Chapter 21: The Lingering Shadow

The man did not return to the site after that.

Park Myeong-seok’s expression visibly lightened. While the workers continued to murmur amongst themselves, their whispers quickly faded. In this manner, several days elapsed.

Later, as I changed out of my work clothes in the makeshift changing room, an unfamiliar sensation washed over me. It was only then that I realized the clothes I had unthinkingly put on that morning were the very ones the man had purchased for me.

Beyond these, numerous other clothes and shoes remained, still sealed in their original packaging. They rested inside shopping bags, looking utterly out of place in the corner of my meager room.

‘Should I return them?’

Yet, I harbored no desire to encounter him again, nor was I inclined to ask someone else to deliver them on my behalf. A sigh escaped me as I exited the changing room.

“Cheol-su, good work! See you tomorrow!”

I offered a curt bow to Park Myeong-seok and the other workers, before making my exit from the construction site.

Despite the absence of rain, my steps felt heavy and sluggish. For the past few days, a subtle turmoil had brewed within me. This inexplicable anxiety had slowly festered into a deep, unpleasant mood. It was all his doing, the man who had stormed into my life, stirring everything, then simply vanished.

‘I’ll forget him. I’ll forget him soon.’

Yet, even as I repeated these words to myself, I found my feet carrying me back to that very cafe. Excuses were readily available: the delectable cake, the beverage perfectly suited to my palate. However, the true reason remained a mystery even to me. It was, frankly, absurd.

Thump.

I set down my drink, my gaze drifting out through the expansive glass window. This was a bustling downtown area, close to the city’s very heart, and even in the daytime, countless people bustled about. Electronic billboards shimmered atop the towering buildings. The screens, which had moments before been enthusiastically broadcasting advertisements, now uniformly faded to black.

A full map of Baekdam City materialized in my mind, dotted with crimson, blinking lights.

“Oh? There’s one quite close to here.”

“Really? Should we go check it out?”

“Check what out? It’ll all be cordoned off. You won’t even catch a glimpse of a monster’s fur.”

Still-young students chattered animatedly as they passed my table and settled into their own seats. A Gate was slated to open today at the location marked by that flashing dot. Though the precise timing would differ, Association personnel would typically cordon off the area roughly two hours prior, and the assigned hunters would then take their positions.

“……”

That man, too, was a Hunter. Indeed, he was a Hunter so exceptionally powerful that his current role as the Aftercare Department Manager seemed almost a waste of his formidable abilities.

His elemental attribute was ice, identical to Kratus’s. Their methods of attack were also strikingly similar. Despite this, it was curious how I felt no aversion towards him whatsoever.

‘Is it because they are so different from each other?’

Kratus possessed a slender physique, his face exquisitely delicate, enough to inspire profound admiration. Beautiful, shimmering silver hair cascaded down to his waist. Judging solely by his outward appearance, no one would ever suspect the cruel and malicious depths of his true nature.

I, myself, had never witnessed his true form. The portrait adorning the Demon Lord’s Castle depicted a colossal white dragon, exhaling a torrent of icy breath. A portrait of a dragon, indeed—it was the epitome of fantasy. Yet, even that image failed to truly convey his reality; it felt merely like observing a painting. For this reason, I had often pondered what his genuine form might be.

Sagyeol, conversely, was a man who made me wish I could encounter him as a mere painting rather than his true, formidable self, if such a choice were possible.

He possessed an intensity distinct from Kratus’s. He was utterly unpredictable, and resistance felt futile. It was astonishing how challenging it became to maintain my composure, to avoid being completely swept away by him. Everything I had done as effortlessly as breathing in the Demon Realm became a struggle in his presence.

‘Is he going to a different site?’

My hand tightened instinctively around the lukewarm, cooling mug. I hadn’t truly believed he would stay away, simply because I had told him not to come.

A bitter taste coated my tongue, yet the man had vanished nonetheless. Nothing had fundamentally changed. It had all been nothing more than a minor incident, brought about by Spenta’s offspring.

My gaze drifted beyond the expansive glass. Abruptly, a peculiar sensation enveloped me, as though space and time were stretching entirely, like a malleable mass of dough.

This phenomenon had occurred frequently since my return to the Middle Realm. My chest constantly pulled in a specific direction, as if a compass were lodged within my heart. It was a distinct, undeniable impulse.

It happened while working, while showering, or simply walking down the street. At any given moment, something would abruptly seize my jaw, forcing my head to turn. An undeniable urge would surge, compelling me to leap over that invisible barrier and journey somewhere.

That place, though distant, was not beyond my reach.

This way.

Here.

Come here.

The impulse tugged at my entire being, then abruptly vanished without a trace. With its disappearance, the world, which had momentarily slowed, reverted to its natural pace.

People swayed languidly, like tropical fish confined to a tank. There was no discernible sense of crisis or tension among them. Observing these individuals sauntering about with such placid ease, the reality of being in the Middle Realm truly sank in.

Gates opened within residential zones, unleashing magical beasts that preyed on humans. Yet, despite this, people had grown utterly desensitized. Frankly, I envied their detachment.

Would a day ever arrive when I, too, would grow indifferent to the name Kratus, much like these people? I raised a hand, habitually touching my chest. Each time I felt the distinct texture of my skin, I was reminded anew: I was a s*ave who had severed my leash and escaped.

And that, unlike them, there was a high probability I would never forget it, not even until the very moment of my death.

“Sir, are you alright?”

I turned my head, startled by the sudden inquiry. A cafe employee, who had somehow appeared right beside me, posed the question with a look of genuine concern.

“You look a little unwell.”

‘I had looked unwell?’

“I’m… I’m fine.”

“Understood.”

The employee, despite an unconvinced expression, dutifully returned to their tasks. At that precise moment, the door swung open, admitting new patrons.

“…I thought today was supposed to be an entire day dedicated to our date!”

A sharp, ringing voice cut through the air. Its owner was a woman exuding an overall flamboyant aura. Her pale skin was strikingly prominent, perhaps accentuated by the large sunglasses that obscured half her face.

“I apologize. My explanation was insufficient. Please, don’t be angry. Hmm?”

A man, presumably her partner, followed close behind. A thick fashion mask hung loosely from his chin. His face, by all accounts, was rather ordinary.

His overall demeanor, too, seemed somewhat wanting when compared to the woman’s. While his clothes appeared costly, the man himself failed to fully embody their expensive allure.

Naturally, the image of *that man* sprang to mind. The expensive coat had suited him perfectly, as though it had been tailor-made. Indeed, his very presence made the coat itself seem almost understated.

He possessed that distinct aura, characteristic of someone who stood above all others. Kratus had it, as did the masked man I’d encountered in the building, and even the protagonists from the movies my father watched in my childhood.

I recalled a scene in a certain movie where a crime boss puffed on a cigar. If one were to leave the cigar in place but insert *that man* into the boss’s role, a mere B-grade film would instantly be transformed into a cinematic masterpiece.

‘I must be losing my mind.’

What good was it to forbid him from coming? He was already irrevocably lodged within my thoughts.

Perhaps his impression had been too profound, too shocking. The man simply refused to leave my thoughts. The couple, still bickering loudly, settled into seats not far from me.

The students who had passed me earlier and settled further inside now cast furtive glances at the couple. Low whispers began to flit between their tables.

“That person. Isn’t that a Hunter? A B-rank physical enhancement type.”

“Where? Oh, wow, you’re right. It is them. I’d recognize them even with a mask.”

Naturally, considering the mask was merely resting on their chin.

“What was their name again?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, they said a Gate was opening nearby, so they must have come to hunt monsters.”

“Awesome. I’ve never seen a high-rank Hunter up close before.”

Strictly speaking, a B-rank was not considered high-rank but rather mid-rank, but I simply let the comment pass. The woman, having slumped into her seat, began to grumble with a noticeable pout.

“Will there ever be a day when we can actually just enjoy ourselves?”

“It’s only because your boyfriend is so exceptionally capable, so please, try to be a little understanding. Hmm?”

The man then leaned in and whispered something into the woman’s ear. His voice was so incredibly soft that even my acute hearing couldn’t discern the words. Yet, judging by the way the woman’s expression softened, he must have made a rather appealing proposition.

“…Just this once.”

“Yes. I’ll truly make it up to you.”

The man clung to the woman, practically wagging his tail like a puppy. It was truly peculiar: a B-rank Hunter, utterly powerless before an ordinary person.

I was idly observing when my gaze inadvertently met the woman’s. In the Demon Realm, such prolonged staring was an unspoken challenge to a fight. Even in the Middle Realm, it was likely not considered particularly polite.

I turned my head back towards the window. The advertisements on the electronic billboard had ceased, indicating the imminent opening of the Gate. In their place, the detailed location of the Gate and a series of warning messages were displayed on a split screen.

It was at that moment an unexpected observation escaped the woman’s lips.

“That person sitting by the window. Their aura is absolutely incredible.”

“Huh?”

Even the man’s gaze joined hers. A total of two pairs of eyes now lingered on me from the side.

“I bet they’re handsome as well.”

“Not really.”

His tone carried a hint of irritation. Yet, the oblivious woman persisted in making me the subject of their conversation.

“No, you don’t understand. There’s an aura emanating from them, even from their back, I swear!”

“Then let’s make a bet. From the looks of it, they’re probably just ugly and compensated by bulking up.”

“But I caught a glimpse earlier, and that wasn’t it at all!”

“Earlier? When earlier?!”

“Why are you suddenly shouting? When we just walked in, they were looking my way.”

Well, that was because her voice had been too loud. I thought indifferently, but the man’s voice rose sharply.

“What?!”

As their conversation progressed, their words grew faster and more agitated. Eventually, a loud sound erupted.

Bang!