Chapter 91

“Great! Let’s speak casually from now on.”

Gu Seohyeong and I reached a brief verbal agreement.

With that, I had secured the services of a trustworthy Enchanter. It seemed my future would be smooth sailing.

***

Two days later.

Kssk, kssk.

I sat at an unused workbench in Gu Seohyeong’s temporary workshop, watching her perform the enchantment.

I was curious about how Earth’s enchantment magic worked. More importantly, Seohyeong had told me the process would be completed today.

“Whew!”

“Take it easy.”

I offered her a few words of encouragement and patiently waited for her to finish.

Knock, knock, knock.

But then an unexpected visitor arrived.

“Is Gu Seohyeong inside?”

“Yes. Please come in.”

“Haha. Then excuse me for interrupting.”

An older man with gray hair entered the room.

For some reason, he looked familiar.

‘Ah.’

Since I watched the news quite often, it did not take me long to recognize him.

‘He’s the president of the Association.’

The visitor was none other than the president of the Hunter Association. Five attendants followed him into the workshop.

‘This is my first time seeing him in person.’

Unfortunately, he had brought a rather troublesome matter with him.

“Ms. Gu Seohyeong, this is the Japanese request for reinforcement that we discussed yesterday. Can you see the amount written here?”

“Yes.”

“It’s listed in yen, but when converted into our currency—”

“I understand. I know how much it is, but I still can’t accept the request right now.”

The conversation soon turned into a minor argument.

“Hahaha. Why are young people always in such a hurry? At least hear me out first.”

The Association president did most of the talking.

He attempted to persuade Gu Seohyeong with one argument after another. The Japanese side urgently needed their equipment reinforced before challenging an important gate. If the process was delayed any further, Sweden might step in and secure the favorable contract instead.

“No!”

But Gu Seohyeong refused to yield.

No matter how insignificant the equipment might appear, this enchantment was meant to repay the person who had saved her life. It would also be the first enchantment she had ever completed.

“Why do you think I rejected all those guild offers and chose to remain with the Association?”

“Well...”

“Have you already forgotten the terms of our agreement?”

Gu Seohyeong intended to prioritize Kim Kiryeo’s request no matter what.

“I was guaranteed the freedom to choose which commissions I accept.”

Besides, what did one lost contract matter?

She was the first Enchanter in Asia.

Her very existence promised enormous benefits for the country in the future.

“Even though I am the president of the Association, you still refuse to grant me this one request?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

She now possessed enough influence to stand her ground.

“Hehehe. Very well, then...”

What could they do when there was only one Enchanter in the entire country?

The Association president smacked his lips in disappointment at her firm refusal. Still, he did not push the matter any further. He quietly gathered the documents and prepared to leave.

“You there.”

At that moment, his irritation was suddenly directed toward the Awakener who had remained silent until now.

“Go outside as well.”

“What? Me?”

“You can’t simply remain inside an Enchanter’s workshop. Outsiders require permission.”

Whoosh.

The Association president made a dismissive gesture toward the man leaning against the workbench.

Naturally, Gu Seohyeong objected and told him there was no need to send Kiryeo away, but Kiryeo stopped her, saying it was fine.

“I understand.”

He nodded and followed the president’s instruction.

There was nothing to gain from opposing someone in power over such a trivial matter.

‘It’s actually warmer in the hallway.’

A truly wise decision.

How ironic, then, that Kiryeo’s obedient response would become the beginning of chaos.

...

...

...

Only a few seconds had passed since he stepped into the corridor.

“You there, young man!”

Kim Kiryeo turned at the voice behind him.

The Association president stood there, his face creased with displeasure.

“What is your hunter rank?”

At first, his tone was relatively mild, so Kim Kiryeo answered without giving the question much thought.

“I’m F-Class.”

“What? F-Class?”

The atmosphere changed the instant the president heard his rank.

If that were true, then the country’s precious Enchanter was wasting her time reinforcing equipment for a bottom-tier Awakener.

“Good grief.”

The Association president frowned.

“Listen. Do you have any idea how much damage the country is suffering because of you?”

“What?”

“Once a novice Enchanter completes an enhancement, they may be unable to use the skill again for as long as two weeks. That is a critical delay, especially when an important gate is about to close.”

“...!”

“We have just lost a major contract because of this.”

Even S-Class hunters often had to wait before receiving another enchantment because of an Enchanter’s unusually long skill cooldown.

What an absurdly valuable privilege to waste.

“Even if Ms. Gu Seohyeong offered to enchant something for you, you should have had the sense to refuse.”

Tsk, tsk.

He clicked his tongue as he continued criticizing Kiryeo.

“Are you truly that thoughtless?”

“What?”

“You’re only F-Class. You can purchase any equipment suitable for your rank on the open market.”

His attitude was completely different from the humility he had displayed in front of the Enchanter.

In truth, since he could not openly vent his frustration at Gu Seohyeong, he was taking it out on an innocent person instead.

“You are supposed to be Ms. Gu Seohyeong’s benefactor, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then accept her gratitude some other way. Ask for money, if necessary. Just stop interfering with the Enchanter’s work.”

The president even slipped several veiled threats into his lecture.

He mentioned that many officials within the Hunter Association viewed the situation unfavorably. He also questioned how long the Enchanter would continue looking after an insignificant F-Class Awakener.

One sharp warning after another was directed at the hunter standing at the very bottom of the hierarchy.

‘Hmm.’

Strangely, however, Kiryeo showed no sign of taking offense.

‘Now that I think about it, he does have a point.’

He understood the logic behind the president’s argument.

‘There’s nothing particularly wrong with what he said. The equipment I brought for enhancement is cheap. It probably would be more efficient to accept money instead.’

Kim Kiryeo did not become angry when presented with a reasonable argument.

In fact, he accepted sound logic more readily than most people.

After giving the matter some thought, he offered a suggestion.

“Then should I go back inside right now and tell her to stop the enhancement?”

His response agreed completely with the Association president’s position.

However, there were several important details to consider.

Kim Kiryeo had naturally intimidating features. He also tended to remain expressionless unless he consciously altered his face.

“What?”

Because of those traits, the meaning behind his words became severely distorted.

“What are you trying to do? Are you threatening to go inside and say something to Gu Seohyeong?”

From the Association president’s perspective, a frightening-looking young man had just spoken to him with a cold and rigid expression.

“You think you can act arrogantly just because you happen to be friends with an Enchanter?”

The president assumed the Awakener before him was attempting to provoke him by bringing up his relationship with Gu Seohyeong.

How could he not feel insulted?

How dare someone so young—and merely a low-ranking Awakener—speak to the president of the Association in such a manner?

‘What an insolent brat!’

The Association president’s face flushed red with anger.

Until that moment, Kim Kiryeo had been nothing more than an F-Class hunter whom he believed he could easily intimidate.

“What?”

But then—

Whoosh.

The man with sanpaku eyes suddenly turned his head to one side.

‘Look at this bastard. I’m speaking to him, and he’s looking somewhere else?’

The Association president stared at him in disbelief and opened his mouth to reprimand him.

Then he abruptly fell silent.

‘Ugh!’

A mysterious chill ran down his spine.

The Association president knew that terrifying sensation all too well.

Was this not the distinctive presence of an S-Class hunter?

“Hmm!”

He quickly composed himself.

Yet the person who appeared before him left him even more astonished.

‘What is he doing here?’

Tak, tak.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor.

The newcomer was none other than Korea’s third S-Class hunter.

Kang Changho.

More precisely, he was an Awakener notorious for his lack of cooperation with the Association. Even the Association president rarely encountered him in person.

“Ahem.”

The president was personally uncomfortable around Kang Changho.

Then again, almost everyone felt the same way.

The S-Class hunter possessed overwhelming strength and a completely uncontrollable personality.

“Ahem. In any case, what I was saying was...”

The president attempted to ignore Kang Changho and continue the conversation as though nothing had happened.

But Kang Changho had no intention of letting him do so.

“Kim Kiryeo!”

After all, he had come specifically to see the F-Class hunter standing in the hallway.

“What is it? Why are you here again?”

“You’ve been coming to the Association every day lately. I came to check on you.”

The Association president stared at the scene in astonishment.

Why was Kang Changho acting as though he knew an F-Class hunter?

And what was so special about that F-Class that he could speak so casually to an S-Class?

“Should I not have come?”

“It’s rather burdensome.”

“Hmm.”

“You’ve confirmed that I’m fine, so please leave. There shouldn’t be any danger inside the Association.”

The president sensed that something was seriously wrong when he heard their relaxed exchange.

He attempted to slip away quietly, but even that proved impossible.

“Is that so?”

Tuk.

In the brief moment that followed, Kang Changho placed an arm around the shoulders of one of the Association president’s attendants.

“I heard something interesting coming from this group earlier.”

Strictly speaking, he had merely rested his arm on the man’s shoulder.

But how many Awakeners could resist the physical strength of an S-Class hunter?

“H-Hunter Kang Changho! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Kim Kiryeo, if I teach these people a lesson, will you take off that necklace?”

The situation escalated in an instant.

Ignoring the Association president’s protests, the S-Class hunter made a distinctly ominous proposal.

“H-Hunter! Please maintain a safe distance! Otherwise, we will be forced to respond!”

The security personnel trembled with fear, yet they moved to protect the Association president as they had been trained to do.

The effort required every ounce of courage they possessed.

It was almost pitiful.

“Is that so?”

To Kang Changho, their defense was no more threatening than a sandcastle.

“Keugh...!”

But at that critical moment, the F-Class hunter spoke calmly.

“Excuse me, Kang Changho-ssi.”

What happened next was beyond anything the Association president could have imagined.

“That’s enough. Please leave.”

Who could have expected someone at the very bottom of the hunter hierarchy to settle the situation so easily?

When Kim Kiryeo spoke with a weary expression, the S-Class hunter responded immediately.

“And stop talking nonsense about me removing the necklace. Just go home.”

“Why do you insist on keeping something so troublesome?”

“An acquaintance of mine will be arriving soon. They’ll feel uncomfortable if they see you here.”

Without hesitation, Kang Changho released the attendant.

The Association president clutched one of his defensive items and finally let out the breath he had been holding.

Unfortunately, the shocking events were not yet over.

“Oh.”

Whoosh.

Immediately afterward, Kim Kiryeo once again turned his gaze toward the far end of the corridor.

“You’re early. It isn’t even the appointed time yet.”

Another Awakener had entered the building.

Tak, tak.

A cleanly shaved head.

A piercing at the tip of his nose.

And an unmistakably imposing physique.

“Hyung-nim!”

It was Ahn Yoonseung, an A-Class defensive hunter and one of the Neo Sisters Guild’s most prominent members.

“Have you been well this past week?”

The moment he arrived, he bent at the waist and bowed a full ninety degrees to Kim Kiryeo.