Chapter 84

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 84

Chapter Title: Total Happiness Choices

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"Why didn't you go rest?"

Mary reached out her hand and asked me first.

Her voice was laced with concern.

"I'm still fine."

"You can't do that... You need to rest properly..."

Mary shook her head with a pitying expression.

- Click.

Along with her warm concern, I heard the sound of the door lock engaging behind me.

- Beep beep, click.

Mary added a manual lock on top of that.

Only then did she turn around and look at me with worry once more.

"Go back and rest properly, even now..."

I smiled and took off my shoes.

"Dinner's probably still on, right?"

I stepped into the room and asked.

"Yeah."

"Anything you want to eat?"

The isolation room was, as always, stocked full of ingredients.

I sometimes even thought about living here.

They supplied fresh, high-quality ingredients at every moment.

Bento boxes were just a consideration for otherworlders who couldn't cook—the reality was that this place was the perfect environment for home cooking.

"Hmm... Pizza...?"

"Uh...?"

Mary flopped onto the sofa and answered like a child.

Pizza, huh...

Not difficult.

I opened the pantry: flour, tomato sauce, cheese—everything was there.

But...

"Load it with mushrooms~ pepperoni too~"

Pizza felt better ordered in.

To match the taste from stores, it needed at least a few hours of dough rising.

As I pondered that, Mary lay on the sofa, looking up at me.

"Does the dough need time to rise? What do we do in the meantime?"

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to wait for dough rising.

I settled for the next best option: tortilla pizza.

"...Hmph..."

As I pulled out the tortilla and set it on the cutting board, Mary let out a small sigh and headed to the fridge.

She diligently took out ingredients that might be needed and placed them on the counter next to me.

Onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, even olives.

"This won't be enough though..."

She pulled a thick chunk of tenderloin from the freezer and said.

"Want me to grill some steak too?"

And so our impromptu cooking began.

- Sizzle...

The pleasant sound of meat cooking filled the room, along with the nutty aroma of butter.

The workflow was surprisingly smooth.

Whenever I turned for my next step, she had already stepped aside to prepare something else.

Before long, the food was done.

Tortilla pizza and tenderloin steak were beautifully plated on the large table.

We sat facing each other.

- Slice slice...

I cut the tenderloin steak into soft pieces and placed them on Mary's plate.

At the same time, Mary lifted a slice of pizza, cheese stretching long, and set it on my dish.

"Feels like we did this yesterday too."

She popped a piece of steak ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into her mouth and said with a satisfied smile.

"Yeah."

I had the feeling our rhythms matched oddly well.

And apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

We ate and chatted about trivial things we hadn't discussed in years.

The awkwardness faded quickly, replaced by comfortable conversation like with a colleague from yesterday.

I deliberately avoided mentioning the recent incident.

It was resolved, after all.

And it wasn't exactly good news.

As we talked, the years of absence didn't feel like much.

"So... this Chain Hell raid was basically the last job on my contract."

Mary's contract with Daegae Guild was nearly up.

Originally, it had been extended by a year every four years.

"We even activated the one-year extension option since we were on the same page... but then they said Choi Si-hyeok might take the vice-guild master spot? That changed my mind. No next contract..."

Mary tilted her head.

"But then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he died."

The source of her long dilemma had vanished.

"Must be a lot on your mind."

I replied, taking a bite, wondering whether to quit or stay.

The upcoming transfer market.

Her decision alone could shake it up.

"Yeah, a bit."

Mary had options, of course—not like she had nowhere to go.

If she wanted to leave Daegae, they'd fight to keep her.

Her ranking... what was it again?

I didn't remember exactly, but around Jin Sea's level or higher.

It had probably risen even more after the Chain Hell success.

Top-tier treatment anywhere.

"What about the Association...?"

Then Mary set down her knife and asked me seriously.

The Association, huh...

I thought for a moment.

Strictly speaking, not the best choice.

It was a national organization, so likely lower salary and contract bonuses than guilds.

No preferential treatment.

Plus, the Association had an image as a stable job for A- to B-ranks.

If she joined, it'd be shocking news.

"Hmm."

I opened cautiously.

"Financially, it'd be a loss, right?"

I smiled, hoping she'd pick better.

One upside...

As Association staff, we'd naturally cross paths more.

They'd probably pamper an S-rank like her and assign me as her dedicated counselor.

But even that wasn't much of an advantage.

Better to pick another guild.

"What about Haetae?"

Hoping for better treatment, I suggested another option.

I'd heard rumors Haetae was gearing up to spend big.

Something about shedding the one-woman Jin Sea team image.

At my advice, Mary suddenly stifled a laugh.

"Hee hee."

She trembled, shoulders shaking, barely replying.

"Probably... um, no. Yeah, doesn't seem likely."

"Well, plenty of guilds out there."

If not Haetae, others existed.

At least top ten for her prestige...

Wait.

This was just about money.

I wondered what she really wanted to hear.

Usually, these questions had preset answers seeking affirmation.

I checked her status.

Ah, got it.

The answer was already set.

I smiled and shook my head slightly.

Still a ways off.

The first option screamed "don't pick this."

The second seemed right.

Understand and empathize.

The third... absurd.

Where would I get money to hire an S-rank hunter...

But thinking again, the system doesn't suggest impossibles.

So something could happen.

Hiring might be tough, but it maximizes our total happiness.

'...'

...Curious though?

Not unethical or weird—just a suggestion.

Could mention it as a joke.

Especially with the ???% outcome unknown.

I've picked worse with Mary before, clueless.

Like patting her waist or giving a massage...

Let's try.

I steeled myself and asked casually.

"Ever thought about being a bodyguard?"

"Ugh, not really..."

Mary's face soured at my question.

Lately, rich entrepreneurs hiring S-ranks as private guards was trending, but she seemed to despise it.

Hm, she doesn't like it.

Guess not this one.

I momentarily doubted the system and hurried to change topics.

What're you laughing at.

"Uh, okay. Just asking."

But then Mary's eyes widened slightly, asking belatedly.

"...? But whose guard...?"

I picked up a pizza slice and answered nonchalantly.

"Mine."

"?"

Mary's chewing stopped mid-steak.

"You?"

"Yeah. The Association said they'd beef up my security anyway."

Details were still in discussion.

"I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do it."

"Heh heh, kidding."

"I'm serious."

"...I was kidding... No money..."

She set down her fork and leaned over the table.

"I'm in. I have money."

What the...

"Employer?"

Mary grinned playfully, calling me that.

"No."

I shook my head.

No.

I'm not hiring.

The Association's budget and thoughts would differ.

But Mary ignored my desperate denial.

She flashed a victor's smile and stood.

"Time to ditch that beggar guild~"

She hummed, picking up empty dishes toward the kitchen.

Then a system window popped up.

...Is it dancing now?

Never picking suspicious options again.