Turbulent Times
Once the car started moving, I gave Namgung Min a brief lesson on basic etiquette.
"When we arrive at the venue, make sure you open the passenger door for me."
"Hmm?"
"And then offer your hand so I can step out. Got it?"
Perhaps because he was focusing on driving, he didn't answer right away.
"Well? Your answer?"
"I... I understand."
"This is basic escort etiquette. If you don't even do this, you'll get criticized wherever you go."
He barely offered a response.
"Even when you date a woman in the future, you need to do at least this much as a bare minimum."
I nagged him, but he pretended not to hear. It wasn't that he didn't want to listen... he was probably just really focusing on the road, right?
Our destination was a hotel. A very expensive-looking one at that...
Perhaps because of the gathering, security was tight around the perimeter, making entry quite difficult. We lined up and waited our turn. When it was our turn, he rolled down the window and showed the invitation.
"Confirmed. You may proceed."
After the invitation was verified, we were allowed inside the hotel grounds.
Reflecting the nature of the gathering, the parking lot was filled with luxury vehicles. Sleek sports cars, high-end imports...
Once we parked, I prepared to get out...
...but Namgung Min quickly got out first, scurried over to the passenger side, opened the door, and offered me his hand.
I couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle at the sight.
He didn't even answer properly earlier, but he was listening to every word.
"Ahem!"
Looking thoroughly embarrassed, Namgung Min averted his gaze.
I took his hand and stepped out of the car.
"So you were listening after all?"
"Ahem!"
He still couldn't bring himself to look at me, clearly flustered.
"Fufu. If you do this when you meet a woman in the future, she'll definitely like it."
I hadn't spent much time in the modern world, but... back in the Other World, I had occasionally been escorted by the Hero. Thinking back to those times, I was sure any woman would appreciate the gesture.
"Mmm..."
As we left the parking lot and headed toward the banquet hall... I walked close to the Guild Master's side. Namgung Min looked incredibly uncomfortable with the proximity.
"Bear with it. It's part of the escort."
"Is this also part of it?"
"Yes. When you escort a lady, walking close like this is the standard."
Since we weren't lovers, I kept a slight distance. In reality, couples walked even closer... and if they were lovers, the woman might intentionally let her chest brush against his arm. It was a way of flaunting their intimacy, so to speak. In the noble social circles of the Other World, young ladies often did that to signal they were taken. I had no need for such displays, so I maintained a proper, natural distance that wouldn't look awkward.
When we arrived at the banquet hall, it was already crowded. I recognized a few familiar faces, but the vast majority were strangers. And...
"There are a lot of strong people here."
Upon entering, I could sense powerful individuals who either couldn't—or chose not to—hide their strength. Judging by the sheer pressure of their energy... they were likely S-Class hunters from other nations.
"Oh, you two made it?"
The first to greet us was Park Young-shik, the Guild Master of the nation's number one guild, the Blood Alliance.
"It's been a while."
Had it been almost a month?
"You seem to be doing well. But... are you two in that kind of relationship now?"
Disgusted by Park Young-shik's sly, knowing smirk, I promptly nudged Namgung Min's arm away.
"We've made it inside, so I suppose we can stop this act now."
"Mmm..."
"Was I mistaken?"
He was still trying to play matchmaker.
"We are not, so stop talking nonsense."
"Haha."
Honestly...
"If I had truly intended to have this man as my partner, I wouldn't have let him dress like this."
I pointed at his modified Hanbok, which was entirely out of place for the occasion.
"Is it really that bad?"
When Namgung Min spoke up, I clicked my tongue.
"Look around you. Does anyone else look like they're about to practice martial arts?"
"Mmm..."
"If you understand, then keep your mouth shut."
I had promised my sister I'd apologize and be careful... but I just couldn't help myself.
In any case, as the banquet officially began, people began to mingle and converse. Namgung Min and I stood in the corner like wallflowers, sipping our drinks and watching the crowd.
"Do we just stand here like this and then leave?"
"Yes. We can head out after about two hours."
Just two hours... It felt like a bit of a waste to buy such an expensive designer dress just for this. Still, wearing it made me realize it was actually quite a nice outfit.
I had hoped we could slip away without any incidents, but of course, someone approached us. He had another person in tow...
"Hello."
Hearing the language, it was Chinese.
"An interpreter."
"It is an honor to meet you."
An honor...? He doesn't look honored at all.
The Chinese hunter carried himself with an air of sheer arrogance and condescension. One look at his face was enough to tell he was looking down on us.
The interpreter went on to introduce him as some S-Class hunter from China, but I had zero interest, so I let the words drift right out of my head.
"What brings you to us?" Namgung Min responded in his usual dignified tone.
"He says he has some questions regarding the recent Gate."
"Questions... The official report would be far more accurate."
Upon hearing the translation, the Chinese hunter's face contorted. He spat out a barrage of Chinese, but amidst his rapid-fire words, the term bangzi clearly slipped through. Even without knowing Chinese, I knew well enough that it was a derogatory slur used against Koreans.
"That Chinese guy is insulting us."
"I am aware."
The interpreter, looking flustered, tried to read the room and quickly offered a heavily sanitized version of the hunter's words. The gist of it was that he wanted to know details beyond what was written in the report...
"I see..."
My instincts screamed at me to smash my fist right into his smug face, but since he was a foreign S-Class hunter and not one of ours, causing an international incident would be a headache. I held back.
"The ability to turn others into their own kind is likely far more lethal to hunters."
"Is that so?"
This was news to Namgung Min as well, prompting an immediate reaction from him.
"It's just my theory, but the power residing within Awakened individuals... without it, the probability of being turned into one of them is likely much lower."
Of course, there was no way to test this theory.
Naturally, the Chinese hunter reacted violently, scoffing as if to ask how such a thing could make any sense. He was undoubtedly insulting or belittling me, but since I couldn't be absolutely certain without knowing the language, I kept my temper in check.
"Believe it or not, it's up to you. I'm simply sharing what I observed as a hunter who participated in the raid."
"You... participated in the raid?"
The interpreter looked even more shocked than the hunter.
"Oh my. I suppose you didn't recognize me."
I smirked.
"Korea's S-Class healer..."
Oh, they caught on quick.
"That's all you wanted to know, right? Now get lost."
Though taken aback, the interpreter managed to translate my words with some diplomatic filtering. The Chinese hunter scowled in displeasure, but ultimately, he turned and walked away.
"You showed admirable restraint."
"Ha. Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to plant my fist in his face."
"I felt the same."
It seemed our Guild Master had also picked up on the Chinese hunter's insults.
"I am confident I could defeat him in battle. However..."
"Because the collateral damage would be too much to handle?"
"Indeed."
I, too, was fully confident I could easily overpower a hunter of his caliber. But if a fight broke out... the surrounding area would be utterly devastated. It was the difficulty of containing the fallout that made me hold back. If he had been a mere A-Class, I would have taken him out in a single blow.
"You did well to hold back."
Ha, getting praised for not throwing a punch feels incredibly weird.
"I might not be so patient next time."
I let it slide this time, but if another Chinese bastard came over to stir up trouble, I didn't think I'd be able to restrain myself.
"I beg of you, please restrain yourself."
I simply shrugged.
Afterward, several other hunters approached us to introduce themselves and try to build connections, but I brushed them off. I made excuses about not feeling well or being tired, but even so, it was exhausting.
"We've stayed long enough. I believe we can head back now."
"Really? Then let's get out of here immediately."
Watching all these nouveau riche displays was starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth. A few of our domestic S-Class hunters were actively mingling and talking to people, and I wondered what on earth drove them to be so enthusiastic.
"Why are they trying so hard?"
"Mmm... It might be difficult to understand even if I explain."
To summarize what I gathered from him...
Every nation was desperate to recruit more hunter forces. On top of that...
"Additionally, the frequency of Gate appearances has reportedly been rising over the past few months."
Apparently, there were statistics to back it up. The Hunter Association and the Gate Management Department were growing increasingly concerned that the Gate crisis, which they thought had stabilized, was undergoing another volatile shift.
"Indeed, didn't a high-difficulty Gate suddenly appear in our country as well?"
It seemed similar Gates were popping up in other nations too.
"Furthermore, there are cases where Gates that have already been cleared manifest in entirely different locations..."
Already-cleared Gates opening elsewhere. In other words, the Great Forest or the Millennium Ancient City could manifest in other countries.
"So, naturally, they are worried."
And...
"Establishing connections now makes it easier to request backup later."
While calling in foreign hunters was usually a last resort, if the situation became truly dire, they would have no choice but to rely on international aid.
"Though, their true motive..."
...was to poach hunters for their own countries.
"With the recent controversy surrounding the treatment of hunters in our country, neighboring nations must have seen this as a golden opportunity."
In fact, some had already approached Namgung Min with exactly that intention.
"No one approached me like that."
"Your face has only recently become known, has it not?"
He suggested that was why they hadn't caught on yet...
"Is there another reason?"
"It seemed to me they couldn't even bring themselves to speak to you because of your icy demeanor."
Uh, well... I did shut them down pretty ruthlessly.
"At any rate, let us head back."
Oh... Namgung Min suddenly sounded quite manly.
As we left the banquet hall and waited for the elevator to head down to the parking lot...
...that Chinese hunter bastard approached us. He looked drunk, his face flushed red. I had no idea where he had left his interpreter, but he was wandering around all by himself.
Please don't come this way... Or at least, let the elevator arrive quickly...
But of course... he headed straight toward us.
Stumbling with unsteady, drunken steps, he spotted us and began slurring something in Chinese. And, as expected, the word bangzi was mixed in.
"Ignore him," Namgung Min said, not even looking in his direction.
I wanted to ignore him too if possible, but he kept closing the distance. To make matters worse, his voice was getting louder and louder.
Ah, this is getting seriously annoying...