The Business (1)
“Whew.”
The moment I got home, I collapsed onto my bed without even washing up. But sleep wouldn't come, so I sat bolt upright. So much had happened that I could barely even review it all properly, but one thing was crystal clear: my life had just changed.
My eyes drifted to the briefcase stamped with the RHS logo. It was stuffed full of business cards, and from what I'd overheard, the worst offer among them was a salary of 100 million won a year. With various conditions attached, offers had gone as high as 500 million. My current job paid 25 million, so even if I took 500 million for a single year and became washed up afterward, it would amount to nearly twenty years' worth of my old salary.
So shouldn't I take the 500 million offer? But thinking long-term, it wasn't actually a good choice. The performance-sharing ratio inside gates was absurdly low, and the contract renewal terms were all slanted in the company's favor. Companies and guilds weren't idiots betting half a billion on a god for nothing.
If my ability were just some flash-in-the-pan trick that only worked in early dungeons and went obsolete within a year, maybe. But factoring in future growth potential, taking the 500 million was practically a fool's move.
“Maybe I should just go to Zephyros's company?”
It wasn't because he'd briefly helped me out, or because he'd been a hunter I'd idolized as a kid. Objectively speaking, RHS was top-tier in the industry. At the very least, it was a company whose offer I absolutely had to hear out.
“But why did he say that, though?”
He hadn't seemed enthusiastic about me joining his company. Was it that corporate self-loathing office workers so often have? Well, if someone told me they wanted to join my company, I'd pack them a lunch and follow them around begging them not to. But my company was a black-employer hellhole — RHS wasn't. I got confused all over again.
I stewed on it for a while, but I was old enough to know that clutching a confusion and squeezing it harder solved nothing. Deal with the other things first.
“Alright, then... let's check my reward first.”
The reward was... the Bloodgold Golem, wasn't it? But where was I supposed to claim it? Oh, right — the inventory. Only then did I remember that awakeners got an inventory. Wait, I have an inventory, and I was lugging a plastic bottle around in my arms like an idiot?
“Inventory.”
Opening an inventory for the first time in my life flustered me a little, but using it wasn't much different from using a bag. The opening just appeared in midair, and the interior space was a bit bigger. Looking inside, in one corner of the empty inventory sat a single ring, so inconspicuous I'd struggle to find it without focusing. It was a gold ring wreathed in a faint red glow, with a geometric pattern etched into its inner band.
“Don't tell me this is the golem? Item info.”
Grade: Legacy of a Constellation
Description: A guardian who faithfully protected Constellation Avicenna during his human life. Over the long ages, the Bloodgold composing its form has been lost, leaving it unable to maintain its true shape.
Effect: Wear the ring and inject mana to summon the golem. Its constituent material has been lost and requires replenishment. (Current remaining material: 0.01%)
0.01 percent.
“What kind of golem got scrubbed down at a bathhouse and walked off?”
It said replenishment was possible, but I had no idea what Bloodgold even was. It didn't show up in any internet searches, so it must be an incredibly rare material.
I was a little disappointed, but since it was my first item, I decided to wear it as a keepsake. I was wondering which finger to put it on when the ring resized itself to fit my right index finger perfectly — apparently keen to advertise that it was, in fact, an item. And the moment I put it on—
The messages appeared.
“So even this counts as an achievement.”
Either way, achievements were a good thing. It was basically free loot.
But a Guardian Summon, huh? What on earth was a golem that was a measly 0.01%? Curiosity was something I could never resist.
“Guardian Summon.”
The instant the skill activated, the ring on my finger melted away in a heartbeat and clattered to the floor. It wriggled this way and that, and then a human shape took form. It wasn't the golem I'd imagined — it was a perfectly ordinary human figure. There was just one small problem.
“Wow, you're tiny.”
At best, fifteen centimeters? About the size of a figurine. And right at that moment—
Shall I enlarge my three sizes?
Someone's voice echoed in my head. A young woman's voice, the kind that could melt you just from hearing it. I looked around, but there was no way a woman was hiding in this cramped bachelor studio that barely had room for one body. My gaze naturally dropped to the tiny human figure far below me. I'd only glanced before, but looking closely — it was a woman, and she was completely, utterly naked. She was so small that no lewd thoughts came to mind at all, but she was undeniably beautiful...
“Hold on. Don't tell me that's you?”
That is correct. My appearance can be changed according to your preferences, Summoner-nim.
“No, the 'tiny' thing wasn't about that—”
For reference, my current appearance was set according to my Creator's tastes—
“I really don't want to hear about my previous owner's weird kinks...”
For starters, her appearance looked like an ex-boyfriend's handiwork. I let out a sigh, fetched an unused dishcloth from the kitchen, and wrapped up the figurine — no, the golem. Even at figurine size, full nudity was a bit much. And absolutely not because I was a pervert.
Thank you for the clothing, Summoner-nim. However, if you wish, I can also manifest in a clothed form.
“You could've mentioned that sooner!”
My apologies.
“Nothing to apologize for.”
A talking figurine showing up as my so-called guardian — unbelievable. She squirmed inside the cloth for a moment, and then the golem's form shifted into a suit of armor. Of course, since material was consumed to manifest the armor, she'd actually gotten even shorter.
“Now there's somewhere to rest my eyes. Anyway, what's your name? I can't just call you 'Golem'.”
My Creator called me Athena. Shall I be given a different name?
“Athena? Sounds good. I'll call you that.”
Honestly, naming things is a chore anyway.
Yes, Summoner-nim.
“So if you're a guardian, what exactly do you do?”
I protect you no matter what happens, Summoner-nim. Even if I am not summoned in humanoid form, I will autonomously defend you from danger in a crisis.
“Protect me...?”
You? Me?
Yes. Depending on the situation, I may also perform preemptive defense.
“Preemptive defense?”
If eliminating an enemy in advance is more efficient than defending against them, I will act accordingly. However, your safety always takes the highest priority, Summoner-nim.
“R-right.”
I had no idea how much help something that size could be, but the silver lining was that this was only 0.01% of her.
“So if the Bloodgold gets replenished, you can grow bigger?”
Of course. My current state is unsuitable for performing my duties properly.
“How do I get Bloodgold?”
That, I cannot know. I am aware only that it is a rare magical material refined through the highest tier of alchemy.
“Gotta be insanely expensive, then.”
One look told me it would cost a fortune. After all, was there anything with the word 'gold' in it that wasn't expensive? And once alchemy and magical materials entered the equation, it went beyond expensive and into absurd.
'Alchemy' and 'magic' were, so to speak, the pre-awakening era's equivalent of French luxury goods. And among the highest-tier alchemical materials, the most famous were none other than Elixir — the raw compound — and Elixir, the finished panacea made from it.
“How much of that Bloodgold would it take to fill you back up to 100%?”
Approximately one ton, in local units of measure.
“...What?”
Ordinary gold alone ran over a hundred billion won per ton. And Bloodgold, whatever it was, was a magical material refined through the highest tier of alchemy. Not just gold — luxury gold. I couldn't even fathom what a ton of it would cost. At twice the price of regular gold it'd be 200 billion; at ten times, over a trillion. I didn't want to think about it, but at a hundred times, it'd be 10 trillion won.
“R-right... let's think about that later.”
Think about it later? I was flat-out giving up.
“Then, for now, could you go back to ring form?”
Understood. Call for me whenever you need me, Summoner-nim.
Athena melted down once more, defying gravity as she was drawn up toward my index finger, and became a ring again.
“Phew. Time to get some rest.”
So much had happened that my head was pounding. Time to actually sleep. I was clutching my aching temples and lowering myself back onto the bed when—
Bzzzzt!
My phone's vibrating ring pulled a groan out of me. The caller ID read Department Head Choi Dong-min. Oh, come on. No way. You've got to be kidding me. I'm on a half-day today. With a sinking feeling, I answered.
“Hello?”
Hey, you little punk! Where the hell did you learn manners?! If you're gonna take half-days whenever you feel like it, then just quit already!
He opened with profanity out of nowhere — so why was I laughing?
“...I'm sorry? Thank you!”
What did you just say, punk?
“You told me to quit.”
Wow, is my department head an angel? I'd been agonizing over how to actually quit, and this worked out perfectly. A grin kept creeping onto my face.
“Thank you for everything. For this month's salary, please just pay me through today and send it over — I'd appreciate it.”
K-Kim Se-gyun! Are you insane? Or... don't tell me...!
“Yes, whatever that 'don't tell me' is, it's correct. It was filthy working with you. Don't ever show me your face again.”
N-no... that's not it! Have you really Awakened?
“Looks like it.”
For a long moment there was silence on the other end, and then came a voice that sounded like it had aged ten years.
I... I see... So that's how it is. But we're seriously short-handed, so quitting is...
“You told me to quit, so I quit. What's the problem? I'm sure this call was recorded too...”
Auto-call-recording is an office worker's essential. There was no shortage of bastards who'd give orders over the phone and then deny it all when things turned inconvenient.
“Anyway, I'm hanging up.”
W-wait wait wait! I'll process the resignation, I'll do it! But not like this! This isn't how it's done!
“Department Head.”
Yeah?
“Is calling an employee on his day off out of nowhere and calling him a little punk 'how it's done'?”
He was struck speechless again; all that came through was indignant huffing.
I... I see... I'm sorry. That was wrong of me.
“Anyway, we're done. I'm hanging up. I'll come by the office tomorrow to file my resignation.”
No, look... haaah... Then could you do me just one favor?
A favor? Yeah, no. I had zero interest in granting anything of the sort. I was about to refuse flatly when—
That Seonggwang Research Lab you went to yesterday — a huge batch of work suddenly came up there. Several people are already on-site, but we're desperately short-handed. Just one day. Just one day, I'm begging you.
“Seonggwang Research Lab, you say?”
Seonggwang Research Lab...
A large number of entities are currently too far from their Master and are in a dormant state.
Which meant I might just be able to recover my precious 2.8-billion-won legion that I'd left behind there.