WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 57: Midnight Cursed Poison Dragon (2)

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I could not make out their exact appearance, perhaps because they were using a Stealth-type skill. But the silhouette was unmistakably human.

And they had spoken.

An S-Class Hunter with a Stealth skill?

I did not remember anyone like that.

Keeping an eye on the fallen silhouette, I approached the basket holding Peep. The instant I picked up the peacefully sleeping chick, the silhouette sprang up.

“Wow, thrilling. Babe, what was that? My Curse Resistance is S-Class, and I barely broke free even with a curse-breaking item equipped.”

It was a woman’s voice. S-Class Curse Resistance? I should not be one to say this, but she was a monster.

According to Weakling’s Premonition, she had S-Class stats, S-Class poison and curse skills, an SS-Class close-range physical attack skill, and an SSS-Class title...

What was this? She was a Hunter I had never even heard of. What kind of title had three Ss in it?

Of course, it might have had no offensive power, like my L-Class title, but that did not seem likely. Because...

[Awakened: Riette

Current stat rank S

Potential stat rank upon Awakening S

Optimized initial skills

Eternal Severance (SS) acquired

Path of the Sword (S) acquired

Dazzling Aura (S) acquired

Passing Clouds (A) acquired]

Severance, sword, aura. None of those initial skills had anything to do with curses or poison.

Which meant that her poison and curse skills were most likely title skills from that SSS-Class title.

“What are you staring at so hard, pretty boy?”

...The way she talked was really something. Her name, too. Was she Western?

‘Her stats are one thing, but those skills are no joke. If there were ranking matches right now, she would definitely be near the top.’

Close-combat aptitude, an SSS-Class poison-and-curse title, and apparently a Stealth skill on top of that. Since Raucitas’s Natural Enemy had activated, that SSS-Class title was probably related to cursed poison dragons as well. Dio Valshecis, was it? I had never heard of the monster, but with a name like that, it could not be ordinary.

“Babe? How about you react already? Did I scare you stiff?”

“If you had business with me, you should have requested a visit by phone during the day, Ms. Riette.”

“Oh my?”

Right after her surprised exclamation, the vague silhouette became clear. The woman who emerged from the darkness was a beauty wearing a cheerful smile. Her short haircut, trimmed for ease of movement, was jet-black, and her eyes were a distinct gold.

Golden eyes. High-rank Hunters could develop unusual appearances depending on their aptitude or skills, but hers had a metallic quality far too alien to belong to a human.

“How did you know my name? And weren't you F-Class, with no attack skills at all?”

She did not look East Asian, yet she spoke Korean fluently. It must have been thanks to the item around her neck. Translation items occasionally dropped in S-Class dungeons.

“Isn't it standard for Hunters to keep a move or two hidden?”

“That's more than one or two moves. That just now was a curse skill, probably SS-Class. And you seem to have a skill that lets you learn information about others, too. You were reading something very intently, weren't you?”

So using Sprout in front of an S-Class Hunter really did get noticed right away. I placed Peep back in the basket and smiled gently.

“It was my trump card. I'm quite disappointed it didn't work.”

“You simply had bad luck with your opponent. A skill that can overpower even S-Class Curse Resistance is amazing.”

Raucitas’s Natural Enemy had doubled it again, too. How many times stronger had it become?

“May I assume you don't intend to attack?”

Peep was right beside me, while Peace and Myeongu were nearby, so it was best to avoid a fight if possible. Besides, with skills like those, our odds would not be very high even if Yoohyun came. She had close-combat aptitude and S-Class poison and curse skills, and there were too many people to protect. Just holding her off would be difficult.

Fortunately, she seemed to have no intention of fighting either and nodded broadly at my question.

“Of course. More than anything, we're a terrible match. Did you notice I fired a curse skill as soon as I broke free from your curse?”

I had not. It must have vanished because an S-Class curse skill was too insignificant.

“My Curse Resistance skill is rather high-ranked.”

Still, I shrugged as if I had known. Riette raised both hands in response.

“My curse skills are specialized for conditions, so they're weak in combat, but it's frustrating that they don't work at all.”

Simple offensive curse skills like Blackie’s Thorn Trap were generally possessed by monsters. Typical Hunter curse skills were condition-specific, with broad uses such as sealing inventories or binding contracts.

Wait.

“...Did you come because I tore up the contract?”

“That’s right! So it was you?”

Seriously, she had come all this way over that? Seeing my expression, Riette hurriedly added an explanation.

“That wasn't the only reason. I came to ask a favor, too. I never thought you would have broken the contract in the first place. I only planned to ask around while I was here. But seeing Han Yujin’s abilities... was the kidnapping incident a trap aimed at MKC after all?”

It was not. But I made an expression that suggested it might have been.

“Are rumors like that going around?”

“You were rescued too easily and too quickly. It does seem suspicious. More importantly, are we going to keep talking while standing?”

Riette walked to the bed, casually lifted one long leg, and perched on it.

What was she doing? This was Korea!

“Take off your shoes.”

“Oh, right.”

Riette obediently kicked off both combat boots. She was wearing cat-patterned socks.

“Cute, right? I bought them in Dongdaemun.”

“Ah, yes.”

“You're so dry, babe. This is when you're supposed to climb onto the bed on your own.”

Then she lay down at an angle and beckoned with a fluttering hand. The moonlight reflected in the window... no, the lights from the building across the street, made for a sentimental atmosphere, but I did not want to share a bed with an unfamiliar S-Class Hunter who possessed an SS-Class close-range severing skill.

After thinking for a moment, I went to the bed. I did not lie down, just sat on the opposite side.

“Isn't it usually nothing to worry about when an illegal contract is broken?”

There was a reason illegal contracts were illegal. Some people signed them after thoroughly preparing Curse Resistance and curse-breaking items. Even if she had another main purpose, why had she come to check on it?

At my words, Riette looked a little embarrassed.

“It’s because I just started.”

“You just started?”

“Yeah. I only just opened for business, so I can't help worrying. I got the curse skill only ten days ago.”

Ten days? Just ten days ago?

“May I ask how you obtained it?”

“You ask too many questions, babe. Without even coming closer.”

“You've learned my secret as well, so let's agree to keep quiet about each other.”

“A secret? Your stats and skills? Your little brother already knows, doesn't he? The guild leaders who signed rearing contracts with you must know too.”

“They don't.”

At my words, she rolled over onto her stomach. Her golden eyes widened round.

“They don't? Really? That's unexpected. Not even your brother?”

“Yes. They really don't know. Isn't that a secret worth trading?”

Though my hand was only half real. Once she learned one fact, she would likely guess that I possessed some special skill. So I was not giving away too little.

“What should I do?”

“I also know your skills came from your title.”

“Wow, so you really do have a skill that checks status windows. Babe, you're too much. Fine. It's a title I received for defeating an S-Class dungeon boss monster.”

“Dio Valshecis?”

“If you know everything already, why ask?”

Riette pouted.

“It’s the SSS-Class title Dio Valshecis’s Twin. You can only obtain it by defeating Dio Valshecis, a twin dragon, with only a sibling who shares your mother at your side. My younger brother is an S-Class Hunter too.”

It was a high-grade title with suitably difficult conditions. But her younger brother was S-Class too? Lucky. I was jealous.

“Could you also tell me which dungeon it was?”

“It was an illegal dungeon in China, but...”

She continued, narrowing her brow slightly.

“You might find this hard to believe, but it disappeared after we cleared it.”

“It disappeared?”

“...You aren't surprised? I'm not lying.”

“I know. I believe you.”

Twin cursed poison dragons, Dio Valshecis. Information on a dungeon with such monsters as bosses could not have gone undiscovered for five years.

That meant it was definitely...

A dungeon that should have appeared five years later.

The system administrators must have intervened to make the dungeon suddenly disappear.

‘So that is why I had no information on such an extraordinary Hunter.’

I had heard of a female Hunter with straightforward close-combat attack aptitude. The name had been different, but many Hunters did not use their real names, so it had to be the same person. S-Class Hunters were not common, and with matching aptitude and gender, there was no doubt.

In the original future, Riette had not obtained the title Dio Valshecis’s Twin.

That dungeon had not even appeared yet.

...Could there have been more incidents like this?

“You believe me? Really?”

Riette slowly edged closer. Up close, she really was beautiful. I must have been entranced by her face for a moment, because I sat there blankly until the arm reaching out wrapped around my waist.

“Still, you're a little strange.”

“...What is?”

Riette pulled me close against her. No, wait. She raised her upper body and pressed the tip of her nose to my shoulder.

You are quite a bit taller than me sitting down.

“...Are you a dragon species too?”

“I am human.”

“But you feel... like kin? No, more like... hmm, someone who could easily beat Dio Valshecis to death. You have that big-shot feeling.”

...I had thought it was Blackie’s skill, but it seemed to be the effect of Raucitas’s Natural Enemy or the Dragon Slayer title. Blackie had been frightened too, so it was not strange for Riette to sense something odd.

“You're getting me excited.”

“...Excuse me?”

“You smell nice too. Do you wear perfume?”

I had used rather a lot of body wash. More importantly, she was pressing far too close.

“Could you move away?”

“Are you really twenty-five? You're so cold.”

“I am old enough to pick my targets before I rush in. More importantly, tell me what you came for.”

I had satisfied all my curiosity, so I wanted her to go home now. Riette roughly pulled away as if offended, then sprawled out on the bed.

“You're so mean. Would it wear out your thing to play along a little? It’s already sad enough that ordinary humans don't attract me.”

“...They don't attract you?”

“Yeah. They don't. I'm basically half-dragon, half-human now, so I guess my sexual preferences changed too.”

How unfortunate. Still, it was none of my business.

“Please finish your business and leave. I need to sleep.”

“So cold. You were cute when I watched you on TV. Come to think of it, why does your face look the same? Your stats seem fairly high. You look fine now, but if your appearance has been adjusted this much, then originally you must have been...”

“It hasn't been adjusted.”

This was my original face.

“Right, you said you'd only Awakened recently. My business is obvious. I have a monster cub I want to entrust to you.”

“If that's all, call during the day. You can't possibly not know my contact information.”

With all the spam calls I got, could an S-Class Hunter really fail to find my number? Riette’s eyes widened at my words.

“Are you pretending not to know? The guilds that negotiated with you are watching like hawks. How could I call you directly? Especially when your brother has been openly threatening everyone not to even think of contacting you personally.”

Yoohyun had been doing that?

“But is it all right for you to come here in person?”

A smile curled around her lips.

“It’s fine as long as I don't get caught. You saw my skills. I hadn't planned to reveal myself. I never dreamed you could see straight through an S-Class Hunter’s status window. I planned to sneak in, check your intentions, and slowly reel you in.”

It was true that if she had a Stealth skill, coming in person would be safer than a traceable phone call.

“So you want me to raise a monster cub for you?”

“If I openly entrusted one to you, people would find out I contacted you. Could you set up some way for me to get connected to you? There are many people besides me who are desperate.”

She acted cute as she asked.

A way to get connected.

“Do you use social media?”

“Huh?”

“I'll make an account soon. Guilds and Hunters use social media often, so I'll follow people and contact them first. When I make my account, put up a related post. Give me your ID now.”

“Ah, I haven't managed it properly. Here’s my ID.”

She pulled parchment and a pen from her inventory, wrote down the ID, tore off the strip, and handed it to me.

“Thanks, love you.”

Hearing her casually say she loved me made me suddenly wonder whether I should apply the Keyword to Riette as well. Since she received double effects, it might only take a word or two. Blackie had not taken long despite being unable to communicate, so someone who understood talk about love would have it applied quickly.

What should I do? There was one S-Class slot open, and I could occasionally give her a growth buff.

Though with the growth buff doubled too, that felt like giving away too much. First, I should just check whether the Keyword effect would appear.

“Is there anyone you consider your Caregiver? Someone who raised you?”

“Huh? No. Not at all. If anything, I raised my brother. Come to think of it, you said you raised your brother too.”

“Yeah, well...”

I had raised him. But looking at the result, I had just...

“...Even so, he Awakened on his own and went his own way.”

Overnight. He had been about to take the college entrance exam, graduate, and go to university. I had thought that would be the end of my job.

Ah, I remembered. The savings account I had opened for his tuition. There had been no need to use it, so it had sat untouched until I closed it before going to meet the Awakening broker. That was why my bank balance had been more generous than expected.

“Babe?”

For some reason, I lost all motivation and lay down on the bed.

“If you're done, please leave now. I'm going to sleep.”

“You're really just going to sleep?”

“Yes, I am.”

I simply closed my eyes. I could feel Riette hovering over me.

Her gaze looking down at me, too.

“Han Yujin, I'll visit again.”

“...No, thank you.”

“Thank you. Sleep well.”

Something as light as down brushed my forehead, then pulled away. After the sound of shoes being put on, the door opened and closed. Weakling’s Premonition, which had been noisy the whole time, fell silent.

It was quiet.

I opened my eyes again.

‘...The system people really are working.’

Not only blocking progress, but even deleting a dungeon from five years in the future after it appeared. Although it had already been cleared. It must have been a first clear, so what reward had they received? I should have asked that too.

‘The rewards increased with difficulty over five years. Still, compared to that title, even a rare item would be nothing special.’

Dio Valshecis’s Twin. An SSS-Class title was a grade that had not appeared even five years later, as far as I knew.

Riette had said she was practically half-human, half-dragon, so perhaps it was the kind of title that passed down Dio Valshecis’s abilities directly. And since it was a twin title, both siblings must have received it.

‘If they defeated a boss monster with only the two of them, and cleared an illegal dungeon at that, they must operate as siblings without a guild or team. Two S-Class Hunters would be more than enough for now. Riette has close-combat aptitude, so perhaps her brother is support, or a healer? No, an S-Class healer could not possibly be unknown, so support is more likely.’

He could have ranged aptitude or magic aptitude.

Either way, both of them were currently beyond rank.

It was not merely a waste to leave them alone. It was worrying.

At least Riette was in a position where she had to ask me for favors. Was that fortunate? But I did not know how long it would last.

‘The Keyword effect won't show up for Riette either.’

She was a cursed poison dragon species, so applying it would be easy, but she said she had no one she considered a Caregiver.

Then I really should reel in her brother instead.

He was a younger brother raised by that older sister. I could roughly guess his personality without seeing him. At the very least, he would listen well to his sister.

He was also a cursed poison dragon species, so the Keyword should apply immediately.

‘I should ask her to introduce me to her brother sometime.’

Should I use Peace or Peep as my social media profile picture?

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