Awards Ceremony (2)
Gong Do-yung was the president of the Hunter Association of Korea, more specifically, the president of the Central Hunter Association, its very core.
The power held by the Central Hunter Association president was by no ans small in Korea's hunter industry.
Since they had to be aware of the managent of large and small dungeons and the occurrence of gates in advance, even major managent agencies would not dare challenge the Hunter Association.
Above all, as the Hunter Association was an independent organization and not a governnt body, even assemblyn could not easily ddle with it, and even when mobilizing S-rank hunters, permission from the Hunter Association was required.
Yet, I was able to use the power of the Hunter Association president, who held absolute authority, up to three tis.
"Has President Gong Do-yung gone crazy? He's giving this to a civilian?"
Sung-hwan looked at the bracelet with a face full of disbelief.
It was understandable.
It was an item far too dangerous for an ordinary person to possess.
"Hyungnim, you seem to know well what this bracelet does."
"When I was young, thanks to my father, I saw soone who owned this once."
"Soone who owned this?"
"Hunter Jung Yoo-shin was the only one who ever received it. He also had three uses of authority, just like this."
I often thought that Sung-hwan's family was no ordinary background.
Well, they did help him to start his own managent agency at a young age, after all.
'According to Director Song, they're probably about at the level of an assemblyman.'
Of course, I didn't know the exact details.
I just assud he was from a fairly good family.
"Did Hunter Jung Yoo-shin ever exercise the authority?"
"No. He returned it to the association without using it even once. Maybe that very bracelet is this one."
Hearing it said like that made it seem even more important.
In Korea, the na Jung Yoo-shin had very special aning.
The reason Baek Hojun was so highly anticipated was that he was Jung Yoo-shin's disciple.
'If I even use this, the whole country's going to be turned upside down.'
Even if it was , this ti it was really burdenso.
Gong Do-yung probably gave this to
to show just how much he trusted .
Or perhaps it was because I was a returnee who knew a lot about demons.
So that if an incident occurred, I could mobilize the hunters myself.
"This is quite the awkward thing to get congratulated for. I know it's unlikely, but you're not planning to go blabbing about it everywhere, right?"
"I'm not a kid, would I do that?"
"Well, you're not that kind of guy, I suppose."
After saying that, Sung-hwan fell silent for a mont.
Judging by his thoughtful expression, it seed he had sothing else to say.
"... Jung-woo."
"Yes."
"You know the awards ceremony is coming up soon, right?"
At the end of the year, the hunters who made a big mark that year were gathered for an awards ceremony.
The exact na was the Korea Guardian Awards.
The event was broadcast simultaneously on all three national TV stations, and it was practically the biggest event for hunters.
True to the na 'Guardian', it was originally an awards ceremony to celebrate the awakened who protected the nation from all manner of anomalies.
But as tis changed, it beca a more open event.
Hunters who raised the profile and reputation of hunters through their dia appearances.
Or those who proved their worth by subjugating dungeons, gates, or powerful monsters.
Awards were given to those who made significant achievents as 'hunters' in various ways.
"Hold up."
I reached my hand out toward Sung-hwan who had suddenly brought up the awards ceremony, gesturing for him to pause.
"Don't tell , no, right?"
As I said, the Korea Guardian Awards was for hunters.
Naturally, I was not registered as a 'hunter'.
"Take a look at this."
Rather than giving a long explanation, Sung-hwan simply handed it over.
A white envelope was tucked inside the small box Sung-hwan had just given .
As I opened it, a rainbow-colored card shimred into view.
【Honorary S-rank Hunter, Park Jung-woo】
It seed Gong Do-yung really wanted to make sure that I attended this awards ceremony.
***
"This is going to be the biggest awards show ever, right?"
"How should we arrange the programming? If we prepare prediction broadcasts related to the awards, we could boost the ratings..."
"Put out so articles. Even just prediction articles about who'll win the Korea Guardian Awards will pump up the views like crazy."
As the awards ceremony drew near, the TV producers and reporters were busy guessing who the biggest star would be. Particularly this ti, due to the 'Odyssey' incident, public interest was at an all-ti high, so poorly written articles were sure to get backlash.
"Honestly, just looking at this, all that talk about how dangerous the world is lately seems like a lie."
Kim Ki-sung, reporter for Shindong Daily, nodded at his colleague's words.
"There's been a lot of talk about demons lately, too."
"Well, most of it happened overseas, so it doesn't really hit ho."
Ki-sung smirked at the comnt but couldn't agree deep down.
The crisis was closer than people thought.
'Right now, the Hunter Association and so other organizations are probably investigating demons behind the scenes.'
Most likely, they weren't announcing it publicly to prevent social panic, strategically controlling the flow of information.
'Demons, huh.'
There were several hunters who had already disappeared without a trace.
Although it was claid to be for personal reasons, Ki-sung did not buy it.
Those who vanished all shared a few common traits.
'Desperate to survive.'
People who struggled obsessively to beco stronger despite lacking ability.
Those who tried to overco hopeless situations at any cost.
It was mostly people like that.
And then they suddenly vanished, cited for personal reasons?
'If demons are behind it, it makes so sense.'
He had seen the power of Sol Mayer for himself in Odyssey.
Strength far surpassing that of ordinary S-ranks.
Odyssey had, ironically, demonstrated both the dangers of demons and what their power could offer. The influence of this would surely show up on the world stage soon.
Ki-sung was half-convinced of such a future.
"Ki-sung, who do you think will get it?"
"Sorry?"
"The Guardian Award this year."
The Guardian Award was given to the hunter who made the most impactful achievents that year.
Apparently, his fellow reporters were busy speculating who would win this year's Guardian Award.
"I personally was betting on the Sword King, you know? But who could have guessed the hunters from Unique would surge up like that at the end?"
"I was rooting for Alencia, but turns out foreigners are excluded?"
"Yeah, true. Honestly, if she were Korean, Alencia would have won for sure."
"She soloed an SS-rank Over monster, right? Wow, I saw that, and I was speechless. With one blow, she wiped out all those guys supposedly called S-rank. Isn't that crazy?"
"No way. Besides, they say that was an overcharged case, normally it wouldn't be possible."
"Says who?"
Apparently, the recently aired video of Alencia had a big impact, and the reporters started debating who was stronger among Alencia and the other S-ranks.
"So, Ki-sung, who do you think? I feel like a hunter from Unique managent will win this year."
Hearing that, Ki-sung realized anew that Unique Managent's reputation had soared.
Last year, few reporters even rembered them.
"I pick Manager Park Jung-woo."
"Sorry?"
"Unique's Manager Park Jung-woo."
For a mont the reporters wore blank expressions at Ki-sung's words, then soon burst into laughter.
"Ah~, manager Park Jung-woo. He does deserve recognition. How on earth did he gather that many S-ranks in one place at Unique? He's really sothing."
"If it weren't for the 'awakened' category, manager Park Jung-woo would be on the list too. He took Odyssey all the way to the finals as director, right?"
Although they joked like this, no one actually thought Park Jung-woo would win the Guardian Award. He wouldn't even be a candidate in the first place.
Though Hunter Hugo had claid Park Jung-woo was No Na, almost no reporters believed it anymore.
Because Jung-woo kept actively avoiding them, most had started thinking, 'Guess it really was all nonsense, huh?'
It was only natural.
If he were truly an S-rank awakener, he'd be showing off, not hiding.
Hunter Hugo's statent was seen as just a misunderstanding.
In fact, Hugo never ntioned Jung-woo in that context again, lending further credence to this guess.
'Even if he really was No Na, he's not even registered as a hunter. It'd be tough.'
Ki-sung personally believed Hugo's words, but receiving the award was another matter.
Because Park Jung-woo, neither an awakened nor a hunter, winning the Guardian Award would be impossible.
***
"Well then, guess we'll need to get a suit tailored."
At my comnt about having to attend the Korea Guardian Awards, Shin Ah-yeon responded indifferently.
"... So I do have to go, huh?"
"You were planning to reveal it during Odyssey anyway, weren't you? Seems odd to make a fuss about it now."
Her words left
speechless.
It was true—I had originally planned to reveal that I was No Na during Odyssey.
Of course, now Hunter Hugo had already blabbed to everyone, but there were still plenty who didn't believe it.
"Maybe you just wanted to make a splashy declaration?"
"What do you take
for?"
"It would've been easier if you'd just announced it earlier...but, yeah, then again, who knows how the demons would've reacted."
Judging by the way the demons responded the mont they learned I was in this world, keeping it secret really was the right move.
"Manager, should I get your suit tailored? I know a tailor that's really good."
As I was talking to Ah-yeon, Soo-ah smoothly inserted herself between us.
'Well, I guess it's better to get a new one made.'
Normally, the suit I wore was sothing I'd hastily altered for battle readiness. It was obviously too rough for a formal occasion like this.
"I'm always the one receiving... How about it?"
"Oh, really? Well, I'd be—"
"What do you an, tailor? These days, it's best to just get suits at a departnt store."
Ah-yeon answered before I could respond to Soo-ah.
There was a strange sharpness to her words, and I noticed Soo-ah's lips twitch.
"The tailor I know has been in Seoul for over 20 years—it's got history."
"No one cares about tradition these days."
"..."
For so reason, the atmosphere had turned tense.
Both Ah-yeon and Soo-ah were smiling as they spoke, but there was an undercurrent of coldness in their exchange.
Feeling sothing bad might happen if I just left it, I looked away—and found Alencia was there, holding Mimos at so point.
"Manager, want to go with ? There's a great place in the US. If you co with , we can make it a day trip!"
Indeed, if Alencia carried , I could go and return in a day.
Although, the less said about the condition the suit would be in when we got back, the better.
"But... have you been holding Mimos the whole ti?"
"Yeah. We got a little closer. Look!"
Alencia showed off the cat she was holding to .
Mimos had its tail straight up, and was busily scratching Alencia's face with its claws.
If it had been anyone else, they'd already look like shredded lettuce.
"See, it even plays with !"
"... I guess it does."
No matter how much it scratched, not a mark was left on Alencia's skin.
It showed just how tough the Saintess's body was.
Eventually, Mimos tired of scratching Alencia's face and just hung limply from her arms.
"Why not just go with Yeon-ji?"
Amid the awkward atmosphere, it was Ah-yeon who spoke.
"She was all about head-to-toe designer labels in her Ji Yeon-hwa days, so she probably knows a lot about n's suits too."
At those words, Yeon-ji—standing at a bit of a distance—pointed at herself with her index finger, as if to ask if Ah-yeon was serious.
"... That might be best. I think going with Yeon-ji is the way to go."
I wasn't sure what logic led to this, but Ah-yeon and Soo-ah seed to have agreed that I would buy a suit with Yeon-ji.
'Can't I just go by myself?'
That thought crossed my mind, but I kept quiet.
It seed best not to say anything here.
"But won't it be a hassle for Yeon-ji? She's busy learning to control her demon power."
"... Hmph, well, I am busy."
Yeon-ji turned away with an indifferent expression.
"So I guess I'm doing this alone..."
"But it's fine to hang out for a little while, right?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, sotis you need to unwind too."
As always, Yeon-ji's tone was a bit cynical and brimming with reluctance.
Even though she was now free of her leash, Yeon-ji often grumbled but still fulfilled annoying requests.
"Then I'll be counting on you."
Her usual reaction.
And so, I failed to notice.
That unlike before, Yeon-ji's earlobes were noticeably tinged red.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Haha, they left the fish with the cat.
【????????(??????)】
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