Chapter 69
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Return
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"What the heck..."
Elise muttered to herself as she stared at her reflection in the Union building's hallway window on her way to work in the morning.
Okay, fine, it was a dream.
Even if it was a bit too stimulating to chalk up to just a dream.
But anyway, let's say it was.
So why the hell was she suddenly experiencing pre-heat symptoms...?
Normally, there were precursors to this sort of thing, right?
Like warning signs before the pre-heat signs.
Elise was utterly flustered.
The only silver lining was that her sister Luna, who had been sleeping so cutely in the next room, hadn't noticed.
Of course, in the end, she had headed to work feeling somewhat refreshed.
There was a sense of liberation, like she'd finally released something she'd been bottling up for far too long.
But at the same time, she felt a little aggrieved.
It had all been so sudden.
She had no idea what came next.
Normally, for beastkin physiological cycles like this, a mother would teach her daughter all about it in detail.
The problem was that Elise and Luna were otherworlders.
And it had been quite a while since they'd drifted apart from their mother...
The thought made her mood sink for a moment, but...
Even so, another face popped into her mind—someone who might offer similar advice.
The Union Guild's otherworlder hunter from the Empire.
A fox beastkin far more adept than the bunny sisters could ever dream of being.
'Lily.'
Yeah, she definitely knows something.
With that in mind, Elise headed toward the lounge.
Her jumbled thoughts felt a bit more sorted out.
She opened the lounge door and stepped inside.
The usual laid-back scene greeted her.
A few hunters were brewing coffee and chatting on the sofas.
And among them was Lily, yawning with a bored expression.
Elise approached her cautiously.
She had her back turned, but...
- Sniff... sniff...
The moment Elise entered her five-meter radius.
Her nose twitched faintly.
A mischievous glint lit up her bored face.
Then she whipped her head around.
Lily's eyes locked onto Elise.
And a sly smile spread across her lips.
"You look like you've got something on your mind?"
Spot on.
Elise had questions.
The next morning.
I headed to the counseling office.
As always, it felt more comfortable doing work here than at home.
Home didn't feel like home anymore otherwise.
And in my hands were two cake boxes I'd carefully packaged the night before.
Today, I needed to deliver these as well.
I took a sip of freshly brewed coffee and caught my breath for a moment.
I could give Jin Sea hers around lunchtime.
Which meant this chocolate mousse cake was for...
Right then.
- Thud thud thud.
Someone knocked.
Or rather, pounded roughly.
I gave a wry smile.
I had a pretty good idea who it was.
I opened the door, and there stood Jahwa-yeon, the Heavenly Demon, dressed in pitch-black martial robes.
The moment she saw me, she tilted her chin up.
"Ahem."
She cleared her throat awkwardly and stepped inside.
"I came in person."
"I see. Please, come in."
I welcomed her warmly.
Jahwa-yeon was one of the people who had saved my life.
I had no intention of treating her coldly.
I pulled out a chair by the table for her to sit comfortably.
Then I slid the black box—one of the two cakes I'd prepared meticulously over the past few days—toward her.
"This is the cake I mentioned yesterday."
In case she wanted to try it right now, I was about to head to the kitchen for a plate and fork when...
Without even opening the box, she stared up at me intently.
"Physician."
"Yes."
I tilted my head curiously in response.
"I didn't save you expecting something like this."
She spoke suddenly in a serious tone.
"You're a physician this seat cherishes, so it's only natural."
She paused for a moment.
Then her lips curved faintly upward.
Jahwa-yeon flashed a chilling smile.
"And those who covet what belongs to this seat deserve fitting punishment."
I nodded at her words.
Grateful words.
I never thought she'd done it expecting payment anyway.
I just wanted to do something for her.
Jahwa-yeon's gaze shifted back to the cake box on the table.
"...However, in light of your sincerity, I'll graciously accept it this once."
I chuckled and nodded.
"Thank you, Supreme One."
I fetched the plate and fork I'd planned to bring.
Inside the box was a rich black chocolate mousse cake.
I carefully cut the first slice.
Placed it on the plate and set it before her.
Jahwa-yeon stared down at it for a moment.
Then fixed her gaze on me again.
"......"
No way...
She showed no sign of moving.
Just propping her chin and staring.
In the end, I reached out and scooped the softest part of the cake.
And gently brought it to her red lips.
Jahwa-yeon accepted it as if she'd been waiting.
Her black eyes widened dramatically.
"......"
Jahwa-yeon said nothing.
She was just barely suppressing the upward tug at her lips.
"How is it?"
I pretended not to notice and asked.
"......As expected, it's good."
Jahwa-yeon stared at me intently for a long while.
Then added in a quiet voice,
"The more I see, the more I think you'd make a fine head chef for me."
"......"
"From now on, stay by my side and attend to me."
Jahwa-yeon looked at me with possessive eyes.
I was pretty versatile, after all.
Whether useful or not was another story.
"Yes, as you wish."
I smiled, bowed my head, and accepted playfully.
Jahwa-yeon smiled contentedly as well.
With that, Jahwa-yeon left with a graceful sway, cake box in hand.
I hadn't expected her to come in person, but it didn't matter much.
If anything, seeing her taste it firsthand made me happier.
Fortunately, she seemed to like it...
Now only the cheesecake remained.
When Jin Sea arrived, we could share a meal, chat, and I'd hand it over.
But right then.
[Emergency Disaster Message: S-Rank Dungeon Conquest Complete.]
[Guild: Great Sea]
[Dungeon: Chain Hell]
[Dungeon break backlash from successful conquest in progress. Citizens, please remain calm and stay indoors.]
My smartphone screamed and vibrated wildly in my pocket.
This was a disaster alert.
At the same time, massive sirens blared across the entire city outside the window.
- Wooo-ooo-ooo!!!
And moments later.
- Boom!!
A massive shockwave rattled the counseling office window.
I instinctively dropped low.
'What is it? Dimensional transfer?'
Normal transfers didn't cause shocks like this.
Even a large-scale one shouldn't...
I ducked under the desk and checked my smartphone screen.
The ground was still trembling faintly.
A red warning filled the screen, along with the Association's message.
Great Sea.
Korea's number one ranked guild.
The S-rank dungeon they'd staked their guild's fate on for months.
The reason they'd held the top spot so firmly was their exclusive claim to that hellish dungeon.
A dungeon everyone thought impossible.
One speculated to require guild alliances.
Yet Great Sea had challenged it alone.
And now, the conquest was over.
Successfully, no less.
- Rumble... rumble...
The vibrations gradually subsided.
I hurried to the waiting room outside and turned on the TV.
Breaking news! Korea's top-ranked guild, Great Sea, has just successfully cleared the Chain Hell dungeon!
The anchor's voice was excited but restrained.
[Let's go to the live footage!]
The screen switched to the cityscape where the dungeon had been.
It had been off-limits for months.
The surrounding area was smashed and bound in chains, true to its infamous name.
And from the ruins, members of Great Sea's conquest team one, Poseidon, began emerging one by one.
[Led by Vice Master and S-rank hunter Sea King Kang Min-ho, alongside Mary, Wave Sword Choi Si-hyeok, and other elite heroes returning...]
[This S-rank dungeon was expected to produce numerous casualties, but...]
The anchor took a breath.
Then continued in disbelief.
[Only one minor injury—all others safe! A near-miraculous achievement...]
I stared blankly at the TV scene.
And amid the procession of heroes returning from hell's doorstep, my eyes locked on one familiar face.
I found myself smiling unconsciously.
"You made it back safe."
Mysterious pale purple hair that shifted colors like the aurora depending on the light.
Its luster remained undimmed even after months of conquest.
'Mary.'
"Long time no see."
A face I knew.