WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈
Chapter 112: Ruler of Water (1)
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“Yerim, even if you have an affinity that gives you an advantage underwater, you absolutely can’t go alone. Other people will have items that allow free movement underwater too.”
Since no one could know the environment of a dungeon being raided for the first time, any high-rank Hunter generally kept such items as a basic necessity.
“And I...”
“You especially can’t go.”
Yerim cut me off flatly.
“It’s a dungeon made by a zombie, so something cute might come out instead of water, like before. Then you’d fall for it completely.”
“No, I know I was a bit... excessive, but that was, how should I put it, sudden. I was off guard...”
A form that had faded in my distant memories had suddenly leaped vividly back to life. If I saw it again, I could be much calmer...
“Ten baby Peaces. All fluffy and round. Chasing their tails in circles in a bright green field under warm sunlight.”
Ugh.
“They gather together in a little bunch, with Peep perched on their heads. Peep chirps and flaps around in a cute little dance.”
“W-wait a minute.”
Just imagining it made the corners of my mouth rise. If it were really right in front of me, I definitely wouldn’t be able to resist. This was bad. But it was cute. Peace was small in its current juvenile form too, but it had been even smaller when I first saw it. Rounder, too. Rolling onto its back and gently wagging its tail. And Peep on top of that. Peep dancing... Ah, damn it. That was too devastating. I thought my heart was starting to hurt again.
“...Yerim, that’s too unfair.”
“And then there’s a tiny Guildmaster holding Peace. Peace is big for a kid, so he has to go heave-ho with both hands. And Peep is on his head too.”
“I’ll tie up my wrists if I have to, so I can’t rush out.”
“What if they tell you to make a contract that puts you at a disadvantage? Or order you to attack an ally?”
“If they said things like that, it’d be way too obvious that it was fake. It’d be creepy instead of cute.”
It felt as though someone had suddenly dumped cold water over me. If they openly tried to use the kids’ appearances against me, I thought I would get angry. No, I definitely would. If that zombie had started talking about wagers while wearing that form, I wouldn’t have listened politely either. Just thinking about it made me feel sick.
Yerim, who had been studying my expression as though trying to read my thoughts, shrugged.
“You’re surprisingly firm about it.”
“It’s not surprising. Of course I hate that kind of thing. Anyway, you absolutely can’t go alone. Hmm, Yoohyun, you aren’t really suited for underwater combat, are you?”
“If it’s close combat, there won’t be much difference.”
Still, his power would be reduced. He wouldn’t even be able to use it for suppression. He did have swordsmanship skills, but speed and strength were bound to differ underwater.
I didn’t know what kind of dungeon this would be, but it was certainly full of water. The lake was still slowly expanding. We needed a Hunter skilled in underwater combat, but Kim Seonghan was defense-oriented, Riette was a close-range fighter and her poison would be neutralized and weakened, Noah would be similar, and Moon Hyuna would be weak underwater too...
“What about our Guildmaster?”
Kang Soyoung spoke up.
“His attacks follow the chains, so there isn’t much difference underwater. Since pure water is nonconductive, it would actually be easier to concentrate the electricity. I don’t know if he’ll come, but should I contact him?”
Regardless of his skill’s main attribute, he was someone who would be useful. Still, he annoyed me. What the hell was his weakness? Why was he good at everything? Wasn’t there some monster that was an insulator both outside and inside? Though he would probably handle that easily somehow too.
“Yes, please.”
Not long after Kang Soyoung made the call.
Thudthudthud.
A helicopter appeared overhead. After circling the lake once as though taking in the view, a man dressed in a three-piece suit as though he had been invited to some elegant banquet jumped down from it. It was a considerable height, but Seong Hyeonje landed as lightly as though descending a single stair and swept back the hair ruffled by the wind. What an asshole.
“Looks like you enjoyed your lake tour very much. You even invited me because a new lake appeared. As your guide, I couldn’t be prouder.”
“I gave you half a star out of five. You still haven’t checked it.”
“Oh dear. I’ll have to arrange another visit to restore my honor. How about the sea this time?”
“Ah, I’m allergic to seawater.”
“I didn’t know such a thing existed.”
“It does now.”
I intended to develop more allergies in the future too. Smiling faintly, Seong Hyeonje held out the sealed plastic bag in his hand. It held spare clothes and towels I had requested through Kang Soyoung. Clothes made from dungeon items or by-products would be more comfortable, but I didn’t want to add to my debt for shirts. Regular clothes were no burden to stiff him for.
“I even run personal errands myself, yet you’re still stingy with the stars.”
“I didn’t know you would bring them yourself. Then one and a half stars.”
I had naturally assumed he would send someone else. His pointless excessive kindness was ominous before it was burdensome. After I briefly explained the situation, Seong Hyeonje looked between Yerim and Yoohyun.
“I understand the little lady going, but is the young master going too?”
Yoohyun immediately raised an eyebrow at Seong Hyeonje’s words.
“Is there a problem?”
“A young master soaked through with water. That wouldn’t be a bad appetizer. I have wondered sometimes what it would be like. Would he catch fire properly?”
“I’ve caught several electric eels in a swamp, so don’t worry.”
Don’t pick a fight with a kid when you’re nearly twice his age, you grown-ass adult.
“Please play the role of a good adult today too.”
“Unfortunately, the free trial period has ended.”
“Shouldn’t you give me a week? That’s really short. How much is the paid service...”
“What are you doing, Hyung?”
Yoohyun cut me off incredulously. I didn’t know, it just felt like I had to buy it. Yerim looked at me and Seong Hyeonje with an expression similar to Yoohyun’s.
“You’re unexpectedly close with the Sesung Guildmaster, Mister.”
“We aren’t close.”
“We are.”
“Don’t pretend we’re close.”
“I’ll extend the free trial period by another week instead.”
“We’ll consider ourselves close for the next week.”
After saying it, I felt like I had been scammed. It was a paid service after all. But I couldn’t take it back when this unpredictable man might start picking fights with the kids. Feeling unsettled, I approached Song Taewon.
“It would be better if Manager Song stayed here, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes. Since this is a phenomenon similar to a dungeon break, we do not know when monsters may emerge. At least one S-Class Hunter should remain behind.”
“If it seems as though you might lack manpower, contact Hunter Riette. If you say I asked, she will help at least once. Ah, Hunter Noah would be useful in many ways as well. Use my name with him too. But please avoid putting the two of them together. If you call Hunter Noah, contact Hunter Kim Seonghan instead of Riette, or perhaps Hunter Moon Hyuna. Would you like Noah’s contact information?”
“That is not necessary. I have memorized the contact information of every S-Class Hunter who has entered the country.”
As expected of a diligent civil servant. That was reassuring.
“Are you truly going with them, Mr. Han Yujin?”
I gave an embarrassed smile at the concern in his voice.
“There’s an adult who can’t act his age, so I can’t just send them off. There are other reasons too.”
“Please be careful. And... thank you for your consideration.”
“You’re welcome. It is only natural cooperation.”
A faint smile appeared on Song Taewon’s face, which had remained stiff throughout. He must have been glad, given the chronic manpower shortage. After dipping my head slightly to tell him to take care, I approached the water.
“Don’t enter the gate immediately.”
We had gathered three S-Class Hunters, but entering a mysterious and suspicious dungeon without any information made me uneasy. The filial-piety addicts could not set foot in our world themselves, but hadn’t they sent monsters around SS-Class?
We also needed a countermeasure against the constantly pouring water.
“Just trust me, Mister!”
Yerim spoke confidently, grabbed my arm, and entered the water. Items that allowed underwater movement varied in grade and effect. Some offered such complete freedom that movement was easier than on land, while lower-grade versions simply allowed breathing.
Yerim’s earrings were top-grade, so she sped forward even while bringing me along. Her flight skill helped greatly too. The lake was not very large yet, so we soon spotted the gate. I could feel the current slowly flowing out from beyond it.
“You two are so slooow~”
Don’t get cocky. Though she had reason to. Yoohyun and Seong Hyeonje arrived shortly after. After checking that both were there, I approached the gate and knocked three times. The gate’s appearance remained unchanged, but the current flowing out of it stopped.
So it did work.
“Let’s go in. It’ll be cold inside.”
“Cold?”
If it was like last time, it would be. Just in case, Yoohyun and Seong Hyeonje entered first. Then Yerim and I stepped through the gate. An icy wind immediately swept over my entire body.
“Ugh, even my Cold Resistance item is barely useful.”
“If we didn’t have the items, our wet clothes would have frozen solid. But it’s a snowfield, not water? Did the snow melt and flow out?”
I wanted to explain, but changing clothes came first. It was a good thing I had prepared for this just in case. While I hurriedly took out the tent, Yoohyun sent over the fire lizard. That was better. After telling them not to fight, I entered to change clothes.
Kra-boom!
“I told you to stay still! If it’s a volleyball, it isn’t an enemy!”
Then came a boing, boing, followed by a thump against the tent.
“Newbie, wait!”
Good grief. I changed into dry clothes and put on the thick outerwear I had prepared for coming here. If they were going to make one, why make it a snowfield instead of somewhere with nice weather?
When I came outside, Yerim and Seong Hyeonje were gazing curiously at the volleyball. One looked like she wanted to kick it, while the other looked as though he wanted to split it open.
[HoneyHoneyHoney! I know that person too!]
Newbie bounced around Seong Hyeonje as it spoke. It would get struck by lightning again.
[This time, you cut ties quickly! Well, the lizard’s owner must have known too!]
“More importantly, can you connect me to Waterdrop?”
[Ah, yes!]
The volleyball bounced over to me. No sooner had I asked Yoohyun to explain than the sound was cut off. Then a far more mature voice spoke.
[Hello, Honey.]
For a moment, the Mermaid Queen’s image seemed to arise before me. Those painfully blue waves. I drew in a small breath and continued.
“Do you know that a successor has arrived?”
[Of course.]
“They asked me to tell you they would propose a wager. Then they left behind this strange dungeon gate as a gift and disappeared.”
[She is not particularly belligerent. But she may become dangerous if something catches her interest.]
...That zombie had shown interest in Yoohyun. We had to be careful.
“Do you know anything about the dungeon it left behind? Water kept pouring out.”
[I have an idea. But it may be somewhat difficult for Honeys to handle...]
“Then help us.”
[You know I cannot.]
What did she mean, I knew? She had plenty. Hand something over.
“The Mermaid Queen helped us, but I was the one who caught the lizard. Yet I received nothing but mana stones. Give me the reward you forgot.”
[That was a matter outside the system, and did you not obtain the lizard’s skill?]
“I only combined it based on an ability I already possessed. If you call that a reward, I would not just be disappointed, I would feel wronged. I am not asking for anything excessive.”
I glanced over at Yerim, who was poking the barrier surrounding me with the tip of her spear.
“Give us one of your skills that can resolve this situation.”
[...My skill?]
“Yes, Queen of the Merfolk of the Blue Billows. I do not care whether it is ice-attribute or water-attribute.”
Silence fell. So Waterdrop really was the owner of the earrings Yerim wore. A moment later, she spoke.
[The earrings that child has were ones I wore when I was young.]
“Since you have that connection too, please help us.”
Yerim was an S-Class Hunter, but she was still young and comparatively weak. Yet she was not the sort to quietly remain under protection. What choice did I have? I needed to make her strong enough to protect herself amid the dangers ahead.
[Honey, this is an unreasonable request for me. But I...]
Another brief silence seeped in before her calm, damp-sounding voice continued.
[I have no choice but to grant it. In exchange, I will ease my guilt a little.]
“Thank...”
[This is a transaction. Do not thank me.]
Her words were resolute and cold. Guilt, huh. If she only eased it a little, perhaps I could get more from her over the remaining guilt later. I did not ask why she felt guilty. She would not answer anyway.
[I cannot pass on the skill in its entirety. You may use it only once. However, if it is properly absorbed, it will be of great help. You already know that, do you not, Honey?]
“You mean it can be learned through experience.”
[It will not be easy. It depends entirely on that child’s talent and effort.]
“Couldn’t you make it about ten uses?”
It was not that I doubted Yerim, but once was too few. However, the Mermaid Queen refused, saying even one use was excessive.
[Even if she learns only a portion of it, it will be more than enough.]
A jewel appeared before me. It was a blue gem resembling the Mermaid Queen’s earring decoration. When I took it in my hand, an information window appeared.
[Ruler of Water ? Mythic-Class
The power that established the Queen of the Merfolk of the Blue Billows as the source of water in a world.
One use only]
Just seeing its grade showed that it was not an understatement to call even one use excessive. At the same time, I keenly felt how distant transcendent beings capable of attacking an origin truly were.
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