Chapter 27: S-Class Disciple

It looked similar to an ostrich egg but was slightly smaller.

Still, Shin Ahyeon completed her awakening quest well, and now all that’s left is to get treatment. Perfect.

“By the way, why are there so many reporters here?”

Reporters were frantically snapping photos, while Association staff scrambled to manage the aftermath.

Ho Changwoon, who had exited the dungeon before me, was giving his report.

With everyone’s attention focused over there, maybe I could slip away quietly…

“Teacher…?”

Huh? Who’s calling me Teacher…?

In the direction of the voice stood Seol Ahyun, her expression brimming with emotion, as if she might burst at any moment.

“Is it really you, Teacher?”

‘Can’t I just cover my face and say they got the wrong person…?’

Seol Ahyun’s actions drew all eyes toward us.

My plan to sneak away was completely ruined.

“Uh… well… it’s been a while.”

Whatever happens, happens.

★★★

The E-class dungeon sealing incident was widely reported and concluded.

The E-class hunter who took the Minotaur’s attack was seriously injured but not in life-threatening condition.

The others who went to defeat the boss returned, wrapping things up neatly.

Ho Changwoon was credited in the news as the one who cleared the dungeon.

Of course, I deliberately made him lie.

‘As long as I’m not mentioned, it’s fine.’

With Min Kyunghwa’s help, my photo and information were kept from leaking. Thanks to that, my name didn’t appear in a single news article.

However, it seemed I’d need to have a private meeting with Min Kyunghwa.

“Teacher, please answer me now.”

I should be diving into a cozy bed right about now…

So why am I sitting in front of a very angry Seol Ahyun?

The café, which should have been bustling, was eerily quiet with no one else around.

The only people here were me, Seol Ahyun, and the trembling manager behind the counter.

‘Did she… rent out the entire café…?’

“Just answer my questions properly.”

“Y-Yes…”

I tried to escape to the hospital, citing the injuries from the Minotaur.

But I never imagined she’d hand me a potion!

Like a sinner forced to drink poison, I had no choice but to gulp it down.

Does the Hongyeom Guild have money to burn!?

For a guild master or vice master to casually hand out potions like that.

Thanks to her, I ended up consuming an expensive potion I didn’t even want.

The kids are probably resting comfortably in a hotel by now.

I want to go too…

On top of that, I had to go for an investigation tomorrow regarding the incident.

Min Kyunghwa didn’t figure out I cleared the dungeon, did she?

I’m going crazy with anxiety.

“Is it true that you have Mana Syndrome?”

“Yes.”

Before I could finish, Seol Ahyun slammed both hands on the table and stood up.

The manager and I flinched simultaneously.

“Why, Teacher! You might die, yet you’re so calm about it!”

Seol Ahyun shouted, her face contorted.

“Ahyun-ah, death comes for everyone eventually. It’s just coming a bit early for me.”

In truth, I just want to enjoy a peaceful retirement life.

But I couldn’t say that out loud.

“I can’t accept that!”

Seol Ahyun shouted passionately, her voice laced with mana.

Startled, I choked and started coughing.

After covering my mouth and coughing a couple more times, I finally settled down.

“Teacher?”

Ugh, this is why I didn’t want to drink the potion.

My palm was stained with red liquid.

It’s not like some cheap candy from an old stationery store—what is this?

It must be loaded with dye, since my mouth stayed red for a while after drinking it.

I’ll have to rinse my mouth thoroughly when I get to the hotel.

“Are you okay, Teacher!?”

Seol Ahyun looked frantic, her head darting side to side.

Is she worried because I had a dry cough?

“I’m fine. Something like this doesn’t bother me.”

“…You don’t look fine to me.”

Why is she so upset over a dry cough?

Her tightly pressed lips made it seem like she was holding back tears.

“You know what? To me, Teacher, you were like a father.”

“Ahyun-ah…”

“I lost my dad in a dungeon accident when I was young. How could I lose you too, Teacher!?”

I tried to keep a composed expression, but her voice sounded like a pained scream.

Maybe I’ve been cruel to Seol Ahyun.

Taking a deep breath, Seol Ahyun seemed to make a decision. She started writing a phone number on a café napkin.

“This is my new number. I’ll contact you in a few days, so don’t disappear without a word this time.”

I had no choice but to take the napkin.

“Alright. I won’t vanish without saying anything.”

Seol Ahyun probably needs time to process her thoughts.

Time to prepare to fly free from the nest that is me.

“Oh, by the way, did you do something to Guild Master Yoon Kanghyeon?”

“That old geezer?”

Huh…? He’s her direct superior, and she calls him an old geezer?

Seol Ahyun let out a cold smirk.

“He kept hiding your whereabouts, so I took it out on him. Want to hear about it?”

“…No, I’ll pass.”

Guild Master… what did you go through?

★★★

“This hotel is nice.”

Kim Seogeon, lying on the bed, wore a satisfied expression.

To think Teacher booked such a nice hotel.

Though the person who booked it wasn’t here right now.

Seol Ahyun, who introduced herself as an S-class hunter, had dragged him off.

With the dungeon incident fresh, sleep was creeping in.

Yawning widely, Kim Seogun turned his gaze to the TV broadcasting the news.

It was a relief their names didn’t appear in the news.

If they had, his nanny or the guy called Father would’ve caused a scene, dragging him off to a “safe place.”

They needed him as their sacrificial pawn, so it was only natural.

“Hey, Yoon Cheonwoo, change the channel.”

“Do it yourself, Young Master.”

What a stickler.

Maybe because of the dungeon incident, the kids were acting strange.

Han Yuseong, as usual, was sitting by the window, brooding.

Yoon Cheonwoo, sitting cross-legged, was sweating coldly in deep focus.

Seong Taeyoon was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m a bit uneasy about letting him wander around alone.” 

He’s always cheerful, giving off a model student vibe. 

But to Kim Seogun, he seemed somehow precarious. 

Like he was carrying a wound ready to fester and burst at any moment. 

“Han Yuseong, do you know where Seong Taeyoon is?” 

“Not my problem.” 

Han Yuseong was so dull. 

No matter how much you teased him, he’d either ignore you or give a cold smirk. 

That was the extent of his reactions. 

“Oh, right, I saw you staring at that woman who went with Teacher.” 

Han Yuseong’s body twitched. 

Noticing his reaction, Kim Seogun pressed on. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush?” 

“…Shut up and mind your own business.” 

“Come on, don’t be like that. If you’re into her, you should’ve gone with her and Teacher.” 

At Han Yuseong’s warning glare, Kim Seogun stopped teasing. 

One more push, and he’d probably get hit. 

“…I’m not ready to meet her yet.” 

Kim Seogun tilted his head at the unexpected response. 

It sounded like he knew her. 

When someone hides a secret right in front of you, it makes you itch to find out. 

Han Yuseong was definitely hiding something. 

“Don’t talk to me anymore.” 

As if reading his mind, Han Yuseong said coldly. 

‘Can’t you speak a bit more warmly?’

Kim Seogun stuck out his tongue playfully. 

The other kids were odd too, but the strangest was Shin Ahyeon. 

“What are you staring at?” 

Since entering the hotel, Shin Ahyeon had been gazing into empty space. 

There was nothing at the end of her gaze. 

Maybe she was seeing a ghost. 

But Shin Ahyeon wasn’t seeing a ghost. 

Nor was she blankly staring into the air. 

A system window, visible only to her, floated at the end of her gaze. 

[Congratulations. You have partially awakened.]

[You have acquired the S-class skill ‘Monster Tamer.’] 

[You have acquired the D-class skill ‘Sense Sharing.’]

Among the five kids here, Shin Ahyeon was the first to awaken. 

With a cold, steady gaze, she clenched her fist tightly. 

‘In the dungeon, I couldn’t do anything… Just like when I lost Mom and Dad, I could only run away helplessly.’

She was terrified when she thought Teacher had died. 

Every adult connected to her had died for her sake. 

‘I don’t want Teacher to get hurt again because of us!’

She’d heard that awakening as a hunter grants power beyond that of ordinary people. 

‘If that’s true, could I protect those around me…?’ 

She hugged the egg tightly in her arms. 

Thanks to her skill, she could feel the faint life force within the egg. 

Its gentle pulse soothed her like a reassuring heartbeat. 

★★★

After the dungeon incident, I finally got the rest I’d been dreaming of. 

It was brief, but far better than nothing. 

“Here you go.” 

The staff handed me a pristine, undamaged phone. 

Since I had some rare free time, I came to get my broken phone repaired. 

Though I’d have to pay the repair cost out of pocket. 

I powered on the phone for the first time in a while. 

I should at least make a round of calls to my disciples… 

Bzzt! 

As soon as it turned on, a flood of missed calls and messages poured in like a tidal wave. 

The notification vibrations wouldn’t stop. 

Some of them had called me hundreds of times. 

This is honestly kind of scary. 

If the calls were this bad, I didn’t even dare open my message inbox. 

“My, you must have a lot of friends!” 

The clueless staff said with a bright smile. 

“Haha. Yeah, troublesome ones…” 

‘It’s fine to call them back later, right?’ 

Yeah, I’ll steel myself and do it tonight. 

I quietly slipped the silenced phone into my pocket. 

I never imagined my disciples’ obsession would be this intense. 

‘Maybe I should just run away for real.’

“Hey, kids, let’s go.” 

I called out to Yoon Cheonwoo, who was curiously touching the display phones. 

Living in the countryside, he probably rarely got the chance to see phones. 

The kids who came with me today were Yoon Cheonwoo and Han Yuseong. 

The others were too tired and were sprawled out at the hotel. 

Well, after what happened in the dungeon, anyone who wasn’t tired wouldn’t be human. 

“Master! This place has so many fascinating things!” 

There’s one non-human kid right here. 

Despite the major incident, Yoon Cheonwoo was practically bouncing with energy. 

Not a hint of fatigue. 

‘I never expected him to insist on coming with me.’ 

He said he had his own errands and followed me. 

Feeling my gaze, Han Yuseong scowled and glared at me. 

“Is there a problem?” 

“No, nothing.” 

I was used to Han Yuseong’s prickly personality by now, so it didn’t faze me. 

He just seemed like a wary cat at this point. 

[“I need to get stronger quickly. For myself and for Seol Ahyeon.”] 

It’d been a while since I heard Han Yuseong’s thoughts. 

Has he been thinking about this ever since meeting Seol Ahyeon? 

[“I couldn’t protect her before my regression, so this time, I’ll end everything with my own hands before meeting her.”] 

Life sparked in Han Yuseong’s usually listless eyes. 

A reunion with a connection from before his regression. 

It seemed to have ignited a new drive in him. 

[“I hate to admit it, but I need this teacher right now.”]

‘…So I’m just a tool, huh…?’

Still, it’s better than when he held a blade to my throat, suspecting me. 

This is how we gradually build a relationship. 

“I’m going to step away for a bit to visit a place.” 

Is he finally starting his talent search? 

Honestly, I’d love to just say, “Have a good trip,” and send him off… 

But few people could harm Han Yuseong. 

His combat skills already far surpassed those of high-class hunters. 

Only other hunters could match him now. 

The odds of a civilian running into a hunter while walking around were slim. 

‘But there’s no guarantee it won’t happen.’

With this damn system, it could easily stir up trouble. 

I was uneasy about letting Han Yuseong go alone. 

“Where’s a kid like you going by yourself? You need an adult with you!” 

‘What did I eat wrong?’ Han Yuseong’s glare seemed to say. 

“No matter what, we’re going together. If you want to go, take Teacher along.” 

I’d feel much better going with him. 

Anyway, I had to move again to meet Min Kyunghwa. 

“…Follow me.” 

Han Yuseong reluctantly agreed. 

If he’d said no, I was ready to tail him secretly. 

Guess I’ve earned at least a bit of trust.