The Curse of Misery

Uncle.

Hanul tapped Manager Park Sangmin on the shoulder.

"Watch yourself on the night roads. You never know what might be underfoot."

"Ah, yes… I'll keep that in mind."

Manager Park Sangmin withdrew, cold sweat streaming down his face.

Colluding with China. It wasn't even much of a secret, really. The previous guild master and executives had been taking backdoor money from the start. Everyone knew, more or less, who was involved in that sort of thing. And it wasn't just one or two people.

That was why he figured he'd gotten nothing more than a warning.

But he was wrong.

Before the workday even ended, Manager Park Sangmin fled the guild building as if running for his life. The cold sweat that had soaked his back cooled into a clammy chill.

"Damn it. What kind of lunatic becomes acting guild master and starts this crap?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

He forced out a hollow laugh. Clearly the guy had a problem with colluding with China. But so what? It wasn't just one or two people. Was he going to fire them all? The guild wouldn't even function. Ridiculous.

"No—if we turn our backs on China, can the Veteran Guild even survive? Better give the Black Dragon Guild a call first."

Click. Park Sangmin climbed into his imported sedan and turned the key. He pulled out of the parking garage and was passing under the elevated highway when—

Tap-tap. Droplets struck the windshield.

"What the—?"

An old drainage pipe fixed under the overpass had chosen that exact moment to burst. Whoooosh— the next instant, a torrent of filthy wastewater blanketed his view. He stomped the brake, but the pedal refused to answer.

"W-what the hell! Why is this happening?!"

The car gathered speed and hurtled toward the wall. As if on cue, a tire rode over a sharp metal shard and blew out. Control vanished; the chassis flipped.

KRAAASH!

The car slammed down upside down. Manager Park hung inverted, blood streaming from his face.

He wasn't dead yet. He clawed at the seatbelt, desperate to live, but the buckle was locked tight and would not budge.

Then—

"No… no!"

A massive shipping container standing in one corner of the lot slowly tipped. Tons of rebar crashed down onto the overturned car.

Crunch. Crack.

The sound of steel and bone pulverizing together echoed through the parking garage.

The next day, the Veteran Guild headquarters was thick with uneasy whispers from the entrance onward.

"Did you hear about Manager Park? Crushed to death under a pile of rebar."

"That's not all. Deputy Choi from PR slipped in his bathroom at home and died on the spot."

It had all happened overnight. More than a dozen Veteran Guild employees had died in inexplicable accidents—traffic collisions, falls, heart attacks. The causes of death varied, yet they shared one common thread: the day before, every one of them had shaken hands with Acting Guild Master Kang Hanul and received his ill-wishes.

Th-this is way too precise to call coincidence!

Damn it, I got cursed too—what am I supposed to do?

I-it has to be my imagination. Yeah…

Dozens of employees' faces turned corpse-pale. At that moment a notice flashed across the entire guild network.

It was drastic—an open declaration that nearly half the existing workforce would be replaced with new hires. The timing felt as if someone had already known the seats would empty.

And the one who had issued the order? Naturally, Hanul, currently seated in the guild master's office. Since yesterday he had been staying at a hotel and commuting to the Veteran Guild each morning.

"Master, Earth has so many delicious snacks!"

"I thought you only liked candy made from human skulls."

"Those are great too! But pure sweetness is nice as well! When it tastes this good—!"

Hatchery sprawled across the sofa, cheeks bulging as she rolled candy around her mouth and hummed a little tune.

Riiing—

The internal line rang.

"Acting Guild Master. Minister Kang Eunha has called personally. She would like to meet this afternoon. Location is the Minister's office."

Warmth touched Hanul's face. It had already been several days since he last saw his niece Eunha. Finally, she was reaching out.

If my niece wants to see her uncle, of course I go.

Dungeon Management Department, Minister's office.

Two teacups sat before Eunha. Creak— the door opened and Hanul stepped inside, facing his niece at last.

"Have you been well?"

"Heh. A lot's happened."

He took the seat opposite her. A brief silence settled. Eunha slid a stack of documents across the desk.

"The things that have been happening lately… was all of it you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Uncle?"

In just a few days, several incidents had set the entire world buzzing.

"I did them."

"Even the Chinese embassy?"

"Yes."

Eunha swallowed dryly. These were major events that could escalate into full-blown international diplomatic crises. Yet Hanul's eyes remained utterly calm.

"The Veteran Guild leadership as well?"

Park Isaac and the elders collapsing. And beyond that—the chain of accidental deaths among the guild staff.

"That's right."

"…"

"Do you disapprove of what I've done?"

"That is… haah, I don't know. Officially, as Minister, it would be unforgivable."

The corrupt. Those who sought to hollow out Korea. Through law and procedure? Honestly, not a single one of them had ever been properly punished.

And he just… swept them all away in one stroke…

Yet deep down, it felt refreshing. All the filth she had been forced to endure under the weight of her office—her uncle had washed it away in a single overwhelming wave. Reform feeds on blood, they said. The long years had taught her to the bone that without overwhelming power, justice was nothing but an empty echo.

He's doing the things I can't.

Of course she could never say that aloud. She was the Minister, after all.

"…"

Even without her speaking, Hanul understood. Had he used mental magic? No. He would never do such a thing to his niece. They had been apart a long time, yet something still connected them—an uncle and niece who could simply feel each other's hearts.

From now on, I'll lighten a great deal of your burden.

Silence lingered a moment longer. Hanul changed the subject, half as ice-breaker.

"Ah, and—I've become guild master."

"…What?"

The words only threw Eunha into fresh confusion. She could hardly believe her ears.

"You've become what?"

"Guild master of the Veteran Guild. The seat happened to open up, so I took it."

"Uncle, what are you talking about…? Your resident registration was even cancelled."

Hanul merely shrugged.

"You haven't even registered as a Hunter. Right now you're an unregistered person."

"The old records are still around, aren't they? I used to belong to the Veteran Guild myself."

"You're still officially listed as deceased. Secretary Min is working on restoring your registration, but—"

"Haha. The office manager must be skilled. He'll handle it."

Hanul smiled.

"Don't worry. In the Demon Realm, once I decided I would do something? Nothing was impossible."

Something about those words made Eunha feel strangely secure. It was the first time she had ever felt this kind of reliability—not mere confidence, but the will of an absolute being who would twist the laws of the world itself to achieve what he wanted.

"Anyway, that authentication process you mentioned last time—is it finished?"

"Yes! Physical verification was impossible, but we cross-checked your speech patterns, habits, and the memories we shared. We also ran a professional psychological evaluation on me and compiled multiple sources."

Eunha showed him the documents. They meant little to Hanul. He was, without question, her uncle. Eunha had probably felt it even before; she had simply been more cautious because of the office she held.

"More than anything, someone as strong as you has no reason to scam a minister of a country like Korea. With your current ability you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could walk into any other nation and receive S-class treatment or better on the spot."

Self-mockery colored her voice.

"Just like most of Korea's S-ranks. They cross the border and live in luxury. There's no reason to stay on this crumbling scrap of land and bicker with a picky minister like me."

His niece's gloom was more than enough to move Hanul's heart.

"Hmm. I've felt it before, but this country called Korea has grown much weaker. Thirty years ago it wasn't this bad. Back then Korea was actually a decent Hunter powerhouse."

"A lot happened while you were gone, Uncle."

Eunha gazed out at the gray cityscape beyond the window. Talented Hunters? They had chased money and power and left. That wasn't solely Korea's problem, of course. And those who remained? Men like Park Isaac, who sold the nation to fill their own bellies. As a result, the country's standing had plummeted to rock bottom.

"I always believed the unfortunate things that happened to you and my parents were because the country had become like this. That's why I became Minister. To try and do something about it, somehow."

Resolve hardened in Eunha's eyes. In them Hanul saw the shadow of his older brother, Kang Junwu. At the same time he felt pity for this niece who was trying so hard to salvage a weak, rotten nation.

"From now on I'll help you a great deal."

"I know you're strong, Uncle, but strength alone doesn't solve everything. Still… thank you."

"Haha. Strength alone isn't enough? That's only a problem when the strength isn't strong enough."

"…"

Perhaps he had misspoken. Perhaps he had pressed on a sore spot. A deep melancholy settled into Eunha's expression.

Hmm. This won't do.

Time for a change of atmosphere.

"Hatchery, come out."

"Yes!"

Hatchery, who had been waiting in stealth mode, sprang into the room like a coiled spring. Eunha flinched in surprise.

"She's my subordinate. No need to be on guard."

"She looks like a child, yet her stealth is incredible. Even with high-level detection equipment in a government building…"

Hanul only smiled. High-level detection equipment? At best it was Hunter-grade. And given the current state of the Korean government, there was even less to say.

"Hatchery, liven things up a bit."

"Yes! Leave it to me-yong!"

Hatchery planted herself in front of Eunha, then bent at the waist a full ninety degrees and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bellowed a greeting.

"Hello! Cutie of the Demon Realm, Hatchery here!"

With a solemn expression she pulled two pieces of candy from her pocket, held them up to her eyes, and launched into a bizarre voice.

"Unnie, do you know this one? What's the most apologetic animal in the world?"

"…Huh?"

Eunha blinked blankly. Hatchery twisted her whole body as she answered.

"A badger! Ah, sorry—badger!"

"…"

The joke landed with a thud. The temperature in the Minister's office seemed to drop five degrees. Undeterred, Hatchery slapped her own cheek.

"Then how about this? What does a king say when he doesn't want to enter the palace?"

"…I have no idea."

"Grumble-grumble! Ahaha—because he hates the palace, he grumbles!"

Hatchery alone rolled on the floor laughing. The air froze solid.

"…"

Silence filled the room once more. Hanul's eyes narrowed. A cold killing intent brushed down Hatchery's spine—a silent warning that if she failed again, she would not leave the Minister's office alive.

"Eek! M-Master! Spare me-yong!"

Hatchery looked ready to burst into tears at any second, trembling as she watched Hanul's face. She looked exactly like a terrified puppy.

"Pfft."

Watching the scene, Eunha finally broke into laughter.