Spring Swarm Season Blues
Event! The Spring Mass Outbreak Season. Between April and May, monsters enter their spawning period. They get especially ferocious during this time, with plenty trying to expand their territories. For us at Meracle—Hunter specialist matchmaking agency—it was a season that demanded extra caution.
"Hunters are a bit..."
"Ahem, sorry, but could you hold off on hunters?"
"You kidding? It's the season when hunter matches just don't stick. Asking if it's okay is an insult. It's the time when hanging out our 'Hunter specialist' sign feels like a regret."
"Ah, when the hell is this damn company gonna turn a corner."
After calling around to clients, I let out a long sigh. I knew this season was coming, but the timing sucks. Other matchmaking agencies are blasting events left and right under the slogan "May is wedding month," while we're stuck.
"Th-the low customer count... N-no, that's not it."
"Right. We're swamped."
As Kim Yang and Baek Yeonhwa said, that was true. But the problem was the piling-up hunter clients.
"We gotta lock in matches somehow. Hunters hate matching with other hunters, though."
Stretching with a sigh, a message pops up from Raichen.
"Kim Yang, you go."
"O-okay. L-let's go."
"Yep!"
Baek Yeonhwa grabs her makeup kit and follows Kim Yang as she stands.
Styling services were surprisingly booming. Getting makeup and styling from Kim Yang, the famous SNS influencer, was a big draw. Of course, anyone imagines how different they'd look if a real pro dolled them up. 'I'd look way better if I got styled.' That need hit the mark, and reviews for Kim Yang's styling were solid. So yeah, needs met.
That's why Baek Yeonhwa had recently started learning makeup as Kim Yang's assistant. Rich ancient martial lady with cash to burn. No idea how long she'll stick around, but she's diligently picking it up. Saw her checking out a beauty academy lately—more serious than I thought.
'Does the Azure Dragon think that's fine?'
She has to inherit the Taeguk Eumyangmun someday. Is learning makeup here okay?
"......"
Taeguk Eumyangmun. It had definitely helped. Learned its principles during the Bi Chacos incident, and it influenced taking down Rhino. Taeguk Eumyangmun focuses on internal energy, so external arts were superficial, but its foundation was huge in that fight. A battle without using Law. Maybe I need to prep for that?
"Haa."
Sighs were piling up lately. House prices, company ops, stocks. Real life demanded attention too.
"Humming~ Hm-hmm~!"
"......"
Renea had slipped into the office, mopping away. Headphones on, humming a tune—zero thoughts, pure envy.
Then curiosity struck. How'd that elf get so strong? Sure, right now she's goofily wiggling her butt while cleaning. But she's a veteran of the Lazesta Continent Liberation War 1,500 years ago and the Interfloor War 50 years back. Elf Queen wasn't handed on a platter.
"Move your legs a bit."
"Lady Renea."
"Move 'em."
I reach out, pull off her headphones. She tilts her head.
"What's up?"
"Who wears headphones on the job?"
"That's the kids these days? Earbuds at work. Makes this lady feel young."
"Just your imagination."
"Move your legs!"
She whacks my legs with the mop. I scoot my chair back and ask again.
"Lady Renea, how'd you become Elf Queen?"
"Eh? Outta nowhere?"
"Just curious."
"Hm... It was turn-based? All the elves above this lady died, so it came to me."
Ah, shouldn't have asked.
...Wait.
"So you're the eldest elf alive now, Lady Renea?"
"Nah, just the qualified ones for queen all died."
"......You say it so casually?"
"That was 1,500 years ago. This lady's grieved plenty!"
Her smug look felt a tad pitiful. She seemed genuinely unbothered, though.
"So how'd you get so strong?"
Down to brass tacks, she tilts her head again. Like, why ask that now?
"Eh, wanna go fight somewhere? Don't. Getting old, I see it's all—"
"Ah, yes."
"......I'm talking, grown-up here."
Renea clears her throat and continues.
"This lady didn't train or anything. Got bored, shot arrows daily, ended up like this."
"......"
"So I dunno."
Makes sense. Even a school mutt recites poetry after three years. Elf shooting arrows for 1,900 years? She could drop gods.
"Living stalactite."
"Stalactite?"
I ignore her puzzled gaze, check the clock. Lunchtime already.
Stretching with a sigh.
"When the kids get back, let's grab food."
"Yesss!"
Meracle crew heads to the 1st-floor gukbap joint. It's packed at lunch, rowdy as hell.
"Look at that guy. Fifth bowl of gukbap."
"Ogres have their fans with restaurant owners for a reason."
"Black cloak, sharp fangs. How's the Night Clan out in daylight—"
"Th-that's c-cosplay."
"Vampires sell direct online now."
Famous for blood sausage hangover soup, draws cosplayers. Dingy regulars, but the owner loves 'em.
Sit down, I order without glancing at the menu.
"Blood sausage hangover soup for me."
"This lady wants king rib soup!"
"M-me too."
"King rib soup for me too."
"I'll have bean sprout gukbap."
Okay. "Boss, one bean sprout gukbap and four blood sausage hangover soups."
"......"
"......"
"......"
The women's stares hit me. I slip up casually.
"Gonna smoke."
Blood sausage and bean sprout are 8,000 won; king rib's 12,000. Why are my staff so clueless? If the boss said "jjajangmyeon," they'd go "I'll mix rice with the leftover sauce." Creative, right?
"Cheapskate! Boss is a cheapskate!"
"St-stocks. D-drop, crash."
"......King rib soup."
Back from smoking, gukbap's out fast. High turnover, prepped already.
"Ah, whatever."
Sigh as I sit, watching the three chow down on king rib. They switched on me.
"Thanks, boss!"
"......Yeah. Eat up. Leave a drop, and you're done."
"Ch-cheapskate."
Cheapskates make the money for apartments. Landlady tossed in some boiled pork as a service—mollified me.
"All here, so meeting time. May's peak for matchmaking, but we're opposite. You know?"
"Eh... wanna eat."
"L-lunchtime. W-work talk. W-worst boss."
"Meracle's hurting. Need your help, team."
Kim Yang glares sleepily. "Exp-expensive s-sword."
"How'd you know?"
Asking about Danya, Baek Yeonhwa jumps in.
"I told 'em, boss! A dao from Master Jang Mukheon? Can't buy those for money. Where'd you snag it?!"
"Ahem, personal matter. Danya's got nothing to do with Meracle. My cash, not company funds."
Back on track.
"Need a counter-strategy. Hunters are risky jobs, tough season, but not all dive headfirst into danger."
Most prioritize safety. Key: show clients that.
"Ideas? Speak up."
"How about this, boss."
Raichen suggests while mixing rice into his gukbap.
"Classify hunters internally and split 'em. Urban defense, rescue/transport, tracking/scouting. Segment it. Clients see their match works safe zones, right?"
Solid idea. I build on it.
"Good. Add frontline or frontier pioneer categories. Having obvious risky ones highlights how safe their match is."
"......Didn't think that far, but sounds good."
Business means cunning use.
"M-martial artist m-matching. Th-they risk life too."
"True, pair 'em with martial folks."
Kim Yang's idea rocks. Straight-up match hunters with ancient martial types. Stabbings are daily there anyway. Issue: few old murim clients. Conservative bunch.
"This lady has an idea! Ads! 'Hunters are people too!' Back in queen days, elves thought we had no private lives!"
"Ads cost, but... marketing's ongoing."
Hunters don't just fight. Grocery runs after work. Sending bro academy fees. Post-retirement plans. Show they're normal—decent strategy.
"Boss! Train the hunters?"
"Hunter training?"
Baek Yeonhwa sparkles, spoon gripped.
"Yeah! Old murim, weaklings mess up bad. Teach self-defense at least."
"Tch, hunters'd hate it."
Pride in their skills. Marriage agency schooling 'em? Snort city.
"Oh, really?"
As her shoulders slump, Raichen adjusts glasses.
"If it's name-brand? Lazesta mage like me could teach magic."
"Ooh! This lady can teach archery!"
"I-I... h-headbutt."
"Ah! I could teach basics too."
Name value's huge. Archmage disciple, Elf Queen? Beyond matchmaking.
"Nah, you're staff. Didn't hire you for that."
Know it'd work. But pride as boss.
"Hearing you, I got a good one."
Training direction's solid.
'Guns are that guy. Sword or martial? Send requests.'
A few perfect bait talents came to mind.
5th floor, old murim. A wooden building with restrained motifs emerges majestically through the mist. Weathered pillars and eaves. At center: massive sign over shut double doors.
Namgoong.
Most prestigious old murim clan. Sword reaches heavens. External arts emphasized, solid basics demanded.
One spinster resided there.
"Ha......"
The Emotionless Sword Fairy Namgoong Haryeong twisted her lips at Meracle's letter.
"Event mentor? Aggressive matching? Hilarious."
Letter was simple: Join Meracle's 'Hunter Training Event' as mentor?
Issue: promo taglines below.
[Teach sturdy men as mentor, spark natural encounters.]
[Chance to raise the man you want handsomely.]
[Sweet romance with disciple who surpasses mentor.]
"Madman."
Ridiculous nonsense. Utter drivel.
"......"
Yet Namgoong Haryeong couldn't set it down easily.
"Ahem, ask the family head first?"
Can't teach Namgoong sword freely. But basics or training? No biggie.
With faint hope, she showed the letter to family head Namgoong Pacheon.
Half-given up. Less expecting yes, more whining inwardly. Daughter's dead serious about marriage—what's Dad doing?
Unaware or not, Namgoong Pacheon read slowly, then spoke.
"One condition."
Unexpected reply. Unexpected condition.
"This man. Kim Juseon."
Eyes closed, Namgoong Pacheon. Kim Juseon's moves still vivid. Deeper, more hidden than shown. One meeting pierced his concealed power.
"Before teaching."
Heavy voice fills room.
"Tell him to come learn himself."
Too good for tiny 3rd-floor company. Namgoong Pacheon wanted to gauge Kim Juseon's depths this time.