Chapter 59
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Code Gray (1)
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After organizing his thoughts and taking a brief rest, Kang Sa-hu reviewed his plans for the future and began studying how to create a Death Knight.
The process of making a Death Knight summon was so incredibly difficult that other necromancers deemed it "impossible," and it required a vast array of reagents and spells in preparation.
Even Kang Sa-hu, bearer of the grandiose title "the strongest necromancer in history," had never created one before, so meticulous preparation was essential.
During the flight, as he studied, he suddenly felt a wave of accumulated fatigue crashing over him and secretly summoned an ape from within his coat.
"Don't make a peep or move around. If anything happens, wake me up right away."
Ukk.
The ape gave a small, affirmative response and tucked itself into a cramped corner of the seat.
In economy class, people would have noticed the ape the moment it was summoned amid the crowd, but...
First class offered plenty of space, complete with partitions, making it more than sufficient to summon the ape unnoticed and for the ape to hide.
With the ape standing vigilant guard, Kang Sa-hu succumbed to the overwhelming fatigue and fell into a deep sleep.
Trusting the ape completely, he slept soundly—until he jolted awake like a character in a horror movie and immediately checked the remaining flight time.
'Still four hours left.'
The UK, his destination, was far from Korea, with flights typically taking at least fourteen hours even before.
But after the cataclysm, with gates appearing, gate breaks occurring, and awakeners staging coups that blocked some routes, flight paths had changed dramatically.
As a result, the flight to the UK had been estimated at seventeen hours from the start.
'So I slept about six hours.'
Confirming he'd gotten plenty of rest, Kang Sa-hu thanked the ape diligently patrolling around his feet.
"Good work."
Ukk.
The ape, aware from prior instructions that making noise would trouble its master, replied quietly and rubbed its head against his leg.
After returning the ape to its soul core, Kang Sa-hu, feeling thirsty, pressed the call button to order a drink.
Click.
"Yes, sir? Did you call for service?"
"...?"
Kang Sa-hu was startled to see the flight attendant appear in less than three seconds after pressing the button.
'Did she run here...?'
He hadn't heard any footsteps, so he was baffled, but quickly realized she was waiting for his order and placed it.
"A glass of wine and some light snacks to go with it, please."
"Wine and snacks. Got it!"
Confirming the order once more, the flight attendant turned and hurried away.
As Kang Sa-hu waited for her return and stretched out his stiff body from the long sleep, he overheard flight attendants talking behind him.
"Who called? Oh, over there..."
"I'll handle this one since I took the call. You go take care of something else."
"Huh? But why are you taking the order, senpai...?"
Recognizing the voice of the attendant who'd just taken his order, Kang Sa-hu turned curiously to look.
The attendant, sensing his gaze while talking to her junior, flinched in surprise and dragged the junior away to the back.
"...What was that about?"
Something felt off, but unable to pinpoint it, Kang Sa-hu tilted his head in confusion.
Soon after, the attendant returned with the wine and snacks, having left her junior behind.
"Ex, excuse me. Here's your wine and snacks."
"Ah, thank you..."
Kang Sa-hu started to thank her but trailed off, staring puzzled at the wine and mountain of snacks she brought.
"Are you selling these by any chance?"
"No, sir. This is the service a first-class passenger like you, Mr. Kang Sa-hu, deserves."
"Hmm..."
Kang Sa-hu glanced between the wine she held and the one belonging to the passenger across from him.
The other first-class passenger's eyes widened at the sight of the far superior wine compared to his own, looking back and forth between them.
"...Understood. I'll enjoy it then."
As Kang Sa-hu reached for what was clearly an expensive wine and a lavish spread of snacks that looked like more than a full meal, the attendant hesitated and spoke timidly.
"Um... if it's not too much trouble... could I pour it for you?"
'Ah, so it's one glass at a time.'
This was his first time in first class, but he vaguely recalled reading that wine was served one glass at a time, so he nodded.
"Yes, thank you."
Pour.
Kang Sa-hu held out his glass with both hands, and the attendant carefully poured with both of hers.
She set the half-empty bottle beside him, bowed, and said her farewell.
"Enjoy your flight. Let us know if you need anything."
"Uh, this wine bottle..."
Kang Sa-hu tried to call her back, thinking it a mistake as she left it behind, but she scurried off.
'She's busy, I guess?'
Had he researched first-class etiquette beforehand, he wouldn't be so flustered now.
Regretting his procrastination, Kang Sa-hu took a sip of the wine.
"Delicious."
The full-bodied richness filled his mouth, a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, and he closed his eyes in satisfaction.
"Haa...! Haa...!"
The flight attendant who'd just served Kang Sa-hu the wine and snacks struggled to calm her flushed face and excited breathing.
'He definitely smiled.'
Having watched from afar as he savored the wine, she praised her hobby of collecting fine wines from flights around the world.
The bottle she'd given him was her prized treasure: Domaine Georges Roumier, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru—a notoriously expensive name and a million-won bottle.
But seeing him enjoy it made it worth every penny and more.
'I wish I could have given him something even better.'
As she thought of the other bottles carefully stored at home...
Her junior from earlier approached cautiously.
"Um, senpai?"
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
Quickly straightening her disheveled clothes and composure, she replied calmly as usual.
"Th-the passenger over there says he wants to try your wine too..."
Her eyes flashed with irritation at the words.
"Tell him he has to buy it personally."
"Y-yes...? But earlier... Uh, got it."
Though she spoke calmly, her inner "How dare he?" chilled her tone, and the junior sensed the vibe and backed away hastily.
Confirming the junior gone, she peeked at Kang Sa-hu through the crew rest area curtain.
"Mr. Kang Sa-hu..."
Tinkle.
As if responding to her affectionate whisper, the skull accessory—green and blue glows hidden inside her collar—chimed softly.
Several hours later.
The plane carrying Kang Sa-hu finally landed, and he disembarked.
Thanks to the first-class suite-like space where he'd rested fully, his condition was better than usual.
Moving briskly with his improved energy, he quickly reached immigration.
But as he waited like everyone else...
"Excuse me."
An airport staff member approached him.
"Hello. I'm William, the deputy manager of this airport."
The man bowed politely, so Kang Sa-hu, a bit surprised, returned the bow courteously.
"Hello. What brings you here?"
Kang Sa-hu replied fluently in native British English, making the man's eyes light up.
"Might you be Kang Sa-hu, the EX-rank Awakener Hunter from South Korea?"
"Yes, that's me."
Affirming it, the deputy bowed again.
"Wonderful to meet you. Welcome to the UK. Someone eager to meet you has asked if you could spare a moment."
Kang Sa-hu tilted his head at the request.
He hadn't told anyone—not even his parents, who would insist on coming despite refusals—that he was arriving today.
So who in the UK, via the deputy manager, wanted to see him?
"Who's asking to see me? I don't know many people here."
"Hahaha. Of course. But this person knows you, and I daresay you know them too."
The deputy boasted confidently and handed him a letter.
Kang Sa-hu examined the antique envelope, sealed with sealing wax on the flap—a style no longer used.
And then...
"...No way."
His eyes widened at the seal.
A crowned lion symbolizing England on the left, a unicorn for Scotland on the right.
In the center, a large shield, and below, the motto of British monarchs.
He looked at the deputy.
"Yes, exactly."
The man proudly gazed at "Dieu et mon droit."
"Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom wishes to meet you, Hunter Kang Sa-hu."
He met Kang Sa-hu's eyes, adjusted his uniform, and bowed deeply.
As Kang Sa-hu conversed with the deputy...
Someone watching from afar turned subtly and touched the earpiece connected to their ear.
"Comm link confirmed. Comm link confirmed."
Though whispered softly, a response came through immediately.
[Comm link confirmed. Sighted?]
"Confirmed. EX-rank Awakener Hunter from South Korea."
The man paused briefly.
"Simultaneously confirmed as... 'that' Necromancer. Target verified."
[...So it's true.]
A short sigh leaked from the earpiece.
[Current target status?]
"Engaged in conversation with UK airport staff. Can't approach without risking detection, but the talk is dragging on. Target received something from the staff."
[This could get complicated. Track the target discreetly without being spotted.]
"Understood."
He replied, staring at Kang Sa-hu with a tense, cautious expression.
Though the face on the other end was invisible, the voice brimmed with tension.
[Code Gray issued as of now. Monitor target 24/7 and track movements. If necessary...]
Overcome with tension, he hesitated before continuing heavily.
[If issues arise during tailing leading to armed conflict, Vatican Paladins will be deployed.]