The Otherworldly Magic Swordsman Who Disciplines the Hunter World Chapter 52

Then there was only one way left. If something was wrong with Julian, he just had to fix the parts that were broken. If it’s broken, fix it. Was there any solution cleaner or more perfect than that?

It was a very radical conclusion, but Gong Siyoung did not doubt it for a second. Somewhere along the way, his resolve to part ways with Julian had long since vanished. Part ways? Why would they part ways? Until he turned that man into a proper human being, parting or anything of the sort was entirely on hold.

A man who volunteered for sacrifice as if it were nothing could not be normal. Gong Siyoung knew that better than anyone.

He was someone who had been forced into sacrifice for a duration of time that was hard to capture with the phrase “once upon a time.” When a person lives like that, they are bound to be ruined and broken before they even realize it.

By the time you realize it, it’s too late. If Julian was like that, Gong Siyoung intended to meddle to his heart’s content.

“He should consider himself lucky to meet someone like me.”

I cook for him, I give him a place to sleep, I wait on him hand and foot, I save him when he’s in danger—and now, haven’t I even resolved to salvage his life?

Gong Siyoung clenched his fists tight. His eyes, filled with a resolve even he couldn’t quite define, burned with a fiery intensity.

∞ ∞ ∞

“Oh my, oh my! Look at that, look! I told you they were dating, didn’t I!?”

The fingertips slapping the thigh were nimble. Cackling laughter filled the breakroom.

“My goodness, really? Heavens… Then did they meet while filming the drama?”

The middle-aged lady who said that held out a cucumber to Julian. At this, he naturally accepted the cucumber and popped it into his mouth. With every chew, the crunchy texture and the unique scent of cucumber spread quickly.

Crunch, crunch. Even while he chewed the cucumber, the conversation showed no signs of stopping. Entertainment news about actress Ms. K and actor Mr. P being in a passionate relationship flowed from the television. The screen changed, and the drama the two starred in was introduced as reference material.

『The two are known to have been dating in secret since January of this year. News that they have been living together since April is also causing a hot topic…』

“Oh my, oh my! It says they’re living together! Then can’t we assume they’ve seen everything there is to see? If they’ve been dating since January, yeah, how many months has it been already?”

“Goodness… I wonder if we’ll hear wedding news next. These days, times have changed, so they say a baby is the wedding gift, a wedding gift.”

Cackle, cackle, laughter erupted once again. Julian rolled his eyes at the mothers’ bold conversation.

As soon as he put the last piece of cucumber in his mouth, a carrot was placed in his hand as if it had been waiting. While crunching on the carrot, he lightly tapped the arm of the lady next to him.

“Who are Ms. K and Mr. P? Are they famous people?”

“Huh? They’re famous. Don’t you know the actress Kim Soyoung? You know, Kim Soyoung from The Summer Carriage that Runs!”

He knew about The Running Carriage, but The Summer Carriage that Runs was a first. When Julian only gave an ambiguous smile, the lady waved her hand, saying never mind.

“Anyway, she exists! A pretty woman who looks very refined. But the man she’s with is way too old. Do you want to eat some pear too?”

Before he could even answer, the carrot he was eating was snatched away. A slice of pear was placed in his empty fingers. He couldn’t help but be moved anew by the kindness of even providing a wet wipe so he could clean up after eating.

He didn’t refuse and quickly took a bite. The cool, sweet juice flowed out. To avoid eating messily, he quickly wiped his mouth with the wet wipe.

“But is the man that old? How old is he?”

“How old did they say? They said there’s a twelve-year difference with the woman. A full zodiac cycle apart, a full zodiac cycle.”

Even if he didn’t know what a full zodiac cycle meant, twelve years was not a small difference. Without a moment’s rest, pears, carrots, and cucumbers were thrust into his hands.

Before he knew it, the topic had shifted from actress Ms. K’s dating rumors to the benefits of olive oil. They said eating olive oil on an empty stomach was good, and talk came up about doing a group purchase when it came on the home shopping channel.

Surrounded by four middle-aged women, Julian nibbled on a carrot.

“Does the young man want to join in? Two sets of olive oil and lemon juice together.”

“I’d like to buy it, but… I think I have to get permission first. It wouldn’t be good if I bought it on my own and got scolded.”

“Oh my, oh my! You’re not just a young man, you’re a groom! It looks like you’re completely whipped by your bride, eh?”

He wasn’t a groom, and there was no bride, but it was true he was “whipped.” Since he had neither a house nor a temple to call his own, wasn’t he in a position where he was sponging off Gong Siyoung?

When Julian simply smiled without affirming or denying, the ladies, who interpreted it as they pleased, burst into giggles.

“Right! It’s good to see, good! Originally, they say that only when you listen to a woman well does a household stand firm.”

“Hear, hear!”

The topic of conversation naturally shifted to “A woman’s language: how much must you listen for a household to be peaceful?”

While they laughed and chatted like that for a long time, the clock hands pointed to 5 o’clock. The hallway became noisy, and the rattling sound of the meal cart could be heard. Their movements became busy.

They packed the leftover food into containers and put the pear skins in a separate plastic bag. The tidying up finished like flowing water, and without anyone saying so first, they rose from their seats.

“We’re leaving first. Young man—no, groom—let’s meet again tomorrow.”

“Take care.”

The mothers, who kept track of mealtimes like clockwork, swarmed out. The sight of them disappearing while rolling their IV poles was lively. Julian also tossed the remaining carrot into his mouth in one go.

“What should I do now?”

In the empty breakroom, only the television sound echoed hollowly. Stretching his body wide, he leaned his head against the sofa. Once the presence of others vanished, boredom set in immediately.

Day 2 of hospitalization; it had only been a day since he regained consciousness. That one day felt like a month.

Since Gong Siyoung disappeared, no one had visited, and it wasn’t like he knew anyone else. Looking at the ceiling in an empty hospital room had a limit of half a day.

In the end, Julian had grabbed his IV pole. From then until now, he had been wandering around the hospital aggressively.

There were many things he was seeing for the first time, so time flew just by looking around. Then he had discovered the breakroom and was caught by the mothers gathered there, receiving snacks for nearly an hour.

If it hadn’t been for mealtime, he could have played for another hour or two. He smacked his lips in regret.

He felt the mothers who left, lured by food, were heartless, but what could be done? One has to eat, of course.

“Olive oil and… what else did they say?”

They said it was good for the body. If he asked to buy one and share it, maybe Gong Siyoung would buy it? Thinking he might as well try, he quickly took out his phone. Since it wasn’t familiar to his hands, he searched for a long time before finding Gong Siyoung’s contact info.

When he pressed the number, the signal rang. While waiting for an answer, he cast his gaze toward the television without much thought. Julian’s eyes narrowed at the sight of a very familiar building.

“Isn’t that the Yeollak Guild?”

No matter how he looked at it, it was the Yeollak Guild. Even if he didn’t know other places, that building was familiar to Julian. The camera was pointing directly at that building.

The darkening sky and the building where lights were turning on one by one formed a contrast. Large letters flowed quickly across the bottom of the screen.

[►S-class Overlapping Gate, named ‘Inferno’… Next raid schedule to be announced by the Bureau]

[►Appearance of mankind’s worst dungeon ‘Inferno’ leads to full guild mobilization order, hunter recruitment in full swing]

[►Gong Siyoung’s dating rumors, Yeollak Guild speaks directly… “Partner is a hunter from the same guild”]

“Dating rumors?”

Gong Siyoung? With whom?

While he stared at the screen in a daze, the phone ringtone cut off.

Just then, a video of Gong Siyoung appeared on the television. Whether it was old footage, the sight of him in a school uniform using his skills was played repeatedly.

The moment he locked eyes with the Gong Siyoung on the screen, a voice flowed out from the phone.

— Hello.

“…Uh? Ah, what was it I was going to say?”

— …Pardon?

An absent-minded answer followed the absent-minded question. Julian scratched his head.

On the television, a young Gong Siyoung in a school uniform ran through the chaos and attacked monsters. Perhaps they had only cut out scenes of him being active, as the screen jumped abruptly.

— What are you talking about right now? Why did you call.

Gong Siyoung’s tone was sharp. It was understandable since Julian had called first and was only saying strange things.

Julian fumbled with the sofa. Finding the remote was fine, but he must have pressed something wrong because a strange screen suddenly appeared.

Startled by the static noise, his hand shook. Only after pressing various buttons did the screen turn off.

“No, it—it’s nothing. Hey, what was it? I called because I need olive oil.”

— …Pardon?

No, was this not it?

“Uh, no, nothing. I’m hanging up.”

He spat out whatever words and quickly ended the call. He looked back and forth between the silent phone and the blacked-out television screen. He didn’t know why, but he was very flustered.

“The dating rumor… surely it isn’t about that story back then… right?”

He remembered the man who had secretly filmed the two of them eating and posted it. Not content with making things up, he had poured out primitive criticism as if treating them like sworn enemies.

Could it be that rumors like that started because people believed what that man said was true?

“Or maybe he really has a lover…?”

If even the Yeollak Guild stepped in, it was an official position, which meant at least it wasn’t a groundless rumor. It wasn’t the past, but the present progressive.

Because the specific detail that the partner belonged to the same guild had been added, it was even more confusing. Did Gong Siyoung really have a lover?

No, they had been stuck together in dungeons constantly, so when and in what spare moment did he get a lover? Or did he have one all along but just didn’t tell him?