Chapter 142 A Shard Within (4)

While I was tired of seeing water, the lake reflecting the snowy mountaintops was beautiful. What I was seeing was a picturesque sight.

"Swiss? Were you really abroad?"

"I had been traveling."

"You were living an easy life."

"It was too boring to stay in one place."

I could not take out even one of Hyunjae Sung's memories, and actually, I could not move anymore. I felt that it would be too dangerous to overdo myself here. My mana had already been emptied, but there were other harmful factors.

'I thought I would be all right since I was fine at that Diarma incident.'

However, Diarma had been using the skill and not me at the time, and I had only talked when facing Irin. I should have considered these cases, but I had been too excited at the thought of fighting as an equal to Hyunjae Sung.

However, since I got something out of this, I should use it as much as possible.

"Won't you tell me before you go out?"

"What?"

"What you're hiding."

"Like what? I have a lot of things I'm hiding from you."

"The truth rather than the boring answer that you can see the future."

I knew that Hyunjae Sung must have noticed after I used double the stats of an S class and the black blood flames. People could use the powers they had experienced before here, and the ones I used did not exist in the present.

While I had told Hyunjae Sung that he might be able to see the future, but me also having the same ability was strange. However…

"I do not have any reason to tell you."

"I won't remember anything."

Hyunjae Sung's voice was soft like he was trying to comfort me. While I was younger than him by more than a decade, he seemed to think of me as even more younger than that.

"I can't trust you when you speak like that. You might be deceiving me."

"If I could get out of here with my memories intact, I would not have left you alone. I would be dissecting you."

That was understandable and made me think I should never cast a mental skill on Hyunjae Sung again. I thought it would be an easy win, but I was wrong. If something went wrong, my memories would have been ripped out from me.

"Think of me as your teddy bear. You shouldn't keep so much to yourself."

"You act like you're a kind person. I might cry at your warm words."

"I'm always nice."

"Have you already forgotten what happened last night? Should I give you knitting things to prevent dementia?"

"I appreciate you are trying to celebrate my birthday, but I want something already completed."

I should knit him a hot pink muffler about five meters long. Hyunjae Sung waited without urging me on. I was attracted to the idea that the person I would talk to would not remember anything. He would respond well if I spoke about what I was hiding, and it might lead to a fruitful discussion about the future.

'The depraved told me I should not talk about the return, but it wouldn't matter if he could not remember anything.'

I looked up at Hyunjae Sung as I sat on a boulder.

"It's not much."

He would not remember and would probably force me to speak if I remained silent to the end. It would be better to speak up first.

"I returned from five years into the future by using an item."

"All right."

Hyunjae Sung spoke like he had heard something trivial that happened once every month. The lump in my throat loosened at his tone, and I spoke as if nothing was wrong.

"Don't you have any questions like whether the Sesung Guild Leader is alive or dead? I'll tell you a couple of things out of goodwill."

A cloud of light that moved delicately according to its owner's will appeared from his fingertips at my words.

"It's about five years' worth."

Was he talking about his skill experience? That he would be living after five years?

"You seemed to be alive but missing."

"That's odd."

"You were suspected of murdering Department Head Taewon Song before you disappeared."

Hyunjae Sung tilted his head as I asked, my eyes wondering if the suspicion was correct.

"I cannot think of a reason I would do such a thing right now."

"Perhaps he was in the way of organizing the Hunter Association?"

"It's boring without an audience. Moreover, the association is too small to compensate."

Too small? However, an S class hunter would be missed since they were not rocks rolling on the ground. Hyunjae Sung seemed to value human resources on his terms as he kept MKC and Sudam Guild Leaders alive. Well, I might have to remove the word human since he did not treat them as such.

"However, you two would not have been strangers since you have that loot skill."

Taewon Song would not have handed in his primary skill when he was alive and well. I did not know how he gave it to Hyunjae Sung, while I could make a vague guess.

"How about asking the person in question why he would give me his skill before dying?"

"I feel like he would strangle me again."

Taewon Song would look at me if I were crazy. I might ask him because I was curious about how he would actually react.

"And…let's go out if you don't have any questions. You wouldn't remember it anyway."

"How about you?"

"Ah, I had lived like I am now, so I have nothing to say."

Hyunjae Sung would think of my life story as trivial. He opened his mouth as I stood up from the boulder.

"I congratulate you on repairing your relationship with your younger brother."

I felt faint for a minute, so I did not know what I had felt at his words. The ensuing silence might have been either long or short.

"…Your memories?"

"I don't remember anything."

"Then, are you really trying to become a fortune-teller?"

"When someone comes back to the past, he or she would act on their deepest desires. That desire would be something that the individual had regretted the most in the future. Based on my current state, you returned about two months ago, and that was when you became closer to your younger brother."

I could not respond to what Hyunjae Sung was saying. While Yoohyun had appeared immediately after my return, I still would have run to Haeyeon Guild even if he had not. I would have needed to confirm that Yoohyun was alive with my own eyes.

Anything else that happened after that would have been similar to what had occurred up to now.

"The reason you cover for your brother and want to do everything for him-"

Hyunjae Sung stopped mid-sentence and looked back at me. I wanted him to shut up, and he did not continue. I felt sincerely grateful this time.

"You became involved because I came back out of my own will. Don't you feel that you're a victim? You must have worked hard for five years."

"I feel sorry for my past self."

Hyunjae Sung clucked his tongue as his expression turned to one of pity.

"To live such a tedious life listening to a foolish lizard's gibberish. I don't know how I managed it."

He is the same person as you. I wanted to erase the times I wanted to apologize to him even a little. I thought Hyunjae Sung would think his situation a shame but did not expect him to criticize himself. Poor Mr. Hyunjae Sung of before.

"I'll hear this outside the next time in more specific detail."

"In your dreams."

Did he really think I would tell him anything? I would not have said anything if he remembered after he got out…and probably would have torn me apart. Why was that guy so powerful on all accounts? I thought I would definitely win this time, but the memories of past battles before the return had sprung out.

I thought it would be enough to have double of Yoohyun's stats and an attack skill buff, but Hyunjae Sung had memories of having been strengthened. It was inevitable since the buff was powerful enough to get me thinking Hyunjae Sung had been involved with the depraved or the filial duty addict.

'Then, Yerim would be extremely powerful in the psychological world.'

She had the memory of having received the Mermaid Queen skill. Only Yoohyun did not have one, and I should remedy this fact. I turned off the skill grumbling inside, and Hyunjae Sung disappeared while I also felt faint for a moment.

It was right then when someone grabbed my wrist, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Yoojin Han."

I saw golden eyes narrow at me. Did one come in when another went out? What was happening?

***

"No, it's impossible."

Soyoung Kang stared at the man in front of her with some force. Minyui Kim from the Hayeon Guild was a B class supporting hunter. On the other hand, Soyoung Kang was an A class, and while she could not receive the effects of the Dragon Rider skill, she was still an attacker who fulfilled her duties.

So, Minyui Kim should not be able to even move in front of her and shrink like a mouse facing a snake at Soyoung's glare.

However, Soyoung Kang felt the opposite was happening. She felt a tiny bit frightened at his cold eyes that stared back at her. Did he have a special skill? Since Yoojin Han would not go out with only an ordinary B class hunter as his guard, it was a high possibility. Or perhaps his actual class was different.

"Please wait here. You received a message that said Mr. Yoojin Han was fine."

"It was only a text message that anyone could send if they took away his phone."

"Are you insinuating that our guild leader threatened Mr. Yoojin Han? You're stepping out of your bounds."

"Can you confirm that would not happen? Really?"

Soyoung Kang tightly shut her lips at his cold question. She did not believe her guild leader would harm Yoojin Han, but he would lay a hand whenever it was necessary.

"He, he is not a person who would lie by a false text message and expose that he had caused some mess."

Soyoung Kang was certain of that.

"Like pretending he was Mr. Yoojin Han sending a message saying that they would need more time to talk, so come if you're worried…"

"Then, I can enter."

"No, I meant nothing is wrong up to now. So, you can't."

A Sesung hunter approached the two who were causing a skirmish.

"Leave it at that, Hunter Minyui Kim. I'll guide you to the sitting room so you can wait comfortably."

Minyui Kim or Yoojin Han did not even glance at the new hunter. Instead, he took a step forward towards Soyoung Kang, who was blocking his path. The Sesung hunter moved as he decided that action as a threat.

"I cannot overlook any more high-handedness. So excuse me-"

Yoohyun Han grabbed the hunter's wrist the moment before his hand reached Yoohyun Han's shoulder. He twisted it widely while Yoohyun Han's other hand grabbed the hunter's neck.

"Unf!"

"What are you doing?"

A surprised Soyoung Kang tried to make Yoohyun Han fall by kicking him, as Yoohyun's grip became stronger. However, the hunter's body was dragged upward and blocked Soyoung Kang's kick faster than she could react.

Soyoung Kang quickly changed the direction of her kick, and her leg swung only to fall on the ground. She spun once using the foot on the ground as an axis, and this time turned the edge of her hand towards the back of Yoohyun Han's neck. However, he was already not there.

The captured hunter rolled on the floor, and Yoohyun Han stood where Soyoung Kang had been and stared at her. Their positions have been reserved, and the two Sesung Hunters vaguely stared at him brushing his hands off as if nothing happened.

"Give me the portal key, and you can say I took it from you by force."

"No, wait."

"I'll come back if he does not open the door after I ring the bell."

That would definitely not happen, and Soyoung Kang bit her bottom lip. Should she call for more support? But Soyoung Kang had to consider Yoojin Han if she was going to oppress him by force. They seemed to be close, and she could not displease Yoojin Han. In all honesty, Soyoung Kang valued her connection to Yoojin Han more than her position within the guild.

Also, the guild leader who could blame her would want her to focus on the latter.

"I'll try to contact the guild leader for one last time."

She would have to let Minyui Kim go in if he did not answer. Soyoung Kang quickly took out her phone and called a number. Hyunjae Sung finally answered back, and he gave his consent after Soyoung Kang's short explanation. She let out a long sigh.

"This is the miniature portal key. Please don't forget to return it."

Soyoung Kang handed Yoojin Han the key and helped the hunter still lying on the floor with vague eyes. They stared at Yoojin Han's back as he walked forward without any hesitation.

"He is not a B class hunter."

"No, definitely not."

If he were a B class supporting hunter, they would have to be downgraded to C classes.

'Hunter Minyui Kim from Haeyeon.'

Where had he come from, and why was he hiding his class? Soyoung Kang tilted her neck and could not stop looking at the corridor the man had disappeared into.