Free Web NovelSong Hwayoung’s expression turned awkward all at once.
"...Hm. So it’s true?"
"Yes. Why would I lie about something like this?"
Tilting her head as if puzzled, Song Hwayoung spoke like she still couldn’t quite believe it.
"Even with the gap in rank between you two, I doubt Guild Master Im would fail to adjust for that."
"Then you must’ve miscalculated. I’m a lot frailer than I look."
"...Hm. You really don’t ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) look that way...."
If we’re being precise, I got blown back because I triggered a penalty, but there was no way for her to know those specifics.
She knit her brows, still not quite getting it. Fair—of all people, she knew exactly how well Im Haekyung handled his skills, so my story wouldn’t be easy to swallow.
But I couldn’t add anything here. If I tried to sell a lie to make it convincing, her item would just flag me and make it worse.
Slowly, she asked something else.
"Then even after taking damage from Guild Master Im’s skill, you still keep close to him?"
"No."
"...Hm?"
That one didn’t require any hedging. I’d never been close to Im Haekyung to begin with.
"We’re not close. I’ve never met him privately. I think he’s just interested because I’m an appraiser, and that’s about it. ‘Acquaintance’ would be generous."
"I thought you said you exchange messages."
"Like once a month? So twice so far."
Even though I was only stating facts, she looked at me like she had a headache.
"Come on, what is this...."
After confirming the truth with her item, she rubbed her brow, eyes lowered like she was still thinking.
"Right. Personally, I’d like to work with you for a long time, Hunter Seo. Not just because you’re an appraiser—also because, as a person...."
"......?"
"Mm, you’re not so useless as a human being. Different from what I first imagined, but."
Not so useless...? Before I could react to that, she laughed bright and clear, straightened a bit, and patted my arm.
"So, as a bit of personal advice—don’t get close with Guild Master Im Haekyung."
"I’d love not to."
"Good. Keeping a mental-type hunter at your side is idiotic. You never know when your own common sense might change."
After her advice, she checked the time and frowned slightly.
"When did it get this late. Well... it’s about time Hunter Sung gets here."
So the Haeseong tangle was wrapped for now.
'Seowon’s going to have a rough time for a bit.'
If she wanted to line things up with her suspicions, anyway. Not my problem—that was Seowon’s. She might run a background check on Haeseong or me another way, but that was fine.
As for the relationship between her and Im Haekyung, that card was spent—better to flip it and toss it early. As for other cards that could stand against him... well, I’d have to think more. fгeewebnovёl.com
Just then, the closed door opened.
"Well. I’m late."
I turned reflexively. As expected, it was Sung Uijae.
Sung Uijae. An S-rank hunter with a gravity control skill, a figure with heavy weight in the original. Personality-wise, a pretty unpleasant bastard.
'I’d love to stuff him and Im Haekyung in a box set somewhere. Only take them out when needed.'
That’d be handy and keep them out of my hair.
While I was having practical thoughts, Song Hwayoung greeted him warmly.
"Hunter Sung. Long time."
"Sure is."
How did these two know each other?
Catching my question, she explained,
"Back when Hunter Sung was spending a lot of time in Korea, we met a few times."
"That’s right."
Given his active period, they would’ve crossed paths a couple of times.
After echoing her, Sung Uijae reached a hand toward me. ...And?
When I just stared at his hand blankly, he waggled his fingers.
"Not going to shake?"
What the hell? We already said hello this afternoon. What is he, haunted by a handshake-starved ghost?
I tried not to take it personally and took his hand.
He gripped a lot harder than you do for a handshake. Maybe he had trouble with control, but it was strong enough to read as picking a fight.
'Wait, is he actually trying to pick a fight?'
He did stare at me for too long at the Association building. Who knows why an S-rank would start something.
"That hurts."
"Ah, sorry."
Only after I said so did he finally let go and sit down.
"Is Suan not coming?"
"The Association staffer? Probably not."
"Busy as expected."
He clipped his answers even to her questions. She didn’t seem to mind, so they were used to speaking casually.
"It’s been a while since you set foot in Korea, hasn’t it?"
"Mm... kind of? People are being very welcoming this time."
"Mm, ‘welcoming’... probably not."
Of course not. He was the most cursed-at hunter in the country right now. No one said anything to his face, but anonymous spaces were a storm.
Comments
— Why’s he even here when he’s not one of us?
— Uijae, why suck up Aussie money and then come to Korea again
— He just goes wherever pays more; anyway we already have two S-ranks here
└ fr lol And Sung Uijae had dual citizenship from the start, so what?
— Sick of seeing Sung Uijae’s face; stop writing articles about him
Just skimming articles got you that level of reaction. Naturally, he didn’t care about any of it. Honestly, that’s a great mindset for living easy.
As expected, in a laid-back voice, he sipped the tea in front of him and asked,
"I’m hungry. When’s the food coming?"
And almost before he finished, perfect timing—the door opened and staff rolled in carts loaded with food.
"We’ll set the dishes down now."
With polite lines, various sashimi and seafood landed on the table.
A little later, as we ate, the two traded small talk.
"What brought you to Korea?"
"Ah, I’ve got a deal here. Not national business, personal."
"Then you entered through Busan?"
"No. I came down to Busan for something to see. I entered through Incheon."
I half-listened while grabbing seafood and eating whatever my chopsticks touched.
'Tasty.'
So it wasn’t just a well-decorated place. While their conversation slowed their eating, I focused purely on the meal.
"How old are you?"
At his voice, I looked up—of course he was looking at me. I swallowed and answered.
"Twenty-four."
"You’re younger than I thought."
"How old did you think?"
"Twenty... six. No, seven? Not a huge difference."
He stared at me, then curled his lip and asked,
"How old do I look?"
"......."
Age-guessing, huh. I calmly said some social-lubricant nonsense.
"You look my age."
"Come on, that’s a lie. You know how old I am."
"Yeah."
Why ask that when his personal details are everywhere?
When I shot back without hesitation, he scrunched his brow a touch and laughed like he couldn’t believe it.
From a few exchanges, I could tell—despite spending all his school years in Australia, he didn’t come off "foreign" at all. Not just his tone and accent; his manner and word choice, everything.
'Bias on my part?'
Then Song Hwayoung’s phone rang loudly.
"The Association?"
She took the call and stepped out.
"Probably about today. I’ll be right back. You two chat."
"Sure."
The moment she left the table, he turned his whole body toward me. At this point I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to eat or not—he was that forward.
'Fine. Time to hear what you came to say.'
I had no idea what business he had with me, but given the trouble he’d gone to draw aggro since the afternoon, I’d indulge him. If he was doing this with no reason, he was a crazy bastard. I took the initiative.
"Are you interested in me?"
He grinned in a way I didn’t like and answered,
"Yeah."
...So what? He tossed out one memorable word and shut his mouth again. Am I supposed to thank him?
When I stared back with a flat face, he folded his arms and asked,
"What’s your hunter rank?"
"F."
"Yeah, you look about that.... At most E?"
This bastard really is picking a fight. I admired his thuggy side internally. Regardless, he kept talking, ignoring my reaction.
"So you’re only A-rank in your appraiser skill?"
"Yeah, sure."
He paused like he was mulling it over, then said,
"Hey."
"Yes."
"I’m an S-rank hunter."
"......?"
Well... yeah. I had no idea what reaction he wanted. If he was bragging in front of a low-rank Awakened, that said a lot about his character. I offered a soulless congratulation.
"Congratulations."
He pulled a wry face, then burst out laughing.
"No, no. That’s not what I meant...."
"......."
"I mean I’m extremely sensitive to mana. The higher-ranked you go, the more that’s the case."
"......."
He continued in a deliberately vague tone,
"Appraisers with high-rank skills are actually pretty rare, so people don’t get to encounter them much...."
"People" don’t get to encounter them?
At that subtle stress, I felt my body tense. Resting his chin on his hand, he stared right at me and spoke with a smile in his voice.
"But me... by sheer coincidence, I have an acquaintance who’s like you—low-ranked hunter, high-rank appraiser."
"......."
This wasn’t some random flex of connections... couldn’t be. I clicked my tongue inwardly at how fast the situation turned awkward.
'I’m fucked.'
As expected, he cut straight to the conclusion.
"You, I mean."
"......."
"You don’t have an appraisal skill, do you?"
