Episode 33

Hunters who participate in dungeon raids are not all guild members. As in other industries, if there are regular workers, there are also irregular workers.

Accordingly, even among hunters, there are freelancers who do not belong to guilds and work under temporary contracts.

‘If you’re sincere, you’re sincere, but…’

Inoa was like that too. The only problem was that the contract was illegal.

Some guilds borrowed only the name of a freelance hunter like a cannon bankbook and in reality hired unqualified Awakeners like Inoa.

“Oh, that’s something that never happened…”

Inoa couldn’t hide her trouble. What he wanted was money, not deviation or rebellion.

“You can just pretend you don’t know.”

“It can’t be. If you didn’t know, I’m responsible if something goes wrong.”

The shadow twitched finely with his answer.

‘He’s not even his student…’

Irua’s agitation was conceived. However, Inoa did not notice that fact.

“But if you suddenly quit, you have to pay a penalty! I-I don’t have the money for that…!”

“A penalty?”

Taemin Kang let out a small laugh. He looks mature for his age, but he is still young.

“What is the penalty for an illegal contract?”

Since the contract was concluded illegally in the first place, there is no way that the penalty clause will be effective.

“Yes?”

“I’ll take care of that, so get out. Coincidentally, Mr. Lua is also there, so it would be nice to be with him.”

He didn’t explain why.

Inoa wanted to say more, but soon had to shut up. It was because the smile had disappeared from Kang Tae-min’s face.

The look on his face showed a resoluteness that would never back down. And it was he who held the hilt, not himself.

“···All right.”

Inoa took off the equipment she was wearing with a downcast face. And left the building helplessly.

Kang Tae-min confirmed that he had left and packed his equipment.

‘Irua went too.’

It was as Taemin Kang intended.

Since his brother had gone out to meet him, he couldn’t have stayed with him.

He immediately approached the waiting hunters.

“Why is it taking so long?”

“I will come and check it out.”

The hunters who were talking soon felt a presence and turned their heads. Then, when he noticed the equipment Taemin Kang was holding, his expression hardened.

“I bet you don’t know that borrowed-name contracts are illegal.”

At Kang Tae-min’s words, they hurriedly averted their eyes. Fortunately, the management team from the association was far away.

“What, what kind of grain is it?”

“Suddenly speaking nonsense…!”

They came out ignorant.

If an illegal contract is discovered, the parties involved will be subject to a disposition to suspend the attack. Accordingly, the assigned gates would be passed on to other guilds, and the amount of damage was indescribable.

“It’s both sides’ fault, so let’s move on quietly. As if nothing ‘had never happened’.”

At Kang Tae-min’s words, the Hunters noticed each other. Then, the gaze gathered in one place.

He was the leader of the dungeon raid team. He frowned, but then nodded.

“thank you. I almost ‘lost’ my gear.”

It was okay even without one Hunter. It was better to go quietly than scrape to make a boil.

But they will never hire Inoa again.

“It’s a good attitude.”

Kang Tae-min returned the equipment to them and went looking for Lee-Ua.

“Tell me first. I didn’t know you were here to volunteer.”

“No, I didn’t know you had a sister.”

Irua and Inoa were talking while hiding the awkwardness as much as possible. As he approached, Irua glanced away.

“Ah, senior. This is my brother, Noah. Have you seen it before?”

After that introduction, Inoa awkwardly lowered her head. Irua hurriedly added her words.

“hit. Didn’t you say you had an appointment today? Hurry up before it’s too late.”

She even made up an empty promise to resolve this uncomfortable situation.

However, Kang Tae-min did not have the heart to let go of Inoa so obediently.

“That promise has been cancelled.”

“···Yes?”

“Brother, did I help you with anything?”

At Kang Tae-min’s question, Inoa’s eyes shook. But he soon nodded.

“In return, let’s volunteer together or do some more. The more hands, the faster it will be over.”

“No, senpai, that’s…”

“And you two, talk to me after you finish.”

Kang Tae-min cut off Eru-ah. She wanted to say something more, but her lips trembled because Inoa had quietly left.

* * *

The volunteer work ended smoothly.

Kang Tae-min betrayed the expectations of the students who were hoping for a dinner party and sent them back. And I headed to the cafe with Irua and Inoa.

And.

“So I found out that my younger brother was secretly trying to enter the dungeon.”

Taemin Kang immediately revealed what happened to Lee Noah.

“No, sir…!”

“You, what is that…!?”

Inoa was embarrassed because he thought he would keep it a secret, and Irua had to act as if she was hearing something she already knew for the first time.

“It’s not just student Noah’s fault. Mr. Lua is also responsible.”

“Yes···?”

It wasn’t smoke this time. Iruah turned her eyes to Kang Taemin with an absurd expression.

“Because Mr. Lua didn’t tell his sister anything, and tried to solve everything by himself.”

“It’s our family business.”

Eruah drew a line with a stiff face. It was the opposite reaction to the mission to get close to Kang Tae-min.

But if he had to choose between his mission and his family, it would of course be the latter.

“No, this is my job too.”

“What else is that…”

“Mr. Lua is a member of the special class, and I am in charge of the special class.”

Kang Tae-min’s gaze soon returned to Lee No-ah.

“Does your younger brother have any reason to attend the Oblige Academy?”

“Yes? that’s···.”

It was an embarrassing question.

Isn’t it natural that everyone wants to be educated in a good environment? Furthermore, if it was a prestigious school like Obliju Academy, academic ties would be of great help.

“Is this place worthy of carrying this burden?”

Inoa kept his mouth shut.

I had never thought of it that way. I was just trying to find the best in the given situation. He didn’t worry about his ‘situation’ itself.

“If that’s not the case, why don’t you consider transferring?”

“Yes?”

“Transfer…?”

The eyes of the two people widened.

It was not wrong. After all, isn’t it because of the burden of tuition?

“Of course, as a teacher at Noblesse Academy, I recommend our academy. If it’s okay, it wouldn’t hurt to come to my class.”

Kang Tae-min didn’t stop there and even encouraged him to transfer to the special class.

Irua was confused.

‘If you are under the level of ability that the head of the headquarters wants, surely…! Besides, the tuition is not too expensive, and I can take care of Noah while I am a burden…’

Come to think of it, it wasn’t even a very bad decision. Still, it was not easy to give up the background of being from a prestigious background.

By the way.

“If I can, I want to.”

“what?”

Her sister answered first. When I said that, I felt a surge of anger inside me.

“Hey, how did you get in there!? Just like this…”

“I didn’t just decide…!”

When her younger sister stopped talking, Eruah’s body shuddered. Inoa’s hands trembled as if he wasn’t at ease.

“I don’t want to live while stealing my sister’s life.”

The tremors gradually subsided. He looked straight into his sister’s eyes and continued.

“Anything is fine, don’t worry, you do what you want to do… Do you think I’ll be comfortable hearing those words?”

“that’s···.”

“Whatever you think, I am uncomfortable. Okay? I, I feel like a parasite eating my sister’s spine.”

“No, why…”

Irua looked pretty shocked as if she didn’t know her sister would think that way. On the other hand, Inoa had a pretty determined face, as if she wanted to tie the knot this time.

“That’s right…! You’re not telling me anything because I-I’m not trustworthy, right?”

“Noah…! That’s not…”

“or not? Did your sister ever tell you anything before you started teaching?”

Irua shut her mouth. It was just that he didn’t want his brother to worry.

“I don’t know what my sister is doing. What kind of people do you work with, do you even have days off…!”

Inoa’s eyes blushed as if his emotions had intensified. However, he calmed down his trembling voice, as if he wanted to convey his thoughts somehow.

“I just want my sister to live like everyone else. Eat what you want to eat, and play when you have free time…! Don’t worry about me…”

Inoa said that and took a deep breath. He lowered his head and covered his eyes with both hands.

However, the falling tears could not be covered.

“When my sister came in drunk, on the other hand, I thought it was fortunate…”

Unwanted affection sometimes becomes a burden.

Irua couldn’t say anything when she saw her sister like that. After such an outpouring of emotion, silence flowed like ruins.

Kang Tae-min watched the two siblings and stood up.

“Consider carefully and make a decision.”

I had no intention of interfering any further. The path was laid out, so it was up to them to decide.

And from now on, he too had work to do.

* * *

I asked for a cigarette.

“Whoa.”

Clouds of smoke dispersed through the clouds dyed red by the sunset. Watching the smoke disappear, I recalled my memories.

Before the return, I knew well what kind of person Inoa was thanks to hearing from Eruah all the time.

His awakening ability is ‘Body Save’, an ability belonging to the regenerative class, but the concept was a little different.

It is a fraudulent ability to save and recall one’s physical condition at a specific point in time to treat wounds and various diseases.

Of course, there was a penalty that the greater the difference from the saved state, the greater the mana consumption and the longer loading time was required.

“Besides, you can use a sword well.”

Obliju Academy is not prestigious for nothing. The level of education was high, but the talent of the students who entered was also exceptional.

Inoa was able to become a hunter to be fully recognized. He would have become a proud little brother to his older sister.

“I’m sure it was, but…”

It wasn’t like that before the return. It was because Inoa was kidnapped by a villain.

The villain’s name was ‘Mimic Predator’, and he had the ability to eat and imitate opponents. At the time, Irua was away from home due to association work, and Inoa, who was left alone, was kidnapped after being caught off guard by the impersonal villain.

The Mimic Predator was a killer who enjoyed cannibalism, and Inoa thought it was a meal too. However, when Inoa manifested his ability, he tried to breed him without completely killing him.

To him, Inoa was like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Inoa also knew this and tried to give up his life. However, the Mimic Predator did not let him go easily.

He threatened that if he died, his next target would be his older sister, Irua. In the end, Inoa, who did not know that Irua belonged to the association, gave up her body.

-It’s all because of me…

And when Irua found Inoa, he had lost both eyes and an arm.

It was because mana was depleted due to frequent ability manifestations, and the physical state was automatically saved.

-I should have protected you…

Irua was enraged and killed him. That’s one step ahead of me. That’s why I met him.

And I offered a deal.

-This guy is supposed to be killed by me.

-what···?

-You don’t intend to leave your brother alone like this, do you?

Irua could neither live a fugitive life nor go to prison, leaving her crippled younger brother behind.

– Instead, I need information.

On the other hand, I needed to tell the villains about Iron Judgment’s name. It was because my presence alone could dampen the activities of the villains.

In addition, information within the association was needed for smooth villain hunting and to avoid being arrested.

In that respect, Eruah was the right person for me.

-You should know now. Laws and rules are for society, not for victims.

-···Yes, I will cooperate.

Our understandings coincided there. Thanks to this, I was able to get a chance to deal with many villains.

“…you won’t have to do that this time.”

All the information she gave me is in my head. Inoa doesn’t have to be crippled like before, and Irua too…

-You are not wrong…

Irua’s voice rang in my head. The voice that only I can remember now.

Bad memories came back to me. I shook my head. I forcibly suppressed it and erased it.

Because it won’t happen this time, because it’s something I’ll stop, because it’s something you won’t have to hear again.

That’s why I keep an eye on Irua’s house.

“I will catch him.”

It is today that the Mimic Predator appears. I searched the karma logs of people walking around the house to find him.

No matter how imitated he was, he wouldn’t be able to hide the karma log.

It was around the time when the sunset was setting and the sky was turning blue.

I saw a female student approaching the door. The one she was wearing was probably the Oblige Academy uniform, and was most likely Inoa’s friend.

On the face of it, that is.

[Karma Log]

[Name – Wong Weiyong]

[Alignment – Evil (-1767)]

[Recently recorded karma activity]

[> Torture and Cannibalism (-150)]

Its true identity was the Mimic Predator. It was a completely different look from the one I remembered, the one who was murdered at the hands of Irua and stripped of her mimicry.

“…disgusting.”

I can’t hide my disgust when I see him. Mimicking means that the female student is also one of the victims.

I wanted to pay that grudge right away, but I couldn’t.

“this time···.”

Before the return, there was a story that I couldn’t find out because Irua killed him first.

The villain I couldn’t find until I went to the death penalty, and the reason I became an Iron Judgment.

Villain, ‘Noname’

True to its name, nothing is known, but one thing is certain.

He killed my parents.

“I won’t let you die easily.”

The Mimic Predator held the clue to the Noname.

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