The Heavenly Demon Yeon Soso (2)
Her speech was so peculiar that it would make anyone who heard it think she was insane.
Even those who knew her were no exception. Arin and Uncle Dong-hyuk knew Soso, but they hadn't expected this strange way of speaking.
The uncle in particular looked flustered.
"B-b-bonjour! I am Jang Dong-hyuk, the intern!"
But soon he composed himself and answered with a stiff, businesslike tone. It was clear that someone with experience in social situations was different.
'So she's the Heavenly Demon...'
And in fact, this way of speaking was new to me as well.
Soso had clearly awakened as the Heavenly Demon at Eins Academy.
But she wasn't the type to use the arrogant speech befitting a Heavenly Demon.
It was as if she was dressed like a trainer, with her body fully exposed, which was unusual.
The outfit was somewhat revealing, something I couldn't imagine on the Soso I knew.
Perhaps in the two years I hadn't seen her, Soso had changed a lot.
'Has she truly become familiar with the Heavenly Demon?'
And I, for a moment, recalled the background of this academy hunter world set in modern Earth.
The dimensional convergence thirty years ago when the first gates appeared. Not only the Slavia Kingdom was summoned to Earth from another world.
In the Slavia Kingdom language, it was Eyletan.
In other words, the otherworld continent Eyletan, like the Slavia Kingdom, had not only medieval fantasy-style nations but also Eastern fantasy-style nations.
Thus, the other world nation summoned to Earth, the Martial Nation (Muguk). Simply put, it was a nation that would appear in martial arts novels. In fact, it was a country where martial arts existed.
The Martial Nation had settled in southern China. So, in the world of academy hunters, it wasn't strange for the Heavenly Demon to exist.
'No, no matter how you look at it, that way of speaking is definitely strange.'
For a moment, I set aside thoughts about the original setting and waited for Soso to speak. She said quietly.
"Minsu, Arin, Dong-hyuk. So there are three new interns."
And she casually glanced at the documents in her hand. No, she pretended to check them.
Then, she subtly shifted her gaze and met my eyes. Immediately, she startled and quickly avoided my gaze. Then, clearing her throat, she said.
"Ahem. The intern... intern... This one has never heard of this intern system before. An intern is like... formally binding with a disciple in a sect, or perhaps even earlier... similar to a family disciple... I think it is something like that..."
But she couldn't continue her words properly. At that moment, the door to the waiting room opened, and another person entered.
It was a middle-aged man with horn-rimmed glasses, who looked somewhat thin.
"Hey! Team Leader Yeon Soso. You took the wrong documents! And I told you I was coming to see the interns together, right? Why are you in such a hurry? Did you give honey to the interns? Haha."
Soso looked at the documents she was holding. Upon closer look, it was a menu from the company cafeteria. She was startled.
While Soso was subtly hiding the paper behind her back, the latecomer said.
"These three are the new interns this time? Nice to meet you. I am Seo Duho, the team leader of the Intelligence Team. And this side is Yeon Soso, the team leader of the Raid Team. The two of you are classmates and juniors from Eins Academy. And Jang Dong-hyuk was a security guard at Eins Academy, so you know Team Leader Yeon well?"
All three nodded. This man named Seo Duho seemed to have already gathered all the personal information about the three of us. And his speech was quite fast.
"Then it will be easy to explain. As Team Leader Yeon Soso has already said, she is the Raid Team Leader and main dealer of Flame Guild. Her official hunter rank is A-rank. So, her skill is enough to slice through most monsters and villains like tofu. Isn't that right, Team Leader?"
"Ahem. That is correct. I am a woman of the Heavenly Demon Cult who continues the ultimate path of the Heavenly Demon..."
But Team Leader Seo didn't let her finish and continued.
"Yes, that's right. Since you are so skilled and also the representative on site, it would be very desirable for you to personally guide the interns who have entered as field interns. However... since this is the first time for the intern system in our Flame, Team Leader Yeon seems to have some difficulties in getting used to this program."
As Team Leader Seo said. During her time at Eins Academy, Soso had the lowest theoretical scores. And she was terrible at conveying her thoughts to others.
'Her communication skills were... quite poor.'
It didn't match the current appearance, but back then, Soso was gloomy, the so-called "ass" type.
That's why Soso and I matched well.
'We... matched well.'
Just as I was about to fall into thought, Team Leader Seo continued.
"So, let me briefly tell you all. For the time being, the intern program is that Team Leader Yeon will handle the physical work, and I will handle the tasks that require thinking. Please understand it simply like that."
".... Yes, that is correct. As Team Leader Seo said."
Even Soso, who had been silent, spoke one word.
At that time, Team Leader Seo finished booting the PC in the waiting room. And he lowered the screen of the waiting room.
"So, I will explain the intern program from now on. Please take your seats."
The interns, including me, sat at the tables in the waiting room. And seeing Soso, who had quietly sat on a chair following us, Team Leader Seo said with a look of disbelief.
"Could it be that Team Leader Yeon will also listen to the explanation?"
Instead of answering, Soso nodded vigorously.
***
Team Leader Seo Duho. Interestingly, he used honorific speech even to the interns.
"I prefer to use casual speech because it omits too many words. So, to pack in a lot of information, honorific speech is better. Please understand."
The following explanation by Team Leader Seo was clear and concise. Based on a neatly prepared presentation, he explained the intern system to us.
"The intern period designated by the Hunter Association is six months. And it's a hire-linked intern. In other words, unless you don't match our guild at all or suffer an accident, all of you can become official guild members of Flame Guild."
Uncle Dong-hyuk whispered in my ear.
"It's a good thing. During the intern period, they make you work hard, but they don't hire you as official guild members."
Then, as if recalling something, he said.
"Oh, right. I thought this name Seo Duho was familiar. That guy was a famous information analyst on site. He must have transferred to Flame. I heard he was originally from Manseong."
Next, Team Leader Seo explained the important field policy of Flame to us.
"As you know, our Flame is a mid-sized guild in terms of scale and doesn't have multiple raid teams. From the guild's inception, it has performed guild missions with a single raid party and no reserve personnel."
The core members of that raid team were four.
The main dealer Yeon Soso. And Yuri Tarkovskaya, who also played the role of main dealer and tank. Next, the healer Stefano the Priest.
Finally, the operator Maria was the composition member. And these four were also the raid members for the AA-rank dungeon, the Uiryeong Man-Eater.
"Of course, since Guild Master Yuri is so versatile, she didn't distinguish between main dealer, main dealer, and tanking, and there were no problems in the early days. But as the guild's scale grew, people naturally became insufficient."
In such cases, they hired freelance mercenaries, but it seems that the mission intensity of Flame Guild has become known, making it hard to find mercenaries.
And the problem was MCI, the mental contamination index.
"Guild Master Yuri is such a workaholic that she didn't distinguish between dungeon extermination and villain extermination missions requested by the Association. But no matter how high the MCI resistance of a hunter is, if they continue to come into contact with dungeon or villain mana, their limit line will inevitably drop."
In other words, it meant that rotation or rest was necessary to recover the raised MCI.
'The limit line varies for each person...'
My memory of Yuri's maximum limit line was 95. Meaning that even if the mental contamination index rose to 95, she could maintain normal condition.
'If the MCI exceeds that limit line. You won't receive the full curse of the dungeon boss's body.'
Considering that the average hunter's MCI limit line is around 65, she had a steel mentality befitting her prideful nature.
'Yuri never let her limit line drop below 70 even if her condition was bad...'
However, as Team Leader Seo said, there is a limit to human endurance.
"So, based on my proposal this time, we decided to introduce the intern system. The raid team members said it was okay, but from the intelligence team's perspective, it seemed like these people would cause an accident sooner or later. Everyone was uneasy about their MCI."
This was the reason why Flame recruited interns.
The three new interns will go through several months of training and then enter as alternate members of the main raid team in the future.
"Well, saying alternate members. If you're under a fierce workaholic like Guild Master Yuri, the field people won't have any MCI left. So, there will be a lot of field visits. Don't worry."
"Really? That's good. Even as interns, we get paid, so we have to work hard. It's only natural, right?"
"Oh ho. The nun auntie is speaking the truth. On site, there are many salary thieves, so it's troublesome. Well, then let's take a ten-minute break. Those who want to smoke, follow me."
All three shook their heads. I was puzzled.
"Uncle Dong-hyuk. You didn't usually smoke at the beginning of the year?"
"Oh. Because my wife got pregnant this time. So I decided to quit."
Team Leader Seo, upon hearing that, was momentarily taken aback. But he didn't show it and said.
"Then, Team Leader Yeon. Please have a light drink or two with these new interns. Ah, and Minsu. You have to follow me."
"Am I the one?"
"Yes. You."
I don't avoid smoking at the beginning of the year.
But singling me out means there's something else to talk about, so I got up from my seat obediently.
The two of us entered the smoking room.
***
"Thanks. I should say this to you first."
Team Leader Seo lit his cigarette. He bowed his head to me. Then he said.
"Two years ago... so, the Tragedy of Eins. At that time, you defeated the Doubtful Monster. That S-rank villain."
Team Leader Seo continued to explain. Five years ago, he lost his wife and daughter to a terrorist attack by the Doubtful Monster.
The Doubtful Monster committed the same thing two years ago at Eins Academy, leaving behind countless victims, but in the end, I defeated that guy.
After the short explanation, he let out a deep sigh.
"Well, where in the hunter industry are there people without a story like that? The important thing is that even if the Doubtful Monster is dead, the fact that Red Lake, that guy's head, is still alive."
That's why the Team Leader Seo, who was working as the information department head at Manseong, one of the largest corporate guilds.
Upon Yuri's proposal to exterminate Red Lake together, he happily submitted his resignation and transferred to Flame.
"I see. But staying in a large corporation would be better for Team Leader Seo's revenge... wouldn't it be good for fulfilling that meaning?"
"No. That's absolutely not the case. Large corporations only get excited about dungeon extermination that makes money, and they have no interest in hunting risky villains. Moreover, they have no interest in dealing with villain groups as dirty as Red Lake. Large corporations just hunt the appropriate pyramids thrown by the Association on a mandatory basis."
And he smiled slyly and said.
"So, when I saw the self-introduction letter you submitted, Minsu, I thought 'this is a good thing'. Although I want to kill those damned guys like Guild Master Yuri or Team Leader Yeon, you were a bit different."
"Am I the one?"
"Yes. It was like me. Even if I die, I have no regrets in life, but if I have to die, I want to cut off the necks of all those damned guys after that, such madness."
He took another puff from his cigarette.
"Hoo. Of course, it doesn't mean that Guild Master Yuri or Team Leader Yeon have light resolve. Anyway, it's good. Congratulations on joining. Flame is a good guild. And oh, right. Executive Director Maria says. It's a coincidence that Minsu, you came at this time."
"Coincidence, you say..."
"Well, Executive Director doesn't lie. And I saw it too. Your resume for the practical interview. The interviewers gave full marks, but that seems a bit off."
He threw the cigarette butt into the empty can.
"I would have given double the additional points in full marks. Flame needs new operators like you. Executive Director Maria is a skilled operator, but the variable MCI is really dirty and mysterious, and no matter what, she couldn't handle the recent troubles. Especially with Team Leader Yeon."
"Soso... I mean, Team Leader Yeon?"
"Yes. Actually, there are quite a few problems."
And he looked at me.
"But according to the answer you submitted, you can return Team Leader Yeon to normal. In that damned state where her limit line has dropped to 35."
"35? How can the limit line drop that low..."
"Well, I'll tell you the details later. Let's go back. If we don't come in soon, the remaining people will get bored."
With those words, Team Leader Seo and I returned to the raid team waiting room.
***
After the morning's brief education, it was lunchtime. And I was heading to the company cafeteria with the two intern colleagues.
"Ahem. I asked the office ladies, and they say the company cafeteria is quite delicious. Is it really true? Well, even if it's not delicious, you don't have to worry. If it's not good, I'll pack your lunch as a bento every day, Senior Minsu."
"No, you don't have to go that far..."
I brushed off Arin's words roughly. My mind right now was complicated because of what Team Leader Seo had said.
'Soso's condition is that bad?'
She said Soso's limit line was 35.
Normally, awakened ones only entering dungeons would have MCI rise by about 20-25.
Then, facing monsters, contamination would easily exceed 30.
So, Soso was in a state where she couldn't participate in today's raid.
'Why was she excluded from today's mission.'
Where did Arin hear about it.
The raid team without Soso went on a mission today, so there must have been such a reason for her to be left behind.
Just then.
"Ugh. What is this?"
Before I could react, I felt my body being violently pulled by something.
'Could it be a villain? No. What the hell is in the middle of Flame.'
After a while, after being pulled for a long time, I finally managed to free my body.
Instead of the office hallway, I had entered a certain equipment warehouse.
And the person who brought me here said.
"If it's here, there won't be any bothersome intruders, right? Isn't that so?"
The familiar voice. The one who brought me here was Soso.
"Soso? What kind of trick is this..."
But before I could ask anything, Soso pulled me into a tight embrace.
"Minsu... you... you! This one missed you so much...!!"
Before I could feel the soft flesh pressing against my chest.
My spine chilled at Soso's voice soaked in joy.