studiobondurri Chapter 31
Chapter 31
“Ugh!”
Jung Da-jeong was startled as if she saw a ghost, but I responded indifferently.
“I’ll sue for trespassing.”
“You’re being unreasonable.”
“We’re not friends. You’re a business owner, and I’m a freelancer you hired for a period.”
“And we’re also tenant and landlord. We haven’t signed the lease agreement yet, so strictly speaking, it’s not really trespassing.”
I really hated how he was showing off, but what should I do?
“Grrr...”
Maybe my feelings were conveyed, as Leo, who had been lying by my feet, lowered his body and growled. Han Jae-young looked at my familiar with interest.
“When did you make this? You really keep me guessing, Da-on.”
...I expected this, but it seems Han Jae-young figured out that this wasn’t an ordinary summon but a familiar I created from scratch.
“What do you mean, 'this'?”
It was, of course, Jung Da-jeong who answered, not me.
She picked Leo up from my feet and glared at Han Jae-young.
Of course, Leo didn’t look happy about it, but because I had ingrained in him that Jung Da-jeong was the ‘second master,’ he didn’t raise his claws and merely hissed.
“Da-on, who’s this?”
Although Jung Da-jeong must have known from the news who Han Jae-young was, she deliberately asked, probably as a way to assert dominance.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Han Jae-young, Hunter. Wizard class. Leader of the HP Guild, and he hired me for three years. This house was part of the deal. If my brother doesn’t like it, we can look into other guilds...”
As I casually glanced at Han Jae-young, putting subtle pressure on him not to annoy my brother, Han Jae-young smiled brightly.
Of course, he didn’t look completely comfortable.
“Oh, come on. You’re being harsh. Are you an animal lover?”
“It’s a matter of general concern.”
But Jung Da-jeong didn’t back down.
“Even if it’s a contractual relationship, you just barged in without warning, and now you’re acting like you’re asserting dominance over a child by calling my cat ‘this thing.’ I’m really not at ease with that. It looks very authoritarian.”
Han Jae-young raised an eyebrow.
It was clear he didn’t expect to hear such a critique.
But honestly, Jung Da-jeong had a point.
If I were just a 19-year-old normal girl, Han Jae-young’s actions would definitely feel intimidating.
However, from Han Jae-young’s perspective, I wasn’t an ordinary 19-year-old, and that’s why he was acting this way.
In fact, when he dealt with other prospective hunters at Gwanghwamun’s Central Management Agency, his attitude was quite different.
Han Jae-young paused, looking at Jung Da-jeong, and shrugged.
“If you feel that way, I apologize. I can understand how a guardian might be worried.”
His apology, though, was indifferent, said with a completely expressionless face.
“Yes, I’d appreciate it if you were more careful in the future.”
Even though he had apologized, Jung Da-jeong remained firm.
Han Jae-young’s eyebrows twitched, but he soon extended his hand toward her.
“Well then, to apologize properly, let me introduce myself. I’m Han Jae-young, Hunter, Guild Leader of the HP Guild.”
“I’ve seen you a lot on the news.”
“I’m a bit famous, I guess. Though, these days, not as much as Da-on...”
“Ah!”
Smack!
I slapped Han Jae-young’s hand, which had been holding Jung Da-jeong’s for too long, as if in a handshake.
Jung Da-jeong, startled by my sudden action, yelled.
“Da-on!”
“Stop fidgeting, Han Jae-young. Jung Da-jeong is an ordinary person.”
“The way you choose your words is a bit off.”
At my warning, Han Jae-young rubbed the hand I slapped and narrowed his eyes.
“No, it’s just fascinating. Normally, ordinary people would feel intimidated by an awakened hunter.”
“............”
“Don’t just glare at me. Usually, when bringing a new person into a hideout, we have to get to know each other a bit, don’t we?”
This was really starting to annoy me.
I glared at Han Jae-young.
If you’re a wizard with peak-level mana control, you could use a detection spell when you make physical contact to gauge the mana flow within someone’s body.
And typically, when an ordinary person faces an S-rank hunter, it’s hard to even strike up a conversation.
It seemed Han Jae-young, noticing Jung Da-jeong’s overly confident demeanor, might have suspected she wasn’t just an ordinary person.
Though I spent a little more than I expected, I couldn’t avoid the cost.
“Protective magic is the most urgent matter, so we need to address this first.”
Even though Jung Da-jeong would now be protected by HP Guild members, I couldn’t rest easy. Even with 24/7 protection, there were still limits.
Also, I had to go into mandatory service soon, and I had to quickly increase my stats through dungeon raiding. What if something happened while I’m not around?
I took out the large duffel bag Jung Da-jeong had left behind earlier, which she didn’t want to give me.
Zzip!
When I unzipped it, the dazzling light of jewels spilled out.
The house had excellent lighting, so the jewels sparkled as they caught the natural light.
Starting from the natural stones I found at the Jongno jewelry market to 15 kilograms of gold bars.
By the way, the gold cost the most.
“Wow.”
Han Jae-young was impressed.
“These are magic materials, but why did you bring regular jewels? Normally, ores from dungeons are better for magic circles because they naturally contain mana.”
“No, for protective magic, things from this world work better than those from other worlds.”
“That’s an interesting take. Why is that?”
Things that have undergone transformations under heat or pressure, such as jewels, are naturally more compatible with the beings of this world.
They’ve existed since the world’s formation, and their basic properties are more attuned to the lifeforms here. People have used gemstones as protective stones for ages.
So, jewels from this world are more suitable for protective magic than anything from other worlds.
The only downside is they’re a bit expensive, but since I needed natural stones instead of artificially made ones, it wasn’t as costly as I thought.
The biggest expense was actually the gold. Gold is the softest of metals, so I needed a lot of it to draw the magic circle.
‘And I need to satisfy Han Jae-young’s curiosity too.’
Even though I was planning to use him, I had to throw out a few enticing bait to keep him interested.
While Han Jae-young looked at me with curiosity, I carefully placed the jewels around the house and began carving the magic circle with the gold.
“If you’re going to keep carving like that, couldn’t you just use edible gold powder?”
“...Using mana to carve it like this will make it more conductive.”
Thanks to this, I ended up using about 1.2 billion worth of gold, but the house was large enough, and to make the magic circle semi-permanent, it was necessary.
“That’s impressive.”
“Magic circles using jewels should exist, but still, it’s rare.”
“I’m not talking about the magic circle, I’m talking about Da-on’s family love.”
From behind me, Han Jae-young continued.
“You included your family’s protection in the contract. I thought, for an S-rank hunter, it made sense since you’re usually a target for threats, but... seeing you like this, it seems even more obvious. Anyone would think you’re the older sister. Though, even if you are the sister, it feels a bit excessive. I mean, if it’s family, it makes sense, but...”
“That’s not obvious.”
I replied as I rubbed the gold powder into the floor.
“That’s why.”
Nothing I sacrificed for Da-on was ever obvious.
Even though we were siblings, we were just born to the same parents. In the end, we’re strangers. My familiar is mine because I split my soul, but it’s not family. A stranger who can never be more important than me. One who, for their own gain, could eventually turn their back on me or even kill me.
I know that from my past life.
And maybe even in this life.
Fwaam!
As I infused mana into the completed magic circle, the house was suddenly illuminated.
Mana began circulating between the jewels I placed at the precise points of the magic circle.
This isn’t bad.
The jewels began amplifying the small amount of mana I had infused, expanding the magic circle’s effects and range.
Now, I don’t even need to add any more mana; for at least six months, this building will be safe, even if a nuclear bomb goes off.
Comfortable! Safe!
Perhaps feeling the abundant mana surrounding the house, Leo, sitting by my feet, purred happily.
“Oh, right, we’re casting it right now... Wait, hold on.”
Han Jae-young’s face stiffened as he detected the flow of mana.
“This...!”
Boom!
Han Jae-young collapsed from his chair, as if hit by some invisible force, and rolled all the way out through the open front door.
“What’s going on here?!”
“Oops, my mistake.”
I said flatly, in the same unbothered tone Han Jae-young had used earlier.
“If that upset you, I apologize.”
......
Shocked, Han Jae-young looked up at me from the cold floor with a stunned expression.
Well, he shouldn’t have started a fight with me.