006 - S-Rank Hunter Han Seo-ha (3)
006 - S-Rank Hunter Han Seo-ha (3)
Seoha eonni's favorability went up by 25 in one go.
I didn't even do anything just now; I only received help.
I really couldn't understand why things turned out like this.
Strictly speaking, shouldn't it be my favorability toward her that goes up?
'Anyway, thanks to that, I did level up.'
Though I wondered if it was really supposed to rise this easily.
Becoming good friends with Seoha eonni wouldn't be a bad thing anyway.
On top of that, as 'Hand of God' reached LV.2 just now, I became able to select the type of equipment to craft.
Out of the type, attribute, grade, and appearance that had been random until now, I could finally fix the type.
As a creator, it was a massive development.
'It's a bit disappointing that I don't have any coins, though.'
It was a shame that I couldn't try out the newly unlocked feature right away.
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have crafted this morning.
Tiring!
[Trial Coin granted to commemorate the unlocking of a new feature!]
'If it's a coin, just call it a coin, what on earth is a trial coin.'
I was thankful that it suddenly gave me a coin, but...
With "Trial" attached to it, it felt somewhat suspicious.
I quietly checked my skill window.
[EX: Hand of God (LV.2)]
Coins: 1 (Trial active)
- Only equipment of A-rank or lower can be crafted.
Cooldown: 6 days 9 hours
2. (Information cannot be checked due to low level.)
3. (Information cannot be checked due to low level.)
(Favorability required until next level: 15)
As expected, there was a penalty.
The penalty of only being able to craft up to A-rank at maximum.
Still, since I essentially received a free coin, it wasn't bad for me.
It wasn't like there was any guarantee I'd pull an S-rank anyway.
"Um, are you okay?"
Oh, right.
I had forgotten about Seoha eonni.
I was looking at the system message floating in the air, but from Seoha eonni's perspective right in front of me, she must have been thinking, 'Why is this kid suddenly acting like this?'
"Yes, I'm okay."
"Take a deep breath if it's tough. That can happen when you get startled suddenly."
Is she thinking I got shocked because of that villain earlier?
Honestly, I didn't think much of it.
Seoha eonni had my back, and it wasn't my first day encountering strange people during secondhand trades.
Rather, I was a bit flustered when she suddenly hugged me earlier.
"There are a lot of weird bastards these days."
"Tell me about it. I put it up way cheaper than the market price, too. To think he planned to haggle it down even further from that."
"That's not what... No, never mind."
It looked like she had something more to say, but Seoha eonni just clicked her tongue softly.
Anyway.
In the end, I couldn't sell the dagger.
It was already hard enough to find a buyer because of its cute appearance.
Am I really going to have to use it as a kitchen knife?
As I looked down at the dagger and pouted my lips, Seoha eonni spoke up.
"Is it because of the dagger?"
"Ah, yes. Even if it's cute, it's a bit much for hunters to use, isn't it?"
When I spoke with self-deprecating humor, Seoha eonni pondered for a moment before speaking.
"I'll help you sell it. In exchange, don't do personal trades from now on."
"Huh?"
"It's dangerous."
What on earth is she talking about now?
Even if Seoha eonni and I got super close today...
She isn't in a position to stop me from doing personal trades.
Of course, when trading with hunters outside the effect of 'Beloved Child', if something like today happens repeatedly, it would be a little scary, but...
Still, handing over crafted equipment to people who need it is the duty of a creator.
I guess I'll just have to avoid face-to-face deals in the future or something.
"That's a bit..."
As I carefully expressed my intention to decline,
Seoha eonni waved her hand as if to say that wasn't what she meant.
"I'm not telling you to blindly stop doing it, I'm planning to connect you to a weapon shop I know. The owner there is a bit picky, but if it's equipment you made, she'll definitely accept it."
Ey, she should have said so from the start.
I misunderstood for nothing. If it's that, it isn't bad.
I nodded as if understanding.
"Let's go right away."
"Okay~"
Great.
From now on, I'll sell decent equipment there, and as for equipment that's worth quite a bit, I'll have to sell it in secret or something.
It's not like I signed a contract, as long as I don't get caught, it's fine, right?
.
.
.
Weapon shop, Ascent.
As soon as we opened the door, a faint wooden scent lingered.
Equipment was neatly displayed by type in the showcase.
Beneath them hung small name tags indicating which blacksmith had made each piece.
Overall, rather than being luxurious, it had the feel of a workshop built up over time.
I felt like I understood why high-caliber blacksmiths entrusted their items for consignment sales here.
"Oh my. Look who it is, long time no see, Han Seoha."
From inside the showcase display area, a muscular woman holding a hammer revealed herself.
Long red hair and eyes overflowing with an intimidating presence.
Seeing her speak friendly to Seoha eonni right away, she clearly wasn't an ordinary person.
"And who might that cute baby next to you be?"
[Skill: 'Beloved Child' has been activated.]
[Error: Unrecognizable target.]
[Target: ???'s favorability is adjusted to ???.]
What is this?
An error popped up as if something had suddenly broken, and then...
In the message that followed, unlike usual, no name or value could be seen.
Left with no choice, I checked the woman's information using Observation.
[???]
[God?'s ?ove / ??? / ???]
[Baby, you shouldn't peek at just anything like that, okay?]
Woah, startled me!
I was flustered by the sudden text appearing in the spot where favorability should normally be.
When I looked up, the woman was waving her hand with a bright smile.
I was dumbfounded.
"You brought quite an interesting baby here."
"Hmm? Unlike how she looks, she's quite a skilled blacksmith. Could you sell this kid's equipment for her?"
At that, the woman narrowed her eyes.
"I'll have to judge that myself after seeing it; being interesting and fitting in here are two different matters."
Tap, tap. She tapped on the showcase.
As if signaling to show the crafted equipment quickly.
I slowly walked up and placed the C-rank Teddy Bear Dagger on top of it.
"What's this? It's a dagger as cute as a baby."
After saying that, she slowly scanned the dagger.
Persistently, as if trying to discover even the slightest defect.
After a few minutes passed, the woman set down the dagger with a satisfied smile.
"Excellent. If you keep bringing items of this quality from now on, you're welcome anytime. My, you were a baby with great skill after all."
Saying so, she ruffled my hair vigorously.
Still completely dazed, I accepted her touch without even being able to resist.
I was glad she accepted my dagger, but...
Who on earth is this person, really?
"Ah, was my introduction late? I'm Park Sehee, the owner of Ascent."
"Stop touching Eunha's hair. You're scaring the kid."
"Is that so? I got quite a surprise because of the baby myself, so let it slide just this once."
"What are you talking about..."
That was unmistakably a tone of voice showing she knew I had peeked at her information with 'Observation'.
The error earlier was like that too. She seemed to have many secrets somewhere.
"Um..."
"Yes?"
I spoke up first, but...
I couldn't think of what words to say.
Besides, with Seoha eonni right next to me, it was awkward to openly ask what her true identity was.
As I hesitated indecisively, Park Sehee laughed heartily.
"Baby, everyone has at least one secret. Don't overthink it, and for now just think of me as the owner of Ascent."
I felt the intention that she was telling me not to pry any further.
Surely, she must be hiding something, but...
I couldn't use Observation, and she didn't seem like a bad person.
"I understand."
I moderately agreed.
"My, aren't you a good girl. Shall I give you a candy?"
But why does everyone treat me like such a young child?
Even if I look a bit cute, I'm still an adult anyway.
Nevertheless, the candy was blameless, so I quietly took it and ate it.
Nom nom nom.
It was cola flavor.
Not bad.
In the meantime, Seoha eonni looked back and forth between me and Park Sehee, as if she couldn't understand at all.
Even if she stared like that, there was nothing I could say to her.
I couldn't exactly tell her, 'I used a skill, but that person suddenly hit me with a rainbow reflect.'
"By the way, Seoha, what brought you to bring someone else along for a change? Don't tell me... a soft child like this is your type?"
Park Sehee said in a voice full of mischief.
"W-What are you saying?"
Seoha eonni blushed again.
She didn't particularly deny it.
Well, if someone likes cute things, of course they can make a cute friend.
As her favorability went up, feeling like we were becoming closer friends gave me a strangely good feeling.
Am I finally making a new friend other than my childhood friend?
"Oh right. Look at my head."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Park Sehee hurriedly brought a piece of paper and held it out to me along with a pen.
"Baby, could you sign here?"
A contract.
Written on it were details of a 7:3 distribution split along with various clauses.
After reading through everything, there were no clauses particularly disadvantageous to me.
I immediately scribbled the name Yoo Eunha into the signature box with style.
But...
"If we distribute the earnings from selling the Teddy Bear Dagger, will there be anything left?"
When I murmured that to myself, Park Sehee smirked.
"Baby, it seems you don't know how the world works yet. With this level of quality, it fetches several million."
What?
Then that means it's a price more than ten times what I was originally going to sell it for.
Just how much was that scammer trying to rip off from me?
It was quite a shocking fact.
Night.
I returned home riding in Seoha eonni's car.
For reference, we promised to meet again next week.
Although it started with a contract, thinking about making plans with an S-rank hunter made me feel like I had become someone amazing.
This kind of feeling wasn't bad.
And as for the Teddy Bear Dagger, Park Sehee agreed to contact me separately once it gets sold.
Just what is that person's true identity?
"So what should I craft..."
I was contemplating what to make with the trial coin I obtained earlier.
Shields, which I haven't made yet, seem decent...
Or a staff for Jia?
But then again, if the attribute doesn't match, it would be ambiguous to give it to her.
As I was thinking this and that, right then—
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Clack.
Suddenly, with the sound of the passcode being entered, the door opened.
"W-What?"
Standing there was Jia, with eyes that were somehow unfocused.
Of course, I had given her the passcode a long time ago.
But Jia had never come over by typing in the passcode herself like this before.
"Eunha."
Jia approached, her gaze fixed on me.
"W-What's wrong?"
"You know... earlier while eating with my guild members, I was so happy to see you, Eunha. I thought about maybe going to a cafe together. But Eunha, you were with Hunter Han Seoha?"
Jia hugged me tightly.
Then she buried her face in the nape of my neck and muttered softly in a low voice.
"An unfamiliar perfume scent... What's the relationship between you two?"