Chapter 3
“Finally made it….”
I looked up at the large building in front of me.
It felt like my first visit, but it was actually my second time at the Hunter Management Bureau.
I had confidently told my sister, ‘I can get there by myself,’ before setting out.
But I ended up getting lost right from the subway station.
Since I’m originally from the countryside and spent about five years in another world,
it felt like I was lost in a dungeon maze.
Fortunately, people kindly pointed me in the right direction when I asked.
Otherwise, I would’ve wandered around for a long time.
I let out a light sigh and entered the building.
‘…Hm?’
A familiar face was standing right next to the reception desk.
It looked like the staff member I met on the first day.
He seemed to recognize me as well and walked over.
“You’re here.”
“Hello.”
“I’m in charge again today. Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
I followed the staff member down the hallway.
He seemed to have a friendly personality and naturally started a conversation.
“You’re not in your nun’s habit anymore. Your clothes suit you well.”
“…Thanks.”
“Oh, if it’s uncomfortable, feel free to tell me. I’m not sure how to address you in terms of gender.”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Understood. I didn’t get a chance to properly introduce myself last time, did I?”
The staff member handed me his business card.
Management Section Chief, Jang Han-soo.
…How high up is a section chief again?
My memory has improved since I started living in this body.
But I’ve never had a job in my past life, so I can’t recall.
I’ll just stay quiet.
“Come to think of it, your Korean pronunciation is flawless for someone who lived in another world for five years.”
“…I used Korean when I cursed at the hero’s party.”
“Ah, I see.”
Of course, it was when I was talking behind their backs alone.
Even if they couldn’t understand the meaning, they could probably tell from the tone if I cursed them directly.
I also used Korean to jot down personal information or memories I didn’t want to forget.
“Did you not get along with them?”
“No.”
“……”
Did I answer too bluntly?
The section chief’s mouth clamped shut.
After a moment of pondering, he changed the subject.
“How was your reunion with your sister?”
“It was nice.”
“That’s good to hear. It’s always wonderful when family members get along.”
My precious little sister.
She’d become an adult while I was gone, but still had that cute, innocent look on her face.
Thinking about her made me smile without realizing it.
“Hmm…”
“…?”
Sensing a gaze, I turned my head to see the section chief looking at me with a subtle expression.
However, he soon turned back to face forward without saying anything.
We arrived at the consultation room shortly after.
“Would you like to read this first? It’s a guide we give to newly awakened hunters.”
“Okay.”
I sat down and accepted the papers he handed me.
I quickly skimmed through the contents.
“If you can prove you’re an awakened one in today’s test, we’ll issue you a provisional hunter’s license right away.”
“Okay.”
“D-rank is the official hunter rank. To reach it, you’ll need to either build up achievements in E-rank dungeons or complete the academy courses.”
“Academy?”
“Yes, you can think of it as a university. I’d recommend this route. The entrance fee might be a bit costly, but statistically, hunters from this program have a much higher survival rate.”
The entrance fee is high, but it increases the survival rate…
It’s a bit ambiguous.
“Um, and I’m sorry to say this.”
“…?”
“Since there’s no established system for returnees, it’ll be difficult to provide financial aid or subsidies. I’ve been given a lot of discretionary authority regarding you by my team leader. I’ll try to help you as much as I can.”
“…You said there’s no law for returnees. How are you going to do that?”
At my question, the section chief’s eyes flashed sharply.
He clasped his hands together and spoke softly.
“The first returnee, aside from you, is currently affiliated with the United States. He’s a B-rank hunter and has excellent abilities.”
“I see.”
“You mentioned defeating the Demon King. What is your ability? Your occupation? I need to know to enter it on your hunter license.”
Ah….
Whether or not there really is a law,
I see now that he’s been probing me all along to learn more about me.
“Judging by what you wore yesterday, are you a priest? A nun? If so, you could earn a lot of money.”
The undisguised excitement on the section chief’s face was apparent.
This reminded me of a news article I saw earlier.
[South Korea faces a shortage of support-type hunters. Severe overabundance of dealers.]
I’d already been manipulated enough by the church and royalty in the other world.
I’m tired of being bound.
It’s time to use the response I’ve prepared in advance.
Starting today, I’m…
“I….”
“You?”
The section chief stared at me, waiting, as I paused briefly.
I answered with a serious expression.
“I’m a Male Holy Knight. No, wait, a Female Holy Knight.”
“……”
The section chief’s face contorted in a deep frown upon hearing my answer.
Was he that disappointed I wasn’t a support-type hunter?
Still, even if I’m not an S-rank or A-rank hunter, I think I could be a B-rank hunter….
From what I saw on the internet, B-rank is considered an advanced hunter too.
“I guess I’ll have to emphasize the greatness of a holy knight one more time.”
“Holy Knight Size King.”
“…Hoo.”
The section chief, who had been staring blankly at me, let out a deep sigh.
He shook his head slightly and began filling out the document.
“You’re a holy knight. And a king. You’re a melee-type, right?”
“Yes, I’m solid.”
After coming to Earth, I can’t gather as much holy power as before.
But it’s not like my power has completely disappeared, and my body is still strong enough.
“…So, a tank type, huh. Well, that’s not bad either.”
The section chief, who seemed to have dark circles under his eyes, added some more notes to the document.
He then handed me a crystal orb.
“This is a mana gauge. Please inject your power into it.”
“Okay.”
I took the gauge and released a little bit of holy power into it.
…Oh, it’s a mana gauge, so I should use mana, right?
I carefully injected mana again.
A faint light emerged from the crystal orb.
“Hm? The light is normal, but the colour is unusual.”
“…Does that mean I can’t be a hunter?”
“No, that’s not it. Ordinary people can’t emit light at all in the first place.”
The section chief continued to fill out the document.
After a moment, he nodded and spoke to me.
“You can pick up your provisional hunter’s license at the reception desk when you leave. You’ll need to update your ID, so I’ll help you with taking a photo and other things.”
“Ah, thank you, Section Chief.”
He’s actually being quite helpful and considerate.
This feels just right.
“It seems like we’ll be seeing each other often. Feel free to call me casually.”
“Yes, Section Chief.”
“……”
We’re not that close.
* * *
After Si-hyun left the management bureau building,
Jang Han-soo, the section chief, let out a deep sigh and called his team leader.
“Team Leader, I just finished the consultation with the returnee.”
-“How was it? What’s their class? Do you think they can reach B-rank?”
“There were some peculiar aspects. They’re a melee type, and they’ll start at the standard E-rank. I’ll send the detailed report soon.”
-“Hmm, try to stay in touch and get closer. The first returnee in the U.S. is a B-rank too, but he’s invented several groundbreaking hunter tools. We can’t judge based solely on combat ranks.”
“Yes, understood.”
-“If they really are talented, we can’t let them slip to another country. Keep the information under control as needed.”
“Of course.”
After a few more exchanges with the team leader, the call ended.
The section chief recalled his conversation with Si-hyun today.
The icy, cold expression when talking about the hero’s party.
And the innocent smile like a child when talking about her sister.
He couldn’t forget the stark contrast between those two faces.
The section chief firmly decided on his course of action for the future.
Even though he was already busy, his workload just increased again.
* * *
After leaving the management bureau, I found a bench at a nearby park and sat down.
I recalled the contents of the guide I received during the consultation.
As a provisional hunter, E-rank comes with no responsibilities, but also no benefits.
D-rank and above provide various benefits, but they come with obligations to handle gates and dungeons.
They said most hunter-related activities are managed through an app, so I’ll start by installing it.
Basic dungeons have to be cleared within a month, or else monsters will start pouring out.
There are exceptions for high-level or large-scale dungeons, but
for low-level dungeons, hunters are given the freedom to handle them.
If more than two weeks pass without progress, the management bureau steps in.
The hunter app is used to track locations and register for dungeon expeditions.
I’ll leave the high-level stuff alone for now.
After registering on the app and verifying my hunter status, I looked through the nearby E-rank dungeons.
“……”
There are more than I expected.
No wonder the section chief has dark circles under his eyes.
Anyway, what should I do?
D-rank dungeons can’t be applied for solo by an E-rank hunter in the first place.
I could easily handle an E-rank dungeon alone.
But it’s true that I don’t know much about gates and dungeons beyond what I’ve read.
Joining a party would be the best way to naturally gain various information.
Should I join a temporary party?
Unless you’re pushing to maximize profit, it’s common for 3-4 people to clear a dungeon together.
Parties are definitely safer.
But if personalities clash, it becomes a hassle.
Go alone? Or with a party?
Going solo would certainly be more comfortable.
But since it’s my first time, I want to see what other hunters are like.
Which option is…
…
Ah, damn it.
It’s all because of that hero’s party!
I’m clearly someone who works best in a party as a holy knight.
But I keep hesitating because of those bad memories.
They’re not here now.
It’s time to break free of their shadow, Si-hyun!
Let’s just do what I want.
Follow my heart.
I’ll go with a party to see the hunter level!
Ding.
I reserved a spot in a party recruiting near the closest E-rank dungeon.
* * *
I entered the E-rank dungeon with a temporarily assembled 4-person party.
And immediately, I frowned.
“Are you really a melee-type hunter? You look like you’d fall over with a single push.”
“…I showed you my hunter license. I’m a Holy Knight.”
There’s a woman who keeps picking a fight.
But compared to the catfights I’ve endured, it’s nothing.
We won’t see each other again after today, so I’ll just ignore her.
“N-nice to meet you!”
“Hehe, same here.”
I felt a little happy to see the friendly person from the subway again.
I could sense his pure-hearted nature.
“…Hmm.”
“……”
There’s a hunter staring at me with an unpleasant gaze that reminds me of the hero.
My fist is itching, but I’ve gotten used to this.
But why…
“Kiieeek!”
The shape of the dungeon.
And the monsters appearing.
It all seems strangely familiar. Am I imagining things…?
—
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