Chapter 51 The Difference Between Former and Current Master

The situation where a large guild called [Witch’s Temptation] requested a dispatch from [Hunter S].

This situation was all planned and intentional by Min Seo-jin.
In fact, large guilds are considered large because they have an overwhelming number of affiliated hunters compared to other guilds.

Such a large guild is the [Witch’s Temptation] guild, and such guilds don’t usually have many occasions to dispatch mid-small guilds.

It happens very occasionally, but even that rarely happens in a large guild like [Witch’s Temptation] that operates much more systematically than other large guilds.

Min Seo-jin.

From the beginning, Min Seo-jin requesting [Hunter S] and Si-woo coming here was absolutely not a coincidence.

It was nothing more than creating this situation to learn much more about Si-woo, who was known to have cleared a Red Gate a month ago.

Min Seo-jin couldn’t help but be curious about what kind of tremendous power he possessed for both Reytana and An Se-ah to evaluate him so highly.

So now she was deliberately planning to create a difficult situation.

“Now. We’ll proceed with the dispersed party strategy…! Don’t overdo things, and if you discover anything, immediately report it to the raid leader or deputy raid leader!”

Dispersed party.

It’s one of the methods used when exploring large gates, where parties are split into small groups of 3-4 people to roam around the large gate.

In fact, for boss or treasure rooms, hunters with exploration skills can be used, so this method isn’t commonly used in modern times.

This method was used to find treasures that couldn’t be found with exploration skills.

Using this method and exploring the gate while scattered, unexpected fortunes can sometimes be discovered.

However, it was undoubtedly still an inefficient method.

Therefore, in a normal situation, such a method wouldn’t be used often, but the reason for using this strategy was obviously to test Si-woo’s power.

For that purpose, according to plan, Min Seo-jin formed a party with Si-woo along with An Se-ah.

Naturally, because it was designed that way from the beginning.

Now Min Seo-jin just needed to accompany him and observe Si-woo’s power.

However.

She couldn’t do that.

“Master…! I’ve taken care of all of them.”

“Hmm… Well done. Ms. Se-ah.”

“Aww… Just call me by my name. Master.”

“Hmm… Alright. Well done. Se-ah.”

“Hehe… I’m happy to be praised by Master. Woof…♡”

The reason she couldn’t see Si-woo’s power was because of An Se-ah.

An Se-ah was defeating all the dimensional creatures they encountered along the way.

Like a loyal dog, she moved diligently as if to show no hardship to her master.

‘This isn’t right…’

Seeing that sight, Min Seo-jin sensed that her plan had been disrupted.

Min Seo-jin never dreamed it would turn out like this.

An Se-ah taking the front line in battle—it was something Min Seo-jin hadn’t thought of at all.

‘Se-ah… directly taking action…’

Min Seo-jin knows An Se-ah’s personality better than anyone.

She never participates in trivial, petty battles.

She only observes, solitary and noble, and only bares her fangs to enemies that interest her.

That was An Se-ah, and that’s why Min Seo-jin brought her.

From the beginning, to make only Si-woo take action.

But now such an An Se-ah was wagging her tail like a dog and seeking praise from Si-woo—this wasn’t her plan at all.

Far from being part of the plan, it was actually causing a problem.

‘Why… is An Se-ah showing such behavior to Si-woo?’

The fact that An Se-ah, S-class Rank 9 with the alias “Explosive Wolf,” was acting like this.

That was actually a big problem for Min Seo-jin.

Therefore, Min Seo-jin canceled her original plan.

Seeing Si-woo’s ability was no longer her priority.

The reason Min Seo-jin thought this way.

‘She never showed me such a face…’

It was jealousy.

Because An Se-ah was Min Seo-jin’s dog, or so she thought.

Because of that, she couldn’t help but be consumed with jealousy at An Se-ah’s behavior.

‘She always treats me coldly…’

Typically, An Se-ah’s attitude towards Min Seo-jin was very cold and cynical.

While it’s true that An Se-ah’s master is Min Seo-jin, An Se-ah acknowledged Min Seo-jin as her master, but more like a butler-type master.

She listens, but acts however she wants and always treats Min Seo-jin carelessly.

After all, she acknowledges her as her master but regards her as something like her underling—that’s the relationship between An Se-ah and Min Seo-jin.

An Se-ah constantly utters arrogant and haughty words to Min Seo-jin.

From the beginning, An Se-ah is that kind of being.

Min Seo-jin accepted such an An Se-ah and rather always treated her affectionately.

Because she thought that was natural.

But at this moment, seeing An Se-ah, who had been treating her poorly, treating Si-woo so well, Min Seo-jin couldn’t hide her complicated feelings.

‘I’ve treated her well for 10 years…’

In fact, An Se-ah was an orphan brought in for experiments, so at first, she wasn’t important to Min Seo-jin.

But even though the current An Se-ah persona was created by experimenting on a picked-up orphan, 10 years is not a light amount of time.

Now that 10 years have passed since An Se-ah was created, she was no longer just an experimental subject.

An Se-ah was like a precious family to Min Seo-jin.

Such a precious being is An Se-ah, and such a family member…

An Se-ah was showing expressions and behaviors to a man she met just a few days ago that she hadn’t shown to Min Seo-jin in 10 years.

From Min Seo-jin’s perspective, it was very absurd.

‘An Se-ah’s master is me… su… surely not, right?’

An Se-ah’s master was still Min Seo-jin, but…

Min Seo-jin couldn’t help but feel anxious for no reason.

She couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of crisis.

‘No… it’s just an unfounded worry.’

But Min Seo-jin thought it was nothing serious.

She shook her head vigorously and thought rationally.

An Se-ah’s master is no one but Min Seo-jin herself.

They’ve been together for as long as 10 years.

Given such a relationship, the bond between Min Seo-jin and An Se-ah must be very strong.

Even if she shows such behavior, Min Seo-jin didn’t doubt that she would still be first in An Se-ah’s heart.

So… Min Seo-jin believed and left them alone.

‘She’ll just play around for a bit.’

Yes.

This is just simple curiosity.

An Se-ah’s very brief infidelity towards Si-woo.

Min Seo-jin dismissed it lightly as just such curiosity.

But.

“Se-ah. Hand.”

“Woof…!”

“Se-ah. Sit.”

“Woof…!”

“Se-ah. Roll over!”

“Woof…!”

“Se-ah. Lap kitty!”

“Woof…! No. Meow!!!”

Even during the brief rest time after roaming the gate for a while, the two wouldn’t separate.

They were playing their own game with bright smiles.

As time passed, far from growing distant, they formed a complete master-dog relationship.

And Min Seo-jin could only watch from a distance with a lonely expression.

“Huuu…”

Min Seo-jin bit her handkerchief slightly and looked at the two with a tearful expression.

The emotions Min Seo-jin felt at this moment were feelings of betrayal, resentment, depression from having her family stolen, and so on.

Various negative emotions swirled.

‘I… I want to do roll over and lap kitty too…’

Min Seo-jin had many times when she wanted to play with An Se-ah too.

She had tried giving bribes to command [Hand, Sit] and such.

And only after begging for a long time would An Se-ah play with her, as if doing her a favor.

Hand and sit were very, very, very, very, very occasionally things that An Se-ah would do.

But lap kitty and roll over were completely unexpected.

Those were forbidden territories that the proud and noble wolf would never grant.

Seeing a man who casually entered such forbidden territories, jealousy rose to the top of her head.

Therefore.

Min Seo-jin had no choice but to use her special move.

She couldn’t just stand by and watch anymore.

Min Seo-jin took out a piece of jerky she carried in her bosom.

This is the highest quality jerky that An Se-ah loves the most.

Min Seo-jin knows that with this jerky, An Se-ah will have no choice but to come running.

“Se-ah…! I’ll give you jerky. Will you come here?”

Min Seo-jin held up the jerky with an anxious heart.

Min Seo-jin waved the jerky towards An Se-ah.

Hoping she would come.

With a pounding heart, Min Seo-jin waited for An Se-ah’s reaction.

“Hm? Guild Master, really?”

An Se-ah immediately ran to Min Seo-jin.

At that sight, Min Seo-jin’s expression brightened tremendously.

‘Hmph…’

Min Seo-jin smiled at Si-woo with a winner’s expression.

She smiled at the man who had been playing with her dog, showing the power of a 10-year master.

How about that, this is the difference between you and me. In the end, An Se-ah chose me…!

While she was gloating like that.

“Master… I brought you delicious jerky.”

An Se-ah took the jerky but didn’t eat it, instead running back to Si-woo.

Normally, she would have swallowed it in one bite, but instead, she held it tightly with both hands and returned to Si-woo.

Then she extended both hands and gave the jerky to Si-woo.

“Hm? Thank you.”

And the man naturally accepted the jerky from An Se-ah and ate it.

“…”

Seeing that sight, Min Seo-jin couldn’t help but be considerably shocked.

‘She… she never gave me jerky even once…’

The act of An Se-ah giving jerky to someone is something that is impossible from the beginning.

Not just to other people, but she has never given jerky even to herself.

In the harsh wild world, food is directly linked to survival.

Giving such an important thing to others?

For An Se-ah, who was designed to be a cold-hearted beast from the beginning, this is close to impossible.

But now, An Se-ah did it.

It was unbelievable.

Moreover.

Munch munch.

“Master. It’s delicious, right?”

“Yeah. It’s tasty.”

“Hehehehe…”

An Se-ah, who had given away her food, showed an expression far more ecstatic than if she had eaten the jerky herself.

Just from having her head patted, she made an expression as if she had gained everything in the world.

“Se… Se-ah?”

Seeing this absurd scene, Min Seo-jin’s face turned pale.

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of crisis.

She had to somehow get An Se-ah back.

With that thought, as Min Seo-jin was gradually walking.

BOOM!

The gate’s boss revealed itself.