(This is a time divider.)

The next morning.

Eunha, who had given her bedroom to Minjoo, opened her eyes on the sofa. She slowly sat up and drew the curtains. The dazzling morning sunlight broke like waves over the marble floor.

Eunha, who yawned slightly, put on her slippers and headed for the boy’s bedroom.

It’s about time to have breakfast and head to the police station. Since there was no noise, the boy seemed to be still sound asleep.

“…….”

No.

Eunha, who had stopped in her tracks, listened carefully. The room was quiet. Uncomfortably so.

Knock, knock.

She knocked on the bedroom door.

There was no response.

After a few more knocks, Eunha slowly opened the door. As expected, no one was there.

“……Where did he go?”

Eunha, standing still, murmured quietly.

A wrinklefree bed sheet.

A tightly closed window.

Neat indoor shoes.

It felt as if putting the boy to sleep at home last night had been a dream. So much so, the bedroom was neatly arranged.

Suddenly, a postit on the bed sheet caught her eye. Eunha slowly walked over and checked it.

Cute, round handwriting.

Presumably left by the boy.

Below that, there was another sentence.

Eunha took her eyes off the postit.

Her jetblack eyes once again swept over the empty bedroom. Although it was clean, it was too clean, even as if no one had been there overnight.

But there was something even stranger.

‘……When exactly.’

Her gaze, which had been scanning the bedroom, moved across the room door to the front door.

She was already a light sleeper. After contracting with the cat, she had become more sensitive.

Even last night when she brought the boy home, she slept lightly. Just in case the greenrobed group came after them, she needed to be able to take the boy and escape the house.

‘But.’

She didn’t know.

That the boy had tidied the room, closed the door, and left the house.

She had been sound asleep without even dreaming of it.

It was an unbelievable story.

“…….”

Eunha, who had been staring at the front door, turned her head to look at the postit again. As she gazed at the cute, round handwriting, her eyes narrowed.

A soft murmur scattered in the silent room.

“I didn’t need to take him home after all.”

(This is a time divider.)

South Korea, Seoul. AM 9:36

A large door located in the corner of the top floor of the Hunter Management Association. It was a reception room that only Chairman Ko Daeyoon and his guests could use.

“Is that really true?”
Daeyoon asked with a strangely stern face. The middleaged man with a grayish hat nodded.

“Yes. I contacted the association and even inquired among the instructors at the training center at that time, but…….”

The man who momentarily dragged on his words cautiously licked his lips.

“No one remembered a trainee named Eura.”

Daeyoon quietly stroked his chin.

He had expected it to some extent, but it was just as he thought.

October 2029, the Pocheon Hunter Training Center was closed due to an unknown gate. The man sitting in front of him was the training center’s head at that time.

“Of course, since there are many trainees in a class, I can’t remember the name and face of every trainee.”

“Yes, that must be the case.”

Daeyoon, who lightly nodded, stared at the documents on the desk. It was the personal information of Eura that he had learned so far.

Of course, even though it was called personal information, there was nothing special. As Gwanghyun, Daeyoon’s subordinate, had said, she was shrouded in mystery.

‘She didn’t just fall from the sky.’

Daeyoon swallowed a sigh and lifted his head.

“I understand for now. For today, then──.”

At that moment, the reception room door swung open without a knock.

“Pr, President!”

“Tsk. This young man, really.”

Daeyoon, who was in conversation with the training center head, jumped up and frowned.

“What urgent matter do you have that you open the door so abruptly without knocking?”

“I’m, I’m sorry.”

Gwanghyun, looking disheveled, stood there with a heaving chest.

“Your tie is all twisted. The elevator is not proper.”

At Daeyoon’s rebuke, Gwanghyun quickly fixed his crooked tie. Daeyoon briefly clicked his tongue and opened his mouth as if scolding.

“What on earth happened to cause such a fuss since morning? Did a Burst Gate appear?”

“No, no.”

“Then. Did you obtain information about Hunter Eura? If so, I’d understand.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Gwanghyun awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“We are still investigating Hunter Eura… the Black Flame Princess.”

Apparently, this side also hadn’t obtained any particular information. It seemed that it would take longer than expected.

“Is that so.”

Daeyoon, taking his eyes off Gwanghyun, turned his head towards the training center head he was talking to.

“Sorry about this. Usually, he’s a competent subordinate, but this, really.”

“No, don’t worry about it.”

“Sir, President.”

Gwanghyun intruded again.

“It’s not about Hunter Eura, but something as important… no, even more important.”

“What is it?”

Daeyoon responded curtly, flipping over the materials on the table.

“Maestro is visiting Korea.”

Pause.

The hand that was turning the papers froze in midair. The eyes located beneath the gray eyebrows began to wobble. The same was true for the former training center head who was silently sitting beside him.

“What did you just say…….”

He must have heard wrong. Yes, he must have heard wrong. No, it couldn’t be. This was not just anyone.

But his forced calmness was in vain. As if it wasn’t a mistake, Gwanghyun placed both hands on Daeyoon’s desk and opened his mouth.

“Maestro, Maestro. A Korean, no, the first SClass in Korea.”

His excited voice was faintly trembling.

“It’s Hunter Baek Ijune.”