< Price >
-Kkyaaa!
The wings that were starting to be really tinted with gold, spread out. The soft fur had a gentle sparkle under the sunlight.
Thanks to training her to death for 3 days after using the My Brat skill, Blue grew more than twice in size. Of course, the one who felt like they would die for the past three days wasn’t Blue, but me. That kid gryphon was a bit sleepy, but she had fun overall.
And one more.
-Keureureu
When the adolescent sized Peace bared his canines, Blue flinched and folded her wings. Then she carefully searched Peace’s expression.
“Give her a break already, Peace.”
I lightly scratched Peace’s neck, but it seemed like he was still angry.
When Peace, who was already in a bad mood because of Comet, saw me train Blue without being able to properly rest, he was completely furious. In that mess, Blue, who was excited over becoming bigger, lunged at Peace.
The result was, well, being hit like dust flying around on a rainy day. The one hit was Blue, of course. Still, he didn’t use his teeth or claws, and just hit her, so I didn’t stop them either.
“Then Noah-ssi, shall we start?”
“Yes.”
Noah, who was staring at Chirpie on top of my head, nodded his head.
Noah had quickly adjusted to life here even in the chaos where I was so busy I couldn’t pay attention to him. A lot of it was thanks to the Suk Hayan team. The Suk Hayan team members were all Unawakened People, but they didn’t really shun Noah. Specifically, should I say that interest and curiosity over Noah, who was an S-Rank Hunter and also had a whole body beast transformation skill, took the lead over fear?
Rather, they wowed over him and welcomed him a lot, so that Noah was also taken aback. Compared to the team members’ average age, Noah was much younger, so they ate with him and helped him go shopping for daily necessities, and these past few days, they got along extremely well.
Noah, who drew back a few steps, changed into a dragon. Seeing him under the sun, he was more blindingly beautiful. To think that it was a garden where a golden dragon had landed – no wonder it was unrealistic.
“Could you possibly decrease your build a little?”
I knew that it was possible to a certain extent. At my words, Noah was hesitating, but then the dragon’s size quickly decreased. If you excluded the neck and tail, it was to the extent where he was a little bigger than the human Noah.
“That was good.”
So he really could. I thought the first size was probably similar to the original Dio Valshesis. Considering it was a highest rank curse and poison dragon, it was definitely small.
“You see Blue here, right?”
-Kkyaoo!
When she was mentioned, Blue thrust out her chest and cawed.
“She is not a dragon, but the way of flying should be considerably similar. Since you have forms of four-legged beasts with separately attached wings, unlike bird types. Blue’s flight capabilities are also outstanding, so if you observe her well and follow along, you could quickly become used to flying. Here, Blue.”
When I gestured to her to try flying, the light golden gryphon soon shot up into the air. Behind that, Noah followed.
-Kkyaaoo! Kkyakkya!
When the small dragon clumsily followed her, Blue displayed aerial acrobatics as if excited. Watching Blue snap her wings in and fall, before suddenly stopping and then quickly shooting up, and turning over and rotating around, ending with a graceful circular flight, Noah was taken aback and flapped his large wings.
No, you didn’t have to copy that. At any rate, he couldn’t now.
“Blue, fly slowly!”
Even though he was older and bigger than you, he was a beginner in flying. As expected, it wouldn’t be easy following along with just watching…
‘Ah, should I try using the Teacher skill?’
It might be a little easier for him to learn how to fly if I sent him Blue’s flight sensations. I used the Teacher skill toward those two, and sent Blue’s sensations unilaterally to Noah. After looking down at me once, Noah powerfully flapped his wings. That movement was noticeably better than a bit before.
‘So I can use it like this too, huh.’
If you just took out that Deer guy’s front portion, the skill name was perfectly given. It seemed like it could be used for training other Hunters. Should I ask Yoohyun to go around a dungeon once while connected to Yerim?
As I watched the two sparkling dizzingly in the sky, I thought I should wear sunglasses next time. My eyes were a little blinded.
When I took the chance to close my eyes, the fields of vision for the flying Noah and Blue came up. It was a little dizzying, but the sensation of wind grazing past felt good. I also felt a sense of separation at the movement of a part that I didn’t have, but I could ignore this much.
‘It’s a skill where Mental is important in various ways, huh.’
If I used it often, would I get used to sensations being divided up?
Just then, a text came. When I opened my eyes and checked it, it was from the security room.
[The Seseong Guild Leader and Hunter Kang Soyoung has arrived.]
For Kang Soyoung, she came nearly everyday to see Comet, but what was Sung Hyunjae, this ahjussi, up to now? He should be busy forming a new S-Rank team since he recruited an S-Rank Hunter, so why didn’t he stay busy, instead of coming all the way here?
“Chirpie, come down here.”
-Chirp
I lowered Chirpie, who was on my head, and held it in my arms. When I did, Peace stared at me as if asking what happened.
“A guest is going to come.”
Should I go down, or should I just wait here? I really didn’t want to go out to meet him. Not long passed before Sung Hyunjae appeared at the rooftop garden. Maybe Kang Soyoung had gone straight to the rearing room where Comet was, because I didn’t see her. Noah, who was practicing sharp turns, hovered in place and monitored Sung Hyunjae. The movements of the wings had gotten much more adept.
“You should be incredibly busy, why instead of calling comfortably…”
Wait and why a basket of flowers? The basket that was centered around carnations, with flowers that I didn’t know the names of but looked expensive, was held in Sung Hyunjae’s hand.
“Soyoung asked me to pass it to you as congratulations for growing Blue.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
So it was something Kang Soyoung-ssi had sent. I was wondering what was up. When I took the flower basket, Chirpie jumped on top it. Maybe the scent of the flowers was thick, because it coughed ‘cheep-choo’.
“It seems like Noah follows Han Yoojin-gun well.”
As soon as Sung Hyunjae’s words fell, Noah came down as if plummeting. When I stumbled a little at the suddenly approaching rough wind pressure, Noah, who had come down behind me, stretched out his front foot and grabbed me as if covering me. Then, he pushed his head forward and bared his teeth toward Sung Hyunjae.
-Please do not drag Han Yoojin-ssi into it.
At Noah being on guard, Peace stuck close right to my side. Chirpie inside the flower basket also chirped, but there was no effect. Blue, who was still floating in the air, seemed to be wondering why they were like that. That’s right, what was going on?
“You should’ve said that before escaping however you want and fawning over him. Still, if you really want to talk separately, I’d like to accept, but what does Han Yoojin-gun think?”
“Please speak here.”
Noah growled lowly and Sung Hyunjae quirked his lips.
-There is no need for that.
“No. I do not know the specific situation, but I would like to keep Noah-ssi here safely. I should gladly pay the price for that. It is my greed, so please do not pay any mind.”
Where would I find another S-Rank Hunter like Noah? If I asked them to guard not even me, but my building’s tenants, Yoohyun and Yerim wouldn’t like it. So, if it was a problem I could handle, however much it was, I could shoulder it for him.
“So exactly what is the problem?”
I asked, petting Noah’s head, that had come past my shoulder. Sung Hyunjae, who was watching us two closely, opened his mouth.
“Should I say it’s an investor coming to catch a debtor who filed for bankruptcy and ran away?”
So on top of Yerim, another debtor had been added, huh.
-I did not run away. I kept my promise, too.
Noah said a little sullenly.
“It is praiseworthy that you didn’t say anything even while being stuck close like that to Han Yoojin-gun, but currently, it seems like a way for me to receive the proper price is distant.”
“Why don’t you just say what you would like.”
Without going around in circles. At my words, Sung Hyunjae let out a small sigh.
“You’re still cold only to me. I was trying to nicely resolve it over conversation since the other person was Han Yoojin-gun.”
“If it was someone else, what were you thinking of doing?”
“At the least, I wouldn’t be chatting in a rooftop garden with nice sunlight.”
What chatting.
“Noah wanted to get free from Riette, and even if he’s assistance type, he’s an S-Rank Hunter, so I thought he would be usable as long as he was raised well, so I accepted the deal.”
Sung Hyunjae briefly explained about his and Noah’s matter. Hearing it, it seemed like his help was big in Noah leaving Riette’s side and making his own guild. Was that why he was able to disperse his guild like it wasn’t anything?
He omitted a specific explanation outside of that, but he said he had also given a considerably large reward. At those words, Noah also didn’t deny it.
Anyways, it seemed like that debt was actually big.
“I just now helped him establish himself to the point where he was usable, but past collapsing a laboriously made pagoda[1], even the remaining foundation stones were siphoned off to a different house’s yard, so how much at a loss do you think I am? I was so dumbfounded, I couldn’t even sleep properly that night.”
“Ah, yes.”
The exaggeration of his hardship was excessive, but I thought that it was enough to be at a loss. Unless he was more or less a prophet, it was a situation he couldn’t have expected even a bit.
-Still, I am still an S-Rank Hunter. It is not that I cannot pay the price.
“I’m sorry, but the current you isn’t very appealing to me. You don’t have the influence of a guild, and even the beast transformation skill was all stolen. It even came to Han Yoojin-gun knowing about your relationship with me, so at best, could I use you as anything more than assistance during a dungeon attack? But Seseong isn’t lacking in Hunters for dungeon attacks.”
Sung Hyunjae said coldly. Hearing it, it seemed like Sung Hyunjae was going to put Noah in a guild that wasn’t related to him and use him like that. But he himself had revealed Noah’s and his relationship right now, and was blaming him. Pettily.
“But Noah should be usable to Han Yoojin-gun. He would be good as a dragon guarding your house, and since you have a high poison resistance, wouldn’t you be able to use him as a kiseungsu, too?”
“Though he is a person.”
“If there aren’t any flight type monsters, or if it’s a small dungeon, of course A-Ranks, but even for S-Ranks, you could go into up to low grade.”
“Though I have no reason to go in.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t have the wish to try going in, but what would I do when I did? Sightsee? It might be different if it was later, but there weren’t yet any dungeons that couldn’t be handled, so I was even more unnecessary.
“So I’ll risk the regret and back off. Though I’m the type that doesn’t do this kind of concession.”
“If it is a concession, then will you just overlook it?”
“That’s too unconscionable, isn’t it?”
He smiled refreshingly. Then how is that a concession? I swallowed a sigh and opened my mouth.
“I would not be much of a help to the Seseong Guild Leader either. For the monster rearing, there is already a contract, and since you said you do not need an ordinary Hunter, what else could I do?”
Was there anything else I could do for him now, other than raising kiseungsu and finding usable Unawakened People? Of course, if I found a good special skill, it would be of help, but that wasn’t easy.
“You’re modest. When what about this? Helping me when I have something I need Han Yoojin-gun for. Once is too sad, so about three times?”
“Though the scope is too large. Why don’t we specifically choose conditions and write a contract?”
At the words ‘contract’, Sung Hyunjae had a thin smile in his eyes.
“Is that even necessary? I trust Han Yoojin-gun.”
“……You are really not writing one? I will pretend I do not know later, then?”
“Then I’ll be hurt.”
It was a little dumbfounding. If it was a simple promise without a contract or whatever, it was good for me. But I wasn’t planning on actually pretending I didn’t know. Since it was definitely impossible that that person would just feel hurt and overlook it.
“I will refuse ahead of time, things that I will not be able to handle or that would harm my surroundings.”
“Don’t worry. Since I have no intention of doing something harmful. I have confidence that I won’t lose to anyone when it comes to treasuring Han Yoojin-gun.”
……He sure was first rate in saying nonsense with a normal face. I mean, who was he even? Maybe if it was Yoohyun or Yerim. Of course Peace and Chirpie, and there was Myeongwoo, who took responsibility for my dining table, and even Kim Sunghan, who took care of my health, so what ‘confidence not to lose’?
“Right, you said the standby time for the same skill sharing is 15 days, right? There’s not much left.”
“Yes. Anyways, there is no bracelet from back then, so it would be hard to use it properly.”
“Is that so? If Hunter Yoo Myeongwoo happens to make a similar item, let me know.”
When I nodded my head saying I understood, he briefly searched my expression, before obediently turning around.
‘…Though the standby time has already passed.’
When I used the skill sharing, the standby time decreased by half through the doubling effect. And that time decreased in half was also maintained for other people as targets. But sadly, the shared skill didn’t show a doubling effect.
So, it was the same as being able to share a skill once per 7.5 days now.
‘Could Myeongwoo make an item similar to the bracelet again?’
I should ask him when I see him at dinner. And exactly what he was making lately? Exactly how many days have I kept on hearing that it was a secret?
[1] from the idiom ‘would a laboriously made pagoda collapse?’ which means ‘hard work pays off’, ‘sth that you put a lot of work and effort into will definitely not go wrong’, but he’s using the opp meaning (saying the hard work went to waste) by turning the original rhetorical retort into sth that has actually happened, and he also extends the metaphor in the rest of the sentence, so I left the tl as is.