Chapter 180: B-Rank Promotion Test (4)

“I-Is it that the dates we’ve had so far… weren’t normal dates…?”

Cha Yuri’s nonsensical muttering with a flustered expression made me feel equally flustered.

Who on earth did she learn from to think that a physical relationship is the entirety of a man-woman relationship?

I had to explain to Cha Yuri, who was spouting lines like a heroine whose mind-altering hypnosis had just worn off, that what we had been doing wasn’t dating.

“What nonsense are you talking about? What kind of lovers go on dates to enjoy exhibitionist sex inside a dungeon?”

“I-It’s not exhibitionism… It’s just that sex inside a dungeon feels, f-feels better…”

That is exhibitionism. Why does she think it isn’t?

Of course, I didn’t think badly of Cha Yuri’s particular kink. Sex in a normal hotel room was less thrilling, and besides, the very act of secretly mixing bodies within a dungeon was quite exciting for me.

Even so, that was just special sex, not a date. At best, it was just using a dungeon instead of a love hotel.

“Since when did you start thinking things like that were dates?”

“F-f-from the first time I met you, Sungchul…”

“What?”

“Back then, you said I could regain my awakened abilities if I had sex… And since you didn’t seem to mind me suggesting sex in a dungeon, I-I just thought it was normal…”

…Looking back, it seems like we got off on the wrong foot, and she learned some strange knowledge.

Come to think of it, there was no way Cha Yuri had any other man besides me, and it was even less likely she had experience dating or spending time alone with men.

If you think about it, I also had some responsibility for agreeing to have our first time in a dungeon on the day we first met.

Of course, Cha Yuri was the one who suggested it first back then, so she probably had strange common sense to begin with.

First, I needed to explain to Cha Yuri what a date actually was.

“At least, the dates I think of aren’t like that.”

“…W-Well, how great are the dates you think of?”

“There’s nothing particularly grand about it. Just wandering around together wherever your heart desires and having fun – that’s a date. Like finding a hidden gem restaurant down a back alley for a meal, or sharing the same drink and dessert at a cafe, or walking hand-in-hand down a quiet path, you know?”

“I thought things like that were just creations from manga or TV shows… There’s no way something so cheesy and fluttery could exist…”

“Please live in reality, Cha Yuri-ssi.”

Even if dorkiness is cute, denying reality is too much.

“Anyway, let’s go on a date this afternoon. If work runs late, tonight is fine too. You have time, right?”

“Ah, I think I probably can…”

“Didn’t the guild tell you what time you’d finish?”

“Th-They said it was a secret until the day of…”

“What kind of job is it that it’s kept secret until the day of…”

“Ah, it seems both of you are here!”

As I felt something strange about her oddly suspicious answer and was about to ask for details, a familiar voice from the guild reception area called out from behind us.

I turned my head and looked back to see the clerk who usually handled requests standing before Cha Yuri.

“Huh? Aren’t you usually working at the counter today?”

“Since it’s Kim Sungchul-ssi’s hunter promotion test, I thought it would be best if I handled the final assessment.”

“Huh?”

“By the way, I didn’t realize you two were already talking.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, so you weren’t already aware and discussing it?”

Both Cha Yuri and I tilted our heads in unison, unsure of what the guild employee was talking about, but the employee started speaking as if it were obvious, gathering us together.

“Kim Sungchul-ssi, this person here is the Hunter who will be supervising your test today. Her name is Cha Yuri-ssi, and she’s an A-class Hunter active across the Hunters’ Autonomous Union and Eun & Ok Co., Ltd.”

“Ah, yes…”

“Cha Yuri-ssi, this person here is the Hunter scheduled for promotion to B-class today. His name is Kim Sungchul, a rookie Hunter whom the guild has been keeping an eye on due to his recent completion of numerous B-class requests.”

“Yeah… I know him…”

“Wow, really? As expected, since you’ve been so active lately, even an A-class Hunter like Cha Yuri-ssi knows Kim Sungchul-ssi!”

“…”

Both Cha Yuri and I knew that wasn’t the reason we knew each other.

Furthermore, we actually knew much more about each other than what the guide employee had just mentioned.

Things like his penis size, the feel of her breasts, where exactly moles were located on whose body, and how good our compatibility was in bed.

It was information that wouldn’t evoke much reaction now, so our responses were understandably subdued.

…No, more importantly, that wasn’t the point at all.

“We already knew each other.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve known Cha Yuri-ssi since I was a trainee Hunter. That’s why Cha Yuri-ssi knows me.”

“Ah, I see.”

The guild employee nodded in response and then began explaining the test regulations as if it were no big deal.

“The B-class promotion test will consist of hunting designated monsters. We will measure the time it takes to defeat a specific number of three randomly chosen B-class monster types…”

“…Is that okay?”

“Huh?”

“It’s a promotion test, but is it okay for an acquaintance of mine to be the supervisor?”

“Ah, that’s what you meant.”

The employee, seeming to finally understand why I was questioning things, calmly continued the explanation.

“Well, according to the regulations, there’s nothing particularly problematic.”

“What?”

“The regulations for a C-class Hunter’s B-class promotion test state, ‘The candidate must pass the test content designated by the guild while supervised by a Hunter of A-class or higher.’ The relationship between the supervisor and the candidate isn’t specifically against the test regulations.”

“…I see.”

“Besides, this industry is quite small. Once you reach A-class, everyone basically knows each other, so it’s practically impossible to scrutinize every single relationship.”

“That’s true.”

“Ultimately, it’s up to the guild-appointed staff to determine if there’s any cheating. That’s why I’m here.”

Hearing that, I felt somewhat persuaded.

Anyway, listening to the guild employee, it seemed there were no issues.

“Ah, perhaps you’re uncomfortable with the supervisor being an acquaintance? If so, we can reschedule the promotion test for another day.”

“No, I don’t particularly want my promotion to be delayed any further.”

I couldn’t let this chance for promotion slip away just because the supervisor was Cha Yuri.

“In that case, shall we proceed with the promotion test…”

“However, I don’t mind if Yuri-ssi is the supervisor, but are you okay with it, Yuri-ssi?”

“…Huh? Is there any particular reason why not?”

“You never know. What if, during this promotion test, Cha Yuri-ssi loses to me, and then you refuse to accept the results and hold a grudge?”

“…Are you serious?”

Cha Yuri’s eyes narrowed, glaring at me.

“What you just said sounds like you’re saying Sungchul, that you can beat me right now?”

“That’s exactly what I meant.”

“…Are you out of your mind?”

Her gaze, which had been looking up at me, grew even sharper.

“You must have been training hard lately? To be able to spout such insolent words.”

“To be honest, from our very first meeting, you were saved by me, weren’t you? I rescued you from the Woodrello with a ‘prince-style’ carry…”

“Don’t talk nonsense. That was when my awakened abilities were temporarily weakened. Do you really think you can beat me now, no matter how strong you’ve gotten?”

“That’s hard to say. At least, I’ve never seen a monster you hunted that was stronger than the Woodrello.”

“Oh, ohhhh…”

Cha Yuri was now visibly trembling, looking at me as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Seeing how little you know your place, I suppose I need to teach you a lesson this time.”

“Do you think you can?”

“Didn’t you just say something strange earlier about having little strength but a big ego? I’ll say the same thing back to you, so just wait.”

“You better not play dumb later if you lose to me, Cha Yuri-ssi. Come to think of it, didn’t we agree that if I became stronger than you, back then…”

What calmed the somewhat heated atmosphere between me and Cha Yuri was the guild employee, who had been waiting for a chance to interject between us.

“Um, excuse me, you two? I apologize, but I think there might be a misunderstanding, so I wanted to clarify…”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

“A Hunter promotion test signifies the process of the candidate hunting monsters, not a hunting duel between the supervisor and the candidate…”

…Ah.

“The supervisor’s role is simply to ensure the candidate doesn’t face dangerous situations during the test. It seems both of you misunderstood…”

“…”

“…”

“There’s no way a B-class promotion test would be conducted as a match against an A-class Hunter. If that were the case, how could anyone possibly get promoted to B-class?”

…Right, that makes sense.