Chapter 74

“What line? I just want to cook for my niece.”

“First of all, I’m not your niece! Other people will think it’s strange, so stop saying that!”

Aine spoke as if it was ridiculous. Externally, Choi Yeonseung didn’t seem to be that much older than Aine. Anyone who’d hear him calling her “niece” would find it strange!

“Uh, what should I say if someone asks, then?”

“Just tell them we’re friends! Wait. No. Tell them I’m your manager. That’s more professional.”

“I understand. If that’s what you want. Anyway, it sucks that I can’t cook for you after you’ve treated me to this. I came up with some new recipes while eating this.”

“N-New recipes?”

Aine’s voice trembled slightly.

“Yes. Most of the ingredients in the Abyss are meat. I realized while eating today’s food that I could make the ingredients of the Abyss richer if I used various condiments and ingredients from Earth.”

A dish made with both Abyss and Earth ingredients! Choi Yeonseung had been sensing new possibilities in cooking ever since he cooked the seasoned ribs the other day.

‘In the future, I’ll try to cook using both Earth and Abyss ingredients together more frequently.’

[Enlightenment has improved the ‘Advanced Abyss Cooking’ skill...]

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is puzzled. It asks why you’re gathering enlightenment in cooking rather than participating in constellation battles.]

[The constellation ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ is trembling at your ability!]

[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ wants to make you one of his household members.]

“......”

[......]

Choi Yeonseung and the cat constellation were dumbfounded by the sudden suggestion of another constellation. The Endless Gourmet Seeker. It was definitely worth coveting Choi Yeonseung since it wasn’t that common to find a chef like him in the Abyss.

[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ offers to introduce endless recipes and chefs if you come under him.]

-Um... I refuse. I already have a?master.

[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ is very disappointed. He makes the suggestion again as he shows off his table full of rich dishes.]

‘Ignore it.’

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ agrees!]

Looking in front of him, he noticed Aine appeared to be very worried. Choi Yeonseung ignored her and stood up.

“Can I borrow the kitchen?”

“Choi Yeonseung, the kitchen is a chef’s pride and sanctuary.”

“Ah. I’m sorry.”

“No. I’m joking. Come this way.”

“......”

Choi Yeonseung wanted to hit the back of the person’s head but quietly followed instead.

“Where are you going?” Aine asked, flustered.

“My niece, friend’s daughter, friend, manager... I am going to the kitchen to cook you a meal.”

“......”

***

Aine was eating ice cream with the happiest expression in the world. Choi Yeonseung didn’t bother to say that the main ingredient of the ice cream was milk obtained from a cow constellation.

“There is a good gelato street on 4th Street. I think this tastes better than all of its flavors combined.”

Aine spoke seriously and earnestly. Choi Yeonseung happily nodded.

“I’m glad. Eat more. More.”

“Thank you... No! You’re doing it again!”

“What?”

“Stop doing that! You’re like my grandmother!”

Aine stopped scooping up ice cream upon returning to her senses. All thoughts of calories disappeared from her mind the moment she ate Choi Yeonseung’s cooking. The ice cream was incredible. The moment she took a bite, it melted smoothly. The rich sweetness blended with magic power made her entire body—

“Grandmother? That’s too harsh. I want to look after you the same way grandmothers do, though.”

‘I knew it!’

Aine was certain. Somehow, she had thought the way Choi Yeonseung looked after her was similar to her grandmother...

“You should eat a lot while you’re still young. This ice cream is good for your health anyway, unlike those sold in the market.”

“Oof oof oof. No, no. Let’s talk about work first.”

Aine spoke hurriedly before she could fall into a flood of desserts. Choi Yeonseung was puzzled.

“Talk about work?”

“... I told you that you’ve been scheduled for a match.”

“Ah. You did.”

Choi Yeonseung nodded as if he remembered now. His attitude made Aine bitter. It was as if he considered the meal their main activity and the match merely an afterthought.

“In any case, a match has been scheduled.”

“The way you talk about it makes it seem like it’s not going to be a normal match. How did the match scheduling go?”

“You’re quick-witted when it comes to the wrong things... but you’re right. It’s usually hard to find a match for a newcomer, especially if you’re not a famous hunter.”

Tens of millions of people watched the matches of the B-grade league’s top-ranked hunters, but this wasn’t the case for hunters who had just joined. Their ranks were low, and they lacked recognition. If they weren’t famous, then they’d have to use other methods such as performing well in rookie-dominated competitions or creating issues and preying on lower-ranked hunters...

Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung received an application for a match.

“Why?”

“Try not to feel offended by what I’m about to tell you.”

“You saying that is already making me feel bad. I’ll still try to listen without feeling offended, though.”

“Right now, the players and fans… think you manipulated your rating.”

“?”

“They think you had the skills to get into the B-grade League but deliberately lowered your rank to C+ grade.”

“Ah. So that’s what you mean.”

C-Grade hunters entered the C-grade League and B-grade hunters entered the B-grade League. Those were the UHC’s rules when it came to weight classes. It went without saying that it was easier to win against C-grade hunters than participate in the B-grade League qualifiers, where he would have to face B-grade hunters. People mistakenly thought Choi Yeonseung deliberately maintained his C-grade rank out of convenience despite having the ability to move up to B-grade. The moment he passed the UHC qualifiers, he then raised his rating.

The timing was too clever. There were already quite a few people cursing Choi Yeonseung on the Internet.

-What is the league doing leaving such a bastard with no conscience alone?

-Are they taking care of him because he’s an Abyss returnee? Is that it? He did do this as soon as he got home.

-Send him back to the C-grade League or make him go through the B-grade League qualifiers!

“You don’t seem that surprised?”

“I’m way past the age of getting embarrassed by something like this.”

Choi Yeonseung’s attitude made him seem like an old man who had gone through all sorts of hardships. Aine had met all types of hunters, yet Choi Yeonseung’s calm attitude still surprised her. Most hunters were selfish and had bad personalities. If they were cursed at once, they would run wild...

“This could sound out of the blue, but you have the qualities of a star.”

“That’s great. I have to become a star.”

“What? Really?” Aine was shocked. Choi Yeonseung hadn’t given off that feeling at all. Rather, he was more like an ascetic martial artist.

“Why are you surprised?”

“N-No. I just didn’t know you were aiming for that since you didn’t like talking about money, women, or fame... The only time you showed interest was when the conversation is about cooking or training equipment.”

“Ah. Speaking of… I hate to say this, but the hunter training equipment you mentioned is too weak. I won’t be able to train with that.”

“... Those training machines are for players who are competing. If you think it’s too weak, then go and train in the Abyss... Whoops. Sorry.”

“Why? I think that’s a good idea.”

“......”

Aine was speechless.

“Anyway, well done! I was feeling troubled because you weren’t greedy. So that’s what you desire, huh? To become a star?”

Greedy clients were better than those who weren’t greedy. If she had a lot of tasks, then she would also be more motivated as a manager! Aine was already planning in her head how to introduce Choi Yeonseung to the media.

“What are you going to do once you’ve become a star? Do you want a crazy party or something?”

“I want to create something like a religious organization that worships me.”

“... I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that!”

***

Maximilian Fitzpatrick. He was ranked 21st in the UHC B-grade League. The peculiar thing about him was that he was the household member of the constellation ‘Arrogant Life Elf.’

-There are a lot of talks saying that the B-grade League’s waters?have?recently become murky after accepting all types of people. I don’t think they’re wrong! Look! All sorts of people are coming out. He didn’t have the confidence to break through the B-grade League qualifiers, so he rose through the C-grade League’s ranks instead. Does this Asian bastard have no pride?

Maximilian was talking excitedly in the video. Reporters had been called and were excitedly writing down his words in the meeting hall.

-If the association doesn’t kick that bastard out, then I will. I’ll trample on him and kick him out! Are you watching, you cowardly Asian bastard? If you aren’t peeing from fear, then you better accept my proposal. If you don’t, you will be known as a coward. Of course, it won’t make any difference to me if you accept the proposal or not!

Maximilian cheerfully threw the mic and walked outside. Aine looked at Choi Yeonseung with an anxious look on his face. No matter how good his personality, there was no one who wouldn’t become angry at such humiliation as long as they were a proud hunter...

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Ah. I’m amazed by the fact that he’s an elf.”

Maximilian’s provocation wasn’t particularly extraordinary. The provocations of the demons in the Abyss were far better. Maximilian didn’t even mention his parents. Wasn’t that pretty gentlemanly of him?

“Are there many elves on Earth?”

“There aren’t many of them, but they aren’t so few that it’s rare to come across them either.”

After the gates opened and the constellations appeared, members of other races started to emerge on Earth. It was obtained through special skills or items in dungeons or contracting with certain constellations.

“This moment is really rare for me. This is amazing.” Choi Yeonseung nodded as he felt as if a lot of time had passed.

“No… Are you okay with this?”

“What?”

“That son of a... I mean, are you okay with him talking about you like that?”

“Ah. That? I think he’s pretty cute.”

“......”

“Of course, I’ll beat him up if we meet, so there’s no need to become angry right now.”

“That is a great idea!”

Choi Yeonseung’s answer greatly satisfied Aine. Yes! A bastard who spoke arrogantly like that should be half-killed!

‘She is truly Gyeongryong hyung’s daughter...’

It seemed Aine was the one who was angry, not Choi Yeonseung. He didn’t say that out loud, though, since he thought it would make her even angrier...

“When’s the match?’

“If you accept, it will be within two weeks. Of course, we have many things to do before that.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll do what that son of a—what that player just did. Hold a press conference and say you accept his challenge. That would attract people’s attention. Promoting it on SNS would also be ideal. Use social media and curse the person.”

‘What is SNS?’

Choi Yeonseung didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t ask. He didn’t want to sound old. He would secretly find out about it later!

“Can I curse at the press conference?”

“To a certain extent. You naturally can’t be too harsh.”

There was bound to be some provocation when hunters fought among themselves. However, if a party were to go too far, they would suffer losses. Aine thought Choi Yeonseung would do well on his own in this regard. He was an experienced hunter and had a cool, calm personality.

“Can I curse his parents?”

“... No. No matter how much you want to, please resist the temptation.”