Ch.5Don’t Ever Touch That New Recruit

Who could have ever imagined?

A South Korea filled with nothing but high-rise apartment buildings.

In a place where they only build tall structures reaching for the sky, because so many people have crowded into the capital that it’s called the “Seoul Republic.”

“Ta-da! We’ve arrived~”

“Y-yes…!”

I never thought I’d live in a detached house.

“Let’s go in! Our house is huuuge!”

“Oh, yeah… it really does look that way…”

This was Segok-dong in Gangnam District.

As Rolling drove her foreign car into the parking area of the detached housing complex, a security guard approached as if he’d been waiting.

“Madam. We’ll take care of everything from here.”

“Thank you.”

Wow, I’ve only seen this kind of thing on celebrity reality shows.

After handing over the car keys to the security guard who would park the car for us, we walked toward the passage connected to our house.

All the while, Sophia held my hand tightly.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I glanced to the side.

Sparkle, sparkle.

I could see a blonde girl with bright eyes staring at me quite openly, which was rather overwhelming.

“Mom, Mom!”

“Yes?”

“I’m sure Dad will like Shinwoo too! I just feel it!”

“Dad…?”

Come to think of it, I haven’t met her father yet.

Being the husband of a Commander Hunter, he must also have quite impressive credentials.

He must be at least in the top 5% of South Korea.

“Um, Ms. Rolling.”

“You can call me… no, just call me auntie, that’s fine.”

“Ah, yes. Then, auntie.”

Rolling thought I might feel uncomfortable calling her “mom” right away.

Appreciating her consideration, I smiled and continued my question.

“So… what kind of person is Sophia’s father?”

“Hmm? My husband… well… if I had to say…”

“He’s super cool!”

“And he’s strong too.”

“He’s funny!”

“And he has this simple charm that’s exactly my type in men… oops. I probably shouldn’t say that much in front of a child.”

In other words, he’s her soulmate.

And at the same time, he’s clearly a precious father to Sophia.

‘Buy me some booze, man!’

“I’m envious…”

Just as we reached the elevator connecting to the detached house after passing through the corridor:

“Oh, and Dad is the same as me!”

“Huh?”

“Dad is also a ‘Beast Hunter’ just like me!”

Beast Hunter?

Someone with social skills that go beyond zero to negative 100, completely incapable of communication.

Realizing that was the person I was about to meet, I quickly turned to Rolling.

“Yes, that’s right. And at the same time, he’s a soldier.”

“A soldier…?”

“Yes. His current rank is probably… ‘Army Chief of Staff’?”

A Beast Hunter who struggles even with casual social interaction is the Chief of Staff commanding all Korean military personnel?

What kind of mental fortitude does this monster have?

The mother is a Commander Hunter, equivalent to a three-star general on the battlefield.

And the father represents the Korean Army as the Army Chief of Staff.

‘This is truly a golden spoon family…’

I correct my earlier thought.

Sophia’s father wasn’t just in the top 5% of South Korea, but in the top 0.1% – a true VIP.

Because of this, I gulped nervously.

No matter how great a person he is, as a Beast Hunter, he wouldn’t welcome a new human entering his sanctuary.

Of course, it would be nice if he liked me despite my partial monster nature, like Sophia who was still holding my hand.

‘Let’s prepare for the worst case.’

Since I wasn’t a complete monster.

He might sense my human aspects more than my monster ones.

Preparing myself for an uncomfortable situation, I finally entered the detached house after taking the elevator.

“Dad! I’m home!”

As soon as we arrived, Sophia let go of my hand and ran off to find her father.

My hand was drenched with sweat from nervousness.

“Whew. Whew.”

“Nervous?”

“A little?”

It reminded me of my military service days.

When I was on guard duty during the division commander’s visit. My heart was pounding just as much then as it is now.

To calm myself, I looked around the interior of the house.

An enormous TV hanging on the wall, a terrace with warm sunlight streaming in, and even a small grassy garden visible outside – it was truly luxurious.

Above all, the house was incredibly spacious.

It made even a 30-pyeong apartment, the most desired home size in Korea, look like a doghouse in comparison.

This only made me more nervous.

‘What kind of person will come out… I’m terrified…’

As Rolling smiled down at me:

“Finally, you’re here!!”

Thump. Boom. Thump. Boom.

My whole body trembled at the massive footsteps approaching.

Gulp.

Was it because I was so nervous? I felt like a vibrating phone.

Then, my survival instinct recalled a detail from the official setting book of “Hunter’s Blood” that I had read before.

In this world where monsters exist unlike our original world, all drafted soldiers, regardless of rank, fight against monsters.

Because of this, the value of soldiers in this world was much higher than in reality.

If someone here were to say things like “Military vacation~” or “Isn’t the army just a camp these days?”:

“National Intelligence Service.”

“…Pardon?”

“From now on, we’ll arrest you for insulting the military, insulting numerous young adults in their 20s, and suspicion of being a North Korean spy for periodically lowering the morale of the military.”

“W-why are you doing this?!”

The so-called “NIS Event” would occur.

It wasn’t uncommon to see civilian NPCs who debuffed soldiers being grabbed by the hair, beaten with clubs, and thrown into car trunks on the main streets.

And now I was about to meet the de facto head of the Army.

‘Come on, make a good impression… if I don’t, I’ll be heading straight to the NIS basement…!’

Fathers are generally doting on their daughters.

And a boy that their angelic daughter brings home saying she likes him?

I certainly wouldn’t be welcome.

While I was in this confused state, the Army Chief of Staff, who outranked mere division commanders, finally appeared.

“Hmm!”

“…!”

“Hmmm?”

He was like a massive mountain.

Even I, at 184cm tall, had to gulp as I looked up at a giant whose head nearly touched the ceiling, standing at about 2 meters.

Befitting the military culture of this world where skill equals rank, his body was rugged and muscular, making Sophia look tiny as he held her with one arm.

Above all, he was a well-maintained middle-aged man that even other men would have to acknowledge.

It was natural to feel intimidated by his overwhelming presence.

For a moment, I even thought about transforming into a monster and running away.

But then.

“Oof!”

Before I knew it, the Army Chief of Staff had embraced me and lifted me to the same height as Sophia.

“When people meet for the first time, the proper thing is to introduce yourself!”

“Introduce myself?”

“Sigh. Honey…”

“I am Army Chief of Staff, General Lee Seokgyu. Who are you?”

It might have seemed intimidating, but with his distinct gaze, he asked the question while keeping me at eye level.

“I-I’m Han Shinwoo!”

I answered energetically.

“A spirited answer. I like that very much! Hahaha!”

The Army Chief of Staff laughed heartily, seemingly pleased.

“You don’t have to call me father right away if it’s difficult. For now, just call me uncle.”

“Ah, yes! Uncle!”

“Hahaha. You follow instructions well! I really like that! When it’s time for you to join the military, I’ll enjoy taking my adopted son to the training center!”

The Army Chief of Staff’s joyful visit to the training center with his adopted son.

My heart was already swelling with anticipation.

In this world’s Korea, all adults over 19, regardless of gender, had to fulfill their military duty unless they became Hunters.

“Our Sophia has American citizenship, so she doesn’t need to serve, and she wants to become a Hunter anyway.”

“That’s right! I’m going to be an amazing Hunter like Mom!”

“Sophia… don’t you want to be a cool soldier like Dad?”

“Nope! Soldiers have to wake up super early! They can’t eat what they want! And they can’t sleep when they want to!”

“W-well, that’s true…”

Despite being from a military family, both his wife and daughter aspired to be Hunters.

“Sniff…! My son!”

“Ah! Dad, get off! Shinwoo is mine!”

In a way, I, who would share the duty of national defense, seemed to be a ray of hope for Uncle Seokgyu.

A father crying tears of joy. A daughter pulling her father’s cheek away from mine as if saying “don’t put your saliva on what’s mine.”

And finally, a mother watching the scene with a smile.

‘They’re so kind even though we’re not blood-related.’

In my original life, I tore a ligament during military service and ended up living only in a villa afterward.

This is clearly a fake world that only existed in a game.

If this is just a dream, I hope I never wake up from it.

“Finally! I can tell division commanders to take good care of my child too!”

Oh, and if I happen to fail the Hunter exam and switch to military service, I’d like to offer my condolences in advance to the officers in my division by pressing X.

***

That evening.

“Where’s Sophia?”

“She fell asleep with Shinwoo.”

“Really?”

Lee Seokgyu’s eyes widened at the news that his daughter, who had previously forbidden contact with anyone outside the family, had fallen asleep with a friend her age for the first time.

Soon after, he smiled with relief, the corners of his mouth turning upward.

However, that didn’t last long.

“Hey, honey.”

“Yes?”

In the kitchen where they were alone, Seokgyu asked his wife Rolling with a rather serious expression.

“Did you bring home a ‘monster’?”