A Different Kind of Solution
A park near the police station. In a quiet, secluded little park with no one else around, I sat on a weathered bench and talked with Yeon Eun-ah. I briefly filled her in on my current situation and my predicament.
“...Well, that’s how it is.”
“My goodness.”
I licked the soft-serve ice cream she’d bought me and looked up at her.
“So, your identity has been completely erased. And your skills and stats are all sealed?”
“Yes.”
“Then... is this current appearance the true form of the Lone Demon King...?”
“You could say that.”
“Oh my.”
Yeon Eun-ah stared at me with sparkling eyes for a moment before handing me the ID card the police had issued. On the ID, along with a photo of me smiling awkwardly, it read:
[Kang Hyunseo]
[Temporary ID]
[Features: Unregistered Hunter / Intellectual Disability]
[Proof of Identity: Mana Signature ○]
“Do you know what this means?”
I was licking my ice cream while looking at the ID when I suddenly choked.
“Khek, kah-heuk, cough, cough.”
Wait, what? Intellectual disability?
“So ‘low intelligence’ didn’t mean ‘low academic background’...”
“...”
Yeon Eun-ah looked at me with a complex, subtle expression. I shrugged.
“I thought my lack of education had been exposed.”
“You said you only graduated from kindergarten, right?”
“Yeah.”
I grumbled and took the ID. I’d seen ‘intellectual disability’ on the news before. Something about having limitations in intelligence due to physical reasons, or something like that.
“Hmm.”
Looking at it again, it didn’t seem so bad. My face came out looking strangely good, too. I’d welcome looking weak any day. If it helps lower the enemies' guard, anything is fine. Dignity and authority were things I didn’t need anyway.
Confirming there was no major issue, I opened my mouth.
“But don’t they give you money if you have an intellectual disability? I want some too.”
I mean, I’d seen them helping people out and giving them money. Free food? That sounds like a sweet deal.
At my expression, Yeon Eun-ah held her forehead.
“You need a disability registration card for that.”
She let out a very long sigh.
“Haa... do you have any money?”
“No. Not a single cent.”
“...”
I nodded at her expression, which clearly asked if that was even possible.
“I bought high-grade potions and a magic book to clear the final floor, and all my money disappeared.”
“What? No, all your money on just that? No, you’re the Lone Demon King, aren’t you?”
“I paid in coins for 20 high-grade potions and one physical enhancement spell, so maybe about 1 million coins?”
“...That.”
Yeon Eun-ah’s face turned deathly pale.
“D-did you buy them inside the Tower? At the exchange?”
“Yes, at the safe zone exchange.”
“Then, did you keep buying items there?”
“Yes.”
“No, do you know what the exchange rates are! And in the first place, to get coins, you have to sell items at 1/10th of their value!”
“Well, I had to sell them anyway...”
Yeon Eun-ah’s expression crumpled.
“Ah, you couldn’t have bought them from a guild or an auction house, could you?”
“No. They kept saying they needed to screen me or whatever, and wouldn’t let me buy anything.”
Once you hit B-class items or higher, they do thorough identity checks. How was I supposed to get my hands on them?
“I see. That makes sense. Then what about our guild?”
“Ah, right. I bought 5 high-grade potions from you guys. Well, to be precise, Park Jungsoo gave them to me.”
That was a pretty pleasant transaction. Or rather, did I steal them? I just went up to him and threw a tantrum until he gave them to me.
‘Central Guild, you guys giving up on the raid? Giving up on Korea? Waaaaah! Give it to me! Give me the potions!’
‘Ugh, you bastard, take this and get lost.’
I chuckled, remembering the time I lay on the floor and threw a fit.
“Well, high-grade potions are in short supply. Come to think of it, 20 high-grade potions is a massive amount.”
“That’s true.”
“No wonder the high-grade potions at the exchange kept disappearing.”
“Yeah, that was me.”
“You were hoarding them before the final raid?”
“Yup.”
“Phew... exchange potions must have been really expensive.”
“Thanks to that, the raid was delayed, and I was so short on potions I almost died for real.”
At my words, Yeon Eun-ah’s expression darkened.
“High-grade potions hurt so much...”
I observed Yeon Eun-ah’s dynamic expressions and said,
“Better than dying.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
As I kept staring at her while licking my ice cream, she flinched.
“But how long are you going to lick that for?”
“You have to savor something this precious. Ah, well, I’m settling down here now, so maybe I’ll get to eat it often. I could only eat this when Park Jungsoo brought it to the Tower on very rare occasions.”
“...”
Ice cream that I could only eat if Park Jungsoo thought of me and brought it to the Tower. It was truly a rare treat I’d be lucky to eat once a year.
Yeon Eun-ah said with an expression that suggested she couldn’t stand it anymore,
“I’ll buy it for you for the rest of your life, so don’t savor it.”
“Huh?”
“If you want to eat it, just tell me. Or should I give you a card?”
“???”
What is this?
“S-seriously?”
“Yes. Seriously.”
Suddenly, a black card appeared from Yeon Eun-ah’s pocket.
“Is that the one? The top-tier item that lets you buy anything?”
“...I suppose you could say that.”
“...”
I recalled an old golden saying from the Tower: ‘Kindness is a...’ No, that’s not it. That was something Park Jungsoo was spouting nonsense about.
“Ki, kindness is. That... two... that...”
As I stammered, Yeon Eun-ah chuckled. ...Embarrassing.
“There is an invisible string to kindness.”
“Yeah, that.”
“It’s something Tower hunters say often.”
Yeon Eun-ah pressed the card into my hand.
“But that string. I can pull it, but you can pull it too, right?”
“Uh... hmm...”
Is that so?
“Then I’m just going to go around buying ice cream and stuff with this?”
“Yes.”
“I’m going to buy super expensive things, you know?”
“Yes, please do.”
What is this? As I glared at her suspiciously, Yeon Eun-ah said something out of the blue.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly? She gives me a top-tier item and then says she’s sorry?
As I tilted my head, Yeon Eun-ah frowned at me.
“What are you sorry for? Did you steal my items? Or did you put out an assassination contract on me?”
“I’m sorry. I think that card is all I have. Do you know anyone else?”
Wait, the card is enough, what’s the problem? As I tilted my head, I let the name of the only ‘human I know’ slip out.
“Park Jungsoo.”
“...Not the Guild Leader.”
When I glanced at Yeon Eun-ah, she squeezed her eyes shut as if she understood. She let out a short sigh and said,
“Haa. I’ll ask you one last thing.”
“Ask away.”
As I thrust my arm out, Yeon Eun-ah furrowed her brows. It was supposed to be a clever joke... I pulled my arm back, feeling dejected.
“You killed the guild hunters in the Tower.”
“Yes.”
“...You’re quite confident about it.”
“I had to kill to survive.”
My brows furrowed as I recalled the painful memories.
“...”
Yeon Eun-ah’s eyes wavered as she watched my expression.
“Haa... those bastards were a mess, trying to steal your items with assassinations and duels.”
“Ah. By any chance...”
“That’s right. Because of that EX-class item. They came looking for it so many times, telling you to hand it over. Ah, well, before that it was an S-class ring, and before that, A-class armor.”
Wow, thinking about it makes me angry again. Those crazy bastards. Thanks to them, I still have trauma about sleeping. I clenched my fist and smiled.
“So I killed every single one of them without exception. That’s why they stopped coming about a year later.”
“...”
At my words, Yeon Eun-ah swallowed hard.
“Why, do you need it too? The EX-class item. Ah, was that why you gave me the card?”
When I spoke coldly, Yeon Eun-ah waved her hands.
“...That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Well, as a fellow hunter, I feel sorry.”
“Huh.”
“You were harmed by people who were obsessed with items rather than the raid.”
“...I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“The guild that couldn’t control them is also at fault.”
That’s unexpected. The big guild bastards made such a fuss, saying their members died because of me.
“The, the hunter from the Central Guild, by any chance...”
“Ah! The Central Guild didn’t come. Park Jungsoo forbade it. Instead, he kept pestering me to transfer the ownership of the EX item to him if I died.”
“So...”
Yeon Eun-ah’s eyes sparkled for a moment. Look at that, look at those sparkling eyes. That’s really too much.
“...I gave it to him. The ownership after I died. It’s after I’m dead anyway, so what does it matter?”
Yeon Eun-ah’s face brightened. What is this, am I starting to feel hurt?
“Instead, what was it, I received some item.”
I had a faint memory of selling it off later because I didn’t need it.
“Phew. Anyway, I understand the situation. You’re a better person than I thought. You.”
“Me?”
Me? A good person? Just as I was pointing at myself with my finger, Yeon Eun-ah opened her mouth.
“I have a younger sister named Eunseo.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll introduce you. Try meeting her.”
“Me? Why?”
“...”
Yeon Eun-ah, who had paused for a moment, regained a calm expression.
“That friend is a hunter and a social worker.”
“...”
Social what? As I stared at her blankly, Yeon Eun-ah corrected herself.
“That friend is good at helping people.”
“Ah, there are people like that. They die quickly, though.”
“Ha... so I am a bit worried. Anyway, she’ll help you well.”
“With what?”
“Your life here.”
“Why? I don’t want to.”
“Yes?”
Isn’t that obvious? Whether in the Tower or outside, I was comfortable alone. When I wasn’t alone, it usually ended in a bad conclusion.
Just as I was thinking about the old days, Yeon Eun-ah stared at me and bit her lip.
“You don’t have any plans anyway, do you?”
Uh. As I rolled my eyes, Yeon Eun-ah drove the nail in.
“You were planning to sleep on the streets today, right?”
“...Yes.”
“Rather than that, try learning about life here from my sister. You’ll definitely like it.”
“...”
When I made a dissatisfied face, Yeon Eun-ah bowed her head. I furrowed my brows and pointed at Yeon Eun-ah’s face.
“Be careful.”
“Yes?”
“People who helped others with that kind of face. They died before long.”
At my words, Yeon Eun-ah wiped away a tear and smiled brightly.
“...Yes, I understand. Then, please take care of my sister.”
‘Tsk, this is unsettling. People like that died soon,’ I thought as I glared at Yeon Eun-ah. Just then, I felt a faint energy blooming from her.
My blood instantly turned cold, and I clenched my fist so hard my hand turned white. My body had moved reflexively.
“...Oh.”
What is this person? She wasn’t lacking presence; she was hiding it? My detection-related stats had dropped, so I hadn’t noticed. Observing her up close, I felt a surprisingly refined energy that was staggering.
It was energy that wouldn’t be lacking even if compared to the first-string of a large guild. It was at a level that reminded me of Park Jungsoo or Jin Seoryeong.
‘I just thought she was quite strong.’
Park Jungsoo, you bastard, you didn’t send me someone ordinary, did you?
“Cancel that.”
“Yes?”
“Seeing your level, you won’t die.”
“...”
“It’s strange. With that skill, why are you working as Park Jungsoo’s secretary?”
“It’s a secret. And the Guild Leader has more to learn than he looks.”
“That lazybones? Tsk, you have unique tastes.”
“Haha. It’s not like that. Please wait here for a little bit. My sister will be here soon.”
“Yes? No. Wait a minute. Are you leaving me behind?”
“My sister is coming, so you’re waiting here? I gave you the card, too. It’s fine to buy something.”
“Uh...”
“Then I’ll be going.”
Uh, this feels a bit dangerous. Leaving me here and disappearing. That’s the kind of line in movies where they leave the kids behind.
“W-wait...”
“Then see you next time!”
With that, Yeon Eun-ah waved her hand and disappeared.
“...I’m supposed to wait here, right?”
I decided to just finish my ice cream and think about it later.
*
“So you even gave him the card?”
At Park Jungsoo’s words, Yeon Eun-ah nodded professionally.
“Heh... wow. What is this, are you already trying to get on his good side or what?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I gave it to him because I was moved by his heart.”
“Tsk.”
“And, Guild Leader, you were wrong.”
“What?”
If she had been in that situation, she might have become a murderer, cursing humanity.
“He was human.”
“...”
Park Jungsoo curled up the corners of his mouth.
“Interesting. To think that guy passed Yeon Eun-ah’s test.”
“That’s why I gave it to him. The card.”
To a flower that bloomed in hell. With respect and reverence.
At Yeon Eun-ah’s words, Park Jungsoo tilted his head.
“But what are you going to do if he uses that card to buy items at the auction house?”
“...”
At those words, Yeon Eun-ah’s shoulders trembled. Park Jungsoo looked at Yeon Eun-ah with a smile in his eyes.
“You just gave it to him without thinking.”
“That is not true.”
Yeon Eun-ah hurriedly entered the card app to check the balance. The balance was fine. However, there were already traces of usage.
‘He bought something already.’
[Chocolate Milk 500ml – 2,000 won]
[Cream Bread – 1,500 won]
“...”
Large chocolate milk. And the Lone Demon King’s bold declaration passing through her mind.
‘I’m going to buy super expensive things, you know?’
Yeah, he really wanted to buy a lot of chocolate milk... No, this is a person who spent 1 million coins, or 10 billion won in Korean currency, on potions. His spending habits are at a kindergarten level. Ah, he said he’d never had Korean currency, so maybe his sense of coins and won are different?
“...”
Yeon Eun-ah sent a message to her sister. It seemed she needed to pass the word on to her sister. To buy him something delicious to eat.