Chapter 85
Chapter 85 Let’s go! To Japan!
“This isn’t something that can be resolved this way.”
“……”
“As long as you’re a member of the Kitsune Family, things like this will happen as often as you eat.”
“…I’ll handle that matter myself, so please step back, brothers and sister.”
Amaterasu reentered Kurumi’s shadow.
From then on, the behavior of her three kneeling family members had noticeably changed.
First, her second brother, Rokyu, no longer argued with Kurumi’s actions, wiping his cold sweat and remaining silent.
It was the same for the third sibling, Sakura.
She no longer had the luxury of smiling falsely, averted her eyes, and did not dare to look at Kurumi.
Finally, Katsuo, who was confirmed as the next head of the family, spoke.
“I won’t ask how you managed to control Amaterasu.”
“……”
“But you should return to the main family in Japan. Only then will everything come to an end.”
His expression changed from impassive to tense, but he finished speaking and turned his back on Kurumi.
“I’ll be waiting in Japan first.”
“B-brother! Let’s go together!”
“Brother~!”
The family members followed Katsuo out of the mansion.
Watching their backs, Kurumi’s expression was cold as ice.
She didn’t even give them a farewell greeting.
Because that was the distance between her and them under the pretense of family.
But at that moment.
Tap, tap.
“?!”
There were four guests who had come to the mansion.
Among them, Kurumi had only faced three family members.
Because of their hatred, she hadn’t noticed until now…
“Ah…”
“……”
In an instant, she saw her younger sister passing by her side.
With short hair as red as ripe persimmons and lips as pale as cherries, she was the only family member who looked at her without any prejudice, just like before.
“Asuna…”
“……”
For a moment, their eyes met, her younger sister’s eyes as beautiful as amethysts.
But that was all.
Just like when they were young, Asuna didn’t say a word and followed the real family.
It seemed natural, so Kurumi just nodded.
‘Yes, she’s a direct descendant.’
She thought it was only natural.
While coldly watching her family leave as if she were an outsider, Kurumi carefully waved her hand from her sleeve when Asuna was about to leave.
***
The next morning.
Shin-woo and Kurumi headed straight to the branch manager’s office on the top floor, where Jin-ah Lee was staying, after being called by the Korean Hunter Association.
On the way, they met in the elevator.
Neither spoke first due to the awkward atmosphere, and when they finally met Jin-ah Lee, they spoke.
“So… you two aren’t in that kind of relationship?”
“Yes! It’s a misunderstanding!”
“Yes, it is a misunderstanding!”
That was the first response from both of them.
They both seemed to want to clear up the misunderstanding for each other.
Seeing Shin-woo protesting as fiercely as she was, Kurumi felt a pang in her heart despite being prepared for it and teared up.
“Shin-woo, I’m sorry…”
“?! Princess Kurumi, you don’t need to apologize.”
“Sniff… But I caused you unnecessary trouble… Please don’t hate me…”
“Why would I hate you, Princess Kurumi?”
Shin-woo tried to console Princess Kurumi by holding her close.
At this point, it seemed the tabloid’s claim of ‘they were all over each other!’ might be somewhat true…
‘Is this their thing?’
Jin-ah Lee felt a bit disappointed that the kids, perhaps because they were still young, didn’t have the ‘courage’ to become as close as the tabloids suggested.
However, she realized that it might be better this way, as the blond boy who had visited her a few days ago had said.
“Ahem. The reason I called you two is because it’s time to settle things.”
“What…?”
“Settle things?”
“Yes, settle things.”
The Shin-woo♥Princess Kurumi rumor had already spread worldwide.
If it had been limited to Korea, the Hunter Association could have somehow suppressed it.
But it was impossible to control the overseas media, and trying to do so could backfire.
“Princess Kurumi.”
“Yes.”
“The mastermind behind this situation is the Kitsune Family supporting you, right?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“The family… is the culprit?”
Jin-ah Lee’s instruction to settle things meant she needed to deal with those who kept stirring up trouble around Princess Kurumi.
It was also an order to resolve things with the family that had abused her in the past.
“I heard you drove out the direct descendants who visited the mansion recently.”
“Yes.”
“But that’s not enough. Even though they’re promising, they’re not significant figures in the family’s politics except for the eldest. The Kitsune Family won’t give up on you just because you sent them back.”
“……”
They would become more obsessed if they found out that the princess they had scorned as an illegitimate child had become the first in the family to control the Sun God.
“I understand what you’re trying to say, Branch Manager Jin-ah.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
Kurumi nodded resolutely.
Shin-woo, who had been silently observing, also began to understand the situation.
‘The Kitsune Family… I remember visiting their main mansion in Japan during a theme dungeon in the game.’
One of the theme dungeons he visited while leveling up before the final chapter of <Hunter’s Blood>.
The final boss of the Kitsune Family mansion was the Sun God, Amaterasu, sealed inside Princess Kurumi, whose rampage set the entire Japanese archipelago ablaze.
That meant…
‘The Kitsune Family isn’t a danger zone right now, is it?’
Because the dungeon’s final boss was here.
So the current Kitsune Family might just be a mediocre dungeon filled with weaklings.
But even a mediocre place…
“I understand. I’ll return to Japan and settle things.”
“Then I’ll accompany you, Princess Kurumi.”
“Shin-woo?!”
For Princess Kurumi, that place was the enemy’s heartland.
Since he had bought time by stopping the recent Korean-Chinese army incident, Shin-woo decided to go to Japan with her to protect her before a new butterfly effect caused more trouble.
“Is it okay if I come with you, Princess?”
“Sh, Shin-woo?! To Japan with me…? Of course, it’s good! But…”
What if he turned into that black monster again in Japan?
Would it be alright?
Kurumi hesitated to speak, worried.
But as if expecting this…
“I’ve hired a bodyguard for both of you.”
“A bodyguard…?”
Jin-ah Lee smiled and pointed to the elevator entrance.
When they saw who came up, Shin-woo and Princess Kurumi’s mouths opened wide in disbelief.
“Wha…”
“Huh?!”
They were speechless.
***
“What, Japan?!”
The Monster Group hideout.
To be precise, in the living room of the detached house where the members had gathered.
“That wasn’t in the history books?”
Han Jae-won clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Because of the sudden news that Han Shin-woo was going to Japan.
He had come to this era to monitor the former him.
So if the guy moved to another country, he had no choice but to secretly follow him, and it was Japan.
Han Shin-woo going to Japan before he changed was unheard of, so he was even more confused.
“Princess Kurumi…? Was there such a woman in the world’s top 10 families? Damn, was he taking care of the world’s top 10 families he wiped out 20 years ago?”
While grumbling, Han Jae-won hastily packed his bag.
“You’re going to follow Shin-woo?”
“Yes. I just got a call from Miss Jin-ah. They’re taking a private jet, so I’ll have to swim across the sea to follow them.”
Riverine, who overheard their conversation, spoke up.
“Shin-woo…? You mean junior? Boss?”
“Yes?”
“Is he involved with the top 10 families?”
As someone who had been betrayed by the Belfes family, Riverine frowned at the mention of the top 10 families.
Then.
“Your name is Jae-won, right?”
“Uh, yes…”
“I’m going too.”
“What?!”
Unable to stand by while her only junior was in danger because of the top 10 families, Riverine was already prepared to go with him.
“I’ll get the plane tickets. Dorothy can make fake passports.”
“No, you don’t have to go that far…”
Then.
Ding dong.
“?!”
“…!”
“Who?”
The members tensed up and prepared to fight when they heard the doorbell ring.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Is anyone there?”
“…Mother?”
Approaching the door, Han Jae-won heard an unforgettable woman’s voice.
He was stunned to see his mother, whom he thought he’d never see again, at the door.
