Clang, clang, clang! The sound of metal clashing grated on my ears, making me shudder. My head was ringing.

“Ha Young, come over here! It’s dangerous!”

“Oh my, who are you to say such things?”

This is driving me crazy. I couldn’t hold it in anymore and shouted.

“Stop! Please stop! I’ll explain everything, so please stop fighting! If you keep fighting, I’ll call the police!”

I’ll call the Hunter-specific police.

My desperate threat seemed to work as both of them stopped. I felt two pairs of eyes intensely pressuring me.

“Ha Young, tell me properly. So I can help you. What’s really going on?”

“Don’t trust people so easily! Someone might have already hired an assassin, Shin Ah! I told you it’s dangerous!”

“Please, I’ll explain, so calm down! Yes, something did happen, but it’s not dangerous, so you don’t need to worry, and this is my friend!”

“……”

“……”

The tension subsided. I’m out of breath. I was barely able to sort out the situation.

As the explanation continued, Baek I Hyun wore a very subtle expression.

“……So, you’re saying you’re the younger sibling of that Rank 1?”

Nod, nod. Baek I Hyun’s expression became even more confused.

“Just because someone’s a friend doesn’t mean they can be trusted. Threats, persuasion, money, etc. There are many ways to manipulate people, Shin Ah.”

Min Yu Shin still had an expression of distrust towards Baek I Hyun. I sighed.

“He confessed to me before.”

“Huh, what?”

“……”

Silence fell in an instant. Now Min Yu Shin started to show murderous intent for a different reason.

“Confessed…?”

“It was right after I returned! When I still had no idea about anything! It was like a joke!”

“Oh, really?”

“……It wasn’t a joke though.”

Somehow, I feel like nothing is getting resolved. I let out a deep sigh.

“……Anyway, he’s trustworthy. I’ll guarantee it.”

“Hmm.”

Despite my earnest explanation, Min Yu Shin still wore an expression of disbelief. I let out another deep sigh.

“But you know your actions were dangerous, right?”

“……Yes.”

As I answered with my head lowered, it was Baek I Hyun who rebutted on my behalf.

“Well, I have a slightly different opinion. Even so, just keeping her locked up in a room was too much. Even if there might be danger, it’s just a possibility. Rather, such overprotection might make other guilds suspicious. They might think something unusual has happened.”

“……What?”

“Cheon Shin Woo of Cheonrang, hmm. I’ve also heard that Sir Jeokcheon always keeps Sir Amyeong as his secretary. But don’t you think it would seem strange if that secretary acted separately on her own?”

“……”

“And, Ha Young. No, Shin Ah….. Shin Ah used to move around well on her own. Suddenly locking her up saying it’s dangerous, I don’t think she’d accept that. Look, she’s out here alone even now.”

Baek I Hyun spoke eloquently and rebutted logically. I felt like I wanted to applaud him.

“Huh….. What does this little kid think he’s saying……”

“I think it’s not a good habit to divide people into upper and lower based on age. What’s needed in life is experience, not numbers, right?”

“……”

Baek I Hyun was really good with words.

Suddenly at a loss for words in front of a 23-year-old, the 30-year-old Min Yu Shin rubbed his forehead.

“……It seems you don’t understand the situation well, so I’ll explain it properly just once. Listen carefully. Especially you, Shin Ah, don’t let it go in one ear and out the other this time, make sure you engrave it in your mind.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You know Cheon Shin Woo is famous for his terrible personality, right? Shin Woo has killed quite a few people. Whether politicians, businessmen, or hunters, if they displeased him, he killed them.”

“Yes.”

“Despite that, Shin Woo was acquitted. You know why? Because the system treats it as not guilty if you kill someone labeled as a villain. Even people who weren’t originally villains were treated as villains because Shin Woo killed them, so it was all ruled not guilty. The most famous is the dog leash incident. There were many similar cases besides that.”

“……Was it that bad?”

“It was that bad. Later, it was revealed that the people Shin Woo killed were actually evil, so there was a lot of talk about justice being served and whatnot, but the fact that it was murder doesn’t change. So, all the people who lost family, relatives, and friends to Shin Woo are grinding their teeth.”

“……”

“The truth is, they can’t do anything to Cheon Shin Woo. Even if they attack Cheonrang, they just get beaten back, and setting traps is useless. The grudges that have built up now are not just one or two.”

I didn’t know it was this serious. What on earth did that man do to accumulate such bad karma?

“You know there are guilds and professions that mainly deal with information, right? They’ve already bought your information. About thirty guilds in terms of size, and in terms of personal grudges, it wouldn’t be strange if about 200 people tried to kidnap and torture you right now.”

“……”

“For now, since the information isn’t certain, they’re waiting, but have you thought about what people might do once they know you’re Shin Woo’s weakness?”

“……No.”

“If it’s publicly announced that you’re Cheon Shin Woo’s younger sibling, assassins who’ve made you their target will flock here. There will be several A-rank ones mixed in, and if that happens, I won’t be able to handle it alone.”

The more I listened to him, the more cold sweat ran down my back. Only then did I realize how ridiculous my situation was.

“Just until Shin Woo returns, just until then, stay put. Understood?”

“……Yes.”

My uncomfortable feelings didn’t know what to do and kept falling endlessly to the bottom.

Min Yu Shin’s worries were reasonable. Because they were reasonable, it left an even more bitter taste in my mouth.

At that moment, Baek I Hyun opened his mouth.

“Well, it’s not Shin Ah’s fault, is it?”

“……Did you even listen to what I just said?”

“I did. I listened, but I still don’t understand why Shin Ah has to hide. It’s not Shin Ah’s fault those people died, and it sounds like they’re just looking for someone to take out their anger on. I think I could handle such riffraff on my own……”

“What?”

“Are you saying this because you’re not confident you can protect her? Are any of the renowned domestic S-rank hunters… like Sir Baek Ya, Lady Baek Jang Mi, or Sir Omnipotent Alchemist also targeting Shin Ah?”

“……What kind of confidence is that?”

“And from what I’ve heard, it sounds like you’re going to keep her confined indefinitely. I know all this isn’t Lady Amyeong’s will. So, what I meant was, will Shin Ah be able to act as she wishes even after Sir Jeokcheon returns?”

“……”

“From what I’ve heard, it seems like you’re going to keep her locked up indefinitely. Until all potential threats are eliminated?”

“That’s… his personality……”

“I think that’s unacceptable. Even now, it seems like she’s hearing a proper explanation for the first time today. With her personality, she should be shouting something by now, but she’s not saying anything.”

“……”

Baek I Hyun was truly free with his words. Min Yu Shin remained silent.

Both Baek I Hyun and Min Yu Shin had valid points.

I can’t cause a big inconvenience just for my own sake, but I also can’t just keep hiding. What should I do in this situation?

Complex thoughts mingled with a problem that didn’t have an easy answer.

Min Yu Shin looked at me.

“Shin Ah, what do you want to do?”

It was a kind question. One that implied he would endure his own discomfort for my convenience.

“I……”

There was an answer I wanted to give honestly. But I couldn’t answer right away.

“……I don’t know.”

Min Yu Shin ruffled my hair as if to mess it up in response to my weak answer.

“Is that your honest answer?”

“……No. First, I want to hit Cheon Shin Woo, and then I want to do what I want after that.”

“I see.”

Baek I Hyun laughed. Min Yu Shin sighed.

“……Do that then.”

“……Isn’t that not allowed?”

“It’s not allowed, but it’s not like there’s no way at all. I’ve observed him for years, so I know why he acts that way, but you don’t. I understand how you feel too……”

Then he took off the glasses he was wearing and put them on my face.

“Why this? My eyesight is good…… Huh?”

The glasses that seemed to have a prescription surprisingly had no prescription at all. Are they for fashion? As I took off the glasses and examined them, Min Yu Shin said this to me.

“It’s an item that blurs presence and impression. It erases presence and aura, and it’s specially custom-made, so it can blur your impression even in photos without any problems.”

“What? There’s such a thing?”

“It’s confidential.”

I looked at the glasses curiously.

“Oh, but if it’s such an item, isn’t it important? And extremely expensive?”

“It is extremely expensive…… I bought it by scraping together all my salary……”

Min Yu Shin wore a wistful expression. I politely handed the glasses back to him.

“Haha, I’m joking. It’s not that expensive. It’ll take time to make a new one, so for now, no, until Shin Woo returns, you use it.”

“What? Is that okay?”

“It is a very precious item to me…… Without these glasses, people will bother me now, but for the sake of a precious friend’s younger sibling……”

“It’s okay, Shin Ah. This person’s profession is an assassin and he has many aura-blocking skills, so he’ll be fine without such an item. Probably he was using those glasses as an auxiliary or as a spare.”

Baek I Hyun interrupted Min Yu Shin’s words. My eyes narrowed at those words.

“Assassin?”

To think that Min Yu Shin is of the assassin class. No wonder there wasn’t any commotion even though we were fighting like this on the street.

“Shin Ah, you didn’t know I was of the assassin class?”

Min Yu Shin smiled with an annoying face. I realized he wasn’t just Cheon Shin Woo’s friend for nothing.

“It would be nice if it were an S-rank item, but it’s an A-rank item. It won’t work if there are higher-level detection skills, but…… it should be fine for just walking around for a bit.”

I’m honored. I wondered if I should shudder at the enormous price of the glasses.

Baek I Hyun laughed.

“If anything happens to Shin Ah, I’ll protect her.”

“I still can’t trust you.”

“Why not?”

“You’re from Amwol, right? I thought something smelled fishy. How can I trust Amwol?”

“It’s true that I belong to the Amwol guild, but guild conflicts have nothing to do with me. And I think I’m closer to Shin Ah than you are…… sir.”

Why are they fighting again? I briefly considered whether I should stop this fight.

“Anyway, Amwol picked up something amazing…… Well, if you’re from there, you should know why I’m acting like this. I can’t fully trust you.”