Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 86
"May I see your invitation?"
Seoul S Hotel.
Eunha, who was naturally about to enter, suddenly stopped her steps.
"...Here."
As she held out the red envelope she had prepared beforehand, the man in the suit meticulously examined it before handing it back to Eunha.
"Thank you for the confirmation. I will escort you to the grand ballroom. This way, please."
He guided Eunha to a different location, not the main lobby elevator.
While following the man, Eunha looked around, checking her surroundings.
There was no one in the hotel lobby, and even the front desk was empty.
Is a 'party' really being held here?
The surroundings were so quiet it was as if a mouse had died, making her even doubt that.
"You can use this elevator."
"Thank you."
So there was another elevator in such an out-of-the-way place.
Eunha stared blankly at the golden automatic door before her.
Soon, the doors opened, and as she stepped into the glittering elevator, it began to ascend automatically even though she hadn't pressed a button.
'How many floors is it going up?'
Eunha glanced upwards.
There were no floor indicators or monitors anywhere.
All there was, was a single mirror on the left wall.
Eunha rechecked her reflection in the elevator mirror.
A knee-length black mermaid-line dress.
It was a neat design with no particular embellishments other than translucent puff sleeves.
And the black cat-shaped mask she had used at the last auction.
'I can't wear the Princess of Dark Flare dress here.'
She had rushed out of the house this morning and had a hard time choosing a dress.
Fortunately, she ended up buying a suitable one with the recommendation of a clothing store employee.
Eunha, fiddling with the mask she was wearing, silently waited for the elevator to arrive.
Somewhere in the place that would appear when these doors opened, Yijun would be there.
She still didn't know his intention for inviting Eunha here.
There was no guarantee she would find out the reason today either.
But Eunha came here.
Because if she didn't come, she might end up not knowing even what she could have known.
Ding dong—
The elevator doors, which seemed like they would never open, finally did.
Eunha slowly stepped out.
<Grand Ballroom ▶▶>
Kindly, an information sign was located right in front.
Eunha looked around and slowly walked in the direction indicated by the sign.
The corridor Eunha walked through had glass walls on both sides, allowing her to easily see outside.
The elevator doors hadn't opened for a while, and the surrounding buildings looked like toys; it seemed this place was quite high up.
The sound of a violin came from not too far away.
At the dazzling light of the chandelier that soon appeared, Eunha lightly raised her hand to shade her eyes.
The people gathered in small groups enjoying the party, even at a rough glance, seemed to number well over a hundred.
A few people glanced at Eunha, but no one approached her.
Eunha looked around, searching for someone who looked like Yijun.
However, it wasn't easy because everyone was wearing a mask.
Eventually, Eunha, temporarily giving up on finding Yijun, leaned back against the wall.
...What should I do?
Having come this far, it felt strange to just turn back.
But just staying like this didn't seem like she would be able to find Yijun.
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' begins to suspect if that guy is really here, sister, or if you've been stood up.]
[If he wanted to meet, he should have come to find you himself in the first place! Why is he making such a fuss, telling you to come and go, it huffs.]
The cat seemed very angry.
Eunha, to some extent, sympathized with the cat's words.
No matter how much she looked around, she couldn't find anyone who looked like Yijun.
And she couldn't just grab every masked person and ask if they were him.
Could it have been someone's prank?
That couldn't be.
Besides Siwoo, no one knew about the relationship between Eunha and Yijun.
'Should I just go back?'
While she was engrossed in such contemplation.
"...?"
Eunha suddenly lifted her head.
The surrounding atmosphere had changed.
The murmuring sounds subsided, and the sound of someone's heels echoed unusually loudly throughout the hall.
Soon, a man standing on the podium held a microphone.
"On such a wonderful night as this, I offer my thanks to all who have graced this place with their precious presence. Though we wear masks, introductions are in order. I am Ko Daeyoon, President of the Korean Hunter Association."
A mask splendidly adorned with red feathers.
The owner of that flamboyant mask was Association President Daeyoon.
A dazzling chandelier illuminated Daeyoon, and everyone there, including Eunha, focused on him.
A man in a suit standing beside Daeyoon translated his words into English.
It seemed there were quite a few foreigners mixed among those gathered here.
"Before the party officially begins, there is a story I would like to share.
It was when I first awakened and became a hunter by a chance opportunity, tens of years ago. I thought I was chosen, and I was excited to have become a special being, different from others.
However, in the decades since then, while active as a hunter, I have met countless hunters. They were stronger, more excellent, and braver than I.
Perhaps I'm not that special. In fact, I might be an insignificant person. Such thoughts came to me. Weakly, I might add.
To me, who was disheartened, my father said.
They are strong. But that does not mean you are weak.
You are strong. But that does not mean they are weak.
Only now do I seem to understand its meaning.
It is a sad thing to judge each other's specialness with just a single alphabet, using rank as an excuse for convenience.
I hope it is not so, at least here today.
We are all special.
It is the same.
Because we are all hunters."
The hall quieted after the long speech.
Daeyoon, with a gentle smile, took the microphone again.
"These were the words Maestro said to me before opening this party today."
Maestro.
At that alias, the surroundings began to stir.
"..."
Amidst them, Eunha stood fixed in place, staring at Daeyoon.
In the chaotic atmosphere, Daeyoon continued speaking without wavering.
"This year, Korea, the Korean hunter community, has received a great gift. The possessor of the special title 'Prime', granted only to the top 10 hunters in the global rankings by the World Hunter Organization. He is more familiar to us as the first S-Class. Maestro. He is here.
Before being the President of the Korean Association, as a fellow hunter, I agree with his thoughts. Therefore, this year, we have decided to hold a special party, a masquerade ball. I hope it will be an unforgettable and wonderful night for all of you."
Thank you.
Clap, clap, clap...
Daeyoon descended from the podium amidst applause.
Half of the people who stopped clapping started clinking glasses again or enjoying the party, while the other half looked around, seemingly searching for someone who looked like Maestro.
Eunha too should have looked around to find him, but she didn't.
She just stood there silently, without moving.
'Prime... Maestro...'
...Baek Yijun.
Indeed, he was different from the person Eunha knew.
Everything was unfamiliar.
Even the 'story of Yijun' that came from the Association President's mouth.
She had known from their last reunion, but she realized it even more keenly here.
The Yijun Eunha knew was nowhere to be found.
Could Yijun have invited Eunha here specifically to make that clear?
If so, it was an effective method.
The 'Prime' designated by the World Hunter Organization, the first S-Class—he kept talking about such unbelievable things that Eunha didn't even have a chance to feel nostalgic about Yijun.
"What was I expecting."
Eunha, with a self-deprecating smile, muttered quietly.
Ding.
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' asks, "Huh? Sister, why did you suddenly get so down? Who did it?!" and puts its paws on its hips, huffing at the surroundings.]
[It argues that the one who invited you but didn't show up is the bad one, and insists on going home immediately! There's absolutely no reason to stay here for another minute or second.]
[It suggests playing Twenty Questions like last time when you get home, and winks, saying it'll specially bet 3,000 coins today.]
...There are also days when one receives comfort from a cat.
Eunha slowly stroked the yellow message window that appeared before her eyes with her hand.
Right, let's go back.
Anyway, even if she stayed here, it didn't seem like she would be able to meet Yijun.
And even if she did meet him, she didn't know if she could have a proper conversation with Yijun.
He had now become a world-famous hunter.
Eunha slowly began to walk towards the ballroom exit.
However.
Thump.
"...Ah."
Just before leaving the ballroom, she bumped shoulders with someone.
Because of that, the brooch attached to Eunha's dress fell to the ground.
"Ah, I'm sorry."
It was a man in a black suit and a white mask.
The mask with smiling eyes gave a peculiar impression.
The moment he bent down to pick up the brooch, a strong scent of perfume wafted to her nose.
"Here you go. My vision was obscured by the mask. Are you hurt anywhere?"
He held out the brooch.
Eunha, taking it, glanced at him.
Silver-gray eyes, peeking slightly through the mask.
When their eyes met, Eunha's brow narrowed slightly.
"Baek..."
The moment Eunha parted her lips,
"...Eun-ha?"
He too parted his lips.
A dazed, astonished voice.
Though he was wearing a mask, he seemed to have recognized Eunha at once.
It was the same for Eunha.
In that short moment, Eunha realized who he was.
She very well could have.
"Why are you here...?"
Baek Yijun.
Because he was an old colleague with whom she had spent a long time.
