Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Girl, Creator
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“Them? No? But it said you were wearing a sky-blue shirt…”
The girl tilted her head. Soon, her bright red eyes darted back and forth between the smartphone and Ha-young.
‘What the heck…?’
Ha-young was utterly dumbfounded. No matter how hard she rubbed her eyes, the scene in front of her didn’t change.
“Hmm…”
The girl stepped right up to Ha-young. She looked up cutely and locked eyes with her.
“You’re Jeweler Lady, right?”
The girl asked.
Her exotic silver hair shimmered in the breeze. Her skin was so white and fluffy that Ha-young felt an urge to poke her cheek.
“Excuse me?”
She was barely 150cm tall if you were generous. Comparing her height and looks, she seemed no older than a middle schooler.
No matter how you sliced it, she didn’t look like the person who’d invented the revolutionary inventory item.
‘Maybe she’s the B-rank hunter I was supposed to meet today…?’
That didn’t make sense either.
A middle schooler becoming a B-rank hunter would’ve been headline news.
They’d make a huge fuss about a super prodigy hunter being born. In a world where hunters were basically national power.
Stats showed the average B-rank hunter was in their mid-20s, so that said it all.
“You’re really not Jeweler Lady?”
The girl asked again.
Dragging this out any longer would be rude. Ha-young snapped out of her thoughts and barely managed to open her mouth.
“Yes. That’s me. Who might you be…?”
“Huh? It’s me. Me. I Wanna Raise a Dragon!”
No way, but it turned out to be true?
“Really…?”
Ha-young couldn’t help but question the truth that far exceeded her expectations.
“Yes.”
“…”
“Is it a problem if it’s really me…?”
Ugh. Heartache. Those big, pleading eyes locked onto Ha-young’s with irresistible force.
What devastating power. With that face, Ha-young would believe her even if it was a lie.
“No, no… It’s just hard to believe.”
“I get it.”
The girl grinned. A smile that would’ve gotten anyone else called arrogant.
But from this girl, it only felt cute.
“Wait a sec. Solo Play Lover said he’s almost here.”
“Ah, okay…”
“Call me comfy-like. I’m Han Sae-byeok. Sae-byeok.”
Dawn. Ha-young repeated it to herself several times.
A beautiful name that matched her looks perfectly. She’d probably never forget it.
“Uh… Is that really okay? I mean, are you sure…?”
“Of course.”
“R-right. Sae-byeok. I’m Shin Ha-young.”
“Ha-young… unnie. Looking forward to working with you, unnie.”
Sae-byeok flashed a bright smile. Pure, without a hint of pretense.
“…”
Uwaa…! Not fair!
What was this harmless creature?!
At this rate, her heart wouldn’t hold out long. So Ha-young activated her [Calm] skill.
It was a skill she rarely used even while crafting. It relaxed her and stopped hand tremors.
It guzzled mana, so she didn’t overuse it, but she needed it now.
“Unnie? You okay?”
“Huh? Yeah… I’m fine. No problem.”
Her heartbeat slowed in an instant. Now she could finally talk to Sae-byeok with a calm mind.
Ahem. Ha-young cleared her throat and asked Sae-byeok.
“Sae-byeok, when did you awaken?”
“Um… Not long ago.”
So she really was a newbie. She’d posted on hunter forums before, so it wasn’t fake info.
“How many gates have you been in?”
Gates had a unique oppressive vibe. Newbie hunters often couldn’t handle it.
But Sae-byeok showed no such signs.
“Yeah. I’ve come a few times.”
“Not dangerous… or anything?”
“Nope. Just for rice farming or… testing Molrang bags.”
“What’s your class, by the way…?”
At Ha-young’s question, Sae-byeok gave a meaningful smile.
She slung her backpack to the front and opened it.
Molrang!
Something plump jumped out from inside. It landed right on top of Sae-byeok’s head with a jiggle.
It was a slime. Probably the one used to make the Molrang bags.
“This is Molrang.”
“Molrang…?”
Molrang!
A super cute naming sense. It matched the little blue-green guy perfectly.
“Sae-byeok, are you a beast tamer?”
“Something like that.”
“Mind if I… touch it?”
It was a purely selfish request. Ha-young knew it full well.
But she couldn’t help asking. How could she hold back?
“Sure.”
Thank goodness, permission granted. Sae-byeok nodded, and Molrang’s eyes sparkled.
“Then… here goes?”
Ha-young slowly reached out. She’d used Calm, but her fingertips trembled faintly.
Poke.
Her index finger soon prodded something soft.
“…Huh?”
Not Molrang—it was Sae-byeok’s rice-cake cheek.
“S-sorry! I didn’t mean to… Ahaha…”
She yanked her hand back in surprise, but luckily Sae-byeok didn’t seem to mind.
Now she reached for Molrang—
Ding!
An intruder interrupted.
“Oh… Solo Play Lover just arrived.”
Sae-byeok tapped her smartphone screen busily. Soon, a burly adult man approached.
Not Sae-byeok—but Ha-young.
“Uh… are you I Wanna Raise a Dragon?”
Solo Play Lover had mistaken Ha-young for the inventory creator.
Sae-byeok giggled, puffed out her chest, and said.
“That’s me. Me.”
“……………?”
Solo Play Lover’s eyes doubled in size.
Yeah. Totally understandable.
**
Slash.
Solo Play Lover—no, Lee Seo-jin’s greatsword carved a heavy arc.
Kieek!
The huge spider split in two instantly.
One-shot. One-shot.
As expected of a B-rank adventurer. Taking down Check Spiders, C-rank monsters, that easily.
“Today’s monsters are kinda easy.”
Seo-jin sheathed his sword casually. Then, with practiced motions, he gutted the spider.
Even without that, his worn armor told the tale. That he truly lived up to his Solo Play Lover name.
Swipe.
“This is really your creation, right, Dawn?”
Seo-jin pulled out a Molrang bag and started loading the Check Spider materials.
“Yup.”
“Man… No, seriously, it’s insane?”
The Molrang bag gobbled up the materials eagerly. Its slightly larger size suggested she’d combined all ten test ones.
“Dawn, can you combine more than ten of these?”
“Dunno… I haven’t tried, but probably?”
“Ugh…!”
Seo-jin whistled as he packed the whole spider.
“500kg capacity is already nuts, but if you combine more for like 5 tons? Game-changer.”
500kg would definitely compete with C-rank porters.
Capacity might fall short, but fewer mouths to feed was huge.
Especially since C-rank porters usually demanded over 50% cut…
‘You guys need a taste of real competition.’
Lately, nasty messages from porters had been piling up. Time to give them a lesson.
Who asked you to get greedy? Your own fault—deal with it.
“Shall we head out again? Not much left.”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Ha-young took the lead. Her steps brimmed with confidence.
Without her, they’d never find the moonshadow stones. This gate was infamous for its maze-like paths.
Missing persons happened often enough that [Beware of Getting Lost!] was posted at the entrance.
“But seriously, wild. Dawn, how’d you think to use a pudding slime?”
Seo-jin asked, walking beside me. His eyes scanned everywhere but me, alert for monster ambushes.
Reliable guy. Okay. As a fired employee’s duty, time to give these two a bonus.
“Hanging with Molrang made me think, why not use its abilities?”
“Even wilder that it worked. Slimes are usually dumb as rocks.”
Molrang…!
Molrang puffed its cheeks like buns, strongly protesting as if it understood.
“See? It got what I said.”
“Molrang’s pretty smart.”
To prove its smarts, Molrang gathered strength and jumped.
It spun a full flip in midair, then landed back on my head.
“Whoa… Ever thought of monster circus? No?”
“Circus?”
Never crossed my mind. But it could be fun.
Summon all sorts of weird monsters for a show.
Might become the undisputed circus king. Though I’m not big on performing for crowds.
We chatted idly like that for a bit when Ha-young stopped.
“We’re here.”
A massive cave entrance. A musty stench wafted from its gaping maw.
“The moonshadow stones are inside?”
“Yeah. Seems like the only ones in this gate. Wanna go in?”
It looked uninviting, but no other choice.
“Let’s go.”
We stepped into the pitch-black cave depths.