Our hunters were flustered, but the atmosphere over there wasn’t exactly welcoming either. Cho Hwaun’s expression had gone rigid. The skin around his molars twitched, as if he’d unconsciously clenched his teeth. The other hunters also took a few steps back from around Seong Hyunjae. It wasn’t that a leader had arrived; it was as if a tiger of a completely different species had suddenly dropped into a pack of wolves. They dared not attack, but they had to follow—though they were no comrades.

“Wasn’t this called a terrorist group?”

“Could it really be Seong Hyunjae...?”

Suspicion began to blossom amid their bewilderment. God, really! What are Director Song and Hyun-ah going to do? I stepped forward and shouted.

“That Guild Master Seong is a different personality!”

It wasn’t entirely wrong. In any case, the current Seong Hyunjae was elsewhere. Seong Hyunjae’s brows lifted ever so slightly, but he made no denial.

“The party’s second-place performance in Chatterbox belonged to Guild Master Seong.”

It was probably one of Yuhyun, Yerim, Director Song, or Seong Hyunjae who took second place.

“We agreed to appoint both first and second as managers fairly. But since Guild Master Seong wouldn’t accept it willingly, we used a mental-domain skill—basically brainwashing.”

Reincarnation and regression happened, so mind control was trivial. That kind of mental-domain skill even existed. I’d been hit by it from Park Hayul myself. Seong Hyunjae let out a short sigh.

“A mental-domain skill.”

He sounded incredulous that he’d been affected by it. I don’t think he ever expected to be manipulated by someone else.

“So his memory isn’t perfect. There are people here who attended the Japan event, right? Seong Hyunjae! After you hunted that SS-rank monster in Japan, what did you give me?”

Seong Hyunjae answered without long hesitation.

“A bouquet of flowers.”

...Huh? A photo shoot? The hunters who knew about the Japan job turned to look at me. No, no.

“...What kind of flowers!”

“Were they roses?”

“That’s wrong. Sunflowers.”

He really didn’t know. He had given roses too, though.

“And what did I pour over your head at that time?”

“Alcohol.”

“Th-then, what alcohol!”

Seong Hyunjae wore a pensive expression.

“It probably wasn’t soju.”

“It was rosé wine.”

Why would soju come up here? Had I poured alcohol on him even before I’d regressed? More than that, his intuition was absurdly keen. His memory was clearly broken, but he’d guessed everything from a photo.

In any case, it was now certain that Seong Hyunjae’s memory had holes. Good. We’ll push that Director Song and Hyun-ah were also mentally manipulated. Ideally, those two shouldn’t be exposed. There’s no reason for the main team and sub team to clash. If they’re separated, they should fight separately.

“...Guild Master Seong was affected.”

“If it’s someone who created a dungeon, it’s possible.”

Amid the murmur, Seong Hyunjae shrugged lightly.

“It’s true I’m bound.”

To the Crescent Moon, and now tied by the Filial-Addict’s contract as well. His golden eyes curved into a faint smile.

“Then I’ll fulfill my role.”

“Even if you’re insincere─”

Clang The barrier that had stood between the two teams shattered. It was Seong Hyunjae’s doing. If he could disable combat, he could enable it, too! Before I could even react...

Clatter.

Chains rattled. Peace bared his teeth and lunged out, while Sisio, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward. They blocked me, and the ends of their chains dug into the ground.

Rumble─!

With a deafening roar, the earth exploded. Peace and Sisio were hurled into the air; Peace quickly unfurled his wings to change direction, but before he could—

“Ugh.”

A chain sprang up from the overturned ground and wrapped around me. I was yanked forcefully. Through the cascading dirt, I caught a glimpse of Peace flying toward me. Colliding like that would be disastrous. Frantically, I raised another barrier.

—Crackle!

Peace’s claws scraped the transparent barrier. A moment later, Sisio struck it down with a powerful blow.

“Director Han Yujin!”

“Calm down! Peace, you too!”

I staggered but, with help from the big-cat set, managed to steady myself and spoke. In that brief moment, Seong Hyunjae had appeared right behind me. Technically, it was because I’d been dragged over, but naturally I ended up on the other side of the barrier from our side.

“I’m the manager. I can leave anytime!”

“But you can’t vanish alone here.”

Seong Hyunjae reached out to me. Just before his fingertip could touch me—

Hiss!

My necklace morphed into a snake, revealing its fangs. Seong Hyunjae grasped the snake’s neck and tossed it aside. He peeled off another piece of jewelry. The discarded ornaments and snakes stiffened amid the undergrowth. Sparks of light leapt above them.

“...You’re quite passionate.”

He rolled his eyes sideways. That bastard Cho Hwaun glared at me like a leashed hunting dog.

“Guild Master Seong! Let S-ranks fight S-ranks!”

Sisio shouted loudly.

“You’re right. Release Director Han Yujin!”

I heard Yerim’s voice too. At their protests, Seong Hyunjae’s lips curved into a picturesque smile.

“Not quite villainous, am I?”

“Why don’t you wear all black and dye your hair black too?”

“You lack a cat to pet, it’s a shame.”

“There is that black mutt right there. You two suit each other.”

Cho Hwaun’s glare became more feral. I sneered at him.

“Wow, you’ve trained him well in that short time. He doesn’t even bite without a muzzle. Good boy. Hwaun, paw!”

“A─!”

Cho Hwaun ground his teeth. Sisio fidgeted anxiously, looking at me with pity. I felt eyes from beyond the barrier silently begging for tighter lips. I want to live politely and well, but the world won’t cooperate.

“Hand him over.”

Cho Hwaun growled doggishly. Seong Hyunjae didn’t even acknowledge him. Instead, he loosened the chains binding me.

“Not my preferred color, personally.”

Seong Hyunjae pulled a black glove from his inventory. Then, in a commanding tone, he said,

“Coat.”

The surrounding hunters flinched. Seong Hyunjae slowly removed his white outer garment and stored it in his inventory. Some of the prophet-hunter group glanced at Cho Hwaun. Cho Hwaun clenched his fist, then pulled a black coat from his own inventory. Seong Hyunjae accepted it as if it were natural and draped it over himself. As befitted a dungeon item, it was slightly oversized, and the black fabric cascaded down.

Cho Hwaun and I were only a step apart. A chill filled the air as Seong Hyunjae’s voice cut through.

“Stand back.”

Cho Hwaun’s gaze shifted between me and Seong Hyunjae. Though both glared as if they wanted to tear us apart, they obediently stepped back. How did he get them to obey so well? I envy him.

“As for your hair, that won’t do.”

The gloved hand swept up my faded hair. Seong Hyunjae took a step back and slowly applauded.

“It suits you remarkably. Now then.”

He finished manipulating the system he’d been tweaking. Beyond the barrier, my sub team vanished in unison. Then I, too, was shifted through space—

“...Gasp!”

My breath caught. The system had interfered. It felt like the shock when my Teacher skill was strongly rejected; my head rattled and my vision whitened. I must have lost consciousness for a moment. When I opened my eyes again, bright green blades of grass shimmered inches from my face.

A black shoe pressed down on the grass. The prophet group must have disappeared too; I sensed no other presence. As I tried to raise my torso, a crushing pressure bore down on me again.

“...Ugh.”

“For the novices, he connected the manager’s mana directly to the system.”

Despite poking into the system himself, it was directly affecting me. No matter how I tried to stop it, the difference in skill was too great. One of Seong Hyunjae’s knees touched the grass beside me. I felt gloved fingers weave through my hair and stroke me like an animal.

“...Hey, Seong...Hyunjae. What on earth─”

“Han Yujin.”

I forced my head to turn and looked up at Seong Hyunjae. His midday-colored eyes were as still and deep as midnight.

“My story is over.”

“Right now, in front of me... who are you?”

“Call it a side story. It may or may not matter, but generally—”

His voice was slower and drier than usual.

“I write tales I want to tell but can’t in the main story.”

“...So?”

“I’ve released Han Yujin. It’s quite endearing for a pitiful, little creature rolling in the mud to raise its fur and bare its teeth to the end. I generally like such things—those who hold onto possibilities and don’t give up.”

I flinched, trying to escape his voice falling inside my head. But Seong Hyunjae’s power was clearly superior to mine.

“That’s why I seldom broke you outright. Even if I wanted to probe deeper, I held back.”

He had been that way. When Choi Seok-won and Yoon Kyung-su’s group attacked, he had tried to spare them [N O V E L I G H T] if possible.

“But now, that need... is gone.”

His words were calm to the point of softness. A chill ran down my spine.

“Wait, just a second.”

Could it be—he was serious.

“To give up like that......”

“I’ve simply grown a bit more willful.”

A soft laugh escaped him. He rose to his feet.

“I suppose I’ve hardly played the villain, have I? You seem to have grown close to Song Taewon, Han Yujin.”

He spoke with a teasing smile.

“Don’t you think it suits him? Song Taewon will probably find comfort in darkness—the place of reproach and hatred feels like his true home.”

“What nonsense!”

“I handled him carefully.”

I was floored. Director Song would clutch his chest if he heard that.

“Could Song Taewon’s extreme self-loathing simply stem from the power dwelling within? His attitude was closer to that of an atoner—seriously, like committing murder against innocents.”

“Director Song would never do something like that!”

This was absolute bullshit.

“A person can make mistakes! But would he hide them?”

No one is perfectly clean. Even Director Song could err. But he wouldn’t cover it up or pretend ignorance. Seong Hyunjae tilted his head and looked down at me.

“Of course not. That’s why I wanted to unearth it.”

“Don’t you dare lay a hand on Director Song!”

I staggered to my feet and reached for Seong Hyunjae, but I tripped over the tip of his casually extended shoe and fell back onto the grass.

“Seong Hyunjae!”

I tried to defend the link to my system and counterattack, but I was still hopelessly outmatched. A powerful mana wave washed over me—both gentle and fierce like a storm surge.

“...!”

I bit my lip until it stung. I’d felt this backlash more than once. I exhaled through bloodied teeth and rose. My whole body felt ice-cold.

“I—”

“Stop.”

An arm reached out as if to block my path. Myeongwoo had appeared, staring coldly at Seong Hyunjae.

“You’re quite the favorite, teacher.”

“If I truly played favorites, one of you would have already failed.”

The system normalized in an instant. All the mana settled like a calm lake. Myeongwoo turned to me, narrowing his brow slightly.

“I’ve temporarily blocked it, but I can’t keep doing that. Yujin, you’ll have to defend yourself.”

“...It won’t be easy, but I’ll try.”

I straightened up and fixed my gaze on Seong Hyunjae.

“I’ll manage somehow.”

His golden eyes curved into a smile.

“My dear Han Yujin.”

Seong Hyunjae’s fingertip touched his own chest, then he dipped his waist in a slight bow.

“There’s a lady you must save here as well.”

“A lady!”

“Please do entertain me.”

His figure dissolved. The grass rustled in the breeze. Myeongwoo let out a small sigh.

“There’s little I can intervene in. And Yujin—”

He bowed his head slightly and whispered.

“The Mermaid Queen... isn’t wanted.”

“What?”

“Be careful.”

Myeongwoo vanished too. I stood there dazed before collapsing onto the grass. I’m exhausted.

“...Damn it, what are you planning?”

Is he really going to try everything he wanted? I never thought he’d harm Director Song. But now I was confused.

“Kim Seok-ju, where are you!”

Bang! The door was flung open. A middle-aged man burst in, then froze. Instead of the person he sought, he found—

“Welcome, to another guild.”

Moon Hyun-ah was seated on the edge of the desk. One knee was raised in a slouched posture, yet she looked anything but intimidated. She resembled a beast crouching before pouncing on prey.

“It’s time for the others to arrive as well. Oh, here you are.”

Heavy footsteps approached, then quieted. Amid his startled gaze, a slow smile curved Moon Hyun-ah’s lips.