Who Left the Package at My Door?
Cheonroe Guild's top floor.
Guild Leader's office. A thick stack of documents was roughly slammed onto the desk.
"Do you think this makes any sense right now?"
A chilling voice laced with killing intent echoed through the room. The guild members standing before her couldn't help but have their palms slick with sweat at the S-rank hunter's angry tone.
"S-sorry... But it's exactly as written in the report. Baekya Guild's new recruits are currently blasting through the Tower's mid-layers at the fastest record time."
The reporting guild member's voice trembled faintly.
Displeasure and irritation frosted over the guild leader's face as she bit her lip hard.
"Just a few days ago, you reported that these newbies were dragging their heels because they couldn't manage their fatigue. Do you really think it's common sense that they suddenly break through the mid-layers in just a few days?"
"Th-that's..."
"Don't stutter. Tell me the reason properly."
Her growing intensity made the guild members sweat profusely as they bowed their heads deeply.
"W-we haven't pinpointed the exact cause yet! Baekya Guild is controlling information so tightly internally that even our informants can't get a read on it."
"Haa..."
A deep sigh escaped her lips.
Pressing her throbbing forehead, she waved her hand dismissively as if to shoo them away.
"Fine, get out and find it right now. Figure out what that bitch Cha Eunwol is hiding, no matter what it takes."
"Yes! We'll keep that in mind."
Pushed by her murderous aura, the guild members hurriedly bowed and fled the room.
Left alone in the office, she quietly gazed down at the city through the wide glass window.
Cha Eunwol... That woman had always been a thorn in her side.
Just when she thought she'd stepped on her, she'd catch up right under her chin, shoving that annoying face in her way.
Thinking about that woman, who was always compared to her, made her pounding headache even worse.
"Arrogant bitch. Hiding something fun just for herself, huh?"
Curiosity flashed in her eyes.
Sitting still and waiting for reports wasn't her style at all.
Grabbing her aching head, she walked to the window.
Bam!
Without hesitation, she kicked the thick outer wall glass on the top floor, shattering it in one blow.
She threw herself into the empty air outside the broken window without a second thought.
As she closed her eyes, savoring the rapidly accelerating speed, a blue light flashed around her body—and she vanished.
"So boring..."
I rolled around on the fluffy mattress, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Starting this week, the entire Baekya Guild had entered a major maintenance period.
It was essential time for guild members returning from climbing the Tower to restock gear and consumables while receiving guidance from the veterans.
Thanks to that, I had a whole week off.
I hadn't exactly signed an exclusive contract with Baekya Guild, but trying to deal with other guilds felt like too much hassle in various ways.
Money wasn't something I desperately needed anyway—if I kept baking like this, I'd soon be sleeping on piles of cash instead of this mattress.
Unemployed life was fun for the first two days.
It was nice to just lounge in my room, hugging gold bars and rolling around for once.
But by day three, my body started itching for something to do.
"I have no idea what to even do."
Was it because it had been so long since I'd properly relaxed without money worries?
Or maybe I just didn't know how to relax properly in the first place?
Before the TS, I'd thrown myself into work nonstop without days off, and even then, it was only after my wrist gave out that I was forced to rest—so yeah, I had no clue how to chill.
Maybe it was because I'd spent my whole life buried in bread and cooking? Or was it this kneading skill that had become second nature?
Not touching dough made my hands tingle, like an itch I couldn't scratch.
"Eh, screw it. I'll just go bake some bread."
Butchers handle meat, bakers bake bread.
In the end, I couldn't stand the empty time and got up.
I threw on some casual clothes for going out, pulled my hoodie low, and turned the front door handle.
Click.
Thud.
"Huh?"
As I opened the door to head out, something light brushed against my foot.
Looking down, there was a small delivery box on the floor.
"What the? I didn't order anything."
I crouched down and checked the invoice stuck to the box.
Recipient: Baek Arang
Sender: (blank)
My name was clearly written there.
The sender field was completely empty. A no-sender delivery in this day and age? It felt sketchy.
"What is this?"
I cautiously carried the box inside and sliced open the tape with a knife.
Inside was a neatly folded apron wrapped in thin packaging paper.
"An apron?"
Unwrapping it revealed a cute pastel-toned white apron.
Even to my untrained eye, the material screamed high quality, and on the chest was an adorable embroidered tiger paw print.
I held it up to my body.
The fit and length were perfect, like it was custom-measured.
"Ooh, not bad?"
Surprised by the unexpected quality, I ran my hands over it.
Who the heck sent this?
"The guild leader? Or maybe Kim Hyunah?"
The only people who came to mind were Cha Eunwol and Kim Hyunah.
Cha Eunwol could've gotten my measurements from the store clerk when she bought my clothes last time, and Kim Hyunah... she seemed like she might know something...
Whatever, one of them probably sent it.
"I'll try it on right away in the bakery room."
I hugged the new apron close and headed out with light steps.
Baekya Guild headquarters lobby.
As I slunk in with my hoodie pulled low, a few guild members waiting in the lobby recognized me and smiled faintly.
"Oh, you're here again today?"
"It's maintenance week— what brings you?"
The ones I'd run into a few times greeted me warmly.
Cha Eunwol had kept my bread-baking a secret from everyone except herself, Kim Hyunah, and a handful of others, so they had no idea what I did here—probably assumed I was in equipment crafting or something.
Plus, since she always dragged me around, they naturally treated me like one of their own.
Hey, more friends the better.
"Ah, staying home was getting boring... Just came to do some light work."
"Impressive mindset at your young age. Have a good one today."
Leaving their cute "adorable niece" gazes behind, I headed down to the underground bakery room as usual.
"Let's see..."
The moment I entered the bakery room, I tied on the new apron I'd brought.
Looking in the mirror, I actually looked pretty legit—it reminded me of my old self.
What to make today?
I wasn't planning to make bread for sale today.
This was purely to kill time and see what effects my kneading would produce.
After agonizing over it, a scene from that famous baking anime flashed in my mind.
"Turtle bread...?"
The real-deal turtle bread with a green shell.
Bread normally browns in the oven, making it hard to keep the color, but with super-low-temp, long baking, I could preserve the ingredients' hues.
It had always just been an idea in my head—time to try it.
"That anime was so fun... I really wanted the Hand of the Sun too. Got a shock hearing that hot hands are actually bad for patisserie."
I opened the large fridge and laid out green-tinted ingredients on the counter.
Matcha powder, spinach powder, mugwort, and even pistachio paste.
If it's too bitter, it'll ruin the bread flavor. Let's go nutty and savory.
I tasted them bit by bit, calculating the right ratios.
"Yeah... this should work."
I rolled up my sleeves and dove into kneading.
With the familiar skill window alert and my arms moving on autopilot, I surrendered to the languid bliss.
Clack.
Humming to myself while shaping the dough into a turtle, the bakery room door opened.
"Baek Arang?"
"Ah, hi!"
I awkwardly waved a dough-covered hand and grinned. Kim Hyunah approached with a surprised look.
"We said you could rest during maintenance week. What brings you here?"
"Well... got bored. Just came to stretch my legs and make a snack."
She nodded with a faint smile at my answer.
"I see. Don't overdo it, then."
Like there was any risk of that...
She glanced slyly at my workstation, then paused at the white apron around me.
"Hm? Haven't seen that apron before—new purchase? The tiger paw embroidery suits you."
"Ah, this? I thought you sent it?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. It was at my door this morning, so I figured it was a gift from you or the guild leader. Size is perfect too."
As I beamed innocently, the subtle smile faded from Kim Hyunah's face.
Why the face...?
Her brows furrowed ever so slightly.
"I didn't send it."
"...For real?"
I blinked.
Not Kim Hyunah... then Cha Eunwol for sure?
"Maybe the guild leader? She measured me for clothes last time. Probably custom-ordered it then?"
"Probably... not."
With that, she said she had something to attend to and would be back soon, then left promptly.