These Lunatics are Obsessed With Me

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, feeling particularly awkward—perhaps because it was my first time wearing this kind of outfit.

Tonight, I had to attend the welcoming ceremony organized by the Association, as Park Yoon-sung had mentioned. I changed into the suit Yeon Seung-won had prepared for me, but it didn’t seem to suit me.

Maybe it was because I hadn’t done my hair yet. I ran my fingers through my curly hair, which covered my forehead.

"Have you changed?"

"Ah, yes."

I adjusted the collar of my navy suit one last time with my fingertips before turning around.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary suit, but because it had been enhanced, a window popped up showing options like an item. Since it was provided by the Odin Guild, its quality was top-tier.

With this, I figured I could probably withstand a few attacks if I were suddenly ambushed. I muttered to myself as I opened the door. As soon as I stepped outside, a group of people was waiting to fix my hair and do my makeup.

"Um… Do we really have to go this far?"

"Ha…"

Yeon Seung-won, answering in his usual blunt tone, gave me a quick glance as I got ready before he stepped outside. I frowned at the sight.

I wanted to escape. I desperately wanted to run away.

Yet, a part of me was curious about the ability holders I was about to meet.

I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet hunters from other major guilds, and I was also interested in the hunters from prominent foreign guilds who would be joining soon.

So far, I hadn’t met members of the Thor Guild or the Heimdall Guild, two of the major guilds in Korea. I had become acquainted with some of the mercenaries who participated in the Sæ and Muspelheim dungeon raids, but none of them were as famous as Sung Yoo-bin.

Cha Kang-tae, the guildmaster of the Thor Guild, and Seo Jin-han, the guildmaster of the Heimdall Guild, were both as renowned and as much high rankers as Park Yoon-sung. I wondered if I’d have the chance to meet them this time.

I was also curious about the guilds of the World Alliance1: the Baldur Guild from the United States, the Ur Guild from the European Union, the Skadi Guild from Russia, and the Vali Guild from China.

All were prominent guilds, and the rankers who would later assist the protagonist, Kang Yoo-hyun. I recalled their appearances, which I had briefly glimpsed in my vision.

Of course, uniting them wasn’t easy… But now, with the story diverging so much from the original, I wondered how things were going. Even so, they must have stubborn, twisted personalities, right? I had a feeling it wouldn’t be simple.

These S-rank hunters, with all their immense power, seemed to have traded away their sanity. Each one of them was a bit unhinged. Yet, it was their shared sense of justice that ultimately brought them together, despite the many complications along the way.

Mmm, I let out a small groan and looked at my nearly finished hairstyle. My messy bangs had been tamed and swept neatly back. For the first time since taking over Han Yi-jin’s body, I saw my forehead fully exposed.

Once the makeup was done, the suit actually looked pretty good on me. Given how good-looking other S-rank hunters were, Han Yi-jin wasn’t exactly unattractive either. When I first saw him, I thought he might be an idol.

As my confidence grew, I felt energized from head to toe.

Alright. No need to be discouraged! Let’s meet the S-rank hunters with confidence!

With that thought, I pumped myself up and opened the door.

"Yi-jin-ah!"

"Hyung!"

"…"

The brief burst of confidence I had quickly vanished without a trace, all because of the S-rank hunters waiting for me.

Wait, Eden isn’t S-rank… But even he looked completely different as he swept his long, messy hair back. His usual playfulness was gone, replaced by a more mature vibe. ṙà𐌽Ǒ𝖇Èᶊ

Maybe it was the main character effect, but his face seemed to glow. Eden's light brown suit looked almost pink, and it complemented his hair perfectly.

Kang Soo-hyun wore a white suit that flawlessly highlighted his fair complexion. Unlike the others, his hair was only half-slicked back, but it suited his age and gave him a naturally handsome look.

And then there was Kang Yoo-hyun… What could I even say? I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, unable to tear my gaze away from his god-like figure. It was almost unreal.

The black turtleneck was a bit annoying, like he’d never take it off—even if he died—but other than that, in his black suit, Kang Yoo-hyun looked like a sleek black panther.@@novelbin@@

Everyone looked so impressive. I had a feeling that if I joined them, I’d feel completely out of place.

"Wow, Yi-jin-ah. That suit looks great on you."

"Hyung, you look amazing today."

"…"

They instantly turned Han Yi-jin into a squid2 and were now throwing out empty compliments.

Should I just run away? Maybe I could pretend to be sick and not go.

Yong-sik and Yong-sun were still recovering at the accommodation—maybe I should go take care of them instead.

As I thought about it, the familiar scent of musk filled the air.

“Let’s go.”

“H-huh?”

Kang Yoo-hyun suddenly approached and grabbed my arm. I couldn’t resist and was pulled along by him, with Eden and Kang Soo-hyun quickly following behind.

"Should we go then?"

Everyone really went all out dressing up—it was no joke. Still stunned, I was pushed into the spacious limousine and stared blankly at the dark scenery outside the window.

The limousine quickly reached its destination. The Seoul branch of the Association, typically a private organization, seemed surprisingly open today. It looked like they’d even invited reporters for a grand welcome event.

I nervously followed Park Yoon-sung, who walked with ease as if he were completely familiar with the Association building. People stepped aside for him, as if his presence alone gave him free rein.

The powerful energy radiating from Park Yoon-sung and the Odin Guild members was undeniable as we walked confidently down the red carpet.

"Welcome, Guildmaster Park Yoon-sung."

As soon as we entered the Association building, a woman in a dark green suit greeted Park Yoon-sung.

Her jet-black hair was styled into a blunt bob, and her cool, collected expression showed no hint of a smile. Though I’d never met her, I felt like I knew who she was.

Na Ye-rim, the head of the Seoul branch of the Korean Hunters Association. She was the one calling the shots. I scanned her with curiosity from behind Park Yoon-sung.

"…It's been a while, Director."

"Yes."

Na Ye-rim nodded curtly, then glanced past Park Yoon-sung. By chance, her eyes met mine first. I blinked, surprised.

"And welcome to the members of the Odin Guild as well."

"…?"

This… Did I have to answer? Shouldn’t she have been asking Kang Yoo-hyun? And more importantly, was it even my place to respond?

Still confused, I watched as Na Ye-rim turned away without waiting for an answer.

"I'll take you to your seat."

"…"

I followed Na Ye-rim, feeling awkward for no reason. As I glanced around the surprisingly spacious and grand banquet hall, everything started to feel unreal.

The sound of camera clicks echoed, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were taking pictures of me and Kang Yoo-hyun standing together.

This is exactly why I shouldn’t be standing next to the protagonist. I kept worrying that a picture of us—me looking so ugly—would end up all over the internet. I sighed inwardly.

"Hunter Han Yi-jin!"

"Oh?"

To my surprise, my seat in the banquet hall was right next to the Freya Guild. The moment Sung Yoo-bin saw me, she quickly made her way over.

"Are you feeling better? I heard you were hospitalized."

"Well… Yes, that’s true."

"I’m really sorry. I should have… protected you. Those bad guys could’ve caused you serious trouble."

A murderous glint flashed in Sung Yoo-bin’s eyes. She had been guarding the portal during the final stages of the Muspelheim dungeon raid, so she must have been anxiously waiting for me there.

Still, the role she had played was just as crucial, so I couldn’t blame her. Both Kang Soo-hyun and Sung Yoo-bin, the righteous protagonists, always seemed to feel guilty about things that weren’t their fault.

I smiled and opened my mouth.

"I’m fine. I’m just glad Hunter Sung Yoo-bin is okay too."

"Hunter Han Yi-jin…!"

Sung Yoo-bin suddenly called my name with a face that looked like she was about to cry. At that moment, the Valkyrie members who had been sitting quietly suddenly rose to their feet.

“You can’t do this here, Captain.”

"You'll get in trouble if a photo gets taken. A huge problem."

"Let's go back to our seats~"

Hae Song-yeon, wearing a stoic expression, Han Yeo-reum, with her playful tone, and Cha Min-hee, who clearly looked annoyed, pulled Sung Yoo-bin away and slowly backed off.

I was taken by surprise when I belatedly noticed the Valkyrie members who had joined the banquet.

It was a refreshing change to see the Valkyrie members out of their combat uniforms!

While they looked amazing in their combat uniforms, they were just as stunning in suits and dresses. Most of them were high-level hunters with great physiques, so they all looked like models.

I was staring blankly at the Valkyrie members when a chilling voice suddenly cut through the air beside me.

"Look away, Han Yi-jin."

"…!"

I turned my head to the side and saw Kang Yoo-hyun glaring at me.

1. Previously I used Union but changed to World Alliance.
2. A playful term that can be used in a teasing or self-deprecating way to describe someone as "ugly" or "unattractive”.