“Miss? What’s wrong with you?”
“Whoa, haa….”
“Are you anemic? Please have a seat over here.”
“Kkyuuuu!”
It was the same as before. The time I spent watching the vision through my grandmother’s diary was only a fraction of a second in reality, and I snapped out of it as suddenly as if cold water had been poured over my head.
However, just because I’ve been through it doesn’t mean I will get used to it. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand and spoke.
“I’m fine, I was just dizzy for a moment …. thank you.”
I bowed repeatedly to Azalea and left the pawnshop. The sight I’d just seen flashed before my eyes.
I saw Ki Yoohyun again through my grandmother’s notebook. I could clearly see the words ‘To my granddaughter, Rieul‘ written on the first page. It was clear that she had left me this notebook. But why did she show me that? What did she want me to do with it?
My mind was filled with questions, but I knew one thing for sure. My grandmother wasn’t throwing me random questions, she was giving me a hint. When I thought of it that way, the vision I had just seen took on a whole new meaning.
There’s got to be a way to make it not end as bitterly as it did before the regression. I just need to find it. Just as my life has changed completely after my regression, I believe that he too will be able to lead a different life.
“Haa…..”
“Kkyuuuu!”
I pressed my hand firmly to my temple, and Lime bounced all over its body as if to comfort me. It looks very chubby and cute, but do not let that fool you.
[Find the right food for Lime: (Incomplete)]
The slime was still refusing to eat, lost in its philosophical questions.
In the end, I returned without figuring out why this slime refused to eat. What else can I do?
Ring, ring. Just then, the vibrating sound of my phone interrupted my sprawling thoughts. I looked at the name on the screen, startled. Why was this person calling me? I answered the phone, puzzled.
“Yes, hello. Yes, this is me … what?”
***
“Hul, awesome, it’s Hunter Choi Yichan!”
“Wow, I saw him, over here!”
“Ha … hahaha … hello.”
The world always loves a challenger. This is especially true when it’s the strongest person who has never stepped down from the top spot since their awakening.
Choi Cedric, the previous challenger, abdicated his position with the disbandment of C&L Corporation. In his place, Ki Youhyun made an appearance after he decided to stop living a life in the shadows.
Under these circumstances, it’s no wonder that the world has set its sights on Choi Yichan, who could be the new challenger. Moreover, his good looks, large body, and easy-going personality contrasted with Ki Yoohyun’s.
As a result, Choi Yichan became even more popular after Ki Yoohyun’s identity was revealed.
However, Choi Yichan has a grim look on his face as he moderately responded to those who spoke to him before walking away.
“Haaa….”
It wasn’t because of the latest paparazzi article.
It wasn’t. It really had nothing to do with it.
Although he had no appetite the day the article came out and only ate half his usual amount of food, he cheered after they released a statement denying the news.
……Anyway, it really was not.
It was the dagger that Choi Yichan had gotten his hands on in the last incident that was causing him headaches.
[Item: Very Ancient Dagger (★★★★★)
A dagger that can cut through anything.
It can even cut through the Causality.
※ This item is bound to Choi Yichan.
The binding state cannot be removed until you stab the target.]
He didn’t realise it at the time due to the urgency of the situation and the loud voices that liked to meddle. However, the dagger had been bound to him, with a sketchy description attached.
Furthermore, the target the dagger was supposed to stab ……… that’s ridiculous, there’s no way he could do such a thing.
“Haa….”
Letting out a long sigh, Choi Yichan returned to his own room in the White Silver Guild and was startled.
Someone is there. He immediately slammed the door shut and assumed a fighting stance.
“……! Who is it?”
The figure in the room flinched and turned.
The first thing he noticed was the pale yellow clothes. The coat was brightly coloured and bizarrely adorned, the kind of thing you wouldn’t expect to find in a normal clothing store. It was, in a word, doomed fashion sense.
The visitor, whose face was covered by a yellow hood and mask, opened his mouth.
“Tsk, tsk, I thought you were still crying over your heartbreak.”
No way, this douchebag’s way of speaking…….
No, more than that.
“I didn’t have a broken heart.”
“Tsk, apparently you’ve dug some ground.”
Choi Yichan felt his head throbbing, “How did you appear? Or rather, did you have a body?”
“Aeon’s demise is near. So I regained some of my strength.”
“…….”
“I have come to the rescue of a troubled contractor, hahaha!”
The King in Yellow, █████, burst into laughter.
***
Incheon Airport, two days after my visit to Azalea Pawnshop.
It was early morning, but the arrivals area of the airport was bustling with people. The passengers returning from their trip were surprised to see reporters waiting with large cameras.
“What’s going on?”
“Who’s coming today?”
And there I was, standing in front of the reporters, with Ki Yoohyun and Ash beside me.
I lowered my eyes with an awkward expression. It was because the staff from the PR department of the Dungeon Management Office were filming us.
Eventually, one of the people who had been peeking inside the entrance hall shouted loudly.
“…He’s coming!”
Click, click, click, click!On cue, reporters clicked their shutters in unison. In a shower of flashes, the man we were waiting for soon emerged with a leisurely gait.
The public relations staff tapped me lightly on the shoulder to give me the signal. I walked up to him with a shaky step and was about to say the words I had already memorised several times.
“It’s been a while …. oh!”
“Hahaha, great to see you again!”
He hugged me, still speaking correct but slightly awkward Korean.
Hunter James Jack Smith. The same American Hunter who drank coffee mix at our shop before I opened Cafe Rieul. James came to Korea again.
So do you know what I handed over to him in this situation?
That’s right. It’s … it’s a box of coffee mix.
“The most wonderful gift ever! Thank you.”
James grinned as he took the yellow box. Click, click, click! The shutter sound boomed.
The reason why the situation became like this….
Two days ago, I received a phone call on my way back from Azalea Pawnshop. The caller was none other than Han Yi Seong. He is the deputy guild leader of the Cheongna Guild, a close friend of Ki Yoohyun and a friend of Kwon Jiwoon. However, the number of times we have met me in person can be counted on one hand.
━ ……Therefore, I would like to ask Hunter Kwon Rieul to attend.
That’s exactly what Han Yiseong told me. James is coming to Korea again.
It was an era when many countries outside of Korea were also plagued by rifts and monsters. It’s partly for promoting the international exchange of Hunters, but he also informed me that there’s another purpose that they don’t reveal to the public.
The Dungeon Management Office will be holding an event to welcome him to Korea, and he would like me to attend.
After returning home, James continued to talk about his love of coffee mix, and each time he mentioned his relationship with me. It made sense, then, that the Dungeon Management Office would make this request.
I wanted to meet James, of course. However, the idea of being in the middle of an event between the top rankers made me feel intimidated.
After a moment’s consideration, I decided to politely decline.
“Yeah, I don’t feel comfortable with that either. I’d love to meet Hunter James, but … oh, dinner? Yeah, if that’s what you mean…….”
But Ash, who happened to be back at the store, heard my phone call and suddenly asked.
“Is that guy coming too?”
“That guy? Ah, Yoohyun-ssi? Yes, he’s coming with me.”
“I want to go there too.”
“……really?”
I was deeply moved. It was the first time I’d ever seen him voluntarily want to go to an event like this, especially since he’d been avoiding me lately.
What was it about this event that caught his interest?
Yes, Ash is interested, so it was not the time to talk about how burdensome it is. I immediately called Han Yiseong again and said this,
“What you said earlier, I’ll take you up on it, just schedule me at every events I can get to!”
Even so, I never would have guessed that there would be a coffee mix giving ceremony.
***
“I’m so happy to see you again. The world’s greatest barista, and my friend.”
“Haha, how have you been?”
In the car travelling from the airport into the city, James, who had just loaded the trunk with a variety of coffee mix, smiled at me.
After the incident with the monster in our shop that nearly killed him, James returned safely to the US and became an active Hunter. His ranking has improved and he is now in the Top 20 in his country.
Regardless of nationality, it’s not common for a top Ranker to make an official visit to a foreign country. There are many issues to consider, such as the situation and relationship between the two countries.
As one would expect, the Dungeon Management Office treated the visit as a very big event. Under these circumstances, I announced my intention to attend all the events. So you can imagine what happened.
I had a huge schedule ahead of me. Han Yiseong really did put my name on every event.
By the way, the seating arrangement in the car was supposed to be Ash, me, Ki Yoohyun, and James, but for some reason, Ash seemed to be getting restless. After all, since he was looking forward to this event, he would want to be close to the main character.
“Ash, shall we switch seats?”
“……yes.”
I spoke to the person in charge and changed the seating arrangement. Now, it was me, Ki Yoohyun, James, and Ash.
“Haa…….”
However, Ash turned his head away from me with a look of dissatisfaction. He’s a part-time worker at my house, but I don’t really know what he’s thinking.
The car carrying us was heading towards Namdaemun Market. The driver told me we were going on a traditional market tour, which is supposed to be a mandatory part of any visit to Korea.
However, a large sign in front of us displayed a sign that read.
‘Hoehyeon Monster Farmers Market’
Uh, umh….?
This is a recently opened market that sells monster by-products and ether ore. Namdaemun Monster Shopping Street, which had lost popularity to the Cheonggyecheon Workshop Street, has made ambitious preparations to regain the lead in the industry. I’ve heard that the vendors’ efforts have paid off, and it’s popular these days, but…….
“Traditional market … it is….?”
The event organiser next to me replied with a determined expression.
“You can’t stand out with ordinary contents these days!”
“Sure….”
“And surely a market used by Hunters in a Hunter Powerhouse is a real attraction!”
“I see…….”
It was strangely convincing.
Anyway, the participants were free to explore the market and spend some time shopping.
