Chapter 78
Chapter 78
Lude’s Spitz
— Lude is appearing on Hunter's Night today?!
And on the day of Hunter's Night. Ding, ding ding ding. The instant chat server called “Lude’s Dogs” went ablaze. These days, Hunters are not much different from entertainers.
It was a small server made only by Lude’s ardent fans to run things like Lude’s photo enhancement threads and debut day celebration cafes.
Hunter's Night was an important party not only for Hunters but also for the general public. You could see your favorite Hunter in a sharp suit, watch them receive awards, and guess at their closeness with other Hunters.
Lude had not answered Hunter's Night invitations, so “Lude’s Dogs” stayed quiet every time. Not today.
Lude’s Pomeranian
— I see him on the roster?!
(photo)
Lude’s Mixed Breed
— Whoa whoa whoa when is the live stream?! Whoa our Lude is on Hunter's Night… (crying emoji)
Lude’s Spitz
— In thirty minutes! They say it is small this year so it streams only on ThouTube!
Lude’s Border Collie
— God Wargod… I like that Lude looks a little more at ease after joining Sanctuary.
Emojis agreeing with Border Collie and crying gifs kept popping up. Many people dropped their fandom saying Lude became no different from an ordinary Hunter after he joined Sanctuary, but at least the people in “Lude’s Dogs” welcomed that change.
Lude’s Welsh Corgi
— Honestly, when he collapsed in front of the camera last time I worried a lot. It looks like he got over it thanks to Hunter Kang Ihyun. I am so happy. As expected, our Brother Kang…
In particular, Lude’s fans were moved when Kang Ihyun shouted to turn off the camera when Lude collapsed, so they naturally called him “Brother Kang.”
For reference, in the “Kang Ihyun’s Cats” server, people had already been calling Lude “Brother Lu” for some time because Lude, contrary to appearances, fussed over the rather scatterbrained Kang Ihyun. The two fandoms had no fights.
The first broadcast ever filmed by the strongest in the world who had avoided cameras for six years. Everyone’s eyes focused on the Hunter's Night awards show, not only the “Lude’s Dogs” server.
* * *
“Lude, calming pill!”
“I took it.”
“Then holy power! Hold my hands!”
“Okay.”
And on the day of the Hunter's Night awards show. Lude blanked out in the hallway by the door and simply followed Kang Ihyun without a word.
Thanks to Baek Jangmi’s consideration, they were allowed to use a back entrance for hotel staff instead of the red carpet.
Kang Ihyun gripped Lude’s hand tight with an anxious expression as Lude stared into space like a man with his soul gone. His hand felt like ice.
‘Ah, he must be nervous.’
Kang Ihyun swallowed and slowly let holy power flow through his fingertips. Words alone could not make everything right.
“L-Lude. Are you okay? S…Should we just back out now?!”
“No. I am going.”
Lude shook his head at that. He gripped with his fingertips. Comforted by the feel of holy power, he held Kang Ihyun’s hand and took a few deep breaths.
I can do this. I can do this. Repeating that in his head, he spoke with a set face.
“I even made clothes for today.”
“That is true.”
At those words, Kang Ihyun looked at Lude. It was not the usual trench coat. It was a suit Lude made after combing the mall that day and checking all the famous menswear.
A black jacket and tie. It was customary to show your affiliation and partner on the breast, so the Sanctuary emblem sat beside a black rose and a golden gem.
He had not had his hair done, but thanks to glasses it did not stand out much.
His partner Ihyun wore a matching white jacket with a golden rose and a black gem.
“...This way no one can call me a one-suit gentleman!”
Lude grumbled. He had checked the internet reactions under Baek Jangmi and, as expected, the “one suit gentleman” suspicion about Lude was spreading.
During a talk with a Sanctuary staffer he had offhandedly said “the outfit has no abilities at all,” which started the meme with the question of whether that meant Lude truly just liked that outfit and kept wearing it.
After he saw a meme of Lude holding several identical black trench coats and suit pants while doing “which one should I wear,” his desire to take part in Hunter's Night burned even hotter.
‘...So Lude had to have his competitive streak poked as expected.’
Thinking that, Kang Ihyun nodded and squeezed Lude’s hand firmly.
“Listen. If it is hard, please say so. I am always beside you.”
“Okay.”
Lude nodded several times. Pleased at his partner’s change, Kang Ihyun gently led Lude and opened the back door to the awards hall.
They had rented the convention center of a five star hotel. Lively music could be heard.
Before the ceremony began, the sounds of people talking and exchanging greetings mixed with the music. Lude blinked.
‘It… kind of feels like a social club.’
On television, Hunter's Night was a massive event where many Hunters and related businesses gathered, and entertainers performed congratulatory stages.
This felt more like a social meetup or a business presentation. There were only a few cameras.
People were busy chatting, and no one came over to greet Lude or Kang Ihyun. He was about to ask Kang Ihyun in puzzlement when a familiar voice sounded.
“Hello, Lude! Thank you for coming out like this. Your outfit looks wonderful today.”
“...Ah, Guild Master.”
“Guild Master! Nice to see you!”
Kang Sujin greeted them with a smile. She wore her usual suit, but her hair was braided up and she wore Sanctuary’s emblem.
“My my, you dressed up so nicely. When I said I would buy you an outfit, you turned me down flat.”
“No, well, it truly was fine.”
‘I could just make it with an illusion... Buying clothes is a waste of money.’
Smiling, Kang Sujin guided Lude and Kang Ihyun to Sanctuary’s table. It was tucked behind a portable partition, so they were relatively free from other Hunters’ eyes.
“Oh my, you really came huh? Thank you~”
Baek Jangmi waved from an empty seat. The white dress with red accents and her hair coiled up looked like a work of art.
Before he lost himself staring again, Lude caught himself and spoke.
“Is it always this empty? This time feels different.”
“We invited only a few people this time. No broadcast television either.”
“What…?”
Seated, Lude looked around. There were only a couple of cameras pointed at the stage. Kang Sujin sipped a glass of champagne and spoke.
“Yes, they said it would be live streaming only on online platforms.”
“But, the Hunter's Night I saw on TV felt like a festival. Did you do all this because of me?”
A slight crease formed in Lude’s expression. Shrinking the event so far under the guise of consideration felt like a burden and not something he was grateful for. Seeing his face, Baek Jangmi shook her head and laughed.
“Nah. Hunter's Nights in its earlier days looked like this too. The concept this time is going back to the beginning. Many Hunters feel burdened by broadcasting, just like you.”
“Seriously, this is how it should have always been. We spent so much money and manpower on things that had nothing to do with Hunter work.”
Kang Sujin began airing grievances. It began as a social event, then broadcasting and capital crept in, and how lavishly you did it became more important, and because of that how much overtime she had worked. Beside her, Baek Jangmi spoke in a playful tone.
“Sujin~ You had champagne, you know? Ease up on the words. The kids are listening.”
“Whatever. Do you know how much stress this gave me?”
Kang Sujin grumbled and Baek Jangmi laughed and tried to rein her in. When Baek Jangmi even snatched away the champagne glass, Lude blinked at a loss for words. Behind him, Kang Ihyun whispered.
“I told you they get along well.”
“They really do huh. More than I thought…”
That was an old married couple vibe that only friends of at least ten years could pull off. Seeing the immaculate Guild Master let the mask slip, Lude rubbed his eyes.
Seeing this, Baek Jangmi seemed to realize that Lude and Kang Ihyun had become sacks of barley set aside, so she spoke again.
“Oh, don’t worry by the way. We would have reduced the broadcast scale even if it were not for you. That way those people can come.”
Those people? At those words, Lude only blinked, then realized who she meant.
Right on cue, someone tapped his shoulder from behind. He turned to see familiar faces.
“H-Hello. Lude. A-And Ihyun too…!”
“Ah~ number one! Long time no see. Wow, you are wearing glasses huh? I am proud. Ah, Mr. Kang Ihyun as well! Your face looks brighter from this side eh?”
Jeong Suho and Lee Jisung stood there. Jeong Suho, wearing a navy jacket with the Wargod emblem, grinned.
Lude had only seen him in slouchy clothes or a rough Wargod cloak. Seeing him dressed to the nines made Lude blink.
“...Oh, hi.”
“Yes, hello, Mr. Jeong Suho. And Mr. Lee Jisung too.”
“I-It has been a while. Truly. Have you been well?”
“Hello.”
Then Kang Sujin, who had been greeting quietly, sprang up and offered a handshake. The focus that had been pouring onto Lude scattered in an instant.
“Long time, Mr. Lee Jisung. And Mr. Jeong Suho, this is the first time we are meeting in person. Your real voice sounds even better than on the phone.”
“Ah, hello! Ah, and, thank you.”
“Hey~ Ms. Kang Sujin, long time no see? Have you been well?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
“My, Ms. Baek Jangmi, good to see you too. It feels odd not seeing you in the North huh?”
“Hahaha, please come down often. We will welcome you.”
The two Guild Masters exchanged greetings with Jeong Suho, then with Lee Jisung.
Kang Sujin and Lee Jisung, who rarely smiled on the job, now smiled prettily. It was clearly business.
“We owe you both a lot. I would like to give thanks separately somewhere appropriate and cozy.”
“Ah, shall we move seats then? There is a private space over there.”
Baek Jangmi pointed to a corner of the hall. Nodding, Lee Jisung turned and spoke to Jeong Suho.
“Woah, that’d be an honor for me! Suho. You can stay here alone for a bit, right?”
“Ah. Yes… hyung.”
“I will step out for a moment. I will be back before the ceremony, so please relax.”
“Mr. Jeong Suho? You can sit in my seat. I am stepping out. Please enjoy yourself~”
The two Guild Masters and the Wargod powerbroker headed to a corner of the convention hall. Jeong Suho, reading the room, quietly sat in Baek Jangmi’s chair.
“T-Then… I’ll… excuse myself!”
“...You really came down? Did you win?”
Lude asked that as he looked at Jeong Suho. Jeong Suho looked back and gave a gentle smile.
“Yes, I won.”
“Good job.”
At that, Jeong Suho beamed. They had said owls would come to this event instead of eagles, and it seemed he truly had seized the advantage in the power struggle with the Wargod Guild Master.
Lude shifted his eyes to Kang Ihyun. When he saw Ihyun glance away, Lude sighed and stood up as if he had no choice.
“Well, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“B-Bathroom…? Alone?”
Kang Ihyun shot him a resentful look, but there was nothing to be done. This was the chance. As Lee Jisung had said, where else would such a stage be set?
Kang Ihyun and Jeong Suho. The two of them had a separate problem to solve after all.