ALL NOVEL
Chapter 82:
“W, what did you say?”
However, that sentence sounded quite differently to the S-Class hunter herself. Surprised by the sudden remark, Esther asked what it meant. Then, Kim Kiryeo began to pour oil on the fire.
“I’m trying to look good personally to you (the cursed magician). Regardless of the guild’s gains and losses.”
He simply didn’t want to create unnecessary trouble, so he honestly admitted that it was a flatterer first. However, that one sentence soon had a significant ripple effect.
‘H, huh?’
As soon as Esther heard it, she couldn’t speak as if she had been beaten.
***
Clear day with flowing white clouds.
“…It’s ridiculous.”
A sharp voice echoes through the spacious office.
“Heh, really. Unbelievable.”
The woman with a sharp impression sitting on the leather sofa had been mumbling for a while as if she was dissatisfied with something. In response, the secretary of the Korean Magic Tower carefully asked.
“What’s wrong? Did something go wrong with the auction results yesterday?”
Then the woman on the sofa shook her head. She denies it with a subtle expression.
“No, that’s not it…”
Esther briefly recalled yesterday’s events.
-The only person I care about is Esther.
Who expected that cold man would say something like this? At the time, she was too flustered to give a proper response, but the more she thought about it, the more stunned she became.
‘I never thought you would be interested in me!’
So he’s been so brazenly playing hard to get on that topic?
Esther twitched the corner of her mouth. A hunter she wants to be on the same side with shows interest in her. How could it not be good news?
“Hohoho.”
“Why did you suddenly feel better this time?”
At this moment, Esther was convinced that the F-Class hunter had a romantic interest in her.
“Of course, it feels good. It makes me realize once again, ‘Am I really that pretty?'”
“Ah…”
“Phew, as expected, being a beauty is exhausting.”
“Well, you do look like a real celebrity when you don’t open your mouth…”
While the secretary made a brief remark, it wasn’t enough to ruin the other person’s mood. Esther pondered as she rolled her pen.
‘Anyway, it went well. If that person is interested in me, a little coaxing will be all I need.’
Soon her drooping eyes gently curved. In her head, she was already thinking about how to utilize the power of the awakener.
“Ah!”
However, lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt the need to contact the person involved.
‘How about watching a movie together since our schedules are unusually light this week?’
Esther took out her phone and sent a text message to Hunter Kim Kiryeo. Up until this moment, her mood could be described as at its peak.
(Message Sent)
[Kiryeo-ssi ~~(>_<) Did you enjoy the auction yesterday? I’d like to show you around some other time. Are you available this week?]
It was only after about 10 minutes that Esther’s smile faded completely.
[No.]
Reply like this?
“Is he… embarrassed?”
Esther briefly denied reality, but as the conversation continued, her expression gradually hardened.
[Does that mean no? Are you going to any gates this week? Are you busy?]
[Yes.]
[Then when is it okay? I’ll wait until your schedule clears up. ??]
[About 3 months later.]
The guild leader of the Korean Wizard Tower wants to meet, but he can’t make time for three months straight. Especially for an F-Class hunter, there must be a lot more to worry about. However, there are situations where it can’t be helped.
[Anyway, it’s difficult to respond right now, so please contact me again later.]
Soon after, the blonde man sent a reply as hard as a cast iron wall.
“….”
This is clearly a blatant rejection, even without saying a word.
Tuk.
Esther flipped her turned-off phone over weakly. And after a while, she started pulling her hair out with a look on her face that said she didn’t understand.
“You said you wanted to look good to me!”
She can’t believe the guild leader of the Magic Tower is swayed by the actions of an F-Class. Is there anything more ridiculous than this?
***
Clank, clank.
The sunlight reflected from the necklace hit the wall of the studio. I followed this with my eyes for a moment and then shifted my gaze back to the phone screen.
[Search history]
– How to make a smiling face
– A smiling face
-The number of human facial muscles
Somehow, they’re pretty peaceful subjects.
“Hmm.”
As can be inferred from this search history, I was currently in a state of mental composure to a certain degree.
[Pyromancer Necklace (Rare)]
I also prepared a plan to deal with Kang Changho’s murder attempt.
[1.2.31 Changes]
Body modifications are also going smoothly.
[Nationwide “Good News”…Gate Risk Decreases by 31%]
According to the news that appears every day, the number of gates that have increased is also returning to normal.
It’s a long-awaited peace. So, I tried to use this time to practice expressing the emotions I had been putting off.
“Hmm.”
But once I sit down, some worries just don’t seem to leave my mind.
‘Rakshasa Temple.’
As expected, that pseudo-organization really bothers me. If I think about it carefully, there is no guarantee that they will continue to remain quiet like this.
‘Is there some information on the Internet?’
I searched the word Rakshasa Temple on a portal site. However, the only results that are printed are a few lines of an article saying that many people have fallen into cults due to anxiety caused by Gate, which has recently become a problem. I couldn’t find out what the terrorists were up to through the Internet. Not at all.
“….”
I feel uncomfortable. At the same time, hostility toward them may creep in.
‘Don’t they suddenly kidnap people? Aren’t they trying to kill people too…’
I went through those hardships just because I happened to acquire the item first.
‘It feels so unfair that I feel like I want to die.’
So, after much contemplation, I came up with a plan to give the Rakshasa Temple a taste of its own medicine. To be honest, it didn’t suit my temper to live like this.
“Right.”
Of course, going directly into enemy territory or anything like that would be unreasonable…But as a former Great Magician, couldn’t I at least assist in catching them?
“Hmm.”
And among the people I know, the one closest to the investigation of the Rakshasa Temple is…
***
A few hours later.
Rumbling.
Hunter Association Seoul Headquarters. At 6 p.m., employees who had finished their work were rushing out the back door. And in this procession, there was also a woman with straight black hair.
“Whoo…”
She kept looking around as if she was looking for someone. Soon her eyes stopped in one place. The next thing that comes into view is a man dressed in black leaning against the stonewall of the back gate.
“Hello.”
It was F-Class hunter Kim Kiryeo. Seonwoo Yeon spotted the man and approached the stone wall. The man then nodded slightly.
“Yes. Hello. Hunter Kim Kiryeo.”
By the way, it’s rare for this F-Class person to contact her first, so what could he possibly want by suddenly calling someone over?
“Thank you for making time. Shall we find a place first?”
Since she had no other plans for dinner today anyway, Seonwoo Yeon gladly accepted his offer. That’s how they ended up at this Chinese restaurant.
“I think the story will be long. Please listen while you eat.”
“Ah, yes.”
“This is the place that Yoonseung recommended to me before, and it was really delicious.”
Is this why they say that life is unpredictable? For a moment, Seonwoo Yeon felt that the emotion was somehow new. To be honest, her first impression of Kim Kiryeo was the worst she could remember.
‘I thought there would be nothing to be humbled about.’
However, after experiencing it for a few months, her evaluation of the other person had changed 180 degrees. Kim Kiryeo’s attitude was surprisingly polite, unlike his grumpy appearance.
‘I didn’t know he had this kind of personality.’
The prejudice has long been lifted. The key is what the polite young man will say from now on.
“Uhm, you may have noticed by now, but I actually came today to ask you a favor.”
Drrrk.
By the time the employee who served the food closed the door to the room and left. Kiryeo finally started to get to the point.
“You know Rakshasa Temple, right?”
“Yes?”
“If I were to target the top position in that Rakshasa temple specifically, could I have him thrown behind bars?”
At those words, Seonwoo Yeon stopped using chopsticks.
“The Rakshasa Temple’s…? No, wouldn’t it be better to inform the police about such information?”
However, the tone that comes back is somewhat negative.
“I also want to do that, but honestly, it’s a bit difficult.”
“Why?”
“First of all, the question is whether the police will willingly believe what I say…”
He rummaged through the sweet and sour pork he had ordered.
“To uncover that position, I’d have to participate in the investigation several times, but as you know, I don’t have the authority to do that right now.”
“Ah.”
“Even if I were lucky enough to receive cooperation from the awakener through the association, there’s no guarantee it would involve the Rakshasa Temple case.”
The sound of crunching filled the air as he took a bite of sweet and sour pork, savoring its flavor. A moment of silence passed between them.
“That’s why I’m proposing.”
But the silence was not long; he swallowed the food and continued the conversation immediately.
“Seonwoo Yeon-ssi, if you participate in the tracking of that cult… can you give me a little information?”
Soon after, the awakening’s eyes slowly move.
“If you help me a little, I can catch the most important person in the Rakshasa Temple. Maybe even someone more important than the leader.”
Eyes sharp as a viper’s. Facing it, Seonwoo Yeon swallows dry saliva. But the reason for this tension wasn’t just because of the man’s demeanor pressing down on her. She had gained some kind of conviction from this conversation.
‘As expected…’
A self-proclaimed lowest rank. Two records of abduction. All the suspicious circumstances surrounding the scene.
With this, Seonwoo Yeon comes to one conclusion.
“I, I don’t think private sanctions are a good idea.”
As for the kidnapping incident so far, that person intentionally infiltrated the criminal organization.
‘No way.’
There have been many pieces of evidence over the years about this. His reaction was so calm even though he almost got sold overseas. A fearful testimony was given by a believer at the Rakshasa temple who was responsible for the torture of Kim Kiryeo. And what both of these incidents have in common is that they ended in the destruction of the organization’s hideout, etc.
Actually, everything points to one thing.
‘It seems so.’
In the flow of the story. This couldn’t help but be seen as Kim Kiryeo deliberately destroying a criminal organization.
‘Why?’
Is it for justice? Or maybe it’s just to kill time; she doesn’t know the purpose.
“Why don’t you just leave it to the police?”
Anyway, this is a country governed by law. Isn’t this kind of act ultimately a type of crime? Seonwoo Yeon cautiously advised, suggesting to stay away from this matter.
“Oh, so you mean the police can take down the Rakshasa Temple without my cooperation?”
However, Kim Kiryeo’s subsequent question sealed her lips shut.
“….”
As he said, despite the growing influence of the cult known as the ‘Rakshasa Temple’ in Korea, no one has been able to root out this cancerous growth.
Because this is a democratic country. Because religious freedom is guaranteed.
‘I knew intellectually that the cult leader, Tak Gwangjo, was encouraging terrorism among his followers, but there was no justification for arrest. On one side, people are already saying that someone has taken bribes.’
Seonwoo Yeon was silent as she touched her forehead.
‘Even at this moment, many people are suffering because of that cult…’
However, at that moment, an unclear voice reached her ears. The hunter across from her broke the silence.