A Dream of Forgotten Secrets and Empty Promises
The night was filled with strange groans and whimpers.
“Ugh… ughhh…”
“What the heck?”
They said they’d have honest conversations, but they turned my happy friends from the main house into something unrecognizable.
Masked hunters whose faces blurred the line between human and beast, drooling like they were half-dead.
“Were you even able to speak at all?”
【Of course, my lord.】
Zaug answered cheerfully, patting his own chest.
“Even the thief’s torture—and I mean conversation—had some skill to it.”
“I wanted to learn that way of speaking too.”
【Hehe. In my old days, one word was all it took and the ladies’ hearts would fly open.】
Twice and the express to the underworld might be next.
Since communication had gone smoothly, I’d better hear the results.
【These friends say they came from the country of China.】
It wasn’t surprising.
I had suspected as much, and sure enough.
The arrival process was even more ridiculous.
They’d torn apart a small boat, crossed the sea for days, waited for the operation day, then struck.
【I knew the great lord would come today.】
“So the information was leaked.”
“That’s the most reasonable interpretation.”
Wow.
The domestic top five are handling it well.
Or maybe the Chinese Exo-Coalition is just that impressive.
“Evidence of the Exo-Coalition?”
【None of that, my lord. There’s nothing to prove.】
They’d bound the voice so tightly it barely came out.
They wouldn’t carry anything that could serve as evidence.
Tsk.
It felt unpleasant.
Not once—twice.
I’d been hit too many times to keep taking it passively.
The aesthetics didn’t allow for one-sided suffering.
Hmm.
I rested my chin on my right hand, lost in thought, when one idea surfaced.
“Director Jeong. About the Cross Gate. Is there one in China too?”
“Yes. I can’t give exact coordinates, but…”
“That’s fine. I just wanted to confirm the other side is interfering too.”
Hehe.
There was a way to turn the tables.
“I trust you won’t do anything dangerous.”
“Aw, come on. I wouldn’t ambush Chinese hunters on purpose.”
Director Jeong’s eyes narrowed.
Ugh.
It was the exact look Mom gave me the day I wrecked the house.
“Under no circumstances. Do not take any dangerous actions.”
“I’m not going to.”
In a few days I’d be heading to the Cross Gate to assist Master Han’s craft and act as escort.
There, I might run into Chinese hunters by chance.
Of course.
I had zero intention of going first.
So at least pretend to believe me, Director Jeong.
If you keep staring with those scorching eyes, your face might get full of holes, right?
***
After watching the Mir Guild siege, the Chinese hunters’ ambush.
I told the people at the Rift Management Office what had happened then.
Handing over the captured hunters sealed the night.
The car stopped in front of my studio.
“You worked so hard because of me today.”
“Not at all. The entire incident was my responsibility.”
Baek Boss lowered his head deeply.
“I’m sorry, Hunter Park.”
“No, why are you suddenly apologizing?”
“The hunter could have been in danger, and I was too optimistic.”
“I never imagined the Exo-Coalition would go this far.”
“Still, it’s my mistake. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Sigh.
I worried his forehead would hit the ground.
“Just relax your waist already.”
“Hoo. Truly, I’m deeply sorry.”
“You’re fine—hands and feet—so don’t worry.”
Even though it wasn’t my fault.
After arguing for a few minutes, I finally managed to send Boss Baek away.
“Rest well tonight. Even if you feel fine now, the shock will hit.”
He slipped in one last reminder.
He talks more than my own mom.
“…Uncle. Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing now?”
“If you hadn’t followed me today, none of this would have happened.”
Why was this the start of round two?
The boss was enough—why did I have to bow too?
“I was targeting you. You got dragged in.”
“Still, unless it’s an island, I wouldn’t have thought of attacking you.”
“Those idiots who want to cause chaos anyway. Don’t worry.”
“Hiiing… still…”
The tears welling in his big eyes made me even more flustered.
He’s so pitiful.
It’s like I’m the one who cried!
“Ugh. Stop it! The president of the Park Minho Fan Club isn’t allowed to do that.”
“Hiiiing…”
“Tell your wife not to worry too much.”
“Ah, okay.”
After answering, Yeondu sighed long and hard.
“I should call the guild…”
“The Rift Office is handling the situation report, so just rest today.”
“Ugh…”
Seeing him sulk made my heart soften for no reason.
Of all times, an ambush the moment I traveled with Yeondu.
His once-energetic shoulders hung low.
It was heartbreaking, but I had to stop here.
More words would only deepen the guilt.
“The great lord’s kindness knows no bounds.”
“My heart raced along with my lord’s.”
【Great Lord, grant me your magnanimity so I may become human once more!】
【Thief. Quiet.】
The atmosphere was chaotic.
A few months ago I never would have imagined anything like this.
Thanks to it, I could forget the Chinese hunters’ ambush for a while.
“I can’t stand it anymore. Chicken tonight.”
“Ooooh! Yes!”
“Split two for each!”
“You don’t know anything. Don’t you know fried chicken is the truth?”
“Sauce on fried chicken is the real seasoning.”
“Crunch! The sauce tastes different when dipped in the crispy fried bits!”
Sigh.
“Order two each—I’ll fight you if you try to hog them.”
“As expected of my lord.”
“You’re trying to eat two all by yourself again.”
“Feeding a knight is just like training.”
“That applies to living people. You don’t need to eat because you’re dead.”
“Fiiight!!!”
Watching my two subordinates raise their voices made me laugh despite myself.
After stuffing the crispy chicken into my stomach and tidying up quickly, I flopped onto the bed.
It was early, but I felt no urge to do anything.
I didn’t even want to lift a finger.
“Rest well, my lord.”
“I’ll stand guard like iron will.”
“From inside the house? What kind of guard is that?”
Israel always answered that way.
Even if she said she was fine, what could I do?
“Please.”
After entrusting her with the watch, I closed my eyes and felt myself floating.
Haaam.
The moment I thought, *I’m so sleepy.*
My consciousness sank beneath the surface of sleep.
***
Dimmed vision.
Right.
I was starting to get used to this.
“A dream where I watch the lives of my subordinates?”
It was time.
Last time I’d seen Isra or Ingrid’s former lives again.
Or perhaps the new arrivals.
The first scene was a city at midnight.
Snow fell from the sky.
The freezing air swept through the alleys.
“Waaaah!”
A child born in the alley.
She looked so weak she might stop breathing at any second.
But she kept crying, begging to live in her own way.
A place drenched in flashy lights and cheap perfume.
Yeah.
Now I understood what kind of place this was.
A place where people’s desires boiled over.
A child was born here.
Flickering vision.
The next scene showed a grown child.
Healthy, bright skin. Green hair.
A body that would make any model jealous, paired with a face that held everyone’s gaze.
“Hey, auntie. Want to have a drink with me?”
“Eh? Uh, mommy… mommy.”
“Uh, are you busy?”
“Ah, no…”
A man melted a woman’s heart with one line.
You… who exactly are you?
Meanwhile, he pulled out money from the woman’s wallet, who had bad manners and was trying to hit on him.
A mysterious technique that lets you take what you want without ever being noticed!
At this point, one name surfaced.
“Zaug… is that you?”
The scene changed again.
This time, in the basement of a building, a man fiddled with a knife.
“Profits are terrible, my lord.”
“N-no, sir.”
“I like being called ‘sir’ that much.”
“All organizations in the capital have sworn allegiance to me.”
“That’s boring. It would have been better if we’d slit the necks of two more.”
A man who used honorifics even with his subordinates.
The sight alone.
It looked like it instilled fear in the members of the Thief Guild.
“I have one request: control this alley and do one thing.”
The man extended the pendant around his neck.
“Have you seen this pattern before?”
“First time.”
“Hah. Our guild has improved a lot. If you didn’t know, you would have said so immediately.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll find it right away!”
“No need.”
The man waved his hand dismissively.
“I just learned the origin of the pattern recently.”
“Uh, where was it?”
“Ancient ruins.”
The vision darkened once more.
This time, the man was shown excavating multiple ancient ruins at five-second intervals.
He stole resources from the Thief Guild, gathered information on the sites.
Bought the items needed for excavation.
He dug alone without anyone’s help.
All the treasures and ancient items he acquired while studying relics from the mage era were sold.
The Thief Guild’s funds swelled again.
“You won’t die, will you?”
The knife stabbed his back.
The ancient ruins story was a trap set by someone who had held the role for over a decade within the organization.
Blood poured out, soaking the floor.
No amount of potions could heal it.
The wound was in the heart.
It wasn’t the kind that potions could fix.
“After discarding the arrogant ones and sending the weak ones here…”
The man lay on the floor of the ruins, looking up.
Only emptiness filled his pupils.
“Life is truly meaningless.”
With those words, the light left his eyes.
The entire space turned ash-gray.
Pitter… pitter…
After blinking several times, the thoughts finally cleared.
The person in the dream…
Was it Zaug…?
I was sure it was.