Two Sides of the Same Coin
“How did she know I needed something like this?”
The association president had uncannily pinpointed exactly what I wanted.
No, more than that—he’d gone a step beyond and offered even more.
For example, saying he’d help me as much as possible even if it was something that went against social norms was basically saying he’d cover for me if I got tangled up in some crime, right?
That meant if the Black Cow business came out, or if something similar happened later, he’d take my side, wouldn’t he?
The offer was so absurdly good that it practically made me suspicious. Wasn’t this a trap?
Well, a man at the level of the association president probably wouldn’t be running scams… but still. If there was even a tiny chance this was some state-level trap aimed at the True Ancestor, I had to be careful.
So I decided to take a very cautious approach. I’d make sure to look suspicious enough that I wasn’t blindly trusting them, and I wouldn’t go myself—I’d send one of my familiars.
And on top of that—
“I’ve got [Appraisal Eye].”
[Appraisal Eye], the skill that could see through a target’s information.
Surprisingly, it could even be used on someone I was seeing through Vision Share.
In other words, if a familiar merely met with the association president, I could sit at home and peel back the man’s inner thoughts right then and there.
Of course, against monsters like Katarina or Siyeon—or against someone as strong as Baek Eunseol—there was too much of a level gap to use it. But the association president wasn’t there for raw combat, so I’d heard his level itself wasn’t that high.
Which meant I could secretly inspect him then. See whether he was telling the truth, or whether he had some shady little scheme brewing.
And something I’d figured out recently: apparently, [Appraisal Eye] wasn’t supposed to have any inner-thought-reading function at all. Normally it only revealed far more limited information than what I was seeing.
That, too, seemed to be a bonus effect from my class, the Blood Lord.
Like how Book of the Dead was supposed to be a 30% buff, but for my familiars it applied at 50%.
[Appraisal Eye] had picked up extra effects like inner thoughts and vampire potential as well.
No wonder it was an EX-class.
With a cheat skill like this, I wasn’t going to fall for some cheap trap.
Anyway, that aside.
The negotiation was settled for now, so the next step was choosing which familiar to send.
I lifted my eyes and looked over my two familiars. Katarina, wearing an apron and washing the dishes I’d used, and Siyeon, vacuuming the floor.
Strictly speaking, Katarina was the stronger of the two. But she’d already been seen once when she helped Baek Eunseol, so there was a chance that information had already reached the association.
If Katarina’s appearance had been shared with the association, then the moment I sent her this time, it would practically confirm it outright: the one who commands the powerful vampire from Seollim-dong = the True Ancestor.
So this time, Siyeon was the right choice.
And while I was at it, I shouldn’t just send Siyeon—I should send her wearing a mask!
That way, not even her face could be identified.
Heh. This was what I called being thorough.
I folded my arms and smiled, nodding to myself—then suddenly froze.
Huh? Had I just been bragging to myself without even realizing it?!
[Noble Bearing] didn’t affect my thoughts directly, but since I’d been forced to keep speaking and acting arrogantly, it seemed like my mindset was gradually being contaminated too.
Ugh… embarrassing….
Thinking I’d better be more careful from now on, I called Siyeon over, explained the situation, and gave her the order.
“Then go and purchase some masks.”
“Yes, Master. What sort should I prepare?”
“Hmm… just choose a variety that cover the face well.”
“Understood.”
Siyeon quietly bowed her head and left the house.
And about an hour later, she returned carrying a bundle of white animal masks.
“Now, come here.”
I tried each mask on Siyeon’s face one by one.
Ooh. This is giving total masquerade ball, hidden mastermind vibes…!
With the mask on, Siyeon’s long, sleek silhouette looked even cooler. The fox mask suited her well, the rabbit mask was unexpectedly eerie, and the deer mask gave off a mysterious air.
Among them, the one that suited her best was definitely the cat mask.
And then—should I try one on Katarina too?
She didn’t really need one, but it would still be fun.
“Katarina. You come here as well.”
“I obey, my lord.”
Katarina trotted over and politely lowered her head.
After trying a few on, I decided the wolf mask suited her best.
The combination of her usual loyal, charismatic atmosphere and the wolf mask fit perfectly, giving her a very cool look.
“Oh. Katarina. It suits you well.”
“...! If my lord deems it so, then this body shall wear this mask for the rest of my life!”
“T-there’s no need to go that far.”
I waved my hands, a little flustered.
Anyway, the familiar mask fitting was done. Now… should I try one myself?
What would I look like wearing one? Silver hair, red eyes, and a mask—wouldn’t that give off some kind of hidden queen vibe?
All excited, I picked the coolest-looking fox mask and put it on.
Then I checked myself with my phone.
I looked like some elementary school kid who’d slapped on a craft project from art class and called it a day.
Why was it only me…!!
***
While Yujin was holding a mask fashion show in her little house, Kim Taesung and the association’s top committee were moving with suffocating density.
Even the interior design of the meeting room had been carefully selected.
“What should we do about the lighting? If it’s too bright, it could feel domineering. If it’s too dim, it might be interpreted as shady.”
“Let’s go with indirect lighting. This level. Not too bright, not too dark.”
“What about the chairs? If they’re the same height, it could be read as a claim of equality. But if we raise the seat of honor too much, it might be read as hypocrisy.”
The height difference between the chairs was 2 centimeters.
It was a number meticulously designed to show respect without looking servile.
Even the carpet color had been adjusted.
Red was rejected because it could evoke blood.
Black was rejected because it felt like a funeral.
In the end, a deep matte navy carpet was chosen.
Every tiny detail like this had been considered.
“Whew… no matter how much of a True Ancestor she is, it feels like we’re hosting some kind of king.”
At a committee member’s offhand remark, Kim Taesung answered only in his mind.
A king would be easier.
With a national monarch, there were diplomatic rules.
There was a proper script for protocol, and even mistakes could be patched over with an apology.
But with a being like the True Ancestor, there was no precedent to rely on.
The fact that the True Ancestor was even contacting the association was top-secret information known only to the highest committee.
As for the possibility that the True Ancestor was connected to vampires, that was information shared only by Baek Eunseol and himself.
If she truly was some kind of monster, then a single mistake might not end with an apology.
The protocol was also written out in painstaking detail.
All forms of address would be standardized to “True Ancestor” and “the True Ancestor’s envoy.”
There would be only one association president in attendance.
Tea and snacks would be offered, but not pressed upon.
If the other side spoke, they would respond within three seconds, and they absolutely must not interrupt.
And finally—
Something that should never happen, but still.
Just in case.
If the True Ancestor’s temper soured during the meeting and something unexpected happened…
They needed at least a minimal safety measure in place for that possibility.
So, in the end, Kim Taesung decided to contact the right person directly.
The strongest asset under the association. Among the four S-ranks in South Korea, the one who was most careful and capable of the coldest judgment.
Kim Taesung picked up his smartphone.
After a few rings, a calm voice came through the other side.
“Hunter Baek Eunseol.”
“Association President. What is it?”
Kim Taesung spoke calmly, but with weight.
“We’ve arranged contact with the True Ancestor. I need your help.”
“......!!!”
***
...They succeeded in making contact with the True Ancestor.
After hearing the news from the association president, Baek Eunseol remained silent for a long while.
She, too, belonged to the Climber Community.
At first, she’d made the rookie mistake of using her real name, “Eunseol,” as her nickname, so she barely wrote any posts or comments. But since there was a lot of useful information and strategy talk there, she still dropped by from time to time to lurk.
So of course, she had also heard the True Ancestor’s real voice—the one everyone was talking about lately.
A girl’s clear, bright voice.
But inside it was an overwhelming dignity and pressure that didn’t belong to a child that age.
For an ordinary person, it might sound like just a little girl trying too hard to act cool, playing some cringe chuunibyou role.
But as an S-rank hunter, she instinctively sensed the weight hidden in that voice.
The manner of speech was the same. There was a quality to it that overlapped far too much with the vampire who had saved her back then.
True Ancestor…
The hypothesis that “my lord” and the “True Ancestor” were somehow connected had already begun quietly swelling in her mind.
Just as she was following that thread of thought alone, the association president called.
He said they had succeeded in contacting the True Ancestor through a system message, and would meet the envoy she sent at midnight three days later.
He also asked her to provide security in case anything happened.
Will she come again this time?
If that vampire from before came.
Then it would become decisive proof that “my lord” and the “True Ancestor” were the same person.
An opportunity to get even a little closer to her benefactor.
The moment she heard the request, she accepted at once.
And so time passed, until at last the night of the promised day arrived.