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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Master-Disciple Journey (2)
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With a drone camera hovering above their heads, Jin Yuha and Baek Seolhui sought out the Velvet Hunter Academy Request Office.
"Disciple, what kind of request are you thinking of taking?"
Jin Yuha scanned the holographic window floating before his eyes, stroking his chin with a contemplative expression.
"Hmm, it's a tough choice. Rather than a regular request, I think it might be better to tackle a dungeon raid posted by the Hunter Management Bureau."
"Indeed."
Baek Seolhui nodded in agreement. Requests, indeed, varied wildly in the time they required depending on their type.
But a dungeon regularly posted by the Hunter Management Bureau could be cleared in a short amount of time.
'Strengthening the bond between master and disciple under the guise of a request... That fellow came up with a pretty good idea.'
Last time, the deal with Shin Sehee had given her a pretty good opportunity.
'There are no other ulterior motives. All of this is for my own growth.'
If her disciple's favorability increased by 1%, she too could grow 1% stronger.
For Baek Seolhui, 1% wasn't merely 1%; it was a significant power she absolutely couldn't afford to miss.
With such a valid justification, there was nothing to hold her back.
"This is one of the few times you can be separated from your party members, so it would be wise to choose carefully. This is time for the disciple and the master."
However, she made sure to emphasize this point.
If she didn't make it clear from the start that other party members wouldn't be involved in this request, the same thing as last time might happen again.
During the last Demon kidnapping incident.
She hadn't forgotten the time when she had clearly called for just one disciple, but Im Gaeul and Sophia had tagged along right behind Jin Yuha.
"Huh? Oh, right. This request is just for you, Master, and me. Just the two of us."
At that, Jin Yuha replied as if she were stating the obvious.
'Hmm, was I unnecessarily worried...?'
Master and Disciple.
No one could intrude.
'Just the two of us.'
Those words from Jin Yuha held significant resonance.
It was then, as she felt an uncharacteristic softness beneath her stern expression.
"Hmm, I've picked out a few suitable options. Would you like to take a look?"
Jin Yuha showed Baek Seolhui a few selected requests.
And her expression instantly hardened as she checked the list.
'Most of these places are dangerous for my disciple's current skill level.'
Of course, since she was accompanying him, they could somehow manage, but...
Baek Seolhui knew this trip was planned for Jin Yuha's relaxation.
He was a foolish disciple who always ran desperately towards his goal.
Even though Baek Seolhui herself never missed a day of harsh training and never neglected her duties,
Even to her, Jin Yuha's current schedule was far too packed.
'Hmm, should I follow my disciple's will here, or should I dissuade him?'
Everything was too difficult for Baek Seolhui, who was a master for the first time.
Then, among the lists, she noticed gates that were both unfamiliar and familiar.
Maldives Gate.
Bali Gate.
Jeju Island Gate.
'These are the places I heard about last time...'
*
Last dawn.
As soon as Baek Seolhui received Shin Sehee's plan, she immediately summoned the Demon Eradication Squad members at dawn.
"Is there a good hunting ground for a disciple of a different gender to go to?"
Baek Seolhui had suddenly called a meeting at dawn,
So the Eradication Squad members, who had hastily rushed out fully armed, thinking something urgent had happened, couldn't hide their bewildered expressions at her words.
"...Huh?"
"It seems I'll have to go on a trip with my disciple soon. Tell me if there's a place where we can strengthen the bond between master and disciple."
No one there didn't know that the disciple she was referring to was Jin Yuha, the youngest candidate for the Demon Eradication Squad.
Baek Seolhui's love for her disciple was exceptionally deep,
And Jin Yuha was like a refreshing ion drink amidst the utterly dreary members of the Demon Eradication Squad!
There were truckloads of people eagerly awaiting his graduation from the academy and joining the Demon Eradication Squad.
But, still.
Was it really necessary to call them at the crack of dawn just to ask such a question?
'And we, who suffer like dogs below, have never been taken care of like that!'
Honestly, resentment swelled to their throats, but no one dared to voice it out loud right now.
They merely racked their brains desperately.
Because they had learned from experience that speaking well in such situations would result in slightly less beating during future training.
"How about Maldives Gate!?"
"I heard Bali Gate is also good!"
"Hmm, domestically, Jeju Island Gate...? They say that place is good."
The hunting grounds recommended by the Eradication Squad members were dungeons they had fantasized about going to with a boyfriend someday.
They were dangerous places with beautiful scenery.
These were places where they could heroically rescue a man in danger and appeal to him as a powerful woman.
"Bali. I've never been there, but they say the atmosphere is absolutely killer! Especially the sea and the sunset view...!"
"Seriously, if you save him in a dangerous situation, and he hugs you under that sunset and says, 'Noona, thank you,' I'd seriously pee myself."
"Mmm, mmm, people usually fall in love and get married after being saved in a dangerous situation."
"But haven't we saved quite a lot of people so far? Why haven't we gotten married?"
"..."
As the conversation turned to men, all the Eradication Squad members seemed to have had their sleep driven away.
They began to unravel all sorts of fantasies.
Since they fought demons daily and had no experience with men,
The sad part was that they didn't even realize it was strange to go to a hunting ground for a date with the opposite sex in the first place.
And that was the same for Baek Seolhui.
'Hmm, these guys. Despite their terrible skills, they're certainly brilliant in this regard.'
*
'Bali, Maldives, Jeju Island... Yes, these are all the places those guys mentioned.'
"How about one of these three locations?"
"Oh!"
Baek Seolhui had never really paid attention to these three places, so she didn't know how dangerous they were or what monsters appeared there.
She had simply chosen them because she heard the atmosphere was good.
But Jin Yuha's reaction was dramatic.
"As expected, Master, you think so too!? I was debating these three the most!"
"Hmm."
Thinking she had chosen correctly, Baek Seolhui subtly smiled with satisfaction.
"Hmmmm... If I have to choose one of these three, then, definitely... I should go with Jeju Island. It's the place where we can get the best efficiency within three days."
'My disciple prefers domestic.'
Baek Seolhui didn't quite understand Jin Yuha's criteria of "efficiency,"
But she mentally made a note and nodded.
"Yes, I think so too."
"Then let's go right away! Master!"
* * *
The first gate we headed to was Jeju Island's A-rank Gate.
"Land of the Blue Wolves"
This was a dungeon inhabited by muscular, bipedal wolves.
It was located in the outskirts, had a low magic stone drop rate, and offered nothing much to gain,
A dungeon that was just annoyingly difficult, so people rarely sought it out.
'That's why the later dungeon burst causes quite a lot of damage.'
This place was similar to Camilla's Forest, which I had cleared in the early stages.
Later, an elite monster called the 'Blue Wolf King' appears.
And he gathers the monsters accumulated inside and bursts out of the dungeon.
Of course, they are immediately subjugated by the hunters dispatched from the Velvet Hunter Academy.
But by then, it would have already left deep scars on the people living in Jeju Island.
'So I had thought about clearing it someday, but our party's level isn't high enough yet, so I had put it off for later.'
Of course, even if you subjugate the monsters, you can't prevent the elite monster from being born later.
However, if the number of monsters inside is reduced once, its danger level will drop significantly.
In that case, the resident hunters of Jeju Island alone would be able to handle it sufficiently.
"...Master, I apologize, but from now on, could you perhaps clear it with your full effort?"
I said to my Master in front of the gate.
I knew it was arrogant to say such a thing to her,
But from now on, speed was of the essence.
After this, I had to completely clear four more gates, including their hidden routes.
Time was tighter than I thought.
"Hmm, you mean you want to finish quickly and have some leisure time...?"
Baek Seolhui, who had been muttering something to herself, readily nodded.
"Very well, I understand. It will certainly be helpful for you to properly confirm just how capable your master is this time."
'Finally, will I be able to see Master's true power...!'
I had never yet seen my Master's true power.
Of course, it had definitely improved compared to the beginning, when she didn't even draw her sword and fought with a wooden stick.
But I was still not strong enough to draw out my Master's true power.
Moreover, the battlefields she usually operated in were in the shadows.
Her main job was to subjugate demons from behind the scenes, so directly witnessing her skill was an even more distant prospect.
At her acceptance, I forcibly calmed my pounding heart and swallowed hard.
*Shing—*
My Master drew the ink-black sword she always carried from her waist.
And.
*Whirr—*
A small dagger spun in her other hand before being gripped in a reverse hold.
'...A dagger?'
Just as I was slightly flustered by the unfamiliar weapon.
"Disciple."
"...Yes?"
"From now on, if you want to keep up with me, you will have to give it your all."
"Give it my all...?"
*Step.*
*Step.*
"Hmm, I have a habit of not paying much attention to my surroundings once I focus."
Baek Seolhui's eyes, as she headed towards the gate, lowered intently.