Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 99
A certain hotel in Seoul, Korea.
A luxurious room, deemed five-star or even higher.
A blond young man sat on a chair, humming cheerfully.
The white bird in the cage, lulled by his humming, dozed off.
Until the door burst open.
Bang!
"【Whoa, that startled me.】"
Fortune-teller, Andrea, who had been resting his chin on his hand, flinched and turned his head towards the door.
Yijun, dressed in a black suit, strode towards Andrea without even removing his gloves.
"【Johann? Where have you been?】"
Yijun didn't answer immediately and plopped down on the chair opposite Andrea.
As he lightly swept his hair back, a faint scent of perfume wafted to his nose.
But Andrea knew.
He didn't wear perfume.
This was his natural scent.
To be precise, it was the scent of his unique ability, pheromones.
"【To the Association, for a bit.】"
Unbuttoning his tightly fastened cuffs and slightly rolling up his sleeves, Yijun answered shortly.
It had already been several months since Maestro signed a contract with the Korean Association.
So, it wasn't strange at all for him to visit the Association.
"【Oh... I see.】"
However, Andrea averted his gaze sharply, as if he had something to hide.
"【You've done something unnecessary, Andrea.】"
...As expected.
What was bound to happen had happened.
Andrea blinked innocently.
"【Unnecessary? You mean relaying the prophecy to the Association?】"
At his nonchalant attitude, Yijun's gaze darkened.
Though his expression didn't change, Andrea could tell.
He was in a very bad mood right now.
Andrea, the Fortune-teller, had used a carrier pigeon to deliver a prophecy to Ko Daeyoon, the President of the Korean Hunter Association.
Assuming the Association President trusted the prophecy, Korea would be able to prepare for the impending disaster in advance.
GIA had no business interfering with the specific countermeasures.
Ordinarily, that is.
"【...Relaying the information about the attributes was just a bonus.】"
"【So? Did you get a decent tip?】"
The corner of Yijun's mouth curled up obliquely.
Naturally, his eyes weren't smiling at all.
"【Did you completely forget your promise to me to keep quiet about the attributes?】"
"【That's...】"
Andrea mumbled, his words trailing off.
"【B-but thanks to that, the Korean Association will be able to prepare more specific countermeasures, and as a result, more people will be saved. Isn't that a good thing?】"
Isn't it, Johann?
Andrea looked at Yijun.
However, Yijun, with a resolute face, replied thus.
"【Those who are destined to die will die anyway.】"
Irresponsibly cold words.
Conversely, Yijun's eyes sank infinitely heavy.
Yijun always had that look in his eyes when he recalled the past.
Andrea read the emotion contained in that gaze.
Grief.
It was definitely that.
Usually, Yijun was rational and calculating, and considered small sacrifices to achieve his goals as unavoidable.
Superficially, that is.
However, Andrea knew.
If Yijun were truly that kind of person, he wouldn't have been active in GIA.
He wouldn't have left behind the guild named Chaser, founded by his father, and suddenly decided to go to Korea as if possessed by something.
—Furthermore, he wouldn't have taken care of a stranger's grave for 30 years.
"【Even with your prophecy, it's impossible to save everyone from the start. You know that too, right?】"
Yijun shrugged in front of the silent Andrea.
Fortune-teller's ability was exceptionally special in that he could foresee the future.
Among all the Awakened in the world, there would likely be no one else with precognitive abilities.
However, Andrea's ability had many unhelpful aspects.
He himself didn't know when his 'Wise Eye' would open and allow him to see the future, and it was also impossible to designate a desired date and time for future viewing.
If that weren't the case, Andrea would have become the world's richest man through consecutive lottery wins.
The white tree he had fragmentarily seen in his accidentally opened Wise Eye.
Inferring that it was of holy and wood attributes was almost like forcing a fit.
In the first place, would there be only one tree in that gate?
Furthermore, whether that tree was a risk factor or not was something unknowable until one entered the gate.
Nevertheless, Andrea went out of his way to deliver advice about opposing attributes to the Association President.
He even specifically mentioned fire and dark attributes.
As if casting bait.
"【Just be honest. You had other motives.】"
At Yijun's blade-like voice, the air in the room chilled.
The white bird in the cage fluttered its wings at the changed atmosphere.
Andrea, who had been staring at the cage, broke his long silence and parted his lips.
"【...Johann, she is the savior.】"
Even while saying so, he couldn't look towards Yijun.
'She'.
Though her name wasn't mentioned, both men thought of the same person.
Princess of Dark Flare.
"【This is just the beginning. The real disaster will begin soon. At that time, humanity will need her.】"
"【...】"
"【She will grow significantly through this incident. Then, in the real disaster that is fast approaching, she will surely—】"
"【Stop with that talk.】"
Yijun cut off Andrea's words sharply.
Ruffling his bangs as if fed up, he spoke stiffly.
"【At the party last time.】"
Not even a formal smile remained on Yijun's lips now.
"【Did you think I wouldn't know you invited her using my name?】"
"【That's...】"
Andrea paused for a moment but then spoke again.
"【Even after coming to Korea, you never went to find her yourself. Honestly, I still don't understand. In the first place, the reason you came to Korea was because of the Princess of Dark Flare, wasn't it?】"
Am I wrong?
Andrea stared directly at Yijun.
Silence descended as their gazes clashed.
Yijun gave no reply.
"【...Why on earth.】"
Andrea subtly parted his lips.
"【Why are you trying so hard to push her away?】"
"【...】"
"【Johann, tell me. I know too. The truth is, you still—】"
Flinch.
Andrea closed his mouth.
Yijun's gaze, sitting opposite him, suddenly changed.
Even Andrea, who had seen him for a not-so-short period, had never seen such a sharp expression on his face.
"【...Andrea.】"
Yijun, calling him lowly, slowly removed the gloves he was wearing.
Just that simple act.
However, Andrea couldn't move an inch.
As if his entire body were tightly bound by invisible chains.
A crimson aura bloomed along Yijun's silhouette.
His mind grew hazy from the strong scent that clearly approached with it.
"【I consider you a comrade. And to me now, comrades are only the GIA members, including you, Fortune-teller.】"
"【Ah...】"
When he blinked his eyes open, Andrea was already standing, his chin gripped by Yijun's hand.
In between, Andrea couldn't offer any resistance.
Just like usual.
"【Whether it's the real disaster or whatever, we alone will be enough. We don't need anyone else. Right?】"
His voice was close, as if whispering right into his ear.
Andrea, as if bewitched by something, slowly nodded his head.
Yijun, seemingly satisfied, smiled faintly and gently released his chin.
Only then did focus return to Andrea's previously vacant pupils.
A sensation as if his head were faintly throbbing, like just waking up from being drunk.
Andrea realized.
This was Enchantment (魅惑).
It was a powerful status effect skill possessed by Yijun, capable of turning any living creature, whether monster or human, into his slave.
It was thanks to this skill that he could manipulate the Association President to his liking as needed.
Thanks to it, Yijun could achieve his desires without much effort.
For instance, making the Association give up on digging into the Princess of Dark Flare's background.
'That was close.'
If Yijun had truly intended it, in three seconds, he would probably have been licking his shoes.
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
He felt it once again, but he was truly fortunate to be his comrade.
Yijun put back on the gloves he had taken off and stood up.
Slightly flapping his suit jacket, he strode towards the door.
Grabbing the doorknob, he added one last thing without turning his head.
"【Remember, Andrea, there won't be a next time.】"
"Are you really quitting?"
Kang Haengwook Dog Grooming Academy, Director's Office.
The director lifted his head with regretful eyes.
The person sitting opposite him was Lee Yura.
A new registrant who had recently enrolled in the academy.
However, not long after starting at the academy, she had suddenly come to say she was quitting.
"There are still 6 months left, but according to the regulations, a refund is difficult..."
"It's alright."
Eunha replied nonchalantly.
However, the director hearing those words wasn't so.
"It's rare to find someone as talented as Ms. Yura... It's truly a shame."
The director trailed off, observing Eunha's complexion.
He seemed to be hoping she might change her mind even now.
But Eunha smiled faintly and said this.
"Thank you for everything."
Click.
Exiting the director's office, Eunha didn't move immediately but stood there, gazing at the surrounding scenery.
The academy corridor, now quite familiar.
The three or four doors leading to the training rooms.
The occasional sound of dogs barking and the snipping of scissors cutting fur.
Over it, a man's voice overlapped.
'I'm not even an Awakened, let alone a hunter, but I will live like Father from now on. Because to me, Father was the best hunter.'
Eunha recalled the man smiling proudly as he looked at her.
He had smiled like that in the empty funeral hall where no one else but them was present.
The director in the portrait was also smiling like that.
Before leaving the funeral hall, the director's son had bowed his head to Eunha and said this.
'Thank you for coming.'
—Hunter-nim.
"..."
Eunha slowly caressed her left wrist.
The new wish bracelet she had received as a gift from Jehwi.
Beside it, an old wish bracelet of a similar color was layered.
Eunha, who had been standing blankly in place for a long time, eventually, slowly began to walk towards the elevator.
However.
"Ms. Yura! Ms. Yura, just a moment!"
Someone called out to Eunha in an urgent voice.
It was Yoonho, looking disheveled, unlike his usual neat appearance.
"H-have you heard that you're quitting the academy? Is it true?"
His chest, standing before Eunha, heaved greatly up and down.
His hair, swept in one direction by the wind.
He seemed to have run here in a great hurry.
"Yes, today is my last day."
Eunha replied monotonously.
At that, Yoonho, who had barely managed to catch his breath, collapsed.
"It... it really... was true..."
Thump.
Yoonho, bending his knees and slumping down, covered his face with both hands.
Eunha lowered her dark gaze and looked at him.
"Thank you for teaching me various things. I hope you pass your certification exam."
Then.
Eunha turned her back very easily.
For her, quitting the academy was already a decided matter, so there was no need to feel regretful or hesitant now.
"Ms. Yura!"
Not long after Eunha had taken a few steps, Yoonho's urgent cry came from behind.
Turning her head, her eyes met Yoonho's, who was looking at her with a flushed face.
He took a deep breath and then spoke.
"I, I like Ms. Yura."
"...Yes?"
"I fell in love at first sight the day I first met you at the academy. I-it's sudden, but... I felt like I'd regret it if I didn't say it now."
What is he talking about.
As Eunha blinked, a yellow message window, ding, popped up before her.
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' doubts its ears, asking what kind of nonsense this bastard is spouting.]
[Sister, I know it's not true, but you're not going to accept, are you? It chews its claws anxiously, worrying about something that hasn't even happened.]
"Ms. Yura, please go out with me."
Yoonho, visible beyond the message window, was waiting for Eunha's answer with a solemn face.
Only then did Eunha realize, a step too late.
This person was confessing right now.
"..."
Eunha closed her mouth.
He was certainly a good person.
Diligent, kind, and liked by everyone.
There was nothing flawed about his appearance or personality.
The fact that he monopolized popularity among the academy people wasn't surprising at all.
Eunha thought so too.
If she had been an ordinary university student, perhaps she might have seen him as a potential partner and developed feelings for him.
Like most of the other academy students.
However.
"I'm sorry."
Eunha parted her lips slightly.
"For the time being, I plan to put everything aside and focus solely on my main profession."
I'm sorry.
Eunha apologized once more and looked at him.
Yoonho smiled bitterly, with a face that seemed to say he knew it.
"...You have a main profession. It must be a very busy job."
"Yes."
Answering shortly, Eunha spun around.
Her black hair, reaching down to her waist, billowed up in a circle and then settled down again.
The academy corridor window.
The iron bars, bent like taffy by a strong grip, were still the same.
Her gaze fixed on it, Eunha spoke blandly.
"When the gate opened in front of the academy last time, you asked me what I was going to do there."
Eunha glanced at Yoonho, turning only her eyes.
"I save people."
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"Because I, am a hunter."
