Chapter 181 – Lee Do-won (1)
Leaning on the bed, I spoke to the star cautiously so as not to wake Shiba.
“Yes. I know people there, and I’m worried.”
[…Si-heon, if you say so, I won’t stop you. Se-Young will probably object, saying it’s too dangerous, right?]
I intended to act without informing Lee Se-Young.
Explaining the power I possess now is not only complicated, but above all, she is someone I’ll worry about regardless of how strong I am.
[…Are you serious?]
“Yes.”
[Ah… the couple is so alike.]
Byul lets out a pained groan as if her head hurts hearing the truth.
Still, she soon accepts my decision without any intention of interfering.
[So… how are you going to hide it? If you act openly, you won’t be able to stop the information from leaking. Se-Young is as cunning as a fox, so she’ll catch on quickly, won’t she?]
“I have some measures in place.”
I reached for the table and lifted a mask that I hadn’t worn for some time. In the dim light of dawn, it seemed as though the eyes were gleaming.
“Can you create a Hunter qualification? I’ll go around in disguise, hiding my academy identity as well.”
[…Huh? You want to create a fake identity? It’s not difficult, but the situation will become more complicated.]
“Oh, is it difficult?”
Byul giggled at my question and whispered in a winsome way.
[No, it’s not just a little difficult, it seems like it’ll be quite difficult. This, this… one kiss won’t be enough. Hey, mister! This will be a bit expensive.]
“…Hahaha. I’ll do whatever you ask.”
[Really?! Did I record this? Is this for real?]
Eek! Screams Byul.
Her image comes to mind, grinning in her nightgown as she twirls her bright yellow hair with her fingers. Byul had shouted “It’s a windfall~” for quite a while before returning to the matter at hand.
[…] So, can I choose the name, age, and details as I please?]
“Ah, age doesn’t matter, and for the details… just do them roughly. There are bound to be a lot of situations like this, right?”
[Exactly. In the association, it’s already considered a mere commodity.]
It seems she’s already forgotten how she had just exaggerated that creating an identity is an incredibly difficult task. Byul nonchalantly states it’s simple.
[Then, should I just create one for you? Bear in mind, the highest would be C-class.]
“Yes. Oh, that’s right.”
[Hm?]
It might be an identity that will be used multiple times in the future.
Although it’s C-class, each hunter is different. The identity I will receive plays a role similar to that of a mercenary. Not bound to the association and, as they say, truly free.
Obtaining an identity was a simple task, which often led to individuals hiding past crimes or reinventing themselves, embarking on this path with a new name.
‘…To take on this role and act.’
Becoming a shadow, straddling the line between light and darkness.
The entity known as Flower dwells within the shadows, and the only way to seize it is to venture into the darkness itself. Fortunately, I am well-versed in the machinations of this world.
‘Drug distribution… Murder. Trafficking.’
I gained this knowledge not just through observation, but by witnessing and experiencing it firsthand. The time has come to transform the disillusionment of the past into experience.
A murky future.
Dark and slick, sticky and unpleasant shadows. They persist, even now, as a hidden facet of society, and may aim a blade at me without my realizing it.
‘My teacher and master will undoubtedly try to stop me.’
This is stubbornness.
Could I simply stand by and watch those cunning little mosquitoes, prepared to feast on my rich blood?
Right now, I needed a name to proudly proclaim.
And just in time, I had the perfect name.
“Do-won.”
Lee Do-won.
The name of a newly christened hunter.
Each character of the name adorned with delicate pink peach blossoms, a cherished name she had once bestowed upon me. It’s a shame that Heaven cannot remember it now. But someday, when she recalls it or perhaps when she vanishes from my sight, she will hear that name and return to me.
“I’ll go by Do-won.”
In the sluggish dawn,
I applied a plain mask to my face.
I gazed at the mirror beside me.
*Creak*
The light from the bedside table reflects into my eyes.
Dark, black pupils.
A brownish hue within the irises, slowly radiating from within the mask.
* * * * * * * *
“Once more, welcome to those of you chosen for the Forest Keeper Selection.”
El Academy, 12th floor of the main building.
We had participated in the world-class event, the Forest Keeper Selection. Consequently, our class was relocated, and we took lessons somewhere other than the Korean branch.
“… El Academy’s finest talents. Mok. After completing this training safely, I hope some of you will assume the role of a Forest Keeper.”
The Korean branch operates an advanced class known as Jeongjin, selecting only cadets with exceptional grades.
This is because intensive training allows students to reach the standards expected of cadets.
In that sense, this place holds higher prestige than the Jeongjin class.
Only those with the utmost talent among the elite belong here.
15 individuals. Everyone here is a contender in the selection event.
Cadets from El Academy hailing from Japan, China, the United States, and other countries stood with squared shoulders, gazing forward.
“For a while, we won’t be studying traditional subjects. To purely cultivate our skills, we’ll reorganize the curriculum and undergo special training.”
Do I need this now? Although there were undoubtedly lessons to be learned from that instructor, I didn’t perceive any particular advantages in doing so.
Skills of an opponent that could be learned with just a glance.
When I first arrived at the academy—when my potential was at its peak—I could mimic magic or swordsmanship merely by observing it. Of course, this was only up to a certain level, but it remained an astonishing talent that surprised everyone.
‘…Perhaps it’ll be useful at some point.’
There seemed to be nothing concrete to learn at the academy.
At most, I could acquire knowledge about unfamiliar magic. In the upcoming forest keeper selection, I planned to rely solely on magic rather than showcasing my skills.
“……”
I gathered my thoughts and discreetly glanced at the seat next to me.
A massive chest entered my field of vision before the face. Her beauty, which flaunted its magnificence even when constrained by a tight bra, shone brightly even here.
Cornus. The one who had been covertly avoiding me until now.
“…Hey.”
“…….”
At my words, Cornus stole a glance and puffed her cheeks with an emotionless expression.
“Why are you so angry? Did I make some kind of mistake?”
I spoke as gently as possible.
Cornus pursed her lips into a round shape and stuck them out. Soon after, she raised her small hand and slapped my shoulder.
– Thump.
A barely perceptible pain. For Cornus, it was quite a hard hit.
“…You left without saying anything.”
Her resentful gaze and pouting lips simply couldn’t be ignored.
“I hate Shi Eon. They said they’d help me make friends.”
“But you did make a lot of friends. Weren’t you close the last time I saw you?”
Sansuyu’s wish had been granted, albeit with a slight misdirection. In light of this, she puffed up her cheeks, seemingly more dissatisfied than before.
Her face, plump and reminiscent of Shiba’s, expressed her discontent.
“I couldn’t enjoy the retreat together,” she said, puffing up her cheeks again.
When a beautiful person like Sansuyu showed a change in their expression, it subtly drew people’s attention.
Some foreign students stole glances at Sansuyu.
“He said he’d do ‘Yas’ for me too,” she muttered.
That remark seemed a bit out of place, didn’t it? Not quite fitting for the current situation.
Fortunately, Sansuyu’s petulant words weren’t loud enough to be heard by the surrounding students. I swallowed a sigh and grabbed the back of Sansuyu’s neck.
“Let’s not use that word here… it might be misunderstood,” I cautioned.
Where on earth did she learn that phrase? It must be from Tree Inside, that malicious website.
I gently caressed the back of Sansuyu’s neck, as if urging her to relax, and she shivered.
“Ha, don’t.”
The puff of air dissipated from her cheeks, and she reverted to the first stage of sulking.
Stage one: pursed lips and subtle glares.
Stage two: openly glaring while puffing out her cheeks to their fullest.
I was curious about what the third stage would be like, but for now, pacifying her anger was the top priority.
“Hey, do you want to go try the new tteokbokki that just came out?”
“Tteokbokki?”
As I whispered softly into her ear, Sansuyu’s face gradually relaxed.
It had been a long time since I heard that name. Spicy, chewy tteokbokki.
Sansuyu wore a genuinely contemplative expression, and with a sudden ‘ha!’ she looked back at me.
“…Trying to appease me with food.”
It didn’t work.
She was undoubtedly different from the Sansuyu of the past.
Back then, if someone offered to buy her tteokbokki, she would have eagerly followed even a stranger.
Now, it seemed she had developed a certain degree of self-control.
“Could it be because I’ve grown used to such intense flavors?”
Unable to find satisfaction in tteokbokki after indulging in delicious food, I picture Cornus roaming about, savoring scrumptious meals with friends—chicken, beer, and the like. Having eaten so much, it’s no wonder tteokbokki no longer appeals to her.
My original sin runs deep.
“Hmm… So, what can I do to appease your anger?”
I muttered, as if speaking to myself. Cornus, with her arms folded beneath her chest, glanced at me and subtly sent a signal, as if the corners of her mouth were itching to speak.
Pretending not to notice, I eventually prompted her to speak first.
“…Alcohol.”
“Excuse me?”
Alcohol?
“I want a cocktail.”
“A cocktail? Why the sudden request?”
“…The kids tell me not to drink.”
I had never seen Cornus drink alcohol to the point of no return. At most, she enjoyed a single glass of draft beer before parting ways. If a child is a heavy drinker, just how bad must it be for them to be told not to drink?
It wasn’t a difficult request, so I nodded.
“Is this to vent your anger?”
Sansuyu rolled her eyes nonchalantly, and still with an expressionless face, she nodded.
To others, it appeared as a subtly frightening scene of an emotionless girl simply inflating her cheeks with air and exhaling. Yet, in my eyes, I could read her emotions.
Before turning my gaze back to the instructor in front of me, I asked Sansuyu:
“Right, by the way,”
“Hmm?”
“Are you facing any hardships?”
“What do you mean?”
I gave it a shot, but the response was tepid.
Sansuyu was also one of the people I needed to keep in my sights, as she had a habit of vanishing suddenly.
“Well, it’s a relief if there’s nothing wrong.”
I hoped that a series of incidents wouldn’t erupt and spread uncontrollably, leaving no time to address them. With that thought in mind, I exhaled a light breath.