Chapter 57
"Has Hunter Seong Dohyun not arrived yet?"
"Yes."
It was already the third time he'd asked. Though he answered without any sign of annoyance, the secretary couldn't help but wonder.
Wait, why would a Hunter who senses presence faster than sight keep asking separately? Besides, for a Hunter of Seong Dohyun's caliber, the flow he emanated was so distinct that there was no way to miss it the moment he entered.
Hiding his puzzled gaze, the secretary glanced at Eunseong before unconsciously scanning him from head to toe. Eunseong, who had been about to shake his head out of habit at the news that Dohyun hadn't arrived yet, realized he had already styled his hair and quietly folded his hands together.
What on earth could make him dress up to the point of styling his hair?
The Baek Eunseong he had served all this time was someone who extremely disliked drawing more attention than Baek Jiseong. He had grown his hair long to cover his face, trying to hide even a little of his delicate features, and always dressed plainly. But today, the fact that he had put effort into his appearance from head to toe was incredibly suspicious.
Hmm. Perhaps someone he's taken with is attending the party today. If that were the case, it made sense. His cheeks, flushed more than usual, and his seemingly anxious fingertips could all be explained.
The secretary, who had unconsciously smiled with satisfaction, continued scanning the venue to find out which Hunter had captured Eunseong's heart. At that moment, a head of black hair caught the corner of his eye.
He's finally here. It's been so long since the car was sent.
Just as the secretary, clicking his tongue inwardly, was about to inform Eunseong that Dohyun had arrived...
"Haa..."
Along with a small sigh, Eunseong straightened his posture. It seemed Eunseong had also sensed Dohyun's flow. His stiffly pursed lips and trembling eyelashes were clearly those of a nervous person, making the secretary look at him with pity.
How much will Seong Dohyun pick a fight today? How much will he get on his nerves before leaving?
Worried that his boss's stomach would be turned inside out, the secretary sighed and stood behind Eunseong. The moment Eunseong swallowed dryly, Seong Dohyun also spotted him and approached.
At the same time, the melody filling the hall stopped. The people who had been chattering non-stop fell silent, and the clinking of glasses disappeared before anyone realized.
Even in this chilling silence that would render an ordinary person unable to move, Seong Dohyun strode forward without a care.
"What are you doing, not playing?"
At Dohyun's low voice that broke the silence, the musicians started playing again and people resumed their conversations, but everyone's gaze was focused on Dohyun. People looked back and forth between Eunseong and Dohyun without even trying to hide their intrigued eyes.
Whether he would publicly humiliate him or spew curses—just as people were secretly placing bets between Eunseong and Dohyun...
"Mr. Association President."
Without even looking at Eunseong, Dohyun brushed right past him and sought out the Association President. As he walked toward the Association President, who was raising his hand with a bewildered face, someone blocked Dohyun's path.
"Hunter Seong Dohyun."
It was Baek Jiseong.
After briefly asking for the Association President's understanding, Baek Jiseong also greeted Baek Hamin and Yang Jiyul, who had been following behind Seong Dohyun like baby ducks.
"Speak of the devil. We were just talking about Hunter Seong Dohyun."
"Were you? The person in question is here now, so please continue."
"Hmm~ I'm curious about something. Hunter Seong Dohyun, why... did you join the Baekwoo Guild?"
At the overt question from the affiliated guild master standing beside Baek Jiseong, Dohyun paused for a moment before smiling brightly at Baek Jiseong.
"It's thanks to Hunter Baek Jiseong."
"Hahaha."
"If it weren't for Hunter Baek Jiseong, I wouldn't have joined the Baekwoo Guild... so I'm also trying my best to repay the favor."
Baek Jiseong, who quickly grasped the meaning of Dohyun's words, glared at him, but Dohyun smiled cheerfully as if the gaze didn't tickle him in the slightest and left his spot. At the same time, murmurs spread instantly.
'That Seong Dohyun joined the Baekwoo Guild because of Baek Jiseong.'
The arbitrarily concluded murmurs also reached Eunseong's ears.
'Then does Seong Dohyun become Baek Jiseong's person too?'
Swallowing dryly at the grating words in his ears, Eunseong wore an uncharacteristically anxious face. Then, with a sunken gaze, he followed Seong Dohyun.
"So, why did you look for me?"
The Association President asked, cutting through the commotion. When Dohyun raised the toy in his hand and shook it slightly, he answered gruffly.
"What? Did you come find me right away just to show me that?"
Though he was scolding him, his expression as he received it didn't seem entirely displeased.
"What is it?"
"Take a look."
The moment the Association President opened the lid of the toy, a sweet fragrance spread in all directions. The Association President, who inhaled the scent with a bewitched face, glared and asked Dohyun.
"What is this, did you make it?"
"No. I didn't make it, these kids did."
"Jiyul's older brother made it all!"
"What? What's the name?"
"Yang Jiyul..."
"Yang Jiyul? Are you the younger sibling of Hunter Yang Jihwan?"
Yang Jiyul, who nodded, hid behind Seong Dohyun as if the Association President's interest was burdensome. Dohyun patted the child's back with an indifferent face before telling Hamin to go to Baek Eunseong. After bickering several times with Hamin, who stubbornly refused, Dohyun eventually stood with both children tucked under his arms.
"I brought it to register the copyright, can I do that now?"
"No, why are you talking about copyright registration at a party?"
The Association President scanned Dohyun up and down as if dumbfounded, yet carefully cradled the toy with both hands. The moment he opened the lid of the toy once more, Baek Jiseong, who had appeared from behind, spoke to the Association President with a stiffly hardened face.
"Excuse me, may I check that item for a moment?"
"For what reason?"
"It will only take a moment. Hunter Yang Jihwan."
Behind Baek Jiseong stood Yang Jihwan, whose expression was equally hardened. Approaching Dohyun, Yang Jihwan carefully opened the lid of the toy before soon glaring at Yang Jiyul with a terrifying expression.
"Yang Jiyul, I told you not to carelessly enter where I work."
"N-No... I didn't go in..."
Yang Jiyul answered in a shrinking voice before looking up at Dohyun as if asking for help. Dohyun, who patted Jiyul's head, spoke in a light tone.
"The kids were just playing house today and made this, but it seems like there's some problem?"
"Playing house?"
At Yang Jihwan's sharp voice, Hamin, frightened, hid behind Dohyun's knees.
"Whoa, why are you reacting like this? Like someone who's been pricked?"
"Pricked? What do you mean, Hunter Seong Dohyun."
"No, I'm just saying because you're overreacting to the mention of playing house."
At Dohyun's cheeky smile, Baek Jiseong's secretary pressed his lips together. Since when did Seong Dohyun know how to smile like that?
While Baek Jiseong's secretary was trapped in the dissonance between the Seong Dohyun he had known and his current appearance, Yang Jihwan ground his teeth. He couldn't admit that the potion created from children's playing house was of better quality than the potion he had agonized over and researched for years to make.
"Pricked, that's too much. There's no way Hunter Yang Jihwan stole the recipe."
The Association President, who had burst into hearty laughter as if he'd heard a funny joke, fell silent under Yang Jihwan's sharp gaze. Then, with a 'surely not' look, he alternated his gaze between Yang Jiyul and Yang Jihwan.
"Right, Hunter Yang Jihwan?"
"What? Of course not!"
At the unnecessarily sharp response, people exchanged glances secretly.
"Could he have stolen his younger sibling's recipe?"
"Still, the timing is too..."
"Didn't Hunter Yang Jihwan say earlier that it contained a purified... what was it? Purified poisonous herb, so only he could make it?"
"He probably had his younger sibling make it for him."
"How is it that no matter how many years pass, people who exploit young Hunters never disappear?"
"Not only exploiting them but also stealing their sibling's achievements."
Listening to the people's growing uproar, I cheered inwardly. Yang Jihwan could only watch the increasingly agitated public opinion with a pale blue face.
See, I told you I wouldn't forget.
Just as I flashed a grin at Yang Jihwan when our eyes met and was about to turn away, Baek Jiseong extended his hand to me. Wondering what kind of handshake request this was in the middle of this commotion, I stared at him, and he offered a greeting with a smile.
"I couldn't even give you a proper greeting due to the sudden commotion. Please enjoy yourself."
"Yes."
As our hands clasped, a status window reading [Do you wish to view information?] popped up. After nodding, I immediately shook off Baek Jiseong's hand and covered my ears.
—Ding!
—Ding!
—Ding!
—Ding!
—Ding!
Countless windows rose without pause, unfolding before my eyes. Staggering from the sudden downpour of information, I surrendered my body to someone's hand grabbing my shoulder. When I slightly opened my eyes, the status windows spread around me created the illusion that the entire world was glowing gold.
Swallowing dryly, I called Asil.
Which one among these is casting a curse on Baek Eunseong?
Even before the question ended, the floating Asil pointed to one side.
[Shield of A]
After barely making out the letters, just as I was about to push away the other status windows to read the description, Baek Jiseong grabbed my wrist strongly.
"What are you doing?"
Shaking off his hand, I busily scanned the empty air and replied.
"It's my job to find artifacts every time I attend a party. I just reacted out of habit."
Listening to the Association President beside me taking my side, saying it was a habit of Hunter Seong Dohyun, I focused on the scattering status windows.
And finally, the moment I found the Shield of A. The multiple status windows overlapped and overlapped, and the only letters I could read were just three.
'Incomplete'