STC chapter 30

I generally try to let things slide, but I couldn’t ignore what was just said. What did someone say? That I’ve received favor from Ye Ilhu?

Of course, “favor” has two meanings. One is receiving grace from a king, but that definitely wasn’t it. Because, when I came out of the training room with Ye Ilhu, what did those hunters gathered there mutter?

I stopped abruptly from my leisurely post-meal stroll. When someone picks a fight with me, I’ve always believed it’s natural to respond in kind.

‘Oh.’

But it seemed Jeong Yeonji and Heo Taekgyun were even more displeased than I was. They were glaring fiercely at the two hunters with deeply furrowed brows.

Just as I was touched by their support, one of the hunters opened his mouth.

“From that bastard’s point of view, he did get favor from Ye Ilhu, damn it. Did you even see him around the guild before that? He used to just wander into low-level dungeons sometimes.”

It seemed this person knew Kang Baram, who used to be rather insignificant. His rank was probably higher than mine.

Seeing someone he looked down on suddenly stand out must have triggered his inferiority complex. I’d seen many of this kind before, so I was familiar with them.

I was more angry than upset, but suddenly Jeong Yeonji covered my ears and whispered.

“Don’t listen, you’re the best hunter.”

What nonsense. I was about to laugh, but the hunter, intent on mocking, burst out laughing loudly.

“Paha! Yeah, the best hunter.”

The guy who said that gave me a lewd look up and down. His sticky gaze made me feel dirty.

“Look at that small ass. Doesn’t seem like it would be any good to fuck.”

“What kind of body lobbying did you do to Prince Ye Ilhu?”

Their mockery was escalating. Seriously? If they’re frustrated, they should reawaken to a higher rank, why are they taking it out on me?

Then it happened. The hunter who was scanning my body suddenly changed his tune.

“No, never mind. Since he originally planned to leave the guild, it’s more like a punishment than a favor.”

At that passing remark, I froze as if broken.

‘Kang Baram planned to leave Idea?’

It was a fact I didn’t know.

‘If that statement is true.’

Suddenly, the schedule sheet that Ryu Min had given me flashed in my mind. Could the reason for Kang Baram’s death be related to that?

My intuition sharply reacted, telling me not to miss this opportunity.

I quickly ran to the hunter and grabbed his collar.

“What did you just say?”

“Baram!”

A shocked Heo Taekgyun tried to stop me, but I stood firm. The hunter looked startled as I grabbed his collar with unyielding strength.

“What, what the hell. Damn it, let go!”

“No, I won’t. What did you say earlier?”

The hunter’s eyes wavered like leaves in a storm, and another hunter awkwardly patted his friend, raising the corners of his mouth.

“Hey, stop messing around and push him away. What are you doing?”

The guy tried to shake me off with all his strength and shouted angrily with a flushed face.

“Damn it, I can’t get free!”

‘Hmph, of course not.’

If he had charged recklessly, I would have been knocked down long ago, but I wasn’t that stupid. I was secretly using my power to hold the hunter so he couldn’t escape.

Using abilities outside the gate could get me in trouble with the higher-ups, but as long as I didn’t get caught, it was fine.

One of the reasons I acted so brazenly was that few people in this guild knew the exact nature of Kang Baram’s power.

They simply heard through the grapevine that he was a useless D-rank hunter and dismissed him as a waste of salary.

So, this guy certainly didn’t know I was using a superhuman ability. If he knew, he would have been shouting that it was illegal.

Now that the situation was in hand, I needed to hear his previous remark again.

“Repeat what you said!”

When I shouted, the hunter seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere and started recalling.

“Oh, about the small ass?”

“Hey.”

“Even if I fucked it, it wouldn’t be… Ugh!”

Instead of saying what I wanted to hear, he kept spewing harassment, so I grabbed his collar even tighter. As I lifted him, he stood on his toes, looking pathetic.

“Not favor, but punishment… because he planned to leave… Is that what pissed you off?”

“No, before that. You said Kang Baram originally planned to leave the guild.”

Only then did I realize how strange my words must have sounded to him and those around us. To them, it might seem like I was treating myself as a third person.

But the hunter, whose legs were trembling, didn’t seem to care about that.

“You said it yourself that day, that you were quitting! Because you felt useless, like baggage, staying here!”

“…What did you say?”

Kang Baram said that? I knew he had extremely low self-esteem from hiding in his room or dormitory all the time, but I never thought he saw himself that way.

Shocked, I unknowingly squeezed his collar harder, causing his face to turn blue. Hearing him gasp, I let go.

He collapsed onto the stone floor, clutching his neck and coughing.

“Explain in more detail.”

“What the hell, you crazy bastard. You said it yourself! Do you have amnesia or something?”

“…….”

“That day, when we ran into each other in the hallway outside the guild master’s office, you said that!”

When I kept questioning, the guy shouted loudly as if he was wronged.

It was then. Perhaps because of his words, a sudden severe headache struck me, and a scene filled with static and noise flooded my mind.

It felt similar to when I first came to this world and sporadic memories of Kang Baram’s past life surfaced.

As if watching a movie, I saw Kang Baram from another’s perspective. Light beige hair with a hint of gray, light pink eyes. Seeing this face, which I only knew from the mirror, felt strangely unfamiliar.

Contrary to the usual image of being cooped up in the library or dormitory, ‘Kang Baram’ had a determined expression. He walked briskly down the long hallway.

Then, he bumped shoulders with someone walking from the opposite direction. It was the hunter who had picked a fight with me.

[Ah, fuck. What’s this?]

To be precise, it wasn’t due to mutual carelessness but because the guy, distracted, had shoved ‘Kang Baram’ with his shoulder.

Realizing that his opponent was a worthless D-rank hunter, the guy started to vent his anger.

[Can’t you watch where you’re going? Huh? Why don’t you apologize?]

He pushed relentlessly without even giving a chance to apologize.

At the loud voice, ‘Kang Baram’ shrank back and began to bow, apologizing.

[S-sorry…….]

[Is ‘sorry’ all you can say? If apologies were enough, why would we need the police!]

The group with the hunter laughed and watched as if they had caught prey. Soon, the hunter looked ‘Kang Baram’ up and down, then grabbed his shoulder tightly.

[You’re that D-rank support hunter, right? Maybe because you never go out to the gates and just stay cooped up in the guild, your skin is so pale and pretty……]

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing, then started rubbing his waist lightly.

[Don’t just stay holed up in your room, come to the training room sometime. I’ll give you some special attention.]

The men’s laughter grew louder at his words. It was blatant sexual harassment.

‘To think he’s been living under such treatment.’

I knew he had been living while enduring disdain and neglect, but I hadn’t imagined he’d been sexually harassed by other men. I felt a surge of anger.

I wanted to punch the hunter, but in this recollection, I had no substance and could only watch.

At that moment, ‘Kang Baram’ also seemed unable to bear it anymore and sharply struck the hunter’s arm away.

The sudden counterattack left the guy stunned, glancing between his hand and ‘Kang Baram’.

[I quit this damn guild!]

It was the first time I heard ‘Kang Baram’ shout. In the memories, he was always mumbling or sullen, with his mouth firmly shut.

[I was on my way to quit anyway! Being here makes me feel useless like a burden! It all…… sucks! I can’t stay any longer!]

He must have been under so much stress to react like that.

Seeing ‘Kang Baram’ scream almost hysterically made the hunters retreat as if bitten by a mad dog.

The scene ended there. The hunters backed off, glancing behind them, and ‘Kang Baram’ stood alone, wiping away a tear with the back of his hand before resuming his walk.

But somehow…… the hallway ‘Kang Baram’ was walking down felt familiar. Considering he encountered the hunters, it must be inside the Idea building.

Since the places I had visited within the guild were limited, it was easy to narrow down the candidates: the dormitory, library, dining hall, underground training room, and……

‘Ah, right. This is.’

It was the hallway leading to Chae Gohae’s office.