The Constellation's Shadow
The cafe in Gangnam buzzed with chatter. “Did you see the news? They’re saying Rachel’s coming to Korea.” “I’m really looking forward to it. Who do you think she’s coming to thank?” “They keep insisting it’s the Connector.”
Rachel’s visit had set not only the media but the entire nation abuzz. People were so excited that they openly voiced their anticipation even out in public, and speculation ran wild about the mysterious Korean who had helped her. Sweet. So sweet.
I smiled as I savored my Americano. The coffee, which shouldn’t have been sweet at all, tasted unusually so today. I felt like I could even drink espresso without grimacing. Sitting in a Gangnam cafe, I quietly sipped my coffee while listening to the surrounding conversations.
Before long, two people approached my table.
“Mr. Choi Seojun. We meet again.”
“Yes, it’s good to see you.”
The one who greeted me was Ha Jinwu, the First Team Leader of Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa. He was the A-class Hunter who had come to purchase An Wi’s Hwando. Kim Hayun stood beside him.
Once our ordered coffees arrived, Ha Jinwu got straight to the point.
“I heard you contacted us about joining Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa.”
“That’s correct.”
I had chosen Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa as the organization that could guarantee my anonymity. Government agencies lagged behind guilds in quality and were likely to make troublesome demands. After all, they were the ones who requisitioned Hunters under the pretext of “serving the nation.” If even members of the National Assembly could shout at guild masters, why would they treat me any differently?
After ruling out government agencies, the only remaining options among the guilds were Korea’s three major ones: Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa, Samdocheon, and Cheonmunun. Unless I planned to emigrate overseas, I would have to form some connection with one of these three. And among them, the guild based right here in Seoul—where I lived—was Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa.
“I understand you’ve already received the details through Team Leader Kim Hayun.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Anonymity guaranteed, no involvement whatsoever in Gate raids, purchase of byproducts, and so on… The conditions Kim Hayun had presented were an attractive offer that was hard to refuse. It essentially meant I could continue living as usual while receiving the benefits.
“Everything you were told is accurate, but there’s an additional matter we’d like to propose, which is why I came in person.” Ha Jinwu glanced around before continuing. “What I’m about to say from here on is classified, so if you’ll excuse me…”
In an instant, blue mana flowed from Ha Jinwu and enveloped our seats in a transparent hemispherical barrier. The noisy cafe fell completely silent, as if we had stepped into a reading room. Not only would sounds from outside be blocked, but our conversation inside wouldn’t leak out either. The fact that no one paid us any attention suggested it wasn’t just sound being isolated.
As if to confirm my guess, Ha Jinwu spoke. “I’ve deployed an isolation mana field. From now on, neither our words nor our actions will be detectable from outside.”
Impressive. It was a remarkable application of mana, fitting for someone who held the position of First Team Leader in one of the three major guilds. In other words, it also meant I was important enough that such a person had come to negotiate with me.
“Seojun, we would like to offer you a VIP Hunter contract.”
“A VIP Hunter contract?”
“Yes. It’s a contract offered only to Hunters of A-class or higher.”
Ha Jinwu then listed the benefits that came with VIP status: guaranteed anonymity, purchase of Gate byproducts at the industry’s lowest commission rate, no involvement in raids whatsoever, provision of housing and vehicles, and more. It was a contract that offered far greater benefits than the standard anonymous Hunter agreement.
Of course, Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa wouldn’t be at a loss either. The Gates that A-class and higher Hunters entered weren’t ordinary Gates. Simply being able to monopolize the byproducts from those top-tier Gates was more than enough profit for the guild.
The very fact that they were making this offer was proof that Ha Jinwu suspected I was the Connector. I had only told Kim Hayun that I wanted to join as an anonymous Hunter—I had never revealed that I was the Connector.
Sure enough—
“In truth, we suspect that you, Mr. Choi Seojun, may be the Connector whose identity has been the subject of so many rumors.”
After speaking, Ha Jinwu looked at me with a tense expression. Kim Hayun’s eyes sparkled with barely concealed anticipation. Watching their contrasting faces, I nodded.
“That’s right. I am the Connector.”
“…Hmm. So it was true.”
“See? I told you I was right.”
Neither of them could hide their joy. They had just learned the identity of the Connector, a figure unknown to anyone in Korea.
“We suspected you might be the Connector ever since you handed over An Wi’s Hwando.”
“I figured as much.”
I had sensed Kim Hayun probing me multiple times.
“In that case, would you be willing to provide proof that you are the Connector?”
Proof. As I pondered what to show them, I pulled an item from my spatial backpack. It was a mana stone with a warm flame flickering inside a crystal as transparent as ice.
“That’s…!” Kim Hayun cried out in surprise.
“It’s the Seolhwaseok.”
This mana stone, which supplemented my insufficient mana, was the most definitive proof that I was the Connector. When I obtained the Seolhwaseok as the first-place reward from the Trial of the Gate, I had written “Connector” in the raider column. And Kim Hayun had taken second place.
Leaving Kim Hayun, who gazed at the Seolhwaseok with a wistful look, Ha Jinwu moved on to the main topic.
“Thank you for confirming. Let’s proceed with the contract.”
Ha Jinwu naturally held out the VIP contract. I didn’t take it.
“I’ll go with the anonymous contract instead.”
“Excuse me? Why…?”
“It seems more convenient for me that way.”
The contents of the VIP contract were certainly tempting, but they weren’t simple enough to accept without thought. In exchange for providing all manner of support for free, Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa would be able to monitor my every move. On top of that, while there was no obligation to participate in raids, there was a clause requiring me to provide assistance in times of crisis. That would mean Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa would find out about Joan of Arc as well.
That won’t do. I had no intention of dragging the innocent Joan of Arc into this. Even aside from that, I wanted to maintain some distance from the guild. If I owed them a debt, I would inevitably be pulled along by them. A relationship of mutual give-and-take, keeping an appropriate distance—that was ideal. After all, I wasn’t exactly struggling financially.
“Hmm, still, if you would at least consider it once…”
“If it’s not the anonymous Hunter contract, I’ll be leaving.”
It felt strange to see a Hunter who wouldn’t have even glanced my way in the past making such a request, but I refused firmly. Contracts were a matter of reason.
“…Hmm. It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Understood. In exchange, we’ll waive the commission fee on byproducts entirely.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Haha, we should be the ones saying that.”
And so, I stepped into the shadow of Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa.
*
After signing the contract with Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa, I sold off all the mana stones I had accumulated.
“That comes to forty million won without commission. The deposit has been made.”
“Thank you. Also, I’d like to purchase a house—could I get some assistance with that?”
“You don’t need to worry about housing. We have several properties under Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa’s management. I’ll compile a list and send it to you shortly.”
Having a guild really does make things convenient. It was refreshing to have a problem solved in one go.
After wrapping up the backlog of tasks following the contract with Yeomyeong-ui Seongjwa, I returned home.
“Joan of Arc, was everything all right while you were home?”
“Yes, they treated me so well that it was actually very comfortable. They both seem like kind people.”
Well, they were my parents, after all, and both of them were good people. But Joan of Arc’s clothes had changed since I last saw her. She was wearing a sky-blue dress that looked as if it might float away on the breeze.
Now that I think about it, she was wearing different clothes yesterday too.
It had been two days since Joan of Arc started staying at our house, and her outfit had never been the same.
“Oppa, you’re home?”
The culprit emerged from the living room with a smug grin, as if she had done something praiseworthy.
“How about it? Doesn’t it suit Joan of Arc?”
“It does, but tone it down a bit.”
“Aww, of course I’m being reasonable about it.”
Joan of Arc’s daily wardrobe changes were entirely Choi Seoyeon’s doing. She was so absorbed in dressing Joan of Arc up that it was as if she were playing with a doll. It was fortunate that Joan of Arc was so good-natured—anyone else would have thrown a punch by now.
In the living room, my father, Choi Dojun, was watching the news.
—Cardinal Francis arrived at Incheon International Airport at around 11 a.m. this morning.
—His visit is reportedly to search for a candidate for sainthood.
“Tsk, tsk. The Catholic Church is done for. Completely done for.”
My father clicked his tongue. To summarize the news:
[Archbishop Ambrosio of the Yeoksam Archdiocese claims to have discovered traces of an Awakener suspected to be a sainthood candidate…]
[Vatican Cardinal Francis enters Korea to verify the sainthood candidate.]
[However, his true intention appears to be recruiting Korean Awakeners…]
Over the past century, more than a dozen individuals had been nominated as sainthood candidates by the Vatican. Among them, only Mother Teresa had truly been recognized as a saint. And after Teresa’s passing, the Church had failed to produce any more saints.
In any case, the Vatican’s method of scouting was to invite Awakeners from a country to the Vatican under the pretext of searching for sainthood candidates. This was done during the period when the dark-attribute Gate known as the “Holy War” was being raided.
But this time, they must really be desperate. To see even a cardinal coming to ask for help…
I glanced at Joan of Arc. She showed no interest whatsoever, not even looking at the TV. I wasn’t particularly interested either, so I let it pass.
[Cardinal Francis is expected to remain in Korea until he finds a sainthood candidate…]
Only the breaking news echoed through the living room.