The S-Classes That I Raised

A harsh coughing fit was followed by neither soothing words nor questions asking if he was okay.

"Ahhhhhh!"

A scream of pain erupted. Han Yujin's body curled tightly, trembling violently. His teeth chattered as he shouted at the two frozen figures.

"Back off! Ugh, mana, ah, ugh!"

Grinding his molars, the scream was swallowed with effort. Seong Hyunje and Song Taewon jumped up as if burned and stepped back. As the distance grew, Han Yujin's groans gradually eased. In the dark ruins, his pale back rose and fell heavily before he gasped out a deep breath.

"Far...ther..."

The two widened the gap further, and Han Yujin, still curled up, painfully continued.

"The mana... is too vivid. Even now, my skin stings... huh..."

"...Is there no other abnormality?"

"Seong Hyunje."

Through the silence, the sound of dripping water came. Han Yujin pressed his forehead against the wing of Silekia. Despite its SS-grade equipment value, no chill was felt.

"Yerim is still young."

Han Yujin's voice continued slowly.

"Honestly, Hyuna is more reliable than you, Seong Hyunje, but she'll be busy for a while. So could you, who has some leeway, take care of her a bit?"

"That's Han Yujin's responsibility, isn't it?"

Seong Hyunje answered calmly. Han Yujin smiled faintly.

"Yes. Still... and the breeding farm. If the kids don't grow, they might try to dispose of them. Food costs aren't cheap either. But it probably wouldn't be much trouble for you, so could I ask?"

"...All right. Not difficult."

"Thank you. I won't worry about the building side."

The blacksmith was solid with just the presence of Yoo Myungwoo. The research team had already settled in with achievements. Dohamin had good skills even before the regression, so no problem this time either.

"Noah should be fine now, too. I think he'll get stronger."

He would continue evolving relationships with Liet outside the dungeon. It'd be fine if he rebuilt the guild or stayed at the building. The team was special in many ways.

"But Yuhyun..."

Han Yujin's eyes blinked slowly.

"...I don't want to leave my younger brother alone again. But that can't be helped, right?"

Still, the living must live. Most would say that. Most would think it right. But how could it be again?

"Take him with you."

"......"

"You know well, Han Yujin. Han Yuhyun can only live by your side."

"...He's a bit... that way. Yes."

"Even if he's barely clinging to life, he must be unhappy. Yuhyun can never be happy without Han Yujin nearby."

Forcibly separating them would be cruel and cold. If one truly cared for Han Yuhyun, that must not happen. So taking him is right, and Yuhyun would follow without hesitation.

"Giving up on life easily isn't an option. Even if it's hard now, who knows what might happen. Did I think I could just regress?"

"If one is ordinary, yes. Life changes many things. But for Han Yuhyun, Han Yujin is absolute. At least from what I've seen, that will never change. Until the moment the light goes out."

That death wasn't a choice but a natural result. Like the dying embers extinguishing, Yuhyun losing the world called Han Yujin was an inevitable course.

"...I have to look after my brother."

Han Yujin muttered softly. He had to care for everything. All of it.

"I'll say it myself, but if I can't, please tell him for me... that he can come with me."

"All right. He'd be glad."

Is this really okay? Han Yujin bit his lip slightly and turned his head.

"And Director Song."

Song Taewon, standing silently opposite Seong Hyunje, suddenly blinked.

"...Yes."

"You'll take the lamb with you, right? Yerim calls you Song, but Director Song, what was it?"

"You can call me Song."

His heavy voice echoed over the water.

"But I ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) can't take responsibility."

After some hesitation, Song Taewon said. Even if it was a last request, he couldn't accept it blindly. He could lie to ease Han Yujin's mind, but since it was the last, he didn't want to deceive.

Han Yujin's mouth twitched into a slight smile at the honest answer.

"Sorry."

"No. If you answered 'yes' immediately, I'd be suspicious."

Because he wasn't that kind of person.

"Director Song, without me, the lamb will always be just a lamb. Worthless as a rider."

Han Yujin didn't say "like before regression."

"So please take it."

"Han Yujin."

"I'll pay for the kid's food. You know, overseas people sometimes leave inheritances to dogs or cats."

"No need."

"That's not bad. It's fine. It's cute, really."

"I can't promise responsibility until the end. That's why."

As Han Yujin said, the lamb would be cute. Song Taewon would honestly give affection, and the lamb would lean its body by his side. That wasn't bad at all.

But Song Taewon was always ready to risk his life. Ready to leave the lamb's side at any moment. Such a person must not be responsible for a life.

"What if you don't take responsibility?"

"...What?"

Uncharacteristic words from Han Yujin made Song Taewon narrow his brows slightly.

"Since it's a high-level monster, it probably has a long lifespan. It'd be nice if you stayed with it to the end, but if not, there are people around you who can take care of it."

"No, I can't just dump it on someone else..."

"Why do you think you'd be dumping it? On the contrary, there could be a queue, a competition."

Han Yujin laughed aloud.

"I'll do that too. Director Song is a good person. So surely many would want to remember it. Besides, since I have money for the upkeep, the burden is less. Choosing someone good to take care of it is harder. If need be, there's Seong Hyunje. Or maybe everyone will share responsibility."

"That's..."

Song Taewon suddenly recalled the Awakened Management Office inside the dungeon. They said it was good that the cemetery was close by. He could easily imagine the lamb wandering between those two. If instead of a mound of dirt without a corpse, a black lamb remained by them.

It felt strange. Song Taewon hadn't cared to think about his death. He was alone, with nothing to leave or want to leave.

"My area in this dungeon was the Awakened Management Office. And I killed the people there."

Those familiar faces, comrades of strange but familiar people.

"Because they were monsters."

Monsters.

"But that wasn't the only reason. Director Song's comrades, I haven't seen often, but surely they share similarities with Director Song. Because they stayed by Director Song's side."

"...Even after I died. That was so."

Song Taewon's eyes twisted, unclear if laughing or crying.

"We could have talked. But the result would've been the same. Those who would run away, wouldn't."

If only they could have explained that they were monsters. Some might have kept attacking, unable to understand until the end. But some might have accepted death with relief.

You're still alive. Thank goodness. Don't die.

And beyond that relief would be the anguish of becoming a monster trapped inside the dungeon. Song Taewon was a human who would live outside the dungeon, but they were not.

"They were monsters, but still human, right? Director Song. They must have believed they were human when they died. And the only one who sees and remembers them, Director Song, surely wouldn't think of them as mere monsters."

"That is... yes."

Song Taewon answered honestly.

"Isn't that enough? And you too, Director Song. People aren't made alone. My brother and I probably would be very different without each other."

People around are countless mirrors. Distorted, colored, and reflected in various sizes. We inevitably influence each other a little.

"Of course, some people firmly protect themselves. Director Song, please entrust yourself even just a little. To those who cherish and remember you as a person."

"......"

"Those people already have a part of you. Seeing and experiencing Song Taewon must have changed them a little, maybe a lot."

Song Taewon couldn't easily speak. Now, reaching even a fingertip out of the box was hard. The roots that had sunk in were too wide and deep. He even realized here that he might truly be something other than human.

Just suppressing the disgust that wanted to tighten the reins and bind his limbs was hard.

Nevertheless.

"I will take the lamb with me."

Because he knew those left behind. Because he had borne his memories and traces through battle with his whole body.

He couldn't refuse the temptation that his piece would remain as a harmless lamb. Isn't it okay to greedily desire a peaceful scene after death? Just a little.

"You promised."

"Yes."

"Even if I'm perfectly fine."

"...What?"

Han Yujin stretched out from his curled position, lying down and covering his face with both hands. His earlobes were flushed red.

"Uh, um. I'm okay now."

Han Yujin's voice was full of embarrassment.

"So, it's nothing. Uh, you can come closer now. Yes."

No sooner had he spoken than the two approached him.

Looks like it wasn't today. He felt embarrassed to see Seong Hyunje and Director Song's faces.

'I really thought it was the end.'

The mana mark went berserk, pain was insane, and he thought he'd soon say goodbye to this world. But as if nothing happened, the mark calmed down. Except for feeling weak, his body wasn't in bad shape.

"Are you really okay?"

Seong Hyunje leaned down. Still covering his face, Han Yujin nodded roughly.

"Also, my memory is a bit fuzzy."

"If you want, I can fix that, but it's obvious."

"Ah, how do I see Yuhyun..."

Remembering made him want to die. Yerim and Noah too. Seong Hyunje and Director Song. Ah, crazy...

"It's because, well, the crescent moon is obsessing over your place a lot? To me, my brother's like that side. I'm affected, damn it."

I thought it would only quietly target Director Song. Who knew? Even if I'd known, not much could be done. L-rank Han Yuhyun, Park Yerim, Noah, Seong Hyunje, and I, the S-rank, but, but, ahhh.

"What I said... Seong Hyunje, Director Song, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't baseless. I also apologize for old matters."

"I'm sorry for treating Han Yujin roughly."

"No, that..."

"And I refuse to be a rider."

"Don't change your mind!"

"If Han Yujin is safe, he'll grow, so conditions change."

"We should write a contract!"

Or maybe just give up making him an adult. But that would make me feel sorry for Song. Peace might want to stay young, but I can't ask.

Seong Hyunje wrapped me in his coat and lifted me. Thinking about going back to the hotel made the back of my neck burn again. On top of that, my stomach stung. How many points have I spent today? Should've closed the point shop earlier. The rookie said he couldn't touch what he made before. Hopefully this won't happen again, but maybe I should just spend everything.

What was the most expensive thing to survive? I unconsciously tried to open the point shop.

[◐▼◐∥Welcome! Point Shop!∥◑△◑]

The shop window appeared. What? The sun hasn't risen yet.

'No way, rookie?!'

Didn't close it but pretended to? Well, good. The kid's gotten better at improvising.

Director Song led, Seong Hyunje followed. The sound of water splashing beneath their feet came.

"Damn crescent moon, makes me spend points like crazy... I'm totally in the red."

"But you got an SS-grade item."

"Huh?"

"Silekia's Wings."

What? I lowered my hand from my face and looked at Seong Hyunje. His golden eyes curved into a smile.

"We'll go to the aquarium outside the dungeon, and he's giving it to you in advance."

"R-really?"

Really? He's giving it? I swallowed reflexively. Wow, Silekia? Even if he gives it, I probably won't use it much, but it's a precious SS-grade coat. Many would want it. Unfortunately, it was useless for Yuhyun. No fire resistance, and the options fit the armor much better. But Yerim or Noah could use it well.

Yerim had to grow a bit more, though. Even dungeon items don't infinitely resize, and since it was worn by Seong Hyunje, it probably wouldn't shrink enough to be comfortable. Still, it'd be a good item for years.

'It'll look good on her.'

Our Yerim. Of course, Noah would look cool too.

"But no one other than Han Yujin can wear it."

"Why!"

"You probably thought about giving it away, but no."

"How stingy!"

"The condition is that only Han Yujin wears it."

Almost good, almost bad. Yeah, no way to let other S-ranks use an SS-grade coat. I'm F-rank, so no threat.

"Then that'd be a waste. Just use it yourself, Seong Hyunje."

"Returning it?"

"No, lending it. It's mine, but I'll lend it to Seong Hyunje."

Returning it? No, first I'll take care of it.

"I won't charge a rental fee. But if it's a ranking match, it's confiscated."

"Thanks."

"...Are you serious? Really giving it? SS-grade?"

"Don't worry, there are other things."

"Even if there are, what? There are?"

SS-grade? Don't worry about Seong Hyunje. Others can hardly get one! Even Sisi-o has others besides the armor.

"I wasn't worried."

Not worried. The moonlight almost vanished; outside the department store was pitch dark. The hotel we reached after running was the only place faintly glowing. Light leaked through the curtains, but everything looked fine.

The kids must have returned safely. Thinking of seeing their faces made my mouth dry.