B-Rank Promotion Exam (4)
“W-Wait, so all the dates we've had so far... weren't normal dates...?”
Cha Yuri's flustered expression and her muttering nonsense like that left me feeling just as embarrassed. Who the hell had taught her that physical relationships were everything in a romance? She was spouting lines like some heroine snapping out of a mind-control hypnosis from a common trope story. I started by explaining that what we'd been doing up to now wasn't dating at all.
“What kind of nonsense is that? What couple goes into a dungeon for exposure play sex as their date itinerary?”
“I-It wasn't exposure play... Sex in a dungeon just... f-feels better...”
That's literally what exposure play is. Why did she think it wasn't? Of course, I didn't mind Cha Yuri's kink at all. It was more thrilling than plain hotel sex, and the idea of secretly entwining our bodies deep in a dungeon was pretty exciting for me too. But that was just special sex, not a date. At best, we were using dungeons as makeshift love hotels.
“When did you start thinking that stuff counted as dates, anyway?”
“S-Since... the first time we met...”
“Huh?”
“You said back then that if we had sex, I'd regain my awakening ability... And you didn't seem fazed when I suggested doing it in a dungeon, so I-I just figured that was normal...”
...So the first button got buttoned wrong, and she learned some messed-up knowledge from the start. Thinking about it, there was no way Cha Yuri had any other guy besides me, let alone experience dating or spending time alone with one. If anything, I shared some blame too—I'd agreed to her first-time in a dungeon on the day we met. Though she was the one who'd suggested it first, so yeah, she had some weird common sense baked in from the beginning.
For now, Cha Yuri needed a proper explanation of what a date actually was.
“At least, that's not what I think of as a date.”
“...Th-Then what do you think a date is? Something amazing?”
“It's not about being amazing or anything. Just wandering around wherever our hearts take us, enjoying ourselves together. Finding a hidden gem eatery in some back alley for a meal, sharing the same drink and dessert at a café, holding hands on a quiet walking path... you know, stuff like that.”
“I thought that was all just made-up crap from comics or TV... No way something that cheesy and ticklish actually exists...”
“Please live in the real world, Cha Yuri.”
No matter how cute her otaku side was, denying reality was going too far.
“Anyway, let's do a proper date this afternoon. Or dinner if work runs late. You got time, right?”
“Uh, probably...”
“They didn't tell you what time it ends at the Association?”
“Th-They said it's a secret until the day of...”
“What the hell kind of job did they stick you with that it's secret until the last minute...”
“Oh, perfect—you're both here together!”
Her suspiciously vague answer was starting to bug me, and I was about to dig deeper when a familiar voice from the Association guide called out from behind us.
I turned around to see the usual counter clerk who'd handled my requests standing in front of me and Cha Yuri.
“Huh? Not manning the desk today?”
“Since this is Kim Sungcheol's promotion exam, I figured I'd handle the final review myself.”
“Huh?”
“I didn't expect you'd already be chatting with the supervisor.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, so you two weren't talking about that beforehand?”
Not getting what the Association staff meant, Cha Yuri and I both tilted our heads at the same time. She gathered us like it was the most natural thing and launched into her explanation.
“Mr. Kim Sungcheol, this is the hunter who'll be supervising your exam today. Her name is Cha Yuri, an A-rank hunter active between the Hunter Self-Governing Association and Silver and Jade Co.”
“Ah, yeah...”
“Ms. Cha Yuri, this is the hunter up for B-rank promotion today. His name is Kim Sungcheol, a promising rookie who's cleared a ton of B-rank requests lately and caught the Association's eye.”
“Yeah... I know...”
“Whoa, really? Guess that's what comes from being so active lately—even A-rank Cha Yuri knows who Kim Sungcheol is!”
“......”
We both knew it wasn't for that reason. And honestly, we knew way more about each other than what she'd just said—like dick size, breast feel, beauty marks' locations, sexual compatibility, and all that. Hearing it now barely registered.
...Wait, no—that wasn't the point anyway.
“We already know each other.”
“Pardon?”
“We've been acquainted since I was a probationary hunter. That's why she knows me too.”
“Ah, I see.”
The guide nodded at my words, then casually dove into the exam rules like it was no big deal.
“The B-rank promotion exam will consist of hunting designated monsters. We'll measure the time it takes to kill a set number of three randomly selected B-rank monster types...”
“...Is that okay?”
“Pardon?”
“For a promotion exam, is it fine if my acquaintance is the supervisor?”
“Ah, that's what you meant.”
She reacted like she'd finally caught on to my concern and continued matter-of-factly.
“By the rules, there's no issue at all.”
“Huh?”
“C-rank to B-rank promotion requires 'passing the guild-designated exam content under the supervision of an A-rank or higher hunter.' The relationship between supervisor and examinee isn't prohibited.”
“...I see.”
“This industry's so small anyway. Once you hit A-rank, everyone knows everyone—screening for that would be impossible.”
“Fair point.”
“Besides, whether there's cheating or not is up to the guild rep to judge. That's why I'm here.”
That actually made sense. Listening to her, it seemed there were no real problems.
“Oh, are you uncomfortable with a personal connection as supervisor? If so, we can reschedule the exam.”
“No, I don't want any more delays on the promotion.”
Rare chance like this—I couldn't blow it just because Cha Yuri was supervising.
“Then we'll proceed with the exam as planned...”
“But I'm fine with you as supervisor, Yuri. You okay with it?”
“...Huh? Why wouldn't I be?”
“You never know. If I beat you during this promotion exam, you might not accept the results and hold a grudge.”
“...You serious?”
Cha Yuri's eyes narrowed at me like daggers.
“That sounded an awful lot like you think you can beat me right now.”
“That's exactly what I meant.”
“...You're out of your mind?”
Her upward glare sharpened even more.
“Looks like you've been training hard lately? Bold enough to talk smack like that.”
“To be honest, our first meeting started with me saving you, right? I princess-carried you out when you were about to die to that Woodrello...”
“Shut up. That was just a temporary power dip. You think you can beat current me no matter how strong you've gotten?”
“Who knows? I haven't seen you hunt anything stronger than a Woodrello.”
“O-Ohhh...”
Cha Yuri trembled with utter disbelief now.
“Seeing how clueless you are about your place, I guess I need to teach you some manners this time.”
“Think you can?”
“You said earlier something about weak power but strong pride? I'll throw that right back at you—wait here.”
“Don't go crying foul if you lose to me, Cha Yuri. Oh yeah, didn't you say back then that if I ever got stronger than you...”
The Association staff wedged in to cool our heated exchange, perfectly timed like she'd been waiting for it.
“Um, excuse me, you two? Sorry, but it seems you're both misunderstanding something...”
“Huh?”
“Yes?”
“A hunter promotion exam means the examinee hunts monsters—not a hunting duel between supervisor and examinee...”
......Ah.
“The supervisor's job is just to make sure the examinee doesn't run into danger during the test. You both seem to have it wrong...”
“......”
“......”
“No one would run a B-rank promotion as a versus match against an A-rank. Who could ever promote that way?”
...Yeah, that's right.