Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 63
"Even in this chaos, you were protecting your house? Impressive."
Se-ra marveled as she smashed a spider with the butt of her rifle, sending it flying like a home run.
A wide clearing devoid of trees. Amid the swamp and spider corpses everywhere, Baek Hee-won's grand mansion stood tall and proud.
The black barrier enveloping it was probably her defensive skill, but it looked precarious, on the verge of collapsing any second.
"Oh my god."
But Baek Hee-won herself looked even more wretched.
Her limbs were tangled in spiderwebs like ropes, and blood streamed from her mouth. The dark red hue suggested she'd depleted her mana and been poisoned too.
"Gotta detox her first. Mind handling the spiders?"
Ja-rim, who had rushed over and sliced through all the spiderwebs holding Baek Hee-won, nodded at Se-ra's words.
"Baek Hee-won, you okay? Can you hear me? Do you recognize me?"
"Uh, huh? Wh-what?! Why are you guys here?!"
Se-ra grabbed the arm of the woman trying to scramble away in panic and sat her down, giving a quick explanation.
"Kang Se-jun contacted us. Said a rift dungeon was about to break out here and asked us to help."
Her lack of surprise at that meant Baek Hee-won knew about Kang Se-jun too.
"Damn it. That bastard Kang Se-jun. If he called you, he should've told me..."
"He didn't say nice things, but he's not gonna kill you for it. Drink this first. It's an antidote."
"I really messed up last time. I was the one who deserved to die. What did I do to such a sweet girl?!"
Baek Hee-won grabbed Se-ra's hand with teary,-filled eyes, sobbing uncontrollably.
"So, will you finally give me a proper reading on when I can quit my job?"
No sooner had she asked than Baek Hee-won snatched the antidote and gulped it down.
Ugh. Se-ra clammed up.
"You're a powerful shaman, but you didn't foresee a dungeon breaking out here? You should've evacuated at least."
"I didn't know it'd be a rift dungeon. And how could I abandon this house? Do you know how much I slaved to build this perfect place halfway up the mountain?"
"Then you should've called the Association ahead of time."
"It's an illegal build!"
"..."
Was she really saying that so boldly? No wonder. Se-ra had wondered how such a mansion ended up smack in the middle of Taebaek Mountain.
"You know I'm a civil servant, right? That's why you're saying that?"
"Wait, Se-ra, you're a civil servant...?"
"What? You're supposed to be so clairvoyant, but you didn't know that? Total fraud. Believe it or not, I'm with Association HQ."
"Why? Why on earth are you a civil servant? Your personality, your facenothing screams government worker. Why?!"
"What's wrong with me?"
"A true scammer of this era who'll do anything for a buck, a civil servant?!"
"..."
Damn, she had no comeback for that.
Se-ra ripped off the spiderwebs binding Baek Hee-won and flung them away, yelling.
"That's why I'm screaming for my resignation right now! When can I quit?!"
"...You know, now that I think about it, civil servant suits you. Perfect match. A perfect, perfect match. Managing, handling complaints, beating down criminalsyep, perfect for you."
"Argh, seriously!"
"Kids, love the chit-chat, but can you help me first?"
Ja-rim called out to them pitifully, sniffling.
Only then did Baek Hee-won tear her gaze from Se-ra and look around in bewilderment. All the spiders she'd been struggling against lay gutted and scattered everywhere in the short time since.
"Help with what? The monsters?"
"Keep that up, and I won't do it!"
"I can't. Used too many skillsI'm out of mana. Stamina too. Energy too."
"This shaman sister's got nothing going for her."
"But my house is safe! My money's safe! That's all that matters!"
She spouted nonsense with such dead seriousness. Se-ra clicked her tongue and grabbed her gun to provide support, but Ja-rim raised a hand to stop her.
"No stamina? You should've said so. I can heal that."
"Huh?"
"Forgot I'm a combat healer? Stay put behind me."
Ja-rim gripped her weapon tighter, assumed position, and activated her skill.
She swung her scythe, unleashing a massive gale with a thunderous roar that shook the ground.
By the time Se-ra blinked her eyes open from the reflex, the clearing was a total mess. The swarming spiders were shredded to pieces, guts and poison spilling as they died.
With one attack, Seong Ja-rim had cleared the entire area around the site. Not even the nearby trees were scratchedperfect control.
Baek Hee-won and Se-ra were speechless.
Ja-rim slammed her scythe into the ground, and the message appeared. She frowned.
"20%? Grade 3 really is too weak. Stronger monsters can hit 50% recovery."
"Hold on, Seong Ja-rim. What the hell was that? Steal? Stealing?!"
"Yeah. I steal health from the enemies I kill and heal our allies. That's my skill."
"That's even possible?"
"Of course! I'm the saint who leads everyone to salvation with holy DPS!"
Se-ra had heard that ridiculous self-intro back at the hotel when they learned each other's identities.
She'd thought it just meant DPS for heals. But it was kill-and-steal style?
"You got scared when I pulled my gun, but that's what I wanna say. How's there such a terrifying person?"
"Had to survive somehow, so this skill popped up. Haha!"
Scary to even ask what 'efforts' led to that.
"You're better off helping the monsters. Hey, granny over there. You look like you can handle the leftovers solo. I'm gonna guard my house with Se-ra."
"Who's a granny?!"
"Your face says you've lived over a century. Granny it is."
"No way! I'm twenty-six!"
"Riiight. Sure you are."
Ja-rim ran off sobbing at the confident tone. Spiders charging at her burst on impact, legs twitching.
A horrifying sight. Baek Hee-won and Yoon Se-ra pretended not to see the carnage.
"Anyway, thanks for coming to help. I would've been in deep trouble alone."
"Deep trouble, or almost dead?"
"You think I wouldn't know if it was my time? Not right now, at least."
Baek Hee-won said it proudly, and Se-ra tilted her head.
"You saw that much, but couldn't see my resignation date?"
"Ah, good thing Seong Ja-rim restored my stamina. I'll guard the house alone now, so go help elsewhere."
"Don't change the suuuubject!"
"Gotta check the house for damage. Shrine too. Ahh, so busy! Oof, too busy!"
Baek Hee-won sprang up and slipped inside her protective barrier. Se-ra chased after, but bounced off it.
"Ow, hot!"
Unlike appearances, the barrier radiated intense heat, making it hard to breach.
"Baek Hee-woooon!"
You rotten Baek Hee-won! Not letting this slide!
* * *
With the message, the surroundings reverted to normal Taebaek Mountain.
In the pitch-black night far darker than the city, Se-ra looked up at the sky. It had been bright during the day, but now no moon was visiblemaybe clouds.
"Gonna rain?"
Maybe call her brother to check in.
As she thought that, Seong Ja-rim approached, trudging back after slaying the boss.
"O, good work. Ja-rim unnie."
"Don't call me unnie."
"Fair. With our age gap over a hundred years, it'd prick my conscience."
"That hurts."
Sniffling alongside Seong Ja-rim, the two entered the house. The air was toastyprobably heating on.
"Good work. Eat this and rest."
Baek Hee-won waved from the living room.
Ooh. French fries, chicken nuggets, corn cheese, nachos, and chilled canned beer. Perfect spread.
"You have taste!"
"No stuff like this in Vaskar," Ja-rim shoveled food happily. Come to think of it, no plants therewhat did she even eat?
"Tastes good. You make it yourself?"
"Frozen stuff I bought to eat. Do I look like someone who cooks?"
"Figures. Frozen's trustworthy."
"...Why? Why do I feel offended?"
"Just your imagination."
"Ugh. Fine, house is safe thanks to you twothis time only."
Baek Hee-won chugged her beer, fuming.
"Drank, so can't drive. Crash here tonight, right?"
At Se-ra's casual remark, she spat out her beer mid-sip. Seong Ja-rim hurriedly saved the food.
"What the hell."
"What?! Crashing?!"
"You gave us boozesurely not telling us to drive back to Seoul in the dark?"
"Beer's booze? You can vent the buzz easy!"
"Don't know how."
"I'll do it for you!"
"Aww, head's spinning already. Gotta sleep."
Half-reclined, Se-ra wiggled her toes and sipped her beer.
Infuriating, but Baek Hee-won could only clench her fist helplessly. She had a manager behind her, and above all, they'd just saved her house and life.
Finally unclenching, she dumped the rest of the booze and grumbled about spare blankets or not.
"Tch. Guess it's fate. I needed to talk to you anywaymight as well now."