Chapter 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: A Small Reward
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It got more and more mysterious the further things went. How could everything change so drastically just because one person had altered their path?
*Ridiculous, but whatever.*
The process didn't matter. Only the results did. Sure, there was some lingering resentment, but the joy outweighed it by far, so who cared about a little bitterness?
*Put that aside for now.*
The real issue was how long she'd been watching.
The timing was too perfect for her to have just arrived, but given Ji Hwa-yeon's personality, she wouldn't have asked about it if she'd seen everything from the start. No, she'd have grabbed the weakness and shaken it for all it was worth.
*Anyway...*
There was no point hiding it.
I let out a small, awkward laugh as if flustered and asked,
"Yes. Is turning not allowed?"
"No. That's not it."
"Ah... Good. Honestly, I did it out of curiosity, sneaking around like that."
When an ordinary person suddenly gained abilities one day, wasn't it natural for curiosity to kick in?
"Just simple curiosity..."
As she spoke, Ji Hwa-yeon shifted her gaze to the illegal hunters sprawled and bound on the ground.
Pretending not to notice, I tilted my head and turned around.
The moment they came into view, I opened my mouth.
"Ah, I was wondering what to do with these guys. What a relief!"
"Pardon?"
"I couldn't believe it—they were illegals, and they were trying to kill us. Shocked me half to death. Good thing I'm temporarily S-Rank, at least."
"Yes. It is."
Ji Hwa-yeon, who'd been staring intently at the illegal hunters, soon turned back to me, apparently finding nothing off.
"So the problem is what to do with them..."
"Ah, yes. Exactly. Reporting them to the Association seems best, right?"
"Hmm. That's the standard way, but wouldn't it be better to root them out completely?"
"That makes sense too..."
"Han Ji-eon, if it's all right with you, could you leave this to me?"
"Of course! I'd be grateful!"
Just as expected.
Ji Hwa-yeon valued events outside the dungeon more than what happened inside, so I'd trusted she'd want to handle this herself.
Lucky she showed up.
Anyone else might've been trouble—either handing them off to the Association without digging deeper or keeping suspicions about me alive.
I flashed a bright smile, looking relieved as if the issue was settled.
She eyed me curiously.
"Even if it means I might take the credit?"
"Credit or not, you've been at this longer, so you'd handle it better. Plus, since I cleared the dungeon on the sly, it felt a bit shady. Having you show up is honestly a bigger favor to me..."
"In that case. And since you just said you're grateful, mind if I ask for a small—very small—reward in return?"
"Pardon? A reward?"
"Yes. Something tiny."
After that, things wrapped up quickly.
The news pages only mentioned another batch of illegal hunters, nothing about me except my rank.
Ji Hwa-yeon must've spoken to Park Woo-yun afterward, but since he was already on my side, he didn't say much.
The E-Rank hunter who'd fled like a scared rabbit... he'd probably be too drugged out to talk straight. It always went that way.
*Where the hell did it all go wrong?*
A day later, I was in the Hwajin Guild's reception room.
"No need to be nervous."
"Y-Yes..."
A small reward. Who'd have thought it was a chat?
*We were supposed to come here with my brother originally.*
Same destination, different path.
In the original route, my brother would've brought me to Hwajin Guild and we'd meet Ji Hwa-yeon.
*Talk about a massive detour.*
Slurp.
Unable to stand the quiet reception room, I picked up my teacup.
Sipping slowly, I glanced at Ji Hwa-yeon.
There she was, peacefully and leisurely drinking her tea just like me.
No one spoke.
Whoever opened first would probably be...
Clink.
I set my cup down and spoke up.
"Um... so, why did you call me here?"
Ji Hwa-yeon didn't answer right away.
She brought her cup to her lips, then set it down.
Staring at the rippling tea for a moment, she finally replied.
"What do you think it's about?"
Straightening her back, she crossed her legs and rested her hand on her knee, gazing at me sharply.
I opened and closed my mouth, laughing awkwardly like someone who'd never dealt with this before.
She just gave a small smile, saying nothing.
Composing myself, I finally ventured,
"By any chance... are you here to recruit me to your guild?"
"Any interest?"
"Uh... No, not yet. I'm more into staying a free hunter for now."
"You and your brother are alike."
"..."
"Hmm. This isn't leading anywhere, so shall I take the lead?"
"Pardon?"
"How much do you know about Han Ji-un, Han Ji-eon?"
Why bring him up out of nowhere?
"...Of course, everything—"
A sudden thought made me swallow my words and close my mouth.
Did I really know everything about my brother?
"Everything" was true back then, without changes.
But now? Totally different.
And right now, I barely knew anything about his hunter life...
I hesitated, then said,
"...Who knows."
"We don't know much either."
"Yes?"
Her casual reply deflated me.
No, she was always like this, but the conversation felt oddly fresh.
Ignoring my reaction, she continued.
"All we know is basics: which elementary, middle, high schools he attended and graduated from, college—he dropped out, by the way—family members, usual relationships, that sort of thing."
"That's still a lot."
"Anyone can find that with a little digging. It's all over the internet these days."
"...So?"
"So, this is just my personal take, but Han Ji-un seems like he's seeing the future, or something."
"...Pardon?"
Suddenly?
The future.
Yeah, both my brother and I knew it, but if she felt that way, it meant he'd let it slip big time.
Clink.
Ji Hwa-yeon moved four cookies from the table to another dish, then pulled one aside and said,
"Han Ji-un was Korea's first S-Rank hunter. You know that, right? And after him."
She stacked another cookie on the separated one and went on.
"A new S-Rank appeared right away, turned his company into a guild, and collaborated with Han Ji-un."
This time, she picked up two cookies and placed them simultaneously on the stack of two.
A precarious tower of cookies now bulged on the dish.
"Back then, Han Ji-un said he'd collaborate the same way when the next S-Rank founded a guild. I wasn't there, but from what I heard, he did exactly that."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Flip it around: he knew the next S-Rank would found a guild ahead of time."
"...Isn't that a stretch? It could've just happened that way."
"You think I'd base it on that alone? Of course there are other reasons. That's just the start, the trigger."
"..."
I had no idea what my brother did, but clearly he'd been flaunting "I know the future~" or something.
Hiding facts was his choice...
Yeah. None of my business.
Ji Hwa-yeon flicked the cookie tower.
They tumbled messily back onto the dish.
"Anyway, Han Ji-un gets guild master-level treatment from each guild, tailored management, same influence—maybe even pulling our strings."
"...Probably? Um, but—"
"Why bring this up?"
"...Yes."
"Casual chat."
She propped her elbow on her crossed leg, resting her chin in her hand.
After eyeing me for a bit, she smiled and spoke.
"So, Han Ji-eon. Anything you know about Han Ji-un?"
"No."
"Quick answer."
Because I truly knew nothing.
Ji Hwa-yeon straightened up.
She tapped her knee with her finger, mumbling,
"Well... it's been ages since you two talked, so natural you wouldn't know."
"...You know everything."
She smiled brightly—a silent "no argument here."
"But really, nothing at all? Like, say, info on the future?"
"Our family's your standard non-religious household."
"Right."
Clink.
Ji Hwa-yeon lifted her teacup to her lips.
Back to the initial silence.
Her move when she realized there was no info.
*...Time to let me go, right?*
Something felt off—way off.
Normally, with no more business, she'd send me off.
But now? She was keeping me here, like she didn't want me leaving.
The silence pinned me in place, leaving me stuck.
Tap. Tap.
I rested my hands on my knees, moving my fingers like playing piano keys.
Face frozen in anxious indecision, I rolled my eyes, scanning her behavior.
*Anyone can see she's stalling.*
Why?
No clue.
This whole situation was unprecedented.
Couldn't predict what came next.
*Which is kinda fun, though.*
Clunk.
Ji Hwa-yeon set her cup down, glanced at her wristwatch, and murmured softly,
"He should be here soon."
Quiet, but clear to me, so I responded naturally.
"Pardon? Who?"
"Someone you'd welcome seeing, Han Ji-eon."
"...Welcome?"
"Though he'd be mad knowing you're here."
"..."
I knew instantly, but what was that last part?
"Han Ji-eon."
"Yes?"
"I have a proposal."
"What kind?"
She smiled brightly and continued.
"Want to form a partnership with me?"
"A partnership?"
"More precisely, with our guilds."
"...Our guilds meaning?"
"You know them better as the three major guilds, right? Ryu—not that—yeah."
The three major guilds.
Those led by S-Rank guild masters.
"What does that even—"
As I started questioning in confusion, boom!
The reception room door flew open like it might shatter.
Someone radiating an overwhelming presence from outside stared at us.
I'd guessed from her words and the aura even before he entered, but...
Feigning shock at the situation, I spoke.
"Brother...?"
The one who'd opened the door and stepped in was my brother.