Chapter 28: Undefined good and evil

–You want to know about that monster?

A call from Seo Da-In.

She wanted to know about the monster that had attacked her.

Han So-Yeon, answering the phone, asked,

–Aren’t you already searching for it?

“You haven’t heard?”

Seo Da-In sighed.

“That monster defeated Titan, the Harbinger of Doom.”

–What?

“There’s no way you haven’t heard.”

Normally, she would be right.

Ranger’s information network was extensive, even having informants in other Guilds.

–Ah… I was away, and my phone was dead. I just turned it back on.

“You’re saying you were unreachable the exact moment I called?”

–Yes. Perfect timing.

“I find that hard to believe, but I’ll let it slide.”

–Unnie, I’m serious! I haven’t even checked my voicemail yet.

Seo Da-In swallowed, hearing her frustrated tone.

“Alright, alright. It’s not important right now.”

She just wanted to know about the monster.

“My staff examined ancient texts recovered from dungeons. Comparing them to the monster’s appearance, we think we know what it is.”

–Really?

“Yes.”

Seo Da-In spoke quietly,

“Kenonian Hectos.”

–Kenonian Hectos?

“It’s described as a guardian dragon from the Age of Creation, but the text itself is based on legends, so I’m not entirely sure.”

Still, it was likely a text from another dimension, so it was a valuable reference.

“We’re calling it Hectos for now, but the details, like the wings, don’t exactly match the illustration.”

–Then it might be something else.

“The basic characteristics are too similar.”

–Well, I know you wouldn’t say that without reason.

Han So-Yeon didn’t press further.

–Anyway, I don’t know much. I only saw it that once.

“Did you sense anything about its motives?”

–I didn’t sense any hostility towards humans. At least, not towards those who weren’t hostile to it.

Not towards those who weren’t hostile to it.

Seo Da-In pondered.

‘How did it perceive me?’

She had been hostile. The monster would have been justified in attacking her.

But it hadn’t. Did it feel superior?

‘It didn’t feel like that.’

It felt like it had spared her because it knew her. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way, but she suspected the monster had recognized her.

‘It wouldn’t be strange if it did.’

As Director, she had overseen numerous monster raids.

She had been in the media often, so the monster might have seen her and recognized her.

But that only explained the familiarity, not why it hadn’t attacked her.

“So you don’t know anything else about it?”

–No. Are you planning to subjugate it?

Seo Da-In chuckled dryly.

“No.”

Hectos hadn’t harmed her and had even defeated Titan, the Harbinger of Doom.

It didn’t seem like a simple territorial dispute, according to the Hunter reports.

Many had testified that Hectos attacked Titan when they were in danger.

Seo Da-In was confused.

If everything she had heard was true, Hectos might be as rational as a human, perhaps even more so.

–Unnie?

Han So-Yeon’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Seo Da-In sighed.

“It’s nothing.”

There was no need to prolong the conversation.

“Wherever you are, don’t wander around alone. At least inform the Ranger Guild.”

–Yeah, alright.

“Be careful. I’ll be going now.”

Click.

Seo Da-In hung up and leaned back in her chair.

“What is that monster…?”

An ancient guardian dragon. According to legends, Kenonian Hectos was a being that protected its world, standing beside the throne of God.

But its alignment, good or evil, was ambiguous.

It wasn’t described as an ally of humanity.

Only that it acted according to its own will.

“Enemy or ally?”

She couldn’t stop thinking about Hectos lecturing her.

She sighed and muttered,

“I need to meet it again.”

She closed her eyes, resting for a moment.

Around the same time, Han So-Yeon, having ended the call, entered a cave.

“That was close.”

She looked ahead and muttered,

The Secret Archive.
She was in a dungeon investigated by the Hunter Association.

‘They must have found the texts about Hectos here.’

Dungeons were broadly categorized into two types:

Raid-type dungeons, which served as monster nests, and Exploration-type dungeons, which contained artifacts and treasures.

Of course, some dungeons had overlapping characteristics.

But this Secret Archive was a pure treasure trove, devoid of monsters.

‘Or rather, an archive.’

Exploration-type dungeons filled with ancient texts were rare. In fact, this was the only one.

Han So-Yeon looked around, gathering information about Hectos.

The Association had taken the books, but they seemed to have missed the wall murals.

‘They probably took pictures.’

Although she was only examining what was left, she had an advantage over the Association.

Creak.

She knew there was another hidden chamber within the archive.

She hadn’t reported it to the Association. Most Hunters, including Director Seo, were dedicated to serving the nation and the world.

But not everyone was.

Some stole information from the Association for their own gain.

Even President Kwon couldn’t stop it. It was too widespread.

“Amazing.”

Bookshelves lined the walls of the hidden chamber, separated into black and white sections. And in the gray area between them, she found a book about Hectos.

‘There it is.’

She opened the book and scanned the contents.

‘What’s this?’

It described Hectos as both monster and not-monster.

Its body was that of a monster, but its soul came from elsewhere.

It was a difficult concept to grasp.

It had once represented monsters, but after being betrayed by them, it disappeared.

“It was at odds with humans?”

If it had represented monsters, it should have been on their side. But the book didn’t explain clearly.

‘And the book is in the gray area.’

White, gray, black.

It could be a simple color scheme, but she felt it might be more than that.

‘If it’s not purely evil, I need to confirm its allegiance.’

That required more than just conversation; she needed to observe it firsthand.

“Let’s do it.”

She left the hidden chamber and the cave, took out her phone, and dialed.

Ring… ring….

No one answered. She groaned.

‘He wouldn’t ignore me, would he?’

But the call finally connected.

–Hello.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t Hectos. She checked the number.

“Who is this?”

–Hectos’ roommate.

“Roommate?”

She was bewildered.

–…Where did you learn that word? Give me the phone.

–Ah! Hectos, wait! Ahh!

–Put it on speakerphone and put it down.

After a brief commotion, the voice returned.

–I’m on the phone now.

“Uh, hmm.”

The unexpected conversation made her smile awkwardly.

“Hi, I’m Han So-Yeon.”

She reintroduced herself.