I’ll Retire After Saving the World - Chapter 121: Sprouts (1)

TL: SHW

[…This is to inform you that your rank will be re-adjusted based on the results. To reflect the adjusted rank on your Hunter License, you must register through the Korea branch website of the International Ability Association by September 30, 2021.]

I became an A-rank Hunter.

Hong Seok-young, who had been somewhat cold to me for the past two days, cautiously approached after seeing the rank reassessment result that arrived by registered mail this morning.

“Ahem. What brings them to handle things so quickly? Normally, it would take at least another week.”

I turned over the result notice. There was an internet site address and instructions for registration. Nothing else worth looking at.

“It’s because of who the guarantor is. With that name on it, would they dare delay the process?”

Two grown men hugging and expressing emotions without alcohol was something I couldn’t do a second time. Once the mood fades, all that’s left is embarrassment. Honestly, I hadn’t done any affectionate things like hugging my father since I became an adult.

Still, since the man was my father deep down, I felt less resistance. But how must Hong Seok-young have felt, suddenly ending up with a grown-up disciple he had never anticipated and even having to comfort him?

“Ahem.”

As you can see, every time Hong Seok-young faced me, he overworked his poor throat.

It got so bad that Kim Chae-min even asked me if he had taken my money.

Well, how many times in his life could he have said something that weak? I figured it must have been a novel experience for him, which helped me regain my composure. Seeing someone else that embarrassed somehow made my own awkwardness disappear.

His behavior was even funny.

Hong Seok-young scratched his head vigorously.

“Ah, anyway, congratulations. Here, take this.”

Although he hadn’t stolen my money as Kim Chae-min suspected, Hong Seok-young handed me a new employment contract.

This time, I read it carefully.

I was still affiliated with the Guild Mimi. Nothing had changed except the salary. If I had to mention one addition, it was that the provision of basic room and board was now specified in writing.

I picked up a pen and shook my head.

“How do people even live on that salary?”

“If you say things like that, people will curse you for being out of touch.”

“Sorry? No, I didn’t mean it like that. You said this is the average for Hunters, right?”

“Strictly speaking, for D-rank Hunters.”

“Being a Hunter involves so many expenses. If you even ask a Healer to reattach your finger, you’ll go bankrupt.”

“That’s because what you received was just the base pay.”

Hong Seok-young stretched out his neck to watch me sign.

“Normally, people go on raids or run around catching monsters that come out of dungeons, right? Since performance-based bonuses are given based on what you do, of course the base pay is set at minimum wage.”

So that was it? I would’ve known if I had any experience with guild life.

…Come to think of it, every year there was some talk in the guild about percentages from monster byproducts or raid commission fees. Was that about this? Since it wasn’t my department, I must have erased it from memory.

At the Ability Management Agency, additional pay came with every raided dungeon, so… was it not all that different from this?

I read down the contract and then frowned.

“Raids are one thing, but don’t they pay separately for teaching kids?”

“That’s why I wrote that room and board are provided separately.”

“……”

“I’m handling all the other bothersome matters for you. Think of it as compensation for that.”

Aren’t I the one actually handling the troublesome tasks Hong Seok-young should be doing?

“Not to mention your identity issues, and your younger brother. I even set up various alibis in case anyone starts sniffing around me….”

So that’s how you want to play it?

“Ah, just so you don’t worry, I’m telling you because you might be concerned, do you remember when I caught you in Myeong-dong?”

“…Yes.”

“I’ve deleted all the arrest records, so just keep that in mind. Hunter Lee went through a lot.”

“……”

I clicked my tongue as I looked at Hong Seok-young.

“Understood. I get it. Teaching the kids isn’t that hard anyway.”

“You…”

“What?”

“You managed to behave yourself all this time?”

Hong Seok-young seemed genuinely impressed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“Fine, we’ll say you don’t.”

“……”

This is so annoying.

If we grow closer like this little by little, wouldn’t there come a moment when I could stab him and he’d stay still? Han Tae-kyung said it was okay to stab him. If he says it’s okay to stab others, it should be okay to stab himself too.

“I’ll take care of all the dungeons coming up, so don’t worry.”

“That’s only natural.”

I paused for a moment before asking,

“You plan to take me into dungeons too?”

“I can’t afford to leave someone with your abilities idle.”

“I need to teach the kids. That’s my main job, isn’t it?”

“Still, there’ll be dungeons you have to enter.”

“Well… that’s true.”

I didn’t argue any further. Even if I didn’t like entering dungeons, I had no intention of refusing what needed to be done. Just as Hong Seok-young said, there would be dungeons I must enter. No, even if Hong Seok-young said he’d go without me, I would refuse.

The monsters that claimed to have come from the future targeting Hong Seok-young. I need to capture them and find out what their purpose is. Besides, those monsters I saw in Seoul too….

Yes, the Bangi-dong Dungeon would be a good starting point.

Snap!

Hong Seok-young snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.

“Hey now, don’t frown already. There’s still twenty years left. Let’s take it one step at a time.”

“……”

“And don’t forget that there’s also Ark.”

“You believe there’s a connection to Ark?”

“You think the guys doing suspicious things inside dungeons aren’t connected? That would be weirder. Why, is it different in the future you know?”

“Rather than different…”

I told him that I barely knew anything about Ark on my own timeline.

“…I thought you had already ended them long ago.”

“Is that so….”

I cautiously shared my guess, watching Hong Seok-young’s reaction.

“You said before that Ark splits into two big factions.”

“That’s right.”

“So maybe… we only caught one side and let the other go.”

“……”

“……”

“…T-Teacher?”

“I…”

Hong Seok-young began to groan.

“I did something that stupid? Why?!”

It’s understandable to feel that way.

“How would I know?”

“Why?!”

“Well, when you first started chasing Ark, I was just a tiny little kid. After that, maybe you really didn’t know, or maybe you kept pursuing them, or maybe you completely wiped them out. How would I know?”

“Shouldn’t someone who’s meant to be my successor know everything?”

“If I knew everything, would I have come to the past and quietly taken a teacher’s role under you? I’d have wiped them all out by now.”

“……”

“……”

Hong Seok-young’s expression turned calm.

“Well, it is hard for a disciple to surpass their master.”

What is he even talking about?

“Do you know why the saying ‘blue comes from indigo but is bluer than indigo’ exists?”

“You saying you’re stronger than me?”

“……”

If you say it like that, I’ve got nothing to say…. Isn’t that cheating?

As I frowned deeply, Hong Seok-young chuckled beside me as if it was the funniest thing.

Th𝗶ѕ 𝙘h𝘢p𝘵𝘦r 𝙞𝑠 p𝗼ʂτ𝕖𝒅 bყ Ҡ𝚤𝑡𝖾𝑛0𝙫𝘦𝘭

What a mean old man.

Still, Hong Seok-young looked visibly more at ease. Maybe it was just my imagination. No, it wasn’t. Now that he let his guard down, I could clearly feel how much he’d been wary of me all this time. There was still information we hadn’t exchanged, but we’d agreed to sort that out gradually.

Maybe the idea that there was someone who could help carry his burden gave him peace of mind.

Whatever the reason, it was a good thing for me.

“Now, hurry up and finish signing.”

“I haven’t finished reading it yet.”

I didn’t expect there to be any problematic clauses. Still, talking with Hong Seok-young…

Ah.

So this was what he meant when he said I’d been unusually well-behaved.

I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my heart. Just being able to freely share information about the future gave me this feeling. Was it because the person was Hong Seok-young? It must be. After all, he was the first trustworthy adult I’d ever met. My brother… I’ll leave him out of this.

“I’m done.”

“Mm.”

“By the way… what day exactly did you say the forum was?”

Rather than acting rashly with future information, it’s better to be certain. That was something we both agreed on. More than anything, I had been thrown into the past unexpectedly and without any preparation, so I couldn’t distinguish between useful and useless information.

Would there be something in the mana watch? Since it was a forum held domestically, there was a high chance, but… there weren’t many intact records from before the establishment of the Ability Management Agency, so I couldn’t be sure.

Ah. Wait.

I narrowed my eyes and glared sideways at Hong Seok-young.

“…Wasn’t getting me re-evaluated just an excuse to take me to the forum? Saying you’d give me rest was probably just something you said without meaning it.”

“Hey now. It’s hurtful if you put it like that. Don’t you know me by now?”

“The one I know is the older version of Teacher Hong Seok-young.”

“I’m not exactly young myself.”

“Your hair’s still black. And thick.”

Hong Seok-young widened his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Wait, are you saying I go bald in the future?”

“……”

I stared at the crown of Hong Seok-young’s head. Of course, it was still thick in the future.

“Well… you’ll have to see for yourself.”

“Huh?”

“Wouldn’t it be boring if I spoiled it for you?”

“The presence or absence of my hair isn’t a fun topic!”

“Hair isn’t needed for a Hunter to grow strong.”

“Well I need it!”

I shrugged my shoulders as if I hadn’t heard him.

“Anyway, you’re clearly planning to work me to the bone.”

Hong Seok-young anxiously kept sweeping back his hair and finally answered.

“Originally, I was planning to ask you later. But if something happens involving Alex Hope, it’s better to be prepared in advance. And I thought we should clear things up before your face becomes widely known.”

“Alex Hope already knows my face, though?”

“Still, that’s no reason to draw more attention.”

“…Well, that’s true.”

“And even if not for the forum, I would’ve told you to raise your rank.”

Hong Seok-young slowly removed his hand from his hair.

“If a D-rank Hunter retires and gets all sorts of benefits, people are bound to talk. The press really likes me, you know.”

“……”

“But an A-rank Hunter retiring? After taking you along for an S-rank dungeon raid, if I say you got injured… no one would find it strange if I loaded you up with benefits.”

I had no words. What was I supposed to say to that?

“And after that, I could still help with living expenses using a severance bonus excuse.”

“……”

Father had a profound plan for everything.

I just didn’t know it.

Hong Seok-young grinned slyly.

“It’s all part of my deep plan. Moved?”

“…No.”

“You look moved.”

“I’m just surprised that you possess the intelligence and empathy to even think that far. It’s a relief to know your younger self wasn’t entirely a brute.”

“……”

“……”

“Ahahaha!!”

I smiled faintly along with Hong Seok-young.

“You’ve gone through a lot pretending to be so modest!”

I still smiled gently.

“Gone through… Why does your smile feel so ominous?”

“……”

After all, I’m what Mini-me grew up to become.

He wouldn’t have to go through my awful puberty, but even so, Hong Seok-young needed to understand that taking me on as a disciple was not the kind of thing that would allow him to sleep peacefully at night.

After all, everything in life comes with a price.

Just as Hong Seok-young seemed to sense the ominous air with his Hunter’s instincts and was about to speak.

Tap tap tap.

Light, small footsteps were heard.

Both Hong Seok-young and I quickly scanned the table. There were no documents that a kid shouldn’t see.

“Hyung!!!”

Woo I-rok ran toward me. A voice filled with urgency. As I frowned slightly and picked up Mini-me, who clung to my waist, Mini-me sharply turned his head.

“Tell him to go away!”

“Hey, kid! It’s cheating to drag the teacher into this!”

In the direction Mini-me pointed was Lee Seung-yeon, wearing a face full of anger.

***

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