Chapter 56
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Recovered Memories
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"My sister was really worried about her husband's position. She said if Han Ho found out, it could get pretty dangerous. Oh, and her husband and my sister were childhood friends. They've known each other since they were kids."
"Um, Miss Baek. Didn't Ru-ri say she grew up in a facility as a child?"
"Yeah, that's right. My sister had to hide Ru-ri away."
"May I ask why?"
"To avoid Han Ho's eyes. Ru-ri was born between two people with special positions, so it was obvious she'd awaken as a hunter too. But no one knew what her abilities would be."
"D-don't lie. I don't remember them at all."
"Gukgong Orphanage. That's where you were, right, Ru-ri?"
"How did you...?"
"It's a place for kids who lost their parents in gate raids. My sister founded it... and she asked the teachers to let you stay there."
"Then why haven't you come looking for Ru-ri until now?"
"Someone took her away."
"Took her away?"
"Yes. After what happened to my sister and her husband, I went to the orphanage myself to find Ru-ri and put her on my family register. But someone had already taken her by then."
"Oh no..."
Baek Eun-an seemed to remember something as she rummaged through her bag.
She hurriedly pulled out a photo.
In the photo, an unfamiliar man and woman were smiling happily with Lee Ru-ri.
"That's really... me..."
Ru-ri jumped to her feet in shock, her hand trembling violently as she held the photo.
Yang Jeong-hyun quickly grabbed her hand.
"Why... why am I smiling like that...? Why don't I remember any of it...? Why?"
"Maybe you went through some kind of shock. Ru-ri, calm down first."
Yang Jeong-hyun soothed Ru-ri and sat her back on the sofa.
Then she asked Baek Eun-an,
"So how did you know Ru-ri was with us now?"
"Joo-hyung contacted me."
"Joo-hyung?"
"Yes. My sister's student. He's been looking into her death. Before that, he said he suspected Ru-ri was her daughter but wasn't sure, so he'd investigate more... Then Han Ho directly ordered him to monitor Ru-ri, and that opened up a bunch of info."
"So Park Joo-hyung isn't one of Chairman Han's people?"
"No, he went digging on his own to find evidence that Han Ho killed my sister and her husband."
Baek Eun-an shed tears again as she asked Ru-ri,
"Ru-ri, do you really not remember me?"
Yang Jeong-hyun spoke with a troubled look.
"Ah, this is messier than I thought..."
Ru-ri asked Baek Eun-an,
"If I'm their daughter... then why am I Lee, not Yoo?"
"That's why I couldn't find you all this time. Who took you, and who changed your surname?!"
Baek Eun-an wailed again.
"Miss Baek, Ru-ri's the most confused right now. Please calm down a bit."
"Hic... sob..."
"Ru-ri, try slowly recalling your old memories. It's too late tonight anyway, so I'll take Miss Baek home."
"Okay..."
Yang Jeong-hyun led the sobbing Baek Eun-an out.
Ru-ri flopped dazedly onto the sofa.
"Dad... Mom... Those two."
She closed her eyes and dredged up memories she'd buried deep.
No matter how hard she tried, her childhood memories were hazy.
The only clear one was living happily with kids her age at the facility.
Vague images from that time surfaced.
"That's right."
Ru-ri sat up abruptly.
"Back then, someone definitely said it was time to go and took me away. Who was it?"
She paced the room, straining to remember.
"A young lady, I think... What did she say exactly...?"
—You're on your own now. No one will come looking for you.
"That's right! She said that! Then she locked me in a dark basement..."
Once the dam broke, the blocked memories flooded in.
"What did I do in that basement...? No scary memories... Huh?"
A sudden flash made her hair stand on end.
Strong winds began swirling around Ru-ri's hands again.
"Th-this is..."
—You must never let it be discovered. Your memories will kill you.
The owner of the hazy voice.
—Being chosen means being alone.
"Yes, that voice."
—We have to protect people. That's our job.
—No, dear. You're the only one who's alone. Lives must be protected by oneself. I won't let Ru-ri walk your path.
"These are definitely their voices."
Ru-ri collapsed to the floor.
Tears welled up.
"Yes, the one who took me that day... It was Mom..."
Baek Yi-an.
On the day she learned Ham Dae-hee had told Han Ho about Yoo Il-won's black mana, she hurriedly moved Ru-ri, whom she'd hidden away at the facility.
To a place even Yoo Il-won didn't know about, somewhere Han Ho's eyes would never reach.
It was a Jeju Island villa she'd secretly bought under someone else's name.
She hid Ru-ri in the basement of the Jeju villa and used her Hider ability there.
Baek Yi-an pushed her mana to the absolute limit, knowing it would never recover.
She wanted to protect Ru-ri from Han Ho, no matter the cost.
That's why Ru-ri was judged as a Healer in her first hunter position assessment—thanks to Baek Yi-an's Hider power.
By twisting Ru-ri's abilities to the point where all of Baek Yi-an's vanished, Ru-ri's memories shattered.
Realizing this, Baek Yi-an whispered to Ru-ri like a spell.
—You're alone. You have no parents. Protect yourself. Forget everything and live for yourself.
Young Ru-ri stared blankly at Baek Yi-an.
Baek Yi-an entrusted Ru-ri to the villa's caretaker and left, clutching her self-torn heart.
"Mom back then... was crying. Ah... aaa..."
Pent-up longing clawed at her throat.
She finally burst into tears.
"Yes, that's right! They were protecting me! Sob..."
Ru-ri sobbed uncontrollably.
Han Seung-woo, who rushed over after an urgent call from Yang Jeong-hyun to check on her, caught her as she nearly fell backward.
"S-Seung-woo... Mom's gone... Dad... sob, ah... What do I do...?"
Han Seung-woo tightly hugged the wailing Ru-ri.
"It's okay. Calm down."
After sobbing in his arms for a long time, Ru-ri lost consciousness limply.
Han Seung-woo quickly called an ambulance and contacted Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin.
Seeing Ru-ri lying pale on the hospital bed, none of them felt at ease.
"Where's Miss Baek Eun-an?"
"I took her home."
"What about Dae-hee hyung?"
"She's meeting that Park Joo-hyung guy tomorrow to talk directly."
"Where?"
"Ah, Director. She wants to take him to the building that'll become the guild dorms. I'm planning to escort her there."
"I see. If the info from Miss Baek matches what we hear from Park Joo-hyung tomorrow..."
"It'll clarify our direction."
"Ru-ri's going to have it rough..."
"Yeah. She seems tough, but she's fragile inside... Hope she holds up."
"We should keep Miss Baek and Ru-ri apart for now. It looked like she recovered some memories."
"Really? Not sure if that's good or bad. Got it, I'll handle blocking Miss Baek. Man, what's really going on here..."
"One thing's certain—the root of all this is Chairman Han."
Han Seung-woo, as if resolved, entrusted Ru-ri to Yang Jeong-hyun and returned to headquarters with Choi Si-jin.
A week later.
"Ru-ri, how are you feeling today?"
"I'm fine."
Ru-ri woke up on the second day after losing consciousness.
No major symptoms, but her aura felt subtly different.
Everyone worried about her but treated her as normally as possible.
"Where's Miss Baek... no, my aunt?"
"She's waiting just for you. She's regretting giving you such a shock."
"See her later. How about meeting that person I mentioned before today?"
"Who?"
Ru-ri's eyes widened, and Han Seung-woo whispered quietly.
"Someone who talks to monsters."
"Ah!"
The top ten hunters representing the US, China, and Japan were waiting in the conference room, sipping tea.
Han Ho entered in his wheelchair.
"Thank you for the long trip."
He greeted them with a friendly smile.
A blond man with blue eyes said,
"No problem. First time in Korea, but it doesn't feel unfamiliar."
"Mr. Hurt, your Korean is fluent."
"My mom's Korean."
Key members of Han and Bit Guilds trickled into the conference room.
Meanwhile, Ru-ri glared at Han Ho, clenching her fists.
Han Seung-woo, watching her, cautiously took her hand and whispered,
"He'll burn to death from your glare before you even get revenge."
Ru-ri let out a small chuckle at the uncharacteristically silly joke.
"The Vice Chairman couldn't attend today due to health issues."
"I heard. Serious injury. So the Korea HQ Vice Chairman position is vacant?"
"He's in rehab, but hunter life like before is impossible. We'll elect a new one."
"I'd love to join a raid with the world's top guild. Possible?"
A dark-haired, pale-skinned man asked.
"Mr. Xiao, long time no see. Han Guild has no high-rank gates scheduled, so how about joining a Bit Guild raid? Director Han, what do you think?"
"Understood. We'll share Han Guild's raid schedule."
"Thank you."
As it was their first meeting, they filled the time with light updates.
When the blond Hurt said he wanted to rest, they discussed the next meeting and ended the first joint conference.
As Han Seung-woo looked around for someone, Hurt approached with a bright smile.
"Seung-woo, missed you!"
"Gross."
"Why so formal between us? Who's this cute girl? Girlfriend?"
"Ah, hello. I'm Lee Ru-ri."
"How do you say something so rude so casually? Not my girlfriend. She's the one I told you about."
"Oh, didn't say she was this pretty?"
Hurt winked his blue eyes.
"Ha, haha. Nice to meet you, Mr. Hurt."
Hurt naturally draped his long arm around Ru-ri's shoulders and moved to another spot.
"Put your hand down."
"You said not girlfriend? I like Ru-ri. Seung-woo, scram."
Han Seung-woo wedged himself between them.
"No."
"Ooh? You two... What was it? One-sided love? That it? Seung-woo?"
"Hahahaha. Mr. Hurt, your jokes are hilarious."
Ru-ri laughed awkwardly.
The three got into a car following Han Seung-woo.
"Where are we going?"
"A gate."
"Just like this, suddenly?"
"To talk properly with monster conversationalists, better to go where the monsters are, right?"
"True."
"Seung-woo, gotten stronger?"
"Yes."
"Bull!"