Even those who complained about the annoying alert sounds were not few.

‘…It’s nearby.’

Staring at the alert message that appeared on the screen, Eunha thought of the training instructor she had just encountered.

Maybe it’s nothing serious? That kind of thought crossed her mind.

Weeeeng─ “Urgent dispatch. Urgent dispatch.”

“We ask drivers to yield for the swift entry to the destination and safety securing.”
Amidst the loud wailing sirens, police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances were seen racing down the road.

“…….,”

Standing still as if frozen, Eunha deeply pocketed the mobile phone she was holding.

Anyway, the hunters would arrive soon. The gate auction would have already begun, and many guilds would be vying for the winning bid.

There would be many hunters heading there.

─Even if it’s not me.

Inside her pocket, the soundless mobile phone trembled as it vibrated. Ignoring that vibration, Eunha grasped the pendant.

And on that night.

Beep-beep-

With the sound of the door lock, the door closed.

Eunha, who had returned home, leaned against the cold entrance door without taking off her shoes.

“…….,”

Then, she gently wrapped the pendant around her neck.

Even with the tracking skill, she couldn’t find Ijun.

[Cast Spell ‘Location Tracking’ detected] [You have requested ‘Location Tracking.’ Would you like to activate the artifact ‘Black Rose Pendant’?] [Location tracking failed.] [Cannot find a suitable target. Would you like to request ‘Location Tracking’ again?] [ [Dash] [Dash] [Dash] Loading [Dash] [Dash] [Dash] ] [Location tracking failed.]

Continuous failures. Was it just a simple error? Perhaps Ijun had a special skill or ability to counteract tracking.

Either way, having failed to chase Ijun, Eunha had no choice but to return home without asking him anything.

Eunha slowly took off her shoes and entered the entrance. Leaning against the cold marble floor with her back against the chilly entrance door, she held the pendant to her neck.

In the dimly lit living room, feeling the hard walls, Eunha suddenly pursed her lips naturally.

“Tissue.”

In the unchanging silence, Eunha realized belatedly.

Right. There is no tissue now.

It hadn’t been a week since she had spent days with tissue. However, it seemed like it would take more than that to alleviate the emptiness without tissue. Two days had passed, but she still hadn’t gotten used to it.

Originally, warmth was like that. Once you stay for a while and leave, it inevitably makes you feel even colder.

Eunha reached out to the remote control placed next to the academy bag on the table. Then, she familiarly turned on the TV. Even though she didn’t sit in front of it to watch, it was a habit that had stuck with her since she had been alone after her mother passed away.

“Next is the news. It’s said that the rainy season will start in earnest from Jeju Island this Friday.”

The TV light shone on the cold marble floor. The oppressive silence that had enveloped the entire house loosened a bit now.

“Especially in the areas near the southern coast, due to atmospheric instability, a strong typhoon with gusts, thunder, and lightning is expected to develop as rain clouds rise high. Regarding the unprecedented October rainy season news, a meteorological official──.”
Listening to the announcer’s voice, Eunha, heading towards the refrigerator, took out a can of beer from there.

Opening with a ‘pshh’ sound-

And then, she quickly emptied half of it on the spot. As the ice-cold beer passed through her throat to the point where she felt a chill, her congested and complicated feelings seemed to be somewhat organized.

“At around 4:32 PM today, a rift occurred near ○○ High School in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.”

“…….,”

Eunha, sipping beer near the refrigerator, glanced at the TV. The gate mentioned in the news was the same gate she had heard about through the mobile phone alert earlier today.

“The Korea Hunter Association’s Gate Management Center classified the rift as B+ level. ‘Pegasus,’ who participated in the gate auction, attempted to manipulate the winning bid, causing public outrage and resentment from other guilds. While the delay in the hunters’ dispatch due to the bidding issue, a brave citizen jumped into the rift. This is reporter Hwang Gyu-jin.”

Winning bid manipulation? Is such a thing even possible? Since there was no gate auction during Eunha’s time, this was quite unfamiliar to her.

As if drawn, Eunha approached the sofa and fixed her gaze on the TV screen.

“More than 500 people, including faculty and students, evacuated urgently. However, Kim Mo, an 18-year-old who was studying in the third-floor library, which was at the center of the rift, got entangled in the rift without being able to move.”

“With the flames engulfing the correctional facility and the school, terrified Kim Mo faced something in front of him during the appearance of the gate─.”

Eunha’s hand, which was unconsciously bringing the beer can to her mouth, abruptly stopped in mid-air.

“It was the retired hunter who led the hunter training center 30 years ago, Mr. Gyeon.”