Ch.8128. To the Slavian Kingdom (1)

I was momentarily taken aback.

Flame is an Association-certified guild. And with the contract with Solaris and the compensation for this cooperative mission, the company’s financial situation had been comfortable lately.

So the statement that they could afford to provide individual private rooms in a luxury hotel for guild members confused me.

“What’s going on? Why not a private room?”

“I wouldn’t know. Maybe they’re trying to save on this quarter’s budget. Well, arranging accommodations is the operations team’s job.”

Arin shamelessly pretended not to know. She was already quite close with the operations team staff.

It seemed she had received help from an operations staff member to sneakily change our separately assigned rooms into one.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.’

It wouldn’t be the first or second time Arin and I had shared a bed. Still, it bothered me a little.

During the past two weeks when Arin practically lived at my place, my physical condition was truly terrible, so I wasn’t conscious of her presence.

But now my condition had somewhat recovered. Honestly, if Arin deliberately tried to seduce me, I couldn’t be certain I could resist.

“Senior… Haah… My heart’s already racing.”

Sure enough, Arin seemed to be thinking about something already, repeatedly fidgeting with her interlocked fingers.

“Nothing’s going to happen, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Such a stone wall. Acting all high and mighty because you’re popular. Tch.”

Arin pretended to be upset. Contrary to her words, I had never thought about my popularity with women.

Honestly, the situation was difficult right now. Not just Arin, but Yuri and Soso had also confessed their feelings for me and were actively pursuing me.

All three of them are beautiful enough to be featured prominently in the media.

So for an average man my age, this would be an overwhelmingly happy situation, but for me, my feelings were complicated.

I couldn’t open my heart to any of them. I’m living on borrowed time. And I’m not foolish enough to forget my priorities.

‘Not until I complete my revenge.’

I can’t devote my energy to romantic games. Even those trivial emotions must be burned in hatred and vengeance against the Red Lake.

Above all, Chae Min-ah, a victim of the Eins tragedy, is alive.

As a villain, and a demon contractor at that.

‘Of course Min-ah must have been involved in the Eins tragedy.’

No matter how powerful an S-class villain the Shadow Demon Lord was, Eins Academy was by no means a vulnerable place. It was a world-renowned prestigious academy.

As such, it wasn’t a place where collaborators with uncertain identities could freely come and go. But if there was an accomplice among the students, like Min-ah…

‘That would explain how the Shadow Demon Lord and his subordinates took over Eins so easily.’

The thought makes my heart sink colder. If my previous hatred and desire for revenge had been vaguely burning toward the Red Lake…

Now my target is much more concrete. If Min-ah was involved in that incident…

I will definitely kill her. And at that moment, Arin, who had been playfully talking to me, spoke with concern in her voice.

“Senior, your expression is scary…”

She gently stroked my hand. Having been by my side for two years, she seemed to notice even the slightest change in my mood.

And although Arin had learned that Min-ah, who was like an older sister to her, was alive, she had never mentioned it in front of me.

She must have seen my panic attack right after I woke up in that barracks. She seemed to be considerate of me. For her sake, I smiled playfully and said:

“It’s nothing. Just uncomfortable with the airplane seat.”

But I needed to restrain myself from relying on Arin’s kindness from now on.

‘Right. I can’t engage in romance, but now is the time to pretend to.’

As my goals become clearer, I need the combined strength of Yuri, Soso, and Arin. Knowing their feelings for me, if I set my mind to it, I can manipulate them as I wish.

If a little acting can control those three, and if they can become stronger than they are now…

I can pretend to have feelings for all three of them. I need to act as if I’m giving them hope, feign affection, and keep them bound to me.

‘I can’t be swayed. I’ll be the one doing the swaying.’

I know it’s an extremely cowardly action. I feel especially sorry toward Arin, but…

‘In return, I won’t choose any of them.’

That’s my only atonement, I reminded myself once more. I glanced at Arin with a casual smile.

At that moment, Arin whispered in my ear:

“Senior. I have no intention of constraining you. You’ll end up choosing me anyway.”

***

The group arrived at the airport.

This is Adersk Airport, the international airport representing Adersk, the capital of the Slavian Kingdom. Located where Harbin, China used to be before the dimensional fusion, the flight wasn’t too long.

And the moment they entered the airport, all the guild members were surprised.

“Everywhere I look, there are pictures of Lady Yuri. Your popularity is truly remarkable.”

As he said, Yuri’s photos were being displayed on the advertising boards commonly seen at international airports.

Advertisement photos with poses like those of celebrities or models. Seeing those photos, Yuri exclaimed in an embarrassed voice:

“I-I never took photos like that!”

Unlike the usual Yuri who mainly wears formal attire, the Yuri in the advertisements wore various outfits. There were ads where she wore vibrant clothes like an idol.

There were even cosmetic advertisements where she wore quite revealing outfits. In many ways, these were photos that the normally rigid Yuri would never take.

‘So Team Leader Seo Du-ho was right.’

While they don’t directly film dungeon conquests or villain subjugations, suitably edited videos are officially uploaded to platforms like YouTube.

The spectacular battles of the Awakened, and the fact that young hunters earn salaries incomparably higher than people their age.

So famous hunters are no different from celebrities. Especially Yuri, who has been very popular since the exchange competition.

‘Her social media accounts had followers in the millions.’

Though it seems she doesn’t manage them at all now. For a hunter of Yuri’s caliber, her portrait rights would be extremely valuable.

Father Stefano whispered in my ear:

“Actually, there’s a somewhat complicated situation behind this. Lady Yuri has every right to be embarrassed.”

“Yes, Father. I heard about it from Team Leader Seo.”

But Yuri’s portrait rights don’t belong to Flame. Yuri sold her portrait rights in the process of making Flame an S-class guild.

‘They were bought by a subsidiary of Grand Duke Andrei, I heard.’

In the process of raising capital for the guild, they had to borrow money from her family. She used her portrait rights as collateral for the loan.

It seemed that the Grand Duke Andrei’s company was making full use of those portrait rights.

‘That’s ultimately because of me too.’

As Yuri confessed a few days ago, she formed and expanded Flame all for my sake.

But no matter how much she felt that way, there’s no way Yuri could skillfully pose for advertisement photos like that.

‘That’s not her personality.’

Of course, even if Yuri didn’t directly pose like an idol or model, modern editing technology is advanced enough that having such abundant advertisement photos wasn’t strange.

But the citizens of the Slavian Kingdom naturally thought Yuri had posed for them directly.

And under the enthusiastic support of Grand Duke Andrei, it seemed that rumors in the Slavian Kingdom portrayed the Grand Duke as being very fond of Yuri. He had a doting father image.

‘Scary. Grand Duke Andrei.’

Yuri’s biological father, Grand Duke Andrei, has an extremely cold and harsh personality. Just like Yuri before she knew me.

Starting from a collateral royal family, he built his private army into a large-scale order called the Snow Knights and earned the title of Grand Duke.

And even the current King of Slavia ascended to the throne under his protection, so naturally, that king is just a puppet.

Grand Duke Andrei, who directly serves as the Prime Minister of the Slavian Kingdom, was the actual ruler of this kingdom.

‘Yuri’s cold personality must have come from that Grand Duke.’

I heard something from Executive Director Maria. When Yuri created Flame instead of joining the Snow Knights, the Grand Duke was furious.

But being cold-headed, he rather saw it as an opportunity. Yuri, who became more famous to the public by creating a guild in Korea. He used her public fame.

‘He used it to erase negative public opinion about the Grand Duke in the Slavian Kingdom.’

A strict dictator and power holder. But he deliberately created and used this image of a doting father and friendly figure.

And since Flame is a guild certified by the Korean Hunter Association, he used that fact to maintain good relations with the Association and strengthen the alliance between the two countries.

Just then, an interview from the recent cooperative mission was playing on a large electronic display. Yuri’s face appeared.

“With the blessing of the great Ayel upon me, I wasn’t afraid even when facing the great demon.”

As she said this, Yuri was seen making the sign of the cross.

Of course, she never gave such an interview. This interview was also fabricated.

Although it was an interview praising the White Cross Society and their god Ayel, Father Stefano was rather embarrassed.

“Lady Yuri would never have given such an interview. This is…”

Unlike Korea, the Slavian Kingdom is a country with strong religious colors. The White Cross Religion is the state religion of the Slavian Kingdom.

So if Yuri, the heir of Grand Duke Andrei, shows herself as a faithful believer of the Cross Society, support for Grand Duke Andrei would increase significantly.

‘Truly a ruthless man.’

With such political acumen and strength as one of the Five Heavenly Sages, if he somehow gets involved in my revenge in the future, it could be quite troublesome.

‘But I definitely won’t let that happen.’

With that resolve, I completed the immigration process.

“Those accompanying Lady Yuri, or rather, members of Flame, may proceed directly.”

Naturally, we passed through immigration in a separate area with great ease.

Although the Slavian Kingdom is famous as a major country and tourist destination, immigration procedures are quite strict. Flame was receiving very special treatment.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Yuri Tarkovskaya. I am Aleksandr, the president of Adersk Airport Corporation…”

Soon, airport staff gathered before us and bowed respectfully. Even the president himself came to bow.

“Guild Leader Yuri, you really are the Grand Duke’s daughter,” Arin whispered to me, seemingly impressed anew.

When we went to Hong Kong, Soso also received a respectful welcome from the people of the Heavenly Horse Divine Sect.

But even they didn’t have airport officials come out to greet us personally. Soso also looked surprised.

“Nice to meet you. Oh, and you should have been in contact with the people from the Far East Diocese. Please guide us quickly. We’re not here for sightseeing.”

“Yes, yes! I’m sorry, Miss Yuri!”

The president was very attentive to Yuri’s mood.

But Yuri, seemingly accustomed to such reception, confidently gave orders to the president. Her commanding tone seemed very familiar, a high-handed demeanor.

‘Quite different from how she speaks to Flame employees.’

Since Flame is a guild with a very free atmosphere, Yuri’s current way of addressing the president was closer to the Yuri I knew from Eins days.

“I didn’t know Lady Yuri had such a side. I’m only now realizing her high status.”

Father Stefano seemed to be seeing this side of her for the first time, looking quite surprised. As we followed the president and staff’s guidance…

Yuri quietly stood beside me. She glanced at my face and then blushed.

‘Could she have been conscious of me?’

It was as if she wanted to show me that she was this kind of person, someone of special status.

In response to her action, which was clearly conscious of me, I replied:

“As expected, our Guild Leader is impressive.”

At those words, Yuri’s eyelids fluttered. A sign she was very pleased. I didn’t say anything more and followed behind the group.

Father Stefano said:

“Who are those people? The priests from the Far East Diocese have come in person.”

And priests wearing quite solemn vestments, along with what appeared to be battle priests, were waiting outside the airport with cars.

Like before, Yuri stepped forward to receive their greetings. But at that moment, everyone in Flame was surprised.

“Welcome, Brother Lee Min-su. Archbishop Enrico is eager to meet you.”

The person those priests greeted first was not Yuri, but me.