Chapter 56
Chapter 56
"You got new glasses huh."
"Yes. They said it was a gift. They told me… it would block something, so I could make eye contact for a long time."
"They suit you. It’s nice that I can look at your face for a while even without Hunter Kang Ihyun."
In the Guild Master’s office of the Sanctuary, Kang Sujin blinked and looked at Lude, who stood quietly by himself in front of the desk. Ever since he had returned from Wargod, a stylish pair of glasses had rested on his nose.
At her comment, Lude only fiddled with the temples. He lifted the glasses once, and an item window appeared.
[Item Information]
Name. Refraction Glasses (S)
Type. Equipped item, special class
Effect. Energy refracted at the lens boundary. Energy outside the lens can’t pass inward, and energy inside the lens can't pass outward.
Special Notes. Uses special lenses. They can never break.
It was a suppression item commonly used by Hunters like Lude who couldn’t control the energy that leaked from their eyes, but the grade attached at the end was unusual.
There were only a handful of people who could craft items of S grade in the first place, and anything lower shattered the moment Lude put it on, so he couldn’t use those at all.
Thanks to the country’s top crafting Hunter making a custom piece, ever since he started wearing these glasses he could talk to people even without Kang Ihyun present, and he could move around on his own.
"...If it keeps up like this, Shin Bitnari would really disappear and only Lude would remain."
Thinking that without meaning to, Lude twitched his fingers for a moment. Kang Sujin skimmed through the papers and looked back up at him.
"Anyway… you worked hard. Lude. You brought back things that were much bigger than I expected."
"...I did?"
"Yes. I mean the political side of it, like our relationship with Wargod?"
[Since you played a big role in helping the Owls get back on their feet, the Lord of Chaos says the bond between Wargod and the Sanctuary will likely become stronger in the future.]
‘Is that so?’
In any case, a lot of political things that Lude neither cared about nor wanted to know seemed to have gone on.
"But I know you didn’t call me here to praise me for that."
"Right, that’s not it."
Usually, Kang Ihyun and Lude were called together to the Guild Master’s office, or Kang Ihyun alone, but today only Lude stood there. Kang Ihyun was in the hospital.
Thinking that must be why he had been called, Lude looked at Kang Sujin. She rested her elbows on the desk and propped up her chin.
"First, thank you for noticing Hunter Kang Ihyun’s abnormal state and reporting it. Hunter Kang Ihyun won’t be able to work for a while. He has to stay at the Foundation’s hospital until his holy power returns."
"Yes, I know."
"This is top secret. So you need to keep Hunter Kang Ihyun’s secret too, Lude."
He started to nod, thinking that was obvious, but Kang Sujin slid something forward. It was the same kind of black file used for employment contracts. Lude took it with a puzzled look and opened it.
It was crammed with clauses requiring absolute silence about Kang Ihyun’s secret. It even bore a law firm’s seal, which meant the lawyers had reviewed it. Lude’s brow creased.
"...Is this really necessary? I was already going to keep it. I’m not the sort who runs around spreading that kind of thing."
"I’m sorry. We’re using it to protect you."
"To protect me?"
Kang Sujin touched her forehead once. She seemed to think for a moment, then let out a small groan and spoke again.
"The demonic current is a power that only excommunicated clergy possess. Ihyun used holy power and demonic current at the same time the moment he awakened, and because of my younger sibling and their spouse, that fact had to be kept under wraps."
A child of two heroes being excommunicated at birth was something the family wanted to hide. On top of that, had she not said before that Kang Ihyun’s parents and grandfather weren’t exactly good people.
Maybe she was thinking of her family as she frowned slightly and went on.
"In our household, we still want to maintain the image of a virtuous and strong elite. Ihyun’s constitution falls into the category of something shameful. They might try to pressure you too, Lude."
"But I’m still ranked number one. I’m holding out even against the Sanctuary. Who’d dare?"
"Ihyun’s grandfather. In other words, our father is a politician. He plans to send our youngest into the next presidential race."
Lude picked up the fountain pen. A threat to the number one ranker might not feel real, but if they cut every tie around him, isolated him socially, and harassed him for months or years, who could truly endure.
Physical force wasn’t the only kind of harm. People didn’t live alone.
And Nari understood that better than anyone.
"So that contract says that if you ever leak the secret, you’ll be dealt with. It’s a preemptive move. It’s a contract to protect you."
"A grandfather who frets that his own grandchild is a stain on the family. That’s lousy."
"Yes. Our father’s a lousy person. So is my sibling and their spouse."
With a smooth stroke, Lude signed and handed the papers to Kang Sujin. She added her signature at the bottom and they split the copies.
"Don’t contact Ihyun for the time being. Now that you know his constitution, there’s a real chance your line could be tapped."
Lude studied the clause that read, "Never reveal Kang Ihyun’s constitution to anyone who doesn’t know it," then stored the contract in his inventory.
"Who knows about his constitution?"
"Among the people you know. Me, Hunter Min Jaewon, and Hunter Min Jaeyoon. Ah, and his personal physician at the Foundation hospital."
Kang Sujin put the contract away in a drawer, then smiled as if to lighten the heavy mood.
"Anyway, the point is this. Until Hunter Kang Ihyun recovers, Hunter Lude gets a vacation too."
"...You’re not telling me to use my vacation days early, right?"
"…"
"Hello?!"
When she averted her eyes, Lude blurted out in alarm. Kang Sujin laughed, said she was joking, and laced her fingers together on the desk.
"No need for that. It’s already December. Early December is a rest period at the Sanctuary, with only essential personnel staying on."
"December…?"
"There’s end of year party prep, and at this time other teams are so busy that they can’t properly support the Hunters anyway. Better to take a breather. Besides, early December has the state funeral, so there’s a ready pretext."
"Ah."
Lude’s expression, which had been puzzled, hardened at the words state funeral. Early December. The month when a grade 1 gate had appeared in the East Sea.
Countless people died, and that month, Ihyun’s parents and Nari’s mother fell in battle.
"Hunter Kang Ihyun will likely have to attend the state funeral, so he won’t be able to work much anyway. Take a good rest, Lude. It’s paid leave, so don’t worry."
"He’s that injured and he’ll still attend?"
"His holy power will probably return before then. That’s how it’s always been."
The day had been designated a public holiday, and every year there was a state funeral. People raised the national flag and the major networks mourned the fallen, along with the Sanctuary’s former Guild Master couple.
Nari had seen Kang Ihyun on TV more than once, dressed in black mourning clothes. Even the president and other politicians attended, shaking his hand over and over.
‘...He’ll have a hard time in his own way.’
Back then, watching that, she had felt jealousy and a resentment she couldn’t name. Now she thought Ihyun probably didn’t feel at ease either, and pity welled up instead.
Winter always made her chest tighten, but not this year, so Lude pressed his hand lightly over his heart without thinking.
"So anyway, take about a week off."
"That’s quite long."
"Right? Be careful not to lose your edge. Ah, do you have someone close who died that day?"
"Me? Um…"
"Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not prying. The Sanctuary just prepares something for employees like that."
She opened a drawer, rummaged for a while, then took out a small box. Inside were a miniature memorial monument and a permanent marker. It looked like a model of the memorial raised after the East Sea gate ten years ago.
Drawn as if by a string, Lude stepped to the desk and lifted the box. The front of the stone had a space where a name could be written, and the back bore a message of remembrance along with the Sanctuary’s name.
"We usually give a memorial cross with it, but I don’t have one now. Sorry."
"...N-No, it’s fine. The person didn’t have faith. This alone makes me grateful."
Lude stared at the keepsake for a long moment, then jerked his head up. Kang Sujin was watching him with a faint smile.
"I’m glad if it helps."
"Ah, um. No… I mean, thank you."
"It’s nothing. Off you go. Rest well. I’ll see you in a week."
"Yes. I’ll see you in a week."
"Oh, right."
Kang Sujin made an oh look, then smiled kindly.
"Thank you for not hurting Ihyun."
Her face lit up. Lude could tell it wasn’t the smile of a Guild Master. It was a kindness for a friend who had been good to her nephew.
Since becoming an adult, Nari had only seen that kind of smile on the shop owner’s face.
If her mother had lived, would she have smiled like that at Kang Ihyun and said, thank you for staying close with my daughter. Lude shook his head and pushed the thought away.
"All right, I’ll really be going now."
With that send off of see you in a week, Lude bowed and left the Guild Master’s office.
[The Lord of Chaos watches you and his eyes sparkle as he asks how you’ll spend the week of vacation.]
"...Hmm, I don’t know."
As soon as he stepped out, a black indirect message appeared. Lude stroked his chin and pondered.
Around this time of year, Nari always worked full time. She didn’t want to check people’s reactions on the internet or TV, and during this period customers went to perform ancestral rites, so there weren’t many visitors. It served two purposes.
After work she would watch the movies or dramas she was behind on, or she’d read, or she’d just sleep. But now he had a full week.
"How should I spend it…"
Lude reached into his trench coat and took out the box. The little monument. The pen. The memorial inscription on the back. "We offer our deepest condolences." And the Sanctuary’s emblem.
"...I wonder if Mom would like this."
[Mom? The Lord of Chaos stares at you wide eyed.]
"Yeah. She might scold me. She’d ask why I joined the Sanctuary."
[Will you be all right? The Lord of Chaos looks at you with concern.]
Seeing the indirect message, Lude gave a faint, gentle smile. Would he be all right? With that thought, Nari slipped the box back into the coat pocket.
"I’m not sure. But Jeong Suho got better too. And it’s been ten years."
It had been ten years. Maybe, surprisingly, no one would recognize Shin Bitnari anymore.
Or maybe Nari had grown enough to accept it now.
Taking a slow look back at the past might not be as terrible as he feared. It would be perfect to take a trip alone while he was at it.
[The Lord of Chaos is still watching you with worry.]
"It’s fine. Really, don’t worry. If I get down, I’ve got you and Kang Ihyun, and Jeong Suho too, so what’s there to worry about?"
After soothing his constellation just enough, Lude opened a rift in the dimensions. Suspicious as it could be, the being still looked after him without end.
Lude opened a rift. He stepped into Nari’s room in Yongin and pulled out his phone.
"It’s been ten years, Busan."