Chapter 172

Chapter 172

In this cramped, cramped world, there are two things that only humans can possess.

『One is conviction, and the other is malice.』

If you want my anger, then become human.

Even if a beast barks for a hundred days, how could I possibly get angry?

* * *

Hunter Seo Gio truly only showed his face and left the event room.

“Team leader.”

A Haeryeong guild member spoke to the blond hunter with a friendly face.

“Why’d you do that? Just now, to that Collector hunter.”

“Yeah, why did I do that?”

“Hm, you didn’t want to be grouped together as a team?”

“Did it look like that?”

“Team leader, you do that when you don’t want to work with someone.”

At that, the man called team leader curved his eyes like a crescent moon.

“It’s not like I always do that, though?”

“You’re living up to your name, liar?”

“Ah... I don’t like that.”

“It’s a name the Association gave you—be grateful.”

“I said I don’t like it.”

“Just now, anyone could tell you were picking a fight.”

The guild member gave his leader a light jab in the side.

“And did you see it?”

“See what? The color changing?”

“You saw it all—what’s with the innocent act?”

“When he suddenly pulled his hood up, how could your eyes not go there...”

Drawing out the end of his words, the blond hunter swept his gaze around. Dark black eyes that looked like not a single speck of light could enter held the world.

“Looks like there are a few who noticed besides us.”

When he went over and poked at Hunter Seo Gio and came back, for some reason the man smiled and met his eyes, so he gave a light wave. Right after that, the eye color of Hunter Seo Gio, who pulled his hood down, changed.

“What color do you think it was?”

“Not sure, it was strangely dark under the hood...”

“Mmm, so is it an item after all?”

“From what I saw, yellow?”

“I’ll bet gold.”

“Then it’s probably gold.”

A team member asked with a grin.

“Aren’t the Collector’s eyes gold too?”

“Uh, no. Those feel brighter.”

“What do you mean, brighter? Fluorescent?”

“Something like that, maybe.”

“Anyway, something... isn’t there a possibility?”

“What possibility?”

“Come on, don’t act like you don’t know.”

“It’s definitely an interesting thought.”

The blond hunter laughed lazily. Most likely, his lovable team member wanted to say, ‘Hunter Seo Gio, whom the Collector’s Visabel favors this much, might be related by blood.’

“I’m curious who he takes after to have such an empty head.”

“Should I shut up...?”

“Mmm, since the Collector guild members still in the hall might have ears, shouldn’t you be careful?”

“Then I’ll shut up, team leader.”

“I don’t know who you take after to be this cute. Must be me, right?”

The man, making jokes he didn’t even mean, grinned and threw an arm around his shoulder.

“Let’s be careful, okay? I don’t want to fight the Collector...”

“Because you’ll get scolded by the section chief?”

“That too.”

“But for that, didn’t you already pick a huge fight?”

“Ahaha, did I?”

His eyes curved again.

“That’s troublesome.”

It was the face of a liar.

* * *

“Haeryeong is...”

Curator Garasani continued.

“A guild gathered from typical fighting roosters.”

In the room Gio had been assigned, Curator Garasani spoke as he tended to him.

“They’re people who prefer living with their brains switched off.”

“With their brains switched off?”

“I didn’t mean they literally take their brains out—it meant they don’t think about anything that much.”

“I see.”

It wasn’t that Gio didn’t know, but he decided to shut up anyway. If you shut up, you always got at least the middle.

The Fifth Floor Chief, watching Gio’s listening portrait-like attitude without laughing and with pleased eyes, asked Juhyun, who was helping organize Gio’s luggage.

“Ms. Juhyun, do you have 자료 on the Haeryeong Guild?”

“If it’s information on the guild members participating in this raid, it’s here.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

After taking a transparent tablet from Juhyun, Curator Garasani asked Gio.

“May I continue the explanation?”

“That would be a great help.”

“It is an honor, thank you.”

Garasani, wearing a gentle smile worthy of the nickname ‘chief butler,’ soon continued.

“The one who approached Hunter Seo Gio in the event room is named Sanarae, and his epithet is ‘Pinocchio.’ His position within the guild is team leader. Haeryeong is made up of regular members, team leaders, section leaders, workplace leaders, and the guildmaster.”

“Are those taken from production-job ranks?”

“You know human society’s types of ranks well—excellent. The Haeryeong guild members consider themselves a sort of cleaners. And that kind of cleaning work is also one kind of production work.”

“Haeryeong guild members think of themselves as environmental cleaners?”

“It contains beautification in various meanings. Haeryeong primarily deals not only with monsters, but also with Red Hunter types—fifth-grade citizens. In other words, they are ‘cleaning’ both the dungeon and society.”

Garasani displayed the Haeryeong guild members’ information on the room’s screen.

“But even so, you cannot expect ordinary refinement from them.”

“Yes, you said they were people who prefer living with their brains switched off.”

“Thank you for remembering. Haeryeong guild members are personnel who are difficult to control unless you are their superior.”

At that, after receiving Garasani’s permission with a glance, Juhyun continued.

“If I may add, Haeryeong guild members hand over all control over themselves to their superior. They even fully entrust their lives to their superior.”

“Ms. Juhyun has pointed out a very important part. Yes, Haeryeong is usually made up of people desperate to die. So Haeryeong guild members can be divided into three cases.”

Garasani continued one by one.

“First are those who purely enjoy combat, second are those with terminal insensitivity to danger who live with their lives on the line, and third are those addicted to the sensation of death.”

Pointing at the information labeled ‘Haeryeong: Sanarae,’ he said,

“Hunter Sanarae here belongs to that last case.”

“I do not understand well the expression ‘addicted to the sensation of death.’”

“Quite literally, someone who cannot escape the sensation of death... yes, an addict.”

Feeling his explanation was lacking, Garasani pondered briefly, then continued.

“Do you know what kind of behavior humans addicted to medicine show? Even if not medicine, I mean humans deeply intoxicated by addictive things like tobacco or alcohol.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then I think it would be good to refer to such cases. Sometimes humans cannot control themselves and brace for death on their own, and sometimes they cannot escape helplessness. Hunter Sanarae is far more pleasure-seeking than that, however...”

“Pleasure-seeking human?”

“You could classify him as a kind of hedonist. He often behaves like an addict drunk on various kinds of stimulation. Even if he appears to think and act normally, fundamentally he is not in his right mind. In many ways, he is a human burdensome to build personal ties with.”

Garasani returned again to the screen listing Haeryeong guild members.

“To continue, that is why Haeryeong guild members obey their superiors.”

“From what I saw, their hierarchy did not seem so clear. Are there no people who rebel?”

“The probability of that is extremely low. To them, in effect, the meaning of overthrowing one’s superior does not exist.”

At those words, Juhyun added with a smile.

“It’s a guild of people who don’t want to think about troublesome things.”

“Ah, I understand immediately.”

In short, they wanted only pleasure without responsibility.

“Then they certainly would not want to rise to a higher position.”

There would be no reason to. They seemed like people who hated using their heads enough to be described as ‘living with their brains switched off,’ and they clearly understood that the higher the rank, the more responsibility you had to bear.

“Because their thinking is shallow, in some sense they are admirable people.”

“Is that so? They are admirable to you. Hunter Seo Gio, you are truly merciful.”

Garasani smiled softly, like someone watching the antics of a grandson who had entered a prestigious university, then continued.

“To return to the earlier topic, the impudent words and behavior Hunter Sanarae showed you likely had some purpose. At the very least, since he holds the team leader role, he is not a human whose head does not turn.”

Garasani stroked his chin.

“Haeryeong greatly dislikes so-called ‘young masters’ and ‘young ladies.’ Since it is a guild full of people with unclear origins, it tends to harbor a lot of negative feelings about ranks. A representative example of rank conflict.”

“Unclear origins?”

“Yes. Even Hunter Sanarae is from the slums. And especially Hunter Sanarae... you may find this unpleasant to hear, but he is famous for despising hunters who are flowers in a greenhouse.”

Unlike his outward appearance, like an innocent knight or a fairy-tale prince, Sanarae’s words and behavior were closer to that of a punk. He was an expert at lazily smiling and getting under people’s skin.

Unless a strong person pressed him down with authority, he would not listen. Even if he knelt easily, as naturally as breathing, he would think something else behind the scenes. With a face that looked like it would never do such a thing, he lied as casually as eating, making people’s heads ache.

At times he seemed servile, yet at times he did things worse than beasts. He calmly put false oaths in his mouth and smiled skillfully, so no one could expect obedience or submission from him.

“His eyes are clearly not those of someone sane, yet he maintains an attitude that looks perfectly sane. There are many rumors that if the Haeryeong Guild hadn’t taken him in, he would have become a fifth-grade citizen.”

At Garasani’s words, Juhyun nodded as if she agreed.

“I heard he’s often evaluated as someone you can’t tell what he’s thinking. They say he often betrays others like it’s nothing, or does something out of left field.”

“He does have camaraderie; Haeryeong guild members get along well among themselves. Conversely, you could say they don’t try to properly mingle with anyone else.”

Garasani nodded.

“I believe the rank conflict I mentioned earlier is in a similar context.”

“Do you mean the part where he shows a bad attitude toward ‘young masters’ and ‘young ladies’?”

“Yes. It isn’t like that toward everyone, but on average, he maintains that strange attitude toward ‘flowers in a greenhouse.’”

“Regrettably, I am indeed a flower in a greenhouse.”

Gio said it confidently, but Garasani only smiled gently, as if watching a cat do a forward roll. At the way he seemed to find nonsense cute, Gio shut his mouth again.

Then Garasani continued.

“When seen from outside, Hunter Seo Gio is very likely to look like such a ‘young master.’ You are receiving our guildmaster’s great favoritism, and even the personnel this time would have made it obvious that they were here to support you.”

“It would have looked obvious.”

“Sadly, yes. He is also likely to find Hunter Seo Gio’s sudden fame displeasing, as if it were the Collector’s contrivance. In effect it is not very different, but precisely because of that, Hunter Sanarae has many psychological reasons to pick a fight with you, the ‘young master.’”

Juhyun smiled awkwardly.

“It really was a lot of personnel for the Collector.”

“What does that mean?”

“As far as I know, the Collector is usually...”

When Juhyun couldn’t say it clearly, Garasani affirmed as if to say her thoughts were correct.

“That is right. Normally, the Collector does not invest personnel this much for a single hunter.”

“I heard that the Collector’s new hires are usually experienced hires. They’re already sufficiently seasoned hunters, so the chance of danger no matter where they’re dispatched is low.”

“Of course, if they judge it dangerous, they do show unstinting support, but usually that ends at material support. If not even that, they send ordinary field staff hunters as assistants.”

Then Gio asked.

“But the people who came with me are not only field staff.”

“That’s right. I myself am a curator, and there are also two gallery trainee team members.”

Garasani continued as if saying it was a good point.

“The Collector’s uniforms also differ slightly depending on one’s position. That way, outsiders can recognize our guild members’ roles at a glance.”

Field staff wore a sleeveless cloak, the trainee team wore a cape for mobility, and curators wore a neat overcoat. If someone wore only a suit with the Collector’s insignia and no separate uniform, they were classified as general office staff.

Many guild members didn’t bother dressing up unless it was an official schedule, but this case was different. Garasani pointed at the black cloak Gio wore.

“And Hunter Seo Gio’s cloak is also a type of cloak.”

“Yes, it has no sleeves.”

“So most people will identify Hunter Seo Gio as a field staff guild member.”

“Will they think so even though it is not the Collector’s uniform?”

“Hunters are foolish creatures who only make use of familiar products.”

They tended not to use clothing that felt unfamiliar or awkward to move in. Because even one small inconvenience like that could decide whether a hunter lived or died.

“Especially since the Collector is a guild that considers uniforms quite important, to the extent of wearing them even outside official schedules, they tend even more to match similar equipment. Hunter Seo Gio will be judged in that way as well.”

Garasani smiled.

“Once the departure ceremony comes the day after tomorrow, will Hunter Seo Gio also wear the Collector’s uniform?”

“Yes, I am looking forward to it.”

“You may have found it unpleasant, so thank you for allowing it with a broad heart.”

After offering light thanks, Garasani continued.

“In these various contexts, Hunter Sanarae likely also had the intention of probing you. There are many rumors about Hunter Seo Gio, but you have not shown much actual activity.”

Gio nodded with his usual expressionless face.

“I felt what you said as well, Mr. Garasani.”

“Yes, and if not that... perhaps...”

As if weighing something, Garasani stroked his chin.

“He may have disliked the idea of being on the same team.”

“Is that so?”

“Hunter Sanarae is famous for often showing this kind of behavior at events on the day before entry.”

“Ah, he is famous.”

“He is the sort of human who swallows what is bitter in his mouth, yet in the end spits it out in some way.”

Juhyun gave a faint smile as if she understood.

“...As I said before, events like this provide major clues for planning the personnel combinations after entry. It means there is a strong possibility he deliberately showed an open conflict in order to be separated into a different team.”

At that, Garasani wore a composed smile.

“And yet, often they end up on the same team instead.”

“Why is that?”

“Because when Hunter Sanarae is with such ‘flowers in a greenhouse,’ the results are fairly good.”

“He would dislike that.”

“He may work even harder because he dislikes it.”

“Because he wants to end it quickly?”

“You answered exactly, Hunter Seo Gio.”

Garasani nodded.

“Even aside from that, I understand that the combat styles of such ‘flowers in a greenhouse’ and Hunter Sanarae’s combat style match fairly well. Hunter Sanarae is excessively free-spirited, so rather, the rigid ‘young masters’ and ‘young ladies’ dilute that.”

The synergy between the two types of hunters was, unexpectedly, often quite good.

“Still, in most cases they separate them into different teams. Especially when there are plenty of excellent personnel like now, there is no reason to let the seeds of friction grow among hunters.”

“I see.”

“Yes, then...”

Garasani asked politely.

“What would you like to do about that human?”

He had finished the explanation the portrait wanted, so all that remained was to ask his intention.

“The reason I came here is to offer what you desire. If you are not displeased, please tell me your will. I have the will and strength to follow it as it is.”

“...”

“Hunter Seo Gio may use me as you wish. Could you tell me your intention? Intervention, indifference, even simple chatter—if you say it, I will follow accordingly.”

“...Well.”

With those blue eyes, and that expressionless face, Gio continued.

“There was no malice.”

* * *

“There was no malice.”

Sanarae, the hunter with straight blond hair, said with a smile like a crescent moon.

“Just, because it looked fun.”

“...Is that all?”

“I guess you could say I wanted to poke at him.”

“What a bizarre...”

“I was just interested.”

He possessed senses closer to a beast than a human.

“That person didn’t smell like a person.”

So he had to know.

What kind of being would be with them.

* * *

Gio said,

“It seemed he was simply curious about me.”

“Ah, is that so.”

“So I was a little disappointed.”

Argio stared at Hunter Sanarae on the screen with golden eyes.

“...It’s better when it’s certain...”

Is this, in the end, a beast, or a human?

“...”

Well, whatever.

Both would be proper qualifications.

(To be continued in the next episode)