Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Contract
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Back in the original world, I had Suni look into what was going on with Yu-na.
Given Yu-na's personality, it didn't seem like she'd gotten another guy.
And Suni's report didn't turn up anything unusual.
"School... home. School. home?"
It was an ordinary routine for Yu-na, nothing special...
'Maybe her parents found out?'
That was possible.
We hadn't exactly been sneaking around.
'What should I do?'
"Uncle, what are you worrying about like that?"
Jae-eun plopped down on my lap, all friendly.
"Just..."
"Thinking about a girl?"
"........."
She was sharp.
"Uncle, are you not bringing your girlfriend home because of me?"
"That's not it..."
She knew I went out and met women sometimes.
She seemed to think Yu-na was my girlfriend.
Our relationship with Yu-na was pretty ambiguous for that label.
I also didn't bring her home partly because she lived with her parents.
It had started out as consideration for Yu-na.
But there was a unique thrill to pounding away at a woman in a luxurious hotel that wasn't home.
So I had no intention of bringing anyone here.
"I'm fine with it, so you can bring her."
If she were my real girlfriend, wouldn't that be the problematic part?
I decided to mull over the Yu-na issue while fondling Jae-eun's soft ass.
"Jeez, Uncle. You can't hold out even for a minute."
As I gently groped her ass, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me in for a kiss.
-Smack. Slurp. Smooch.
We were tangled up, sucking on each other's tongues, about to move to the next stage.
-Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
"Slurp. Hm?"
Suni gave her report.
I had heard through Suni earlier that she was coming over.
Terrible timing.
From Jin-ah's perspective, it was an unfair situation.
Whenever she came over, I spent more time messing around with Jae-eun than just sitting idle.
Timing it was tough for her.
"Aww, Uncle, who's that?"
"Jin-ah."
"Ah! The woman in the suit who came looking for you before. The one from your company?"
"Something like that."
Since we hadn't gotten to the main event yet, there was nothing to tidy up. I just let Jin-ah in.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Jin-ah spotted Jae-eun and flinched, then gave a light nod in greeting.
"Nice to meet you."
Jae-eun waved casually in return.
"So, you said you had some business."
"I came because I thought you might be interested in a C-Rank monster hunt."
"C-Rank?"
"Yes. The thing is, the hunter who was supposed to handle it bailed."
They wouldn't come to me just for some low-rank hunter dropping out.
"A C-Rank hunter?"
"Yes."
No need to explain for a C-Rank monster hunt.
The main hunting inside gates revolved around C-Rank monsters.
"What about the original guy?"
Even when leaving a gig, courtesy usually meant finishing the current hunt.
Though some just dumped it and bolted.
For a C-Rank... well, they'd probably be fine, living well.
"He terminated the contract and transferred to another guild."
"The penalty fee must've been hefty."
"The other guild covered it."
It was a significant amount, but they must've seen promise and poached him.
"You want me to fill the gap?"
"Yes."
"What about other hunters?"
"Unfortunately, all our C-Rank Awakeners are booked."
C-Rank hunt?
Honestly, not much benefit for me trying to level skills.
Hunting in this world was inefficient anyway.
Plus, it was party hunting, not solo.
The B-Rank I'd hunted before would've netted 5 skill points in the zombie world.
"I'll have all participants in this hunt sign nondisclosure agreements."
Seeing what looked like hesitation on my part, Jin-ah preemptively offered.
That wasn't what I was hesitating about.
Come to think of it, aside from that first F-Rank rift, I'd done nothing but slack off.
Not even that—I'd just been playing around.
Meanwhile, Jin-ah had been handling all the tedious stuff I'd dumped on her, like buying that warehouse.
She'd taken care of it all without complaint, quite competently.
At this point, even I felt a pang of conscience, no matter how thick-skinned I pretended to be.
If I refused, she'd leave without a fuss.
But coming to me meant it was that urgent.
It wasn't hugely meaningful to me, though.
I glanced at Jae-eun.
"........."
She tilted her head at my look.
Wouldn't this be a good hunter experience? Or even a debut stage?
I was curious myself about how C-Rank monster hunts worked inside a gate.
"I happen to know a decent Awakener..."
"Pardon?"
My sudden out-of-left-field comment left Jin-ah looking baffled.
Jae-eun was dazed.
Along with Jin-ah, she'd met the CEO of Hero Friends Company, Hanna.
On the way over, they'd made a lightning stop at the Awakener Association for a Mana Test, as an aside.
Normally, you wouldn't meet the CEO like this.
Un-ho had requested it, and since she was his recommendation, Hanna had called her in out of curiosity.
"D-Rank, you say."
Hanna asked, her alluring purple-tinged eyes gleaming.
"Y-yeah... that's what it came out as."
Un-ho Uncle had treated her casually from their first meeting.
But hearing she was the company CEO made her feel like someone from a distant world.
Jae-eun felt a sense of distance—maybe inferiority complex.
"We have two contract types. We don't usually offer this, but Un-ho asked, so I added it."
Un-ho had contacted Hanna and demanded she offer Jae-eun the same terms as his own.
Out of some conscience, he'd said no signing bonus was needed.
Hanna could at least extend that courtesy to Un-ho's recommendation.
"One is the contract Un-ho signed. The other is the standard one Awakeners usually take."
"Huh? Uncle's contract? What's that like?"
Hearing it was Un-ho's contract piqued Jae-eun's curiosity.
"This."
Hanna handed over what seemed pre-prepared: a single contract sheet. Jae-eun took it and read slowly.
"........."
Nothing to it.
It basically said work only when you feel like it.
Now Jae-eun understood why Un-ho called himself a hunter yet lounged around like a total freeloader.
Of course, she had no idea he'd scarfed down 10 billion won.
Un-ho wasn't the type to brag about money, so it was natural she wouldn't know.
Besides, his contract with the company was a closely guarded secret—even from shareholders or executives, let alone the company Awakeners.
If word got to the company Awakeners, it'd be chaos.
If Un-ho grew as Hanna expected into an A-Rank Awakener or higher, it might change things...
But right now, that contract was a ticking bomb.
"It might look like good terms. But there's no signing bonus."
Un-ho might or might not know.
For a fresh Awakener like Jae-eun, no signing bonus made it far from ideal.
Un-ho was someone Hanna needed to cling to, so she showered him with favors.
For Jae-eun, it wouldn't involve 10 billion.
Hanna would pay extra attention because of Un-ho.
Think of it as good待遇 for a freelance mercenary under the company.
Such contracts without signing bonuses weren't for newbies just awakening.
Gearing up as a first-time Awakener required serious cash upfront.
The signing bonus was basically seed money for that.
"Signing bonus...?"
"Yes. If Jae-eun wants, 4-year contract for 2 billion won. More than industry standard, thanks to Un-ho."
"2... 2 billion..."
The surreal amount left her dumbfounded.
"We have a 2-year option too, but the bonus is lower. Un-ho left the choice to you."
Jae-eun knew little of the Awakener world.
-Gulp.
She swallowed dryly.
It felt like stepping into a whole new world unrelated to her before.
"I can give you the contract to review in detail and a few days to decide."
The huge sum was tempting, but Jae-eun's mind was made up.
"I-I want the same contract as Uncle..."
"I hate to say it, but it's not a great deal for you."
Hanna meant it sincerely, thinking of Jae-eun.
"If I'm going to do hunter work, I want to tag along with Uncle."
Hanna wore a subtle expression.
"How is she? No good?"
Jin-ah asked, noticing the odd look.
"Well..."
"...?"
"Not sure."
Hanna gave an awkward smile.
"What?"
"I don't know. It's a first for me."
"What do you even mean?"
Now Jin-ah was curious too.
"Hit or miss?"
"........."
"Objectively, no growth potential."
"......Then what's the issue?"
"Hm... but the vibe is off."
Hanna crossed her arms and tilted her head.
"...?"
"Feels like she'll make it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Hanna."
"Yeah. It's a new feeling for me too, so we should keep an eye on her."