The Lady's Gratitude (2)
Why, why is she doing this? I'm totally flustered. I stared at the girl clutching both my hands, Chae Yu-ra.
To be honest, even if she found out I was an illegal resident or stateless, I figured she wouldn't just kick me out on the spot. After all, I was the one who saved her life. But I never expected her to suddenly grab my hands like this and offer to get me an ID. Not in a million years.
I thought maybe I'd get a free meal and a bit of pocket money as thanks for the rescue. That was it.
"Hmm. An ID must be something very important, then?"
That's when Heukryeon, standing beside me, tilted her head and asked softly.
"Of course. You can't do anything without one. Can't open a bank account, can't even get a phone plan."
Being in Korea without proper ID is illegal to begin with.
Oh crap.
I realized my mistake as the words left my mouth.
Heukryeon is only visible to me.
To Chae Yu-ra, I must look like some lunatic muttering to thin air.
But what can I do? It's not like I can help it.
I know it in my head—Heukryeon is a spectral martial spirit visible only to my eyes. But when she's standing right there, looking exactly like a real person, I can't help but talk to her.
I hope she doesn't get the wrong idea.
She wouldn't start treating me like a crazy person and slowly back away or call security, right? I cautiously studied Chae Yu-ra's expression.
But...
"As expected... Mm. It's okay. Everything's okay now."
An unexpected reaction. Chae Yu-ra looked at me with eyes even more tender and misty than before.
What the heck? I tilted my head inwardly.
No matter how much "good is good" you let slide, this situation didn't make any sense. Normally, seeing someone talking to themselves like that would make you steer clear, but she was doing the exact opposite.
Anyway.
Pushing aside the nagging unease, I focused on the practical issue at hand.
"Can you really get an ID that easily?"
My current status was some mysterious stateless nobody. No records anywhere in the world—just something that dropped out of the sky. Even with my limited knowledge, I knew getting proper papers as an illegal or stateless person in Korea was like reaching for the stars.
As I eyed her suspiciously, Chae Yu-ra spoke up.
"Ajusshi."
"Yes, young lady."
No sooner had she spoken than a burly man in a crisp black suit popped out from behind the sofa.
"Eek!"
Wait, where the hell was this guy hiding? He appeared like a ninja the second she called.
Was he there the whole time?
Chae Yu-ra calmly instructed the man she'd just summoned.
"This child seems to have some circumstances making her status unclear right now. Please prepare Korean citizenship for her."
No way—is this suit guy a genie from a lamp? You can't just say "give her citizenship" and poof, done.
"Understood."
But the suited man nodded firmly, like a pumpkin on a vine.
It can really happen?
The man pulled out his smartphone from his pocket. He looked straight at me and flashed an exaggerated grin.
His white teeth gleamed like rice noodles.
Whoa, what perfect teeth.
After showing off his chompers, he aimed the phone lens at me.
"Please smile just like I did."
"Uh, okay..."
Caught off guard, I awkwardly forced the corners of my mouth up into a smile.
Click! A cheerful shutter sound.
The man quickly checked the photo, tapped the screen a few times, then bowed politely to me.
"All set."
"...Pardon?"
What do you mean, all set? He just took one picture!
I wanted to ask, but he vanished into the inner room in a flash.
"What was that all about?"
"IDs need photos, right?"
"No, I get that much."
I knew you need a photo for an ID. That's not the issue.
Getting citizenship isn't something you fix with a single snapshot. Aren't there steps like family registry, fingerprints, background checks? Even a part-time job application is more complicated than that.
Chae Yu-ra broke my train of thought.
"Anyway, what are your plans from here? For living and such."
"Gonna become a hunter, obviously?"
No need to think twice about it.
Hunter. I'd gotten my hands on the world's greatest martial art, none other than the Cheonma Shingong. What else was I supposed to do besides hunter work? I couldn't exactly enroll in elementary school and recite multiplication tables with the kids.
"Hmm. At your age..."
Chae Yu-ra's lips twitched like she wanted to say something worriedly, but she slowly nodded as if accepting it.
"That's not something I can interfere with. I saw earlier—you've got some extraordinary power."
Meaning it's outside her lane to meddle. Chae Yu-ra murmured to herself, chin in hand.
"Still, a minor living alone will have tons of inconveniences right away. Can kids even open bank accounts by themselves?"
"No issue there, young lady."
"Eek!"
A deep baritone voice right in my ear. I jolted in surprise.
No matter how relaxed I was sipping warm cocoa, I hadn't sensed a single hint of his presence. This guy really was ninja-level.
Or at least, stop popping out like that. It's not like you're a cockroach.
Of course, I only thought it—I didn't say it out loud. He's the one getting me papers, after all. No need to piss him off and risk trouble.
"Once you get your hunter license, there are no restrictions on business activities. You'll be treated the same as an adult."
Oh. News to me.
So, snag a hunter license, and paperwork worries are gone. I could join a company, handle bank stuff freely. It eased my mind—I'd been low-key stressing about my age.
"More importantly, please accept this."
The man drew two thick envelopes from his suit with a formal flourish.
"Payment for the orc you took down. I figured cash would be more immediately useful than mana stones, so I went ahead and calculated it out."
The orc from today. Monsters drop "mana stones" when killed—same inside or outside gates.
These mana stones are miracle substances modern science can't explain. Hunters who awaken as alchemists use them mainly. Base elixirs on mana stones, and you can cure incurable or rare diseases. Blacksmith hunters process them into armor tougher than tank plating. They're also energy sources, or so I hear—don't know the details.
In short, the ultimate all-purpose resource of the modern era and hunters' lifeline.
But this envelope feels pretty stuffed.
I carefully felt one of the envelopes the man handed over. Heavy. Not exaggeration—seriously bulging.
No way they filled it with 1,000-won bills?
Come to think of it, chaebol heirs are known for weird eccentricities sometimes. Not her too, I hope?
I cautiously peeked into the envelope's opening.
"G-gold!"
Through the gap, yellowish bills glittered dazzlingly. The brilliant hue made me squint involuntarily.
Inside were crisp 50,000-won notes bundled with bank bands. Easily over a hundred by thickness alone.
That's 5 million won. And there's another envelope just like it.
Two envelopes, same heft.
5 million times two...
Ten... million won...
"Gasp."
The unexpected fortune made my hands tremble.
Ten million won!
"Uh, um. Have mana stones gotten this expensive?"
Monster corpses get used down to the blood and bones for materials, sure. But it was just an orc—not exactly rare.
If my memory's right, no way it's worth this much.
Orcs aren't pushovers, but one kill netting ten million? Then every hunter in Korea would be loaded.
The man answered my question calmly.
"The orc you felled today was a special specimen—far higher in mana stone quantity and purity than a standard one."
Ah, that tracks. Normal orcs get hunted down quick even if they escape gates. But one lurking in alleys with a steel pipe, smart enough for ambushes? Definitely not average.
Still, ten million?
Was that orc some boss monster?
"The mana stone from your orc would fetch about 1.98 million at market rate. Add the corpse byproducts, and it's just over 2 million... but the young lady instructed to be generous."
Five times the value?
I was a bit shocked. Generous is one thing, but five times over? Way too much.
Sure, I saved her life, but wasn't Korean citizenship the real reward? Technically reclaiming my original one, anyway.
"A kid carrying that much cash is dangerous... Though after seeing you fight that orc, robbery seems impossible."
She cleared her throat lightly and continued.
"Still, better safe. This is ten million in cash as pocket money and living expenses for now. I'll add more once you open a bank account."
"Pardon? More?"
My little mouth gaped open.
"Y-you're okay spending that much?"
"Yes. It's from my savings."
"Your... allowance..."
What kind of allowance is this? I thought, but hey, she's rich—whatever.
"We'll open the bank account and deliver your ID as soon as it's issued. Via courier."
"Ah, my address is..."
Before I finished, the man pulled out his smartphone and showed me.
"We've secured the address."
My exact address was on the screen.
"Huh? I don't remember telling you."
How the hell did they know? No ID means no address lookup.
"We learned it in advance through cooperation from nearby residents. Apologies for any inconvenience."
The man bowed his head.
They already dug that up?
Making me an ID might really be child's play for them. I shuddered at the terror of chaebol power.