< Noah >

The rooftop garden was a disaster.

The table that you couldn't figure out the form of, the dug up ground and broken trees, and the miasma that had gathered stickily like a swamp so that the A-Rank Hunters couldn't easily approach the surroundings.

And on top of that, the grass and garden plants that were still frozen and were dripping water droplets from the summer sun.

I had just moved in yesterday.

'It's a relief that the building at least is fine.'

S-Rank Hunters had fought, so if it was this much, it was incredibly good. It was thanks to Yerim being a low level freezing-oriented magic type, and Noah also being originally assistance type, looking at the initial optimized skills. It seemed like all the skills he used while attacking were related to the Dio Valshesis title, so he wouldn't have been proficient at using the skills yet, either.

Noah left with the Association's Hunters including Song Taewon. As long as it wasn't about his noona, he seemed fine with a good personality, so it should be fine.

"Ahjussi! Ahjussi, come here and get treatment too!"

Yerim, who had become completely lively, gestured to me to quickly come over. Maybe she had covered herself with the water supply water in the garden, because she was completely wet. The arm that had the blood washed off, didn't have a single scratch from being hurt and was smooth.

As expected, high rank healers really were great. It was the same as using tons of precious high rank vitality potions, as long as you provided mana potions.

"I already used a potio-."

Chwaak

As soon as I came close, Yerim dumped a bucket of water over my head. It was summer, but the pouring water was cold.

"Eh, there's still a scar left. Healer ahjussi, over here!"

Slightly floating in the air, Yerim checked my injury and called the healer. You had to quickly wash the wound and get treatment after getting checked, but she really was unreserved. She was a bit tough.

Thanks to that, I also got my scar cleanly erased. Sung Hyunjae said he had things to do and went back with the healer, and only a few people for handling the aftermath were left.

I had to go in and wash and change my clothes, but I was a bit tired, so I just sat on a nearby bench. If I went in wet, I would have to clean the water that dripped down. The summer sun was good, and let's dry up a bit before going.

"And just when did ahjussi come to know that kind of weird woman?"

Yerim sat next to me and asked.

"Social media."

"So this is what you call the harmful effects of social media, huh."

Yerim mumbled, looking at the Hunters handling the poison. Though I thought it was a little different.

"Anyways, as expected, don't say 'love' so easily. You saw just then, a weird woman said she loves him so that crazy guy lost control. Though I don't know why he released his anger on innocent ahjussi. Is it because he's a crazy guy? If your state is weird, then you should tell people your taboo words or something ahead of time."

"I'm not planning on doing that anymore either."

I'm just going to comfortably raise monsters. I would be able to fill it in 5 years. There was today's matter, and just looking at Yerim, taking out the keyword often seemed like it would slowly get dangerous.

'I wasn't planning on overusing the keyword in the beginning; is this also because of the fear resistance?'

I was doing things fearlessly without thinking of the consequences. When I thought about it calmly, saying the keyword to Sung Hyunjae also seemed like a really crazy thing. What was I going to do after applying the keyword to that person. Regularly meet him and use the My Brat skill and raise him?

Now I shouldn't even think of touching the people who are already S-Rank. Even for Unawakened People, I should only use it on S-Rank or higher special skill holders who seemed like it would be hard for them to optimally Awaken. Of course, after thoroughly doing a background check.

'The title was Perfect Caregiver so I only thought of the positive side.'

Even if it was negative, if the influence of the caregiver was large, was it that the keyword effect still appeared?

If you calculated it out, Riette would have raised her brother sincerely in her own way. Would it be something like an intense S-Rank episode of a parent going around cram schools and watching over their kid's every move and browbeating them, not letting them rest? Everything I'm doing is for you to do well, I'm also having a hard time, it takes money and time, too.

So an A-Rank did become an S-Rank. If you didn't know that inside and only looked at the outside, it was a success.

"…I was a little complacent."

"It's not a little. Lately, when I look at ahjussi, you seem like a rabbit."

"What's that now."

"You're going around without a single fear. You were like that just a while ago, too. The crazy guy's noona should have been an S-Rank, but you carelessly got mad. It made sense to get mad, no, ahjussi is a stranger."

"I also have a younger sibling, so it didn't seem like other people's business."

And the keyword was already applied, so he wasn't a complete stranger either. The skill name was also My Brat… No, it wasn't really that. If I thought of the skill window directory, the skill name was completely dissatisfying. Deer bastard, really.

"It is other people's business. And why were you talking about your brother like you raised your own kid? Ahjussi said your parents passed away when you were in high school. Then shouldn't Guild Leader have been around thirteen or fourteen years old? If it's that much, then he's almost all grown. I'm also fifteen."

"What 'all grown'. And I starting looking after Yoohyun around when he was entering kindergarten. He gave his Parent's Day carnation to me, too."

My chest hurt, thinking of how I threw all that out in a fit of anger. Should I have asked to go back to 7 years ago instead of 5 years?

At my words, Yerim's eyes became round.

"Why, even though your parents were fine? Ahjussi should've been a child, too. …Could the atmosphere in your household have possibly been, a little bad…?"

"It wasn't anything like that. Because they both worked…? Somehow? Our parents had a good relationship. Nearly everyday after work, the two of them ate out together, and went out on the weekends. Them passing away at the same time was because they had gotten into an accident while traveling. They were lovebirds to the extent that there was a lot of gossip about them."

"...That seems a little unusual."

Yerim said, frowning slightly.

Well, there were parents in the world who weren't interested in their children. They did take care of the basics, and people around us were of the opinion that we were a happy household living well, so I thought it was probably so too.

'And speaking of, when I used the Wish Stone, I didn't think of our parents at all.'

It was a situation where I couldn't see anything other than Yoohyun, but even if it wasn't so, I didn't think I would have thought to go back to before our parents passed away. Even if I had talked them out of the travel or advised them, they probably wouldn't have listened, and above all, I didn't want to go through the dungeon shock again.

Even if the same thing repeated, there wasn't a way for even the result to be the same. If Yoohyun couldn't Awaken in time and was attacked by a monster… that was no.

'Still, I'm feeling sorry anew.'

Once Yoohyun comes out, we should go to the charnel house[1] once.

***

The facility for imprisoning high rank Awakened People was still inadequate. Especially if they were S-Rank combat Hunters, it was the same as them staying shut in for you. There was only one S-Rank Hunter affiliated to a government institution, so they couldn't be surveilled 1 to 1 for 24 hours. So if it was a day when an S-Rank Hunter was caught and brought in, like today, a subdued tension hung in the air in the entire Hunter-use detention center.

Noah Luire was sitting in the visiting room chair. Compared to when he was running wild, he had become much calmer, but it was a face that still seemed dazed.

Shortly afterwards, the door opened, and Seseong's guild leader Sung Hyunjae came inside. He tossed an item that blocked surrounding sounds onto the table, and sat down opposite to Noah.

"I didn't ever say to make trouble as soon as you enter the country."

It was a tone that seemed a slightly dumbfounded. Though actually, he was rarely taken aback.

Noah's, the Dio Valshesis's Twin title's, poison skill was S-Rank. Even if he had a reasonably high rank poison resistance item, it wasn't a level that a stat F-Rank could withstand. It was a type of curse-like poison that wasn't immediate effect, but one that slowly controlled the opponent's body, so he had quickly taken a healer and gone to the rearing facility.

Though the scene he saw when he arrived was completely different from his expectations.

"...I apologize."

Noah said. It was a weak voice, but still, it wasn't frightened, like in front of Riette.

"Rather than an apology, I want to hear the reason. It's a situation that I completely can't understand."

Sung Hyunjae also more or less knew about the relationship between Noah and Riette. In the first place, Noah coming to under Sung Hyunjae was to get the strength to match his noona.

"It hasn't been long since you were made useful, so it's too much to make a mess of things like this. If it's like this, it'll be hard to properly be active in Korea, too."

Sung Hyunjae sighed exaggeratedly.

"If the price was paid, you should keep your promise."

"…Even if you said it was the price, in the end, didn't my noonim also get the same thing?"

Noah's eyes were slightly sharp. Sung Hyunjae carelessly received that eye glint and passed over it.

"What would even I do about the title's condition being something like that? You didn't add the condition 'more than Riette' to the words that I would make you get stronger, so it's not that the price is wrong."

At the shameless words said while he knew all of the inside story, Noah's eyebrows wrinkled. At the same time, he looked at Sung Hyunjae with a gaze that said that he didn't understand.

It was because Riette, who was already plenty strong, getting the Dio Valshesis's Twin title was something that definitely wouldn't be a happy matter for Sung Hyunjae either. No matter how much of a waste an SSS-Rank title was, passing it to someone who could put a knife to your throat was definitely strange.

"Exactly why…"

"Rather than that kind of trivial thing, I want to hear why you attacked Han Yoojin-gun. I asked two times already."

Noah shut his mouth. His hand on the table unconsciously twitched lightly.

"...I felt a strange feeling since I first met him."

"A strange feeling?"

"Yes. Like he was similar to noonim and me, a curse and posion dragon type… should I say?"

The moment he felt that, he was slightly tense. On top of that, that strange energy was stronger than even Riette.

"He definitely looked weak, and it was true that he is weak, but I came to think of him as a high rank type."

"Is that why your noonim came to mind?"

"...Probably."

Tilting his head slightly, Noah replied. It was voice that said he wasn't even sure himself.

It was clear that he felt like Han Yoojin was Riette. Even now, when he thought of him, his heart pounded. Noah's two hands grabbed each other tight and became tangled.

"A curse and poison dragon type – could it be a title? I was wondering where an S-Rank or higher poison resistance had suddenly come out of. Would he have curse resistance like you and Riette? That would be a little annoying."

Sung Hyunjae mumbled lowly. He couldn't even guess how a stat F-Rank could have gotten that kind of title. On top of that, according to Noah's words, it was higher than the Dio Valshesis. Even if it was similar, it would be SSS-Rank.

'Putting that aside, it seemed like he doesn't have an attack type skill... When he was kidnapped?'

Two of the deaths were definitely by poison, and the remaining had received a curse skill.

Sung Hyunjae, who was locked in thought, raised his body. He looked down briefly at Noah, and picked up the item on the table.

"Let's put it as not having a connection for some time like this."

He didn't show a reaction when Noah had entered the country and when he had visited the rearing facility, so he wouldn't receive suspicion. And it wouldn't be weird to visit the person related to the incident with curiosity.

Even after Sung Hyunjae left, Noah didn't move and stayed sitting in his seat. He heard the signal to come out from outside, but he ignored it. Unable to rashly go in, there was the sound of feet dizzily coming and going outside the door.

'...Han Yoojin.'

Riette's voice rang in his ears. She was definitely very angry. Noah unconsciously hunched his shoulders.

He thought of her showing rare goodwill toward Han Yoojin, requesting to him several times to treat Han Yoojin well, to look good in front of him. But because of him, their relationship went past breaking down to being completely thrown out. The angry voice telling her to not think of coming to Korea, to not even dream of showing her face, mixed with Riette's voice.

As it did, Riette's voice slowly got smaller, and finally stopped.

Resolutely.

"Ah..."

Noah looked at the back of his hand, which was pierced by the fingernails that had become sharp without him noticing. Blood flowed down. But, as if it was anesthetized, he didn't feel pain.

Instead of pain, what filled his entire body was fear mixed with impatience.

Dulkung

He couldn't endure it anymore and shot up from his seat.

***

"The preparation is perfect."

I mumbled, satisfied, after spreading all sorts of toys in the living room.

"To make them sleep deeply, playing with them to their heart's content and tiring them out is the best."

Last time, the longest time Comet slept, one hour, was after playing a lot. It played for one hour after that, but I was exhausted so I only accepted it to a reasonable extent, and it woke up within thirty minutes.

So if I played with it for as long as possible, with all my strength, it would sleep for a long time. Please be like that.

'And it's too young to leave at the rearing room like the unicorns.'

And the unicorns stuck close to each other, so they didn't particularly look for me, or were lonely either. On the other hand, if Comet didn't see me when it woke, it would cheep and fly around here and there looking for me.

So, there was no choice. I should endure it for some time, taking naps. At that, it was a relief that I could leave Blue at the rearing room during the day. Chirpie was well behaved unless it was in glutton mode. Lately, it was interested in children's toys, so it played by itself well, too.

-Chirp!

Chirpie trotted over and chirped one more time at my feet.

"What is it, Chirpie? Did you finish the puzzle? Should I overturn it for you?"

-Chirp chirp!

The flapping and jumping pose was for me to hold it. When I picked up the jumping fluff ball, it soon became quiet. Blue had already fallen asleep, and should I slowly put Chirpie to sleep?

Just then, my cell phone rang. When I picked up the phone, Song Taewon's slightly stiff voice came out.

[Are you alone at home right now?]

"Sorry? For now, yes."

Yoo Myeongwoo was in a state where it wasn't that he was here, nor that he wasn't. He had suddenly appeared and make me food and then disappeared. Was he a snail bride[2]?

[Noah Luire has disappeared. Just in case, please do not go outside. Haeyeon has been contacted, so Hunter Kim Sunghan will soon arrive.]

"…Yes, I understand."

Disappeared – where did he go? Since their titles were the same, Noah might have a skill that hides his body, like Riette. Then it would be hard to find him.

'I was thinking of leaving him in the detention center and slowly coaxing him; this is troublesome.'

I had thought he had stabilized, but like this, would he come to look for me again… possibly?

I placed Chirpie down and went to the entrance. There was a monitor on the wall that could check, of course right outside the entrance door, but also nearby the mini portal entrance.

On the clearly reflecting screen, I saw the form of a blond young man sitting hunched over next to the portal.

'...I mean, he isn't even some puppy that was chased out.'

Why was he like that over there? First, I sent a text to Kim Sunghan, asking him to wait outside the building for a moment. If the two of them fought inside the building, I would become homeless in an instant.

Then I picked up the intercom receiver connecting to the mini portal side.

"Noah-ssi?"

Noah lifted his head that he had burrowed between his knees. I worried that he would get worked up just hearing my voice, but thankfully, he just looked a little frightened.

"Did something happen?"

When I asked as kindly as possible, he slowly raised his body.

[…No, just. It was a little scary…]

"Riette is?"

He nodded his head. Then again, he made it into a big matter, so he would be afraid of future troubles. The slightly trembling eyes made me click my tongue automatically. Anyways, Riette, really.

"Would you like to come in?"

I asked thoughtlessly, and then was taken aback. I mean, that wasn't it. Thankfully, Noah shook his head first.

[No… I don't know if I will be able to hold back, again... Can I just stay here for a moment…? Even just until the morning.]

"Yes. That is fine. But you have to quietly go back to the detention center in the morning."

I swallowed a sigh, watching Noah nod. It would be uncomfortable, though.

I placed down the receiver and called Song Taewon. When I told him that Noah was in front of the portal and that he had promised to quietly go back in the morning, he was silent for a long time and then said he understood.

[If he says he will obediently cooperate, then it would be better to wait. I will go over there as well.]

"I think it would be okay if you come in the morning. Hunter Kim Sunghan has already arrived, as well."

[In a possible scenario, in order to subdue him with minimum damage, it would be better for me to join as well.]

"…Should I try persuading him to go back right away to the detention center?"

[No. It is better than spending the night going around and looking for him.]

That was true. It was a relief that the night duty room for employees was well made.

I conveyed a similar message to Kim Sunghan, and turned my gaze back to the monitor. Noah was still hunched over in the posture I first saw him in.

And in the morning, he quietly went back to the detention center like he promised.

As soon as I took a breath, this time, I received contact saying that Yoohyun came out of the dungeon. Much faster than expected.