Reunions and Relentless Pursuit
The day after the demon attack and the safe return, the official report from the Seoul Branch Management Bureau read as follows.
During transport, the convoy was ambushed by an S+ rank great demon.
The great demon was not acting alone but in coordination with an unidentified armed group, indicating organized movement.
This appears to be a deliberate attack aimed at seizing the summon.
Director of Audits Kim Donghwi's unilateral decision to conduct nighttime transport provoked the great demon.
Seoul Branch Management Team Leader Kang Seoyeonn arrived on site, deploying the archangel to repel the great demon and terrorists.
The summon, which attempted to escape amid the chaos, returned voluntarily at Kang Seoyeonn's persuasion.
Team Leader Kang Seoyeonn determined that escorting the problematic summon to headquarters under these conditions was unfeasible and decided to return to the Seoul Branch to await new orders.
After reading Seoyeonn's report, the headquarters took into account the possibility that Belzar had already assembled a considerable force and resolved to prioritize tracking him while remaining vigilant.
The incident was eventually resolved, and Donghwi was found unconscious at the scene, his mind shattered by the great demon.
"Heh—."
A drop of drool fell, soaking his bib.
"Director, how are you feeling? Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Heehee. Poop!"
He shook his head vigorously. The recovery shaman looked up at Seoyeonn and shook her own head in dismay. He was completely broken—a vegetable now.
Seoyeonn let out a sigh. It was undoubtedly Belzar's doing.
Though Kim Donghwi had regained consciousness, he was deemed unfit for normal duties. He was dismissed from his position as Director of Audits, held accountable for the reckless transport decision and unilateral judgment that nearly caused massive losses. True to his title, he shouldered all the blame.
Dahong underwent a formal inspection at the branch. Result: no danger. Returned to summoner.
After just a few days of checks, she could return to daily life.
Hunter Academy staff room.
"Sit."
Seoyeonn pointed to a chair. Seha sat down. Ruby hopped onto his lap.
Seoyeonn swiveled her chair to face him. A large gauze patch covered her cheek.
"How's the wound?"
"It's almost healed."
"Good."
Seoyeonn took a sip of coffee.
"She's coming back today, right?"
"Yes."
Seha nodded. It was about Dahong. After the final inspections, she was finally coming home.
Seoyeonn gazed steadily at Seha before speaking.
"You've gotten a lot stronger, anyway."
"Huh?"
"You took down Kim Donghwi."
Seha flinched.
"He was an A-rank. That guy."
"He was an A-rank with barely any real combat experience. I got lucky too…."
"Still, an A-rank is an A-rank. And I hear you've been rolling around in the field plenty."
Seoyeonn cut him off.
"The failing student everyone wrote off just beat an A-rank. And you've got three more summons now."
"……."
"Doesn't really fit to call you a failing student anymore."
Ruby lifted her head proudly, as if the praise were for her. Seha stroked her head once.
Seoyeonn smiled faintly.
"Your expressions are pretty decent now too."
"Haha…."
Seha rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.
"And one more thing."
Seoyeonn set down her coffee cup.
"I'm stepping down as homeroom teacher."
"Pardon…?"
Seha stared blankly at Seoyeonn. Why so suddenly?
"I got promoted to branch chief because of this mess."
Seoyeonn had been commended for resolving the crisis without casualties and was promoted to Seoul Branch Chief—the youngest ever.
"Uh… congratulations?"
"Thanks. Anyway, it'll keep me busy. Too busy to juggle homeroom."
"Ah…."
Seoyeonn looked at Seha.
"It was temporary from the start. I told you that, remember?"
He knew. Seoyeonn hadn't been a real academy teacher. She'd been assigned by the bureau to monitor Dahong, nothing more.
"……."
"What's with that face."
"No, it's just…."
Seha scratched his head.
"I liked having you as homeroom teacher."
Seoyeonn stared at him silently.
"Because you could rummage through my desk?"
"Ah, no… sorry…."
As Seha floundered, Seoyeonn chuckled as if it were a joke.
"I'm dropping homeroom, but as branch chief, I can help on a bigger scale now. With Dahong, with Belzar. My authority's expanded."
"……Yes."
"Your new homeroom teacher will arrive soon. We'll do introductions together then."
Drag.
Seoyeonn rolled back to her desk.
"Anyway, head back. Time to prep for class."
Seha stood, and Ruby hopped down. He bowed politely and left.
Seoyeonn sipped her coffee in the staff room, watching him go. He really had changed a lot since she'd first seen him.
She chuckled softly.
Five minutes before first period. Back in the classroom, students were chatting in small groups.
Drag.
The front door slid open, and Seha entered carrying Ruby.
A group of girls up front, who had been talking, glanced at him.
Seha passed them and went to his seat, propping his chin on his hand and staring out the window—like he was waiting for someone.
Up front, one of the girls whispered while eyeing Seha.
"Hey, look at Yoo Seha."
"Why?"
"……."
"Doesn't he seem different?"
"Wasn't he always like that? With the bandage on his cheek?"
"No, not that. He used to just grin like an idiot all the time. Kinda sleazy vibe."
"Yeah."
"But lately…."
"More mature?"
"That too. The atmosphere's different."
"…He looks kinda cool now."
"Exactly!"
Whisper. Whisper.
Of course, Seha was focused on the window and didn't hear the girls. Only Ruby's ears twitched atop the desk, where she sat baking her loaf shape.
The one he was waiting for hadn't arrived. Or maybe she was waiting at home.
Then Han Isol plopped down next to him.
"Whatcha looking at?"
"……Nothing. Just… nothing."
Seha mumbled evasively.
But Isol grinned.
"You were waiting for Dahong unnie, right? She's coming today."
"……No?"
"Sure you were. Neck's gonna stretch from craning it."
"……I just wanted to see outside."
Isol chuckled.
"Liar."
Instead of replying, Seha turned away. His ear tips were a bit red.
Five minutes to class. Students started returning to their seats. The girls' whispers died down.
Seha still stared out the window.
Then—white hair appeared at the main gate.
Ruby reacted first.
"Nyaong!"
Her tail stood straight up.
Seha's eyes widened. White hair. Horns. White suit. Dahong.
Scrape!
Seha shot to his feet. He caught Isol's slightly surprised gaze.
She chuckled right away.
"Go on. Time to pick up your summon."
Seha nodded and headed out. The door opened, and footsteps pounded down the stairs.
Dahong's hair swayed in the breeze. Though Seha couldn't see it, she wore a small smile.
Nice weather.
Iceland. Reykjavik outskirts.
April, but snow was falling. An endless field. White snow blanketed the moss-covered lava plains.
No trace of humans. No roads, buildings, or streetlights. Only the howl of wind and the crunch of snow.
In the midst of it walked a single girl.
Long blonde hair down to her waist fluttered in the wind. Thick coat. Knee-high boots. White breath puffed from her mouth.
A small light hovered over her shoulder. Pale green. A spirit.
"Lopty. Still far?"
The light shivered, spinning ahead like it was pointing far off.
"Third day. I've been walking three days straight."
The girl sighed. A big puff of white breath rose.
She crested a hill. A cave lay below—natural, formed from cooled lava.
Lopty shivered. A warning.
Black energy seeped from the cave entrance. Necromantic aura.
"……Found you."
The girl shed her coat.
"Lopty."
The pale green light merged into her body.
Fwoosh.
Semitransparent wings of wind unfurled from her back. A light, slender sword, gauntlets, and metal boots materialized.
The girl leaped toward the cave.
Whoosh!
Fast. No footprints left in the snow. She glided in on the wind.
"That's far enough!"
Her sword traced light. Wind swept through the cave.
Crash!
Skeletons scattered on the floor shattered to pieces. Bones from all sorts of animals.
"……?"
But the one she sought was nowhere.
Clink.
The girl stepped forward cautiously. Animal corpses strewn about, an unknown magic circle. Faint residual mana hinted at spirit-related sorcery.
"……Again."
She clenched her fist. Three months. Always like this.
Her target always left traces and vanished.
Clatter.
As she wandered the cave, she noticed something under the bones. A magic circle. For long-distance teleportation. Already used, power spent.
Light enveloped her body, reverting her to normal clothes. Lopty emerged, circling the circle, then pointed one way.
"Where?"
Lopty spun.
The girl's eyes narrowed.
"Korea?"
She'd heard of it. A small Asian nation. High population density unlike Iceland, full of hunters. Never been.
She'd never left Iceland.
The girl exited the cave. Snow fell. Vast white expanse. She donned her coat again. Lopty settled on her shoulder.
She gazed east.
"Wait. I won't miss this time."
The wind howled fiercely. Snow whipped into a blizzard.