[ The Second S-Class (1) ]
The weather had gotten a bit hotter than yesterday. I was wandering around Myeongdong Station, an ice bar in my mouth.
A barbecue place near Myeongdong Station.
That was the only lead I had on the current whereabouts of the Ice Witch, Park Yerim.
“Excuse me, does a student named Park Yerim live here?”
“No, no one by that name lives here.”
Another dead end. I marked an X on the map on my phone. I’d checked all the places on this street, so I guess I’ll head over to the other side. There are more BBQ joints than I expected.
As I took another bite of the nearly finished ice bar and glanced back, I saw Kim Seonghan trailing behind, dressed in an outfit that was ridiculously hot for the weather. I wanted to help him become S-class, but I couldn’t see a way to do it.
Yu Myungwoo’s case was a stroke of luck, but how could I find a reason to tell that guy I love him? Maybe I should try to set up a drinking session?
‘Should I just pretend that drunkenly confessing my love is my usual habit?’
Of course, just saying the keyword isn’t enough; he’d have to feel something too, so I’d have to get closer to him first. How do I get closer? Maybe alcohol is the answer. Does he even like to drink?
I crossed the street and headed toward a BBQ place tucked into a corner. The thought of alcohol made my mouth water at the smell of grilling meat. The menu on the wall of the place showed that they also served gopchang (grilled intestines) and makchang.
Gopchang is great. The fatty, sizzling gopchang, crispy like cotton candy, washed down with a cold beer! Samgyeopsal (pork belly) with soju is good, but I love gopchang. I want some gopchang. It’s a bit early, but it’s a decent time for dinner. Should I eat first and then continue the search?
As I approached the BBQ place with the ice cream stick in my mouth,
“Everything’s my fault, huh?!”
With a sharp shout, the glass door suddenly swung open. The small bell attached to the door jingled violently, as if it might break.
“It’s all that bastard Park Sucheon’s doing!!”
“Who are you to be screaming like that?! Get over here!”
A girl in a tracksuit stormed out of the place, glaring daggers back inside. Her face was filled with rage, but it was one I definitely recognized. Park Yerim, right?
“Hey, you—”
“Just die, all of you!”
Park Yerim shouted and then took off running. Where are you going? Wait a second!
I immediately took off after the quickly disappearing girl. She’s just a middle schooler, and I’m an adult, albeit an F-class awakened one, so I should catch up quickly… Why is she so fast?
‘Has she already awakened? Ah, watch out, a car!’
I hesitated as a car blocked my way, and the distance that had briefly narrowed widened again. I should’ve worn my gloves and belt. If I hadn’t taken them off because of the heat, I could’ve caught up to her by now. Still, I clearly saw the direction she went.
After the car passed, I crossed the street and ran in the direction Park Yerim had headed.
It wasn’t long before I reached a wooded hill. Among the trees at the edge of Namsan, I spotted a girl sitting haphazardly on the ground.
‘I should confirm it first.’
She might be someone else. I used the Sapling skill, and even from this distance, her status window appeared.
[Unawakened ? Park Yerim
Awakening Potential Stat Rank: A~S
Optimized Initial Skills:
Shadowless Day (SS)
Hermes’ Shoes (S)
White Corpse (S)]
I expected her awakening potential to be S-rank, but seeing that she had an SS-rank optimized initial skill was a bit surprising.
But more than anything else…
‘There’s nothing even close to ice-related!’
Her optimized initial skills were all ones I had never heard of, despite her being famously known as the Ice Witch. That fact alone was shocking, even beyond surprising.
She became that famous with skills that didn’t even match her? Just how much of a genius is she? I’m so jealous.
‘But these skills… I have no idea what they do.’
Hermes’ Shoes likely had something to do with flight or agility, but I couldn’t even guess the traits of Shadowless Day or White Corpse. Unfortunately, my skill couldn’t show the actual details of the skills.
I just hope they aren’t support skills. But with S-class stats—.
“Han Yujin.”
Ah, geez! I was startled as Seonghan suddenly appeared next to me. He had a look on his face that asked what I was doing.
“I sense a strong energy from that student. I’m going to approach her. Please wait here.”
Saying I sense a strong energy makes me sound like some kind of cultist. Seonghan glanced at Park Yerim and silently nodded.
Alright, now how do I approach her? I racked my brain as I slowly walked toward Park Yerim.
The young girl was still sitting with her back turned, so I couldn’t see her expression. But there was a deep sadness in her posture. Her slender shoulders were hunched, and she looked pitiful.
“Hey there, can we talk for a minute?”
I spoke in the gentlest voice I could muster. I’m a harmless person, I swear. Please believe me.
Park Yerim turned her head to look at me. She wasn’t crying, but her eyes were red. There were marks on her lower lip from biting it hard.
“Hi there, I—”
“I’m not looking for a sugar daddy.” (TL Note: In Korean it’s 원조교제 (Wonjogyoje), which is an older man offering a younger girl money/gifts in exchange for sex)
“That’s not the reason I’m here for!”
What do you take me for?
The atmosphere, which had been as thin as ice, shattered in an instant. How did this turn into that kind of situation?!
“You’re Park Yerim, right?”
At my words, she sluggishly stood up. Then she gave me a suspicious glare.
“…Are you a stalker?”
“No, I’m not!”
Not only a sugar daddy, now I’m a stalker too?! This is unfair. Even before my regression, I was clean when it came to that sort of thing. Though I was a mess in other ways.
“I’m, well, I’m someone who owed your parents a favor a long time ago.”
I decided to use the ‘we actually have a connection you didn’t know about’ approach again. She’s too wary to just come out and say I’m here to scout her.
“My parents?”
“Yeah. I’m not suspicious, really.”
“You seem pretty suspicious for a random old man.”
Old man! Well, I guess I do look like one to a middle schooler. I’m already almost thirty… No, wait! I’ve regressed! I’m still in my twenties!
“…I’m still in my mid-twenties, you know?”
“Did you serve in the military?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then you’re an old man.”
…Not being able to awaken and having to serve in the military was bad enough, but this is just too much. Just thinking about relying on her for protection is already giving me an ulcer. She had a tough personality even as a kid.
“Anyway, I want to support you.”
“So you are a sugar daddy after all! Officer!”
“I’m not! I’m telling you, I’m not! Look, here’s my hunter license and guild ID!”
I quickly pulled out my wallet and showed her my license and guild ID. Park Yerim raised an eyebrow as she looked at them.
“What’s this? You’re F-class. You look like you’re struggling to make ends meet, let alone support anyone.”
…This kid sure knows how to hit where it hurts.
“Could you at least look at my guild ID?”
“Haeyeon Guild? That’s a famous place.”
“Yeah, you know the guild leader of Haeyeon, Han Yuhyun? The S-class hunter. He’s my brother.”
Park Yerim gave me a surprised look and scrutinized me again.
“That really handsome guy? You don’t look much alike.” (TL Note: She calls him ‘oppa’, which means older brother. It’s an endearing way for a young girl to call an older guy)
“…He’s an ‘oppa’ to you, huh?”
“He didn’t serve in the military.”
“S-classes are exempt anyway.”
“Then I’ll revise it to ‘capable oppa.’”
…It hurts more because it’s true. Still, maybe she felt a little sorry for me because she added, “Actually, now that I look closer, you do kind of resemble each other.”
“Having a capable younger brother is a capability too. So don’t make that sad face, mister.”
“When did I?”
“Your face looks like you just crawled out of a mud pit after five years.”
What is this? Does she have the ability to read minds or something?
“Let’s set that aside for now. I can make you an awakened person.”
“An awakened person?”
Park Yerim’s eyes lit up with interest. Being an awakened person is a hot job right now, so it’s popular among kids too. Of course, only if they’re C-class or higher. Like any job, the bottom doesn’t count.
“Yeah. My skill allows me to turn others into awakened people. Plus, with the guild leader backing me up, I can help you get settled.”
“But what’s the point if I end up as an F-class like you?”
“Don’t worry. Your rank will be at least B-class.”
At my confident words, she tilted her head.
“You can tell that too?”
“I can. It’s a secret, though.”
“What if I don’t keep the secret? You’re not very cautious for a guy claiming that.”
“That’s what contracts are for. You’ll only awaken after we’ve signed one. If you refuse to sign and blab about it, who’s going to believe you? You wouldn’t even have any evidence.”
There are tons of wild rumors online about how to become awakened. Even if she talks about a skill that can awaken others, it won’t cause much of a stir. There are already plenty of scammers claiming similar things, so she’d probably just be suspected.
After a moment of thinking with a slight furrow in her brow, Park Yerim finally spoke.
“If I become an awakened, can I live on my own? I don’t want to live with my uncle anymore.”
“You can be independent. After the first dungeon shock, when a lot of underage awakeners appeared, they made a special law. Starting from age 14, as long as you stick to dungeons two levels lower than your rank, you can have the same rights as an adult hunter. In other words, you can join a guild without your guardian’s consent. Haeyeon Guild has dorms, so you can move out as soon as you register as a hunter.”
The issue of minors entering dungeons is still controversial. The law was problematic from an ethical standpoint, but when dungeons first appeared, there were very few awakened people. With dungeons popping up everywhere, they had no choice but to rely on even children.
The restriction of only allowing minors to enter dungeons two levels below their rank kept the death rate of minor hunters low. This restriction is lifted after completing 10 dungeons without incident or upon reaching the age of 18.
‘After the awakening centers were established and the number of awakened people increased, they gradually raised the age limit for entering dungeons.’
That’s the right thing to do. But since the special law hasn’t been revised yet, there’s no problem with Park Yerim becoming independent.
“But wouldn’t it be inconvenient without a guardian? You’re still young—”
“No thanks. It’s much better not to have a guardian. If things stay like this, I’ll end up running away anyway.”
Park Yerim said sullenly. Run away? Did she actually do that? I think I might have seen it in an interview or something.
“Is your uncle treating you badly?”
“Except for when I go to school, he works me to the bone without giving me a single won. He took all my parents’ money, and yet he uses me as an excuse to act like a saint who’s taking care of a helpless child! He even sold our apartment to open that restaurant! And then he pretends to be a good person to everyone around him!”
Her voice, which had started in anger, ended in a tearful tone. When money’s involved, some people will throw family ties away without a second thought. Still, if he got a whole inheritance, he could at least take care of her. That’s just too much.
“If you want, I can help you legally too.”
Most big guilds had several lawyers on retainer. Haeyeon Guild surely did too, and they’d jump at the chance to help with anything related to an S-class awakened person from the guild.
“No, I just don’t want to have anything to do with him ever again.”
“Alright, as you wish. Standing here talking is a bit much, though. Even if it’s early, how about we get dinner?”
I still needed to talk more before I could use my skill.
“I’m guessing you don’t like gopchang… So, what do you want to eat?”
“No, I like it. My uncle’s restaurant’s food is awful, though. There’s a famous place nearby, so follow me. It’s a bit pricey, is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay. Order whatever you want!”
I have Haeyeon Guild’s corporate card. I brought it with me under the guise of using it to entertain any A-class or higher prospects I found. So go ahead and eat till the pillars of the place collapse, it’s fine!
–TL Notes–
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