chapter 153

Episode 153

The lamb skewers were truly delicious.

“There’s no gamey smell at all.”

It was like a miracle.

“The lamb chops we ate last time were really good too...”

“That was steak.”

“Yes, but lamb skewers have a bit more texture, so I like them.”

Juhyeon didn’t particularly care about fine dining. No matter if he was a second-grade city citizen, what room was there to enjoy gastronomy in a life where you scrape by day to day? He didn’t even have money to donate, so there was no way he’d have the leeway to indulge in luxury.

But even Juhyeon was made to crave food by this ecstatic taste and texture. He’d eaten lamb skewers made from monsters a few times before, but this was his first time having such a full-fledged meal.

“In particular, the way the fatty parts and the lean parts are properly mixed...”

“The fatty parts have too much fat, and the lean parts are too clean, so I tried mixing them.”

“Thanks to that, it feels like I won’t get tired of eating no matter how much I keep going. It’s incredible.”

“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 lot.

“Teacher, did you change the charcoal this time?”

“I found a new kind of wood and tried switching it.”

“There’s a spicy scent, so it’s more stimulating than last time.”

“Oh dear, was it too stimulating?”

“I meant it was good.”

The way they chatted softly together was no different from a family.

“...”

Juhyeon’s mood turned strange for a moment.

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

All at once, he recalled the orphanage he could call his hometown. Because it was an atmosphere that was especially ostracized even among Association-affiliated orphanages, there were many hard things, but it was also an environment well-suited to coming together as one heart.

Even after Juhyeon became independent from the orphanage, he would sometimes visit and help prepare meals. It wasn’t some grand menu, but children who helped diligently prepare, washing ingredients or setting places. And the director...

‘Vague, but it’s a good atmosphere.’

The gentle breeze held a suitable warmth. It carried the fragrance of flowers soaked into the warm sunlight, and in the forest surrounding the cabin, it swayed with cool sounds. Birds peered in, and clouds drifted by.

Rather than an ideal atmosphere like something drawn in a picture, it was the kind of situation you could wish for when you conceived the abstract concept called “ordinary happiness.” He thought this scenery really resembled a fairy tale.

“...Mm...”

But in reality, it was a humanoid monster and a wicked god.

‘There’s a strange feeling where good and evil aren’t distinguished.’

Since coming here, it felt like he’d been thinking all kinds of things.

“By the way.”

“...Ah, yes.”

“You said you’re Teacher’s friend?”

At Aria’s question, her younger brother Iser’s gaze soon fell on Juhyeon as well. He didn’t look like he had anything to say, but when their eyes met, his eyes rounded. It took the shape of goodwill.

Aria continued.

“How did that happen?”

“Didn’t you already know the basic details?”

“I did receive a little of the story of this place.”

“Then why...”

“That doesn’t mean I know all of Teacher’s stories.”

“...”

“But, I see. I can guess to some extent.”

Aria turned to Gio.

“Because Teacher likes good and well-mannered people.”

Gio didn’t deny it and smiled lightly.

“Don’t you really want to become close with such people?”

“I can’t tell whether your social skills are good or bad.”

Aria looked at Juhyeon again.

“So you’re what you call a clever sucker.”

“...Y-you even know a word like that.”

“I studied Korean culture a bit.”

“I don’t know why you learned the word ‘sucker,’ of all things...”

Juhyeon’s face grew awkward with embarrassment. Whenever his way of thinking—chasing an overly ideal utopia—was pointed out, shame always came over him.

“Am I a sucker?”

“That’s not it.”

Gio denied it.

“That word refers to people who can’t even secure their own share and have their things taken in a direction they don’t want. I don’t think it’s the same in Mr. Juhyeon’s case.”

“You flatter me.”

“To be honest, I do clearly prefer people of Mr. Juhyeon’s type. Those who have deep roots, and are strong and abundant enough to share what is theirs.”

“Uh... um...”

Juhyeon’s smile became ambiguous.

“...Thank you?”

“I only said what I felt.”

After saying that, Gio put on a soft smile and turned to Iser.

“The same goes for Cha Isol, the student who was Iser’s partner last time.”

At that, Iser calmly nodded.

“He was a good child.”

“He resembles Iser.”

“...”

Iser soon showed his characteristic smile.

“That, too, is flattery.”

Seeing Juhyeon blinking at their conversation, Gio explained.

“The student named Cha Isol is currently a student of the Seoul Branch Sun Church.”

“Ah... is he the child who was said to have been kidnapped to the ‘Kingdom of the Deep Sea’?”

“You know that too.”

“As much as possible, I tend to check all information available at the Association.”

Juhyeon nodded.

“It wasn’t common for kidnapped children to return alive and well, after all.”

At his gaze, Aria smiled clearly.

“I had no intention of tormenting him. I know hostages are valuable.”

“I heard reports that the treatment was completely different from ordinary kidnappings.”

“No matter how much I hate humans, I won’t directly torment a human child.”

“Is that because Giovanni likes children?”

“They’re also innocent beings in a way, since they’re young and can’t help it.”

Aria wore a neat smile.

“Even if they were swept up in what we did?”

“...I suppose so...”

Juhyeon reacted with mixed feelings.

“So you didn’t torment that child named Cha Isol... well, it’s already a problem that you kidnapped him, but anyway... in that context, you didn’t lay hands on him directly?”

On that part, Iser answered.

“I did hope he’d be appropriately frightened.”

“Ah, so it wasn’t that?”

“His belief that we wouldn’t harm him was too firm.”

“He must have been a smart child.”

“He didn’t fear mermaids either.”

“It’s hard to say whether that’s amazing...”

“Who knows.”

Iser smiled somewhere like Giovanni.

“I think Mr. Juhyeon is similar.”

“...Me?”

“Aren’t you eating with monsters without a care?”

“Ah.”

No, I do know, but...

“Ah, uh... mm...”

Juhyeon flustered.

“It might be because it doesn’t feel real.”

“It doesn’t look like that.”

“Isn’t it a bit odd to suddenly act scared after coming all this way?”

“I meant you resemble us in that incomprehensible shamelessness.”

“Please call it confidence, if possible.”

“If you wish, I will do so.”

After calmly nodding, Iser looked at Gio.

“Do you intend to keep taking him in here?”

“I have not taken him in.”

At that, Juhyeon expressed doubt.

“Didn’t Argio bring me?”

“I literally invited you; it doesn’t seem like I particularly took you in.”

“Ah... I see.”

Appearing out of nowhere, bringing him into the house, feeding him, putting him to sleep, and talking to him wasn’t “taking him in,” apparently.

As often happened, Juhyeon grew curious how the encyclopedia in Gio’s head would be organized.

‘I thought it was basically the sentiment of picking up a pitiful abandoned dog, but I guess it wasn’t.’

Regardless of what Juhyeon thought, Gio continued.

“I am fine with Mr. Juhyeon continuing to live here.”

“Oh, no?”

Juhyeon quickly expressed refusal with his characteristic social-life smile.

“I couldn’t possibly impose like that. Even just you feeding me and letting me sleep up until now is far too much for me. I was thinking of finding a home again and going out soon.”

“Do you need to find a new home?”

“I was living in a dorm near the institute. I plan to submit my resignation because I don’t think institute life suits me, and if I do that, I’ll need to find a separate place to live, won’t I?”

At that, Gio looked steadily at Juhyeon. Something like a childish pressure could be felt.

“I mean, you’re my secretary...”

“...”

“Are you going to live far away?”

“...Usually people do...”

Even in a hunter-and-manager relationship, living together was extremely rare.

“I need time to be trained for manager duties too.”

“Our home’s doors are always open.”

“It feels like they’re too open, so could you close them a little...”

“What did you say?”

“I said the weather is really good today.”

All the ‘Black Cloak’ series works known to the world were effectively dungeon entrances. With the owner accepting outside elements this easily, it was obvious how many people would die.

But no matter how steadfast Juhyeon was, like a pine tree, he couldn’t demand that the dungeon master close his entrance. Above all, the mermaids’ gazes were too sharp. He didn’t want to die like this.

“So, for now, after I go out...”

So Juhyeon turned the topic back to his plans for his future.

“I’m thinking of making graves when I find a decent place.”

“Then they will be for the families caught up in the recent incident.”

“Yes. Things were so chaotic that I didn’t even think to hold funerals.”

Since he’d been thinking of dying together, how could funerals have even come to mind?

But now Juhyeon was drawing a future, and was devising ways to overcome and move forward. As the first cornerstone for that, he needed an apology to the family and friends who were swept up in his matters.

“I want to start with that.”

Gio asked.

“Do you not need my help?”

“It’s my responsibility that I must bear.”

“No, you’ll need my help...”

“Please restrain your overflowing goodwill.”

“I can do well.”

“It would have been burdensome even if you did less well.”

“So it is like that, after all.”

Watching those two, Iser curled his finger—then clenched it.

“...”

“Iser.”

“...Yes, sister.”

“Don’t think useless thoughts; bring tea.”

“I will.”

Seeing Iser naturally run errands for his older sister, Juhyeon’s eyes widened and blinked.

“...Useless thoughts? Did I earn someone’s dislike? Like I almost died, or something?”

“Looking at this, you’re not entirely fearless.”

Aria continued, cupping her cheek.

“It is nothing but common jealousy, so there is no need to fear it.”

After saying that, Aria turned to Gio.

“Teacher’s friend is making graves. Will you help?”

“If there is something I can help with, I should.”

Before Juhyeon could even refuse, Gio looked at him.

“How does Earth currently conduct funerals?”

“Usually cremation, but if there is no body... we burn keepsakes and preserve them.”

“Mr. Juhyeon’s family and friends must have no bodies.”

“Given how things were, I was very late.”

“Then I...”

Just as Gio was about to make a suggestion, Iser brought tea.

“I brought basram flowers.”

“Isn’t it rare to have them?”

“Yes, it truly has been a long time.”

“This time’s flowers, I recently made them bloom myself.”

“Basram is underwater cultivation—where did you grow them?”

“In the waterbirds’ nest over there.”

At that, Iser, who was passing around the tea, replied a beat late.

“...Ah, it can be used that way too.”

“Thanks to children who like flowers, I received help.”

“Basram flowers have a very good fragrance, so they must have been satisfied.”

“Somehow the lake I saw on the way looked golden.”

At Iser’s words, Juhyeon asked.

“Is there a separate reason it’s golden?”

“When Teacher’s waterbirds are happy, they make their nest shine golden.”

“Ah-ha...”

Juhyeon’s gaze fell on the waterbird, Honey, perched on Gio’s shoulder.

“Then that friend?”

“Honey drank the juice of lulupu and her color changed.”

“Koongkku-reu.”

Gio added an explanation.

“It is a flower that grows at the spring in the forest.”

“Just hearing it, it doesn’t sound ordinary.”

“It does have an extremely good fragrance.”

“...I see!”

That wasn’t really what he meant by “doesn’t sound ordinary,” though.

“I’m curious what kind of fragrance it is.”

“If you need perfume, I will make it for you.”

“Please restrain your goodwill.”

Juhyeon continued.

“Anyway, I’ll prepare soon and try to find a home.”

“I think submitting your resignation through Mr. Yoo Seong-woon is also a good method.”

“I will keep it in mind. Thank you for your advice in many ways.”

Since the Collector’s guildmaster had said he would personally step in, the resignation would be handled neatly.

‘But surely, to manage the identity of Hunter Seo Gio... should the lodging be close?’

Juhyeon was pondering that he should ask Hunter Yoo Seong-woon directly.

* * *

And a few days later.

“...My lodging has already been found?”

“...I’m sorry. I really tried to stop him...”

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

At Yoo Seong-woon’s gaunt smile, Juhyeon waved his hand.

“I’m grateful you looked into it for me. And honestly, I was also wondering what kind of place I should find if I’m going to manage Hunter Seo Gio.”

“If you see it that way, I’m grateful, but...”

“And you said the Collector would cover the lodging cost, right? By that logic, I received benefits far beyond what I deserve. I’m only flustered by the sudden decision.”

“...”

“...Um...”

Sensing danger in Yoo Seong-woon’s silence, Juhyeon asked carefully.

“So where is the lodging?”

“It’s next door to my place.”

“...Pardon?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Seriously, why?

“...”

“...”

Yoo Seong-woon averted his eyes.

It was the sin of having a notorious collector as your guildmaster.

(To be continued in the next episode)