CH 7

“Now, it would be fine to go in.”

Kim Changho gave the password and then took the lead to enter. 

It was the rich house that I used to see in movies.

The huge space was full of expensive furniture, and the interior was as nice as a five-star hotel.

It’s a little chilly, perhaps because they’re just moving and everything is empty, but it’s all great.

“Wow! That’s amazing!”

“High-grade hunters can buy as many houses as they want. If it’s Lee Heesun, ten, no, even a hundred houses are possible.” 

“Hunter Kim Changho, can you show us the room we are staying in?” 

“Yes. The guest room is… probably on the second floor. Let’s go up.”

The stairs connecting the first and second floors were also very nice. 

The stairs connecting the first and second floors were also very nice.

“You can use any room. There is a separate kitchen and bathroom on the second floor,  so you don’t have to come down because your feet will hurt. Oh, the Minister is here.” 

Lee Beomjin appeared.

Then mom asked coldly. 

“How long do we have to stay here?”

“I don’t know yet. We’re going to hold a press conference today and see how people react. Even if they lose interest in her and it turns out that you can move, apartments are not allowed.”

“….” 

“I will look for a new house here. Because it’s more comfortable for Hunter to live in. Did you tell them that you can’t go to work today?”

My mom nodded. 

“It’s better to be prepared to change jobs. There’s a Hunter Specialty Hospital nearby. You’d be better off working there. The high-ranking Hunter’s family is treated better.”

My mom’s face darkened.

“Heesun-ah, the people of the Department of Ability will come later at 2 o’clock. Until then, take a rest and read this. This is a basic guide for new hunters.”

“Yes.”

“My house is right next door. Kim Changho and I will be next door, so if anything happens, call me right away. I’ll come a little before 2 o’clock.’ 

Lee Beomjin looked strangely at my mom and me before disappearing with Kim Changho. 

“….”

Mom went to the living room and sat down on the sofa.

I stood there hesitatingly and said.

“I’m sorry.”

My mom’s face suddenly looked surprised. 

“Why are you saying you’re sorry?”

“We got out of the house, and I think Mom will have to change jobs… Our life will change completely….”

My mom shook her head right away.

“It’s not your fault. I’m confused because it’s something I never imagined…. It’s definitely not my daughter’s fault. Don’t feel guilty.” 

“….”

“If it’s SSS∞ class, it’s really strong, right? Come to think of it, you won’t get hurt even if you get caught up in a big event like a dungeon creation or explosion. That’s right. If it’s high grade, you won’t get sick, right? You won’t get sick in the future. Even if you get hit by a car like before, you won’t get hurt.”

“Yeah, it’s not me who would break, it’s the car.”

Mom breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

“Yeah. It’s a relief. Really.”

My heart melts whenever I see my mom who thinks of me like this.

I put my head on my mom’s shoulder.

Mom smiled and gently stroked my hair.

“My daughter… But, I have to apologize. Mom to my daughter.”

“Yes? Mom?”

I looked up. 

My mom had a troubled and distressed look on her face.

“I haven’t told you… who your father is….”

“I heard that after hearing the conversation, mom thought he was playing with mom.”

Perhaps my Mom’s eyes shook a little because of the direct expression.

“Then you might not tell me, well. Because I don’t want to tell you that your dad’s such a bad guy.”

“….”

“So when Minister Lee Beomjin appeared on TV, mom immediately changed the channel. And mom also hates Hunters.”

“….”

“Anyway, I really understand. But…”

I was looking at my Mom’s face and then said.

“Minister Lee Beomjin said he didn’t do that. It seemed like he meant it.”

“Mom knows it is. But all of a sudden— I don’t know.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s been so long… I don’t know how to find out. No, I wonder if I really need to find out. Because we ended up breaking up anyway.”

“No. We need to find out. If that was a misunderstanding or someone made it up like that, then it would be very unfair to Minister Lee Beomjin.” 

“That’s true but….”

“It’s not supposed to be Mom’s fault, and that’s why Mom made a mistake. Mom, no matter what happens, I’m on Mom’s side, no matter what happens in the future. And…” 

Even though it was kind of embarrassing, I still shouted out loud.

“It must have been hard to give birth to me and raise me alone, so thank you very much. I love you, Mom!”

Mom blinked and suddenly burst into tears.

“Huh, why are you crying?”

Mom hugged me tightly.

“You’re this small… But you know how to talk like an adult, and you know how to give for your Mom… I’ve raised you really well.” 

“Yes. Other than being short, my mom gave birth to me well and raised me well. So don’t cry.”

“…Yeah.”

Mom patted me on the back.

After she stopped crying, she caressed my cheeks and looked at me with admiring eyes.

‘—It just reminds me of Lee Beomjin.’

Because it’s the parent’s eyes. 

“Heesun-ah, do you not want to be a Hunter because your Mom doesn’t like Hunters?” 

“…Honestly, it’s not that’s not the reason. But even if that’s not the case, I want to live a quiet and peaceful life.”

Mom nodded as if she understood.

“Yeah. We’ve lived so well so far. But I don’t think we can live like that from now on. As we heard earlier.”

“…The minister said that even at dawn. When I asked if we couldn live a normal life like before, he said we can’t. He just cut it.” 

“Yeah, I think so.”

“….”

The world’s only SSS∞ class.

I will receive a lot of attention beyond my imagination.

‘No, I’m sure it’s not just attention. Ugh—’

I lay on the sofa.

It was a rude thing to do, but for now, instead of nagging me, Mom brushed my hair.

It was a soft touch full of affection, as always.

“Remember what your Mom said before? Mom lived a very difficult life in the old days, so I could hardly do anything other than work and study. I want my daughter to have a lot of different experiences, unlike your Mom.”

“Yes.”

So when I said I would do something, my mom actively supported me with anything. 

She even allowed me to go to my favorite idol singer’s concert the day before the exam.

Even though I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to screw up my exam.

“Do high-level hunters live a long time? I think it would be good to experience as a hunter as well. Of course, if you really don’t like it, you don’t have to. Think about it while receiving basic education. Okay?”

“…Yes.”

“And…”

My mom continued with difficulty. 

“Because it’s true that Lee Beomjin is your father… No matter how you treat him, it’s entirely up to you, my daughter. Your Mom will be fine.” 

“Uhm… Huh?!”

I jumped up and sat down.

“What’s wrong?”

“Minister Lee Beomjin, he’s very popular! He’s still single! But suddenly, a 19-year-old daughter appears! Isn’t this a huge scandal? And it’s going to be very noisy because of my rank! I think it’s going to be like pouring oil over the sunlight!”

Mom’s face turned a little pale.

“…if that’s revealed, the past will also come out.”

In the past, my mom told me the truth: she didn’t want to lie to me. 

They broke up without getting married and had no father or husband.

‘She told others that her husband died when she was pregnant while they were married.’

Everyone believed my Mom’s words because my surname, ‘Lee’, which I inherited from my Mom, was very common.

However, if they revealed the story about my Mom’s past, it would be known that she was a single Mom.

If they are conservative people, they will most likely curse at my Mom.

‘And if my father’s identity is a minister!’

It will be a huge scandal.

“Ugh—! I can’t. I’m not going to tell them that we’re a father and daughter.”

“…I don’t think Lee Beomjin will like it.”

“But it can’t be helped. Actually, I haven’t felt it yet.”

Hunter Lee Beomjin ‘Archer’ was a hero of our country.

He was also considered one of the best and most respected hunters in the world.

If you were a Korean, you couldn’t know the face of the president, but there’s no way you wouldn’t know the face of Archer.

‘Is it because he’s such an amazing person?’

I couldn’t believe it, even though my Mom admitted he was my father. 

“He doesn’t look like me at all.”

“That’s true, but you don’t look much like me either. You’re short, too.”

I glanced at my Mom.

“Are you looking at your Mom like this?”

“Tsk.”

I sat up, grumbling.

Then my Mom said, 

“You know, Heesun-ah. You’re a hunter and you have a high rank, maybe it’s because you resemble Lee Beomjin?” 

After the dungeon was opened, many people studied the conditions for the manifestation of this ability.

Nevertheless, there was no clear result.

There was no influence on genetics, but it wasn’t clear if that was true either.

This was because sometimes parents, children or siblings were hunters together. 

‘That’s why they say that even the F-class Hunter has an advantage in the marriage market.’

I remember seeing an article like that.

Anyway, I couldn’t be a normal Hunter. 

Because my power comes from another world.

“…I don’t know.”

“Then, shall we organize our luggage in the room first?”

“Yes.”

I stood up and walked to the room.

Behind my back, I could hear my Mom sighing with complicated emotions. 

To be honest, I also sighed.

‘Really… Should I say good-bye for an ordinary life?’

+ Chapter 2 – The Destruction Ending

Lee Beomjin came 10 minutes before 2 o’clock.

The bangs were pulled back, and the suit seemed to have changed into a more luxurious one.

Objectively, he was cooler than before.

“How about Nahyun?”

Lee Beomjin asked, looking straight toward Mom’s room.

Then he swept his face lightly with one hand.

‘…Don’t tell me, did he dress up like that to look good to Mom?’

“She says she’ll come out a little later. She did it…so I could talk with the Minister.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“….”

Lee Beomjin remained silent for a while as if he didn’t know what to say.

‘I think just calling out the name is a bit.’

It wasn’t anyone else, it was my father after all.

Even though I still can’t believe it.

‘Yeah, let’s call him Hunter Lee Beomjin.’

It felt too far away to call him Minister or Archer. 

Of course, it’s the same with calling him father. 

“…Did you have a good rest?”

“Yes.”

“Have you seen all the guides?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“I don’t.”

I didn’t have any specific questions because I wasn’t interested, or because I was still escaping from reality.

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“….”

‘It’s a little awkward.’

“…I heard the people of the Department of Ability will come soon.”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“I don’t think you should look at me like that in front of those people.”

“Like that?”

“It’s like, really really really nice?”

Hunter Lee Beomjin’s eyes became a little bewildered.

“Perhaps, do you feel uncomfortable?”

“…A little. Not a lot.”

I emphasized again that it was a little, but Hunter Lee Beomjin’s face hardened.

He lowered his eyes, as if greatly disappointed.

‘Somehow, it feels bitter.’

Still, I had to say something.

“I’ve been thinking about it, but I won’t reveal that Hunter Lee Beomjin and I are father and daughter. Please keep it a secret.” 

Hunter Lee Beomjin looked like he had just been hit by a lightning bolt.