Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Fame (2)
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Illya reacted strongly to his agreement to form the contract.
If he could see her, she would probably be gazing up at him with teary eyes.
Her voice was filled with so much emotion that it made him think that.
'This makes me feel like the bad guy...'
Kim Gunja scratched the bridge of his nose at the odd sensation.
"Is this really that surprising?"
Illya's trailing voice was thick with anxiety, and Kim Gunja understood her attitude.
'Well... she did face annihilation because of the Majesty Ring.'
From Illya's perspective, it wasn't just about contracting—it was a threat to her very survival. Her reaction made perfect sense.
Besides, her anxiety wasn't entirely unfounded.
He was ready to convert her to points at any moment if weird signs appeared right after the contract.
"Ah, hold on a second."
He stopped Illya, who was getting ahead of herself.
Illya grew anxious, wondering if he might take back what he'd said.
But Kim Gunja had no such intention.
On the contrary, he was pondering for her sake.
A sense of pity—something everyone feels at times—had stirred within him.
'Her memories are incomplete, and she's blindly craving a contract just to survive...'
Maybe it was because the Master Ring was a knockoff, but the treatment was worlds apart from the Customizing Room's investor.
If he hadn't met investors like Ma Ilcheon and Stein, he might not have pitied her much.
But having dealt with them, the comparison was inevitable.
'How can you not compare when there's such a clear benchmark?'
Plus, the Majesty Ring put him firmly in the position of power, so feeling sorry for her was only natural.
Of course, he'd weigh the usefulness of the power gained from the contract.
But he didn't like the idea of being forced to convert Illya to points right from the start due to some contract trickery.
'It might be hypocrisy...'
No, anyone watching might call it that.
Cheap hypocrisy from someone holding all the cards.
Not wrong, exactly.
But if he was going to do it, he wanted to go with a clear conscience.
Having made up his mind, Kim Gunja spoke.
"Illya. Listen carefully to what I say from now on. Remember—this isn't a threat; it's for your own good."
"We will form the contract."
Illya let out a cry of joy.
"But if the contract terms displease me, I'll make you vanish."
Shock. Sorrow. Anger. Astonishment.
Even as a torrent of emotions flooded through, Kim Gunja didn't stop.
"Remember the ring? I have a surefire way. So, if possible... make it the best contract you can offer. Unless you want to vanish."
He spoke bluntly, perhaps harsher than necessary.
That way, Illya would fully grasp his intent.
Truly conveying one's thoughts to another isn't easy.
He didn't want her brushing it off or misunderstanding his wishes due to vague wording.
So he didn't even ask.
Whether she could alter the contract terms didn't matter.
If she understood, she'd do her utmost—and he'd judge the result accordingly.
Keep the contract, or convert and erase her.
Thankfully, his meaning got through, and Illya responded resolutely.
Maybe it was because he'd never seen such an attitude from the Customizing Room's investor.
Kim Gunja found it a bit cute and chuckled as he readily agreed.
"Of course."
At his reply, the Master Ring glowed softly and emitted a resonant hum.
Then, an unnatural phenomenon occurred indoors—one that couldn't possibly happen naturally.
'...Wind?'
It wasn't his imagination.
Coats hanging in the lounge fluttered, papers rustled.
Kim Gunja watched the unfamiliar change while keeping one hand ready to slip on the Majesty Ring at any moment.
No harm in being prepared for the worst.
That's when he noticed the wind felt unusually humid—far more than normal.
Illya's voice rang out, now far more solemn than before.
'This...'
Kim Gunja couldn't shake the feeling that Illya's words, as the contract began, were infused with a strange power.
It wasn't mana, dark mana, or holy lightning—a different force, hard to put into words.
Word spirit.
If he had to name it, that's what it felt like.
As the ritual-like words continued, the power swelled, forging an invisible bond between him and Illya.
He could even sense she was giving it her all.
That's why the growing connection through the Master Ring felt devoid of any discomfort.
On the contrary, it was like a loyal presence had appeared—one ready to answer his call anytime, anywhere.
"...I, Illya, swear this oath by etching it upon my soul!"
⟨ Storm Spirit King Contract ⟩
With Illya's final cry, the ritual concluded.
Then—
Fwaaaah—!
A burst of white light—different from the Majesty Ring's blue—erupted from the Master Ring, filling the lounge.
Near the Han River, at an outdoor stage.
The memorial hosted by the Association was winding down as the sun dipped low in the sunset.
Yet even more people were gathering around.
Mostly young folks, waiting for the live performances by famous singers after the awards ceremony.
Screech.
A car pulled up near the venue, and one man and one woman stepped out.
Kim Gunja and Sin Yeji.
"Way more people than I expected."
"Of course! With all these celebrities showing up? Anyone with time would want to come."
"Why?"
"Why? It's basically a free concert!"
"Huh. Is it?"
Kim Gunja rarely watched TV and had no interest in celebrities or music, so concerts held little appeal—even free ones.
No wonder he had zero urge to attend in person.
Sin Yeji shook her head at his openly uninterested expression.
"Jeez, you don't even know who that famous actress Choi Seyeon is. What makes a concert special to you?"
Kim Gunja grinned and nodded.
"True. I'd rather train extra during that time."
"Sure, sure. Thanks to you, this uncle's making me stronger by the day."
As she'd said, they'd been training together right up until heading to the event.
"Not grateful?"
"Super grateful."
"Then after the awards, one more round..."
"Whoa! It's Choi Seyeon! She's even prettier in person! Uncle, I'm going ahead!"
Sin Yeji bolted into the crowd to gawk at the celebrities.
At first, it seemed like an excuse to dodge his words, but she quickly got swept up in the vibe, buzzing with excitement.
Kim Gunja couldn't help but smile at the sight.
A twinge of guilt crept in, too.
Yeji was an adult and diligent, but still young at heart.
She insisted daily training and hunts with other Hunters were fine—that she wanted to do it.
But seeing her this thrilled made him think occasional breaks like this were necessary.
'Come to think of it, we barely did anything fun at the amusement park.'
His friends—and Chunduk hyung—naturally came to mind.
Maybe he'd been charging ahead too relentlessly.
Six months.
Three preparing for his license, three after.
A breathless sprint.
Next week, teaming up with Team 4 for the S-rank gate in Japan didn't help.
'After Japan, I should carve out some time soon.'
Revenge mattered, but he didn't want a life that couldn't spare even a day or two for those he cared about.
As he mulled over his schedule, voices from the crowd watching the stage drifted to his ears.
"Man, she's gorgeous. The queen of innocence lives up to the hype."
"Top actress is top-tier for a reason. Look at that tiny face—like a doll. Total doll."
"I came early just to see her read the eulogy live. Felt like a movie scene."
She was clearly famous.
The area buzzed with talk of Choi Seyeon.
Kim Gunja's gaze naturally turned to the stage.
Plenty of big names, but spotting Choi Seyeon was easy.
She stood out effortlessly amid the crowd.
An aura around her screamed, I'm actress Choi Seyeon.
As he watched briefly, the memorial neared its end.
'Guess I should head to the waiting room soon.'
After the memorial, a short break before the awards, he'd heard.
That's when Kim Gunja, moving toward the stage to fetch Yeji for the waiting room—
'Hm?'
His eyes met Choi Seyeon's by chance.
Her pupils dilated sharply.
Stumble.
Distracted, she missed a step and lost balance.
Luckily, someone nearby caught her—no fall, but enough to stir a small commotion among the crowd.
'...No way she tripped because of me. Nah.'
A total stranger—impossible. Still, just in case, he racked his memory when—
Other voices reached him.
"Hey, did you see? Choi Seyeon locked eyes with me and wobbled!"
"What? She looked at me! Gonna get an autograph, maybe her number..."
"You guys blind? She was staring my way."
Feeling awkwardly like one of them, he pressed his temples in embarrassment.
Yeji approached.
"Uncle, what're you doing? Aren't we going?"
"...Yeah."
"You look weird. Something happen?"
If caught, it'd be years of regret under the covers—no way he'd spill.
Kim Gunja replied with a straight face.
"Nah. Nothing."
"Hmmm..."
Yeji's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he played dumb and headed calmly for the waiting room.
"Ah, wait up! Coming!"
Sin Yeji hurried after Kim Gunja.
A gaze followed the pair—Choi Seyeon's.
Staring as if entranced, she murmured softly.
"Hunter Kim Gunja really is that Gunja..."
She'd doubted it even when hearing about Hunter Kim Gunja on broadcasts or seeing his name on the awards list.
Uncommon name, but not unique—probably a coincidence.
It happened so long ago, photos and videos left her unsure.
But seeing him in person? Crystal clear now.
"Noona! You okay?"
Her manager checked her ankle.
Choi Seyeon never slipped up at official events.
A pro's pro, always flawless in public.
Tripping suddenly? Spacing out on the crowd? Totally off.
But instead of answering her worried manager, Choi Seyeon acted.
"...I need to meet him."
With that, she headed the way Kim Gunja and Sin Yeji had gone.
"H-huh? Noona?! Suddenly...!"
Her manager chased after in a panic.
Meanwhile, a man stepping off the stage eyed Choi Seyeon lecherously before slowly following.