S Chapter 57

‘Eve, are you still keeping U-dam asleep?’

「Yep~ He’s sleeping soundly.」

Eve replied proudly. The reason Yang U-dam, who had only been hit once on the back of the head, hadn’t woken up yet, while Shin Jukyeong’s shoulder was torn and arm broken, was simple. Eve was keeping him asleep with her power. It was all Shin Jukyeong’s command.

In summary, it was a tactic to buy time to conserve stamina for his brother’s Ability Manifestation.

‘Hmm… I think it should be fine soon. I’ll have to start today.’

Just as he was making various plans alone, a knock sounded.

‘Is that Kang Seo-oh?’

That guy usually just barges in. What’s going on? Does he not know the guest has left yet?

“Come in.”

Despite his permission, the door didn’t open. Huh? Thinking they hadn’t heard, he repeated.

“You can come in.”

But they still hesitated. Come to think of it, the presence… it wasn’t Kang Seo-oh? …Hmm. I don’t know who it is, but striking first is always best.

‘It’s good timing, I was feeling stiff anyway. Time for a feigned stumble and a gut punch.’

After pulling back his hospital clothes and tensing, his forearm flexed, shouting ‘Okay~’.

Shin Jukyeong approached the door without hesitation and flung it open. Then, a familiar face appeared. Yes, that monster freak.

Uh…

…Ah!

‘I completely forgot.’

Right. Wasn’t I doing all this to exploit that guy in the first place?

‘My memory is getting worse and worse.’

He frowned sharply in displeasure.

“……?!”

The guy seemed surprised the door opened so suddenly, staring at Shin Jukyeong with wide, startled eyes. Then, he quickly snapped out of it and hesitantly spoke.

“Uh… just for a moment, can I, come in…?”

‘Hmm? What’s wrong with this guy?’

His attitude had changed. His arrogant and obnoxious demeanor was nowhere to be seen, his tail tucked completely. Ugh, it’s gross. Shin Jukyeong instinctively shivered. Misunderstanding this reaction, the monster freak’s face turned pale.

“Oh, oh, it’s cold, isn’t it? My apologies. To keep a patient standing, where is my head…”

The monster freak quickly closed the door. He seemed to think Shin Jukyeong was unwell. Shin Jukyeong wasn’t particularly uncomfortable, but it was too much of a hassle to stop him and explain he was fine, so he just walked back to his bed. He could feel the guy awkwardly following him in.

‘Unexpected.’

Honestly, he hadn’t expected him to visit.

‘I thought he’d just ignore me?’

As Shin Jukyeong stared silently, the monster freak hastily thrust a flower bouquet forward.

“……?”

Shin Jukyeong gazed at the lush flower bouquet suddenly pushed into his face.

“Ah, ah… um. This, please, take…”

It was colorful and beautiful. And since they were real flowers, a fragrant scent wafted around his nose. A normal person, even if they didn’t particularly like them, would have shown gratitude. Or at least offered some polite pleasantries. But Shin Jukyeong was different. His reaction was utterly cold. So much so that it made the giver embarrassed.

The monster freak blinked, completely frozen, but Shin Jukyeong still didn’t move.

“…Uh, d-do you dislike flowers?”

No. Not particularly. He had no strong feelings about flowers. To Shin Jukyeong, flowers were just flowers. Slightly pretty plants, nothing special. Yet, there was a reason for maintaining such an unwelcoming attitude. It wasn’t because the other person was that monster freak. The problem was his gender.

‘I don’t have a hobby of receiving flowers from men.’

That’s right. If it had been a woman, he would have treated her courteously. Shaken her hand, and even handed her one of the drinks stacked in the fridge. He probably would have even offered her to sit on the bed since the chair was uncomfortable.

Is that too much? Not at all. Considering Shin Jukyeong’s default settings, it was a natural reaction. He was a man who had reached Indifference +999, Apathy +999, Emotionless +999. At least he was kind to women. Shin Jukyeong was a man, after all. Especially for women who resembled Guseul-i, his chivalry went UP.

But (excluding his siblings) it’s a man? There’s no reason to be nice. Why would he dote on some dark-haired guys? In fact, the most common things Shin Jukyeong said to his male peers were:

In his teens: (didn’t talk to them)

In his twenties: “This instructor is extremely disappointed in all of you!” (during his instructor days)

In his thirties: “Please, just do some work…”

Therefore, his impression of the offered flower bouquet couldn’t help but be chilling.

‘Crazy, what the hell are you doing, it’s gross.’

Shin Jukyeong turned his head away with an uninterested expression. As if telling him to take it away.

「Beep! Manliness 780,000…!」

‘What? You mean it’s not 990,000 yet? I need to try harder.’

「For your information, Eve is 10,000,000! Ta-da!! ( • ̀ω•́ )✧!」

‘You don’t have a gender.’

「(っ｀ᾥ ´ c)!!」

‘What.’

「(Hmph! Hmph!)」

While he was bantering with Eve, completely forgetting about the flower bouquet, the monster freak suddenly knelt down. He dropped with such force that there was a loud bang! Shin Jukyeong clicked his tongue, tut-tutting at the young man who didn’t seem to care about his own body. However, whether he knew Shin Jukyeong’s thoughts or not, the monster freak was busy prostrating himself in apology.

“I’m sorry… I don’t think these words can earn forgiveness. But I felt I had to apologize to you in person, so I came. Truly… even if I was swayed by emotions, I shouldn’t have done that… You have a family too… Ha, I thought you were going to die because of me… Thank you for coming back alive, truly, thank you…”

The monster freak’s head bowed lower and lower. His guilt-ridden voice was desperate. After that, he infinitely repeated “thank you” and “I’m sorry.” Anyone watching would think those were the only two words he knew.

“I have nothing to say, even with ten mouths…”

He really seemed to think that he had been dragged into the Dungeon and suffered because of him. What kind of expression would he make if he found out that Shin Jukyeong had intended to swindle him?

…Hmm, would he get hit again? Just imagining it was bothersome. He’d have to keep it a secret until his grave. As Shin Jukyeong wore a calm expression, shouting ‘No conscience!’ internally, Eve chuckled as she watched the monster freak.

「Manliness -990,000 (whisper)」

‘Eve, stop it.’

「…-100?’

‘Eve.’

「( `ε´ )… Pfft!」

“-and so, I came to apologize…”

The monster freak gulped. He had already finished his sentence. Oh. …He hadn’t heard because he was scolding Eve.

‘I completely skipped the middle part.’

Since he didn’t know what was said, he couldn’t reply, and the monster freak began to dig himself into a hole.

“Yes, I know you don’t want to talk to me.”

No, that’s not it… Tsk. At this point, Shin Jukyeong also felt a bit awkward. So much so that he forgot the atrocity of bringing flowers. Even Shin Jukyeong, who was known for his utter lack of tact, found it a bit difficult to say, ‘Sorry, I was distracted and didn’t hear. Could you repeat that?’ in this atmosphere.

But! Professional Hunter Shin Jukyeong never misses an opportunity that comes his way! Behind Shin Jukyeong, a translucent (30% opacity) Shin Jukyeong 2 appeared with a sly smile.

‘To think a pumpkin would roll in on its vine.’

“Get up.”

“……What?”

“At that time, there was nothing else that could be done. Now, Monchi, no, Hyung, no… You… No.”

「Jukyeong, can you only say ‘no’？」

‘No.’

「No.」

‘(Feeling deep humiliation).’

「Hmph~ (︶ω︶)V」

Shin Jukyeong suppressed his trembling inner thoughts and forced a faint, calm smile. Focus, Shin Jukyeong. This isn’t the time to argue with Eve. It’s time to thoroughly devour the pumpkin that rolled in!

‘Let’s push him further like this. If he’s a decent human, he’ll try to do something for me.’

The inner Shin Jukyeong cheered, ‘Hooray, it’s good!’

Meanwhile, the monster freak was, in turn, surprised by the unexpectedly warm response and wore a questioning expression. Shin Jukyeong didn’t miss that fleeting moment. He patted the prostrate monster freak’s shoulder a couple of times, driving the point home.

“I don’t intend to blame anyone. It was just an accident.”

The corners of his mouth twitched subtly, but the other person didn’t notice. He was so deeply moved by the overwhelming kindness and mercy that he couldn’t see the wicked truth.

Humans are truly shallow. However, Shin Jukyeong, having already decided to thoroughly exploit the other person, had become an unstoppable runaway train. Having lied so much, this level of shamelessness was nothing now. Shin Jukyeong, donning a kind-hearted facade, further enchanted the monster freak.

“More importantly, how is Yang Ji-ho? Is he okay? Ah~ I couldn’t sleep thinking about Yang Ji-ho… Ha, how hard it must have been for him in that young body. As for me, well, it’s just a broken shoulder and a broken arm, so it’s fortunate…”

“Ah, no…”

The monster freak showed a broken reaction. It was understandable. The person he had harmed was instead worrying about his family and even forgiving his sins? It would be hard to endure with a normal mentality. He probably felt guilt pressing down on him. If only Shin Jukyeong had gotten angry or sworn, then at least some of the accumulated guilt might have dissipated, right?

‘But am I crazy? To make you feel comfortable?’

He needed to stimulate the guilt further. That way, he would become anxious. Especially with the Korean characteristic of feeling compelled to return twice what they received, he would go even crazier. This, this, he’d want to grant any wish, wouldn’t he?

“No, no. I’m sorry because of me…”

And the monster freak, unexpectedly, was also the type with a soft mind and heart.