Chapter 44: My wish

For several moments, Kai remained silent, and Adam patiently gave him the time to process what he had just revealed.

He knew that Jean had been forced into a marriage before unexpectedly meeting Kai during the reunion, where she had made a decision that changed the course of her life forever.

However, he could never have imagined that her past would become connected to Kai’s present in such a bizarre way. The coincidence was so absurd that, if someone had told him about it beforehand, he would have assumed they were making it up.

System, am I living in a novel or something? Does this kind of ridiculous coincidence actually happen this often?

He wasn’t sure anymore.

Yet one question immediately stood out.

"Why didn’t Jean and Drake recognize each other?"

If Jean had seen Drake before, she would have mentioned him. She had told Kai more or less everything about her past, or at least everything she considered important. So how was it possible that she had sat face-to-face with Drake without realizing who he was?

And Drake was exactly the sort of bastard who would have dragged his entire family into the matter if he had known that Jean was the same woman who had broken off her engagement with his brother.

Adam gave a quiet hum.

"Because at the time, Drake was still undergoing training at Red River and rarely returned home. According to the records I found, he has never been particularly close to his family, especially his brother."

Kai took a slow breath and leaned back in his chair.

He had heard before that Drake did not get along with his brother, despite the latter’s position within the Association. At the time, Kai had considered it little more than an insignificant family matter.

Now, however, that detail suddenly seemed far more important.

"There is a high chance that Miss Jean’s name will come up during the investigation," Adam continued. "And once the Vancroft family realizes that she is with you, they may inform the Scarlette patriarch as well."

Kai’s eyes narrowed instantly.

He frowned as he looked across the table.

"You know everything about us, don’t you? About Jean’s situation, about me, about the two of us?"

It finally clicked.

His earlier lie about his relationship with Jean had already been seen through. Adam had clearly paid far more attention to their circumstances than Kai had initially assumed.

Adam leaned back and calmly took another sip of his coffee.

"Mr. Kai, I mean you no harm. I came here with the intention of establishing a good relationship with you. That is why I had to put all my cards on the table and convince you that I am on your side."

Kai almost rolled his eyes.

"You’re clearly threatening me. You’re telling me that if I don’t accept whatever proposal you’ve prepared, you’ll inform Xavier Scarlette about us."

He was beginning to feel genuinely irritated.

For a man who claimed he had come here to build a relationship, Adam had spent most of the conversation making it clear that he possessed enough information to turn Kai and Jean’s lives upside down.

There was very little about that which resembled an attempt at friendship.

Adam spoke calmly. "Mr. Kai, I know you don’t trust me. But if you accept my offer today, I give you my guarantee that no one from the Vancroft family will find out about Miss Jean. At least, not in connection with what happened yesterday."

Kai frowned.

"And what exactly do you want from me?"

A brief breath of relief escaped Adam when he realized Kai was at least willing to hear him out.

Some of the tension between them eased, allowing a measure of serenity to return to the table. Adam took another sip of his coffee before continuing.

"Mr. Kai, I believe you recently went through a second awakening, haven’t you?"

Kai’s brows furrowed.

"What... oh."

He had almost asked what kind of nonsense Adam was talking about, but then he stopped himself.

Right.

Adam knew Kai had been an F-rank. Yet not only had he dealt with that hound, he had also taken on two D-rank hunters by himself yesterday.

"I... just happened to find some enhanced weapons that allowed me to accomplish those feats." Kai offered the explanation without hesitation, hoping it would be enough to make Adam reconsider his assumption.

Adam gave him a wry smile.

"Only someone with an acceleration ability could cover the distance between Kenhance Building and Parker’s Block in seven minutes. And you definitely don’t possess an acceleration ability. The stats of an F-rank wouldn’t allow you to move that quickly either."

"..."

Seven minutes.

Damn.

Those two locations were nearly five kilometers apart, and yet Kai had crossed the distance in only seven minutes.

Even with a vehicle, that was difficult to achieve.

Kai slowly lowered his gaze toward the coffee in front of him.

It seemed his movements yesterday had left behind far more evidence than he had anticipated.

"I won’t confirm anything. But let’s say, hypothetically, that I have reawakened. What would you want from me then?"

Adam answered without hesitation.

"For now, I want to do things for you. I can provide you with raid permits, purchase monster byproducts from you, or even arrange a license for you to trade weapons if you ever decide to do so."

Kai frowned again.

"Huh? But why?"

"Because the potential of a reawakened individual soars far beyond that of an ordinary hunter. All I want is to help you climb through the ranks."

Adam paused, letting his words settle before continuing.

"And when you eventually decide to reveal yourself to the world through a formal rank evaluation..."

Kai’s expression subtly changed.

He finally understood.

He wanted to recruit another S-rank hunter for the Association.

The realization had barely formed when Adam finished his sentence.

"...I want you to kill someone for me."

"..."

°°°

A/N:- Adam is misunderstood for some serious office worker. He is actually a crack head.