TDLHRH 10

Though such matters can be easily summarized in a few words, revamping the entire system as a leader of a newly established center must have involved numerous ups and downs. Looking at her face more closely now, Hyeyeon certainly had the demeanor of a good leader—not just kind but also firm and, when necessary, coldly decisive. People with such expressions were always the ones who, when catastrophe struck, stood at the forefront to save others at the cost of their own lives.

And Horang, who had often been the bringer of such disasters, had shown her respect in her own way—by ensuring they passed without pain. Watching those who ran away with tears, promising to meet again in death, often felt like witnessing a well-orchestrated play. Some were so contrived that Horang would kill them all in one sweep. Yet there were a few exceptions, moments so moving that Horang allowed them a brief escape, letting them run far away. Of course, after giving them about a week to savor their survival, she would annihilate them all. After all, if they were all going to meet in death eventually, why not meet sooner rather than later?

While reflecting on her blood-soaked past and considering sparing Hyeyeon a painless death if she ever attacked Haerang, Hyeyeon came to a stop before a deep mahogany door at the end of the sleek, glossy hallway. The ornate door, which matched the sophisticated corridor well, looked unmistakably special—clearly meant for VIPs.

Turning gracefully, Hyeyeon gestured toward the door and explained. “This is the VIP waiting room. Since new hunters always emerge from our center, reporters sometimes manage to infiltrate the lobby. Once, a journalist who had awakened as a hunter refused to leave, insisting on being the last to be tested. They even camped out in the center.”

“Couldn’t you just kick them out?”

“Our guards are all awakened too, so forcibly removing someone could lead to assault accusations. More importantly, registering awakened hunters is critical for the country, so we try to accommodate them as much as possible. It’s better than creating unregistered hunters through unnecessary conflict. …But yes, it was quite the nuisance.”

“I nearly stepped in myself to throw them out.”

With that brief anecdote, Hyeyeon laughed and assured them that an employee would come for Horang soon. She then left.

As Horang stood idly, Haerang flung the door open, revealing a cozy interior with a long sofa at the center and a TV mounted by the door. Perhaps the amenities were meant to help VIPs pass the time since they couldn’t cut in line. Horang threw herself onto the sofa, sprawling out, while Haerang sighed, gently closing the door and sitting by her head. Sliding upward, Horang naturally rested her head on Haerang’s lap, finding a comfortable position after a bit of shifting. With a contented sigh, she spoke.

“Haerang, turn on the TV. I was in the middle of a drama, and I’m curious.”

“It’s probably over by now… But okay.”

While Horang enjoyed the soft sofa and her brother’s sturdy lap pillow, Haerang obediently picked up the remote and turned on the TV, only to freeze. “…This video shows the Bone Dragon emerging from the gate. It appears to possess intelligence, as it refrained from attacking the expedition team and seemed to be engaging in communication. Shortly after, it flew westward, and experts speculate it may head toward South Korea…”

“Don’t tell me they’re talking about our Bone Dragon.”

“Haah…”

Chewing on some nuts she had precariously grabbed from the nearby table, Horang posed the question while Haerang responded with a deep sigh. After rubbing his face briefly, Haerang pulled out his phone and made a call.

For the first time, Horang witnessed her brother actually handling work, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “It’s me. Yeah… This one’s on me. Things have been chaotic, and I forgot to take care of it. No, I should’ve been more careful. For now, get all satellite footage deleted, and tell the hunters who were in Paju to keep their mouths shut. I’ll personally contact the S-ranks. Thanks, as always.”

“Why isn’t anyone mentioning me? I was up there too.”

“They assume anyone who can handle a Bone Dragon must be highly skilled. They don’t want to risk antagonizing you but also don’t want to let go of the connection, so they’re pressuring Korea instead.”

“That? Sounds like they’re just spouting nonsense.”

“They’re specifically singling out Korea. When foreign media reports like that, it’s only natural for citizens to worry. Especially since the gate you came out of was the first black gate in history and was hyped up as ominous in the media… But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t get caught up in this.”

As Haerang spoke with resolute determination, Horang, lying below and gazing up at him, proposed what she thought was a perfect solution to ease his burden. “Why don’t I just ride the Bone Dragon and flip everything over? That’d quiet them down real quick. I’m good at stuff like that.”

“…Let’s just resolve this peacefully, okay?”

“If that’s what you want, sure…”

She thought he’d appreciate a simple and efficient solution, but once again, her brother’s heart was as difficult to read as ever. “Well, better to stay prepared, just in case.”

Horang issued a command to the Bone Dragon, which was likely still waiting patiently at the place where she first arrived in Korea. It wasn’t difficult; she just needed to channel her willpower into her magic and send it toward the Bone Dragon. “Come to me quietly without getting noticed.”

The black magic that softly spilled from Horang’s lips quickly dispersed into the air. Even at a slow pace, the message would reach the Bone Dragon within an hour. If the Bone Dragon had its head on straight, it would ensure Haerang had nothing to worry about. Horang decided to trust in the creature she had nurtured for so long.

Oblivious to Horang’s efforts, Haerang was still absorbed in phone calls. Watching him occasionally get frustrated or plead with someone felt oddly refreshing, making him seem more his age. Seeing this 29-year-old version of Haerang, more mature and composed than the 19-year-old who used to cling to their mother for hugs, stirred an unexpected urge in Horang to ruffle his hair.

It was likely because Horang hadn’t been this way during her early days in the demon realm, when she’d thought her suffering was the greatest in the world. She’d survived not out of strength but simply because she didn’t want to die. In contrast, Haerang had clung to what remained and endured steadfastly. Of course, their situations were vastly different. While Haerang may have faced hardships, his life hadn’t been one of constant brushes with death. But despair is subjective, and remembering the 19-year-old Haerang, who still enjoyed hugs from their mother, Horang figured his struggles may have been just as severe.

Though she couldn’t replace their parents, she was still family. Yeah, this is what family’s all about.

Her chest felt tight, and a sense of forgotten affection began to resurface. Haerang, unaware of the emotional shift in Horang, suddenly found himself smothered by her overwhelming love. By the time his neatly combed, waxed hair resembled a bird’s nest, there was a knock at the door.

“Ms. Baek Horang, it’s time for your assessment.”

“Noona, let me go. We need to leave now.”

“I feel like I’m not done yet…”

“It’s almost lunchtime. Let’s wrap this up and eat, okay?”

“Well, okay.”

At the mention of food, Horang promptly released Haerang and got up. Haerang, who had struggled in vain against her grip, was momentarily taken aback by how easily she let go, but quickly composed himself, mindful of the staff waiting outside. Without checking his disheveled hair, he flung the door open. The staff member, who had been waiting with a neutral expression, was visibly startled at Haerang’s wild appearance.

“Shall we head down now?”

“Ah, yes. You’re her guardian, right? Would you like to come alo

ng or wait here?”

“I’ll go with her. I’d be worried if I left her alone.”

Haerang looked down at his much smaller sister—not out of concern for her safety, but for the trouble she might cause—with no regard for his messy hair. To an outsider, however, he looked like an overly protective brother. This marked the beginning of the “Overprotective Baek Haerang” rumor, unbeknownst to him.

Following the staff’s lead, they arrived at the assessment room without encountering anyone else. The room’s clean, modern design, with chairs set at appropriate distances and a transparent observation window at the front, gave the impression that the awakening center was making good money.

For a moment, Horang furrowed her brow, wondering why this was called the assessment room. Then her expression softened as she caught sight of Narin beyond the window. At the center of the room, divided by a wall with a window, sat a crude, blue-glowing stone radiating a faint light. Its appearance made it seem like touching it, even briefly, might trigger something catastrophic. Horang thought to herself that the researcher who had to touch that stone just a week into the study must have truly risked their life.

While Horang was briefly lost in her thoughts, Haerang, having finished his conversation, approached and gave her a gentle push on the back. “Noona, hurry up and finish so we can go eat something delicious.”

Horang briefly considered resisting Haerang’s insistence to send her in quickly but ultimately moved forward obediently. As she stood in front of Narin, the door between the rooms closed silently behind her.

Hmm, so all I need to do is place my hand on it, right?

The thought of touching something whose origins and composition were unknown made her movements slow. Perhaps it was because she had encountered beings in the demon realm who pretended to be harmless or weak, only to inject poison. Of course, 90% of such beings had lost their lives to her retainers, and the remaining 10% were personally dealt with by her. Even in the demon realm—a place aptly described as a collection of the most horrifying and disgusting things—this was the norm. So, there was no way mere humans from Earth could seriously harm her. If they went all out, she might, at best, feel a tickle.

However, the stone called Narin gave off an unsettling vibe. Others said Narin feels refreshing and clear when they look at it… Since Haerang had no reason to expose her to something dangerous, this unsettling sensation was likely due to her. The most probable reason? Her body, now partially transformed into that of a demon. As she hesitated for a moment, she finally extended her hand toward it. The moment her fingertips neared the surface, a blue spark crackled and jumped from her hand.