Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: My Dream is a Seoul Apartment!
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The day after resolving the Net Queen disappearance case.
- Thank you so much!
"Oh, come on, no need to go that far."
- No, really! If it weren't for you, President, I never would've reunited with Mia like this!
Lee Kangho the hunter's excited voice crackled over the phone.
I'd wondered what it was about, but it turned out Yumia had woken up.
- And... I proposed to her. It might be sudden, but...
"Oh? Really? Did she say yes?"
- Yes! She said yes! Mia accepted!
Laughter burst through the receiver.
I could even hear Yumia telling him not to get all weepy.
"Congratulations, truly."
I meant it.
The well-wishes welled up from the depths of my dantian.
- It's all thanks to you, President. If it weren't for you, I never would've found Mia.
Yeah, it's all because of me.
"Aw, come on. It's because you never gave up, Hunter."
- You're always so humble, President. Oh, right—I transferred the marriage fee. It feels official now that it's all set, and it makes me happy.
"I'm thrilled too, knowing you two are together. This is what makes the job worthwhile."
- And as a thank-you, I added a little extra. Mia agreed, too.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that."
He knows how to show gratitude.
I usually charge travel fees separately, but it's good he sent it ahead of time.
After exchanging a few more thanks, we hung up.
I immediately checked my bank account via mobile banking.
"Niiiice—!"
"Gah?!"
Kim Yang, who was sitting next to me, jumped up in surprise.
"P-President, are you crazy?"
"He knows his stuff! He added five mil extra!"
Five million on top of the standard ten million marriage fee.
Guess that's why you gotta swim with the big fish.
"Kim Yang! Let's close up early today!"
"Huh?"
"Company dinner time."
"D-Dinner?! Hell yeah—!"
My usual pork hock joint.
Kim Yang said she'd go home, change, and come, so she wasn't here yet.
Instead, someone else was sitting across from me—
"Auntie! One soju over here, please!"
Ryu Seram, one of the Seven Apex Hunters.
I'd called her because she owed me pork hocks from last time.
"You're buying the soju."
"Kim Juseon, you cheapskate. I'll cover the hocks too. You think I'd mooch off you?"
"Sis! Thank you!"
See? Gotta swim with the big fish. Lee Kangho, Ryu Seram—they're both on another level when it comes to spending.
- Strike! It's flying! Flying high! It's gone! Homerun~!
Baseball highlights on the hock shop TV.
The Daeheung Bear Force just got tagged with a homer.
"Ugh, hate watching this."
"If you hate it that much, quit being a fan."
"Can't do that. If I stop watching, I'll miss it. That's what being a fan's all about."
She says it so proudly, but it's not cool at all.
A plump white-haired beastkin with sheep horns, Kim Yang, waddled into the hock shop.
Unlike her usual clothes, she had on ripped skinny jeans and a black sleeveless crop top.
But she still looked cold, so she'd thrown on a thick outer layer.
"P-President!"
She said she'd changed, and damn, she went casual.
"You hitting a club after dinner?"
"F-Fashionista."
Kim Yang puffed up with pride as she sat down, but Ryu Seram squinted at her.
"What's this? Who else'd you invite?"
"Kim Yang's my office employee. Better to eat together, right?"
"Oh, h-hi!"
Kim Yang bowed deeply.
"Her 3rd Floor speech is a bit off. She's not dumb, though—no bad intentions either. Cut her some slack."
"Looks it."
Ryu Seram downed a shot of soju.
"P-President, wh-what's this m-meat?"
"Pig, so eat up without worry."
"Pig?"
"Jeez, you don't even know basics? I told you to study vocab. Oink oink—you know, fat pigs."
"Oh, oink oink? Yeah, I know. Looks like you, President."
"……."
Ryu Seram, watching from the side, burst out laughing.
"Hey, what's this? Boss watching his employee's reactions?"
"Don't even. All because her paycheck was a few days late—"
"Three days. Three."
Look at her piling on right away.
"Three days is kinda harsh."
"R-Right?! And our f-first company dinner was at a lamb skewer spot! I'm a sheep!"
"……Is he nuts?"
"Ah, that was a misunderstanding! It used to be a chicken galbi place, but it closed and turned into lamb skewers."
The mood warmed up naturally as glasses clinked.
Kim Yang, mid-drink, suddenly remembered something and pulled out her phone.
The screen showed personal info on someone I'd never seen.
"P-President, a client came by right before we closed."
"Oh ho, looks pretty good."
Guy's face is at least B-rank. Shot on the office cam, but Kim Yang takes damn good pics—might need to see him in person.
Occupation: Tower inter-floor guide.
A travel guide showing 3rd Floor Earth to folks from other floors.
'Nice job.'
Still, I'd need an interview for salary, vacation, workload, etc.
Travel guides probably travel a lot, leaving home often.
"You're still doing this."
Then Ryu Seram, who'd seen me at work, muttered bitterly.
"You really gonna keep at it? What was it again? Maple?"
"Meracle."
"Haa……."
Another long sigh.
She glanced at me sidelong, head down, and asked.
"You really sticking with that?"
"Things are settling in now, and I've got steady clients."
It's been two years since I started Meracle.
I'm finally gaining ground in this business.
"……Just come hunter with me. As my support, I'll pay you well."
Her voice sounded calm, but I had to be careful with Ryu Seram like this.
She's awfully persistent.
"Nah, hunting's not for me. You know I quit ages ago."
"Why quit? You're the top graduate of our class."
Top graduate.
Once, it was something to be proud of. Back when I believed nothing was impossible.
"Just close your eyes and come under me. I'll take responsibility. At least triple what you're making now."
"……Show-off, raking in the cash."
"It's money you like. I don't need it. Think about your dream."
My dream.
"Own apartment in Seoul."
"Yeah, kid. To buy a nice one in central Seoul these days, you need at least 3 billion won."
"Not aiming that high."
"Work with me, and you can."
I appreciated the offer.
But I couldn't accept.
"I like what I do now."
"……."
"It's fun. Connecting people. Pairing folks from different worlds—it's got romance to it."
"Haa."
A short sigh.
But Ryu Seram didn't give up.
"Remember our goshiwon days? That was fun. We tried so hard to be hunters. Your license not issuing?! That had to be a glitch. I'll go sort it—!"
I barely reacted, so she sighed, yelling at the wall like it was me.
"Haa, fine, I get it. Call anytime. I'll save a spot for you."
"You call me anytime you wanna get married."
Whack!
"Ow!?"
Ryu Seram kicked my knee and glared daggers.
I dodged her eyes, brushing it off, when Kim Yang—who'd been gnawing on hock bones with both hands—asked.
"President, you dumping me?"
"Dumping who? Just don't drink too much. Late to work tomorrow, and your paycheck's gone."
"Th-that's unfair. If I-I'm late and l-lose pay... then if y-you're late on mine, sh-shouldn't I g-get extra?"
"……."
"P-President, answer."
I downed a shot of soju.
Bitter as hell.
The next morning.
The commute was the usual.
Out of my tiny studio, hit the convenience store.
Triangle kimbap and vending machine coffee.
Weaving through the steel jungle of high-rises to the building.
First floor's a soup joint—my usual lunch spot.
Smoke one at the smoking area out front, then up to the second floor.
Creeeak.
"President! Good morning, sir!"
"Yeah, morning."
Kim Yang was already there.
Staring at her phone.
Open the window, air it out.
Sit at my desk, open the drawer—an old photo caught my eye.
Hunter training days.
Group pic with classmates.
No big emotions; I shoved it under some papers and checked today's schedule—
'Gotta brighten the morning.'
Pull out my phone, open the bank app.
My account balance made me grin involuntarily.
Fifteen point one mil!
"Kuhuhu! Sweet, so sweet!"
A guy living off ramen suddenly had 15 million drop in one day.
A bit much for matching one couple, but I could splash out on wedding cash later.
Love really pays the bills.
Clang!
The door flew open roughly, early as it was.
Me and Kim Yang turned to the entrance—
"Ah, no one's—"
The grandma who'd caught the Net Queen and become a 200 mil billionaire stood there.
"No one…… will take me. Even when I offer VIP rates—"
She crumpled to her knees like a dramatic musical scene.
The hollow despair of tragedy.
All that money, yet no other agency would accept her.
Reneah looked up at me, on the verge of tears.
"I-I want to get m-married."
Hitting up other agencies right after paying me 200 mil was pretty damn cheeky.
But VIP high-roller meant at least 5 mil registration fee.
Even if she was a 1,900-year-old elf queen who'd been utterly sidelined by the marriage market.
Meracle never turns away a client who walks through our door.