Chapter 65| Names Among Legends
The formal announcement of the Council’s verdict, stripped of classified specifics but confirming Fallen Crown’s recognized, protected status, broke across global media within hours, transforming the previous days’ speculative rumors into confirmed, verified fact that sent ripples through the entire international Hunter community.
"I’ve lost count of how many messages have come through the guild’s official channels," Myria said, scrolling through an overwhelming backlog of communications on her tablet three days after the verdict. "Government inquiries, other guilds requesting formal alliance, and no fewer than six separate media outlets requesting exclusive interviews."
"Tell me at least some of it’s manageable," Allen said, exhaustion already creeping into his voice at the sheer administrative weight of their newfound global attention.
"Manageable is relative," Myria said dryly. "Though there’s one item I think you’ll actually want to review personally. WHRIB liaison office has arranged an informal gathering — several of the world’s currently active S-rank Hunters, invited to meet the party at the center of this month’s most extraordinary story."
The gathering took place two evenings later, in a private reception hall within WHRIB’s Geneva complex, considerably more relaxed in atmosphere than the formal Council chamber, though the assembled guests carried a palpable weight of reputation that made even Allen’s newfound confidence waver slightly upon entering.
"Allen Veton," a tall, imposing woman said, approaching with an easy, confident stride the moment they entered. "Rowan Vasquez, currently ranked among the top ten globally certified S-rank Hunters. I’ve been looking forward to meeting the man who apparently discovered an entire alien civilization by accident."
"It wasn’t entirely intentional," Allen admitted, shaking her offered hand.
Rowan’s laugh carried genuine warmth. "The best stories rarely are." Her gaze swept briefly across his wives, something approving flickering behind her sharp, assessing eyes. "I’ve read the preliminary reports on your party’s combat record. Impressive growth curve, even setting aside the anomalous circumstances. I don’t say that lightly."
They spent the following hour moving through a carefully curated crowd of the Hunter world’s most accomplished figures — a stoic, scarred veteran named Aldric Thorne who commanded one of Europe’s largest guilds and offered gruff, genuine respect once Myria detailed their combat strategies; a pair of twin S-rank sisters from Japan whose synchronized ability manifestation left even Irene visibly impressed; a quiet, watchful man introduced only as Kade, whose reputation, Vivian murmured privately, carried considerably more weight in certain classified circles than his understated demeanor initially suggested.
"You’re handling this well," Vivian observed quietly, her hand finding his during a brief lull in the endless procession of introductions. "I half expected you to retreat into that same overwhelmed silence you carried during our very first Association evaluation."
"I’m handling it because you’re all here," Allen said honestly. "I don’t think I could manage a room like this alone."
"Good thing you’ll never have to find out," Vivian said, a fond smile touching her lips.
It was near the evening’s end that a considerably younger woman approached, introducing herself with brisk, businesslike efficiency despite an evident nervous energy simmering beneath her professional composure.
"Naomi Choi," she said. "Newest S-rank certification on record, actually — I only crossed the threshold four months ago. I wanted to meet you specifically, Hunter Veton. Your growth pattern gives me hope that rank isn’t quite as fixed as everyone always insists it is."
"It’s not," Allen said firmly. "Growth is possible for anyone willing to actually invest in it. I just happened to have some unusual help along the way."
Naomi’s answering smile carried genuine, hopeful warmth. "I’ll remember that."
As the gathering finally wound down, Myria fell into step beside Allen, tablet already updated with fresh notes from the evening’s countless introductions. "That was considerably more productive than I expected," she said. "Several of these connections could prove genuinely valuable, particularly once the Jenunl Island briefing formally begins."
"Assuming any of them end up assigned to it with us," Allen said.
"Given the scale of the crisis Voss described," Myria said grimly, "I’d be surprised if the resulting operation didn’t draw from precisely this pool of talent." She glanced back toward the now-emptying reception hall. "We’re no longer simply an anomaly under review, Allen. We’re being folded into the broader Hunter world’s actual operational structure. That’s a considerably different kind of responsibility than anything we’ve carried before."
Allen absorbed the weight of that observation as they made their way back toward their quarters, the evening’s countless new names and faces settling into place alongside everything else now demanding his attention — a promise still waiting across a dimensional divide, a crisis still gathering shape somewhere across a distant, isolated ocean, and a growing web of alliances and obligations that felt, increasingly, like the shape of a life considerably larger than the one he’d first built in a run-down Hegeville house so many months ago.
Irene caught up to him in the corridor, Everlyn close behind, both of them carrying the particular restless energy that usually followed evenings spent performing careful diplomacy rather than genuine, unguarded connection.
"That Rowan woman kept staring at you like she was trying to solve a puzzle," Irene said, not quite accusingly, though a faint edge of possessive tension colored her voice regardless.
"She was curious about the system," Allen said. "Nothing more than that."
"Mm-hm." Irene’s arm looped through his, deliberately proprietary. "Just making sure everyone in that room remembered whose husband they were talking to."
Everlyn’s silent laughter shook her shoulders, notepad appearing with a fond, teasing addition. ’She wasn’t wrong to be curious. You handled all of it beautifully tonight.’
"I had good reasons to want to get it right," Allen said, glancing between the two of them, then back toward Myria and Vivian walking just ahead. "All four of them, actually."
The comment earned him a fresh, pleased flush from Everlyn and a satisfied, smug little smile from Irene, and despite the daunting scope of everything still ahead, Allen felt, if only for the length of that quiet corridor, thoroughly and completely content.