Upon seeing Yoo Han-ul, Estella smiled gently and detached herself from the wall.
At the sa ti, she removed the piercing from her lips.
[It’s just a simple scouting offer. Why don’t you show so courtesy when you enter the room?]
It seed that the piercing she had in her lips was functioning as a translation device.
The awkward chanical tone disappeared, replaced by a smooth, soft English voice.
Though the content wasn’t as smooth.
Yoo Han-ul glared at Estella before stepping closer to my bedside, standing guard as if protecting .
His attitude was surprisingly aggressive—sothing not typical of him.
“Jeong Da-on Hunter is still undergoing mandatory service. Isn’t this the very duty clause you created yourself? Telling us to at least honor the basic loyalty to one’s ho country.”
This was a bit surprising.
Yoo Han-ul had explained it to before. Hunters from countries that are part of the Hunter Association are required to complete mandatory service, and if they don’t, the countries within the association won’t accept them.
But to find out that Estella was the one who created this treaty was unexpected.
Estella clicked her tongue, looking at Yoo Han-ul with a bored expression.
[Young people these days.]
One of the piercings in her ear seed to work as a translation device, and even though Yoo Han-ul spoke in Korean, Estella seed to understand.
[That was a treaty created to prevent global problems in that era. But as always, the laws need to change as the tis do. If you stay stagnant, you’ll rot.]
“So things don’t change, though.”
[What’s that?]
“When you suddenly welco an unwelco guest, it’s natural to be thrown off guard.”
[Oh, you’ve grown a little.]
Yoo Han-ul had delivered a clever remark, but Estella’s smile didn’t fade from her face.
[Don’t be so wary. I just ca to greet you.]
“Do you really think it’s reasonable for you to co all the way here for just that?”
[Is it reasonable to be dragged into a dungeon break four tis just three months after awakening? Wouldn’t everyone be curious to know what kind of person you are?]
“That doesn’t an you should just barge in like this...!”
“So?”
I cut him off, and Yoo Han-ul turned to look at , clearly surprised.
I didn’t understand why he was so surprised. I was the one being interrupted.
“How was your impression of observing ?”
It was who asked that question.
Estella blinked in surprise for a mont, then smiled and put her piercing back in her lips. There was sothing unusual in her gaze as she looked at .
“Currently, East Asia is a battleground for hunters. China has swept up talents from all over the world with money, Japan is trying to counterbalance China while trying to swallow up Korea, which has many high-quality hunters despite its size... anwhile, Korea has been lucky so far, but hasn’t been able to prevent talent drain very well.”
“Estella.”
“Until now, thanks to a few exceptional talents like Han-ul here, who didn’t want to leave their ho country, the balance has barely been maintained.”
Estella spoke while staring directly into my eyes.
“But now, a divine magic user suddenly appears. Whether it’s greed or jealousy, it’s more than enough to break the balance that has been maintained.”
In short, it was ‘understandable’ that I had attracted attention.
Han Jae-young had also ntioned that foreign governnts might target , but hearing it from an outsider gave a more objective sense of credibility.
‘There are many situations Orbis could take advantage of.’
In Korea, there were cult leaders, illegal moneylenders, and even people who tried to throw into dungeons. And now, international matters were this bad.
I had to admit, I was clearly in a vulnerable position.
‘I must look like an easy target.’
The so-called "divine magic" sounds impressive, but it's just a façade.
Whether Orbis is involved or not, it feels like everyone is just trying to prod and poke at , believing that they can easily handle .
Even if I return to Korea, it’ll be the sa.
This is infuriating.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Estella smiled at , as if reassuring .
“If it’s the World Hunter Association, to be more specific, the headquarters, we can protect you safely. No one would dare to touch a hunter under my protection.”
“So, I’m still under mandatory service...”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“...I already have a contract with a guild.”
“Ah, the HP Guild? Don’t worry about the penalty fees, they’re nothing.”
“And I have family in Korea...”
“Would your family consider enjoying life in the U.S.? If you decide to join us, your family’s lifestyle and protection would be included. I can even take care of a few playmates for them.”
The conditions Estella casually threw out were incomparable to the ones Han Jae-young had offered with the HP Guild.
Is this the scale of the association based in a reserve currency country?
It was honestly getting a little overwhelming.
“...I’ll have to decline for now. It’s hard to think about it right now.”
“Wow.”
Estella’s blue eyes widened in surprise at my refusal.
“You’re turning down such a good offer? Oh, if it’s because you’re uncomfortable because of Yoo Han-ul Hunter...”
“I’m not sure which side is making uncomfortable, Estella.”
Yoo Han-ul, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke in a sharp tone, which was quite uncharacteristic of him.
“Since she’s rejected, let’s just go.”
It was a rare sight of Yoo Han-ul behaving that way, who was usually so polite.
Estella clicked her tongue upon hearing his words.
[It seems like young people these days lack manners.]
“That’s sothing I’ve heard throughout history. When soone keeps pushing after I say no, it really...”
[Are you going to call the police?]
“I’ll call the press.”
[You’ve really improved, Han-ul.]
“Thanks.”
Estella shrugged her shoulders and winked at .
“Well, it’s a sha, but I’ll have to go now.”
“...”
“If you can’t speak because of the knight, just hang a handkerchief outside the window, Princess. I’ll co rescue you.”
After making that ridiculous remark, Estella waved her hand and left the room with confident steps.
Only then did Yoo Han-ul exhale deeply.
“Huff...”
It made sense.
From the mont Estella entered this room, she had completely controlled the surrounding magic.
In fact, any magician who has reached a certain level does this as second nature.
Controlling and purifying the magic flow around them allows them to cast spells quickly and accurately.
But now, Yoo Han-ul had intruded into Estella’s domain.
Although he didn’t show it, I’m sure he was suffocating.
I could feel that Estella had been subtly pressuring him.
‘She’s on a monster level.’
In Yoo Han-ul’s case, I had read his abilities through physical contact, but with Estella, I had to indirectly sense and guess them.
It wasn’t a surprise that people often debated who would win if Estella and Yoo Han-ul fought.
After a few deep breaths, Yoo Han-ul turned to look at .
“Are you okay?”
“I think that’s a question I should be asking.”
“Did you, by any chance, shake hands with her?”
“I’ve already prepared for that, thanks to Han Jae-young.”
Of course, even if it hadn’t been for Han Jae-young, I wouldn’t have carelessly made physical contact with any S-rank hunter.
They would know more about my condition than even a doctor.
Right now, the state of my abilities and body is the kind of secret I don’t want others to know.
“So, how did you know and get here so quickly? Did you plant an informant nearby?”
“The nurse told Estella, the Association President, had arrived. Since your guardian contact was registered with and Han Jae-young.”
“Oh, I see.”
It made sense that the hospital staff had been flustered.
A visitor had co without permission, and it turned out to be Estella, with the patient being a hunter with South Korean nationality, who was directly enrolled in the hospital by the embassy after a dinsional mishap.
It could have escalated into an international issue, so they must have contacted us imdiately.
That’s why Yoo Han-ul rushed here.
“Hm, by the way.”
Yoo Han-ul hesitated for a mont before speaking.
“I hope you don’t misunderstand, but... I’m not trying to ddle with soone else’s contract. Going to the U.S. is, of course, your choice. But, I recomnd you reconsider signing with Estella.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s a dangerous individual.”
Yoo Han-ul was ruthless as he spoke.
“Think about it. The item we struggled with during the Gwanghwamun Dungeon Break... the smoke that blocked the magic circuits, that was created by Estella.”
“Right. She created it to stop ability users.”
“Exactly, it’s very effective in suppressing ability users. And Estella is the leader of an organization that controls many hunters worldwide.”
Listening to Yoo Han-ul, I frowned.
“From the way you’re speaking, she sounds like a villain. Does she really suppress hunters who don’t listen to her with thods like that?”
The soul I observed through my sight didn’t give off any foul scent like that.
In fact, she had a soul very similar to Yoo Han-ul’s—a good one.
Could she really deceive my observation?
Yoo Han-ul shook his head.
“She’s not a villain. Honestly, I think she’s closer to a benevolent person. Most of the conditions she gave are likely sincere. Once she considers soone her person, she’ll completely cover for them.”
“Then why is she rushing in like a swarm of bees trying to stop ?”
“Estella goes too far.”
“Yeah, the offer is a bit excessive...”
It was more attractive than a prince’s hand in a fairytale.
She was offering to solve all the current problems imdiately.
“Right. If you accept the offer and use so backdoor thods to join the World Hunter Association and get her direct protection...”
Hmm.
It wasn’t too hard to imagine.
“I’d probably get wings, since I’m a genius.”
“Exactly. And hundreds of ability users from the association will be watching your every move.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you think there are many talents Estella would go after like this? The answer is ‘countless.’”
Estella had made exceptional offers to countless talents, and that had beco a great power for the association.
The problem was that the number of hands she extended was endless.
In the headquarters of the World Hunter Association, cooperation was practically nonexistent.
The prodigious genius Estella had brought in people who would compete to monopolize the light her sun cast on the ground.
“They’re not discouraged by the competition and even encourage it, saying it helps them improve,” Yoo Han-ul added.
“That's not wrong, but...”
“Usually, they end up forgetting either their morals or their sense of reality because of the competition.”
This aligned oddly with what Yoo Han-ul had said before.
These ability users were already more capable than regular people, and if they were placed in an environnt where they were constantly competing against peers of the sa level...
It was clear they’d be subjected to extre organizational life, far worse than what we went through in basic military training.
“Honestly, I don’t want to go. I already turned her down.”
The only thing I had been curious about regarding Estella was whether she was Orbis’s reincarnation or not.
Since I confird she wasn’t, there was no need to approach her.
‘If her soul is similar to Yoo Han-ul’s, I wouldn’t want to get close to her either.’
Yoo Han-ul smiled as though relieved by my words.
I could see the worry in his eyes lting away.
“Yeah, I’m glad you thought it through. Honestly, I was worried about how good the offer was, but I’m relieved...”
As he continued, Yoo Han-ul suddenly paused and flinched.
“…That’s it. I’ll leave now!”
“Wait…”
Before I could stop him, Yoo Han-ul quickly left the room.
A sudden visit and a sudden departure—like a storm passing by.
And I realized sothing.
That guy, Yoo Han-ul, really didn’t call my na like Han Jae-young said!
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