Epilogue (4)
Chief Song Taewon looked up at the dreary sky beyond the window. Slow, sluggish storm clouds crawled across it, thick and dark. The air had gone damp enough to feel heavy, as if it might spill black rain at any moment. If a flash of light cut through that gloom, there would be no helping who it brought to mind.
Tap.
His black dress shoes, which had paused for a moment, once again struck the polished floor. Today marked the third day of Han Yujin’s funeral. Song Taewon had visited on the first day to pay his respects. Rows of condolence wreaths. A portrait framed in white. And when children’s voices mingled behind the quiet shadow of the chief mourner, the grief in the air had grown all the more suffocating.
Thick fingers slowly checked the knot of his tie, then smoothed the line of his clothes. He knocked on the closed door, waited a short moment, and opened it.
Several gazes turned toward him.
Song Taewon gave a courteous bow. Even though he had suppressed his presence as an S-Rank Hunter as much as possible, his senses still caught the reflexive flinches around the room—the small movements of people shrinking back on instinct, then immediately trying to pretend they had not.
“Come in.”
An executive from the Hunter Association, one of those who had survived the last round of purging, greeted Song Taewon. But from nowhere came the words, Have a seat.
Existing power brokers who were either non-awakened or low-ranking Awakened, yet had spent long years standing over other people, often adopted this sort of attitude in front of Song Taewon. As individuals, they could never defeat him. Their youth, their strength, even their most basic biological instincts flashed red warning lights. And because of that, they struggled all the harder to display, somehow, the position society had given them. If they encountered him on a deserted island with nothing else around, they would have to fall flat and crawl on the ground before him. Precisely because of that, they wanted to show that, here and now, they stood even a little above him.
“As Director Song Taewon is likely aware, the recent movements of the nation’s S-Rank Hunters are anything but ordinary.”
One of the National Assembly members spoke. The others wore grave expressions and gave small nods of agreement.
“We regret Director Han Yujin’s death, of course, but that cannot become a reason to shake the country.”
“Especially not by a bunch of green youngsters who know nothing except how to fight.”
“If they had never awakened, they would be nothing more than ordinary children, wouldn’t they? And yet now they are not only pushing legislation, they are applying pressure. How does that make any sense?”
Someone clicked his tongue.
Once Han Yujin’s funeral had begun, public opinion had burned even hotter. It appeared natural enough on the surface, but there were clearly hands behind it fanning the flames. Those hands were reaching not only within Korea, but overseas as well.
“As for compensation, naturally we would have handled that properly. Give him a medal, put up a memorial, that sort of thing.”
“They even held the funeral among themselves. They said it was too dangerous and wouldn’t even let us come offer condolences!”
Song Taewon looked at them in silence.
Their intention to make use of Han Yujin’s death however they pleased was painfully obvious. And for that purpose, they wanted Song Taewon to step forward as the representative of high-ranking public officials.
“Young people these days. They get a little power and think the whole world belongs to them! There are regulations and procedures for a reason.”
“The problem began when we handed out guildmaster positions so easily in the first place. Let them run free, and they don’t just strut around—they start trying to climb right over your head. The state should have managed them from the beginning.”
“If the country tells them to serve, the only proper answer should be, ‘Thank you, it’s an honor.’ In the old days, this would be like offering them a civil service post for meritorious achievement. And yet they refuse that and say they would rather be merchants, wouldn’t you say?”
They talked without hesitation while leaving an S-Rank Hunter standing before them.
To them, Song Taewon was a properly trustworthy sort of person. He kept his mouth shut, and if something was said to be for the country, he obeyed without complaint. The only people he ever used his strength against were Hunters. In front of ordinary civilians, he actually drew himself in. He had no hunger for power, did not try to use his position, and moved like the lowest worker in the hierarchy.
There had been resistance to placing such a young man in a senior post, but in the end, his youth had become part of what made him satisfying. He did not know politics, so he simply followed along like a workhorse.
“Therefore, Director Song Taewon, we are considering conducting tax investigations on high-ranking Hunters.”
“Especially the S-Rank guilds. With the current atmosphere, touching Haeyeon would certainly create some backlash, but if we lay out the numbers—exactly how many tax benefits the S-Rank guilds receive—the mood will turn quickly enough.”
“Compare it with prices, the average salary of ordinary people, the cost of a few apartments. Sure, the children may look pitiful right now. But aren’t they born with diamond spoons in their mouths? What more benefits do they need on top of that?”
“When you think about it, Director Han Yujin also received plenty of benefits from the country, so he made his sacrifice in return. In any case, upright Director Song Taewon should be the first, as an S-Rank Hunter, to step forward and disclose his asset list—”
“I refuse.”
His heavy voice rang low through the room.
Contrary to what they thought, Song Taewon was not ignorant of politics. Originally, he had tried not to know. He had been a police officer. There had been no need to know, and he had not been interested. Even after becoming director of the Awakener Management Office, he had meant to close his eyes to power struggles and quietly do only his own work.
The problem had been Seong Hyunjae.
Once he became entangled with that man, Song Taewon was dragged around not only domestically but overseas as well, and whether he liked it or not, he had no choice but to see, experience, and feel a great many things. Since there was no one else capable of handling an arbitrary S-Rank Hunter, Song Taewon had to study, think, and solve matters himself. It was impossible for him to remain an ignorant figurehead.
“Director Han Yujin of Dodam Monster Mount Breeding Facility deserves compensation.”
“No, but the country took care of him, so in repayment—”
“The same applies to other Hunters. If they are injured while acting out of personal greed through what amounts to a simple occupation, then perhaps there is no need to hold the state responsible. But if they have taken the lead for the sake of the people, then sufficient compensation should be given. I believe a system for that must be established.”
Song Taewon had, to a certain extent, looked away from the treatment of mid— to high-ranking Hunters within the Awakener Management Office. They possessed power far greater than ordinary civilians. Because of that, he had thought some degree of sacrifice was necessary. His aversion to himself, and to high-ranking Hunters in general, had also influenced that judgment.
Even so, the Hunters of the Awakener Management Office followed Song Taewon because he was a superior who stood foremost and tried to shoulder as much as possible.
He had not stepped forward to demand improvements for the office. Instead, he had ground himself down to fill in whatever was lacking.
But now—
“The Awakener Management Office’s compensation for disasters and accidents during fieldwork is insufficient. In particular, many state-employed Hunters are struggling with equipment maintenance and procurement.”
“Bringing that up all of a sudden is…”
“There is also the matter of budget allocation.”
“No additional budget is necessary. The rewards earned by state-affiliated Hunters from dungeon raids belong to the state. Revising that clause alone will be enough.”
The Awakener Management Office had Song Taewon, an S-Rank Hunter. Even if no budget at all were assigned to it, it could become a department overflowing with wealth.
After Song Taewon’s unexpected refusal came a demand. The people gathered there were flustered into silence.
“I will make an official proposal soon.”
Into that silence, Song Taewon drove the wedge in.
His voice was firm, and no one argued. Everyone gathered here was not brainless. They had finished calculating that stopping him would be difficult.
Among public officials, Song Taewon had the best image of anyone. If he brought out something he wished to do, public opinion would, in most cases, side with him. On top of that, he was also someone who did not need to cling to the position of a high-ranking public official. If he stormed out of his post, the government would be the one left wanting. Where else would they find an S-Rank Hunter willing to serve the country?
In truth, Song Taewon was the one holding the cards. He was a valuable person whom they needed to soothe and keep close. Yet until now, they had considered it only natural that he bowed his head first.
As that forgotten fact struck them in an unguarded place, Song Taewon spoke again, calmly.
“The matter of Director Han Yujin will become more difficult the longer you drag it out. Are you uneasy about S-Rank Hunters gathering together? Then grant their wishes—grant Director Han Yujin’s wishes—as quickly as possible.”
“…The country has laws.”
“The Hunters, both domestic and foreign, centered around the Haeyeon Guildmaster, will unite in order to fulfill Director Han Yujin’s will. The more obstacles they face, the more firmly they will join hands. Conversely, if Director Han Yujin’s wish is realized, they will soon disperse. That is the sort of beings S-Rank Hunters are.”
The center that had drawn them in and held them together, when they were originally people who could not gather at all, was Han Yujin.
But Han Yujin was dead.
If even the will he left behind was fulfilled, there would be no reason left for them to remain united.
“Removing the focal point is the fastest solution. And the only way to do that is to give Director Han Yujin what he wanted. If you allow the S-Rank Hunters to continue cooperating for a long period like this, they will eventually become accustomed to joining hands with one another. When that happens, even I will not be able to stop them.”
Silence settled.
Within it, Song Taewon gave a courteous bow. As he turned away, unsettled gazes clung to his back. Song Taewon walked out without a word.
At some point, rain had begun sliding down the windows.
Song Taewon walked along the deserted corridor and took out his phone. An unread notification mark floated over the group chat. He pressed it lightly.
[Han Yuhyun is fine!]
It was a message from Park Yerim.
He had not checked that message today, the one that confirmed Han Yujin’s safety. He had needed to believe Han Yujin was dead. Only then could he step forward and help him without hesitation.
Song Taewon looked at Park Yerim’s message and let out a short sigh. A faint shade of relief fell over his blunt face.
He was alive.
Then the world beyond the window flashed.
Crash!
A beat later, a violent roar shook the air.
Song Taewon stopped walking and looked out at the falling rain. Golden light coiled around the sky once more. Only after that did the thunder follow, and he thought it resembled him.
‘They should be safe.’
Both of them.
Han Yuhyun was reporting whether Han Yujin was alive. And as for whether Seong Hyunjae was alive… if something had gone wrong with him, perhaps Song Taewon, at least, would be able to sense it.
It was an unrealistic guess, but Song Taewon chose to hope for it. Since he had been created for Seong Hyunjae’s death, he should possess at least that much perception.
More than anything, however, he believed that as long as Han Yujin was alive, he would never have let Seong Hyunjae die.
Because the Han Yujin Song Taewon had seen was that kind of person.
At first, he had been weak. Truly weak. Someone Song Taewon had thought he might have to frighten into running away to someplace safe.
Perhaps it was only a short, passing downpour, because the thunder soon ceased. The heavy rain also thinned.
Song Taewon resumed his halted steps.
They were people who would return before long. So for now, he would enjoy these quiet hours, like a brief vacation.
Even though he thought that—
He could not help but miss the noisy voices that used to chatter on both sides of him.
Pop!
A small finger pressed down hard on the umbrella button. The umbrella sprang wide open, scattering the droplets clinging to it in a rush. Watching it, Han Byeol burst into bright laughter.
“Paaang!”
She tried to fold the umbrella again, but it was a large long umbrella she had insisted on carrying out of sheer greed. With one hand holding the handle, her other hand could not reach the ribs. As Han Byeol grunted and struggled with it, Han Seol helped her fold it.
“Thank you, big brother.”
Han Byeol gave him a polite bow, then started running again. And then—pop—she opened the umbrella.
Park Yerim, dressed in a black suit, watched her together with Hangyeol.
“Gyeol, you can go play too. Want Auntie to make you an ice slide?”
Hangyeol shook his head slightly and murmured.
“No, Auntie. It looks more convincing if one of us is sad instead of all three of us playing. Gyeol is the oldest.”
“Gyeol, you don’t have to act based on stuff like that, okay? You can leave everything to your aunties and uncles and do whatever you want.”
“…I don’t really feel like playing right now.”
Even though he knew Han Yujin was alive, the atmosphere of the funeral hall seemed to have affected him. At Hangyeol’s murmur, Park Yerim pulled the child close and hugged him tight.
“All right. Do whatever you feel like doing, Gyeol.”
Several people filmed the sight with their phones. A reporter loitering near the funeral hall also raised a camera.
– Seol and Byeol are still too young to really understand, but I guess Gyeol does T_T
– He must feel anxious too, since Gyeol probably isn’t his biological child…
└ Our Gyeol is Director Han’s real eldest, actually.
– Their raincoats are cute. The three of them match.
– It’s raining right on the last day of the funeral…
– Hearing the thunder makes me think of Sesung’s Guildmaster. Did he really not come to the funeral in the end?
└ He’s not the kind of person who’d miss something like this. It’s strange.
└ Fr, I work at Sesung, and there is no way the Guildmaster would skip HYJ’s funeral. He should have been dragged in here in a wheelchair at least.
└ I’m also at Sesung and it’s seriously weird. He should have called an ambulance if he had to and sat there all three days.
└ The Saintess is in Korea, and he still hasn’t recovered from his injuries? Isn’t that actually dangerous?
└ Could be a curse or something. I heard once you get to SSS-Rank, even the Saintess can’t necessarily undo it.
– Ack, Yerim, Byeol is going into the puddle!
– She lay down, what do we do lolololololol
– Oh no, she’s rolling, she’s rolling, muddy water’s getting all inside her raincoat~~
Park Yerim screamed and scooped Han Byeol up. Even while muddy water dripped from her, Han Byeol grinned as if it was the most fun she had ever had.
The four of them went back inside, and when the day began to darken, the wreaths were carried outside one by one. White flowers were also laid in abundance on a broad platform, and Han Yuhyun appeared with Han Yujin’s photograph in his arms.
The cameras rushed to capture the Haeyeon Guildmaster’s face, sunk into stillness.
– I heard HYH stayed up all three nights. His face does look kind of pale.
└ Would an S-Rank really look haggard just from three nights without sleep?
└ Rather than staying up all night, his brother died. They said he cherished him like his own life. Even an S-Rank could end up looking gaunt.
– The caption says since there’s no body to cremate, they’re burning the photo instead.
– The lion is wailing. Was he that close with Director Han?
– I feel so bad for the Haeyeon Guildmaster T_T T_T T_T T_T T_T T_T
– Byeol is asking for her dad’s picture T_T
Han Yuhyun walked forward and set Han Yujin’s photograph down on the mound of flowers. He stepped back once, twice, and blue-black flames bloomed from his fingertips.
The falling rain evaporated before it could even touch them. Even the steam was swallowed before it could rise.
The fire wrapped around the wreaths, the white flowers, and the photograph.
In an instant, everything was consumed. It vanished into the flames without leaving so much as ash behind.
Blue-black fire danced across the entire screen. Everyone stared, entranced, at that mesmerizing light.
The next morning, breaking news appeared.
[U.S. Government Decides to Accept Goblins as American Citizens in Accordance with Director Han Yujin’s Wishes]
[“As a nation of immigrants, we will take the lead in accepting a new intelligent people without discrimination.”]
The United States officially announced that if Korea would not accept goblins as its own citizens, they would extend a hand instead.
And that was not all.
[United Kingdom Grants Citizenship to Dragon Knight Ella Rose Hill’s (Kang Soyeong’s) Dragon, Comet]
[Goblins Are Our Friends]
Though they could not communicate through language, Comet was the partner of the Dragon Knight who had saved Britain. As if stamping Kang Soyeong firmly as British, they had even recognized her dragon as one of their citizens. They also announced that they would award medals to the goblins who had provided immense help in evacuating British citizens, as well as to their leader, Yun Yun.
– Aren’t goblins Korean? Why are America and Britain suddenly butting in?
└ They still don’t have nationality. They probably can’t even get resident registration cards issued.
– Is Kang Soyeong going back to Britain at this rate?
– She’s the acting head of Sesung, so if she goes to Britain, does Sesung Guild become British too?
└ Nope. She’s only acting head, and Seong Hyunjae is alive.
– If Britain wants Kang Soyeong to go over there, they’d probably have to make her a whole dragon corps. How many dragons are there in Korea? Noah said he’s staying with Dodam too.
└ Is France going to offer something too or what?
– Japan’s Amaterasu Guildmaster just announced they’ll accept goblins too!!!!!!!!!!!!
– They said they’ll prepare an autonomous district for goblins and grant them self-governance… Have they lost their minds?
– Other countries are starting to jump in one by one too. Get lost, all of you, get lost1111
– Why the hell aren’t goblins Korean yet? What are they even doing?
└ They have to change the law. Other countries are just talking too; they can’t actually do it right away either.
└ Then tell them to change it already. When the dungeon break first happened, didn’t they make a special law right away? This is an emergency too.
– Let’s hurry up and make them Korean. They’re goblins. They’re Korean by birth. Why won’t you make them Korean?
– Shouldn’t they do something for Monster Mounts too? Comet is the only one getting citizenship.
└ During the last monster crisis, Blue’s work was no joke. Let’s make Blue an honorary Seoul citizen too.
└ Peace too. Monster Mounts that have cleared above a certain number of dungeons should be recognized. At this rate, everyone’s going to steal them from us.
– Now that I think about it, if Director Han is gone, we can’t even get any more high-ranking Monster Mounts. We need to protect the ones we have.
– Awakener education facilities are urgent too. Haeyeon’s Guildmaster will do anything if it’s for his brother, so imagine if Korea says no and America says yes. Haeyeon and Dodam might just move out wholesale.
└ This makes me want to swear. What is the National Assembly doing?
– Just give them everything! Give them everything!
– This is pure profit, so why won’t they do it? Honestly, is there any guarantee something like the UK incident won’t happen again? But our country has goblins.
└ That’s completely reassuring.
– Aren’t high-ranking Hunters normally granted nationality immediately no matter what? Let’s apply the same thing to goblins.
If they did not hurry, other countries might take them.
Public opinion, which had seemed to be settling down after Han Yujin’s funeral ended, once again burst fiercely into flame.
–TL Notes–
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“He could not help but miss the noisy voices that used to chatter on both sides of him.” awnn