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7. Can We Keep Our Distance?
Maybe the real Han Yi-jin was indifferent to Eden. Of course, with his personality, he probably only had eyes for his little brother and didn’t want to pay attention to anything or anyone else. Anyway, I’m glad that saving Eden was easier than I thought.
“Hey, you should also sign a mercenary contract with the Odin Guild.”
“Then can I keep staying with you?”
“Ah, well. Of course.”
“I’ll do it.”
Eden nodded. I gave him a pen and had him sign it. Somehow, this guy looked so naive that even if I were close with him, he’d still need my assurance, which made me feel a little guilty. But still, I couldn’t miss this opportunity for Eden to enter the Odin Guild according to the novel.
Park Yoon-sung raised his head as he continued to go over the contract with Eden. His serious gaze turned towards me.
“I hope you will trust us more in the future. Hunter Han Yi-jin.”
“Ah, yes…”
I lowered my head like a child who was being scolded. Eden, who grumbled beside me, pursed his lips as if he didn’t like it. I was surprised when I looked back, and stabbed Eden’s waist with my elbow again.
“…Huck!”
“Kkyuu, kkyu!”
While I was distracted from the conversation, Yong-sik bit the rug on the floor as if it was his enemy. The thing is, Yong-sik’s saliva isn’t just a simple liquid. It was a lethal poison that melted even an S-class hunter’s body. I was shocked and called out to Yong-sik.
“Yo–Yong-sik!”
“Krung?”
“P–Put that thing down. It’s dirty. Dirty.”
“Krung!”
As I chased after him, Yong-sik ran around the room with the rug in his mouth, probably because he thought I was playing with him. Not only had the rug turned into a mop, but Yong-sik’s poisonous saliva was about to penetrate the floor.
“Ugh, stay still!”
“Kkyauu, kkyau!”
After a brief commotion, I was finally able to catch Yong-sik and hug him. Yong-sik, who was struggling a little in my arms, wailed for a bit and drooped, as if he was satisfied.
“Really, I have nothing… to say.”
Park Yoon-sung’s expression was bitter as he looked around the room that was devastated in an instant. He suddenly looked at Yong-sik.
“Nidhogg… It’s a legendary dragon, right?”
“Ah, yes…”
“Well, you have to prepare a lot if you’re going to raise it as your summon.”
“Ha-ha-ha…”
I looked at Yong-sik, who was yawning peacefully, while laughing awkwardly.  Kang Yoo-hyun, who was very wealthy in the original novel, built a cage the size of a playground for Nidhogg and raised him.
For some reason, my Yong-sik is small, and I don’t need such a big cage, but to raise him properly…
Money, I have to work hard to make money.
It is clear that there will be many things that Yong-sik will destroy in the future, and the cost of his food will be very expensive. I’m going to need a lot of money to cover everything. Come to think of it, I think I still need to feed Yong-sik. I glanced at Park Yoon-sung, who was instructing Yeon Seung-won to do something, and carefully opened my mouth.
“Umm…”
Then Park Yoon-sung turned to me with a curious expression on his face.
“Yes, what’s the matter?”
“Umm, by any chance…”
Summoned monsters were basically the same as the monsters in dungeons. They were just tamed by humans while they were still cubs. Didn’t Yong-sik also recognize me as his parent as soon as he hatched? However, even if humans are acknowledged as their parents or owners, their habits are still the same as those of monsters. Moreover, Yong-sik is a legendary dragon, and a top predator in the dungeons. Originally, he had to eat fat low-class monsters.
But how do I bring monsters from dungeons out as food? Of course, I could hunt every time I entered a dungeon, but unlike the D-rank dungeon I entered last time, the technical personnel are bound to be busy fighting, and they probably can’t spend much time hunting for food for my summon.
Thus, the hunters who raised summoned monsters used magic stones to feed them, which were the essence of monsters that had been killed. The problem was that Yong-sik’s grade was high, so there was a high probability that low-grade magic stones would not satisfy him. He would definitely need to eat only A-grade magic stones or higher. Of course, A-grade magic stones or stones of higher grade would be expensive.
I didn’t have the money to pay right away, but I wasn’t ashamed to ask for it. Still, I mustered up my courage and opened my mouth for Yong-sik, who was hungry.
“Can I get an A-grade magic stone or higher?”
“Oh, come to think of it, you also need to feed him.”
Yong-sik was now drooping in my arms. As soon as he was registered as my summon after hatching, he used poison breath, so he was exhausted now. Park Yoon-sung smiled gently as if he understood.
“I’ll prepare that.”
“Yes, and the—”
Despite its small size, Yong-sik’s exclusive cage is special treatment, so are magic stones of A-grade or higher he will be receiving. To be honest, I don’t want to think about how much it will cost.
“By any chance, all the expenses… Can I pay you later?”
I have no money right now. Since I was penniless, I feel uncomfortable saying this. Then, as expected, Park Yoon-sung’s face hardened.
“Hunter Han Yi-jin.”
“Yes…”
I gulped, swallowed my saliva and looked at Park Yoon-sung. His face was a little stiff, but he didn’t look angry. His expression was more dumbfounded or absurd.
“You… don’t have to worry about the cost of your dragon summon.”
“Yes?”
“Please think of it as an investment for the future. Because it’s a legendary dragon. It’s not a loss-making business for the guild.”
“Ah…”
I opened my eyes wide after hearing Park Yoon Sung’s words. Investment. I don’t feel burdened to hear that. I looked at Yong-sik, whose head was drooping. Even with such a small body, he was still a wyrmling who defeated an S-class hunter. He would get stronger as he grew up. It definitely wouldn’t be a losing business for the Odin guild.
“Then, I’ll thankfully accept that.”
“Yes, and…”
“…”
""
His gaze that was directed at me earlier fixed on Yong-sik then turned away. Park Yoon-sung continued to speak seriously.
“I think Hunter Han Yi-jin should be more aware of his position.”
“Position?”
I asked back curiously, and Park Yoon-sung nodded.
“Hunter Han Yi-jin’s skills are coveted by some of the world’s leading guilds. Also, you hatched a legendary dragon and successfully made him your summon. No hunter has ever tamed a legendary dragon.”
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, it became a hot topic that Kang Yoo-hyun was the first to register an S-class dragon as his summon in the novel. The dragon that came out was already an adult as soon as it hatched, but my Yong-sik…
“Kyuu…”
“…”
It seemed to be less aware because of its small appearance. I looked at Park Yoon-sung while comforting Yong-sik, who was whining as if he was hungry.
“I understand.”
“That’s good then.”
""
Park Yoon-sung, who smiled, added a few words.
“I hope that you will rely on us more in many ways from now on.”
“Yes…”
“I know Hunter Han Yi-jin is a reliable person.”
It may sound like empty words, but I don’t think so. Anyway, that’s the point. I guess it’s okay to be more confident. I proudly hugged Yong-sik tightly.
“We’re done preparing the accommodations. Should we get going?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I know you’re hungry, but please bear with me for a little. I’ve prepared your food there.”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
I answered frankly because I wasn’t really hungry yet. Then Park Yoon-sung muttered in a low voice, somehow sounding tired.
“Let’s hurry. I don’t think I can stop it anymore.”
“Yes?”
After uttering these incomprehensible words, Park Yoon-sung smiled as if nothing had happened. I was worried because his exhausted smile fell on me.
“Let’s go quickly.”
I left the safe residence where I stayed overnight under urging, not on demand. We got into the luxury sedan we saw as soon as we went outside. The spacious car was wide enough for Yong-sik to roll around as much as he wanted. However, Yong-sik, who still had no energy, only fell asleep with his head on my thigh.
The same cars were driving side by side in front and behind the car I got into. I found out when I looked out the window because the scenery passing by was amazing. I felt weird for suddenly becoming a VIP that I only see in movies.
The car moved from the outskirts to the city centre. The safe residence I stayed at last night was far from the city centre. We’re on our way to the Odin Guild’s headquarters.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Wow…”
As soon as I opened the door and walked out, I was amazed. I thought Loki’s Guild building was quite impressive, but it was no match for the Odin Guild. I looked up at the towering building whose height I couldn’t measure, I thought I would break my neck.
“Let’s go in.”
“Ah, yes.”
Park Yoon-sung and Eden stood on both sides of me, and the bodyguards who seemed to be awakeners tightly surrounded us. It was a rather excessive escort to a building that was only a stone’s throw away. I entered the Odin Guild, trying not to show my feelings even though it was uncomfortable.
The lobby was empty, as if the people had already returned home. Thanks to this, I was able to go up quickly by elevator.
I was looking forward to what Odin Guild’s accommodation would be like. I heard that the welfare here is as good as the No. 1 guild in Korea, and of course, they will let me stay in a good place because they will treat me as a semi-S-class, right?
I followed Park Yoon-sung with excitement. But as we moved further into the building, I couldn’t get rid of my doubts.
“Excuse me… Is that a portal?”
“That’s right.”
I thought I’d go to the guild members’ accommodation, but inside the room that required you to pass through a labyrinth-like passage, was a floating warp portal that was glowing blue.
Wait, wait a moment—
I think I read about this in the novel. The accommodation that was located in a subspace in a warp portal that only a few people could enter in the Odin Guild… Wasn’t that the lodging used by the guildmaster and the main character?
I looked back at Park Yoon-sung with a shocked expression on my face.
“No, why do we need to use the portal to get to the accommodation…?”
Then Park Yoon-sung looked at me as if he was asking what the problem was.
“Of course. Because the lodging you will be staying in is inside the portal.”
“No, I mean…!”
I calmed myself when I was about to get excited.
Hmm, well. Surely not all portals are connected to the main character’s dorm. It seems that he created another subspace to fully protect me. I’d rather think this than the former.
“Haa… let’s go in first.”
I followed Park Yoon-sung into the warp portal with the intention of confirming that.  Then I stumbled a little from the nausea I had felt from passing through the portal.
“Ugh.”
Anyway, why do I get motion sickness so easily? As soon as I frowned, someone grabbed me. I thought maybe it was Park Yoon-sung who entered first. I raised my head and wanted to express my gratitude.
“Ah, thank…”
“It’s late.”
“…!”
The protagonist was looking at me with glaring eyes.