Episode 19: Shared Strength
Episode 19: Shared Strength
"Let's discuss this privately for a moment."
Party Leader Lee Mi-ae gathered the party members.
The assembled members stood slightly apart from Seol-hwa.
"What if we officially recruit the porter into our party?"
The Party Leader didn't even know Seol-hwa's name. To someone steeped in elitism like her, a porter's name wasn't worth remembering.
"I agree. We wasted a whole week finding a porter. It's not easy to find someone who skins hides as skillfully as her. We should make her a permanent party member. Remember last week - we couldn't hunt at all because we couldn't find a porter."
Magician Lee Yu-na voiced her support. Only Ability Users could enter Danger Zones.
To hire a porter, they absolutely had to be an Ability User.
Other parties usually entrusted byproducts to Apprentice Hunters or assigned one member to handle them.
But none of these party members wanted to carry luggage.
"What? Are you insane? Why on earth would we take that bitch with us?"
The Orc Healer argued back, clearly displaying genuine dislike for Seol-hwa.
"Then will you carry the byproducts, Guk-hee-ssi? Even if you did, could you skin hides as well as Seol-hwa?"
"I-I know someone! We can fire her and hire my acquaintance instead!"
"Ah...that's why we wasted an entire week. Some acquaintance you've got!"
"Th-then if Heebin-ssi gets paid more to carry..."
"Impossible. Cannot resume combat while carrying luggage. Other teams assign it to apprentices or injured members excluded from combat."
"Then let's recruit an apprentice too."
"We hired a porter because nobody wants to join us! Since when do apprentices join parties like ours!"
The argument escalated to near fighting.
"Stop fighting. As Party Leader, I'll decide."
Lee Mi-ae spoke, silencing the dispute. She pretended to deliberate before announcing:
"We'll formally hire Seol-hwa-ssi. But we'll observe tomorrow whether she performs as well as today. Remember a week ago? When she botched the skinning? This might just be a fluke. Let's watch her one more time."
"And raise her pay."
"Yes, we'll increase it to 700,000 won. Agreed?"
One abstention. Two approvals. One opposition.
By majority rule, they decided to hire Seol-hwa.
"I object! I'm against this!"
"Fine, leave if you disagree. When was the last time we used Guk-hee-ssi's abilities anyway?"
The sole opposition was ignored. The Orc Healer immediately backed down at Mi-ae's words.
Her flawed abilities made leaving impossible.
"Good. Then we're all in agreement."
The Party Leader made the final decision.
* * * * *
"Huh? You're hiring me?"
Seol-hwa thought she misheard.
"Yes. Not 300,000 won but 700,000 won daily pay."
Seol-hwa's face brightened. 700,000 won - more than double her previous earnings.
This wasn't a once-a-month hunt either.
Two hunts meant 1.4 million, three meant 2.1 million.
Three jobs would earn her an office worker's monthly salary.
Though it was money earned by risking her life.
"Yes! I'll do it! Just give me the chance!"
This was her opportunity to establish herself in society.
In capitalism, money was everything.
With money, anything became possible.
"Work hard. Ah, this isn't finalized yet. Do well today and next time. The Party Leader might change her mind."
The Magician disappeared.
"700,000 won... Formal Employment... I can save for a house now."
A ray of light pierced her previously bleak future.
Light bearing the name "hope".
Though faint and unstable, the mere feeling of having a path forward calmed her heart.
"You know this is all thanks to me, right?"
The Monster, silent until now, spoke.
Seol-hwa momentarily lost composure.
She was the one who skinned the hides.
Not the idle Monster.
"Nonsense! This is all my doing!"
She momentarily forgot being coerced.
Abandoning honorifics, she openly defied it.
"Eek."
She immediately feared retaliation.
"Oh? Then you don't need me anymore?"
With those words, the Monster stopped moving.
Squirm. Squirm.
It retreated into her womb. Semen that had filled her uterus flowed out.
"I... need to use the restroom."
She went to a secluded spot.
Inserting fingers into her vagina, she removed the semen.
'If you're unnecessary, why go back in there?'
After hastily removing the semen, she resumed work.
The Healer's gaze burned. His eyes brimmed with schemes to catch her mistakes.
She wanted to confront the Monster. These hostile looks were all its fault.
She wished she could scream "Get out! I don't need you!" at the top of her lungs.
But she couldn't.
Who knew what retaliation might come from inside her body?
She swallowed her words.
The hide bundling finished.
She tied the bundled hides onto her backpack.
"Let's depart."
The hunt resumed. She shouldered the heavy backpack.
"Ugh."
Her body swayed. She nearly collapsed under the weight.
"I'll help just today."
The silent Monster spoke. Suddenly, overwhelming strength flooded her body. She caught her falling body and stood upright.
Yu-na asked if she was okay, suggesting removing some hides.
"I'm fine. It's not heavy."
Though initially heavy enough to stagger her, now it felt unnaturally light.
Uncannily so.
'Don't tell me...'
She recalled the Monster's words about helping just this once.
The sudden surge of strength following that statement.
'No. That can't be right.'
She denied the possibility. If true, it meant she was nothing without it.
"Status Window..."
She summoned the Status Window she hadn't checked since awakening.
[Name: Yoo Seol-hwa]
[LV1]
[Class: None]
[Strength:16]
[Stamina:15]
[Agility:18]
[Mana:20]
[Skills: None]
Nothing had changed. Identical to before.
Her anxiety intensified.
'No... It can't be.'
She forcibly shook off the unease.
Time passed. Before she knew it, departure time arrived.
"Sure you're okay? Like last time, taking partial hides is fine."
"I'm fine. No problem."
Seol-hwa lifted the backpack piled mountain-high with hides.
Dozens of hides - an impossible load for an F-Rank Hunter like her.
Yet she lifted it effortlessly.
The party began moving.
Retracing their path.
Through deep forests without proper trails.
Just walking was exhausting.
"Huff... Huff..."
Even Ability Users with superior physiques gasped for air.
The Orc Healer sweated profusely as she moved.
But Seol-hwa didn't shed a single drop.
'This is strange...'
Power overflowed in her body.
The backpack felt light as feathers.
A week ago, she'd nearly died carrying half this weight.
She'd barely made it home, gritting her teeth.
What changed in a week?
Only the Monster in her womb.
'Could it really...?'
She bit her lip.
The circumstantial evidence mounted.
'No. It can't be. But if it's really thanks to the Monster...'
Her resolve weakened.
The desire for it to disappear vanished.
She began wishing for its faint presence to remain.
They reached the guard post. Seol-hwa unloaded.
"Well done. We'll transfer payment immediately."
The Party Leader took the byproducts.
They'd be converted to cash by waiting merchants.
Money. A week ago she'd been overjoyed, but not now.
"Thank you."
Her voice lacked energy despite her overflowing vitality.
"Next hunt is in 3 days. We hunt up to 10 times monthly."
The Party Leader left.
"Congrats. No money worries for a while, Seol-hwa."
"Thanks, Yuna-unnie. It's all thanks to you."
"Psh, I barely helped. You earned this. Oh! My boyfriend's here. Bye!"
The Magician ran to a K5 sedan.
The Healer and Swordsman had left long ago.
She returned home alone.
The Monster remained still until she neared home.
'Should I buy something?'
Not for the Monster.
Just celebrating her new job.
She bought a whole chicken from a nearby shop.
Click.
Home at last.
"We're home... Bought chicken... Want some?"
No response. She sat at her worn desk.
"Guess I'll eat it all myself then."
She unwrapped the package. Tore open chopsticks.
The food-obsessed Monster didn't budge as she ate the entire chicken.
She couldn't even enjoy the taste.
'Please let the next hunt be like today...'
Lying in bed, she prayed silently.
After confirming the Monster in her womb, she slept.
Morning came.
First thing, she checked for the Monster.
Still there. Relieved, she tried relaxing.
But anxiety prevented proper rest.
Next day.
The ever-present womb Monster was gone.
She frantically searched her room.
It reappeared exactly three hours later.
Without a word, it reentered her womb.
Day three.
Anxiety grew. Unfounded dread consumed her.
She stayed awake all night.
She tempted the Monster with food.
Trying to confirm her fears.
It remained silent.
Then came hunt day.
"Seol-hwa-ssi, I might have to reconsider hiring you."
Unlike before, the hides wouldn't skin smoothly.
Her fears became reality.