Everyday Life at the Church
A modestly sized church boasted a clean space that could accommodate a fair number of people. As always, it buzzed with lively chatter from the crowd.
The altar in the chapel stood prominently at the front center, surrounded by rows of small, cozy chairs packed closely together like in a lecture hall—enough to seat plenty of worshippers.
The congregants greeting people at the entrance widened their eyes upon spotting someone. It was a familiar face who hadn't been seen for a while due to illness, now appearing perfectly healthy.
"Oh my goodness! Look who it is!!"
The high-pitched voice brimmed with joy and astonishment. That sparked it—middle-aged women scattered throughout began gathering one by one.
Lee Seojun's mother, Kim Ji-suk, bowed her head with a faint smile and replied.
"Have you been well?"
No sooner had she spoken than hands grabbed hers. The woman clutching Kim Ji-suk's hand tearfully glistened.
"...How on earth. You've gotten so healthy. I'm just so relieved. What a miracle."
"Thank you so much for worrying about me."
The warm reactions naturally filled the surroundings with a cheerful atmosphere, bustling around her. Without a doubt, Kim Ji-suk was today's star.
"Ha-yoon was telling the truth. My goodness, even your skin looks amazing!"
As they exchanged recent updates, conversation bloomed anew. It would take several sleepless nights to unpack all the pent-up gossip. Stories like whose son had awakened and joined a hunter guild, or whose daughter got into college.
"How's Seojun doing? That poor boy went through so much."
"...Oh, he's doing fine."
Kim Ji-suk flinched for a moment, pressing her lips together. She'd nearly brought up his awakening but managed to hold back. She didn't want any slip of the tongue to cause trouble for her son.
"Well, as long as he's okay. But he still hasn't found a job, right? Porter work is way too dangerous."
A middle-aged woman who'd recently bragged about her daughter landing a job at Cheonsu Guild looked at Kim Ji-suk with pity. Before she could respond, someone nearby chimed in.
"He'll handle it himself. Why worry about that?"
"No, I'm just concerned."
After a brief silence, Kim Ji-suk smiled gently. There was no trace of discomfort or unease on her face.
"...He'll do it when the time comes. He's all grown up now, our boy."
Of course he'll manage on his own. The other woman's shoulders subtly lifted in relief—a natural progression. Just as the talk threatened to drag on,
Park Ha-yoon arrived, panting heavily in her neat attire. Her long black hair was elegantly tied back in a ponytail.
"You made it?"
"Our Ha-yoon, have you been well?"
A light fog steamed up Park Ha-yoon's glasses, but she couldn't hide her bright smile. She quickly linked arms with Kim Ji-suk, looking just like mother and daughter.
"Let's hurry and take our seats."
"Alright."
The two walked arm-in-arm to the chapel chairs and sat side by side. Following their lead, others began settling into their seats one by one.
"The pastor is coming out."
At the announcement from the mic-wielding congregant, applause and cheers erupted. The moment the pastor took the microphone, the noisy murmurs fell silent in an instant.
"I'm truly delighted to see all these familiar faces again."
All eyes turned to Kim Ji-suk. The pastor smiled warmly and continued.
"Since the great catastrophe, many of you must feel lonely and afraid. Dungeons have appeared, unleashing monstrous creatures from within."
The handsome middle-aged man's voice echoed through the microphone. As it rang out, everyone gazed at him with earnest eyes. It wasn't ancient history. Though experiences varied, every person there had suffered directly or indirectly. Homes destroyed, loved ones lost. The survivors had to lean on each other through countless hardships.
"How many cities have been laid waste? How many precious lives lost?"
The pastor's cry drew quiet nods from the congregants. Some were even moved to tears.
"These sudden, precious abilities have emerged. Some call it human evolution, but science hasn't confirmed it yet. We can only speculate it's a gift from God."
If awakening was evolution, was it tied to specific genes? Innate or acquired? Perhaps triggered by certain experiences. Even scientists and doctors didn't know for sure. If they did, everyone in the world would be an awakener by now.
If it truly was a 'gift from God,' who decided who received it? Maybe random. Or perhaps the truly chosen.
The man's expression remained kindly serene as his words wrapped up. The gist was clear.
"I pray that faith, hope, and love always accompany you all."
Time passed with songs and scripture readings. After praise, they discussed upcoming volunteer activities and schedules. The elderly and children in need required ongoing support and aid.
"I'll go grab the workbooks."
Park Ha-yoon stood from her chair. A cute girl's voice called from behind.
"Unnie, I'll come too."
A little girl with her hair braided in colorful rubber bands rose to follow. Her cheeks, flushed like a peach, looked irresistibly soft.
"Okay, okay."
Park Ha-yoon chuckled softly and gently stroked the child's head. The fine, delicate strands felt so soft.
Glancing sideways, she spotted an orange sofa where boys with glasses huddled together fiddling with their phones—probably playing mobile games. They used to run around freely in this cramped space back in the day.
Murmurs drifted from the kids.
"Whoa, I died."
"Haven't seen Seojun hyung around lately."
Park Ha-yoon turned her head another way. In the distance, a boy and girl played together, looking quite close and friendly. She hurriedly adjusted her slipping glasses. A strange feeling welled up just then.
"Unnie, what are you doing?"
"Nothing. Just reminiscing. Shall we go?"
"Yeah!!"
Park Ha-yoon took the child's hand with a smile and stepped forward. On the way, I should grab some fruit and juice too.
Pania Guild's dungeon raid was set for about a week later. Part of me wanted to charge in right now and unleash my skills, but here I was in some warehouse.
"...Whoa."
My involuntary exclamation made Yoo Chae-eun's lips twitch upward beside me. The warehouse was stacked with Pania Guild's hunter gear.
"You're not planning to head into the dungeon just like that, are you?"
Her winking smile suited her perfectly. Blades, armor, serviceable robes, and staves lined the shelves.
"...Of course, I could use skills without gear, but having it versus not is a world of difference."
Obviously. Even before regression—or during my porter days—hunters always wore expensive equipment. Hunter gear didn't have insane special effects, though. Humanity's cutting-edge tech struggled against monsters. Only weapons made from dungeon byproducts could reliably damage them. A new material beneficial for both civilians and hunters.
"What's that?"
Not as impressive as some, but sturdy-looking clothes and bags that seemed comfortable. Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked her.
"That's exclusive gear for porters."
"Porters?"
Porters usually wore hiking or training clothes into dungeons. Positioned at the rear for relative safety, but any damage hit them hardest.
"...Nice benefits."
"It's only right. Porters actually have a higher mortality rate than hunters. Without a healer until now, we wanted zero casualties...."
Yoo Chae-eun's expression turned bitter. It carried a damp weariness and sense of responsibility. I almost reached out to comfort her but held back.
She pulled a robe from the display and handed it to me. Premium fabric at a glance, with a great feel.
"...It's been so long without a guild healer, it feels a bit awkward. But this is the best robe in our guild."
She whispered like sharing a secret code, eyes sparkling as she gestured for me to try it. I draped it over reluctantly. It hugged my body better than expected—quite comfortable.
"Feels good."
"Then how about signing the contract right now?"
She looked ready to fetch the papers from a drawer. With solid gear and fair terms, I nodded. I reread the contract she handed me and signed. No poison clauses.
"Perfect. No backing out now. We'll renegotiate pay after a year, of course. And I'll make sure you can't leave Pania even after the five-year term."
Yoo Chae-eun extended her slender, jade-like hand. No reason to refuse—I shook it firmly.
A week passed. I donned the robe carefully stored in the dressing room and stood at the front door. Mom looked worried, so I reassured her loudly.
"Don't worry. Healers stay in the back anyway, and Pania's a major guild."
"Still, it's your first time as a hunter. To me, you're still my little baby...."
No, Mom. I'm a full-grown adult. She probably vaguely guessed about my porter days, even if I never said. With her personality, it must've eaten her up inside.
"Don't you trust me, Mom?"
"...Of course I trust my son. Who else would I trust?"
"Then I'm off."
"Be careful. Promise."
Outside, someone waited at the villa entrance. Right—Yoo Chae-eun had said she'd pick me up.
"Wow, the robe suits you perfectly. Hop in."
Her personally coming as guild master felt incredibly gracious.
"You drive really well."
"Thanks."
I tossed out a line to ease the awkwardness. Yoo Chae-eun gripped the luxury sports car's wheel effortlessly, smiling shyly. Other cars gave us wide berth, of course.
Soon, police, crowds, armored hunters, and geared porters came into view milling about. My first dungeon as a hunter, not a porter.