Chapter 118
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: How to Deliver the Soup?
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How should I deliver it?
The plan had been grand, but reality was a letdown.
Su-hyeon had confidently set out from home, envisioning a six-dish birthday spread.
But there was something she'd overlooked.
"The cost-performance just doesn't add up."
Even the things that looked like simple side dishes weren't easy to prepare.
"Why are there so many ingredients needed?"
She realized that despite all the effort poured in, the results barely qualified as proper side dishes—at least by Su-hyeon's standards. It was extremely inefficient cooking.
Making large batches at once took even more work.
Of course, that was exactly why home-cooked meals carried that warmth and care. But for Su-hyeon, whose skills hadn't even surpassed instant noodles or dog food, it didn't apply.
"If I'm putting in the same effort, I think it'd be better to just make multiple main dishes."
"You're absolutely right."
As Su-hyeon muttered while staring at her phone, Brüel chimed in with agreement.
The two of them were currently at a large supermarket.
Su-hyeon sat in the shopping cart's child seat, while Brüel—fully bundled up—pushed the cart along.
Sunglasses, hat, mask... She looked downright suspicious. But her exceptional proportions and figure made it seem natural somehow.
"Is she some celebrity? Those proportions are insane..."
"Foreigner, maybe? Her kid looks super exotic too."
"Ugh, but in this weather? Bundled up like that... I'm sweating just looking at her."
"Probably from somewhere cold."
Long pants and a hoodie to boot.
It looked far too hot for early June.
But it wasn't quite suspicious enough to raise real alarms.
"Maybe just stick to seaweed soup? Or bulgogi...? Japchae?"
Su-hyeon muttered reluctantly, unable to let go. Brüel replied,
"Anything you give me would be fine—even dirt."
It was a way of saying anything would do.
"No, this isn't for you right now... It's for Ga-eun. Ahem. And why dirt...?"
Brüel looked a little dejected.
In the end, Su-hyeon settled on just seaweed soup and bulgogi as the essentials.
She'd wanted to do japchae too, but it required way too many ingredients.
Forget making it—even using up the leftover scraps seemed daunting.
And so, the serious shopping began.
"What's the difference between these meats...?"
Wasn't it just a matter of picking the expensive one?
Su-hyeon stood at the butcher section, comparing cuts.
Some had more white fat, some more red meat, slight differences in marbling...
The newtuber had recommended a specific one, but she was curious why.
"It might be because the fat-to-muscle ratio affects cooking time and flavor slightly. I don't know much about Korean cuisine, but using grilling meat in a soup could risk a different taste than expected."
"I see."
Su-hyeon nodded and obediently selected the foreleg cut, handing it to Brüel.
But as they left the butcher section, something caught their eyes.
"Hey, check that out! 1++ grade Hanwoo? Good for stew or bulgogi!"
Some kind of event was going on.
Complete with flashy decorations.
"Looks like even the priciest stuff works fine."
"Yeah, let's switch to the good one."
Top-tier 1++ Hanwoo, hard to come by even for frequent eaters.
800 grams for around 200,000 won—the ultra-premium ingredient was now destined for soup.
Ga-eun had come to Camellia Guild after a long while.
"Thanks for making the trip. Must be tough with school and streaming."
"No, it's fine... If anything, the vice master seems busier..."
"Feel free to just call me secretary."
"But you're the one who must be busier."
"I'm good."
Today's conversation partner wasn't Jun-hyeok in his B-rank hunter disguise, but Ye-rin, the actual manager.
"Did you read the contract I sent?"
"Ah, that...?"
Of course she'd read it.
She'd pored over every detail, even racking her brains with Da-hye.
Their conclusion was...
"Sorry, but I don't think I can join the guild. It'd be hard to hunt like other hunters... Might even lead to talk of discrimination..."
Honestly, nothing bad had ever happened to Ga-eun. If anything, only good things.
As long as she avoided causing trouble, that was it.
But...
'It feels burdensome.'
"Hmm."
Ye-rin peered at the bowing Ga-eun, then slid the tablet forward again.
"Seems like there's a misunderstanding."
"Pardon?"
"It's a bit different from being a regular guild-affiliated hunter."
Ye-rin's proposal boiled down to this:
They wanted to contract Ga-eun as Camellia's exclusive streamer.
She'd receive various benefits from Camellia and simply showcase them naturally in her streams.
They'd prioritize offering her suitable ads or campaigns.
And she could get help along the way.
In other words, like a brand ambassador.
A highly unusual offer that didn't exist in the industry.
So Ga-eun asked honestly,
"To be frank... I don't really get it."
Hiring a mere streamer for guild promotion?
Why pass over image-perfect, star-quality B-rank hunters?
"Do you know how much ads with famous hunters cost?"
"...No?"
For reference, Ga-eun's ad rates varied.
Depending on type, duration, and freedom, they ranged from 20-30 million to just over 100 million won.
She could stack multiple at once, so with luck, she could rake in a lot short-term.
Hunters were probably similar, right?
No—hunter gear was insanely pricey, so maybe they charged more?
"Varies by person, but usually in the hundreds of millions. Average around 500 million."
"...Huh?"
"For example, Seran Hunter's recent shampoo ad was 2.6 billion."
"Gasp."
The one she'd filmed before cutting her hair short?
...Hadn't she appeared for like 5 seconds?
"And that's on the cheaper side since it's aimed at the general public."
"......"
Ga-eun recalled herself striking cute poses without a care.
'Fearless idiot...'
"Of course, she's a star hunter with few rivals in fame. But honestly, other hunters aren't cheap either."
She thought of Hwang Ji-young fussing over self-care at camp.
Hmm, yeah, it made sense to fuss.
"...Wait, couldn't you just use Camellia hunters cheaply?"
Ga-eun wondered.
Grab anyone walking around Camellia—they were probably B-rank at worst. A-ranks might keep a low profile...
"Quite the opposite. You take extra care of family to avoid resentment."
"Ah, true..."
Ga-eun recalled agonizing over bonuses for her editors around holidays.
"Honestly, Camellia doesn't need an ambassador for profit."
"Yeah...? Everyone knows Camellia..."
One of the world's top guilds.
No extra promo needed, as Ye-rin said.
Ga-eun nodded blankly, then tilted her head at the oddity.
"Wait, then why...?"
"The master seems to have had some realization recently."
"Realization? About what?"
"Something like a friendlier image, especially to younger folks. And improving perceptions of hunters as a profession... Around that."
The council elders had been hailed as heroes for at least 20 years.
Yet the moment they retired, the public forgot them overnight. Young people showed zero interest now.
No guarantee Camellia wouldn't face the same.
And views on hunters as a job were worsening too.
Unlike old-gen hunters, Jun-hyeok paid attention to streaming they'd ignored.
"In that sense, Hunter Lee Ga-eun's streams are perfect. The mask is great. Your on-stream banter and sense are spot-on. Excellent choice, even ignoring cost-performance."
"Uh...um... Thank you?"
"And you're a young, active high-rank hunter making waves right now. Perfect timing."
"...What, treating people like fish or fruit."
Anyway, that was why Camellia was offering Ga-eun the contract.
"What do you think? We won't touch your streaming at all. You'll draw attention for a while, but... if you dream of being an influencer, that's fine, right?"
"Still, it's a bit..."
"Actually, this is partly for Su-hyeon too—"
"I'll do it."
"—to some extent. Are you sure about deciding like that?"
Ultimately persuaded by Ye-rin, Ga-eun signed the contract.
The offered signing bonus was a whopping 30 billion won.
The same amount Jun-hyeok had proposed when they first met.
"Isn't that too much...? I thought it was a typo."
"Industry first, and Camellia's ambassador—has to be this much. Besides, compared to exposure time and contract length, it's not excessive."
"Ah. True... Two hours a day, every day..."
For reference, the term was until she reached A-rank.
Early termination impossible.
"What if I never make A-rank?"
"Then you'll be our ambassador for life. Even your coffin gets the Camellia mark. Gravestone, urn—everything."
...?
Something subtly ominous about that.
"...Um. Can I rethink it for a sec?"
"Already deposited."
"Ah."
But it wasn't all bad—conversely, if she hit A-rank quick, she could swallow the 30 billion and re-sign.
"Gotta work hard..."
"Naturally. We're investing 30 billion in your future as an A-rank hunter, not just a B-rank."
"Haha..."
Ga-eun laughed hollowly.
Su-hyeon had successfully finished shopping with Brüel's help.
Now, in her room, they had the ingredients lined up and were deep in thought.
"How should I deliver it?"
The topic was how to present the seaweed soup as a gift.
She couldn't carry a pot or bowl all the way to school or Ga-eun's house.
And handing it over in a plastic bag felt wrong too.
"Should I invite her here...?"
Su-hyeon glanced around her little nest.
"Hmm..."
Honestly, it wasn't suited for seating someone and serving a meal.
Just having Brüel there made the room feel packed.
She imagined dragging Ga-eun over and serving her seaweed soup.
One rice bowl.
One spoon.
No rice cooker, so instant rice.
Not even a table—eat off the living box.
Sitting across on the living box, staring at Ga-eun, who smiled awkwardly through the discomfort while scooping her spoon.
'...This a penalty game?'
Sigh.
Su-hyeon let out a deep breath, and her leaves rustled faintly.
"Can't exactly go to her place to cook it either."
She'd looked it up—seaweed needed soaking, and it took quite a while.
"How about soaking just the seaweed and bringing it?"
Brüel suggested, her hood pulled tight to expose only her face.
"Whoa..."
Brüel was the best.