I felt full watching Yoohyun and Noah prepare dinner in the kitchen even without eating anything. They had grown up to be nice people, and Noah had managed to become a decent person under his sister. They were both commendable.
“Aren’t the kids admirable in every aspect?”
Yoohyun would still look like Minyui Kim, but they both were younger than me. I spoke to the men kneeling in a line after turning my head. They were people related to the Hunter Association, who had acted suspiciously after we ambushed the Dongju Lottery Guild. There were six in total, out of which four were in high positions in the Association, one was the secretary for the vice president, and the other was a close associate to one of the board members.
I had those whom Noah had captured kneel, but since they were ugly middle-aged men, the sight was not good for the eyes.
“Why can’t you answer? I did not block your mouth.”
“I will get away with this. You’re relaxed enough if you’re worried about me.”
I was a kidnapper in this situation and felt sad that I had to take away middle-aged men.
“Who would believe you guys if you rambled about being kidnapped and threatened by Yoojin Han after getting relased? I’m a victim of kidnapping who the nation sympathizes with at the moment.”
My image was like that.
“I raised my young brother after my parents died early and left school to do so and spent years apart from him for safety when the dungeons appeared. I managed to get a nice skill to live my life but then was sent to prison on false charges. After that, I was kidnapped by those who would sell out their country and stood on auction. Is there anyone who can beat this story? I’m sure articles are saying that poor Yoojin Han is trying to get over agoraphobia and his trauma about now.”
If I were said to be a kidnapper, the response would be that it was another trick to arrest an innocent person. They would need evidence, but I would not leave anything else behind other than the testamony of those kidnapped. Who would listen to testaments from the Association when they were already under suspicion?
“You’re deceiving the world by pretending to be weak!”
“I am weak. Who would pity me if I were an S class?”
My ruse was working because people saw me as a weak ordinary individual stuck between superhuman hunters. Moreover, about ninety percent of that long story was true.
Simyeong Seok looked happy enough to hum as he entered.
“The guests will arrive soon.”
“Thank you. We won’t have any problems, right?”
“You’re Simyeong Seok! I’m friends with your older cousin!”
One of the kneeling men stood up and shouted, and we both stared at him.
“He says he’s friends with your cousin.”
“Our family’s motto is to be strangers in public venues.”
“Kids are exceptions.”
Hayan Seok was older than me despite looking young. The man who had tried to familiarize himself with Simyeong Seok glanced at us and kneeled again. I did not feel sorry for him being the friend of an acquaintance’s cousin, as we were basically strangers.
I started to place the dishes on the long table as the guests arrived. I had not thought of how many would come, but we had an even number of six.
“Oh, Director of Dungeon Management Headquarters. I knew you would stir trouble, but intentionally breaking a dungeon is taking things too far.”
The youngest of the guests, Youngjoon Choi, clapped while he addressed one of the men. The face of the director who had used a profiting dungeon for his greed and then burst it apart turned red. Was he humiliated or only angry?
“I already heard the story, but an intentional dungeon break is something hard to believe.”
“There always have been people who sold their country for their own gains.”
Ochan Yoo, who had been in charge of the Hunter Market, and Eunyoung Choi, who had been in charge of dungeon management, sat down. The other three were also those who had worked in the Hunter Association. They had worked on-site when dungeons first appeared, and chaos ensued, and there had been a lot more than the six people invited here. While others had taken over most of the high positions, those below remained in the Association and suffered for it.
“Why don’t you guys sit? Even death row convicts are fed.”
The six currently involved with the Hunter Association and the six who had been previously affiliated sat in a line across each other. Their expressions were polar opposites, and things were getting more interesting.
“Mr. Yoojin Han, you really won’t interfere with the Hunter Association?”
Eunyoung Choi asked with a suspicious face.
“I would die of overwork if I also had to intervene what the Association does. You might know that I have too few men, which leads me to act on my own.”
“I think Haeyeon might have a different opinion.” She stared at Simyeong Seok.
“As I said, they’re cooperating because we need the workforce. However, they do need to be paid for their efforts, like having a place on this table.”