Part-Time Boss Sent Side Dishes by Delivery – What the Hell Is This?
“Hmm……”
My hometown folks seemed just as baffled by this situation as I was. I could tell they'd been thrown for a loop seeing the side dishes the manager sent.
It was truly unprecedented.
My perpetually empty fridge was now stuffed to the brim with them—an utterly bizarre turn of events.
“What the actual fuck.”
I swear on the heavens, I'd never done anything to deserve homemade side dishes from the manager.
Hell, just two days ago, I'd no-showed my shift.
Sure, it was because I got swallowed by a sinkhole, but still—a no-show's a no-show.
Yet instead of chewing me out, he sends me all these dishes... and even tucked in a handwritten note.
“Am I... am I secretly the manager's affair partner?”
At this point, even that crossed my mind.
Maybe girl Jiwoo had been in some inappropriate fling with him?
Otherwise, why would he treat me this nicely? Telling me to talk about quitting later, sending all these homemade goodies—it'd make sense if we were sneaking around...
“Ughhh, blech.”
I pictured a cozy scene with that potbellied manager for a split second and nearly gagged myself into oblivion.
No way girl Jiwoo lived a life that horrific. I had to believe it.
No helping it. With no memories of girl Jiwoo's life, I'd have to ask the manager directly.
Otherwise, it'd keep nagging at me.
-Riiiing...
-Riiiing...
-Click.
[Hello?]
“Ah, hi, Manager. It's Jiwoo...”
It was early dawn, but I knew he was at the convenience store. That's why he picked up right away.
[Oh, Jiwoo. What's up?]
“Um... I got the delivery...”
His syrupy voice still threw me off, but I had to ask.
Why send a lowly part-timer like me side dishes, cooking oil, instant rice, and all that jazz?
Didn't I already tell him I was quitting?
[Oh, that. You really quitting for good?]
“...Yeah.”
[If it's about the no-show, it's fine—don't quit. Or did you land a real job?]
“Actually, I... awakened.”
The moment I dropped that, I heard a sharp intake of breath from the other end.
Followed by a suddenly serious tone.
[...Jiwoo, you're not just saying that to quit, right?]
“N-no, I really awakened. Planning to head to a guild this morning. For real.”
[A guild? Which one?]
“Haetae Guild... My little sis acquaintance is a hunter there.”
[Whoa... really? You can actually be a hunter?]
“Yeah.”
A brief silence followed.
I'd half-expected that much. Hard to buy that the non-awakened part-timer he'd known for years suddenly awakened overnight.
[Sniff, that's great, Jiwoo... Really great.]
“M-Master?”
But the sudden sobbing? Total curveball.
My reflection on the monitor showed a dumbfounded face.
[I was always worried about you living alone, barely eating right and living off discards.]
“Uh, um...”
[My wife never said it, but she worried about you too. You know our daughter—if she were alive, she'd be your age.]
Sorry. News to me.
Back when I was guy Jiwoo, the manager had a son, not a daughter—and very much alive.
[Anyway, now that you're a hunter, you'll move somewhere nice, right? No more starving?]
“Uh... probably?”
[Sniff, really. Really great... My girl's life is turning around...]
“Um, Manager. The side dishes...”
[Yeah, eat 'em all and hit me up later. I'll send fresh tasty ones. Just treating you like a daughter—don't overthink it.]
I was speechless, mumbled an “I'll eat well” and hung up.
Who knew “like a daughter” was literal? The twist that he was just being nice was plenty disorienting.
What's with the temperature difference from guy Jiwoo days?
“Guhk.”
The incoming messages hit like the climax of a melodrama.
Guilt welled up, and I clutched my chest, collapsing.
Orphan or not, I felt like the ultimate ungrateful brat.
So he'd been sweet all this time because I reminded him of his dead daughter.
Th-the world's broken.
This world that makes it impossible to see pure kindness as pure... that's what's wrong!
I'm innocent!
-Squirm.
-Squirm.
“...I've led a shame-filled life...”
After that, I huddled in the corner of the bed until Kim Arin arrived.
I'm trash.
Not even regular trash—the kind that doesn't burn and needs special disposal...
“...Unnie? What's wrong?”
“I made even demons stand in applause...”
“...??”
Kim Arin tilted her head, not getting it, then beckoned me out.
Shuffling after her down the stairs, there was her car from yesterday.
She usually zips around like lightning, but with me in tow, she'd driven today.
I buckled into the passenger seat—though she seemed to notice I was off.
“...Something happen?”
“N-nothing happened.”
She kept prying from the driver's seat.
S-rank instincts are no joke.
“Really?”
“...Told you, nothing.”
I rushed her to drive before she sniffed out the manager thing.
What if guild entry required a clean moral character or something?
Couldn't let her find out I'm trash.
“You're acting weird, unnie.”
“Weird? Go to the dentist.”
“...Sorry. Can't laugh.”
Apologizing makes you weirder, you punk.
“For now, keep it secret. Your skills, unnie.”
On the way to Haetae Guild HQ, before meeting anyone else, Kim Arin laid out precautions.
“The skills you used yesterday... keep 'em secret from everyone but me.”
“Why?”
“Can't get tangled with hidden bosses. I said you're just a transformation hunter.”
She stressed that my skills being hidden boss powers couldn't leak.
If it did, they might even put a hit on me—she said it casually, chillingly.
But I could counter.
I had an S-rank invincible skill, after all.
“No one can kill me anyway. Why borrow trouble?”
“...Could lock you in an off-grid cell, no internet.”
“Eep, mouth shut.”
Apparently, hidden boss powers were seen as mega-dangerous among hunters.
In other words, I was a powerhouse even hunters feared.
But they might seal me away fearing a future rampage.
No hunter could stop a hidden boss power if it went berserk—yet.
“Your skills... we'll check 'em when it's just us. Safer that way.”
“Don't trust others?”
“Not that, but... just in case.”
No need to create needless risks, she added.
A shame I couldn't flaunt my strength, but I got it.
As long as I could make hunter money, I didn't care.
Getting kidnapped by NIA or mystery ninjas? Pass.
“So, how do I prove I'm S-rank?”
“Rank's measured by mana. No need to show skills.”
“Wait, I got tons of mana? S-rank level?”
“...Not right now.”
But in assimilated form, I'd register totally different.
She said it'd easily hit S-rank while assimilated.
“Assimilation make you dizzy or anything?”
“Nah? Only manifestations tire me out.”
“Manifestations... hidden boss skills, huh.”
“Yup.”
Maybe 'cause assimilation's still F-rank.
Even using the higher manifestation felt underpowered, like missing a punch.
Half-assed activation every time.
10-minute limit, too.
After, total crash—exhausted, sleepy.
Still buggy all around.
Whatever, it'd improve later.
(A)Assimilation: F
Current Rank: F. Evolves to ❮(A)Manifestation: S❯ upon meeting special conditions.
If I fully evolve assimilation to manifestation, penalties might vanish.
Current manifestations were like demos.
Once S-rank perfection? Full power, no drawbacks.
Mm-hmm.
I'm a total cheater.
“Anyway, my money? Told you to log the dungeon clear reward.”
“...We'll check that first when we arrive. No one knows what went down yet.”
Except you, unnie.
Her eyes flicked my way.
“That wolf in the pic—you said hidden boss.”
“Yeah. Fenrion. Can turn human too—pretttier than you?”
“...Don't care.”
“Fr, for real.”
If I'd snapped a pic.
Fenrion rivaled Hwaran's beauty.
Not the point now, though.
“Anyway, we'll start by asking about Gangseo Gate.”
“Ugh... feels like a hassle.”
“No pay otherwise. Gotta vouch you recovered the dungeon core.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Recount yesterday's Gangseo Gate chaos from start to finish.
Omit Fenrion bits only.
That way, cash without misunderstandings, she hammered.
“You just awakened by chance, grabbed the core. Never met a hidden boss.”
“Got it.”
“Just in case, delete the pics.”
“Nah. Kill me first.”
“...Unnie...”
“Not the pics! How I snagged those cheat keys!! You punk!”
Daring to normalize my gallery cheat keys.
Not even for Arin.
I'd already planned their use.
“...Fine, keep 'em to yourself. Never show anyone.”
“Sure, that much...”
I skipped mentioning posting to the gallery later.
Her worries probably wouldn't pan out.
Let it slide for now.
“Whoa, that building... no way?”
“...Yup. That's it.”
Haetae Guild HQ loomed.
Stepping out the front with Arin, someone took her keys.
Didn't know S-ranks got valet.
Perks everywhere.
“We going in now?”
“Yeah. They're waiting for you, unnie.”
Hunters from two days ago—saved thanks to me—summoned here.
Cross-check I was that kid, pay my clear reward.
Coincidence or not...
“Ah, uh... Jiwoo! Jiwooya~!”
A mage hunter in the lobby—Park Serin, who'd introduced herself spotted me, rushing over happily.
“...Unnie, you know her?”
“Yeah. Nearly died 'cause of her.”
She'd given me chocolate.
Before explaining, Arin's body flashed blue.
Blue currents filled the air in under 2 seconds.
“Explain.”
“S-sorry! Spare me! I'll give you everything I have, please, mercy─!!”
Park Serin crumpled to the floor, sniffling.
I hummed quietly.
Oh my god, emergency, big trouble, we're screwed.