Chapter 883: Lame Sunbae (2)

The Guild Hall, which I visited again after three days, had a slightly chaotic atmosphere.

It wasn’t like it had been a long time since my last visit. I had stopped by the Guild before during the previous Operation: Capture No. 1.

Of course, that was the first time I visited after officially announcing that I was the ‘first male Awakened Hunter,’ so there was quite a bit of commotion.

Especially the people within the Guild who knew my face, particularly the Warp Gate administrators and the request desk staff, reacted by recognizing me.

As a result of that sudden change in our relationship, what happened that day…? Surprisingly, nothing happened at all.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Guild Hall wasn’t a guild for hunters with clear affiliations like those in companies or foundations.

The Hunters’ Autonomous Union was the largest guild among those used by hunters who lacked the talent to join a company or foundation but wanted to be hunters, hunters already affiliated with other guilds but wanting to use the Guild’s dungeons for personal training, or hunters who wished to operate while concealing their identities.

In other words, no matter how much I was the ‘world’s only male Awakened Hunter,’ the Guild couldn’t pretend to recognize me for that reason. They just had to treat me as ‘Guild Hunter Kim Sungchul’ like always, what else could they do?

Of course, hunter ranks are absolute figures set by the country, so I would rise to S-class, but anyway, in this space, I was Kim Sungchul, not Sung Taekyung. If I didn’t specifically want different treatment, it was right to treat me that way.

This wasn’t just applicable to the employees of the Hunters’ Autonomous Union Guild; it also applied to other connections I first met at this Guild. Including Hwayoung Sunbae, who, despite knowing my real name is Sung Taekyung, still calls me by the name ‘Sungchul Hubae’.

“You’re early, Hwayoung Sunbae.”

“…I came right on time.”

“For you, Hwayoung Sunbae, ‘on time’ is early.”

“…Do you think I’m always late or something?”

“Well, not exactly, but you have that kind of image. Like someone who works all night, sleeps until noon, and starts their day in the evening.”

“…….”

Seeing as you’re not refuting, you don’t seem to have any intention of denying it. Well, given her actions towards me so far, she probably wouldn’t have believed me even if I did deny it.

“Oh, you woke up early today.”

“Why? Did you wake up automatically because you were looking forward to meeting me?”

“…Do you think I’m some sex-crazed pervert who thinks about nothing but sex all day like you?! It’s not like that.”

“I didn’t specifically say it was because of sex. It’s natural to be happy when you have a schedule to meet a welcome junior after a long time. But seeing as you’re bringing that up over something like this, it seems like you’re the one who came out thinking only about sex today.”

“…Bullshit. I just came to see if you haven’t forgotten my words and are properly honing your magic.”

Although, the estimated acquisition points floating next to her face were bright red, as if about to burst.

Conversely, it meant that the period during which I hadn’t satisfied Hwayoung Sunbae’s desires had grown longer, which was something I needed to reflect on. As a Hunter’s Desire Manager, I had neglected the desires of the Hunter I was supposed to manage.

‘Well, since we’re meeting after a long time today, I should let her have it good in various ways.’

Today was entirely set aside for Hwayoung Sunbae. Strictly speaking, I always leave my evenings open for dates, not just with Hwayoung Sunbae, but with everyone.

Especially in Hwayoung Sunbae’s case, given how much desire she had accumulated, I had even planned to some extent what kind of sex we would have.

The sex we had in the dungeon last time seemed to get a slightly subtle reaction, so I’ll have to decide based on her response, and the standing-while-holding sex is one of the Senior’s favorite positions, so she’ll definitely like it if I do it.

As I was thinking about these things and looking at Sunbae, her face gradually turned red.

“W-what…? I-I really didn’t come here thinking about sex, okay?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll keep that in mind for now, Hwayoung Sunbae.”

“It’s not ‘for now,’ I really just came to see your fire magic…”

-pat, pat.-

“D-don’t touch my hair… I just brushed it…”

Somehow, my usually messy hair seemed strangely glossy.

Well, since she probably styled her hair to show me in the first place, it doesn’t matter if I mess it up a bit. Sunbae was only pretending to dislike it, quietly nudging her head forward.

“So, where are we going today? To the Ruins of Flames like last time?”

“…That’s a candidate, but going to the same place twice is a bit much. I think the Burning Flame Forest would probably be best for you to move around in at your current magic level…”

As we were searching for today’s training location… no, date spot, with Hwayoung Sunbae, a familiar yet slightly unexpected voice came from my left.

“Sungchul…?”

“Yes?”

“…Huh?”

At the name suddenly called out, my mouth reflexively moved, and Hwayoung Sunbae looked at me with an expression as if it wasn’t her.

Figuring out who it was wasn’t difficult. It was a familiar voice I’d heard just yesterday during the Sky Blue Shield’s group expedition.

“…Cha Yuri-ssi?”

“What are you doing here? I thought today was your day off.”

It was Cha Yuri-ssi, leaning in from the left between me and Hwayoung Sunbae. After considering what answer to give, I opted for the safer, more mundane one.

“Magic training.”

“…….”

It wasn’t a lie. After all, about 10% of today’s goal was to come to the Guild for magic training.

The only difference was that the remaining 90% of my intention was to spend some intimate time with Hwayoung Sunbae.

“…You said you had plans. That’s magic training?”

“Yes, Cha Yuri-ssi.”

“…You could have just said you were meeting a woman. I told you I don’t care anyway.”

“Hey, I said it’s magic training. …Well, there is a bit of ‘combining business with pleasure’ on the side.”

“…….”

Even someone as oblivious as Cha Yuri-ssi would surely be able to figure out what I meant by ‘combining business with pleasure’.

Since I wasn’t actively hiding the fact that I was seeing other women, I didn’t feel particularly burdened. After all, the longer this relationship dragged on, the more likely it was that we’d run into each other eventually.

‘I was planning to talk to Hwayoung Sunbae about establishing the Chuncheon City Guild anyway.’

I was thinking of asking if she could take charge of potion manufacturing for our guild. After all, potions are like a second lifeline for hunters.

If that happened, we’d likely run into each other occasionally at the Chuncheon Guild, so it might be better to introduce them now.

“Since we ran into each other like this, it’s fate, so let me introduce you. Hwayoung Sunbae, this is Cha Yuri-ssi. She’s a wind mage who works with me in the same party at the company. Her hunter rank is A+.”

“Ah, yeah…”

“Cha Yuri-ssi, this is my acquaintance, Choi Hwayoung Sunbae. Her main profession is a pharmacist, and in her prime, she wielded fire magic and even rose to S-class hunter. She’s also my fire magic teacher.”

“…Is this the magic teacher you mentioned last time?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s rare to find someone who can wield fire magic and also teach me.”

“…I see.”

“…….”

“……Hmm?”

Something feels a bit awkward, doesn’t it?

I thought that since they were both mages, they’d get along quickly to some extent, so I introduced them, but their reactions were surprisingly lukewarm.

Although their heads were turned towards me, their gazes were strangely directed at each other, making them look like they were awkwardly sizing each other up.

“In the same party as Sungchul Hubae….”

“Sungchul’s magic teacher… S-class hunter….”

To break the awkward atmosphere that was inexplicably building, I decided to slightly mediate their strange tension.

“Speaking of which, Cha Yuri-ssi, why did you come to the Guild today?”

“…Magic research. More specifically, practical testing.”

“You’re diligent even on your day off.”

“Yeah. I have a lot of free time these days. Unlike some people, I’m not busy meeting other men besides you, Sungchul.”

“…….”

It was a remark that strangely pricked my conscience. Then again, considering what I told Cha Yuri not long after we met, I had no room to complain even if she said something like that.

Did I say that if she met another man, our relationship would be over? …Having said that, here I was, openly dating another woman right in front of Cha Yuri’s eyes. It was definitely the lowest kind of scumbag behavior.

“Anyway, today I came out for magic training with Hwayoung Sunbae. You understand, right, Cha Yuri-ssi?”

“…Yeah, I got it.”

“Hwayoung Sunbae, so as we discussed, today in the Burning Flame Forest….”

“…But, I can teach magic too, you know?”

“…….”

Cha Yuri-ssi, who started clinging to us as if initiating a strange competition the moment she encountered me and Hwayoung Sunbae at the Hunters’ Autonomous Union Guild.

“……Hmm.”

And then there was Hwayoung Sunbae, looking at Cha Yuri-ssi with an inscrutable gaze.

(This is the version without glasses from the illustration above.)