Lee Haru's Growing Stalker Problem
"Ugh, so hot."
Even at the tail end of August, the sweltering, humid Korean summer had Lee Haru's body slick with sweat.
Solas Continent at least had low humidity...
The weather's part of it, but Haru-chan, you're just super tense!
Who knows what might happen at the Awakener Center. And...
Interest Points +1
A group of office workers passing by gave Haru a quick once-over. It wasn't the disastrous red heat from yesterday, but the attention still felt overwhelming. She was dressed simply—a yellow round-neck cotton T-shirt and denim shorts.
It's summer— this level of skin is fine, right? Or... should I just go home??
Since Haru-chan's trait is Interest Seed, this is actually super helpful!
After a ten-minute walk, she entered the Awakener Center, and the blast of cold air made her flinch.
"Chwew~"
The center was packed with people.
What is this?? Like airport security???
Probably to stop terrorists hiding weapons or something?
Yui was a cooking-specialized AI, but it was a plausible guess. It didn't apply to Haru anyway, so she breezed through.
Then—
Whyaaaaang!!!
The security alarm blared.
"I didn't bwing anything!! Just came to wegistew as an awakeneh!!"
In that instant, a blonde, blue-eyed beauty zipped in front of Haru.
Teleport???
The name tag on her hefty chest pouch read Security Agent: Bang Aji, swaying heavily.
"We'll need to do a pat-down."
The cool beauty knelt, her hands gliding softly over Haru's clothes and bare skin.
"Eek!"
Her touch probed every nook—armpits, inner thighs—strangely intimate.
"That's sensitive, but nothing thewe."
Still, same gender, so Haru couldn't complain.
"Awe you done???"
"Not yet."
"Ahh!!"
The blonde girl suddenly gripped Haru's arms and waist tight, pressing her nose close to Haru's body.
"Snuuuff—"
One thorough security agent.
"Haa... haa..."
Before Haru could praise her, the woman's face flushed red, and she froze, making weird noises.
"Now it's done, wight???"
"Excuse me!!!"
"Ah! Sorry. The alarm's old—must be a glitch."
"Didn't Towers appeaw a yeaw ago??"
"...We repurposed it from somewhere else. Budget's tight, haha... Last, can I see your ID?"
Thump thump!!!
Trouble if I pull this out here...
Haru only had her old Lee Ha-neul ID.
"Can we go somewhere pwivate?"
"Oh! Sure... I mean, yes. But suspicious moves could get you shot on the spot."
In the stairwell, she whispered.
"I'm a Towew collapse victim—no valid ID except this."
She showed Lee Ha-neul's resident registration card.
"I was this guy, but after the collapse, I became like this."
The cool beauty's face twisted slightly.
"I see. First case like this... I'll handle the registration. Wait here."
Haru-chan, that woman's suspicious. She was staring at you all pervy??
"Maybe 'cause I'm a Tower collapse victim who awakened?"
Not suspicion... Dunno, I'm a cooking AI.
Interest Points +20
Eh???
After the pat-down, she tried to sit, but every chair was taken.
"Gulp."
No choice—she grabbed water from the dispenser and stood checking her status window.
Can buy skills or recipes with Interest Points...
Swoosh.
Current Interest Points: 31
Points spiked oddly. Looking around, guys snapped their heads away.
"No unauthorized filming in the facility."
A sunglassed guard snatched a man's phone and deleted something. Security was tight at the Awakener Center.
Recipes, stat boosts, AI upgrades—all buyable with Interest Points.
Why's slot refresh so pricey? What's the function add?
Your job's Sniper, so it appeared. You'll need tactics for Towers, solo or team.
What a hassle... Do I even need to hit Towers if I just farm Interest Points??
Current Interest Points: 123
When did it jump 40???
Wolf-like guys keep glancing at you.
That explained it. Haru had nearly swooned at her own face on the monitor too. A bit uncanny, but points were points.
Wait... Is the second floor packed too??
The second floor was jammed too.
"Ah!!"
Empty seat spotted!! Her short legs churned as she dashed over.
A guy eyed it hungrily midway, but Haru's momentum cowed him into yielding.
"Haa... haa..."
Gazes converged, points climbed.
Interest Points: 123
Then points stalled.
What? Why the cap??
Pop!! Yui's hologram shifted to the Goddess of Gastronomy's form.
Obvious—if it kept rising, you'd skip cooking and just crowd-farm.
Smartass bitch.
Hehe. Limit rises with levels.
Surely other ways to earn points?
Yep. Check the Gallery. Still banned? Plus, you never cashed GP??
On return day one, she'd tried helping Talis's restaurant from her Ramji days, got into a flame war, and earned a 48-hour ban.
Forgot 'cause of the ban. Wonder how that old knight's place is?
The Cooking Gallery, once pure fantasy folk, now flooded with Earthlings on day one. Like other hunter communities, it burned with job whining and guild cup drama.
Haru had been busy practicing her Tower victim act, no time for the knight captain uncle.
Checking user info, something felt off.
GP was 50 originally—her posts and comments must've drawn attention.
Still banned??
Other bans aren't ready, so no mark yet.
Other kids??
Ahh.
ZZZzt! Goddess form vanished, back to Yui.
Ran away. Anyway, cash GP? Or...
1 GP = 20,000 won cash or 2 Interest Points.
Can't grow stocks anyway—better solidify with 122 points than 1.22 million won.
Good thing she forgot to cash out that day. Now at 242 points. Just 58 shy of Blade Anchovy Broth (300).
Plain cooking's one thing, but for bulk broth, my fluids should be fine.
"Um... Awakener?"
Familiar voice—Haru closed her status. There stood Bang Aji from the entrance.
"Me???"
"Yes. This way."
"Still 130 in queue..."
"This way."
Squeeze!!! Aji gripped Haru's slender wrist tight.
Glancing around, Aji was shortish too, but her exotic looks and low voice created an intense aura.
The room was like a clinic—odd machines on walls aside.
......
"So, coming back from a PC bang, I got caught in the Tower collapse. Woke up in a one-room with a computer and cooking manga... Unknown ingredients slid through the door thrice daily. I survived years cooking them..."
Investigator seemed to buy it, nodding. Then he held a meter near her.
The needle slammed to red max, quivering at 180 degrees.
"Whoa... One sec. Stand by the X-ray?"
Click!!
What's this???
Atmosphere turned hostile. Investigator left—Haru panicked.
Interest Points +10
Interest Points +10
But he returned, and registration flew through smoothly from victim report.
"Yes, confirmed Lee Ha-neul's story checks out. Stable residence now?"
"Why?"
"Tower collapse victims get aid. Varies by damage, plus housing support. Skip housing for extra cash."
Need a solo place? Or cash? Pick one.
She could buy a place later—take the cash.
"For adjustment, dedicated agent assigned to Ha-neul... now Lee Haru. Future plans?"
That guy's facial muscles and lips twitching faintly.
"I'm nobody special... Just help at the restaurant."
"Phew~ Got it. Dedicated agent for adjustment—request freely~"
"Um..."
"Any... anything else?"
"Health certificate quick?"
"Yes! Free post-incident checkup—book today??"
Somehow, points up 20.
"Phew~"
Awkward moments aside, no basement drag—Haru escaped with relief.
Major hurdle cleared... but clingy blonde Bang Aji from first meet became her handler.
Told her to phone-scroll, but no dice.
Saw teleport—mage hunter? Waste on me?
Physical exam went fine.
"Uh... height?"
"138cm."
"Remeasure?"
They did precise age tests for bone age, since collapses aged or de-aged folks—ID based on that.
Physical age...
"17.7, so treat as 18."
"Ee?? Growth plates...?"
"Closed."
"Nooooooo!!"
Haru's wail amused Aji, who smiled warmly.
Finally, urine test—long plastic cup.
"Midstream sample."
Fit four fingers.
"Wait, Haru."
Before bathroom, Aji pulled a paper cup from the dispenser.
"Use this instead."
"Doesn't matter where, right?"
"...Trust me."
Haru's only peed in toilets... Aiming's tricky.
How hard can it be...
In the stall, Haru squatted over the western toilet.
"Midstream—skip first..."
Shhh! Stream shot straight unimpeded.
"Gasp!!"
Clenched, stopped mid, slipped hand between legs with paper cup.
Spplaaash!!!
"Eeeek???"
Like blocking a hose—yellow spray everywhere.
Plastic cup? Disaster.
"Ughhh..."
Knock knock!
"Haru? You okay???"
Followed here...
"Fine!! Got it!!"
Wiped urine-soaked hands/wrists with TP, washed at sink, exited.
"Here. Good catch, right??"
Aji grabbed Haru's wrist casually, sniffed her hand again.
"Haru... any perfume???"
"Nope."
***
Dutiful Aji stalked to Bulpae Pochaa like a stalker.
"Just stay at the center..."
"Can't abandon my first charge."
"Fine, then sit and do nothing!"
Calmed Aji—then another unwanted guest at the slow restaurant: Kim Moon-hee from Tasty Grilled Mackerel nearby.
Menus overlapped except mackerel—rivals. Bulpae once thrived, but reuse rumors and Health Restaurant flipped it.
"Why here?"
Haru's mom Park Sun-ja snapped.
"Pre-notice. We're on Health Restaurant soon—stealing customers~ Though you got none... Lucky my girl's not marrying in~"
Moon-hee scanned the dining area, spotted Aji.
"Ha-seong dye his wife??"
"What nonsense!"
"Just a customer... Jeyuk set and doenjang jjigae."
Aji ordered calmly, agent-like.
"Heard your Health Restaurant via group chat—order or leave."
"~Oh, group chat. Thought you skipped meetings forever~ Ha-seong's wife missing—eloped??"
"She's fine—worry your shop. Health Restaurant ain't a guarantee."
"Pfft. True. Unlike here, we're ready—come da-da-next week~ Got heart, we'll save seats."
As Moon-hee, Sun-ja, Ha-seong bickered.
Haru emerged from kitchen, Blade Anchovy Broth research break.
"If not rude... who?"
Meant to snub, but Haru's beauty softened her to politeness.
No celeb part-timer—this place skipped the show.
"Kitchen help."
"...School or academy??"
"Look young, but old enough."
"Kid..."
Whoosh!! Ignored Moon-hee, headed restroom.
Moon-hee once snubbed Ha-neul—Haru disliked her too.
Outside bathroom, Moon-hee waited.
"Hey, kid. Part-time pay here??"
"Why?"
"Double hourly—come to my mackerel place??"