The Swordsmanship Festival began with introductions and congratulatory speeches from distinguished guests. The lineup of speakers concluded with the Hunter’s Bureau Chief, the Academy Director, the Mayor of Seoul, and a member of the National Assembly. However, Young-Hwi’s gaze kept drifting to the corner of the second-floor audience seats.0

There was no doubt about it. The man in a suit, appearing to be in his mid-to-late twenties, was definitely Lee Do-Jun. Although he looked like just another guild representative or management agency employee, he was undoubtedly the same civil servant from Seoul City Hall whom he had briefly glimpsed during their presentation.0

The important thing wasn’t his identity but the reaction of the Bureau Chief and the S-rank Hunters earlier. They had acknowledged him, and not just in passing. Though subtle, for a fleeting moment, the Bureau Chief had even given a nod of respect.0

This was the same Bureau Chief who wielded power comparable to that of the President of South Korea. The disparity between his status and the attitude shown toward a low-ranking civil servant was immeasurable.0

A nagging question crept into Young-Hwi’s...0