No Harm Done

It had already been four days since I awakened Snail Husband.

"..."

This goddamn infuriating quest window was making its fourth appearance. Over the past three days, I'd cleared three quests. They hadn't offered rewards anywhere near as good as the first one. The best I got was a minor stat boost? Meanwhile, the quests kept piling on more tasks, the rewards were shrinking, and the failure penalties were always some bullshit about organ removal. How could I not start resenting it?

"Is this really S-Rank?"

Other S-Rank awakeners could shoot fire from their hands or skate around on ice. Sure, getting an A-Rank skill wasn't nothing. But judging by the quests' direction, I had no clue when another generous reward might drop—or how brutal the difficulty would ramp up. The anxiety was unavoidable.

I hadn't just holed up at home waiting for quests, either. I'd looked into the true nature of these quests from the Snail Husband ability... and came up empty.

Nothing. Nowhere in the world did an ability like this exist—one that operated on a reward system. Awakeners had all sorts of powers with massive effects in combat, healing, crafting, and more, but nothing with this kind of reward-penalty setup.

Because of that uniqueness, I still hadn't done the standard "Awakener Registration" at a government office after awakening. It involved using a special artifact to temporarily share your status window and record your stats and abilities. Awakening an S-Rank unique ability with all stats at the lowest F-Rank? What was I supposed to say?

My Stamina's up to F+ thanks to the rewards...

But did that even matter?

Muttering to myself, I glanced at the quest window again—and finally noticed the anomaly.

"...Huh? What's this?"

Snail Husband Stamina massive increase.

Some weird phrasing in the rewards. A massive Stamina boost... for Snail Husband instead of me?

"Oh, shit."

I'd forgotten all about it—the dedicated Snail Husband status window. I pulled it up.

This green-tinted window was different from a normal status window. The quest rewards were probably boosting these stats.

"Even if that's true... I have no idea how to use them."

There wasn't even a switch function between status windows. What the hell was I supposed to do with it?

Fuming at the sheer unfriendliness, I still couldn't risk gallbladder extraction over skipping a cleaning quest. I slipped out of bed and crept toward the wall.

"...Phasing."

Woooong—

The familiar floating sensation took hold, and I naturally phased into Room 305.

It's weird, though. Every time the quest timer was about to expire, the neighbor came home like clockwork. Maybe she's the one issuing these quests? A ridiculous thought, but I started cleaning anyway.

"...Hm?"

I'd finished mopping the floor and wiping the windows. Then, using a watering can I'd found in Room 305, I was giving the plants their daily drink—wondering if they really needed it every day—when I noticed something.

"New purchase, huh."

There was a new plant I hadn't seen before. Its two leaves had one half-folded over.

Not thinking much of it, I watered it and carefully unfolded the bent leaf to prevent damage.

"Was that, like, something I shouldn't touch on my own?"

Whatever. I'd already done it—worrying now would just stress me out. I put the watering can back, tidied up, and returned to my room. The quest cleared.

Heart pounding, I opened the status window...

"...Holy fucking shit."

The number had jumped higher than I could've dreamed. Stamina had skipped six whole ranks straight to C-. Not just any C-Rank—even basic F-Rank Stamina from awakening alone let you run a marathon no sweat. The E and D I'd skipped crushed pro athletes, and C-Rank entered true superhuman territory.

And the growth rate... insane. Awakener training was more efficient than normal training, sure. But even then, going from F+ to E- usually took two years. Skipping six ranks? Madness.

"But... does it actually change anything?"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠real issue: these boosted stats didn't seem to apply to me.

As I puzzled over it, a familiar mechanical beep echoed through the wall.

Beep beep beep beep beep—

Ring-a-ding!

I tried not to worry, but these moments always made me hold my breath.

"Phew... Oh, right, plans today."

I let out a deep sigh to shake off the tension and started getting ready. Today was the day to meet up with my busy big sis and little sis. Their hunter schedules and my... job-hunting bullshit were why I lived alone. After our parents passed, I'd been living off allowance from my B-Rank hunter sisters like a damn parasite. But now I was an awakener too.

...Whether a proper one or not, I still had to tell the family.

The moment I opened the door, Han Choyeun's gaze flicked to the windowsill. The potted plant. The young sapling she'd just placed there. Its leaves... were unfurled.

She'd definitely left one half-folded.

Her heart sank quietly.

...He came and went.

She didn't rush. She took off her shoes, set down her bag, acted normal. Then, slowly, she knelt before the pot. Mana gathered at her fingertips.

"Bud. Retrieve."

The leaf veins glowed faintly, faint sensory fragments flowing back. Then—

Her vision darkened, then shifted to an unfamiliar angle. Low to the ground. The plant's perspective.

The footage was short. A figure seeped in from the wall, like mist into the room. No door opening. Just—suddenly, a man was there, having passed through the wall.

"...What?"

A guy. Around her age. Average face... no, kinda handsome? Not strikingly so, not intimidating, but with a cute vibe.

He glanced around once, then silently started tidying the floor. Grabbed a dustpan, squatted, shuffled around sweeping dust and dirt. Even wiped the windows. His movements were natural. Like he owned the place.

Han Choyeun's eyes narrowed.

In the footage, he approached the pot. Paused.

"...Hm?"

Then carefully unfolded the bent leaf. Adjusting his fingertip pressure to avoid injury.

"New purchase, huh."

"Was that, like, something I shouldn't touch on my own?"

His expression showed. Near-blank, but oddly concerned. No mana detected. Not in the footage, not in the sensory link. Empty.

But how'd he get in?

The sped-up footage ended minutes later as the man phased back through the wall. Low-res skill, shitty quality, and mana drain hit fast.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Han Choyeun exhaled long.

Report it. Yeah, she should. The Awakener Management Bureau was touchy about intrusions. Especially suspected ability use.

But.

She stared at the screen, hand pausing.

"...He didn't mess anything up."

Quite the opposite. The room was cleaner. Plant looked healthier. And—weirdly. No disgust. The icky feeling of intrusion, sure. But no threat.

She recalled the saved image. Seemingly average, but kinda cute face. The type you'd pass on the street without a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠glance.

...It nagged at her.

"One more look should do it."

Maybe fold the leaf more this time. Or rearrange the room a bit. She set her phone down.

Report... later. Watch a bit more.

The corner of her mouth twitched up ever so slightly.

"Let's see if he keeps cleaning."

The cold air pierced my lungs as I stepped outside. Meeting spot: the nearby Hunter Restaurant. Unlike regular joints, it served monster meat and high-protein meals, so hunters flocked there.

Through the glass door, two familiar faces.

"Hey~!"

My little sis, Yoo Raen, waved first. Silver hair peeked from her hoodie. Sharp eyes, but bright expression.

Beside her.

"You're late."

Yoo Serin, big sis. Calm voice. Neat coat, but her posture screamed different—straight-backed, gaze level low.

B-Rank hunter sisters. I sat, scratching my neck awkwardly.

"Dude, why stare like that?"

Raen smirked.

"Nah, you just seem... different."

"Different how."

"Dunno... Gut feeling maybe."

Serin quietly slid me a water glass.

"What've you been up to lately."

That clogged my throat for a sec. Awakening. Snail Husband. Quests. Phasing. ......Neighbor cleaning. Would they believe me? I sipped water.

"I... awakened."

"......"

Silence. Raen's eyes widened; Serin's brow twitched faintly, but shock was clear.

"What?!"

Raen reacted first.

"Awakened."

"...Hah, whoa..."

Raen gawked, mouth half-open.

"For real?"

"Yeah."

"If you're joking, I might kill you. Cool?"

"Nah, I'm not crazy enough to lie about this."

Silence hung—then thwack! Heavy impact on my shoulder. Raen'd jumped up and slapped my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back hard.

"Dude!!! Crazy, congrats!!!"

"Gah—ow, fucking hurts!"

"Whoa, three awakeners in our family now. Insane!"

Raen bounced around, too hyped to sit.

"When? How long? Why tell us now!"

"Few days."

"Few days?! And you're just saying?!"

Serin watched quietly, then smiled faintly. Subtle, but real.

"Good job."

Short words. They choked me up. The years as the only normie in an awakener family. They never showed it, but I felt like shit. Blood or not, they'd supported my jobless ass eating their food money. Grateful. Guilty as hell.

Raen grabbed my arm, shaking me out of it.

"So, how's it? Body okay? Nothing weird?"

"All good."

"Heh heh... cool then. So."

She propped her chin, grinning.

"Rank?"

Here it came. Heart racing, I steadied my breath and said flatly.

"S."

......

"What?"

"S-Rank. Unique ability. Not combat."

Raen's eyes filled with doubt.

"Bullshit."

Her curse made Serin's eyes flash dangerously for a split second, but she was shocked too—no further reaction.

"......"

"At least make it believable?"

"Why lie about this?"

"Dude whose biggest achievement was passing a job screening prelim suddenly S-Rank? Yeah right."

"Hey."

...?

This bitch?