LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 29 - The Princess's Playmate?
Chapter 29 The Princess’s Playmate?
The Hunter family.
The term referred to a household that possessed superior talent in hunting.
To be recognized as a Hunter family, the basic qualification was to consistently produce at least one A-rank Hunter in every generation for a minimum of 300 years.
Though the era of a class system had long passed on Earth, the reason bloodlines like those of Hunter families were still held in high regard was simple.
They were, in essence, “special humans,” much like royalty during the class system era.
Even their illegitimate children were born with talent equivalent to that of a genius by common standards.
There had been so many heroes born from these families that they could fill a truck.
Among those Hunter families, there was one group with an impressive history spanning over 2,000 years.
Known as one of the “World’s Top 10 Families,” they were considered to embody the very history of humanity’s Hunters and were regarded as treasures of humankind.
As a result, the members of these top 10 families wielded influence comparable to that of a country’s Prime Minister or President.
Their superiority had already been proven, far surpassing that of ordinary Hunter families.
“S-Such a person… c-came to o-our Korea branch?!”
“Yeah. No contract term. She plans to remain in Korea and serve until her death.”
“B-But why?! Why would such a person come to live in Korea?”
“Well, according to them, it’s because of that monster from Jamsil that keeps appearing in our country. They said they came to bolster our strength because of it.”
“For just… that reason?”
One of the world’s top 10 families.
And from the Beast Hunter family, no less, with a 2,200-year history—the second princess of the Kitsune family.
Jin-ah Lee had just finished guiding Miss Kurumi, who had arrived late last night, to the mansion where she would be living from now on.
Rolling, having been summoned to the top floor of the Korean branch, was now drenched in cold sweat, overwhelmed by the news.
“What’s more, when I asked, she said she came of her own accord.”
“Meaning she volunteered? A member of the top 10 families, known for their tradition of never leaving their homeland?”
“Yes. It’s the first time in almost 300 years that a member of the Kitsune family has left Japan.”
Members of the top 10 families rarely left their homeland unless absolutely necessary.
The reason was obvious—once they left their homeland, countless people would target them for their extraordinary bloodline.
…And that was the problem now.
“Rolling, as you know, there aren’t even ordinary Hunter families in Korea, let alone any of the world’s top 10 families.”
“Right…”
“So, this is essentially Japan ‘giving’ us one of their prized bloodlines. There could be many reasons for their generosity, but what’s important now is that Princess Kurumi will remain stationed in Korea for the rest of her life.”
“…! Jin-ah, you’re worried that Korea will be criticized by the international community if we can’t protect a member of the top 10 families, aren’t you?”
“Exactly.”
Korea ranked 18th in the world in terms of Hunter power, a considerable position.
With Princess Kurumi stationed in Korea, the ranking was expected to rise even higher.
In addition, because of the presence of the top 10 bloodline, monthly support from countries with Hunter Association branches and headquarters would regularly flow in.
However, there was one critical drawback.
And that was Princess Kurumi’s “safety.”
“The world’s top 10 families are universally respected and adored, regardless of which country they are in.”
“Hoo… Yeah, I know that very well.”
“Not even countries like China, Russia, or North Korea would dare to mess with them. However, if something were to happen to a member of the top 10 families while they are in the care of another country…”
Korea’s reputation would plummet immediately.
At the very least, when dealing diplomatically with other advanced nations that house members of the top 10 families or with Japan, which had graciously sent us Princess Kurumi, Korea would always be at a disadvantage.
“Do you think Japan sent Princess Kurumi to us for that reason?”
Rolling asked Jin-ah, rubbing his chin with a troubled expression.
But her answer was an immediate NO.
“No way. I looked into it, and it seems Japan has been in quite a bit of conflict with Russia… and especially China lately.”
“Ah, I’ve seen some news reports about that.”
“Currently, North Korea has missiles pointed not only at us but at the U.S. and Japan as well. And there are rumors that Russia and China, two major powers, have formed an alliance surrounding the Sea of Japan. So, in other words, this is…”
“Not a trap, but a ‘gift,’ then.”
“Exactly.”
Japan was already on high alert due to Russia, China, and the increasingly sensitive North Korea.
To set a trap for Korea and antagonize all of its neighboring countries would be a foolish move, even for the blockheaded communists up north.
In other words, Princess Kurumi’s arrival was a genuine act of goodwill.
“We plan to station at least three A-rank Hunters from Korea around Princess Kurumi’s mansion at all times.”
There were hardly any sane people in an advanced Hunter nation who would attempt to kidnap a significant figure, but occasionally, such “fools with a death wish” appeared during times like these.
“Three A-rank Hunters… and what else?”
“We’ll also assign a large number of B-rank Hunters, and we plan to make use of your daughter, Sophia. Would that be okay?”
“Of course. She’s practically on par with Korea’s A-rank Hunters!”
“Good. That settles the security issue…”
With the princess’s safety secured, the next problem lay within the “internal” aspect.
“As you know, unless something major happens, Princess Kurumi will be living in Korea for the rest of her life.”
“Right.”
“So here’s the thing… As a Beast Hunter who detests humans, she’ll be living in a foreign country where the culture and language are vastly different. If this continues, I’m concerned about the princess’s emotional well-being.”
Jin-ah stopped mid-sentence and exchanged a sorrowful look with Rolling.
“So, I believe Princess Kurumi needs at least one Korean ‘friend’ to give her a sense of belonging.”
“A friend… for the second princess of the Kitsune family, one of the top 10 families, and a Beast Hunter at that?”
Rolling, who had both a husband and daughter as Beast Hunters, was skeptical about whether such a thing was even possible.
But he understood why Jin-ah had brought this up with him.
“You… don’t tell me…”
“Rolling, remember that son you adopted 10 years ago? His name was… Han Shin-woo, wasn’t it?”
During gatherings where alcohol flowed freely, Rolling often entertained the group with stories of his harmonious Beast Hunter family.
Jin-ah had remembered every single one of those seemingly trivial tales.
“Are you suggesting… introducing Shin-woo as a friend for the princess?”
“Yes. If I recall correctly from your stories, he has a ‘unique constitution’ that prevents him from feeling the typical aversion toward Beast Hunters.”
“T-That’s true, but…”
“I’m sure Shin-woo could be a good friend to Princess Kurumi. Perhaps even more than a friend.”
“Ugh… If that happens, my daughter definitely won’t leave me alone…”
After all, it essentially meant sending him as a playmate.
The sudden appearance of a human whom the princess didn’t feel repulsed by—how would that affect her? And how would Sophia react once she learned of this? Just thinking about it gave Rolling a headache.
But.
“This is for the sake of breaking free from the stale past and building a stronger alliance between Korea and Japan. Rolling.”
“How am I supposed to refuse after you say that…”
There was no other choice, especially when it came to mending the strained relations between Korea and Japan after a certain troll group had ruined things.
“I’ll talk to both my kids about it when I get home…”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
In the end, Rolling could only smile and agree.
***
“No way!!”
However, that evening, Rolling found himself on the verge of tears at the dinner table, where the entire family had gathered to celebrate Shin-woo’s discharge from the hospital.
“A princess’s friend?! And a Beast Hunter at that?! No! Who knows what could happen! Mom, no way!”
“Sophia, just calm down for a second…”
“Dad, you shut up!!”
“Hiiing…”
Sophia was truly on the brink of losing her temper.
Watching her, Lee Seok-gyu remained silent, while Rolling was busy wiping the cold sweat from his brow.
As for Shin-woo, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, unable to even eat properly, thanks to Lia clinging tightly to him.
“Oppa, are you going somewhere again?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Don’t go.”
“Yeah, don’t go! What kind of era is this that we’re talking about playmates! Mom, if it’s that important, I’ll go and be the princess’s playmate myself!”
“No, no, absolutely not. Not even
you, Sophia. If you cause any trouble there, not even your mom can cover for you.”
“Ughhhhh!! What kind of woman is she to want Shin-woo as a playmate?!”
“S-Sophia, calling her a ‘woman’ is a bit much, even if you’re upset…”
With their single-family home completely destroyed by a monster attack, the Seok-gyu family had no choice but to stay at the nearby Shilla Hotel until their house was restored.
In the VIP dining area on the top floor of the hotel, Sophia was stuffing herself with crab.
It was, in a sense, stress-induced binge eating.
The rest of the family simply maintained their silence as they watched her devour crab shells without leaving a trace.
Meanwhile, Shin-woo was quietly astonished.
‘Princess Kurumi… Wasn’t she the character mentioned in the main quest?’
She had been briefly mentioned during the quest
However, she had only been referred to in text form in the quest log, and he had never actually seen her in person.
That was because the so-called princess hadn’t left her mansion during the entire quest, and she returned to Japan afterward without ever showing her face.
‘She was supposed to be someone who stayed in Korea to strengthen the Japan-Korea alliance, right?’
Due to being a Beast Hunter, she had never shown herself in public, making her a mysterious figure.
Despite the significant buildup, the quest had ended without further mention of her, and she had quietly disappeared from the story.
So much so that even Shin-woo, a seasoned player, hadn’t remembered her name until now.
In a way, this might be an opportunity.
“Fine. I’ll go and be her playmate.”
“W-What?! Hey! Han Shin-woo!!”
“Oppa!!”
After all, the
If things went south and the quest failed, there was even a scenario in the original where the U.S. withdrew its troops from Korea, causing the country to fall under Chinese control.
That would be a complete disaster.
“Both of you, calm down. Besides, it’s still uncertain whether my so-called unique constitution will apply to all Beast Hunters.”
“B-But…”
“Oppa…”
“It could be that I only don’t feel aversion toward Beast Hunters related to Uncle Seok-gyu’s bloodline.”
If it came to that, he could at least serve as a direct subordinate to the Hunters assigned to guard the princess.
As long as he stayed near the mansion, he could jump in and save her in case something went wrong.
“And besides, she’s a princess, isn’t she? I’m just a commoner who didn’t even make it as a Hunter. What could a little less aversion do for me?!”
I boasted confidently, belittling my own worth.
And that turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life.
The next day.
Squeeze, squeeze.
The mansion where Princess Kurumi resided.
For the first time ever, I entered the mansion, which, in the original story, I had only guarded without any interaction.
“Amazing…”
“……”
Squeeze, squeeze.
“What’s your name?”
Unexpectedly, Princess Kurumi, showing an enormous amount of interest in me, was pressing both of my cheeks as if I were a mere plaything.