‘W-what the heck is going on?’
I quickly looked behind me.
The space that had just been Jeong Noeul’s room had now turned into a weapons storage room.
<When the boundary between life and death grows blurry, creation… it doesn’t just mean that the power of the dead grows stronger.>
The Star Hated by All’s voice echoed in my head.<It means the world of the dead begins to intrude upon the world of the living.>
‘So that’s what it meant…?’
I looked around.
Hunters who looked like members of the Bichang Guild were briskly walking through the hallway.
On a screen hanging on one wall, information about Gates that had opened across the country was being displayed.
“Hey, how’d the promotion test go?”
“I flunked. My Constellation is only B-rank—no way I’m making A-rank like that. It’s possible in theory, but not easy.”
Two older-looking Hunters walked past, chatting.
‘…They look totally alive.’
Flesh and blood human beings, no matter how I looked at them…
<Don’t be fooled, instrument.>
As I was staring blankly, the King of the Underworld spoke to me.
<You have a lot of yin energy. That makes you appealing to spirits. If you stare at them too long, the ghosts might realize you’re alive and come for you.>
“I-is that so…?”
The King of the Underworld nodded firmly.
<Who knows more about ghosts than a ghost herself? You smell suspicious right now, you know?>
“…You were around Heejae-hyung, so you should know. I hate it when people say I ‘smell.’”
<Of course I know. But it’s a habit. Back when I was alive, that’s how I approached kids I wanted to befriend…>
‘Ah…’
I’d already heard from Min Heejae that his childhood friend had a habit of saying people “smelled.”
That kind of approach might work when you’re a kid, but it could be pretty rude to people our age now….<Heejae was never good at making friends.>
Said the King of the Underworld.
<He only ever liked piano. It took me forever to get close to him. I’d approach him over and over, saying “you smell.” It was the method he used to convince himself. He probably thought it’d work on you too.>
‘…So that’s what it was.’
I felt a strange heaviness in my chest.
<Heejae… he’s a really awkward kid.>
“I know that much….”
I smiled weakly.
Just then—
“You.”
Someone spoke to me.
“Who are you?”
A sharply dressed man, clearly a high-ranking Hunter, had approached.
<Shh!>
“Eunyul-hyung, don’t say a word.”
The King of the Underworld and Jeong Noeul urgently warned me from both sides.
But—
“You’re alive.”
…Wait, I didn’t even say anything!
The man twisted his face into a bizarre grin and reached toward me.
“That’s far enough!”
Jeong Noeul shouted and slapped his hand onto the man’s chest.
“I didn’t want to exorcise you like this!”
Flash—!!
A light burst from Jeong Noeul’s palm.
“Gahh! You… You dare….”
The man’s face contorted in pain.
At the same time, his eyes turned red and veins bulged across his skin.
“You dare… What could you possibly know about my death?!”
“I don’t know! But I do know there’s a better place for you!”
Jeong Noeul shouted.
“Please—go there in peace!”
Fwoooosh!
Light surged from his hand and engulfed the man’s entire body.
Soon, the man scattered into radiant fragments, and Jeong Noeul wiped sweat from his brow.
“Eunyul-hyung… You really are a magnet for yin energy, huh?”
“M-me…? I didn’t even do anything….”
<That may be, but…>
The King of the Underworld leaned toward me.
Then—sniff sniff.
“Why are you sniffing me!?”
<Don’t misunderstand. I’m a ghost—I can’t smell anything. I tasted your yin energy.>
“Then why use your nose!?”
<Wow, you’re really feisty. Totally like an instrument—loud and dramatic….>
If Min Heejae calls me “instrument” again, I’m going to staple his mouth shut.
<Hmm… Eunyul, your yin energy is way too strong for someone living. It’s almost on par with the dead…>
The King of the Underworld tilted her head.
<Have you ever had a near-death experience?>
“What…?”
“Um… hyung, noona?”
Jeong Noeul spoke up in a tense tone.
“I don’t think this is the right time to be talking about the balance of yin and yang….”
That’s when I realized the situation.
Grooooan—!
Grrrr…!!
The Hunters walking down the hall—who had seemed alive just moments ago—now stared at us with blood-red eyes.
‘They’re totally zombies now!’
I clenched my teeth.
‘Star! Help me!’<I refuse.>
‘…What?’
He rejected me that fast!?
As I stood frozen, dumbfounded, Jeong Noeul put a hand on my back and shouted,
“What are you doing, Eunyul-hyung?! Get behind me!”
“R-right!”
I hurried behind Jeong Noeul.
“Haaaaah!”
Unlike his usual small-animal vibe, Jeong Noeul let out a loud shout.
Crackle!
A crimson-black light flowed from Abrilah’s Crown, and the undead charging at us burst into light.
“You’re really strong… huh?”
I asked, sighing in relief.
“Hehe… It’s not me that’s strong. Abrilah was.”
He scratched his neck bashfully.
Then—
<Wait! Noeul! Instrument! Behind you!>
The King of the Underworld shouted.
“Graaaaah!”
An undead creature lunged at me with a hideous scream.
Thwack!
But faster than that, Jeong Noeul kicked it midair.
His smooth, acrobatic movements reminded me of the way he handled choreo with ease.
“Urgh!”
Thud!
The undead crashed to the floor.
“I really hate hitting the dead, but…”
Grabbing the creature’s head, Jeong Noeul whispered,
“I’m sorry! Please rest in peace!”
Shooom!
Light shot from his hand and disintegrated the creature.
“Haa… haa…”
After confirming the hallway was clear, Jeong Noeul panted heavily.
“You okay?”
I asked, patting his head.
“Y-yeah. I’m just… not used to using this much magic. But hyung… I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you.”
“…If you say that, it really makes me feel like dead weight.”
“That’s not what I meant. I just…”
Jeong Noeul smiled.
“I just don’t want you getting hurt, that’s all.”
“It’s okay. I’m not dying anytime soon. The Star will save me if things go bad—he’s screwed if I disappear from CYB.”
<How dare you threaten this body with emotional blackmail…>
‘Quiet. Why didn’t you help Noeul earlier?’
I didn’t get it. The Star had helped Jeong Noeul once before, back on Jeju Island.
Even if he constantly put Noeul down, he clearly cared about him in his own way.
‘Well, that little devil is Satan, so fine…’
But I was bothered by how the Traveler from Asteroid B-612 had suddenly left the party, saying he was going to sleep.
‘Noeul said he’d handle it alone, and they just let him…’
Still, wasn’t that too dangerous?<Each of them had their reasons.>
Suddenly, the Star spoke.
‘…Reasons?’
<For now, tend to Abrilah’s reincarnation. The night has only just begun.>
‘…Got it.’
I looked at Jeong Noeul.
“Wow… So this is what old Seoul used to look like.”
<Right? It’s really pretty~!>
…Huh?
Jeong Noeul and the King of the Underworld were now marveling at the view beyond the glass wall.
‘…Why am I the only one taking this seriously?’
I suddenly felt like I’d become the babysitter of two overexcited kids.
I walked up beside Jeong Noeul.
“Hey, you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine after a bit of rest. But hyung—look over there!”
Jeong Noeul pointed beyond the glass wall like a kid pointing at a lion at the zoo.
“A-ah… I’ve got a fear of heights…”
“Really? That’s a shame…”
Jeong Noeul’s gaze swept over the view beyond the glass.
I quietly watched his expression.
‘Would Han Iro have noticed more?’
Probably. There weren’t many emotions I could pick out from Jeong Noeul’s face.
Guilt, maybe.
“Old Seoul had shorter buildings… and more forests, I think.”
And a determination—almost obsessive—that he needed to be cheerful, if only to atone.
“Abrilah must’ve wanted to destroy this kind of world, huh?”
…That’s about all I could sense.
“Eunyul-hyung.”
Jeong Noeul whispered.
“To be honest, I’ve remembered everything. That’s why I needed you. Not the Star—you. I needed someone to hold onto, so I wouldn’t fall apart from the guilt.”
“…What did you remember?”
“My past life. It’s all come back to me.”
He smiled as he said it.
A smile so bright, I couldn’t think of a single thing to say in return.
Ding…
The elevator hummed as it descended.
Jeong Noeul leaned against the wall, humming.
<Wow… I show up in mirrors now?>
As Halloween neared and the magic intensified, even the ghostly King of the Underworld had become visible in the elevator mirror.
We were heading to the top floor of the Bichang Guild’s central HQ.
The guildmaster’s office was there.
According to Jeong Noeul, strong magical energy was emanating from the top floor.
The undead in the building were more like monsters than ghosts, and the energy up top was probably a crystallization of accumulated souls.<That seems likely.>
The Star agreed.
<The Wild Hunt is a march of the dead. They don’t act separately—they’re gathering somewhere.>
‘Makes sense…’
I sighed.
Better than wandering around picking off ghosts one by one, I guess.
‘By the way, what did you mean earlier? That “they all had their reasons.”’
<You still haven’t figured it out? How truly dull.>
‘Spare me and just explain.’
<Abrilah’s reincarnation regained his past memories. That means he now knows the identities of the S-rank Hunters who defeated Abrilah on Jeju Island. One of them is his own agency CEO, is he not? Now guess—who were the others?>
‘I think we learned that in school, but…’
It was fuzzy.
‘Ah!’
Took me long enough to realize.
‘I don’t know about all of them, but I remember one.’
S-rank Hunter Yoo Gwangcheol.
Guildmaster of Bichang Guild.
The oldest—and most famous—member of the Abrilah subjugation team.
<Indeed. Exorcising the remaining souls here is a form of penance.>
‘Just like on Jeju Island…’
<The path of atonement is endless, and thus redemption must be earned. Abrilah’s reincarnation seeks to walk that path alone—without the power of his Constellation. For me to interfere would be laughable.>
‘…Fair. But what if Noeul really ends up in danger?’
<You truly enjoy asking troublesome questions. Very well, that’s fitting of my contractor. If it comes to that, either that asteroid brat or I will step in. But…>
‘…But?’
<I will act to save you. Remember that. You recall what I said, don’t you? I do not want you to die.>
‘I know…’
<Still, I’m curious.>
The Star chuckled.
<Why has that little ghost girl chosen to tag along?>
True—while Noeul’s purpose was clear, I didn’t understand why the King of the Underworld had come with us.
‘I didn’t even know those two were close…’
The King of the Underworld had no real powers. It wasn’t like she was here as backup…
Ding-dong!
Just then, the elevator stopped.
“We’re here.”
Jeong Noeul turned to look at us—me and the King of the Underworld.
“Stay alert, both of you.”
He whispered.
I nodded, suppressing my nerves.
As the chime rang and the doors opened—
Pop! Pop!
…The sound of party poppers.
Clap clap clap clap!!
…Applause.
“Welcome, living ones!”
Cheerful voices rang out.
“Happy Halloween, everyone!”
…What kind of messed up situation is this now?
Little Pink Starfish 
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