Episode 63. Missing Persons Case
Ryu Sea-ah first sensed something was off about ten days ago. Though her position as guild master these days meant she couldn't dive into gates every single day like before, it was still the day she'd planned to take her guildmates on a long-overdue exploration.
"Guild master, Kim Chaerin still hasn't shown up."
"What? Chaerin?"
But for some reason, one guild member hadn't arrived at the appointed time. If it had been a chronic latecomer, that'd be one thing, but Kim Chaerin was known throughout the guild as one of the most diligent and reliable women.
"Did you try calling her?"
"Yes, but she's not picking up. Should we check her house?"
"Do that. If she's sick or something, we'll cancel the schedule, so tell her not to worry and just rest up."
"Got it."
At first, they just figured she'd come down with something sudden or had personal reasons for being late—nothing major. But then...
"Naeun, any word on Chaerin? Was she sick?"
"No, we went to her place, but she wasn't home."
"What? Not home?"
Even after lunch, there was still no sign of her. That's when Ryu Sea-ah started feeling that something was truly wrong.
"No one's seen her since when?"
"Yebin said she saw her the day before yesterday, apparently. But she seemed fine—actually, she was excited about heading into a gate with you after so long..."
"...That's strange."
It was like she'd been snatched by a ghost—no trace left behind. They kept investigating, but even phone location tracking turned up nothing. In the end, they filed a police report, but the CCTV showed her entering her home the previous day. Meaning she'd vanished into thin air from inside her own house.
"Put the gate explorations on hold for now. Throw everyone we have at finding Chaerin first."
Ryu Sea-ah even set aside the guild's main operations, scouring every corner of the country to track down her missing member. But that wasn't the end of it.
"Guild master! Big trouble! Hye-won and Seung-ah too...!"
Two more guild members vanished after that. And in eerily similar fashion—they were confirmed entering their homes, then poof, gone without a trace.
That's when Ryu Sea-ah realized this wasn't some accident or personal runaway act. It was deliberate malice. But knowing that didn't give her any leads. Finally, at her wits' end and grasping at straws, she started reaching out for help from those around her. And one face came to mind.
Han Yuseol.
The woman she hadn't seen since getting turned down at that café.
The next day, after getting Ryu Sea-ah's call, we arrived at the café and heard the full story.
"...I understand. But I don't see why you'd ask me for help. I'm neither a cop nor a detective."
Han Yuseol eyed Ryu Sea-ah coolly once she'd finished. She wasn't wrong. Even I could tell this wasn't something Yuseol-unnie could just fix.
"I know. I just... I want to find her, no matter what. I was scraping the bottom of the barrel, and your name popped into my head."
"So it's that desperate, huh. Yeah, if it were my family missing, I'd be the same."
Family. At the word, Han Yuseol glanced my way. She slurped her chocolate latte through the straw with a long sluuuurp.
Her eyes were so warm that I grinned like an idiot before I could stop myself. No, Hayang—this isn't the time to smile. Super serious talk right now. Snap out of it.
"One thing I'd like to ask, though."
"Sure, anything. Shoot."
"Why haven't you contacted their families? They might have some idea where they've gone."
Oh, good question—I'd been wondering that too. Ryu Sea-ah hadn't mentioned telling any families.
Ryu Sea-ah's face hardened at that. She gave a bitter smile, took a sip of her Americano, and finally spoke.
"Most of our guild has no family left. It's not that I didn't ask—it's that there was no one to ask."
"...Huh?"
I stared at her in shock. She met my eyes and forced a smile, fiddling with the rim of her glass.
"You know our Black Rose Guild is all women, right?"
"Yeah."
"But it's more than that. We don't just take any women—we gather those who've been through their own hells and make a family out of them."
"I see. First I've heard of that."
"Not exactly something we advertise."
Yeah, news to me too. So that's why so many without families. Probably like me or Yuseol-unnie—lost theirs, or stuck in rough situations. They recruit women in tough spots like that.
"Truth be told, that's why I first invited you to join back then."
"What do you mean?"
"Your eyes... they had that same vibe. Like you'd lost hope in the world. My instincts are pretty spot-on, if I do say so."
"Whoa..."
I couldn't help but gasp. Dead accurate.
"Can't deny it. I've lost my family too."
"Figured. Heh, but now you've got an awesome one right there. Don't know the details, but..."
"Yes. My most precious—the only family I have left in this world."
"Cool. That's why I didn't recognize you at first when we met again. Your eyes were different."
Her words made my shoulders lift—not quite a shrug, more like pride swelling up. It felt like she was saying I was strength for Yuseol-unnie.
"Anyway, back to the point... Even the cops are stumped. One investigator even joked they might've snuck off on a secret trip together."
"Ugh, what an idiot!"
"Pfft, right? Total moron."
Three people gone, and that's their theory? I fumed, and Ryu Sea-ah covered her mouth, laughing.
"That's why I don't think this is some ordinary crime. That's also why I called you."
"Not an ordinary crime..."
Huh? What did that mean? Aren't all criminals just bad people?
Unlike me tilting my head, Han Yuseol seemed to catch on quick. She rested her chin on her hand and spoke calmly.
"You suspect an Awakened is behind it?"
"In short, yes."
"Eek?"
A-An Awakened? Meaning one hunter kidnapping other hunters? Why the heck would they?
"Um... I don't get it, but why would an Awakened do something that evil?"
It didn't make sense. Awakened had powers everyone envied. Why commit crimes? Just grind levels, clear gates, live large.
"Hmm, let me explain it simply for you. Ever seen crime dramas, movies, anime?"
"Yeah! I watched some anime recently."
"They've got criminals, right? And some are super smart?"
"Oh yeah! In the episode I saw yesterday, the criminal was a college professor."
I nodded vigorously, and Ryu Sea-ah chuckled.
"They use those brains for crime. Same deal—some Awakened are like that. Smart ones scamming folks, committing crimes. Or ones who get off on tormenting others with their hard-earned power."
"Aha!"
Got it. Total jerks. If you're Awakened, go hunt monsters instead. Hmph.
"If it's an Awakened, that explains it. But why target Black Rose Guild? Risky move."
"Exactly because it's us. Look at what our missing members have in common."
"Common point?"
What could it be? Yuseol-unnie and I both tilted our heads.
"Not kid-friendly talk, but... Yuseol, ever heard of Vendetta Guild?"
"Vendetta? The infamous guild that disbanded a while back?"
"Yep. Posed as normal on the outside, but cooked up drugs from gate materials inside. Total lunatics."
Eek, drugs?! Super bad stuff. I saw on TV—makes your teeth fall out and junk.
"Our three missing members got duped early on when Vendetta first started. They were in it for a bit. When it all blew up, they blew the whistle and helped shut them down."
"...I see. Vendetta's burning for revenge, then."
"That's my take. Problem is..."
Crack. The glass in Ryu Sea-ah's hand cracked. She yanked her hand back, muttering, "Ah, gotta pay for that," with a wry smile.
"...Officially, they're disbanded. No clue where they are now. No guarantee all the crooks got caught back then either."
So maybe true, maybe not. Headache. But if it is, I'd love to catch 'em and give 'em hell.
"I said I wanted your help, but really, I just need a verbal agreement for now. If this surfaces, can you back me up?"
"So you're convinced it's Vendetta, Ryu Sea-ah. You want me as the firepower to crush them."
"Spot on."
"Hmm..."
Han Yuseol pondered deeply. She snuck a glance at me—wanted to help, but checking my reaction.
I grabbed her arm, batting my eyes. "Unnie, let's help."
"...Hayang?"
"Their family vanished. So sad, right? Plus, if anything happens, Sea-ah'll have our backs."
"Yes. I swear it on Black Rose Guild and myself."
After our tag-team persuasion, Han Yuseol chewed her lip, then...
"Fine. When you need my strength, I'll help however I can."
"Yup!"
I nodded firmly. Only then could I relax and beam brightly.