Chapter 429 – Shaving a Beard, Picking Up a Middle School Girl (7)

Hanbyeol, President of the Korea Hunter Association.

The Korean branch of the Hunter Association, located in Seoul, stood taller than any other building, symbolizing the authority and power of the president.

The uppermost level.
A place where only a select few hunters with access permission are allowed to enter.

The president’s office.
Hanbyeol sat in the spacious office, where the nameplate bearing her name glistened in the sunlight.

Hanbyeol, who took the position as a replacement for Mugung, who was injured three years ago and unable to fulfill his duties as president. Although the great star fell, and Korea’s status declined significantly, Hanbyeol played her role well, contributing to world peace and saving countless lives.

“Woohyo~”

At that moment, Hanbyeol stared at her laptop with the most serious expression in the world. It was a critical juncture.

– No. 6 Maple Light Green…! We surpassed first place!

“Okay… Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

The latest craze: a wooden horse racing game. Wooden daughter.

“Shall I harden it like this?”

Byul, who prayed while rubbing her hands together, shouted in triumph.

“Let’s go!”

She clenched both fists and claimed victory.

To her, the game before her eyes was more important than diplomacy with foreign countries or negotiations with the World Tree. Byul crossed her legs and clicked the mouse as she sang a lively song.

-Click, click.

Another account was turning the power off and on, diligently drawing characters. It was the process of a gacha game that didn’t really need to be known, called “Risemara.” Byul sang while alternating her gaze between the same game running simultaneously on multiple screens.

“Z-Kyung Z-Kyung~ Hashiridashi~ Q-Kyung!”

Singing anime songs in the president’s office towering over Gangnam, Seoul… What a life!

-Thud!

Just as she was about to think it was fantastic, the door opened.

“Ah! No!!!”

As Byul let out a scream, her hand reached for her laptop.

First, forcefully shut the laptop by closing the lid.
Place a mouse pad, modeled after the chest of a favorite character, into a secure filing cabinet.
Stow away all the geeky collectibles inside the desk.

Astonishingly swift, superhuman even. Among the S-class, nearly the top.
Pushing the limits of speed. The instant the door opened, the surroundings were tidied up all at once.
So startled, the laptop emitted a crackling sound as the result of a failed attempt to control its power.

“Who are you?”

Raising her voice like a girl, she inquires.
Good, it sounded natural.

Lee Se-Young was standing at the door.

“What are you doing?”
“Ah…”

An outburst of weary sighs.
Byeol, with tearful eyes, glared at Se-Young as if to blame her.

Se-Young, indifferent to the reaction, asked about the song heard in the hallway as she entered the office.

“Are you still listening to that cringeworthy song?”
“What about it… why did you come?”
“You’re annoyed.”

“I’m not upset. It’s just a shame that the well-rolled account vanished.”
“Lise… what?”

Se-Young removed her fur-lined coat, placed it on the sofa, and sat comfortably.
Byul repeatedly pressed the power button of her broken laptop, letting out melancholic sobs.

“Risemara… I kept rolling the account, hoping for something good.”
“What? You have plenty of money. Just splurge.”

Tears welled up.

“Risemara means… content, you know…”
“What?”
“Sigh… Se-Young. It’s crucial to get a full roll on the first try, right? But Se-Young, you-“
“I don’t really know about that stuff.”

Byul’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Hey, don’t tell me you’re crying because of that…”
“I’m not crying.”

Feeling wronged and furious about the reality of discarding the well-rolled account without linking it, Byul wiped her eyes with her arm.

“Si-heon would have understood this…”
“He probably wouldn’t know much about it either.”
“What do you know about Si-heon!”

Gazing at the furiously wrathful star, Se-Young wondered,
Am I a bit tired these days?

“So, why have you come?”
“To discuss the dungeon assault strategy, and explain various matters.”

Whether it’s fandom, anime, or games, they are merely hobbies; the crux of the matter begins now.
Byul, who had wiped away her fake tears, settled into the association’s leader’s seat and stretched.

“Ugh! Hoo… What happened to him?”

The crows of the power behind the scenes and the starlight of the association.
Compared to the vibrant Mugung, their light may have dimmed somewhat, but neither Byul nor Se-Young are figures to be disregarded.

“I brought him.”

In response to Byul’s inquiry, Se-Young gestured towards the door and called out.

“Come in.”

-Squeak!

A blonde woman wearing a robe entered as the door opened.
It was noticeable that she donned a large armor to prevent her chest from jiggling.

“Hunter.”

The most renowned hunter of the present age, who, with the assistance of a sage, obliterated information and secured a new identity to continue her activities.

She dropped the enchanted artifact, which had impaired her perception, from her body and removed her robe to reveal her face.

– Nod.

With an expressionless face, she offered a greeting and nodded her head once.

“Her breasts are huge.”

Even though they were secured by a chainmail reinforced with steel, the size made it seem as though the armor would ripple along with them. Se-Young frowned at Byul’s candid words.

“I have something to say.”

When the hunter spoke, a soft yet deep voice flowed out. Se-Young and Byul quickly turned their attention to her.

Upon hearing her words…

“Yes.”

The two women fell silent.

“…We can save people.”

“Yes.”

The hunter responded to Se-Young’s words. How long had she been waiting, and how much time had she devoted to this?

“I heard that in the tower left by King Mokryeong, there are magical artifacts that border on the miraculous.”

The hunter explained calmly.

The Seven Towers.

The seven towers left behind by King Mokryeong, believed to contain boundless powers.

In times past.
A legend of the present day. It is said that beings beyond the Heavenly Demon and Mugung once ran rampant.

An unnamed World Tree that had swept its surroundings with raw force.
The World Tree of Time, where it was possible to reverse or stop the natural order.

And even King Mokryeong, who had brought death upon them all.

“If done well… there’s a possibility.”

At Se-Young’s words, the hunter nodded.
Byul looked at Se-Young and smiled sadly.

“The question is, how will you break through there? Even someone who has reached that level could die. That tower is.”
“…….”
“The World Trees are even considering escaping to another world line if they fail. Three years ago, I heard they found a world completely devoid of mana.”

As the conversation progressed naturally, Byul asked Se-Young.

“Ah, right. How was it with the third king?”

The third king.

The third nameless king, presumed to have emerged after the demise of Lee Si-heon, heir to King Mokryeong.

Lee Se-young pressed her lips together, deep in thought for a long while.

“It’s just…”
“Hmm? What’s the matter?”
“……”

A middle-aged man of considerable years.
He exuded an intimidating aura rooted in his skills, a sensation never experienced even from Mugung.

Even Se-young, who was quite resilient, felt so overwhelmed by the pressure that she braced herself for death. Amidst all of this, she sensed an odd disconnect from him. Not knowing the reason left her feeling as if she would burst, but dwelling on it would only cause more distress.

“We simply parted ways. Whatever the issue was, he just stood up from his seat.”
“In my opinion, not yielding to the king seems fortunate. Isn’t that the power of a king?”
“…Hey.”
“Ah, sorry.”

It’s just a joke, after all. Nonetheless, these women possess an experience factor of one.

“Then shall we start planning the strategy for the next dungeon raid?… Oh, hold on a moment?”

Byul glanced at her wristwatch and hastily grabbed the remote control.

“Why turn on the TV all of a sudden?”

“Our Shiba-chan~ We have to watch the preliminary match~”
“Ah… has it already come to that day?”

As the TV was switched on, music began to play. Shiba had been making quite a name for herself at the academy recently.

With the help of Se-Young and Byul, Azalea had indeed raised one talented child. The sight of the national tree on the screen, followed closely by Shiba, made Byul let out an excited yelp.

“…?”

The hunter, oblivious to it all, merely tilted their head.

“There shouldn’t be any problems this year,” Byul muttered as they watched the beginning of the match. It was the first time since the preliminary round held three years prior. Back then, many trees had perished during Flower’s attack, and chaos had ensued.

But now, things were different. This time, they were thoroughly prepared. Even if Flower—or the recently emerged Eighth Leaf—were to come, there would be no issues.

“Ah, the sage.”
“The former French national tree?”
“I like that one because they’re so cute. Like a cat-dog.”

The Forest Keeper Tournament concluded successfully.
Whether or not the conclusion will be truly without issue remains to be seen, however.

* * * * * * * * *

A new puppy has joined our household.

“Do-won~!”

Hong-Yeon clings to my arm, showering me with relentless displays of affection. Her enthusiasm is such that the saliva on her face never seems to dry.

This behavior is reserved for bedtime, though. During meetings or any other time, she feels like a quiet, hardworking colleague.

“Whew, sigh…”

“Why do you keep inhaling like that?”

“I suppose this must be what the old saying about ‘inner healing techniques’ refers to.”

“What?”

“Healing internal injuries with one’s own inner energy.”

It’s absurd.

She clings to me so tightly that I can’t bring myself to push her away.

Above all, it’s impossible not to notice the restraint they usually show.

“Sharing a bed once on the weekend… I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting. Just one kiss on the cheek… Can’t you do that for me?”
“Alright, alright.”

-Smooch.

“…Heh… Hehe… Huh.”

Their strange laughter is almost frightening.

I’ve known for a while that Hong-Yeon finds stability in my presence.
Their pulse or… mental state, both seem to be greatly soothed when I’m by their side. It’s as if I’ve unintentionally become Do-won Therapy.

“Promise me you’ll never leave my embrace.”

Words dampened with early morning sentiment. I wonder what reaction I would get if I recorded this and played it back later.

I raised my hand and wrapped it around Hong-Yeon’s shoulder.
As they snuggle into my arms, their warm heat is transferred to me.

“Should we have hotcakes for breakfast tomorrow?”
“…Hotcakes?”
“I heard they become quite enjoyable to eat when drizzled with maple syrup.”
“…….”

I wonder if they grasped the meaning behind my words.

Hong Yeon delicately picked up a pillow and used it to cover her face.

During sex, she seemed to be quite ashamed of showing her expressions. It was always like this when she hadn’t been drinking.

“…Please, be gentle.”

With even her hands flushed red, Hong Yeon timidly offered her breasts to me. I tormented her until morning.

* * * * * * * * * *

“My king.”
“Yes?”

An elderly man, hunched over with age, addressed me.

“It seems it’s time for you to move your jade body.”

Tumauta Engahero, a servant of the third King Mokryeong.

He had nurtured the nameless tree, Gu-seul, and apart from Hong Yeon, he was the highest-ranking elder. With his wrinkled hand, he stroked his beard and urged me.

“The Forest Keeper Selection has begun.”

The domain of the eighth leaf is riddled with unusable land.
Restoring the earth with human power alone was difficult, and I needed trees that would heed my words.

‘However…’

If they are the third underling, where are the first and second?
It’s been a long time since I’ve purged or incorporated all the individuals worthy of being called officers.

‘Hmm.’

Either they’re already dead, or they’ve fled.
As I looked at the old man with his head bowed, I nodded once.

“I have a thought.”
“…”
“The World Tree of Growth.”

The mother of the cradle.
I must seize her.

Endless seeds reside within the cradle. Each one a tool capable of providing ample energy to the land.
And the power of the World Tree of Growth is crucial for their growth.

Whether I take her powers or take her with her powers, I must accomplish one or the other.

‘Killing two birds with one stone.’

I had a few more people I could take with me.
Of course, I had to conquer one more dungeon before that.

For earning coin and gathering magic stones,
I’ve selected the perfect location for our dark-skinned one’s debut performance.

“Move as you always do. I’ll handle it.”
“Yes, your grace.”

I dismissed the bowing elder with a wave of my hand and sat upon the throne, pondering for a moment.

A mere three years ago, I defended against outside assaults. Now, I find myself in the position of attacker.

“Ha.”

The more I considered it, the more absurd fate seemed.