52. Top Hunter Jin Hwarin
Afterward.
…Fortunately, their legacy remained intact, providing a place to live.
Whether it was prepared beforehand or not, the house passed down to me as an inheritance when I was young, and the assets they had accumulated also seamlessly transferred into my account.
At least until today, when I have become a young adult, I have the means to live alone.
Of course, that did not mean an entirely easy life.
My parents, who disappeared without a trace when I was young and clueless, were everything to me back then.
They were my values, my world, and my sanctuary.
After their disappearance, the house was neglected for a long time, and I lived there alone for a while.
Until my mind, soaked in sorrow and regret, could recover.
Perhaps the reason I, now an adult, buried myself in work to the point of obsession was because of their sudden disappearance.
Even now, I have no idea why my mother and father vanished without a trace.
I couldn’t grasp it.
I was curious, but they were gone without a trace to provide the answers.
Yet, seeing their wealth fully passed down to me, it probably wasn’t just a matter of lacking money.
I once fell ill with an incurable disease, or searched for answers by directly inquiring about any inevitable problems that might have caused their disappearance.
But what I learned after that day was the fact that my parents were no longer in Korea.
No, perhaps anywhere in the world.
After that realization, I locked myself in the house and wept for days on end.
Because a bone-chilling sense of despair had taken over.
Did they truly abandon me?
If it wasn’t due to financial hardship, and yet they had to leave me behind.
For what reason?
…I still cannot fathom their thoughts to this day.
***
Flash.
“…Ah.”
I woke up from the dream.
Hana, who had been staring at the ceiling, quickly raised her arm to cover her eyes.
“…A useless dream.”
A tear trickled down her cheek.
The Hana of the past, always falling asleep and crying when closing her eyes, was a little girl with a runny nose.
However, in his current youth.
Han no longer longed for them.
No, he decided not to long for them.
The Han of today is no longer the child of those days.
There was no one left to receive his cries.
No, he decided not to long for those who abandoned him and disappeared from home, at least not in his mind, even if his heart didn’t know it.
Because he knew he wouldn’t be able to endure it otherwise.
Turning around, Han buried himself on the couch for a long time.
Thud.
A chestnut tree suddenly approached.
Its leaves gently brushed his back.
***
The next morning.
At an early hour when no one had yet risen.
Han was watching Irina.
This morning, Irina, who had woken up alone, had no hesitation in shooting her bow first.
“Ha!”
She leaped onto a tree and, with momentum, drew an arrow from the air.
Ping! The arrow hit the target.
The target was a straw-made dummy.
“Her incredible agility never fails to amaze me.”
She, revealing her skills without reservation, was clearly showcasing the inherent agility of a forest elf.
By the way, that straw dummy, at first, she wondered what to use it for.
Lately, she thought it was a pretty good reward.
The more she looked, the more she found subtle uses for it.
It wasn’t just for bedding but could also be used for making clothes and straps, and even for making targets like that.
“Phew.”
As she caught her breath, she wiped the sweat trickling down her forehead.
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Han watched Irina, who sat at the fountain to cool off, for a long time.
“You’re working hard again today, Irina.”
Since she got the bow, this had been her daily routine without a single break.
She was always diligent, never once lazy.
But it seems it’s about time.
Her taking a break meant today’s training was over.
Soon, the two siblings would wake up, and then the sleepyhead Muamua would quietly open his eyes.
Irina would fetch water for them and help them wash.
She was a busy girl in many ways.
Almost like a mother taking care of three children.
Anyway, Han quietly offered her a glass of water to support her.
“Oh, thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome.”
Irinea was skilled with her hands.
The cup she held was also a piece she had carved from wood.
***
Han lifted the watering can.
The pot blushed with the stream of water flowing out.
The oak tree seemed pleased, rustling its leaves happily.
Ding-dong-
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
“…?”
Han raised his head at the unexpected sound.
The oak tree lightly brushed his leaves against him, but his gaze remained fixed on the front door.
Who could it be?
“Who is it?”
Han, who didn’t have many social connections, couldn’t think of many people who would come looking for him.
“It’s not Director Kim Ju-hee or Han-na, for sure.”
Although he was friendly with his colleagues, there were no signs of them coming unannounced.
It couldn’t be a delivery either.
Still, he had to check.
Creak-
He opened the front door.
As soon as he opened it, he startled and almost fell back.
“What, who is this person?”
A woman stood there, her face hidden under thick sunglasses and a tightly wrapped scarf, despite the lack of cold.
At first glance, she gave off a suspicious vibe.
But despite her gloomy appearance, the woman bowed politely and greeted him with a hint of formality.
“Hello.”
Phew, that’s a relief.
She didn’t seem like a criminal with ill intentions.
Han forced a smile and cautiously spoke up.
“Um, who are you…”
“Ah.”
At her words, she seemed to remember something and took off her scarf and sunglasses.
Her face was revealed.
“I’m sorry. I forgot my manners and ended up being rude.”
“Oh, uh…”
Han unconsciously opened his mouth as he faced her.
This woman was someone he knew well.
No, to be more precise, she was someone that no South Korean could be unaware of.
She was a figure that caught the attention of all citizens of Korea.
Standing at the entrance, she awkwardly smiled and then quickly lowered her head.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
“My name is Jin Hwaryun.”
Special Class Hunter Jin Hwaryun.
A figure who was considered one of the strongest in the country had come to his house.
***
Han offered her coffee.
“P-Please have some.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Jin Hwaryun sat on the sofa somewhat elegantly.
She was a woman whose beauty could captivate with just a glance, even while sitting casually.
Hair and eyes that were both fiery red and transparent.
There was a subtle warmth and atmosphere that seemed to linger even at this distance.
She remained quiet, simply sipping her coffee quietly.
This allowed Han to gradually ease the tension in his heart that had been secretly building.
“She’s more subdued than I thought.”
Suddenly, Han felt a slight doubt.
“They said she easily gets excited like a burning fire in internet or news articles.”
She was a somewhat delicate woman who seemed to have nothing to do with the incident.
If he remembered correctly, just a few months ago, she had beaten up a hunter so badly that he ended up hospitalized.
Of course, there were rumors about her making derogatory remarks towards that hunter Jin Hwaryun, but looking at her now, she didn’t give off that impression at all.
Rather, she seemed cautious and gentle.
When their eyes briefly met, she cautiously spoke up.
“Um…”
“Oh, yes. Please, go ahead, Miss Jin Hwaryun.”
As she got permission, she stood up from her seat and once again bowed at a right angle.
“First of all, I want to thank you again. I really wanted to convey this message.”
“Is it about your younger sibling? Who was said to be frail.”
At those words, a smile appeared on Jin Hwaryun’s lips.
“Yes, thanks to you, my sister Hwaryeon could survive. Even now, I can’t help but think that being able to save the World Tree’s apple back then was truly a stroke of luck. Of course, it was all made possible because you allowed it.”
It was a fortunate event.
It wasn’t intentional, but in the end, he had saved the life of a precious person.
However, by now, I was starting to feel a bit curious.
“But how did you find out where I live?”
“…To be honest, that.”
At those words, Jinwharin cautiously spoke up.
“I know it’s embarrassing, but I almost had to pry it out forcefully, so I understand that you must have felt uncomfortable. I’m sorry. Of course, since I know what concerns you, I will thoroughly keep quiet about the apology for selling the information.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Even what little I’ve told you, the Exchange probably already knows about my situation… So that’s probably why.”
I understood.
At the very least, it meant that he wouldn’t cause harm to him.
Of course, perhaps this meeting had already been approved by the Exchange.
“……”
She closed her eyes quietly.
Seeing her touch her eyes, he asked, “Are you tired?”
“Ah. Actually, I’ve been a bit busy lately. I ended up buying goods by going into debt, so… hahahaha.”
From her forced laughter, Han felt a strong sense of guilt.
“Actually, I only returned from the dungeon this morning.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I had to borrow money here and there to buy the apples I wanted… Hmm, I’m sorry. I only had time now because I have to rest for a day and then go back into the dungeon.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I think I know.
Even though he knew it was impolite, that must have been the reason he had to come here.
He seemed busier and more sharp than she had thought.
Definitely a different type of person from those in the media.
“Um… may I ask for your name?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard my name?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but you understand the Exchange’s rules well, right? So… I only gave the address and that’s it.”
She blushed.
Right. She knew her limits well.
Even if he was a hunter of the national power level, if the Exchange didn’t approve, it was the same.
The Exchange’s credit is life.
Even if the other party was a top-tier hunter, if they had said it was not for assistance but just to dig up personal information, such a request would have been rejected.
Although the address seemed to be an exception, it seemed that revealing personal information was not allowed.
Of course, even though the address had been given, finding out a name should be an easy task.
Looking at it this way, the Exchange was impressive in a sense.
“I’m Kim Han.”
“Huh?”
Her tired eyes opened slightly.
“Yes?”
“I’m Kim Han. That’s my name.”
“Uh… Kim Han, you say?”
For the first time, confusion appeared on her face.