"I meant exactly what I said, Mr. Amanar; he is for sure an S-rank." Selene interrupted, glaring at him. She loathed people like him—those who measured a person's worth solely by their utility.

Lucius Vardane, the council president, raised a hand for calm. "Let's all take a breath. Thank you for the report, Selene. Now, let’s discuss this thoroughly. Do we want to publicly recognize Teo as an S-rank hunter or not?"

Lucius, a towering figure of authority both as the Hunter Association president and an active S-rank hunter, commanded respect from all walks of life.

Turning to the council's vice president, he asked, "Liam, what’s your take?"

Liam adjusted his glasses, his words measured as always. "I’ve been keeping tabs on public sentiment, and with the right approach, I believe we can frame this in a way that gains public acceptance."

Unlike the nobles and elite hunters on the council, Liam represented the common people. Years of navigating political minefields had made him adept at voicing opinions that tread the fine line between diplomacy and advocacy.

Lucius nodded, then, looking at two other members, he started. "What do you two think?"

Epeli Arzaloth stood up, bowing politely. "It will likely be complicated to explain this to the neighboring countries. An S-rank is a symbol of immense power and responsibility, tied directly to our nation's security. However, if we have him take on missions that benefit them as well, it could help ease their concerns and shift their perspectives."

An older woman stood up, her voice steady and authoritative. "Indeed, Epeli. But let’s not forget—beyond reputation, his power makes him a critical asset. We cannot afford to overlook how recognizing him as S-rank could strengthen our own defenses and deter potential threats."

The other council members nodded silently, sharing their sentiment, all except one, Matther Amanar. He stood up furiously.

"Do you really believe the nonsense you're spouting, Yoshikawa?" he shouted, then looking at Lucius. "Lucius, you are the association president; you must know how uncontrollable and dangerous he is. Have you not seen the reports of how the dungeons he clears look?" He finished, staring at Lucius.

"With my council work, I barely have time to manage the hunter's association. I leave that responsibility solely to the vice president, Selene Karmov." replied Lucius, "Now that we're talking about her, let's ask her opinion. She is Teo's boss in the elite squad, so her opinion is going to be crucial in making this decision."

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Now all eyes were on her, everyone curious as to what she would say. Some were in favor of making Teo an official S-rank hunter as it would benefit the nation. Others were leaning more towards not letting him become one because of his behavior.

Clearing her throat, Selene stepped forward. "I have heard all of your opinions, and hear me out first before interrupting me," she said sternly, glaring at Matthew.

"I think the correct decision is to announce Teo becoming S-rank for the following reasons." saying that she grabbed a couple more data crystals. Projecting their contents for everyone to see.

"His behavior has been improving, and I heard someone mention it being a problem how he leaves dungeons after clearing them. But I think that's nonsense. What does it matter how a dungeon looks after being cleared? Is it not most important for it to be cleared? So it doesn't break," saying that she projected his dungeon clearing record.

Murmurs rippled through the chamber, a wave of disbelief and astonishment washing over the council. Some leaned forward in their seats, their eyes wide as the glowing projections reflected off their stunned faces. A few exchanged hushed whispers, their voices a mix of awe and skepticism. Others stiffened in silence, their furrowed brows betraying their struggle to process the impossible record before them.

"Not a single failure; he cleared every dungeon he entered. That's insane," mumbled Yoshikawa Mitsuru.

Epeli, who was seated beside her, nodded his head, "If we show this at the press conference, it's going to be a lot easier to reassure the civilians and other countries."

Selene paused, letting the weight of the revelation settle over the council before she cleared her throat, gaining their full attention once more. "And that’s not all. As you all know, Teo is a vampire, but not just any vampire—he’s a royal, just like his father." She projected the details of the five familiars they had decided to reveal.

Matthew’s gaze snapped to the projections, his disbelief turning to fury. "Impossible!" he spat. "His mother wasn’t a vampire—he should have been a filthy half-breed. How can he possibly be royal? Are you telling me he doesn’t carry a single trait from his mother?"

How could he accept this? His wife might have died for nothing, not even leaving any of her traits behind in her child.

Selene looked at Matthew with a serious expression. "Do tell me what race his mother was; as far as I'm aware, you've never shared it publicly. Or where she's from even; it's like she just appeared in your life and then died after giving birth," she inquired.

Matthew stiffened, his knuckles white as they gripped the edge of the table. "It’s not that I’m keeping it a secret," he muttered, his voice strained. "I don’t know. I found her on one of my adventures. We... fell in love. Then she got pregnant and just... disappeared, only to show up nine months later right before giving birth. When I asked her about it, she refused to answer."

"And she died while giving birth to that monster." he said disdainfully, "I will never agree to him being recognized as an official S-rank hunter."

"Ok, that's enough this is not about Teo's past." Lucius interrupted. "I have a proposition, let's exclude Matthew from this decision due to his biased look on it. Which is understandable but we need to think about what's best for the country."