episode_0003

The guild home of **Chomok** stood proudly in a frequented area even within the first floor of the Bronze Tower.

With vines entwined at the entrance, it resembled a lush hotel that suited the greenery well, perhaps reflecting the Guild Master’s taste.

“It’s huge. Truly a corner of the Six Great Guilds. How wealthy must they be to build a guild-exclusive hotel in the tower?”

It looked like a structure one might find in a tourist destination like Florida.

The entrance was clean, but carrying a corpse and entering felt mismatched.

Was that why?

“Who goes there? Who has been loitering around the entrance for a while now?”

“Oh.”

Similar to the tower entrance, there was a heavily armed gatekeeper here as well.

My appearance, carrying a large burden on my back, must have seemed suspicious.

Even I find myself suspicious, so why the fuss over there?

“I asked who you are.”

“Well, I’m a colleague with business here. This is **Chomok** Guild, right? I have some matters to discuss and was hoping to enter… Is that possible?”

“An unaffiliated hunter, huh? Sorry, but you can’t enter. Can’t you see inside? We’re having a celebration in the guild home in honor of conquering the Bronze Tower. It’s strictly instructed not to allow outsiders tonight.”

“Someone went in through the back door earlier.”

“Are you talking about the reporters outside? They’ve had appointments scheduled for days, so we couldn’t refuse. Since we’re not taking any requests today, unless it’s urgent, come back tonight or tomorrow.”

Irritated.

Watching everyone inside the guild home raising their glasses while being alone guarding the entrance seemed to put them in a bad mood.

Is that so? Do gatekeepers work on a rotational basis too?

“I have urgent matters to attend to. I’d like to wrap it up today if possible.”

“What kind of matters?”

“Well, you see…”

It seemed like they were not dealing with an unreasonable person. Despite showing irritation, they appeared dedicated to their job, so I honestly explained my situation.

Upon hearing, they sighed, pressing their temples.

“I see… Of all places, why there…?”

“Did you know the person?”

“They were a recent recruit. Energetic, but didn’t listen well. A bit of a headache, but not a bad person.”

“Why did they go alone?”

“They didn’t listen to the seniors as usual. Everyone warned them not to climb the tower alone, but… they did.”

“I see.”

Sigh.

The gatekeeper, who seemed quite mature, seemed to shake off their discomfort and opened the door.

“Alright. If that’s the case, there’s nothing much we can do. Even if we don’t know who you are, it’s not our place to keep someone else’s body. There are people in the lounge; talk to them, and they’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.”

“Thankful, I am, for retrieving the guild member’s body, but be careful not to get caught up in anything inside. Not everyone will welcome you as warmly as I did.”

Acknowledging, I entered the lounge.

Truly a good person.

“It’s really spacious. Is this some modern version of a bustling market?”

Sounds of clinking glasses, hearty laughter, and people chatting incessantly filled the air. In a lavishly decorated corner of the lounge, a TV program from this morning played. Their proud Guild Master received praise from the MC beyond the screen, while guild members watched, boasting about it.

“Blending into this atmosphere makes you seem utterly clueless.”

I regretted not just leaving the body there, but it was too late.

“Hello, guest. What brings you here?”

“Well, you see…”

A woman responsible for reception and guidance in the lounge approached.

Her expression was awkward.

It was inevitable.

They were told not to let outsiders in, so seeing a guy like me carrying this load must have been perplexing.

– Hey, isn’t that…

– A scavenger, right?

– Why is he here?

– No way.

Lost in thought, eventually, all eyes turned towards me.

Goodness. They catch on quickly.

Not bad for an appetizer. Why did I come here?

First, covering my face with a steel plate, I shifted my gaze towards the reception area and explained the situation while pointing to the load on the cart.

“…A corpse? And one of our guild members?”

“Yes.”

“That can’t be right. Right after the official notice came out today, the guild master ordered everyone to gather for a drink, so there shouldn’t be anyone climbing the tower today…”

As if sensing the atmosphere, the office lady murmured quietly. However, realizing the truth about the corpse, she quickly contacted the Tower of Bronze in a panic and soon had a surprised expression.

“Oh…”

Seems like there was one person.

Probably one of those guys who doesn’t listen very well, just like the gatekeeper said.

“May I check for a moment?”

“Feel free.”

Stepping back slightly, she confirmed the identity of the body that I had wrapped in an envelope and carried. As soon as she saw the face, she recognized the person and even uttered their name. Despite being a newcomer, they seemed promising, as the surrounding laughter slightly diminished, and a few hunters who realized the situation stood up from their seats.

Did I ruin the mood?

Nevertheless, since I picked up the body despite what the gatekeeper said, it’s not something I can just keep.

“I have confirmed. I am a new recruit.”

“Really?”

“Just a moment, isn’t this the guy the guild master recruited last time?”

“Oh, damn!”

“They said he had great skills. Why would such a promising kid die in the Bronze Tower?!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

Eventually, the hunters with faces and names approached.

The atmosphere was getting tense.

It doesn’t seem like a situation where we can negotiate for compensation through the Association. Even a country can read that kind of air.

‘Got caught. Screwed up. I should just leave now.’

Putting the cart back into the item pocket, I awkwardly turned around and said, “Well then, I’ll be off.”

“Wait, you punk!”

Oh, damn it.

“Why are you leaving?”

“Where did you get this body from?”

You annoying jerk.

When did you start using informal language with me?

“From where? It’s from the Bronze Tower.”

“You’re asking me as if I didn’t know!? Which floor, where exactly, how did they die?!”

“On the 35th floor. They died in the Ogre Cave. It seems like they fought each other and died because there were plenty of corpses around.”

“Ogre?”

“That weakling couldn’t have done it! He was still considered a promising one!”

What’s up?

As I tried to walk away pretending not to know, I felt a grip on my shoulder again.

“What the hell? Why?”

“Speak clearly. Did this guy really die from an overdose?”

“So what if he did? What are you trying to say?”

“You’re that guy, right? The hyena who goes around picking up corpses. The scavenger who strangely collects a lot of bodies.”

“Watch your words. Why do you keep calling him names? Who do you think you are?”

“Do you know! The kid I raised is gone! You, you… could it be…”

“Just a moment. Let’s not cross any lines here. Am I crazy enough to harm a guild member like that?”

…”

He fell silent.

The atmosphere grew tense.

The smell of alcohol wafted unpleasantly through the hand gripping my shoulder.

He must have been drunk.

“Is there a reason for this?”

“Yes?”

“All of your E and D rank bastards were making a fuss about the Tower being conquered this time. Do those kinds of people have any reason to mess with a newbie in the Tower?”

He finally crossed the line.

My temper flared.

“Look at this person. Acting all tough after a drink, are you insane for real? How dare you accuse someone of murder, you lunatic!”

“If you’re a tower-climbing scumbag, everyone knows about the trash who picks up corpses! Tell me, did you steal from our kid?!”

“Oh my. Now you’re suspecting me of killing someone? Is it thievery this time?! And what kind of person? You keep using that word! If you have a problem, search behind my back!”

“You damn bastard!”

I can’t comply with this nonsense. I understood it in my head, but my temper was rising.

You bastard. So, you want a burn or what?

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Crazy, calm down!”

“No matter what, that’s going too far!”

“Let go of this! That guy is the one I was in charge of! But he got beaten up out of the blue today, how can I just sit still!!!”

“I understand your feelings, but you’ve got the wrong target, idiot!”

“What kind of mess did he get into because of alcohol-!”

“Well, there might be a point to consider. He’s a scavenger after all. Regardless, he could have messed with our kid’s body, so we need to check, right?”

“Right. Even if talking about murder is too much, isn’t it necessary to confirm whether the body was tampered with or not?”

“Yeah, but why are you saying such things when we brought a person here?”

“What did we say wrong?”

“Let’s stop this. Why act like this on such a good day.”

Fortunately, I didn’t get hit or anything like that.

When the opponent tried to attack me, guild members stopped them. Conversely, when I tried to assert my pride through actions, they also intervened, leading to a standoff with everyone around buzzing. Amidst this, arguments broke out between those who thought I had tampered with the body and those who suspected I might have.

If that guy wasn’t a coward, he would have done something by now.

So, today, I’m standing tall, damn it.

“Hey bastards~! You laughed and left happily because of my good reputation here, and now you’re talking like that? Come on. I’ll lay everything out from my pockets right here, so take a look. If nothing comes out, then shut up all those bastards who called me a thief!”

“You damn jerk, coming into someone else’s guild and causing trouble! Do you think I wouldn’t know where you’ve hidden things!!”

“Huh. At first, you treated me like a murderer, and now that I’m trying to prove that I didn’t tamper with the body, you’re changing your tune again? Why so many double standards?? I didn’t do anything wrong, why do I have to receive this kind of treatment!?”

“That guy wasn’t the one to be killed there! You guys should know everything! Right?!”

“Well, yeah, but…. The Tower isn’t exactly safe either. Everyone knows accidents can happen there.”

“But if he wasn’t the one to be killed, then it means he doesn’t have the skill to do something like that-”

“Right. He was a candidate for an officer position.”

“Scavenger’s reputation and credibility aren’t great.”

“…But isn’t this going too far?”

“True. Even if he looted the body, talking about murder is too much.”

“Maybe he’s drunk. Let’s all calm down.”

“Labeling someone as a murderer without evidence is really crossing the line.”

“That’s right. What kind of behavior is this in front of guests? If the Guild Master finds out──”

-It’s gonna be a mess.

Someone said those words.

“──What’s all this commotion, you guys?”

A husky voice of indeterminate gender echoed through the hall.

「「「「………….」」」」

That single sentence was a signal of silence.

Everyone opened their mouths in surprise, and someone even gasped.

The doorbell at the main entrance of the guild hall rang, and the figure, undoubtedly feminine, who looked like she belonged in a lounge, revealed herself in the lounge.

“G-Guild Master….”

“What’s with this commotion? Who is this?”

“Weren’t you having a drink while I was being interviewed?”

“Oh, no… that was…”

The face of the guild member who grabbed my shoulder turned pale, and it seemed like sobriety returned as the alcohol haze dissipated.

Was the Guild Master scary when it came to drunken behavior?

…Not entirely.

【Adult】 Song Seong-yeon.

Ranked 9th in the current Hunter rankings, a renowned figure in fire manipulation.

Dressed in a coat, with a distinctly feminine face, she alternated her gaze between the troublemakers and me with a puzzled expression.

“…Who is this guest?”

“Yes.”

“Today, Seres clearly said not to allow outsiders. What’s with the atmosphere in the guild? Why is everyone acting like this? Did this person do something wrong?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose… There were various reasons…”

“What are you talking about?”

He raised an eyebrow while looking at me.

Then he stopped questioning.

“……..”

Staring at me.

I wondered if he was offended by something, but that wasn’t the case.

“You look familiar from somewhere…?”

“Oh, that person is him.”

“What, who’s that?”

“Scavenger.”

“Scavenger? Oh, the one who got that nickname even though he’s D-rank~?”

“Yes… yes….”

“Why is someone like that here? Oh, did someone invite him as a friend? No way. Today we agreed to raise our glasses within our guild. I asked Seres to send out such notifications so we could all relax together. What about others then?”

“……..”

“Seriously, isn’t that it?”

Nodding.

“These kids, really. I get it from the atmosphere. Did you guys do something because you were excited?”

“A little.”

“A little?”

“Sorry… I’ll explain the situation now….”

“No, forget it. I’ll listen to the story later. More importantly….”

Song Seong-yeon came closer and stood in front of me.

He is much shorter than me. Even up close, he still gives off a short and delicate vibe.

He shook his head, saying something was strange, then circled around me.

“Your burn on your face and all….”

Why is he concerned about my burn?

Did something get on my face?

The irritation from earlier vanished, replaced by tension akin to a guild interview, and he poked at my front with a sharp motion.

“I only know you by that nickname, but, by any chance, is your name…?”

“Chang-gi. Hong Chang-gi.”

“Chang-gi?”

“Yes.”

“Uh… uh, uh?”

Upon hearing my name, he trembled all over.

I thought he might explode due to my arrogant behavior, but that wasn’t the reason.

“Um, this might be a rude question, but… that burn, did you get it when you were young while saving a friend from a fire or something…?”

“…What?”

“Ah~! Look at the reaction! You’re definitely the one, right!?”

Everything became clear.

No, he was just smiling broadly.

“You’re really the one, right?! ─Chang-gi!!”

Hug!

He embraced me.

With his small body, he wrapped his arms tightly around my neck and pushed his cute forehead against mine.

“Ugh?! What’s this all of a sudden!”

“Well, it’s me! It’s me! I’m Seong-yeon, the one you saved back then! Did you forget?”

“Huh…?”

Huh??

Wait, what’s going on?

Why does this person recognize me…

“Wow~! Long time no see! What have you been up to all this time!?”

“Wait, is it really Song Seong-yeon?”

“Of course! Can you believe it, there are two Seong-yeons in the world?”

“Whoa~!?”

An unexpected encounter.

Both parties couldn’t contain their joy and continued to embrace each other.

The rising star in the hunter world, whom I thought was just a namesake, turned out to be none other than my childhood friend.