Chapter 88: Retired S-Rank Hunter (2)

As soon as I confirmed the mask had disappeared from my face, a flustered feeling immediately flashed through my mind.

How on earth should I escape this situation?

Originally, I had intended to give her the first impression of being just one capable Hunter among many.

After all, male Hunters still tended to carry prejudice among ordinary people.

At this rate, there was a significant possibility the conversation itself would fall apart before I could even bring up special requests or other topics.

“…….”

First, while maintaining eye contact with her, I fumbled around on the floor, put the unidentified mask I’d dropped into my spatial pocket, and retrieved it.

I quietly waited for the next words to come from her mouth.

“Um, excuse me…?”

“Yes.”

“Your gaze is a bit burdensome, could you perhaps move to the other side and sit down…?”

“……Okay.”

Following her unclear words, I moved my body for now to the opposite sofa across the table.

Choi Hwayoung, slowly rising from the sofa, leaned towards the table and opened her mouth to me.

“Um, Kim Sungchul-ssi, you said you were a C-Class Hunter, right?”

“That is correct.”

“I’m Choi Hwayoung, an S-Class Hunter. Although I am retired now.”

“I see.”

“Um, this might sound a little strange, but….”

As expected, was completing a high-difficulty B-Class request insufficient to shake off the prejudice against male Hunters?

While thinking such thoughts, when I was pondering how I should prove my skills to Choi Hwayoung.

She met my eyes and continued with completely unexpected words.

“First off, since I’m the senior, I’ll speak a bit casually…?”

“Huh?”

“Um, to someone so young and inexperienced… Ah, no, I’m not really used to using polite speech with juniors… Is, is that okay…?”

I had expected a question doubting my qualifications as a male Hunter to pop out, but.

Although I was slightly taken aback by Choi Hwayoung simply asking permission to speak casually.

“Yes, please speak however you are comfortable.”

In any case, a senior in the industry speaking casually to me could be seen as a sign of closeness, so I readily accepted her offer without hesitation.

“Okay, thanks.”

Saying so, Choi Hwayoung, dressed in a loose-fitting white gown, sat comfortably on the sofa with her legs crossed and began to talk.

To jump right into work-related talk so casually, even towards a male Hunter.

Can something like that be considered flexible thinking…?

“Um, this might sound strange, but…”

“Huh?”

“Are you okay with me being a male Hunter? Are you uneasy about entrusting the job to me, or….”

“Well. For now, our race… Ah, no, I’m not the type of person who particularly thinks about abilities based on gender.

You know, aren’t there strong Hunters even among men? Right?”

“No, you’ve seen correctly.”

“And anyway, the payment is supposed to be handed over after I receive the materials, right?

Even if you aren’t the one personally bringing the materials, as long as the Black Slime fluid comes to me, I think it doesn’t matter much.”

“Ah.”

So, whether I’m an Awakened Hunter or not isn’t her focus right now.

You’re going to judge solely based on whether or not I can obtain the materials?

It wasn’t that she completely trusted my abilities, so I almost felt a little disappointed, but.

In any case, the fact that you’ll continue the transaction even knowing I’m a man is fortunate news for me too.

As the saying goes, ‘starting is half the battle’; if only I can establish the connection somehow, trust would naturally follow.

“First off, since I asked to meet regarding the Black Slime materials, I’ll tell you the conditions I’ve come up with.”

“Okay.”

“The purchase quantity will be the same as the request you received last time. However, the purchase price will be double. And regular deliveries, at least once a month.

It won’t be a bad offer for you either. With this, you won’t feel like it’s an absolute loss compared to the effort of obtaining the materials.”

“…That’s true.”

Even when it was a low-priority request, the purchase conditions themselves weren’t that bad.

However, the point was that the quantity purchased at once was too small.

The point that one had to enter the dungeon with the intention of completing only this single request because there were no other Black Slime-related requests.

And it was just low-priority because at least two B-Class or higher Hunters were needed to complete it.

Of course, Black Slime fluid spoils quickly if stored improperly, so it couldn’t be helped that purchasing large quantities at once was difficult.

Anyway, the changed conditions she mentioned were truly attractive.

Especially if one were to accept them simply for the money, you see.

“…….”

However, the fact that my reason for meeting her today wasn’t about money made me hesitate a little.

My goal was to somehow create opportunities to meet this person using the request as an excuse, becoming close enough to gain Awakening Points.

If I accepted her current proposal as is, we would inevitably become the very cynical client and Hunter.

For me, who hoped for a slightly deeper relationship than that kind of business one, it was a somewhat ambiguous condition to simply accept.

“…You don’t like the conditions?”

“No, well… the conditions are quite good, but…”

…How should I explain this.

“I don’t care about the purchase price, so please go on a date with me next time.”

“By any chance, aren’t you interested in other fluids besides Black Slime fluid?”

“Instead of becoming a regular supplier, please let me grope your breasts.”

No matter how much I thought about it, only vulgar words like these came to mind, and I couldn’t come up with any ideas that could lead to a deeper relationship with Choi Hwayoung.

“Warning. These expressions are highly likely to provoke wariness from S-Class Hunter Choi Hwayoung.”

‘I know, Esila.’

But what can I do if a suitable alternative offer doesn’t come to mind?

Bringing up a topic about something else, not related to business, to a complete stranger was this difficult!

Truly, I was really lucky until now.

Even setting aside Hye-eun and Han Min-ah, whom I already knew.

My past actions, where meeting Cha Yuri or Do Sihee for the first time led naturally to sex within hours, could only be described as extremely lucky.

It’s a bit disappointing, but I guess I’ll have to accept this offer as is today.

If we happen to share continuous interaction through material deliveries etc., another method might arise then.

If that happens, an opportunity to meet again might arise somehow.

I guess there’s no choice but to start from even the slightest point of contact like this.

“Then I…”

The moment I, thinking that, was about to reluctantly express my intention to agree after deep thought.

“Hey, wait a moment…!!!”

“…….”

“If, if you’re not very interested in money…!! There’s a way to receive payment with o-other things, with other things too…!!!”

Perhaps judging that the reason I was hesitating for so long was to refuse, she hurriedly interjected, cutting me off before my words finished.

Intrigued by the new offer Choi Hwayoung mentioned, I asked again about what she brought up.

“Other things… you say?”

The words ‘can it be with my body?’ rose up to my throat at the mention of payment with other things, but naturally, such vulgar expressions did not burst out of my mouth.

For now, I carefully listened to the rest of what she was saying.

“Um, I don’t know if you know, but! I, you see, am an alchemist! I have alchemy talent too!”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re purchasing materials.”

“I’m also running a potion shop called Lakeside Pharmacy…!! And I’m regularly supplying companies and the union…!!!”

“Ohh…”

So that’s why you were purchasing materials.

I thought perhaps you were trying to smoke cigarettes with the Black Slime fluid.

There was a strange acrid smell when I approached earlier, so I wondered, but now that I think about it, someone as delicate as this wouldn’t possibly smoke that kind of maniacal and strong cigarette.

“So, about that, if it’s okay, how about receiving potions or other medicines instead? Huh?!

Or if you need them, I’ll accept custom requests too! Um, you m-might have to get the materials yourself, although… Anyway, Huh?!”

Seeing her so desperate, the Black Slime materials must surely be quite important to her.

As soon as I saw this reaction from Choi Hwayoung, two emotions naturally crossed my mind.

One was the confidence that since I was entirely in the superior position in this transaction, not her, she would grant whatever I wanted for the most part.

Another was the anticipation that if things went well, I could spend personal time with her, enough to quickly narrow the distance, rather than stopping at a mere transaction of materials and payment.

The moment those two emotions crossed my mind, a good idea popped into my head.

Before uttering the proposal I would offer her, I lastly sought verification from Esila.

“The possibility of S-Class Hunter Choi Hwayoung accepting Master’s proposal is estimated at about 90%.”

If so, the story that needs to be told is practically decided.

Sitting at the table opposite, I made eye contact with Choi Hwayoung and asked again what she said, with an interested expression.

“Lakeside Pharmacy? And you can make potions too?”

“Ah, uh-huh! Are you interested, by any chance?”

“Of course, naturally I’m interested. Good potions aren’t easy to get, even with money, you know.”

It’s not that the production cost of the potions themselves is expensive, but rather that Hunters talented in alchemy are limited, so.

Even if receiving the same payment, if I could receive potions of the same face value instead of cash, their value would naturally be assessed higher.

That’s why I deliberately emphasized that part, expressing deep interest in Choi Hwayoung’s offer.

“Uh, what kind of potion should I make for you? Healing? Monster Repellent? Ah, or how about a Magic Amplifier?

Or um, other potions are fine too. I can make most common ones… If you help get the ingredients too, I’ll make whatever you want!”

The Healing Potions, the Magic Amplifiers, or even her offers to make them herself were all appealing, but.

As soon as I heard her offer, only one idea came to mind.

“Actually, I am interested in potions, but I can’t quite grasp it just hearing about it.”

“Uh, really? Then try telling me what you need. I’ll somehow get similar things for you, so…”

“Instead of that, wouldn’t it be possible for me to visit Choi Hwayoung Sunbaenim’s shop personally next time?”

“…My shop?”

“You never know. If I go and see it myself, there might be a potion I like.

If it’s a potion I like, let’s go with that, and if not, how about trading the Black Slime materials for what’s in Sunbaenim’s shop.”

“…….”

For now, if only I could visit Choi Hwayoung’s shop once, an excuse to meet her afterwards, pretending it’s by chance, would arise.

Even I thought it was a decent plan.

“Then… will you do that?”

For now, it seemed I had succeeded in getting the first button done somehow.