Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: It is the Grand Master's Message!
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Han Yuseol's breakfast was incredibly delicious.
And since I'd helped out a little, I felt secretly proud inside.
Ahem.
The onions in this? I sliced those.
Not just the onions—I chopped the carrots too.
"Does it suit your taste?"
"Yes! It's so good. It's been forever since I last had omurice. My grandma made it for me a few times when I was little."
"I see. It probably doesn't measure up to your grandma's, but I'm glad you're enjoying it."
Really?
Even compared to Grandma's omurice, this doesn't fall short at all.
Nom nom.
I inhaled the omurice without pause.
In the end, I polished off two full bowls.
Fwaaah, so full.
"I picked up some chocolate milk for dessert, so feel free to grab it from the fridge."
"Chocolate milk? Yay!"
I thought there was no more room left inside me.
But chocolate milk? I can't resist that!
The second Han Yuseol said it, I bolted to the fridge like a shot.
I'd heard it was rude to open someone else's fridge without asking.
But the homeowner gave permission, so it's fine, right?
"Want some too, Yuseol?"
"I don't care for sweets, so I'm good."
"Aww, but it's so tasty..."
She doesn't eat sweets?
Then what's the point of living?
I hoped Han Yuseol would someday discover this joy.
"Oh, right, Master. Sorry, but I need to step out for a bit this afternoon."
"Huh? Where to?"
"I have to head to Hunter Association headquarters. Did you catch the news earlier by any chance?"
"Nope, didn't see it."
I don't watch the news much to begin with.
It's not fun, and I don't really get what's going on anyway.
At best, I'd pause if I flipped past a channel with a famous hunter on it.
It was just surreal that one of those people was now sitting in front of me.
"Yeohae Guild had that major failure in the Layered Gate, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's caused a huge stir worldwide, especially in the States from what I hear. Yeohae's forces are top-tier even on a global scale."
"Ah."
Yeah, Yeohae is pretty famous.
In other words, the fact that even they failed to conquer a gate was a big deal.
Were people around the world getting anxious about it?
In the end, Han Yuseol and I succeeded.
But there was no guarantee something like that wouldn't pop up again.
"So the International Hunter Organization's Chairman arrived in Korea today. He reached out to me too, asking if I could make an appearance..."
"Do you usually go to those kinds of things, Yuseol?"
"No, I've hardly ever gone. I even ignored the President last time when he summoned me to give me a commendation."
"Th-that might be a tiny bit much..."
Even so, ignoring the President seemed rude.
But given Han Yuseol's status, maybe it was fine...
Eh, whatever.
Not my problem.
I'll just drink my chocolate milk.
"But this time, I'm involved, and it's not just my issue anyway. I figured it's necessary—for the gates that might appear later, and to help other hunters."
"Yeah. No rule saying other countries won't get one too."
"As expected of Master. So insightful."
"Hee hee."
Her praise made me grin involuntarily.
She really has an eye for talent, just like a true guildmate of Hayang Guild!
Oh, right.
She's not a guildmate anymore—she's the Master.
But I'm even higher, the Grand Master!
Ahem.
"So I'll just housesit until you get back?"
"Do whatever's comfortable. I'll leave the keycard here, so you could go out for a bit if you want. Just not too far—somewhere safe like the playground would be best."
Playground?
That's for kids.
Might as well stay home and play on my phone...
"By the way, this apartment complex has a really nice playground. There's even an artificial stream where you can splash around."
"R-really? Water play too?"
"Of course."
...No way.
But she recommended it herself.
It'd be rude to act totally uninterested.
Fine, I'll swing by later and take a quick look.
Yeah, definitely not because of the splashing in the stream part.
Nope.
"By the way, Master."
"Yes?"
"What do you think is the biggest weakness in hunters right now? Something like how to tackle the new gates that might appear..."
She's suddenly asking me something that important?!
Why now?!
Ugh, honestly, I have no idea.
What's lacking for hunters?
Most of them are way better than me, so it'd be weird for me to say anything.
But just sitting here quietly would undermine my Grand Master dignity...
'No, Grandma did the same thing!'
I was about to make something up.
Then I suddenly remembered Grandma's old advice, snapping me back to reality.
Right, Grandma said pretending to know when you don't is pathetic.
I feel like I've done that a lot without thinking...
Anyway!
"Hmm... Well, in my opinion..."
"Yes."
I fidgeted with my lips and hands.
Han Yuseol looked like she was expecting something big.
I felt bad and embarrassed about letting her down.
Still, I mustered the courage to be honest.
"...I, I don't know."
"...Pardon?"
"I re ally don't kn—ugh!"
Han Yuseol stared at me like she was asking if that was supposed to be words or hot air.
Overwhelmed by shame, I bowed my head like a drenched puppy.
Ugh, she must be so disappointed.
A Grand Master who can't even answer something like this properly.
I'm totally unqualified...
Grab!
"...Eh?"
"Indeed. That's just what I'd expect from you, Master."
What is?
I couldn't bring myself to say it.
I just blinked at Han Yuseol, who had suddenly grabbed my hand.
Regardless,
Han Yuseol looked like all her worries had vanished.
Her eyes sparkled excessively as she kneaded my hand.
Um, could you let go of my hand first and then explain?
I wanna finish my chocolate milk.
Half of it's still left!
That afternoon at 4 PM, in front of the Hunter Association headquarters building.
Vrooom—
A luxury limousine pulled up, escorted by a flashy convoy.
A man stepped out from the driver's seat and opened the rear door. A middle-aged man with a stern expression emerged quietly.
Bluish eyes that screamed Westerner.
Golden hair slicked back neatly.
Two piercings under his eyes.
His name was Edward K. Langford.
As the head of the International Hunter Organization, he was the symbolic figure who sensed the crisis from the first gate incident and pushed for associations in each country, laying the foundation for the current system.
Thanks to those achievements, people called him the non-awakener closest to an awakener.
[Is this the place?]
[Yes. Let's head in.]
He looked up at the towering building and asked his aide. The reply came promptly.
After a brief exchange in elegant English about the building's exterior,
the two entered the structure.
[Chairman, the translator.]
[I turned it on ages ago. No need to nag.]
[I see.]
'It's not like I'm some old geezer.'
Grumbling inwardly, Langford activated the translator he'd almost forgotten.
He brazenly lied about having it on early just to avoid the nagging.
"Oh, welcome. Chairman. First time meeting in person."
At that moment, a plump man approached from the end of the hallway.
His head was already half-bald—a lost cause even for modern medicine, it seemed.
Feeling a pang of pity, Langford extended his hand first.
He'd checked the man's profile from the attendee list beforehand.
"Edward here. You're the head of the Korea Hunter Association, right?"
"Yes. Kim Youngil."
"I'd like to meet the others right away."
"They're all here already. This way."
"My goodness. To think I'd be the late one. Quite embarrassing for a guest."
"Haha, no, not at all."
After a few rounds of pleasantries, Edward and Director Kim Youngil headed to the conference room together.
"Right this way. After you."
At the conference room entrance, the director stepped aside to let him pass.
Langford strode in without hesitation.
'Oh ho.'
Inside the room, there were now six people total, including the director who'd just shown him in.
One chair remained conspicuously empty.
But Langford ignored the vacant seat, his gaze locking onto the silver-haired woman in the distance.
It wasn't because she was a beauty.
Of course, aesthetically speaking, she qualified.
But to a devoted husband like him, no woman besides his wife could catch his eye.
'What an overwhelming presence.'
It was the air around her, really.
The sheer intensity made her incomparable to any hunter he'd encountered before.
'So that's the Sword Empress.'
The S-Rank hunter who'd cleared a Layered Gate solo, setting the world ablaze lately.
Seeing her in the flesh made his knees want to buckle.
"Despite your busy schedules, thank you all for making time..."
Even Director Kim Youngil, known for his windy speeches elsewhere,
now played the role of facilitator, introducing the attendees and explaining the purpose of the urgent meeting.
"As you're all aware, Korea—no, the entire world—has barely escaped a massive threat."
The air grew heavy with those words.
And for good reason—everyone knew.
What kind of nightmare would have unfolded if that Layered Gate hadn't been conquered.
And that nightmare wasn't fully vanquished.
Nor was it a one-off story.
It was a natural disaster that could strike again anytime.
This meeting had been hastily called to discuss countermeasures for any worst-case scenarios ahead.
"Who would like to speak first?"
"......"
Despite the director's question, no one raised a hand.
"Yes, Chairman."
Finally, Langford, who'd been biding his time, raised his hand subtly.
All eyes turned to him.
The head of the International Hunter Organization.
What strategy or concern would this man propose?
As anticipation lit up the room,
"I'd like to ask Miss Han Yuseol."
His raised finger bent toward Han Yuseol, seated across from him.
"...Me?"
"Yes. I hear you single-handedly cleared the third layer this time. So you must have felt the threat firsthand. I'd like you to share your thoughts on that—or point out our shortcomings fiercely."
Han Yuseol fell silent at his question.
Perhaps because it came out of nowhere.
Or maybe because she rarely stepped into the spotlight at such gatherings, leaving her at a loss for words.
"If I may speak on her behalf..."
The director tried to step in, gauging the mood.
"...It's simple."
But Han Yuseol's lips parted soon after.
With an utterly serious expression, she cut straight to the heart of the hunter world's reality.
"We know nothing about the gates, the phenomena beyond them, the monsters—none of it."
"Hooh...!"
In that moment, a low exclamation escaped Langford's lips.