CH 25

A man standing by my side slowly came into my blurry vision as I opened my eyes. He was wearing a white coat, like a doctor, glasses, and looking down at me……

‘Uh?’

Ah, no. The man was not a doctor but Takahiro and the place I was lying down was not an ICU but the school’s infirmary. For a second, I thought I had been hospitalized with some severe injury, but realizing that wasn’t the case, I calmed down and immediately asked Takahiro, flustered.

『Why are you wearing glasses? And what’s with the doctor’s coat?』

『Ah, young master. You see……』

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Takahiro continued, in a bad mood.

『This morning, I carried you to the infirmary in the school’s main building, did I not?』

I had been so dizzy at the moment that I didn’t recall coming to the infirmary, but I did remember Takahiro helping me up.

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『You did.』

『But the Head of Cadets told me that our Shimazu Gumi’s outfit intimidated the cadets, so I’ve been dressed like this since then. I mean, there was an unused coat as well, so…….』

Hmm. I mean, considering this guy had a face that’s hard to approach, and on top of that, having him walking around the campus dressed in a black suit like a yakuza would probably create a bad atmosphere for the students going to class. The Head of Cadets probably scolded him for that.

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……But, because of his face and mustache, he looked even more suspicious with the coat on. He looked like a crazy scientist who performed unethical human experiments in a biochemical laboratory…….

Anyway, looking at my watch, it was 11am. It seemed he had been by my side since I lost consciousness in the morning.

『Well, thanks. It’s alright so go back home or to your office.』

『But I have to escort you, young master, as Lady Shimazu has-』

『No, no. That’s enough.』

I waved my hand and said to Takahiro.

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『You took care of me to apologize, in the first place, right? You’ve already helped me enough, so I think you’re done.』

『Then……』

『Yeah. Now go back to your workplace. Tell Renka I accept her apology and thank her for lending you to me.』

『……!』

They weren’t empty words. I had received quite a bit of help for 3 days. Starting with the train ticket, to when the police suspected me, and even last night during the Choi Seong-gil incident.

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Even though he had been forced to serve me due to Renka’s order, he was someone that faithfully did his job. Unlike the bad first impression he had when I faced him when I first met him, he was surprisingly quite a good person. No wonder he was serving as the vice-branch manager under Renka.

‘Renka! Your servant’s awesome!’

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However, it was quite burdensome for me to keep him by my side. Although he was quite helpful, he had probably been ordered to keep an eye on me in secret, right?

『Then…… Do you really forgive me? Without a “yubikiri”?』

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What was a yubikiri(指切り) again? I reflected on the language knowledge that I got from Baek Cheol-yeon. That’s right. It was a word that meant to make a pinky promise like children.

『Hmm. Then, should we at least do a yubikiri?』

『Argh……!』

At those words, Takahiro grew pale. What’s wrong with him?

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……I thought when I realized that it meant something different in their line of work. An action where you need a straw cutter (note: They are referring to the act of cutting off the pinky fingers as part of the pinky swear)…….

I had said something scary unintentionally, so I just laughed it off.

『I’m joking. You didn’t do something so bad that it would warrant cutting your finger off. Anyway, I forgive you, so go back.』

『……!』

『And it would be even better if you stopped by the hospital and apologized to the boarding house owner and his daughter on your way back.』

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Takahiro took off the doctor’s coat and glasses and bowed down at me at 90 degrees.

『Thank you! I shall do so! It was an honor to be able to serve you!』

『Sure, sure. You’re dismissed.』

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He said his goodbye loudly, then turned around and left the infirmary. Anyway, saying it was an honor to serve me. It was a common greeting in their industry, but he made it sound like I was a captain who saved his life on the battlefield.

After sending Takahiro back, I got up from the bed in the infirmary.

I skipped classes, but I had to eat.

***

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『Hah…… Do you come to school to play?』

As I got a lunchbox from the school cafeteria and sat down at the table where my squad members were gathered, Song Byung-oh grumbled and gave me a scolding.

『Must be great to be you! Although you barely attend school, you can still go on a trip after graduating……』

『 Nothing happened while I was gone, right?』

『Things happening?』

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Song Byung-oh pushed his glasses up and continued.

『As you can see, Lee Yu-ha is still not coming to classes. Well, she’s sick, so we can let that go, but……』

As he had said, I couldn’t see Lee Yu-ha where our squad members were gathering (of course, Murasaki wasn’t here either). However, I already knew about this, so I had Nothing to worry about.

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Lee Yu-ha had returned to her dormitory yesterday with the help of Aikawa and another girl. She would finally get better if she got a day’s rest.

I looked at Aikawa. When our eyes met, she suddenly nodded as if she understood. What the hell?

『Ah! There’s that as well.……』

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Song Byung-oh put his chopsticks down and said with a grin.

『There was a general sciences class scheduled for the second period, but the professor in charge of the class suddenly retired, so the class was canceled. What was his name…… Saigane Seiji-sensei? I can’t believe it, retiring! So Kurobe-sensei taught the class instead.』

Professor Saigane’s identity and the truth of last night’s incident were a secret only a few people, including me, Lee Yu-ha, Aikawa, and Professor Kurobe, knew.

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Anyway, “retirement.” It seemed Professor Kurobe had taken proper care of it. I opened my lunchbox and picked up my chopsticks. Song Byung-oh, seeing this, said,

『But lad, that bento…… Isn’t that two?』

『Yes. I’m hungry.』

『Hah!』

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As he had said, I had brought two lunchboxes. I hadn’t had anything to eat since last night, and I hadn’t been able to recover all of my drained blood yet, so I needed nutrients desperately. As I shoveled the bento rice into my mouth, I thought.

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‘I have to become stronger.’

Through my fight with Choi Seong-gil, I realized how weak I truly was. I had somehow been able to beat him, but it could have easily ended up the wrong way.

Of course, I didn’t think there would be another situation like this, but I needed to be careful. Nobody knows what the future holds.

I was attending school to become stronger in the first place, but I felt that to at least graduate without any problems; I needed to be stronger than I currently was. It felt like putting the cart before the horse, but I couldn’t help it.

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Then, how does an Awakened become stronger?

The answer was simple. When an Awakened ability is used to the extreme to overcome a desperate situation, it grows.

‘Status window.’

Whoop-!

[K-HUNTER’S STATUS SYSTEM ver.3.2.2]

[User information]

Name 白哲然(Baek Cheol-yeon)

Age 17

Mana class E-class

Awakened abilities

Mana detection/D-class

Empowering/E-class

Poison resistance/C-class

Status Anemia (recovering)

[▷Main screen]

As I saw through my status window, my ability stats remained unchanged from a few days ago.

‘As expected…….’

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When I faced Choi Seong-gil last night, my life was in danger, but I had barely used my Awakened abilities, so they didn’t grow.

‘Yu-ha’s probably grown.’

Despite being weak due to lack of blood, she had squeezed out what she could of her frost ability until she collapsed.

『Shirabayashi-kun! Shirabayashi-kun!』

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I wondered how I could become stronger when someone approached the empty spot next to me, sat down, and talked to me.

『Nee nee (hey hey), did you know?』

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It was Yang Bok-ja. The way she was smiling, it seemed she had heard some other interesting rumor.

‘When I think about how I wrongly suspected Professor Kurobe due to her rumors…….’

I was still upset. So I didn’t want to pay much attention to her, but I asked back just to not leave her hanging.

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『What is it this time?』

『They saw a Spirit Door opened outside Dongsomun (note: now known as Hyehwamun)! Entry is not allowed today, but it’ll be open to private Yeopsas starting tomorrow! Do you want to go check it out after school tomorrow?』

『Spirit Door?』

At that word, my ears opened up. Spirit Door. It was the term they used to refer to Gates in this era.

‘Why didn’t I think about that?’

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If I wanted to be in an environment where I could exert my Awakened abilities to their limit in a desperate situation, the best option was to enter a Gate. If I hunted moderately high-leveled monsters, my Awakened ability would naturally grow.

But……

『Although we’re cadets, so we won’t be allowed in! Still, what about just watching? It should be fine, right? Right?』

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As she said, through the law and school rules, underage students were prohibited from entering Spirit Doors for safety reasons.

『Then, should we go together? Of course, we’d just go to watch and come back.』

『Wow! Really?』

『Yeah. Students can’t go in, so we can’t help it, right?』

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I pretended to be disappointed as I said this. But on the inside,

‘Children be gone!’

I was planning to sneak into the Gate alone, without my squad members knowing. The way I saw it, the other guys in my squad weren’t ready to enter a Gate yet.

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However, I was a veteran Hunter with nearly 10 years of experience. No matter how weak this body’s ability was, it would be a piece of cake to hunt monsters inside a decently-leveled Gate.

Besides, if it was outside Dongsomun, it wasn’t far from the boarding house I was staying at. I couldn’t let a chance like this pass.

‘Alright. Even if it’s forbidden, there should be a way to sneak in.’

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***

That night, a Japanese-style house was located at the foot of Namsan Mountain in Gyeongseong.

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Renka, wearing a red yukata, spoke to Takahiro, who was kneeling down in front of her.

『Report, Takahiro-san.』

『…….』

When he angered Renka a few days ago, Takahiro had been ready to commit seppuku or cut off a finger or two.

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However, Renka had replaced Takahiro’s punishment with serving Baek Cheol-yeon and asking for his forgiveness instead.

‘Damn it…… Serving a Joseon person!’

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However, his mind changed after going through so much in that short time.

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‘He deserves the Lady’s interest.’

The way he gave instructions skillfully as if he had been leading people for years, or the fact that he had defeated the vampire professor despite the unfavorable conditions and match up.

And on top of that, he had a bold attitude that made him feel superior.

Having seen such scenes while accompanying Baek Cheol-yeon, Takahiro couldn’t believe that Baek Cheol-yeon was just a cadet.

『Indeed, he was quite amazing. He was not just a regular Joseon person. I have realized my prejudice was wrong.』

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Renka asked Takahiro, still with a cold voice.

『Did he forgive you?』

『Yes. Shirabayashi…… The young master forgave me and asked me to thank you as well.』

『Hmm. You are not lying because you are in my presence again, right? Takahiro-san.』

『……Yes. I am being truly honest. If what I say is not true, I will commit seppuku』

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If he said that much, it had to be true. Only then did Renka smile.

She had proven that her judgment and decision to send Takahiro to serve Baek Cheol-yeon instead of sending him Takahiro’s head or finger had been more effective.

As a result, she had not only been forgiven for previous mistakes but also corrected her subordinate’s misconceptions and managed to have Baek Cheol-yeon warm up to herself and the Shimazu Gumi.

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‘Fufu, Shirabayashi-san…… This is the real beginning.’

Baek Cheol-yeon had surprised her since she saw him the day before the entrance ceremony.

After that, he had hunted down the middle-class monster that had broken in during the pre-field study, suppressed the Awakened robber, and now she had received a report that he had defected the vampire disguised as a school professor.

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The more she learned of his multiple accomplishments in just a few days, the deeper Renka’s desire to find out his secret.

If Baek Cheol-yeon was just a natural-born cadet with no outstanding secret, Renka’s harsh 17 years of life would become meaningless.

‘If I don’t find out……!’

Although she hadn’t even found a clue as to where Baek Cheol-yeon’s potential came from, improving relations with Baek Cheol-yeon through Takahiro was a small but significant step.

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‘I will not stop until I find out your secret.’

Satisfied, Renka still grinned as she praised Takahiro for his hard work.

『Great work, Takahiro-san. There shall be a reasonable award for this job well done.』

『Thank you……!』

Takahiro bowed his head,

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『Oh, there is one more thing I have to tell you. I received a telegram on my way here.』

He said as he took out a neatly folded telegram from his chest pocket. Renka read the telegram Takahiro gave her.

『A telegram? …….』

After reading the short telegram, Renka ordered Takahiro to wait for a while, then dressed neatly and headed to the center of the mansion.

Standing in front of the innermost room, Renka adjusted her clothes, opened the sliding door, and entered.

A large tarp with the Shimazu family’s crest on the wall facing the entrance of the room, the wall where the highest seat is located, was hung as if looking down at the entire room.

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It was a family crest with four swords in a cross inside of a round circle. This was the Shimazu family’s crest.

Underneath the crest, the luxuriously decorated highest seat was empty.

Renka closed the sliding door behind her as she entered the room. However, the place she sat was not the empty highest seat, but in front of a small table near the sliding door, far from the highest seat.

Renka sat down in front of the table on her knees. There was a black telephone on the table.

Not long had passed since she had knelt down. As soon as the phone rang, Renka picked it up.

On the other side was Shimazu Tadanobu, Renka’s father, head of the Shimazu(島津) family that had reigned over Kagoshima (鹿兒島) for several generations.

And he was also the person who had sent Renka to Gyeongseong.

There was no way for Renka to know what the head of the family who had sent her here was planning. However, Renka believed her father had sent her to Gyeonseong with great expectations, so she followed his instructions.

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As she had for all of her life.

But, what could it be? Normally, her father would never call her like this. Renka listened to the voice over the phone.

『……Yes. …… Yes?』

As she sat on her knees and answered the voice over the phone, Renka’s face somehow began to stiffen, and her voice began to tremble.

『But……』

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Renka asked with a shaky voice.

『So suddenly, why would “he”……?』

Like that, Renka continued listening to the voice over the phone for a while without saying a word,

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『……I understand.』

Then, she put down the phone as she finished her call. Renka looked pale. After putting the phone down, she sat quietly for a while and then called Takahiro.

『……Takahiro.』

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Takahiro, waiting outside the room on his knees, opened the sliding door and answered.

『Yes, my Lady.』

『……Aoki-shosa(note: Shosa is Japanese for the military rank of Major General) is coming to Gyeongseong.』

『Aoki-shosa?』

Renka bit her lip.

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‘Aoki Hisaburo-shosa.’

He was not a member of the Shimazu family, not of the Yeopsa union Shimazu Gumi. As one could tell from his rank “shosa,” he was an army officer.

However, he was favored by Shimazu Tadanobu for some reason,

He was currently a special forces officer of the 11th Regiment of the 7th Division of the Kwantung Army, currently located in Shenyang, Manchuria,

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And also, he was the man that Shimazu Tadanobu, during Renka’s childhood, had decided to be

Renka’s fiancée.

‘I had forgotten…….’

The lower lip Renka had been biting on started bleeding.

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***

The next morning, Gyeongseong Station.

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Takahiro, who had come to meet Aoki-shosa, soon saw a man coming out of the ticket gate.

A man in his early 30s, wearing a yellow military uniform and a Type 94 Gunto around his waist. Looking up at his face as he walked up with his leather boots with discipline, he had an unforgettable impression.

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It wasn’t because it was intimidating or unsightly. Rather, he was a handsome man with fine edges.

However, the sanpaku eyes under the dark shadows made it hard to tell where he was looking, and the sharp empty expression as if his face had been carved out of stone gave off an eerie and cold feeling.

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It wasn’t the first time Takahiro had seen this man. But every time he saw him, Takahiro was somehow intimidated, and shivers went down his spine.