The Weight of an Apology
Hey, you too? As soon as I opened the door, she slipped inside, sneaking glances at me the whole time.
“What the hell did you bring all that stuff for?”
When I asked in a grumpy tone, she flinched, her shoulders jumping. But she didn’t stop moving. She started unpacking everything she’d brought onto the table, as if she wanted me to look at it all. Like she was silently admitting she’d done something wrong.
“Th-this… is a top-grade elixir made by the Alchemy Guild.”
She shook one of the ampoules as she spoke. The golden liquid inside shimmered with an ethereal glow, sloshing gently. A top-grade elixir. The kind so rare that even with all the money in the world, you couldn’t get your hands on one without serious connections. It was one of the highest-ranking “miracle medicines” out there, especially effective at boosting mana capacity and increasing the density of magical power. And yet here it was, sitting on my table like some cheap neighborhood tonic.
And that wasn’t all.
“This is a top-tier potion I received from the Association.”
She set the potion ampoule down casually. A top-tier one. If I remembered correctly, those went for at least a hundred million won each. Then, with trembling hands, Kim Soyeon carefully pulled out a rugged gray box and placed it on the table.
“And this is top-grade troll regeneration ointment. It speeds up recovery for both internal and external injuries by several times…”
The distinctive scent wafting from the box hit me. Every single item here was worth hundreds of millions. Seeing them piled up like that, I couldn’t help but let out a dumbfounded chuckle.
She must really feel bad about it.
Looking at everything she’d brought, every item was related to injuries and recovery. Even the elixir had healing properties. But she wasn’t done yet.
“And… I thought you might not have eaten properly, so I brought this bento from a famous restaurant on the way here.”
I’d assumed it was just a regular lunchbox, but then I saw the restaurant logo printed on the packaging. It was a Michelin-starred place.
…Seriously? This was way beyond thoughtful. It felt excessive.
When I looked up, Kim Soyeon was standing there, fidgeting anxiously.
“Thanks.”
I’d been planning to say something like, Did you really think this would make up for it? I’d even considered pressing her a little more. But seeing everything she’d prepared, my irritation just melted away. Asking for anything else felt like crossing a line. So I simply said thank you.
At those words, her face lit up with relief.
“I’ll handle the medicine myself…”
“No! I’ll—I’ll apply it for you!”
Kim Soyeon quickly grabbed the ointment box and leaned forward.
“Let me do it, okay? Just stay still.”
She didn’t even wait for my answer before stepping closer. I heard the sound of the ointment lid opening. Then she grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and started pulling it up.
Her bold actions caught me off guard and I tried to pull back, but she gripped the fabric tighter, refusing to let go. It was clear she had no intention of releasing me.
She took a deep breath.
…Why does this feel so awkward?
I couldn’t explain why, but the situation suddenly felt incredibly embarrassing. Right as that thought crossed my mind, her hand touched my chest and began rubbing the ointment in.
“Tell me right away if it hurts.”
“…It’s been hurting this whole time.”
“…Sorry.”
I could feel her fingertips trembling against my skin. Even so, she continued applying the ointment slowly and carefully. The cool sensation spread across my skin, and the throbbing pain vanished like it had never been there.
…
…
But aside from that, I couldn’t stand the awkward atmosphere and ended up staring into empty space. I had no idea where to look. When I snuck a glance at her, Kim Soyeon seemed completely focused on spreading the ointment.
Just as the strange tension between us reached its peak—
Vrrrr, vrrrr, vrrrr.
My smartphone started vibrating. Seeing a way to break this awkwardness, I quickly picked it up and checked the screen.
Lee Chaeyeon
“Uh, hold on. I need to take this.”
I gave Kim Soyeon a quick nod and pressed the answer button, holding the phone to my ear.
“Hello, Hunter Baek Woobin. This is Lee Chaeyeon speaking.”
“Yes.”
Lee Chaeyeon took a short breath before continuing in a confident tone, getting straight to the point.
“I’m calling to deliver some good news. I’ve successfully obtained final approval from the higher-ups regarding the contract condition I proposed—guaranteeing an Aegis contract upon reaching the 50th floor.”
…Oh. I stared into space, genuinely surprised. She’d actually convinced the higher-ups with just the 50th floor? Honestly, I’d expected it to take at least thirty days. Appointing someone to Aegis wasn’t something a single agent could pull off. Especially not with the notoriously slow bureaucracy of the Association’s upper management. I couldn’t help but be impressed by how quickly she’d gotten results.
“You’ve worked hard. I was surprised you called so soon.”
“Thank you. Since we can’t finalize this matter over the phone, I’ve brought the official contract and related documents with me. I’d like to come see you right away.”
In other words, she wanted to meet immediately to wrap up the contract. Her determination came through loud and clear even over the line.
Aegis was a position that could never be left vacant and could never be taken lightly. It was a role every hunter dreamed of. Once appointed, you were exempt from forced mobilization and even received protection from the state.
“Understood. My current address is…”
“Please open the door. I’m already standing in front of your house.”
“……Excuse me?”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard. I’d only moved in recently—how did she already know my address?
“I’ve been keeping track of Hunter Baek Woobin’s residence. The living quarters of prospective Aegis members must always be monitored.”
A perfectly reasonable answer. And since it was a government organization, it was entirely possible.
“Yes, I understand. Just a moment.”
I hung up and started to get up from my seat. Kim Soyeon, who had been focused on applying the ointment, jumped in surprise. Her eyes widened as she asked,
“Wh-why? Where are you going?”
She sounded worried I might strain myself. She even grabbed my arm.
But I told her to wait a second, then turned toward the front door with a faint smile on my lips.
The person standing outside right now was an Association agent. Moreover, she seemed to be handling Aegis-related duties as well. And the person currently in my house with me was none other than South Korea’s youngest S-class hunter, Kim Soyeon. The one whose fanbase was said to be countless.
…This could turn out nicely.
I wondered what Lee Chaeyeon would think when she saw Kim Soyeon with her own eyes.
“I’ll just grab something real quick. Wait here.”
Leaving Kim Soyeon behind, I walked casually to the front door. The moment the lock clicked open—
Lee Chaeyeon looked at me with a bright expression and began to speak.
“Hunter Baek Woobin, I’m truly sorry for making you wa—”
She was dressed in her usual neat business suit, holding a document folder in one hand as she prepared to greet me warmly. But then—
“……”
Her bright smile froze in place. Lee Chaeyeon went completely rigid, as if she’d been struck by lightning. Her eyes darted around helplessly, her slightly parted lips trembling. Her gaze was fixed on Kim Soyeon, who was staring back with wide, rabbit-like eyes, equally startled.
Anyone even slightly interested in Korea’s hunter world would recognize that face. She must have been utterly confused about why Kim Soyeon was in my house.
I shrugged my shoulders with an expression that said I had no idea what was going on.
“Um… excuse me?”
Only then did Lee Chaeyeon suck in a sharp breath and look at me. Her face had gone deathly pale. She kept glancing back and forth between me and Kim Soyeon, swallowing hard.
I wondered what was going through her head. She was probably running through thousands of possible scenarios about what kind of relationship I had with Kim Soyeon. It must have made no sense to her at all.
Eventually she pulled herself together and thrust the contract documents toward me.
“Here are the contract documents. First… I’ll brief you on the specific details of the agreement.”
As expected of a professional. She did her best to ignore Kim Soyeon and launched into her explanation.
“As you know, Hunter-nim, Aegis is different from typical guild contracts where hunters provide labor in exchange for exclusive agreements. It takes the form of mandatory contracts for a few specific missions.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Hunters affiliated with Aegis must prioritize clearing the Tower above all else. If the Tower’s conquest is delayed and the collapse phenomenon occurs—allowing the monsters inside to pour into the real world—the resulting damage falls entirely on the nation.”
I already knew that. Everyone knew that clearing the Tower was Aegis’s top priority.
“Preventing humanity’s extinction is Aegis’s highest objective. Even if a Tower collapse occurs and monsters cause casualties, Aegis members are exempt from rescue or subjugation missions and are granted freedom of action.”
In short, Aegis only focused on prevention. Any follow-up would be left to regular hunters, so you should concentrate solely on stopping disasters before they happened.
Leaving all the cleanup to regular hunters if a clear failed… in a way, it seemed pretty irresponsible.
“In return for fulfilling such heavy duties, the Association and the nation guarantee special privileges to Aegis hunters. Except in cases of national disasters, they are exempt from conscription. Even during national disasters, they are given the right to refuse.”
…This part was new to me.
A national disaster usually referred to events like a Great Rift. In other words, a crisis that could potentially destroy the country. The fact that they still had the right to refuse even then was something I’d never heard before.
“Additionally, wherever you wish to live, Hunter-nim, we will provide a dedicated residence equipped with the latest security systems at no cost.”
She watched my reaction carefully as she emphasized the practical benefits, putting strength into her voice. It was as if she were saying, All of this has been prepared just for you.
“Furthermore, you will be assigned a dedicated Association employee exclusively for you. Ah, regarding that position… it seems I will likely be the one assigned. Through that assigned staff member, you’ll be able to dispose of loot and equipment obtained from the Tower without going through complicated procedures.”
After the long, long contract briefing, Lee Chaeyeon let out a tired breath. Truthfully, I’d noticed her constantly stealing glances at Kim Soyeon throughout the explanation. Her face screamed that she was dying to ask what was going on.
But I had zero intention of answering that question. I simply gave a light shrug. I neither confirmed nor denied anything. Let her imagine, misunderstand, and speculate all she wanted.
“I’ll read through the documents carefully. Once I meet the conditions, I’ll contact you. You can head back now.”
In the end, Lee Chaeyeon bit her lip tightly and stood up. Before leaving through the front door, she glanced back and forth between me and Kim Soyeon one last time, then practically fled my house in a hurry.
Click.
The moment the door lock engaged, Kim Soyeon spoke up as if she’d been waiting.
“You… you. You’re signing an Aegis contract too?”
She looked at me with wide, surprised eyes. Asking if I was going to be like her. Was it curiosity? Or anticipation? Her eyes were sparkling.
Instead of answering her question, I tilted my head sideways and let out a small, crooked laugh.
“By the way, are you okay with this?”
“Huh? With what?”
Kim Soyeon blinked in confusion, not understanding what I meant.
“I mean, what if rumors spread about you being here with me?”
“…Ah.”