Chapter 34: Encounter

The garden was nestled in the deepest part of the Azure Sky Alliance’s main headquarters.

The subtle scent of orchids drifted through the cold, early morning air.

Lee Seo-ryeong sat in the gazebo, holding a teacup from which steam gently rose.

Her fingers, as white as jade, slowly tilted the cup as she savored the aroma.

Behind her, beside a pillar draped in shadow, a man appeared without a sound and knelt.

He was the one who commanded the Alliance Leader’s shadows, the Master of the Dark Shadows.

Without taking her eyes off the teacup, Lee Seo-ryeong asked in a low voice, “Master of the Dark Shadows, have you finished the investigation into the physician?”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”

Only then did Lee Seo-ryeong set down her cup and turn to him.

A deep interest flickered in her eyes.

“Speak.”

The Master of the Dark Shadows kept his head bowed and began to recite the information he had memorized.

“The physician’s name is Yoo Seon-woo. He was formerly a hunter with the Haetae Guild, but he chose a new profession after retiring.”

“The position he holds, Hunter Mental Counselor… has been confirmed to be the only one of its kind in the country.”

The Master of the Dark Shadows paused for a moment.

“The authority granted by this position is stronger than we anticipated. It seems that, at least concerning Outsiders and hunters, his directives and judgments are considered an inviolable domain.”

“I see.”

Lee Seo-ryeong nodded.

So the source of his confidence came from his skill, after all.

She despised baseless arrogance, but she didn’t dislike confidence backed by ability.

In fact, it was a quality she quite liked.

That kind of confidence.

“Therefore, it appears the Association is also strongly backing Yoo Seon-woo, the sole physician to have passed their difficult examination. The Haetae Guild, where he was once a member, also seems to be providing unofficial support.”

“The Association… and Haetae…”

Lee Seo-ryeong’s fingers gently stroked the surface of the teacup.

The Association was one of the strongest powers maintaining the balance.

But Haetae was unexpected.

The Haetae Guild was one of the top ten guilds and maintained a very good relationship with the Azure Sky Alliance.

This meant he was not an opponent she could easily move against.

Making a move on the physician could sour her relationship with Haetae.

He grows more surprising by the moment.

But the report didn’t end there.

After a moment of hesitant silence, the Master of the Dark Shadows brought forth the most startling piece of information.

“And… one more thing.”

Lee Seo-ryeong looked at him, a silent command to continue.

“While our informant was investigating his surroundings, they received a warning from an unknown power.”

At those words, Lee Seo-ryeong’s smile faded for the first time.

“A warning?”

“Yes. The message was, ‘Approach any closer, and not a trace of you will be left.’”

After the report concluded, silence fell upon the garden.

The only sound was the clear tap, tap of Lee Seo-ryeong’s finger on the gazebo’s railing.

She closed her eyes, organizing all the information she had just heard.

First, his personal abilities were outstanding, and he possessed a strong will. Just one look into his eyes told her he wouldn’t be easily broken.

Second, he had the backing of powerful forces: the Association and the Haetae Guild. That alone would make things quite complicated.

Third, a powerful, unidentified individual was also protecting him.

Not a single one of these things was simple.

“…Hah.”

An irrepressible laugh escaped Lee Seo-ryeong’s lips.

It started small, then grew louder and louder.

A clear, elegant laugh that filled the entire garden.

The Master of the Dark Shadows was bewildered by this side of his master he had never seen before.

How powerless I am.

Lee Seo-ryeong, the leader of the Azure Sky Alliance, felt a sense of powerlessness.

It was a hollow laugh, born from that very feeling.

No matter what she did, she couldn’t get to her daughter right now.

No matter what she did, she couldn’t get past that man for the time being.

That fact was unbearably infuriating, and yet, at the same time…

It was strangely enjoyable.

*

The Association’s archives were quiet again today.

Especially so in the morning.

“I’d like to return these. Thank you.”

“Oh, yes. Of course.”

I returned the materials I had borrowed yesterday and pored over all night—the documents which contained only the most beneficial, wholesome, and hopeful content.

I waited for a moment as the librarian at the desk processed the return, then carefully took the old paper out of my coat.

“Excuse me, librarian…”

I held out a bundle of old, yellowed papers toward her.

“Is there any way to find out who wrote this paper?”

I finally voiced the question that had been nagging me.

Just who was the person who researched and recorded all of this?

“Ah! Yes, just a moment…”

Every paper had a serial number. Entering it into the archives’ computer should be enough to identify the author.

She skillfully typed the serial number, stamped in faded ink on the corner of the document, into the terminal.

But soon, the librarian’s brow furrowed.

“Hmm… this one is classified as private.”

“What?”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“It says here the donor strongly requested their identity remain private. In cases like this, we can’t confirm the author either.”

Wait.

At her words, a sliver of hope flashed through my mind. An anonymous donation, an unclear source.

Did that mean it was a baseless, false paper?

I asked, filled with a sudden surge of hope, “Does that mean it might be a fake paper?”

“No.”

My hope was mercilessly crushed by her firm reply.

“Even if it’s an anonymous document, all records in our archives undergo the Association’s multi-stage verification process.”

She pointed to the authentication mark on the monitor, driving the final nail in the coffin.

“This record has also completed all fact-checking and is an official document.”

Ah.

“…Thank you.”

My head spinning, I left the Association archives.

So I’d just had it confirmed beyond a doubt.

And I didn’t even know who the author was.

“Ugh.”

Unlike the quiet archives, the Association’s central lobby was bustling with people.

Even though it was morning, there was barely room to move.

In the crowd, I spotted a familiar face.

It was a staff member I’d seen often when I was getting my counselor certification.

I was watching him busily giving instructions when he noticed me first and approached.

“Ah, Mr. Yoo Seon-woo… no, Counselor! What brings you here?”

I smiled and gave a light nod.

Then, I gestured with my chin toward the people filling the lobby.

“Is today a special occasion? It’s unusually crowded.”

“Ah, you didn’t know. Today is the Hunter Mental Counselor certification exam.”

“Oh, is that so?”

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at the news.

A colleague. Or a successor who could lighten my load. Either way, it was good news.

With genuine anticipation, I asked with a smile, “How many do you think will pass?”

“Hmm… well. Let’s see…”

In response to my question, the team leader just gave a wry smile. He tapped the tablet in his hand.

“Zero last month.”

“Zero the month before that.”

He shrugged and delivered his conclusion.

“So this time, it’ll probably be zero as well.”

“What?”

The team leader shook his head at my question.

“You might not have known, Counselor, but it’s not that we’re deliberately not hiring. We’ve been continuously recruiting.”

He continued in a weary voice, “To this day, the only person who has passed the minimum qualifications set by the Association… is you, Counselor.”

I suddenly remembered.

The staff member’s words, that my successor would only appear after I was gone.

So it hadn’t been a lie.

Clinging to a sliver of hope, I asked cautiously, “In that case… what about lowering the qualification standards a little?”

“That would be difficult. We’ve already lowered them too much. We’ve relaxed the standards countless times since you first passed.”

A sigh was mixed in with the team leader’s reply.

“Any lower than this is impossible.”

He glanced bitterly at the applicants filling the lobby.

“We aren’t trying to hire just any simple counselor, after all.”

I could only nod at his words.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand.

The staff member bowed his head to me.

“So please, we’ll be counting on you in the future. If you ever have any issues, please let us know. The Association will provide for all of Counselor Yoo Seon-woo’s needs.”

I gave an awkward smile and shook my head.

“It’s nothing.”

Right.

That’s enough self-pity.

I have a job to do.

I headed back toward the facility where Seol Yu-wol was quarantined.

To my client, who would be waiting for me.

*

Clutching a small lavender pot to her chest, Luna headed for the Counselor’s office.

She knew the Counselor was at the Association today. That’s why she was going in secret.

“♪~~♬”

A little tune escaped Luna’s lips without her realizing it.

Even her steps felt light.

This morning, she had caught Elice, who was pretending to sleep in on her day off, trying to sneak out the front door.

‘Elice, where are you going?’

At Luna’s call, Elice had frozen with a start.

In her hand was the key ring the Counselor had given her yesterday.

‘Ah, well… I was just going to return this…’

‘I’ll take it.’

Before Elice could argue, Luna had snatched the keys from her sister’s hand.

The memory of her sister’s sullen expression came to mind, but it didn’t matter.

She adjusted her grip on the small lavender pot in her arms.

A small token of gratitude for the sweet cake the Counselor had given her.

And… with the hope that he would think of Luna whenever he smelled this calming scent…

‘Ah…’

The thought made Luna catch herself, and she quickly shook her head.

“No…”

That wasn’t her intention.

She just wanted the Counselor to stay in a more comfortable space.

Arriving at the office door, she took a deep breath.

With a trembling hand, she inserted the key into the lock and turned it. A sharp click echoed in the quiet hallway.

The door opened right away.

According to Elice, the Counselor had said to hide the key under the doormat.

But she still had things to do inside.

Without hesitation, Luna stepped inside.

“Hnng…”

She immediately sensed the Counselor’s scent.

Without realizing it, the tension drained from Luna’s shoulders.

Her heart felt at ease.

Her feet naturally carried her to the counseling room, the space where he spent the most time.

In the center of the room stood a massive Black Jade Table that radiated an overwhelming presence.

Luna approached it, planning to place the pot on top.

“……”

But as she got closer to the table, a faint but unpleasant scent brushed past her nose.

No.

Something’s not right here.

It was different from the Counselor’s gentle scent; she could feel an unpleasant odor.

Instinctively, Luna frowned and took a step back.

Instead, she headed for the Counselor’s small desk by the window.

And on it, she carefully placed the lavender pot she had brought.

“Hmm-hmm…”

She wanted it to look its prettiest from the Counselor’s point of view.

So, to see it from his angle, she slowly sat down in his chair.

“Ah…!”

The moment she sat down, she held her breath.

Luna was flustered.

This was on a completely different level from the scent that simply filled the space.

This chair, where he spent most of his time, held a thick, concentrated remnant of his scent.

Luna’s head grew dizzy.

She gripped her skirt with both hands and bit her lip hard.

She could feel her blood running hot through her entire body.

“Ah… ahh…”

Her legs trembled.

In a daze, she began to sink deep, so very deep, into a world where only she and the Counselor existed.

But it was at that very moment.

“Who are you?”

The counseling room door opened, and a sharp voice cut through the air.

Luna was instantly jolted back to her senses.

The one who had opened the door was S-class hunter Jin Se-ah.

“Aaaah!”

She practically screamed as she shot up from the chair.

Her face flushed beet red, as if it would explode.

The two of them locked eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

At Jin Se-ah’s question, Luna froze on the spot.

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Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

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