‘Why did I suddenly act like this?’

It seems I had been staring at Ilaine’s handsome face for too long.

I should have complained about what on earth Ilaine was doing to naturally remove my hand. He was just quietly letting Seo Suji do as she pleased.

Embarrassed by her uncharacteristic behavior, she quickly removed her hand and changed the subject.

“Ahem. If Ilaine insists, you can come along. But you see, I’m going to remove my disguise, and I’m worried that if Ilaine is next to me, it will reveal that I’m Daphne.”

“It seems your father still doesn’t know his daughter is Lady Daphne.”

Seo Suji stuck out her tongue and nodded.

She could imagine how this situation might seem amusing to others.

“It’s not that he doesn’t know, but rather he doesn’t want to know… So I can’t even tell him.”

“Still, too many strange things have happened today. I know you’ll be fine on your own, but I’m worried. If it’s alright with you, I’ll wait in front of the building.”

In fact, waiting in front of a building for someone who might come out at any time is not an easy task.

But for the two of them, who are used to hunting boss monsters as part of their daily routine, a long stakeout isn’t that big of a deal… And she could clearly feel Ilaine’s concern for her.

This wasn’t particularly because she was a woman, but because she knew it was genuinely his desire to protect her as a team member. So she didn’t feel bad about it. Rather, she felt grateful.

That’s why she didn’t refuse.

“Alright then. If that makes you feel better.”

It was only after arriving at her father’s house that Seo Suji regretted not asking Nature, who knows a lot, about the unextinguishable fire.

Even with her complicated thoughts, Seo Suji removed her disguise and stopped by a nearby store to buy snacks.

While the shopkeeper was packaging the snacks, Seo Suji’s eyes were drawn to a sign on the wall. After all, it was a small snack shop in a secluded area, yet Priya’s signature was prominently displayed.

“…What is this, sir?”

“Oh, that? Lady Priya just visited a moment ago.”

There’s no such coincidence in this world.

She felt her hair stand on end.

“Where are you going, young lady? I just finished packaging!”

Seo Suji ran with all her might towards her father’s house.

Ding dong. Ding dong. Ding dong.

As Seo Suji urgently pressed the bell, the door opened and her surprised father appeared.

As always, her father’s peaceful appearance, immersed in daily life, showed no signs of any unusual changes.

But even after looking around the entire house, she couldn’t calm her heart.

“Suji? Why, you’ve come so suddenly.”

“Just came to say hello. Nothing unusual happened?”

“Unusual? Ah. As a matter of fact, someone who works with you just left a gift. I wonder how they knew I like the snacks from here.”

Seo Suji’s gaze fell on the shopping bag placed in front of the entrance, which she had noticed when coming in.

Her father seemed puzzled by his daughter who was just standing there, staring at the shopping bag.

“Do you know how worried I was after you left like that last time? Where you’re staying, how you’re doing, come in and tell me about it.”

“…I meant to buy a gift on the way, but I came empty-handed. I’m sorry.”

“Never mind that, just read your emails sometimes. I was worried.”

Seo Suji was too shocked to calm her mind.

She barely managed to take off her shoes and enter, exchanging a few words with her father, but her gaze wouldn’t leave the gift that Priya must have brought.

Sure enough, the name ‘Priya’ was written in English on the gift wrapping.

No matter how you looked at it, this was a threat.

Priya was truly giving a severe warning.

Not to interfere with the actions of ‘Messiah’.

‘She seemed so polite in her emails.’

It was strange from the moment she suddenly acted like that. In the hunter world, Seo Suji is still considered young, and S-class hunters and above tend to be full of themselves, so it would have been natural for her to be rude.

Seo Suji gritted her teeth and immediately took out her terminal. After confirming with a side glance that her father, who had been restless due to his daughter’s sudden entrance and silent stance, was going to bring something to drink, she wrote an email to Priya.

One moment you’re saying the world is grateful to me and talking about respect and whatnot, and now you’re threatening me by holding my family hostage?

Is this how someone who wants to be a team acts?

I absolutely hate this cowardly act of taking civilians hostage.

From: Daphne]

Seo Suji watched as the Korean she had written was quickly translated into Hindi and sent, then sighed.

Even as she went to sit on the sofa, her mind was in turmoil.

‘How? How did they know about this house?’

She looked around towards the window, uncharacteristically anxious.

She couldn’t sense any extraordinary presence nearby. Given that Ilaine on the rooftop of the villa hadn’t said anything, it seemed Priya hadn’t remained in the vicinity until now.

It seemed like she should request support from Aunt Kim Yeonju to have guards stationed near her father’s house. Or maybe have them move to a safe house.

While absently watching her father pour juice into a glass, a reply came from Priya.

It seems there has been a misunderstanding in my expression.

I simply wanted to show my sincerity to you, Lady Daphne.

If I hadn’t shown my intentions like this, you wouldn’t have replied.

I would like to meet you in person and speak with you in 3 days.

I respect you.

From: Priya]

Seo Suji glared at the terminal.

In movies and games, they coolly say not to negotiate with criminals, but how can one refuse such a demand?

She let out a deep sigh.

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed she had no choice but to comply with that threat for now.

Because she had no idea how Priya had found out about her father’s house.

She had not only discovered her father’s house but also the store Seo Suji frequently visited to buy gifts for her father, and had brazenly prepared such an event.

If she moves according to their wishes for a moment, she might also find out how they discovered all of that.

Truly, the more she experienced the organization called ‘Messiah’, the more she disliked everything they did.

She swallowed her anger, whispering curses inwardly.

‘Damn it.’

Peace said that cursing makes you feel better, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.

She still couldn’t shake off the frustration.

Her father, unable to properly perform even the simple task of bringing a glass of juice, approached her, spilling a good amount on the tray, and set it down in front of her. Seeing his face, oblivious to the situation, made her sigh once again.

“Have some of this at least.”

“…Thank you, Dad. By the way, has anything strange happened lately? Like feeling like someone’s watching you?”

With a face that was just handsome, which her mother had liked, her father smiled awkwardly.

“Well. I’m not as popular as I used to be.”

“…Oh, is that so?”

Maybe it would have been better not to ask. She couldn’t get any meaningful information.

Seo Suji downed the juice in one go. Then, half-listening to her father recounting various big and small events that had happened in the meantime, she stood up, unable to bear the anxiety any longer.

This was not the time for this.

She needed to do something to shake off this feeling.

“…Dad.”

“Yes?”

“I came to say hello because I don’t think I’ll be able to visit often for a while. I’m doing well. There’s also dedicated support staff.”

“…I see. Still, thank you for showing me that you’re doing well like this. From now on, try to reply to emails too.”

“Yes. How are elder sister and stepmother?”

“They’re out for a bit right now, but they’ll be back soon.”

“…Please tell elder sister and stepmother to take care and be careful.”

“Alright, I will. But is there any need to leave in such a hurry?”

Her father’s disappointment was evident, but Seo Suji left the house after saying goodbye.

If she had stayed face to face with him any longer, she felt like she might blurt out that they should abandon this life immediately and all go into a safe house together.

She didn’t want to sacrifice her family’s daily life because of her own lifestyle.

Especially when she doesn’t even live there anymore.

As Seo Suji entered a narrow, secluded alley, Ilaine, who had been following inconspicuously, jumped down to the ground.

“You don’t look well.”

“Priya knew my movements.”

“…Were you being followed?”

“No, she was one step ahead of me.”

“That’s the worst.”

Seo Suji nodded. And at that moment, the status window moved.

Seo Suji frowned deeply and glared at it.

Again.

She thought it was strange that she hadn’t seen that message that used to pop up so frequently for the past few days.

Right.

Come to think of it, there was another entity watching Seo Suji’s every move.

‘The Great Beings’.

If ‘Messiah’ is really a religious group, could it be that one of the ‘Great Beings’ they serve, a ‘god’, revealed its identity to her?

But no matter how she thought about it, ‘Messiah’ seemed too much like a pseudo-religious cult to be a group worshipping gods.

‘But how did they even find out about the gifts I occasionally buy?’

Then, perhaps someone who knew she was coming here.

Ilaine, Seo Suji, Peace, Saint, Kim Yeonju, her father, probably her stepmother and elder sister, and Nature.

Could one of them have leaked information to ‘Messiah’?