< Blue (3) >
To prepare just in case, I was going to get the help of the Hunter in charge of security today, but Yoohyun said he had time left and followed. It was only after I replied to do so, without thinking much about it, that I remembered the matter of Myeongwoo.
‘If it’s this time, he would be in the forge.’
Suddenly popping out of midair was awkward, but it being caught that he wasn’t at home was also awkward. And there was no way a stat S-Rank wouldn’t notice whether a person was at home or not.
While I was at it, should I try arranging for those two to become friendlier? It would be better if Myeongwoo made a weapon for Yoohyun first. Especially something SS-Rank or higher.
“Do you remember Yoo Myeongwoo? My friend.”
“He’s not really your friend though, right? You said you knew each other since you were young, but it’s a name I’ve never heard of before. And when I checked, where he lived was different too.”
Yoohyun said, pressing the elevator button.
“When did you go so far as to check?”
“There’s no reason to let an outsider in without a background check.”
That was so, but usually, you didn’t go so far as to find where they lived when they were young.
“Still, he is my friend. It’s not like we spent only one to two days together.”
Did I have to confess to Myeongwoo that we didn’t actually know each other, before he gets the ability to check the truth? Something like, I mistook you for someone. It wasn’t like I was trying to extort him or something, and rather it was the opposite, so wouldn’t there not be much of a problem even if I said we didn’t used to be friends?
“Anyways, be nice to him.”
“Me, why?”
“I shouldn’t tell you in detail without the actual person’s permission, but he’s someone who will help you.”
And a lot, at that. It wasn’t to the point of being nice, but to the point of treating him reverently.
“……What skill did that person get?”
“You sure are sharp.”
“There’s really no reason other that that. Since he was a normal person. You sent him to sharpen knives at the equipment management team almost everyday, but he stopped a few days ago, so he must’ve gotten it then. Then the probability of it being a special skill is high and… with the situation……”
Yoohyun frowned slightly.
“……Could it be?”
“Whatever you thought of, I guarantee that it’s above that.”
It was a production skill without a limit on rank. It was beyond even my expectations, while knowing the skill name.
“So, be nice. Myeongwoo isn’t going to go into a particular guild, either. He’s planning on going with me.”
“With hyung?”
“Yeah. I did tell him that being affiliated with a guild would be comfortable, but he wanted to be independent. Don’t think of pointlessly bothering him.”
I firmly laid it down before getting on the arrived elevator. But a reply didn’t come back. When I turned to look toward my side, I saw a face that was intently locked in thought.
“You’re not going to bother him, right?”
“Exactly what skill is it?”
“You’re not going to reply?”
“…Okay.”
Yoohyun nodded his head as if saying he had no choice. It made sense to avoid a definite answer as a guild leader. I did demand an answer, but he couldn’t withstand it a little longer, so anyways, he was weak-hearted.
When we passed the hallway, we finally arrived in front of my house. Blue, who was held in my arms, was still well-behaved.
“I think it’s impossible that they wouldn’t fight at all; just interfere when it seems serious.”
For Chirpie, the stat difference wasn’t even a match, so we had to look after Peace unilaterally, but this time was different. They would have a similar amount of abilities once they were both grown, so it would be better to set the pecking order while they were still young. Peace and Blue would keep on staying next to me, except for when they were in dungeon attacks, so setting it was even more necessary. It wouldn’t be manageable if they happened to fight after becoming adults.
“Peace, dad is back.”
When I went through the door and opened the inner door, Peace, who was waiting in front of it, looked up at me. No, not me, but at Blue. The red tail that would have been swaying if it was normal, was still.
“It might be sudden, but this is your younger sibling.”
-Kkyaoo!
Blue shouted, as if replying, and looked down at Peace with eyes gleaming with curiosity. When I took off my shoes and went inside, Peace, who hadn’t been moving as if frozen, scratched my leg with his front feet. It meant he was asking to be held.
“Wait. Blue, let’s put you down.”
I tried to put Blue down on the sofa. But she even pulled out her claws and grabbed my arm.
-Kkyaa! Kkyak!
“No. You have to let go.”
Right when Blue was being stubborn, Peace jumped up onto the sofa. Then he quickly bit the wing of Blue, who was clinging to me, and,
Whoosh
Threw her backwards. I felt like I had seen a similar scene before.
-Kkya kkyak!
Blue, who was thrown, flapped and straightened up. In the meantime, Peace cuddled into my arms.
-Keuheung
The bushy tail swished, and then golden eyes looked down at the baby gryphon. The expression was like he was saying this was his position.
-Kkyaooeu?
-Keureureu
-Kkya! Kkyaa!
Blue, who had come down from the sofa, lowered her head and waved her raised butt. No matter how I looked at it, it was a position that was right before pouncing. Like this, it wouldn’t be that my innocent back would break, right? Yoohyun was here, so he would block it.
-Kkyaook!
With a strong yell, Blue rushed toward Peace. Then,
Puk!
-Kkyak!
Peace’s front paw smacked the yellow beak. The baby gryphon who had spun in the air, dropped to the sofa.
-Kkyaoo kkyoo
Blue covered her beak and moaned. It didn’t seem like she was hit that hard though.
-Kkyooo kkyoo
“Blue, are you okay?”
-Kkyaoo!
As soon as she heard my voice, she quickly straightened up as if she was never distressed. She sure was valiant, our Blue. Still, it might have hurt quite a bit, because she couldn’t lunge at Peace again.
“Peace, she’s a dongsaeng younger than you, so treat her more indulgently.”
-Kkiang?
Peace tilted his head, as if saying he didn’t get what I was saying. It was an innocent tilt, but… no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like he was pretending like he didn’t understand.
“Here, you go down too.”
-Kkeueueung
“Go and say hi to your younger sibling.”
Peace was displeased, but went down onto the sofa. I left them two and stepped back. Blue, who seemed a little tense, soon ran in place rambunctiously.
-Kkya kkya! Kkyaaa!
Peace stared quietly at the frivolously leaping Blue, and then raised one front paw. At the same time, Blue froze completely.
-Kkyooo
-Keureureung kyang!
At the short and sharp bark, Blue stuck her butt down on the sofa and quietly sat. The two of them went ‘kkyang kkyang keung keung’ at each other, and then Peace firmly pressed his front paw down on Blue’s beak. Then he turned his head and looked at me. It was a gaze that seemed like he was checking if this was okay.
It ended smoothly and well without any bloodshed. As expected of our Peace. He was reliable.
“Good job! You sure are good.”
-Kkiang!
I held Peace, who became proud and ran over. Blue, who followed over, looked up at Peace in my arms once, and then collapsed at my feet. The slightly dispirited one was sad, but Peace was the priority.
“If it’s like this, there won’t be anything to worry about from now on as well. Isn’t our Peace smart?”
Pleased, I turned to look as Yoohyun and spoke. Now only Chirpie had to join in safely, but I didn’t know if it would go well.
Just when I was about to go to my room to bring Chirpie, Yoo Myeongwoo walked out from around the kitchen. Maybe thanks to the stats rising, or because of the heavy labor, his body became better and his height grew a little, so it seemed like he had become a different person from the one I had first met.
Above all, his skin color changed. That elemental guy said that it was safe for the contractor, but why was he slowly being baked?
“You came out early today?”
“You said you were bringing over new monsters. I came out just in case.”
After saying so, he looked at Yoohyun, not Blue. The system people said that high rank Awakened People liked people with low stats and high special skills, so try conversing nicely, Yoohyun.
“It has been a while since we met.”
That little brother did smile. Though it was clearly business-like.
“Wasn’t there no particular reason for us to meet, during this time?”
Myeongwoo’s reply was colder than I would’ve thought. Though it would be weirder to have good feelings toward Yoohyun. When we went to the dungeon, he was treated like he wasn’t there, and when I was kidnapped, he was just shut up at home.
Should I have told Yoohyun to be nice earlier?
“Is that the new kid?”
“Yeah. Gold Gryphon, Blue. The other two are unicorns, so we left them in the training room. The pen at home is narrow, but you also can’t put gryphons and horses together.”
“Is it okay with Peace?”
“Our Peace suppressed her[1]. The two of them don’t really have an issue, but I’m worried about Chirpie.”
It was stat F and also small, so if it was accidentally hit, it could suffer a fatal injury. At my words, Myeongwoo took out a necklace and bracelet that was made of leather and metal.
“Here, try these.”
When I took the things held out, a simple explanation window popped up.
[Safe Rearing Necklace – B-Rank
The one wearing the necklace can’t attack the one wearing the bracelet.]
“It can block an attack from up to a stat C-Rank level. Originally, I made it for you to use, but the bracelet’s size automatically adjusts, so you can put it on Chirpie too.”
“You can make something like this too? You’re really impressive.”
Wow, so he could make equipment with special effects too. He said he could produce anything as long as it had metal, but I was surprised. It was too omnipotent. It was a scam.
“It’s not much.”
Myeongwoo said contently at my admiration. But why was he starting at Yoohyun, instead of looking at me?
“To think it is special item production, it is definitely impressive.”
“It is just the start now. If it is a simple item, I can make up to A-Rank, so even S-Ranks are not far now.”
“As a guild leader, it is something that can only be tempting.”
“Even so, compared to our Yoojin, I have far to go.”
“My hyung’s skills are indeed surprising in various ways.”
I mean, why was I coming up here. Both of them were smiling, but to say that the atmosphere was good was, hm… I should bring Chirpie over.
-Chirp!
-Kkyaa!
Chirpie, who had the shrunken bracelet on its ankle like the rings that birds had, was walking. Behind it, Blue, who was wearing the necklace, stuck close like a puppy that had seen a rolling ball, and waved her front paws.
Pong!
She pressed her paws down really strongly to try to grab Chirpie, but she was blocked by a bubble-like film. The attack didn’t go through, but still, it must have been fun, because she kept on banging on Chirpie.
-Kkyaak! Kkya!
-Chirp chirp
It was cute. I took out my phone and was going to take a video, but just took a photo instead. It was because those two guys were still talking behind me.
“Of course, Yoojin offered first. Coming all the way to here was also thanks to Yoojin.”
……Did I have to find magic creature meat for Blue? It might be of help to her growth, so doing so would be good. Under which guild’s management was a dungeon that had magic creatures, again?
“Hyung does have that kind of side. Even speaking of the matter a while ago, ah, you must not have heard it yet.”
“It is alright. Being unable to be involved in Yoojin’s affairs and being left out, is because my abilities are lacking. Of course, it will not be far before there would be no reason for that. At any rate, we will be leaving Haeyeon Guild together. You will probably be a little sad when Yoojin leaves.”
“Before the guild and Hunters, we are family, so it does not matter.”
Why did they keep on mentioning me behind my back? On top of that, it felt like there were thorns secretly stuck in their words. Like that, far from becoming friendly, they would get more distant.
“Both of you must have a lot of things to do, so shouldn’t you start to go?”
If you were going to be like this, then leave. After sending both of those guys away, I took care of the kids’ food. Thankfully, Blue also ate any monster’s meat well. I had to feed the unicorns and tell them the keyword, so it looked like I had to keep on going up and down for a long time.
‘When the rearing facility is finished, it should get easier.’
It was the floor right below, and there was also a portal, so it would be easy to come and go. Since I was going to actually leave the dorm room, I was a little sorry. Here was quite nice too.
‘Should I just ask if I can have this place?’
Just in case, I could need to use it.
‘Suk Hayan’s meeting friends are said to enter the country soon. After those people come and the data is organized a bit more, I should call the Dokkaebi over and ask them to go to China this time.’
I had also found the thirteenth optimized special skill B-Rank or higher person. I was also contacting Riette through social media, and had asked her to send her younger brother over once the rearing facility opened.
‘I should start to contact Do Hamin, too. There’s nothing else besides that, right?’
It seemed like there wasn’t exactly anything, but it also seemed like I had forgotten something. Who else was there? I didn’t know. If it was important, I would think of it later at least.
“Blue! No!”
I snatched up the baby gryphon who had her head stuck in an ice cream container. The black and white spotted beak cheerfully went ‘kkyak kkyak’.
“And when did you learn how to open the fridge door!”
-Kkyaaa!
“Peace and Chirpie don’t even touch their feet to people food, so why are you like this! You’re a monster – what are you going to do if you get sick!”
-Kkyaoo kkya?
Shit, even if I reprimanded her, only my throat hurt. Only one day had passed, but Blue, this punk, was really, seriously… Peace seizing a few pieces of furniture was on a cute level.
While washing her on the first evening, she broke the sink and the showerhead, shred about thirty towels into shreds, and broke the lights while leaping around having fun. During dinner, she swooped down on the table and tried to eat all the food that she had swept with her wings down onto the floor, and while struggling, the cream-colored fur had been stained with all sorts of food, so she had to be washed again.
Of course, she wasn’t well-behaved while washing. Unlike Peace, she liked water, but it was more of a commotion because she liked it.
What was extremely fortunate was that as soon as it turned exactly nine in the evening, she fell asleep. The night was peaceful. And exactly at nine in the morning, she woke up and wailed loudly to be let out of the pen.
As if she had completely forgotten yesterday, she lunged at Peace and was blocked again, chased after Chirpie and broke a table, and after scratching up the sofa, she left long claw and beak marks on the walls and ceiling…
While I had taken my eyes off her for a moment, she had emptied the freezer.
“Stay still, so I can clean your beak. If you keep on moving, it’ll get on your fur.”
-Kkyaa!
She rolled and showed her belly and wagged her tail. Both the large blue eyes and the opened beak were brightly smiling. The appearance of her tapping my hand with her front paws as if saying ‘let’s play’ was still cute. Whew, okay, I did raise the kids easily until now.
“Peace, you were really well-mannered.”
I said, petting Peace, who had come to stick to my side. Besides breaking some furniture, there wasn’t much trouble. Chirpie was weak, so it was well-behaved. And our Yoohyun was really good kid.
“I should leave Blue to a different Hunter before I go.”
If I left her in the pen alone, I was afraid she would yell the whole day. Even if the dorms were well sound-proofed, there was a limit.
I cursorily cleaned up and went out only taking Blue. I had an appointment with the Hunter Association in regards to the Awakening Centers around lunch. It would be good if the talk went well.
[1] no direct object, but I’m assuming yj means blue instead of peace’s feelings or w/e