Chapter 6: The Growing Illusion (3)

– Sorry. I don’t think we can keep working together.

– We’ll pay the compensation. You don’t need to show up starting tomorrow.

– Huh? What’re you doing here? Didn’t the Association tell you? You’re fired.

– I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I just can’t handle looking at that face anymore!

– Disgusting.

– Ugh!

– It’s like he smells bad too…

– I’d rather do it with a beast than that guy, heh.

– Hey, your boyfriend’s here.

– You f*cking b*tch!

*

I threw off the sweat-soaked blanket and got up.

“Phew… Another sh*tty dream.”

At least it wasn’t a dream about my time on Earth, so that’s something.

Rubbing my throbbing head, I headed straight to the bathroom as usual, took off my shirt, and checked the spell array on my left chest.

Some of the characters forming the spell array were slightly fading.

“No wonder I’m having those dreams.”

[Suppression Spell (C)]

A spell that suppresses impure emotions as much as possible.

I’m just a human, so I can’t be unaffected by hatred and contempt. I’m no saint.

That’s why I’ve had this spell etched on my chest to suppress my emotions.

It’s only a C-rank spell, so it’s not highly effective, but a B-rank suppression spell might turn me into an emotionless robot, so I had no choice.

Even if it’s not perfect, it’s still helpful.

Since it’s a low-rank spell, it needs periodic renewal, but I forgot to do it recently because I was focused on removing the mask.

There’s a rumor that if the suppression spell fully dissipates, all the suppressed emotions could come flooding back, so I need to keep renewing it.

Crunch!

I bit my index finger to draw blood, then redrew the spell array’s characters while looking in the mirror.

Satisfied with the restored spell array, I washed up quickly and checked the calendar on the wall by the door.

‘It’s already the last day…’

As usual, I headed to the gate designated as the meeting point.

*

As the final day of the contract arrived, Minhoo Seol fell into thought.

‘It feels like just yesterday that I signed the temporary contract with Ice Flame.’

Maybe because I wasn’t wearing the mask, time with the Ice Flame party passed in a flash, unlike the slog with other parties.

“They say time is like the wind, and they’re not wrong. It feels like you joined just a few days ago, Minhoo.”

“Yeah.”

After the final hunt.

As always, Minhoo and Jace collected mana stones while chatting.

They’d had smooth hunts without incidents or conflicts, maintaining a neutral relationship. Not particularly close, but not bad either—just typical party members.

“Seolhwa and Yura want to extend the contract… Any thoughts?”

Jace’s question made Minhoo hesitate.

‘A formal contract wouldn’t be bad.’

Over the past month, he’d harvested plenty of mana stones, so he was financially comfortable.

He had a goal to save a certain amount by age 25, so earning more now wouldn’t hurt…

‘But sticking with that gay bastard Jace? No thanks.’

Jace’s presence killed any desire to extend the contract.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got a lot on my plate. Sorry.”

Despite only a month together, Minhoo declined as politely as he could out of camaraderie.

“Haha. Well, if that’s the case, can’t be helped. Shame, though.”

Jace didn’t seem disappointed at all.

‘Phew. Good thing.’

Jace recalled Minhoo’s behavior while collecting mana stones.

His harsh rejection despite hearing Jace’s “friend” was interested.

The audacious act of staring at Jace seductively and putting a hand on his own hip. (Though Minhoo was just guarding himself in case Jace pounced.)

At first, it was just suspicion, but it didn’t take long for it to become certainty.

The Gem of Supreme Purity.

An item that checks someone’s purity, which Jace secretly brought.

He cautiously used it on Minhoo.

The result was horrifying.

[Purity Measurement]

▶ Mouth (Pure – No contact with others)

▶ Genitals (Pure – No contact with others)

▶ Anus (Near-Pure – One instance of contact with another)

– Holy sh*t! My gut was right!

Shocked, Jace started keeping his distance from Minhoo.

– So he’s a bottom… At least I don’t have to worry about him coming after me.

A strange misunderstanding was building.

Minhoo and Jace glanced at each other, each thinking to themselves.

‘Never see this gay bastard again. Go find some other guy.’

‘Minhoo… I respect your taste, but I’m into women. Sorry.’

*

“Minhoo! You’re really just leaving? Boo.”

“Sorry. I’ve got things to do.”

Minhoo flatly rejected Yura’s invitation to a team dinner.

He remembered the MeToo scandals that were a big deal online back on Earth.

This world seemed free of such issues, but it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

Especially since, unlike his old self, his current “ugly” face made him an easy target, or so Minhoo thought.

At first, Yura seemed to show some interest, but who’d like his face now? He sighed.

‘I see your game, you snake b*tch.’

“You’re always saying you’re busy… Are you going to meet a girl?”

“No girls around me. No plans to meet any either.”

“Liar!”

Jace, watching this, thought to himself,

‘Not a girl, but a guy, right?’

All three were caught in their own ridiculous misconceptions.

“Minhoo. As the party leader, can I get your personal number? It’d be great if you could join us for one-day contracts sometimes.”

Seolhwa, the Ice Flame leader, held out her phone.

“One-day contracts? Well… if I’ve got time, that’s not bad…”

It seemed fine, so he entered his number into her phone and left casually.

On his way back to his studio.

==

[0122-32344-91002]

Hello, this is Seolhwa from Ice Flame.

Just sending you my number.

==

‘My first female contact…’

Minhoo felt a strange mix of emotions, having received a woman’s number for the first time.

He had Shine’s number as his exclusive receptionist, but he unconsciously excluded that.

On Earth, his unapproachable looks kept women away (or so he thought), and now, with his “inferior” looks, he assumed he’d have no luck with women, so this lifted his mood, though he quickly calmed himself.

‘It’s just business anyway.’

He vowed never to fall for clumsy misconceptions again.

*

“Total settlement: 970,000 Ter.”

Ter, the common currency in this world, is similar in value to Korean won.

“Would you like it deposited into your account, Hunter Minhoo?”

“Yes.”

“It’s done. Want to check?”

“No, I trust you handled it.”

“Hehe… I do my job well!”

The cat beastkin receptionist, grinning ear to ear.

Is she in a good mood or something?

Their first meeting, when she fainted at his face, left a bad impression, but since then, she hadn’t been rude and worked diligently, so his negative feelings toward her had softened.

With the settlement done, he was about to leave.

“Um… Hunter Minhoo…”

“Yes.”

“You, uh… can speak casually with me…”

Speak casually?

Even S-rank hunters don’t speak informally to receptionists. Higher ranks might, but they’re usually unhinged.

She’s new, so maybe she doesn’t know basic etiquette.

“Sying?”

“It’s Shine.”

“Right. Anyway, Shine, hunters and receptionists are equals. Speaking casually is extremely rude. You might not know yet…”

“I know.”

“…What?”

“I just… want to get closer…”

Hmm.

I get it.

She’s trying to trick me into being rude so she can use it as an excuse to switch receptionists.

Transparent cat b*tch. I’m not playing along.

“I’ll never speak casually. I’m leaving, Shine.”

“Ah, ugh…”

I thought she was being friendly for a moment, but she’s no different from that fox beastkin Ria Moa.

I almost fell for it. Tch.

I stormed out of the Association.

*

A month ago, just hours before Minhoo received the Academy’s summons.

Graytia Hunter Academy, Director’s Office, 7th floor of the Main Building.

Two weathered old men sat facing each other, sipping tea.

“Director, no matter how skilled he is, top entrance is problematic.”

The bald old man, whose hair couldn’t escape time, set down his teacup.

“Because of that bizarre mask?”

The white-haired man called the Director replied.

“Yes. The top entrant is essentially the face of the Academy’s class.”

“True, but we can’t treat him unfairly just because of a cursed mask.”

The bald man placed a baseball-sized crystal orb on the table.

It was a truth-recording crystal, known to be uneditable.

“It’s not just that. During the entrance exam, in the fourth test—a two-person team—Minhoo Seol did something despicable to his female partner.”

“Despicable?”

“See for yourself. If it weren’t for his overwhelming scores, we’d have canceled his admission.”

The bald man infused a small amount of mana into the crystal, and a square screen appeared.

A video played.

– Stop it!

– Heh! Feisty b*tch, your resistance is f*cking hot!

A masked man was tearing at a woman’s clothes, as if trying to assault her.

The video was only 12 seconds long.

There was no further footage, but that scene alone made the outcome clear to anyone.

“Based on the conversation, the man is Minhoo Seol, and the woman being assaulted was his exam partner?”

“Yes. Correct.”

“…Where did this crystal come from?”

“The victimized female student handed it to me directly.”

“Hmm… She recorded it as if she knew she’d be attacked? Isn’t that odd?”

“She must’ve felt something ominous during the exam and prepared. Besides…”

The bald man’s index finger touched the crystal.

A faint mana glow formed letters.

º Fairin

º Minhoo Seol

“This is undeniable proof, isn’t it? The Crystal of Truth doesn’t lie.”

“…I’d only heard of it, but seeing it is a first. Technology’s come far, showing names in the video.”

The Director stroked his beard and added,

“Let’s call him in later to discuss.”