The World's Most Delicious Apple

Duhhh...

Han Yuseol lay on the hospital bed, taking her leisurely rest. Truth be told, her injuries had all been completely healed by Ellie's fairy Seraphin, so there was no real need for her to stay hospitalized.

But the moment she was discharged she would have to report straight to work, so she had invented vague complaints of aches here and there as an excuse to remain a while longer.

It was a flimsy pretext, of course, but Guildmaster Seo Eun-ha knew and simply looked the other way, making the whole arrangement more or less legitimate. Still, given Han Yuseol's position in the guild, she could not stay away indefinitely.

Besides, there was almost nothing to do in an empty hospital room, so the only entertainment she could enjoy was scrolling through galleries on her phone.

Han Yuseol had been about to leave a comment of her own when she suddenly found herself thinking of Ellie.

"Hmm...."

According to her current S-rank Hunter big sister Eun-ha, mere strength was not enough to earn an S-rank. That much she had heard.

But someone like Ellie...

Wouldn't she make it?

If the strength itself exceeded all ordinary measure, it was included among the evaluation criteria—things like the influence ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one could exert inside a gate, judgment born of experience, and so on.

There had even been cases of people who failed to meet the essential measurement factors yet still received S-rank solely on the basis of overwhelming combat power.

"...Ellie might actually be able to do it?"

"Able to do what?"

"Eek!?"

The sudden voice made Han Yuseol jump. She whipped her head toward the sound and saw Chaerin and Ellie standing at the doorway.

"Oh, when did you get here?"

"Just now. But what about Ellie unnie?"

"Ah, no, it's nothing."

"Really? Anyway, I brought Ellie unnie like you kept asking for. Did good, right?"

"Ah, hello, Ellie."

Han Yuseol dipped her head in a small bow, then simply looked at her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for a moment.

As expected of Ellie...

Just having her nearby somehow made the heart feel at ease. At this rate she was practically a walking human therapy session.

Just then Ellie approached and held out an apple nestled in a wooden box.

"Uh, this is..."

"Looks like Ellie unnie brought it as a get-well gift."

"Ah, thank you, I'll enjoy it."

"Wait a second. I'll peel it for you."

"...It's fine. I'll just eat it as is."

Giving up on peeling, Han Yuseol simply cut the apple in half with a fruit knife.

And then—

"...? There are no seeds."

The cut surface looked exactly like a seedless watermelon. She blinked in blank confusion. Chaerin also stared at the apple with curiosity.

"Oh? What? They make apples like this these days? So you just pull the stem off and eat the whole thing?"

Ellie nodded as if to say Chaerin was exactly right. After all, a World Tree apple could be eaten entirely except for the stem.

"I've never seen an apple like this. I'll enjoy it, Ellie."

The moment Han Yuseol picked up a piece and took a bite—

"..."

Duuuhhhhh...

Her expression went completely blank, as though her soul had flown off somewhere far away. Yet her mouth never stopped.

Crunch— crunch— crunch—

Even with her mind gone, her jaws kept working the apple as if they simply could not stop.

"Crunch crunch."

"...Unnie?"

"...?"

She was chewing the apple at a rate that made it look almost like she was working a piece of gum. Lee Chaerin watched her with a thoroughly dazed face. At this point it was impossible not to start worrying.

"Hah!"

Only after about five minutes did Han Yuseol finally come back to herself. Lee Chaerin immediately looked at her with concern.

"Unnie, are you okay?"

"...That was the most delicious apple I've ever eaten in my life."

"And that's why you reacted like that?"

Ellie, too, was watching with a worried expression. Even if the apple was delicious, that kind of reaction seemed a little... She found herself wondering whether her own apple could really be that good. After all, when she had eaten one herself, it had not been quite that extreme.

"No way, how good can it be to make—"

Lee Chaerin picked up a piece herself and bit into it the moment the words left her mouth.

"Crunchcrunchcrunch"

"..."

"..."

Chaerin changed in exactly the same way—blank-faced, mouth working steadily.

"D-did I look like that?"

"..."

...So she hadn't even been aware of her own reaction. I simply nodded quietly.

Five minutes later, Chaerin also returned to her senses.

"Hah! I-it's delicious. So insanely delicious! What is this? Is this even a real apple?"

"Um... I think we should keep it down since we're ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in a hospital, Chaerin."

"No, unnie, this apple is actually insane. How does an apple like this even exist in the world?"

"Yeah. It's clearly not an ordinary apple."

After that she put the piece she was holding into her mouth and began to nibble the remaining slices with extreme frugality, taking the tiniest possible bites—exactly like a castaway carefully rationing the last scrap of food on a deserted island.

Once the entire apple was gone, Chaerin shot a sideways glance full of longing at the remaining fruit.

"Unnie. Can I have one more apple?"

"There are two, so take one with you later."

"Wow! Really? Thanks!"

Hunter Yuseol really does have a kind heart. To hand one over even after tasting it... I should give her another when the chance arises.

"Alright! Now let's go eat! I made a reservation at a super expensive place today!"

Meanwhile, in the Association President's office at the Hunter Association.

Go Kang-wook was handing Ayla the documents related to Ellie along with an Awakened-exclusive identification card.

"I have assigned a new resident registration number to the deceased identity."

"That alone is sufficient for now."

"There are still various administrative procedures remaining, but I have handled most of them under my own authority. There should be no issues with the identity itself. However, biometric information such as fingerprints and DNA must be registered in person by the individual. Only after that process is complete will the Awakened-exclusive ID become fully valid."

In other words, the Awakened ID he had just given Min Surim was an incomplete card that possessed only the outer appearance. Until biometric registration was finished, it could not be used to access the various benefits and facilities the Association provided to Awakened.

At Association headquarters the President himself knew the situation and could exercise discretion, but the same would not hold true at the Hunter Management Bureau.

For instance, the ID could not be used when selling byproducts at the Bureau. Of course even that could be resolved by contacting President Go Kang-wook directly, yet the process would be rather noisy—something neither Ayla nor Ellie would want.

Thus Ayla nodded and replied.

"I shall visit within a suitable time frame."

"...Meaning."

"Yes."

The Fairy King herself would personally visit the Hunter Association. He had intended for this to happen, yet Go Kang-wook felt the timing had arrived rather sooner than expected.

He asked in a carefully polite tone.

"Is there anything I should be particularly careful about?"

He already knew that Ayla was not human but a member of another race. It followed that the Fairy King she served might possess a culture and way of life different from humanity's. Acting in ignorance of those differences could lead him to commit some unintended discourtesy.

Indeed, quite a long time ago, the diplomatic negotiations between the United States and the Dwarf nation of Deubron had produced unnecessary friction precisely because cultural differences had not been properly understood.

Ayla shook her head.

"There is no need for great concern. Her Majesty is merciful. In fact, she understands human culture no differently from any ordinary person."

"That is a relief. Then please inform me of the date later. The Association will make preparations as well."

"Yes."