<Q&A (1) >
“Hmm, wouldn’t it be okay definitely Awakening C-Rank, no B-Rank and higher, and finishing the rest with counseling? I was thinking of hiring people to assist… no, if there are that many in the first place, shouldn’t the Association know to assist me on their own? And I just send the data saying ‘there are these optimized initial skills’. At any rate, I only know the skill names.”
Why did I have to do everything? I won’t. If I said I would take just the B-Rank and higher, the Association probably would be displeased, but let’s just say it’s my reward.
“Tell other people to do it, other people.”
“That’s pretty resolute of you, ahjussi.”
“Resolute or whatever, is there anybody who would want to purposely suffer?”
Yerim exaggeratedly widened her eyes.
“There is, right in front of my eyes. That’s why Guild Leader is so cold[1] lately.”
“……Yoohyun? He’s still mad?”
“He’s completely in a bad mood. Truthfully, Guild Leader – I get that he worries about ahjussi, but to others, it seems pretty excessive. Even if one or two more skills were added on, there isn’t much that would exactly change. If a gold nugget that everybody already wanted got two times bigger, it’s still the same that everyone wants it.”
It was completely correct. Whether it was added on that I could find out the expected Awakening rank and skills or not, the guys that would try to pull nonsense on me would still be the same.
“It’s true that guy is excessive, but still, I have to pacify him. And I said I would go into a dungeon with him.”
“Oh, don’t be like that and tell him while you’re at it. To be reasonable about interfering. And come over to me!”
…‘Come over to her’, what was she talking about. She was affiliated to Haeyeon at any rate.
“For dungeons, you can go with me! I can finish a low rank dungeon by myself now.”
Yerim said confidently. Then again, she would soon be 30 levels. If it really didn’t work out, should I go in with Yerim?
“Do you have the time?”
“I’m an S-Rank Hunter. I make my own schedule! Please just say when.”
“Hey punk, you have to think about the other Hunters you work with. ‘S-Rank Hunter’ or whatever, you can’t act like that already.”
“I can just tell them ahead of time. When are you going in?”
“Um… wait. Let me check with Yoohyun first.”
I sent a text saying that if he was busy lately, I could go to the dungeon we were going to go to, with Yerim. When I did, a reply came back immediately. When he didn’t even pick up the phone these past few days.
[There’s no need. I set aside some time.]
“He said he would go himself?”
“Ah- I knew he would do that!”
Yerim had a dull expression.
“Go with me!”
“Okay, next time.”
“While we’re at it, a place with good scenery, with packed lunches!”
Was she going on a field trip? Though a low rank dungeon would probably be at the level of a field trip.
As I became pickled in the mana potions, after completely searching everyone through to the afternoon, I found two B-Rank special skill holders. The actual special skill Awakening attempts were going to start after the building construction finished, so the Hunters that were on standby outside just took their contact information and names.
I had to gather at least fifteen people within two weeks, so it would be good if similar amounts as today appeared.
‘They said tomorrow was Garosu-gil[2], right?’
It was hard borrowing a 1-story in a good location. Though it all worked out with money to a certain extent.
“Peace, Chirpie, were you well?”
I wanted to take both of them with me, but the law didn’t allow it yet. It wasn’t like I was going around by myself, and there were A-Ranks and higher following me, so why couldn’t I? I should nudge the Association’s side to tell them to do some work.
“You came back?”
When I was taking care of the kids’ food, Myeongwoo popped out of the air. It was like that yesterday too, but his face was really bad.
Like that, he would die.
“It’s not something urgent, so why don’t you take it easy?”
At my words, Myeongwoo smiled, even with a complexion that said he was exhausted to death.
“I’m going to make at least up to A-Rank before the construction finishes. And my goal is S-Rank.”
“Isn’t that being too excessive?”
“It’s worth the suffering, so it’s okay. It’s much more worth living this way than when my future was dark. At that time, that wasn’t living. And now, I’m really living.”
He was really living. Hearing that, I couldn’t dissuade him further. I should make him eat the restorative medicine that Kim Sunghan sends.
After I used the Seed-Leaf skill over and over, I found three more B-Rank special skill holders. There was also one B-Rank combat Hunter. If only it hadn’t rained in the middle, I could have discovered more. I hadn’t considered the variable of weather.
‘Bustling streets aren’t bad either, but going through whole companies or schools really could lessen the overlap in checking.’
Once I handed over the results of special skill Awakened People, I should discuss with the Hunter Association and government and tour the country…… I should limit it to one or two times a week. I won’t increase the work any more. I won’t do any more than that.
“Peace, we’re going to go into a dungeon today.”
-Geureureung
I said, rubbing Peace’s neck.
“It’s where you used to live, do you remember? …Though it wouldn’t be a particularly good memory.”
From Peace’s point of view, humans killed his family and kidnapped him. …Was it possible for him to become friendly with that guy Yoohyun?
“Even so, it’s not like we can not do dungeon attacks. Though later, there were organizations that formed that said we had to guarantee a monster’s right to live.”
They had argued that dungeons bursting open was a natural phenomenon, so we had to make a protective reserve for monsters outside of dungeons. Though that didn’t make any sense. Would monsters quietly stay only inside a reserve? First of all, communication had to be possible for coexistence or whatever to be attempted. Since they were monsters that started off with attacking when they saw people.
“Still, my brother isn’t a bad guy. ……Though he’s probably the biggest villain in the world to you. I’ll tell him to treat you well.”
I held Peace in my arms and patted him. It would be good if he didn’t have memories of inside the dungeon at all. Though seeing how he wasn’t acting fierce toward Yoohyun, it seemed like he couldn’t remember.
-Chirp!
When I held only Peace, Chirpie circled my feet as if asking me to lift it up too.
“I can’t take you. It’s a D-Rank dungeon so it’s dangerous.”
-Chirp?
“No.”
When I said it again, it became sullen as if it had understood. Lately, its expressions had become very diverse. And the things it was interested in besides eating also grew.
“Wait here quietly.”
-Cheep cheep
I put Chirpie in the basket and went outside with Peace.
[I’ll be down in the parking lot.]
After sending a text to Yoohyun, I walked. The Hunter next to the elevator greeted me with a smile.
“Will you be going down now?”
“Yes. I am going to go to the parking lot.”
Without even me waving my hand, they got the elevator for me and even pressed the button. I shouldn’t get used to things like this, but everyone was excessively nice.
When I arrived at the parking lot, I saw Yoohyun, who had arrived first. His expression was really hard. And it seemed a little sullen too.
“Please have a safe trip.”
The Hunter who came with me noticed the mood and went back.
“Loosen your expression a little. Are you planning on going around advertising that you’re mad at me or something?”
“It’s not that I’m mad.”
“Then?”
“……Do I even have the right to be mad?”
Then he quickly turned around. What was he talking about? It felt like he was going through a belated puberty or something.
“If there’s something upsetting you, tell me properly.”
“You’re not going to talk to me properly anyways.”
Oh, that, I didn’t have anything to say. But even if I said something, it didn’t seem like he would believe me.
“But it’s not like you’re telling me everything either. There’s no difference with unilaterally ‘protecting’ and keeping your mouth shut, you know?”
“That’s why I said I’m not mad. I’m just upset on my own, so don’t worry about it.”
That sure wasn’t worrying at all. Yoohyun opened the car’s back seat door for me. There weren’t other people besides that guy. With this atmosphere, it was better for there not to be.
“How long are you going to be upset for?”
“I’m thinking about it. What I should do with hyung. Truthfully, I don’t have the ability to handle it. I recognize that. I also know that I’m being imprudent, keeping on interfering with hyung.”
Yoohyun said, sitting in the driver’s seat. I felt weird, since he was saying that kind of thing. I really wasn’t much compared to my brother.
“…Why would you say it like that. We’re brothers, so whatever the surrounding situation, we can worry about each other.”
“It’s the truth. I have to acknowledge that you’ve left my hold, but I’m like this because I don’t want to, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Cutting it off with that, he started the car.
Hm, I didn’t know what I should say. And I couldn’t say ‘it’s okay to keep on interfering’. But I didn’t want to settle it by saying ‘there’s no helping it’ either. Above all, the part where he said he didn’t have the ability.
……How was it imprudent for a younger brother to worry about his older brother? The same for the opposite. Though yeah, in my case, it was like a cat worrying over a tiger. Still, it wasn’t like I couldn’t.
The dungeon wasn’t that far so we arrived quickly. It was a mixed seashore and forest environment under Haeyeon’s management. The normal monsters appeared in the forest, and the boss monster in the seashore.
-Keuheung!
As soon as the monsters were visible, Peace jumped down from my arms. The Olgors, the monsters that seemed like they were monkeys mixed with cats, fiercely bared their teeth at Peace.
“He was like that with the Tooth Moles, but are there any cases where monsters get along well?”
“If the species are different, usually they try to kill and eat the opponent. That’s why in high rank dungeons where several different species of similar rank come out, you can handle them by purposely causing a fight between monster groups.”
“So it’s like that. You know pretty well.”
I nodded my head and checked my brother’s mood. While we were at it, we should properly talk things out.
[The preparation to talk is done!]
That’s right, talk. Huh? No, wait-.
Right after the message window popped up, the surroundings became dark. Then, one, two, firefly-like small lights floated up.
“…Yoohyun?”
I couldn’t see either Yoohyun or Peace. Was it a separate space altogether?
‘I can’t see anything.’
The lights were floating around, but it was just that. There was nothing they shone on, and it was just dark.
“Hey excuse me?”
If you pulled me over, then say something at least.
As if replying, the group of lights gathered in front of me. A rectangular window was made, and a Korean keyboard appeared. It seemed like a giant smartphone screen.
Deer: Hi, darling[3]!
Tree: Nice to meet you! How were you in the meantime?
Newcomer: Hello!!
Wolf: Hi, sweetie![4]
Water Droplet: Can you see it well? You can see it well, right? I don’t know if it came up properly.
On the screen, words appeared in a row. Was this a chat[5]? Was it a chat window?
‘First of all, so there’s five, huh.’
After hesitating a bit, I raised my hand over the keyboard.
Honey[6]: Hello.
…What was this nickname. Change it. Weren’t there any chat settings?
Deer: Ohhh, our cutie! So you’ve connected safely! Send me a welcome kiss~.
Wolf: There’s a lot you’re curious about, right? Ask anything!
Water Droplet: Not anything! Sorry, Honey. Please ignore those two. Uselessly barging in. Newcomer is going to block them soon. First of all, I will tell you the precautions.
It was a relief that at least one of them was normal.
Water Droplet: There is a limit on the information we can tell you. The connecting passage between that side and this side is narrow. Originally it was actually closed. Right now, the passage was forcefully opened, so it will cut off if the amount of information goes above a certain amount.
Honey: Does the chitchat also count as information? Can’t I just use my name for the nickname?
Water Droplet: Chitchat is fine. Names are also information, so you cannot. Above all, we need to hide Honey still.
Honey: From what?
Deer: A guy we can’t directly call by name!^▽^
Were they Vol**mort?
Water Droplet: Looks like they weren’t blocked yet. Still, it is not wrong. Names are big pieces of information. If we mention it in detail, that side will notice as well.
Honey: Are they someone related to dungeons?
Water Droplet: That is right! The dungeons slowly increasing and becoming stronger is widening a type of influence. But, you do not have to worry. Honey just needs to do exactly one thing.
Honey: You must be talking about raising S-Ranks.
That was the only thing those people had directly demanded.
Tree: Correct this time again! Specifically, you just have to apply the keyword and gather exactly 50.
Water Droplet: More than that is fine too.
Newcomer: If you just do that, you can leave the rest to us!
Water Droplet: We cannot explain in detail. But please believe us. It is completely filling up 50 people in the skill window. You just have to do that.
Was it really okay with just 50? Then again, if I applied the keyword and kept on putting on the growth buff, they would get much stronger than normal S-Ranks. According to how they grew, couldn’t an SS-Rank somehow appear too?
Honey: Then can’t you change the keyword to a bit easier one?
To something like my previous ‘do your best’.
Water Droplet: The keyword is not something we set up. We check Honey’s skills and write down the names and explanations matching that.
Deer: I named all the Perfect Caregiver title’s skills! Aren’t they perfect?
So you were the culprit.
Honey: No, not at all. Then can’t you write the explanations more detailedly at least?
Water Droplet: Oh that, Honey. There are two reasons. The first is that even we do not know people’s skills, abilities in detail. It is exactly at the level of discovering a new type of rabbit, examining it, and saying ‘this has long ears and jumps around and eats grass so let’s say it’s a rabbit’. We do not have the ability nor the time to thoroughly investigate them.
Tree: Thankfully, there’s already collected data, so we’re more or less managing the skill windows, but cases like Honey’s is really an exception.
Water Droplet: Yes, this is the first time the Perfect Caregiver title came out.
Deer: Really □□□□□!
Wolf: □□□□□□□□□!!
Water Droplet: Drag those two guys out right now!
[We apologize that the chat cannot be chosen at this time.]
It seemed like Water Droplet-ssi has a lot of hardships.
[1] lit. ‘vigorously blowing cold wind’
[2] lit. means ‘tree-lined road’ but it’s a famous/popular area in kr
[3] eng word transliterated
[4] both words in eng transliterated
[5] it’s the eng word transliterated (actually ‘chatting’) so it means an online chat
[6] eng word transliterated