WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 52: Peep (1)

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Resisting the urge to turn around right away was not easy. I felt like a character in a horror movie who had to pretend not to hear the squeaking footsteps creeping up behind them until the very end.

‘I’ve kept Lizard on the Wall active.’

Just in case, I had been using it at low strength since before arriving at Sesung Guild. Even Yoohyun, who knew what I was normally like, could only sense it faintly, so no matter how remarkable Seong Hyeonje was, he would not notice easily. It wasn’t as if he would bury his nose against me and sniff me like my brother did.

“Ah, Guildmaster!”

Only after Kang Soyoung finally noticed and turned around could I look behind me as well.

A man nearing forty, though he looked far younger than his age, came into view. He was dressed quite casually, with the buttons at his cuffs undone and his sleeves rolled halfway up. He wasn’t wearing a tie either. He looked so leisurely that I couldn’t bring myself to say something like, I’m sorry you came all this way despite being so busy.

“I’m glad you look healthy. I was very worried.”

Wow, what a chillingly kind expression and tone. If I’d been just a little more innocent, I might have believed him wholeheartedly and been touched.

“I almost feel sorry that you came all this way to check on me.”

I softened the real meaning of, You’re making me uncomfortable, so please leave.

Seong Hyeonje smiled.

S-Classes were all like this, but he really was handsome. Damn people who had everything.

“Having come this far, how could I not come see you? Above all, Han Yujin, my child...”

“Thank you so much for your concern!”

Fuck, Moon Hyuna. Seriously, seriously! Did I have to put up with hearing things like this? I was going to get my revenge properly. Damn it, just wait. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t pay this back.

Hearing my shout, Peace hurried over. Then Peace stared up at the newly arrived man.

Grrr.

Perhaps sensing something unsettling, Peace pressed close against my leg. Seeing that, Kang Soyoung pointed at Seong Hyeonje and told Peace everything was fine.

“Don’t worry, Peace. He’s our Guildmaster. He isn’t dangerous... uh, he isn’t scary, um, he’s kind... no, that’s not quite...”

...This lady really couldn’t lie.

“Anyway, he’s a good person!”

Perhaps he was a good person as a Guildmaster, at least. If Peace could understand human speech perfectly, they might have backed away several steps. Since they couldn’t, they only tilted their head as if wondering what she meant.

“It’s fine. We’re on the same side for now, so you can go play.”

“I intend for that to remain true in the future.”

Seong Hyeonje spoke with amusement in his voice.

What did he mean, he intended for it to remain true? Of course, I shouldn’t make enemies of Sesung Guild. Yes, please remain a good customer for many years to come.

“That’s reassuring to hear.”

“You sound as though you don’t believe me.”

“I’ve lived a rather harsh life.”

Even excluding the five years before I regressed, my life hadn’t been peaceful. There had been more than one person who tried to take even the little property left for the kids. The world was harsh, I was telling you.

“Haeyeon’s Guildmaster may be good at protecting you, but he should give you proper information too.”

Seong Hyeonje clicked his tongue and shook his head.

I felt a little upset, wondering if this man was going to badmouth Yoohyun too, but I held it in at the word information.

It was true that Yoohyun had told me far too little. Even though I was the one who had been kidnapped, I knew nothing about how things were being handled afterward. Whenever I asked, he would simply say, You don’t need to worry about it, Hyung. It’s being handled, and brush it off.

If I hadn’t regressed and had only gained the magical beast rearing skill, Yoohyun might have handled all the negotiations himself while I remained trapped without understanding anything that was going on.

Thinking about it gave me chills.

“My brother can be a little frustrating.”

“Normally, he isn’t.”

...Should I have another drink with my brother? He kept getting criticized all the time. Both he and I seemed to need a chance for a frank conversation.

“If you don’t mind, shall we sit down and talk for a while?”

Seong Hyeonje spoke after seeing my uncertain expression.

What should I do?

I had no intention of continuing to pretend I knew nothing. My goal was to become a peaceful building owner, but I still needed to make the minimum effort required to protect what I had.

However, I was currently staying inside Haeyeon Guild, where my brother’s eyes and ears were everywhere. I couldn’t do anything reckless. He already seemed a little suspicious of me. It wouldn’t be difficult to reel in the future information broker Do Hamin, but that was something to do after building my own nest.

I hadn’t even begun demolishing the place, much less building it. Perhaps I should hear a little from the Sesung Guildmaster himself.

“Yes, that sounds good.”

I nodded with a smile that said I didn’t know anything.

* * *

We moved to a table beneath a pergola on one side of the park. Kang Soyoung left to bring refreshments. Peace didn’t seem to trust Seong Hyeonje at all, so they stopped playing and climbed onto my lap. Still, it didn’t seem excessively clingy as before. It seemed the walk had helped.

“There are indeed many things about Han Yoohyun’s recent behavior that I don’t understand.”

Seong Hyeonje spoke in his usual leisurely tone.

My brother had gone a little strange because of the Keyword effect, but was it that bad? Still, he’d let me go outside today, so I thought he was getting better.

“Before you gained the magical beast rearing skill would be one thing, but the current Han Yujin has more than enough power to build and nurture a force of his own. If you establish yourself properly, I believe you could grow larger than most major guilds. You have already secured a foundation through the previous negotiations.”

Wow, he was overestimating me. Although it wasn’t as if I couldn’t do it if I put my mind to it.

“However, I don’t have ambitions that large. As I said before, demand for mounts will gradually decrease.”

Seong Hyeonje chuckled quietly.

“Do you truly believe that?”

“...Wouldn’t it? Unless people do something insane like using high-rank mounts as consumables.”

“Of course nobody would do such a thing. However, high-rank and top-rank mounts possess strength comparable to A-Class and S-Class Hunters. They could be used not as mounts, but as teammates, or even as monster units.”

Well, that was true, but...

“Monster rearing will only be allowed within the range that can be subdued. Even Sesung would find it difficult to keep more than four or five top-rank mounts.”

Taming was not a skill that controlled monsters perfectly like puppets or robots. Even Peace sulked and acted unpredictably despite my possessing Peace’s Owner’s Token.

A tamed monster would not harm its owner and would regard them as something like the leader of its pack. That was all. If tamers could command them perfectly, tamers would be regarded as Hunters who led monster packs to clear dungeons, rather than specialists who tamed monsters and distributed them.

That was why both ordinary monsters and tamed monsters could only be kept in numbers that the guild or group in question could subdue in an emergency.

“That is true now. But what about the future?”

Seong Hyeonje continued with a meaningful smile.

“Han Yujin, laws can only exist when there is a country and a society.”

“I suppose so.”

“Since the first dungeon appeared until now, their number and difficulty have gradually increased. For now, we still have enough leeway even after managing every dungeon. Once the Awakening Center opens soon, things will become easier. But how long will that leeway last? Personally, I believe five years at most. By then, a great many things will change.”

...It was an exact prediction.

Of course, even five years later, the monster rearing restrictions remained unchanged. But thinking about it, there had been no reason for the law to change back then. Top-rank mounts didn’t exist, after all.

The highest-ranked tamer skill was A-Class, so even high-rank mounts were rare. You had to tame monsters with stats of B-Class or lower, then raise them into high-rank mounts. Not every monster could grow beyond its original rank, so it was half luck.

“...Do you mean that people might eventually attempt to clear dungeons using only monsters?”

“Not to that extent. They will be mixed into groups. They will be a kind of nonhuman Hunter rather than simply mounts. And you will become the only person able to reliably keep raising S-Class and A-Class Hunters.”

A dreadful feeling came over me that I might never be able to retire for the rest of my life. Why hadn’t I considered that the laws could change? No, even so, wouldn’t it be unsettling if monsters were swarming outside dungeons too? Of course, it would be better than high-rank dungeons breaking open...

“This is becoming burdensome.”

“There is still time, so you can establish yourself gradually. More than anything, unless someone with a similar skill appears, your value is greater than that of S-Class Hunters. You don’t need to stay curled up as you are now. It’s fine to be more overbearing.”

“Overbearing?”

“Yes. What would happen if you threw your weight around a little? Your ability is irreplaceable.”

Seong Hyeonje’s eyes curved mischievously.

“You may do anything you wish. Even if it isn’t a guild you have negotiated with, any guild capable of owning high-rank mounts won’t dare make a sound if you contact them and demand this or that. That goes for both domestic and foreign guilds. Foreign guilds are already lining up just to have a chance to speak with you. Shall I give you some contacts? Would you like to call them?”

“...No, that’s a little much.”

Contact any guild and demand whatever I wanted? What was that? It was a level of throwing my weight around that I’d never imagined. I supposed you had to have done it to be good at it. I was already satisfied with gaining just one building.

“That is how high your position is now. Get a top-grade monster hatchling, then let slip something like, ‘Ah, I’m too tired to raise it.’ A Guildmaster will call you immediately and ask if there is anything you need.”

No, that was a little against business ethics... This old man really did have a bad personality. Why was he encouraging me to sit here and go on all kinds of ridiculous power trips? The agreement included a clause about diligent rearing, so was he saying it was none of his business?

“Han Yoohyun cannot possibly be unaware of this, yet he only tries to keep you wrapped up tight like a mother bird protecting her hatchling. It is unlike him.”

Seong Hyeonje spoke as though even he didn’t understand this much.

That was because the Keyword user and Yoohyun’s Caregiver were the same person, so it seemed to apply twice as strongly.

“My stat rank is very low, so that may be part of it. Even if I’m in a position to throw my weight around openly, some lunatic could come after me and take my head at any time.”

“That could be solved by keeping just one top-grade monster at your side. In fact, there is talk of using Haeyeon’s second top-grade monster hatchling to protect you.”

“Is that so?”

“Did they not tell you this either? MKC, which bears responsibility for the kidnapping, plans to cover the cost.”

The conditions were good for me, but that bastard Yoohyun was completely leaving out the person concerned. He probably would have told me once it was settled, but would it have hurt to give me a hint beforehand?

“I wonder if I have ended up doing something similar to Moon Hyuna.”

Seeing my expression, Seong Hyeonje shrugged.

I had blocked the sound with a skill, so if Seong Hyeonje knew, did that mean Moon Hyuna had told him directly?

“No, it’s different from that. I feel that my brother is being excessive too. Still, he’s worried about me, and if I leave Haeyeon, he’ll no longer be able to interfere, so I’ve been looking the other way.”

“I recommend having a proper talk with him.”

“Yes. I certainly will.”

While we talked about this and that, Kang Soyoung returned carrying refreshments. The pastries looked luxurious and tasted excellent, but they were slightly inferior to what Myeongu made. Thinking about how busy Myeongu would become after gaining the forge skill made me depressed again.

“This is a small token of goodwill.”

Seong Hyeonje held out a small accessory case with a certificate of authenticity.

“As Soyoung told you, we will soon be in your debt. Consider it a request that you look after us.”

Was this a bribe? Looking at the certificate, it was an S-Class item. It increased mana by a flat amount and carried the effect of a B-Class barrier skill. Wow, an item with a skill effect. Especially with a barrier skill like this, it would be so popular that it would be difficult to buy even if you had money.

When I opened the case, there was an earring similar in shape to the Black Fairy Earrings that had been taken from me. Only the gemstone was red instead.

“This feels a little burdensome.”

“It needs to feel burdensome to be effective. And this.”

What he took out of his inventory next was a huge wing bone. A little flesh still clung to the thoroughly dried bone. Peace pricked up its ears at its appearance.

“Most high-grade carnivorous monsters like dragon bones.”

That was the first I’d heard of it. Peace bit down on the dragon wing bone without the slightest hesitation. Seeing Peace pull it close with Peace’s forepaws as if hugging it, Peace seemed to like it very much.

...Perhaps Seong Hyeonje was a better person than I’d expected.

“Thank you.”

When I sincerely thanked him, Seong Hyeonje smiled with interest.

“Han Yujin.”

“Yes?”

“I would like it if we could remain close for a long time.”

I would have to see him often whether I liked it or not, since I needed to raise monsters for him. Well, I looked forward to working with him too.

* * *

Early the next morning, I received a message that I had successfully bought an exclusive entry pass for an F-Class dungeon located twenty minutes by taxi from Haeyeon Guild’s building.

I had applied for the dungeon two nights ago. Since it was rare for anyone to pay extra for exclusive bidding on a low-value F-Class dungeon, there had been no competition.

As soon as I received the purchase confirmation, I contacted Yoohyun and told him that I wouldn’t be going out today and would rest at home instead. I said I felt a cold coming on and would take medicine and sleep. I had a hard time talking him out of coming to visit. I also asked him to keep it secret, since it would be troublesome if others found out.

“When did I buy something like this?”

While searching through the half-unpacked luggage for something to cover my face, I found a UV-blocking hat. It covered everything but my eyes with cloth, so it didn’t seem likely that anyone would recognize me. Why had I bought this?

...Ah, I must have worn it while going around staging one-person protests. It was still here.

Pushing aside the bitter memory, I took the hat. It was early summer, so it probably wouldn’t look too strange to wear it around.

The Gate Stone was safely in my inventory, and I had enough equipment. Although it only provided flat stat increases. I had plenty of potions, and I didn’t need emergency rations. Even if I cleared the dungeon without coming out midway, it would take around an hour at my current rank.

‘It was a forest environment.’

According to the dungeon bid page, the dungeon contained a small forest, and the monsters were Moss Monkeys. They were a little troublesome without long-range attack skills, but I had four-meter tentacles and could deal with them in an instant. The boss monster was a giant turtle in a pond at the end of the forest.

Between agile monkeys moving through trees and a turtle with exceptional Defense, the dungeon was difficult for F-Class. Perhaps because of that, it even carried a warning recommending a party that included E-Class Hunters or higher.

Should I clear it if I had time? If I took everything for myself, I would make back more than the cost of the exclusive entry pass.

Grrrr.

When I came into the living room carrying my hat, Peace, who had been gnawing on the dragon wing bone I received yesterday, rumbled in its throat and trotted over. I stroked around Peace’s horn as though scratching it and spoke soothingly.

“Daddy is going out for a little while, so guard the house well. It won’t take long.”

Whine.

“Don’t destroy too much furniture.”

Myeongu wouldn’t return until evening, but just in case, I left Peace loose in the living room and told Myeongu I’d be taking a nap. If I couldn’t answer because I was asleep, Myeongu wasn’t to come straight inside but wait. Peace was well-behaved, but I was uneasy about leaving it alone with someone whose stats were F-Class.

“I’ll be back.”

I worried that Peace might try to follow me, but fortunately, Peace didn’t cross the inner door. They only sat quietly and watched me.

What a well-behaved child.

All right, now I only had to get out safely.

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