Chapter 20
"No! I'm not going!"
"Baek Hamin!"
I had no idea what kind of situation this was.
I looked down at Baek Hamin, who was clinging tightly to my shin and shrieking, and at Baek Eunseong, who was crouched beside him and fuming just as much.
It was a good thing there was no one passing by since it was a test day. If anyone saw this, what kind of bizarre spectacle would they think it was?
Just a moment ago, while I stood frozen looking at the shrunken Baek Hamin, Baek Eunseong had taken out a handkerchief and draped it over him like a cloak. Then he opened his mouth as if making a request.
"Keep this a secret..."
"Is that the issue right now? Go buy some clothes for the kid first."
While I untied the sloppy knot and retied it properly, Baek Eunseong headed to the academy store and bought a palm-sized bear doll. In front of me, clicking his tongue, Baek Eunseong took out a knife and carefully separated the clothes the doll was wearing before handing them to Baek Hamin.
Baek Hamin, still sniffling in surprise, carefully put on the gray hoodie and overalls.
"I don't know... what happened, but let's go get you checked first."
"Where?"
Baek Eunseong answered, meeting the tearful eyes that responded to the word 'checkup.'
"Obviously, we should go to Baekwoo Guild..."
"No! I'm not going!"
After screaming like a dolphin, Baek Hamin plastered himself against my shin, completely ignoring Baek Eunseong's suggestion to go home.
"We need to examine you to figure out what happened."
Baek Eunseong reached out again, but the palm-sized little kid was gripping my pants as if they were a lifeline dropped from the sky.
"Hunter Seong Dohyeon."
"Why are you looking at me?"
Handle your own family matters.
Baek Eunseong looked at me as if asking for help, but there was nothing I could do either. Normally, I would have grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him off, but Baek Hamin was so small right now that I couldn't easily lay a hand on him. His limbs were thinner than my fingers.
I was an S-rank hunter, and Baek Eunseong was also an S-rank hunter. If two people with better grip strength than ordinary people accidentally hurt such a small child while trying to pull him off, it would be a disaster.
Baek Eunseong seemed to share my thoughts, as he only fidgeted his fingertips without doing anything, and this standoff continued as the day grew darker.
"For now, let him sleep at my place and tomorrow..."
"Do you think I'd agree to that proposal?"
When Baek Eunseong countered with a smile to my reluctant words, I was so dumbfounded that I snapped back fiercely.
"If you don't agree, what are you going to do about it? Then take him with you."
I thrust out the leg Baek Hamin was clinging to and growled, making Baek Eunseong flinch momentarily.
"You're not taking him? Don't tell me you're asking me to deliver him all the way to Baekwoo Guild?"
Remembering Yang Jihwan, who had blocked me from even going near the entrance of Baekwoo Guild, I asked in a sarcastic tone.
'Ah. Come to think of it, I never even got an apology from that guy.'
No, forget it. I didn't want to see that displeasing gaze that had looked me up and down, treating me like a fraud, nor did I want to get entangled with Yang Jihwan in any way.
With an irritated sigh, I looked down at Baek Hamin, who was gripping my pants with all his might.
Seeing him stubbornly insisting on not returning to Baekwoo Guild like this, Baek Hamin must already know who placed the curse on him.
"Come here."
"Uncle!"
Baek Hamin jumped into my palm with a tearful face and tightly hugged my fingers as if he didn't want to let go.
"For now, I'll take custody..."
"No."
"Hey, the kid doesn't want to go. I'll contact you when he returns to normal."
"And who knows when that'll be...!"
Baek Eunseong, who looked like he was about to shout for a moment, placed a hand on his hip and turned away.
Wow, it's my first time seeing Baek Eunseong shaken. I instantly understood why Baek Hamin fell into darkness so easily in the original work.
Just as Baek Eunseong's only weakness was Baek Hamin, Baek Hamin's weakness must have been Baek Eunseong as well.
When I put Baek Hamin, who had cried himself to sleep, into the hoodie pocket, he seemed to notice the sudden loss of body heat immediately, as I could feel his small face looking around in surprise.
He was trembling so much that it was visible even through the clothes, so with a sigh, I used a skill.
[Celestial Command]
It would be better for him to sleep even a little rather than stay awake trembling with anxiety. I gently shook the bracelet and put Baek Hamin to sleep.
Baek Eunseong, knowing I had used a skill, glared at me with eyes that looked ready to pop out, but then relaxed his gaze once he confirmed Baek Hamin was sleeping peacefully.
"I'm leaving."
With a scoff, I headed home, and Baek Eunseong followed behind me.
"What? Why are you following me?"
"...Once Hamin wakes up, I'll just explain the situation and leave."
"So, you're coming to my house together right now."
"Yes."
Just imagining Baek Eunseong staying at my house for a brief moment gave me goosebumps all over. Seeing me unable to hide my displeasure, Baek Eunseong added quietly.
"I will sufficiently compensate you for this matter."
Well, if he puts it that way... I suppose I can endure it.
* * *
A short while later, upon arriving home, Baek Eunseong looked around the house with the exact same expression Baek Hamin had made when he first came to my place.
Seriously, a house where people live is more or less the same everywhere. Have you never thought that the house you live in is excessively large?
When I went into the bathroom to wash my hands, Baek Hamin must have felt the cool air because his eyes snapped open. Then, after being on guard for a moment, he seemed to relax, realizing it was a familiar place, and even poked his head out.
Then he crawled out of the pocket on his own and started toddling around the room, so I casually said.
"Go listen to the explanation and tell your uncle to leave quickly."
At my words, Baek Hamin looked at Baek Eunseong, who was still spaced out, and then came running over to me.
"Uncle."
"Yeah."
"I'm hungry."
At those words, not only I but even Baek Eunseong let out a hollow laugh. I wanted to ask if he really had the nerve to say he was hungry in this situation, but Baek Hamin was still a young child entirely driven by instincts.
When I opened the refrigerator door and looked inside, Baek Eunseong, who had approached at some point, clicked his tongue.
"What on earth do you live on?"
"Rice."
A person can survive just eating rice. How amazing does he think he eats? While I glared at Baek Eunseong sideways, Baek Hamin bloomed a morning glory, then wriggled up the stem to match my eye level.
"Uncle, I want bibimbap."
I couldn't win against those sparkling eyes and the specific request. I had to let out a deep sigh and take out the eggs.
So I did fry an egg, but there was no spoon small enough for Baek Hamin's tiny mouth. The tiny fork and spoon had all been sent along when I sent Baek Hamin to Baekwoo last time, and there was no reason a teaspoon would exist in a house where someone lived alone.
After hesitating for a moment, I cut the seaweed into pieces small enough for Baek Hamin to hold. If he wrapped rice with that and ate with both hands, it would be manageable enough for a meal.
Baek Hamin also seemed to catch on to what he was supposed to do, and was about to deliciously eat the rice wrapped in seaweed.
"Baek Hamin!"
If only Baek Eunseong hadn't interfered.
"Are you eating that after checking it for poison?"
"Uh..."
Baek Hamin, who had dropped the seaweed, glanced between me and Baek Eunseong. Baek Eunseong was angry at Baek Hamin for eating without any suspicion, and I was angry at Baek Eunseong for suspecting me.
"Hey. Do I look like someone who would feed poison to a kid like this? What's with you since yesterday?"
I asked sarcastically, but sighed at the look in Baek Eunseong's eyes.
Right, 'Seong Dohyeon' was that kind of guy. Of all people, to possess Seong Dohyeon's body and suffer like this. Sighing again, I pulled a spoon from the sink and dipped it into the well-mixed rice.
"You try eating it too."
"Uncle... it's okay. There's no poison..."
If I were going to feed him poison, I would have done so already.
Baek Eunseong carefully scooped up the rice while looking at me with wide eyes.
I glared at the guy who was mumbling wordlessly, then quickly finished my own portion and filled my stomach before picking up Baek Hamin and taking him to the bathroom. Even after filling a bowl with water so he could wash comfortably and coming out, my anger hadn't subsided.
I looked at Baek Eunseong, who was sitting in my chair without permission, and used a skill.
[Celestial Command]
At the sudden loud ringing of bells, Baek Eunseong jumped in surprise.
"Wh-What is that?"
"Can you rein in your energy?"
Baek Eunseong was spreading that unsettling aura again out of wariness of his surroundings. And it was slowly grating on my nerves. Perhaps because of the accumulated bad blood, 'Seong Dohyeon's' body was feeling intensely displeasured, as if his heart would burst.
At my words, Baek Eunseong quickly made golems and opened the window. I could feel the golems jumping down one by one and taking positions throughout the alley. Still, it was as annoying as a thumb-sized fly buzzing all over the room.
Above all, that guy's energy was so strong that I couldn't sense anything else in the vicinity.
"Don't interfere. I'll handle it myself."
I glared at Baek Eunseong and called Asil to layer barriers one after another. Only after seeing the densely spread golden threads did Baek Eunseong dismiss his golems.
Only then, with Baek Eunseong's mana gone, I relaxed my tension and stared blankly at Baek Hamin, who was looking for his blanket.
Isn't he too small? What if I accidentally...
Terrible imaginings wreaked havoc in my mind. I carefully grabbed Baek Hamin's hoodie.
"From now on, make yourself noticeable when you walk around."
"Like this?"
Baek Hamin bloomed a large sunflower above his head. The yellow was eye-catching and good.
"Yeah, come here."
Baek Hamin bloomed a morning glory, wrapped it around the table leg, and climbed up it.
"You said you were going to explain, so do it."
At my words, Baek Eunseong reached out to Baek Hamin. Baek Hamin, sitting quietly in that hand, glanced at me, and then opened his mouth before Baek Eunseong could even say anything.
"Can't I stay here?"
"You should ask me that."
"Uncle..."
When I added in disbelief, Baek Hamin looked up at me with tears welling up in his eyes and tried to run toward me. But Baek Eunseong caught him faster.
"Do you remember what happened?"
Baek Hamin said he didn't remember anything about what had happened. Just that his legs hurt a lot.
Baek Hamin, speaking hesitantly, glanced at Baek Eunseong. Baek Eunseong was smiling as if nothing had happened, but he must have been shaken because I could see the flow of his energy wavering.
"The curse..."
"Hamin."
Baek Eunseong, who cut off Baek Hamin's words, checked my reaction. He wanted to have a private conversation but was bothered by my presence, that was it.
"Forget it, I'm not curious."
I waved my hand and stood up from my seat.
What I was curious about wasn't why Baek Hamin's curse was running wild, but whether the mastermind was Baek Jiseong or not. The more Baek Jiseong kept Baek Hamin and Baek Eunseong in check, the faster the day Baek Eunseong would eat poison would approach.
"Then leave now."
When Baek Eunseong showed signs of leaving, Baek Hamin ran over and grabbed him.
"Uncle, sleep over too."
"This is my house, you know."
"I'm scared..."
When I warned him with a scoff, as if to say no way, Baek Hamin looked up at me with tearful eyes. Seeing that, Baek Eunseong's expression immediately weakened. I can see who gave him that habit.
[Celestial Command]
["Hey."]
"Mhm?"
["Sleep."]
As soon as my command ended, Baek Hamin started nodding off and falling asleep, and when I picked him up and placed him on an appropriate pillow, Baek Eunseong looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
But that was only for a moment. I thought Baek Eunseong's eyes were getting slightly hazy—
"Has he gone crazy..."
"……."
"Hey, wake up!"
This guy also ended up falling asleep, slumped over the dining table.