Chapter 28 : A Class Gate – Painting the dragon, dotting the eyes (1)

If asked what I did after reuniting with Caspar…

I didn’t do anything particularly special.

Well. We made love several times a day, went on dates here and there, whispered words of love daily, and reveled in happiness, but.

Well. Since this is a normal daily life, it counts as doing nothing.

I think Caspar and I have a relatively normal relationship as lovers.

“Agathe. Is it okay not to do Hunter work?”

Caspar, lying in bed and teasing my body, asked me, looking at me with eyes full of love.

“Yes. It’s fine. Being a Hunter isn’t some duty, it’s just a job. Actually, the number of Gates I dealt with before you came probably exceeds the amount an average A-rank Hunter handles in their lifetime.”

Though still inexperienced in many aspects, Caspar, with his outstanding adaptability, had adapted excellently here too.

He was registered as a Returnee on paper, to the point where no one doubted his origins.

Well. It’s hard to doubt seeing him go to gukbap or barbecue restaurants on dates. Honestly, even though he said he hadn’t eaten meat or hot soup for over ten years, I thought that was a bit much.
(TL Note: Gukbap is a popular, hearty Korean rice soup.)

“Well, I need to make various preparations to meet Enhen, so I should probably start getting ready soon too.”

Wearing only underwear, I stood up, stretched, and loosened my stiff body. The female form reflected in the large full-length mirror drew incredibly beautiful curves.

Traces of lovemaking were scattered around the room, but there were no condoms. I was liberated from the problem of contraception.

For me, who could fully control my body, contraception was incredibly simple. Just don’t release the ovaries.

No menstruation, no need to use uncomfortable contraceptive devices. At times like these, I feel like I can look back favorably even on those horrific past experiences.

Thanks to that, didn’t I gain a body that was good for Caspar to embrace?

“Enhen. I never thought I’d really get to see her. Sorry, Agathe. For saying harsh things back then.”

Caspar apologized while helping me put on my clothes. A wife being attended to by her husband, it was quite presumptuous, but thinking of it as an extension of the night’s activities made it within the acceptable range.

Well… Because I could feel my body flinching every time Caspar’s hands brushed over different parts of my body.

Ugh, normally in this flow, isn’t it standard for me to be the one extracting vitality? Why is my body so sensitive?

Caspar probably wasn’t even aware this was teasing. He likely thought it was just lovers normally helping each other dress.

“It’s okay. Nothing would have changed even if I had done something back then. Besides, seeing her succeed so brilliantly… Yes. Makes me feel she really is my sister.”

Tap.

After buttoning everything up, I conversely attended to Caspar’s clothes. Sometimes, this eventually led back to taking clothes off or using our mouths, but today was fine since we had already done plenty.

“More importantly, can’t you stop using polite language? It still feels a bit uncomfortable. We won’t talk so inefficiently when fighting together, right?”

…Fighting.

Today, we plan to raid a Gate together. Because Caspar disliked being idle, and we needed to loosen up a bit to meet Enhen.

“Mmm. Once I find Enhen, I really detest fighting. I just want to focus on raising children. Caspar.”

Then, smiling slightly, I leaned my face against his back. The body heat gave a sense of stability.

“And. You too. How much my heart would ache if you came back injured from fighting outside. As for the polite language. Hehe. I’ll think about it.”

The drawback is that the last remaining fight will likely be the longest and most difficult war. Then, inevitably, to minimize communication time, I’ll have to use short, informal speech.

“…Coming from someone who used to throw me amidst monsters and push me relentlessly, it feels like a different era.”

Flinch.

I know it’s a joke, but whenever Caspar says things like that, I can’t help but feel guilty. What terrible things did my past self do to the young Caspar?

“…Still. You quite liked it, didn’t you?”

Caspar nodded calmly.

“Right. Because you were there. And there’s nothing as enjoyable as fighting the strong. If only it wasn’t for the poison swamps, it would have been really great.”

Should I call it a trait of a Soulslike game protagonist… Anyway, anyone worthy of being called the ‘protagonist’ of a dark fantasy world inevitably possesses one characteristic.

Namely… a battle maniac.

Innate, and constantly honed, his combat instincts continuously crave strong opponents.

“Haa. I wish you would just stay comfortably at home. Or, was I perhaps lacking a bit at night?”

I have neither the right nor the strength to stop him. All I can do is cheer Caspar on, and occasionally show that I’m sulking like this.

“…That’s not it. As you know, just staying still for weeks was quite an ordeal. Sexual desire and the feeling of smashing enemies satisfyingly are a bit different.”

“Hmph. You can unleash that side on me freely too. I told you. My body can regenerate anyway.”

Though I say this. Honestly, well… It’s probably impossible.

It’s not the feeling that lovers can’t hurt each other. We’ve already had countless spars like real battles.

The problem is that what Caspar wants is a real ‘battle’, and my type is far removed from the opponents Caspar desires.

He says I lack finesse and fight dirty.

Though I truly love Caspar, honestly, our perspectives differ greatly on this.

Isn’t the point of fighting to win?

Back then, when enjoying the game ‘Death’s Blessing’, I gathered multiple NPC companions and beat enemies with overpowered weapons. I don’t understand why everyone tries to clear it solo.

Well. That’s probably why I became ‘Agathe’ and not the protagonist.

As someone who favored greatshields, ranged weapons, and magic, I had no desire to understand the feelings of swordsmen.

Unless Caspar requested it.

Visiting the Hunter Association after a long time, it felt similar to before.

The differences were perhaps Lee Yulha being promoted to head of the Temporary Strategy Compilation Department, and Bari, the chief of the Special Task Force, retiring.

Murmur murmur.

The white noise of the crowd echoed here and there. Today was an unusually crowded day.

The fortunate points were perhaps that no one recognized us, and that people were gradually leaving. Seems we timed our arrival well.

I needlessly pulled Caspar’s arm closer and headed towards the Post-Processing Management Department. Usually, one goes to the Bizarre Records Compilation Department, but I didn’t know anyone there.

Hooo. It would be nice if Han Sol, who’s relatively close to me, quit her civil servant job and joined the Association. Though the power is less, there’s no pension, and 60% of retirement reasons are death or injury.

Thinking thoughts that would make Sol freak out if she heard, I spoke to Lee Yeonah.

“Yeonah. Long time no see.”

“Ah. Yes. Long time no see. Hunter Agathe-nim. And that person is…, your husband?”

“…Strictly speaking, not yet husband, but. Hmm. Shall we go with that for now?”

Ahem. Clearing his throat, Caspar turned his head slightly. Lee Yeonah asked me calmly as if nothing was amiss.

“What brings you here? For raid-related matters, please contact the other department. As I kept saying, it’s not under our jurisdiction.”

“Um. But you can still help, right? It is the department in charge of Returnees. Isn’t there a suitable Gate for adaptation training? An A-rank Monster Wave type should be fine.”

Tilt.

Lee Yeonah blinked and asked me back.

“A-rank Gate…? You intend to use that for rehabilitation training? Your husband. Wasn’t it?”

Blushing, I nodded.

“Yes. Righ…t. Husband.”

Whip. Turning her head, Lee Yeonah looked at Caspar with a serious expression.

“Perhaps. Returnee-nim. Have you ever suffered any mental attacks, brainwashing, or gaslighting? Been abused, or forced into a romantic relationship? Ah, and by any chance, is there any insurance policy under the gentleman’s name-“

“Ah. No!”

My face red, I shrieked. Embarrassing me like this in front of Caspar. Just like her sister Yulha.

Caspar nodded with a playful expression.

“Hmm. It reminds me of the training I did around age 10. Thrown into a dungeon and not let out until all monsters were killed. Compared to that, this is nothing.”

“Indeed…… The Association’s doors are always open. Please call us if you happen to think of anything.”

…These people.

Calling me a child abuser or criminal who abused the young Caspar is tolerable. Because that was true.

But having private conversations with Caspar in front of me is not allowed. Especially with a woman as attractive as Lee Yeonah.

As I quietly drew my gun, Lee Yeonah, looking slightly guilty, cleared her throat and got to the point.
“Ahem. There is an A-rank Gate that recently formed in North Korea. It was difficult to send the Special Task Force or the military because it borders China.”

“The Gate’s name?”

The Gate’s name is decided by the Abnormal Grade Management Department. In environments where strategies are hard to come by, remembering the Gate’s name well alone can provide clues, as it encapsulates its essence.

“…’Hwaryongjeomjeong’. It’s quite a famous four-character idiom. It was named so because dragons emerge from the Gate.”
(TL Note: Hwaryongjeomjeong (화룡점정) literally means “Painting the dragon, dotting the eyes.” It refers to adding the crucial finishing touch that brings something to life or makes it perfect.)

A grand name.

“Dragons. Then does it perhaps have a reverse scale?”
(TL Note: Yeokrin (역린) – the reverse scale is a mythical weak spot on a dragon.)

She nodded.

“Yes. It does. It’s a monster that Hunter Agathe-nim’s Magic Bullet ability can perfectly counter. That’s why I’m recommending it. Although it’s for someone else’s training, in emergencies, being easy to kill is better.”

…She’s right.

Except for the fact that it’s difficult for me to use Magic Bullets now.

The 7th Magic Bullet can be bypassed using tricks, and it can practically be used infinitely without any harm, but…

It feels bad. So I tried to avoid using Magic Bullets if possible.

“Haa. Can’t be helped. Fine. I’ll take it.”

Well. If things go as planned, Caspar will handle everything, so it doesn’t matter.