HPDBC Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Wow, she’s really pretty.
That was Baek Seo-jin’s first impression of Han Se-hee.
Although she couldn’t yet compare to Seomun Ye-jin, who, at fifteen, was already exuding the charm of a young woman, Han Se-hee’s cute and lovely features stood out.
To Baek Seo-jin’s eyes, her pink hair and crimson eyes made her look like a doll.
“Oh! You’ve already met our young master. Nice to see you, Se-hee!”@@@@
At that moment, Pyo Woo-jae approached with a warm greeting.
As an SS-rank hunter, Pyo Woo-jae had joined the Baekho Guild three years ago. Despite being relatively new, his exceptional abilities had quickly earned him a position as one of the guild’s senior members.
He had also grown quite close to Baek Seo-jin during those three years, often acting like a friendly uncle.
“Uncle Woo-jae! Do you know Se-hee?”
Baek Seo-jin, curious about Pyo Woo-jae’s enthusiastic greeting, wondered if the two already knew each other.
Now that he thought about it, Pyo Woo-jae had mentioned being part of another guild before joining Baekho. Perhaps that was when he had met Han Se-hee.
“Haha! Of course! Young master, before I joined Baekho Guild, I was part of the Yeonwoo Raid Team. Se-hee here is the daughter of our team’s captain and his wife.”
“Oh! I see!”
Hearing the explanation, Baek Seo-jin turned his attention back to Han Se-hee.
He recalled that the Yeonwoo Raid Team had been wiped out during a dungeon anomaly, leaving Pyo Woo-jae as the sole survivor.
That must have been when Han Se-hee lost her parents.
An orphan, huh.
At eight years old, the same age as he had been three years ago, losing one’s parents must have been an unimaginable pain.
While he was sympathizing with her circumstances, Baek Seo-jin noticed something odd about Han Se-hee’s expression.
Why does she look like that? Is it because she’s embarrassed about being an orphan?
Baek Seo-jin wasn’t the kind of person who judged others for their circumstances. Wanting to comfort her, he approached gently.
“Hey... it must have been really hard for you.”
His words, spoken with genuine sympathy, made Han Se-hee nod lightly.
“Yes.”
Her small hands, however, were trembling. She clenched her fists tightly, bowing her head as her body shook. Baek Seo-jin couldn’t understand why she was trembling so much.
“Is something wrong?”
“No... it’s nothing.”
“Uncle Woo-jae, could you give us a moment alone?”
“Of course, young master. See you later, Se-hee!”
After bidding farewell to Han Se-hee, Pyo Woo-jae stepped away, leaving the two alone.
“If you’re feeling overwhelmed, would you like to rest for a bit? My room has plenty of space, and no one will bother you there.”
“...Thank you.”
Hearing her quiet response, Baek Seo-jin smiled.
For the first time in his life, he felt like he had made a real friend.
His overly protective parents had always been cautious about the people he interacted with, worried that he might fall in with the wrong crowd.
This was especially true because of his older brother, Baek Seo-jun, whom they considered a bad influence. They were determined to prevent him from befriending anyone similar to his brother.
But Han Se-hee seemed to pass their unspoken criteria. Excited by the idea of spending time with her, Baek Seo-jin was filled with anticipation.
A healer, huh?
Even at her young age, Han Se-hee was a mana awakener.
“U-Uncle Woo-jae?”
Running toward the source of the noise, Han Se-hee heard Kim Yoo-jung’s flustered voice, followed by Baek Seo-jin’s confused exclamation.
“Pyo Woo-jae, in the name of the Kangin Guild, you are under arrest for the murder of Han Yeon-woo and Jin So-yeon in a dungeon!”
“W-Wait! This is a misunderstanding! I’m innocent!”
Reaching the scene, Han Se-hee saw Pyo Woo-jae lying subdued on the ground, unable to resist as Pyo Jin-seong, the Kangin Guild’s deputy leader, placed restraints on him.
Even as an SS-rank hunter, Pyo Woo-jae stood no chance against the overwhelming power of Pyo Jin-seong, an SSS-rank hunter.
Watching the man who had killed her parents get arrested and punished brought a sense of relief to Han Se-hee.
The weight of her parents’ death began to lift, and she felt lighter.
“Se-Se-hee! You’ve got to help me! They’re mistaken! You know I would never harm your parents!”
But Pyo Woo-jae’s desperate plea darkened her mood once more.
Although she had never particularly liked him, she had thought of him as at least a friend of her father.
But he had betrayed them in the dungeon and killed her parents.
“Stop talking in front of the victim.”
A young boy’s voice cut through the tension, followed by the sound of a foot stomping down hard on Pyo Woo-jae’s back.
“Urgh!”
As Pyo Woo-jae groaned in pain, the black-haired boy standing over him spoke coldly.
“The Kangin Guild already has all the evidence of your crimes. Stop your pathetic attempts to deceive the victims’ family with your lies.”
“Kim Ho-jun!”
“Him?! How did he—”
Everyone around murmured in shock at the boy’s unexpected appearance.
Unfazed, Kim Ho-jun replied nonchalantly, “I was temporarily hired by the Kangin Guild for this case.”
His casual demeanor left everyone speechless, but Han Se-hee couldn’t help but smile.
Seo-jun oppa came himself to capture him.
The gratitude she felt for him avenging her parents would stay with her forever. Still, she refrained from acknowledging him openly; doing so might cause him trouble.
Thinking about his request to keep his identity secret and the promise she had made, she opted for a slight bow to express her thanks.
One day, when she grew stronger as a mana awakener, she would formally thank him and repay his kindness.
Meanwhile, Baek Seo-jin muttered to himself, “Uncle Woo-jae... how could he do such a thing?”
His shock was evident, but Han Se-hee remained silent, simply bowing her head.
“Don’t worry,” Kim Ho-jun said gently as he approached her. “The man who killed your parents will face the punishment he deserves.”
She watched as he and Pyo Jin-seong escorted Pyo Woo-jae out.
“Haha... losing an SS-rank hunter...”
Arriving late to the scene, Baek Hyung-won could only let out a bitter laugh over the loss of such a powerful guild member.
Hearing his words, Han Se-hee felt a surge of resentment.
As a child who had lost her parents, she couldn’t understand how someone could lament the loss of a guild member while ignoring the harm they had caused.
Why would he say that? The man hurt my parents... and he only cares about losing a strong fighter?
Even her gaze toward Baek Seo-jin turned colder.
Though Baek Seo-jin was unaware, a clear line had been drawn between them.
“Hey... Se-hee...”
Despite this, Baek Seo-jin hesitantly approached her, attempting to speak.