Chapter 143: He knows

The office Kai had entered looked far more befitting of a high-ranking official than the Chairman’s office he had visited earlier. Everything about it conveyed authority and refinement, from the polished wooden flooring to the imposing floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the outside.

A heavy mahogany desk occupied the far end of the room, with the man seated behind it. Several display cabinets lined the left wall, while an extensive collection of books filled the shelves on the right.

Although a pair of sofas had been arranged near the entrance for visitors, Kai naturally made his way towards the desk and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you. I am Kai."

"Daniel Vancroft. Please, take a seat."

The man returned the handshake before gesturing towards the chair opposite him.

Kai settled into the seat, and only then did he become conscious of his attire.

It was a little embarrassing, considering he was meeting a high-ranking official, that he had chosen to dress so casually. Then again, his primary reason for coming here was training.

"Mister Kai, this isn’t the first time we’ve met."

Kai hummed, looking at him with mild surprise. "Is it?"

"We actually had a brief conversation outside Blue Mountain after the incident." Daniel maintained his composed expression. "Though, judging by your reaction, you clearly don’t remember."

Kai offered him a wry smile. Was the man a little offended that he hadn’t remembered their encounter?

"At the time, my attention was entirely on my family. Anything else barely registered."

He wasn’t exaggerating. Back then, his temperament had been anything but normal. He had been constantly on edge, his thoughts occupied with getting Jean and Elara somewhere safe. His concern for their well-being had left little room for anything else.

In fact, even Hannah, who had approached him with the intention of helping, had received a serious threat from him instead.

Daniel remained silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"First of all, I’d like to apologize for the trouble my brother caused you. He’s always been somewhat rebellious, but his actions this time went far beyond what could be excused."

Kai wasn’t entirely sure how to respond.

Apologizing for hospitalizing the man’s brother would have been rather insincere, considering he had absolutely no regrets about what he’d done. He wasn’t going to pretend otherwise just to maintain a pleasant atmosphere.

Instead, he settled for a diplomatic response.

"You didn’t take any action against me. I’m grateful for that."

Daniel shook his head.

"It was only rational for me not to react." He drew a quiet breath before continuing. "I hope... it didn’t affect Miss Jean too badly. And your daughter."

Kai pressed his lips together.

So the man knew about her. Well, that wasn’t particularly surprising. Even if Drake’s incident hadn’t brought the matter to his attention, Daniel had probably seen Jean and Elara in the car that day.

He didn’t keep the man waiting for long before answering.

"She’s fine. She’s been through worse, so she managed to get through it without too much trouble."

Daniel fell silent again. Kai could sense that he was being particularly cautious about the subject, almost as though he were reluctant to probe any further. Eventually, the man decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"Hunter Kai, there’s something I’d like to request before we proceed any further."

Kai hummed in response, his curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

Daniel leaned forward, loosely interlocking his fingers on the desk before meeting Kai’s gaze.

"Back then, it wasn’t just Balendhall that was involved in the incident. Our neighbouring nation, Arden, was involved as well."

Kai hummed. "I saw it on the news."

Daniel nodded. "Right. And during the raid itself, two hunters from Arden were present alongside Miss Hannah."

Kai blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "So... they were foreigners? Their appearances did seem a little different."

A faint recollection surfaced in his mind. He remembered seeing two other individuals around the time of the incident, though he hadn’t paid them much attention.

Then again, he hadn’t exactly been in the right state of mind to concern himself with anyone other than his family. Everything else had been secondary.

"They have been rather persistent in requesting an audience with you. However, the Association has repeatedly turned them down." Daniel paused briefly before continuing. "Based on what Adam relayed to me, I was under the impression that you would prefer to avoid such interactions."

There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice, as though he wanted to confirm whether Adam’s assessment was accurate rather than simply assume it.

Kai didn’t hesitate to agree.

"Sir Adam was absolutely right. I’d much rather enjoy my usual life."

Getting involved with foreign officials? He wanted no part of it. Even this meeting with Daniel felt like something he couldn’t afford to make a regular occurrence. He would much rather keep things simple and deal with Adam alone.

"I understand. However, Mister Kai, repeatedly turning down their requests could eventually create political tension. That’s precisely why we’ve recently received a formal request from the central ministry."

Kai was momentarily taken aback.

"The President?"

Daniel nodded.

"..."

Kai fell silent, his mind taking a moment to process what he’d just heard.

Just how big of a sensation had he become? He had expected some attention after the incident, but a formal request from the President himself was an entirely different matter.

No, wait. That wasn’t important right now. What mattered was something else entirely.

"Do I really have to meet them after all?"

Daniel was quick to reassure him. "A private meeting has already been firmly rejected, so you can rest assured about that."

Kai let out a quiet sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to sit in a room with several people scrutinizing him, each trying to evaluate his abilities or determine what kind of person he was. He had no intention of entertaining such attention.

"But," Daniel continued, "would Hunter Kai be willing to attend a small gathering?"

"A small gathering?"

Daniel nodded before elaborating. "Only officials from the Association and the foreign delegation have been invited. If you could spare us some of your time and make an appearance, it would satisfy our guests’ curiosity. Once that’s done, we can finally put this matter to rest."

Kai hummed thoughtfully, leaning back into his chair as he considered the proposal.

A formal gathering, huh?