Chapter 58
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: The World Hunter Conference Has Romance (3)
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The plane took off as casually as if it were just another part of daily life, slowly shifting its massive frame before hurtling down the runway at breakneck speed.
Six Hunters departing for the conference. S-ranks from the five great guilds, plus one ambiguous A-rank squeezed in among them. The private jet prepared for them was nothing short of luxurious.
She settled into her seat with an impassive expression, utterly unfazed by them. S-rank or A-rank—it was all the same to her; they were just people with different ratings. She made a conscious effort to ignore the overwhelming pressure radiating from those around her.
Inside, her heart trembled like aspen leaves, unable to shake off the tension. And it wasn't solely due to the intimidation.
She'd told her brother it was no big deal, just doing what needed to be done. But her first trip abroad left her body rigid with nerves.
The plane's comfortable ride was a first for her, but as the view outside gave way to scattered clouds and the land vanished from sight, pointless worries crept in—what if it crashed?
She felt ashamed of herself for letting her thoughts spiral so negatively.
"Baby, are you shaking...?"
That small voice carried a hint of concern. From the airport to her seat on the plane, this Hunter had claimed the spot right beside her, staring straight through her.
The S-rank Hunter, known for showing no interest in others, was paying attention solely because she was her brother's sister.
"No, I'm fine. And I told you not to call me 'baby'—you really don't listen."
Yet the words that came from her mouth were curt beyond measure. Despite the Hunter's high status as an S-rank and the genuine care she felt, the irritation stemmed purely from the fact that this woman was eyeing her brother.
"Baby, it's okay... No matter what happens, I'll protect you. You don't have to worry."
"No, I said I'm not worried. And the nickname...!"
That damn nickname. She was about to snap at her to cut it out when—
"I'm strong too, even if not as much as Siwoo..."
Her next words made her stop short.
She knew her brother was strong, but it didn't make sense that this S-rank Hunter, one of Korea's representatives, would admit someone else was stronger.
"Huh? My brother's strong...? Well, yeah, he is, but stronger than you, Yuna? You're Korea's top Hunter..."
Her anxiety mixed with curiosity, scattering her doubts. Forgetting her prickly attitude, her eyes sparkled with questions.
"Uh... I didn't think you wouldn't know. Did Siwoo not say anything after that S-rank Gate...?"
But her puzzled expression filled the view even more than her own bewildered face.
"What? What was he supposed to say?"
"Ugh... If Siwoo didn't tell you, I can't either."
"Don't start a story and then stop! Finish it!"
"But if I say it on my own, Siwoo will scold me..."
"You can call me 'baby' if you just tell me now."
She dangled that excruciatingly embarrassing nickname as collateral.
"...!"
Yuna's eyes widened at her words, and without a second thought, she spilled the truth.
"Siwoo, the Hero of Pretoria. That's what happened in the Gate. He said Siwoo is that world's Hero. It doesn't match the S-rank Gate's difficulty."
She freely revealed what was surely Luna Guild's classified info and kept going.
"Not just me—even the other Hunters here wouldn't stand a chance against him..."
Unable to comprehend, she blankly repeated the words.
"Huh...? Hero? My brother? What Hero? Brother's a Hero? Hero is brother? Brother's the Hero...? Why?"
"Huh...? Baby, are you glitching...?"
That rascal...? A Hero?
Yuna Hunter's bombshell lingered in her mind until the plane landed and they reached their lodgings for the conference.
Night passed into morning, and even as the conference began with Hunters gathering in droves, she remained lost in thought, dazed.
********
The air was crisp, breaths fogging white, yet the sky was clear. Winter had fully set in; trees stood bare, birds fallen silent.
Frost clung thickly to the car windows around him, blurring the roadsides in a hazy white.
Fallen leaves crunched underfoot on the pavement, and the chill wind drove people indoors.
But he didn't join the crowds. He simply took a moment to stroll through the darkening park as night fell, catching his breath before heading home.
A day greeted by no one. The cozy home he'd thought warm felt empty in his solitude.
Just three days. Merely the span of three suns and three moons alone, yet the bright spirits he'd hoped for felt a bit dimmed.
He'd said they'd stay in touch, but ignoring the time difference and schedules was a mistake. Replies to his messages came hours later, making real conversation impossible.
On top of that, Sihyun's responses seemed dazed for some reason. Yuna had always been a bit spacey.
Maybe that's why—it reaffirmed that being alone sucked. Nothing beat sharing time with others.
Even realizing he was alive started with being observed by someone. The absence of those who filled his surroundings left him faintly melancholic.
But that gloom ended today.
The mysterious World Hunter Conference kicked off today, so he turned on the TV, waiting for footage to appear.
The pointless countdown ended, and the screen filled with a gorgeously opulent grand hall.
Hunters of various nationalities packed the venue, forging connections amid meetings. The camera zoomed in one by one on Korea's Hunters.
Their conversations, expressions, and gestures were captured. Were they used to such events? Each one naturally clinked glasses with others on screen.
He waited for Sihyun and Yuna to appear. Neither liked stepping forward, so they were probably tucked in some corner.
And sure enough, that's where they were. In a corner of the hall, quietly tending to small plates of food.
Or rather, they looked spaced out.
- Oh, Hunter Yuna? It's been ages since last year!
Yuna barely glanced at the approaching young male Hunter, just nodding curtly.
- Haha~ Still as brusque as ever. And the lady next to you—may I have your name...?
He tried smoothly shifting to Sihyun, but—
- Chattering nonstop beside me... So much on my mind, why do you keep beeping...?
A curse slipped through despite the mute. Wait, this was live TV—were swears okay?
Luckily, the foreign Hunter didn't understand.
- Ooh~ Korean Hunters have that cool charm. A allure you don't get from others!
He just kept babbling on. Not cool—straight-up ignored, though.
Fine, Yuna aside, why was Sihyun acting like that?
Wasn't the point to build connections? Everyone else on screen was diligently chatting and laughing, but those two just dazedly shoved food in their mouths.
Seeing Sihyun and Yuna after so long was... absurd, yet refreshingly consistent. Nice, even.
They said your environment and company change you. That scene proved otherwise.
Afterward, the screen only showed them ruthlessly brushing off approaching Hunters, firmly holding their spot as a duo.
********
Maybe because it was the first day.
The opening banquet signaling the conference's start wrapped up in under a few hours.
As if it were just to break the ice among attendees, the extravagantly flashy event ended, and the broadcast announced the close of the conference's first day.
Facing the banquet's end, time had slipped past midnight into dawn.
He turned off the TV and lay in bed, not sleepy despite the enveloping darkness.
His body didn't tire, but dozing off in the dim hours felt incredibly good.
With nothing better to do awake, that helped too.
From what he'd heard, tomorrow was the academic symposium, then sparring matches the day after.
A week packed tight. It just made him sigh. Already lonely alone, this pointless conference meant nearly two weeks solo.
Hoping for sleep, he closed his eyes. A dream naturally seeped in to greet him.
And the next day, the conference veered in a direction no one could have predicted.