Chapter 19 - Debut (1)
Debut (1)
Weekend.
Morning breakfast table.
“Y-you… where did you get this?”
Lee Han-seok stared at his son with trembling eyes.
In his hand was a wristwatch.
And not just any watch—a high-end luxury timepiece.
The antique elegance was obvious at a glance.
The gift Lee Jeon-seok handed over the moment he sat at the table wasn’t just unexpected—it was downright shocking.
“S-son…?”
Han Yuri was no different.
In her hands was a luxury handbag.
She stood frozen like a statue, yet her gaze trembled as if an earthquake were passing through it.
And then, Lee Ji-hye.
“…This isn’t counterfeit money, right?”
“Do you think I’m insane enough to give counterfeit bills?”
“Then it’s real…?”
“Yeah.”
“Holy shit.”
When Lee Jeon-seok nodded, she blurted out something she’d probably only say once in her life.
“I fucking love you, oppa!!”
Having received a bundle of one hundred 50,000-won bills, Lee Ji-hye bounced around in excitement.
At that moment—
Bang—!
Lee Han-seok slammed the table.
“Jeon-seok.”
He glared sharply at his son.
“Tell me the truth. Where did all of this come from?”
Han Yuri didn’t say anything, but she clearly shared the same thoughts.
After all, her unemployed son had suddenly handed out a luxury watch and bag, not to mention half a million won in cash to his sister.
As parents, it was only natural to worry whether he’d done something wrong.
But—
“I got a job.”
Lee Jeon-seok replied with a faint smile.
Lee Han-seok still looked unconvinced.
“Jeon-seok.”
“Yes.”
“Do you really think there’s a company that gives this much money to a newly hired rookie?”
“Well… maybe there is?”
“Haaah…”
Lee Han-seok let out a deep sigh.
“If you tell the truth now, I’ll forgive you. Let’s go to the police station together and come clean. No matter what you did, your mother and I won’t scold you.”
Even Lee Ji-hye, who had been over the moon, began to sense that something was wrong and started reading the room.
Even so, she still clutched the money tightly—very much like her.
‘Can’t be helped.’
Lee Jeon-seok pulled out a business card from his pocket.
He hadn’t planned to reveal it.
He knew his parents would worry.
But without revealing it, he had no confidence he could convince them.
Of course, he didn’t intend to tell them everything truthfully.
“I said I got a job, right? That job is at the Association.”
Lee Jeon-seok placed the business card on the table.
Lee Han-seok glanced at it and asked in a clearly surprised tone.
“The Association? You mean the Hunter Association?”
“Yes.”
At that answer, Lee Ji-hye looked shocked—and a little envious.
“Then oppa, did you Awaken?!”
“I did, but I’m F-rank. I’m not a hunter—just a regular office worker.”
Lee Jeon-seok showed them the business card with F-rank printed on it.
For situations like this, he had already explained things in advance and obtained a forged card.
Of course, Association business cards cannot be forged.
Each one has a unique code.
So even if forged, it would be exposed immediately.
However—
━Since it’s not being used for anything shady, that level of consideration is possible.
When he explained it was for family, Kim Baek-dong readily arranged a fake card.
“You know that even low-ranked employees get a large signing bonus when they join the Association, right?”
Since the Association is government-funded, it tends to spend money generously.
Large signing bonuses are a prime example.
Of course, even for the Association, it was unrealistic for an F-rank office worker who’d just joined to receive this much money…
“I used that to buy gifts for you first. Ji-hye’s money was from my savings—I added a bit extra.”
With his son saying that, Lee Han-seok couldn’t bring himself to argue further.
Especially when he added that he’d even broken open his childhood piggy bank.
“Huu…”
Lee Han-seok let out yet another sigh.
“You really did get a job at the Association, right?”
“You know Association business cards can’t be forged.”
Father and son looked at each other.
Only briefly.
“Then that’s fine.”
Lee Han-seok said that while discreetly slipping the watch into his pocket.
Despite grilling his son, it seemed the luxury item had tempted him after all.
“You.”
Han Yuri stared at her husband.
“Ahem.”
Lee Han-seok cleared his throat and turned away.
Seeing that, Han Yuri sighed deeply.
What kind of doctor is this greedy?
“Son.”
Han Yuri spoke in place of her husband.
“Just don’t do anything dangerous.”
“Of course. I’m office staff—there’s no way I’ll be dealing with villains or monsters directly.”
A lie.
What Lee Jeon-seok intended to do was the most dangerous thing of all.
But how could he possibly say that out loud?
At least, not yet.
“You know this, right? For Mom, your safety comes first.”
Guilt.
Hearing that made his chest ache.
It felt strange.
To think he still had feelings like this.
‘I won’t disappoint them.’
The lie was unavoidable.
But Han Yuri’s words—that safety comes first—
He had no intention of betraying that.
This family couldn’t afford to lose even one person.
Lee Han-seok.
Han Yuri.
Lee Ji-hye.
And Lee Jeon-seok.
The moment even one piece was missing, the family’s happiness would crumble.
So—
‘I need to become stronger.’
Strong enough that they wouldn’t worry.
Leveling up would only get slower with time, and he couldn’t indiscriminately kill people to steal traits.
Still, it wasn’t as if there were no options.
━Would you consider becoming my disciple?
Lee Jeon-seok recalled Yeon Seon-hwa’s words.
But for now, it was still the weekend.
Time with family mattered more.
“Instead,” Lee Jeon-seok continued,
“Let’s eat out together today.”
“Eat out?”
“Yes. Somewhere nice.”
At his father’s question, Lee Jeon-seok smiled refreshingly—for the first time in a long while.
※ ※ ※
“Thank you.”
Receiving the clerk’s farewell, Lee Jeon-seok left the restaurant.
After a family dinner—and the next day—
He immediately visited an item shop.
There, he purchased a simple cloth armor and several items with mana effects.
━
Coat of the Sneaker
Grade: C
Effect: Agility +5 while equipped. While holding your breath, your presence disappears.
━
A long black coat.
It seemed to pair well with stealth traits.
There were also earrings and a ring.
━
Mana-Infused Left Earring
Grade: D
Effect: Mana +3 while equipped.
━
━
Mana-Infused Right Earring
Grade: D
Effect: Mana +3 while equipped.
━
━
Mana-Infused Ring
Grade: D
Effect: Mana +3 while equipped.
━
Each increased mana by 3.
Lee Jeon-seok checked his status window.
━
Lv. 27
[Strength – 10] [Agility – 30]
[Vitality – 20] [Mana – 19]
Stat Points – 1
Good Karma – 22,050 (600)
Evil Karma – @#%^@#TF
Owned Traits
└ Heavenly Slaughter Star (EX+), Mark of Eternity, Ignition (B), King of the Dead (C), Stealth (A)
━
Agility had reached 30.
Mana was now 19.
Not only that—
His good karma had surpassed 20,000.
It was the reward for saving Choi Eun-ha.
‘The number in parentheses must be loaned karma.’
Since it must be used at the Karma Merchant, it seemed to be tracked separately.
And then—
[Stat Point ‘1’ has been used.]
[Mana has increased by ‘1’.]
Unhappy with the awkward number 19, Lee Jeon-seok immediately used the stat point.
Mana reached 20.
‘Not bad.’
He checked his condition.
His mana had clearly increased.
About double what it used to be.
Blue energy surged from his heart and spread through his veins.
‘This should let me use Ignition and Stealth together.’
Of course, if he also summoned Skel, his mana would drain quickly…
‘This is my limit for now.’
He didn’t have enough money for better items.
He’d only bought three items—
Yet his bank balance had already dropped to around 700.
‘I’ll need to enter a higher-grade dungeon soon.’
Mana shortage.
The fundamental solution was leveling up.
There were methods like breathing and cultivation—
‘But that’s impossible right now.’
So for now, dungeon runs were the only option.
Once he joined the Association, dungeon raids would probably happen anyway.
Especially since inspectors dealt with villains, level growth mattered—they’d inevitably enter dungeons.
Lee Jeon-seok just had to ride along.
Ding—.
At that moment—
His phone chimed.
He checked the notification immediately.
‘She’s enjoying herself.’
Opening SNS, he saw his sister’s new post.
Lee Ji-hye was living it up with her friends using the money he’d given her.
Her smile looked genuinely happy.
In his previous life.
Before regression.
She had only cried, drowning in despair and depression.
Lee Jeon-seok thought—
He would never let a villain steal that smile.
To do that, he needed strength.
Strength that would never bend.
[Yeon Seon-hwa]
He checked the contact.
The number he’d saved after receiving her business card.
There was no hesitation.
━I’d like to give you my answer regarding the offer you made earlier.
Lee Jeon-seok sent the message.
Then, as he put his phone away and turned to head home—
“Excuse me… are you Hunter Lee Jeon-seok?”
“…?”
Someone stopped him.
※ ※ ※
“…Lee Jeon-seok.”
Choi Seung-cheol sat on the office sofa, reviewing documents.
A file containing a hunter’s profile.
Lee Jeon-seok.
24 years old.
F-rank Hunter.
And—
‘Temporary inspector, huh.’
Seeing that he’d recently entered the Association as a contractor, Choi Seung-cheol clicked his tongue.
‘This makes him hard to touch.’
If he sent assassins and it got exposed—
It wouldn’t be something he could brush off with excuses.
The Association’s influence in Korea was that high.
That raised a question.
Was it intentional—or coincidence?
Lee Jeon-seok.
Choi Eun-ha.
And the Association.
Was it a staged performance?
Or merely a chain of coincidences?
‘I don’t know…’
Choi Seung-cheol tossed the file onto the table and sipped his black tea.
There were too many uncertainties.
Which made it impossible to move rashly.
Lee Jeon-seok.
‘If only I could see his face once…’
Unfortunately, Choi Seung-cheol couldn’t leave the building right now.
The other heirs were watching him.
What a pointless and annoying situation.
“What should we do, young master?”
The nanny standing behind him asked.
Choi Seung-cheol didn’t answer right away.
He simply savored his tea.
Then he gently set the cup down and spoke.
“…Let’s observe for now. My younger sister seems to be scheming something as well. Since it’s come to this, isn’t it an older brother’s duty to play along with a mischievous prank?”
Choi Seung-cheol smiled meaningfully.
The plan he’d carefully laid out had fallen apart, but watching Choi Eun-ha’s recent movements was entertaining in its own way.
The sight of a bug struggling before being crushed—
‘Truly beautiful.’
Haha—.
Choi Seung-cheol let out a soft laugh.
But did he know?
That even this laughter was only part of someone else’s expectations.
No matter how high you jump, you’re still in the Buddha’s palm—
Perhaps that saying existed for moments like this.