Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Um.”

“Ah, yes.”

The employee, who I’d completely forgotten about while dealing with Hunter Yoon Juyeong, cautiously spoke up. I immediately shifted my gaze from Hunter Yoon Juyeong to the employee.

Under the blue tarp roof, the DMC’s signature color, a very cautious expression lingered on the employee’s face, which had a faint bluish tint.

He hesitated for a moment, as if pondering something, then alternated his gaze between me and Hunter Yoon Juyeong before slowly opening his mouth to pull out a question.

“Um, is it true that Hunter Yoon Juyeong… became an S-Rank hunter as of yesterday?”

“Ah.”

Right, if he was with the DMC, he’d naturally know about Hunter Yoon Juyeong.

I glanced at Hunter Yoon Juyeong with an awkward expression. Even with the employee’s sudden question, Hunter Yoon Juyeong’s face remained perfectly calm, unruffled.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Ah… I did hear the news. Even though it hasn’t been officially announced to the world yet, I heard you achieved an awakening from B-Rank straight to S-Rank.”

“I’m embarrassed to say it’s true. It’s an achievement I managed thanks to being a bit luckier than others.”

Thinking about it again, Hunter Yoon Juyeong would have made a great politician too. The way he effortlessly spouted only pleasant words without even wetting his lips was very similar to the politicians I’d seen every election season.

“To be an S-Rank hunter and humble on top of that… The investigator in charge said this S-Rank was different from the others, and I guess it really shows. I wish you nothing but a bright future ahead.”

“Thank you for the kind words. I’ll continue to strive hard.”

“Ah, but… this might be a bit personal, so you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…”

The gazes of the two, who had been exchanging pleasant compliments, suddenly turned to me. I stopped spacing out in secret under their sudden focus and met their eyes.

What’s this. Did they both have something to say to me?

“Um, what kind of relationship do you have with Hunter Yoon Seohee?”

Ah, that kind of question.

I let out a clumsy laugh, feeling a bit deflated. Thinking about it, anyone who saw an adult man and woman talking about coming to each other’s houses or not would probably be curious.

I immediately opened my mouth to give a long, drawn-out explanation that our relationship was as mild, insignificant, and ordinary as possible.

“It’s a master-servant relationship.”

And then I shut my mouth. No, was this guy really crazy?

“Excuse me? A master… what kind of relationship?”

“A master-servant, um.”

I discreetly, and with all my strength, jabbed Hunter Yoon Juyeong in the side. And I was the one who got hurt. As expected of an S-Rank body, it was disgustingly tough, so my poking hand hurt instead.

Even after being suddenly jabbed in the side, Hunter Yoon Juyeong looked back at me with a worried expression. Honestly, if he had time to worry about me, I wished he’d learn to read the room.

“…We’ve been close acquaintances for a while.”

And fortunately, it seemed Hunter Yoon Juyeong had at least a shred of tact. Relieved by the relatively natural sentence coming out of his mouth, I glanced at the employee’s reaction.

The employee looked back and forth between me and Hunter Yoon Juyeong with a suspicious expression, but he seemed to think asking further would be rude, so he didn’t press.

For me, that was a real relief. If rumors spread about me being the new S-Rank hunter’s master or something, I’d honestly just bash my head in and die.

“…Well, your relationship is a private matter, so I won’t ask any more. Instead, should I take it that you won’t be moving to the hotel?”

“Ah, yes! Oh, just in case I’m asking… when can I expect the subsidy?”

“I expect it will come out within about a week.”

That was a silver lining, at least. Especially since I didn’t even have a single change of clothes right now.

I let out a deep sigh of relief and slowly got up from my seat. It seemed better to prepare for my immediate living situation than to keep loafing around in the DMC investigation tent.

“Thank you for your kind service. I’ll be going now. I have some things to think about for my immediate living situation…”

“Yes, goodbye, Hunter Yoon Seohee, and Hunter Yoon Juyeong.”

He saw me and Hunter Yoon Juyeong off with a very professional attitude until the end. I was really grateful to him. Especially for trying his best to steer clear of our personal affairs.

…Not long after that, a rumor would spread online that the gratitude I felt toward him was completely unfounded… but that’s a story for ‘later.’

* * *

“Hey, Hunter Yoon Juyeong. No matter how I think about it, isn’t this a bit excessive?”

“Not at all, so please don’t worry. I never really had any particular hobbies, so I’ve saved up plenty of money anyway.”

“If you’ve saved up that much, just keep it as savings, savings. Don’t spend it buying clothes for someone else.”

“Rather than saving up a few extra coins, buying clothes that suit Seohee makes me much happier.”

“That’s just my skill talking, you know. Once the skill effect wears off, you’re definitely going to regret this. Ah, or maybe not. Since I’m S-Rank now, this isn’t even that much spending…?”

No, no matter how I look at it. Taking his money while he’s treating me like his master because of a skill effect — no matter how many times I think it over, it goes against my conscience.

I stared at the paper bags filling my hands and Hunter Yoon Juyeong’s car with a troubled look.

Every single paper bag currently filling up Hunter Yoon Juyeong’s car contained various clothes, shoes, and other necessities.

‘If I’d just bought these with my own money, I wouldn’t be this bothered.’

The problem was that everything in those shopping bags was purchased with Hunter Yoon Juyeong’s money, not mine.

The moment I said I needed to go buy some clothes and shoes for my upcoming life, Hunter Yoon Juyeong, as if he’d been waiting, drove over, picked me up, and took me to a nearby department store.

And by this point, anyone would know — he immediately bought all kinds of clothes, shoes, accessories, and even luxury goods from brands I’d heard of somewhere.

‘I mean, even if it were just ordinary market clothes, it’d be less burdensome… but it’s all brand-name stuff.’

For someone like me, who’d lived by the philosophy that clothes are fine as long as you can wear them and shoes are good enough if they’re comfortable, this shopping trip was naturally a huge shock.

Good grief. A single t-shirt costs 100,000 won, and a single shirt costs 200,000 won. And the shoes he forced on me were in the 500,000 won range per pair.

‘I did think he looked a bit classy in what he wore, but I guess this is what he normally wears out.’

I’d heard plenty that the income gap between a C-Rank and B-Rank hunter was three to five times… but still, can he really afford spending like this?

As I examined the shopping bags filling both my and Hunter Yoon Juyeong’s hands, I suddenly remembered that, unlike in the old days, Hunter Yoon Juyeong was now a full-fledged S-Rank hunter.

Well, I guess if you’re an S-Rank hunter, clearing a high-tier dungeon just once would easily cover this much money…

‘Ugh, but still, even if I go into dungeons, I won’t get to wear this kind of clothes often. …Saying that reminds me, he also bought me gear for dungeon runs, which is another issue. I’m only going to be doing low-difficulty dungeons from now on anyway, so there’s no way I’ll need stuff like this…’

Our meticulous Hunter Yoon Juyeong had not only prepared clothes to wear outside the dungeon, but also the most important thing — equipment to wear inside the dungeon.

I sighed again, thinking about the gear that would be inside the particularly luxurious shopping bag in my hands.

So far, the only thing I’d ever done inside a dungeon was collect a few weeds, so I really had no idea why he bought me this kind of equipment.

It would’ve been better if he’d just bought me back my 500,000 won athletic ability enhancement ring, which was probably buried in the rubble from this dungeon eruption. At least then I could rationalize to myself that I’d work hard and pay him back later.

“We’re here, Seohee.”

As I was staring troubledly at the shopping bags in my hands, Hunter Yoon Juyeong announced that we’d arrived at our destination.

Only then did I tear my gaze away from the shopping bags and look out the window. Beyond the well-polished window stood a neat, modern detached house with a garden.

Hunter Yoon Juyeong got out of the car first, then came around to my side and opened the door for me.

Thanks to that, I felt like some rich young lady with a private car and a chauffeur. It wasn’t that I disliked it, but it was burdensome and embarrassing — I guess you could say I just wanted to hole up in a room.

I gathered the shopping bags filling both my hands and stepped out of the car door Hunter Yoon Juyeong had opened.

“Ah, please give me the luggage, Seohee.”

And just like that, the bags dangling from both my hands were taken from me, so naturally. When I tried to at least grab the bags still left in the car, he said he’d bring those later and told me to focus on following him.

This guy’s real plan must be to let me wither away from the pressure.

I clenched and unclenched my empty hands pointlessly as I followed Hunter Yoon Juyeong hesitantly.

“In most cases, I’ll be with you, but… just in case, I’ll let you know in advance. I’m planning to change it soon, but for now the password is 0709.”

“Yeeaah…”

I’ll remember it just in case, but I’m still not thrilled about this.

If I had to call it out, isn’t this basically fraud using someone’s vulnerable mental state? What if Hunter Yoon Juyeong comes to his senses later and reports me for trespassing or something?

While I was busy piling up all sorts of worries, I heard four beeps as if someone was entering a password, and then the old-fashioned front gate swung open. I cautiously peered past the gate from behind Hunter Yoon Juyeong.

“Whoa.”