Friend 3

“…What brings you here?”

Michaela asked coolly, maintaining her composure.

She was surprised, but that was all.

She was German.

Essentially, she wasn’t even a person of this world.

A hero who overcame dark times deserves respect.

However, there was no need to feel excessive reverence for a Korean hero.

“If I’ve come to the wrong room, I apologize.”

Heroes are busy beings.

Even when terrorists attacked the Academy, they were too busy to appear officially due to their many schedules.

Therefore, there was no reason for a hero to be personally involved in something like workplace experience.

It was a reasonable assumption that she had come to the wrong room.

“There’s no need to apologize. This is indeed the room assigned to you.”

Heroes are rational beings.

But those in power are irrational beings.

“And the reason I’m here is simple. It’s the workplace experience period, isn’t it?”

To think that the hero would personally mentor.

If she were an ordinary Korean, she would have been overjoyed.

Michaela felt awkward.

Certainly, for the guidance of an S-class awakened, it would be beneficial to have someone of equal caliber.

However, it lacked plausibility for the hero to visit personally.

For a Korean hero to waste time on a foreign prodigy at a Korean military facility.

“No. Rather than workplace experience, it’s closer to a job offer.”

Lee Yeon smiled slyly.

“I’ll get straight to the point, Michaela Wittelsbach.”

It was far from the attitude of a principal addressing a student.

“Won’t you become my direct subordinate?”

That tone was imbued with charisma.

Thus, it was closer to an order than a proposal.

Han Seoyeon is a celebrity.

And in quite a good sense.

A young hero who stopped two terrorist attacks on the Hunter Academy.

A skilled individual who, despite being from the slums and powerless, didn’t succumb to reality and through repeated efforts, achieved victory against the S-class monster Carol and the student council president Lee Ha-yul.

She’s been through all sorts of hardships.

While it might be different for the younger generation of Hunters, for the first-generation Hunters, Han Seoyeon’s existence made them feel as if they were looking at a granddaughter.

Those dark times.

The period when they didn’t even know what abilities were.

Numerous comrades fought and died, planting their heads in bare ground.

Abilities are more efficient when awakened at a young age.

The first Hunters were all adults.

Late awakening.

Their abilities were naturally weak.

Despite being weak, they fought.

Without giving up.

For a future that would someday come.

To reclaim a bright world that couldn’t be seen.

Relying on a single firefly point of a hero, they hunted and hunted again.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re dissatisfied with today’s children who live without tension about Gates.

Adults worked hard so that children wouldn’t have to live through painful and sad tomorrows.

“…Wow, to think that the first friend our princess made was that famous student hero!”

It was just that empathy was a separate issue.

The student hero’s actions

were just like their own past selves.

“I’m always cheering for you. Keep working hard!”

“Y-Yes…!”

Receiving enthusiastic handshakes and being told to work hard by active Hunters.

Han Seoyeon newly realized her popularity.

“And…”

Baek Kang-hyuk’s attitude towards Han Seoyeon wasn’t just for that reason.

“─Thank you so much for saving my daughter.”

“…”

The crisis of Baek Da-eun, an S-class awakened, wasn’t disclosed to the public.

This could be directly linked to the nation’s shame, so it was under the pretext of military security.

However, Baek Kang-hyuk, as a senior Hunter, naturally knew about this.

He couldn’t forget the benefactor who saved his daughter.

“It’s nothing. I just did what was natural.”

“No, it’s not nothing. Please let me express my gratitude.”

As an inadequate father who had almost failed to protect his daughter once before, Baek Kang-hyuk wanted to express his gratitude to the second benefactor.

“Then, I’ll gladly accept it.”

“Thank you.”

There was no reason to refuse when he insisted so much.

Han Seoyeon readily accepted the gratitude.

“So, is there anything you want? I’ll do anything I can!”

“It’s okay! I don’t need any reward…”

“No! Only dirty adults give rewards just in words! I don’t want to be remembered as such a dirty adult by the prince who saved our princess!”

That proactive and bold way of speaking was indeed befitting of Baek Da-eun’s father.

“Come on, tell me anything! Hurry…!”

“Dear.”

Suddenly, a terrifying voice is heard.

“Isn’t it improper for an adult to intrude when a daughter is playing with her friend?”

“…A-Ahem!”

With a chill down his spine, Baek Kang-hyuk stiffly turned his neck.

With a pale face, he greeted his beautiful wife.

“Don’t butt in when the kids are playing, okay?”

“Oh, I got it, honey! I understand, so you don’t have to pull…”

“Have a good time, kids!”

Bang.

The door closed.

[What are you doing when the kids are playing! And to the child’s friend, what? A fan? Has this husband really gone mad!]

[B-But!]

Family matters that shouldn’t be heard were heard.

“…”

…Let’s pretend we didn’t hear that, okay?

Because I didn’t want to know such behind-the-scenes settings of this novel.

“I’m sorry.”

Baek Da-eun suddenly apologized.

As if she had committed a crime, in a subdued tone.

“…?”

Han Seoyeon tilted her head.

It was because she didn’t understand.

“You must have been very confused? Because of Father.”

“…Not really?”

There was nothing to be confused about.

Baek Kang-hyuk was a good person.

But from a friend’s perspective, she might think so.

Being embarrassed or ashamed of a father acting senile.

“You don’t have to feel sorry.”

Especially for Baek Da-eun, who clearly brought a friend home for the first time.

“He seemed like a good dad, you know?”

There was no need to apologize.

“We’re friends. Don’t worry about every little thing like that.”

“Yes…!”

She could even consider it something to be proud of.

“…If I had a dad, I wish he’d be someone like that.”

“…”

Such kind parents were rare in the world.

It was a fact that could be understood just by looking at her genetic parents in this life.

“…I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,”

“Putting that aside.”

Han Seoyeon wore a mischievous smile.

“Princess… Pfft!”

“─!”

Flush.

Baek Da-eun’s face turned bright red.

Princess, huh.

Honestly, this was worth preserving.

“Princess. Princess? Princess!”

“…P-Please stop. It’s embarrassing.”

A friend’s dark history should always be preserved.

Han Seoyeon decided to never forget this.

The awkward atmosphere improved a bit.

Lunchtime was approaching.

Cookies and tea were nice, but she wanted to eat a proper meal.

“I’m hungry. Shall we go out to eat something?”

“No. There’s no need to go out.”

Baek Da-eun gestured.

Then, a scene from a drama unfolds before their eyes.

The servants enter the room with precision, opening the door.

They clear away the cookies and tea, and lay out dishes in undoubtedly luxurious plates.

The restaurant she went to with Michaela before was high-class, but it was no match for Baek Da-eun’s single lunch.

“Oh…!”

“Since you came to visit, I wanted to serve something other than bean sprouts.”

An array of dishes that automatically made her mouth water.

It looked more delicious than any food Han Seoyeon had seen.

There were even high-class macarons!

“Do you like it?”

“Yes!”

This is why it was good to make friends.

“Please, help yourself. Before it gets cold.”

“…Are, are there any etiquettes I should follow? It looks so fancy.”

“If Han Seoyeon enjoys the meal, that’s all that matters.”

“…If you insist!”

Then, without further ado.

I’ll dig in!

“What…”

For a moment, Michaela couldn’t understand Lee Yeon’s words.

It wasn’t because she was deaf.

It was because the proposal was too unrealistic.

Hunters are the nation’s top military force.

Michaela is of German nationality.

Saying she would make her a direct subordinate meant, in other words.

“…Are you proposing naturalization?”

Naturalization.

The Republic of Korea, a country inclined towards nationalism.

The leader of such a country was offering this.

“You could see it that way.”

To even draw in a foreigner.

If some Koreans who are severely inclined towards nationalism were to witness this, they might faint from shock.

“Money, status, honor. I’ll give you whatever you want. You’re worth that much.”

“That’s an excessive evaluation.”

Michaela declined.

The power she had shown on the surface was at the level defined as S-class ability in this world.

While S-class abilities are rare, in Korea, a Hunter powerhouse, they weren’t that scarce.

Just in the Academy alone, aren’t there three S-class awakened?

Michaela couldn’t understand the sudden high evaluation she received.

“Excessive? That’s laughable. Are you trying to mock me?”

A fierce anger came back as an answer to her polite refusal.

An enormous pressure weighed down on the space.

“Are you thinking of threatening me?”

“Threats? Who in this country can talk about threats to me?”

There wasn’t a hint of trembling in Lee Yeon’s words.

She was Korea, and Korea was her.

No one would dare use such a lowly word as ‘threat’ to her.

Those who abuse such lowly words are only military dogs who still can’t forget their past glory and try to enslave the citizens.

“To begin with, isn’t it a bit ridiculous for a liar to use the word ‘threat’?”

“Are you saying I’m a liar?”

“Of course.”

Michaela couldn’t hide a slight disappointment.

A hero, an existence like a warrior in her world.

But her behavior was closer to a Demon King than a warrior.

“The Sword of Winter.”

“…!”

However, when she heard the words that followed.

Michaela couldn’t help but open her eyes wide.

“How…”

“There are few places in this country where my eyes and hands don’t reach.”

The Hunter Academy, in the heart of the capital.

There was no way Lee Yeon wouldn’t know about what happened there.

At most, only the slums might be out of her sight.

There was no need, nor value, in such a place.

“It was impressive. Both the sword and the skill. Nothing lacking at all.”

Lee Yeon genuinely admired.

That skill that easily subdued the old monster of the warlord organization.

“It was a power more formidable than any ability I’ve seen. Yes, that’s what it takes to be called an S-class awakened.”

And she was wary.

Of the girl who, despite not being a player, exerted such power in opposition to players.

“Having seen that power with these two eyes, I can’t pretend I didn’t see it.”

A powerful unknown ability.

As a hero, Lee Yeon had to assume that in the worst case, it might turn against them.

“I’ll say it again.”

Before that happens, she must make her an ally.

Lee Yeon didn’t desire pointless bloodshed.

“Become my direct subordinate. I’ll give you everything.”

“…”

Michaela hesitated to answer.

It wasn’t particularly because she was attached to her nationality.

For her, who had memories of a past life, patriotism was faint.

If she could be employed as a Hunter in the Republic of Korea and protect more innocent people from monsters than when she was in Europe, she would surely do so.

“I─”

Michaela answered without hesitation.