Triple the Rewards, Triple the Sales!

Triple the sales price! Not only that, but he possessed transcendent strength. If so, even the world's most notorious dungeons, deemed utterly inaccessible, would be well within his reach to conquer! To Ryu Taejun, Lim Yunjae was an asset he absolutely could not afford to lose.

"But... is it really alright for me to sign this? Ninety million won a year for a mere office assistant?!" Yet, the man in question was hesitating deeply over signing the administrative assistant contract, all because of Mamon's Grace.

"Do not worry. An amount of that scale is no issue at all," Taejun reassured him. It might seem entirely unnecessary right now, but a long-term strategy was essential. In the end, it's all about money! Everyone bows to money! The office assistant position was just the beginning. Right now, Yunjae was practically groveling over ninety million won, but the moment he became an official guild member, he would easily make that much in a single month. When that time came, the choice would be obvious. Who wouldn't choose to make dozens or hundreds of times more money for the exact same hours of work?

"Ah! Then I will work with all my heart!" Eager to secure his dream of being an office assistant, Yunjae finally signed the contract.

Flash!

"...Hm?" At that moment, the contract glowed magically.

"I-it really..." Even though he had heard about it, seeing it happen right before his eyes made it impossible to believe.

"Haha!" Taejun let out a hearty laugh. This passive would wield astronomical power once Yunjae became an official member of the Blast Guild and engaged in transactions with international entities, including the United States. Of course, it could potentially cause diplomatic friction, but when the raw acquisition itself was tripled, who cared about minor complications?

"Ah! I'm so sorry! The conceptual force of this ability is just too absolute...!"

"No, it is quite alright. Seeing it with my own eyes is simply fascinating," Taejun replied, unable to hide his satisfaction.

"In any case, now that you have signed, both Lim Yunjae-ssi and Mari Rose-ssi will be working as office assistants here at the Blast Guild." Taejun cast a subtle, knowing glance at Mari, prompting a bitter smile from her. Unlike Yunjae, she would receive the standard 31.5 million won, but she carried the weight of a secret deal that Yunjae knew nothing about.

"Anyway, I'm so glad! We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠both got jobs together!"

"...Yeah," Mari replied softly. Yunjae was absolutely thrilled, completely oblivious to the intense internal conflict raging inside her.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Mari-ssi! I'll buy you dinner every single night after work!" It seemed he assumed she was feeling down because her salary was only a third of his.

"It's not that!" How could she even begin to explain? His pure, innocent joy only made her feel like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a wretched, materialistic sellout. Feeling a bittersweet mixture of amusement and sorrow, she shook her head. Sensing something was slightly off, Yunjae peeked at her.

"...Mari-ssi? Is something wrong...?"

"N-no, nothing! Let's just go home and get some rest. I don't recover instantly like you do!" After all, she had stayed up all night alongside Akemi, watching over Yunjae during his convenience store shift. As an ordinary human, exhaustion was only natural. When she mentioned wanting to sleep, Yunjae offered a bright, beaming smile.

"Yes! Let's buy some Provence-style bedding on the way!"

"Just buy whatever! Why does it have to be Provence-style?!"

"Ah! I just thought the cozy warmth of Provence would be much better for rolling around in than the cold modernism of Scandinavian design!"

"You don't even sleep!"

"Ah! But I still love rolling around in bed!"

When it came to his personal tastes, Yunjae was strangely, stubbornly uncompromising.

"...Anyway, now that we've both signed, we'll see you later." Mari spoke without making eye contact, clearly uncomfortable under Taejun's piercing gaze, which felt as though he were reading her like an open book.

Taejun nodded. "Very well. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you could coordinate your attire. Please dress in formal business suits if possible."

"Ah! Yes! We will do that!"

At Yunjae's unusually enthusiastic response, Mari instantly saw right through him. This punk... he loves suits! Especially women in suits!

"Ah! H-how did you know?!"

Seeing his pupils dilate in sheer panic despite possessing god-like power, even Taejun couldn't help but think, How cute.

"You've been whining about wanting an office romance with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an OL forever, you dummy." Shaking her head, Mari let out a soft chuckle. Being around him never failed to bring a smile to her face. "Anyway, we'll contact you before we head out."

"Yes. Please give it some careful thought and make your decision," Taejun said.

"Thought...?" At those peculiar words, Yunjae tilted his head, sensing something subtle.

Thump! Mari's heart sank. Her conscience flared with guilt over the secret deal she was making behind his back.

"Let's go, Yunjae!" she called out, trying to sound casual, though her forced tone only made her feel more guilty.

"Yes, Mari-ssi!" Fortunately, Yunjae didn't seem to harbor a single shred of suspicion toward her. Together, the two of them stepped out of Taejun's office.

Why is he suddenly so quiet? Growing anxious at his silence, Mari turned to look at him.

But Yunjae simply offered a warm, gentle smile. "But it really must be a difficult choice." He spoke softly, as if he knew absolutely everything.

"Wh-what?" Mari panicked. Does he really know? No matter how socially awkward and naive Yunjae seemed, he was a being of unfathomable power. Perhaps he really had peered into her innermost thoughts.

Then, with a slightly embarrassed blush, Yunjae mumbled, "Whether to wear a skirt suit or a pantsuit..."

"Hey! Why on earth would I be stressing over that?!"

"Ah! I thought that was it! I know you probably prefer pants, Mari-ssi, but I still highly recommend a skirt!"

"I wear skirts too, you know!"

At her exasperated shout, which burst out in spite of herself, Yunjae let out a silly, sheepish grin.

"I'd really love to see that..."

"And why is that?!"

"Ah! Well, that's...!"

His cheeks flushed red at the mere thought. Naturally, he had absolutely no idea what she was actually hiding.

"Honestly..." Flooded with a strange sense of relief, Mari shook her head and laughed. "It's nothing like that, you dummy. Anyway..."

If he joined the Blast Guild, she could become an Awakened ability ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠user. She wouldn't be a natural one, but with the guild's backing, she could receive nanomachine implants and high-tech weaponry to become an A-class hunter.

Sigh. But to achieve that, she would have to persuade and push Yunjae into doing things he hated. They said a hunter had to do whatever it took for profit, but that went completely against Mari's stubbornly honest nature. Her internal conflict weighed heavily on her chest.

"Yunjae! Mari!"

"Huh? Akemi?"

Flash! In the blink of an eye, Akemi materialized right beside them.

"...What is it?" Mari wondered. Had Taejun ordered Akemi to tail them? As a teleporter, she could easily spy on them whenever she wanted.

"Eee~? What do you mean 'what is it'? I came to recommend a great clothing store!"

"Ah! You really are so thoughtful, Akemi-ssi!"

"Hehe! I'm totally the good-wife-and-wise-mother type!"

It didn't seem like Taejun had ordered her. Mari knew all too well that Akemi was just as eccentric as Yunjae, so this was likely entirely her own doing.

"But your fashion sense is a bit..." Mari trailed off. To a born-and-raised American like Mari, Akemi's Gothic Lolita fashion was a bit hard to stomach. If Akemi recommended a clothing store, wouldn't it be filled with that exact same style? As Mari made a deeply skeptical face, Akemi huffed.

"What do you mean? It looks great on me!" Akemi shouted, highly confident in her own style.

"It might look good on you, but on u—" Mari stopped mid-sentence, her eyes landing on Yunjae. She blinked. "...Well, actually, it would probably look great on Yunjae."

"Ah! Mari-ssi! Are you suggesting I crossdress?!"

"I mean, I don't think it would look out of place at all."

"Ah! I cannot accept that! I am a man! A manly man!"

"Don't say that when you're prettier than me!"

"Ah! How could you say that?!"

"But seriously, you'd look so good in it!" Akemi's eyes sparkled at Mari's unexpected setup. After all, his forearms were already as slender as a girl's! Sensing impending doom, Yunjae cried out in panic.

"Ah! Don't tell me you're going to use your favor for that?!"

"Eee~! How did you guess?"

"No way! Akemi-ssi!"

"But crossdressing cosplay is super common these days! What era are you living in?"

At Akemi's incredibly open-minded remark, Yunjae squeezed his eyes shut.

"Ah! But I'm in my seventies! A seventy-year-old crossdressing?!"

"What does being in your seventies matter? You look like a teenage girl anyway."

"Ah! Even you, Mari-ssi?!"

"But I'll save my favor for later! I really want to see it, but I'm going to think of something even more amazing!" Akemi said coolly, deciding not to waste her favor so easily.

"...Thank goodness. I've preserved my identity!"

Mari chuckled at Yunjae's profound relief, but then she paused. "Wait, what's this about a favor?" What on earth had they discussed to bring up favors? "Akemi, you didn't pull anything on this dummy, did you?"

No matter how overpowered Yunjae was, his default setting was to apologize and back down. He was exactly the type of person who could easily be teased and cornered by a nineteen-year-old girl. Worried that his overly gentle nature had allowed Akemi to trick him into some unfair deal, Mari questioned her.

Akemi pouted. "Eee~? Are you doubting me? I literally risked my life back there!"

"Ah, Mari-ssi! It's not like that at all. Akemi-ssi really did help me!"

"Help?"

"Yes. Suyeon-ssi's curse-type ability was out of control, so I neutralized it with Bless. But since I have absolute status ailment immunity, I couldn't test if it worked, so Akemi-ssi volunteered to test it for me."

"Ah..."

Mari knew of Ji Suyeon. When people debated who the strongest Awakened on Earth were, opinions varied, but there were three names that always made the top ten: Demian of the Lightning, Ryu Taejun of Dominion, and Ji Suyeon of Destruction. She had heard that when the Blast Guild cleared the world's first dungeon, Suyeon's ability had played the most pivotal role at the very end.

"But that curse can actually be neutralized?" Since Suyeon was infamous for her uncontrollable power, Mari stared at Yunjae in shock.

Yunjae chuckled softly. "Yes! Technically, it just seals the spell itself, but Suyeon-ssi didn't really want to use her ability anyway."

"I suppose so..." It might sound like a luxury to complain about such power, but to be honest, Mari found Suyeon's ability rather terrifying. Anything she touched decayed instantly, and she could vaporize an opponent in a heartbeat depending on her emotions. Living a life where you could never touch your loved ones, constantly terrified of hurting them—that was her reality.

"Well, you did a good deed."

"Yes, I think so too!"

Perhaps recalling his hug with Suyeon, Yunjae's ears flushed bright red. Watching him, Akemi suddenly spoke up. "Oh, right! Yunjae, what did you say your job was before you became a game character?" It seemed she had remembered the conversation that had been interrupted when Suyeon arrived.

"Before he became a game character?" Curious about his past, which she had never really thought about, Mari looked at him too.

"Ah! Being a game character isn't a job!" Yunjae protested, lamenting his fate of being forcibly turned into a game avatar.

Mari and Akemi simply shrugged. "Whatever!"

"Fine! Before I became a game character, I was..."

It was at that exact moment.

"I knew I would find you here."

"Huh?"

As they stepped out of the Blast Guild headquarters, a man in a pristine white suit waiting in front of the building revealed himself. It was Demian.

"Demian?" Confusion flickered in Akemi's eyes. From the moment he had landed at Incheon International Airport, Demian had been desperately searching for 'Girl's Forearm'—Yunjae. Akemi's original mission had been to find and recruit Yunjae before Demian could. Technically, she had succeeded, even if it was only as an office assistant. What should I do? She wasn't sure if she should let Demian and Yunjae interact.

Sensing her hesitation, Demian offered a gentle smile. "Akemi, I only came to talk. I don't want to make a scene. Please."

"Eee~... Well..."

Although Akemi was a member of the Blast Guild, she didn't possess a strong sense of loyalty to the organization. She was far too eccentric and simply didn't fit the corporate mold of the guild. Since Demian was asking so politely, she wouldn't do anything reckless.

I already know exactly what Ryu Taejun is planning! As a regressor, Demian had already read all of Taejun's moves. Having relied solely on his own raw power in his past life, Demian was admittedly poor at persuading others, but even he could easily see through this. It was incredibly predictable that Taejun would restrict information to keep Yunjae hidden, verify his abilities first, and then attempt to recruit him.

Besides, finding Yunjae had been laughably easy. Demian had simply staked out the cafe right across from the Blast Guild headquarters, staring out the window until he spotted the floating status title 'Girl's Forearm' hovering in the air. The moment he saw it, his eyes had nearly popped out of his head.

"At any rate, Girl's Forearm!"

"Ah! I am not 'Girl's Forearm', I am just slender overall! My name is Lim Yunjae! And I'm not going to talk about my past job anymore!"

"Eee~! Why?!"

"Ah! Because every single time I try to talk about it, I get interrupted...!"

Pouting because his attempt to share his past had been cut short yet again, Yunjae crossed his arms. But Demian didn't care about any of that. Casting aside all of his pride, he bowed deeply.

"Please, I beg of you, help me!"

"...Pardon?"

Most people who saw Yunjae's ridiculous username looked down on him and tried to push him around. He never expected a world-class hunter like Demian to bow a full ninety degrees to ask for his help! Yunjae's face flushed with sheer bewilderment.

"Wh-what could someone like me possibly do for you...?"

"...Demian?"

It wasn't just Yunjae who was stunned; Mari and Akemi were equally dumbfounded. Yet, Demian's expression remained dead serious. He had already witnessed Gyojin being utterly pulverized by a single flick of Yunjae's finger. And considering how effortlessly Yunjae had dealt with Kadmus's avatar on the plane, that finger-flick was undoubtedly just the tip of the iceberg.