“I truly had a great time as well, and it was such an honor to have you all here together. But we can’t spend time like this forever, can we? So hurry back. I’ll call you all together again soon for a meeting.”

Daphne was right.

It was the first time we had spent such a long time hanging out together, and that time was incredibly enjoyable.

Although we were all of different ages, we were four individuals with exceptional talent as hunters, to the point where we felt guilty about just having fun.

Perhaps that’s why this time was even more enjoyable.

“Will you be staying here, Team Leader?”

Suji shook her head.

She thought it would be better to stop by various places as well.

She had been ignoring her father’s messages all along, but if she didn’t at least show her face soon, he would really start to worry.

That wasn’t what she wanted.

And above all, there was something she needed to resolve.

Just as Suji was about to open her mouth, Elaine intercepted her line:

“Are you going to visit the patient?”

Suji looked up at Elaine with wide eyes, wondering if her thoughts were that transparent, then pulled at the corners of her mouth in a slight smile.

[This is the timeline separator]

The solidarity of the people in the fan cafe ‘Dryad’ was incredible.

Whenever an article appeared or a post criticizing Daphne was uploaded, they would step forward, mark the coordinates, and self-moderate the comments.

Of course, it’s not that they weren’t usually this diligent in their activities, but the firepower after Daphne personally stepped up and thanked the fans was truly remarkable.

Whenever photos of Daphne taken without permission during her minor years, criticisms of her outfits, or ridiculous rumors about her private life were posted on the Hunter board, they would rush to report them and clean up the comments.

So many comments saying “Reported for defamation against Daphne” were posted that new slang terms like “Dabisin” and “Another Dabisin” were even emerging.

[Title: Seems like they’re really coveting the 〈Laurel〉

I saw Pierce passing by near the item appraisal shop this morning.

They said the entire Team Daphne suddenly disappeared, but now they’re showing their faces one by one.

Honestly, I expected this from the moment news about Daphne started coming out lol

Still, they’re thorough with their gains and losses lol

└This bastard seems to be the same one from last time… If you covet it so much, why don’t you go for 〈Laurel〉 yourself lol

└Reported.

└Reported for defamation against Daphne.

└└Another Dabisin

└Yeah, Dabisin

└It seems these guys keep popping up because of weak rules like 1-month activity suspension; I wish they’d implement permanent bans. It would be so satisfying.

[Title: Heard news about Daphne? They say she’s really just playing around

(Attached: DIY painting recreation photo posted inside the ‘Dryad’ cafe)

└…What is this?

└└There were so many posts defending her because there was no news about Daphne at all lol But it turns out Daphne was just playing around like this lol

└If you’re going to leak photos from inside the cafe, please leave Dryad.

└All materials within the cafe are strictly prohibited from unauthorized reproduction;;

└Are you using the same ID in Dryad cafe as on the Hunter board? Please check your messages.

└What does it matter if Daphne plays or not? I checked your nick and all your posts are about Daphne’s private life… Seriously, get your own life in order;

└Well, I’m a bit disappointed… I didn’t think she’d be playing around so comfortably like that. If I had known, I wouldn’t have written that apology letter

└└These are the kind of people who would sponsor someone and then complain if they buy snacks with the sponsorship money; What business is it of yours what others do?

└└└2222 What business is it of yours;

└But what is that that she drew so diligently; It must have taken a few days;

└└I’m the original poster, and it was a 1-hour time attack

└└└…Crazy, that’s another level

└└└└All four members of Team Daphne are cheat characters no matter where you put them; Wow, that’s really insane.

└└└└└Whoa… God-phne!!! God-god Team Daphne!!!!!] [Title: Stop defending Daphne lol

Honestly, I want to defend her emotionally too lol But isn’t it true that efficiency improves when Daphne works?

You guys are just leeching off her sweetly while pretending to be PC lol If Daphne suddenly stops activities, you’ll suffer losses too lol

It’s just a difference between pushing her back while cursing or praising, but you’re acting so moral lol

└Who doesn’t know Daphne is the best in efficiency? But after doing this much until now, unless you’re completely devoid of conscience, you should be grateful and shut up

└Yeah, I’m not going to push her back. And if you can’t be moral, at least pretend to be. If you can’t even do that, why are you living? Lol Don’t lump me in with someone like you lol

└Just because you like leeching off others doesn’t mean everyone else does lol

└If you have a conscience, don’t expect more from a 19-year-old girl… Why are you even living;

└I think your words came out a bit too honestly… It might be better to delete the post.] [Title: Stop with the Daphne Daphne talk; Aren’t you tired of it;

Not tired of it♡ Respect her more every day♡

We’ll absolutely protect our Daphne♡

└What’s with this one; Are they from the fan cafe?;

└There’s always someone like this lol They must think hunters are celebrities lol Since Elaine is also pretty, she has a lot of fans and I see posts like this several times a day lol

└Wow… You’re really good at trolling lol I came in to report but I’m leaving with a laugh

└There seem to be a lot of fan cafe people today;

└If they were from the fan cafe, they wouldn’t act like this outside unless they were shot in the head;]

However, no matter how organized they were, it was difficult to completely settle internet public opinion to one side.

Moreover, things that would have quietly subsided if there was no response often flared up because of Dryad’s shields.

With one side pouring oil and the other side trying to extinguish the fire, there was no end to the controversy.

Thus, while another round of public opinion frenzy about Daphne, who wasn’t interested, unfolded today, new fuel was thrown into the fire.

Team Daphne’s proposal: ‘If not participating in 〈Laurel〉, can help with future tower climbs in various countries’

Is it a provocation from South Korea? Or a peace negotiation? Team Daphne’s proposal

Team Daphne, as good as declaring their participation in 〈Laurel〉…

Daphne’s declaration wasn’t delivered secretly to each country, but was announced through channels accessible even to ordinary people.

It was a pledge to definitely keep the promise, a way to announce that Team Daphne was still going strong, and an official declaration to participate in 〈Laurel〉.

That declaration was as good as signaling the end of Daphne’s rest period, which was long if you consider it long, and short if you consider it short.

[This is the timeline separator]

Only after confirming that Pierce and Saint had departed first did Suji, accompanied by Elaine, head towards the Gate Stabilization Department headquarters.

It was to check in more detail some information she had heard when she contacted Aunt Yeonju to ask about the 〈Laurel〉 matter.

“Shall we go?”

“Let’s go.”

Elaine strode ahead first, heading towards the gate entrance.

There are two ways to significantly reduce travel time.

The first is to increase the speed of movement itself.

Generally, one would use a vehicle or similar mode of transportation, but for hunters, there are methods like applying buffs or wearing items that correct the speed stat.

Usually, whether civilian or hunter, most use the first method.

For them, it’s the only option.

But the method Suji and Elaine used was the second one.

That is, finding the shortest possible route to travel.

Gates were entrances connecting the real world to dungeons, which were worlds different from reality.

Some dungeons had only one gate, but there were cases where two or more gates were connected.

As the real space and dungeon space didn’t correspond one-to-one, if you utilized the connected spaces between dungeons well, you could enter from Cheonan city and exit in Sejong city.

If you pass through these gate connections well, you can find shortcuts between detours that would otherwise require going around.

Some very safe routes that were shared were frequently used by ordinary hunters, but most required passing through several other gates that were clearly more difficult.

This was why most people chose the first method unless they were extremely confident in combat.

Because of being held up by combat, even if the direct distance was shorter, the time taken would be longer.

Or even if somehow they managed to arrive at the destination a few minutes faster by engaging in combat with multiple people, the financial loss from using up high-grade potions and attack items would be too great.

But for Daphne and Elaine, who had practically figured out the strategies for monsters appearing in gates themselves, it wasn’t much of a problem.

“Should we go this way?”

“Since our starting point is the 3rd gate of the Deep Sea E dungeon, if we pass through C gate twice, enter the Enchantment S gate and come out, we should directly connect to the Gate Stabilization Department.”

“You know, Elaine, you know the way so well it’s sometimes suspicious, you know that?”

Truly, Elaine knew the way too well.

It’s understandable that Suji wouldn’t know since she had practically lived in the tower since finishing the academy, but Elaine definitely knew the way better than even Pierce, who was older and had more experience running gates.

The suspicion was obviously a joke, but Elaine, who didn’t know how to wittily respond to jokes, smiled slightly like someone who didn’t know what expression to make and turned to lead the way.

At that moment, one of Elaine’s hands, covered by clothing, seemed to blur.

Elaine quickly covered it with the other hand, so it wasn’t certain, but for a very brief moment, it felt like his hand had disappeared.