I once dreamed of a silver whale leaping into the starry sky.
I saw a whale, with a large arc drawn across its massive mouth, joyfully spewing water and stars through its blowhole.
What emotions did I feel as I watched that sight?
What remained of that beautiful dream within me?
It was a dream of a long, long ago, a dream of childhood.
* * *
"As a teacher, I hesitate to say this, but..."
He was a man with black hair that gave a cool and refreshing impression.
Perhaps because he rarely wore a suit, he let out a sigh as he adjusted his tie with an uncomfortable expression.
Kim Hyun-soo, ranked 57th among Korean hunters and widely known by the nickname "Star Breaker" wished he were in the middle of a dungeon raid instead.
The line between what could be said and what couldn't be said tended to blur a bit in the face of life-threatening situations.
And what he was about to say was clearly closer to something that shouldn't be said.
Because the words of a hunter bearing the name Star Breaker were practically an absolute sentence in this abnormal society.
"You've wasted your efforts."
He had to cut it off firmly. So that this child could find another path.
"Examinee number 1022, Choi Yeon-woo, is magically incompatible."
At those words, the boy crumbled miserably.
* * *
But he didn't give up.
Give up? No way. Even a hunter without magic could do something. Other jobs were out of the question.
It was difficult to expect enough income to maintain a failing orphanage unless it was through hunting.
This was repayment. Repayment to Sister Claire, who had silently taken him in when he was shivering in front of the orphanage on a snowy winter day.
It was a debt he had to repay even if it meant ruining his body. Not that Sister would want that.
Ten years had passed since then.
Now at an age where he could no longer be called a boy, he had made a name for himself as a mid-level hunter despite the ridicule.
He had persevered with his body trained to its limits, experience, and somewhat useful eyes. Once he made it onto the rankings, requests for his services flooded in.
It was because the ranking proved his skills, and the lack of magic worked as an advantage in terms of his lower cost.
But now, he was nearing his limit.
Yeon-woo accepted a request for an unidentified gate discovered near the orphanage, with the intention of returning to the orphanage after a long time and preparing for retirement.
....
"It's been a while, Sister Claire."
Choi Yeon-woo bowed politely as he looked at the nun whose appearance hadn't changed at all since he was five years old.
Choi Yeon-woo, who had a cheerful and playful image in public, maintained a respectful and serious attitude only at the orphanage.
The nun looked to be in her mid-twenties at most. Blonde hair and long ears peeking out from between the nun's veil. A forest elf, not so rare these days.
Due to their long lifespan and slow physical growth, she was careful not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
He didn't want to ruin her chances of marriage when she eventually left her nunhood.
The nun, who had been staring at him intently, let out a deep sigh. When he raised his head, wondering what was wrong, his eyes met emerald eyes filled with regret.
"I told you to take care of yourself... How are you going to get married looking so worn out?"
Her words pierced him like arrows. He used to be handsome when he was young. Even to Claire, who had taken care of countless children, Yeon-woo was truly a regrettable talent.
It was even more so when she saw how the boy, who had been pretty enough to be a celebrity, had become such a rough-looking man.
It was clear that his body was covered in scars as much as his face.
Claire sighed several more times after that.
"Even though I told you not to push yourself... You should at least show your face so I don't worry, how many times have I said that?"
Speechless. That was the perfect description of this situation. The most embarrassing thing was that he could count the number of times she had said that. He kept all the letters she had sent in his desk drawer, and in every single one of them, she told him not to push himself.
87 times. Considering his hunter career of 10 years, 8 years excluding his time as a porter, it wasn't a small number at all.
Whether it was good luck or bad luck, it meant that he had jumped into life-or-death situations and returned nearly 100 times during that time.
"I'm sorry...."
At the sight of Yeon-woo becoming a submissive mess, Claire burst into a low chuckle and warmly embraced him, who had grown so much.
Even with decades of experience raising abandoned human children, she still couldn't get used to their unique growth rate.
"Even with such a rough face, you haven't changed a bit since back then. Considering what Yeon-woo has done for the orphanage, it's not my place to scold you. Thank you for coming back alive."
Yeon-woo rolled his eyes at the scent of the forest that tickled his nose. No matter how much he tried not to hinder her marriage prospects, she was building a barricade with firewood and setting it on fire.
Warm and fuzzy feelings welled up in his chest. Whatever happens, happens. He carefully reached out and lightly hugged Claire. It was a warm embrace, just like that winter 20 years ago.
