IH Ch 7

Chapter 7

 

“Then, I’ll go ahead and take off what you’re wearing on your head.”

 

“……”

 

However, just before his hand could touch, the other person subtly leaned back. Pausing, Johan looked into the eyes that were slightly below his own—already smaller than average—and asked,

 

“By any chance… is it that if we take this off, something will explode? I was wondering if that’s why you’re reluctant.”

 

The iron mask quickly shook his head, as if startled by the question. Then, pressing the side of the heavy mask with one hand, he stammered a reply.

 

“N-no, it’s not that. It won’t explode.”

 

His voice was so quiet that it was almost inaudible unless you were really listening closely. But—

 

“You have a pretty voice.”

 

It wasn’t just something he said for the sake of it—it was genuinely pleasant to hear. He thought, Ah, so this is what a beautiful voice sounds like. Rubbing his arms with both hands in admiration, Johan leaned in slightly.

 

“So there’s no problem if I take off what you’re wearing on your head right now?”

 

The iron mask gave a slow nod.

 

“Can you take it off on your own, by any chance?”

 

He asked the question before using his skill, and the answer that came back was a soft, “No.”

 

It was that beautiful voice again. Sensing a kind of hesitation or fear in the other person about removing the iron mask, Johan cautiously asked,

 

“Then, since when have you been wearing this? Just looking at it, it seems so heavy.”

 

“……”

 

“You don’t remember? Well, that’s possible too.”

 

There was no response to this question. Johan wondered if this person had been brainwashed or gaslit by the cult, and that’s how they ended up wearing something like this without even realizing it. He raised his hand again.

 

“Then is it alright if I take off what you’re wearing on your head? I’m going to touch it now, okay?”

 

He would’ve liked to lower the other’s guard further through conversation, but someone’s piercing gaze had been glaring at him from earlier. Feeling he couldn’t stall any longer, he spoke, and the iron mask slowly nodded up and down. Once Johan confirmed that, he placed his hands on the mask and closed his eyes.

 

First, he checked for any strange mechanisms attached to it. Finding none, he concluded that with a bit of effort, he should be able to remove it. Concentrating his ability into his palms, Johan searched.

 

Now, where’s the lock? But soon, his expression twisted oddly. No way, he thought and tried again—only to get the same result.

 

Startled, Johan opened his eyes.

 

“This is an early-generation item.”

 

“……”

 

Through the small eyeholes, the iron mask’s eyes looked back at him. Noticing that they didn’t seem to understand what “early-generation item” meant, Johan elaborated.

 

“Items that appeared in the early days of the Awakening period were built with simple structures but are incredibly durable. Stuff like this is nearly impossible to unlock or nullify with skills. So—”

 

“You’re saying you can’t do it?”

 

“—Huh!”

 

Startled by the voice that came from right beside him, Johan’s shoulders jumped up and he lifted his head. At some point, Hwang Jae-i had come over to stand nearby. Though he was just standing there and watching, Johan felt his guts shrivel and stammered,

 

“With my skill, at least… uh.”

 

But as Hwang Jae-i’s expression grew harsher, Johan immediately shut his mouth.

 

No, seriously—just by the look of it, he could tell it wasn’t a modern product. But he didn’t expect it to be a first-generation item. These days, they were nearly impossible to find, and the ones that remained were either held by the Association or collected by the ultra-wealthy. The fact that such an item even existed—and that someone was wearing it—was astonishing. Now, what to do? He couldn’t unlock it with his skill, so he needed a different approach.

 

Then Johan had a eureka moment and looked at Hwang Jae-i.

 

“Guildmaster, you could do it.”

 

He pointed above the iron mask’s head and traced a line down over the nose, lips, and chin.

 

“If you just slice it down the middle like this, I think it’ll come off.”

 

Hwang Jae-i also had a cutter ability. While cutters generally had an A-class baseline skill, he was S-class, so he could use his skill with much more precision. If it were someone with an ambiguous rank, cutting might risk injuring the person, but this was Hwang Jae-i. He’d be able to do it cleanly in one go. Johan looked at him with hopeful eyes—but what returned was a chillingly heavy gaze.

 

Johan’s pupils trembled and lowered. Biting his lip and hesitating, he suddenly acted like something had occurred to him.

 

“Ah! I forgot I had a hair appointment today. The time is already… oh, it’s gotten late. I should get going.”

 

Confident in his ability to dismantle things, Johan had assumed removing the iron mask wouldn’t be a problem. But this wasn’t something he could handle. Deciding to bow out cleanly, he tried to make a swift exit—but before he could, the back of his neck was grabbed.

 

“Gah!”

 

He hadn’t gone far when he was caught, and he turned to Hwang Jae-i in a panic.

 

“W-why are you doing this?”

 

Looking at Johan, who was now putting on a teary, scared expression, Hwang Jae-i muttered ominously.

 

“Go where? Don’t leave by yourself—take him with you.”

 

“Director didn’t mention anything like that! A-and what if we get photographed while outside? Director Ahn Yuna will kill me!”

 

“So you’re scared of getting yelled at by Ahn Yuna but not afraid of dying at my hands?”

 

“N-no, that’s not what I meant! I’m scared of you too, Guildmaster! I-I’m seriously terrified!”

 

As Johan squawked in protest and Hwang Jae-i refused to let go, the iron mask, who had been silently watching, raised his hand to touch his own face.

 

“……”

 

As expected, this iron mask couldn’t be removed. Maybe he really was destined to wear it until the day he died…

 

“Make sure you stick to what you said about taking him with you if that thing comes off.”

 

“……”

 

Lost in thought, the voice burrowed into his ears, and he lifted his head. At that moment, a cold sensation sliced from the top of his head down to his jaw. Whatever it was, it passed in the blink of an eye—and split the heavy iron mask that had long weighed on him right down the middle.

 

Light flooded into his vision, accustomed as it was to the dim darkness behind the mask. His view expanded, growing wider and sharper. And then the mask that had pressed down on his shoulders dropped straight to the ground. Thunk. With a heavy thud, it hit the floor on either side of him. Looking down at the fallen pieces, he slowly lifted his gaze again—and looked at the two who had been bickering all this time.

 

“Uh…”

 

What… just happened?

 

There were things he wanted to ask, but he couldn’t form the words. Still frozen in place, he watched as Johan suddenly twisted his whole body. As soon as the Guildmaster’s grip released him, Johan rushed to the one whose mask had come off and stood before him.

 

Ahem, after a couple of clearing-throat sounds, Johan blushed and spoke.

 

“Then, shall we head out together…”

 

Before he could finish the sentence, Johan was grabbed by the nape of his neck and dragged away with tremendous force. Choking and spluttering, he and his carrier were thrown out the front door. Sprawled out in the wide corridor, Johan quickly got to his feet and glared resentfully at Hwang Jae-i.

 

“What was that for?! Y-you told me to take him with me!”

 

As he referred to the other person, Johan’s eyes darted rapidly.

 

He wriggled and swayed his body and head side to side, trying to peek behind the Guildmaster who stood firmly in the doorway like a wall. But with someone of Hwang Jae-i’s build blocking the way, Johan had no hope of seeing what he wanted. So he decided to act like a madman with no filter.

 

“Ah! Move over, will you?! I’ve never seen someone so pretty befo—”

 

Before he could finish, something sharp grazed his cheek. At the same time, the glasses he wore were sliced clean in half and dropped to the floor. A beat later, realizing his expensive glasses were broken, Johan let out a scream and snatched them up.

 

“Guildmaster! These cost me a whole month’s salary…!”

 

“Get lost.”

 

“……”

 

Johan fell silent at the cold, level tone.

 

“If anyone comes by from now until my vacation ends, they’ll end up just like those glasses.”

 

Hwang Jae-i was a man who did what he said. Still, breaking someone’s glasses like this—how ruthless. Picking up the broken frames with drooping lips, Johan muttered a quiet “yes.”

 

Now that the threat had been made, Johan thought the Guildmaster would finally head back inside—but Hwang Jae-i remained standing firm in the doorway. By this point, Johan was starting to get irritated too and grumbled, “Ugh, what now?”

 

“Don’t go around blabbing about what you saw today.”

 

Then slam!—the door shut with an ear-splitting bang. Holding his ears, Johan flinched from the noise, then sighed and mumbled to himself.

 

“What’s his deal?”

 

The Guildmaster was not someone you could understand by normal standards. Still, this time really was strange. He’d acted like he was going to kick out the guy in the iron mask but ended up ejecting only Johan instead. That could only mean one thing.

 

“He did it because he’s pretty.”

 

Turns out the Guildmaster was a man like any other.

 

Still, it was really weird. Changing his attitude so suddenly like flipping a switch—what’s that all about? But then again, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. Because—

 

“He was really pretty.”

 

Johan hadn’t expected a face like that to be hiding behind the iron mask.

 

Director Ahn Yuna had actually told him something beforehand. That after removing the mask, he should remember the person’s face. Since they had come from a cult, caution was necessary. Though test results said he was a non-Awakened, there was no harm in investigating thoroughly, or so the Director had believed.

 

And Johan’s opinion, after seeing the iron mask’s face, was this:

 

“With a face like that, you could probably pass for an Awakened.”

 

He’d seen countless beauties while working at the Guild. Hunters tended to get more attractive as their ranks increased, so he was rarely surprised by a face anymore. But the person inside that house was special. The only thought he had upon seeing him was how beautiful he was. Even now, he wished he could take one more look. That might actually be the most dangerous element of all, Johan thought, as he fiddled with his broken glasses.

 

What now? He should report to the Director, but he couldn’t ignore the Guildmaster’s warning either.

 

…Ah, screw it. I’ll just say I got the mask off but didn’t see the face. Muttering about how he was going to ghost everyone, Johan trudged over to the corner where his carrier had been tossed.