Chapter 93: There's No Such Thing as a Bad Trait (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 93: There's No Such Thing as a Bad Trait (2)
There was one reason I was so sure of my claim.
I had directly experienced a trait like this before.
A long time ago, a very interesting kid had come to the guild.
He’d just barged into the guild building and said… what was it again?
Something like he would permit us to make him a member of this humble guild.
He was well over fifteen, but he was a kid who hadn't grown out of his chunibyo phase.
Apart from that, though, he possessed an extremely rare trait.
I think it was called ‘Tyrant’s Gaze.’
It was a trait that instilled a powerful sense of intimidation in those he looked at, restricting their actions.
This kid had the exact same problem as Elena.
Contrary to the expectation that restricting the enemy's movements would make them easier to deal with, his trait restricted everyone, friend and foe alike.
When the executives said he was completely unusable and that we should kick him out, I thought differently.
A trait was a superpower that could evolve depending on one's effort.
If so, couldn't he learn to distinguish friend from foe through training?
So I trained with the kid for six months… but it didn't work.
Through our personal training, his fundamentals and basic stats had improved beyond recognition, and based on those improved stats, his trait had grown stronger too, but he still couldn't tell friend from foe.
I spent a long time wondering what the problem was, but then he was the one who said he wanted to quit.
He said if it hadn't worked by now, it was a lost cause.
Seeing a kid who was so deep in his chunibyo that he believed he was a tyrant in his past life hang his head so listlessly, I couldn't bring myself to tell him to give up.
So I told him I would never give up, even if it took a year or two… and that’s when something interesting happened.
From that day forward, I was the only one who was completely unaffected by his gaze.
It clicked instantly.
Ah, this wasn't a problem with the trait.
“So what you’re saying is… Elena perceives all of us as enemies, and that’s why it’s happening?”
“Exactly.”
In a distant foreign land she came to just to earn money, she had endured far too many trials.
From the language barrier to the disgusting men who flocked to her for her looks, and even the scammers who tried to deceive her.
She can communicate to some extent now, but back then, even that would have been impossible, so she must have never been able to shake the feeling of being alone.
As a result, she naturally isolated herself further, and her distrust of others became deeply ingrained.
That was naturally reflected in her trait, causing her to perceive everyone as an enemy.
“It’s not really her fault… you should see it as the fault of the vile people who tried to use her.”
The atmosphere at the table instantly grew somber.
Sympathy for Elena, who was suffering in a foreign land, softened their hearts.
Elena smiled bitterly and nodded.
“What Do-jin said, is correct…. I am… afraid of people.”
She continued with difficulty.
“My home, has many family. Five younger siblings, parents… total seven people.”
A self-deprecating smile formed on Elena’s lips.
“My family, always hungry. So I came. To study, and to earn money.”
European academies, with their strong military-like tendencies, severely restrict personal activities.
In a situation where even going out isn't freely permitted, earning money is out of the question.
For Elena, who wanted to become a great Hunter while also needing to earn money immediately, Korea must have seemed like a land of opportunity.
“But, Korea, was different from my expectation. No, I was too foolish.”
The reason Elena called herself a fool was likely something she realized too late.
That she had been so puffed up with dreams that she failed to face reality.
She had forgotten that she would have to adapt all by herself in a place where everything—the language, the lifestyle—was so different.
“I… met many bad people. So… it is hard to trust people.”
The expression on Elena’s face as she painstakingly lifted her head was nothing short of wretched.
“If what Do-jin says is true… my problem, may not be fixable.”
The reason for her sad expression was that she herself knew.
She knew that in her current state, trusting people would not be an easy task.
For her, who carried so many scars, to trust people again would require a period of rehabilitation.
Time to be surrounded by good people, to build trust and bonds with them.
“Elena’s right. In her current state, it won’t be easy.”
“Then what do we do…?” Im Na-eun asked in a worried tone.
The expressions on the other two were similar.
They didn't say anything, but it seemed they felt uneasy about leaving her like this.
Once we reached this point, my objective was already 90 percent achieved.
After all, I had made them accept her.
“It’s difficult to change Elena’s perception, suffering from a distrust of people, in a short period. But, if we use a shortcut, we can at least change her perception of us.”
“How?”
The gazes of the four women, including Elena, focused on me.
Changing her perception is difficult, but it can also be easy.
To be precise, the difficulty changes drastically depending on the scope and method of the change we’re aiming for.
For something to last a very long time, it’s best to take your time and build a solid foundation.
The foundation I’m talking about here is building a deep sense of trust and a bond between us.
But do you think trust and bonds are built just by saying, “Let’s all be friends!”?
That’s something that deepens with time spent together, so it’s difficult for now.
“We change the perception Elena has of our existence.”
Fortunately, there was one perfect opening to get through to Elena.
It was none other than the very reason she came to a foreign country miles away from home and forced herself to adapt.
“An existence that brings Elena a definite benefit.”
This was the most realistic position we could take for now.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
What is the way to distinguish between friend and foe?
There are countless answers to this question.
But what’s the simplest, easiest way?
Isn't it to judge based on whether they bring you gain or loss?
If they bring you benefits, they’re an ally for now, and if they saddle you with losses, they’re an enemy.
The only problem is that because the relationship is calculated solely on profit and loss, it can be very shallow.
But that’s something we can add depth to with other things over time.
I thought of re-establishing our relationship with Elena in the same way.
What she needs most right now is none other than money.
So, what if we become the ones who provide her with financial gain?
“And that is the reason we must conquer this dungeon.”
The place where I had gathered the team members for a long speech was none other than a dungeon in Dongdaemun District.
It was a C-rank dungeon.
The name of the dungeon was ‘Ant Nest.’
As the name suggests, small and precious ants appear here.
Among C-rank dungeons, it’s quite a profitable one.
This is because the carapaces of the ants here are quite hard, and after some simple processing, they become usable materials for armor.
They’re also easy to work with, so they’re a favorite material among novice blacksmiths, meaning there’s high demand, making it perfect for earning money.
I chose it so Elena could earn a good amount, and since things turned out this way, for all of us to make some good money.
“Why does everyone look like that?”
The expressions of the team members who came out of the locker room after equipping their gear were not good.
Were they in a bad mood because they had to come out on a Saturday without getting to rest?
“D-Do-jin.”
Im Na-eun, her face pale and trembling, spoke to me.
“C-Can’t we go to a different dungeon?”
“Why?”
“Wh-What do you mean, why?! This is the Ant Nest! Where giant ants are crawling everywhere!”
Despite its high profitability, the Ant Nest was not a very popular dungeon among Hunters.
This was especially true for female Hunters.
Because the ants that appeared here were as big as the lower half of their bodies.
And to make matters worse, they moved in swarms.
About ten to twenty in one group?
“Hey, you bastard!”
Shin Yu-jeong, who had been standing with her weight on one leg with a fierce expression, suddenly rushed at me and grabbed me by the collar.
“I trusted you to find a suitable dungeon, and you chose the Ant Nest?!”
“What, you hate ants too?”
“Do you even have to ask?!”
This was a bit unexpected.
I never thought she would be afraid of insects.
Son Seo-yeon, who was sitting quietly and observing the situation, didn't look too happy either.
She wasn't saying anything, but she seemed somewhat anxious.
While everyone was in a state of semi-panic, only Elena remained calm.
“Do-jin, can make good money here?”
“That’s right. Among the places we can go at our current level, it’s probably in the Top 3.”
“Hmph…! Is that so.”
Elena stood up, snorting sharply.
Huh?
Her eyes looked strange.
“Then let’s go…! I, will make much money here!”
Was I just imagining it, or did her pupils just turn into dollar signs?