Chapter 14
“I want to go. To where I was meant to be. To the place that should rightfully be mine.”
Yoo Hyeok-jin’s eyes wavered slightly at the words of his younger brother, Sword Emperor Yoo Jin-seong’s granddaughter.
Those words were just likeㅡ.
‘As expected of Jin-seong’s granddaughter. She says things just like what that kid used to say when he was young.’
Heh.
He let out a faint laugh.
Then he slowly withdrew the hand that had been stroking Seol-a’s head.
“You’ve got quite the nerve, Seol-a. That sounds like you intend to take the position of head of the family.”
“That’s right. I’ll become the head of the Sword Emperor family.”
“Kwahahaha!!”
Yoo Hyeok-jin began to laugh heartily.
‘So Seol-a really did inherit Jin-seong’s blood more than anyone! This is delightful! So delightful!’
Because the person he had longed for so much was right before him.
‘I was worried the Sword Emperor family might fall because of that brat Ho-ryeong. …Thanks to Seol-a, I can set that worry aside. I even thought I might take the position of head of the family myself if it came to it.’
Swish.
He lowered himself to one knee to meet Seol-a’s eyes.
Then he clasped both of Seol-a’s hands.
“Seol-a. Are you truly certain?”
“Yes. The Sword Emperor family today isn’t the Sword Emperor family. I want to set things right. Restore it to what it was in its glory days. No—make it even greater than it was.”
“It won’t be easy. Ho-ryeong won’t just sit back and watch.”
“If you and the elders of the Council of Elders help me, it’ll be possible.”
“What…? Pfft…! Kwahaha!!”
At Seol-a’s audacious words, Yoo Hyeok-jin laughed heartily once again.
“Haha…. I’m sorry. That was the most delightful thing I’ve heard in my life, so I was rude to you, Seol-a.”
“I understand. It’s an absurd thing to say. Asking for the Council of Elders’ help is shameless of me. But Father was the one who crossed the line first.”
Seol-a’s fierce gaze caught Yoo Hyeok-jin’s eye.
‘That’s one vicious gaze.’
He stroked his beard once.
“Yes. As you say, Ho-ryeong was the one who crossed the line first. He was always lying in wait for a chance to kill you, even when you were just a child. If Yura hadn’t been there, you’d have been dead long ago.”
“Yes. That’s right. If Yura hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here.”
“…Very well. I’ll support you. If I say I’ll support you, it’s no different from the other elders supporting you, too. My will is the will of the Council of Elders.”
“Thank you, Great-Granduncle. I won’t let you down.”
Seol-a’s doe-like eyes turned toward Yoo Hyeok-jin, and his large hand reached for her head once more.
“Don’t worry about disappointing me. You’re still a child; you don’t need to think about things like that already. It’s the duty of the adults in the Sword Emperor family to guide an inadequate head of the family.”
“So do as you please. We’ll smooth things over afterward. Our Seol-a only needs to focus on becoming head of the family. Understand?”
Stroke, stroke.
His large hand gently and affectionately stroked Seol-a’s black-and-white hair.
“…Thank you, Great-Granduncle.”
◈
‘This is a little embarrassing….’
With Yoo Seol-a’s great-granduncle showing up just in time to become my ally, I’d said all sorts of embarrassing and not-so-embarrassing things to draw him in, and now I was suddenly feeling self-conscious.
Of course, he’d given his approval, but to me, who’d been an orphan until recently, his touch had been so warm.
“Your face is a little red… Are you embarrassed~?”
“Your expression is so annoying. Can I hit you?”
He’d seen right through my embarrassment. Couldn’t he pretend not to notice for a lady’s sake?!
ㅡThough I’m not exactly a lady on the inside….
“Hahaha~! I’m joking. Just joking~. Anyway, I’ll do everything I can to help our Seol-a become head of the family, so do as you please. But first, I’ll give you a test.”
“A test?”
“That’s right. I’ll help you without any conditions, but I think I need to see whether you have what it takes to draw people to your side. If you don’t, then I’ll have to help with that, too.”
In the original story, Yoo Seol-a pushed away anyone who approached her.
That was after Yura was murdered.
Convinced that ‘everyone close to me dies,’ she ended up going through multiple Gates alone.
ㅡLonely, and so pitiful.
“After my younger brother Jin-seong—in other words, the Sword Emperor—passed away, the Sword Emperor family split into those centered around Ho-ryeong and those centered around me, the head of the Council of Elders.”
“Well, the people who gathered around me did so because I was the Sword Emperor’s older brother and the family’s elder. If I support you, they’ll naturally serve you.”
“The problem is, of course, the ones serving Ho-ryeong. They’re opportunists who buttered him up and secured positions for themselves.”
“They’re fairly capable, too, so they’re a real nuisance. Well, I’ll handle that side of things, so it won’t be a problem for you.‘
The ones eating away at the Sword Emperor family.
Because of them, the Sword Emperor family was slowly, very slowly, splitting apart from within.
And that eventually led to the Council of Elders disappearing altogether, leaving Yoo Seol-a completely alone.
‘To become head of the family, I’ll have to wipe out Yoo Ho-ryeong and his cronies and cleanse the Sword Emperor family. Only then will the family finally return to its proper state.’
My brows furrowed of their own accord.
Why had the author made Yoo Seol-a so unhappy?
And why had they ultimately brought her to her death?
I wanted to ask the author, even though I couldn’t meet them now.
Even if it was a wish that could never come true anymore.
“…So what is the test I have to pass?”
“I’ve rambled on too long. …There’s only one test you have to pass. Show everyone your might, beyond a doubt! That’s all.”
“My might…?”
I was a little taken aback when he said the test was to show everyone my might.
Butㅡ.
‘I’ve heard in all sorts of stories that the protagonist performs unbelievable feats and draws people to their side, right? Is Yoo Hyeok-jin telling me to do that?’
I met his eyes as he gazed steadily at me.
“What should I do to show my might?”
“It’s simple. Seol-a, what are you right now?”
“I’m a new Hunter who just became one.”
“That’s right. You already know what I’m getting at.”
That was right.
I could guess from the question, ‘What am I right now?’
What the test was, that is.
“Successfully clear a Gate. At least B-rank, solo.”
“That’s right. Ho-ryeong’s limit was soloing B-rank Gates. You’ll have to perform at least as well as him, or better, to completely win over the members of the Sword Emperor family who serve me.”
Gates are assigned ranks according to their difficulty, but from B-rank and above, even veteran Hunters can’t afford to let their guard down.
Since a moment’s carelessness can mean death, Hunters generally don’t explore Gates solo.
For safety, they form parties and enter Gates in groups to obtain resources.
However, Hunters from the Sword Emperor family and a few other guilds are different.
They enter dangerous Gates alone, leave the Gate Core untouched, and even take down the boss.
ㅡFor the Sword Emperor family and other guilds, it’s a way to secure their claim to succession.
What I had to accomplish now wasㅡ.
Solo exploration of at least a B-rank Gate.
At most, solo exploration of an A-rank Gate.
That was the gist of it.
“Of course, that’s a harsh condition for someone who’s just become a Hunter. That’s why I’m saying I’ll support you unconditionally—and personally.”
It was certainly a difficult task for me right now.
The monsters generated in the Association’s testing area could be defeated without trouble if I prepared in advance and knew how to deal with them.
But a Gate was a real battlefield where danger could lurk anywhere, at any time.
Even an S-rank Hunter could die from inexperience if they entered a Gate alone right after becoming a Hunter.
Knowing that, Yoo Hyeok-jin was promising to support me no matter what, in case I refused or failed.
Butㅡ.
“I’ll prove myself, Great-Granduncle. I’ll successfully explore a B-rank Gate. No, an A-rank Gate. And I’ll make sure to take down the boss, too.”
Yoo Seol-a would have met this condition, no matter what.
Knowing that, I would prove myself.
That would be my way of apologizing to my favorite character for possessing her.
“…You’re serious? You’ll explore an A-rank Gate alone? Even the boss?”
“If I’m the Sword Emperor’s granddaughter, shouldn’t I be expected to prove myself? Especially since I’m an S-rank Hunter.”
“Pfft…! Kwahaha!!”
Yoo Hyeok-jin burst out laughing.
He laughed until his sides hurt.
“Ahㅡ. I’m sorry. I wasn’t laughing to make fun of you. I was just so proud of you, and so happy, that I laughed.”
“I know.”
“Heh heh. What a bold girl.”
Ruffle, ruffle!
He vigorously ruffled my hair.
Until it was completely tousled.
“Good. Go on and prove yourself. I won’t blame you if you fail, but succeeding would mean keeping your word. …Understood?”
“I’ll definitely succeed. After allㅡ.”
I continued, my eyes filled with resolve.
“Where I’m meant to be is an even more dangerous battlefield than that.”
“Don’t worry about that. If our Seol-a succeeds, I’ll personally turn everything upside down. All you have to do is show up. Heh heh heh.”
Whoosh!
Yoo Hyeok-jin turned and headed toward the entrance.
“Then I’ll look forward to it and wait.”
Step. Step. Thump!
With that, Yoo Hyeok-jin left the house.
As if a storm had come and gone.
And the moment he left, Iㅡ.
“Miss, are you really planning to do it!?”
I was treated to a barrage of Yura’s nagging.