Ch.13What have you done, Holy Maiden?!

“Are you angry?”

“I’m not.”

“Then are you sulking?”

“I’m not sulking.”

“Haha, well…”

Kang Seona let out a bitter laugh.

Watching Aila’s back as she walked ahead without knowing the way, she couldn’t help but react that way.

“Are you sulking because I left you alone?”

“I’m not a child. I wouldn’t sulk over something like that.”

‘She’s definitely sulking.’

Aila was responding with short answers to every question.

Kang Seona stared at her back.

How should I appease her?

I understand though.

I left her sitting alone while that guy and I chatted for hours, so she probably felt left out.

She vehemently denies being angry, but looking at her now, she’s clearly sulking.

‘What should I do… Oh.’

Looking around, Kang Seona spotted something.

“Hey, Aila!”

“…What?”

“Want to go somewhere?”

“…Where?”

***

“Mmm~!”

“…Is it good?”

“Mm! Mm!!”

“Swallow before you speak…”

Aila nodded her head rapidly up and down.

Her face was lit up with a bright smile.

‘She’s really enjoying it…’

But Kang Seona couldn’t smile.

The plates.

That mountain of stacked plates.

Was bringing her to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant a mistake?

Maybe I should have gone for an all-you-can-eat place instead.

The sight of plates multiplying with each blink was pure terror for the person who had to pay the bill.

Kang Seona took a deep breath to calm herself.

‘Right, think of it as an investment… She’s an estimated S-rank hunter, right? The food bill might be high, but it’s pocket change compared to what an S-rank hunter would normally earn. Stay calm… calm…’

“Um… Seona?”

“Hm? Did you call me?”

“Aren’t you eating, Seona?”

“……”

Eat? You little…

If I connected all the sashimi that went into your stomach, I could make a small aquarium.

Kang Seona desperately maintained her facial expression.

“I-I’m full just watching you eat… What about you? Aren’t you full yet?”

“…I’m sorry. I’m already full, but the food is just so delicious…”

“…Then let’s go.”

“Okay.”

At the cashier, the employee looked at them with an expression of amazement.

“I’d like to pay.”

“Yes! …Oh, that’ll be 171,000 won.”

“……”

Kang Seona momentarily lost consciousness.

Fuck.

This place is supposed to be cheap…

The most expensive items on the conveyor belt are only 3,000 won…

1,000 won, 2,000 won, 3,000 won.

Make 171,000 with just these three types of dishes…

What kind of math problem is this?

Even if she only ate the 3,000 won dishes, that’s 57 plates, 57 plates.

At least 57 plates…

This is driving me crazy.

I don’t think I can handle these food expenses…

“Ma’am?”

“Ah, here’s my card…”

“Yes. Let me process your ca— Ma’am? I need your card? Ma’am?”

“God… damn…”

My precious money…

I won’t forget this grudge!

I’ll work you until you earn me hundreds of times this amount…

“H-Here, payment complete…”

“Thank you.”

Kang Seona took her card and walked out onto the street.

Her phone rang.

Probably the card payment notification.

She didn’t have the courage to look.

171,000 won.

“Haah…”

I need a cigarette.

“Damn it…”

“Oh, you came out first.”

Hearing Aila’s voice, Kang Seona turned around.

She was smiling cheerfully, so it seemed her anger had subsided.

A 171,000 won apology.

Isn’t that a bit too expensive?

“So, are you feeling better now?”

“……”

Aila just smiled without saying anything.

‘She wasn’t even angry…’

Aila wasn’t actually angry.

She hadn’t responded earlier simply because she was lost in thought.

But if she said “I wasn’t actually angry~” now, Seona might tell her to throw up all the food she just ate.

“…I’m sorry.”

Aila apologized.

It wasn’t a lie.

She was aware that she ate ‘a bit’ too much food.

‘But it couldn’t be helped. It’s the food’s fault for being so delicious.’

Looking at Aila, Kang Seona said,

“That’s fine then.”

And with that, she started walking back to the company.

They walked slowly.

The city was filled with a different energy than the early morning.

Though the scenery was the same, it felt new.

Aila walked while looking around curiously.

A voice came from ahead.

“Is there anything you’re curious about?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if there’s anything you’re curious about. I’ll answer if I know. It’s boring until we get back to the company…”

Aila fell into thought for a moment.

Curious about, if there’s something I’m curious about…

“What’s your relationship with that man from earlier?”

There was the sound of a sharp intake of breath.

“……”

Kang Seona stopped walking.

Only after Aila caught up did she finally speak.

“…A friend. A friend. That’s what I think.”

Kang Seona exhaled a long breath.

Though there was nothing in her mouth, it seemed like gray smoke was visible.

Seeing Kang Seona like this, Aila didn’t press further.

“Then for my second question, why did you propose those conditions there?”

“Conditions? …Oh, you mean that.”

Kang Seona recalled what had happened earlier.

The two conditions she had requested in exchange for taking responsibility for Aila:

Aila’s identity and registering her as a C-rank hunter.

Aila took out a rectangular card from her pocket.

It was a resident registration card.

“Wasn’t I supposed to get some kind of foreign… something?”

“What does it matter? This is the most convenient. Besides, your birthday was the day before yesterday, so we can insist you’re 17 years old… I got it issued while creating a new family register.”

“Is that so?”

It was true, but not the whole truth.

The fact that she had a resident ID meant that Aila now had South Korean citizenship.

This was intended to block interference from other countries to some extent.

‘That’s probably why that bastard agreed without argument.’

Kang Seona looked at Aila.

Seeing her examining the ID card with curiosity, turning it this way and that, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t lose that. It’s a hassle to get a replacement… Oh, and what did I tell you to do if someone asks about your past?”

“I know already. Deflect appropriately. Do you know how many times you’ve told me this?”

“It’s important, that’s why.”

Aila puffed her cheeks.

“By the way, how long have you known?”

“Were you planning to hide it?”

“Not particularly…”

“Then it’s fine, right? I don’t care where you came from. You’re now an important employee of our Rainbow Entertainment. Just remember that.”

“Hmm… Then, why did you lower my rank? Isn’t S-rank the highest? Wouldn’t it be better for an employee to have a higher rank than a lower one?”

“Ah, that.”

Here it comes.

Kang Seona moistened her lips.

“It’s all for your sake. A 17-year-old S-rank rookie hunter appearing like a comet! How intimidating would that be? If rumors spread, all kinds of people would take interest in you. You wouldn’t want that kind of attention, right?”

“I wouldn’t really mind…”

Being a saint, why would she fear attention?

A saint who finds attention burdensome?

It was unimaginable.

Regardless, Kang Seona continued her explanation, barely listening to Aila’s response.

“And there’s also the risk factor. S-rank hunters often get dragged into various situations against their will, which is why even hunters avoid that position. Moreover, you haven’t properly adapted to this place yet, right? In such a situation, excessive fame would be poison to you.”

“Then why specifically C-rank?”

“F-rank is for ordinary people, and E-rank is the starting point for hunters… To be honest, C-rank is the most moderate. Let’s gradually work our way up from there to S-rank. By then, you’ll have adapted to this place somewhat, right?”

Aila was impressed.

She couldn’t understand everything, but it was quite logical and persuasive.

And it showed thoughtfulness.

Aila slightly upgraded her evaluation of Kang Seona.

‘And we have to pay S-ranks a lot more…’

Of course, this was only partially true.

More precisely, it was closer to an excuse, a hastily concocted reason.

The real reason was that while S-rank hunters had to be paid a lot, C-rank hunters could be paid much less.

And if she became an S-rank hunter, other good companies might try to scout her.

Since they couldn’t compete with big corporations in terms of capital, they had to appeal to emotions.

By the time she gradually rose from C-rank to S-rank, she would have developed an attachment to the company and wouldn’t leave so easily.

Without mentioning these calculations, Kang Seona concluded her explanation.

“Well, to sum it up, it’s all for your benefit… But I just realized I proceeded without asking for your opinion. Sorry about that.”

“No, no! It’s fine! I should be the one apologizing…”

“Really? That’s good then.”

“Still, I’m a bit disappointed.”

“About what?”

“I was curious too. About how strong I am.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Seona recalled Aila’s achievements that she had heard about.

Solo clearing an A-rank dungeon. Even if the monsters were few because the dungeon was newly formed, this alone made her at least A-rank.

Fighting and winning against an orca-sized kraken. More precisely, the kraken fled, but that’s essentially the same thing. The fact that she fought a kraken alone and returned alive already makes her S-rank without question.

Does she know this herself?

Judging by her expression, it seems she doesn’t.

Aila’s expression genuinely showed disappointment.

“Hey, I’m curious about something. That guy from earlier.”

“Do you mean Seongho?”

“Yeah, him. What do you think would happen if you fought him?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure. From what I could tell, he seems to use spatial magic, so his mana capacity must be high too… I’d probably lose, right? I don’t think I could even approach him.”

“You think so?”

Aila tilted her head, and Kang Seona did the same.

“Then go get tested tomorrow.”

“What? Tested?”

Kang Seona said casually.

“Yeah, tomorrow’s Wednesday… Every Wednesday and Sunday are hunter rank assessment days. Since you’ve already been classified as C-rank, just take the test but don’t change your rank. That should be fine.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Why not? To be honest, you’re probably stronger than C-rank. You should know your own strength too.”

“That’s true… knowing yourself is important.”

“Right, right. Let’s finalize the contract after your rank comes out tomorrow.”

Kang Seona patted Aila’s shoulder casually.

Well, it works for me.

Using an S-rank hunter for C-rank pay…

This could earn me many times what I spent on food, right?

A smile spread across Kang Seona’s face.

***

“The results are in! It seems I’m C-rank?”

“…What the fuck, pardon?”

The smile shattered.