Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 86

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

Episode 086

 

Kang Ho-won silently stared at the man before him.

 

Na Hwi-yeon, sitting cross-legged while looking at him, clearly showed signs of being utterly fed up.

 

‘He’s quite the actor.’

 

It was amusing to see his own team members being fooled by this innocent face.

 

The Team Leader was one thing, but what the hell was wrong with Lee Seo-hyeok?

 

‘Too soft, way too soft.’

 

Lee Seo-hyeok would even get excited to greet Na Hwi-yeon or give him everything he had whenever he caught even a glimpse of the back of his head from afar.

 

 

Even when asked, he only gave frustrating answers, so it was natural to be annoyed.

 

…In fact, he had been continuously watching Na Hwi-yeon since the interview conducted at Field Team Na’s office.

 

While secretly using the data network accessible only to field hunters to investigate… he realized that this teacher was a more extraordinary person than he had thought.

 

So he had been trying to arrange an opportunity to openly test him, and that chance had rolled right to his feet.

 

A call from the Field Team Ra leader who was on leave.

 

 

Hoping to get some clues about Na Hwi-yeon, he had rushed over… and as a result, a natural opportunity for conversation had been arranged.

 

Of course, he hadn’t expected things to flow this messily.

 

Tsk, anyway…

 

‘There’s more than one or two things to ask.’

 

Kang Ho-won abandoned his plan to carefully compose a list of questions and blurted out the first question that came to mind.

 

“Your ability doesn’t seem to be Tamer… what exactly is it?”

 

An ability that was clearly, no, completely different from the D-grade level Tamer he knew about.

 

An ability that could manipulate an A-grade like himself like a doll with just a few words.

 

He was definitely hiding his awakening ability on purpose.

 

“…”

 

However, Na Hwi-yeon didn’t open his mouth easily. Since he had expected this, he decided to press harder.

 

“What I found out while investigating your background is that you’re always present at the scene of major incidents. The underground dungeon incident involving a spatial movement criminal, the EX-grade dungeon connected to our Team Leader, and recently… you were even involved with a major cult, weren’t you?”

 

Looking at them all listed out, they were all remarkable incidents.

 

Moreover, other things aside, the fact that an ordinary kindergarten teacher was also involved in the recently arrested cult crime was beyond disturbing—it was downright eerie.

 

‘But… still no answer even after all this.’

 

Looking at Na Hwi-yeon, who seemed to be staring into space with an expressionless face, Kang Ho-won felt hostility rising within him without realizing it.

 

‘No reaction in his expression either?’

 

“Tell me honestly. You’re either a government informant or a spy. If not that, then you’re a criminal hiding your abilities.”

 

These were the conclusions he could draw from combining the circumstances. And the direction Kang Ho-won’s suspicion leaned toward was…

 

‘Most likely a criminal hiding his abilities.’

 

However, Na Hwi-yeon silently shook his head from side to side. At that defiant attitude, he gritted his teeth.

 

“If what I’m saying is wrong, then refute it.”

 

“…”

 

See. I’m right.

 

“As expected, the reason there’s no answer is…”

 

“There’s no reason to give one. And since you’re completely wrong, there isn’t one.”

 

Kang Ho-won’s eyebrows twitched.

 

“What exactly is wrong?”

 

“Do I have an obligation to obediently answer that for you?”

 

He was dumbfounded to see his opponent responding so shamelessly when they had nothing to say.

 

Right. This was exactly why he had prepared the truth serum item, in case his opponent acted like this.

 

But in the end, he couldn’t even use it and it became useless…

 

“But since continuing like this is also tedious, how about we each ask one question and answer it?”

 

Na Hwi-yeon, who had said that, shoved something into his mouth.

 

“…!”

 

Without any chance to stop it, I rolled what had entered my mouth with my tongue… The familiar taste and texture I felt.

 

Truth serum?

 

“Why… are you giving this to me.”

 

Kang Ho-won, who was almost certain that Na Hwi-yeon was a criminal, glared with bright eyes at his actions with unclear intentions.

 

However, the other person.

 

“It’s unfair that only I’m getting information extracted one-sidedly. I’m not personally curious about anything regarding you, but wouldn’t it be less unfair if we at least made an equivalent exchange?”

 

Saying that, he rummaged through his own clothes under the pretext of equivalent exchange, then pulled out a spare truth serum and performed the bizarre act of swallowing it himself.

 

What the hell is this guy doing?

 

***

 

‘Either a government informant or spy, or if not that, then a criminal…’

 

The thought that I have to defend myself against such ridiculous questions makes me feel reality hitting hard.

 

Nevertheless, I swallowed the truth serum properly.

 

Living life, there comes a day when I directly consume truth serum with my own hands – you live long enough to see everything.

 

…Still, I need to show at least this much performance for this guy to understand my sincerity. That way, even when I go outside, he won’t bother me again over something like today.

 

‘There’s a risk of voluntarily exposing secrets I worked hard to hide, even kicking field team hunters…’

 

Since it’s come to this, I should also extract this guy’s secrets.

 

‘Insurance is necessary after all.’

 

I rested my chin on my hand.

 

‘Let’s see, the first question…’

 

“Am I really a Tamer? Yes. If you’re that suspicious, you could just check my ‘Awakener Certificate’. And this ability is…”

 

I lightly scanned Kang Ho-won with my eyes. The sight of him holding up his hand according to my command proves that I have abilities other than being a Tamer.

 

‘I can’t hide this.’

 

“…It’s something like a Sub Skill.”

 

“Unregistered?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

To be precise, it’s not that I didn’t register it, but that I couldn’t.

 

What am I supposed to do when the ability testing machine can’t detect it?

 

Anyway, even among Awakeners, Sub Skills are usually not disclosed, so it won’t seem strange.

 

“What exactly is that Sub Skill?”

 

“Now it’s my turn to ask questions.”

 

“…”

 

“No matter how I think about it, doing this much just because ‘suspicious’ me got somewhat involved with your team members seems like an overreaction… There’s another reason, isn’t there?”

 

“…”

 

From what I can see, Kang Ho-won seems far from the cautious type who needs to knock on even stone bridges before crossing.

 

Thinking about that, the current situation is… how should I put it… It feels like he was doing something that didn’t match his personality and then suddenly went overboard.

 

And sure enough.

 

“Let’s say it’s because of my team leader whose survival sensor called wariness is broken… You might not know, but field hunters like us sometimes get backstabbed even by people we thought were on our side.”

 

…Hearing this, I naturally thought of Yu Jin-chae’s trauma.

 

‘A team member died from being backstabbed by someone from the Assignment Team.’

 

If that’s the case, it’s not incomprehensible.

 

He was trying to confirm whether I’m the type of person who would backstab his team members.

 

‘Even if it meant using somewhat violent methods.’

 

But you see, this could be interpreted differently.

 

“Seems like there’s a problem with your team leader?”

 

Usually, a team member doesn’t step forward like having a seizure just because the team leader is a bit incompetent.

 

And coincidentally, having seen Moon Chae-yeong’s Status Window before, I could easily think of what that ‘problem’ might be.

 

“Is there a problem with her head?”

 

“…!”

 

Bingo.

 

Looking at Kang Ho-won’s expression, this seems to be that person’s secret.

 

Like someone whose weakness they didn’t want exposed has been discovered.

 

‘This is a bit uncomfortable.’

 

No matter how much I was trying to dig up secrets for mutual blackmail(?), this is a bit much to use as a card…

 

Kang Ho-won momentarily showed a flustered expression, but returned to his calm demeanor as if nothing had happened.

 

However, his bewilderment still couldn’t be hidden.

 

“So what’s your real identity?”

 

“I don’t know what answer you want… I’m just an ordinary kindergarten teacher. Not a government informant, not a spy, not a criminal hiding abilities.”

 

Since I took the truth serum, I can only speak the truth.

 

So Kang Ho-won can’t deny it.

 

After several seconds of contemplative silence, finally.

 

“…You really are.”

 

Why does he look disappointed?

 

Whether it’s disappointment or bewilderment, Kang Ho-won, whose soul seems half-drained, asks another question.

 

“How did you know our team leader… had headaches?”

 

It’s not his turn, ah… forget it.

 

“Through a Sub Skill.”

 

“Is there a way to cure it?”

 

“Why are you asking me that?”

 

“Then… then, all of that was really just coincidence?”

 

“I already told you.”

 

My head hurts. I pressed my temples with my fingers and lowered my head for a moment. After the throbbing subsided a bit, when I raised my head again.

 

The fire man’s mental state was completely gone.

 

Do you get it now? You completely got the wrong person, you crazy bastard.

 

“No, then why did you act so suspiciously in the EX-grade Dungeon? And how did you get involved with the cult?”

 

“I don’t need to explain all that in detail. What we need to establish here is that ‘I’m an ordinary innocent person’… I don’t know why incidents and accidents keep happening around me either, I don’t know… Just going to work every day is exhausting enough! I’m struggling too! But I still need to earn money!”

 

“…”

 

“I worked hard to get this job and can’t quit, and do you know how I feel being suspected and having to avoid people for things I didn’t even do? You don’t!”

 

“…”

 

I got carried away because I felt wronged, but I don’t regret it.

 

Seeing him with his mental state broken, just opening and closing his mouth, it’s over now.

 

I exposed Kang Ho-won’s secret and broke his mental state. Plus I gave him the answer he wanted, so there’s no reason to keep me here anymore.

 

I immediately stood up from my seat.

 

“Now it’s my turn to ask questions, right? Where’s the card key?”

 

“…He, here.”

 

Then I took the card key I’d snatched from Kang Ho-won and approached the closed iron door. When I held the card key to the recognition sensor… the door opened.

 

Seeing the hallway, I turned around and said to Kang Ho-won, who was still dazed.

 

“If you feel even a little sorry toward me, let’s keep the Ellumis matter secret?”

 

-Releasing security for ‘■■ Grade Dungeon E0915-■Grade’.

 

‘Now I see, it was a blank space.’

 

I left Kang Ho-won behind and exited the underground. The way out didn’t require breaking through security.

 

The moment I took the elevator and reached the ground floor, I threw the card key I was holding back inside.

 

***

 

In the darkness without even the small flame of a lighter.

 

Kang Ho-won roughly rubbed his face with his palm.

 

His body was free now that his ability had been released, but for some reason he couldn’t move easily.

 

His mind was in chaos.

 

Everything Na Hwi-yeon said was true. If he had lied, it would have been awkwardly cut off in the middle and silenced.

 

Also, though he didn’t tell his opponent, the truth serum’s other effects weren’t showing either.

 

-When lies are spoken, convulsions accompanied by temporary bleeding.

 

No such symptoms were visible.

 

That could only mean one thing.

 

Everything he said was the truth.

 

He really wasn’t a government informant, spy, or even a criminal.

 

He was just an ordinary kindergarten teacher.

 

This too came through clearly and cleanly.

 

“Damn it.”

 

I was wrong?

 

After a fierce period of denial, Kang Ho-won finally reached a conclusion.

 

…I was wrong.

 

‘I really went after an innocent person.’

 

Moreover, he had done such a thing to someone he needed to make a good impression on going forward.

 

‘That person figured it out exactly.’

 

That Moon Chae-yeong had a headache.

 

That was information treated as classified even within the company, a fact that even Choi Un-seong and Lee Seo-hyeok from the same team didn’t know.

 

Kang Ho-won clenched his fist.

 

Moon Chae-yeong, who had a steel rod embedded in her head during a past mission, received treatment from a healer at the time of injury.

 

However, she wasn’t completely healed.

 

-Cause unknown.

-All physical treatment was completed, but 100 test results show partial emotional loss. (Fear, wariness, sense of crisis, sadness)

 

And even now, over ten years later, they hadn’t discovered a single cause.

 

But Na Hwi-yeon had figured it out.

 

Pointing specifically to Moon Chae-yeong’s ‘head.’

 

‘He definitely said he found out through a Sub Skill.’

 

Kang Ho-won couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. Even if it was a thread-thin, faint chance.

 

He quietly swallowed.

 

‘How do I… fix this situation.’

 

I’m sorry to death.

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