By Zephyria The thought that I would be comfortable for a while after passing the Hunter exam was a big miscalculation. After becoming a formal Hunter, the things I needed to know doubled, and the things I needed to be careful about tripled.
Eui-jae first opened 『One-Touch! How to Use the Hunter Market』, which Jung-bin had given him before. This was because he had an ambition, not quite an ambition, to make a fortune by selling his Mana Stones someday. To avoid repeating the nightmare of EZ, he had to read it carefully, section by section.
While skimming through the book with a serious face, his phone vibrated briefly. Eui-jae reached out and checked the contents after seeing the name on the screen. It had been a while since that day when Sa-young had congratulated him immediately after finding out about his passing the Hunter exam.
Sa-young: When do you have time?
Sa-young: Nam Woo-jin
Nam Woo-jin. Although he only sent his name, Eui-jae called Sa-young as soon as he checked the text. The ringing tone had barely sounded twice when Sa-young answered the phone right away. Eui-jae asked abruptly in a slightly excited voice.
“Grandmother’s legs. Can she get treatment?”
“Yes. Because there’s something I got thanks to Hyung…”
The sound of paper turning quietly came from beyond the phone. After a brief silence, Sa-young asked.
“The day after tomorrow, preparation time. Is that okay?”
“Well, I’ll have to ask Grandmother…”
Since she had been mostly staying at home since her knee pain made it difficult for her to move around, she probably didn’t have any special plans. And thanks to the power of his newly acquired trait, his material preparation efficiency had improved quite a bit, so there was no problem. Eui-jae nodded.
“It’ll probably be okay.”
“Then… let’s go to the Seowon Guild then.”
It seemed like the business was over, but Sa-young didn’t hang up. Intermittent, quiet breathing could be heard from beyond the receiver. Eui-jae, who was reading the ‘Hunter Market Usage Rules’ section with his phone stuck between his shoulder and ear, subtly pulled the phone away. After confirming that he was still on the phone, Eui-jae asked in a puzzled voice.
“…Do you have anything else to say?”
“…No. See you then.”
Sa-young hung up first. Eui-jae stared blankly at the screen where the call had ended, then immediately called Grandmother and Ha-eun’s house. This time too, the ringing tone didn’t last long before a cheerful voice answered the phone.
“Hello. Who is this?”
A warm light unknowingly spread across Eui-jae’s face. Encouraged by Ha-eun’s bright voice, his own voice also rose about half a tone.
“Yes, Ha-eun. It’s your uncle. Is Grandmother at home?”
“Yes!”
“Please put Grandmother on the phone.”
The voice calling out, “Grandmother,” grew fainter and fainter. Just as Eui-jae finished reading the usage rules and started reading the Hunter Market precautions and fraud cases, a short cough and a presence came from beyond the phone.
“Oh. What’s going on?”
“Ah, Grandmother. Are you free at 2 o’clock the day after tomorrow?”
“What would I be doing? I have nothing.”
Eui-jae had expected it, but he felt a little better. He immediately got to the point.
“Then would you like to go to the hospital then?”
“Hospital? Why the hospital?”
“Your knees aren’t good, Grandmother. I’ve heard from the regulars here that there’s a hospital that’s good at treating leg pain. And the consultation fee is cheap.”
Eui-jae was about to explain that it was the 7th-ranked in Korea, Korea’s only A-class Healer, customized for Grandmother, but he replaced it with ‘a hospital that’s good at treating legs’. Well, he used to be an orthopedic specialist, so it wasn’t wrong. There’s a doctor, and he’s good at treating legs. Isn’t that enough? Eui-jae rationalized it that way and waited for Grandmother’s answer.
“Aigo, it’s okay.”
“Why, Grandmother?”
“What good will it do to get a little treatment? I can still walk around just fine.”
As Grandmother sighed and answered, Eui-jae adjusted his posture slightly and said gently.
“Still, Grandmother, you should get well soon and come to the Hanover Soup Restaurant. The regulars miss you a lot.”
Grandmother had been cooking Hangover Soup in this place for 30 years. Just like before the Day of the Rift, she continued to do so without change even after that day. And the warm bowl of Hangover Soup that she willingly offered to a strange uninvited guest was what kept Eui-jae here.
If it weren’t for Grandmother, he wouldn’t have been able to stay anywhere and would have wandered around a strange city and died a lonely death. Eui-jae was certain of that much.
So he wanted to repay the favor of saving his life. He tapped the table with his fingertips. A gloomy look was already evident in his voice.
“Can’t you trust me and go just once?”
“……”
“If you take medicine, you’ll get even better…”
“…Okay.”
“Really?”
Grandmother answered obediently as if she had finally lost to Eui-jae. His worried heart felt much lighter.
“Okay. It’s the day after tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, around 2… 2:30? I’ll come to pick you up at home.”
“Okay. If you’re having a hard time doing business, just close up and go in to rest. Health is always the most important thing.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
Eui-jae hung up the phone and stretched. He felt good for some reason.
Two days later, the promised material preparation time arrived. When Eui-jae came out to hang up the sign, Gas mask, who had arrived in advance and was standing next to the door, nodded. He was quite happy to see the pitch-black face after a long time.
“Hello, Hyung.”
“You’re here?”
“Where’s Grandmother?”
“At home. Her legs are uncomfortable.”
“It’s okay since we’re going to tear the escape button anyway.”
He said there were ten in a set, but how many have you used just for me? The words, ‘Is it okay to use this many?’ were right at the tip of his tongue, but Eui-jae didn’t say anything. It was a condition of the deal, but anyway, he was the one relying on Sa-young today. He resolved to get through today as smoothly as possible.
“Can I take Ha-eun with me?”
“Ha-eun? …Ah.”
Sa-young tilted his head and made a knowing expression with a small exclamation.
“Hyung’s niece?”
“Yeah. I can’t leave the kid alone.”
“Um, okay. I’ll tell them.”
Sa-young nodded. Eui-jae spread out both hands as if to say he was ready, then placed them on Sa-young’s shoulders with a thud. Sa-young laughed, making a deflating sound. He took out Hong Ye-seong’s masterpiece from the Inventory, tore off the button with his teeth, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Grandmother and Ha-eun’s house.
Eui-jae, who had been facing Sa-young, turned his back and headed for the front door. Ha-eun, who had been waiting for them to arrive, jumped up first and lightly clung to his hand. Then, as children who meet strangers often do, she hid slightly behind Eui-jae’s back and peeked out with her eyes.
Even as a rough hand stroked the young hair and explained the way to the hospital that’s good at treating legs—Seowon Guild—Sa-young stood still a few steps away.
‘…Um?’
The gaze inside the Gas mask turned to the height of his waist. Ha-eun was half-hiding behind Eui-jae’s body, shining her bright eyes and staring intently at him. Sa-young met that gaze with indifferent eyes, then soon shifted his gaze at the sound of someone calling him.
“Lee Sa-young, let’s go.”
Sa-young slowly headed that way and took out another escape button. It was the second one he had used today alone, but he didn’t hesitate to tear it.
The Seowon Guild building was a tall building in the heart of the city. Sa-young, standing at the entrance of the building, gestured to the security guard. He seemed to be receiving instructions through the in-ear he was wearing for a moment, then bowed.
“Welcome, Wave Guild Leader Lee Sa-young. Guild Leader Nam Woo-jin is waiting for you.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s in the central library.”
After receiving their identification necklaces, they were able to enter. Ha-eun, who had been excited since before they left, held the necklace around her neck tightly and fiddled with it. As soon as they entered the building, a completely different scene unfolded from the modern and clean lobby.
[Checking entry authorization…]
[Identification of Lee Sa-young and 3 others completed.]
[Welcome to the Seowon Guild.]
Since Nam Woo-jin was a former doctor and was going to give them a consultation, Eui-jae had imagined a place like a hospital. But what appeared before his eyes was a huge library.
Ha-eun opened her mouth wide and looked around. The bookshelves that filled the high ceiling without any gaps were densely packed with countless books, and the Hunters belonging to the Seowon Guild wore yellow librarian armbands and bustled between the bookshelves, pushing book carts.
Eui-jae also looked around while moving. The shape of the floor tiles, the shape of the bookshelves, etc., were familiar. If his memory was correct, it was the same place he had seen in Yoon Ga-eul’s Fragment. It seemed that the place where the survivors who survived after the Doomsday used as a base camp was the Seowon Guild’s library. Although it was almost collapsed in another world…
Sa-young moved his steps familiarly and said.
“Nam Woo-jin will be in the central bookshelf.”
“Central bookshelf?”
After passing through the maze-like bookshelves, a cozy hall-like space surrounded by large bookshelves appeared. In the center of the hall was a staircase leading from the first floor to the second floor, and a pure white man was standing with his back to them on that staircase.
The man with snow-white long hair tied into one and wearing a white gown turned his head as if he felt a presence. When Sa-young nodded, he slowly came down.
“You came faster than I thought.”
He greeted them as if it were a greeting, with the book he was holding tucked under his arm. A low voice uttered next to Eui-jae called out to the white-haired man.
“Nam Woo-jin.”
The man in front of him was none other than Nam Woo-jin, the 7th-ranked in Korea, A-class Healer.