Our final stop for the day was the awards ceremony hosted by the Hunter Association—basically, a self-congratulatory party for the Labyrinth Calamity. As the one who'd contributed the most, I was naturally invited, and the members of the Magic Tower were permitted to join me.

We left Paju, passed through Hunter Street, and arrived at the venue. The outdoor hall on the rooftop of a hotel in Sangam-dong was vast, filled with people milling about and exchanging greetings. Eunsol, perhaps intimidated by the crowd, clutched my hand tightly.

"Yusin," she whispered.

"What is it?"

"Where's Bora?"

"Good question. She said she'd be here first..."

Seojin adjusted his glasses. He was in full disguise—wig, fake beard, and all—just in case someone recognized him.

"Let's take a look around," he suggested.

We moved from table to table. Eunsol's wariness, which had seemed to stem from her fear of the crowd, quickly vanished. The reason was obvious.

"Pudding!"

The tables were laden with mountains of food. Even as she walked, Eunsol couldn't tear her eyes away.

"I'll look for Bora," I said. "You take Eunsol and get her something to eat."

"Understood."

I left Eunsol with Seojin and began scanning the banquet hall on my own. I hadn't taken more than a few steps before I ran into a familiar face.

"Yusin! Over here!" Nara, stunning in a formal gown, was waving as she hurried toward me.

"Ms. Shin, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Of course I'm here!" She paused, giving me a quick up-and-down appraisal before linking her arm with mine. "Ooh, you look sharp in a suit. With your hair styled like that... not bad at all. Have you ever considered doing promotional work?"

"Haha, can't say I have. That dress looks great on you, by the way."

"Oh my, Yusin, you flatter me." She cupped a cheek and waved her other hand dismissively. "I'm truly indebted to you this time."

"You are?"

"Yes! To have the hunter with the highest contribution to the Disaster come from my management company! The publicity alone is incredible! I can't tell you how many people in the industry have asked me today how I managed to recruit you."

"I'm glad I could help."

Nara smiled, covering her mouth delicately. "Heehee! You have such a way with words. Is there anything you'd like as a bonus? Ah! I know a wonderful Italian restaurant where we could..."

"Yusin!"

A familiar, sweet voice cut through the air. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

"Oh, Bora. Where have you..." I trailed off as I turned, my breath catching in my throat. Dressed in a pale, off-the-shoulder ivory gown, she exuded an elegance that was a world away from her usual bubbly self.

'So this is what she was doing instead of coming to Paju with us.'

Even my untrained eye could see the immense effort she'd put in. Men nearby were sneaking glances at her, their expressions clearly asking, 'Who is that?'

"Ms. Shin, you're here too," Bora said brightly.

"It's been a while, Ms. Jin," Nara replied.

The two laughed and chatted while I stood quietly to the side, listening. But something was off.

"Of course, I have to look after my own hunter, so we were together," Nara said. "Oh my, that dress is lovely. Where did you rent it?"

"Oh-hoho! This is my own dress," Bora countered smoothly. "You can get amazing deals on high-end dresses if you order directly from overseas studios. But I suppose you wouldn't know about that, Ms. Shin."

"Ohoho! Is there really a need to purchase from abroad? The products might be defective."

'What is this? It sounds like a normal conversation, but it feels like sparks are flying.'

"Hey, Ms. Shin! The CEOs are gathering, where are you wandering off to?" a voice called out.

At the interruption, Bora flashed a triumphant smile. "Shouldn't you be going?"

"...Ugh." Nara shot a glare at the man who had called her. He flinched, a look of unfairness on his face. "I'm sorry, Yusin. There's a meeting for the management company CEOs..."

"Of course, go ahead."

"Take care!" Bora chirped.

The moment Nara was gone, Bora sidled up and linked her arm through mine. "Yay! My Tower Master is all mine now!"

"...Are you going to keep being this childish?"

"Hehehe." She laughed charmingly and rested her head on my shoulder. When I gently pushed her away, she puffed out her cheeks and glared. I'd built up enough resistance to her obvious ploys by now.

"Yusin," she cooed, her voice like a spring breeze. She shook her head, letting her violet hair tumble over her shoulders. Like a model in a commercial, she tucked a loose strand behind her ear and smiled sweetly. "How do I look today?"

'Ahem.' I hated myself for getting flustered even when I knew it was all an act. I averted my gaze. "A dress like that... it looks good on you."

A rosy blush bloomed on her cheeks. "Thank you!"

"Come on, let's get some food. The others are waiting."

"Okay!"

We started walking back to our table. A few men actually approached Bora on the way; she was that radiant. She handled their advances with practiced ease before politely turning them down.

I smirked. "Your standards have gotten high, haven't they? Turning down a certified rank-4 hunter just like that."

She smiled bashfully. "When I have you by my side, how could I possibly notice anyone else?"

"...Ahem."

"Bora!" Eunsol cried, running over. "Wow! You're so pretty! You look like a princess!"

"Oh my! Thank you, Eunsol. You're going to be better at charming the ladies than Yusin is," Bora said, laughing.

While the two of them chattered away, I sat down next to Seojin, who was elegantly twirling pasta on his fork.

"Seojin. What do you think?"

"Pardon?"

"About Bora today."

He glanced nonchalantly toward Bora, and his expression suddenly went slack. 'Oh? Could he be interested too?'

"A dress," he stated.

"Yeah?"

"If I could see Miss. Ea in a dress," he declared with dramatic flair, "I could die today with no regrets."

...Not a chance. In any case, everything was better on a full stomach. We claimed a table and sat down for our meal.

"Yum yum! This is delicious!" Eunsol chirped.

"Eunsol, that piece of meat is too big! I'll cut it for you." Bora paused, her hand hovering over the steak. "Oh, right, I didn't grab a knife!"

"Stay seated. My plate's empty, I'll get it." As I stood, Bora shot up as well.

"Let's go together! My plate is empty too."

We wandered between the tables, searching for utensils. Bora was so happy she hummed a little tune the entire time.

"Oh, found the knives..." I started to say.

"Yusin, look over there!"

A murmur rippled through the crowd as a group of people gathered in one spot.

"Looks like someone famous arrived! Let's go see!" Bora urged.

"Hey, wait a sec!"

"Hurry!" She grabbed my sleeve and pulled. "I'm so curious! Who could it be? Yuseong Ma? Or Wanderer?"

"Why would people that busy come all the way here?" I grumbled, but I couldn't deny my own curiosity. We slipped into the crowd to see what was going on.

'Aha.'

It was the one player who was probably more famous than any pro these days. Surrounded by people, a wine glass in hand, stood Hong Yeon. With her red-toned hair and a simple black dress, she was impossible to miss. She looked thoroughly annoyed, but she was answering questions politely enough.

And then, our eyes met.

"...Ah."

Her expression, which had been one of polite surprise, suddenly sharpened.

"O-oh? Yusin. She's coming this way!" Bora whispered.

Hong Yeon began striding toward us. The crowd, startled, parted like the Red Sea.

"I need a word with you," she said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away. She was so strong I felt like I was being dragged. Faint whistles echoed from the crowd. We walked until we reached a secluded area, and she never once looked back. Only when we were cornered by a wall did she finally turn to face me, her red hair whipping around.

She glared, her eyes intense. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"...Uh, um. I'm not sure what you mean."

Her glare melted into a pout. "Why didn't you reply to my text?"

I was too stunned to speak. At that, the tension gripping me vanished, and a laugh escaped before I could stop it. "Ah, that text with just the consonants? I thought it was spam."

"Don't laugh!"

As we were bickering, Bora peeked out from behind me and gave an awkward wave. "Uh, hi, Ms. President."

Ah, right. They were in the student council together. But Yeon just tilted her head.

"Who...?"

Bora's face flushed crimson. I chuckled. "You don't know Jin Bora?"

From the way Yeon's eyes darted around nervously, it was clear she really didn't.

"I was in the student council too!" Bora exclaimed, her voice choked with indignation. "I joined the same day you became president!"

"I am truly sorry. I don't go to school very often..." Yeon bowed her head politely, but Bora's face only grew redder. There was nothing to be done. Though unintentional, Yeon had just delivered a brutal social blow. For a natural-born attention-seeker like Bora, the shock of not being recognized by someone she knew was devastating.

"Hmph! Yusin, let's go!" In the end, Bora stormed off.

I looked at Yeon, who was still staring after her in confusion, and chuckled. "You could have at least pretended to know her."

"...I spoke honestly to avoid causing a bigger hurt later on."

"Hahaha!"

She gave my outfit a quick scan, then looked away and cleared her throat. "This is unexpected."

"What is?"

"Just... unexpected."

"Sometimes I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Be quiet."

She had been an incredibly difficult person at first, but after surviving a life-or-death battle together, the atmosphere between us had become much more relaxed. She no longer treated me so coldly. We talked about a number of things.

"You're thinking of leaving the academy?" I asked.

"Yes. Once I become a certified rank-5 hunter, there's no reason to stay."

"Your sister, the chancellor, will be sad to hear that."

She waved that off as if it were unimportant. "The problem is you."

"Hm?"

"You were already guaranteed certification upon graduation. To get another promotion as a reward on top of that... this is too much."

I shrugged. "I don't really care. The process would have taken a few months anyway, so it's nice to get it done quickly. Plus, I get prize money."

"...You don't seem to have much desire for honor and power."

"That's not it." I shrugged again. "There's just no need to be impatient."

I had the Magic Tower, a mighty asset in its own right. Honor and power? They were bound to fall into my hands eventually. For now, I was just trying to keep them from coming too quickly and messing up my plans.

"Alright, alright, let's proceed with the event," the MC's voice boomed. "All distinguished guests, please be seated."

People began to murmur and move to their seats. Yeon and I nodded to each other.

"Well then."

"Yes."

"If you text with only consonants again, I'm just going to keep ignoring you."

Her face reddened as she turned her back. "...You're so annoying."

It seemed I was starting to enjoy teasing her. I parted ways with her and returned to my group.

"That little witch, just you wait!" Bora was still fuming.

The ceremony began. It was the usual affair: opening remarks, the national anthem, and a parade of bald old men giving congratulatory speeches. After that, hunters who had made significant contributions during the Disaster came up to receive their awards. Seeing famous hunters I'd only ever seen on TV in person instantly cured my boredom.

And then, it was my turn.

"Next is the award for the highest contributor," the MC announced.

"Yusin, are you going up now?" Eunsol asked.

"Aaaah! Yusin! Don't be nervous!" Bora cried, though she looked far more nervous than I did.

"The award was scheduled to be presented by Association President Hong Yul," the MC continued, "but we regret to inform you that she will be absent due to an emergency dispatch. As you all know, she is a very busy person. Haha..."

Sighs of disappointment rippled through the tables. "Instead, the award will be presented by Hunter Association advisor Hyeongsik Choi... Yes? Ah, yes." An official rushed onto the stage and whispered something in the MC's ear, bringing the event to a halt.

'Thwip-thwip-thwip!'

The roar of helicopter propellers filled the air. I looked up to see a chopper circling high above. As everyone watched, wondering what was happening, a red light flashed from the aircraft.

'Fwoosh!'

It descended upon the banquet hall with the speed of a comet. A red shockwave spread out, rattling plates and teacups.

"Whoa!"

"Aaaah!"

Startled guests ducked and cowered. When the shaking stopped, people slowly lifted their heads.

"Gimme that." A red-haired woman, who had somehow appeared on the stage, snatched the cue cards from the MC's hand. As everyone stared, dumbfounded, she grinned. "The awards ceremony is starting now."

"It's... it's the Association President!" someone shouted.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

A tremendous cheer shook the hall. Even high-ranking hunters and guild leaders, normally so composed, were on their feet, shouting and raising their arms. The strongest hunter in Korea. A hero among heroes.

Hong Yul glanced at the cue card. "Highest contributors during the Labyrinth Disaster: Kim Yusin and Hong Yeon. Get up here."

A storm of applause erupted. I rose from my seat as Yeon did the same from a table across the hall. We walked onto the stage, where two officials in uniform held boxes containing medals. Yul strode up to me and read from the card. "The person named above, during the Labyrinth Calamity, demonstrated a strong sense of duty and made a great contribution to the Republic of Korea, blah blah blah." She casually tossed the card over her shoulder and grinned. "Well done, hero."

"You beat all those rotten, good-for-nothing parasites and saved tens of millions of people. As the head of the Association, I thank you on behalf of everyone."

"Th-thank you."

Suddenly, Yul pulled me into a hug. No, it was less of a hug and more of a headlock.

"You, you, you cute little punk! You lucky bastard! Mwahahaha!"

'Ugh! I can't breathe.'

"Are all you bastards who deserted the front lines watching this?" she bellowed. "Even kids like this fought to the end to save the country, so what the hell are you doing? Huh? You should all castrate yourselves and turn in your licenses! Hahahahaha!"

As expected, she spewed a torrent of appalling remarks. Her secretaries had their faces in their hands, while a high-ranking event official frantically gestured, 'Cut! Cut!' at the camera crew. The hunters, seemingly used to this, were stifling their laughter.

Eventually, the official scurried onto the stage, bowing. "You must read the full citation, Ms. President. It's being broadcast nationwide..."

"Huh? No way! It's a pain in the ass."

"Please, I'm begging you, think of it as saving a man's life! The director is literally going to kill me! You know he will!"

A wave of laughter rolled through the audience. Her younger sister, Yeon, had turned away, her face beet red, pretending not to see a thing. Her expression screamed, 'Why am I the one who has to be embarrassed?'

"Tch. Can't be helped." Yul finally grabbed the cue card and read the citation.

Was it nerves, or was my heart just overflowing? I couldn't hear a word she said. I had finally done it. Yul personally pinned the certified hunter medal to my chest. To receive my certification in front of everyone was the greatest honor. Finally, I was a pro.

'Huh?'

I looked down at the medal and did a double-take. It had an unexpected number on it.

'4.'

I quickly examined the medal again.

'Certified rank-4 hunter, Kim Yusin.'

It felt like a lightning bolt had struck my brain. 'Wait, I've never even been rank-5. I skipped it and went straight to rank 4? Is that even possible?'

"That's the first time I've seen you look so surprised," Yul whispered, patting my shoulder. "You weren't originally up for a special promotion, but I pulled some strings. This is more like it." She winked and moved over to Yeon. The audience was staring, their mouths agape.

...Is this for real?

Even as she pinned the badge on Yeon, I couldn't shake the shock. As the other highest contributor, Yeon had also been promoted to rank 4.

The crowd buzzed with surprise. This was completely unprecedented. After saying a few words to her sister, the Association President stepped to the front of the stage.

"What, you surprised?" she boomed. "When you produce results, you get a fitting reward. That's the Association's policy. The achievements of these two are too great to be contained within the bounds of rank 5." She grinned. "Now then! A round of applause for the heroes who saved tens of millions!"

Everyone rose to their feet and applauded. Nara looked like she was about to float away with happiness, and Bora was clapping with tears in her eyes. Beside me, Yeon smiled faintly and whispered, "Congratulations."

This would be a night I would never forget.

* * *

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