Chapter 14
“He’s my uncle!”
“Why is he your uncle? He’s just an uncle.”
Baek Hamin, who had rushed over in an instant and clung tightly to my leg, glared only at Do Yudam as if he couldn’t even hear me.
Do Yudam looked at Baek Hamin clinging to my leg, and then at Baek Eunseong standing guard behind Hamin, before drooping his head sullenly.
At that sight, a sigh escaped me without realizing.
‘Where the hell did that bastard Jeon Jiyoon go to make the kid make a face like that all alone?’
Suddenly infuriated, I placed my hand on the shoulder of Do Yudam, who was trying to slip away.
“Uncle!”
Baek Hamin pointed at my hand with a look of sheer disbelief.
When a mild-looking kid stared at me with an expression like he was left alone in the world, I couldn't help but reach out my hand. Anyone else would have done the same.
So this is why the supporting characters in the original work were so anxious to help Do Yudam.
I recalled Do Yudam's numerous colleagues, then turned my head to look at Baek Hamin, who was fuming.
It would be nice if this kid got along well with Do Yudam too.
If only the two of them had gotten along just a little in the original work, if only Do Yudam had trusted Baek Hamin's words even a little. Do Yudam wouldn't have spent such unfortunate days losing precious people in the dungeon.
Since the original plot had already been twisted anyway, I thought their relationship changing couldn't make things any worse. I shifted my gaze with the thought that it would be nice if they became close even now, only to find Do Yudam already glaring at Baek Hamin with raised eyes.
‘Haha. Getting along is out of the question.’
I rubbed my brows at the sight of Do Yudam, holding tightly onto my finger with his small hand and smirking as he provoked Baek Hamin.
No... I thought he was a protagonist full of a sense of justice...
What's with that despicable expression?!
“Uncle!”
Before I knew it, Baek Hamin was reaching his hand out to me with teary eyes.
Good grief, I don't know who the protagonist is and who the villain is anymore. Baek Hamin struggled while blowing on a clover, then got scooped up into Baek Eunseong’s arms and moved to the waiting area. Baek Hamin glared at me with resentful eyes until Baek Eunseong's broad back disappeared from view.
“I'm Do Yudam from Class A.”
“Ah, I'm Seong Dohyun.”
I was wondering if I should chase after Baek Hamin when Do Yudam tugged on my hand and offered a greeting. Introducing ourselves on the spot, I rubbed the back of my neck with an awkward face.
What... should I talk about?
I looked at Do Yudam, whose cheeks were flushed, and chose my words inwardly.
“Hmm, do you like Pani too?”
“Excuse me? No.”
I see. Since Baek Hamin was crazy about it, I thought all the kids around this age in this world would like it.
I tried recalling a few of the programs Baek Hamin enjoyed but gave up, pointing at Do Yudam's wrist instead.
“What's that on your wrist?”
“Huh? Ah, someone gave this to me as a present...”
Eyes widening, Do Yudam put his hands behind his back and hid the bracelet.
It was an item in ‘Seong Dohyun’s’ memory. It was probably the kind of artifact that automatically deployed a shield when it sensed a crisis. It was an expensive artifact that Seong Dohyun would have to save up every penny without spending on food or anything else for three months to afford.
Even if he was the protagonist, I thought he wouldn't know how to use it since he was still a kid, but seeing him making good use of it instead of shoving it away somewhere, I stroked Do Yudam's head with a satisfied smile.
A little while later, an announcement was heard saying the test would begin soon. I held out my hand to Do Yudam.
“Let's go.”
“...Huh? Yes!”
Walking vigorously toward the test room, Do Yudam suddenly stood in front of me at my cheering for him to do well. The eyes looking up at me sparkled strangely.
“Can't you watch me take the test today?”
“I was planning to watch anyway.”
“...Really?”
Has this kid only ever been lied to?
When I nodded, Do Yudam let out a bright smile with flushed cheeks and ran off to the waiting area.
And there, Baek Hamin, who had already taken a seat with Baek Eunseong, was glaring at me with a face that looked ready to bleed tears of blood.
No, why is he acting like that toward me when he has his own uncle?
* * *
The test proceeded in alphabetical order, and before long, Do Yudam's name was called.
Standing in the middle of the test room with glass walls, Do Yudam looked around, spotted me, and waved his hand slightly. Waving back, I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at the morning flower slapping the back of my hand.
Then, my face frowned involuntarily at an unwelcome presence that approached without me noticing.
“Hamin...”
Baek Eunseong created a palm-sized golem and peeled off the morning glory wrapped around my wrist. The morning glory fluttered its leaves as if telling him not to interfere, but it was no match for the golem's strength.
After finishing the cleanup, Baek Eunseong, who was putting the golem back into his inventory, added.
“...He gets very jealous.”
“So what.”
“Just saying.”
Baek Eunseong, who gave me a bright smile, gestured with his chin toward Do Yudam inside the glass window as if asking why I wasn't focusing on him when he was the one who initiated the conversation.
The test proceeded exactly as it did in the original work that ‘Seong Dohyun’ knew.
It was a very simple test where you just had to use your abilities to take down five dummies. Nevertheless, perhaps because they were still young, there were many Hunters who struggled, but Do Yudam was an exception.
The test began the moment the quietly crouching dummies stood up, and Do Yudam rushed in at the speed of light, tearing off the dummies' limbs. It was a technique only Do Yudam, who possessed monstrous strength that no one else could replicate, could pull off.
Do Yudam disabled the dummies without frowning once, as if the fragments of the dummies splattering on his face didn't hurt, and then destroyed their cores.
It was quite a violent method, but since it was the standard breakthrough of incapacitating the opponent and then destroying the core, he would probably receive a high score.
I observed Baek Eunseong out of the corner of my eye, pretending to watch Do Yudam, who was bowing to me and returning to his seat.
‘...No, why did this guy sit next to me of all places when there are so many empty seats?’
Still, my pride didn't allow me to be the first to back down. I avoided the seat earlier, do I have to get up again this time? He's the one who should screw off.
‘How should I say it to make this guy obediently scram—’
Instantly, I stopped my thoughts and sprang to my feet.
Something was wrong.
I looked around swiftly, but everyone had peaceful expressions, wondering if I was the only one who felt this subtle flow. But clearly, there was a presence that felt out of place amidst this peace.
“What's wrong?”
“Be quiet.”
Covering Baek Eunseong's mouth, I called for Asil. Crouching down to avoid people's stares, I quietly gave Asil a command.
“You felt that suspicious sign just now too, right? Find it immediately.”
Asil nodded and melted into my shadow. Baek Eunseong, who had been keeping his mouth shut, pressed closely against me with a similarly serious face, seeing that I looked grave.
“Did something happen...?”
“Uncle!”
At Baek Hamin's bright call that rang out just then, both Baek Eunseong and I jumped up.
Baek Hamin, pointing at me and Baek Eunseong and waving both hands, was walking into the group of crouching dummies.
And then, Asil revealed himself from under the shadows of the dummies. Swaying as if to say, “It's here.”
Instantly dumbfounded, I desperately grabbed Baek Eunseong.
“Hey, stop the test.”
“The test? Why all of a sudden...”
“I said stop it! Right now!”
Then I shoved him hard toward the instructor and immediately shouted to Baek Hamin at the top of my lungs.
“Baek Hamin! Don't do anything!”
“Uncle?”
“I said don't do anything!”
Baek Hamin, who had been tilting his head with round eyes, stopped manifesting his ability, clapped his hands together, and quickly backed away. Watching that, Baek Eunseong stared at the locked door and then reached his hand out to the instructor.
“Open this door right now.”
“Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, but guardian. No, Hunter Baek Eunseong. I understand you're worried, but when taking the test, no one is an exception and they must take it alone.”
At those words, Baek Eunseong politely requested again for it to be opened, but there was no way the instructor would comply.
Good grief. As if they'd open it when you ask so gently. You have to be forceful when necessary. I shoved Baek Eunseong aside and yelled with a crooked expression.
“Hey, just get lost.”
“Hunter Seong Dohyun! No matter how high your rank is, you should still maintain manners between Hunters...”
Perhaps flustered by the sudden informal speech, a nagging poured out, but I thought, ‘So what?’ I'm dying of urgency here, what manners?
As soon as I saw the curse writhing on Baek Hamin's leg, I raised my left hand.
[Celestial Command]
With a clear ringing sound of a bell, the instructor blocking Baek Eunseong and me slumped down. While Baek Eunseong opened the door with the card key hanging around the instructor's neck, I looked for Kang Youngchan, who should have been sitting in the judging panel.
Amidst this chaos, Kang Youngchan and Jeon Jiyoon were chasing a mysterious man running away with his face covered.
‘Of all days, they touch Baek Hamin today of all days when he's taking an important test?’
Clicking my tongue at the surging annoyance, I pulled my hood over my head at the suddenly flying dust.
[I Hear the Words of Day and the Words of Night]
Wondering if it was the work of kidnappers, I listened carefully, but all I could hear was the sound of the dummies stomping their feet.
“Baek Hamin!”
“Uncle!”
Whether it was because of the loud footsteps or the sandstorm, the two voices overlapped and rang with a buzzing echo. I moved blindly, following Baek Hamin's voice. Then, I snatched the soft hand that instantly touched mine and pulled the small body into a tight embrace.
Even with my messed-up vision, I pulled up his pants and tried to suppress the curse, but the sense of incongruity still didn't disappear. Something was definitely wrong.
Looking down at Baek Hamin with an indescribably strange feeling, I ordered Asil to find Jeon Jiyoon. Not long after, I heard a voice calling me from nearby.
“Hunter Seong Dohyun?”
“Try to calm the sand down!”
“...I will only calm the sand. You will have to report the details of this matter later!”
“I understand, so hurry!”
A moment later, the sandstorm subsided, and I let out a groan as I met eyes with Baek Eunseong, who had approached beside me.
What the hell was this situation?
“Uncle, my eyes sting.”
Baek Hamin was in Baek Eunseong's arms.
“Uncle, blow on my hurt here.”
Baek Hamin was in my arms too.
“Uncle?”
“Uncle?”
The crying, whining Baek Hamin... had become two.