Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The World Hunter Conference Has Romance (1)
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Just one step.
I take a step forward, eyes fixed on the things approaching me.
And another step.
A bizarre screech—Kieeeek!—makes me turn my head, and I simply swing my light.
Kwachik!
I crush whatever was screaming and take another step. The monsters blocking our path scatter under the brilliant holy light, only for more to bare their fangs.
"Haaah... Lady Saintess, you're not going to die like this, right...?"
Karin, clinging desperately to my arm, no longer shows any trace of the resolve she had at the start. She's just a frightened little girl now.
"Karin, I told you. It could be dangerous, so you'd suffer if you came along."
She'd never even seen a proper demon beast or mana beast before. This monster feast was something she could never get used to.
"But... I never imagined we'd keep running into these things nonstop, Lady Saintess...!"
She hugs me tighter as I impassively wipe out the monsters, squeezing her eyes shut. She's declaring she'll follow wherever I go.
"Hmm... Honestly, I didn't think we'd be stuck in a gate this long either."
How many times has it been already? The sight that greeted us after crossing the gate into Pretoria wasn't the kind of civilization where Arsius might be. A vast sand desert, monsters approaching from beyond it. Not a trace of humanity anywhere—and then that voice.
Error.
Entity mismatched with difficulty. Hero of Pretoria.
Something was watching me, then spat out even more monsters. It wasn't impossible to push through, but it did slow us down a bit.
I cloaked myself in holy power and carved a path. I killed the monster king at the end and crossed the new gate that opened.
And then another terrain unfolded, with more monsters appearing.
Karin and I had already crossed gates countless times by now.
"Ah, finding Arsius is such a pain. This is why good-looking guys earn their keep with their faces."
"No, Lady Saintess...! Stop lamenting and deal with them quick—the ones behind are closing in too!"
In this short journey—about ten days by the clock—our distance had closed long ago. Her polite speech was gone; now she just clung to me desperately.
"Karin, I told you. No need to worry about dying."
「Blessed Area」
It bars anyone I haven't permitted from approaching. The monsters lunging at us couldn't get closer, and the blessing followed our steps.
Karin lifted her head at the scene unfolding in light around us, marveling openly.
"Every time I see something like this, I realize you're truly the Saintess."
"Karin, that sounds a bit irreverent. Didn't I help save Pretoria alongside Arsius?"
"Ahem... Anyway, Lady Saintess, it's so comfy—can't we just keep this up?"
She'd gotten sly enough to deflect like that after just ten days.
"Afraid not, sadly. My holy power isn't infinite. Want to complain to Evgenia directly?"
I grinned at her, and Karin averted her eyes, grabbing my hand to hurry us along.
And so we crossed another gate.
Still continuing this journey of unknown length.
Because Arsius had to be at the end.
Hunter Association.
The central organization managing everything from gates to hunters, handling all the causal chains in the country.
Korea's decent standing in the world might just be thanks to the solid influence of this steadfast Association.
The top guilds like Luna Guild and Korea's Big Five shake the scene, but the Association keeps them in check and maintains order, letting things run smoothly without friction.
And at its heart sits the Chairman.
One of Korea's rare S-rank hunters, living a life respected by all—the Hunter Association Chairman.
Kim Yongin, perched in his office chair as Chairman, let out a sigh.
Endless paperwork piling up, friction between hunters slipping through despite his blocks, constant mistakes from subordinates—they all added more white hairs to his head today too.
"Ah, I wanna quit..."
He muttered in a voice drained of fatigue.
"Chairman, don't even joke like that."
His secretary shot it down instantly and handed over the next item.
"You're heartless too, you know. I'm the Chairman—why don't I get a vacation...?"
"Those at the top bear the weight. And I'm always right here with you, aren't I?"
"Fine, whatever... Let's just get through the next one."
He read the documents his secretary passed him. As he did, interest flickered in his eyes.
"Hm, the World Hunter Conference is back already? The one signaling winter's start..."
"Yes. What'll you do?"
"Eh, just send notices to the Big Five guilds like always?"
"Chairman, it's an important matter—don't brush it off."
"Argh, seriously. I'm done being Chairman. I'll write my resignation."
What did they want from him? Just do it like every year.
"No chance. You'll keep grinding away with me."
"I'm over sixty already—'grinding' what?"
"Chairman, with that build, no one'd believe you if you claimed sixty anywhere."
His massive frame didn't match his age. Muscles still strained against his clothes, and his rugged face intimidated even active hunters.
Though really, he was just a pitiful middle-aged guy exhausted and dreaming of rest.
"Ugh, whatever. Tell the Big Five to handle the notices themselves, pull their people, and attend the conference. I'm taking a break."
He stroked his thinning hair and sighed again.
Winter had arrived before I knew it.
In the swiftly passing time, I was just quietly doing my job. No gate raids or other promises—I holed up at home, doing what only I could.
Engraving circuits throughout the house.
I trickled mana bit by bit, etching intricate circuits into floors, ceilings, everywhere without distinction. Not like normal spellcasting. This was a high-level magic circle prepared over ages, steadily accumulating mana for activation.
What I was making was a protective magic circle.
The S-rank gate I'd entered before, the anomaly gate where I saved Sihyun—the world was twisting, creating divergences. I was just preparing the bare minimum.
Because this was mine and Sihyun's sanctuary. I wanted it to be a place we could live without worry.
I kept drawing the circuits.
Sihyun, getting ready for work, watched my circuits curiously from the side.
"Bro, what can't you do...? Sword, bow, weird lights, and now some mystery magic...?"
"Heh, you know it. Your big bro's a jack-of-all-trades!"
"Isekai slaves are crazy competent... Guess other worlds really do have different cultures."
Oof.
"Wait, you still think I was a slave...? After everything you've seen, doesn't it feel obvious I wasn't?"
"...? But you said you were a slave before, bro."
I'd never corrected her, so she'd just believed it all this time without a clue.
"I said it was similar to being worked like a dog. Never once said 'slave'."
"Eh, what? So what'd you do then?"
"Just rolled hard on the battlefield like a soldier. Pretoria wasn't peaceful. It was mid-war, so I went to the front lines too."
A soldier guarding the battlefield. One of the noble souls fighting to protect family and the weak.
"Wait, what...? That's even more pitiful than a slave... How is it every time we dig, your story just gets sadder?"
"Eh... Is that how it comes off...?"
Didn't feel that way to Sihyun, apparently.
She patted my back.
"Grinding like that and coming back without a dime? Tells you all about those world's people... No wonder you wanna slack off so bad."
Sihyun comforted me like that, finished prepping, and headed out.
"Bro, I'm off to work. Play hard!"
The door clicked shut, leaving me wrapped in a strange mix of emotions.
I tilted my head, but kept drawing the circuit I'd been working on.