Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Hayang Starts to Become Known
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We swept up every last item from the treasure room.
I'd been worried about how we'd carry it all without a bag or anything.
But luckily, Jeong Yujin had her own storage pouch.
It was that small leather pouch hanging from her waist.
"Whoa, that's amazing. How does all that fit inside?"
"That's why they call it an item. Of course, there's a limit to how much you can store. If there'd been just a few more pieces, we probably couldn't have taken everything."
"What a relief. It would've felt like such a waste if we had to leave anything behind."
"Right?"
We chatted lightly on the way out, feeling like we'd just gone for a casual stroll rather than a gate dive.
"B-but... is it really okay for me to take all of it? You handled all the monsters and traps..."
"It's fine. I don't want to snatch candy from a kid. That was the deal from the start, remember?"
"I thought you were just saying that."
"Hey, I may look like this, but I don't go back on my word."
The way Jeong Yujin thumped her chest proudly was seriously cool.
Even I could see she was cooler than most guys.
I never would've pictured her acting like that so easily.
"More importantly, are you okay with this, Hayang? It'll be tough to sell all these on your own. You haven't even used the auction house before, right?"
"Auction house?"
"Yeah. Items from gates have their own marketplace. You list them there, and people bid after checking the catalog."
"Ah, got it."
Like a traders' exchange just for hunters.
"But it's more hassle than you'd think. Mana stones can be sold directly to the association, no problem. For hunter-to-hunter trades, though, you need appraisal certificates, and for gold or jewels, you have to call in an appraiser for authentication."
"Eek, that sounds like such a pain."
Here I was, thrilled about our huge haul.
Turns out dealing with it would be even more work.
I felt a little deflated for some reason.
If I'd had cat ears and a tail, they probably would've drooped right down.
Looking down at me and chuckling, Jeong Yujin tapped her chin thoughtfully before making a casual suggestion.
"If you're okay with it, Hayang, how about I handle the sales through my guild? They have staff who specialize in that sort of thing."
"Huh? W-wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
She'd already handed over that mountain of items to me.
Asking even more of someone who'd done so much already? I felt guilty just thinking about it.
"It's no big deal. If you really feel bad, just do me one favor next time I ask, okay?"
"A favor? Sure, no problem... but what could you possibly need from me?"
"Trust me, there'll definitely be something."
A B-rank hunter asking a favor from an F-rank?
I couldn't even imagine it, so I tilted my head. But Jeong Yujin just nodded with total confidence.
R-really?
If she said so, who was I to argue?
"N-no guarantees, though...! Grandma always said even family doesn't stand surety for each other!"
"Surety? Come on, I make pretty good money as it is. Way more than the average big-corp salaryman—several times over. No need to worry about me."
"Wow, you just got even cooler, Yujin."
"Heh, right?"
I thought she'd call me materialistic.
Instead, her frank honesty made her glow even brighter.
Fine then. Just this once, I'd swallow my pride and accept her help.
Next time, I'd handle things myself.
"Alright, if you insist."
"Good. Kids need to learn when to lean on adults."
"...I'm not a kid."
Tch, there went her glow.
I'm not a kid.
Even if I was stuck in a twelve-year-old's body.
Of course, I knew protesting wouldn't convince anyone right now.
I carefully handed the small bundle back to Jeong Yujin.
Knowing it was stuffed with all those treasure-room goodies made my hands shake a little as I passed it over.
She wouldn't just take off with it, right?
Or ghost me and run away in the night?
"Perfect. I'll let you know once they're sold. Oh, and heads-up: besides the standard auction fees, the guild takes a cut. You'll have to factor that in."
"H-how much of a cut...?"
"Not much. Base fee's 3.3%, guild fee's 1.1%. Total around 4.4%?"
What? That's barely anything.
For all that hassle? Just 1.1% seemed way too low.
Could a guild even run on that?
"Isn't that too low? What do the guild staff live on?"
"Uh, yeah? It's low? The guild's already complaining it's too little."
"Wait, really?"
What heartless folks.
It wasn't even my job, but I grumbled anyway.
"One percent of a million won is just ten thousand. That's peanuts."
"...Y-yeah. You're right. Wow, Hayang's good at math, huh?"
"Ahem. Basics."
No matter how far my Intelligence stat had dropped to 1.
My brilliant brain wasn't going anywhere.
Simple calculations like that were a piece of cake.
"...Guess I need to teach her about money first."
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"Nothing, nothing. You're just so thoughtful, Hayang. It's adorable."
"Psh, they're just doing their jobs to put food on the table. It's only right."
"Aigoo, so mature."
I am a little mature.
Still, it felt kinda nice.
I hadn't been that excited even by the praise inside the dungeon.
But hearing it out here in the real world? My shoulders were practically floating.
"Wanna hit the café and chat a bit? Feels like a shame to split up already."
"Yes! I even brought ten thousand won in emergency cash from home today!"
Earlier at the burger joint, she'd ordered while I was in the bathroom, so I hadn't paid.
But today, I'd treat her to something nice. I proudly pulled out my crumpled green bill.
"R-really? That café doesn't take cash, though. Use it to buy yourself something yummy, okay?"
"Okaay..."
But the unexpected news deflated me again in no time.
Still, it gave me a new goal.
Once I made bank, I'd get my own card for sure.
'I saw on TV last time—something cool called revolving?'
Cards really were amazing things.
After treating Hayang to another pile of snacks at the café,
Jeong Yujin returned to guild headquarters in high spirits.
'She stuffed her cheeks like a chipmunk.'
Watching her puff out her cheeks full of food,
then slowly munch away... it was unbearably cute.
The thought of having a little sister like that wouldn't leave her mind.
Jeong Yujin was humming happily when her face stiffened the moment she reached the sixth floor of headquarters.
This hallway led only to the guild master's office.
That's why she'd rushed here.
She had to let him know about Hayang before any other guild tried to poach her.
Since she'd scheduled ahead with the guild master, the security guards on the corridor just gave her a quick nod, no hassle.
She crossed the hall briskly, knocked on the office door.
Knock knock—
-Who is it?
"Master, it's me. Jeong Yujin."
-Come in.
Whirr—
The moment permission came and she stepped inside,
Jeong Yujin's eyes went wide.
"What's with that look?"
"Even if you're staring down the guild master, 'what' is a bit much."
"No, you're sitting there looking half-dead."
She said it half-jokingly, but she already knew why.
She was part of Titan Guild, after all.
"So, what's up?"
"Got something to report. But first, how's the Layered Gate raid going?"
"...Not good."
She'd expected as much from his frank reply.
Layered Gate.
Unlike regular gates, these were divided into phases.
The deeper you went, the bigger the rewards,
but so did the enemies—powerful ones most guilds wouldn't even dare attempt.
Normally, for new high-rank gates like this,
top guilds got a shot in ranking order, one week each.
This time, Choi Geonwoo had pulled strings for first dibs, putting Titan in charge.
"Sounds like heavy losses. I heard the rumors..."
"Yeah. Ten of us went in, including me. Lost two. That's why I've got a meeting with the president tomorrow."
"Two people..."
Death always shadowed hunters, but no one took it lightly.
Even with his power, he couldn't protect them.
Jeong Yujin couldn't bring herself to press further on that helplessness gripping him.
"Maybe taking first turn was too much."
"Don't go soft on me now, Master. You agreed because you didn't want to lose to them either."
"True enough."
A bitter smile tugged at Choi Geonwoo's lips.
Yeohae Guild might be hailed as number one publicly,
but internally, it was rife with scandals and noise.
They pushed reckless raids just to rack up contributions,
corruption ran deep, and they shoehorned in unvetted members via connections.
Plus, raid teams were supposed to share intel from dungeons as an unspoken rule, but Yeohae hoarded it all out of selfish first-clear greed.
They were strong enough to claim most first clears anyway,
which only stoked the rivalry—nobody wanted to lose to them.
"Still, best to pull back here. If the first layer cost us that much, the second's unimaginable."
"Ah..."
Jeong Yujin felt pity at his uncharacteristic words.
She was sure he wanted to push on.
Not just hunter greed,
but as guild master, to make Titan shine brighter.
But with the path so murky ahead,
and two already dead,
losing more comrades terrified even the iron-willed Choi Geonwoo.
That's why Jeong Yujin made her choice.
Conquer the Layered Gate—and bring everyone home alive.
She fused those seemingly impossible goals into a third path.
"Master, what if there's a key to breaking through that Layered Gate? Would you take the gamble?"
"A key?"
Choi Geonwoo froze at the sudden pitch.
Was she joking to lighten the mood?
No—her eyes were dead serious.
"I found an incredible hunter this time. Someone who could shake up the whole scene."
"Talent, huh. At least A-rank? Anyone that promising would've been scouted already..."
"No, F-rank. But her potential... it's S-rank. Maybe even beyond you, Master."
"...!"
Surpassing him.
Choi Geonwoo felt no annoyance at the words.
Thrill.
Joy.
Excitement.
But a core doubt lingered, so he pressed on.
"F-rank? Not even B? You're saying throw a rookie into a Layered Gate?"
His glare screamed, Do you even get what you're saying?
But Jeong Yujin stood tall.
"30%."
"...What?"
"What if there's a buffer who gives a constant 30% boost to all stats? Believe it then?"
As if she'd anticipated that look,
she straightened and dropped the bombshell.
Choi Geonwoo blinked blankly.
"...You on drugs?"
"As if! I'm dead serious!"
"You expect me to buy that? 30%? Never heard of such a thing."
"That's why I'm telling you. And get this—she's got a rare skill that predicts enemy attacks. First time seeing them, ambushes, hidden foes, doesn't matter."
"..."
Staring at Jeong Yujin shatter four years of his hunter common sense,
Choi Geonwoo was speechless.
But her earnest gaze ruled out stale jokes.
She wasn't the type to kid around on grave matters anyway.
"Proof?"
"I tested her already. We cleared a gate together today."
"...Then no reason to doubt."
Jeong Yujin had a sharp eye for people.
She wouldn't hype up some acquaintance just to sneak them in.
Choi Geonwoo fired up his brain gears fast,
went silent a while, then stroked his chin and spoke heavily.
"Tomorrow."
"Pardon?"
"Get permission from her. If she agrees, bring her here tomorrow."
"W-wait! You have that presidential meeting tomorrow...?!"
She was thrilled he'd bite so quick,
but struggled to keep up with the pace. Choi Geonwoo just shrugged calmly.
"I was just going to tell him we're pulling out anyway. If you're right, no need."
The flickering ember of hope had reignited.