International Exchange Tournament(3)

The tournament venue in the 30th district, not far from the airport in the 34th district.

This venue, built like a single stadium, was so massive in size that it occupied 1/5 of the 30th district, which was considered large in area.

Such a large venue was originally a place used only for sports competitions, large-scale performances, and hunter duels, but specially, what was about to be held here today was the Hunter Promotion International Exchange Tournament.

The International Exchange Tournament, which is held only once a year like the World Ranking Selection Tournament.

This year, the International Exchange Tournament, where carefully selected hunters from each country gather to compete, is being held at this venue in the Korean defense city.

And as such, on the day of the event, today.

The 30th district was in a state where so many people were crowded that it could be said that waves of people were rushing in without pause.

-Please all line up properly!!

-We will now control vehicle traffic! We would appreciate your patience for a moment!

-Hey there! Don’t fight!!

From people who had pre-booked tickets and were trying to enter by legitimate means by standing in line, to people trying to enter by unfair means, and even those trying to take advantage of the confusion to commit petty thefts.

Of course, there were hardly any people trying to commit crimes like the latter, but whether intentional or accidental, all sorts of crimes tended to occur in such chaotic situations.

Fortunately, however, thanks to the full-scale manpower support from the Five Continents and the control using it, there were no major problems, and most ended with just small disturbances.

And when you look up from the entrance that looks precarious but is running well, you can see the rooftop of the venue.

Unlike the noisy entrance, on the rooftop where the word “quietly bustling” fits well, several flagship ships were repeatedly taking off and landing in order, showing off their respective grandeur.

Whirr—

When one flagship lands, those wearing masks and cloaks disembarking from it and those assisting them.

Needless to say, they were the Ancestors and team leaders from other countries who had come to watch this tournament.

From flagships that seem like they could easily accommodate hundreds of people, only one Ancestor and team leader each disembark.

It was a sight that ordinary people might call a waste of money, but for the Ancestors entering the venue through the rooftop, this was only natural.

Only the Ancestor and team leader riding such a large flagship and disembarking onto the rooftop where no one except officials, devices, or artificial intelligence could even enter.

This was something that could be called natural for them, so those who disembarked from the flagships naturally entered the venue or gathered in groups with those they were acquainted with and conversed.

Therefore, the sound of calm but bustling conversations flowing like water.

In this place where two words that cannot coexist are together, many Ancestors who are rarely seen were chatting and laughing with each other like that.

Whirr—

That was until someone disembarked from a flagship that had arrived without a sound.

Tap—

A clear sound of shoes echoes amidst the noisy conversation of the Ancestors.

And the one disembarking from the flagship making that shoe sound is an Ancestor wearing a luxurious mask and cloak, just like the other Ancestors.

However, at the pattern on the flagship from which that Ancestor disembarked and the appearance of the platinum-haired man assisting the Ancestor, silence suddenly fell among the chattering Ancestors.

“……”

“……”

“…The General Administration Team?”

Silence that naturally fell without anyone leading it.

Only after a few seconds had passed did one Ancestor’s muttering quietly break that silence.

And that muttering in the form of a question, though not spoken aloud, represented the hearts of all the Ancestors standing here.

“…Why suddenly the Ancestor of the General Administration Team?”

“I can barely remember how long it’s been since I’ve seen her…”

“Wasn’t she no longer coming to such gatherings?”

As one person’s muttering echoed, other Ancestors also began to whisper in their respective groups and look at the Ancestor of the General Administration Team with meaningful eyes.

The main topic of those whispers was mostly about what change of heart had led her to appear here.

Her absence from such public gatherings for so long, precisely 16 years in terms of time, had already instilled in the Ancestors the perception that the Ancestor of the General Administration Team does not come to such gatherings.

However, breaking that ingrained perception and appearing like this, how could they not be surprised?

Therefore, the Ancestors looked at the Ancestor of the General Administration Team with suspicion, but even amidst such gazes, the Ancestor of the General Administration Team, the vampire noblewoman, maintained a peaceful mood without the slightest wavering.

“Hmm… As expected, everyone seems a little surprised.”

“Probably not a little, but very surprised.”

“…Seb, you always seem to contradict my words, don’t you?”

“Ahem! I apologize, you seemed to be in a very good mood.”

“Huhut… Yes, that’s right. I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let it slide.”

The woman, conversing with her team leader Sebastian, nicknamed Seb, who serves her, finally completely disembarks from the flagship.

And after lightly scanning her surroundings, the woman smiled slightly under her mask as she saw a few others whose appearances were as rare as hers.

“As expected… There are quite a few like me.”

“That pattern is… the Chinese jiangshi. And I see a few of our Ancestors as well.”

“Indeed. It seems those who usually don’t even come out under the sunlight couldn’t resist their curiosity this time.”

“Hmm… You were the same, Ancestor.”

“That’s right, I was too.”

An Ancestor who can be identified as a Chinese jiangshi from the defense city by the pattern drawn on their cloak and the stiff movements of their arms and legs enters the venue.

Behind them, a few other Ancestors from the woman’s own country can be seen.

Seeing those who rarely come out under the sun walking around like this, she couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

And the place where they were all heading was none other than inside the venue.

Without even giving a glance to where other Ancestors were gathered in groups chatting, they all went straight inside the venue.

The woman also knew without being told what they had come here for, so she didn’t waste any more time and started moving her feet that had stopped.

“Let’s go in quickly too, Seb.”

“Yes, Ancestor.”

Although there was no certainty that they could find what they were looking for just by entering quickly, there was at least the certainty that they might be late.

Tap– Tap–

Therefore, the woman headed towards the stairs leading down to the venue with leisurely steps, brushing aside the gazes pouring from around her.

Hoping that she could achieve what she had come here for.

The woman began to descend the stairs, following those who had gone before.

---

The third-floor corridor of the venue.

The corridor where VIP rooms for Ancestors are lined up is currently quite empty.

There are various reasons for this, but the primary reason is that no one except Ancestors and team leaders can enter this corridor.

Not a single ordinary person or machine, such as security guards, staff, or service drones, could be found in this corridor.

Of course, normally many Ancestors should be walking the corridor and making it bustling, but the current time is when Ancestors have just started arriving.

Most Ancestors and team leaders were still staying on the rooftop of the venue, that is, the flagship landing area, so the corridor remained in its empty state.

And due to the size of the venue, it’s a long corridor where you can keep walking without meeting a single person.

Now, Shin-yeon and Arashi were walking along that corridor as part of the few people there.

Step– Step–

Thud– Thud–

When Shin-yeon’s footsteps echo, Arashi’s footsteps follow behind.

Then, in between, Yeon-ah and Seo-hyun’s footsteps add harmony.

Shin-yeon and Arashi, each with their respective team leaders beside them, were wearing masks and cloaks just like any other Ancestors.

“As expected, there aren’t many other people yet. Well, I don’t mind such a leisurely walk…”

“Still, I thought we’d see one or two people at least, it’s a shame.”

“You’re right. It really is a shame.”

Although she just said she liked the leisurely walk, when Shin-yeon muttered that it was a shame, Arashi immediately agreed.

Seo-hyun, walking behind her Ancestor, shook her head at their behavior, but that didn’t stop the two’s conversation.

After all, it would take a few more minutes of walking this long corridor to reach Shin-yeon and Arashi’s room.

Since they had nothing else to do but talk, there was no way Seo-hyun as the team leader could stop it.

Therefore, in the middle of continuing to walk, Arashi turned to Shin-yeon and let out a short sound.

“Ah, come to think of it, Ancestor of the General Management Team? There’s something I’d like to ask.”

Arashi’s appearance calling Shin-yeon “Ancestor of the General Management Team” instead of the usual “Miss Shin-yeon”.

It was an uncomfortable long title just to hear, but given the occasion, it was what Yeon-ah had asked Arashi to do, so it couldn’t be helped.

Therefore, when Arashi called Shin-yeon by that name, Shin-yeon turned to Arashi as if telling her to speak.

At that, Arashi immediately voiced the question that had been on her mind without hesitation.

“What on earth is that earring? It’s very pretty!”

“Ah, this…”

The question Arashi voiced was none other than about the strange-shaped earring hanging on Shin-yeon’s ear.

Usually, the only thing hanging on her ear was a black and simple ear cuff on her right ear, but today, for some reason, a strange earring with a proper combination of gold and black was hanging on Shin-yeon’s left ear.

Jingle—

Shin-yeon’s earring, which anyone could tell was a high-quality item at a glance.

Therefore, Arashi, who can’t resist beautiful things, asked the question in a quite excited voice, but Shin-yeon only answered in a calm voice.

“Just… I begged and pleaded with a guy who was throwing a tantrum to change it. Well, since the original form is quite pretty, it became this earring.”

“A guy throwing a tantrum…?”

“There’s such a thing. It’s not something you need to know more about, so don’t worry about it.”

Shin-yeon answers while touching her earring.

The earring, which sparkled and emitted light every time Shin-yeon’s hand touched it, had a charm that could enchant people just by looking at it.

Therefore, Arashi, who belatedly discovered her hand trying to reach out unknowingly, firmly grasped her own hand.

‘What was I about to do.’

No matter how close friends they are, and how pretty the earring looks, shouldn’t she at least ask for permission before touching it?

This was an obvious fact that didn’t need to be said, but like when she followed Shin-yeon to the goblin warehouse before, her hand had almost reached out unknowingly.

Arashi, who had stopped it with willpower, soon steeled her heart and opened her mouth again.

“Um, Ancestor of the General Management Team, if it’s alright…”

This time, she opened her mouth to ask permission to touch the earring.

But Arashi’s words couldn’t be fully uttered and had to be cut off.

“Hey! Found you!”

“…Huh?”

“…Who are you?”

Someone who suddenly appeared from across the corridor, interrupting Arashi’s words.

Of course, as they were in this corridor and wearing a mask and cloak, they could only be seen as an Ancestor, and this person approached Shin-yeon and Arashi while making incomprehensible noises as soon as they appeared.

Or more precisely, an unknown person approaching while looking at Shin-yeon.

At this sight, naturally, Shin-yeon and Arashi, as well as Yeon-ah and Seo-hyun who were beside them, raised their guard, but the unknown person seemed not to care about such vigilance and still approached with brisk steps and stopped.

Thud thud– Thud.

About five steps away from Shin-yeon.

“……”

Stopping there, she briefly looked at Shin-yeon and Yeon-ah alternately with her mouth closed, then soon let out a bright smile and extended her hand.

“You’re the Ancestor of the General Management Team, right? I wanted to meet you! Nice to meet you!”

Those words uttered with a bright smile.

…That was the somewhat uncomfortable first meeting in the corridor of the venue.