Chapter 148: Dragon Siblings (1)
I logged into a Japan hunter information website from habit before going out to meet Riette.
‘They started on the stamina potion ingredient dungeon.’
The depraved had made the dungeon appear earlier as promised, and a dungeon had been successfully bid a few days ago in Japan and now was under conquest from today. The dungeon was an A class and two floors, mainly consisting of forests. The value of the place had been standard until someone discovered that the root fruits of the trees in the first-floor central forest could be used to make stamina potions.
‘The discovery had been delayed because the root fruits had not been examined.’
I was planning to purchase the dungeon rights after letting others make the conquest. While overworking may be a problem, it would become easier to train the kids after making the stamina potion.
“Do you think Yerim and Peace are doing all right? I think you should have stayed with them.”
“If I didn’t come out, you might have been in trouble.”
“What do you mean? I’m fine.”
Yoohyun sulked and took my glasses away as Comet had.
“I can’t see!”
“You said you’re fine.”
“People’s eyesight can grow weak, you know. You can see them wear glasses everywhere! Give them back!”
I heard something break and tried not to imagine what Yoohyun had done.
“Sorry, I broke them by mistake.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Glasses can break easily.”
My brother spoke shamelessly.
“It’s going to be a problem when I go out!”
“I’ll help.”
“I don’t need your help.”
I would not need his help had he not broken the glasses in the first place. While I could not see objects from afar, I could differentiate nearby things. Lenses might be a better choice. Which one would be more dangerous when I am attacked? Would it be more harmful if I had something in my eyes?
“Are you angry?”
Yoohyun spoke as he followed me around. Acting like he had done when we were young…worked. I remembered the old days when he had small hands and feet and large eyes. Yoohyun had been a cute child to whoever saw him.
“I’m not. But don’t break them again.”
The phone rang, and I searched for my phone that I might have placed on the table.
“Here.”
Yoohyun handed me the phone, and I saw that the number was not registered. I connected the phone and heard an unfamiliar voice.
[Are you Mr. Yoojin Han?]
“Yes, who is this?”
Few people knew this number, and the caller had been a hunter from the Awakened Office.
[Hunter Riette is acting out.]
“Ms. Riette?”
Taewon Song was unavailable due to the overthrown state of the Hunter Association and had told the caller to contact me to handle things as quietly as possible since the matter concerned an S class hunter. He seemed to be aware that I had calmed Riette down in the lake dungeon last time.
[I sincerely ask for your help, since using force may make things worse.]
“All right. I’ll be on my way.”
Riette would be causing chaos since her fight with Hyunjae Sung had been catastrophic. Yoohyun looked at me with displeased eyes as I ended the call.
“Why are you stepping up?”
“I can’t send another S class hunter, especially when you and Hyunjae Sung are publicly known to be participating in dungeon conquests now.”
Sunghan Kim would not be able to handle Riette since he was a defensive hunter and only became an S class recently. Hyuna Moon, Seokwon Choi, and Mingyu Park would find Riette difficult. I would be a better choice only if to manage the poison.
“Your fear resistance levels are lowered now.”
“It’s going to be manageable.”
Riette was a cursed poisonous dragon, which meant that the skill would be twice effective. However, it would not be an A class, and I asked Taewon Song not to touch the fear resistance levels again. Of course, that did not mean he could lower other stats.
I went out despite Yoohyun’s protest and did not forget to call Noah. It would be better to have Noah at home just in case.
“Mr. Yoojin.”
I explained the situation to Noah, who came immediately after receiving my message.
“So, stay at my house.”
“Wait, Hyung.”
Yoohyun intervened, looking like something bothered him.
“He can’t stay when I’m not there. You have already been attacked, and it would be dangerous to let him stay in your house since it’s difficult to ask for outside help.”
Noah visibly shrank at Yoohyun’s words. While Noah had not shown any hostility to me recently, Yoohyun had a right to be worried because of past events.
“You have seen Mr. Noah help us out and generally be a nice person.”
I could not refuse his request to let him use my house as an escape during the period Riette stayed in Korea. That would be an inhumane act.
“…Then he can go to the house in Haeyeon since that place is also safe.”
“You’re right.”
While Riette had invaded the dormitory, she would not be able to break into Yoohyun’s house. Also, Yoohyun would be more dependable than me. Staying together may also bring them closer. I had noticed how lonely Yoohyun’s place was, and having a roommate around his age would liven things up.
“Mr. Noah, how about it? My brother’s house is wide, nice, and safe.”
I hoped they would continue to live together, but Noah hesitated and shook his head under my gaze.
“I do not want to trouble Hunter Yoohyun Han. I only need a few days since I cannot run forever from my sister.”
While his answer was less than satisfactory, Noah was right that he could not avoid Riette forever. They would need to clash sometime. While I would help if he wanted to run away, it would be much better to wrap up their relationship.
I activated the miniature portal for him to go home since I might come back with an excited Riette. However, Noah refused again.
“I’ll go too.”
“Will you be alright?”
Noah nodded at my question.
“Yes, something might happen. I’ll be able to help since I have healing and supporting skills.”
“That won’t be necessary since other hunters will also be present.”
“If my sister wants to fight, she will take care of the healers and the supporters first.”
While it was basic battle strategy 101, I found it hard to believe that she would be that aggressive. However, Noah’s serious expression made me think Riette would make trouble, especially since she did not belong to any guild.
“You can escape whenever you feel like it since there really won’t be any problems.”
“All right.”
I cast my teacher’s skill on Yoohyun instead of buying a new pair of glasses and went straight to the dungeon Riette had finished conquering. While there was a barricade set and the air was filled with tension, everything looked fine on the outside since there were no crumbled buildings, and only the gates of the dungeon facility were broken.
Just looking around, Riette had not made a mess.
However, I felt chills right down my spine the moment I saw Riette standing with her arms crossed. She was hostile enough to chill the hot summer air, and Noah stood frozen next to me. I heard myself gulp loudly, and Yoohyun stepped forward to protect us.
“Hello, darling.”
Narrow golden eyes creased into a smile, and I had goosebumps all over my arms. However, I could not leave her like this, so I pretended to be fine and opened my mouth.
“What’s with the protest? What about the hunters that had gone with you?”
“They’ll come out soon. Everyone except for the really annoying two is probably alive.”
I saw fangs like that of a serpent’s shine between Riette’s lips. The annoying two must have caused this incident. They were hunters from the Association and must have been stupidly brave to irritate an S class hunter in a dungeon. Did they have S class fear resistance skills?
“Everything’s alright if they died of an unfortunate accident in the dungeon. Calm down and show me the monster you want me to breed.”
“Sure, darling. Right after I kill that Dungeon Management Director.”
They must have been his agents, and I could guess how they had annoyed Riette. He must have coveted an S class free hunter, but Taewon Song being that docile, must have made the former Director go crazy to treat Riette this awkwardly.
“He’s already arrested and will never breathe in the outside air again.”
“Inside, outside, it doesn’t matter. Just put him before me, and I’ll just vent out my anger.”
“I want to, but the media won’t let him go. I can turn a blind eye if you want to sneak in and beat him up though.”
Riette’s brow furrowed, and she looked displeased at my continued refusals. Noah and I gathered together simultaneously, and I cursed the two and wondered what the hell they did to Riette. Did they order her to cooperate after committing a crime? Or say something unnecessary about her sex?
“Does she look livid?”
Noah answered in a small voice as I whispered to him.
“Half and half. She might be angrier because the boss monster had been too easy.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, since she’s not angry at me.”
They had clashed at the lake dungeon, although Riette had been in a good mood at that time.
“I’m pissed off.”
Riette made a light comment, and the next moment sword met sword with a clash. Riette had rushed to Yoohyun, and she looked joyful as Yoohyun, with Minyui Kim’s face, did not flinch against her attack.
“I thought as much, but you’re really something. Who are you? I had never met you before!”
Riette did not recognize Yoohyun as Taewon Song had done, since she had not met him properly before. Yoohyun opened his mouth as he pushed Riette away with a twist of his sword.
“Please stop.”
“What’s your name. How old are you? You’re cute.”
Riette’s eyes shone with curiosity, and I could not ignore this situation for Minyui Kim and especially for my brother’s sake.
“Go easy on him! I’m not going to take care of your monsters if you cause an incident again.”
“Darling, don’t be jealous.”
What is she talking about?
“Please wait since I can swallow you up from head to toe in this mood. I’ll dote on you later. Or would you prefer something rough?”
Couldn’t she filter her words in front of kids, who were actually our younger siblings? I was thinking about how to block Noah’s ears when Yoohyun roughly swung his sword. Riette avoided it as the air rang, and the dungeon building behind her was cut up like butter.
“Don’t think about going after him.”
Riette’s eyes grew wide as Yoohyun growled out the words.
“Are you two together? I thought that darling had been jealous of me, but it’s alright. I like this kind of relationship, too.”
“Hey!”
My head rang from her crazy antics. What relationship was she talking about? He was my brother!
“He misunderstood you! Stop saying nonsense in front of the kids!”
“Really? He must be younger than he looks.”
Riette spread her arms like wings with a loud laugh, and she now held a longsword and a shorter one in each hand. The glint in her eyes showed that she wanted a serious round. Riette seemed just to want to stretch out under the pretext of being irritated.
“How will you patch up this mess?!”
“Darling.”
Poison poured out from Riette, and I could only gasp.
“You think I care about anything like that?”
No. The government tended to overlook incidents like this for S classes if there were no civilian casualties, and Riette would have used this advantage to the maximum. She would have no control whatsoever.
“Everyone spread out, no, come nearby!”
Since the range of the barricade was thankfully wide, the damage would not spread outside. However, there were a few hunters around us, and they dropped down as the poison spread out like a fog. I checked Yoohyun wielding flames to burn the poison and ran to the fallen. I needed to gather them together to apply the poison resistance.
“Mr. Noah, help!’
However, Riette approached Noah faster than my shout as Yoohyun had distanced himself to avoid the poison. His sister smiled as Noah stood rigidly like a mouse in front of a snake.
“Dear pebble, you can be a chore. Can you sleep for a moment?”
Noah stepped back, and I was wondering whether to intervene when the sound of screeching tires rang my ears.
“Mr. Noah!”
I heard a high-pitched voice, and a heavy bike rushed toward Riette. I saw the flash of a blade, and Soyoung Kang jumped off right before the bike was sliced in half to grab Noah’s arm and pull him back.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes?”
“I came because I was worried. She must be your sister.”
Soyoung Kang swept her rumpled hair and looked at Riette, who clapped when Soyoung’s gaze did not waver.
“Aren’t you a lovely young girl?”
“Hello, Ms. Riette. I’m Soyoung Kang, No.1 member of Noah’s Korean fan club!”
Since when did he have one?