Ch.72Chapter 72. Um, Do You Remember Me?

Most adventurers typically engage in dungeon exploration, monster subjugation, or garrison defense operations that contribute to humanity’s security and resource collection.

The reason we deliberately spent three months eliminating corrupt heroes while ignoring such common tasks was because our respective infamies interfered with our activities as adventurers.

In my case, it was the infamy of being a hero killer.

In Garam’s case, having the stigma of being a fallen hero made it difficult to find companions necessary for adventures.

“Is that him? The adventurer who recently reached silver rank by subjugating corrupt heroes.”

After eliminating more than ten corrupt heroes over approximately three months.

While waiting for the guild staff to bring the bounty, I could gradually feel that my efforts were paying off as I overheard the surrounding whispers.

“They say he’s already reached silver rank even though he’s been an adventurer for less than four months.”

“Considering that gold rank is usually attained by heroes, doesn’t that make him essentially the most capable among us?”

“Come on, how could someone who isn’t a hero capture heroes? I heard he’s paired with a hero, so that hero probably does all the work while he just takes credit.”

“About that. Actually, that hero was severely beaten by him before and became his subordinate.”

“Ah, I saw that too. The hero was so terrified that he even had a heart attack…”

The crowd continued to form their own evaluations of me by combining rumors and eyewitness accounts.

However, I could confirm that overall, the negative perception toward me had significantly subsided.

Well, it’s not like I could ever be forgotten in their memories anyway.

Rather than going around trying to persuade everyone with lengthy explanations, it’s better to naturally guide their evaluations to improve like this.

“By the way, was that guy’s name Hyoseong Woo?”

As I was listening to these evaluations, I caught a snippet of conversation.

As soon as I recognized that conversation, I immediately focused all my attention on it.

It’s natural that I would be concerned.

Despite my ability to remember names, ironically, everyone I meet somehow manages to remember my name incorrectly.

“These people from other worlds all have such peculiar names.”

“So what should we call him then?”

It’s Hyoseong Woo.

Written with the character ‘Hyo’ (嚆) meaning ‘to sound’ and ‘Seong’ (聲) meaning ‘voice’.

“You idiot. Do you really not know?”

“If you remove ‘seong’ from ‘Hyoseong’, obviously it’s just ‘Hyo’!”

You bastard, why are you removing that part of my name and talking nonsense?

“Mr. Hyoseong Woo~ Your bounty is ready!”

Just as I was about to curse out loud in frustration, a guild staff member approached.

Seeing the hefty money pouch placed on the counter, I felt my previous irritation quickly subsiding.

Yes, financial therapy is the best remedy for annoyance.

Let’s leave those fools alone and focus on the money now.

“Hehe, Mr. Hyoseong Woo, you’ve become a silver-rank adventurer already, even though it hasn’t been half a year since you became an adventurer.”

“Well, yes, I guess the promotions came quickly because all the targets I caught had high bounties on them.”

Though I’m speaking as if it’s nothing special, objectively speaking, it would be strange if my promotion wasn’t rapid.

After all, the Empire that appointed these heroes knows best how dangerous they become when they turn against humanity.

Of course, I’ve faced several life-threatening situations, but I’ve managed to survive and achieve results by making the most of what I have.

Equipment, experience, various means acquired through investing my earnings…

And also “her advice,” which has now become an indispensable part of my daily life.

“Promotion to gold rank might be difficult without national merit and imperial certification unless you’re a hero, but with achievements like yours, you might soon be specifically requested for large-scale missions!”

“Hehe, I’ll be counting on you when that time comes.”

Is it that people who celebrate my growth with me appear when I risk my life and survive?

Thinking that this too must be evidence that I’m doing well, I received the bounty and left the guild, just as Garam, who had finished putting a wanted criminal in prison, came running toward me.

“Oppa, did you receive the payment properly?”

“Of course I did. Here.”

The hefty money pouch in my hand exceeded not only the average earnings of adventurers but even those of most heroes.

Garam’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she confirmed the amount.

“Ooh, the payment is quite a bit more than usual this time~!”

“It should be. From what I heard, the guy had quite a notorious reputation, having imprisoned several heroes.”

“He certainly seemed that way. His obsession was so severe that even before going to prison, he was shouting, ‘Hyoseong boy~! I’ll definitely eat you someday~!'”

“…Haha, make sure to tell me when his execution date is set. I’ll get a VIP seat and watch it live.”

Though I said it jokingly, the corrupt heroes I’ve captured probably won’t end up on the gallows.

The reason bounties are fully paid only when corrupt heroes are captured alive is that if there’s any possibility of rehabilitation, the Empire wants to use them as their forces again.

They say people aren’t meant to be reused, but well, at least there haven’t been any reports of imprisoned corrupt heroes escaping or causing problems again.

Deciding not to worry about it and focus on dividing the payment, I prepared to transfer some of the gold coins from the pouch to another container.

“Anyway, since today’s work is done, let’s divide the payment first. Here, Garam, you take 60%…”

“No way. Oppa, you should take 60% since you fought at the front!”

“Come on, the operation couldn’t have even started without you, so you should take 60%.”

“But Oppa, you delivered the finishing blow to the bandit leader.”

“Even so, you’re a hero…”

“And you’re a Hero Hunter…”

You first, Oppa. No, you first, dongsaeng.

As usual, after some back and forth about the payment, I finally transferred half of the contents to another pouch and handed it to Garam.

“So we’re splitting it equally as usual?”

“That seems best.”

After dividing the payment, we gave each other a high-five with a clap sound.

Afterward, Garam and I smiled at each other and spent time chatting casually as we walked home together.

“People died again this time.”

“…It can’t be helped. That’s the kind of world we live in.”

Usually, we would reflect on what happened during the mission.

Given the nature of our work, it couldn’t always be expected to be pleasant…

“The hero who died this time wasn’t much older than me… If I hadn’t met you, would I have ended up like that too?”

As these days continue, I can feel Garam’s dependence on me growing.

A considerable burden.

Nevertheless, as always, I forced a bitter smile in front of Garam, pretending to be calm.

“It’s hard to say for sure. Not all heroes I’ve met ended up like you.”

It’s not just empty words.

Except for three heroes I’ve met so far, the rest either died or suffered aftereffects severe enough to make them quit being heroes, living lives worse than Foreign Laborers.

Moreover, one of those three people rebelled against the Empire and was even labeled a corrupt hero.

When I started capturing heroes, I thought I might encounter that person, but I hoped such a meeting wouldn’t happen.

Though our time together was brief, he was a kind person who helped me adapt to this world when I was struggling as a Foreign Laborer…

“By the way, compared to when we first met, you’ve really changed a lot, Oppa.”

Just as I was dwelling on these bitter thoughts, Garam casually threw a comment my way.

Not understanding what she meant, I turned to look at her, and she gave me a mischievous smile with half-closed eyes.

After opening up to me over the past three months, her playful side was beginning to show.

“When we first met, you were so intimidating… Do you know how fierce you were when you tried to protect the person I was targeting? I really thought I was going to die back then.”

“Hey, I couldn’t help it then… Anyway, you survived, so it’s fine.”

“Well, I’m not worried about that anymore since it’s in the past. But I wonder how your wife would react if she knew you confronted me to protect another woman…”

-Thud!

Before I could even comprehend Garam’s words, I fell flat on the ground.

Though my armor prevented any scratches, Garam’s words were so shocking that I couldn’t think straight.

“…Wife? Who are you talking about?”

“Oh come on~ You know exactly who I mean! I’m talking about Irie unnie, that beautiful woman who greeted us when we visited your home!”

“No, no. Irie and I aren’t really…”

“Aren’t you basically in that kind of relationship if you’re living together?”

Well, I guess we are living together.

After I started working as a hunter, my income became quite good, and I thought it would be better to invest in land or a building rather than just saving money in a bank account.

Since I’m often away from the house I bought, I offered free rent to Irie, who was living in a tent on the street, as a way to repay her for her advice, and welcomed her as a lodger.

Of course, in the process, we share household chores, eat together, and even have relations and sleep together in bed at night, but…

“…I think you’re misunderstanding. Irie and I aren’t in that kind of relationship.”

Yes, though I don’t know the details, she has her own mission, and I want to focus on my adventurer activities for now.

Even if we have feelings for each other, proceeding with the relationship should be done cautiously, so how could I recklessly advance my relationship with her?

“…Really?”

In response to my answer, the mischievous brat pressed me with her characteristic sly expression.

“Are you really not in any kind of relationship with Irie unnie?”

“Yes. At least not the kind of relationship you’re thinking of.”

Feeling somewhat guilty, I stared beyond the alley we were passing and quietly added the rest of my answer.

“…Not yet.”

A simple wish that someday, even if not right now, we might become that way.

“Heeh~ Not yet, you say?”

“Hey, if you keep teasing me, Oppa’s going to get angry!?”

“Hehe, sorry, it’s just that Oppa looks so cute when he’s flustered.”

Garam backed away while teasing me.

Then, standing at the fork in the road that had just appeared, she waved goodbye to me.

“Well, I have a dinner appointment with someone who’s sponsoring me, so I’ll take my leave now. Oppa, have a good time with Irie unnie!”

“…Alright, see you at the guild tomorrow.”

Part of me wants to chase after her and give her a light knock on the head, but I suppose this is much better than her being consistently gloomy.

Moreover, she’s not teasing me with bad intentions; rather, she’s supporting my relationship with Irie.

Since I’m also satisfied with my living arrangement with Irie, I decided to positively accept those feelings and head home where she would be waiting.

“I wonder if Irie has prepared dinner for me when I get back.”

The small sense of happiness I feel on my way back is surely due to everything going well at the moment.

Though the work is dangerous, the pay isn’t bad, and I’ve quickly risen as high as someone who isn’t a hero can go, plus there’s someone waiting for me at home.

While luck may have played a part to some extent, since not everything was achieved by luck alone, I felt I could take pride in all these results.

Yes, I’m definitely doing well right now.

‘Not enough.’

But is there any guarantee that this smoothness will continue in the future?

Even those called heroes can die in the blink of an eye in this place.

If I’m satisfied with just this much, who can guarantee that things will be okay in the future?

‘Not enough, more…’

My rationality was gradually being consumed by the whispers that had begun to echo in my mind.

It was when I felt my breath becoming short and my vision blurring that I heard the sound of music.

-Ding-a-ling~

It was a clear melody.

One produced by plucking the strings of a lute, adjusting the rhythm and pitch…

The moment what could clearly be called music echoed through the street.

-Ding-a-ling, ding~♬

I felt the rising impulse grow stronger with that tone, but even more so, the familiarity I felt calmed that impulse and guided my footsteps toward the source of the sound.

Yes, I had heard it before.

Too much time had passed, and I was gradually forgetting, thinking I would never see it again.

Nevertheless, if there was a trigger, someone who could recall it anytime was leading me nearby.

-Ding-a-ling~ Ding~

The place I arrived at was a fountain situated in the middle of the street.

And there, capturing the attention of passersby, was a minstrel wearing a black cloak.

-Clap, clap, clap.

As the performance ended, applause erupted from the surroundings, and the minstrel bowed in response to the audience’s cheers.

And the moment that head was raised again, she focused her gaze on someone standing in the center of the crowd.

“…Oh my?”

It was me.

Just as I had recalled her, she seemed to recall me as well…

No, due to my ability, she wouldn’t have forgotten me, so she would surely respond if we faced each other.

“It’s been a while, Hyoseong-ssi. Have you been well?”

Just as written in the last letter she left.

As if following the words that if by any chance we met again, it would start not with joy over the reunion but with a simple greeting.

“Eheh~ Perhaps you’ve forgotten me because it’s been too long?”

Because I thought I would never see her again.

This simple reunion feels all the more special.