Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Dark Elf!
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Creak.
"Hm?"
Early morning.
I'd come into work earlier than usual since I'd taken yesterday off. Figured I'd tidy things up ahead of time.
A way to shake off yesterday's unusual events and ease back into the daily grind. A sort of warm-up routine.
"Hngh! Hngh!"
But when I opened the door, there was already someone there.
Reneah, diligently mopping the floor.
Her slightly dusty clothes suggested she'd just come from her convenience store shift.
Splat! Splaaat!
"...Reneah?"
"Hyah?!"
So focused on her task, she jolted in surprise and dropped the mop.
Spotting me in the doorway, she checked the time.
"Y-You're already here? There's still an hour left!"
"Took the day off yesterday, so yeah. But what are you doing?"
"My convenience store shift ended early, so I thought I'd do some cleaning!"
Reneah puffed out her chest, clearly expecting praise. I set my bag down at my desk and asked,
"How'd you get in?"
The keys were only with me and Kim Yang.
"Climbed through the window!"
"..."
Last time it was hopping the balcony, too. Elves must be tree-climbers at heart—did that make them itch to scale anything high up?
'But this is the second floor.'
How the heck did she manage that?
"Uh, don't do that next time."
"Why?! I cleaned so hard!"
"...You did great, actually."
Lucky no one reported her.
The landlady downstairs at the pork soup joint would've freaked and called the cops.
"So, your convenience store shifts don't have fixed hours?"
They seemed all over the place.
"They adjusted the schedule since I'm working at Meracle too! I slot in perfectly during their 3-4 hour gaps! Mercenary style!"
Convenience store mercs, huh.
But we weren't planning to keep her full-time anyway.
"Y-You know we can't hire you long-term, right?"
"...Huh?"
"I mean, the ads we ran at Luminous Plaza are losing steam. We hired you on the fly back then... Kinda like a mercenary gig!"
"Huuh...?"
Her face twisted in shock.
If she had dentures, they'd have clattered right out of her gaping mouth.
"I'm the one who wants to go 'Huh?' here. I told you from the start."
"Th-Then where am I supposed to make money?! I worked my tail off thinking I'd go full-time!"
"Full-time? You need to get married!"
"That's why I'm here! The boss keeps bringing profiles of weirdos!"
"You're F-rank! What do you expect?!"
"Last time you set me up with a B-rank!"
"So you should've grabbed him then—oh, right. You know Han Hyo-jae's getting married? Good for him, huh?"
"Gaaahhh! Why's everyone marrying except meee! I wanna get married toooo! I'm not getting any younger—I can't fall further behiiiind!"
She charged at me, playfully pummeling my arm with her fists.
As our tussle dragged on, the door opened early again.
"...!"
Kim Yang, in her black mask, walked in and blinked wide-eyed at Reneah tussling with me.
"Oh, Kim Yang. You're early."
"Kim Yang—! The boss won't let me get married! Total sleaze!"
"..."
She stood frozen, staring, then slowly went to her desk and set her bag down.
"You okay?"
A cautious question.
I nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, it's fine."
I'd heard rumors of folks itching to start a floor war. But Yoo Ye-na had nabbed the would-be assassin targeting some heavenly heir.
No need for a humble marriage agency prez to meddle that deep.
Better worry about my wallet than world safety.
"...Okay."
Kim Yang nodded.
Reneah alternated glances between us and tilted her head.
"I see! Did you handle the demon okay?"
"Yeah, all sorted."
"Ooh!"
Impressed, her mood lifted, and she resumed mopping.
'Alzheimer's?'
She'd been throwing a fit about marriage just seconds ago, and now it was gone.
Whatever—as long as she was happy.
"Hng—! Alright, early start today. Let's power through."
I said with a grin. Kim Yang glanced at the clock and replied,
"N-Not yet. N-No shift."
"...Does starting an hour early kill you?"
"O-One more hour pay?"
"Go play."
Lunchtime.
After pork soup downstairs, I checked stocks while smoking.
[Silla Auto: 320,100▲(0.2)]
[Hunter Korea: 122,000▼(-1.44)]
[Hunter Power: 173,200▲(0.48)]
"Whew."
Not bad overall.
Saw Hunter Korea dip and nearly called Yoo Ye-na, but held off.
When she picked me up from the Tower yesterday, people spotted her and assumed some incident—screenshots probably flooded the forums.
Likely tanked the stock temporarily.
I'd already dumped the dwarf 'Brimrock Smeltery,' Old Martial World's 'Dragon Horn Sword Guild,' and the beastkin security firm 'Wolfguard Tactical Solutions.'
Thought they'd peak and drop.
'Damn. Should've held.'
They kept climbing.
Brimrock especially—I bailed right after that drunk-driving dwarf fiasco.
Once I learned how dwarves really work, no choice.
Surprise of the bunch: Baekdu Pharma.
The club where I hunted ferals for Kim Cheol-su's request.
Old hunter buddy Geum Tae-min exposed their illegal body-trading with ferals.
Saw -12% on the news.
[Baekdu Pharma: 100,500▲(1.08)]
Big corps are built different.
Plummeted to 70k, now clawing back to 100k.
'Knew it. Should've bought.'
No use crying now.
Closed the app, finished my smoke. That's when the two emerged from the soup shop.
"Stuffed."
"B-Boss. L-Let's go out."
Reneah patting her belly, Kim Yang grumbling about me eating first and slipping out for a smoke.
"You two take too long."
"B-Boss. Pork soup. W-Who does five-minute runs?"
"...It's delicious."
"Th-That hot. T-Tongue'll cook in my mouth."
"I love everything, but hogging all the kimchi? Leaves us with just beans?!"
"You didn't eat it..."
"Five minutes! F-For food! Damn! Th-That fast?!"
Just refill the kimchi.
"Fine, coffee's on me. Happy?"
"L-Long-name drink."
"Green grape ade for me! And cheesecake!"
They perked up instantly. Nearly lost my cool, but held it.
Can't deny a granny her treats before she kicks it.
Back at the cafe: iced Americano for me.
Kim Yang: some mega-long name with a mountain of whipped cream.
Reneah: green grape ade and cheesecake.
At our desks, savoring the last of lunch break.
Bzzz!
Phone buzzed. Text: wedding invite.
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[We're Getting Married.]
Two people from different paths now walk the same road.
Your presence, even briefly amid your busy lives, would fill our hearts with joy as we begin this journey.
Groom: Lee Kangho
Bride: Yumia
20xx, Month X, Day X (Sat) 2:00 PM.
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"Oh?"
Lee Kangho and Yumia.
Odd combo at first glance, but our clients.
"Reneah, remember? First time you came, we went hunting for Yumia with Hunter Lee Kangho."
Cheesecake smeared on her mouth, Reneah nodded.
"Ahh—! When I made my first billion?"
"Yep."
After slaying the named beast Net Queen—that's when Reneah dove headfirst into the marriage market.
"They sent wedding invites."
"Why tell me?"
"..."
"What? Wanna fight?"
Touchy much.
"Sorry, my bad."
Reneah irritably shoveled cake, then slammed her fork down.
"Ugh, you're so annoying!"
"Sorry!"
"G-Gonna go?"
Kim Yang, who'd been listening, asked hesitantly.
I pondered.
"Invited, so yeah. Wonder how much match fee I charged."
30k envelope cash should cover it.
"Ah... Hyo-jae's wedding too. Wallet's toast this month."
60k: frugal week's groceries.
Ramen-only? Stretch to month's end.
"Can't crash the wedding."
"..."
A ominous mutter laced with 1,902 years of curses from beside me.
Ignoring it to avoid drama, Kim Yang asked,
"N-Normally. I-Invited?"
"Normally? Nah. Who invites a matchmaker prez?"
She puffed proudly anyway.
Proof our clients were thrilled.
Expected her to hype me more, but she just resumed work. Grumbling, I did the same.
"Don't leeeave me behiiiind."
Of course.
"Don't ditch me."
Hard to focus with the elf sulking at her desk.
"Don't let me get weeeeded out. Can't keep up."
After 1,900 years on the shelf.
Sighing in pity, I chimed in.
"Reneah, just work hard. You'll marry eventually here, right?"
"...And if I can't?"
Meant as comfort, but no dice. Others marrying hit harder than expected.
"What then? You'll take responsibility?"
"Huh? No—."
"Is that it? After all I've paid Meracle—if no marriage, prez fills in personally—?!"
"What nonsense is that?!"
Grandma was morphing into a dark elf.