the best treatment. Your talent is immense. Honestly, I covet you more than anyone before."
"Pardon?"
The stronger I get, the more attention I draw—it's natural.
I hadn't checked, but Hunter Network recruitment offers alone exceeded 100.
World-class guilds, even dark underworld ones.
This attention was a good sign.
Proof of my growth.
Joining the Yoon Family meant massive perks.
Just affiliation would enrich my hunter life and skyrocket my fame.
Any cadet, student, or hunter would call refusers insane.
The Yoon Family was one of the rare [Number One] class guilds.
Like a top-tier corp directly scouting a fresh grad.
...But I politely declined.
My life isn't for fame, money, or someone's justice.
Even starving, I want to save people.
Be it stinking sewers or blood-soaked demon realms reeking of rot, I'll risk it all.
To build a world where no one falls into danger.
To that end, I slaughter monsters.
So no more victims like my sister.
So no more monsters like me are born.
"..."
Sitting on the floor, I gazed at the moonlit Yoon Family garden.
And thought of the White Mask.
"Kyuruk?"
The slime instantly formed the white mask.
I put it on.
"White" might not suit me.
My inner self was closer to a black mask.
'Sigh...'
I took it off.
Next operation: two weeks from now.
Location: Hokkaido.
Then.
"...You... you...!"
A voice startled me; I hid the white mask behind my back.
A woman in hanbok in the garden.
Irina Delebayne.
Her mouth agape, staring intently.
"H-hey! How are you here?"
She must've seen the white mask.
Caught red-handed.
In the heavy silence, Irina Delebayne finally spoke.
"You... don't tell me..."
I swallowed hard.
Late at night.
Yoon Family office.
There, Seo-hyun sat with her head down, dejected.
"...Yeah."
"Don't overthink it... I'm not thrilled either."
"...Ugh."
Yoon Jeong-yeon consoled her, but her gloom was obvious.
Yoon Jeong-yeon patted her back.
"It's the family head's order. No choice."
"B-but! Sis."
Yoon Seo-hyun tried to protest but stopped.
Not the former head—the current one.
Even after Yoon Ji-ae's fall, Yoon daughters must obey the head.
"So... inviting Tae-hyun oppa was too."
"Yeah. All the head's will. And at the tournament, I knew for sure."
"Still, I don't like it."
"Seo-hyun..."
Seo-hyun denied it, but it was inevitable.
She bowed her head.
"Seo-hyun, one more time."
"No, forget it."
Yoon Seo-hyun stood and headed to the door.
At the threshold, she said,
"Monitor and beware of Kang Tae-hyun... the head's order, right?"
"...Yes. Please."
Creeak-.
With that, Yoon Seo-hyun left the office.
(To be continued)