Chapter 96
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“Si-hyun, please stop for a moment…”
The section chief, who had barely regained his composure, intervened with a trembling voice.
Si-hyun shrugged and released her grip on Jason’s collar.
Thud. Jason collapsed onto the ground.
“So, uh, what now? Are you satisfied…?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Look at his face.”
“Excuse me? His face?”
The section chief looked at Jason’s face, which showed no intention of getting back up.
It was covered with bruises and swelling.
One eye was barely open, his nose was slightly crooked with blood trickling down, and his lips were split, leaving crimson stains.
And yet, despite the mess, Jason’s face was adorned with a bizarre, unsettling smile.
“He’s really a weirdo. He keeps grinning even after being beaten. It’s kind of creepy, isn’t it?”
“…”
“So I thought I’d keep hitting him until he couldn’t smile anymore.”
“…”
“Should I stop now?”
The section chief hesitated before replying, his gaze fixed on Si-hyun’s face.
Her expression, coupled with a bright smile of satisfaction, resembled someone who had just relieved a great deal of stress.
After a moment of hesitation, he answered.
“…Let’s at least hear him out first.”
“Alright.”
Snap!
Si-hyun snapped her fingers, and Jason’s face began to heal.
His disfigured face was restored in an instant.
Fully conscious again, Jason dusted himself off and stood up.
“Phew, it’s been so long since I’ve been beaten this thoroughly!”
“…Maybe you should choose your opponents more carefully.”
“Hahaha! I think I chose perfectly!”
“…”
Si-hyun was momentarily speechless.
That wasn’t the response she had expected.
As she stared at him incredulously, Jason chuckled casually.
“This is the first time in my life, the first!”
“The first what?”
“The first time I’ve faced someone I couldn’t beat, no matter what I imagined! It’s not my first loss, but you’re the first truly perfect opponent I’ve ever encountered!”
“…”
“No matter how many simulations I run in my head, I can’t think of any way to win! Ah, how overwhelmingly powerful you are!”
It was undoubtedly a compliment.
But despite the praise, Si-hyun didn’t feel happy.
Because the person saying it was a perverted stalker and a fight fanatic.
As her expression soured, Jason suddenly knelt down.
“The loser must accept the victor’s demands! Please, tell me!”
“…Anything?”
“Anything at all, just say the word!”
“I’d like it if you never showed up in front of me again.”
“That’s a bit much! I was hoping you’d accept a rematch in the future!”
“…Unbelievable.”
To say that while claiming he’d do anything she asked…
Si-hyun let out a deep sigh and turned to the section chief.
“Section chief, can’t I just cut his throat here and now?”
“…Please don’t.”
The section chief replied in a flustered tone.
No matter how strange he might be, Jason was still a renowned S-rank Hunter from America.
If he were to suddenly disappear in Korea, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar.
“Fine, fine. Hey, mutt.”
“Yes, master!”
“No, don’t call me that.”
Si-hyun clicked her tongue lightly.
It seemed his repentance had taken a strange turn.
Now he thought he was a big dog.
She didn’t need a pet like this.
“Tell me how you found out about me and what you know. And spill where else this information has spread.”
“Understood!”
Jason grinned broadly as he answered.
After all, his primary goal was to connect his client, Evan, with Si-hyun.
Sharing this information was something he’d planned to do regardless of the fight’s outcome.
“Evan Harper, a returnee from America, wishes to meet you. He deduced that master is strong based on his magical tools.”
“…I told you not to call me that.”
“Haha! I suspected you might be a magic-type Hunter who’d hidden your identity through unregistered measures, but I was way off!”
When Jason finished explaining, Si-hyun gestured with her finger.
Understanding her command, Jason removed his watch and handed it to her.
“A returnee from America wants to meet me?”
“Yes! I humbly request your kind consideration!”
His Korean was fluent.
Si-hyun shook her head in disbelief.
“Ji-a, what do you think?”
“Hmm, I think it’s worth at least contacting him. After all, the information has already been passed along through this guy.”
“Hmm, makes sense, right?”
Si-hyun nodded.
She had never regretted following Ji-a’s advice.
At that moment, Jason made a serious request.
“Master! I’m very capable! Please consider granting me a rematch in the future!”
“Annoying. No.”
“Aren’t you an academy professor? Wouldn’t you need an assistant?”
“I already have someone lined up.”
“Oh no! Then how about a chauffeur, a personal driver?”
“…”
Si-hyun pondered for a moment.
Escaping her reliance on public transport was briefly tempting…
But,
“An S-rank Hunter from another country as my driver?”
It felt wrong on so many levels.
Shaking her head, she rejected the idea, but Jason immediately tried again.
“Then perhaps you’ll be traveling abroad? I’m proficient in multiple languages! Korean, Japanese, Chinese—you name it across Asia!”
“…You’re pushing it, huh?”
“Hahaha!”
Si-hyun couldn’t help but feel slightly tempted.
She had been considering a foreign trip, and using this guy as a porter might make things much easier.
While she referred to him as a perverted stalker, it was limited to matters of combat.
Outside of that, he was quite sociable.
Even Areum had described him as gentlemanly.
She’d still hold the upper hand in any future rematch, so…
‘…Maybe I could call him when I need stress relief or a punching bag.’
She was mildly intrigued.
“Tell that Evan guy or whatever his name is to come in person if he wants to meet me. And you, stay quietly under Section Chief Jang Han-soo until then. Got it?”
“Yes! Understood!”
“I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
“I’ll earn your trust!”
As always, his words sounded flashy.
Si-hyun let out a bitter smile.
“We’ll clear this dungeon quickly and disband. Section Chief, I’ll leave this mutt to you, alright?”
“Yes, leave him to me.”
When the section chief responded, Si-hyun kicked Jason’s backside as he got up.
She didn’t say a word, but Jason immediately understood her intent.
He quickly got to work clearing the dungeon.
Before long, they wrapped up the dungeon.
Thanks to Si-hyun’s magic, Jason quietly exited and got into the section chief’s car.
After seeing the men off, Si-hyun got into Ji-a’s car.
As Ji-a skillfully took the wheel and drove, she asked,
“Si-hyun, I suddenly got curious about something.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Compared to that Jason guy, who was all beaten up, your clothes are practically spotless. Was he a lot weaker than his reputation?”
“Oh, that.”
Si-hyun replied lightly as if it was no big deal.
“A lot of melee-type Hunters are like that, you know? They act like, ‘I’m using a combat skill now!’ advertising it with a flashy pose before attacking.”
“…Wait, really?”
“Yeah. The mutt was a bit better than most, but still similar.”
Ji-a was a bit taken aback.
She realized that her own style might fall into the category Si-hyun described.
“Oh, but you’re different! Maybe it’s because you’ve been to so many solo dungeons that people avoid, or maybe it’s just your skill. Anyway, you hardly come off as simple-minded at all.”
“R-Really? That’s a relief.”
Ji-a blushed slightly, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment.
When Si-hyun gave such a confident compliment, it always came from a genuine place.
That was the kind of person Si-hyun was.
As Ji-a’s shy expression grew and she became quieter, Si-hyun scratched her cheek and looked away.
It dawned on her late.
She had just given an innocent, wholehearted compliment.
Both of them felt a wave of awkwardness.
* * *
On the Monday Si-hyun pummeled Jason,
Several days passed without any major incidents.
Si-hyun stayed in regular contact with the section chief, exchanging updates and checking if there were any developments.
‘…So he’s coming in person.’
Acting as Si-hyun’s representative, Section Chief Jang Han-soo had been in contact with Evan Harper.
Evan Harper explained that he had urgent matters to attend to first, but he planned to visit Korea personally.
He assured them it wouldn’t take long.
He wanted to meet quietly to talk once he arrived.
‘What kind of guy is he…?’
Si-hyun’s curiosity was piqued.
Since he was coming on his own, all she had to do was wait.
In the meantime, she planned to go about her usual tasks and spend her time doing what she wanted.
And so, the day of her Monster Studies lecture arrived.
Si-hyun had expected an ordinary day, as usual,
But instead, she received an unexpected request.
Professor Noh visited Si-hyun’s office.
“You’d like to observe my lecture?”
“Yes, please. I’ve heard so much about your lectures that I couldn’t resist.”
Professor Noh spoke with a serious tone.
The first semester was nearing its end.
Professor Noh wanted to see for himself whether the rumors about Professor Jung were true.
“Hmm, I’d be honored, but actually, I had been considering sitting in on one of your lectures, Professor Noh.”
“Hoho, is that so?”
Professor Noh’s perception of Si-hyun subtly improved.
He slowly savoured the tea and refreshments that had been prepared.
‘The refreshments have become more ordinary, but the tea has improved a little… No, this isn’t what’s important.’
Today, he had no intention of being drawn into unnecessary distractions.
He planned to evaluate Professor Jung’s lecture just as he had done with others.
As Professor Noh organized his thoughts, Si-hyun clapped her hands together and said,
“Oh, right! I’ll also be using VR audiovisual materials during today’s lecture. Please take a look.”
“Hmm? VR materials?”
Professor Noh tilted his head in confusion.
He understood what VR was, but he couldn’t grasp how it would be used.
“Hehe, it’s my pride and joy. I hope you’ll be impressed.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Hearing her confident words, he couldn’t help but feel a bit intrigued.
Professor Noh looked at Si-hyun with a gaze that seemed to assess her capabilities.
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