Chapter 17
When I returned to the company without any hobbies, the two of them were already preparing to leave.
"Heading out on the dot today?"
Go Yu-jin flashed a bright smile at my question. "Yep! No work, after all."
Our jobs weren't exactly regular. When there was no work, things dragged on endlessly. And right now, there was none. It seemed the Doomsday Cult's rare outburst had triggered thorough investigations into gate entries. If even the slightest issue cropped up, entry was restricted, and they were piling on all sorts of checks that weren't standard procedure. Some guilds were even rejecting gate bids outright because of it.
People clamored to send inspection teams to ransack those rejected guilds anyway, but that never happened. Instead, it was breeding layer upon layer of social distrust. For guilds that frequented gates, constant scrutiny was a hassle, but the real problem hit when a Doomsday Cultist turned up during one. Their hard-earned reputation would plummet into the abyss.
And it didn't stop there. A cultist sneaking into a gate undetected could drag the guild down with them. Gate incidents often wiped out entire guilds for absurd reasons. Rushing in investigators might uncover something, but most times they found nothing, souring the mood all around. Things were shaping up for a noisy stretch over gate bids.
"But we don't bid, do we?"
After more than three months on the job, I'd noticed we had bidding rights but never used them.
An So-mi answered instead of Go Yu-jin. "Of course we do. They just never let us win!"
"Why's that?"
"First, not enough manpower. Second, because we're black mages, and they claim we could handle cleanup on our own."
"They're worried we'll clear the gates ourselves?"
"Probably a big part of it, among other reasons. Even the Black Mage Association—the black mages' gathering spot—always loses out on bids, right?"
Society sure had it out for black mages.
"Alright, enough serious talk. Time to clock out!"
Go Yu-jin beamed innocently, while An So-mi bolted out with a casual "See you tomorrow!" I had no clue where she rushed off to every day.
"Let's go. Us too."
Go Yu-jin lightly tugged my arm, dragging me into forced overtime-free departure.
We ended up grabbing a light dinner together, where she asked, "How'd the job go?"
"It looks like it'll resolve smoothly enough, but I doubt the police can handle it alone. We'll need higher-ups involved. Probably..."
Dealing with awakeners was awakener work. These days, detectives were usually awakeners themselves, but not always, so the outcome remained to be seen.
"The Doomsday Cult's a real pain."
"They always have been. Hard to track where they're hiding and stirring trouble. At least folks like us can vaguely sense when they act up, but society's boxed us out of any real investigative roles. Frustrating, isn't it?"
"I wonder sometimes if someone's deliberately tarnishing our image..."
Plenty possible. Many cultists were high-ranking officials, after all. Everyone knew but hushed it up—purging them would cause massive social backlash and losses. They were untouchable now. Back during the cataclysm's chaos, you could kill them on sight without issue. But these days? Without proof, you'd be the murderer.
Go Yu-jin shifted the mood afterward, keeping things upbeat through dinner. Thanks to her, it was a pretty satisfying end to the day.
"Good morning!"
An So-mi arrived beaming, clearly in high spirits.
"What's got you grinning ear to ear?"
"Can't I be excited?"
"Of course you can. Just curious. You don't show up this chipper often."
"Hehe, there's a reason. Check this out."
She showed off a bag—familiar leather.
"Gold Lizard hide, huh?"
"Spot on! Finally snagged it!"
She hugged it tight, grinning like mad. Her hobby was collecting bags, but not just any luxury ones—rare material versions.
"Gold Lizard sounds pricey."
"Ugh, my bank account's reeling. Super expensive."
When I asked how much, she glanced around and held up two fingers.
"Not 200, so 2,000?"
"Yeah, insane, right?"
Twenty million for a tiny bag surprised me a bit, but hey, personal satisfaction. Compared to awakener gear, it was pocket change.
"Tomorrow, a pouch from Death Crocodile tail leather's up at auction. Wonder what it'll fetch."
Death Crocodiles were 5th-grade-or-higher gate bosses. A pouch from its tail? Armor from that would've been epic, but I knew zilch about this scene, so I stayed quiet.
That's when it hit. "You, planning another auction binge?"
An So-mi flinched and turned slowly to Go Yu-jin. "Y-You heard...?"
"Hard not to when you're yelling. So, how much for this one?"
"Uh... kinda pricey?"
"Sigh. Ballpark it."
"Collectors will swarm. Last similar one went for 90 million here, 12,000 dollars overseas."
An So-mi spilled every detail she knew. Moments like this made her seem like a different person.
"Sigh, hoarding your year-end bonus for this, huh?"
"It's my money! Plus, collections appreciate over time—buy now or lose out!"
Go Yu-jin shook her head but relented with a "Fine, just don't cry later."
"Hehe, these are hard to find since no one's selling. Auctions pop up rarely, and preserved with magic? Instant asset!"
Apparently, this "investment" hobby of hers went way back, post-cataclysm indulgence. Go Yu-jin mentioned she'd profited big from appreciating values, so no real objections.
If our company's awakeners joined decent guilds for gates, they'd rake in fortunes. But black mages went berserk on blood, needed corpses to power up—most guilds wanted nothing to do with us. Made me think this gig was a blessing in disguise.
"But Geum Seong-chan, no hobbies?"
Go Yu-jin eyed me curiously too at An So-mi's sudden question.
Hobbies? Never crossed my mind. Pre-cataclysm, gaming was it—passionate, decent skill, no complaints. Now? Nothing.
"Do I need one?"
"What's the point of living bored?"
"Not that emotional. Reading works, or composing spells and memorizing—we're plenty busy."
"...Sigh, memorizing every day doesn't get old?"
"Boredom won't save your life."
"We're not at war. It's modern life."
She had a point. But recent vibes weren't exactly peaceful—anything could happen anytime. Telling her that wouldn't stick, though.
"So-mi, drop it."
Go Yu-jin intervened, halting An So-mi. I nodded lightly to her in thanks—no need to dwell.
Work kicked off. Today, two gates, split up. I checked specs.
"Ganghwa Island gate: mostly hound-type monsters, small bat and flyer packs for balance. 3rd-grade scale, forest terrain."
"Tough for you, So-mi. The other?"
"Soul monsters here. Not summons—think you can handle it, An So-mi?"
"Destruction's my main, but I can do others."
"Then you take that, I'll do this."
Go Yu-jin asked, "What about me?"
"If you insist on helping, go with An So-mi."
"Got it."
She nodded calmly. We split into two teams.
Heading out, I pulled emergency escape charms from sub-space and handed them over, just in case.
"Emergency escapes."
"Why these?"
"Times are dicey, right?"
We'd poked the Doomsday Cult hornets' nest. Petty grudge-holders like them wouldn't let us off easy. High-grade mana stones, crafted overnight.
"You make these too, Geum Seong-chan?" An So-mi's eyes sparkled.
"Sometimes. Why?"
"Why work here if you can craft these?"
Go Yu-jin looked intrigued too, so I said flatly, "Don't wanna live like a machine. Max two or three a day, then wiped out."
"Still, they're pricey—200 million each these days..."
An So-mi snatched Go Yu-jin's and hugged it. Absurd, but whatever.
"Didn't I mention?"
"What?"
"I'm not here for the money."
"Th-Then?"
I glanced at Go Yu-jin. "Think of me as the magpie repaying a favor."
An So-mi 'ooh'ed between us, but convo ended there. The day's work was packed tight.