Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 84
A peaceful weekend morning.
The contract was over, the Pixie Powder was secured, and Eunha, with nothing left to do, felt like every day was a weekend.
Eunha approached the refrigerator and took out a cold can of beer.
Indeed, drinking alone is the best on a day off.
For reference, 'drinking alone' (honsul) was a word Eunha had recently learned.
Plumping down on the cool sofa and turning on the TV, a rerun of 'I Want to Know That', which had apparently aired as a summer special, was being broadcast.
[Princess of Dark Flare. Is the woman in the black dress truly an imaginary being existing only in urban legends?]
Pause.
Eunha, on the sofa, stopped trying to open the can and lifted her gaze towards the TV screen.
[In May 2031, a concept hunter appears from Wolf, considered Korea's largest guild.]
[Alias: 'Princess of Dark Flare'. From that peculiar alias, we will all likely recall the same being.]
[A story that circulated like an urban legend among hunters in the early 2000s. A black dress and a black parasol. A woman entirely clad in black. Indeed, quite a few eyewitness accounts could be found on the internet.]
Along with ominous background music, various internet eyewitness accounts scrolled across the TV screen.
[As you can see, there are countless eyewitness accounts of the Princess of Dark Flare. Is there a connection between these accounts and the hunter from Wolf? The production team, with this question, visited the Wolf HQ and requested an interview with the Princess of Dark Flare.]
[However.]
[We were told that the contract between the Princess of Dark Flare and Wolf had already ended. Contracts between free hunters and guilds usually last a minimum of one year to as long as five years or more.]
[Here, we are left with a question.]
[For what reason did the Princess of Dark Flare hastily terminate her contract in less than a year?]
[The questions don't end here.]
[The production team, unable to confirm the whereabouts of the Princess of Dark Flare, sought out a Mr. Park from S Management Company, who was said to have been her manager.]
...Mr. Park?
Don't tell me, Manager Park Jehwi?
Eunha, who was bringing the can to her lips, shifted her posture and focused on the TV screen.
[Park XX│S Management Company Employee│Presumed Former Manager of Princess of Dark Flare]
[(Voice distorted) Ah, I said I don't know! I told you to leave!]
[W-wait a minute! Sir?]
[(Voice distorted) I said leave. Goodness, if you keep this up, I'll call the police. Huh? Are you really going to call?!]
"..."
Though his face was mosaic-blurred and his voice distorted, it really seemed to be Jehwi.
Eunha, with a dry face, watched the TV and sipped her beer.
The broadcast continued.
[Mr. Park showed strong reluctance towards the interview. Could he be hiding something?]
[At that time, we received an anonymous tip from a Wolf guild member. The content of the tip is as follows.]
[Kim XX│7th Year Wolf Guild Member]
[(Voice distorted) I heard the Princess of Dark Flare was contracted with Wolf for several months, but neither I nor my colleagues have ever seen her. There are no witnesses even among the colleagues stationed at the HQ.]
Eunha watched the interview with a dumbfounded expression.
Of course not, I never went to the HQ...
[Was she truly a 'hunter'?]
[—Perhaps, she is still watching you somewhere in this city, holding a black parasol.]
['I Want to Know That' is awaiting information from those who know well about or have witnessed the Princess of Dark Flare. │ 02-XXXX-XXXX]
While she was engrossed in watching TV.
Ding dong—
The bell rang.
Lifting her head, the intercom was blinking.
It seemed to be the first-floor lobby.
Who could it be at this hour?
She had planned to go grocery shopping with Jehwi in the afternoon, but he couldn't possibly be here already.
Eunha turned off the TV, got up from her seat, and checked the visitor.
[It's Bae Junhwan from Corps.]
Junhwan's face appeared on the intercom monitor.
Confirming his face, Eunha obediently opened the door, and soon, the bell rang again.
Opening the front door, she saw Junhwan standing there stiffly with a peculiar look in his eyes.
Having removed his beret, he bowed deeply.
"I apologize for barging in unannounced."
"No. It's fine. Is something wrong?"
Eunha asked cautiously.
Perhaps because she had just watched that strange broadcast, she felt inexplicably anxious.
Could he have heard strange rumors too?
No, perhaps something bad had happened to Minjoo.
"..."
Junhwan, with a complicated expression, didn't readily open his mouth.
Eunha, after staring at him silently, gestured inwards.
"Come in first."
Only then did Junhwan hesitantly step into the officetel.
The two sat facing each other on dining chairs.
Even after that, Junhwan couldn't easily bring himself to speak and kept his gaze lowered.
"Is there a problem with Minjoo?"
"Ah, no... It's not like that."
"Then what? Did they say the Pixie Powder wasn't effective?"
"..."
Pixie Powder.
At that word, Junhwan's face grew even heavier.
His fists, resting politely on his knees, clenched tightly.
"Hunter-nim, I heard from Doctor Plant."
Junhwan slowly lifted his gaze.
"...The Pixie Powder. You obtained it for us, Hunter-nim."
"Ah."
Suddenly, Eunha's face flushed with embarrassment.
Before becoming unsettled by the TV, she had just checked internet articles and community posts related to it.
"She only told me because I kept pressing her. Rest assured, this matter will not leak outside. I swear on my life and Corps. However... there is one thing I wanted to ask, so I came here, risking rudeness."
"What is it?"
At Eunha's question, Junhwan closed his mouth as if hesitant.
His voice, when he spoke again, was faintly trembling.
"Why did you go that far?"
"..."
"No, I mean... What I'm trying to say is... the reason you spent such a large sum of money, it's just... I can't quite..."
...I'm sorry.
Junhwan closed his mouth again.
As if unsure what to say or how to say it, he bit his lower lip.
"As you know, because Master is in critical condition... it seems difficult to repay the debt right now. If you could give us a little time, someday we will definitely..."
"No."
...?
Junhwan lifted his head.
Eunha spoke calmly.
"It's not necessary. This isn't a debt."
"Huh? But..."
"You said we were family."
Eunha looked directly at Junhwan.
He too was looking at Eunha.
The moment their eyes met, Eunha smiled faintly without a sound.
Then, she pulled out her chair and slowly stood up.
"Let's drop that subject, want something to drink?"
I have soda, and canned coffee too. Or maybe beer?
Eunha said, rummaging through the refrigerator.
No reply came from Junhwan.
The moment Eunha, having taken out two suitable drinks, closed the refrigerator door and turned around.
"...?"
Thump.
Suddenly, Junhwan knelt on the living room floor.
"Thank... you..."
Towards Eunha, who stood frozen with two drinks in her hands, Junhwan prostrated himself, touching his forehead to the floor.
Eunha, staring blankly at the back of his head, quietly parted her lips.
"Fortunately, I had enough money, and someone who called me family happened to desperately need something."
A low remark was added.
"I merely obtained it for them."
"..."
Junhwan, who had been prostrated on the floor, blankly lifted his head.
Their gazes met in mid-air.
Junhwan slowly, but without wavering, rose from his spot.
"...Our Corps will never forget this kindness."
Finally standing properly, Junhwan bowed his head once more before Eunha.
This time, it wasn't as deep.
A simple salute.
However, his eyes, when revealed again, showed no trace of the guilt or anxiety from before.
"Ms. Yura, no, Princess of Dark Flare. On behalf of Corps, I offer you the pledge of our 60,000 strong."
"A pledge?"
"Yes."
He raised his clenched fist to his left chest.
"From this moment on, our Corps will never hesitate to be your sword, that is our pledge."
"We bought a lot today too."
Jehwi, unloading the groceries from the trunk, wiped the sweat beaded on his forehead.
They were on their way back from grocery shopping.
"For the time being, it might be better if I do the grocery shopping alone. It would be troublesome if something like today happens again."
Jehwi shook his head as if utterly fed up.
At every supermarket they went to, there were people who recognized Eunha, making things awkward.
In the end, grocery shopping took over three hours.
Most people just saw Eunha and whispered from afar, but some of them directly approached her, asking if she was indeed the Princess of Dark Flare, if she really fought the Monkey King, if they could take a picture, and so on, following her around throughout the grocery shopping.
The hat Eunha had pulled down low was ultimately of little use.
If that were all, it would have been fortunate.
Technological advancement is frightening; there were even groups sharing Eunha's whereabouts on SNS.
Indeed, on their way out after grocery shopping, people who looked like reporters were gathered in front of the supermarket.
If they had been just a little later, they would have been helplessly confronted.
"Seriously, they're like ghosts. Ugh, I wonder if they weren't waiting like hungry hyenas 24/7."
"Indeed."
"Anyway, you really went through a lot. Whether we go to the supermarket in the next neighborhood or I go grocery shopping alone, I'll have to figure something out next time."
While waiting for the elevator, Jehwi sighed as if he was fed up.
"...Ah, just a moment."
Eunha, as if remembering something, temporarily put down her groceries and headed to the mailbox.
It was almost time to pay the maintenance fee.
Now that this officetel was in Eunha's, or more precisely, 'Lee Yura's' name, she would have to transfer the payment herself starting this month.
Opening the mailbox, sure enough, two or three white envelopes were visible.
One was the maintenance bill, another was an insurance advertisement, and the remaining one was...
"Hunter-nim, the elevator has arrived."
"..."
"Hmm? Hunter-nim?"
Jehwi, holding the elevator, tilted his head and approached Eunha.
"What's wrong?"
"...This."
Eunha muttered softly, her eyes not leaving the envelope in her hand.
A red envelope, particularly conspicuous among the white ones.
Below a butterfly-shaped gold foil decoration, the words 'TO. Princess of Dark Flare' were clear.
"Could it perhaps be a fan letter?"
"How would they know my address?"
"Hmm. That's true too."
Doubt flickered in both their eyes.
Though the Princess of Dark Flare was currently a hot topic among netizens, could her home address have really been leaked?
"If you're uncomfortable, how about just throwing it away? No, maybe it's better to check what's inside first."
Jehwi muttered beside her.
Eunha slowly flipped the envelope over and checked the back.
And in that instant,
"...Gasp!"
Jehwi's eyes widened as if they would pop out.
Eunha too, froze stiffly.
From. Maestro
On the back of the envelope, unexpected words were written.
