The Fall of Charlotte Michelle
Amy and the other three hunters returned to their lodgings.
“Amy Hunter, what of Lady Charlotte?! What happened to her! Tell us at once!”
“Yeah! Why was White Rose left alone there? And what was that monstrous abomination? What happened to Lady Charlotte?!”
Amy, who had maintained utter silence amid her comrades' relentless questions on the way back, finally spoke under their persistent prodding.
“…Lady Charlotte… has passed away.”
Screams erupted from all around at her calm declaration.
Unable to hold back, one S-rank hunter grabbed Amy by the collar.
“What… what the hell does that mean?! Lady Charlotte…! No way…?!”
“…This matter is to be kept silent. Those were Lady Charlotte's final words.”
Even as her comrade yanked her collar, Amy impassively delivered her message.
Her utterly mechanical response made the other hunters accept the truth as well.
That Charlotte Michelle was dead.
“No way! How could she…! And in this backwater little country…! Are you sure you saw right?! Was there something wrong with your skill…?!”
Another comrade hunter hurriedly restrained the one lashing out furiously.
“Bojan, calm down. We all know Amy Hunter's abilities well enough. If she says so, then it's true.”
“Does this look like a time to calm down?! Of all people, Lady Charlotte! There's no way she'd go like this…!”
Thud—Bojan, the S-rank hunter who had grabbed her collar, collapsed powerlessly to the floor.
“I can't believe it… I just can't…”
“…I agree. Even if the Seoul Great Labyrinth is on par with the Lyon Great Labyrinth, Lady Charlotte should've had no issues. Especially not on just the 28th floor or so…”
The hunter, who had spoken absentmindedly, suddenly turned to Amy as a thought struck him.
“Amy Hunter…! Was the monster Lady Charlotte fought that three-headed snake?!”
Bojan, who had been staring blankly, snapped his head up at the urgent shout.
“Right…! That bastard…! That thing killed Lady Charlotte! Then why…! Why did you stop us, Amy! You knew, didn't you?!”
Springing to his feet, Bojan lunged again for Amy's collar, but another S-rank hunter swiftly blocked him.
Pushing his comrades aside, Bojan screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Damn it…! Answer me, Amy…! Why did you hold us back earlier…?! Were you scared of it or something?! No matter how menacing it looked, that wounded beast…”!
“…I repeat: this ends here. All of you, keep silent.”
“You…! What the—!”
Amy fixed Bojan's outburst with a cold glare.
“As Lady Charlotte's full proxy in her absence, I command you. Bojan Parlo, this matter ends here for all.”
“…You think I'm buying that bullshit?!”
“…Alexei Hunter. Restrain Bojan Hunter.”
Another S-rank hunter, Alexei, stepped in to block the raging Bojan.
He too hadn't fully accepted the situation, like Bojan. Yet he respected Amy's authority as proxy.
She might be lower-ranked than them, but she was Charlotte's trusted right hand.
“Everyone, pack your things. We're heading straight back to France today.”
“…No further investigation?”
Amy nodded once at the question from the remaining A-rank hunter, aside from Alexei and Bojan.
“That's Lady Charlotte's final order.”
“…What exactly did you see?”
Amy's lips trembled faintly at the quiet question.
“…I saw a monster.”
With those soft words from Amy, the hunters who had come to Korea with Charlotte hurriedly prepared to depart.
And at the same time, South Korea was already in an uproar.
No matter how much Amy and the others abided by Charlotte's last words and kept silent, everyone knew she had raced through downtown Seoul.
Anyone with even a passing interest knew she'd entered the labyrinth hours ago, and they'd been speculating why ever since.
Then, the Lavie en Rose guild members who had rushed after her returned.
Without Charlotte, whom they'd gone to find.
Speculation exploded anew across the country.
Some said Charlotte's business wasn't finished yet.
Others claimed she'd launched a solo expedition to the lower floors.
Only a tiny few cautiously suggested she might have died.
Amid the frenzy of news outlets and media buzzing with theories, the Lavie en Rose members boarded their flight home.
The sight of them departing on their private jet without Charlotte sparked total chaos.
Why return without her?
Especially with no official statement?
Many vaguely suspected the truth.
The news of Charlotte's death.
Of course, counterarguments abounded, but they lacked solid evidence.
Above all, Lavie en Rose's silence upon returning to France served as ironclad proof.
Not just in Korea—overseas media, who had monitored her visit minute by minute, splashed the story across front pages.
The world trembled beyond South Korea.
“…What do you think?”
In the Hunter Association president's office in South Korea.
No Gwan-sik quietly spoke as breaking news reported Charlotte's death.
His secretary, watching alongside, let out a low groan.
“…Given Charlotte Hunter's strength, it's obviously fake… but…”
“…Yet Lavie en Rose hasn't reacted at all. That's the issue.”
“…Yes. Normally they'd be screaming it's nonsense by now… but this time, it's too quiet.”
No Gwan-sik groaned deeply.
“What about the French government?”
“…They're throwing a fit… but they don't have solid intel either.”
“…Lavie en Rose is stonewalling completely?”
“Precisely, the four hunters heading back are silent. The guild in France probably hasn't gotten real info yet.”
No Gwan-sik nodded several times at the explanation.
After a brief silence, he spoke heavily.
“…No matter how you slice it, Charlotte Hunter's dead, right?”
“Yes… 99% certain.”
“The remaining 1%?”
“Just a one-in-a-million shot.”
“Ugh…”
Groaning, No Gwan-sik rubbed his throbbing forehead.
“Shows up on my turf uninvited… now dies on her own terms too… in the Seoul Great Labyrinth of all places…”
“…Isn't this tied to the recent anomalies?”
“…Probably. Otherwise, no SS-rank dies that pathetically.”
No Gwan-sik massaged his temples firmly.
“Investigation status?”
“…Guilds that accepted the commission report nothing unusual. Especially Eunha Guild, our biggest hope…”
“They were in chaos over Lee Ha-na Hunter's death…”
“Yes… and Charlotte's visit halted all probes.”
“Ugh… what a mess… one crisis piles on before another's solved…”
No Gwan-sik sighed deeply.
“…The anomalies are bad enough, but something else is a real headache.”
“…France's backlash?”
“That too… but actually, it's not a big deal anymore.”
“Pardon…?”
Leaning back at his secretary's puzzled look, No Gwan-sik said flatly.
“France was scary because of Charlotte Hunter. Without her, they're toothless tigers. Hell, old tigers without claws…”
Glancing out the window, he added calmly.
“Anyway, with Charlotte Hunter confirmed dead, France won't rampage like old times.”
“…Then what worries you?”
To his secretary's cautious question, No Gwan-sik replied in a deflated tone.
“The other SS-rank hunters.”
“…Ah.”
The secretary sighed softly.
“Off the top of my head, China's mad dog… America's two SS-ranks won't stay quiet either.”
“…Heard Leysha Barrett Hunter was close to Charlotte Hunter.”
“Yeah… mentor-mentee level? She's the decent sort, so probably won't barge in like Charlotte… but still.”
Muttering quietly, No Gwan-sik rubbed his temples again.
“Real problems are China's mad dog and Garcia Hunter… mad dog's one thing, but Garcia…”
Urgh—groaning, No Gwan-sik slumped into his chair.
His secretary tilted his head curiously.
“Garcia Hunter? No rumors lately… said to be in hiding, quiet…”
“That guy's… he was something back in the day. Gentlemanly, sure… ugh…”
“That impressive…?”
“…Yeah. When Seong Jae-myeong was alive, it was pure chaos. Rivals scrapping nonstop…”
The secretary fell silent as No Gwan-sik lamented like he was reminiscing.
“Whew… shelve the SS-rank headaches for now… tackle the immediate mess.”
Sighing once more, No Gwan-sik straightened up and glanced at his secretary.
“So, why did Charlotte Hunter storm into the labyrinth like that?”
“Current consensus: chasing Lee Ha-na Hunter's killer. Nothing else explains her actions.”
“Right. A hunter dubbed 'Lady' wouldn't rampage without regard like that for anything less…”
—Then.
No Gwan-sik drew a breath.
“Charlotte Hunter lost to that killer?”
“…Yes, high likelihood.”
No Gwan-sik crossed his arms thoughtfully.
“Hm… any domestic hunter capable of that?”
“…Officially, no.”
“…But maybe off the books.”
No Gwan-sik stroked his chin. “Hm—”
“Black Market's the biggest, right?”
“Yes, exact size unknown, but massive.”
“Tch… wasting talent in the shadows… their boss's rank?”
“Too secretive for certainty, but at least S-rank.”
“…Whew. Should've been a hunter…”
Tsking lightly, No Gwan-sik pinched his brow.
“No one Charlotte's level for sure?”
“…If there was, they'd have surfaced long ago.”
“True, a hidden gem stays hidden… foreign hunter then?”
“Or recently hit SS-rank.”
“No newbie SS-rank beats a veteran like Charlotte.”
Muttering flatly, No Gwan-sik sank into thought. His secretary watched quietly.
After a long silence, No Gwan-sik spoke again.
“…Nothing from current intel. Ramp up investigations.”
“Start with the shadows?”
“Labyrinth first. Not the shadows—they're smart enough not to poke Charlotte.”
“…Then?”
To his secretary's quiet query, No Gwan-sik replied evenly.
“Charlotte chased Lee Ha-na's killer. Then a third party emerged and killed Charlotte… assume that.”
“That third party?”
“Labyrinth monster, obviously. No domestic hunter could kill Charlotte Hunter. Maybe me or Ssangryong Guild master… ugh… win rate under 10%.”
—One-on-one's impossible.
Adding that, No Gwan-sik turned.
“Alright, let's hustle. It'll get noisy—prepare thoroughly.”
“Yes, President!”
As his secretary replied loudly, No Gwan-sik gazed out the window.
‘A labyrinth that devoured two SS-rank hunters already… what a headache.’
His furrowed brow deepened.
“That old hag's dead? Right next door on that tiny peninsula?”
“Yes… not confirmed yet, but…”
“Hah… basically confirmed! Weird… that annoying old bat croaking… wanted to feast big on her once… tch.”
“……”
“…More than that, two already down? From that 'strongest 10 years ago' Seong Jae-myeong to the annoying hag… damn, something's up there? Maybe I should visit?”
“Whoa, Wang Feng! Please restrain yourself…! Schedules are packed! Next expedition's right around the corner…!”
“Tch… I know… know, so quit nagging. Nearly squashed you without thinking.”
“Gasp…! S-sorry!”
“…Charlotte's gone?”
“…Yes, atmosphere's leaning that way.”
“…My schedule?”
“Can't spare time for at least a year.”
“…Half a year. Exactly half.”
“…Yes, understood.”
“Lady Charlotte…”
“Not interested.”
“…Happened in Seoul Great Labyrinth.”
“…Tell me details.”