Chapter 153

The lamb skewers were truly delicious.

"There’s no gamey smell at all."

It was nothing short of a miracle.

"The lamb chops I had last time were delicious too, but..."

"Those were steaks."

"Yes, I like the lamb skewers because they have a little more texture."

Ju-hyeon had no particular interest in fine dining. No matter how much of a Grade 2 citizen he was in the city, how could someone busy living hand to mouth enjoy gourmet food? When he did not even have money to donate, there was no way he had the means to indulge in luxury.

But even Ju-hyeon found himself craving the food because of its ecstatic taste and texture. He had occasionally eaten lamb skewers made from monsters before, but this was his first proper meal like this.

"The way the fatty cuts and lean cuts are mixed together just right is especially..."

"The fatty parts had too much fat, and the lean parts were too clean, so I tried mixing them."

"Thanks to that, I feel like I could keep eating without getting sick of it. It’s amazing."

"If you praise me like that, I have no choice but to keep feeding you."

"... I’ll try to pace myself and eat well."

Unexpectedly, the mermaids also seemed to be enjoying the meal quite a bit.

"Teacher, did you change the charcoal this time?"

"I found a new tree, so I tried switching to it."

"It has a spicy scent, so it’s more stimulating than the last one."

"Oh dear, was it too strong?"

"I meant that I like it."

The sight of them chatting softly was no different from a family.

"..."

For a moment, Ju-hyeon felt strange.

'... It’s far more ordinary and gentle than I imagined.'

Suddenly, he was reminded of the orphanage that could be called his hometown. Because even among the orphanages affiliated with the Association, it had an especially ostracized atmosphere, there had been many hardships, but that also made it a good environment for everyone to come together.

Even after leaving the orphanage, Ju-hyeon would often visit and help prepare meals. The menu was never anything grand, but there were the children who earnestly helped wash ingredients or set up the table. And the director...

'It’s vague, but it’s a good atmosphere.'

The gentle breeze carried a fitting warmth. It held the scent of flowers mingled with warm sunlight, and from the forest surrounding the cabin, it rustled with a cool sound. Birds peeked in, and clouds drifted by.

Rather than an ideal atmosphere that looked as if it had been painted, it was the kind of situation one could wish for when giving form to the abstract concept of "ordinary happiness." He thought the scenery before him looked exactly like a fairy tale.

"... Mm..."

But the reality was humanoid monsters and an evil god.

'There’s a strangeness here where good and evil can’t be distinguished.'

Ever since coming here, he really seemed to find himself thinking about all sorts of things.

"By the way."

"... Ah, yes."

"They say you’re Teacher’s friend?"

At Aria’s question, her younger brother Iser’s gaze soon reached Ju-hyeon as well. He did not seem to have anything to say, but when their eyes met, his eyes curved gently. It took the form of goodwill.

Aria soon continued.

"How did that happen?"

"I thought you already knew the basic story."

"I do receive some information about what happens here."

"Then why..."

"That doesn’t mean I know everything about Teacher."

"..."

"But, I see. I can guess to some extent."

Aria looked back at Jio.

"Teacher likes good and polite people, after all."

Jio did not deny it and smiled readily.

"Don’t people like that make you want to become friends with them?"

"I can never tell whether you’re sociable or not."

Aria looked back at Ju-hyeon.

"So what they call a clever pushover, then."

"... You... know words like that too."

"I studied a bit about Korean culture."

"I’m not sure why you had to learn the word pushover, though..."

Ju-hyeon’s face turned awkward with embarrassment. Whenever someone pointed out his way of thinking that chased ideals too much, embarrassment always found him.

"Am I a pushover?"

"I would not say so."

Jio denied it.

"Isn’t that word for people who cannot even take care of their own share and have what is theirs taken away in a direction they do not want? I think your case is different, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"That’s too much praise."

"To be honest, I certainly prefer people like you, Mr. Ju-hyeon. People whose roots run deep, yet who are strong and composed enough to share what is theirs."

"Uh... that..."

Ju-hyeon’s smile turned ambiguous.

"... Thank you?"

"I only said what I felt."

After saying that, Jio soon wore a gentle smile and looked back at Iser.

"The same was true of Mr. Cha Yisol, who was Iser’s partner last time."

At that, Iser nodded with a calm face.

"He was a good child."

"He resembled you, Iser."

"..."

Iser soon showed his distinctive smile.

"Now that is too much praise."

Seeing Ju-hyeon blink at their conversation, Jio explained.

"The student named Cha Yisol is currently a student of the Sun Cult’s Seoul branch."

"Ah... is he perhaps the child who was said to have been kidnapped into the country of the deep sea?"

"You know that as well."

"I try to check all the information I can access at the Association whenever possible."

Ju-hyeon nodded.

"It’s not common for a kidnapped child to return alive and well, after all."

At his gaze, Aria gave a vivid smile.

"I had no intention of tormenting him. I know hostages are precious."

"I heard reports that he was treated in a manner entirely different from an ordinary kidnapper’s."

"No matter how much I hate humans, I would never directly torment a human child."

"Is that because Mr. Giovanni likes children?"

"Because they are also beings who cannot help but be innocent due to their youth."

Aria gave a neat smile.

"Though in the end, they were still caught up in our nonsense, weren’t they?"

"... I suppose so..."

Ju-hyeon reacted uncomfortably.

"So that child named Cha Yisol wasn’t tormented either... mm, though the kidnapping itself is already a problem... anyway, is that why you did not directly lay a hand on him?"

Iser answered that part.

"We did hope he would be frightened to an appropriate degree."

"Ah, that wasn’t it?"

"His faith that we would not harm him was far too firm."

"He must have been a smart child."

"He did not fear mermaids either."

"I don’t know whether to call that impressive..."

"Well."

Iser smiled in a way that somehow resembled Giovanni.

"I think you are a similar case, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"... Me?"

"Are you not having a meal with monsters as though it were nothing?"

"Ah."

No, it was not as if he did not know that.

"Ah, uh... mm..."

Ju-hyeon grew flustered.

"It may be because it doesn’t feel real."

"It does not particularly look that way."

"Wouldn’t it be a little strange to suddenly get scared after coming all the way here?"

"I meant that you have a similar, inexplicable shamelessness."

"If possible, please call it confidence."

"If that is what you wish, I will."

Iser, who nodded calmly, looked at Jio.

"Do you intend to keep taking him in here?"

"I have never taken him in."

At those words, Ju-hyeon voiced his doubt.

"Wasn’t it Mr. Arjio who picked me up?"

"I merely invited you, literally speaking. I do not think I ever picked you up."

"Uh... I see."

Apparently, suddenly appearing, taking him into the house, feeding him, putting him to bed, and talking with him did not particularly count as "taking him in."

As he often did, Ju-hyeon became curious about how the encyclopedia inside Jio’s head was organized.

'I thought it was roughly the sentiment of picking up a poor abandoned dog, but I guess that wasn’t it.'

Regardless of what Ju-hyeon thought, Jio continued.

"I would not mind if you continued living here, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"Oh, no?"

With his characteristic social smile, Ju-hyeon quickly expressed his refusal.

"I couldn’t impose on you like that. Even just feeding and housing me until now has been far more than I deserve. I was thinking I would find a place and move out soon."

"Do you need to find a new home?"

"Originally, I lived in the dormitory near the research lab. I think research lab life doesn’t suit me, so I’m going to submit my resignation, and if I do that, I’ll have to find a separate place to live."

At that, Jio stared intently at Ju-hyeon. He felt some kind of childish pressure.

"But you are my secretary..."

"..."

"Are you going to live far away?"

"... That’s what most people do..."

No matter how much it was a Hunter-and-manager relationship, living together was extremely rare.

"And I need time to be trained in my duties as a manager too."

"The door to my home is always open."

"It seems overly open, so you could close it a little..."

"What did you say?"

"I said the weather is really nice today."

The series of works known to the public as "Black Cloak" were all no different from dungeon entrances. Since their master was accepting outside elements this easily, it was obvious that quite a few people would end up dead.

But even Ju-hyeon, who was as steadfast as a pine, could not ask a dungeon master to close the entrance. To begin with, the mermaids’ gazes were too piercing. He did not want to die like this.

"So after I move out for now..."

Thus, Ju-hyeon turned the topic of conversation back to his future plans.

"Once I have a decent home, I’m thinking of making graves."

"By graves, you mean for the family members caught up in the recent incident."

"Yes, everything was so chaotic that I didn’t even think to hold funerals for them."

He had been thinking of dying with them, so how could something like a funeral have crossed his mind?

But the current Ju-hyeon was picturing a future, and thinking of a way to overcome this and move forward. As the first foundation stone for that, he needed to apologize to the family and friends who had been caught up in his affairs.

"I intend to start with that."

At that, Jio asked.

"Do you not need my help?"

"It’s my responsibility to bear."

"No, you’re going to need my help..."

"Please restrain your overflowing goodwill."

"I can do it well."

"It would still be burdensome even if you were less good at it."

"I suppose so."

Iser, who had been watching the two of them, twitched his finger, then clenched it tightly.

"..."

"Iser."

"... Yes, noona."

"Do not think foolish thoughts and go bring tea."

"I will."

At the sight of Iser naturally running his sister’s errand, Ju-hyeon opened his eyes round and blinked.

"... Foolish thoughts? Did I perhaps earn his hatred? Was I about to die?"

"Seeing things like this, it’s not as though you have no fear at all."

Aria cupped her cheek and continued.

"It is common jealousy, so there is no need to be so afraid."

After saying that, Aria soon looked back at Jio.

"Teacher’s friend says he is making graves. Will you help?"

"If there is a part I can help with, I should help."

Before Ju-hyeon could say anything to refuse, Jio looked at him.

"How are funerals held on Earth these days?"

"Usually, people are cremated, but if there are no bodies... we burn and keep their belongings."

"It seems your family and friends have no bodies either, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"Given the situation, I was far too late."

"In that case, I..."

Just as Jio was about to say something, seemingly to make some proposal, Iser brought the tea.

"There were basram flowers, so I brought them."

"Has it not been a long time?"

"Yes, it truly has been a long time."

"I recently bloomed these flowers myself."

"Basram is supposed to be grown underwater. Where did you raise them?"

"In the nests of the waterbirds over there."

At that, Iser, who had been pouring out the tea, answered a beat late.

"... Ah, so they can be used in that way as well."

"I received help thanks to the children who like flowers."

"Basram flowers have a very fine scent, so they must have been satisfied."

"The lake I saw on my way here was somehow golden."

At Iser’s words, Ju-hyeon asked.

"Is there a particular reason it was golden?"

"Teacher’s waterbirds make their nests shine gold when they are happy."

"Aha..."

Ju-hyeon’s gaze reached Honey, the waterbird sitting on Jio’s shoulder.

"Then what about that one?"

"Honey drank Rurupu sap and changed color."

"Coo-coo."

Jio added an explanation.

"It is a flower that grows in the spring in the forest."

"That sounds unusual just from hearing about it."

"It does have a seriously wonderful scent."

"... I see!"

That was not exactly what he had meant by "unusual," though.

"I wonder what it smells like."

"If you need perfume, I can make some for you."

"Please restrain your goodwill."

Ju-hyeon continued.

"Anyway, I will prepare soon and try to find a place."

"I think it would be a good idea to submit your resignation through Mr. Yu Seongun."

"I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for all your advice."

Since the Guild Master of Collector had said he would personally step in, his resignation would be handled cleanly.

'But certainly, if I’m going to manage the identity of Hunter Seo Jio... should my lodgings be nearby?'

Ju-hyeon decided he would have to ask Hunter Yu Seongun about that part directly.

And a few days later.

"... My lodging has already been found?"

"... I’m sorry. I really did try hard to stop him..."

"Ah, no. There’s nothing for you to apologize for."

At Yu Seongun’s haggard smile, Ju-hyeon waved his hand.

"I’m also grateful that you looked into it for me. I was already wondering what kind of lodging I should find if I’m going to manage Hunter Seo Jio."

"I’d be very grateful if you looked at it that way, but..."

"And you said Collector would pay for the lodging too, right? If you put it that way, I’m the one receiving an undeserved benefit. I was just startled by the sudden decision."

"..."

"... Um..."

Sensing some kind of crisis in Yu Seongun’s silence, Ju-hyeon asked carefully.

"So where is the lodging?"

"Next door to me."

"Pardon?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Seriously, why?

"..."

"..."

Yu Seongun avoided his eyes.

It was the sin of having an infamous Collector as his Guild Master.