Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 160

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 160

 

“It’s true that I seriously considered resigning a few weeks before coming here…”

 

“Yes, I see.”

 

Scratch, scratch. Every time Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man spoke, more writing appeared on the paper.

 

With a small table between us, we were exchanging deep and serious conversation.

 

I nodded as if listening intently while watching Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man.

 

Even his upright posture that had been enthusiastically singing “Long live unemployment!” at first had softened somewhat.

 

At least, now… he no longer tried to avoid his past as an office worker.

 

‘It was good that I casually brought it up while asking him to show me around the room.’

 

I recalled the conversation I had with him just a few hours ago when he was showing me around the room, seeming somewhat excited.

 

-“You seem quite satisfied with life here.”

 

-“Of course, how wonderful is it to do nothing and laze around. I’m so happy these days.”

 

-“Haha, well, that’s fortunate. But, um… Section Chief, it’s nothing major, but since I do a lot of counseling in my work outside, I’ve developed some intuition.”

 

-“Yes? What do you mean by that…”

 

-“From what I can see, you don’t seem entirely happy, Section Chief.”

 

Seeing Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man unable to immediately refute this, I delivered my masterstroke.

 

-“Would it be alright if I visited you later? Since this place is new to me too, I have many questions… I think it would be good to talk more.”

 

Then, he nodded, and thankfully I was able to proceed with this counseling session.

 

‘At the time, he seemed flustered and accepted without thinking…’

 

Well, so what.

 

‘What matters is that I drew out the conversation I wanted, even if indirectly.’

 

It felt like I unintentionally approached him with a “Do you believe in the Way?” vibe…

 

-“Unlike your smiling face, that blackened interior of yours.”

 

Actually, looking back now, that comment really set the mood.

 

“Hwiyeon, I was really struggling so much… The position of section chief is really shit. The salary, yes! It went up! But I clash with superiors just as much. Sob.”

 

“It must have been very difficult.”

 

“Yes!! I mean, suddenly asking me to come out and play golf on a weekend afternoon? I’m someone whose pleasure is watching Netflix while eating snacks…”

 

I could hear the desperate plea of an office worker.

 

‘I wouldn’t want to go either.’

 

…Though I’m in a position to coax him to come out with me, I’m starting to wonder if this was a pointless attempt.

 

“Work piles up. Meanwhile, those so-called superiors go around playing golf! I often couldn’t even eat my three meals a day in peace… I just endured it looking at the salary. BOND pays well, at least.”

 

I found myself nodding at those words.

 

I patted the section chief’s shoulder and offered comfort.

 

“I would have cried every day too. You showed remarkable restraint not hitting your boss’s head with a golf club.”

 

“What? Oh, yes… Sometimes, I did have such urges, but lawsuits are scary.”

 

For about an hour like that, I listened to Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man’s complaints until my ears could have bled.

 

‘When opening someone’s heart, unconditional empathy and comfort come first.’

 

And when it seemed the other person had vented all their emotions… I added my thoughts at the end.

 

“I understand your feelings completely, Section Chief, but you can’t stay here forever, can you? This place… I know the caretaker somewhat, and his mood swings are no joke.”

 

“Really?”

 

Like this, without a doubt, he naturally came to rely on me.

 

“Yes… We could be kicked out at any time. Well, I’d be fine, but Section Chief, you… Anyway, I think it would be good to prepare in advance since I’m leaving anyway.”

 

Let’s prepare together!

 

While we’re at it, please cooperate in finding an escape route!!

 

I’m doing this for everyone’s benefit!

 

Suppressing the words rising to my throat, I drooped the corners of my eyes.

 

“Section Chief, this happiness won’t last forever just because you’re settling for reality. Rather, how about going outside, formally completing resignation procedures, and finding other happiness? You can definitely do it, Section Chief.”

 

If Section Chief Kwak had heard my words shortly after entering this place, they wouldn’t have had any effect.

 

But he must have enjoyed plenty of leisure while playing and resting here.

 

Enough for past sorrows and hardships to fade somewhat.

 

And so…

 

“Yes… You’re right, Teacher. I can’t stay here forever.”

 

I succeeded in drawing the answer I wanted from him.

 

I shed tears of joy internally while extending a handshake to him.

 

Then, warm body heat was transmitted, and I felt something like determination.

 

The corners of my mouth naturally rose.

 

“Now that we’ve joined forces, we’ll get out soon. Section Chief, think about what you’ll do first when you get outside.”

 

***

 

Ah, damn it.

 

Somewhere in the forest outside the manor, I’m sprawled out on the dirt ground.

 

Right, coaxing Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man was 100% successful.

 

The problem was what came after.

 

Since then, there’s been no progress at all…

 

‘I thought we’d be able to escape soon.’

 

No matter how much he’d been doing nothing but playing and eating here, he’s a researcher, so I thought if we put our heads together, we’d come up with an amazing escape plan.

 

But what is this.

 

“Sigh…”

 

I became a dirt potato searching through the forest with only the slightest clue.

 

-“This is a note I found in the manor’s storage room before… It’s charred by fire so it’s not exact, but there’s supposed to be an emergency exit somewhere in the forest that connects to the outside.”

 

But unfortunately, the end part of the note with the exact location of the emergency exit was burned, so we couldn’t tell where it was!

 

So now, I’m going through this ordeal searching for the emergency exit!!

 

“Ah~ I have no idea where it could be…”

 

I don’t know how much time difference there is between inside this restraining item like a dungeon and reality outside, but I’ve seen the sun rise at least 5 times here…

 

‘It’s been roughly 5 days since I was trapped here.’

 

That means I’ve been doing this for 5 days too.

 

I’m not going to get fired from the kindergarten, am I? What if I go back and find another teacher sitting in my seat?

 

Just as my head was getting complicated with worry and anxiety.

 

A familiar voice came from above my head.

 

“So, did you enjoy your walk, you foolish mortal?”

 

This bastard seems to have abandoned his concept now.

 

I looked at Sang-jwa’s face that suddenly appeared… then turned my head away.

 

Every time I searched through the forest looking for the emergency exit, this guy would unfailingly appear from somewhere and pick a fight like this.

 

‘Thanks to that, I was naturally able to carry out my next plan too.’

 

“Now you won’t even answer properly… Have you lost your fear?”

 

“Yes, yes… Is that enough?”

 

His smooth brow wrinkled deeply.

 

Right, step 2 of my Plan B is… to thoroughly irritate this Sang-jwa bastard.

 

‘I planned this considering that step 1 might fail from the beginning.’

 

The idea is for Sang-jwa to find me so disgusting that he just kicks me out of here.

 

Of course, there’s the risk that if I provoke him recklessly, something might go wrong before I even get kicked out.

 

That’s why I’m leaning toward the safer emergency exit escape…

 

‘But if it doesn’t show up no matter how much I search, maybe it doesn’t exist.’

 

“Rather than doing meaningless things, it would be a better choice to please me.”

 

“What exactly are you?”

 

“You’re asking such trivial questions again.”

 

Sang-jwa bent his knees and sat down, looking down at me.

 

My dirt-covered face was reflected in his large golden eyes.

 

“Before that, do humans normally have no memories from when they were young?”

 

What kind of question is this now?

 

“…It’s not that there are none, they’re just hazy. Memories gradually fade as time passes.”

 

“I see… Then, are you the same way?”

 

“I remember when I was in high school… but before that.”

 

It’s hazy. No, would it be more accurate to say it feels like the more I try to recall, the more it scatters like fog?

 

I felt uneasy as I opened my mouth.

 

“Normally it’s not like that, but for me, yes… I can’t remember well.”

 

When I was in middle school, my parents passed away and it must have been quite a shock, as most of my memories remain only hazily.

 

Only the memories from my wandering days are somewhat clear.

 

“Hmm… Don’t tell me-”

 

What Sang-jwa said next was drowned out by the sound of wind.

 

However, after a moment, his lips curved up refreshingly as he spoke to me.

 

“They say close friends resemble each other, and you’ve even copied this stupidity.”

 

“More importantly… you’ve stopped that mana business, right?”

 

Rather than continue a conversation I couldn’t understand, I wanted to scratch an itch, so I changed the topic.

 

‘You even moved your dwelling, so surely you’re not somewhere around here doing mana business again under the guise of selling miracles.’

 

Then, the Seat of Discernment raised his eyebrows and I felt him press his finger firmly against my forehead.

 

“What business is that of yours?”

 

“Please don’t.”

 

“There’s no reason I should listen to you.”

 

“Have you already forgotten? The completion of goodwill includes giving up compensation.”

 

You said directly that you gained enlightenment from those words.

 

“…I’ve stopped receiving compensation. Instead, I continue to bestow ‘miracles.'”

 

This is quite suspicious.

 

I opened my eyes wide and asked.

 

“Really?”

 

“What kind of training should a mortal who can’t distinguish truth from falsehood undergo?”

 

He’s really giving me grief for asking again.

 

I slightly averted my gaze and looked at the sky instead.

 

The clouds keep moving.

 

“Why are you so obsessed with ‘miracles’? I mean, you know… bestowing miracles while giving up compensation, and finding people who want miracles is also work.”

 

No matter how much this guy fails to live up to the name ‘Sang-jwa,’ I instinctively know he’s definitely not an ordinary monster…

 

If he had only wanted mana from the beginning, he could have just forcibly taken it, miracles or whatever.

 

But now he gives miracles without receiving mana, so if this isn’t ‘obsession,’ then it doesn’t make sense.

 

After the sound of wind passed by once, the Seat of Discernment spoke in the silence.

 

“Because I’ve wanted one before too.”

 

In a tone as if recalling the past.

 

I naturally shifted my gaze again to look at the Seat of Discernment.

 

Before I knew it, he was standing and looking down at me.

 

For a moment, it seemed like deep fatigue flickered past, but Sang-jwa’s characteristic arrogance quickly covered it.

 

I looked at him, then deliberately spoke as if it was nothing.

 

Clear sky.

 

Golden hair and eyes.

 

“Come to think of it, I’ve wanted one before too.”

 

Though when I wanted it most desperately, it didn’t come.

 

“I thought miracles would never come to me… but eventually one did.”

 

Didn’t it come?

 

At the EX-grade Dungeon that erupted at Candy Fiore.

 

Right there, through the Pinocchio Jelly, I returned alive with everyone.

 

Through none other than the ‘miracle’ he sent.

 

I looked at Sang-jwa and grinned.

 

“Thank you for sending it. Thanks to you, I survived.”

 

Though I had a large amount of mana taken as compensation… well, I should be grateful that he let me return alive.

 

“…”

 

The Seat of Discernment was silent.

 

‘Wow, that’s right.’

 

I need to scratch that itch, but I got swept up in the atmosphere and ended up giving thanks.

 

Embarrassed, I scratched my chin and sat up.

 

‘Hmm, it would be strange to suddenly act up again here, so let me go look for the emergency exit again…’

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Na Hwi-yeon!!”

 

At the shout from behind, I reflexively turned around.

 

At the same time, I felt a strong force pulling my neck and lost my balance, falling over. Through my falling vision, I caught a glimpse of the situation.

 

The Seat of Discernment reaching his hand toward me.

 

A large black hand rushing toward him.

 

‘Nabi?’

 

And the person who hooked their arm around my neck from right behind to pull me out was…

 

“Kwon, Hae-seong?”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, holding a trace walkie-talkie in one hand, looked at me and shouted.

 

“Teacher!!”

 

…What is all this?

 

However, the Seat of Discernment, who instantly broke through the black hand constricting him and pushed Kwon Hae-seong away, reached me.

 

“Tsk, with that kind of personality, no wonder you only have one friend. Mortal.”

 

“Yes, yes?”

 

“You have a problem with your memory.”

 

“What do you mean by that…”

 

“How foolish. I’ll specially give you an opportunity. Be grateful for life.”

 

Snap-

 

Then, with a warm sensation touching my forehead, I fell over.

 

With Kwon Hae-seong and the enlarged black hand reaching out as if trying to catch my body as the last thing I saw.

 

The feeling of my entire body being sucked somewhere continued… and when I suddenly came to my senses, my body was already crumpled and slammed against a hard wall!

 

“???”

 

-Crash bang!!

 

“Sister, he came out.”

 

I had come outside.

 

-Ding.

 

『 aka. Seat of Discernment > Registration completed. 』

 

『 Due to species specificity, will be calculated individually. 』

 

『 The favorability of officially registered target ‘Seat of Discernment’ is currently 10%. 』

 

“Hyung!”

 

At some point, I saw Nabi, who had changed into the form of a child, running toward me almost as if flying.

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