Chapter 336: The Seven Deadly Sins (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 336: The Seven Deadly Sins (3)
After class, I gathered the chicks in the training room, had them sit in front of me, and posed a question.
“What is the most necessary stat to become a high-rank Hunter?”
The four of them shot their hands up at the question.
Quite the enthusiasm.
I didn't expect all of them to raise their hands.
I pointed my index finger at the one who looked the least smart.
“Shin Yu-jeong, you answer.”
“Mana!”
“Uh, um.”
I forgot. That kid might not know much else, but she's surprisingly knowledgeable when it comes to Hunter-related stuff.
No, I think I phrased the question wrong in the first place.
Using the word ‘stat’ limited the scope of the answer to, well, stats.
That took the fun out of it.
The fun of these things is hearing a few wrong answers and slowly getting closer to the right one. Sheesh.
“…Correct.”
When I reluctantly declared it the correct answer, her expression crumpled.
“Hey, I got it right. Why the long face?”
“I'm just so happy for you, you brat.”
At my answer, a strange smile played on Shin Yu-jeong's lips.
“Hehe… Did you pick me because you thought I'd get it wrong? Are you sulking because I got it right?”
“……”
This is why I hate talking to quick-witted people.
I turned my head, pointedly ignoring her, and continued.
“Ahem… As Shin Yu-jeong said, the most important thing for becoming a high-rank Hunter is mana.”
Mana.
The least intuitive of all the stats on an Awakened Being's status window.
Unlike Strength, Agility, and Stamina, which you've developed steadily since birth, it's an unknown sense and power you never feel until you suddenly awaken.
That's why it's difficult to grow, and even more difficult to control.
And yet, it's more versatile than any other stat, making it an indispensable part of a Hunter's life.
“Mana has a wide variety of uses. Melee combat classes typically use it to enhance their bodies, while detection classes might use it to strengthen specific senses.”
And it goes without saying for mages. Without mana, they're basically just walking tin cans.
Beyond these simple applications, there are more uses for mana than I could possibly list.
What does that mean?
“It means mana is essential for all Hunters.”
Of course, it's not like any stat is unimportant.
But there are still priorities, right?
For example, a tanker has high strength and stamina but lacks agility. A mage has high mana but is lacking in other areas.
But mana is a stat that's good for every class to have more of, and to be better at controlling.
The more mana you have and the better you are at handling it, the more you can do.
After explaining this much, I shifted my gaze and studied the chicks' expressions one by one.
They all seemed to be listening intently… but their faces showed they were wondering why I was bringing this up now.
The reason is simple.
“You all recently became B-rank Hunters.”
B-rank Hunters. It's because they're the average in the Hunter industry, and they've reached the stage where they must prepare to take the leap to becoming high-rank Hunters.
And the biggest reason B-rank Hunters can't quickly advance to A-rank is precisely because of mana.
“So, who can explain the point I'm trying to make?”
Once again, the four of them shot their hands up.
This time, I needed the right answer…
“Seo-yeon Sunbae, why don't you answer?”
“Um… you're saying we need to raise our mana to become A-rank Hunters, right?”
“Correct.”
I don't know whose daughter she is, but she's smart. She clearly takes after her dad.
I hid my satisfaction and continued the explanation with a stoic expression.
“One more question. What's the best way to raise mana quickly?”
This time, I went around and heard from everyone.
“Uh… conquering dungeons?”
Thinking of growing your money and mana at the same time, Elena.
“Using up all your mana until it's empty and then letting it refill!”
Mana isn't internal energy, Na-eun.
Next, Shin Yu-jeong answered.
“…If you have the money, isn't an elixir the best way?”
“……”
“Ah, why are you making that face again!”
It's because it's scary how you keep getting the right answer.
“Ahem… Since the answer I was looking for came out, Seo-yeon Sunbae doesn't have to answer.”
“Okay.”
“Anyway, as Shin Yu-jeong said, elixirs are the best for raising mana. Especially for people like you, whose stats aren't that high yet.”
Think of it as the difference between pouring a 2-liter bottle of water into the ocean versus into a small puddle.
The former won't even make a dent, but the latter will overflow, right?
Their mana stats were, at best, somewhere between 40 and 60.
You could say they barely met the standard for B-rank Hunters.
But that's not enough.
To conquer A-rank, and eventually S-rank dungeons, you'll need much more mana.
“So.”
I paused, then pulled out the pouch of elixirs I'd been hiding behind my back and shook it.
“Let's drink some elixirs!”
The chicks stared, dumbfounded by the sudden conclusion.
I personally shoved the elixirs into their naturally gaping mouths.
“Hic…! M-my mana…!”
“Wh-what is this!”
“Whoa……”
“I feel like I'm becoming Elena MK.2…!”
The four of them each expressed the mana surging within them in their own way.
You all need to reach A-rank as fast as possible. You'll have to be at least that strong for me to make use of you.
So drink up and grow up big and strong.
.
.
.
.
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.
.
.
For the past few days, I'd been tormented by a flood of information and the worries that came with it.
But I felt much more at ease now.
I'd decided to just think simply.
“Seven Deadly Sins, my ass… If you use a power for good, it becomes a good power. That's all there is to it.”
It doesn't matter if the path the ‘One with Aptitude’ trait is leading me down is toward the Seven Deadly Sins, just as I hypothesized.
Isn't there a saying, ‘If you hang it on your ear, it's an earring; if you hang it on your nose, it's a nose ring’?
As long as I, the one who obtains that power, don't commit any sins, what does it matter?
…Of course, the question of whether I can fully handle that power still remains.
“I'll think about that later.”
There's nothing more ridiculous than jumping to conclusions when I don't even know the extent of the power I'll eventually obtain.
I also decided to leave Son Si-woo, who's been buddy-buddy with that cult, alone for the time being.
No, to be more precise, I can't touch him.
“Because of this damn mutual non-aggression pact, I'm even afraid to run into him.”
It's because of the still-active mutual non-aggression pact. Looking into things without him knowing is one thing, but directly interfering would most likely be seen as a clear breach of contract.
For now, all I can do is keep in mind that he's plotting something.
Honestly, I don't really need to care.
It's not my body anymore, so whatever he does with it is his business.
He's not a child. He'll manage on his own.
Just as I was peeling away the lingering attachments stuck in my mind, one by one.
Knock, knock, knock!
A delicate silhouette appeared through the glass.
It wasn't Jeong-hee or Yu-jeong. She was shorter than them, and her clothes seemed light and flowing.
“Ah.”
A certain person came to mind.
I opened the door, just in case.
“It's been a while!”
“……”
It is her. Our princess.
“Pardon the intrusion!”
Before the homeowner could even give permission, Jung Si-a waddled inside.
I told her so many times to wear heels of a reasonable height, but she just doesn't listen.
I straightened the high heels she'd carelessly kicked off and closed the door.
“What brings you here?”
It can't be about that damn scouting offer again.
“Hm? Did I not tell you before? That I would stop by when I felt like having coffee.”
Ah.
Right, she did say that.
She must have been 100% serious. She has strong likes and dislikes, so she's not the type to make empty promises.
“Please wait a moment. I'll make it for you right away.”
As I boiled water in the electric kettle, I took out some paper cups I rarely use.
Instant coffee mix always tastes best in a paper cup.
Si-a can't handle hot things well, so I'll double up the paper cups.
I slowly poured the boiling water into the paper cup.
To make coffee that would perfectly suit the princess's taste, delicate water control down to the milliliter was essential.
I presented the coffee, made with all my focus, before her.
“Here, please drink.”
“Ooh… Thank you!”
She quickly took the offered cup with both hands.
“Hoo- hoo-”
After cooling the rising steam with her breath, she brought it to her lips and slurped.
As a sip flowed into her mouth, Si-a's expression was instantly painted with delight.
“Yes, this is the taste…!”
The way she kept exclaiming in admiration, she looked like someone who had just encountered a nostalgic taste they'd forgotten for decades.
Well… she used to drink two cups of coffee made by me every day, but she probably hasn't had any lately, so I guess her reaction isn't that surprising.
After sipping her hot coffee until the cup was half-empty, Si-a smiled at me from across the table.
“Hehe… The more I see of you, the more I like you.”
“…Pardon?”
What's she talking about all of a sudden?
“How did you know this princess cannot handle hot things well, to do something so thoughtful?”
Ah, she's talking about the paper cups.
I couldn't let on that I knew her well, so just as I was about to open my mouth to give a vague excuse…
She suddenly gave a bitter smile.
“…It reminds me of the first time I drank coffee.”
“……”
The first time.
I was the one who first gave Si-a a taste of instant coffee mix.
It was a sensitive time back then. It was extremely dangerous for her to go outside because she couldn't properly control her trait.
So I just made her some instant coffee, but who would have known she'd like it so much?
As I was smiling bitterly at the memory, she spoke.
“Do you know something?”
“…What is it?”
“The reason this princess likes the taste of this coffee… is not simply because of the taste itself.”
“Not because of the taste?”
That's a bit surprising. I thought she drank it because she was captivated by the taste. There was another reason?
“Hehe… Back then, this princess was inexperienced and could not properly control her power.”
The moment she was fondly recalling with a faint smile was the same one I had just thought of.
“When everyone else kept their distance from this princess, only the Guild Leader approached me.”
That was true. No one could get close because of her troublesome trait that bound everything her eyes touched.
Her power was so strong that even an A-rank Hunter would be completely immobilized for a few seconds if hit by it for the first time. That said it all.
The only reason I could approach her was simply because I was an S-rank Hunter.
A refined power might have been a different story, but an indiscriminately released power like hers couldn't bind me.
Well… I also felt a little sorry for her living like an outcast and wanted to look after her.
“Do you know what he said to me when he first made me this coffee?”
“…What did he say?”
“‘Power itself has no sin. The sin lies with the person who wields it. So if you don't want to grow up and live a life of sin, you'd better learn properly from me.’ That's how he sternly scolded little me.”
“……”
It might have seemed a bit cold, but I didn't think coddling her was the answer.
That's why I tried to jolt the young Si-a to her senses with harsh words instead.
And it worked; she started training hard after that.
“Those were good times…”
The faint smile lingering on her lips gradually faded.
Soon, her expression crumpled into one of sorrow.
“I suppose I must bury it in my heart as a memory now.”
Si-a forced the downturned corners of her mouth into a smile.
“Because I am no longer a guild member.”
“……?”
Wait, what? Not a guild member?
“What did you just…?”
When I asked with a bewildered expression, she answered.
“I quit the guild yesterday in a fit of anger.”
“……”
“I threw my letter of resignation at that fake Guild Leader. Hehe… The look on his face was quite a sight.”
Uh, um.
How am I supposed to explain this?
“So… you're saying you threw a letter of resignation at the Guild Leader yesterday?”
“Yes! So as of today, this princess is… that… that…”
“A free agent?”
“That's it, a free agent!”
When I supplied the word she couldn't remember, she slapped her knee and shouted as if to say, ‘That's the one!’
But… I don't think that's right.
“Um, Princess, do you happen to know?”
“Know what?”
“That… guild members can't voluntarily leave until the date specified in their contract has expired.”
“……?”
Your contract period isn't over yet, you brat….