A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 139

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 139: Boy and Girl (3)

 

It took a moment to understand what she meant.

 

‘Most precious thing?’

 

And showing it, no less. What was that supposed to mean?

 

When Baek Kyul and I couldn’t quite grasp it, Kim Se-min spoke calmly.

 

“I also heard this story by chance. I didn’t believe it at first. But it wasn’t completely without credibility.”

 

“….”

 

“So… I decided to believe it. Because that’s all I have left.”

 

This rumor had started a few days ago in the school cafeteria.

 

* * *

 

Kim Se-min had a thin presence. So thin it might as well have been nonexistent.

 

“Thank you for the meal—.”

 

“Enjoy your food.”

 

“Whoa. Hey, there’s cake today.”

 

“Crazy, is that fresh cream? That’s gonna be so good.”

 

The cafeteria was filled with chattering voices. Kim Se-min quietly picked up her food tray.

 

Though the girl was certainly a Hunter affiliated with a large guild, she was C-rank and had no particular reputation, so few peers recognized her.

 

Only occasional curious glances followed her, wondering if she was really a Hunter.

 

“Got rejected again?”

 

“Yeah… He told me not to bother him. I mean, can’t we at least play one game of soccer together?”

 

“Just leave it. The A-rank Healer must be too high and mighty—.”

 

“He seemed like he wanted to hang out though…”

 

“Ah, maybe he’s into basketball then! Just eat your food.”

 

However, Kim Se-min wasn’t completely uninterested in school life itself.

 

Studying was boring but manageable, the meals weren’t large portions but they were free, and while she wasn’t close to her peers, their conversations were entertaining.

 

So Kim Se-min always kept her eyes and ears open.

 

‘They’re talking about that child.’

 

Kim Se-min knew that Baek Kyul was in the next class. But unlike herself, who had dungeon conquest schedules only once or twice a week, Baek Kyul seemed to live in dungeons 365 days a year.

 

Therefore, they had never encountered each other, and he certainly wouldn’t remember her, so she didn’t bother showing any interest.

 

Screech.

 

Kim Se-min pulled out a chair and sat down. On the food tray placed in front of her, the food was neatly arranged.

 

“Oh, right. How did that thing go yesterday?”

 

“What? What did he do this time?”

 

“He went to the back mountain last night. Just him and Seung-hyeon.”

 

“Crazy bastard.”

 

The children sitting next to her started chattering. It was about the rumor that had become quite the hot topic at school lately.

 

Se-min had heard it several times and knew the story.

 

“Haha. But he’s alive and not dead, right? Originally, the brave ones get everything.”

 

“Sounds like an otaku… So, nothing happened? Stop beating around the bush and tell us quickly.”

 

The children scolded him while their eyes sparkled with curiosity. They were at an age where they couldn’t fall asleep unless they satisfied their daily dose of excitement.

 

The boy with glasses shrugged his shoulders and said.

 

“Well, nothing particularly scary happened. If we had seen a ghost, Kim Seung-hyeon would have been rushed to the hospital before me. But he played soccer well today, right? Nothing happened.”

 

“Ah, boring. Not buying it.”

 

“Listen to the Korean until the end!”

 

Clang!

 

Taking advantage of the moment while talking, the child nimbly blocked the chopsticks trying to steal his meatball.

 

He quickly ate it up so it wouldn’t get stolen, and suddenly his eyes became serious.

 

“Not a ghost. I saw something else.”

 

“…?”

 

“My divorced mother.”

 

Se-min’s chopsticks stopped in mid-air. The side dish that was picked up wandered around, unable to find its way back.

 

“Ah. Honestly, it was disappointing. I was hoping my favorite idol would appear—but my mother.”

 

“What are you talking about? How could you see your mother there?”

 

“I thought it was a bit strange too. At first I thought I was seeing things. But it really seemed real, you know?”

 

The children forgot about eating and focused on the conversation.

 

“You weren’t hurt, right? The other kids came back pretty injured.”

 

“Would my mother hurt me? I just saw her face briefly and came down carefully.”

 

“…”

 

“And this is just my guess…”

 

The child adjusted their glasses.

 

“It seems like the ghost on the back mountain shows people their ‘most precious thing’ when they encounter it.”

 

“What?”

 

“Seung-hyeon said he saw his dog that died three years ago. Well, it seems like hardly anyone besides us has seen it. Anyway, there was a case like this—.”

 

Perhaps feeling burdened by the attention focused on them, the child ended their story rather blandly.

 

‘The most precious thing…’

 

Kim Se-min had just finished her meal and put sweet cake in her mouth. The sweetness was so intense it made her tongue tingle as it swirled around her mouth.

 

“Wow… If it’s real, I want to go see too! Won’t it show me my future husband or something?”

 

“As if. An orc would probably appear.”

 

“Ugh, the worst.”

 

The children treated the ghost like a wish-granting fairy and went on with various stories.

 

During this, one student approached Kim Se-min. They were from the same class and acquainted with Kim Se-min.

 

“Um, Se-min. What do you think?”

 

“…”

 

“You’re a Hunter! I was wondering if it might be a monster’s doing…”

 

The child asked cautiously. They seemed confused about whether it was okay to ask such a question.

 

“…Well.”

 

Kim Se-min whispered while taking another bite of cake.

 

“There are various illusion type monsters, but as far as I know, there aren’t any monsters that show precious things.”

 

“…”

 

“Usually they dig up painful memories or use ruthless temptation methods…”

 

Monsters were creatures completely bound together by negative energy. They couldn’t possibly have human hearts, so ‘precious things’ would only amount to prey before their eyes.

 

One couldn’t attack an opponent with something they didn’t understand.

 

‘The most precious thing…’

 

However, Kim Se-min was different. People were different.

 

“I see… Should I go too? Honestly, I’m curious.”

 

“Will I finally be able to know the answer to ‘Do you like mommy or daddy better?’—”

 

Everyone had something precious to them. However, there were cases where they didn’t know what that was themselves, or couldn’t see it due to circumstances.

 

Curiosity about the unknown and the desire to see precious things grew abundantly among the children.

 

‘Me too…’

 

And also in Kim Se-min’s heart.

 

‘I want to see.’

 

Kim Se-min had already finished making her decision. She didn’t hesitate for even a moment.

 

* * *

 

I found the discrepancy in Baek Kyul and Kim Se-min’s stories.

 

“You went to Back Mountain, but there were kids who didn’t get hurt? I guess not everyone got injured.”

 

“It was rare, but there definitely were some.”

 

Then the story changes. It becomes much more complicated.

 

Because it means it’s ‘selecting’…

 

I pressed my brow firmly. Some people get harmed, while others receive rewards. This alone made it certain.

 

‘That mountain is definitely possessed by something.’

 

It wouldn’t be some random evil spirit. It was the type of spirit that had clear resentment and wasn’t stupid either.

 

I completely abandoned my speculation that it might be a monster. Now I needed different preparations.

 

“Do you happen to know how many there were? The friends who came back unharmed.”

 

“You can speak casually now.”

 

“…Ah, right.”

 

Even though she’s the same age as Baek Kyul, she’s somehow different. Of course, maybe Baek Kyul is just immature…

 

I took the opportunity to subtly bring it up.

 

“That kid also speaks casually, so if you’re uncomfortable too—”

 

“Adults should be respected.”

 

“I… see.”

 

It was somehow the same feeling as when Baek Kyul called me uncle. ‘Adult,’ she says. I’m still a young man with a bright future ahead.

 

Perhaps feeling guilty, Baek Kyul shouted.

 

“So you’re saying I don’t show respect?”

 

“Honestly, that’s right. Why are you getting angry?”

 

“You’d throw up if I started using formal speech now.”

 

“That’s also true.”

 

Imagining Baek Kyul calling me “hyung-nim, hyung-nim” made goosebumps rise on my shoulders.

 

Anyway, setting aside the unimportant talk for now, I listened to Kim Se-min’s answer.

 

“I don’t know exactly. What I do know is that there are fewer than three people.”

 

“That’s few…”

 

The number of uninjured was half as many. It certainly couldn’t be seen as a good sign.

 

I advised worriedly.

 

“You guys should probably stay here. There’s no guarantee you won’t get hurt.”

 

“If you get hurt, who’s gonna save you? Obviously me, the genius healer, right?”

 

“….”

 

“If you’re gonna leave me behind, then you can’t go either.”

 

What kind of Arirang is this supposed to be? I pressed my forehead.

 

“Abso! Lutely!”

 

But there was no way I could break the stubbornness of a middle schooler, especially Baek Kyul’s.

 

I left the guy who was strongly resisting alone. If he wanted to follow, let him come. At least he was someone who could heal himself, so it would be fine.

 

“Se-min, you are…”

 

Honestly, she was the most worrying one. Baek Kyul and I were still Awakened with A-grade written on our licenses.

 

However, Kim Se-min, no matter how close her ability stats were to B-grade, was ultimately C-grade. If a dangerous situation arose, her ability to cope would inevitably be significantly inferior.

 

‘Being too fearless is also a problem…’

 

That was synonymous with not knowing how to protect oneself.

 

“No. I’m going too. I was originally going alone on this path, and just happened to meet you all by chance. There’s no reason to give up.”

 

Kim Se-min’s gaze didn’t waver. I could even glimpse strong determination.

 

“I have to go.”

 

She says adults should be respected but doesn’t listen to what adults say…

 

I sighed. Truth be told, sending a young girl home alone at this hour was also something I couldn’t bring myself to do.

 

“Take one each.”

 

I eventually pulled something out from my chest. It was two yellow talismans with red writing.

 

“If it seems dangerous, tear it immediately. It’ll make evil things retreat for a moment. As long as you stick with me, you won’t need to use these, so absolutely don’t separate from me. Got it?”

 

It was a sentence without a trace of humor. Since modern people don’t know the terror of ghosts, I had to give serious advice. They were still young kids too.

 

“Ooh…”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Baek Kyul received the talisman as if it were fascinating, and Kim Se-min received the talisman with a strangely relieved face and put it in her school skirt pocket.

 

“It’s expensive. Don’t lose it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Baek Kyul, who had been examining the talisman this way and that, roughly folded the talisman and stored it in his loose hood pocket.

 

Cancel everything. That one’s the most worrying, that one.

 

Whoooooo—

 

Then the wind blew. Night was deepening. The desolate air brushed past the Back Mountain once.

 

“…Let’s go.”

 

We moved forward with vigorous steps.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————