Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Encounter
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Deep within the Azure Heaven Alliance's main headquarters lay a serene garden.
In the cool morning air, the faint fragrance of orchids lingered.
Yi Seo-ryeong sat in the pavilion, holding a steaming teacup.
Her porcelain-white fingers slowly tilted the cup, savoring the aroma wafting to her nose.
Behind her, a man silently appeared beside a shadowed pillar and knelt.
He was the Shadow Commander, overseer of the Alliance Leader's shadow.
Without taking her eyes from the teacup, Yi Seo-ryeong asked softly,
"Shadow Commander, have you completed the investigation on the physician?"
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
Only then did Yi Seo-ryeong set down her teacup and turn to him.
Deep curiosity gleamed in her eyes.
"Speak."
The Shadow Commander bowed his head and recited the memorized information.
"The physician's name is Yoo Seon-woo. He was formerly a hunter with the Haetae Guild but chose a new profession upon retirement."
"His title of Hunter Mental Counselor... We confirmed it's the only one of its kind in the nation."
The Shadow Commander paused briefly.
"The authority it grants is greater than expected. Guidelines and judgments regarding Otherworlders and hunters appear to be treated as inviolable domains."
"I see."
Yi Seo-ryeong nodded.
So the source of that confidence was genuine skill, after all.
She despised baseless arrogance, but confidence backed by ability? She didn't mind it.
In fact, she rather liked that kind.
That... confidence.
"Thus, the Association seems to strongly support Yoo Seon-woo, the sole physician to pass that grueling exam. The Haetae Guild he belonged to also appears to provide unofficial backing."
"The Association and Haetae..."
Yi Seo-ryeong's fingers gently traced the surface of her teacup.
The Association was one of the strongest forces maintaining balance.
But Haetae was unexpected.
Haetae was one of the top ten guilds that maintained particularly good relations with the Azure Heaven Alliance.
This made him no easy target.
Laying a hand on the physician could sour ties with Haetae.
'He's full of surprises.'
But the report didn't end there.
After a hesitant silence, the Shadow Commander revealed the most baffling piece of information.
"And one more thing..."
Yi Seo-ryeong gazed at him, urging him to continue.
"While our informant was investigating his surroundings, they received a warning from an unknown force."
At those words, Yi Seo-ryeong's smile faded for the first time.
"A warning."
"Yes. 'Approach further, and not a trace will remain,' they were told."
Silence descended upon the garden once the report concluded.
The only sound was the clear tapping of Yi Seo-ryeong's fingers on the pavilion railing: tap, tap.
She closed her eyes and organized all the information she'd heard.
First, the man possessed exceptional personal ability and resolve.
His eyes alone showed he wouldn't break easily.
Second, he had the Association and Haetae backing him.
That alone was exhausting.
Third, an unidentified powerhouse was protecting him.
None of it was easy.
"...Hah."
A laugh escaped Yi Seo-ryeong's lips, one she couldn't hold back.
It started small, then grew louder.
It was a clear, elegant laughter that filled the garden.
The Shadow Commander was flustered by this unfamiliar sight of his liege.
'Powerless.'
Azure Heaven Alliance Leader Yi Seo-ryeong felt a sense of helplessness.
A hollow laugh born of that powerlessness.
No matter what she did, she couldn't reach her daughter right now.
No matter her schemes, she couldn't take down that man just yet.
The fact was unbearably frustrating... and yet,
strangely exhilarating.
The Association's archive room was quiet as ever today.
Especially so in the morning.
"I'll return these. Thank you."
"Ah, yes. Got it."
I returned the materials I'd borrowed yesterday and pored over all night.
Very informative, wholesome, hopeful content only.
While waiting for the desk librarian to process the returns, I carefully pulled it from my pocket.
"By the way, miss librarian..."
I held out the yellowed bundle of old papers.
"Do you know anything about this paper's author?"
I finally voiced the curiosity I'd been holding onto.
Who on earth researched and recorded all this?
"Ah! Yes, one moment..."
Every paper had a serial number.
So inputting it into the archive computer should reveal the author.
She deftly entered the faded ink serial number from the document's corner into the terminal.
But soon, her brow furrowed in difficulty.
"Hmm... This one's anonymous."
"Pardon?"
Such a thing existed?
"The donor strongly requested anonymity. In these cases, even we can't check the author."
Wait.
At her words, a spark of hope flashed in my mind. Anonymous donation, unclear origin.
Didn't that mean baseless fake paper?
Clutching that momentary hope, I asked,
"Then, is it perhaps a falsified paper...?"
"No."
My hope was mercilessly severed by her firm reply.
"Even anonymous submissions go through the Association's multi-layer verification process."
She pointed to the authentication mark on the monitor, driving the final nail.
"This record is officially verified as factual."
Ah.
"...Thank you."
I left the archive room in a daze.
Confirmed and killed.
And even the author was unknown.
"Argh."
Unlike the quiet archive, the central lobby buzzed with crowds.
Morning yet, and barely room to stand.
In the throng, I spotted a familiar face.
A staffer I'd seen often during my counselor certification.
As I watched him busily giving directions, he spotted me first and approached.
"Ah, Mr. Yoo Seon-woo... No, Counselor! What brings you here?"
I smiled and gave a light greeting.
Then nodded toward the lobby packed with people.
"What's today? Unusually crowded."
"You didn't know? It's the Hunter Mental Counselor certification exam day."
"Oh, really?"
I felt unexpectedly glad.
A colleague. Or a successor to lighten my load. Either way, good news.
With pure anticipation, I smiled and asked,
"How many will pass?"
"Hmm... Who knows. Let me see..."
Instead of answering, the team leader gave a wry smile. He tapped the tablet PC in his hand.
"Last month: zero."
"Month before: zero."
He shrugged and concluded,
"So probably zero this time too."
"Pardon?"
He shook his head at my question.
"You wouldn't know, Counselor, but we're not avoiding hires on purpose. We've been recruiting continuously."
He continued in a weary voice,
"Up to now, only you—the one person—has met the Association's minimum qualifications."
It suddenly clicked.
The staffer's words that a successor would come after I left.
Not a lie, after all.
Clinging to faint hope, I cautiously asked,
"Then... how about lowering the qualification standards a bit?"
"That's difficult. We've already lowered them too much. Even after you first passed, we've relaxed them countless times."
A sigh mixed into the team leader's response.
"Can't go lower."
He bitterly scanned the lobby full of applicants.
"We're not just looking for any counselor..."
I had to nod in agreement.
I could sort of understand.
The staffer bowed to me.
"So please keep up the good work ahead. Contact us anytime if there's any inconvenience. The Association will support all of Counselor Yoo Seon-woo's needs."
I smiled awkwardly and shook my head.
"No need."
Yeah.
Enough complaining.
Time to do my job.
I headed back to the facility where Seol Yu-wol was isolated.
To my client waiting for me.
Luna clutched a small lavender potprecious to her chest as she headed to Teacher's counseling office.
Teacher went to the Association today, right?
I know.
That's why I'm sneaking in.
"♪~~♬"
A hum escaped Luna's lips unbidden.
Her steps felt light.
This morning, pretending to sleep in on her day off, Elise had spotted her slipping out the door.
'Elise, where to?'
At Luna's call, Elise startled and froze.
In her hand was the keychain Teacher had given her yesterday.
'Ah, that... to return this...'
'I'll take it.'
Before Elise could protest, Luna snatched the keys from her sister's hand.
She recalled her sister's aggrieved expression but brushed it off.
She adjusted the small lavender pot in her arms.
A tiny token of gratitude for the sweet cake Teacher gave her.
And... so that this calming scent would remind him of Luna every time...
'Ah...'
Luna shook her head, startled at her own thoughts.
"No..."
Not exactly that intention.
Just hoping Teacher stays in a more comfortable space.
Arriving at the counseling office door, she took a deep breath.
Her trembling hand inserted the key and turned; a sharp click echoed in the quiet hall.
The door opened right away.
According to Elise, Teacher hid the key under the mat.
But she still had work inside.
Luna stepped in without hesitation.
"Hng..."
Teacher's scent hit her immediately.
Tension melted from Luna's shoulders unknowingly.
Her mind eased.
Her feet naturally led her to the counseling room, where he spent the most time.
In the center stood a massive obsidian table exuding overwhelming presence.
Luna approached to place the pot there.
"......"
But as she neared the table, a faint, unpleasant smell brushed her nose.
No.
Something's off here.
A nasty scent unlike Teacher's gentle one.
Instinctively, Luna frowned and stepped back.
Instead, she went to the small desk by the window—Teacher's spot.
And carefully set down her lavender pot.
"Ahem..."
She wanted it to look prettiest in Teacher's eyes.
So she slowly sat on the chair, checking from his angle.
"Ah...!"
The moment she sat, she froze.
Luna panicked.
This was leagues beyond the ambient scent.
On this chair where he sat longest, his body scent lingered thickly, concentrated.
Luna's head spun.
She gripped her skirt tight with both hands, biting her lip hard.
Her whole body heated up.
"Ah... Ahh..."
Her legs trembled.
In her hazy mind, she sank deep into a world with only her and Teacher.
But right then—
"Who are you?"
The counseling room door opened with a sharp voice.
Luna snapped alert instantly.
It was S-rank hunter Jin Sea.
"Kyaaah!"
She practically screamed, leaping from the chair.
Her face burned scarlet.
Their eyes met in midair.
"What are you doing here?"
At Jin Sea's question,
Luna froze in place.