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Chapter 48
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The morning two days later.
Si-hyun, who naturally wakes up early, leisurely began preparing to go out.
She took out the new clothes that had been delivered yesterday.
“Same-day delivery really is convenient.”
“Right?”
Si-yoon, sitting on the couch, yawned widely in response.
In the meantime, Si-hyun changed into her clothes and stood in front of the mirror to check her appearance.
She could feel the tightness of the black leggings wrapping around her legs.
The loose-fitting gray sweatshirt extended down to her hips, reducing any exposure.
Since she was never particularly interested in dressing up, Si-hyun found this outfit refreshing.
Watching from the side, Si-yoon chuckled softly and said,
“You have such a good figure that even a casual ‘effortless chic’ look shines on you.”
“R-really…?”
Surprised by her younger sister’s compliment, Si-hyun blushed.
She felt a little embarrassed, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
“I might come home late today. If you don’t hear from me and it gets late, eat dinner without me.”
“Okay, got it!”
After exchanging goodbyes, Si-hyun left the house with light steps.
She headed to the meeting place using public transportation, where she planned to meet Areum.
Before the Wings Guild members came to pick them up, the two were going to have a light meal together.
Si-hyun arrived at the café a little earlier than the agreed time.
She spotted Areum, who was already waiting there.
Noticing Si-hyun’s arrival, Areum, who had been lingering near the café entrance, perked up.
Si-hyun greeted her warmly.
“Hi. You’re early!”
“Oh, hello, Professor!”
“Um….”
Hearing Areum address her as “Professor” in such a loud voice at a completely unrelated location, Si-hyun awkwardly scratched her cheek and smiled.
She couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious.
“Shall we go in?”
“Yes!”
She was already aware of the attention they were drawing, and now it felt even more pronounced.
She quickly escaped into the café.
After choosing a suitable spot to sit,
Si-hyun absentmindedly crossed her ankles while seated and glanced down at her legs.
She was still getting used to the tightness of the leggings.
She lightly rubbed her thighs together, feeling the fabric’s texture, then raised her head again.
“Have you decided what you want to eat?”
“I-I’ll have this!”
They each ordered a sandwich to their liking.
The two began eating while engaging in light conversation.
“Oh, I haven’t finished the novel you recommended yet since it’s a long one.”
“R-really…?”
“Yeah. But it’s exciting and really fun.”
“It is….”
Si-hyun took a bite of her sandwich and quietly observed Areum.
Although Areum was naturally timid, she seemed especially so today.
Had she done something wrong?
Noticing Areum’s stiff posture, Si-hyun tilted her head in curiosity.
Unable to figure out the cause, she decided to ask directly.
“Areum.”
“Y-yes?!”
“Is something worrying you?”
“Well, it’s just….”
Areum’s eyes darted around nervously at Si-hyun’s question.
Eventually, she lowered her head and spoke hesitantly.
“The, the dungeon….”
“Yes.”
Areum glanced up slightly, gauging Si-hyun’s reaction, before falling silent again.
Watching her, Si-hyun stroked her chin thoughtfully.
The dungeon, huh. Was she scared about suddenly going to a C-rank dungeon?
She hadn’t planned to make Areum participate, only to observe and learn some things.
…Come to think of it, as an E-rank rookie, it was only natural for Areum to feel scared.
Perhaps she had been too focused on efficiency.
It probably would have been better to start with E-rank or D-rank dungeons for observation.
Feeling guilty, Si-hyun apologized to Areum in her heart.
“Areum.”
“P-Professor!”
Both of them called out to each other at the same time.
Smiling faintly, Si-hyun gestured for Areum to speak first.
Gathering her courage despite her hesitation, Areum began to speak.
“A-a-about… ranks….”
“Yes, ranks.”
It seemed her sudden introduction to a C-rank dungeon was indeed the issue.
Si-hyun decided she would apologize after hearing Areum out.
“Today’s dungeon… Isn’t it… too high? Y-you’re also D-rank, Professor….”
“…Oh.”
Oh no! So that’s what it was!
Si-hyun’s eyes widened.
She had assumed Areum was simply afraid of the dungeon itself.
That was true too, but the main issue wasn’t that.
The people they would be with in the dungeon were all strangers,
and the one person Areum was relying on—her—was only a D-rank hunter.
That’s why Areum had been so anxious!
Feeling apologetic, Si-hyun gently patted the back of Areum’s trembling hand.
“Um, Areum?”
“Y-yes…?”
Si-hyun hesitated briefly, deciding how much she should say.
Revealing too much in an effort to reassure her might have the opposite effect.
This time, it wasn’t the dungeon but her own status that could intimidate Areum.
After organizing her thoughts, Si-hyun spoke slowly.
“Actually, I’m a C-rank. I just haven’t taken the promotion test yet.”
“H-huh…. What?”
“You know how it is. Professors are busy. I figured there was no need to rush.”
“R-really…!”
Using what the Wings Guild members had previously said, Si-hyun offered an excuse.
Areum’s expression instantly brightened.
Seeing that, Si-hyun gave a bittersweet smile.
For some reason, she felt like she was getting better and better at lying as time went on.
Someday, if they became closer, they would have opportunities to talk more honestly about various things.
That was a problem for the future to think about when the time came.
For now, Si-hyun focused on trying to ease Areum’s worries as much as possible.
Her efforts seemed to pay off, as Areum’s once rigid posture gradually relaxed.
Si-hyun quietly sighed in relief.
After finishing their simple meal, the two boarded the van sent by the Wings Guild to pick them up.
***
As the van started heading toward the gate’s location,
Areum squirmed and shifted her seat, sticking closely to Si-hyun.
Cautiously, she wrapped her arms around Si-hyun’s.
Feeling the soft, plush sensation pressing against her arm, Si-hyun turned to look at Areum.
‘Hmm….’
Areum’s nervousness was apparent once again.
Was it because everyone else in the van were men and strangers to her?
Si-hyun thought it would be a good idea to take some time to introduce everyone.
“Everyone.”
“Yes?”
At the sound of her gentle voice, everyone except the driver turned their attention to Si-hyun.
Clearing her throat lightly, Si-hyun continued.
“This is Areum, the student who will be joining us today.”
“H-hello….”
Areum greeted them in a barely audible voice.
The men’s gazes shifted from Si-hyun to Areum.
What stood out the most was her large glasses.
Her forehead was obscured by thick bangs.
Since she was hiding behind Si-hyun’s arm, that was all they could see of her face.
Even so, her strikingly bright appearance made an impression.
The Wings Guild members felt as though the once dull atmosphere of the van had become lighter.
Having two beauties present made the air seem fresher, lifting their spirits.
“Areum, these are all hunters from the Wings Guild. Let me introduce them one by one—”
Si-hyun proceeded to introduce the men in the van.
Now slightly more composed, Areum began to recognize them.
These were the same people she had seen in the Introduction to Monster Studies lecture videos.
After exchanging greetings with everyone and finishing the introductions,
Si-hyun tilted her head and spoke.
“Ji-han, you’re here today too?”
“Feel free to speak casually!”
Ji-han smiled brightly and replied.
“I heard it’s a large dungeon today. I figured I’d help out before heading off on a business trip.”
“…Business trip?”
“Well, kind of. Did you hear why the decision to take on the large dungeon was made today?”
“All Da-young said was, ‘It’s perfect timing!’”
At Si-hyun’s response, Ji-han glanced at Han-gyeol, who was sitting nearby.
Although it wasn’t exactly a secret, it also wasn’t something to be openly discussed.
Han-gyeol nodded, signaling it was okay, so Ji-han continued.
“You’ve heard that most of us in the Wings Guild are from the same large guild, right?”
“Oh, yes. I’ve heard about that.”
“Please, you can speak casually. Anyway! Those guys—no, those jerks—are incredibly petty.”
Ji-han stopped himself mid-insult and rephrased.
“They don’t touch E-rank or D-rank dungeons, but the moment someone applies for a C-rank dungeon near Seoul, they swoop in and steal the reservation.”
“…Can they even do that?”
“The higher the dungeon’s rank, the more the Management Bureau prioritizes entrusting it to the most reliable parties.”
“Ah….”
She had heard something similar before.
Ji-a had once mentioned that a large guild pre-emptively took over an A-rank dungeon, making it inaccessible for others.
As Si-hyun nodded in understanding, Han-gyeol and Ji-han took turns explaining further.
“This is already an improvement thanks to the Management Bureau’s mediation.”
“They mess with us just enough to be annoying, but not enough to take everything away.”
“I see….”
Now Si-hyun understood why the Wings Guild sometimes had to adjust their schedules on short notice.
“They don’t bother with regions outside Seoul?”
“Nope. That’s probably too much hassle for them too.”
They were total thugs.
Feeling disgusted, Si-hyun’s expression twisted into a frown.
Sensing the need to lighten the mood, Han-gyeol smiled and said,
“You don’t have to worry too much! After all, who’s our master?”
“B-rank crafting-type hunter, Moon Da-young!”
Ji-han chimed in with a grin.
Han-gyeol nodded and added,
“Our master has plenty of connections and ensures the Management Bureau keeps a close eye on things. They can only cause minor inconveniences.”
“And if our master gets promoted to A-rank? Those jerks will be scrambling.”
“Haha, I can’t wait for that day.”
“Right? Honestly, I’m more excited about our master reaching A-rank than me getting to B-rank!”
“Hahaha!”
As Ji-han shrugged and joked, the men burst into laughter.
The atmosphere in the van became lively again.
Even Areum, gradually adapting to the environment, peeked out and attentively listened to the conversation.
Curious, Areum pulled out her phone.
She searched the internet for information on crafting-type hunters.
‘Their numbers are extremely low, though not as rare as support-type hunters….’
The highest rank among them in Korea was A-rank.
However, the number of A-rank crafting hunters was so small that they could be counted on one hand, and they were all elderly.
It wouldn’t be surprising if they retired soon.
Now she understood why B-rank crafting hunters garnered so much attention.
Next, Areum tried searching for information on the large guild associated with the Wings Guild.
She wanted to know why things had ended up the way they were now.
Maybe there had even been news coverage about it.
However, just as Areum’s fingers were about to move, the van came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived!”
“Shall we go?”
“…Y-yes!”
She could always search later if it came to mind again.
As soon as Areum got out of the van, she immediately stuck close to Si-hyun.
Being near Professor Si-hyun, a pleasant fragrance subtly wafted in the air.
Somehow, the scent was reassuring.
Of course, if the professor showed any discomfort, Areum would back off immediately.
But until then, she intended to cling to her arm tightly.
That’s how frightening a C-rank dungeon was to her.
Si-hyun looked at Areum’s head with an awkward expression.
Scratching the back of her neck, she began walking, following behind the men.
“Si-hyun, today’s the last one. You’ve worked hard!”
“We’ll be counting on you again today!”
“Fufu, I’m the one who should be saying that. Let’s do our best.”
At the men’s energetic voices, Si-hyun smiled lightly and responded.
As the group moved toward the gate, they encountered another team of men who had arrived earlier.
When the group approached, a man who appeared to be the leader greeted them with a friendly smile.
“Nice to meet you. How about we do a quick round of introductions before we begin?”
The man first introduced his party.
They were all melee-type hunters, with himself being a B-rank, another member being C-rank, and two others being D-rank.
A total of four members made up the party.
The peculiar detail was that all of them shared the same profession: “Rogue.”
As if aware of how unusual this was, the leader gave a wry smile and said,
“Rogues don’t get invited into parties very often, so we decided to form a fixed party of our own.”
It was a plausible explanation, and the Wings Guild members all nodded in understanding.
—
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