Hunter Registration Ordeal
Somehow, she managed to get into the Association building, but to Yoo Haneul, actually registering as a Hunter still seemed like a distant dream. 'What the hell do these people think I am?' She'd been sitting there munching on snacks for a good thirty minutes already. Even as she ate, passing Association staff kept bringing more food, leaving her utterly dumbfounded.
"Hey, stop just shoving food at me and call back that branch chief guy who popped in earlier. The responsible one. Otherwise, I'm not saying a word."
"Okay, just one more bite then. I promise I'll really go get the branch chief this time. Pretty please?"
"That's the fifth time you've said that. I don't believe you anymore. You know I get really scary when I'm mad? Call him quick before I lose it for real."
"Eek... so cute...!"
"No, seriously..."
This kind of treatment was a first, and it felt incredibly awkward. Back there, she'd been called all sorts of grim names—eyesore, monster, grim reaper, you name it. But now, with everyone cooing "cute" and "adorable," her body kept shrinking in on itself...
"Aaaargh!!"
Haneul shot up from her seat with a roar. If he didn't show now, she was ready to show them what she was made of. It had been ages since she'd seen another human, and their kindness had kept her patient so far—but if they kept this up, she wouldn't let it slide.
"Call him noooow!!! Branch chieeeef!!!"
"...I'm here, so calm down. Everyone else, out. I'll handle this from now on."
As Haneul screeched, the consultation room door swung open, and a bear of a man strode in. The Association Hunters who'd been with her grumbled regretfully and shuffled out.
"Finally."
Haneul nodded in satisfaction, crossing her arms as she plopped back down.
"Sorry. Got a ton of work piled up."
A branch chief should be the top dog around here, yet he bowed his head without hesitation. Haneul liked that attitude just fine.
"What kept you so busy?"
"...You."
"Me? Why?"
"Long story... At first, we thought you were a monster that crawled out of a gate."
"Why the heck would you think that?"
"You were standing alone in front of a disaster-grade gate, weren't you? And then you vanished without a trace—no other Hunters could track you. Awakened?"
But why was this guy using casual speech? Did that mean she could too? Was he the type who preferred it that way? Where she'd lived, bantering casually could get you a knife to the gut, so it wasn't easy.
"Hmm..."
Haneul eyed the bear... Baek Seungcheol, the branch chief, sitting across from her, then nodded.
"Yeah, I awakened."
Baek Seungcheol, peering at some documents, looked up.
"Why the casual talk?"
"You're using it too, mister."
"If it bothers you, I'll switch to formal."
"Nah, let's keep it casual, mister. Feels better this way."
"...Fine, whatever."
It was casual speech, but it didn't grate at all... Was it his face? The vibe? This girl was intriguing in all sorts of ways.
"Anyway, after cross-checking records, we confirmed you're human."
"How could an adult with a temporary ID be a monster?"
Mind-control types or doppelganger monsters could pull it off easy. Germany had fallen to just two doppelgangers, after all. And look at Haneul right now—her stretched-out tank top exposing her shoulders, filthy slippers twice the size of her feet. Her hair was a mess, her mouth smeared with snack crumbs. No sane person would wander outside like that. A total lunatic. And lunatics like her rarely had any self-awareness. Baek Seungcheol prided himself on knowing them best in the Association.
"...Fair point."
Hunters ran into her type often enough. Since human language barely worked on them, Baek Seungcheol cut the crap and got to the point.
"Anyway, to register as a Hunter, you need money."
"What."
"No cash, right?"
"How much...?"
"Application: 50,000 won. Written: 150,000. Practical: 250,000. Total 450,000. Retake skips application, so 400,000. Pass written? Just practical at 250,000 each time."
No retakes needed—she'd ace it first try. But her balance? Quick math.
'Ate that 1+1 chubby sausage on the way here...'
No need to calculate. Her entire fortune hovered around 200,000 won. With or without the sausage, same ballpark.
'Damn, should've splurged on one more... No, focus—how to get money?'
She could rake in 200k or 2 billion if she wanted, but that meant illegal stuff, and she wasn't keen. Follow Earth's laws once back here—that'd been her ironclad rule even trapped in that other dimension. So, earn it honestly... Sweat beaded on her forehead as she gazed at Baek Seungcheol, mustering her most pitiful look.
"Mister, know any quick way to make 200k? I'm great at physical work."
"...Don't say that anywhere else."
"Why? I really am."
Haneul's eyes blinked innocently. Baek Seungcheol swallowed a sigh.
This girl wasn't right in the head. Not some feral survivor, just zero common sense...
"You from some backwoods mountain village or what?"
"Kinda? Mountains, ocean, all sorts of stuff."
Why leave and enter the world? He couldn't ask. Even stone-cold Baek Seungcheol couldn't hurl barbs at a girl like Haneul.
"At this rate, you'll flunk the written exam."
"Hey, don't underestimate me outta nowhere! I'm getting pissed."
"Take it."
Baek Seungcheol slapped a prepared written exam on the table.
"Huh? I said no money."
"I had a little sister your age once."
"Whoa, melodrama out of nowhere? Damn, I don't cry easy, but I'll give it a shot."
"Who said she died? She's alive and well. Just... a lot bigger now. Anyway, reminds me of her as a kid, and we were rude, so how about I proctor this one for free?"
"Freebie, right?"
She didn't grasp the perks of a branch chief proctoring. Haneul just beamed at "free."
"...Yeah. Free."
"Sweet!"
Grinning wide, Haneul grabbed the pen Baek Seungcheol offered and scribbled answers.
"You lunatic, why beat someone to death just for eye contact in a gate?"
"Five seconds of eye contact? That's a challenge. Gotta fight back."
"Killing the injured?"
"Hopeless wounds. Better I end it quick—merciful."
"Watch out for women, kids, elderly in gates? Adults too, so... watch out for everyone?"
"Nailed it, mister."
"...Sigh."
He'd figured she'd bomb the written, but not this bad.
'What the hell is this kid?'
All wrong by the booklet. But in real combat? Her answers were spot-on. Gate common sense and Hunter culture? Total fails. Still, that survival theory meant she wouldn't die from ignorance.
Her common sense, though? Hopeless.
"...Parents around?"
"Oof, low blow. Kinda sad now."
"Just asking..."
"Yeah, no mom or dad."
"Since when?"
"Probably always? Can't remember."
"...How'd you survive?"
Haneul tilted her head, dredging her past. Too vast to recall fully, so recent bits. Even that was too long for words.
"Just worked hard."
"Figures..."
Scratching his head with a pen, Baek Seungcheol stared straight at her. Let her loose like this? Bad end. Awakened or not, she'd attract trouble—not cause it, but suffer it.
"...Said you're good at physical stuff?"
"Yup."
"Written score's a disaster. 3 out of 70 pass. But even trash like that, killer practical gets you licensed."
Haneul sulked at the written flop, but perked at practical chances.
"Mana measurer."
Baek Seungcheol plunked a hefty cylindrical device on the table.
"Awakening fills you with mana—this gauges total amount. To channel mana... Wait, you awakened a skill already, right?"
"Skill?"
"Space teleport."
"Oh... yeah?"
"So you know mana control."
"Yup yup."
"Hand on the palm print. Channel mana."
Haneul poked at the device, then asked abruptly.
"Mister, how's this made?"
"Mana stones and junk. Dunno details. Why?"
"Someone taught 'em, right?"
"Heard so."
"Who?"
"Constellation, Owner of the Hammer that Strikes the Stars."
Haneul cocked her head at the name, then nodded and placed her hand.
"Expensive? What if I break it?"
Baek Seungcheol chuckled and shook his head.
"No worries."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Even an A-rank couldn't break it just measuring. Forged in starlight from a Constellation."
"I don't pay if I break it? No retake?"
"Not charging you, and breakage counts as measured—no retake. Only ten Masters in the world ever wrecked one during—"
-Sparks flying Mana Surge
"—tests. Not really broken, just overload. Fixed quick. Because they contracted insane Constellations early with godlike power...?"
A spark flew—then bubbling from inside. Black smoke billowed next.
"Th-thanks to... that..."
Baek Seungcheol trailed off, eyes dropping.
"...What the hell."
As if those were its last words, the measurer crumbled with a dry crack and melted away.