Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 96
If only everything could end as warmly as the mood between those two.
Unfortunately, right now Kang Se-jun was kneeling before an enraged tiger.
You're saying Se-ra has to go to the dungeon in Japan?
Nothing was scarier than an angry parent. Kang Se-jun broke out in cold sweat.
Have you forgotten that you have to enter the labyrinth soon?
It's hard to explain the reason. But Yoon Se-ra is absolutely necessary.
Kang Se-jun. Do you know why I'm sitting here?
...What?
It's because of guys like you who shove my people into dangerous places!
Song Han-na, golden patterns floating across her entire body, began rampaging. It was obvious trying to intervene would only backfire, so Se-ra prayed Kang Se-jun would just survive without dying.
Hang in there, Regressor.
I'm truly sorry! Instead, I'll devote my entire life to Yoon Se-ra! I'll protect her with my own life! I promise!
......
......
Hold on. Saying that here makes the atmosphere weird.
W-what, what, what are you, what are you devoting?
So flustered that the patterns had completely subsided in the blink of an eye, Song Han-na even started stuttering. It was the first time Se-ra had seen her at such a loss for words, excluding the times her mom was hurt or killed.
I'm not talking about forcing any sacrifice. That absolutely won't happen. I swear on my life. If that's not enough, I'll devote my entire life to Yoon Se-ra.
No, that's exactly the problem.
Song Han-na whipped her head toward Se-ra with an audible creak. Se-ra flinched at the glare sharp enough to shoot lasers.
D-don't look at me like that! It's not what you're thinking!
......Are you two dating behind my back? Come to think of it, you met alone last time too.
I said no, but she still had to say that word!
Se-ra covered her face with both hands and slumped to the floor. Not from shame, but from a crushing sense of self-loathing.
It's not that. I said it's not...... There's nothing between me and Kang Se-jun......
Then why is he devoting his life to you?
Tell me about it. I don't need any of that.
Kang Se-jun, you're not after our Se-ra, are you?
She looked ready to kill if he confirmed it.
If he says he's not interested, you'll snap that he's insulting your niece by implying she's lacking, right?
It was a no-win question from the start. To Kang Se-jun's sharp retort, Song Han-na shouted confidently, Of course! The embarrassment fell entirely on Se-ra.
I respect Yoon Se-ra as a person. Just a few months ago she was F-rank, yet even when suddenly thrown into danger after danger, she charges forward without hesitation.
The grade-2 dungeon outbreak in Seoul Forest, the crack dungeon at the Hunting Guild, Cheorwon's grade-1 dungeon.
And those weren't even the only dungeons Se-ra had cleared. Risking one's life wasn't easy, yet she'd volunteered for those perilous places time and again.
She was even scheduled to enter the labyrinth soon.
Kang Se-jun respected that determination of hers. He admired it.
Yoon Se-ra is truly someone I'm grateful to. So I'll definitely protect her from anything that comes. Even if it costs my life.
The problem was, to outsiders who knew nothing, those words sounded far too suggestive.
Song Han-na's face twisted into a demon's as she became convinced there was definitely an ulterior motive.
How can he say it like that when I'm basically his cheat key for this life? Anyone would think he came here to ask for marriage permission.
No, Administrator. You know the truthwhy are you doing this?
Thud! At the sudden voice, Se-ra tumbled off her chair. Song Han-na, who had been shaking Kang Se-jun by the collar as if to kill him, stared at her in utter bewilderment.
Se-ra? Don't tell me you're protesting to me right now because I grabbed your boyfriend's collar......?
'S-stop! Don't both talk at once!'
She felt like she was going mad. Plugging her ears did nothingthe Administrator's voice drilled straight into her mind.
No! It's not true! I told you I'm not in that kind of relationship with Kang Se-jun!
Please, whether Song Han-na or the Administrator, someone just listen!
Kang Se-jun, you're the one causing all these weird misunderstandings!
She'd always used formal speech with Kang Se-jun and Seong Ja-rim in front of others, but now that was shot. Frustrated and wronged, she wanted to grab his collar herself.
Really not? Then why is he proposing to you?
That's not a proposal!
Aaack! Just stop already!
She'd thought hearing the Administrator's voice was a good thing, but what a load of crap. The table-flipping emote was better than thisgetting pecked like penguins from both sides, chattering nonstop, was driving her insane.
It must have read her inner thoughts. Emotes piled up, blocking her vision, and Se-ra jumped.
'Stop! Don't read my mind without permission!'
Kang Se-jun! Say it's not true quick! Our god is rampaging because of you!
You really get along well with the holy entity. Of course it's not a proposal. And I'm not in that kind of relationship with Yoon Se-ra.
Only when Kang Se-jun finally spoke the truth did Song Han-na and the Administrator finally quiet down.
It truly felt like she'd survived death. Se-ra let out a sigh of relief and wiped away the cold sweat trickling down.
But the eternal problem with this guy was that you had to hear him out to the very end.
Of course, my promise to devote my life isn't a lie either. If marriage means taking responsibility, then naturally...
Yaaah!
Unable to take it anymore, Se-ra finally lunged straight at Kang Se-jun.
There had been a close call where someone nearly bit the dust, but in any case, Korea decided to answer Japan's call for aid.
The team consisted of four in total.
Yoon Se-ra, Kang Se-jun, Jung Ho-young, and Do Jun-young specially dispatched to keep an eye on Japan and make sure they didn't pull anything stupid.
The reason Seong Ja-rim sat this one out was simple.
I can't kill spirits! I don't even have mental barriers!
Her face was so innocently bright as she shouted it. Who would ever peg her as the one who'd wiped out an entire planet and returned?
By the way, you're revealing your identity sooner than planned. You okay with that?
To Song Han-na's question, Se-ra shrugged like it was no big deal.
It's gonna come out anyway. Well, debuting in Japan over the labyrinth island sounds pretty good too.
Se-ra grinned. Getting it perfectly, Song Han-na burst into a hearty laugh.
Korea had always gotten pushed around, but especially after the cataclysm. China had two L-rank Awakeners, and Japan boasted a staggering eighteen S-ranks. Diplomatic tensions were severe as a result.
Even twelve years ago, when the Cheorwon dungeon broke and Korea teetered on annihilation, they offered no helpignoring it entirely as if cheering for collapse. The people's resentment festered like pus-filled boils.
But now? Kang Se-jun and Seong Ja-rim emerged one after another, rocketing Korea past Japan in a flash. Then Se-ra's most dazzling debut hammered home their status as the absolute top.
That was why the whole world paid more attention to Se-ra than those other two.
And in this situation, with bad blood deepened into a full-blown chasmnow a deep wellshe reveals herself in Japan? Takes that stage to grab the global spotlight?
It felt so damn cathartic she could roar with laughter.
In just months, Northeast Asia's power balance had flipped.
I'll blow it up real good, so get those articles ready.
Would we have it any other way? We'll crank out the perfect debut story, so don't sweat it.
Perfect. Se-ra grinned and high-fived Song Han-na.
* * *
Then, before heading to Japan, shall we try this contract?
Se-ra headed to the training room at Association HQ. Any registered Awakener could use it, and it was incredibly sturdy thanks to mana stones from dungeons worked into the walls and floor.
With her L-rank perks, the CCTV was off, so she pulled out the summon contract she'd swiped from America without a second thought.
A monster from the fantasy realm. Wonder what'll show up.
What kind of monster? Something that can fly would be ideal.
Running everywhere on foot was getting old. If she couldn't get mobility skills, she wanted something that could carry her.
Huh? Can Lisa pick the monster herself by any chance?
Can't, huh...... Then why are you so excited?
At the 'just go for it' gesture, Se-ra unfurled the contract.
Allows summoning and taming one monster from the fantasy realm.
Its stats are determined by the summoner's rank, and it inherits one of the summoner's skills.
Warning. Once summoned, the summon cannot unilaterally terminate the contract until death. The contract auto-terminates if either party dies.
After reading every detail, she signed the luxurious parchment with her mana.
Summon.
The parchment, sucking in her signature dark-red mana, began glowing crimson. It was her first time seeing a summon up close, and her heart raced.
What would it be? Please let it fly. Something with flight! Please!
Oh. Being the System Administrator's contractor even affects this.
This was gonna be one heck of a summon.
Se-ra watched the contract swirl with gathering light, her heart pounding.
What monster? How cute would it be? My babywhat should I name it?
The moment she sent up that happy prayer.
Lisa?
Parapapapabam! Fanfare erupted as the monster made its appearance.