CH 35

Come to think of it, Haeun and Seo Dojoon were about the same age.

As far as Jung Jinho knows, Haeun currently doesn’t have a boyfriend. Also, he doesn’t know if Seo Dojoon has a lover, but there’s no way he doesn’t like Haeun, who is so cute and lovable. 

And Seo Dojoon’s appearance, Jung Jinho thinks it’s just like that, but it’s definitely a face that kids these days like.

Because Seo Dojoon was assigned the role of Haeun’s guard, the two had to stay together all day for a week.

If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be strange if they looked at each other and said, “We’re dating!”

“Hunter Jung Jinho, do you not like it?” 

Seo Dojoon asked Jung Jinho, who was sitting at the table after he finished cooking, before he realized it.

Jung Jinho suddenly came to his senses after thinking about something else ahead of the fantastic dinner made by Seo Dojoon.

“Dad, this is something Seo Dojoon prepared very hard to make for you today.”

Haeun just added a word to praise Seo Dojoon’s hard work, but Jung Jinho’s face got sharper when he heard it.

‘Since when did his title become Seo Dojoon-ssi?’ 

Until yesterday, it was ‘Hunter Seo Dojoon.’ 

The two of them sat next to each other. They look good, but it makes him angry again. At the same time, he felt a sense of crisis. 

As a father with a daughter who wouldn’t hurt even if it was in his eyes, he couldn’t just watch this situation.

Jung Jinho tried to adjust his lips, pretending to be calm. 

“Good job. More than that, what did you do today, Haeun-ah?” 

“Uhm, I was just at home. Ah, I went to the mart for a while to buy ingredients for dinner.”

“You’re not going anywhere to play.”

“I just… busy.”

Jung Jinho raised his eyebrows. In other words, the two of them stayed inside the house all day.

Haeun was never a person who would sit quietly at home unless he put some honey in the house.

Then, is Seo Dojoon the honey here?!

‘How dare you to my daughter….’

Jung Jinho’s eyes were burning as he looked at the two.

[The constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ whispers that Jung Jinho doesn’t seem to believe Haeun’s words.] 

‘I was really busy.’

Haeun, who didn’t even notice what Jung Jinho was thinking, pouted.

Just as Jung Jinho had a busy day outside today, Haeun also had a busy time.

[SYSTEM: Current synchronization rate 21.13%]

To find out about that synchronization window!

Haeun was somewhat convinced that this unique system window was visible only to herself. No matter where she looked in the hunter community, she couldn’t find anyone who saw the status window the same way she did. 

Then why is that only visible to me?

What is the difference between other people and me?

There could be many reasons, but Haeun thought that the biggest difference was whether or not they could communicate directly with the Constellation. 

In the meantime, Baek Soyeon was the first person Haeun met and knew the existence of the Constellation, so she couldn’t miss the golden opportunity. 

Since the first impression was so shattered, it would be unreasonable to visit blindly, but she thought it would be okay to text or call to hide one’s identity. So, she tried to find Baek Soyeon’s contact information from Seo Dojoon. 

However, there was something Haeun didn’t expect.

The fact that Seo Dojoon, who suffered a major injury from Haeun once, became the king of iron walls higher than Everest and steeper than the Amazon. 

“Why do you need Miss Baek Soyeon’s contact information?”

Seo Dojoon, who questioned Haeun’s request harshly—.

“If you’re sorry, I’ll deliver enough through Baek Doohan, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Still, I want to tell her myself….” 

“I cannot provide you with the client’s personal information.”

No matter how much Haeun tried, he wouldn’t give Baek Soyeon’s contact information. He also wouldn’t give her information when she asked Seo Dojoon to call and change it if he couldn’t tell her.

“Then why don’t we make a bet with a game? If I win, tell me about Soyeon’s phone number.”

Haeun also uses the same trick as last time. But Seo Dojoon kept rejecting Haeun’s offer. 

“I don’t do it anymore.”

“Are you scared? Are you afraid to lose again?”

“I do.”

“Eh. Are you avoiding it because you’re afraid you’ll lose just one game while ranking first?” 

I said something to hurt his pride on purpose to get him going.

“I just realized that there could be someone in the world who has more talent than me regardless of their level of awakening.”

But what came back was a very calm word.

It was a wonderful realization, but it didn’t help Haeun, who had to find out Baek Soyeon’s number anyway.

“Haeun-ah, then what are you going to do tomorrow?”

Jung Jinho pulled Haeun out of her thoughts as she furrowed her brows. Haeun answered slowly.

“I don’t have any special plans.”

“Then do you want to go on a tour with Dad?”

Jung Jinho suggested that Haeun should not be left alone with Seo Dojoon.

He signed a contract with Seo Dojoon to guard Haeun, not to date her.

Seo Dojoon is the only person to play with her right now, so it seems like they quickly became close.

“I’m going to choose an item to be displayed as the main item at the International Item Exhibition tomorrow. The results that Dad has coached so far will come out.” 

“Uh, it’s annoying.”

“International Item Exhibition… so I can see Haniel’s new work?”

Compared to Haeun, who was not interested in items, Seo Dojoon showed great interest. Jung Jinho snorted at him. It was a pretty cold attitude.

“I suppose so.”

“Hunter Jung Jinho, can I go with you too?”

“You too?”

“Yes, the items displayed at the exhibition will soon be auctioned off. I would like to know in advance.”

Seo Dojoon straightened his back, and his eyes shone. Haeun realized that Seo Dojoon’s interest in items was great.

If so, now is the perfect opportunity to buy Seo Dojoon’s favor! Haeun suddenly opened her mouth.

“If Seo Dojoon goes, I’ll go too.”

Jung Jinho’s face was ridiculously distorted. When her Dad asks her to go, she says it’s annoying, but when Seo Dojoon says he wants to go, she changes her attitude instantly.

Does she like Seo Dojoon that much?

Even now, Haeun is glancing at Seo Dojoon.

“Hmm? Dad, I can go, right?”

Not knowing what was on Jung Jinho’s mind, Haeun smiled and cutely asked him. Jung Jinho’s heart was broken.

The daughter who acts cute is so lovely, but it’s not all because of him, but because of her affection that he doesn’t know where it came from.

However, if he said no here, Haeun would be very disappointed.

Jung Jinho, who was frowning, reluctantly allowed it. 

“Yeah. Then let’s go with Hunter Seo Dojoon.”

“Wow! That’s good. Right, Seo Dojoo-ssi?”

“Yes, it is! Thank you, Hunter Jung Jinho!”

Jung Jinho glanced disapprovingly at Seo Dojoon. At this point, he decided to let Haeun know clearly tomorrow.

The fact that the coolest, most famous, and most respected hunter in the world is not Seo Dojoon, but him, a blacksmith who can make legendary items! 

*****

Haniel Industries holds an International Item Exhibition for about a month at the New York Convention Center every four years. 

It is called Haniel Expo.

Not only Haniel, the largest hunter-specialized item maker in the U.S., but also a number of item makers will participate. However, since it is an exhibition mainly operated by companies, private workshops such as Jung Jinho cannot participate. 

Jung Jinho’s final visit to the US was scheduled to end at the Haniel Expo.

It is to participate as an item production advisor to Haniel and, finally, to participate as a judge in selecting the grand prize item at the Expo. 

And today, it was a place to select the most important items to be displayed at the expo. In other words, it was also a place to select the top prize nominees.

“We’re here, Haeun.”

Haeun looked around curiously. The building, which made good use of the large site, was open and had no stuffy corners. It was a sight that could infer how much wealth Haniel was accumulating.

「Good afternoon, Jung Jinho-nim. I was waiting for you.」

A woman greeted Haeun and her group at the entrance of the building. She was the vice president’s assistant who came out to guide the special guests visiting Haniel today.

「Please feel free to call me Naomi. Miss Jung Haeun, and Hunter Seo Dojoon.」

Naomi smiled softly and eased the atmosphere.

Haniel Industries was the core of the American item industry. It is also famous for its strict security. 

Based on the principle, Seo Dojoon, the No. 1 hunter in Korea and the representative hunter, would not have been able to go to Haniel’s item test site.

However, he was allowed to visit this time because he was a guest of Jung Jinho.

Even though craftsmen are wary of Jung Jinho, this is only natural for a blacksmith, and a company called Haniel doesn’t reject him.

Rather, they served Jung Jinho with great care, providing good lodging and the best service.

Besides, the items to be tested today were all scheduled to be exhibited at Haniel Expo anyway. Since the work is all over, the production process will not be disclosed. 

Then it wasn’t bad to offer some flexibility to the coveted potential client, Korea’s No. 1 ranking and head of a Guild.

Haeun was also allowed to enter because she was Jung Jinho’s daughter. It was a perfect free pass. 

「Haniel is no different from the history of the American Hunter world.」

Naomi said with a proud face.

After the birth of Awakeners and Dungeons, existing guns and knives have become useless. No matter how high-tech military machinery was put in, it didn’t work in the dungeon, so it was natural.

In order to lead the future and the world, they had to help the development of Hunter as much as new high-tech energy.

「There are two ways to develop a Hunter’s potential. Develop skills, or give better weapons. The former is handled by the American Hunter Association, and the latter by Haniel.」

In other words, it was said that the two giants were holding hands and playing with the United States Hunter ecosystem.

「The Haniel Expo, held once every four years, is part of that. It is to inform and disseminate the development of new technologies to the world. Craftsmen present their works to the world with all their heart and soul. And this time, thankfully, Jung Jinho took part in the process.」

“How is it, Haeun-ah? Isn’t Dad amazing?”

Jung Jinho shrugged his shoulders and felt proud of himself. Haeun raised her thumb.

“My Dad is the best!”

“Hmm. Isn’t Dad more amazing than Hunter Seo Dojoon?”

She doesn’t know why Seo Dojoon suddenly appeared as a comparison target, but Haeun knew how to answer in a situation like this.

“Of course! Dad is the coolest in the world!”

The corners of Jung Jinho’s mouth soared to the sky.