Who Am I Supposed to Serve?
Huh? Who am I supposed to serve?
At that very moment, in the president’s office of the Hunter Association.
“……Though many long years have passed, you haven’t aged a single day.”
President Go Ganguk regarded the woman standing across from him.
She was a woman of gentle bearing, her hair the soft green of new leaves.
Guild Leader of the Evergreen Guild, Min Surim.
She led Evergreen, one of Korea’s Four Great Guilds and the force that safeguarded the nation’s central region. Because she had stepped away from active hunting a decade earlier to focus solely on guild affairs, she remained one of the most enigmatic figures among all S-rank hunters.
In a calm, measured voice, she spoke.
“Do you remember the promise we made long ago, President Go Ganguk?”
“……I never expected you to raise that matter again after fifteen years.”
Go Ganguk knew she was not human. It was a secret known only to him, the Association President—because their first meeting had taken place inside a Gate.
Min Surim continued quietly.
“The time has come to keep that promise, President.”
“…….”
Go Ganguk recalled the vow they had exchanged so long ago. In the chaotic early days when Gates first appeared and the world reeled, it was she who had helped build the very backbone of Korea’s hunter society.
Min Surim had racked up countless meritorious deeds as a hunter and had contributed enormously to establishing the codes of conduct and the Association’s organizational structure.
Remembering those years, Go Ganguk allowed a faint smile and answered,
“Not once have I forgotten that day. Speak freely. What would you have me do?”
“The Fairy King.”
“!?”
“I ask that you stop searching for that person.”
Go Ganguk simply blinked in silence. Then, as understanding dawned, he nodded.
“I see. So the one Guild Leader Min Surim has sought all these years was the Fairy King.”
“…….”
Min Surim only smiled, saying nothing. That silence was answer enough.
Go Ganguk nodded once more.
“Very well. It shall be done.”
“Thank you.”
“……One last question. Do you truly intend to retire now?”
At his inquiry Min Surim fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then she replied in her characteristic tranquil tone,
“I shall simply follow that person’s will.”
For a full week after that day I did absolutely nothing.
I lolled around in bed, ordered delivery whenever I got hungry, and played with the fairies. Now and then I browsed the galleries to see if anyone was talking about me.
Anyway, I really had done something pretty amazing, right? Circumstances kept me from revealing my identity, but I’d still done a good deed, so seeing my name come up always made me a little proud.
Got this from a hyung I know—apparently the Fairy King appeared at the C-rank Gate Origin Guild Team 2 was about to clear.
No idea if it’s true though.
Just something I heard secondhand.
Talked to a guy who was on-site. Said a girl presumed to be the Fairy King saved Han Yuseol and cleared the Gate in five minutes flat.
For the record, that Gate was estimated B-rank.
Of course, the story that I had cleared the Gate only circulated as a vague, unsubstantiated rumor. The only people present at the time had been Origin’s Team 2 raid party and two Association staffers. The staff had already evacuated the nearby civilians, so no one else had been around.
On top of that, the Association itself stayed strangely quiet. I’d expected some kind of statement since their own people had been on-site, but… well, that worked out in my favor.
If things stayed quiet a little longer and talk of the Fairy King died down, I could start moving again. That was the plan, anyway—take a short rest and wait things out. But then—
South Korea Ranking: 98th
South Korea Ranking: 56th
South Korea Ranking: 32nd
South Korea Ranking: 14th
South Korea Ranking: 4th
Fairy King’s current ranking!!
4th!!
“……?”
Why?
Not that I didn’t have a pretty good idea.
Progress: 98%
“Pii~ pii~ piii~”
“Ppyu~ ppyu~ ppyuu~”
Every morning when I woke up I would find the fairies hard at work, digging in the rooftop garden and planting magic crystals. In other words, these little ones were sneaking into Gates while I slept, clearing them, and bringing back the crystals.
“Uh… Pin, Arwen.”
“Pi?”
“Ppyu?”
“Ah, no. Never mind.”
I had asked them to stop just for a little while before, and they had been so shocked. Pin had even cried. How was I supposed to stop them after a reaction like that…? So for now I simply left them alone. Well, my fairies were strong; they wouldn’t get hurt.
Which meant it was time to start thinking about how to make money.
I stared fixedly at the magic crystals nestled among the garden soil.
Every single one of those is cash…
I had no idea how much they would sell for. Truly a case of cake under glass.
Well… no choice, I guess.
Looks like it’s time to go back to working as an S-rank healer. Heading out is a little scary, but if I just keep Pin and Arwen hidden properly, no one should recognize me.
I sat up in bed and spoke to Pin and Arwen.
“Pin, Arwen.”
“Pi?”
“Ppyu?”
“Let’s go make some money.”
“Pi!”
“Ppyu!”
Best to start working the moment you decide. With my personality, if I put it off I’ll never find the courage again.
I packed a backpack, tucked Pin into my sleeve, climbed down from the rooftop house, and opened the front gate.
Creeeak—
“……?”
A woman with light-green hair was standing right outside the gate. She was a beautiful noona who gave off a mysterious air I couldn’t quite put into words. Our eyes met.
“Ah. Found you.”
“……?”
I blinked in confusion. She approached me slowly, placed both hands neatly over her midriff, and bowed with deep formality.
“……?”
The sudden appearance of this woman completely derailed my plan to go work as a healer. Standing around outside forever felt awkward, so I ended up bringing her back up to the rooftop house.
“This is……”
She gazed at the World Tree growing in the garden, a gentle smile on her lips. There seemed to be a quiet longing in her expression.
Because of the unfamiliar woman, Dreamy King’s Dignity had activated, leaving me unable to speak. I desperately wanted to ask who she was and what she wanted, but she didn’t seem to have come with any ill intent, so I invited her in so we could at least talk. Besides, with my fairies around I wasn’t particularly afraid.
Once we were inside the rooftop house I unfolded the little folding table I kept propped against the refrigerator and sat down. I usually just ate at the computer desk, so the table rarely saw use, but sitting face-to-face felt more appropriate for a proper conversation.
Except she didn’t sit at the table. She went straight into the kitchen and started making tea.
“……?”
Why is the guest the one making tea…?
And she only poured a cup for me, not herself. After finishing, instead of sitting across from me she knelt neatly at my side, as if that were her natural place.
Ah, no, this isn’t right.
“Please, do drink.”
Still dazed—though my face remained perfectly serene thanks to the skill—I took a sip of the tea she had prepared.
Hmm…… it was just barley tea. Yet somehow it tasted refreshingly clean.
I looked at her with a clear “So who are you?” expression, and she introduced herself as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
“I am the Dryad Min Surim… no, Ayla, who has come to serve My Queen.”
……Huh?
Serve me?
And a Dryad?
She’s not human?
“Pi?”
“Ppyu?”
At that moment the fairies who had been hiding in my sleeve and backpack poked their heads out and tilted them in curiosity.
The instant Ayla saw the fairies, her eyes widened. She immediately offered them the same deep, formal bow she had given me.
“Ahh, the Guardians are here as well? How terribly rude of me…. It is an honor to meet you. O great Elder Fairies.”
“Pi!”
“Ppyuppyu.”
And my fairies accepted the greeting as if it were only natural. Afterward they began cheerfully circling around Ayla, smiling as if welcoming her.
“Fufu, thank you. Lady Seraphin. Lady Arwen.”
She even knew their names……
She really does know something about fairies. Wait—not a person; she said she was a Dryad.
“My Queen.”
“……?”
“You must be hungry. I shall prepare a meal at once.”
Uh…… well, it was lunchtime and I had planned to eat out anyway. But that wasn’t the important part—why was Ayla suddenly preparing a meal—
“Ah……”
Ayla opened the refrigerator and let out a soft gasp, clearly startled by the completely empty shelves.
“Oh my, there is nothing to eat in the refrigerator? Please wait just a moment, My Queen. I shall go purchase ingredients right away.”
And she truly meant it—she put on her shoes and walked out the door.
I could only sit there blinking blankly at the front door she had just closed behind her.
“What even is this for real?”