/
I froze and couldn’t answer Kang Yoo-hyun’s question. I stared at him dumbfoundedly.
“How could you blindly trust us and just leave like that? Do you even know what I’m going to say to the reporters?”
“No, I…”
I was quite perplexed by his words. It seemed that I easily trusted the main character unknowingly. Of course, I thought they wouldn’t set me up. But it must have looked ridiculous to them. I probably appeared to be extremely naive to trust them when I hadn’t even written the contract. However, I couldn’t say that I knew they wouldn’t set me up because they are all good people. They would think I was very suspicious if I said that.
I rolled my eyes, groaning softly. It’s a press conference. I will expose myself to the media first. I’m the one who suggested it, but it’s a bit confusing to ask me to do it all of a sudden. I gulped and said calmly.
“Today is a bit sudden. How about we do it tomorrow instead…”
“Of course, we will be holding separate official interviews, but today is a good opportunity. Besides, they probably won’t believe it if we only have Kang Yoo-hyun’s testimony.”
“Um…”
I mean, all of a sudden? I don’t know about Kang Yoo-hyun, who was full of confidence, but the thought of me being surrounded by so many reporters and being questioned made my fingers go numb.
How is my hairstyle today? Did I apply wax? I ate Tteokbokki1 with Kang Soo-hyun and didn’t brush my teeth. There’s no chili powder stuck anywhere in there, right? All kinds of worries came to my mind.
“Do I have to show myself? But I won’t be able to use my skill in front of the reporters.”
We should hide the embarrassing activation condition as much as possible, Mr. Guildmaster. When I looked at him earnestly, Park Yoon-sung stroked his chin with a troubled expression.
“Well, that’s true too.”
“…”
Hoo, fortunately Park Yoon-sung had an easygoing personality. I breathed a sigh of relief inside, and a low voice, which now I was familiar with, rang out.
“Still, watch it.”2
“…?”
Why is the main character so obsessed with unimportant things? I can’t understand it at all.
However, since I decided to betray Jang Tae-san, I have no intention of returning to the Loki Guild tonight. I can only go pack up when Jang Tae-san is arrested, besides, there’s nowhere to stay the night now.
I nodded while thinking for a moment. I had to at least pretend I cared. I trusted all of them unconditionally because I know they are good people, Amen. If I show this attitude of groundless trust too much, they will doubt me.
“I understand. Then I’ll just go take a look.”
I nodded and went to Kang Yoo-hyun’s press conference.
***
There were many people in the venue. Most of them were reporters with cameras and laptops, but there were also people who were just there to watch. For example, there was an awakener from another guild who was standing in a corner of the hall with her hat down.
Wow, it’s Sung Yoo-bin.
She was a ranker in the Freya Guild and the leader of the Valkyrie combat unit, literally the right-hand man of the Freya guildmaster. In addition, she was an important minor character in the novel. Especially in the heroine position.
However, her first meeting with Kang Yoo-hyun was not so good. This was because her only family and older brother, Sung Yoon-jae, was one of the first-generation awakeners trapped in the gate with Kang Yoo-hyun. After returning, Kang Yoo-hyun remained silent even when the bereaved families came asking about the condition of their family members. Sung Yoo-bin, of course, did not see him in a good light.
Later, their relationship improved as the story followed the narrative and overcame adversity together in many episodes, but not now. Originally, King Draugr was a mob boss who Kang Yoo-hyun caught after getting on good terms with Sung Yoo-bin. But right now, her affinity for Kang Yoo-hyun is at rock bottom, and she’s going to meet him again by accident at the press conference. Even if the storyline was twisted, their meeting is still clearly unavoidable.
As a hardcore fan of the novel, I glanced at Sung Yoo-bin worriedly. How was it when they first met? I think Sung Yoo-bin, who has a tough personality, dealt the first blow to Kang Yoo-hyun. The surrounding area, of course, was destroyed.
What should I do? Should I run away right now? I retreated back unconsciously, but before that, Kang Yoo-hyun appeared in the spotlight.
Click, click .
Despite the incessant flashes, Kang Yoo-hyun entered the venue with a calm face. He serenely strode up to the interview table with his long, slender legs. His handsome face shone even brighter under the spotlight.
As I watched in awe, Kang Yoo-hyun sat down before I knew it. I missed my timing to go out, and batted my eyes.
“Actually, I didn’t do this dungeon raid alone.”
“…”
Kang Yoo-hyun, who had already grabbed the microphone, quickly brought up the main issue. That was before the reporters even asked questions. In the novel, he’s always straightforward and says what he wants to say, so I’m used to it and it doesn’t feel too strange to me. But the reporters didn’t seem to like it.
“Is that true? Then with whom…”
“With Hunter Han Yi-jin of the Loki Guild.”
His gaze landed on me. The look in his eyes that found me precisely amongst this crowd was amazing. It hadn’t even been a few minutes since he had come to the venue and sat down.
The buzz gradually became louder. ‘Who is that?’ I heard voices asking openly from all over the place.
Of course they wouldn’t know. In the novel, Han Yi-jin’s existence was not known to the media. An insignificant villain, a small-fry. An unimportant being that no one cares about. But now, contrary to the original Han Yi-jin who had little presence, he had gained an immense amount of fame due to media exposure.
“I’ve never heard of him before. What kind of hunter is he?”
A series of questions was spewed out in rapid-fire after a reporter failed to contain his curiosity. Some people searched the internet hastily or called fellow reporters.
“About him…”
“…?”
Kang Yoo-hyun slowly opened his mouth and his gaze stopped at one place after a quick glance at the people below him. Naturally, people’s eyes followed suit.
“It would be better to ask him directly.”
“…!”
No, this bastard?
The reporters’ gazes were fixed on me.  They instinctively realized that I was the ‘Han Yi-jin’ that Kang-Yoo Hyun had mentioned. The hunter who had the ability to assist Kang Yoo-hyun in clearing an SS-class dungeon that could not be conquered even if hunters from all over the world gathered was sitting right before their eyes.
A flash went off right in front of my eyes before I could properly register the situation. Fuck, my eyes!
I had no choice but to sit next to Kang Yoo-hyun. Upon being thrusted into an unexpected situation, Han Yi-jin’s body also stiffened.
“…I’m Han Yi-jin, a B-rank hunter from the Loki Guild.”
“B-rank?”
“You’re a B-rank hunter?”
When I finally opened my mouth and briefly introduced myself, the audience was filled with disbelief. I’m just saying what I want to say as I address the constantly flowing questions. In this case, it was better to ignore some questions moderately like Kang Yoo-hyun.
“I have an S-class auxiliary skill. It amplifies the subject’s abilities.”
“As far as I know, the stat limit is 99. No way…”
“Yes, its appliance can allow the subject to transcend the stat limit. Of course, skill proficiency is also subjected to amplification.”
“Oh…!”
The astonished reporters asked even more heated questions. Some asked for specific information such as the level of ability increase, the skill’s duration, and number of people it can be applied to at the same time. However, since I had made an agreement with Park Yoon-sung, I couldn’t answer certain questions, so I kept my mouth shut.
“How can a B-rank hunter use an S-class skill? Isn’t that a fraud?”
Some of them asked rather sharp questions. I was a little nervous when a reporter who gave off a cold impression stared at me and asked such a shrewd question. Still, I couldn’t honestly say I’m a transmigrator. Kang Yoo-hyun, who tapped my shoulder, was slightly confused, and replied in a relaxed tone instead.
“Fraud? Can you be held responsible for that? Above all, the biggest evidence is that I am a witness.”
“…”
No one could refute Kang Yoo-hyun’s arrogant statement. In fact, they also demanded such a press conference because they didn’t believe that Kang Yoo-hyun cleared the SS-class dungeon alone. So Kang Yoo Hyun pushed his answer right in front of them, and it was hard for the reporters to ask any further even if they didn’t believe his answer. On the other hand, most of the reporters welcomed this provocative topic. Even if it was a lie, they should welcome a scoop that would heat up public opinion.
They took pictures of Kang Yoo-hyun, who tapped me on the shoulder while pretending to be friendly, and me, who was stuck beside him. The corner of my mouth twitched again from the forced smile. Please help me.
Contrary to my wishes, the press conference did not end quickly. Wasn’t this kind of performance enough? Please let me go.
“Let’s call it a day.”
“…?”
Kang Yoo-hyun, who caught a glimpse of my face, suddenly stood up while saying that.
He grabbed my shoulder and we got up together. And without a chance to resist, I was dragged out of the venue by him.
“Wait, Hunter Kang Yoo-hyun!”
“Please answer a little more…!”
Although I know Kang Yoo-hyun is really outspoken, is this really okay? I already knew about his frankness because I read it from the novel, but it was really awkward to experience it in person. I was dumbfounded and stuck in Kang Yoo-hyun’s arms.
“Hunter Kang Yoo-hyun!”
“…!”
Someone intercepted Kang Yoo-hyun, who was leaving the scene at a fast pace. The reporters were no longer allowed in the area, yet someone followed him all the way here.
It was Sung Yoo-bin. Well, there were many people who wouldn’t dare to stop her, she was a world ranker and also an S-class. Subconsciously, I glanced at Kang Yoo-hyun’s face. Kang Yoo-hyun’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Sung Yoo-bin, who was similar in appearance to Sung Yoon-jae.
Sigh.
I could guess what would happen next.
I like them all. I like everything.
But could he please let me go and continue?
Caught between the SS-class and the S-class, the B-class just wanted to escape before he got hurt.
""
T/N: Lmao poor HYJ, became a shrimp caught between the whales
Footnotes
Simmered rice cake.The press conference.