Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Does Hunter Mama Dream of Her Exclusive Baby? (3)
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The area in front of the Gate wasn't as crowded as before. We rode in Moon Hayeon's car, confirmed the reservation, and headed inside. At most, we'd run into about three people along the way.
This Gate was nestled inside a ramshackle temporary structure. The "temporary" part was key—it was far too slapdash to qualify as a real building, more like a haphazard clump of walls and pillars.
"Never imagined we'd arrive ahead of the reservation time..."
In front of the temp structure. On a quiet grassy patch. I was stretching. Trying to loosen up the stiff new leather gear even a little.
My arms and legs were wrapped tightly with belts, just like Oroji's setup, packed dense with throwing daggers. A pistol and new small sword hung at my hip. I felt like a mannequin from a weapon shop.
"No helping it. Better early than late."
"Hehe, Seoah's always so punctual about appointments."
"Naturally."
Chae Seoah spoke in her usual calm, expressionless tone. She seemed perfectly normal like this. But I just couldn't look at her the same way anymore.
Even Oroji was eyeing her with a faintly queasy expression. That pretty much said it all.
"You spent the whole ride groping balls, and now..."
"Skills are skills, and you gotta stock up when you can. We'll be busy today."
"Still, come on..."
"At least I didn't do it around crowds."
The moment Oroji racked up her first loss.
I blinked twice in quick succession to pull up my status window.
Current Remaining Capacity: 95% (Major Increase Applied)
I hadn't wanted to find out this way, but it seemed to take about three days for my balls to fill up with semen.
What that meant was, even if I wrung myself out to the root, I'd be right back at risk of turning into a drooling idiot in just one day. That 30% threshold was that low.
Good thing I'd blown a few loads in the car on the way. It was bitter watching other hunters manage their mana while I had to babysit my semen levels.
"Th-those people over there... d-did they reserve too...?"
As others started gathering near the temp structure, Moon Hayeon darted to my side and locked her arm tightly around mine.
It was less "standing beside" and more "half-hiding behind." But it was Hayeon, so I let it slide and turned to check out the newcomers.
"Whoa..."
It was a sigh laced with complicated emotions. The reason was simple. Their outfits blew right past my sense of normalcy.
A group of about eight, men and women mixed. All acquaintances, apparently—they were chatting casually with light touches, looking pretty tight-knit.
I'd zeroed in on their clothes because they were casual to the point of absurdity.
"Outfits you'd see in the red-light district..."
Back in my student days, after part-time shifts on the way home, there was this big club. Late at night, the people spilling out wore exactly that.
Tight-fitting was standard, half-see-through fabrics. Fishnet stockings a million light-years from practical. Crop tops so short you wondered how their boobs weren't popping out.
The one who stood out most was what looked like the group's center.
"Whoa..."
Height about the same as mine. Long, voluminous hair tied up high on both sides. She wore what could barely be called a skirt—more like a scrap of cloth barely covering her upper thighs.
Her short tee left her midriff fully bare. She was covering her practically nonexistent chest while giggling away with the person next to her.
The outfit was something you'd never see in everyday life, but that wasn't the only thing drawing my eyes.
"Feels like I've seen her somewhere..."
Her face was oddly familiar. I furrowed my brow, racking my brain, but nothing surfaced.
If even post-nut clarity wasn't jogging the memory, she wasn't anyone close to me. The frustrating almost-there sensation had me staring holes into her.
"What. You into outfits like that?"
Oroji spoke up from behind without a sound. I jumped and shook my head frantically.
"No way! I'm not wearing it!"
"No. Not you wearing—I was asking if you'd like me to."
Oroji grumbled. I unconsciously tried picturing her in that getup.
...Nope. Her rider suit vibe was too overpowering; nothing else fit.
"Anyway. Want me to dress like that?"
Moon Hayeon and Chae Seoah crept closer. At Oroji's words, I snuck a glance back at the woman.
The guy who seemed like the group leader had his hand planted on her ass. Like it was the most natural thing. He kneaded away, ignoring all onlookers.
I whipped my head away so fast it nearly squeaked and declared firmly.
"Nope."
"Then why were you staring?"
"Just... felt familiar."
"Park Jungwoo feels that way too?"
Chae Seoah chimed in suddenly. Her hand, midway to groping my butt, froze awkwardly. Her face mirrored my own puzzlement.
"Hmm, that's odd. Not many people Seoah and I both know..."
We were both fresh faces—me as a newbie hunter, her in the Vigilante Corps. Our overlapping contacts were razor-thin.
I gently brushed off Moon Hayeon's hand creeping toward my butt and said.
"Eh... probably glimpsed her somewhere."
"Yeah, maybe. But her face is really familiar..."
Unlike me, who'd already shrugged it off, Chae Seoah looked set to mull it over awhile.
Suddenly, it hit me: Yang Jihee was the only one not gathered with us.
"Jihee...?"
I craned my neck to peek at where she'd been sitting.
She wasn't there. She stood a good distance away, back turned to us.
I slipped free from Chae Seoah and Moon Hayeon's grasp on my ass and approached her.
"Everything okay? Something wrong...?"
Mid-sentence, I clamped my mouth shut. Her expression was downright awful.
From all our time stuck together, I knew she always tried to keep that signature soft smile, reason unknown.
At least, this was the first time I'd seen her face so stiff. I could say that with confidence.
"...What's up? Someone you know over there...?"
"No."
Her tone was as clipped as yesterday's—maybe worse.
I wasn't the sharpest, but I could guess there was a reason. Someone she knew in that group? I glanced at the still-rowdy hunters.
Makes sense. If an acquaintance of mine was mixed in with that crew looking like that, I'd react the same.
I edged closer carefully. I brushed her hand's back with my finger, then took her hand lightly.
Felt like asking if she was okay would just get a "no," so I skipped it. Instead, I squeezed her hand and gave it a gentle shake.
"...Sorry. We have to head in soon."
She stared ahead a moment, then turned with those words. Her face wore its usual soft smile again.
I nodded wordlessly. Carefully released her hand; she fiddled with mine.
"It's fine. Not like it's because of the Gate. Wanna head back?"
"Hmm, no... I'll come in a bit."
I nodded. When I didn't budge, Yang Jihee tilted her head at me.
"Something else?"
"No, just... worried..."
Her first impression had been abysmal. Kinda scary when she'd chase me with diapers or rattles.
But the time we'd spent together, the bond that'd built up—it wasn't something you could just ignore.
"Your face looks off, different from usual. Got worried and came over. Should I... go?"
Yang Jihee's eyes widened as she stared. Then her smile softened; this time, she took my hand gently.
"Hehe, all grown up. Seemed like just yesterday you couldn't hold your pee..."
No such yesterday exists.
I knew it was her brand of joke, so I kept my mouth shut. From the temp structure way back, a voice called the next group.
"Alright, let's go."
Yang Jihee, her expression a touch brighter, tugged my hand toward the temp structure.
Led along by her hand, I thought: Worried over nothing.
*
"H-hey, that..."
Someone beside me urgently clapped a hand over my mouth.
Inside the Gate. A remote corner of the vast plain. Beneath a distant rock overhang.
About eight people tangled in a messy heap, locked in an orgy.