Chapter 5 : Saradoryeong

A dream. Was it?

I thought I saw Enhen.
Back then, it felt unpleasant and unsettling, but now my head feels clear and refreshed.

…It’s uncomfortable.

The fact that I’m in a normal state is uncomfortable.

My sister and lover ended up like that; I shouldn’t be okay.

“Heh. I understand how you feel, but self-torment isn’t good for the body. Not just for you, but for us as well.”

A flicker of life returns to my vacant eyes.
I quickly looked around.

“…Purifying power. Is this… all Holy Water…?”

I felt dumbfounded.
Bathing in gold would probably be much cheaper than this.

Just how much did they use?

As if reading my expression, the Association President shrugged and spoke.

“It’s not as precious a commodity as you might think. Of course, I can’t say it isn’t expensive, but our country’s market economy is still functioning relatively well. It’s an amount someone like me can sufficiently obtain.”

Ah. Right.

This wasn’t that place where even clean water, let alone Holy Water, was scarce.
It was an incredibly prosperous country where purified water flowed abundantly just by turning on the tap.

I nodded, thinking of that place, the ‘Land of Prosperity’, which ironically only showed signs of decline, unfitting of its name.

“Yes. Alright. I’m sorry, the land must have been heavily contaminated because of me.”

-Vwwoong.

My semi-transparent body gradually touched reality.
Transitioning from a spiritual state, I donned flesh and gained a physical body in reality.

Physical attacks might work a little in this state, but it couldn’t be helped.
It’s not like I’d die from it.

“From now on, I’ll stay in this state as much as possible, so don’t worry too much. Ah, more importantly… I want to hear information about the devils.”

“Get dressed first. We have plenty of time, don’t we? Let’s talk slowly.”

Hmm.
Come to think of it, I forgot I was naked right now.

Belatedly feeling embarrassed, I roughly covered my body with shadows and ignored his latter words.

I was a bit rushed because I couldn’t hear about the devils while washing my body.

And.
I felt like I needed to constantly push myself to feel secure.
I absolutely could not tolerate goofing around with a clear mind.

Even now, Enhen must be suffering at the bottom of hell.
I cannot allow myself peace.
Never.

“It’s fine. Important things first. Where are the devils? Do you know Zamiel?”

I stared intently at the Association President.
He looked like he had much to say, but he sighed once and asked me.

“Hoo. First, please collect yourself. I understand how you feel, but important matters must be handled meticulously, shouldn’t they?
Chasing devils with that broken spirit is forbidden. This is advice from the President of the Hunter Association. Wouldn’t it be a great misfortune if a talented individual like you fell prey to a devil’s schemes?”

Beside him, the secretary handed me medicine along with a detailed prescription, but I frowned and slapped his hand away.

“…Forget it. I have no intention of getting treated.”

A clear mind.
Isn’t it more abnormal to maintain a clear mind after driving one’s sister into hell?

Until I pay for my sins, at least until I receive Enhen’s soul and revive my sister, I absolutely do not want to live a peaceful life.

“If you want detailed information about devils, use my body. Our essences are similar, so there might be overlaps. You’ll find answers if you put me in a lab and run some experiments.”

“…Human experimentation was the first thing I eliminated after becoming President. I don’t want to bring back that relic of the past with my own hands. This is my conviction.”

The President seemed appalled, but I couldn’t understand.

Why refuse when I’m okay with it?

“Even if I ask it as a favor? I’ll do anything if it means I can slaughter those devils.”

“Maintaining appropriate boundaries would surely be efficient. Morally too, perhaps even right. But convictions are called convictions precisely because they are inefficient.”

It seemed impossible to change the mind of the firmly speaking Association President.
So, I had no choice but to opt for the next best thing.

Conversation.

.
.
.

There was one thing I realized while talking a bit.

I understood why the person in charge of Returnees was the Association President, the busiest among Hunters.

I felt like abandoning the conversation and just pulling out a knife to extract the information.
I saw no reason to talk when I could just use force.

However, judging by the aura I sensed, it seemed difficult to face the Association President without using Magic Bullets, so I had no choice but to resort to conversation.

Using Magic Bullets against a perfectly alive ‘good human’ was impossible, at least for the current me.

“I will inform you about the devils step by step. There’s much to organize first, and many facts that need to be told. Rushing headlong into Hell is absolutely forbidden.”

“…Alright.”

“And take your medicine regularly. There’s a possibility of falling victim to mental-type devils, isn’t there?”

Well.
I doubt I’d fall for such trivial abilities at this point.

Despite appearances.
I’m quite strong.

But oh well.
I can just throw it away later.

“Alright. I’ll also visit the psychiatrist regularly. That’s enough, right?”

“…Yes. Let’s leave it at that for now. Bari has found a suitable place, so live there for the time being. I’ll send the precautions via email later.”

Bari, the President’s secretary, handed me a bundle containing clothes, a phone, and other items.
It felt nostalgic yet strangely unfamiliar, making me wear an ambiguous expression.

Somehow.
It feels like I’ve returned as an ordinary member of society again, giving me a ticklish sensation somewhere.

Doesn’t it feel like it’s telling me everything’s okay now, so I should rest?

…I wanted to do that too.
Wouldn’t I want peace too?

If Enhen hadn’t ended up like that, I might have just settled down and lived comfortably.

Perhaps I would have lived my whole life single, merely mourning the deceased Caspar.

“…”

Like everything else, it’s just a meaningless delusion.

Caspar is dead.
Enhen was dragged to hell.

All that remains is a mere woman, tormented by emptiness yet burning with vengeance.

“President. By the way, what’s your name?”

“I have no name. It ended up that way. For now…… call me Saradoryeong.”
(TL Note: Saradoryeong (사라도령). ‘Sara’ likely refers to Princess Sara from Jeju mythology associated with Seocheon Flower Garden. ‘Doryeong’ means ‘young master’ or ‘bachelor’. Agathe finds this title humorous given his apparent age.)

Hmm.
His appearance is youthful, but glancing at his soul, he seems at least a millennium old. Isn’t ‘Doryeong’ a bit shameless?

Then again.
I’ve lived quite long too, but I think I’d be a little sad if someone called me old.
I always wanted to appear young and vibrant to Caspar.

“…Don’t look at me like that. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that. Do you know the Seocheon Flower Garden myth? It’s a folktale mainly famous in Jeju Island.”
(TL Note: Seocheon Flower Garden (서천꽃밭) – “Western Heaven Flower Garden”, a paradise-like afterlife realm in Korean shamanistic myths, established as an S-rank Gate location.)

I’d forgotten Korean, how would I know that? Besides, I wasn’t particularly interested in myths even before.

Perhaps feeling awkward, the President. No, Saradoryeong added a few words.

“When it comes to S-rank Gates, various peculiarities arise. You could almost consider them other worlds. In my case, it felt like I was appointed as an inspector of the Seocheon Flower Garden…”

I only remembered the fact that the President was also a Returnee and let the rest flow in one ear and out the other.

It didn’t seem like a very important fact.

More than that, I wanted to try using the internet quickly.
I needed to gather even a little more information about the devils.

In the Land of Prosperity, I had to dig through ancient documents for days just to find a single line, but here, wouldn’t it come up quickly with just a little searching?

With a slightly excited heart, I rode in the car driven by Bari towards my new home.

Compared to the royal castle, it might be less grand, but the facilities would be much better.
It would be a suitable place to bring Enhen too.

Yes.
It really wouldn’t be long now.
Wait, Enhen, your older sister will definitely save you.

.
.
.

Deep beneath the Hunter Association headquarters.
Saradoryeong, lost in thought, wandered the empty corridor, muttering to himself.

“…Ah. Come to think of it, that friend would fit the role of Jacheongbi well. It would be perfect if she went to Hell with a Myeolmangkkot. Then I might finally obtain a Honsali Flower too.”
(TL Note: Jacheongbi (자청비) is a goddess from Jeju mythology known for traveling to the underworld. Myeolmangkkot (멸망꽃) means ‘Flower of Ruin/Destruction’. Honsali Flower (혼살이꽃) likely means ‘Soul-Living Flower’ or similar, another specific flower from Seocheon Flower Garden like the previously mentioned Salsali and Sumsali flowers.)

Perhaps it might be worth challenging the S-rank Gate raid.

Briefly harboring such hope.

One month later.

In front of the B-rank Gate, ‘Vivid Four Seasons’.
A-rank Hunter Han Sol checked her watch, waiting for someone.

“…Hmm. She should be here by now.”

There was about a minute left, so should I wait a little longer? Just as she thought that.

-Whoosh.

A sound like wind blowing was heard, and a beautiful woman with silver hair, blue eyes, and an exhausted impression appeared behind Han Sol.

“Whoa! Ugh. You scared me! I thought you were a ghost!”

“Well. You’re not entirely wrong.”

Her, Agathe’s, appearance as she spoke calmly was quite strange.

Skin so clear it seemed transparent.
Slightly luminous silver hair, blue eyes.

Separately, these features should create a bright impression, yet looking at her, she appeared incredibly worn out.

“A B-rank this time? Is the goal subjugation?”

“Yeess… That’s the main goal. We’d like to gather data if possible, but that’s difficult now that there have been casualties. Besides. Actually, this Gate is extremely hard to handle for its rank. We don’t know where the core is. And it’s not like there’s a boss monster either…”

Before Han Sol could finish her words, Agathe summoned a gun from thin air, aimed it at the Gate, and pulled the trigger.

-Bang!

A single gunshot echoed.

-Zzzk. Chzzzzz.

“Uh. Uhh?”

With strange static noise, the Gate disappeared.

“…Today’s work. Is this it?”

Handling a B-rank Gate with a single bullet.
Without even entering the Gate.

Faced with Agathe, who spoke so casually after achieving such an unbelievable feat, Han Sol could only blink her eyes and stare blankly.

“Done. Right?”

Han Sol, who had been dazed for a moment, nodded her head vigorously.