Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Ameris's Night
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Serus's father had become a ghoul.
Does drinking her blood turn you into a ghoul?
'No way that's possible.'
If that were the case, some of the villagers would already have turned into ghouls by now.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find any connection between Seluna and the ghouls.
It had to be Serus's misunderstanding...
Just as I was about to conclude that, Serus's words came back to me.
'Seluna appeared alongside the ghouls. Same gate...'
I fell silent, pondering, then looked at Serus.
I asked calmly, slowly, and deliberately.
"Do you hate Seluna?"
Serus pondered my question for a moment before shaking her head.
"Even if I don't know the details, it's true that Seluna saved my dad. Even though he ended up dying anyway..."
"I see."
Serus, who had been looking down, met my eyes with a firm expression.
"At first, I thought Dad died because of me."
"No way that—"
Serus cut me off.
"Later, I thought he died trying to hide Seluna. But now I know. Seluna is my last remaining family."
Serus grabbed my sleeve and continued.
"So protect me and Seluna."
Protect her, huh.
She must mean help hide Seluna.
I took Seluna's wrist and lifted it slightly.
Seluna looked flustered.
I placed my hand against her wrist, forming an X.
Bloodcross.
"There, a mark of the oath. I might not look trustworthy, but I keep my promises. Don't worry."
Erina and Baek A-rin chuckled at my words.
"He does keep his promises reliably. I'd say 89% trustworthy."
"That uncle's great at rescues. That's his one trick."
...An ambiguous 89% and a one-trick rescue pony.
Are they roasting me?
As I seriously mulled it over, Serus smiled and replied.
"Yeah, yeah! I believe you!"
Serus nodded enthusiastically.
Well, if she's that happy, it's fine.
The important thing is I've promised, so I have to keep it.
'A way to protect those two.'
Honestly, nothing good came to mind.
From what Serus told me, there are no normal people in this village.
Everyone, men, women, young and old, has gone collectively insane.
'The bakery rich guy was the most normal one, so yeah.'
A way for Serus and Seluna to survive safely in a village like that.
The most realistic option is to take them and leave the village.
But given the villagers' vibe, they'll hunt them down no matter what.
It'll get dangerous eventually.
Besides, this isn't reality—it's a dungeon world. Who knows if you can even get far from the village.
"Guess that's the only way."
I muttered and nodded, drawing looks from Baek A-rin and Erina.
"What are you scheming, Siwoo?"
"Whenever you make that face, it's usually not a good idea."
Yeah, even I know it's reckless.
But it's the surest method.
I grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
"That village is toxic."
Time to start the village purification operation.
-Breaking news! HBC has confirmed reports of an unidentified dungeon appearing in the Jeju Island Ghoul Field. Connecting to our reporter on site.
-This is HBC reporter Lee Se-hee, reporting from above the Jeju Island Ghoul Field! From what we've confirmed so far, some students from the National Seoul Hunter Academy are isolated. Our sources indicate it may be an S-rank dungeon. We'll approach as close as possible for more accurate information.
The reporter, assuming she wouldn't be heard, yelled toward the cockpit.
-Uncle! Get closer!
-Miss, no! Don't move! If you try to descend there, it'll activate...
-Damn it! Just this once! I just need the scoop! Uncle, my promotion's on the line! I've been a war correspondent for five years, dispatched to dangerous gates, even covered that narcissistic hunter—I've done it all. Just this one time!
-Ah, miss, it's dangerous! And you can't take this.
-Ugh, just take it. It's nothing special.
As Lee Se-hee's tear-jerking pleas filled the air, the screen abruptly cut back to the studio anchor.
-We apologize for the brief broadcast glitch. Our HBC News team will continue delivering updates, resisting any attempts to obstruct the public's right to know.
Pop—
With a wave of the man's hand, the floating screen vanished instantly.
Han Man-seok, vice principal of the National Seoul Hunter Academy.
He hurled the remote and shouted.
"Damn it! How the hell did this leak to the press?!"
"Vice Principal, calm down first and make some calls..."
Han Man-seok swallowed his rage at his secretary's words and muttered.
"That bitch Yoon Mi-hee—after I put her in that spot, this is how she handles things?"
Han Man-seok squinted at his secretary.
"We can't let this give them any leverage. Cut Yoon Mi-hee clean. The principal... no, worse, if that sharp Kang Young-ho hears about it, we're done."
"We'll compile and clean all info related to Yoon Mi-hee."
"Do it."
Han Man-seok sighed.
"And which lunatic moved academy hunters without my approval?"
Ding—
Then, an alarm blared from his personal computer.
Han Man-seok checked the screen.
It was an approval document routed to him.
Upon review, veins bulging with fury, he bellowed.
"What the hell is this?! In this situation, formally requesting support from Snow Mountain Clan and others? What are these idiots doing letting absurd approvals like this reach me?!"
Han Man-seok clicked reject with a tongue click.
Mere minutes later, a massive boom engulfed his ears.
Bang—!
An enormous noise.
"Wh-what?!"
Han Man-seok panicked, staring toward the source.
The door had been forced open.
Standing there were dozens of instructors in black suits, hands behind their backs.
In the center, Lee Dok-sa muttered around her cigarette.
"In this mess, why is everyone rejecting paperwork? We're swamped here."
The mysterious faction kept rejecting her perfectly reasonable and justified support requests.
Thus, Lee Dok-sa had gone personally, one by one, all the way to the vice principal.
"Vice Principal Han Man-seok. We'll handle that paperwork."
"What nonsense is this?!"
Lee Dok-sa replied impassively to his shout.
"We'll keep ramping up support requests until every student is rescued. And Vice Principal, we'll be escorting you until this is resolved."
Han Man-seok faltered at her unusually stiff, icy tone.
He didn't hide his crumpling face.
"You think a mere instructor can pull this? I'm the vice principal—this is the academy."
Lee Dok-sa recited flatly, like reading a textbook, eyes unyielding.
"Academy instructors below the Chief Instructor may invoke Emergency Protocols Type 1, 2, or 3 based on severity and regulations, assuming sufficient evidence. They may deploy audit department instructors for investigation. In Type 3, limited physical force may be used against involved cadets, staff, or faculty."
After reciting the rules coldly and locking eyes with Han Man-seok, she paused briefly before continuing.
"Not a single rule broken. That's why I'm employed—for situations like this. The principal expects it too."
Han Man-seok scoffed.
"Who the hell is your direct superior? Department head? Faculty? A puny instructor daring to—"
"He's already been detained..."
Her words made him doubt his ears.
"Wh-what?"
"We've already taken him into custody."
"..."
Han Man-seok couldn't process it.
His flustered secretary whispered.
"Vice Principal, we should comply for now. If Audit grabs leverage, it won't end well."
Han Man-seok slammed the desk, muttering.
"Damn principal's dog!"
Meanwhile, a subordinate instructor rushed to Lee Dok-sa.
"Instructor Lee Dok-sa. Most faculty have cooperated with the audit, except a few. But the principal—what do we do...?"
Lee Dok-sa replied incredulously.
"What are you talking about? Everyone above me. Not a single exception. Is he resisting?"
"No, that's not what I—"
Lee Dok-sa cut him off, scowling.
"If he resists, drag the principal in too. What, thinks his old prime hunter days mean shit? Dozens of instructors—think he can hold? Nah, I'll handle it myself. Wrap up here."
"Yes, ma'am!"
She bolted out.
Soon, explosive sounds echoed from the principal's office afar.
"Open up now, or we'll break it down and take you in!"
Her subordinate instructor sighed cautiously toward the vice principal.
"Come with us for now. If you're not involved, no inconvenience. Vice Principal?"
But Han Man-seok's jaw, agape at Lee Dok-sa's audacious moves, refused to close.