Chapter 8
With the beginning of the Great Hunter Era, ‘Guilds’ emerged.
Much like adventurer guilds in fantasy novels, they are organizations formed by awakened individuals for their own benefit.
Guilds range from small-scale ones with less than 10 members to large guilds that boast prestige surpassing major corporations.
One of those guilds is the ‘Wings’ Guild.
Though it has less than 10 members, they are tightly knit internally.
This is because it was established by its master, Moon Da-young, who fled from the exploitation of a large guild.
Half of its members are those who escaped with her.
The crafting-type hunters, whose ranks are determined separately through a test different from the combat-type hunters.
Among them, Moon Da-young is a B-rank crafting-type hunter.
Due to the rarity of her profession, she is someone who receives significant benefits guaranteed by the country.
Of course, with benefits come obligations.
“Master, when will you make me a new sword?”
“If you want something new, do more dungeons.”
“I already collapse from exhaustion just going once a day.”
“Laaaack of effort. You went three times in one day not too long ago, didn’t you?”
“That day was an exception……”
Han-gyeol, who had been sprawled over the desk since morning, let out a sigh.
Watching him, Da-young smiled.
Even like this, his routine is to rest for a bit and then go back to work.
He is such a good and diligent young man.
“I’ll go for two runs today…. I need to work hard to pay off my debt.”
“Fufu, you do that.”
“By the way, how’s that guy doing these days?”
“Who? Ji-han?”
“Who else would I mean?”
Han-gyeol straightened up from his slumped posture and stretched.
If the conversation ended, he’d soon be on his way out.
Da-young replied with a somewhat ambiguous expression.
“He’s doing his best, but I’m a bit worried.”
“Is it still the same?”
“Mm, he only listens at that moment when I caution him.”
“He’s going to pay dearly for it later.”
“Haa……”
Seo Ji-han, one of the founding members of the Wings Guild who left the large guild together with them.
Although younger than Han-gyeol, he is senior to him as an awakened individual.
He is currently the only C-rank combat-type hunter in the Wings Guild and is aspiring to reach B-rank.
In other words, the guild is providing him with full support.
And since he’s well aware that he’s the guild’s ace, he’s rather cocky.
A bit too much, in fact.
“Han-gyeol, you need to reach C-rank soon too.”
“I’m trying my best…….”
At Da-young’s words, Han-gyeol took a deep breath.
With the skills he learned from the academy, he quickly reached D-rank.
But there were times when C-rank felt like an insurmountable wall.
Just then.
The office phone rang.
Han-gyeol said goodbye and left, while Da-young gestured and picked up the phone.
“Yes, this is the Wings Guild.”
-…Hello. I was introduced by Han-gyeol. My name is Jeong Si-hyun.
“……Ah, I heard about you. Nice to meet you. What brings you to call today?”
-I’d like to visit and have a consultation about a few things.
“Sure! When are you planning to come?”
Si-hyun and Da-young coordinated the schedule.
After the call ended.
Da-young rested her chin on her hand and thought.
That voice is insane.
It’s like the sound of jewels rolling on a silver tray.
I haven’t even seen her face yet.
But I already understand why Han-gyeol was so excited.
* * *
After making an appointment to visit the Wings Guild.
Si-hyun chose the closest dungeon along the way and proceeded with the raid.
She quickly cleared two E-rank dungeons by herself.
Then rushed to a jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) restaurant she had researched online beforehand.
It wasn’t peak dining time yet, so the place was relatively empty.
“Welcome! Are you dining alone?”
“Yes.”
“This way, please.”
As Si-hyun sat down at her designated seat, the female staff looked at her with a worried expression.
“It might be a bit too spicy for a foreigner. Will you be okay?”
“……Yes, I’ll give it a try.”
“Fufu, your Korean is really good. Good luck!”
She received encouragement from the staff without meaning to.
……To others, do I look like a foreigner, or maybe an honorary Korean?
It’s possible. It does feel a bit strange.
Lost in thought, the food arrived before she knew it.
“Phew……”
Alright, time to eat.
You can do this, Jeong Si-hyun!
Slurp——.
Taking a bite of the noodles with a nervous expression.
And then.
“Cough, cough….”
It already didn’t seem good.
But giving up wasn’t an option.
She took another bite, and another.
“Phew, phew….”
It’s definitely tough.
Unable to hold back the grimace forming on her face, she gulped down a glass of water.
I suspected something was off ever since I had seasoned fried chicken on my first day back.
And as I ate various foods with Si-yoon, my doubts grew stronger.
And today, it’s confirmed.
Right now, I’m a serious weakling when it comes to spicy food.
There were barely any spicy dishes in the other world.
And now, having returned to Earth in the body of a pure otherworlder.
The burning sensation on my tongue made tears well up in my eyes without me realizing it.
Just like how Westerners look pained when eating Korean food.
There’s a sense of disconnect between my mind and body.
Cognitive dissonance… Sigh.
There’s still two-thirds of the jjamppong left.
Continuing to eat like this is impossible. Really impossible.
But it’s too much of a waste to leave it.
As much as it hurts my pride, I need to restore my tongue, maybe even reinforce it a bit before eating more.
Yes, people need to learn how to compromise.
…….
After finishing her meal, Si-hyun stood up from her seat.
With a gaze full of regret, she glared at the bowl.
In the end, she left a third of it unfinished.
It was because she was too full.
Back in the day, she could even eat a double serving with no problem.
Now that she’s returned to Korea and has more freedom and leisure time,
There are moments when she realizes that a lot of things have changed.
……Nothing can be done about it.
She just has to get used to it, little by little.
Now it’s time to clear one more dungeon and head to the Wings Guild.
“Here, have this! It’ll help ease the spiciness.”
“Oh, thank you.”
The staff is really kind.
Next time, I should come with Si-yoon for another try.
I haven’t given up yet.
* * *
When Si-hyun finished her self-assigned quota and visited the Wings Guild,
The first words she heard in the office after being guided in were:
“Wow, oh my gosh. You’re even prettier than I thought!”
“……Hello.”
“Please, have a seat.”
“Yes.”
Da-young greeted Si-hyun with a bright smile.
They say beautiful things are nice to look at.
Seeing such unrealistic beauty makes you feel as if the person inside is just as beautiful.
Even as a fellow woman, she couldn’t help but be captivated by her appearance.
“……Excuse me?”
“Hm! What is it?”
“……Your gaze.”
“Fufu.”
Da-young, who had been openly staring at Si-hyun’s chest, lifted her head.
The thought of someone with such a large chest being a close-combat hunter stirred her imagination.
Although she didn’t think she’d lose in terms of appearance herself.
Si-hyun’s completely different body type made her feel a fresh sense of impact.
With a sly grin, Da-young skilfully shifted the topic.
“You said you were here to make a deal! Could you show me the item?”
“This is it.”
Si-hyun took out a fist-sized mana stone from her magic tool bracelet.
With a motion similar to operating the status window,
It was a movement she was able to mimic after closely observing other hunters when she formed parties before.
“This is what Han-gyeol was talking about. May I take a look?”
“Yes.”
With Si-hyun’s permission, Da-young quickly took the mana stone.
The status window aided by displaying the ‘basic’ information of the mana stone.
The name, rank, and quality of the mana stone.
“Oh, this could go for about 2 million won. Have you checked the price at the exchange?”
“……2 million?”
“Yes! The rank is low, but the quality is high. What it’ll be used for depends on the craftsman’s skill, though. If you don’t need to haggle, I’ll buy it for 2 million.”
“…….”
Si-hyun fell silent, lost in thought.
She had checked the price at the mana stone exchange when trading some miscellaneous stones before.
The exchange had offered 1.5 million won.
Of course, for the convenience of handling it, they might have deducted quite a bit.
But she didn’t expect such a significant difference in the price offered here.
“Let’s see… The exchange probably offered you around… 1.5 million won?”
“……Yes, that’s correct.”
“Fufu, it’s my job, after all. And since you were recommended by Han-gyeol, I’m giving you a fair offer.”
A recommendation from a guild member.
Maybe she’s offering a slightly higher price to score some points.
If not, it could be a tax issue.
Thinking about it this way seemed more reasonable.
After organizing her thoughts, Si-hyun slowly opened her mouth.
“I heard you’re a crafting-type hunter.”
“Yes! That’s right. I’m B-rank.”
“Then, could I see some of the items first?”
“Of course.”
Da-young guided Si-hyun to the storage area.
Since the building itself was large, the space wasn’t vast, but it housed various items.
While looking around at the items, Si-hyun realized something important.
She could tell that they were made using mana stones since she could sense mana in all of them.
But just by looking, she couldn’t tell what functions they had.
It’s because she wasn’t an awakened individual.
She didn’t have a status window.
To know their functions, she’d have to examine the items closely.
She had forgotten about this.
“……Oh no.”
“Is something wrong?”
Si-hyun hesitated, caught in thought.
There’s no need to hide the fact that she’s a returnee.
But revealing that she’s not an awakened individual made her a little reluctant.
Being different could attract unwanted attention.
Even if it might come to light eventually, now was not the time.
I should gloss over it for now.
“There are so many items. Do you have anything related to safety?”
“Do you mean armour?”
“No, not that. Something portable. I want to gift it to my younger sibling, who’s a civilian.”
“……Wow.”
Hearing Si-hyun’s words, Da-young’s eyes widened.
An E-rank hunter, wanting to trade an item worth 2 million won.
Naturally, Da-young thought she would want equipment for herself.
But she’s looking for something to ensure the safety of a civilian family member?
Could her heart really be as pure as her appearance?
Da-young thought she’d have to test the waters once.
“What price range are you looking at?”
“The maximum. It’s okay if it’s more than 2 million won.”
Her answer was immediate.
At that moment, Da-young’s evaluation of Si-hyun rose steeply.
These days, it’s hard to find someone like this.
Especially among hunters.
They usually invest as much as possible to make themselves stronger.
But putting family first.
It’s similar to the motto of our Wings Guild.
I really like this person.
With a serious expression, Da-young spoke.
“Si-hyun.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to make an item together with me?”
“……?”
Si-hyun tilted her head, not understanding what Da-young meant.
‘Cute… No, that’s not the point.’
Da-young corrected her thoughts that were about to drift away.
“Portable accessories are small in size, and require high-quality mana stones and materials.”
“Yes.”
“We don’t have anything that would meet your expectations right now. Why don’t we take this opportunity to collaborate and make one together?”
Collaboration.
The single word made Si-hyun pause.
The idea itself wasn’t bad.
After all, it was a proposal coming from a B-rank hunter.
It was the right decision to accept.
But the distrust in humanity that had built up over time made her hesitant to agree so easily.
“Oh, of course! This is a business deal, a transaction. I’ll be receiving payment, and I’ll take the by-products as well. Si-hyun, you’ll be providing labour in exchange for a high-quality product.”
Da-young looked at Si-hyun with a serious expression.
If it were just any ordinary E-rank hunter, she wouldn’t have made such a proposal.
Strictly speaking, she stood to lose more than she’d gain.
But Han-gyeol had emphasized it several times.
The beautiful woman before her should not be judged solely by her appearance.
Even if she were called a D-rank, it wouldn’t be inappropriate, and in his personal opinion, she could even match a C-rank.
Da-young trusted her guild member’s judgment.
So she decided to boldly invest her time and resources.
“……Yes, a deal.”
Seeing Da-young’s expression, Si-hyun sensed her sincerity.
It wouldn’t hurt to trust her once.
Even if there’s trouble during the collaboration process, I’m confident I can handle it.
And if we build a close relationship, I’ll be the one benefiting more.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Mm! Good decision.”
The two shook hands.
* * *
“W-What is this?”
Da-young stared ahead in shock.
Although she was a B-rank craftsman hunter, she was also a D-rank combatant.
That’s why she was able to enter the D-rank dungeon with Si-hyun.
They had agreed to run away immediately if things got dangerous before entering.
“Shall we move on?”
“O-Oh… Yes!”
The ones who should be feeling threatened weren’t people, but the monsters.
With each step Si-hyun took, the monsters were blown away, scattering in all directions.
How could this person be called an E-rank hunter?
Da-young’s evaluation of Si-hyun.
It no longer just skyrocketed, but rather pierced through the ceiling and broke all limits.
Measurement Impossible.
This girl is just too good.
—
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