Was Happy Being a Despised F-Rank Healer, You Know? - Chapter 153

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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17. Treading Shadows (15)

Most Hunters pay little attention to the mana traces left behind by their skills or potions.
After all, such traces fade with time, and they often serve as useful evidence when analyzing a situation in an emergency.
But what of assassins?
“The direct lineage has arrived.”
The moment she sensed their presence, Yu Hee spoke.
“They’re young, but when it comes to erasing mana residue, there’s nobody who can keep up with them.”
The Hunters of the Yoo Clan work dual roles. When they raid Dungeons, they’re much like any other Hunters, but when they act as assassins, it’s as though they’re drawing out a hidden nature—they become something entirely different.
“Assassins leave no trace. That’s the principle. And they’re born with the temperament to match, but these kids have walked only the elite path among them.”
Though not quite as skilled as me, Yu Hee added with a light laugh, yet her face carried a shadow she couldn’t quite hide.
“……I’m sorry, Hali. There was a possibility that attention would focus on you, but I thought the others would come first.”
“So we’re expendable.”
“It seems you’ve become the target.”
“You’re not even pretending to listen. I knew it. Tch.”
Seo Jeong-u and Hyun I-seo interjected as though exasperated, but Yu Hee didn’t even acknowledge them.
I pulled her close, embracing her more tightly than ever before, and let out a small laugh.
As though nothing frightened me at all.
“It’s fine. Actually, this works out perfectly!”
I wasn’t entirely unafraid—the scenario I’d spent so much effort avoiding was being exposed as bait in a Dungeon and dying miserably—but since I’d already prepared myself for that, I wasn’t as tense as I might have been.
And truthfully, I did think it had worked out well.
“Works out……well?”
“Actually, after you told me before, I’ve been thinking about it constantly.”
“……Huh? About what? Why?”
“Whether there might be a way to help you.”
More precisely, it was half a genuine desire to help, and half a thought that maybe I could bend the original route in a slightly more positive direction.
This episode was indeed one of the steps where Yu Hee truly became a member of the Yuhan Seong Party, but it seemed that was already accomplished, making it meaningless.
‘Then wouldn’t it be better to help Yu Hee from a long-term perspective?’
Besides, the fact that children would die in this episode had weighed on my conscience.
True, they’d become accustomed to killing, but that didn’t mean they enjoyed it. I couldn’t overlook that they were children born into an assassin family, raised with no choice in the matter.
Furthermore, from the perspective of successfully preventing Yuhan Seong’s downfall long-term, it was far more advantageous for them to survive as Yu Hee’s tools.
So I’d decided to be a bit more bold.
Nothing major—just decided to take on some risk.
“……What are you plotting now?”
Yuhan Seong rarely narrowed his eyes and asked outright.
Again.
Again!
As if I caused trouble whenever I got the chance.
I briefly made a sullen face, then let it go and answered lightly.
“Nothing much. I just like that they’re not targeting you guys. I thought that if they’re kids with real skill, they wouldn’t be bad to have as Yu Hee’s tools! How about it?”
“…….”
“…….”
Yu Hee opened her eyes wide, staring at me. Was this really that surprising……?
But even Han Seong, Seo Jeong-u, Lee Hae-sol, and Hyun I-seo looked shocked, so I felt a bit embarrassed.
“……Why? Does it seem too unrealistic?”
My friends blinked at my dejected question, then reacted only after a moment of further silence.
“That’s quite…… a Hunter-like way of thinking.”
“……I’m a Hunter Academy student.”
“I thought you’d be worried about something else.”
Yu Hee spoke with an expression that was suppressing a smile.
I tilted my head.
“Something else?”
“Never mind—it’s all good. No need to say anything more.”
Seo Jeong-u, shrugging with an air of nonchalance, also seemed oddly satisfied.
Lee Hae-sol, rarely showing interest, watched me with curious eyes. Then he spoke gently.
“Do as you wish.”
Han Seong tilted his head slightly and lifted the corners of his mouth. The atmosphere was different from when he’d asked what I was trying to do earlier.
“Is it because they’re assassins……? Or is it really, favoritism……?”
Hyun I-seo muttered something barely audible, then let his lips curl up. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand, but it was all visible.
Hmm. At least they don’t seem to think it’s total nonsense.
For a moment I was bewildered by the strange atmosphere.
Yu Hee smiled happily but tilted her head, murmuring.
“Making those kids my tools……. I hadn’t thought about it, and I’m not sure if it’s possible. We’ve only ever tried to kill each other. And they’re coming now to kill, I’m sure.”
“It’ll work!”
I responded, simply satisfied that the mood was positive.
Yu Hee didn’t know, but in this episode, when the young direct lineage members die in large numbers, it later puts Yu Hee in a corner.
‘After graduation, it becomes the spark for the Yoo Clan to oppose Yuhan Seong.’
It’s not that the Yoo Clan particularly treasured those direct lineage members—rather, it gave them grounds, a pretext.
No matter how hard they tried to kill first, the fact that the Yuhan Seong Party killed members of their clan couldn’t be denied. So in terms of justification, the Yoo Clan gained a certain legitimacy, you could say?
If I could eliminate that spark itself, operations after graduation would be easier compared to the original.
“……Even if it’s possible, you can’t put yourself in danger, Hali.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be perfectly safe. More importantly, Yu Hee—remember what I told you before? About the atmosphere in your clan.”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I’ve been thinking that for children raised in that kind of atmosphere, how you suppress them is incredibly important.”
“Suppress…….”
“Jin Hali is the one with suppression…….”
The kids started laughing again at something incomprehensible.
At least they seem happy about it, so that’s good.
“You’re right about that, definitely. Overwhelming suppression can make them obedient. But since these kids are coming under the Clan Leader’s orders, I’m not sure how meaningful it would be.”
“That’s fine too.”
A moment later, at my confident statement, the kids’ eyes widened slightly.
“I’m going to have only the direct lineage members play dead.”
“……What?”
“Yu Hee, don’t do anything. Just focus on training. I’ll handle everything. You know I’m better at making people play dead, right?”
“……Huh? Uh, um. I suppose……”
“Trust me. I can do it well. And maybe……later, your Clan Leader might seize on the fact that you supposedly killed all the direct lineage members and try to harm you. What do you think?”
“……That’s accurate. He certainly would.”
“Oh. When that time comes, we just say, ‘Actually, they’re all alive!’ and destroy the Clan Leader’s trap, then reveal your people. Problem solved.”
A dramatic scene worthy of a novel would unfold.
As I smiled contentedly, picturing such a future, my friends, whose expressions had been growing increasingly strange while listening to Yu Hee and me, began to let out hollow laughs before bursting into loud laughter.
Either way, everyone seemed in very good spirits, so that was fortunate.
Though it didn’t seem like they were laughing in agreement with my plan…….
Even if I found that a bit suspicious, everyone seemed to be in agreement anyway, so that was good.
I laughed back at them, keeping my tone as light as possible.
“So I’ll be the bait.”
“That’s dangerous. We can’t do that. Some of them have unusual skills…….”
I know.
I know that some of them have unusual skills like the Vampire Skill, making it difficult to suppress them all at once.
But I was confident.
Because I knew exactly how much they underestimated me for being an F-rank Healer.
‘It was precisely that carelessness that got them wiped out instantly by Han Seong’s group in the original.’
“Against those kinds of kids, I just need to warn you ahead of time.”
“Um. Of course I will, but…….”
My unusually firm attitude seemed to surprise everyone. I could sense both their wonder and their concern.
But when I continued, they had no choice but to nod.
“You know Lion and Erich are there, so there’s no risk of real danger, right? Even if you’re still uneasy, come along sometimes. That would make it even safer.”
“Good.”
“Right.”
“For now, you all have to focus on training without exception. Leave this to me as much as possible. Understand?”
That request was hard to hear agreement on, but I managed to wring affirmation from everyone nonetheless.
And after laying out a plan to bring them all to their knees at once and make them completely belong to Yu Hee, I spent almost all the remaining time before the festival dragging things out.
Making sure they underestimated me while they couldn’t easily make a move against me.
So that when they headed toward a secluded place alone, rather than thinking it was a trap I’d set, they’d think they couldn’t miss this opportunity.

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