My Tamed Beast Returned with a Dragon Chapter 67 - The Smell Has Changed

‘Han Woori, you poor bastard.’

Yuha sent a silent prayer of sympathy to Woori, who was completely buried in paperwork. You know, you should’ve known better than to spoil and take care of her that much.

Seeing Yuha’s strange expression, Eunsae asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Anyway, the conclusion is that you want to get stronger, right?”

“Yeah. Is there a way?”

“You and I are already S-ranks, yet we’re struggling to climb even higher… If other people heard us, they’d probably curse us.”

Yuha let out a hollow laugh. It was the same for him, and Mirinae, Sol, Woori, Inchan, and now even Eunsae.

Nothing could be done about it. Running a hand through his hair, Yuha said,

“I don’t know yet. But we’re dealing with the same problem, so don’t push yourself like you did earlier.”

“Okay…”

Eunsae became dejected. She admitted that her enthusiasm had gotten ahead of her and that she had been reckless.

Ding!

Just then, a notification sounded on Eunsae’s phone. The hunter taking care of Byeol and Bom told her that the children had woken up and were looking for her.

Eunsae picked up her phone and hurriedly stood.

“I should go back to the guild. Byeol and Bom are waiting.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Yuha left the restaurant and started the car. Once Eunsae got into the passenger seat, she said something she had just remembered.

“By the way, Yuha. Are you going to the Docheon Group’s founding ceremony?”

“No? You’re going?”

Yuha asked in surprise. Eunsae nodded and said,

“They asked me to. Our father and brothers helped us a lot when we were establishing the guild.”

“Hah. They only did it to make money for themselves.”

They got her. Yuha frowned.

If word got out that Eunsae was attending the founding ceremony, Mirinae and Sol would say they were going too, and he and Inchan would be dragged along as well.

‘That bastard Han Woori, did he know this and lure Eunsae in first?’

What were they supposed to do at a gathering of businessmen when they had nothing to do with the Docheon Group? They would just be there as eye candy.

Yuha’s insides churned. Eunsae, unaware of this, smiled brightly.

“They looked after me and my friends a lot when we were having a hard time before.”

“That’s because S-ranks are valuable assets…”

“Your problem is that you always think so negatively.”

“I’m not being negative. Everyone thinks that way.”

Eunsae looked at him like he was a troublemaker. Yuha couldn’t say what was really on his mind and could only beat his chest in frustration.

When they returned to the guild, Byeol and Bom, who had been waiting only for Eunsae, flew over and threw themselves into her arms.

[Noona! Where did you go?]

Beep!

“Sorry, sorry. I went to eat with Yuha. Shall we go home now?”

[Yes!]

Eunsae smiled and hugged Byeol and Bom tightly as they rubbed their heads against her.

They rode Doda-ri back to their home in Gangwon-do. From the entrance, a noisy round of greetings began.

“I’m back, Lord Belquior!”

“I’m back!”

Beep beep!

Belquior, who had been in the living room, came out and looked over each of them.

“Welcome back.”

“I’m a little late today, right?”

As Eunsae approached with a smile, Belquior’s expression changed slightly.

“Your smell is different.”

“Huh? Ah… Is it because I showered at the guild?”

Eunsae smelled herself. The shampoo and body wash provided in the training room’s showers were different from what she normally used, so Belquior seemed to have noticed.

She made an awkward face.

“I trained a little.”

“Why?”

“Um, to develop my desire for improvement…”

Since she couldn’t openly tell Belquior about it like she had with Yuha, Eunsae smiled awkwardly and glossed over it.

Belquior vaguely sensed that Eunsae was hiding something, but he didn’t ask. He was simply concerned by how tired she looked.

After preparing meals for the monsters, they also had dinner. After checking Eunsae’s condition, Belquior prepared the food with even more care than usual.

While happily eating the food Belquior had prepared, Eunsae suddenly said,

“Oh, right.”

“I was invited to an event. Byeol and Bom were invited too.”

“I see.”

“Would you like to go too, Lord Belquior?”

At Eunsae’s question, Belquior took his time swallowing the food in his mouth.

“Are you bringing the other monsters?”

“No. It’s a gathering for ordinary people who aren’t hunters, so I don’t think we can. Well, our father and brothers are going too. It’s the group’s founding ceremony.”

“Then it won’t be dangerous.”

As soon as he realized there were few dangers, Belquior showed that he intended to refuse.

The reason he had accompanied them to the Night of Hunters before was because people with supernatural abilities had gathered there, and he was concerned that a conflict might break out.

“I’ll pass. You all go and have fun.”

“Aww, that’s too bad.”

Eunsae’s eyebrows drooped as she held her chopsticks to her mouth. She was genuinely disappointed. Seeing her reaction, Belquior became curious.

“What is disappointing?”

“If I get the chance, I want to show you a lot about this world, Lord Belquior. I’m sure there will be lots of things to see.”

Eunsae’s cheeks flushed with anticipation as she spoke. Belquior’s eyes narrowed for an instant before returning to normal.

Even if it was an outside world, there was nothing that particularly interested Belquior. Even if the culture, environment, and level of technological development were different, Belquior had never been interested in the human world to begin with.

Besides, human history generally followed similar paths. Destruction and revival, war and peace. Having lived for thousands of years, Belquior had watched those changes without much interest.

So he was about to say that he didn’t need to know about this world, but the hopeful look in Eunsae’s eyes and cheeks made Belquior close his mouth.

It was obvious that saying such a thing would disappoint her. He sighed inwardly and slowly opened his mouth.

“…Next time.”

“Yes. Next time, definitely.”

Eunsae smiled brightly as she held her chopsticks.

 

****

 

 

 

The day of the Docheon Group’s founding ceremony.

Before attending the ceremony, Eunsae arrived at the guild. Once again, Yeo Nahee, the team leader of Eunsae’s personal styling team, was on duty.

Yeo Nahee scolded Eunsae while holding a handful of makeup brushes between her fingers.

“Hunter Yoo Eunsae, don’t eat snacks before putting on your dress!”

“Okay, sorry.”

Eunsae awkwardly lowered the snack wrapper she had been holding. Then she suddenly looked puzzled.

‘Huh? I didn’t used to eat snacks much before.’

Had her tastes changed? Spending time with the children had gotten her used to sweets.

Misunderstanding Eunsae’s gaze, Yeo Nahee confiscated the snacks.

“Staring at them like that won’t help.”

“I’m not going to eat them, I’m not.”

She pouted her lower lip. It wasn’t because her snacks had been taken away. While trying to figure out the reason, her thoughts had turned to Belquior.

‘This is all because Lord Belquior keeps feeding me delicious things.’

The meals and desserts Belquior made. There wasn’t a single one that wasn’t delicious.

Even when he occasionally served something a little unfamiliar, trying it was like enjoying an exotic dish, which made it fun.

Before she knew it, she had started looking forward to mealtimes.

In the past, she hadn’t eaten much and always left food behind, but these days, she cleaned her plate.

‘Have I gained some weight?’

Eunsae looked at her face in the mirror and touched her waist. Anxiety swept over her. She hurriedly asked Yeo Nahee,

“Nahee, did I gain weight?”

“Huh? Ummm… No, I don’t think so? Why? Did you gain weight?”

“I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I stepped on a scale.”

Yeo Nahee’s eyelashes trembled.

“Some people have all the luck…”

Come to think of it, S-rank hunters were highly active and had fast metabolisms, so there was no way they would gain weight. Besides, they were all naturally beautiful or handsome.

The same was true of Eunsae. Having realized reality, Yeo Nahee decided to focus on her own work.

“All right, we don’t have much time. Close your eyes.”

“Okay.”

A makeup-covered brush gently moved across Eunsae’s face. As time passed, more color was added to her features.

After Yeo Nahee’s quick hands finished the makeup, Eunsae changed clothes with the help of the styling team and stood in front of the mirror.

A pastel-blue dress, black hair braided into a single braid, teardrop diamonds decorating her neck and ears, and silver shoes with a soft shine.

Her eyes had been shaded with a deep, elegant tone, and her lips sparkled beautifully with a pink tint.

“Great, perfect!”

“Hunter Yoo Eunsae, you look so pretty.”

Yeo Nahee and the styling team looked satisfied. After checking her appearance, Eunsae nodded and thanked them.

“Thank you, everyone. Good work.”

A little later, as if they had been waiting, there was a knock on the door. Mirinae, Sol, Woori, Yuha, and Inchan entered, all dressed up.

As if they had coordinated it on purpose, each of them had pastel blue somewhere in their outfit. Eunsae smiled brightly when she saw her friends.

“Eunsae. Are you done?”

“Yeah, I just finished.”

“Ah~ Yoo Eunsae, why did you take so long? You’re last, last.”

“Sorry. Mirinae and Sol, you look pretty today.”

“Thanks. It looks good on you too.”

Mirinae complimented Eunsae’s dress. She herself was wearing a mermaid dress with lace-decorated sleeves.

Eunsae turned her head and noticed Woori standing there, looking somewhat dazed. A puzzled light appeared in her eyes.

“Woori, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Uh, uh… Eunsae. You’re really pretty.”

Woori, who had been staring blankly at Eunsae, suddenly realized himself and blushed.

“You said that earlier, remember?”

Sol called him out on his obvious reaction. Woori became indignant.

“I said it looked good on her. I didn’t say she was pretty.”

“That’s basically the same thing!”

“How is that the same?”

As if they never got tired of it, Woori and Sol growled at each other. Inchan and Yuha shook their heads at the two of them.

“Okay, okay. Enough arguing. Let’s get moving.”

Mirinae, who had been watching them, led the group. Eunsae also went to the next room and brought Byeol and Bom, who had been with Team Leader Park Doyoon.

The children were wearing pretty lace ribbons in pastel blue around their necks.

“Let’s go.”