004 - S-Class Hunter Han Seo-ha (1)
004 - S-Class Hunter Han Seo-ha (1)
The next day.
In front of Hunter Han Seo-ha's house.
"It'll be fine, right...?"
Standing in front of the door, I fidgeted with my collar for no reason.
It's not just the fact that I'm meeting an unknown hunter privately.
Maybe it's because I'm wearing a dress, but I feel weird.
'This is all for the sake of favorability.'
They say first impressions are the most important, don't they?
So, instead of my usual casual attire, I tried to wear the neatest-looking clothes I had.
However, since I became a woman, all the clothes in my closet changed too.
So, I had no choice but to wear a dress as a second-best option.
Ding-dong—!
As soon as I pressed the bell, the door opened shortly after with the sound of footsteps.
"Nice to m— Huh?"
Hunter Han Seo-ha, with her dark blue bob cut, stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing me.
I didn't know when I saw her in photos.
But seeing her in person, I understood why she even had a fan club.
By the way, why is she acting like that?
[Skill: 'Beloved One' has been activated.]
[Target: Han Seo-ha's favorability is adjusted to 50.]
Once the system message disappeared, Hunter Han Seo-ha finally sighed.
"How much are you getting paid to do this kind of work?"
What is she talking about?
"I know everything. You're getting paid to deliver items on someone else's behalf, right?"
"No. I made this, actually?"
I confidently showed her the weapon case I had set down because it was heavy.
I don't know about other things, but Laevateinn is the precious first piece of equipment I've crafted.
"To think they'd even use kids... what pieces of shit."
"Excuse me? I told you, that's not it. And I'm an adult."
"I'll give you whatever money you need. Quit this kind of work."
Hunter Han Seo-ha seemed lost in her own world, letting my words go in one ear and out the other.
She started looking at me as if I were a pitiful person.
It seems she's having a huge misunderstanding.
"Wait. Just look at this first."
Actions speak louder than words.
Since it didn't seem like we were communicating, I opened the weapon case myself.
Hot heat leaked out from inside.
As I grabbed the handle and slowly lifted it, the black blade revealed itself.
Even now, Laevateinn was flickering with flames as if it were breathing.
"How is it?"
And.
Seeing all of that.
Hunter Han Seo-ha's look of pity finally crumbled.
"What the hell is that crazy weapon?"
After a brief scuffle, inside the house.
"So, you made this yourself?"
"Yes. I made it."
Even after explaining all of Laevateinn's specs, I showed my profile to Hunter Han Seo-ha, who was still sending me suspicious glances.
[Yoo Eunha]
[Affiliation: None]
[Rank: -]
[Job: Creator]
Of course, even if I show it now, there's nothing I can prove other than my job.
I have no choice, as I have to go to the Hunter Association in person to measure my rank and get official certification.
Still, showing that I'm a Creator is enough for now.
"Creator?"
"Ah, it's something like a blacksmith."
"Sure. Let's say that's true. Then, why haven't you measured your rank?"
"...Because it's a hassle."
It's not a lie.
I only awakened yesterday, after all.
I just put it off for a moment because I suddenly made Laevateinn and someone appeared to buy it.
Hearing my words, Hunter Han Seo-ha laughed softly as if she were dumbfounded.
"You're a strange one. Fine, I'll believe you."
"It's not about believing me. I'm telling you, I really made it."
Then.
Hunter Han Seo-ha's gaze changed slightly.
Rather than cold, it felt like she was challenging me to try something.
"Then, should I ask you one by one where you got the materials and how you hammered the iron with that frail body of yours?"
"That's..."
"I still have many questions. I'm just letting it slide because you're cute."
Ugh.
Honestly speaking, I want to tell her everything about 'Hand of God'.
Then those kinds of questions would be cleared up in one go.
However, I've just met Hunter Han Seo-ha.
No matter how much of an S-class hunter the other party is, there's a risk in blabbing about my skills.
Especially since 'Hand of God' isn't an ordinary skill.
"I understand."
I had no choice but to concede.
"That's right. So, why didn't you make the specs of this amazing weapon public?"
"My phone couldn't recognize it. It said something about a magic power recognition limit or something."
"Ah... there was something like that. With a weapon of this caliber, that makes sense."
This time, she accepted it quickly.
But I came here to sell a weapon.
I feel like I'm just being interrogated.
How did it end up like this?
I didn't like it, so I stealthily used the 'Observation' skill.
I can't be the only one suffering.
[Han Seo-ha]
[Independent / S-class Hunter / Fire-attribute Swordsman]
[Favorability 50]
What I confirmed through 'Observation' was information I already knew, just like with Jia.
However.
There was something else floating below it.
TIP. It is recommended to meet consistently while maintaining an appropriate distance.
It was content like a dating sim strategy guide.
'Does this mean I can raise favorability by doing this?'
It was a very simple method.
It means I can raise favorability if I keep meeting her like this.
Then how on earth do I make an excuse to keep meeting her?
I wonder if there's a good way.
"So, what price do you want?"
As I was thinking about this and that, Hunter Han Seo-ha's voice cut in.
Ah, right.
I have to sell Laevateinn first.
I had forgotten because I was being interrogated about this and that as soon as we met.
For reference, I had already thought about the price yesterday.
That is, the 'pre-offer' strategy.
Whatever I call for Laevateinn is the market price.
So there's no need to rush; it's not too late to think about it after hearing what she offers first.
"If you name the price you want, Hunter-nim, I'll adjust it accordingly."
Hunter Han Seo-ha's gaze landed on Laevateinn again.
She tapped the table with her fingers.
That short sound felt unusually long.
How much is she going to offer, I wonder?
"Alright. Then, 10 billion. I'll buy it in a lump sum."
10 billion...?
I almost showed how flustered I was at the astronomical figure I'd heard for the first time in my life.
Of course, thinking about the price of B-class blacksmith equipment, I thought that an S-class one could fetch this much.
It was a bit of a shock.
"Does it not please you?"
"N-no..."
I answered hurriedly, feeling like if I said I didn't like it, she might raise the price even higher.
Just how rich is she?
I had heard that hunters who can clear top-tier gates make ridiculous amounts of money.
I didn't know the world they lived in was this different.
Anyway.
I could just take the 10 billion as is, go home, and live off it for the rest of my life, but.
I couldn't do that.
If that happens, the promise I made with Jia will go down the drain.
And I can't be lucky like this forever.
I need to steadily interact with people, raise favorability, and level up.
That way, I'll be able to stand proudly on equal footing with Jia as a Creator someday.
"By any chance, would it be okay to include another condition?"
"Tell me."
Hunter Han Seo-ha waited for me to speak as if she were interested.
"Instead of the price being 10 billion, please meet with me for the time being."
Huh, I think I said that weirdly.
But fortunately, she seemed to have no problem with it.
"What benefit does that have for you?"
I couldn't say that I intended to farm favorability while being with her.
I thought about whether there was a good excuse and opened my mouth.
"I want to hear directly about how my weapon is and things like that."
"...Couldn't you just do that via chat?"
"Ah, no. We have to meet in person."
Hunter Han Seo-ha burst out laughing at my desperate voice.
The cold atmosphere from earlier was gone, and she looked at me affectionately.
"Alright. Let's do that."
Then she continued with a voice mixed with laughter.
"But, does that mean you think the time spent with me is worth 5 billion?"
"Hunter-nim, that's not it."
No, I didn't particularly think that.
It just happened that way.
Of course, from Hunter Han Seo-ha's perspective, it's as if I gave up 5 billion to buy an excuse to meet her.
I'm telling you, that's really not it.
What kind of crazy person would do that?
"And don't call me Hunter-nim, call me eonni. It's been bothering me since earlier."
Eonni? With my own mouth?
Those two syllables rolled around in my mouth and got stuck in my throat.
It's not like I'm in a position to say that, considering I already came wearing a dress.
It was more terrible than being treated like a younger sister by Jia.
"...Yes, eonni."
Of course, I had no choice.
[Target: Han Seo-ha's favorability has increased by 10.]
Why is favorability increasing again?
I sighed deeply to myself.
Just like that, the deal was done.
[Title: Han Seo-ha clears A-class gate solo]
[Author: HunterGalleryMecha]
She's been trying since last time, looks like she finally succeeded this time
It's a legendary move, for sure
- How the hell did she solo an A-class gate
- There's a reason she doesn't join a guild
- They always talk about the peak of Warriors or whatever, but she's breaking records again
- Rumor has it she changed to an S-class weapon this time
ㄴ Do S-class weapons just pop out of the ground?
ㄴㄴ Given the personality of blacksmiths, they'd brag to the whole neighborhood if they made one, so it's probably not true lol
.
.
.
Inside the A-class gate.
Han Seo-ha stood on top of the monster corpses and caught her breath.
The heat from earlier had not yet faded from her fingertips.
The S-class weapon 'Laevateinn' purchased from the mysterious, cute Creator.
It had better quality and performance than any sword she had ever held.
That's to be expected.
Because she had overcome the wall she couldn't cross no matter how many times she tried, so easily.
"Strange kid."
It's a mystery how she made something like this, but.
A blacksmith with that much ability cut 5 billion just to meet her.
Considering that for a blacksmith, price is the same as pride, she couldn't figure out what was going on inside her head.
"Is it tomorrow?"
Already, tomorrow is the day we agreed to meet.
For some reason, strange emotions stirred in Han Seo-ha's heart today.
That emotion was something she had never felt before, so she couldn't even name it.
Trying hard to ignore it, she slowly walked out of the gate.