Chapter 91
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Hambugi
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Hambugi!
I figured if I kept gaming any longer, I'd end up clearing another raid solo, so I stepped out of the PC bang for now.
It was lunchtime, too.
Heading to grab a burger right now would get me the lunch discount.
Hambugi!
Even if money wasn't an issue, scoring the same food for cheaper always put me in a good mood.
As we walked side by side down the alley, Jun-hyuk on my left spoke up.
"You're just gonna let her tag along like that?"
Brüel, on my right, replied primly.
"I can't exactly leave you and Lady Su-hyeon alone together."
Even after learning Jun-hyuk was my friend, Brüel's wariness hadn't eased up a bit. If anything, it felt even sharper.
She wasn't treating him like some outright threat, but the low growls were still there.
Still, Jun-hyuk had the edge when it came to getting under people's skin.
"They'd probably think you're the delivery guy and send you through the drive-thru. Ends up just the two of us going in anyway."
"......"
Sigh.
"How long are you two gonna keep fighting? We're outside now—cut it out."
I was starting to get fed up.
"I didn't even say anything. She's the one overreacting every time."
"Hah, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. You're too childish for me to bother with."
"Hey, enough! Both of you, shut it!"
As the bickering kicked off again, I raised my palms and smacked both sides once before bolting ahead.
God, they were so annoying I couldn't stand it.
"Hold up, walk slower. You'll trip."
"......I'm running!"
Even as I ran, I didn't forget to shoot back at the slander.
......
Did they have any idea?
From afar, we looked just like a young couple squabbling with their clever little daughter in tow.
If they'd known, all three of us might've spat foam in outrage.
The group hurried along like that.
Just as the burger joint at the alley's end came into view, I slowed to a trudge.
That was when someone suddenly called out from the side.
"Excuse me, you're Kim Su-hyeon, right? The Korea University student."
"......Yes!?"
I whipped my head around in surprise, still grumpy from the walk.
I eyed the man suspiciously.
With these two giants flanking me, why approach me in the middle?
Oh, right—they'd fallen back a bit.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?"
"Ah, sorry about that. I should've introduced myself sooner. I'm a hunter with the Korean Hunter Talent Development International Council."
He rattled off his affiliation and flipped open something like a police notebook.
Of course, I had no clue what it was, so flashing it didn't prove a thing.
But...
"A-rank hunter...?"
I might not know much, but the alphabet on the hunter rank was crystal clear.
Especially that part—it looked freshly printed, standing out sharp.
I narrowed my eyes, flicking between the notebook and the man.
"Hah......"
Who did he think I was, some idiot?
Obviously forged—just slapped a fresh print on top.
Thinks stringing together random association words will fool me?
Another crappy scammer latching on?
I was already frustrated, and now irritation was bubbling up.
"What does this... whatever Korean council want with me?"
"Huh?"
Jeong-hyeon was the one flustered now, seeing I wasn't impressed by his supposed A-rank reveal.
'Figures, she's a Camellia VIP...'
On orders from President Jang Tae-won, Jeong-hyeon had spent days investigating the little kid who'd shown up at Camellia.
The kid's name: Kim Su-hyeon.
An unremarkable E-rank awakener at best.
Nothing noteworthy otherwise.
Or not a kid, actually.
She was a whopping 23-year-old college student.
With that unique look, she'd have made waves online even small-scale, but somehow, there was zero info out there.
Just one thing: a group photo from her department's promo.
"Ah, sorry. Must've startled you, popping up like this. See, our council just launched a new awakener support program. Your potential caught my eye, so..."
But I wasn't as easy as I looked.
"What council again?"
"Ah, yes. The Korean Hunter Talent Development International Council."
"Never heard of it."
I shot him a dubious look.
"Well, you're not a hunter yet, so maybe that's why. It's a big, legit organization."
"Hmm...... Fine, whatever."
"Pardon...?"
"How'd you know my name."
I crossed my arms and glared up at him sharply.
I was going for charisma, but it probably just looked like a sulky kid.
"We manage awakener records, so—"
The sulky kid cut him off.
"Oh yeah? Then why not contact me officially by letter or email instead of ambushing me in the street? Seems sketchy."
I snorted in smug dismissal.
My face screamed I wanted to flick his forehead hard.
"Ahem... Seems like a misunderstanding. It's just a very confidential matter—"
"Yeah, yeah, sure. Oh, and an A-rank hunter? Which A-rank chats people up on the way back from a PC bang? Get real."
I was with two rarer-than-A-rank people heading for burgers, but I'd long forgotten that detail.
"Haa... I mean, I really am...!"
His patience fraying from my constant interruptions—that was when.
"What're you still doing here?"
Jun-hyuk and Brüel had caught up.
"......Huh? ...Hah."
Jeong-hyeon snorted at the sight of the man approaching behind me.
See? Something was up.
"What, you know him?"
"Nope."
I shook my head at Jun-hyuk's question.
"Oh, fancy meeting you here. You're Jo Sung-min, the B-rank handling HR for Camellia, right?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah?"
A B-rank hunter who'd been around since Jeong-hyeon was C-rank.
Camellia's HR guy or whatever title they gave him.
"Must be swamped with work. Still stuck in the same spot even after I hit A-rank."
Jeong-hyeon felt a strange sense of superiority.
I and Jun-hyuk exchanged baffled blinks.
'What the heck?'
'Beats me. Not a scammer?'
Jun-hyuk scanned the man openly ignoring him.
Hm... Yeah, Moon Jeong-hyeon, B-rank hunter for sure.
Vaguely remembered him from this quarter's A-rank promotion candidate list.
'Thought he wouldn't make it this time, but guess I underestimated him.'
Unless...
Jun-hyuk idly thought of the council's old fogeys.
......No way they'd stoop that low.
With no reply from Jun-hyuk, assuming he'd run out of words, the man smirked slyly.
"Once you're a hunter, you gotta aim higher, right? Not waste away on grunt work till you die in place. Oh, wait—maybe that's your style."
Pfft.
"?"
I turned at the sudden laugh.
Amusement radiated from Brüel.
"Brüel......"
I sighed at her.
What was her deal...?
But even Brüel couldn't dodge the man's barbs.
"Huh? What's a delivery guy doing lurking? Something to see?"
"......?"
Snrk...
Now laughter from the left.
"......Sigh."
As I sighed, the man's attention swung back to me.
"Lady Su-hyeon, could we talk a bit more? Looks like even Camellia's interested in you... But honestly, our council offers way more for awakeners. Long history, national backing—you name it. We could really help you unlock your full potential."
"Ah......"
I noticed his gaze dropping to the badge on my chest.
Didn't know much, but this had to be headhunting.
"No thanks, not interested... Gotta go. Lunch rush is ending soon."
I knew he wasn't a scammer now, but still no desire to deal.
I just wanted my burger.
"What? Wait... Hey...!"
Hurt that even a burger outranked him, maybe.
His face twisted.
The instant he reached for me as I tried to pass—
Crack, rustle—
Thud.
"Huh?"
A sudden gust made me turn, but the man had vanished.
Just some bushes shaking in the distance.
"No way, haa......"
Looking back, only Jun-hyuk clutching his head and the nonchalant Brüel stood there.
"Where'd that guy go just now?"
"He headed that way. Must've had something urgent."
Brüel answered innocently.
While I tilted my head, Jun-hyuk lowered his voice.
"How you gonna clean this up? Planning to erase him completely?"
"Leaving it alone would be weirder. His intentions were obvious."
"Even so, taking out an org from an allied nation..."
"Strictly speaking, we're not even US-affiliated. And if he's a potential threat to Lady Su-hyeon, that doesn't matter."
"Way too simplistic."
"No reason not to be. No need to overthink idiots like that."
Brüel snipped back primly at Jun-hyuk's nagging.
"If you hate our methods so much, handle it yourself."
Jun-hyuk arched one brow.
"......Miss, you're doing this on purpose, right?"
"Seemed like he came sniffing around because of Camellia's interest. Don't you think we deserve an apology instead?"
You dragged the bug here—you deal with it.
"Hoo, fine, fine......"
Jun-hyuk scratched his head as I looked up with pleading eyes.
"What're you two whispering about? Not fighting again?"
I wanted these friends-of-sorts to get along.
"Nothing. Sorry, but burger next time. Gotta chat with that guy from earlier."
"Oh... okay...? At least get takeout."
"In a rush. Order delivery if you really want some."
"Alright......"
My leaves drooped listlessly in disappointment.
"Shall we go, Lady Su-hyeon."
In the end, I waved limply and followed Brüel to the burger place.
My mopey glances back and her frosty silhouette looked like a family parting with some backstory.
Rustle rustle—
Once I vanished from the alley, Jun-hyuk approached the bushes.
"Now what."
Behind the foliage lay Moon Jeong-hyeon, nose caved in completely.
"Whew, you smashed him pretty."
Confirming he wasn't in mortal danger, Jun-hyuk stood and pondered.
"First off, why the old farts are tailing Su-hyeon... Eh, pretty obvious."
The badge he gave me, duh.
Too hasty?
Jun-hyuk shook off the regret.
The creeps were the abnormal ones. Yeah.
"Gotta lodge a complaint, right."
He mulled how to protest.
Won't do much, but might rein them in a tad.
Or squeeze something useful for Su-hyeon out of it?
"......Elf miss has a point—ripping 'em out clean is neatest."
The more he thought, the more outrageous it felt.
No harm intended maybe, but approaching right after I got Camellia's mark of protection?
"Should've just let it slide."
The more he dwelled, the more Brüel's approach seemed spot on.