Chapter 43

< My Little Brother... (3) >

‘There’s no way to get a high-level monster anytime soon, and it will take quite a while for the ones coming from overseas to arrive. I guess I’ll have some free time again.’

Monsters still couldn’t be transported by air. So, the monsters that Hae-yeon had bought were currently scattered across the sea. I hope they all arrive safely without any accidents.

“Brother.”

After everyone left, Yu-hyun called out to me. I turned to look at him while holding the piece that revealed the bones of the chair.

“Don’t worry about what the Breaker Guild Master said. She’s known for being weird.”

Judging by how he was trying to defend her, he must have felt a bit guilty.

“I’m not worried. They’re just people I’ve known for a couple of years.”

People do change. He can’t be the same as when he was a kid. But this guy risked his life to save me five years later.

No matter what others say, that’s enough for me.

When I said it was fine, Yu-hyun looked even more concerned.

“...But I haven’t done anything to feel guilty about.”

“Really?”

“...Mostly?”

“Dude, I never thought you lived a completely spotless and honest life.”

I became clean after the regression. My brother looked indignant at my words.

“You used to believe me.”

“That’s different. I’ve lived five years longer than you. I know what I need to know.”

In terms of experience, I’ve lived ten years longer.

“Would you really go if the world’s number one guild called you?”

Yu-hyun asked half-jokingly.

“If they were firmly number one, what difference would my opinion make? There’s no such thing anyway.”

There’s no guild that operates on a global scale yet. They can barely handle their own country, and even five years later, the increasing number of dungeons makes it hard to influence more than a couple of neighboring countries. At best, they can divide Chinese hunters or snatch valuable dungeon rights from minor countries.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that the hunter situation will flow the same way as before the regression. The widespread use of high-level mounts alone will change many things.

‘...If things stay like this, knowing the future won’t be useful for long.’

Anyway, I plan to earn enough and retire.

“When do you want to check out my skills?”

“I won’t have time for a while... Sorry. I’ve been busy with the slime dungeon and the mounts.”

It’s a very profitable dungeon, so freeloaders are swarming.

“Still, the guilds that came today shouldn’t cause any trouble, right? Especially the Breaker Guild Master, who was desperate to trade even one high-level monster.”

They offered various rewards, saying that all they needed was someone fast and strong.

“Domestically, the association is a bit annoying, but there’s no real problem. The real issue is Japan.”

“What? Why are they interfering in other countries’ affairs?”

“There are no slime dungeons in Japan yet. They have to import all of them, even C-rank. Now that A-rank has appeared in our country, they’re going crazy. And it’s not just the guilds; it’s the government.”

I almost swore. Conscienceless monkeys. When did the government decide to interfere minimally in guild affairs and coordinate through the association? Why are they oppressing other countries’ guilds?

“...Hasn’t the government’s interference in foreign guilds been prohibited yet?”

“No. It’s limited to their own country. Still, Hae-yeon hasn’t expanded to Japan, and there’s little interaction, so it won’t have much impact except for the mounts.”

“Mounts? You mean... one of the monsters you bought is from Japan?”

Yu-hyun nodded.

“One high-level monster. It’s currently detained at the port. If it can’t be avoided, I’ll hand it over to Breaker or another guild.”

“You’re really being pushed around.”

“We need to resolve it as amicably as possible, so it’s a hassle. If it can’t be avoided, we can ask the association or the government for help, but it’s best not to owe such favors.”

“Will they not step in on their own? It’s their own country’s guild, after all.”

“They might if it gets too much. The government’s minimal interference in guilds is a double-edged sword. It’s convenient usually, but it’s troublesome in situations like this.”

Getting the slime dungeon isn’t all gain. I expected domestic guilds to cause trouble, but Japan? Still, it’s better than giving it away.

“Let me know when you have time to check out my skills. I can make time.”

I can take a day off from taking care of the monsters, and my other schedule... Ah, the broadcast.

Do I really have to go?

“Mr. Han Yu-jin’s final Awakened grade is determined to be B.”

The Hunter Association staff member said with a smile.

I jumped from a perennial F to B. Wow. If I revealed all my titles and skills, I could probably get an A, but I’m satisfied with this. I need to be careful unless my stats are at least B.

“If you have any complaints about the determined grade, please submit your objections and relevant materials to the reception center within 10 business days.”

When there’s a significant gap between stats and skill grades, the Awakened grade is usually determined in two ways: the level of the dungeon the subject can clear or through an internal meeting of the association.

Naturally, the latter applied to me. Without equipment, I can’t clear even an F-grade dungeon with my current stats. Even with the help of an S-grade adult monster, anything above C-grade is dangerous. I could die from a stray fragment.

“B-grade? Isn’t that too low?”

Yelim, who had been waiting, complained as she took the reissued Hunter license and turned around. Kim Ji-yeon, an A-grade Hunter, stood beside her. They had come to protect me.

“Dungeon clearance is the main focus for grading. Even with great skills, the maximum is A if your stats are F.”

Unless you have an incredible defensive skill that can perfectly protect you.

I nodded along with Yelim’s grumbling and got into the car. No one approached me yet, probably because the rumors about me haven’t spread much. There were some distant gazes, though.

“Uncle, when will you check out my skills?”

As soon as she sat in the back seat, Yelim started nagging. She’s been saying this every day since she reached level 10 and obtained Pale Rain.

“Get two more first.”

“I’m not even at level 30, let alone 20! Ah, will you go through the dungeon with me? When I reach level 20, I might get a good skill.”

I haven’t even gotten a level 10 skill yet. A level 20 skill? And the dungeon level doesn’t match yet.

“Don’t say ridiculous things. By the way, you’re filming, right?”

“Yes, the association requires three A-grade Hunters to accompany when filming with a monster. They’re also planning a Hunter special. I heard Hyun-a will be on it too.”

...Why her again? Does the guild master have nothing else to do?

“But why is she my senior? I’m younger than the Breaker Guild Master.”

“She’s a senior if she’s not married.”

“...What about me?”

“You’re not married, but you have a child. You keep calling Peace ‘Dad.’”

That’s unfair. I’m raising Peace, but why am I treated like a father when there’s a species barrier?

“Don’t discriminate. Be fair.”

“Then, Uncle, you’re a senior to Hyun-a.”

“Thinking about it, you’re right! Call me senior.”

Yeah, what does age matter? Power and authority are the most important. A woman who can wield a giant spear twice her height like a flyswatter to kill monsters is a senior, whether she’s 13 or 130.

This is my third time at the broadcasting station, including before the regression.

The first time was a short interview about Yu-hyun, and the second was about a Hunter-related crime... something like that.

The common point of those two times was that I was treated like cold leftovers. But today is different.

“Wow, is that the monster?”

“So cute! I’ve never seen a monster this close!”

“The monsters in Dungeon Break are all creepy, but this cat is so pretty.”

I received attention with every step. Ninety percent of it was because of Peace in my arms, but some people were interested in me too.

It’s because of the news about the mounts on last night’s 9 PM news.

They spent a considerable amount of time reporting on the enormous benefits of having high-level and top-tier mounts, such as reducing dungeon clearance time by up to 50%. The response was enthusiastic. Articles about mounts flooded the portal sites, and Hae-yeon’s guild ranked third in search results after the mounts and S-grade dungeon profits.

My name was lower than Yu-hyun’s, though.

‘I’ll be compared again after appearing on TV.’

If it’s just a grade comparison, that’s fine, but they’ll definitely comment on my appearance. “The brothers don’t look alike” and all that. Comparing me to someone who looks like a celebrity because of S-grade stat adjustments is too much.

I need to stay off the internet for a while to protect my mental health.

‘The waiting room is spacious.’

They didn’t even give me a chair before, but now there’s a comfy sofa and drinks and snacks on the table. Yelim was getting her messy hair and makeup fixed. And on the sofa...

“Welcome, senior!”

Breaker Guild Master Moon Hyun-a was sitting with her long legs crossed. Why does she keep calling me senior?

“Hello.”

She was bare-faced last time, but today she’s wearing light makeup. She’s really beautiful, but... I’d prefer to see her face from a distance.

“Come sit here. Want some candy?”

“I don’t like it.”

I ignored her tapping the seat next to her and sat on the opposite sofa. As soon as I sat down, I quickly held onto Peace, who tried to jump down.

“No. Sit still.”

-Grumble

“I played with you enough before we came. You can’t cause trouble here.”

His activity level is increasing day by day, which is troublesome. I really need to find a temporary spacious place to keep him; I can’t keep him at home.

“You seem to have a good way with kids.”

Moon Hyun-a moved to sit next to me. Go away.

“Don’t get too close. People might misunderstand.”

“So what? You’re raising my child.”

...Creepy. Why does she talk like that? Then Yelim shouted, not to be outdone.

“My uncle will raise my child too!”

“Yelim!”

What the hell are you saying! Even if that kid isn’t his!

“Why? It’s true.”

“Even if it’s true, you shouldn’t say it like that!”

And Moon Hyun-a, stop laughing, you devil.

“Senior, I really like you. Want to join me?”

“Make the offer after meeting the conditions.”

“You’re picky.”

-Cough

Then Peace perked up his ears. Yelim also jumped up from her seat. A moment later, I could feel the flow of the air around us.

“...What is it?”

I knew but pretended not to. Moon Hyun-a smiled and lightly waved her hand. Her Breaker guild members were explaining something to the confused people, but I couldn’t hear them.

“It’s just blocking the sound. A simple skill application.”

It doesn’t seem simple. Moon Hyun-a’s skill application is famous for being excellent, though it’s a few years from now. She’s still proficient now.

“Is there something you need to say in secret?”

“It’s not really a secret, but you should be careful when talking about others behind their backs.”

Behind their backs?

“Do you really trust your brother?”

I thought she was going to say something else, but it was about my brother’s back.

“Of course, I trust him.”

Her obvious scheme made me frown. Moon Hyun-a chuckled at my reaction.

“When I first met Han Yu-hyun, I thought he was just a kid. He ignored all the powerful people extending their hands and insisted on forming his own guild. I thought he didn’t know his place.”

...I also thought my brother was quite fearless. It turned out well in the end, but the chances of it collapsing in the middle were high.

“I’m the same, and the MKC guild master is just a figurehead. How could young people who just exercise form a huge guild? I thought I could take the guild master position and enjoy it while they handled the annoying tasks. It wasn’t a bad deal. It was comfortable.”

Moon Hyun-a continued, wiggling her long fingers.

“The Han Shin guild master is similar. A low-level employee of a Han Shin Group subsidiary became the chairman’s son-in-law. Among the top five domestic guilds, the only real guild masters are Seong Hyun-je of Seongseong and Han Yu-hyun of Hae-yeon.”

Moon Hyun-a said meaningfully, but it wasn’t surprising to me. The reason two of the three major guilds collapsed was largely due to those figureheads.

Moon Hyun-a, who says she’s comfortable now, can’t bear the narrow cage. The same goes for Choi Seok-won, the MKC guild master. Han Shin, which was tied by marriage, lasted until the end.

“You’re not surprised?”

“No, I’m quite surprised.”

“Hmm. Your reaction is too lukewarm. A kid without an ID, a young brat, who eventually formed his own guild and solidified his position. I was sure this kid was a monster. He’s clearly not normal, right?”

“Calling someone abnormal just because they’re talented is an exaggeration.”

“An exaggeration?”

Moon Hyun-a laughed hollowly.

“Senior. How do you really think of your brother?”

“Well...”

I hesitated for a moment and then spoke. It’s a story I’ve told in interviews before, so there’s no need to hide it.

“He was a good, obedient brother. He listened well and never caused trouble...”

“You raised him, right? After losing your parents early. That’s not normal.”

She clicked her tongue and continued.

“A good, obedient brother in a poor family without parents. It’s not in modern fairy tales. It’s unrealistic.”

“That’s not...”

“A kid is a kid. They get annoyed, angry, and cause trouble to get attention. They compare themselves to others and beg for what they want, and sometimes they even blame their guardians. Parents might find their kids cute, but siblings? I know from having a brother myself; they’re just enemies. Of course, there are good sibling relationships in well-cared-for, harmonious families. But they still fight. Especially younger brothers, who are a species that need to be disciplined early, as many older siblings would agree.”

...I was a bit taken aback. Is being a good, obedient brother that strange?

“You could say an angel descended to Earth. But angels can’t form guilds by stepping on others.”

Moon Hyun-a shrugged.

“I’m not trying to cause trouble. But, senior, you should reconsider your brother a bit.”

< My Little Brother... (3) > End

ⓒ Geun-seo