Chapter 14: What is the hunter society?

“I’m different from you! I’m technically employed here.”

“Oh, like a gatekeeper guarding against monsters? Night watch? Security?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

At my words, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“So, do you get paid for this? I mean, you’re risking your life, right? Do they pay you well?”

“Well, there is a set salary, but it’s mostly about keeping watch against weakened monsters, and other than near the entrance, skeletons rarely approach here. I’m just doing my job.”

So, in other words, it’s a cushy job?

But still, isn’t it tough work?

Even hero parties had guard shifts, but this guy…

“Over there, they distribute everything equally under socialism, but you’re out here getting paid solo?”

“Well, what can you do? I got into this business pretty late, so I don’t really know much about guilds yet.”

While wandering around, I noticed a group of people sitting at a round table, and off to the side were other hunters watching them closely.

I could tell what was going on right away.

Those in the center were the hunters from the guilds leading this expedition, and those on the outskirts, watching, were from smaller guilds.

I’m lucky that the Seolhwa Guild didn’t show up.

If they had, Baldy and that Old Maid would probably be standing around like those other hunters, watching from the sidelines.

Let’s see what they’re saying.

“Alright, I understand the idea of sharing the loot fairly, but there’s got to be a condition.”

“What is it?”

“To be honest, if it’s something ordinary, then sure, we can divide it. But if it’s something really rare, shouldn’t the person who finds it keep it?”

“Yeah, I agree with that.”

“Then what about the smaller guilds? If that’s the case, shouldn’t they let them have some elite monsters or something?”

“Do you really think you’re contributing much to this Tower of Doom expedition?”

“You’d think he owns the tower.”

There’s no point listening anymore.

Haha, what a mess.

People are the same everywhere.

This reminds me of the fights between politicians.

Just like in the other world where parties teamed up to take down bosses.

While I was lost in thought, three people, two men and a woman, walked out from a tent in the distance.

“Alright, quiet down. Why is it that every time you all meet, it ends in a fight?”

“We’ve already come to a conclusion. The Tower of Doom was meant to give weaker guilds a chance, to help them grow, which is why we’re all working together. Except for a few unique relics, everything else will be fairly distributed.”

So, these three are the leaders of this expedition?

The two of them are quite attractive, and their attire suggests they’re not ordinary folks.

Seems like the round table bunch were just running their mouths; decisions are being made by these three.

There’s no need to stick around and listen to this mess any longer.

“Hmm, this is such garbage.”

“Haha, yeah, it is.”

The guy next to me laughed awkwardly.

“Wait, did you bring me all the way over here just to show me this nonsense?”

“Well, if you play your cards right, they might let you join.”

Am I crazy?

There’s no way I’m going hunting with these guys.

I wouldn’t even get any decent loot.

I could use them as meat shields, but honestly, it looks like this group is full of people who are big shots back in Korea.

Even though I’m strong, if they decide to gang up on me, it’ll be a hassle.

Besides, I’m in charge here.

If this place was made by the Demon King, then I have a claim to it.

What do they think they’re eyeing?

“Why bother? I can handle things on my own.”

“Look, don’t think of me as an old man nagging you, but you’ve got to listen. The first and second floors were easy because they had weak monsters, but the third floor might be different!”

This is why old people can be a pain.

“I get that you’re worried because you have a daughter, but trust me, I’m not that easy to take down.”

Ugh, why is this guy so annoying?

Even my patience has its limits.

If this keeps up, I might just pull out my mace and give him the death that my goddess demands.

But sadly, my life isn’t that harmonious.

“What’s going on here?”

One of the well-dressed hunters with a slicked-back undercut noticed us.

This is exactly why I can’t stand these old men.

“Oh, nothing much. I’m just a hired guard, but this girl says she can handle the third floor on her own.”

Well, this might work out better for me.

“Oh? You’re confident, huh?”

This creep was blatantly staring at my body, which made me feel uncomfortable.

“Yes.”

“You look like someone who should be praying.”

It’s annoying when people assume all I do is pray because I’m dressed like a nun.

For the record, I’m a saint.

I wear this because my goddess asks me to.

“Sorry, but I’m a returnee.”

“That outfit—was that from the world you returned from?”

The man’s eyes were still glued to my clothes.

“Yes. The goddess we worship is a bit more open-minded.”

“Sounds like you might be getting yourself into some trouble, ha-ha-ha!”

The man began laughing while openly staring at my chest.

His lackeys joined in, laughing along with him.

For a moment, I considered pulling out my mace and smashing his face in.

But as a saint who serves the Goddess of Death, I decided to be polite.

“The followers of the goddess are strong. Probably more so than people who just run their mouths.”

I smiled as I said that.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Did I hit a nerve?”

“You arrogant brat. You have no idea how the world works, do you? You’re just here hoping to snatch up some money, aren’t you?”

Why do people here always assume the worst of me?

“Returnees don’t need to worry about money. You lot are the ones who should be scrambling for scraps.”

“What did you just say?”

“Exactly as I said. Just because I look like this, did you think I’d submit to pick up some scraps?”

I can’t say I don’t understand.

My attire is quite revealing for a nun.

But that’s beside the point.

Just because I’m dressed this way doesn’t mean I’m here to seduce men or receive something in return.

That’s a huge misunderstanding.

“Certainly, if you’re a returnee…”

“There are strong people among the returnees.”

“But dressed like that?”

Honestly, why do I have to go through this because of the goddess?

“So, are you here to interfere with us? If that’s the case, why even come here?”

“Are your eyes just for decoration? Look around. You’ve completely blocked off the entrance. How am I supposed to pass?”

They had surrounded the entrance to the third floor, completely blocking the way.

How am I supposed to get through?

The man and his group looked half-dazed at my words.

Is what I said really that shocking?

“Are you seriously planning to go alone?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t even know what’s ahead? Hey, are you doing this just for some livestream content?”

His sneaky approach made me want to smack him.

“Did you rent out this place? No, right? So, you should let a solo player pass.”

“We booked this place first. This isn’t somewhere a woman like you should be. Got it?”

That’s strange.

As far as I know, there’s no such rule.

Are they just trying to act tough because they got here first?

Because they’re hunters?

“Booked with whom?”

“With the Administration.”

“But there’s no restriction on solo play, is there?”

I checked several times, and there wasn’t.

Just because they booked, this tower doesn’t belong to hunters.

“Girl, you really don’t know anything about hunter society, do you? Keep this up, and you’ll get yourself blacklisted. Not all returnees are strong, you know? You could’ve been reborn as a village girl or even a prostitute in that other world. Right?”

He reached out to touch me again, but I swatted his hand away.

Then, from my sleeve, I pulled out my mace and aimed it at his neck.

It was in the blink of an eye.

The man couldn’t even react.

“You call yourself a hunter, but you can’t even respond to this level of attack?”

“When did you…!”

“And you can’t even win with words.”

I smirked and continued.

“How pitiful would it be if you lost in strength, too?”

“You really want to try something, don’t you? Girl, you don’t want to make enemies out of us. It won’t end well for you.”

He doesn’t seem to understand that making an enemy of me won’t end well for him.

“You really don’t know not to judge someone by their appearance, do you? Trying to throw your weight around as a hunter, while all you’re really doing is trying to grab a woman? Did you teach yourself how to behave at home?”

Even if he were self-taught, he wouldn’t be this bad.

Maybe he doesn’t have parents. That wouldn’t be strange in the other world. So don’t feel too ashamed.

“You arrogant wench! I tried talking things out, but you don’t even know your place!”

“No, the one who doesn’t know their place is you. I told you, if you lose in both words and strength, how pathetic will that be?”

I’m not going to kill him, at least not yet.

Like he said, there’s no benefit to making enemies of guild hunters here.

I grabbed his right arm, the one he’d tried to use to touch me earlier, and twisted it as if opening a bottle cap.

Crack!

“ARGHHHH!”

He couldn’t even handle that, yet he talks about hunter society?

What about the others?

They just stood there, dumbfounded.

“This is me going easy on you.”

“What kind of crazy… Argh!”

Oh my, such filthy language.

He lost the verbal fight, lost the physical one, and now he’s chosen to rely on his dirty mouth?

“Come on, say something about hunter society now. What was it you said earlier? Did you think a mere nun wouldn’t go this far? Or did you think I was just some easy woman trying to seduce male hunters for some handouts?”

I twisted his other arm, separating bone from flesh.

“AAARGHHHH!”

“Whatever you assumed, you were wrong. And for that, you’ll have to pay.”

“What are you talking about…?”

I pulled out my mace from inside.

I needed to set an example with one of them, or the rest of these guys would never take me seriously.

The others, who seemed to be his lackeys, had already backed away, watching in stunned silence.

Is this the first time they’ve seen a saint use violence?

Just as I was about to swing the mace down on the man’s head with all my might—

“Wait, stop! That’s enough!”

Someone appeared, stopping me in my tracks.

I relaxed my grip on the mace.

“And who might you be?”

“I’m Yoo Ji-ho, master of the Hero Guild. Our guild member was at fault, so let’s leave it at that.”

This time, it’s someone who seems a bit more formidable.

“Oh really? You’re not too late, I suppose.”

“What?”

“If you were just one second later, this guy would’ve already gone to be by my goddess’s side.”

One more second and this guy’s head would’ve been smashed.

But lucky for him, the guild master saved him in time.

Yoo Ji-ho looked like the cold, urban type.

He doesn’t really seem the nickname type, though.

Should I call him streetlight?

“…Just let him go. I won’t interfere with where you’re going.”

Oh, this guy’s wording is funny.

As if it’s completely natural for him to have been interfering up until now.

Honestly, are all hunters rotten to the core?