Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Baeyoung's Contract
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“The treatment’s done. You saved his life by giving him the potion right away after he was poisoned. Otherwise, he would’ve died before reaching the hospital. Just keep an eye on him for a bit, and he can be discharged.”
The doctor who treated Sang-hun gave me an update on his condition and left the room.
If I hadn’t prepared a bunch of potions for training with Sang-hun, things could’ve gotten dicey.
It’d be nice if this sparked a poison resistance skill for him, but that sort of thing rarely happens to regular Awakeners. Still, he might build some tolerance to this specific poison.
I waited for Sang-hun to wake up, but my stomach growled. It was already evening, and I’d only eaten breakfast today.
Leaving Sang-hun, who didn’t look like he’d stir anytime soon, I headed to the cafeteria.
“Hey? Hello.”
A familiar face in the hallway bobbed her head in greeting. A woman in her early twenties who looked a bit naive yet kind. Different style from the cat-like Choi Miran, but the kind of beauty that turned heads on the street.
“Bae Na-young…”
Her name slipped out of my mouth before I knew it.
“You remember me. Last time, you saved me, but I got pulled up without even thanking you. I’m sorry. I had to rush to Seoul. Anyway, thank you so much for saving me.”
Bae Na-young bowed her head, grateful for the rescue from the hellhound pack.
“Oh, no big deal. So, what brings you to the hospital?”
What was a future villain doing here? Was that innocent face a fake, and she was about to spread some curse? I instinctively stepped back a little.
“Oh, my mom’s sick. That’s why I rushed up last time too—her condition took a turn.”
Clouds gathered on Bae Na-young’s face as she pointed to her mother’s room down the hall.
My B-Rank senses picked up lies, hostility, or killing intent easily, but there was none of that.
I felt bad for suspecting her. Maybe in her past life, something twisted her into a villain. She didn’t look like one now, no matter how I squinted.
“What’s wrong with your mom?”
“Lung cancer.”
Bae Na-young’s expression darkened as she said it.
Gates opened, and cancer rates shot up noticeably. Mana and mana stones became essential to human society, but people without any resistance to them just weakened for no reason, got sick, or even died in bad cases.
“Hang in there. You’re a Hunter too, Na-young, so you can make money in gates and buy an elixir.”
Elixirs made from high-rank gate materials had healing power beyond potions, even the low-grade ones. High-grade ones were practically miracle cures, so they cost a fortune.
Low-grade elixirs, commonly used for cancer, hit the market steadily in small quantities, so even low-rank Hunters could scrape one together with hard work.
“I wish. But with my abilities, it’s hard to even join a party.”
Bae Na-young started explaining in detail. She must think pretty well of me.
“Wanna party up with me?”
Even if she hadn’t awakened yet, thinking of Bae Na-young’s future power from my past life, building ties couldn’t hurt. I could reform a potential villain, and snagging her while she was still F-Rank was a steal.
“Thanks for the offer, but it’s my class. My main skills are curses that don’t distinguish friend from foe, so they hit party members too. That’s why no one takes me.”
Bae Na-young blinked in surprise at my offer, thought for a moment, then shook her head with a bitter smile.
Class is Locator, skills are curses—her status window must be English-based.
The system displays abilities in whatever format the Awakener finds most comfortable. That’s why status windows and skills varied by person.
Still, levels and stats were absolute—same rank meant same power.
“That’s perfect, actually.”
“Huh?”
“Getting cursed by you would be great for me.”
It’d boost my curse resistance. I’d planned to build curse resistance against villains like future Bae Na-young anyway. Didn’t expect to do it by partying with her, though.
“What do you mean?”
She took a step back at the idea of curses being good, her eyes suspicious—like I was some weirdo.
“Oh, it’s my skill. I can explain after a contract, but if you want, I’ll front the treatment costs too.”
My insane gate-clearing speed had piled up tens of billions in my account. Better to spend it before taxes devoured it, especially if it leveled my skill in the process.
“I’ll draft a contract and send it via the Hunter app. Review it and let me know.”
Preventing a future villain’s rise and becoming her benefactor? Not a bad deal.
“Thank you.”
Bae Na-young thanked me, but she didn’t seem to expect much.
* * *
The contract was more than fair—tilted in Bae Na-young’s favor, even. Didn’t want to pull any power plays and accidentally turn into the villain myself; nightmares aplenty. With money to spare, blocking a future powerhouse villain was a bargain. Of course, I’d take everything I could get out of it.
I handed over the contract for review and started eating. Bae Na-young ordered food too but just stared at the contract on her phone instead of eating.
“Is this really all I have to do?”
My terms looked too good, apparently. She’d seemed lukewarm before, but now hope lit her face.
“Yeah, just follow that.”
“Then… I’m really signing?”
She double-checked with me. I nodded, she signed, and we had a deal.
The contract had several clauses, but three key ones.
One: Not exclusive, but when I notify her of gate time, she prioritizes my request and joins.
Two: I’m party leader in combat, so she follows my orders.
Three: I front low-grade elixir costs; all her gate profits go first to repaying that.
She could’ve worried about dying in a gate with a stranger, following orders blindly. But whether from the prior rescue or desperation for her mom, Na-young signed without hesitation.
I checked the signed contract. Via Hunter app, breach meant legal penalties or even Awakener registration cancellation.
“Let’s go buy that elixir.”
Food done, contract signed—I headed to admin with her.
After paying cash for the elixir, Bae Na-young waiting behind burst into tears. Years of her mom’s cancer battle had worn her down body and soul; seeing the end in sight broke the dam.
“Payment confirmed. Your elixir arrives in two weeks.”
“Thank you!”
Bae Na-young rushed over, grabbing my hand tight with her soft ones.
“Oh my. Sorry.”
I gave an awkward smile at her closeness; she finally noticed, yanked her hands back, wiped tears with a flushed face, and retreated. So different from her past life.
Still, her face sometimes overlapped with that villain’s—chilling.
Low-grade elixir but low stock meant a waitlist. To prevent worsening, we hired a Healer for two weeks of treatment.
Healers couldn’t fully cure, but improving condition was easy. Price was brutal, though—beyond regular folks or low-rank Hunters.
“A Healer too… I don’t know how to thank you.”
Bae Na-young thanked me again.
“No problem. Stay with your mom till the Healer arrives today. I’ll send tomorrow’s gate schedule.”
* * *
“Now, tell me about your skills.”
We briefed outside an E-Rank gate. Contract done; time to share skill info.
Should be D-Rank by now, but E-Rank first to sync up.
“I can use Mana Bolt, but E-Rank so weak and low usage. Curses are B-Rank Blind and C-Rank Nightmare. They spread from me, hitting everyone around. Joined parties with just Mana Bolt before, so hard to get in.”
Bae Na-young hung her head, embarrassed by her skills.
“Curse effects?”
“Blind steals all five senses, not just sight—total incapacitation. But allies too, as I said. Fighting blind in the dark favors strong physical monsters. Nightmare shows the target’s worst fear. Allies get hit too—risky.”
More monsters than Hunters; can’t have them going blind every fight, getting wrecked and sidelined.
“Yeah, most wouldn’t want to party with that.”
Bae Na-young deflated. Elixir money already in hand—scared I’d back out?
“Not me, though.”
“Huh?”
My answer surprised her; her head snapped up.
“No downside for me. All upside. My skill is Regeneration—gains resistance to whatever stimulates or damages me. Curses build curse and mental skill resistance.”
“Like level-up stat boosts?”
“No. I improve without levels. Remember: secrecy is contractual.”
It’d leak if I got famous, but no need to broadcast.
“Got it. Don’t worry. But wow—never heard of that.”
After sharing, I pondered her skills.
“Let’s test a few in this E-Rank gate. If I’m right, you’ll help in D-Rank combat.”
Took Na-young into the E-Rank orc gate.
“Try Blind now?”
Confirmed no orcs nearby, then told her.
“Okay. Blind!”
She shouted the skill; a translucent black aura spread circularly from her.