“Our team is definitely at a disadvantage.”
Park Yerim said earnestly. Song Taewon glanced down at the wristwatch set to New York ti. It was one of the souvenir watches sold at the Blue House gift shop, acquired last Chuseok among the items brought into the Awakened Managent Office. Wristwatches tended to get lost or broken there, so they kept extras on hand. Hunters in the office often left their expensive phones behind and carried other communication devices, so demand was high.
“It’s late. Let’s call it a night.”
“When it’s a personal stream, animals are everything. Everyone’s an amateur, so the scripts will all be the sa, and animals steal the show.”
Ignoring Song Taewon’s words, Park Yerim continued.
“Looks matter too, but we’re not lacking in that departnt. But our team has no animals!”
She slamd one foot onto the round footstool and shouted.
“Han Yuhyun has Peace! Even just the ‘squeak’ will explode subscriptions and likes. Middle-aged guys streaming rarely get hits, but he’s a natural. He doesn’t seem to know it, though. Seong Hyunjae has Gyeol! Reptiles aren’t as popular as cats, but they have a strong core fanbase—and Gyeol’s cute. A little, soft fairy dragon! I’d subscribe too!”
“......”
“And Noah-oppa has a golden dragon! A gold dragon, and now feathery wings. Total angel dragon! Dragons are popular East and West, and if it’s gold, ga over. Who hates gold? Finally, Riet-unnie! She’s far from a cutesy animal, but a powerful black dragon! Black is also popular—especially giant dinosaurs. Kids go crazy for spikes and rough looks according to my friend with a four-year-old niece!”
Song Taewon checked his watch again. It was just past ten. Not too late for middle schoolers these days. But since it was a team strategy eting, he couldn’t leave without reason.
“So we need sothing special, too.”
“Like what...?”
“How about costus? I heard they do that a lot in Arica.”
“......”
“I don’t really like that dress, but I’ll bite the bullet and wear that sky-blue sparkly one. I checked: high-rank Hunters just sign a simple contract on image managent, and they won’t sue.”
Song Taewon remained silent. He had nothing to say, and Park Yerim’s suggestion was hard to process.
“Director Song, you wear a yellow dress.”
“...Excuse ?”
“Plain is boring. I think it’d suit you.”
“...I refuse.”
A bitter feeling welled up in Song Taewon’s stomach. He couldn’t tell where she was serious or joking. Seong Hyunjae was easier to deal with... well, maybe not, but at least less unpredictable than Park Yerim.
“Spray water in Tis Square to create an ice rink, then build an ice castle!”
“That’s not happening.”
“I think people would love it.”
“It’s not happening.”
Park Yerim shot him a sparkle-eyed look. When she begged “Just once?” Song Taewon sighed and said no again. To him, Park Yerim felt like a combination of Han Yujin and Seong Hyunjae: less reckless than those two, but just as hard to handle.
Park Yerim, like Han Yujin, was not soone he could easily override. A minor who lost her parents to a dungeon break and deserved protection. Everything in her made him feel weak. Yet she was also a formidable S-Rank Hunter, like Seong Hyunjae: a force any S-Rank would yield to in the sea.
So Song Taewon still didn’t know how to treat her. Han Yuhyun was a minor too, but he never challenged him so personally. Fights aside, their interactions were chanically straightforward. No grievances made it easier. But Park Yerim was different.
“First, let’s decide the team na!”
Her face shone so brightly it nearly lit the room, and Song Taewon thought of Seong Hyunjae and Han Yujin—well, at least those two.
“‘YesSong Debate!’ Sounds familiar.”
“...It was the Joseon-era Seoin-Namin debate over etiquette.”
“Oh~ as expected of a civil «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» servant!”
Park Yerim would shoulder all the hardship alone.
“Crazy Song? How about Yes Song instead!”
“Middle schoolers should be going to sleep.”
“Ten o’clock is dinner ti. I’ll lift Director Song with one hand, you strike a pose. Arican style! Shall we rehearse?”
This too shall pass. Song Taewon stared at the slow-moving second hand, willing it to speed up.
Noah alighted on an ornantal statue atop the hotel, folded his wings behind him, and vanished.
[You’re still using Invisibility? They’d notice.]
Through his in-ear, Moon Hyunah’s voice ca.
[When you use Invisibility, your figure blurs and a subtitle ‘Invisibility Applied’ appears. Earlier, when you used it and I did the ‘wearer deletion’ processing, you vanished completely with no subtitle.]
“Using Invisibility on air counts as revealing the skill. I should tell Yujin.”
Noah said, then turned his head. Climbing the wall was a man. Noah switched off the broadcast and deactivated his Invisibility; the man bounded up close.
“Hello, Guildmaster Arc.”
“Not anymore.”
Noah bowed slightly. The paparazzo known as P had known him since France. Back then, as an auxiliary S-Rank Hunter forming his guild, Noah had helped with favorable articles.
“You were the one taking photos of Han Yujin.”
[He’s the hottest topic right now! Are you going to let this end with Ruhir? You’re the only auxiliary guildmaster to make an S-Rank guild and establish it—waste not. Thanks to you, a bunch of A- and B-rank auxiliary guildmasters erged.]
Hunter guilds center on dungeon clears. Until Noah Ruhir’s Arc Guild, auxiliaries never led mid-tier or higher guilds. After Arc, auxiliaries forming guilds and supporting others beca a new model, improving their standing. They could band together now.
“Your performance this ti will be great. All you’ve brought is A-rank support; the rest are combat types.”
[You still favor that side. But like I said, I ford my guild to endure. I wanted to break free from Riet.]
So he had no lingering attachnt. P chuckled beneath his mask.
[I work and play simultaneously. Hey, Angel, relax. The world’s ssy, but it’s heading roughly in a good direction. Compared to centuries ago, today’s world is paradise.]
With that, P bounced away. Noah watched him vanish beyond the buildings, then returned to the room.
“Who was that?”
Moon Hyunah, standing by the TV, asked.
“The paparazzo attached to Yujin.”
“Oh, the magazine photographer. Soone you know?”
“Yes. No need to worry.”
Moon Hyunah narrowed her eyes and regarded Noah.
“Sounds like a good guy. The more allies he has, the better. I recorded the TV with my phone—but the quality was terrible.”
She said they must have applied asures so broadcasts only show through the hotel channels.
“...This broadcast matters to you too, doesn’t it, Hyunah?”
Noah checked the recorded footage and asked. She smoothed the back of her neck and nodded.
“Guild politics aside, we saw the imbalance in race and gender. Even if rank is everything for Hunters, only certain people can attend these parties.”
Korea, now a stable dungeon state, was the only exception.
“So I’ll try to rank near the top. That’s it.”
Noah looked up from his phone at Moon Hyunah. As she’d begun visiting Seok Hayae’s lab, he’d encountered her often. Both she and Seok were always passionately discussing sothing, brimming with energy.
“I’ll do my best too.”
He had no clear goal yet, but that was fine. Suddenly he thought of his sister—the huge dragon that scorched the wasteland this afternoon, shaking the earth with her roar under the blazing sun. ...It was definitely fine.
—Now you can talk on air if no one else is around!
The little fairy dragon fiddled with the bracelet around its neck.
—I’ll keep my mic off.
That way, even if the broadcast’s live, it could stay silent. Of course, they’d be careful around those who didn’t know changelings.
“It’s ti to sleep.”
Seong Hyunjae said, gazing at his custom-made billion-won watch. Han Gyeol spread his wings happily.
—I’ve got this.
“It’s because Han Yujin asked.”
—You don’t like either. Don’t butt in.
Seong Hyunjae looked aggrieved.
“I’m fine with Han Gyeol—you’re the one─”
—Unless you’re Dad, it won’t work on . Even if I’m mixed up with him, it still bothers , right? I’m right, aren’t I?
He reached out to the bouncing fairy dragon; Han Gyeol bit his fingertip.
“See, I’m an adult who can take a little. And I still find it fascinating.”
—Grrr.
Gyeol grumbled with his finger in his mouth, his golden eyes glaring back. Seong Hyunjae smiled faintly.
“I don’t know why you dislike so much. I thought I treated you well. Must be hereditary.”
—It’s because you’re dangerous to Dad!
“I admit I was a bit rough on Han Yujin once.”
Seong Hyunjae moved to the single-seat sofa and sat. The fairy dragon bristled its ears and tail, glaring.
“If you count danger, isn’t Han Yuhyun the dangerous one?”
—More than Uncle!
Han Gyeol opened his mouth to yell, then clamped it shut. Seong Hyunjae’s eyes narrowed. He was sure the fairy dragon was hiding sothing—even a secret Han Yujin didn’t know.
Though young and inexperienced, if that was part of him, past grievances alone wouldn’t make him so hostile. Present-day Seong Hyunjae should be kinder to Han Yujin, protecting him.
“If it’s about the crescent moon incident, I’m a victim too...”
Feigning sadness, Seong Hyunjae pulled out his phone. Han Gyeol darted over and snatched it.
—You tattletale!
“Han Yujin, our kid’s fussing about sleep─”
—Dad! Don’t listen! Don’t listen!
“I got bitten and tail-smacked.”
—When did I! Dad, hang up! Goodnight!
[...Okay. Sleep well. And Seong Hyunjae, stop bullying him.]
Han Yujin ignored him, told Gyeol sweet dreams, and hung up. The fairy dragon growled, curled up on the bed, and lay down.
—I’m going to sleep, get out.
“You can’t leave a kid alone.”
—Then sleep on that sofa.
The small body shivered and turned away from Seong Hyunjae. Soon, only the night light remained on, and Han Gyeol drifted to sleep with a soft exhale. Seong Hyunjae’s presence felt oppressively strong.
‘...That will swallow Dad.’
If it realized, it wouldn’t hold back. It would value itself above all else, unlike Uncle, and pretend to care for Dad only to protect itself. A low rumble escaped his throat. He had to keep this hidden. He couldn’t tell anyone. He had to separate the fairy dragon from Han Yujin before it noticed.
‘I don’t know what to do....’
Warning it was dangerous and hearing its childish protests were all he could do. Soon, the fairy dragon’s cries faded as it fell asleep.
Silently, Seong Hyunjae watched. In the darkness, the golden eyes blinked slowly. As Han Gyeol said, that presence was a small thorn—but his curiosity outweighed his discomfort, so he tolerated it. Since receiving its na and separating from Han Yujin, it had beco its own distinct being.
Within a year at most, the sense of it being part of him would vanish entirely.
‘...So I never intended to touch it.’
If he brought it back, could he uncover what it hid? A chill passed through him as Han Gyeol murmured in his sleep and shifted.
“Han Yujin will be angry.”
—...Dad, stop pretending to be friendly...!
Yelling in his dream, Han Gyeol rolled over and exposed his belly. Seong Hyunjae took a handkerchief and gently covered him.
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