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Chapter 68
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The section chief began opening the guitar case.
I watched with interest to see what was inside.
Why a guitar case? Could there really be a guitar inside? Surely it wouldn’t be like in the movies, with a rocket launcher hidden inside?
For a brief moment, my curiosity spiked.
The section chief unzipped the case completely and opened it.
The item revealed inside.
It was a long, ornate staff with a flashy design.
It was the weapon that Necromancer woman used.
…Something I don’t need.
It wasn’t about its value—just looking at it was unpleasant. I couldn’t help but frown.
“…Excuse me?”
“Hurry and take it!”
“…Okay.”
Urged on by the section chief, I had no choice but to store the staff in my bracelet.
Pretending to manipulate the status window had become second nature by now. Thanks to that, the section chief didn’t suspect a thing as he closed the case.
For now, listening to the explanation and deciding what to do with it later seemed like the right approach.
I swallowed my sigh internally and looked at the section chief.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Following the section chief, who grabbed his bag from the trunk, I trotted along.
We entered a private room at a café we had reserved.
It wasn’t exactly like a room café; the vibe was more akin to a study room.
“Order whatever you’d like. I come here often—it’s a nice place.”
“Ah, sure.”
Not being a frequent café-goer, I wasn’t familiar with many of the menu items.
But since he told me to order freely, there was no reason to refuse.
I picked things that caught my eye from the pictures, like madeleines, financiers, and pound cake.
After we finished ordering our drinks and desserts, the section chief spoke up.
“The dungeon you played an active role in this time—although the byproducts haven’t been completely sorted yet, it’s confirmed that the most valuable item is that staff from earlier.”
“Hmm, okay.”
“No one can deny that the one who played the biggest role in the dungeon was you, the Saintess! Thanks to that, it was successfully delivered. How fortunate, hahaha!”
The section chief laughed heartily and exaggeratedly.
What should I say? It felt like he was overly tense.
Tilting my head, I asked a question.
“How much is the staff worth?”
“Ahem…”
It seemed like he had been waiting for this question.
The section chief covered his mouth with his fist and cleared his throat before speaking.
“The crafting-type hunter who appraised it said it’s worth at least 30 billion won.”
“…Pardon?”
“And if the price is negotiated well, it could go as high as 50 billion.”
“……”
As I fell silent, the section chief smiled with satisfaction.
No, but.
That staff is worth that much?
Then, what on earth…
“It’s good that the item found the right owner. Actually, the delay earlier was because of this.”
“…Ah.”
So those things he had to take care of were related to this.
But still.
If the Necromancer’s staff is worth that much…
…how much is my nun’s habit worth?
I couldn’t even imagine. My brows furrowed unconsciously.
Of course, magical items were incredibly expensive even in the other world.
However, the cost of items in that world and on Earth differed in many ways.
For instance, potions.
While potions weren’t exactly cheap in the other world, on Earth, their prices were absurdly steep in comparison.
In such a situation, the weapon of a defeated heroine is worth at least 30 billion won?
Then, the custom-made nun’s habit created by the hero’s order for me…
The price must have a completely different number of digits.
…Should I just sell it?
A strong temptation struck me for a moment.
It was then.
Buzz— Buzz—
The pager buzzed.
I was about to get up, but the section chief was faster than me.
“I’ll get it.”
The section chief quickly grabbed the pager and stepped out of the room.
His movements were so swift and precise that he could rival a hunter.
‘…….’
Left alone, I regained a bit of calm.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t in urgent need of money right now.
Who knows what might happen in the future? There was no reason to sell it just yet.
If I sold it, I wouldn’t be able to get it back.
Besides, there’s no better item for hiding my identity.
I must have entertained foolish thoughts momentarily because of the overwhelming numbers.
Anyway, once I start working actively, I’m sure I’ll be able to live without worrying about money.
I shouldn’t let money sway me.
Honestly, while I find the Necromancer’s staff unpleasant to look at, it’s still useful.
For the sake of the future, I’ll hold on to it for now. I can always decide to sell it later.
“Whew…”
I let out a light sigh.
If only that woman hadn’t appeared in the first place, my mind would be at peace.
“Were you waiting long?”
Before long, the section chief returned with a tray and neatly set the drinks and food on the table.
After seating himself, he spoke.
“Feel free to enjoy while we talk.”
“Okay.”
I nodded and took a sip of my coffee.
“First of all, um… Do you dislike the staff?”
“…Well, not exactly.”
“Then that’s a relief…”
For a moment, I debated whether to hand it back and ask for the money instead.
But it was something he had gone to such lengths to bring, even hiding it in a guitar case.
His constant concern about whether I liked it also stood out.
It still seemed right to hold on to it and decide later.
Lately, I feel like I’ve been repeating the same conclusion over and over, but there’s no reason to rush.
The section chief, noticing my hesitation, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief as he spoke.
“The rest isn’t as valuable as the staff, but they are the promised items.”
The section chief began taking out items one by one and handing them to me.
“First, here are the introduction letters. Please distribute them to the academy students.”
“…There are quite a lot of them.”
“Haha! I prepared generously.”
The number of students attending my lecture was 15, but I received 30 introduction letters, twice the number.
As I looked at the introduction letters, the section chief continued his explanation.
“These are from a C-rank crafting-type hunter affiliated with the Bureau, who only takes requests through referrals.”
“I see.”
“It’s neither too rare nor too common—a suitable gift for you, Si-hyun. You’re on good terms with Da-young, a B-rank crafting-type hunter, right? This will naturally help expand your connections and enhance your value.”
“Ah….”
It was a story about professor connections included in the academy’s academic information system.
The section chief’s effort and thoughtfulness were evident.
…Though, my connections section is currently blank.
I’ll have to ask Da-young or Ji-a about this later to fill it in.
I organized my thoughts while eating a piece of the financier I had cut earlier.
Regardless, it was clear the section chief had put in a lot of effort, which made me feel good.
As I smiled at him, I saw his previously stiff expression soften.
He then started taking out another item.
This time, it was a small box wrapped in a cloth.
“This isn’t something I prepared. It’s a request.”
“A request?”
“Yes, from the master of the Knight Guild. You remember him, right? He participated in the strategy together.”
“Yes, the old man wielding the sword at the front, right?”
“Haha! That’s correct. His hobby is making handmade treats, and he specifically asked me to deliver this to the Saintess.”
I received the box he handed over.
The cloth appeared to be high-quality, with elegant patterns that completed a beautiful picture down to the tied knot.
“He had lower back pain in his old age, but thanks to your skill in the boss room, he said he could stand upright again.”
“Oh, uh….”
“He was so overjoyed that I couldn’t refuse.”
“Ah… Please tell him I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yes, of course.”
The section chief nodded earnestly.
He reached back toward his bag.
The last item to appear was…
“And this!”
“…Wow!”
Goodness gracious!
“I wanted to get you all the types, but… sorry, the available quantity was too limited. For now, please take this.”
“No, no! This is amazing!”
With trembling hands, I received the item.
It was the merchandise I had wanted the most from Momobin’s goods!
A paper box containing the limited-edition merchandise mug cup was now in my hands!
Ah… It’s moments like this that make life worth living!
I carefully caressed the paper box.
When I opened the lid with shaky hands, inside was a cup adorned with Momo’s illustration on a white background.
“H-how did you get this?!”
“Ahem! I pulled some strings.”
The section chief puffed out his chest with pride.
I felt as though he was glowing!
“This is all for now, but I’ll make sure to get you the rest too!”
“Wow… You’re the best, section chief!”
I clapped enthusiastically in response.
I had tried to get it whenever I had time but eventually gave up. How did he even manage it? Truly a capable man.
“Um, did you happen to watch Momo’s broadcast as well…?”
“Haha, of course! Her voice is quite adorable.”
“Isn’t it?!”
To think he recognized Momo’s charm!
I could feel my affection for the section chief skyrocketing.
Absolutely the best!
As I listened to the section chief’s stories with sparkling eyes, I sipped my coffee and savoured the desserts.
As our conversation wrapped up, the section chief brought up something new.
“Si-hyun, don’t you think it’s time to advance to C-rank?”
“Hm, C-rank?”
I responded while chewing and swallowing a dessert.
While sipping coffee through a straw, the section chief continued.
“Yes, it would make your activities much more convenient in many ways.”
“Hm, I suppose so.”
After thinking for a moment, I nodded.
I had already told Areum that I was an unpromoted C-rank.
It might just be the right time.
“Whew… Then, I’ll handle your promotion after this incident wraps up and contact you afterward.”
“Yes! Please take care of it.”
“Of course, we’re counting on you as well.”
We shook hands.
The section chief’s hand was damp with sweat, giving it a slippery feel.
***
After leaving the café.
Jang Han-soo watched Si-hyun’s back as she walked away, waving his hand.
He had offered to escort her home, but she had declined, saying she wanted to enjoy the nice weather and take a walk.
Judging by her casual demeanour, it seemed like she truly intended to take a walk, not just politely refuse.
The section chief chuckled.
To think she’d prefer a VTuber’s merchandise over a staff worth hundreds of billions.
That staff alone could fund mass production of such goods.
Was it a unique sensitivity of fans who love VTubers? Or was it the significance of limited editions?
Perhaps it was both.
Understanding that sentiment might also be something to work on in the future.
The section chief couldn’t help but smile.
Compared to the selfish or twisted people he often dealt with at work, Si-hyun was genuinely pure.
If approached sincerely and treated with respect, she reciprocated in kind.
In all his years at the Bureau, he’d never met anyone quite like her.
Moving to the parking lot, the section chief got into the driver’s seat and called his team leader.
The call connected immediately, as if the team leader had been waiting.
-“How did it go?!”
“Thankfully, it went well.”
-“Oh! Did she like the staff?”
“…She didn’t seem particularly interested. She liked the VTuber goods the most.”
-“……”
A brief silence followed.
-“As expected of her! What was the name again? Moo… Moo-bin?”
“Momobin.”
-“Ah, Momobin! Why don’t we reach out to her and produce some goods? It might even work to make her our Bureau’s ambassador!”
The scale of the idea suddenly expanded.
After a moment of thought, the section chief replied.
“…I’m not sure if Si-hyun would like that. I’ll approach it carefully and test the waters.”
The section chief began studying VTubers while acquiring more Momobin merchandise.
In his research, he learned about fans who preferred smaller, lesser-known streamers.
As for Momobin, she was a borderline mid-tier streamer.
Thus, the section chief decided that a cautious approach was best.
-“Alright, I’m counting on you for this. Make sure to handle it properly and keep me updated!”
The section chief dutifully reported the café conversation as he concluded the call.
Meanwhile, the value of Momobin’s merchandise subtly began to rise.
***
Si-hyun strolled leisurely, enjoying the warm sunlight.
While not someone who went out just for good weather, she didn’t mind appreciating it when she did.
She took her time, observing the surroundings.
New shops, various people passing by—each scene held its own charm.
With a relaxed mind, Si-hyun enjoyed the sights.
‘Oh, so women can pull off that style. Interesting.’
Her steps felt light.
As she wandered aimlessly, she found herself on a side street.
Admiring the wall decorated with pretty paintings, she mused.
‘The desserts earlier were delicious. Should I have packed some to go?’
She remembered their names. She’d try them at other cafés later.
Exploring new menus sounded like a fun goal.
Letting her thoughts drift, she chuckled softly.
‘Come to think of it, wasn’t there also handmade dessert in that cloth wrap?’
To think it was handmade by an S-rank Awakener!
Si-hyun smiled silently.
After walking for quite a while, she thought it might be time to check her phone for directions to the nearest station.
That’s when the enticing aroma reached her nose.
The warm, fresh scent of baked cookies.
Curiosity piqued, she followed the smell without much thought.
She stopped in front of a large house, where the scent originated.
And then she saw it.
An elderly man enjoying tea and snacks alone in the garden.
It was the master of the Knight Guild.
Through the wide gap in the gate, the old man and Si-hyun’s eyes met.
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