Chapter 523. Invite (3)

The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood

Rattle.

But why am I standing up together with him?

It was when I got up to meet Seonwoo Yeon. The one controlling the massive man next to me suddenly stood up as well.

"Wait."

Furthermore, Kang Changho hurriedly revealed new information in that state.

"By the way, if you were expecting a guest, you should have told me in advance."

"Hmm?"

"It would have been better if you did."

“Hmm?”

“It would have been better if you did.”

Giving a heads-up to the kidnapper that a friend is coming... It’s a proposal hard to understand logically, but I stood there and focused on his words for now.

“Lemming. This base is fundamentally equipped with various security devices.”

“I see.”

“Not to mention the [Perception Probability Reduction] spell, I made it so petty thieves and the like can’t carelessly take an interest in it anyway.”

The measures Kang Changho mentioned were mostly of an intensity tailored to the level of Earthlings. The magic was very weak, so it wouldn’t catch the eyes of Alphaurins. Therefore, I figured a civil servant with good wayfinding skills might have been able to pierce through and perceive the mansion, but....

“But I don’t know how on earth she perceived my house’s wall, but there’s an [Electric Shock] device out there too; will your acquaintance really be safe?”

Flinch.

I your acquaintance really be safe?

Flinch.

I stopped moving. At the same time, I perked up my ears. I didn't realize until Kang Changho mentioned it. But definitely, the doorbell from earlier—.

...

It was no longer ringing. The visitor had pressed the doorbell exactly once and stopped. So I realized the situation was unusual and dashed forward.

“I’ve done nothing but grumble about how scary the natives are. In the end, I’m the one causing all the trouble!”

An alien creature capable of causing civilian casualties. At this rate, I would slowly have no excuses even if Earth’s space agency came to arrest me.

***

Buzzzzzz.

A round button pushed inwards. And then the sight of it returning to its original position is observed.

'It really is the characteristic doorbell sound of a 'rich house' that I've heard in movies.'

In front of a certain giant mansion. The person who pressed the doorbell attached to the fence briefly looked towards the intercom.

'Who is the owner of this house?'

The one who appeared now was the awakened civil servant affiliated with the state, Seonwoo Yeon. To be more precise, the person requested by someone named Kim Giryeo had appeared. She continued her thoughts with a somewhat nervous look.

'The person who said he'd contact me before 1 o'clock still hasn't sent any news.'

Kang Changho is an S-rank Hunter with a considerable criminal record of assault... Yet the whereabouts of the person who made an appointment with such a guy were unknown, isn't this definitely something to worry about?

'Lunchtime will end soon.'

Kim Giryeo told her to call the police immediately if he didn't contact her by 2 PM. However, Seonwoo Yeon had already started taking action around the beginning of 1 o'clock, a little earlier than that. Because she was a genius at finding people possessing the [Searcher] skill.

Wondering if Kim Giryeo was eating well at the restaurant, she used her retained skill in the middle of it.

'The last place I perceived was definitely this yard, wasn't it?'

But the [Searcher]'s result value unexpectedly came out as this front door on top of a hill, so how could she just pass it by without coming directly? Seonwoo Yeon found out the location where Kim Giryeo was kidnapped at an incredible timing.

'By the way, is this really the place? First of all, I don't feel... anything like an S-rank Hunter's magic power.'

And right now, she had pressed the doorbell trying to get information somehow within a short time.

'If it's to the point where an alien is in danger, it must definitely be an urgent matter where every second counts.'

But it was then.

Ah, about that!

Yes.

This place has a [Curse] placed on it to make you feel nauseous if you press the doorbell multiple times.

Pardon?

And I heard it's a house that even threatens your life if you carelessly try to climb over the wall?

What is this, a farmhouse guarding against wild boars or something?

'I don't know much, but isn't it illegal to use this level of security system in Korea?'

The security was excessively tight. Seonwoo Yeon stiffened her expression while imagining the situation she almost fell into. But contrary to this, the demeanor of the man in the suit was quite cheerful.

Seonwoo Yeon-ssi. By the way, if you've already reported this to the police, could you cancel that quickly?

Whatever it is, it's a relief if things went well, but.

I feel sorry because it feels like I've made you embarrassed. But unexpectedly, the talk with Kang Changho ended am...

Whatever it is, it's a relief if things went well, but.

"I feel sorry because it feels like I've made you embarrassed. But unexpectedly, the talk with Kang Changho ended smoothly...."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. It's not like the investigation into your case has even started yet anyway."

Swipe, swipe.

Seonwoo Yeon deleted the scheduled message she had written. Then, having confirmed that this strange friend—Kim Giryeo—was safe, she thought about whether she should just go back and enjoy the rest of her annual leave.

—Bring her in.

An anomaly occurred. For a moment she thought she misheard. Looking now, the owner of the mansion was waving his hand from far away. Furthermore, Hunter Kang Changho even said this in a loud voice.

"Kim Giryeo! Bring that civil servant all the way here."

It's entirely ominous, though.

"Who are you to order a person to come and go?"

'Thank goodness.'

First off, as his acquaintance became entangled in the conversation, Kim Giryeo reflexively acted bluntly.

"A guest struggled all day and came all the way here, so you should offer them at least something to drink out of courtesy."

But after this remark came out, the atmosphere immediately switched.

"It might be one thing if it was just us. But we should naturally show courtesy to someone doing government work like her."

"Aha."

Kim Giryeo was persuaded by Kang Changho's words.

"Seonwoo Yeon-ssil Then, since you've come all this way, why don't you have a cool drink before you go? I think it's i"

Kim Giryeo was persuaded by Kang Changho's words.

“Seonwoo Yeon-ssi! Then, since you’ve come all this way, why don’t you have a cool drink before you go? I think it’s inside the mansion.”

“No, I...”

“Ah, right. By the way, since the time is like this, have you eaten?”

“Because the situation was like this, I was nervous... honestly, I haven’t had a meal yet.”

And unfortunately, Seonwoo Yeon’s personality was not one for lying well. When the alien asked suddenly, she ended up rolling her eyes and revealing the truth. Therefore, things got even more twisted.

“What did you say? You haven’t been able to have lunch until this time?”

Because Kim Giryeo jumped up, focusing only on the fact that the other party ‘starved’. Shortly after, Korea’s third S-rank Hunter and fourth S-rank Hunter sent formidable glares her way. At this, Seonwoo Yeon had no choice but to accept the given invitation.

“Ah, yes, well... shall we do that, then....”

ept the given invitation.

“Ah, yes, well... shall we do that, then....”

Hopefully, nothing special happens inside the mansion.

***

A few minutes later.

‘Ah, this really was Hunter Kang Changho's house.’

The interior she soon entered.

‘It's a completely different building from the location registered with the Hunter Association. But this is a matter of privacy, so I shouldn't pry.’

Seonwoo Yeon sat quietly on a sofa that looked like it would cost tens of millions of won.

And eavesdropped on the words shared by the two S-Rank Hunters.

—Is it okay to use skills freely here now?

—It's a barrier I set up specifically to target only you anyway. For things like Gate monsters, it actually has an adverse effect.

—It's a relief you lifted it quickly.

She didn't know the details, but it seemed Kang Changho had disabled part of the security system to invite a guest.

'The kitchen is huge.'

In such a universal space as a kitchen, a dissonant conversation eventually flowed.

“Hunter Kang Changho. By the way, what on earth is that thing you've been operating since earlier...?”

Kim Giryeo brought it up while pointing at some machine.

“Ah, what this is.”

However, its identity was revealed quite frivolously.

Whirrrrrrrrrrr...

After a noise very familiar to modern Earthlings flowed for a few seconds. Black liquid came out from around the machine's spout.

Trickle trickle.

What Kim Giryeo had been curious about was. None other than a coffee machine.

‘I already drank a cup of latte in the morning, though.’

It was a minimalist form completely different from the massive machines used in cafes and such, so looking at the exterior alone, it was understandable not to know the machine's role.

“…”

error alone, it was understandable not to know the machine's role.

...

...

The expressions of Seonwoo Yeon, who had already consumed her day's worth of coffee, and Kim Giryeo in front of her, soon became subtle.

No, wait.

Let me correct that.

...

Actually, Kim Giryeo's atmosphere was sinister, looking as if he was about to yell, 'Why do you keep a thing like this in your house?'

'He's holding it in well.'

But there was no particular friction for now.

Clatter.

She never imagined she would break out in a cold sweat after the food was prepared like this.

'Don't tell me this is...'

It was what happened after another few minutes passed. Kang Changho, who prepared an Americano for Seonwoo Yeon, subsequently offered something while saying, “It happens to be there was food in the refrigerator.”

Sour.

The taste of mustard sauce stands out. Moreover, the texture is quite good; wouldn't this be a bit late in the season to eat now that it's autumn?

'What should I do?'

It was around the time Seonwoo Yeon realized the true nature of the menu and froze.

“Hunter Kim Giryeo,”

It was around the time Seonwoo Yeon realized the true nature of the menu and froze.

“Hunter Kim Giryeo.”

“Yes.”

“But that civil servant knows you’re an alien creature, right?”

Cough.

While drinking the black liquid to get rid of it for her friend’s sake, she suddenly heard such a question. Seonwoo Yeon stopped breathing while holding the coffee cup in her hand.

“How did you know that...”

But the one who actually asked back was Kim Giryeo. Kang Changho looked towards the fellow S-rank Hunter and said.

“I had entrusted [Justitia] to be sent before, but if she’s alive after having a normal Q&A with a suspicious S-rank Hunter... logically it means she knows your identity.”

I had entrusted [Justitia] to be sent before, but if she's alive after having a normal Q&A with a suspicious S-rank Hunter... logically it means she knows your identity.

Ah.

Of course, only on the premise that [Memory Erasure] wasn't applied.

That's true.

Unfortunately, with this artifact attached to my eye, I can't even detect the application of skills that occurred in the past. So please understand if I made a slip of the tongue here.

The homeowner's voice was flat. Moreover, the word 'alien' was naturally mentioned over the dining table. Then did those S-ranks finally share that secret?

It could be that an old story unfolded here before I came.

She didn't know how on earth the intermediate process went, but Seonwoo Yeon thought for a moment. That Kim Giryeo and Kang Changho really seemed to have finished their conversation well. But such speculation alone couldn't relieve all the tension given right now. Because there was exactly one side dish on the dining table.

Could this really be a strange situation created intentionally?

ve all the tension given right now. Because there was exactly one side dish on the dining table.

Could this really be a strange situation created intentionally?

'Should I tell Hunter Kim Giryeo about this?'

Glance.

Seonwoo Yeon broke out in a cold sweat and cast a sideways glance at the man sitting on the north chair.

“Wow, by the way, this is really delicious, isn’t it?”

However, despite the earnest prayer she made internally, a specific topic eventually burst out.

“Since you only gave me instant rice and a single side dish, I wondered what kind of poor treatment this was. But surprisingly, the food tastes...”

“Does it?”

“But this is a food I'm seeing for the first time, so I don't know the name at all...”

“But this is a food I’m seeing for the first time, so I don’t know the name at all…”

The marine creature smiled and took an interest in the menu.

“That’s chilled jellyfish salad.”

But as soon as he heard this name, the smile quickly vanished from Kim Giryeo’s face.

“Why on earth is that on the dining table—————.”

The Archmage was enraged.

“How dare you! Putting this kind of thing in a sacred refrigerator!”

“Why are you so mad?”

“Has this person lost his mind!”

The blue-purple-haired man was reacting indifferently, but Seonwoo Yeon fully understood her acquaintance’s anger.

Has this person lost his mind.

The blue-purple-haired man was reacting indifferently, but Seonwoo Yeon fully understood her acquaintance's anger.

'If a human was served something like monkey sashimi, they would naturally feel uncomfortable.'

However, apart from understanding someone else's emotions, she had absolutely no confidence to mediate the chaotic situation.

"Uhm... I'm really sorry since you even prepared a meal, but could I just leave first?"

"Yeah."

Let's just solve the hunger by going back home. Seonwoo Yeon made a small resolution and carried out her escape from the mansion. By the way, if he was going to let her go this obediently, it's questionable why he let her in the house, but.

'Was it perhaps to naturally mock Hunter Kim Giryeo?'

She even had such a misunderstanding for a while.

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"I'll see you out to the front door. Like I briefly mentioned earlier, this house has a lot of traps you shouldn't step on carelessly."

"Ah...!"

"Hunter Kim Giryeo. You wait at the front door for a bit. There's no need for both of us to come out."

The misunderstanding about Kang Changho was quickly resolved anyway, though.

‘It’s burdensome.’

Korea’s third S-rank Hunter. When meeting him in person, the feeling that he wasn't of the same species as humanity was strong, making him repulsive. So when the civil servant side was shrinking back profusely. Kang Changho, who came to guide the way, indirectly started speaking first.

"You held out well."

ame to guide the way, indirectly started speaking first.

“You held out well.”

The start was an incomprehensible remark.

“You must have hated being invited to an ex-convict’s house like me.”

“Pardon?”

“What was your name, Seonwoo?”

“It’s Seonwoo Yeon.”

“Anyway, the reason I called you over was nothing special. I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity since we met anyway.”

“Curiosity?”

Step, step.

Kang Changho continued the conversation while walking out of the mansion, a mass of barriers prepared to avoid peo

Step, step.

Kang Changho continued the conversation while walking out of the mansion, a mass of barriers prepared to avoid people's eyes.

“In my opinion, Kim Giryeo is...”

Halt.

But Kang Changho, who was walking ahead leading the way, suddenly stopped his steps.

“It seems he started contributing to this planet because of people like you.”

Kang Changho turned around. In addition, he reached out his hand towards the direction of Seonwoo Yeon's face. A wide palm fitting for his massive height. Moreover, as the palm lines entirely blocked her field of vision, this act began to feel like a kind of threat....

“If a close civil servant disappears, will Kim Giryeo still like this country?”

When such a question came out of Kang Changho’s mouth, Seonwoo Yeon could no longer hide her panic. But her fear was too great to turn her head towards the direction where her blond acquaintance was standing, so her body stiffened. It was a moment where she was helplessly stuck.

When such a question came out of Kang Changho's mouth, Seonwoo Yeon could no longer hide her panic. But her fear was too great to turn her head towards the direction where her blond acquaintance was standing, so her body stiffened. It was a moment where she was helplessly stuck.

“Don’t be too scared.”

“....”

“I’m not trying to rebuke you; rather, I wanted to give you a reward.”

For reference, Kim Giryeo, who was standing around the mansion's front door, didn’t take any action even at this point. Interpreted differently, this also meant that the spell Kang Changho just cast wasn’t of the attack type.

“I wondered what kind of guys had persuaded that mage. If the likes of an insignificant B-rank was the culprit behind that flow, then it’s actually fine.”

What is this-.

Tap.

Kang Changho’s hand that had spread out in front of her eyes lightly touched Seonwoo Yeon’s forehead. His fingers seemed to look like a red net for a very brief moment, but this must be a hallucination caused by the strong sunlight after all...

“So this is a real gift I’m giving to the guest.”

“I— I’m sorry, but what did you do?”

“It’s the effect of a luck artifact; you’ll have minor good things follow you at work for a while.”

“Pardon?”

“By the way, a mage alien isn’t so bad, is it?”

She wanted to argue about something, but feeling pressured by the other party’s physique, the words didn’t come out easily. Listening to Kang Changho’s remarks anyway, no particular harm was inflicted.

So.

Glance.

Kang Changho. The blond friend waving his hand from behind him. Seonwoo Yeon alternately looked at these 2 people for a while, then cautiously set off on her way home.

[Ding.]

[New Message]

[Me: Excuse me, Hunter.]

[Me: I couldn't tell you during the day earlier because I was surprised at the house. I’m sorry, but perhaps Hunter Kang Changho...]

[Me: I couldn’t tell you during the day earlier because I was surprised at the house. I’m sorry, but perhaps Hunter Kang Changho...]

[Me: Is he the same as you, Hunter Kim? You understand what I mean, right?]

[Hunter Kim Giryeo: Ah, yes!!]

[Hunter Kim Giryeo: It’s a bit long to talk about, but anyway, I checked and that’s the case]

[Hunter Kim Giryeo: But it’s an undeniable fact that that hunter’s personality is strange, so you don’t need to get close to him in the future. Just stay comfortable for now, I’ll explain more later]

[Me:...]

Just because she arrived home safely didn’t mean she completely forgot all the things she wanted to say, though.

Author's Thoughts

Hi, from now on, I will update this novel 3 chapters/week. Thank you for all your support so far:)