MTLNOVEL 89.
89.
It was a strange intuition. He understood that Shin Yoonjae and Jian had discussed something related to the Jeongho Association. But there was clearly something more that he didn’t know.
‘How long has Hunter Lee Jian been adapting to this world? By my estimation, it’s been about 10 years.’
The words Shin Yoonjae had spoken kept lingering in his mind since that day. The expression ‘this world’ and the period of ’10 years.’
Since it had been almost 10 years since he met Jian, it meant something he didn’t know about had happened to Jian at that time.
What could it be?
He had Soochul investigate Jian’s past before they met, but there was almost nothing to discover.
The only thing that bothered him was a rumor that the cafe owner’s personality had changed suddenly one day.
Soochul remembered this part clearly. The cafe, located in a prime spot, had only flies buzzing around inside due to its terrible coffee and unfriendly owner.
Then one day, it suddenly started offering a 10 percent discount to anyone who showed a hunter ID, and became a popular place.
Soochul said he had asked around and even posted on hunter community sites to uncover Jian’s suspicious identity.
It hurt him that Jian still wasn’t telling him everything. He also had things he was hiding from Jian, but that was because he thought Jian would be too afraid or worried.
…Ah.
Sehun leaned back like someone who had realized something and met Jian’s eyes. Looking at those eyes that curved slightly, he reached a hypothesis.
Was Jian thinking something similar? Was he afraid that Sehun would be scared if he knew Jian’s secret?
That would never happen, even if the world ended.
“Can I ask you something?”
Keeping things to himself wasn’t his style. He might end up hurting Jian if he kept imagining strange things.
“…What?”
Seeing Jian swallow nervously, Sehun brushed his hair behind his ear.
“I still don’t understand what Director Shin Yoonjae said. About you adapting to this world for about 10 years.”
Jian’s face, after taking a small breath, quickly turned pale. Sehun carefully brought his forehead to Jian’s.
Those confused eyes looked pitiful. Jian’s terrified expression made Sehun’s chest tighten. He couldn’t understand why Jian was so afraid.
“Did you perhaps possess someone?”
Seeing Jian’s eyes widen as much as they could, Sehun smiled slightly. He had just voiced one of the hypotheses he’d been considering, but he hadn’t expected it to be correct.
“Or did you come from another world?”
Seeing Jian take another sharp breath, Sehun finally couldn’t hold back his laughter. Wow, how could someone be so transparent?
He had known for a long time that Jian couldn’t lie, but he hadn’t expected him to react so honestly to every guess.
He realized that the reason Jian had been able to keep his secret until now was because no one had asked. After all, who would ask if someone had possessed another person? Not unless they were crazy.
Even when Shin Yoonjae had made those cryptic remarks, Jian had looked like he might faint. That’s why Sehun had kept turning those words over in his mind.
Since that day, he had formulated dozens of hypotheses by combining the words ‘this world’ and ‘adapt.’
Hyunsu liked reading web novels and had recommended some during school classes, which Sehun had casually read.
One of the common clichés was the setting of being possessed into the novel one was reading.
“Hahaha. What are you talking about?”
Jian tried to cover up with an awkward laugh, but Sehun didn’t miss even the subtlest reaction.
His slightly trembling eyelids proved that Sehun’s words had hit the mark.
“I’d be okay even if you told me you weren’t human but a monster.”
“No, why do you keep saying such nonsense…”
Sehun felt sorry for those eyes that couldn’t settle in one place.
“If I’m honest with you first, will you tell me what you’ve been hiding?”
Jian’s Adam’s apple slowly moved up and down. Now Sehun understood the suspicious aspects of Jian’s behavior.
On the day Sehun awakened as a hunter, when they talked about skills, Jian had acted as if Sehun hadn’t told him everything.
Was Jian really possessed into a novel he was reading? Or had he come from a different era?
Setting aside his curiosity for now, Sehun took out a dagger from his inventory. Looking into Jian’s surprised eyes, he lightly cut his palm with the blade.
“Sehun!”
Sehun smiled reassuringly at Jian’s alarmed voice. Then he used his skill. Drops of blood rose into the air, defying gravity.
The droplets, which had been separated like water drops, soon gathered together to form a single shape.
A dagger identical to the one in his left hand was created. The only difference was that it was made of blood, giving it a dark red color.
“It’s a skill using blood. Pretty gross, right?”
Instead of answering, Jian bit his lip and took out a wound healing potion. His fingertips trembled as he applied the potion to Sehun’s wound, which was still stained with blood.
“I have one more.”
“You have another?”
“Yes. But this one is a bit uncomfortable to use. It’s a skill that bewitches the opponent.”
Sehun didn’t want to see Jian falling under his skill’s influence. With this, he had revealed all his secrets.
“Won’t you tell me yours too?”
He grabbed Jian’s hand with his now-healed hand. Seeing tears forming at the corners of Jian’s eyes made him feel remorseful. He had probably shocked him too much.
But without doing this, the timid Jian would keep trying to hide secrets from him, and that would be far more painful than having his skin cut dozens of times.
“You’re really driving me crazy…”
Jian buried his face in his hands and exhaled shakily. He had never intended to tell anyone.
He thought Sehun might notice something due to Shin Yoonjae’s words, but he hadn’t expected him to get to the core immediately.
Saying he’d be okay even if Jian was a monster—it was an outrageous statement that made his temples throb, but it also made his heart pound as he realized once again how blindly devoted Sehun was to him.
What should he do? Since Sehun had gone this far, should he really tell the truth?
While Jian was conflicted and time kept passing, Sehun didn’t rush him. He fidgeted with the blood dagger, quietly waiting.
Seeing Sehun, who had taken the first brave step, made Jian’s heart waver. Sehun probably hadn’t told him about his skills because he was afraid Jian would find them creepy, but he had physically demonstrated them, even injuring himself.
Haah.
After a long sigh, Jian raised his head. Despite having made a difficult decision, his lips kept sticking together when he saw Sehun’s steady gaze.
“I know this might sound completely insane…”
Each word felt like it was choking him. It wasn’t easy to speak the truth from his own mouth.
“…You’re right. I did come from another world.”
Finally, he said it. He’d gone through with it.
Unable to look at Sehun’s expression, his head gradually tilted downward.
“What kind of world did you live in? I’m curious.”
But then he heard a casual voice. Surprised, he looked up to see Sehun smiling, his eyes curved.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of him looking at Jian strangely. He even held Jian’s hand and gently shook it as if he was truly curious.
“Oh, what was your original name? What did you look like? How tall were you? How much did you weigh? Are you the same age?”
Jian could only blink at the barrage of questions. Sehun really believed what he had said without any hesitation.
What kind of faith did he have to immediately accept such an outlandish claim as fact? Even Jian didn’t have such faith-like belief in Sehun.
“You really believe me?”
He asked in a dazed voice, still unable to believe it.
“You might hide the truth, but you can’t tell lies. I know that better than anyone.”
That was true, but…
A whirlwind of emotions swept through Jian’s heart, impossible to express in a single word. He was surprised, happy, and just a little worried.
But if he had to pick the strongest emotion, it was being moved.
“…Thank you.”
His voice came out deeply submerged. Although the process of telling wasn’t smooth, he felt much lighter after getting it off his chest.
He had adapted well to this world and this body, but there was no way to avoid the anxiety that occasionally overwhelmed him.
Especially after Shin Yoonjae’s meaningful words, he would wake up periodically even after falling into a deep sleep.
He had often bitten his lip while looking at Sehun’s face as they lay in the same bed, worrying about how Sehun would react if he ever learned the truth.