Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 37

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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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Episode 037

 

My head snapped up at the rough texture of gravel I felt against the bare floor.

 

“Noah?”

 

“Puhak! Yes!!”

 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“…Teacher!”

 

Huh? He’s not hurt anywhere, is he?

 

“That was so~!!! fun!!!”

 

…Right, then that’s fine.

 

Seeing the kid sitting obediently on top of my sprawled-out body, I felt my strength drain away helplessly.

 

“Haah…”

 

…Through my upside-down vision, I could see the clear sky. I lay there in a daze, watching the clouds drift gently by.

 

No, I wanted to lie there.

 

“People have come out here!”

 

“Good day, this is reporter An Su-in currently at Neverland’s ‘Candyfiore’. With news about the EX-rank Dungeon that appeared in Korea for the first time in nearly a year…”

 

“Yes, it’s really unbelievable but it’s been cleared! Yes, both ‘BOND’ and ‘Mugang’ are here right now.”

 

“Sir? Can you hear me? Sir?”

 

The surroundings were too noisy. I closed my eyes as I was.

 

A similar scene overlapped with when I came out after clearing BOND’s Underground Dungeon a few days ago.

 

“Sir? Sir? Are you alright?”

 

I reluctantly opened my eyes that didn’t want to open. And our eyes met.

 

With some woman in a neat Dress Shirt holding a Microphone.

 

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

 

When I checked discreetly, Moon Chae-yeong’s hallucination had already been dispelled. The translucent membrane that had covered her body was no longer visible.

 

“You just came out of an EX-rank Dungeon, right? How exactly was it cleared? From what we confirmed earlier, there was an A-rank Hunter inside the Dungeon with you – did that person lead the clear?”

 

The world was spinning round and round.

 

Behind the woman, I could even see a Camera with a large broadcasting company logo on it.

 

‘Oh my god, that’s a Public Broadcasting Company.’

 

I barely managed to stagger to my feet and looked around. Meanwhile, the woman was bombarding me with questions asking if I was okay, thinking I was in shock.

 

‘Hey, what the hell is going on here.’

 

All sorts of crowds had gathered around the gradually disappearing Dungeon gate.

 

There were Neverland visitors, reporters from various broadcasting companies, and from what I could hear, not only government officials but also people from various Hunter Companies had come.

 

An ambulance had just arrived, making the commotion even louder.

 

“Sir? Please give us an answer.”

 

“Just a moment.”

 

I reflexively waved my hand at a familiar face I spotted among the countless crowds.

 

“Noah’s Mother!”

 

She must have come in a hurry as her hair was flying around messily.

 

“Kim Noah!”

 

Noah spotted his mom and quickly got up, promptly hiding behind me.

 

I smiled awkwardly and spoke to Noah’s mother as she approached.

 

“Mother, how did you know to come here?”

 

I definitely couldn’t answer my phone, right?

 

“Teacher…!”

 

Noah’s Mother finally noticed me and her eyes welled up with tears.

 

It seemed relief and sorrow had suddenly overwhelmed her.

 

“No, Aunt who went to work called saying the child was nowhere to be seen, and I really thought I was going to faint…! When I actually went Home, he really wasn’t there.”

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. I happened to find him and was going to call, but the situation turned out like this…”

 

“No! It’s not that… I also quickly found his location because Card payment notifications kept coming to my mobile phone. But suddenly the news said a sudden Dungeon appeared at Neverland where Noah was, so I rushed over.”

 

Noah’s Mother was speaking hurriedly while waving her hands dismissively, and her shoes were mismatched.

 

‘Oh my, she must be incredibly shocked.’

 

“Noah is fine. He’s not hurt anywhere.”

 

“R-really? Haah… Thank goodness… Then that’s fine. That’s all that matters.”

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

“…?”

 

“Um… Mother, you can go to Noah now.”

 

This should be her son whom she frantically searched for, even putting on mismatched shoes in her haste, yet for some reason she wasn’t moving.

 

At my words, the woman gave an embarrassed smile and clasped her trembling hands together as she spoke.

 

“Ah… Actually, I’m too sorry.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“I feel too sorry toward Noah to approach him, Teacher.”

 

It was something I never expected to hear.

 

‘What should I say at a time like this.’

 

Then suddenly Noah poked his head out from between my legs and shouted loudly.

 

“Why! are you sorry?!”

 

“Huh, huh?”

 

“I came here without saying anything, and I secretly took the Potion without Mom knowing, so why is Mom sorry?”

 

“No, Mom promised to take Noah to the amusement park for your birthday but couldn’t go, so you…”

 

“That can happen!”

 

“…No! That can’t happen!”

 

“If you’re busy, that can happen!”

 

“No! If I do that because I’m busy, then I’m not good enough!”

 

What are you two doing?

 

I awkwardly stood between them and glanced at the broadcasting camera that was filming this way.

 

“Mom… I’m sorry. I was wrong. Mom told me to eat and wait when Aunt came, but…”

 

“No, Mom was more wrong. My son is more important than work, but Mom forgot that.”

 

Noah, who had been slowly crawling forward, suddenly threw himself into his mother’s arms.

 

And… he burst into the tears he had been holding back.

 

“Huuuuuung!”

 

“Huuuuuung! I’m sorry! My son!”

 

…They’re alike. They really are alike.

 

The camera that had been pointing toward me earlier was getting closer and closer.

 

I quietly stepped back for the camera that wanted to film the tearful mother-son reunion.

 

This would be better. I could request deletion later if it becomes problematic.

 

‘Maybe I should sit on a Bench somewhere and rest for a bit.’

 

But…

 

But wait. Why does it seem like they’re coming toward me?

 

I can see the broadcasting camera that had been holding out the Microphone, and dozens of cameras and gazes that suddenly turned toward me in a strange way.

 

Am I being overly self-conscious?

 

“Oh? It’s that young man! That young man was very kindly giving out some Jelly? Something like Jelly while cheering everyone on…”

 

“At first it was scary and difficult, but at the end there was that slightly pale-faced Hyung, you know? That Hyung suddenly transformed into a Grandmother and oh? That’s right! It’s that Hyung!”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

I felt the atmosphere at the field site change instantly with just a few words.

 

Ah, wait a minute.

 

“Teacher? Could we ask you to say a few words?”

 

There are over 30 cameras visible just at first glance…

 

What is this, please save me.

 

***

 

I looked at the reporter who was asking me questions with crazed eyes.

 

“It seems like you helped many citizens inside the dungeon. Could we ask what happened in there?”

 

Actually, would ‘reporters’ be the more accurate term?

 

“I’m BBM reporter Hwang Eun-myeong. The student mentioned in the interview earlier that you were active in the dungeon…”

 

“They said you handed out Nose-Growing Jelly – is this true?”

 

“What on earth does it mean that you suddenly transformed into a grandmother?!”

 

“You personally took on the danger in place of the grandmother who was about to become a sacrifice…”

 

This was dizzying. The passionate gazes pouring down on me were intense enough to overshadow my relief at being alive.

 

Could I handle this? I asked myself.

 

The conclusion was no.

 

Then… let’s run.

 

I slowly stepped backward. Now even the crowd of onlookers who had been watching the gate intently were starting to look my way one by one.

 

“Teacher? Please answer our questions.”

 

A black microphone was thrust right up under my chin.

 

I rolled my eyes around and finally opened my mouth.

 

“I’m… not that kind of person.”

 

Please don’t treat me like some kind of hero.

 

I just did my best given the circumstances.

 

“Are you by any chance an Awakener?”

 

After my deflating response, an unexpected question popped up. The problem was that when they saw me flustered by this unexpected question, thinking they’d hit a nerve, people started asking similar questions from all directions.

 

“Please tell us your rank and ability!”

 

“Was it you, Teacher, who led the clear using abilities, not BOND’s Hunter Moon Chae-yeong?”

 

“Teacher, are you perhaps an A-rank or higher Awakener?”

 

“Please just tell us your name!”

 

Now it seemed like they were trying to treat me as some rookie hunter who appeared like a comet.

 

It was a misunderstanding that arose because proper investigation couldn’t be conducted given the circumstances.

 

‘This is troublesome.’

 

That’s because, aside from the issue of my face being broadcast nationwide, I was deeply worried about the story that would come out afterward.

 

To answer here… there were too many follow-up questions I wouldn’t be able to answer.

 

Even the immediate question of how I obtained the Nose-Growing Jelly would be difficult to answer.

 

To explain that, I’d also have to explain the Prototype Product I received from Manager Lee Won-woo… and who knows how this would be edited for broadcast.

 

‘If I’m not careful, they might think it’s a company product leak.’

 

Of course, the reason I was most reluctant was that in the process of explaining the circumstances, ‘Nabi’s’ identity – something the public couldn’t understand – might unintentionally be exposed.

 

‘Absolutely not.’

 

How long had it been since I decided to take this secret to my grave?

 

“It’s a bit difficult for me to answer…”

 

I mumbled an evasive answer and glanced behind me, but there was nowhere suitable to escape.

 

In front was a crowd packed tight, and behind was bustling with civil servants and Hunter Companies personnel dispatched to investigate the disappearing gate.

 

‘Should I just make a run for it?’

 

I was thinking that in the worst case, I’d have to run away even if it meant sprinting, when I was looking for an angle.

 

A male voice that hadn’t yet gone through puberty suddenly cut in.

 

The Male Student who grabbed the microphone that had been thrust up to my nose with one hand coolly pushed me back and said:

 

“H-hey? Um… don’t bother someone who’s tired.”

 

“…!”

 

That kid? The one from Confession!

 

I stood there dazed for a moment, looking at the back of the School Uniform dress shirt blocking my way.

 

‘What kind of situation is this now?’

 

I was only briefly confused by the Male Student’s appearance when suddenly, unexpected people started approaching from here and there, beginning to shield me one by one.

 

“Couldn’t you do the interview after letting them rest a bit?”

 

This was the Woman I had given jelly to while comforting her not to be nervous.

 

“Really now, shoving cameras in someone’s face like this would startle anyone. Especially someone who just went through something terrible.”

 

This person is someone I convinced through all sorts of shows after they looked at me like I was crazy and didn’t want to eat the lemon jelly.

 

“Excuse me, even if you have something to say, it’s proper etiquette to do it later. Everyone here almost died just moments ago. Shouldn’t we first check if they’re okay?”

 

…Huh? This person is the one who thanked me from inside the glass bottle?

 

One by one, I could see people looking this way and approaching, even from a distance.

 

Gradually, my vision became blocked by various broad backs. Seeing them doing their best to shield me… I felt a strange emotion.

 

Of course, I had acted thinking it would be good if we all escaped together.

 

‘Honestly, it wasn’t like I had some noble spirit when I did it.’

 

I was standing there touching the back of my head awkwardly due to unbearable embarrassment when someone spoke to me from the side.

 

“Thank you.”

 

It was the woman who had been standing in front of me, blocking the view.

 

More precisely, the person who had shouted thanks to me from inside the glass bottle right after the dungeon was cleared.

 

“…I didn’t really do anything.”

 

“You’re being too modest. I was trapped in the glass bottle from the beginning, so I saw everything you did.”

 

“…?”

 

So what exactly did she see?

 

“I don’t know about the lower area, but everything on the platform is visible. You gave jelly to people being dragged away, encouraged and comforted them, constantly checked if we were okay… And at the end, you went out yourself instead of Grandmother.”

 

She saw all that acting? All the people trapped in the glass bottles?

 

“Honestly, even now there are too many things we don’t understand, like the nose-growing jelly and how you suddenly transformed into Grandmother, but we all decided not to ask.”

 

“Why, why not?”

 

“Because you look troubled by it. Whatever it was, you became a source of strength in that hellish place and ultimately helped us escape.”

 

“…I think we all did it together.”

 

“Results are important, but the process matters too. Without you, that process would have been very difficult, or maybe creating such a result would have been impossible.”

 

“…”

 

I was at a loss for words. Her unwavering eyes spoke calmly.

 

“We all understand that much. So don’t worry. If it comes to it, we’ll mobilize all our connections to prevent you from appearing on broadcasts.”

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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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