The Gathering of the Five Pillars, Regular Meeting

“It’s the day of the regular meeting.”

The day after I returned from buying Neon’s uniform and finishing the outing.

I turned to look at Yeon-ah, who had come to me from the morning and said so.

“Regular meeting?”

“Yes, it was originally scheduled for 9 days later, but due to various recent events, it has been moved up to tomorrow.”

“No, before that, what exactly is this regular meeting?”

I hurriedly cut off Yeon-ah’s words and asked, as she was trying to talk about the content without any prior knowledge.

Then Yeon-ah let out an exclamation, realizing that she hadn’t even explained.

If I were to interpret the regular meeting Yeon-ah mentioned literally, it would mean a meeting that is regularly scheduled.

And if Yeon-ah was participating, it must be a meeting where high-ranking individuals gather.

And Yeon-ah began to explain the regular meeting to me, affirming my rough prediction.

“First, to explain what the regular meeting is, it’s a place where the team leaders and ancestors of our Five Pillars gather to share opinions. It’s a place to discuss important matters among the issues handled during the month or content that wasn’t raised in documents.”

“Oh? So it’s a place where all the big shots of the Five Pillars gather?”

“Yes, including Team Leader Ahn Seo-hyun and Ancestor Arashi, Team Leader Na Tae-hyun and Ancestor Lavina whom you’ve met, it’s also a place where the team leaders and ancestors of the Judgment Team and Defense Team, whom you haven’t met yet, come out.”

This was quite an interesting statement.

After all, every time I met the team leaders and ancestors of the Five Pillars, there was always something, whether good or bad, so if everyone gathered as Yeon-ah said, it might be a regular meeting where I would have a new experience.

The immediate path I had taken in this world of humans 70 years later after waking up was the work of a hunter, but meeting other ancestors like this as the ancestor of the General Management Team might create a new goal for me.

So when I showed deep interest, Yeon-ah showed a bright expression and continued speaking.

“Anyway, this is the regular meeting, and originally this regular meeting takes place on set days every month… but as I mentioned earlier, this time it has been moved up to tomorrow due to various recent events.”

“Ah… There have been a lot of events recently.”

Indeed, all sorts of things had happened since I came recently to the defense city that had always flowed calmly.

My anger leading to the killing of Arashi and the Punishment Team’s exclusive hunter team, the fight with Lavina who threatened me, the birth of a new A-rank 1st hunter, pioneering an undeveloped gate, cleaning up the slums.

This was just counting the major incidents, and if we counted minor events or things that happened online, the number would be countless.

“…Indeed, it’s worth moving up the meeting to discuss the events that have happened so far.”

With all these things happening in less than a month, how could they not hold a meeting quickly?

As I nodded my head at the naturally understandable reason, Yeon-ah standing in front of me looked at me carefully.

“Perhaps… could you participate in the meeting with me?”

“Hm? Of course. I’m the ancestor of the General Management Team, right? Besides, I’m interested in meeting the ancestors of the Judgment Team and Defense Team.”

“Really?! Thank you, Ancestor!”

When I nodded immediately without much consideration, Yeon-ah rejoiced as if she would jump.

I showed a puzzled expression at her excessively joyful appearance, but after hearing the reason, I understood why even Yeon-ah, who was usually so chic, was so happy.

“Since the establishment of the Five Pillars, only our General Management Team has been having regular meetings without an ancestor until now… But finally, we too, with our Ancestor…!”

“Umm… I-I’m sorry.”

“No! What apology! I’m really grateful that you’ve woken up even now!”

Yeon-ah’s words that somehow sounded like it was my fault for not waking up earlier made me feel sorry involuntarily.

Yeon-ah was jumping for joy at being able to go to the regular meeting together like this now, but if I had known it would be like this, I should have tried to wake up a bit earlier somehow, even if I didn’t know how.

Therefore, I softly conveyed my apology to Yeon-ah once again and got up completely from the bed I was sitting on.

“Urgh…! Well, let’s decide on going to tomorrow’s regular meeting anyway, and finish today’s work first.”

“Ah, are you thinking of going to a gate again?”

“Hm? No, I have something else to do today besides the gate.”

Although the gates seemed like they wouldn’t get boring even if I went every day since everything was completely new, I had something else to do today.

Of course, since I had nothing to do if it wasn’t gates or my device, Yeon-ah tilted her head hearing my words.

I shook Hwa-gon, which I was lightly holding, at such a Yeon-ah.

“The goblin bat needs to be maintained regularly or dirt builds up on the horns.”

“Aha, I see. Maintaining the goblin bat is certainly important. Yes… Ye…? W-wait, did you say goblin bat?”

Yeon-ah, who was about to nod reflexively at my words, suddenly felt something strange and stopped speaking.

Then Yeon-ah looked at Hwa-gon that I had shaken and opened her mouth wide, gaping.

That’s right, come to think of it…

“Did I not tell you either, Yeon-ah?”

The fact that this iron bat is a goblin bat, it’s the first time I’m telling Yeon-ah as well.

Right after, Yeon-ah’s voice echoed loudly through my residential floor.

---

“Haah……”

A sigh so deep it’s as if the ground would cave in.

Following that, pink silk-like bangs flutter in the lingering sigh in the air.

Who else needs to be mentioned?

Lavina, the ancestor of the Geumryu Team. She was the protagonist of this sigh that seemed like it would cave in the ground.

Every time Lavina recalls the regular meeting that will come tomorrow, sighs flow from her mouth.

And as if representing her emotions as she sighs, her wings and tail move sluggishly.

“…I have to see that person again?”

It was obvious, but the reason Lavina was sighing every time she recalled the regular meeting was because of Shin-yeon, whom she would inevitably see when the meeting takes place.

Until now, since Shin-yeon had been asleep, the General Management Team ancestor’s seat had always been vacant at regular meetings.

But from tomorrow, that girl named Shin-yeon will occupy that seat.

And for Lavina, memories related to Shin-yeon were truly trauma itself.

“That crazy bitch……”

For the first time in her life, she felt fear from physical impact from Shin-yeon.

Therefore, every time she recalls her, dizzying and painful memories flash through her mind.

Just recalling it seemed to cause phantom pain from that golden horned bat that had mercilessly struck her head.

“But I can’t skip the meeting even so……”

However, even if Lavina herself didn’t want to meet Shin-yeon, she couldn’t completely skip the regular meeting.

“Because of the things I’ve done at meetings until now……”

First of all, there was the image she had built up until now, and the Geumryu Team had always picked fights by speaking indirectly to Yeon-ah of the General Management Team, who never had an ancestor.

After doing such things, how could Lavina herself, the ancestor of the Geumryu Team, not attend the meeting?

And most obviously, skipping the regular meeting while being perfectly alive was an action that would be looked down upon not only by the General Management Team but also by other Five Pillars.

“But I have to maintain at least minimal pride……”

Therefore, with the easiest and quickest path of skipping the meeting blocked, Lavina racked her brains, which she hadn’t used for several years, to find another way.

The most ideal and excellent response method among the actions Lavina herself could take.

And in the end, Lavina had no choice but to choose the best alternative at the end of it.

“…Let’s just quietly shrink at this meeting.”

That is, the alternative of just staying quiet like a dead mouse at this regular meeting, saying only the minimum necessary words.

Because Lavina had no confidence in withstanding Shin-yeon’s bat-swinging again if she spoke out of turn with her usual provocative tone and fell out of Shin-yeon’s favor.

This was the best method the current Lavina could come up with.

Ring ring ring~

“…What is it?”

And when Lavina was finishing her thoughts and calming her mind in preparation for tomorrow, suddenly her device on the bed started ringing.

Checking the caller, it was none other than the ancestor of the Judgment Team.

The only ancestor of another Five Pillars with whom Lavina occasionally exchanged recent news via contact even before knowing Shin-yeon.

“Why did she suddenly call?”

It was truly a call that suited the word ‘out of the blue’, so Lavina muttered so without realizing it herself.

However, there was a need to answer the call if only to solve the mystery, so Lavina brought the device to her ear and.

“Hello? Who is this~ Our fish! Why did you suddenly call~?”

[Ah, Lavina. I contacted you because there’s something I want to request. It’s about the General Management Team ancestor who is said to have woken up recently……]

“Hang up!!!”

Click—

Before the Judgment Team ancestor’s words could fully continue, Lavina hurriedly hung up and threw her device onto the bed.

Then Lavina felt goosebumps all over her body as soon as she heard the words ‘General Management Team ancestor’ that flowed from the Judgment Team ancestor’s mouth, and rubbed her arms.

“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow……”

What on earth will happen at tomorrow’s regular meeting, now that that fish woman, whose head at least rolls well, has mentioned the General Management Team ancestor?

“…Let’s not think about it unnecessarily.”

Lavina tried imagining once, but perhaps because of her own dirty personality, only terrible futures came to mind, so she stopped thinking any further.

All Lavina could do was pray that there wouldn’t be cases like her own at the regular meeting.

Lavina slowly lay down on the bed, rubbing her head that had started to hurt.

The day before the regular meeting was gradually coming to an end.