Alexander Gray, standing at the podium, readjusted his grip on the microphone. Even amid the baptism of flashes from thousands of cameras, his blue eyes didn’t even flinch. Beyond the screen broadcasting live to the entire world, countless humans held their breath while watching his lips.
“Citizens of the world. I am Alexander Gray, Guild Master of Empire.”
The low, resonant voice rode satellites across continents and echoed all the way to downtown plazas in Korea. Without dragging out the introduction, he immediately pulled out the existential fear humanity faced.
“We witnessed the multiple sudden gates that occurred in Korea yesterday. And this phenomenon is slowly spreading worldwide. America is no exception. The number of gates opening suddenly has increased, and the threat has drawn close before we knew it.”
Behind Alexander, a massive hologram screen turned on, displaying investigation reports on the abnormal phenomena. Gates weren’t the only thing that had newly appeared. The forms and energy of the monsters appearing within them also ran counter to existing data.
“Monsters with malice toward humans. That point is no different from before. However, there is one thing decisively different from the monsters we’ve faced until now.”
Alexander’s large hand tapped the black energy in the data screen.
“They are threatening humanity by wielding ominous abilities of unknown origin. Our Empire has named this ‘demonic energy,’ and we’ve decided to call the high-intelligence entities using this ability ‘demons.’ This demonic energy forms a perfect antithesis to existing magical wavelengths, so once wounded, recovery with ordinary healing magic or potions is nearly impossible.”
Murmurs burst out among the citizens gathered in the plaza. If it couldn’t be treated, which Awakener would step forward to kill the monsters? Just as the fear stemming from such thoughts began spreading like waves, Alexander pulled out a small glass bottle from his breast. Inside the transparent bottle was liquid emitting a brilliant light.
“However, it’s not that there’s no solution. Based on various data, Empire has confirmed that ‘holy water’ shows excellent effects in suppressing and purifying this ominous demonic energy. Currently, Empire is mass-producing high-concentration holy water with the Vatican’s help, and we promise to distribute it with top priority to management bureaus and branches in countries worldwide.”
It was a declaration that was both arrogant and reassuring. Alexander left the podium, leaving behind the barrage of questions. As soon as he exited the press room and entered his private office, he roughly threw the remnants of the precious disposable legendary item ‘Long-Distance Spatial Leap Stone’ he’d been saving into the trash.
‘The disposable warp stone was certainly worth its price.’
The reason he’d flown to America even using such a precious item was clear. To warn of the demons’ danger while simultaneously winning the favor of ‘Ian,’ the existence he felt strangely drawn to.
Korea’s Management Bureau’s Yoon Taegyeom, Phoenix’s Hong Seoyoon, and Stigma’s Choi Jaeheon. He’d long since figured out that Ian had a special relationship with those three heavyweight figures. And also the fact that Ian was the younger brother they’d been searching for so desperately, whom they’d thought dead.
‘Since he’s precious, it won’t hurt to establish connections in advance.’
It wouldn’t be easy to extract Ian from a severe brocon like Choi Jaeheon, but at least Alexander’s status as someone who’d provided a way to save humanity through this announcement would appear positively to Ian as well.
***
At that time, the first-floor lobby of South Korea’s Stigma Guild headquarters.
Kim Minchul’s eyes, watching Alexander’s briefing on the electronic billboard, turned cold.
‘Holy water. Quite a quick response for humans.’
But Kim Minchul wasn’t flustered. Alexander hadn’t mentioned a single word about the demons’ mimicry ability. Of course, that wasn’t proof they knew nothing.
The Saint and the Holy Knight knew about demons in detail. And since the Saint fundamentally had strong humanitarianism, he wouldn’t keep this important information hidden from humans forever. So someone had to know about the demons’ mimicry.
The reason for not speaking about it was probably concern for social chaos. It had been no small uproar in Lancia either.
“Hello!”
Kim Minchul pushed his cart toward the elevator. Assassinating Ian immediately wasn’t a priority. First, it was urgent to grasp the internal defense system of this solid Stigma Guild and the movement routes of key personnel. Kim Minchul went down to the underground warehouse, scanning his employee ID card with familiarity.
‘Until the Saint comes to this place, I’ll extract as much information as possible.’
He nodded to passing employees with a naive smile. Before holy water was distributed and inspections became strict, today he had to lay down their covert ‘surveillance network’ inside Stigma Guild. The Saint’s assassination would be carried out at the most defenseless moment, after perfectly obtaining the information.
***
Craaack.
The red crack that had been splitting the air collapsed with the sound of shattering glass. It was proof that Jongno’s A-rank gate [Blood Citadel] had completely vanished.
“Ugh. The smell is terrible.”
Beside Ian, who was covering his nose, Vermouth clung like a shadow.
“Watch your step, Ian-nim.”
Vermouth escorted him, firmly grasping Ian’s waist. His usual arrogant appearance was nowhere to be found, and what remained was only a terribly sticky yearning.
“I can walk on my own. Move away a bit.”
“I cannot. If even the slightest harm comes to Ian-nim’s noble body, my soul won’t be able to endure it.”
Ian let out an absurd, hollow laugh as if dumbfounded. The kiss and oath they’d shared inside the dungeon seemed to have driven this mad dog crazy in a completely different sense. He no longer backed down even at Ian’s commands. At least before, he’d pretended to listen, but now he seemed to have stopped even that.
‘Well, whatever.’
Ian was the one who’d permitted it. Thinking that, he approached the Management Bureau employee waiting in front of the gate, when he saw a familiar person behind them.
“Hyung?”
It was Choi Jaeheon. They’d definitely cleared the gate at an incredibly fast speed, but he didn’t understand why he was here. He’d thought the Gangnam situation was more serious than Jongno? As he tilted his head and approached, his appearance was a mess.
“Are you hurt?”
His clothes were in shambles, and scratch marks from something sharp remained on his neck.
“No, just scratched. More importantly, are you okay?”
Choi Jaeheon examined Ian’s body here and there, restless. He’d always accompanied him every time he entered a gate until now, but he couldn’t this time, so he must have been anxious.
“I’m fine.”
Ian wanted to erase Choi Jaeheon’s worry as much as possible, but it had no particular effect. Because Vermouth was clinging to him while embracing Ian’s waist. On his face that Ian unconsciously looked up at, a victorious smile had appeared.
‘Oh no.’
When he turned his head with a creak, he saw Choi Jaeheon whose reason seemed to have snapped.
“You.”
Choi Jaeheon’s voice dropped low. No matter how you looked at it, he was angry, but Vermouth paid no heed and clung even closer to Ian. Seeing the Management Bureau employee’s eyes widen as they witnessed this, Ian groaned.
He’d momentarily forgotten that Vermouth was someone who didn’t care about others’ gazes.
“What exactly are you doing?”
To Choi Jaeheon’s words, Vermouth answered nonchalantly.
“What am I doing? I’m merely fulfilling my duty as Ian-nim’s loyal knight.”
No knight has such a duty. Ian had much he wanted to say but held back.
“Vermouth.”
It meant to shut his mouth appropriately now, but Vermouth’s mouth didn’t know how to close.
“Today, I’m no different from being reborn. Ian-nim mercifully accepted me. So right now, I don’t want to fight with you.”
So get lost.
A gaze containing that meaning reached Choi Jaeheon. For him whose reason had already snapped, it was an attitude he could no longer endure.
“The Saint ‘mercifully’ accepted my oath. So deeply and hotly that you couldn’t even dare imagine.”
Psychokinetic power strong enough to distort the space around Choi Jaeheon burst forth. A hair-trigger situation. But Ian decided not to be swept up in this tiresome love triangle anymore. He irritably swept up his disheveled bangs and raised his hand.
“Stop it, both of you.”
At the uncharacteristically firm voice, Choi Jaeheon flinched.
“Vermouth, step away for a moment. Over there. It’s an order.”
Vermouth stared at Ian saying such things, then soon nodded. And he headed toward where the Management Bureau employee who had already retreated far away was.
Only then could Ian stand facing his hyung Choi Jaeheon alone. Choi Jaeheon’s eyes rippled with anxiety and nervousness.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah.”
Ian gently took Choi Jaeheon’s hand.
“I’m sorry about all this time.”
“For what.”
“For not properly responding to hyung’s feelings.”
At those words, Choi Jaeheon felt as if his breath was cut off.
