"Hm?"
"I have a few spare rooms. Until you've adapted to this world and can live on your own, I'll stay by your side and teach you everything you need to know."
The truth was, as Seo Munhyeok said those words, he was worried Haran might refuse.
He had a feeling someone like Haran would hate living together with another person.
Fortunately, Haran seemed quite pleased with the proposal.
"Oh? So you're becoming my attendant?"
...While adding complete nonsense like that.
"No, no. Attendant is a little much. Hmm... A butler? Yes. Butler suits you perfectly."
A crack appeared in Seo Munhyeok's smile.
First he'd been reduced to an S-class mana battery.
Now he was being treated like an S-class butler.
'Is this really how it's supposed to end?'
Tears blurred his vision.
* * *
"Uncle!"
Six in the evening.
It was time to pick Sua up from her all-day kindergarten program.
As usual, Haran headed toward the kindergarten wearing a stretched-out T-shirt and gray sweatpants with baggy knees.
"Hello, Sua's guardian."
"Yeah."
The casual reply made the teacher force an awkward smile.
Ever since the day he'd shown up looking filthy to pick Sua up, Pyo Haram's personality had changed so completely that she couldn't help finding it strange.
"Huh? Uncle, what's that?"
Just then, the cheerful voice of a child cut through the awkward atmosphere.
Only then did the teacher notice the unfamiliar bag in Haran's hand.
It was a rustling duffel bag.
Anyone could tell it was luggage.
"...Looks like you're going somewhere."
"Yeah."
"Uncle, what's in there? What'd you pack?"
"Your clothes. And a few other things. Stop fidgeting."
After silencing Sua, who had been chirping beside him like a sparrow, Haran gave the teacher a brief nod.
"Then we'll be going."
"Ah, yes. Take care on your way home. Bye, Sua. See you tomorrow."
Adjusting his grip on the bag, Haran started walking.
His injured leg had become much easier to manage now, no longer wobbling unsteadily like before.
"Un... Uncle..."
Sua hurried after him.
Keeping close to Haran's side, she repeatedly glanced around nervously.
"This isn't the way home. Where are we going...?"
"We've got somewhere to be."
"Where?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
It was a rather unfriendly explanation to give a child.
Sua reached out with her tiny hand and tightly grabbed the hem of Haran's shirt.
She squeezed so hard that the bones on the back of her hand turned white.
Haran merely glanced at her before looking forward again.
He was far too absorbed in his own thoughts to pay much attention.
'Now that the mana issue is settled, I should begin researching a spell to seal this body's memories. I know there were several similar spells...'
Even for Haran, magic that interfered directly with the brain was difficult.
The slightest mistake in the spell formula could leave someone an idiot or permanently disabled.
There was also the very real possibility of destroying the brain outright and killing the subject instantly.
For that reason, Haran decided to approach sealing Pyo Haram's memories with extreme caution.
"Uncle..."
How long had they been walking while he was lost in thought?
The quiet voice finally pulled him back to reality.
Without realizing it, they had already left the maze of alleys and reached the main road.
"Ah."
Haran stopped.
Apparently this was exactly where he'd intended to come.
He stepped toward the roadside and began looking over the passing cars.
"Un... Uncle..."
Sua called again.
She had always been talkative, but she wasn't the type of child to whine.
Not for someone her age.
"What is it?"
Only then did Haran take a proper look at her.
He wondered if something was wrong.
The expression on Sua's face was...
Strange.
Her face had gone so pale it was almost blue.
Tears pooled in her eyes, ready to spill at any second.
Her nose was red.
She had bitten her lip so hard it looked ready to bleed.
"Why are you..."
Why was she so terrified?
Just as Haran tilted his head in confusion...
A sleek black car slowed as it approached from down the road.
Haran immediately brightened.
Perfect timing.
Screech—
The car came to a stop directly in front of them.
A large man wearing a cap pulled low over his face stepped out.
As though this were perfectly normal, Haran immediately began scolding him.
"You certainly took your sweet time. Making someone like me wait... You've got some nerve."
"My apologies for being late. It's rush hour, so traffic was rather heavy..."
"You should've anticipated that and left earlier."
"Yes, sir. I'll do that next time."
An awkward smile tugged at the man's lips beneath his cap.
Having absolutely no idea what was going on, Sua looked back and forth between Haran and the mysterious man.
'Who is he...?'
At that moment, the man in the cap noticed her and walked over.
Seeing Sua instinctively take a cautious step backward, he crouched down to meet her eye level.
"Hello. So you're Sua."
"U-Uh...! Seo Mun...!"
It's Hunter Seo Munhyeok!
Recognizing his face, Sua gasped and almost shouted.
Fortunately, Seo Munhyeok had anticipated exactly that reaction.
"Shh. Let's talk about that later, okay?"
Nod! Nod!
The color instantly returned to Sua's cheeks.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him.
"You know him?"
Haran asked casually.
Sua shot him an exasperated look.
"Uncle, who in our country doesn't know Hunter... um... him?"
"...Is he really that famous?"
"Of course! Super, suuuper famous! He's a national hero!"
Listening to Sua excitedly chatter, Haran looked at Seo Munhyeok with mild surprise.
Embarrassed to hear someone praising him right in front of him, Seo Munhyeok pretended not to hear and stood up to open the rear door.
"Let's get inside first. We can't stand here forever."
A child safety seat had already been installed in the back.
Apparently he'd prepared it beforehand.
When Seo Munhyeok tried to help Sua into it first—
She violently shook her head.
"I-I don't want to go..."
Only moments ago she'd been looking at Seo Munhyeok with shining admiration.
Now, for some reason, she looked utterly terrified.
She wrapped both arms around one of Haran's legs and clung to him.
"What are you doing? Let go."
"U-Uncle... I don't want to go."
"You're going to make me fall over. Let go first."
"Can't I just stay here with you? Please?"
Her voice trembled like a frightened baby goat.
Both Haran and Seo Munhyeok looked at her in surprise.
The tears she'd been desperately holding back finally spilled over.
"I-I'll only eat a little... Hic! I won't bother you anymore... Please don't abandon me, Uncle..."
"What? What are you talking about? Why would you only eat a little? You're tiny. You need to eat plenty if you want to grow."
"No... I don't have to grow..."
"Enough. Stop crying. If you keep talking while you're crying, I can't understand a word you're saying."
"Hic!"
"Calm down and tell me slowly. If you cry like that, no one will be able to understand you."
Despite his injured leg, Haran crouched down and gently held Sua by the shoulders.
Meeting her eyes, he simply looked at her in complete silence until she calmed down.
It worked surprisingly quickly.
Seo Munhyeok watched the entire exchange with renewed interest.
'I was worried because he's so overbearing and unreasonable... But he's actually surprisingly good with children.'
By then, Sua had calmed enough to speak clearly.
"You're taking me to an orphanage, aren't you? I don't want to go. I want to stay with you, Uncle."
"An orphanage? You mean a place for children without families? Why would you go there? You're staying with me. At least until you're old enough to take care of yourself."
"So... I'm staying with you forever, Uncle?"
"...Yeah."
Haran answered half a beat late.
After all, promises existed to be broken.
That thought chased away any guilt he might have felt.
"Then what's with the car? And that Hunter? You said my clothes were in that bag."
"I already packed my own things, so we only need to bring yours. We're taking this car to that guy's house. Honestly, wasn't your old home way too cramped and shabby?"
"...?"
Sua looked as though she'd understood barely half of what he'd just said.
Naturally.
Haran had skipped almost all the important explanations.
Watching quietly from the side, Seo Munhyeok noticed more and more people beginning to look their way.
Suppressing a sigh, he stepped in.
"I'll explain everything on the way. Sua, would you like to get in? Mr. Pyo Haram, please get in as well. You can sit beside the child seat."
"Very well."
Since Sua was still visibly anxious, Seo Munhyeok had Haran sit beside the child seat first.
Only then did Sua obediently allow him to help her into the seat and fasten her belt.
"...Sigh."
After closing the rear door, Seo Munhyeok quietly sighed.
He had assumed Haran would've explained the situation to her while they were coming here.
'So he really just brought her here without explaining anything...'
Sliding into the driver's seat, Seo Munhyeok glanced into the rearview mirror.
Sua had grabbed Haran's hand tightly and was nervously looking around inside the car.
"Did I scare you, Sua?"
"...I'm okay..."
Her voice sounded stuffy from crying so much.
As Sua sniffled with a flushed face, Seo Munhyeok pulled out a tissue and handed it back to her.
"...Th-thank you. But... why are you here, Hunter Seo Munhyeok?"
"Hm? Me?"
"Y-Yes... sniff What's your relationship with my uncle?"
Seo Munhyeok was speechless for a moment.
What was his relationship with Haran?
'Come to think of it...'
What exactly were they?
Contract partners?
A great archmage and his mana battery?
Master...
And butler?