The S-Classes That I Raised-Chapter 777: The Criminal (1)

The S-Classes That I Raised-Chapter 777: The Criminal (1)

“Sigma disappeared, what about Ms. Hyunah?”
Sigma had been in a sealed room filled with the mer-queen’s water that Yerim drew. No one could have sneaked in without Yerim knowing, and Ms. Hyunah must have been guarding it. So how on earth did she vanish?
[My sister’s gone too! Mister, what do we do? There’s no trace of her going out. She evaporated inside the room! It’s a locked chamber!]
“Calm down, Yerim.”
[There’s water filling the room outside, so if she’d taken even one step out, I’d know! I swear it!]
If this had happened before dungeons and Awakened appeared, it would’ve been dismissed as someone lost in a labyrinth. But now there are all sorts of Skills and items. Maybe one of the thralls had a spatial-warp Skill.
‘There was no water inside the room, so they could’ve used their Skill. Maybe I should’ve kept Sigma submerged.’
More than that—how did they even locate Sigma? And Ms. Hyunah wasn’t someone who would go quietly. It was weird she’d vanished without a single sign of a fight.
“Hayul! You can’t find Sigma either—so find Ms. Hyunah’s location for me!”
[I would’ve told you if I could~]
Park Hayul answered confidently. Right, it wouldn’t be that easy. Riette came poking her head over, asking what was up, and Director Song gave her a rough explanation.
[Mister, what do we do? How do we get that doll-man back? It really feels like someone lost their kid......!]
I could almost see Yerim stamping her foot in front of me. Even if Sigma’s time had been frozen, she’s older than you. The Puppeteer said that as long as she stayed near Sigma, she °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° could pinpoint her location—and she left. Since she’s also bound to the Gardener, Yuhyun can track her.
“Well, at least she’s not in the Gardener’s grasp. Hayul’s reaction said so. Yerim, you didn’t hear anything?”
[No! Just to be safe, I was on the Sesung Guild rooftop. I heard nothing underwater. Conversation would be muffled in a sealed room, but if there’d been any loud sound, I’d have heard it through the water—it was completely silent!]
“Then the other party must be strong enough to subdue Ms. Hyunah in an instant, or——”
Or.
‘Ms. Hyunah went along willingly.’
Either one. And no matter how I thought about it, I leaned toward the latter, as unbelievable as it sounded. Even if pre-regression Yuhyun had ambushed her, there’d have been some noise. I couldn’t imagine Ms. Hyunah being led away so meekly.
But why? There’s no motive.
“...First, let’s find Sigma. Right?”
How to locate someone whose very existence seems erased. A thought came to mind, but I couldn’t voice it.
“The Puppeteer can find her. Maybe they already——”
“I can’t either.”
The Puppeteer’s voice cut in. It felt slightly cold. He stepped down onto the vehicle’s roof; the metal heel of his shoe rang softly.
“I attached Hwangrim for protection and location tracking.”
...Right, the Gardener couldn’t find her either, so the Puppeteer wouldn’t, either. Then——
Bang!
At almost the same moment,
clang
the sound of a ricocheting bullet struck my ear. The chains rattled. I finally noticed the gun in the Puppeteer’s hand. His dry voice followed.
“Go ahead and die for a moment.”
No, that is the surest way, but—
“If Seong Hyunjae dies, the Gardener will sense Sigma’s location!”
“Mm. Then you stop him.”
“Huh?”
“She’s not in your sister’s hands yet. If she were, the contract would be complete and I’d know.”
“That’s a relief, but——”
“Keep the Gardener’s thrall detained. You can handle that, right? They’ll make a good lure, and they’re already on their way here. I’ll deal with the other thralls.”
I swallowed dryly. At twenty-one, I could’ve held on easily. But my twenty-six-year-old sister....... Lullabies wouldn’t work again.
“...I’ll do my best. But if I meet the kidnapper, at least let me hear them out.”
The Puppeteer raised his eyes at me. That is, well—
“Fine. Then——”
“I’ll hold onto Yuhyun’s leg however I can, so killing Seong Hyunjae without finding Sigma... that still won’t work, right.......”
The Puppeteer ignored my words and looked at Seong Hyunjae. Seong Hyunjae, standing beside the car, curled his lip in a smirk.
“Since it’s your matter, kneel your head quietly.”
“No.”
Seong Hyunjae answered curtly. The Puppeteer’s eyes narrowed. Riette, oblivious, raised her hand, chirping that she wanted to kill, too.
“Now you think the Gardener’s better than the crescent moon?”
“Either way, using me as a tool for your aim while ignoring my will... it makes no difference. And the same goes for you.”
Seong Hyunjae’s words wrenched my heart. Even if it was to protect Sigma and Seong Hyunjae, just now it was as if the Puppeteer and I unilaterally decided that I must die.
“I’m sorry, Seong Hyunjae. I didn’t mean to.”
“You needn’t apologize, Han Yujin.”
Seong Hyunjae stepped forward and continued. His golden eyes looked down at me.
“I’ve treated you the same.”
“...Ah, yes. I take back my apology.”
He had, hadn’t he? His gaze at me curved into a smile.
“Then take the gun.”
“...What?”
As I hesitated, the Puppeteer snapped.
“I said, kill him. You’re such a nuisance who applies your own standards even to matters of my existence! Must be why you resisted so—yet you aren’t charming after all.”
Seong Hyunjae tapped his temple lightly with a fingertip. It’s not hard. It’s not a real death. Yet my hand shook noticeably as I drew the white gun. I swallowed hard again.
“It’s not your first time.”
Seong Hyunjae laughed. When was the first? In a Japanese dungeon? Just point and pull the trigger. Yet my hand trembled. He watched my trembling with curiosity.
‘This time it’ll be fine.’
I wasn’t being controlled, wouldn’t ruin things. He wouldn’t say I failed or lost my emotions again. Though I might lose my memory if shot in the head. Despite that, my finger wouldn’t move. I exhaled sharply several times, and a large hand enveloped mine, stopping me. It was Director Song.
“I have just as much right.”
A short blade brushed Seong Hyunjae’s nape.
“Because he’s your death.”
Seong Hyunjae didn’t flee. That was his answer. My body jerked back and blood splattered. I briefly thought I should’ve pulled the trigger. At the same time, I felt gratitude.
“...How far?”
At that, the Puppeteer vanished. Director Song caught Seong Hyunjae as he collapsed. I hurried to support him, too.
“Uh, we need to buy time here! Yerim, you can’t move, right? Then bring the whole tank!”
[Ah, yes. To tow her to the mer-queen’s sea, I’ll need Hayul’s help. She has to sleep again.]
“Then stand by. If we go to Yerim, Yuhyun will mercilessly target Sigma first. But if we face off here, she’ll try to seize me first.”
To erase my memory. And the Puppeteer did say it was far away. The further from Sigma, the better to catch me first and follow.
“Also, Seong Hyunjae will be defenseless. If we kill him, Sigma’s location will reveal itself.”
Director Song handed Seong Hyunjae to me.
“Will that be okay?”
“His stats are F, but his items are above S-rank. He can lift a person easily. Riette.”
“Mm, darling.”
“When Seong Hyunjae wakes, we’ll bolt—snatch him and plunge into the Han River.”
Even Yuhyun can’t evaporate the entire Han River at once. It’s huge. ...That’ll be hard, right? Director Song and Riette drew their weapons. They lifted Seong Hyunjae. I watched his wound knit shut. His still-warm body lay limp with no breath, but I used my Teacher Skill on them. Then—
“Brother.”
A black butterfly fluttered. Its wings like trembling leaves bore a tiptoe on them. Yuhyun looked down at us.
“I don’t know what happened.”
Flutter—above Yuhyun’s head appeared thralls: the one who tried to seize me and a new scale-winged thrall. They glanced our way, then flew straight across the sky toward the East Sea.
[It’s toward the Sesung Guildmaster’s sister!]
Park Hayul messaged. Sigma isn’t actually Seong Hyunjae’s real sister.
[Oh, it looks like Gangneung.]
Gangneung is a three-hour drive away. How did they get there instantly? Clearly someone with long-range spatial warp helped.
“They hid her far away. Or lost her.”
Yuhyun’s gaze shifted from Seong Hyunjae back to me. No sign of combat; she killed Seong Hyunjae to find Sigma’s location. Quick thinking.
“She ran away. Just like you.”
I met Yuhyun head-on. Isn’t it about time Seong Hyunjae woke?
“You too should go home.”
“I won’t return, brother. I can’t.”
Her calm voice followed.
“I’m dead.”
It whispered as if urging me to give up. I embraced Seong Hyunjae tighter. His long legs scraped the ground. They’re obnoxiously long. No use feeding him mini-cookies now. He’s too heavy to carry.
“But I don’t mind. No matter what, I’ll take you home.”
Whatever anyone says, my answer is fixed. Yuhyun stood still, like a statue. But I sensed something. I used my Teacher Skill on her immediately. She leapt up without warning.
Thud!
She collided with Director Song right in front of me. Relying on the skill’s feedback, Director Song barely parried Yuhyun’s blade with a wire wrapped around his arm. A shadow along the wire smothered the blade’s flame. At the same time, Riette swung her longsword. Clang—Yuhyun lightly evaded and rose again, stepping on the butterfly.
From the sky, sparks fell one by one and the asphalt began to melt. Director Song exhaled. Riette, as if expecting it, offered a potion. At contact, Yuhyun hadn’t fully held back, and his arm cracked. It was minor, but rank differences are rough.
“You’re different from the Song Taewon I remember.”
Yuhyun said.
“Brother, you’re F-rank. You should be my top priority to protect and keep away from the battlefield.”
“Yes.”
Director Song spoke. That would have been the case. He’d even intimidated me to keep me from the S-ranks. In retrospect, it was similar to Yuhyun’s actions.
“If Han Yujin desires protection, I will always do so. I’ll hide you from all danger and stand in your way.”
He rewound the wire on his arm as he spoke.
“However, even F-ranks and the unawakened have the right to stand in front... We may seem frustrating and worrisome to your eyes. I feel it now. But—”
His breath caught, then resumed.
“Protection alone doesn’t let them live.”
His voice was heavy. His back and shoulders looked weighed down.
“Even the weakest child has times when they must protect. Hunter Han Yuhyun knows that well. You too.”
Yuhyun looked at me. Our childhood came flooding back. I met her eyes. I do not regret. I will act the same again and again.
“Mr. Civil Servant is right.”
Riette pouted.
“Just because someone’s weaker doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be protected.”
She was right, but her expression was odd. Could Noah......?
“You’ve certainly changed.”
Contrary to surprise, Yuhyun’s face and voice remained coldly composed.
“Be careful!”
The Yuhyun Song Taewon knew would have helped him hide me from the S-ranks. But no longer. With persuasion impossible—
Crack, crunch!
Short and long blades flew, embedding themselves. Director Song threw me back to dodge, carrying Seong Hyunjae and landing some ten meters away. The blades melted instantly where they struck the ground. Blade-Devourer—Skill use far faster than current Yuhyun. Even the mid-air dagger melted into red-hot slag, grazing Director Song’s shoulder.
“It’s hot~.”
Riette’s longsword cleaved the air. Everything before it tore apart. Melted blades shattered like dandelion seeds in a gale. For a moment they froze. Then Director Song charged. Yuhyun merely watched him approach—
‘Could it be.’
A sense of dread. I threw myself according to instinct. Immediately, Yuhyun’s hand reached for me.
‘Teleport, item?’
She carries that too? Or a support Skill I don’t know of? I barely rolled away on the asphalt. Seong Hyunjae slid beside me. Why hasn’t he woken up! He should by now!
“Han Yujin!”
Director Song shouted urgently. He was close, but I thought I couldn’t reach him before Yuhyun—when suddenly—
Krrrrrd-!
The earth tore. Everything went dark. It was Riette. Shapeshifting into a great maw, she engulfed us.
“Ugh—.”
Her swollen form, like teleporting us, nearly swallowed us. It was wet! She wasn’t actually going to eat us, right? I held Seong Hyunjae tight to keep him from sliding further. I felt her tongue below and teeth behind me. Before I could steady myself—
Rumble!
Everything shook. We were flung. Bouncing here and there, then abruptly—flash—and cement slapped me all over instead of her tongue. I tried using Teacher Skill to orient myself, but smoke and flames numbed my senses. Ash rained down.
“Leave that and come to me, brother.”
I heard Yuhyun’s voice. Director Song was beside her. Blade-Devourer’s blade pierced her limbs. I heard water from the Han River. It must be Riette who was thrown.
“Let’s erase the memory.”
Seong Hyunjae was still silent. Warm, with a faint heartbeat, yet in stasis—like Sigma.
“It’ll be okay.”
Yuhyun reached for me.
In the salt-tinged sea breeze, Sigma opened his eyes. An old, yet as familiar as yesterday, face looked down at him.
“Hello.”
Moon Hyunah smiled.
“You were kidnapped by me.”

.
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Chapter 777: The Criminal (1)