Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 33
'There are a ton of things I want to ask, and now people are coming too? Talk about mountains beyond mountains.'
Instead of activating her skill, Se-ra stored her weapon in her inventory. She couldn't sense any presence with her senses, but the Administrator wouldn't lie about something like this.
"Well, you wouldn't lie, but you're great at hiding things, aren't you?"
Se-ra snorted as she spat out the curt remark.
"I should've killed this bastard myself. What a shame."
She leaped back again, dodging another attacking magical beast.
She absolutely didn't want to forgive the one who'd thrown her early retirement out the window, but there was no helping it. She didn't want to get caught and lose not just her early retirement but her resignation altogether.
'Ah, but when the hell are they coming? At this rate, that thing's gonna suck all my blood dry!'
She couldn't even ask for the blessing Guardian, which deflected attacks three times stronger, since people were coming.
On top of that, the problem was that blood droplets were splattering everywhere from her intense movements. The beast was opening its jaw wide, as if even a single drop was too precious to waste, gobbling them up.
It was a truly gruesome sight. Ugh, she had to make sure not to bleed anywhere from now on.
[Blood... Give me your blood!]
"Uwaaaah! Stop it already, you're making me wanna puke...!"
The magical beast used its ethereal body trait to close the distance in an instant without a sound. The moment Se-ra desperately tried to protect her injured arm and dodge, she saw it.
Behind the beast, a figure approaching even more silently than the ethereal body.
Black bobbed hair, expressionless refined face, pitch-black combat suit covering from neck to limbs, and fluid, natural movements like flowing water.
Se-ra's eyes widened at the familiar person.
Why was that person here?
[Right now, you...!]
"I'll kill you."
A heavy yet calm voice stole the beast's words. With it, a pure white blade decisively severed the ethereal neck. A horrific death cry erupted.
[Ah, ah, no, no...!]
Even then, its long tongue stretched out desperately toward Se-ra, but the sword struck again. The translucent body scattered powerlessly into the air.
It was the death of the ethereal body.
'My eyes weren't playing tricks on me.'
The one putting away the dagger that had sliced off the beast's head was none other than Jeong Ho-young, the guild master of Chasa Guild, ranked 2nd in the country.
Along with the relief of being saved, Se-ra felt immense relief for another reason.
'Whoa, that was close. If I'd ignored the Administrator and killed the beast here, what would I have done?'
Of all people, it had to be Jeong Ho-young who showed up.
She was a famous devotee of Song Han-na in the country. Rumors even went so far as to say she'd named her guild 'Chasa' to signify following the Association President.
If someone that loyal witnessed her killing the beast? She'd run off without looking back to report it.
Se-ra sincerely patted herself on the back for listening to the Administrator.
'Elizabeth, I'll let it slide whatever you were hiding from me this time.'
'Of course, that doesn't mean I won't grill you later.'
Leaving the quietly sulking Administrator behind, Se-ra met Jeong Ho-young's gaze. The approaching woman carefully examined the wound on her arm.
"That's bad."
Hmm, it really was pretty bad. Dodging the beast's attacks by rolling around had worsened the gash on her arm, and her body was covered in dust.
"From that beast just now?"
"Y-yes."
"No poison since it's an ethereal attack, but you should treat it quickly."
Jeong Ho-young pulled a potion from her inventory and poured it generously over the wound.
Oh my god. Using expensive high-grade healing potion like this. Being the Association President's cherished friend's daughter had its perks.
"D-did Chasa Guild take on the raid?"
Se-ra exaggerated her pain as she asked.
Good thing she'd rolled around dodging the beast. If her body were clean, she'd definitely raise suspicions. As Korea's top assassin specialist, Jeong Ho-young was excellent at spotting such traces.
"The Association President asked me. Our headquarters is nearby anyway."
"So you came to rescue me from the start?"
"She's very worried about you. Said to give you a good scolding."
"......"
Sadness crept over Se-ra's face. This time, it wasn't actingit was genuine.
Yeah... How did I end up like this...?
"The bleeding's stopped. There's an ambulance waiting outside, so let's go."
"Y-yes. Oh! Section Chief Kim Sang-hyeon!"
Remembering she'd unwittingly tossed him aside during the beast's attack, Se-ra hurriedly scanned the area. He was slumped pathetically in a corner against the wall.
S-sorry. It wasn't on purpose.
But as she leaned in to check for injuries, she had to apologize again. Whether from a bump or something, he was unconscious and bleeding profusely from both nostrils.
Really sorry. I'll pretend I didn't see.
Se-ra silently pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped his nose.
* * *
Outside the gate, hunters from the raiding guild, seemingly rescued by Chasa Guild, were sprawled everywhere.
Some had their minds fully eroded and died, but most survived. Everyone wondered how the small guild members had endured the White Ghost's mental attacks.
Surprisingly, the truth came out quickly.
"My mind got hazy, like wandering in a dream with hallucinations, and that's when it happened. Something punched right through my head."
"R-right! Me too! The hallucinations vanished, my strength drained, so I thought I was dead! But how am I alive...?"
"It was a gunshot. Definitely the sensation of being shot. I've been shot before, so I know the feeling exactly."
"The moment something pierced my skull, I felt my energy drain right out. I mistook it for my soul leaving, thought I was done for. Never dreamed I'd survive unscathed."
All the survivors said the same thing. Even dispatched civil servant Section Chief Kim Sang-hyeon claimed the exact same experience.
As people murmured in confusion about what happened, Se-ra quietly raised her hand. Amid gazes from everyone including Jeong Ho-young, she said very seriously,
"Same for me. Right after the section chief went down, I collapsed too, and something flew toward my head. It didn't hurt, but the impact was shocking. Like my head was pierced... "
Rubbing her forehead like someone in pain, Se-ra swayed dramatically as if dizzy. Jeong Ho-young hurriedly supported her. Her face was so pale with a small thank-you that Jeong Ho-young grew deeply concerned.
Thus, she had no idea.
That while her body stiffened rigidly, Se-ra's mind was racing furiously.
'I'm screwed. Totally screwed big time! I never imagined he'd feel it even while passed out! What do I do now!'
Se-ra swallowed hard.
From now on, play dumb all the way.
I just woke up a bit earlier than the others.
I didn't see anything.
She repeated it to herself over and over, acting harder than ever.
* * *
Top guy crazy Headbanggaksi
But seriously weird. Normally you'd reveal yourself after handling something like this, why not?
She dipped after saving during that Class 2 beast too, would she show for a Class 4 dungeon clear?
Wait, wasn't Chasa the one who handled the rift dungeon? The guild master who doesn't lift a finger without Tiger noona's orders suddenly steps up?
That was just the boss. Headbanggaksi saved the guild members, seems legit
For real? Tiger fans are clapping saying it's Chasa cuz of Tiger noona, looks like Chasa handled it?
Chasa said directly it wasn't them.
"...Guild master, why'd you say that. Just say you handled it."
Scrolling the community, Se-ra thought of the too-honest Jeong Ho-young and quietly shed tears.
"And Headbanggaksi? You think I wanted to be Ureonggaksi...?"
She wanted to sit at a table someone else set and enjoy a nice hot meal too. Did anyone think she enjoyed preparing it and leaving without a bite?
She had no choice but to bail because one taste would pawn her life away.
"If not for Auntie's overprotection, I'd have quit ages ago... No need to keep working as a civil servant now that I'm S-rank anyway."
There was a reason she'd wanted to become a civil servant right at 20, fresh into adulthood.
But now that her rank had risen, that reason was gone.
"Is there really a way to resign quietly without raising Auntie's suspicions or getting dragged to her place?"
For the first time since the civil service exam, she racked her brain until it hurt, but saw only a dark future. Sniffle.
Then, a text notification popped up on her phone beside her. Se-ra blearily turned on the screen. Her face twisted viciously upon reading it.
[Do you really think you can keep hiding your identity?]
It was a message from the damn regressor who'd looped five times.