-Mr. Government Official, isn't it cheating to threaten me with my pet? You're a civil servant!
"I'm asking you to act sensibly."
While Taewon Song held a monster prisoner, a request to stop causing damage to the city could hardly be called a threat. Riette growled, and the jewel snake bit into Taewon Song's hand in response. While shiny liquid that looked like poison splattered from its teeth, his black shadow nullified it all. The small snake twisted its body in anger, and it looked like it had a strong personality like its owner.
"Um, will this be reported to the guild?"
Soyoung Kang slid quietly from Riette like someone who had been caught drunk driving. She seemed to have realized that she had gone too far.
"Yes."
"I mean, we hadn't done much yet."
Taewon Song's eyes looked over the ruined dungeon building and the shattered ground. The paved roads and precast pavers had disappeared without a trace. Soyoung Kang frowned at Taewon Song's quiet but firm gaze. While Riette had been the main reason, Soyoung Kang was responsible for Riette's transformation.
"Director Song, can you help me out for once? I might not receive equipment auction tickets if I receive any minus reports, since I have too many speeding tickets this month already! I have to get equipment for Comet!"
"No."
Taewon Song was firm, and I realized how important this guy was. Who would be able to enforce the law to an A class attacker if not him, and also to an S class? I mean, grabbing an S class hunter's pet and flashing it in front of her could not be done by anyone. Riette had been in her dragon form that was adorned with thorns and scales like armor. An ordinary individual would not be able to say a word.
'There had been countries where an S class hunter had been a king.'
If a small country had only one S class hunter, the individual could not be controlled or replaced. It would be a difficult task to bring a free hunter in this dungeon saturation state.
"Mr. Yoojin Han!"
Soyoung Kang targeted me to know after being blocked by Taewon Song. She walked up to me after I had got down from Noah's back to a safe place due to a lowered fear resistance and looked up at me with desperate blue eyes.
"Can't you put in a word for me to the Guild leader?"
"Yes?"
"You're close to him, and I really need that auction ticket! Hyuna has her eyes on that equipment, and I can't buy it even if I had the money since her priority rankings are higher than me. It's an S class equipment for a riding beast, and S class equipment is prioritized to S class hunters. So I need the Guild leader's auction ticket!"
An S class equipment for a riding beast? Yoohyun would need it, and Soyoung Kang added a word the moment the thought passed my mind.
"It's good for flying-type monsters."
So, that was why Hyuna Moon was after it since I hinted at assigning her Blue.
"I'm not close, and how about asking him directly?'
"He does not look over minus points regarding public image management. The only exception is him."
Soyoung Kang looked sullen. So, he was the exception. One thing that large-sized domestic guilds paid the most attention to was the public image management of its high-class hunters. Them causing trouble outside dungeons rather than inside them was more challenging to control and might become an exploitable weakness.
"Then I won't be of much help. I'm not close to him."
"Yes, you are. Please, just once! I'll help you out whenever you need me! You can ask me to clean!"
Why cleaning? Does she hate it?
"Stop there, Hunter Soyoung Kang."
Yoohyun spoke coldly as he came up next to me. He was like ice, and perhaps the rumors I heard before the return might have been false. Or was it because he was Minyui Kim now? Being friendly as someone else would make things difficult, and being cold would be the right answer now.
"I'll put in a word."
I smiled at a despondent Soyoung Kang, since making her indebted to me would pay off when I considered her skill.
"Don't be expectant."
"Thank you!"
Soyoung Kang bowed with a bright smile as if her problem was solved already. I had said not to be expectant.
"Why are you listening to her whines?"
Yoohyun spoke in a whisper.
"Being involved in another guild's affairs will not have good results."
"I'm only going to be a messenger and take credit."
Hyunjae Sung would not agree to it if he had any sense anyway. Riette came back to her human form, and her glare sent chills down my spine. However, Taewon Song did not move a muscle, since sadly, he would have been used to this kind of situation.
"How about fighting after you let go of Velare?"
"I'll force you out of this country if you cause any more trouble."
"You're touchy."
Riette laughed sharply, and while her face said she wanted to rush as Taewon Song, she did not move for the jewel snake's safety. She must care for that snake more than I had thought, but what use did she have for the beast since she did not need one to ride one?
'What characteristics did a jewel snake have?'
It had not been seen in domestic dungeons, and I thought I had seen one on a TV special for beautiful beasts.
"Hey, Pebble."
Riette crooked her neck and looked up to Noah, who was flying above in his dragon form. Noah raised his scales behind his neck, and his pale gray eyes rolled in tension.
"I'm amazed that you gave a monster I'm raising to someone else. I had only told you where I hid it just in case."
-…You told me so I can raise it instead.
Noah replied, even as he shuddered.
-You're too aggressive. You didn't even listen as Mr. Yoojin Han tried to stop you.
"What's with this sudden nonsense? I have been like this all my life.
-Being used to you does not mean I like your actions. And I'm Noah and not Pebble.
Riette's laugh was quiet as Noah spoke with clenched teeth and the end of her foot spun as it crushed the ground underneath. She flew up in the air.
"Mr. Noah!"
Yoohyun's arm grabbed me as I started to run to Noah in reflex. I heard the growl of a dragon as Yoohyun said that the situation was dangerous at the same time. A black-scaled hand grabbed a golden wing.
Noah's body crashed with a thud, and Riette revealed her teeth like a puma ambushing a hawk as she twisted her brother's wings and neck.
"My brother, you've become cuter since the last time I saw you."
-Grr…
While Noah tried to swing his tail at Riette, she only needed a kick to keep him at bay. Noah's claws scratched the ground, and Riette put more force behind her hands as she twisted his body.
"Hey, Riette! Let go of me, Yoohyun!"
"What will you do? Stay still. She would have already finished if she wanted to kill him, so don't worry."
How could I not?! However, I could not make him let go of me, and it was Soyoung Kang who moved after seeing the sight with wide eyes. I saw a curved blade in her hand. There was no handle, and it looked like a boomerang with a shiny blade on the outer rim. The side without the edges span once on her hand, and her arm moved to swing the blade at Riette. Since the entire thing was a blade, touching it would mean being cut up.
However, Riette's scales held the blade without a scratch, and Noah fluttered his freed wings. Riette let go of Noah's neck and stepped back at the dragon's rough movements.
"Sweetie, are you taking my brother's side?"
"I came here to help Mr. Noah out from the first place."
Soyoung Kang spoke with composure, and I could not help but think that her methods had been haywire.
"Mr. Noah, come here!"
Since I could not go to him, I had to call him to come to me. Noah hesitated for a moment before changing into human form to stand next to me. Since Yoohyun was here and Taewon Song was only a few steps away, Riette would not be able to attack him so easily.
Riette glanced at Noah, who was healing the marks on his neck, before staring at Soyoung Kang.
"So, do you like Noah more than me?"
"No, you're the best!"
"Then?"
"But I like Mr. Noah and Comet, too."
"You're greedy."
She was greedier than I had expected since she was not satisfied with having one high-class dragon.
"Is that wrong?"
Soyoung Kang opened her eyes wide, and I could see the heat behind her eyes that did not suit their dark blue color.
"I like strong and beautiful dragons, and I want to have them all."
"You'll become ill. You should only grab what you can take."
"I don't care. I would rather die for having too much than letting go of anything."
I could see her greed on her face and in her voice. While her logic was forced, Soyoung Kang was confident. Everyone would agree she was asking for too much. If Soyoung Kang did not have the rider skill, she would have been unable to have Comet, which would grow to an S class dragon. However, she was saying that she even wanted Noah and Riette, who were S class hunters with red-hot desire.
Riette narrowed her golden eyes and laughed out loud before hugging Soyoung Kang.
"You're really cute!"
Riette roughly stroked hair similar to her eyes in color.
"You're trying to take what you can't control. Sweetie, you'll die for it."
"I don't care!"
"Yes, yes. However, you can't have us all."
Riette tapped Soyoung Kang's stomach as she spoke.
"Do you want me to make you an S class?"
"Really? Of-"
"No!"
Noah shouted in astonishment, and I felt the same. That woman was going to swallow another one whole!
"My sister is too dangerous!"
"Yes, Ms. Soyoung. You belong to Sesung and should have his permission first!"
"Wouldn't he agree? It would be better to be an S class."
Soyoung Kang tilted her head in Riette's arms, and Noah growled like he was in dragon form. His narrowed eyes were fierce, unlike his usual self.
"Let go of Hunter Soyoung Kang, sister."
"How about taking her away from me, brother?"
"Oh, my heart skipped a beat. I could get used to this."
Soyoung Kang's cheeks flushed in happiness, and she was far gone enough to enjoy the fact she was stuck between two dragons. Noah was serious, unlike Soyoung Kang, but he only fisted his hands as he could not rush at his sister. The reality was too harsh.
Noah had initially been an A class supporter while Riette was born an S class attacker. While they were of the same race, they were too far apart in strength.
"Mr. Noah."
I reached out and grabbed Noah's arm, and his shoulders sagged from letting go of the tension and excitement. I could see his eyes were watery as he looked back at me, and he must be furious.
"I also want to fight against my sister without running away."
"I know."
While Noah was terrified of Riette, he had protected me in front of Yoohyun and had tried to take Soyoung Kang away because he wanted to face Riette head on. While he knew more than anyone else that he was weaker than Riette, Noah had not given up yet.
"Then, do you want to try?"
"…Yes?"
"Wait, hyung."
Yoohyun frowned as he put more power in the arm holding me, as he must have noticed that I was about to share my doubling effect on Noah.
"No."
"Mr. Noah won't have problems."
"Still, no. Are you really going to keep going like this?"
"Just this once. We are indebted to Mr. Noah, you know."
I consoled my brother as I turned my eyes to Riette, even though I could not see clearly with my eyes.
"Riette, how about going face to face with Noah? I'll give him a buff skill since there's too much of a gap between you two."
"Will you?"
"If you win, I won't interfere with what happens with you and Ms. Soyoung Kang, and I'll even help you convince the Sesung Guild leader."
"Mr. Yoojin! I can't win against my sister!"
"Let's try first. Trust me."
"All right, darling! Should we start now?"
"No. I need to make preparations, and I'll notify you of the date."
"I can't wait long."
Riette smiled confidently, thinking Noah would not be able to win even with some serious buff skills. However, I would make Noah the victor of this sibling fight.