You Didn't Tell Me the Start of My Transmigration Was a Gate
CH 17.1
Chapter 17 Part 1: Negotiation
A small figure wearing a cloak next to the two men spoke up. She looked like a child, rather than a short person. That child then lowered the cloak covering her head. Following her movement, the jewels on her staff suddenly made a few charring sound.
“There’s no point in that.”
“That’s right!”
Her tone was callous. Those were words that one would not believe a child of only 12 years old would utter. Hunters entering gates have an age limit. So even though she looks very young… No matter how young she was, one must be at least at the second year of middle school. So in terms of age, she’s at least 15 years old, around 3 years younger than the An twins.
But it’s been a while since the new year passed… She doesn’t seem to be a beginner either, so she must be at least 16 years old. Still, it wasn’t normal for a child in their third year of middle school to be stuck inside the gate, which crosses the crossroads of life and death.
I could hear startled gasps all around me.
No matter how legal it was, No sane parent will agree to push their own child to enter a dangerous gate. So… There’s probably more into it than meets the eye.
“We need to get rid of the Boss monster as soon as possible, so that more survivors can escape from this torment.”
Each of her statement were correct. Hyewon-Unnie wanted to say something but she eventually shut her mouth. Whatever she say, will be considered as an insult to that child. The cliché concept of justice, that every life matter’s had no meaning inside this gate. As a seasoned hunter, she must be more familiar with this concept.
It’s probably because I was about the same age as Hyewon-Unnie’s younger brother that she was feeling sentimental. Also, we’ve been together for a brief period of time, and had grown attached to each other.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Seo-Ha!”
“She was right.”
I didn’t want Hyewon-Unnie to sell me out. That’s because the outcome can’t be changed anyway.
It is impossible to escape from armed hunters. They’re skilled enough to be incomparable to a scouting unit. If I even try to escape, I might get holes all over my body before I can do that.
“What do I need to do?”
“It’s good that you understand quickly.”
A man whispered menacingly.
“Can we talk inside?”
* * *
Hyewon-Unnie was sitting on the seat beside me.
“Don’t even think about putting absurd terms on the kid.”
She growled lowly.
“My name is Kim Ki-taek.”
The man who introduced himself shook my hands lightly. His eyes that slowly folded gave off a cunning light.
“I’ll check a few things first.”
Jeon Chung-Woon and the child wearing a cloak were sitting on each side of Kim Ki-Taek. They were sitting inside a tent that had been used as a ward until earlier, so the whole place was full of the smell of disinfectant.
“First of all. When did you first contact the Main Boss of this gate?”
They wanted to talk about Beelzebub. So that’s their purpose.
“… There was a reconnaissance team where I was, who were attacked and chased by Cerberus. They were all injured when they came back. So we immediately set up a Subjugation Party to handle it.”
“Against Cerberus?”
“Yes.”
“That was reckless.”
Kim Ki-Taek concluded. I don’t agree with his opinion, although it does look like we’re seeking for death.
“Perhaps… Anyways, I set up a tent in the middle while following its trail… And my Colleague and I was suddenly trapped inside a barrier.”
“……Are you familiar with Gate monsters?”
Normally, even if one knew about Cerberus, they’re usually not familiar with their unique ability. However, I’m a veteran hunter that’s been practicing for over 10 years. I’ll pretend to be a gate geek for now.
“I am very interested.”
“What, One-Eyed Cult1, wasn’t it?”
He frowned slightly. He made me feel very bad, he probably thought I was part of that notorious pseudo-organization obsessed with gate informations. Of course, that’s before it got radicalized. They’re probably just doing this because they consider the gate as a ‘god‘ amongst themselves.
“It’s not like that. Anyways, that Cerberus told me that it had something to say to me. It said its master was the one who sent it. He asked me to come find him…”
“Did he ask you to come?”
Hyewon-Unnie asked in surprise.
“Did he say where to visit him?”
All eyes on the table were fixed on me. Ah, this must be the main point. Of course.
“It didn’t say anything like that. However, he did say something like… Where the sun rises and sets? He said he would be there.”
“Where the sun rises and sets…”
Kim Ki-taek muttered in a serious tone. However, there was no way that those who were not even part of the scouting unit would know such a place.
Hyewon-Unnie then left, saying she would go and ask the other scouting units if they had any clue. She did not forget to threaten Kim Ki-Taek before leaving, Telling him not to do anything stupid.
“She’s pretty protective of you.”
Kim Ki-taek was somehow amused.
“So what happened after that?”
“Didn’t you ask to Hyewon-Unnie about what happened?”
He hesitated after hearing my words.
“He sent a monster and threatened me, asking me, if ‘I liked his gift’?’”
If you think about it again, He’s a f*cking bastard.
“Are you here to secure my recruitment?”
“That’s right. You understand very well.”
If so, I also had something to offer.
“I can accept most of the conditions you want. Instead, I also have a couple of conditions.”
“What is it?”
“I want to move separately from the people of the Backwater Guild.”
My resolve hasn’t changed. I had to leave them.
“That is my condition.”
He stared at me as if trying to gauge the truth. I smirked for a moment then pulled my upper body back. I then crossed my legs while clasping both my hands together and place them naturally in front of me. It was an arrogant attitude.
“This… I’m very sorry. Backwater Guild seems to care about you quite a bit. And above all, you are not qualified to speak on this negotiating table.”
It was a sudden change of attitude. It was to the point where I wondered if that polite man from earlier was real.
“You, so to speak, are like fallen leaves that are being swept to and fro. Fallen leaves cannot defy the wind. Can you? No. Just like you, you cannot go against us.”
That’s a painful truth. They will make some accommodations to ensure my cooperation, but we can not set our terms equally.
A small figure wearing a cloak next to the two men spoke up. She looked like a child, rather than a short person. That child then lowered the cloak covering her head. Following her movement, the jewels on her staff suddenly made a few charring sound.
“There’s no point in that.”
“That’s right!”
Her tone was callous. Those were words that one would not believe a child of only 12 years old would utter. Hunters entering gates have an age limit. So even though she looks very young… No matter how young she was, one must be at least at the second year of middle school. So in terms of age, she’s at least 15 years old, around 3 years younger than the An twins.
But it’s been a while since the new year passed… She doesn’t seem to be a beginner either, so she must be at least 16 years old. Still, it wasn’t normal for a child in their third year of middle school to be stuck inside the gate, which crosses the crossroads of life and death.
I could hear startled gasps all around me.
No matter how legal it was, No sane parent will agree to push their own child to enter a dangerous gate. So… There’s probably more into it than meets the eye.
“We need to get rid of the Boss monster as soon as possible, so that more survivors can escape from this torment.”
Each of her statement were correct. Hyewon-Unnie wanted to say something but she eventually shut her mouth. Whatever she say, will be considered as an insult to that child. The cliché concept of justice, that every life matter’s had no meaning inside this gate. As a seasoned hunter, she must be more familiar with this concept.
It’s probably because I was about the same age as Hyewon-Unnie’s younger brother that she was feeling sentimental. Also, we’ve been together for a brief period of time, and had grown attached to each other.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Seo-Ha!”
“She was right.”
I didn’t want Hyewon-Unnie to sell me out. That’s because the outcome can’t be changed anyway.
It is impossible to escape from armed hunters. They’re skilled enough to be incomparable to a scouting unit. If I even try to escape, I might get holes all over my body before I can do that.
“What do I need to do?”
“It’s good that you understand quickly.”
A man whispered menacingly.
“Can we talk inside?”
* * *
Hyewon-Unnie was sitting on the seat beside me.
“Don’t even think about putting absurd terms on the kid.”
She growled lowly.
“My name is Kim Ki-taek.”
The man who introduced himself shook my hands lightly. His eyes that slowly folded gave off a cunning light.
“I’ll check a few things first.”
Jeon Chung-Woon and the child wearing a cloak were sitting on each side of Kim Ki-Taek. They were sitting inside a tent that had been used as a ward until earlier, so the whole place was full of the smell of disinfectant.
“First of all. When did you first contact the Main Boss of this gate?”
They wanted to talk about Beelzebub. So that’s their purpose.
“… There was a reconnaissance team where I was, who were attacked and chased by Cerberus. They were all injured when they came back. So we immediately set up a Subjugation Party to handle it.”
“Against Cerberus?”
“Yes.”
“That was reckless.”
Kim Ki-Taek concluded. I don’t agree with his opinion, although it does look like we’re seeking for death.
“Perhaps… Anyways, I set up a tent in the middle while following its trail… And my Colleague and I was suddenly trapped inside a barrier.”
“……Are you familiar with Gate monsters?”
Normally, even if one knew about Cerberus, they’re usually not familiar with their unique ability. However, I’m a veteran hunter that’s been practicing for over 10 years. I’ll pretend to be a gate geek for now.
“I am very interested.”
“What, One-Eyed Cult1, wasn’t it?”
He frowned slightly. He made me feel very bad, he probably thought I was part of that notorious pseudo-organization obsessed with gate informations. Of course, that’s before it got radicalized. They’re probably just doing this because they consider the gate as a ‘god‘ amongst themselves.
“It’s not like that. Anyways, that Cerberus told me that it had something to say to me. It said its master was the one who sent it. He asked me to come find him…”
“Did he ask you to come?”
Hyewon-Unnie asked in surprise.
“Did he say where to visit him?”
All eyes on the table were fixed on me. Ah, this must be the main point. Of course.
“It didn’t say anything like that. However, he did say something like… Where the sun rises and sets? He said he would be there.”
“Where the sun rises and sets…”
Kim Ki-taek muttered in a serious tone. However, there was no way that those who were not even part of the scouting unit would know such a place.
Hyewon-Unnie then left, saying she would go and ask the other scouting units if they had any clue. She did not forget to threaten Kim Ki-Taek before leaving, Telling him not to do anything stupid.
“She’s pretty protective of you.”
Kim Ki-taek was somehow amused.
“So what happened after that?”
“Didn’t you ask to Hyewon-Unnie about what happened?”
He hesitated after hearing my words.
“He sent a monster and threatened me, asking me, if ‘I liked his gift’?’”
If you think about it again, He’s a f*cking bastard.
“Are you here to secure my recruitment?”
“That’s right. You understand very well.”
If so, I also had something to offer.
“I can accept most of the conditions you want. Instead, I also have a couple of conditions.”
“What is it?”
“I want to move separately from the people of the Backwater Guild.”
My resolve hasn’t changed. I had to leave them.
“That is my condition.”
He stared at me as if trying to gauge the truth. I smirked for a moment then pulled my upper body back. I then crossed my legs while clasping both my hands together and place them naturally in front of me. It was an arrogant attitude.
“This… I’m very sorry. Backwater Guild seems to care about you quite a bit. And above all, you are not qualified to speak on this negotiating table.”
It was a sudden change of attitude. It was to the point where I wondered if that polite man from earlier was real.
“You, so to speak, are like fallen leaves that are being swept to and fro. Fallen leaves cannot defy the wind. Can you? No. Just like you, you cannot go against us.”
That’s a painful truth. They will make some accommodations to ensure my cooperation, but we can not set our terms equally.