Chapter 137

〈 Episode 137 〉 Side Story 3: Hot Spring Trip (5)

A person with the ability to control monsters.

While not as attention-grabbing as SS Rank, it was still a significant issue that drew global interest. Especially since Korea had already lost many talented individuals overseas, each country naturally tried to recruit them through connections to gain access to <Beast Tamers>.

If only there weren’t any Round Tables.

Oracle, Undine, Gale Guest—no less than three Round Table members had gathered on the Korean Peninsula and were deploying obfuscation tactics from different locations.

– The Round Table must be protecting the Beast Tamer.

New Seoul’s Oracle, Busan’s Gale Guest, and the mysterious Undine—all eyes naturally turned toward New Seoul, which was undergoing unprecedented turmoil intertwined with Sun Icheol’s withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Phoenix, who called herself Blue Wind, had come to Busan with some executives for leisure. Other members of the Round Table believed Undine was handling Phoenix exclusively, and Gale Guest—Himeji Hayate—was enjoying a carefree trip around Korea with his younger sibling.

“Hey, why are you here, huh?”

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

Phoenix avoided Hayate, who had blocked her path, by slipping past him. Then, a girl with identical features appeared and blocked Phoenix’s way.

“Hey, hey! How do you control those monsters? Brainwaves? Magic resonance? Or do you have some special tool? Telepathy?”

Breathing heavily as she blocked Phoenix’s path, Himeji Hikari made Phoenix bite her lower lip. She had anticipated meeting someday and knew she was in Korea, but never imagined it would be here.

Initially, Phoenix played dumb.

“I don’t speak Japanese. I can’t understand you.”

“But your smartwatch is translating everything, isn’t it?”

Next, Phoenix tried to bluff.

“I’m not a Beast Tamer. Lately, people have been telling me I look like one.”

“Wow, your ID photo turned out really nice.”

With no other options, Phoenix walked straight toward her destination, ignoring both of them.

“Huh, you’re going to the hot spring too?”

“Really? Wait a sec. Let me hack into the guest list… There you are, Cheongnyeon. Is that name right?”

The siblings ganged up on her. Phoenix quickly exchanged thoughts with Chang-yeom inside her.

Plan 1: Reveal herself as a monster controller. There was no doubt Hikari would pry into every corner of her soul. Unlike Yun Yuhwa, who could be bought off with money, Himeji would go as far as changing nationality if her intellectual curiosity wasn’t satisfied. She’d even hacked a cruise ticket to investigate phenomena in Seoul and boarded a ship to Busan.

Plan 2: Reveal the truth and silence them.

That would inevitably break the secret pact with the Round Table and lead to war. Hikari would undoubtedly spread the truth across networks using some unknown method. Gale Guest wasn’t someone who’d go down easily either.

“Hey, it’s dangerous to wander alone like that. My brother may look laid-back, but he’s quite accomplished.”

“Wow, what a coincidence? A Beast Tamer at our hot spring. Hey, Cheongnyeon. Are you interested in becoming a reserve member of the Round Table?”

“What?! Why is a Beast Tamer here? What about the dragon in Seoul?!”

“That takes care of itself.”

Finally, Phoenix stopped and turned around. Ignoring them might cause more trouble.

“Hey, Gale Guest, didn’t Undine explain anything?”

“Explain? What explanation? Did you know someone mysteriously disappeared with their spouse, causing chaos in Russia?”

“That dirty Rusalka…!”

Not entirely false, so not entirely an insult. Phoenix took a deep breath and projected a satellite feed of Seoul’s sky onto the screen.

“Look. Our dragon is behaving.”

The Black Flame Dragon, stationed near Mapo Bridge, floated gently over the Han River, drifting downstream. Suddenly sensing something, it raised its massive wings in a Y-shape toward the sun, prompting Seoul residents passing by to snap photos.

“In any case, it’s safe. If it wanted to wreak havoc, Seoul would’ve burned long ago.”

“…That’s true.”

Hayate looked somewhat unconvinced but scratched his head, while Hikari remained curious about how Beast Tamers controlled monsters.

“Is it true that you control all those blue-flame monsters, including the hellhounds in Seoul? What kind of nerve do you have to defy national operations?”

“Are you that curious?”

Phoenix cleared her throat and caught both their gazes. Of course, she kept walking toward the hot spring as she explained.

After nearly dying from the dimensional gate incident, she miraculously awakened her special ability, gaining the power to control monsters. She halted the Seoul restoration operation because she thought the heroes were coming to kill them.

“…I didn’t know that either. Who would’ve guessed the Pine Tree Unit was capable of such things?”

Pushing all blame onto the Pine Tree Unit and Sun Icheol, Phoenix smoothly explained the aftermath. Using controllable monsters to clean up others within Seoul, she mentioned killing the snake at City Hall and obtaining a core that transformed controllable monsters into a Black Dragon.

For those in the know, it was laughably implausible, but fortunately, most who knew the truth belonged to the Blue Wind Sect or similar circles.

“Something doesn’t seem right.”

“It’s a lie. Definitely a lie. My instincts say so.”

“Well, good for you.”

Phoenix glanced upward briefly. If she vanished here, they’d chase her to the ends of the earth.

One driven by the challenge of confronting a strong opponent.


Another fueled by curiosity about unknown entities.

To separate them, she’d need to resort to her last option. Phoenix closed her eyes tightly before declaring:

“I hate Japanese people. My great-grandfather suffered severe torture from Japanese police during the independence movement. So, please keep your distance until we reach the inn.”

“Family records show nothing when I hack them. You’re an orphan?”

Hayate smacked Hikari hard on the back of the head and bowed apologetically.

“My apologies. She’s a bit… like that.”

“…I understand.”

Could she really hack on the spot? Phoenix pressed her finger against her temple and sighed.

“Fine. I’ll tell you, but there’s a condition.”

“Oh, what is it? I’ll agree to anything reasonable.”

Phoenix offered a proposal to the eagerly listening Hikari that she’d never accept.

“I’ll tell you if you naturalize and join the Blue Wind Sect.”

“Alright, easy enough. Let’s do it. Where do I apply? At the immigration office?”

“…”

Phoenix gave Hayate a look asking him to intervene. But Hayate whistled and shrugged, showing no intention to stop his sister from suddenly changing nationality.

“I learned something from this experience. Let her have what she wants unless it’s unreasonable.”

“She’s willing to change countries?”

“How should I know? I’m already persona non grata wherever I go.”

Phoenix recalled something.

Gale Guest of the Round Table, whose nationality was rumored to be whatever country his future wife hailed from. He traveled the world, constantly targeted by honey traps, almost getting expelled from the Round Table due to the trouble he caused.

In an instant, Phoenix calculated everything and extended her hand to Hikari.

“…Fine. Let’s discuss details over there?”

She pointed toward the distant lodging.

* * *

<3:30 PM, Busan Onsen Hotel [Hwang Shinjang]>

“Do you really think this is reasonable, sir?”

Hwang Shinjang’s owner, Ha Sun-tae, bluntly embarrassed the gender-neutral guest in front of him.

“You want exclusive use of the onsen? Either the men’s or women’s bath rented out just for you? Alone?”

“…It’s awkward for me to enter either the men’s or women’s bath.”

Phoenix fidgeted with her fingers, avoiding eye contact. While she had booked the room, renting out the entire onsen just for her wasn’t practical. Ha Sun-tae firmly refused.

“Absolutely not. If you had requested this beforehand, it might’ve been possible, but other guests have already checked in… Wait!!!”

Ha Sun-tae whistled sharply as Hayate attempted to enter the men’s bath.

“Why are you going in there?”

“This is the men’s bath… Oh.”

Hayate’s eyes half-closed as murderous intent surged. Ha Sun-tae quickly scanned Hayate’s body, then hastily bowed in apology.

“My apologies. I mistook you for a female guest.”

“…”

Hayate turned around with apparent irritation and returned to his room. Ha Sun-tae frowned at his own mistake, shook it off, and redirected his gaze to Phoenix.

“Anyway, it’s impossible. If you can’t decide, follow me.”

He pointed to the opposite side of the bath entrance. Phoenix perked up and bowed deeply. Ha Sun-tae scratched the back of his neck while tapping his smartwatch.

[A bird has entered its cage. Please make payment.]

Ignoring the departing Phoenix, Ha Sun-tae stared off into the distance.

* * *

<At the same time, Seok Harang's residence in Busan.>

“Alright, let’s go now, Harang.”

“Where? Like this?”

Harang questioned while tidying up the clothes Phoenix had transformed, pointing at the messy floor. Clothes were piled up everywhere, still in hanbok.

“The appearance doesn’t matter. This is our chance.”

“What opportunity?”

Yuha whispered conspiratorially into Harang’s ear.

“A customer just checked in alone.”

“…That onsen? No way. I’m not risking my life for this.”

“But they said they’d bathe first…”

Harang stiffened.

“They finished bathing?”

“Honestly, aren’t you curious?”

“And there’s something else important.”

Yuha opened the door with determination. Impressed by her serious face, Harang followed without hesitation.

“…Sister?”

“Do you wonder how our esteemed customer will enter the bath? In a swimsuit? With a towel? Or…”

Harang blushed and fiddled with her hairpin. Her badge seemed detached as no response came despite repeated calls.

“Would Goldma really enter the women’s bath?!”

Harang hurriedly put on slippers. Yuha chuckled softly behind her, closing the door quietly as she followed.

* * *

<At the same time, US Department Store underground parking lot.>

“Hey, Phoenix sent a message.”

Gaeul checked the text from Phoenix. Nearby, senior officers busy packing up began gathering one by one.

“Will check into the accommodation first, see you later.”

“Seems like something’s up.”

Sin urged Gaeul to reply, worriedly. Gaeul immediately called Phoenix, but only the ringing sound echoed—Phoenix didn’t answer.

“Did something happen?”

“It’s probably nothing. If something bad happened, you’d be dead too. She likely just stepped out.”

Deokbae’s curt words earned him a jab from Gaeul’s tentacle. Deokbae blocked it with a paper bag, but the tentacle gracefully curved around it, striking beneath his ribs.

“…”

“Don’t act all righteous. If Phoenix dies, you die too, remember? Stop being mean to her.”

“…Hey, was I wrong? Okay, fine, I spoke harshly. I apologize.”

Deokbae muttered while reluctantly placing the paper bag on the ground.

“At the hot springs, right? She probably left her smartwatch outside! Who brings electronics into the bath anyway?! And crushing someone’s ribs with a tentacle? Seriously?”

“I agree with him. Gaeul, this time you’re wrong.”

“…Then say it properly. Don’t embarrass me.”

Though muttering, Gaeul collected all the scattered paper bags with her tentacles. Ji Hwa looked around anxiously, relieved no one was nearby. Gaeul bowed sincerely to Deokbae.

“Sorry. …I acted first.”

“…Acted first?”

Sin’s nitpicking went unheard. Bowing in apology to Gaeul, Deokbae scratched his bald head awkwardly.

“…Damn it! I’ll go with Old Man Ryu. You guys go ahead!”

“Seriously? You’re embarrassed about this situation?”

“Shut up! Someone needs to take care of the old man, right?”

Deokbae stormed off, muttering under his breath. Ji Hwa smirked at the retreating figure and shook his head.

“Who’s gonna handle Ryu when he fights? The guy who always gets trounced?”

“Ah, Ji Hwa. Take care of the remaining bags.”

“…Sorry, Ji Hwa-nim. I don’t have enough hands right now.”

Ji Hwa watched Deokbae disappear, sighing through his sunglasses.

“…Traitor.”

Seeing the numerous scattered paper bags, Ji Hwa felt dizzy.