RG 76

Ryu Seonghyeon, after safely landing on the ground, let go of me and spoke. “Are you really leaving?”

“Ahem, yes. There’s nothing left for me to do.”

I coughed awkwardly as I put some distance between us. My face flushed with delayed embarrassment. I was grateful that Ryu Seonghyeon didn’t question me further about my reckless jump out of the window, mistaking the fifth floor for the second.

“Hunter Kwon Taehyeok… is probably waiting for you.”

“I’ll contact him later.”

“You said you didn’t have a phone, didn’t you?”

“…”

It had been a lame excuse, a joke, but I didn’t expect Ryu Seonghyeon to bring it up at a moment like this.

I averted my gaze, pretending not to have heard him. I felt bad, but time was ticking, even in this moment. I was worried about Cha Sahyeon, who was likely waiting alone for me, and I needed a place to hide before morning came.

As I passed Ryu Seonghyeon, trying to leave, he caught hold of me again from behind. “Hunter Cover. Just… just this once, can’t you take Hunter Kwon Taehyeok’s car?”

I sensed the emotion in Ryu Seonghyeon’s voice, and it made me hold back a sigh. I turned to look at him. “If I had intended to do that, I wouldn’t have jumped out the window.”

“You’re badly injured. Even if the C-class Support checked you out…”

“I’m standing here just fine, aren’t I? As long as I can walk, that’s enough.”

“But…”

“Vicemaster,” I interrupted him, seeing the lingering hesitation in his eyes as he tried to persuade me. “You don’t need to feel guilty or indebted to me.”

“…”

“I’ve told you many times—Circle Guild can win.”

Whether I believed it or not, this was a fact, based solely on skill.

Someone like Park Huiseok has no chance.

In the past, Park Huiseok had tried to pressure us with his guild’s size, but he never dared to challenge Ryu Seonghyeon directly.

Of course, back then, Ryu Seonghyeon hadn’t regained his full strength, but even so, there’s a clear difference between them. Even among S-classes, Ryu Seonghyeon and Park Huiseok were on completely different levels.

“I just added a spoon to an already set table. I offered only a slight bit of help.”

No matter how much I struggled, not wanting to see the Circle Guild lose, if Ryu Seonghyeon hadn’t regained his mindset as a DPS in time, it would have ended in defeat.

I hadn’t done much during the match. All I did was avenge Kim Suho by taking down the three who assaulted him and briefly holding off Park Huiseok.

“As for my shoulder injury, it happened because I let my guard down. So, you really don’t need to worry about it.”

Ryu Seonghyeon, with a conflicted expression, stared at me for a long while before hesitantly speaking again, “…Honestly, there are a lot of things I want to ask you.” The wind tousled his hair, revealing his near-golden brown eyes as they looked at me. “You suddenly joined as a mercenary, you believed we would win… there are so many things that don’t make sense.”

Listening to his words in silence, I smiled bitterly behind my mask. In the “we” that Ryu Seonghyeon spoke of, I was no longer included. I had known that, but hearing it from his lips still stung.

“It would be a lie to say I don’t feel any guilt or sense of debt.”

“…”

“But those aren’t the only feelings I have.” Ryu Seonghyeon, who had been speaking awkwardly, lifted the corners of his lips into a gentle smile. “Thank you, Hunter Cover.”

“…”

“Thank you for believing in us and helping us win.”

Thump—my heart pounded hard in my chest, and suddenly, a status window flashed before my eyes.

《Ryu Seonghyeon’s interest increases!》

《Hidden Quest has been unlocked!》

《Hidden Quest: Earn Ryu Seonghyeon’s Trust Part One (Class S)》

《Hidden Quest: Earn Ryu Seonghyeon’s Trust Part One (Class S) cleared!》

《Hidden Quest cleared. Rewards are granted.》

《Ryu Seonghyeon’s interest increases!》

It was the same notification as I’d seen with Kwon Taehyeok before. His interest level increased, unlocking a hidden quest that I cleared, and as a reward, his interest rose again.

Though it was unsettling and eerie to see a status window reveal someone’s feelings, confirming that I’d left a good impression on Ryu Seonghyeon made my heart race involuntarily.

“So… I’d like to help you, too, Hunter Cover.” Ryu Seonghyeon took a step closer to me, smiling as he continued, while I stood frozen in surprise. “If it’s not too much to ask, could you perhaps show me your face… or, if that’s difficult, at least tell me your name?”

“That’s…”

“I have no other intentions. It’s just that… I think it would be nice to know someone I can comfortably extend a hand to, should you ever need help.”

Throughout the conversation, Ryu Seonghyeon remained incredibly careful. He seemed worried I might misunderstand, but even so, he didn’t retreat or deflect his words.

It was clear that he genuinely wanted to help me. And that made it even harder.

It wasn’t as if I wanted to be wearing this ridiculous mask. And it wasn’t easy for me to refuse Ryu Seonghyeon’s request, either.

But revealing my identity…

“We’re going to protect.”

“Run away, Seohu.”

“…”

The voices of two people from my dream softly echoed in my ears.

The more Ryu Seonghyeon and the Circle Guild got involved with me, the more danger they’d face. From the Seed of Calamity Cha Sahyeon was burdened with, to the lab conducting inhumane experiments, to the many incidents surrounding me—nothing had been resolved. My footing was unsteady, as if the ground could crumble beneath me at any moment. How could I take Ryu Seonghyeon’s hand in a situation like this?

‘I’ve already made up my mind.’

Ever since I escaped the lab with Cha Sahyeon, I resolved to bear this burden alone, without relying on anyone else. Suppressing the waves of emotions crashing within me, I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Vicemaster.”

“…”

“Catching me when I fell earlier is enough of a repayment for the match. Anything beyond that would be too much for me.” Not wanting to see Ryu Seonghyeon’s disappointment, I quickly turned away. “I’ll be going now.”

“…Alright.”

With a calm acceptance, Ryu Seonghyeon stepped back at my firm refusal.

I was really grateful that he didn’t try to stop me again. If he had… I probably wouldn’t have been able to resist.

I hurriedly left, almost as if I were running away.

***

Cover disappeared swiftly, scaling the wall with agile movements that made it hard to believe he was injured. Ryu Seonghyeon watched him vanish into the night, anxiety gnawing at him until long after Cover was gone.

“Haa…”

Perhaps because dawn was approaching, the darkness around him felt deeper than usual.

Ryu Seonghyeon worried about whether it was right to let Cover go alone in this darkness, but as he’d said, pushing further would have only been a burden. With a sigh, Ryu Seonghyeon turned around. He reentered the building through the back door, carefully tidying up the waiting room where Cover had stayed, before heading to the front entrance, where Kwon Taehyeok was waiting.

Kwon Taehyeok, who had been leaning against his car while waiting for them, spotted Ryu Seonghyeon approaching alone and asked, “Why are you by yourself? Where’s Cover?”

“Well, about that…”

Ryu Seonghyeon responded with an awkward smile, unable to give a proper answer, prompting Kwon Taehyeok to raise an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me he ran off again?”

“He said he’d be in touch later.”

“Yeah, right,” Kwon Taehyeok muttered under his breath, clicking his tongue in irritation. “I figured. It’s not the first time he’s slipped away like that.”

“Really?” Ryu Seonghyeon thought back to the moment Cover had thrown himself out the window without hesitation. It wasn’t exactly the behavior of someone doing it for the first time.

With his arms crossed, Kwon Taehyeok scrutinized Ryu Seonghyeon and spoke again. “You don’t seem to have had the best conversation either, Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon.”

“It’s fine. I expected this outcome.”

He’d wanted to help Cover, just as Cover had helped him, but deep down, he hadn’t really expected the man to reveal his face or share his name.

…Though maybe he had hoped, just a little. That might be why he felt so down now.

It was foolish of him, really. He couldn’t help but feel hopeful after seeing how soft Cover was toward him. But in hindsight, it was embarrassing to think about.

Even though he hadn’t seen Cover’s face, Ryu Seonghyeon could tell from his reactions that he’d made him uncomfortable. Cover had probably only helped out of pity, and Ryu Seonghyeon’s insistence must’ve come off as too much, too fast—making it a burden for him.

‘I guess I panicked, thinking I might never see him again…’

He finally realized his mistake. No wonder Cover had run off.

As he lamented his blunder, Ryu Seonghyeon rubbed his tired eyes. Then it hit him—he’d completely forgotten to return the gloves he’d borrowed from Cover.

‘Oh.’

Feeling even more unsettled, Ryu Seonghyeon quickly removed the gloves and stored them in his inventory. He resolved to keep them safe and return them if they ever met again.

Unaware of the true meaning behind Cover giving him those gloves, Ryu Seonghyeon made this empty promise to himself.