Side Story 64. The Story After (64)

[The exciting children’s train ride has ended! Children, please return to your parents!]

Chiiik-

After the children’s train, which circled the amusement park once, finished its run.

The children who had been riding the train got off in a rush.

“Ahem, ahem-. Welcome to the world of fantasy-.”

Naturally, Nam Daeun was no exception.

She got off the children’s train while singing.

The exciting song that had been playing on the train lingered in her head.

Nam Daeun smiled as she stepped out of the boarding area.

“Time… Hmm. My appointment isn’t for a while yet.”

We were supposed to meet in 30 minutes, but the children’s train seemed to have been faster than expected.

There were still 2 minutes left.

“Oppa told me to stay put, so I should stay here.”

Nam Daeun sat on a nearby bench and looked around.

Since it was her first time at an amusement park, everything she saw felt fascinating.

“Mom-. I want to go to the haunted house.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s go together.”

Nam Daeun, who had been fidgeting on the bench, perked up her ears at the words of a mother and daughter passing by.

‘Haunted house…?!’

A house full of ghosts.

Nam Daeun unconsciously followed the mother and daughter.

[Ehehehe. Oohhee. Hoohaha….]

“Wow…. It’s the haunted house!”

Nam Daeun looked at the haunted house with sparkling eyes.

Eerie smoke seeped out from the place, which looked like a giant castle.

Nam Daeun walked towards the haunted house with a dazed expression.

Tak-

Just then, something hard bumped into Nam Daeun’s shoulder.

She had collided with a man walking towards her.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Bowing deeply.

Nam Daeun immediately apologized, just as Nam Daeun had taught her.

It was technically a mutual fault since neither of them was looking where they were going, but she had been taught to apologize first in situations like this.

They said it would prevent any fights.

“Ah, shit. This little brat…”

“Oppa. Are you okay?”

However, the man before her reacted differently than expected.

Nam Daeun cautiously observed the man’s attire.

He was large, with strange drawings on his arms.

Next to him stood a woman with revealing clothes and heavy makeup.

She was much uglier than Nam Daeun.

“Ah, ah. I’m sorry…”

Nam Daeun bowed her head again.

“Haaah, this is really pissing me off. Should I just….”

“Oppa, hold on. Kids can make mistakes.”

“I, I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

Nam Daeun trembled as she looked at the man.

She was too scared by the large man threatening her to know what to do.

“If saying sorry is all it takes, why do we need police? Huh? Go get your mother right now. I need to get an apology from your mother. Okay?”

“M-my mom…”

Nam Daeun couldn’t think of what to say and hung her head.

‘I should have stayed put at the meeting spot…. I’m getting into trouble because I moved like an idiot….’

Nam Daeun felt tears welling up.

She missed Daeun unnie and Hoyeon oppa so much.

“Oh dear, I apologize.”

Just then, a familiar male voice was heard.

“Is my little sister perhaps in trouble?”

Lee Hoyeon put his arm around Nam Daeun’s shoulder and stood in front of the man.

Based on his looks alone, this bastard was likely in the wrong, but he had to assess the situation just in case.

“Hey. If she’s your sister, shouldn’t you manage her better!”

“I apologize. Did something happen?”

“Your sister bumped into my gut with her shoulder. Huh?”

“…?”

Lee Hoyeon looked at his protruding belly.

He was about twice the size of the woman next to him, and it seemed Daeun had bumped into that belly.

“Daeun-ah. Were you walking and bumped into this gentleman while he was standing there?”

“N-no…. We bumped into each other while both walking…”

Nam Daeun answered with a sniffle.

She remembered it clearly, as it had just happened.

Both had been looking forward.

“Hmm…”

“Hey, if the brat made a mistake, shouldn’t the guardian apologize? Are you going to apologize or not?”

Lee Hoyeon looked at the man spouting nonsense and opened his mouth.

“Hey, you son of a bitch. Are you seriously picking a fight with a kid over one bump?”

“… What?”

“Besides, if you bumped into each other, it’s mutual fault. Are you crazy?”

He could imagine why the man, who looked like a human wrecking ball, was saying such things.

He was probably trying to act tough because the woman was there.

The less educated people are, the more they tend to show off over trivial things.

“You bastards… You probably haven’t heard of Hunter Jang San-woo, have you?”

Jang San-woo frowned and raised his fist.

“… What kind of unknown hunter is that?”

Lee Hoyeon stared at him and let out a hollow laugh.

Seeing him channel magic into his fist, it seemed he intended to strike, and magic is practically a weapon.

In other words, it was self-defense.

“You’ll change your mind after taking one hit!”

Jang San-woo’s fist became imbued with magic.

He swung his fist down hard towards Lee Hoyeon.

Kkwadeuk-!

“O-oppa!”

Nam Daeun was startled by the bursting roar, but Lee Hoyeon smiled wryly and patted her head.

“Ugh, Uwaaaaaaaak!”

Jang San-woo screamed and looked down at his fist.

His fingers wouldn’t move properly; it felt like the bones were broken.

It felt like hitting steel.

“Y-you! You’re a psychic?! Damn it! I won’t hold back!”

“… How pathetic.”

Watching Jang San-woo rage and gather magic, Lee Hoyeon sighed.

This guy couldn’t even break through such a light barrier.

His magic manipulation. The quality of his magic.

He’s trash.

“Do you think I came to the amusement park this morning just to deal with scum like you?”

Ttak-

Lee Hoyeon snapped his fingers.

He felt his day was too precious to waste on someone like this.

“Kuhuk, hu, hugueuk…!”

D-rank Hunter Jang San-woo shuddered, overwhelmed by the killing intent filling his body.

He remembered the time he ran away after entering a dungeon after becoming a hunter.

The goblins he met there had traumatized him, and he never entered a dungeon again.

“Th-this… gasp….”

He struggled to breathe under the palpable magic.

It felt like thousands of goblins, the ones that traumatized him, were staring at him simultaneously.

Jureureuk-

He wet his pants without realizing it.

Lee Hoyeon frowned at the disgusting act and withdrew his magic.

“Hee, heeeeeeek…”

Jang San-woo could finally breathe.

The man before him was a hunter. A top-tier hunter, no less…!

He instinctively backed away.

“Hey. Where are you going? You need to apologize before you leave.”

“I, I’m sorry.”

“Not to me. To her.”

Lee Hoyeon patted Nam Daeun’s shoulder.

Jang San-woo finally bowed his head to Nam Daeun.

“I, I’m sorry. Please forgive me…”

He glanced at Lee Hoyeon, then knelt down.

The woman next to him crossed her arms, looking displeased, but when Lee Hoyeon subtly released some magic, she bowed her head too.

“O-oppa…”

Nam Daeun blinked in surprise at Lee Hoyeon’s power.

Seeing the man and woman who had been berating her moments ago now kneeling and apologizing was bewildering.

“Daeun-ah. Do as you please. Hmm, just like Liliana. It’s not difficult, right?”

“Liliana unnie…?”

Liliana.

Like a succubus who lives without a care in the world… Nam Daeun bit her lip.

“Y-you bad person…. Don’t do that again…”

“Ah, understood!”

Jang San-woo got up and quickly ran away.

Meanwhile, the woman, seemingly disappointed in the man, walked off in a different direction.

‘…Tsk.’

Lee Hoyeon tapped his smartwatch and took a picture of the guy’s face.

‘He even knelt, so it’s awkward to push it further.’

He felt like stabbing him in the gut with a spiral attack, but since he didn’t actually hit Daeun, he couldn’t.

He’d have to contact the Hunter Association later and tell them to take action.

“Daeun-ah! Hoyeon-ah!”

Just then, Nam Daeun came running, holding ice cream in both hands.

She was still unaware of what had happened.

“Hmph. Unnie…”

As soon as Nam Daeun saw Nam Daeun, the tears she had been holding back burst out.

She had been so scared she didn’t know what to do.

“I was scared…”

“Daeun-ah. What happened? I told you to wait there. I was looking for you for ages.”

“I’m sorry, Unnie…”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry too. I should have found you sooner…”

Lee Hoyeon let out a sigh of relief watching the two sisters.

If he had been a little later, it could have turned into a murder case… thankfully, it didn’t.

“Daeun-ah. Next time, if someone like that picks a fight, just charge right at them. You have Oppa behind you. I can cover most accidents.”

Lee Hoyeon patted Nam Daeun’s head.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure how to comfort her.

He felt Daeun would be better at this than him.

“Wait here for a moment. Let’s go grab something to eat together soon.”

Lee Hoyeon held up his smartwatch.

Seeing Daeun crying made him angry again, so he couldn’t just let it go.

He decided to contact the Hunter Association right away.

‘I should report that he picked a fight with me.’

His name was Jang San-woo, wasn’t it?

If the Hunter Association has any sense, they’ll handle it properly.

‘Hoyeon oppa….’

And Nam Daeun….

She stared intently at Lee Hoyeon’s back.

Duguen. Duguen.

An inexplicable fluttering feeling enveloped her.

“U-unnie.”

“Yes. Daeun-ah. Do you have something to say?”

“When I see Hoyeon oppa, my heart flutters.”

Nam Daeun pressed her pounding heart firmly with her right hand.

“…… No.”

“Huh?”

“Daeun-ah. Right now, you’re cherished at home… but if that happens, you’ll be treated as a competitor. Keep those feelings hidden for now.”

“Should I hide it from Liliana unnie too?”

“Liliana might be okay… but if you tell Ms. Scarlet, it’ll be a disaster. At least… until you turn 20.”

Nam Daeun has outstanding talent as a mage.

Once she becomes an adult and enrolls in the academy, perhaps she can speak of it then.

‘Of course, everyone will be stronger then….’

Nam Daeun sighed.

If that day comes, should she help Daeun as an older sister?

Or should she block a new competitor?

‘Why does Hoyeon make every woman he meets like this….’

…It was a truly difficult dilemma.