[Human Resources Manager (2)]
The reception room had an antique charm. The overall interior was influenced by Eastern designs, while classic Western furniture was arranged in a way that, despite seeming mismatched, blended well together. Knowing Seok Gimyeong’s personality, all the furniture here was probably genuine antique.
Once I sat down on the black leather sofa as directed, I was offered a drink. It looked like the kind of place where they’d ask what type of coffee beans you preferred.
“Orange juice, please.”
“I’ll have juice too.”
Park Yerim, who was seated next to me, said.
Across from us, Seok Gimyeong wore a kindly smile. He had such a gentle expression that even if I suddenly started hurling curses at him, he’d probably laugh it off with a “Ha ha ha, I see,” like a saint.
“I’d like to thank you for prioritizing the Haeyeon Guild.”
Seok Gimyeong’s voice was so polite, it almost felt sweet. From the first time I met him, I noticed his voice was something else. With his gentlemanly, likable appearance and that voice, it’s like he was born to be a top-tier salesman.
Yerim seemed half-swayed by his voice too. But since I knew just how ruthless this man could be, I wasn’t fooled.
When he pierced you with those words in that smooth voice, it took your breath away.
“To be honest, family connections played a big role.”
I said with a smile, mirroring Seok Gimyeong’s expression.
“And also, it’s thanks to Park Yerim trusting me.”
“You acted in a way that made you trustworthy, first and foremost.”
Yerim grabbed my arm tightly. Hey, don’t cling to me while we’re in the middle of work. This is an important contract for you.
“Though Miss Park Yerim doesn’t have an offensive skill yet, with just Shadowless Day and Cold Sigh, she’s already more than suited to be a combat-oriented hunter. Her Strength stat might be slightly below the S-rank average, but with her self-buffing abilities, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Seok Gimyeong accurately assessed Yerim’s situation. While he didn’t know it, the old Park Yerim had been a battle mage, so the Strength stat wasn’t particularly crucial. If she acquired ice-type attack skills smoothly, she could boost her Magic stat with buffs and ice attribute skill boosts…
She’d be unstoppable. With the additional buffs, she’d sweep through monsters with ease.
And with Hermes’ Shoes giving her agility buffs, flight, and teleportation—she was practically overpowered.
I looked at Yerim anew.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing.”
With optimal S-rank skills, her combos would be no joke. She was strong even when she only used ice magic, but now she’s going to become a complete monster. She might even surpass Yuhyun.
‘Come to think of it, I should check Yuhyun’s status window too.’
I hadn’t checked it yet because My Kid Is The Best’s cooldown time was still long. He might have missed out on some optimized skills, so I should observe and use the skill accordingly.
“For combat hunters, guild contract terms usually revolve around dungeon quotas and equipment provisions. Each guild has a specific quota for A-rank and higher dungeons.”
A guild’s reputation hinges on how many A-rank and higher dungeons they manage. If I remember correctly, the current Haeyeon Guild manages the most dungeons right after the top three guilds.
“Since Miss Park Yerim is still a minor, she can start with B-rank dungeons. If you want to move to A-rank or higher more quickly, I recommend clearing about 10 C or D-rank dungeons first.”
“I don’t plan on rushing into high-level dungeons.”
I said. Yerim is only fifteen. Rather than hastily tackling A-rank or higher dungeons, it’s better for her to get used to combat and skill usage in mid— to low-level dungeons.
As a battle mage, skill application is especially important, so she needed plenty of practice.
“I’d like to focus on her growth for the next year.”
“A wise decision.”
Seok Gimyeong nodded slightly.
“We would also recommend that approach. Gradually gaining experience while syncing with other guild members, and then forming a new S-rank team, is the best path forward.”
An S-rank dungeon team must include at least one S-rank combat hunter. So for the Haeyeon Guild, it would be more advantageous for Yerim to gain experience and form her own team rather than joining Yuhyun’s team.
If the Haeyeon Guild had two S-rank dungeon teams, they could claim a few more S-rank dungeon rights from those jointly managed with other guilds.
“However, that would naturally extend the contract period. In return, we will spare no effort in providing the support Miss Park Yerim needs for her growth.”
“To my knowledge, no S-rank hunter has signed an exclusive contract with a specific guild yet.”
Domestically, except for the one government-affiliated S-rank, all S-ranks are guild leaders. Overseas as well, most S-ranks were either guild leaders or government-affiliated, with the remaining few being freelancers.
Freelance hunters don’t belong to any guild but cooperate with the government or guilds through short-term contracts when requested.
“So even if she’s just affiliated with the guild without tackling dungeons, it would still be a significant advantage for the Haeyeon Guild. Extending the contract period under the guise of supporting her growth seems a bit greedy, don’t you think?”
A guild with two S-rank hunters! It would be the first and only one worldwide, and the brand value alone would be enormous.
The more I think about it, the less I understand why Yuhyun made such a fuss about my being her guardian yesterday. Is that something a guild leader should do? Not just as her guardian, he should’ve practically sold his soul to get her to sign the contract.
“You seem to have a better grasp of the hunter industry than I expected.”
Seok Gimyeong feigned a surprised expression.
Well, I’ve been in this industry for over four years. I might not know every detail of the upper hunter world since I was at the bottom, but is there anyone who understands the overall trends better than me? At the moment, no.
Unless they’re a prophet, I’m the best there is.
“As you said, just having Miss Park Yerim associated with our guild would be a huge advantage. It seems I was a bit too eager to maximize that advantage.”
Despite his words, Seok Gimyeong seemed quite pleased. What’s this? Did he lay another trap?
“For A-rank hunters, the standard contract is usually five years, with a 200% renewal cap based on performance from the second year onward. How about a three-year contract with annual renewals based on performance, starting from the first year, without an upper limit?”
In the future, S-rank hunters contracted with guilds typically work on one-year contracts with annual renewals and updated terms.
But considering Yerim’s age and the growth trajectory of the Haeyeon Guild, a three-year contract wasn’t bad. She’d be 18 in three years, and by then, she wouldn’t need my help anymore—sounds reasonable.
“What do you think?”
I turned to Yerim and asked. She shook her head slightly.
“I don’t really understand, so I’ll leave it to you, Mister.”
“To put it simply, you’d be affiliated with the Haeyeon Guild for the next three years. You wouldn’t be able to join another guild.”
“What about you, Mister? Are you signing a contract like that too?”
Huh? Why am I being brought into this?
“Well, I’m just… sticking around. No reputable guild would take in an F-rank.”
Unless it’s some local guild run by a D-rank or lower, like a neighborhood association, F-ranks aren’t accepted into guilds. Well, they might hire you for menial work, but that’s it.
“No way. Mister, you have to sign a three-year contract too.”
Yerim said firmly. Is she trying to get me roped in as a bonus along with her guardian? What’s going on?
“Can that be added to the contract terms?”
“Of course, it can.”
Yerim and Seok Gimyeong were going back and forth. Could you at least ask for my opinion too?
“I’m not signing anything. I’m just helping you settle in, and then I’ll rest.”
I’ve already given up on Kim Seonghan. I’m just going to help Yerim, Yu Myungwoo, and Yuhyun now and then with some skill boosts, and that’s it. I plan to live a laid-back life raising monsters, not joining any guilds.
If I raise just one high-grade Phoenix each year, I’ll be living comfortably, so why bother making things difficult for myself?
Yerim pouted at my words.
“You said you’d take responsibility! Just sign a three-year contract!”
Stop tugging at my arm. It hurts.
“Even without a contract, I’ll still be your guardian for the next three years, so don’t worry. If you don’t trust me, I’ll write you a new contract.”
“Still, it would be nice if you joined the same guild.”
“My brother is the guild leader here. I might not have a formal contract, but I’m already halfway in, so I’m not going anywhere.”
Why would I leave when I’ve got it good here? Yerim nodded, somewhat reassured.
“Alright. You promise you won’t go anywhere?”
“I won’t. There’s nowhere else that would take me.”
For now, that is. If I manage to raise a Phoenix, I’d be welcomed with open arms by any guild. But I don’t plan on moving.
After calming Yerim down, I returned to negotiating the contract terms.
The basic salary for an S-rank hunter is about 10 million dollars a year. It might seem small, but this is just the base salary. The real income comes from dungeons, where the average profit split for S-rank dungeons is 80:20. The guild covers all dungeon preparation costs, and the raid team takes 80% of the profits. (TL Note: Author actually used dollar here)
As the team leader, the S-rank hunter takes at least 50% to a maximum of 80% of the raid team’s earnings, depending on their contribution. So, one S-rank dungeon raid could easily net a million dollars. That’s why most hunters prioritize profit-sharing ratios over base salaries.
“It’s probably your first time negotiating a hunter contract, but you seem more skilled at it than I am.”
Seok Gimyeong said, scanning through the list of contract terms.
Well, you’re not even three years into this, while I’m over four years in. And with the amount of information I’ve accumulated, there’s a four-and-a-half-year gap, so of course, I’m more skilled.
I watched the S-rank hunter special series on the Hunter Channel more than ten times. I’ve practically memorized these contract terms.
“These terms could serve as a standard S-rank combat hunter contract. Though I’m not sure when we’ll get the chance to recruit another S-rank hunter.”
It is a standard contract, after all. It’s based on the standard contract that came out about two years after S-ranks began to gradually increase following the establishment of the Awakening Center and various incidents.
I just slightly adjusted it to fit Yerim’s situation. The standard contract is based on adult combat hunters, after all.
“I won’t use the priority rights or auction rights for S-rank equipment just yet. It’s better to decide after checking her skills at level 10.”
Level 10 will come quickly. It’d be great if she got Pale Rain. Then we could immediately equip her with ice magic-focused gear.
“Understood. You’re truly thorough in every aspect. It’s no wonder you’ve earned Miss Park Yerim’s trust. You seem like someone who’s been active in the hunter world for several years.”
“Ha ha, I just awakened a few days ago.”
Maybe I acted too knowledgeable. But it would be a waste not to use the knowledge I’ve accumulated.
After finalizing the contract terms, we printed the contract and signed it. Even stamped it with a seal.
Yerim smeared ink on her fingertip and then rubbed it on the back of my hand. Hey, don’t draw a heart.
“You can go ahead with the Awakener registration tomorrow. I’ll inform them.”
They’ll probably also notify the press. It’s going to be a big deal, so they’ll want to package it in a flashy way.
“And here are some documents related to the inheritance that should have gone to Miss Park Yerim. I’m sure you’ll find them useful.”
Seok Gimyeong handed over an envelope. Oh, thank you.
“I’ll make good use of this.”
Is that everything? As I was about to get up, Seok Gimyeong stopped me.
“Please wait a moment.”
“Huh? Is there something else?”
I thought we were done. Seok Gimyeong looked at me with an intense, eager gaze.
“I’d like to sign a contract with you, Mr. Han Yujin.”
…Wait, why me? I already said no!
–TL Notes–
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