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Chapter 59
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The section chief glanced at the GPS as he drove with Si-hyun in the car.
They were nearing the area where the Gate was located.
Seeing that there was still some time to spare, he pulled the car over on a quiet roadside.
It was time to have a serious conversation.
“Si-hyun.”
“…Yes?”
Still wearing her seatbelt, Si-hyun simply turned her head to look at him.
The section chief calmly began to voice the thoughts he had organized in his mind.
“I think you’re aware that this dungeon isn’t ordinary.”
Nod, nod.
When Si-hyun nodded, he continued speaking.
“If you participate, information about you—about the nun’s habit—will undoubtedly spread.”
“…Yes, I suppose it will.”
“And as you know, I don’t have much detailed information about you. I’ve only been making my own guesses.”
He paused for a moment before continuing.
“The bigger the situation gets, the harder it will be for me to handle it alone with my authority. Even to conceal information about you. Wouldn’t it be better if you shared a bit more with me?”
“……”
“Better yet, I think it would be wise to share this with a few others, like the head of the management team.”
He spoke as cautiously as possible to avoid any misunderstandings.
“You’ll also need to register as a C-rank hunter sooner or later. They’re all trustworthy people.”
“Hmm….”
“Please trust me. I’ll do everything I can to maintain your secrecy and protect your identity.”
The section chief spoke with a serious expression and tone.
Si-hyun looked at his face and fell into thought for a moment.
He must have deduced, at the very least, that her skills were at a B-rank or A-rank level after seeing her tackle dungeons with Ji-a.
He wouldn’t know exactly what abilities she possessed.
Still, it was true that she had received his help occasionally.
She didn’t fully trust him, but she did consider him trustworthy enough.
More than anything, she appreciated the polite attitude of his request.
In the other world, everyone had demanded, no, forced her to comply as if it was the most natural thing.
Considering his sincerity, it might not be a bad idea to give him a hint about her abilities.
After organizing her thoughts, Si-hyun nodded and spoke.
“I understand that the more I expand my activities, the more likely my identity will eventually come to light.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“But I want to delay that for as long as possible. I’d like to take things easy for the time being. So….”
Si-hyun fiddled with the veil resting on her lap.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she made up her mind and spoke with determination.
“Today, I’ll mostly keep my distance. But if I have to step in, I’ll make it very obvious.”
“Obvious? How obvious…?”
When the section chief asked with wide eyes, Si-hyun grinned and said,
“If it comes to it, I might just leave for overseas. So act accordingly.”
“Hm….”
Despite her innocent smile, her words carried a deeply significant tone.
The section chief fell silent, mulling over the conversation they had just had.
What exactly did she mean by making things “very obvious”?
Was she serious about fleeing overseas if things went south?
Was her warning directed at him, or was it meant for others?
Though they hadn’t exchanged many words, the questions piling up in his mind were endless.
Whether the section chief was lost in thought or not, Si-hyun continued speaking.
“So, once the rear unit sets off, please prepare for me to return home.”
“…Prepare what, exactly?”
“A way for me to get home discreetly. A car or something. That’s all! Thank you in advance.”
“Oh, that’s only natural.”
The section chief nodded, once again organizing his thoughts.
Though they had set a course of action, she still hadn’t provided him with more information than necessary.
Perhaps this was her way of signaling that their trust only extended so far.
‘No, no, that’s not it.’
He shook his head, trying to redirect his thoughts.
He recalled her behaviour since her return.
At first, she had refused counselling and mentoring.
She seemed annoyed by the idea of being contacted at all.
But now?
If asked politely, she was willing to comply with requests.
Perhaps today’s conversation wasn’t about drawing a line with the Bureau.
Instead, it might be a step toward building a stronger bond of trust.
There’s an old saying: “How you say something matters.”
Though the outcome of today’s dungeon expedition was still unknown, the more thorough their preparations and countermeasures, the stronger their relationship could become.
Wouldn’t this be a sign that she was willing to entrust him with responsibilities and reward that trust based on results?
Having sorted out his thoughts, the section chief turned to Si-hyun.
She was waiting for his response with a faint smile.
‘Well, this isn’t so different from how it’s been so far.’
The approach Si-hyun had received from the beginning was clear:
Respect her wishes and build trust step by step.
The more exceptional her abilities, the better this approach would prove to be.
The section chief raised the corners of his mouth and said,
“I’ll handle it well.”
“…Pfft. I’ll be counting on you.”
The two met each other’s gaze and exchanged a handshake.
***
Having entered the dungeon as part of the vanguard, Ji-a let out a deep sigh.
The dungeon’s raid itself was proceeding without any major issues so far.
This was thanks to the remarkable contributions of two S-rank hunters from the Dawn Guild and the S-rank hunter who was the master of the Knight Guild.
Of course, the situation could change once they entered the other dungeon within this one.
For now, at least, the raid was progressing without incident.
However.
“What happened to that person?”
“…It seems a Skeleton Mage used magic.”
The woman, who kept making idle comments, had become a source of frustration.
“Wow, that person’s equipment is so shabby. Are they broke or something?”
“……”
She never stopped running her mouth.
“Those hunters from the mid-tier guild really don’t know how to fight.”
“……”
And her words were utterly pointless.
Ji-a tried her best to keep her head facing forward, refusing to turn.
Every time the woman’s useless remarks broke the tension, Ji-a had to resist the urge to retort.
“Oh, our guys are amazing as always! Right? Right?”
“…Yes, as expected of the Dawn Guild.”
“Why don’t you join us, Ji-a? I can recommend you.”
“…I’ll think about it.”
“Great!”
Without realizing it, Ji-a had responded the same way Si-hyun would have.
The woman didn’t seem to mean much by it, as she quickly returned to watching the battle.
This pattern continued for half a day after entering the dungeon.
Sometimes, when a swarm of monsters surged forward and the vanguard couldn’t handle them all,
“Kyaaah?! Kyaaah!”
Her screams would pierce Ji-a’s ears.
“Attack! Dodge! Move aside!”
And her shouts were entirely unhelpful.
Ji-a silently shook her head.
Of course, if that was all there was to her, she wouldn’t have made it into the raid party in the first place.
The woman was an A-rank support-type hunter, the only one of her rank in Korea, and a member of the Dawn Guild.
Though she did nothing during combat and required constant protection,
The buffs she applied beforehand elevated the abilities of the vanguard hunters.
And her post-battle skills healed everyone’s wounds without fail.
In terms of skill effectiveness alone, she was unparalleled.
Watching her in action brought Si-hyun to Ji-a’s mind once again.
Si-hyun’s healing and buffs were, of course, far superior.
Her mere presence was reassuring, and her support during combat provided mental solace.
Not to mention, her assistance was always precise during tense battles.
And that wasn’t all—she excelled even in direct combat.
Granted, Si-hyun’s versatility was extraordinary, but it was impossible not to draw comparisons after experiencing her capabilities.
The gap in experience was stark—far too stark.
‘I miss Si-hyun… I wonder if she’s started her lecture at the academy by now.’
Guarding the support hunter from yet another swarm of undead monsters,
Ji-a quietly swallowed a sigh.
After another round of combat concluded,
Ji-a silently listened to the S-rank hunters’ conversation.
“Those monsters weren’t the type you’d encounter in an A-rank dungeon.”
“The monsters are getting stronger and stronger.”
“…Hmm, I have a bad feeling about this.”
When the master of the Knight Guild murmured, Ji-a unknowingly nodded in agreement.
While there weren’t any significant issues with the escort itself,
The deeper they ventured into the dungeon, the stronger the monsters became.
It felt like they were stepping into the open jaws of a crocodile, waiting to devour them.
***
“It might be a good time to put on your veil.”
“…Yes, I’ll do that.”
As the car began to move slowly at the signal,
Si-hyun followed the section chief’s advice, carefully lowering her veil and glancing around.
Soldiers began appearing one by one.
The section chief completed a brief procedure, and the car moved closer to the Gate.
“For now, Si-hyun, here’s my suggestion.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Once the car was parked in an area where others had gathered, the section chief unbuckled his seatbelt and spoke.
“You can trust the head of the management team. I’ll share the information I know with them first. We’ll assess the situation before going any further.”
“Understood.”
“And today, let’s say you’re not Jung Si-hyun, the D-rank hunter, but rather a hunter seeking to naturalize in Korea. I’ll take full responsibility.”
“…Hmm.”
“Lastly, let’s route today’s rewards through Hunter Ji-a. That will ensure everything is handled properly.”
“Sounds good.”
Satisfied, Si-hyun nodded.
She couldn’t deny that she had deliberately spoken a little cryptically.
But everything the section chief said was to her satisfaction.
She thought it would be good to continue building their relationship like this.
After all, she had no interest in fame or achievements as a hunter right now.
Maybe she’d want to be a cool professor respected by her students someday.
…Would clearing this dungeon add to her cool professor image?
No, this was something to think about later. There was plenty of time.
Anyway, while some of the responsibility he described might have been exaggerated,
Since he had shown such sincerity, she felt she should say something reassuring in return.
“Section Chief Jang Han-soo.”
“Yes, is there something else you need?”
“Hehe, no, not that.”
She chuckled softly and continued.
“About today’s dungeon. If I have to use my strength, as long as they’re not dead before I get there, I’ll make sure everyone comes out alive.”
“……”
Huh? It wasn’t anything strange, but the section chief made a strange expression.
“…Excuse me?”
“Haha! That’s very reassuring. I’ll trust you.”
“No, I’m serious.”
“Yes, I trust you wholeheartedly.”
The section chief turned to get out of the car first.
Muttering lightly under her breath, Si-hyun also prepared to get out.
But just as she was about to step out, the section chief turned back again and said,
“It seems that’s not enough. Si-hyun, do you have any specific rewards you’d like?”
“…Hmm?”
“Anything at all. Just tell me, and I’ll do my best.”
“Anything… Ah! Then.”
She clapped her hands softly as an idea struck her.
“Get me some Momobin merchandise. All the different kinds!”
“…What? Merchandise?”
“They’re sold out, and I can’t get them no matter how hard I try.”
If he ended up liking them while getting them, it’d be great if the section chief became a Momobin fan too.
She swallowed this thought.
“Hmm… Understood! I’ll look into it and make sure to get them for you.”
The section chief replied with a determined expression.
He looked as though he’d make them himself if they weren’t available.
‘…Wait, is this actually a good idea?’
If you have money, it should be entirely doable, right?
First, she had to deal with the dungeon business.
Still, it felt like she had a new goal.
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