Cautionary Notes – Clauses 3 and 4
“Really? You two are hunters too?”
“Uh-huh… We’re not official hunters. We’re called Growth Hunters.”
“Big guilds run Growth Hunter programs, but I didn’t think Shingyo Guild did too.”
“Without sending them to the academy, just ordinary schooling?”
“Mm. For now, the main roles are instructor and gate exploration.”
“Instructor…? And gate exploration?! Is it treasure hunting?”
“We ride the Taeching True Scripture carriage and do daily patrols around combat zones and mountains.”
“Wow. So the gates Shingyo Guild found were discovered through treasure hunting?”
The more I talked with the girls, the more stunned I was.
Using a hunter’s detection ability to explore gates—that’s the Treasure Hunting method. In this era of advanced radar systems, it’s inefficient and rarely used.
Even now, hunters not belonging to any guild sometimes form parties to monopolize gate clears, but without guild support the risk is huge. Only those with excellent mana detection and solid self-confidence usually try it.
*Yagmyagmyag.*
“Oh! What kind of snack is this? It tastes great.”
“It’s not a snack. It’s an energy bar we eat when we go out on missions… but it has chocolate and nuts, so it’s delicious, right?”
“Jiyeon-ah… Big Sis told you not to eat snacks before lunch, didn’t she?”
White-haired Lee Da-yeon pulled at my collar with a worried voice. But I was already completely hooked on the rich energy bar.
“Here, I’ll give you one too.”
“Eh… y-yes.”
Even though I secretly wanted one, little white-haired girl accepted the energy bar I held out.
“Only this for now, but I really want to buy you something tastier.”
“Can I go outside with you?”
By now, Park Jeong-ah and Han So-rim had already sat right beside the two girls.
The two female hunters stared at the girls eating the energy bar with eyes that looked ready to drool.
*Slang-slang.* The girls’ hair swaying right under their noses looked incredibly delicious.
“It looks super fluffy.”
“Should I stroke it?”
Park Jeong-ah took the initiative first.
I gently reached out and stroked the white-haired girl’s head while she was nibbling her energy bar. She flinched a little and gave a frightened expression.
“Ah, haha. Sorry. Did I scare you, noona?”
Just as Park Jeong-ah was apologizing to the girl, a loud *crunch* and a scream came from the side.
“Kyaaak!”
“Ow! …Blackie bit me!”
“Hmph. Trying to touch our master without permission.”
“You’re too mean.”
Han So-rim pouted and rubbed her bitten hand.
When Park Jeong-ah tried to touch the white-haired girl, Han So-rim had already reached out to the black-haired girl.
“Ah, now’s not the time for that.”
*Thud.*
The black-haired girl, who had just finished her energy bar and was licking her lips, stood up from the box. She looked at the two female hunters with a smug expression.
“To those warriors who want to join the Heavenly Demon Cult, the most important thing is this. It’s… um, let our young leader explain?”
“Respect!”
“Exactly. This place follows the law of the strong. But since the times have changed, the direction our new Heavenly Demon Cult pursues must also evolve a little. No matter how weak the power you currently have, as long as you have the will to become stronger, you’ll receive high evaluation within the sect.”
“Oooh.”
*Clap, clap, clap.*
Park Jeong-ah and Han So-rim clapped.
Even though Blackie’s way of introducing herself as “Wiji Yeon” sounded a bit off, her rambling talk had surprising depth and a lively edge.
Han So-rim tilted her head.
“By the way, after they get their hunter rank, they stop growing, don’t they?”
“I’ll give you a training method. I’ve recently refined the Taeching True Scripture Mind Method and am developing a new martial art that can be applied even to those who already possess mana.”
“Huh…”
“A training method to raise hunters’ abilities?! I’ve never heard of anything like that!”
“And depending on the results, we’ll even give rewards like Level Up items.”
“Level Up…!”
“First, we need the guild’s scale to grow big enough to be rich in resources. Until then, I’ll act as your instructor and help with your training.”
*Click.*
Wiji Yeon’s finger pointed at Park Jeong-ah.
“First, what kind of martial art does she main?”
“Martial art…?”
“I mean the weapon or combat method used in battle.”
“Ah… Hunter ability? Is it a healer?”
“Healer? Uh, um. I’m a complete novice in that.”
Wiji Yeon looked flustered and stroked her tiny chin with her small hand.
The finger then moved to Han So-rim, who was watching Wiji Yeon’s adorable figure with sparkling eyes.
“So, you?”
“I’m ‘Artemis’ Arrow.’ I create mana arrows from a distance and shoot them at enemies.”
“Uh, um. Long-range battle type?”
Wiji Yeon looked flustered again.
“Hah, I could have taught you recommended martial arts, swords, or spears. We’ll need to hire an instructor later to teach those abilities.”
He then dramatically stomped his feet twice and crossed his arms.
“Anyway, while gate clearing is important, when there’s no mission, you must always train. The current training hall is a bit cramped, but we’ll soon move to a nice building… Hic!”
“Hiik!”
Wiji Yeon’s face, which had been chattering so happily, turned pale and his body trembled. Lee Da-yeon trembled the same way.
The terrified eyes of the two girls looked toward the backs of Park Jeong-ah and Han So-rim.
“…Why?”
“Hic!”
The two hunters turned to follow the girls’ gaze.
Behind them stood—
*Whoosh.*
A tall, blonde beauty with one more head of height than the other two hunters was looking down at them with a snort from her nose.
“H-Hunter Kim Na-yeon?”
The deputy guild master of Shingyo Guild, Grade B hunter Kim Na-yeon.
Kim Na-yeon glared at the two hunters with a warning.
“Excuse me for a moment, you two.”
“Yes, yes!”
With a domineering stride, Kim Na-yeon squeezed between the two female hunters and reached out a fierce hand toward the two girls.
“U-uhii!”
“Eeeeh.”
The girls, in total panic, flailed their short legs and started running. But they were caught in an instant.
“You little brats, what are you doing here?!”
“I was watching the new disciples’ interviews, Master!”
“Interviews? I handled them with Oppa!”
“Ugh… There’s no respect for the master!”
“Should I spank you?”
“Hic. Sorry…”
“Hiik. I didn’t do anything wrong! Jiyeon said she wanted to play with the new noonas. Hiik.”
“You young lady! You dare sell out your master…!”
Wiji Yeon trembled with betrayal, while Lee Da-yeon, who looked like a terrified ostrich that had met its natural enemy, covered her eyes and whimpered.
Kim Na-yeon lifted the two girls lightly by tucking them under her arms.
Suppressing the little logs with ease, Kim Na-yeon’s scary gaze made the two female hunters’ bodies freeze solid.
“Park Jeong-ah, Han So-rim?”
“Y-yes!”
“D-did we do something wrong?”
Even though she was trembling from Kim Na-yeon’s aura, as a hunter, Park Jeong-ah timidly asked.
“Cautionary Notes Clauses 3 and 4. You remember, right?”
Park Jeong-ah racked her brain.
‘Before stroking, get permission’
‘Do not give food freely’
“…Those clauses… Could it be?”
*Zit.*
Kim Na-yeon’s sharp gaze pierced toward Wiji Yeon, who was holding the energy bar crumbs in her mouth.
*Zit.*
This time it was toward Han So-rim.
Han So-rim jumped in fright and covered her hand, but the bite mark on Blackie’s skin had already been seen.
“You gave food without permission and even stroked without asking first, huh?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Master, I, I am the one who did wrong. If it’s only Master who should be scolded…”
“You don’t have to say anything, you still got scolded.”
After the two hunters apologized for a long time, only then were they freed from Kim Na-yeon.
Watching Kim Na-yeon’s back as she carried the two girls in her arms, Park Jeong-ah and Han So-rim finally exhaled in relief.
“Hunter Kim Na-yeon is really scary.”
“…Are we going to be fired?”
“Blackie will explain, right…? I want to work in this guild.”
“Right? Me too.”
***
A week had passed since we started recruiting guild members.
*Buzz buzz, murmur.*
I opened my eyes slightly and looked around with a troubled expression.
“…When did the Heavenly Demon Cult become a girls’ sect?”
More guild members was good, but the gender ratio wasn’t great.
I had no idea what kind of speech they gave, but so many female hunters were applying. Right now, even just watching my and the young leader’s training in the hall, I already saw eight women.
After standing up with Lee Da-yeon, the group of female hunters watching our training approached us.
“Young Lord Jiyeon. Is morning training over?”
“White-haired one, Blackie. How about going to the dessert shop with noona during lunch time?”
“…Blackie?”
Calling my name oddly—that must be average for these era girls?
Still, the dessert shop proposal was tempting.
“Shall I buy you strawberry parfait too?”
“Really! Hehe.”
“Oh.”
*Burst!*
At that moment, Kim Na-yeon, who had just entered the training hall, shouted at the female guild members.
“Hey! What are you all doing?!”
“Hiik! Deputy Master is here!”
“Cautionary Notes Clauses 3 and 4! Absolutely must follow! If you don’t, immediate expulsion!”
“Eeeh… We were only talking for a second!”
“Sa-ah, do you have a D-grade gate clear schedule in Sector B-0147 today? What are you doing here without preparation?”
“Ah, hehe. The party members aren’t all gathered yet. I was planning to train in the morning.”
“Garam, you promised not to lure the kids to the dessert shop! Meal time must be respected!”
After the storm passed, Kim Na-yeon let out a deep sigh in the training hall as the female guild members left with *kyak kyak*.
“Haa, how long has it been since we started recruiting guild members, and it’s already like this. We’ve looked up the old guild branch, so we have to move to a wider place as soon as possible.”
Kim Na-yeon looked very tired.
I nodded in understanding.
“As expected, the larger the sect becomes, the more things there are to worry about.”