Aye, Gallo, aye, wake up, son!"
Is this Dubrov? It must be him with that awful voice.
"I am coming in, son. You must wake up. Mr Viktor is calling for you."
Yeah, he calls me all the time for some reason.
Let's just pretend like I am sleeping…
While I was thinking that, I heard the sound of water and slippery steps.
Dubrov must have known that I wouldn't wake up, so he brought a bucket of water.
Should I stop acting or keep sleeping…
"JESUS, Dubrov! Who would use boiling water to wake someone up?"
"Ha? Was that boiling? Sorry, Gallo, my bad. Didn't realise."
What kind of stupid wouldn't realise that? I never understand why he is with us.
"Anyway, Gallo, you must go and see Mr Viktor. He wants to see you."
"Yeah, he always wants to see me. I am his little puppet."
"Ha, you are not a puppet, Gallo, are you really?"
He was actually asking that question.
"Alright, I will go and see him. Can you leave now?"
"Aye, Gallo. Sorry for the water. Didn't realise it was hot."
"I know, Dubrov. I know."
After Dubrov took his leave, I started preparing. Then I thought—
Maybe I am always so tough on Dubrov.
Next time, I will be a little nicer to him.
But I really can't stand his stupid face.
Anyway, I should go and see what all this fuss is about.
While I was walking through the corridor, I saw Elena and Rykard talking.
To not get noticed by them, I started walking faster, but—
"Hey! Gallo! Hey!"
If I look back, I must talk with them. If I don't, I will look stupid.
"Gallo, hey, look, we are here!"
After she shouted one more time, I had no choice but to stop and talk with them.
In a short time, as I was walking up to them, I looked at their faces.
As always, Ms Elena was basically shining with that smile, and Rykard—
Rykard was Rykard.
"I called twice, but you didn't turn. Are you in a rush?"
"Yes, I must go and see Mr Viktor."
"Actually, Dubrov told me that."
"Is that so?"
Then why are you holding me here, you fiend?
"Ms Elena, do you have any idea why he is calling me, maybe?"
After saying this, I looked at Rykard's face, and as expected, he wanted me to fuck off.
Fair, I guess.
"Hmm, apparently there is a new batch kid."
"And you will get your share from that."
My share? New batch? What is she on about?
She must have realised that I looked confused, so she said the thing I wanted to hear the least.
"You will have a new junior."
"I will what—what!?"
"Yeah, a junior. You've grown, hah. Viktor thinks you are mature enough to have a junior."
Fuck, this is unexpected. I thought this would be a haunt, not a kid.
"Don't be scared. You will be fine. Just roll with it."
I cannot just roll with it. I must do something.
"I think I feel sick today. Maybe just for this time, can you do this for me? Just for once?"
Then she burst out laughing. I think my tactics won't work on her.
Maybe Rykard can get the new kid.
Don't even think about it. He already wants to kill me.
And if I drag this conversation longer, he might actually—
"Anyway, I will go and see what's up with the new kid."
As I was walking away—
"Gallo, don't go hard on him."
"Yeah, yeah, I won't."
So this is not a haunt, but I will have a junior.
Fuck. I never had a junior. I shouldn't have a junior.
What does that stupid Viktor think?
This is one of those mornings where I wish I didn't wake up.
Wait a minute… I can make him do my chores.
Actually, maybe after all, this is not that bad.
After thinking this, I went to the cafeteria to get a snack.
You shouldn't forget your nutrition.
At least when there is something you want to delay, that's a good excuse.
I sat there silently, chewing my sandwich, then saw a girl who looked frustrated.
"Ah, I waited in that room with that old guy for two hours, and that stupid didn't show up."
What is she talking about?
They must be initiates. From their cloaks, I can tell.
Are they all new? Did we get that desperate?
I guess we did after the last hunt.
Anyway, let's try to listen to what they are on about.
"You must be unlucky with your senior."
"Who did you get? Marko the Lucky?"
That's a nickname I want to have.
"Ms Elena. She is elegant, strong, and quite caring."
Ha. This kid is… so Elena also had a share, apparently.
"Who did you get, anyway?"
"I got a guy named Gallo."
"HAAA!"
"HAH!?"
I screamed at the same time as him.
People were looking at me like I am crazy.
Anyway, let's focus on their conversation.
"What a weirdo. Screams like a girl."
Hey, stop being misogynistic. It's not a bad thing being a girl.
Dude, what am I saying? I should stop hanging out with Dubrov.
"Iris! That's Gallo."
"Dude, I know his name. What's wrong with you? Stop screaming in my face."
"No, you don't understand. He is Gallo. Gallo the Unkillable."
"Anyway, anywho, I don't care about that stupid anymore."
"Be quiet. If he hears you—"
"I heard he is a very scary guy."
"Chill out. He's probably slacking out somewhere."
Hey, I appreciate the good words, Marko, but this girl…
"He is a legend. Don't you know him from the Black Haunt?"
"Yeah, he must be a hero for not dying in a single haunt."
"You must be crazy. He went alone to kill the Pale One."
At that moment, after hearing that, I felt a shiver go through my body.
My blood started boiling. My hands started shaking.
Even just hearing this name makes me want to end myself.
"That must be an urban myth. There is no way that's the guy who killed that monster."
I think here I am going to take my leave.
"Actually… the Pale One lives."
A random kid said that the moment I was leaving.
"Wait, wait, wait. What did he say?"
"Hey, what did you just say?"
"Hey, man, get off me, alright?"
"I said the Pale One lives."
"How do you know that?"
"They saw him in the village of Ashwick."
"He broke his deal. He broke his fucking deal."
"Dude, I don't know what's up with you, but back off before I call a junior."
"Where is your cloak, anyway?"
And he just went away, such a weirdo.
"What a weird guy, huh, Iris?"
"Yes, he is weird, but did you see the fear in his eyes?"
"Dude, that's just a rumor. It could be a made-up one."
I must speak with Viktor. I must speak with Viktor.