episode_0010

Receiving the model citizen award was a pretty good opportunity.

Because it is a good opportunity to spread the name of Team Seoul City Hall.

Of course, it was clear that the current mayor was trying to put the spoon on Bang Han-na and me… .

‘Rather good.’

I found the mayor’s obvious intentions reassuring.

This is a team that I have been put in charge of to prepare for the invasion of another world, but now that I am in the position of producer, I plan to use my skills to run the team properly.

If the market wants to use us, we can use the market too.

‘It’s a good opportunity.’

So, I was looking forward to the recognition ceremony with joy… .

In fact, Bang Han-na, who would be receiving the award together, did not seem to be like that.

“Hannah… . Is it okay?”

In response to Han Gyu-ri’s worried question, I slowly turned my head and looked at Bang Han-na.

She was squatting in the corner of the gym, resting alone, and looking sluggish than usual, it seemed to anyone that she was in bad shape.

“Wouldn’t it be better to send it back now? ? Or lower the level of training… .”

Han Gyu-ri seemed worried about Bang Han-na and suggested that she get some proper rest.

“Well… .”

This morning, after learning that Hannah Bang had been selected as a recipient of the award, her condition began to rapidly decline.

He seemed very nervous about the fact that he was receiving a commendation.

I fully understood her feelings and suggested lowering the intensity of her training or taking a break altogether.

but.

“It’s okay! I can do it… ! Please let me do it!”

She requested training strongly, as if it were an obsession, and I proceeded with the training according to her wishes.

Since it was nothing more than an act of vainglory, it didn’t mean much to the training, but I, who appreciated the venom she held, didn’t necessarily want to make the training stop.

“Producer… !”

At Gyu-ri Han’s call, which seemed to ask me to do anything, I turned my head slightly and made eye contact with her.

Her sincerity came out in her worried, distorted eyes.

‘Unexpected.’

Unable to resist Han Gyu-ri’s request, I slowly looked away and quietly took out my cell phone.

Then, I displayed the weather forecast I had checked in the morning on the screen and showed it to Gyu-ri Han.

“It turns out that it’s going to rain tomorrow.”

“… Yes?”

“Let’s take a day off, right?”

*

Today’s training lasted a little longer than usual.

A break was scheduled the next day due to rain.

Normally, there would have been no need to take a break already, but Do Ji-hyuk decided to give Bang Han-na’s condition a good one and give the two, who were still struggling with their carriers, some time.

“““Thank you for your hard work!”””

After finishing training and cleaning up the gym.

Do Ji-hyuk caught Bang Han-na leaving the gym with a limp pace.

“Hannah.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“… ?”

Everyone is gone and the gym is empty.

Bang Han-na, who was sitting alone at the end of the podium, was suffering from a deep sense of self-destruction.

Not only was I unable to properly train all day, I was even called in for a personal interview.

For Bang Han-na, who was secretly under pressure, it was like adding insult to injury.

“… ha… .”

Hannah Bang felt great pressure from the fact that she was receiving recognition.

Of course, it was an award I received because I was good at it, and I actually did something worthy, but it felt like a burden to receive the award while praising my own insignificant achievements.

‘I’m not the kind of person who does that…’ .’

Not long ago, after the gate incident that occurred at Central Square.

For the first time in her life, Hannah Bang began to feel a sense of entitlement.

The cause is none other than Seol Joo-hee.

Bang Han-na, who happened to receive help from Seol Joo-hee, was greatly shocked to see her immense power right before her eyes.

For the first time, I felt the wall.

At first, Hannah Bang tried to gather herself by thinking positive thoughts.

Seol Ju-hee is Seol Ju-hee, and she is herself.

Since their abilities are different in the first place, they should not be compared.

Since Seol Joo-hee started her career a few years earlier, it is natural that there would be a difference.

I’ve been trying so hard to suppress negative thoughts… .

After we started training with the team in earnest, another pressure came upon us.

Hannah Bang’s family runs a dojo.

His father was an A-rank hunter who was quite famous as a martial artist, and his mother was a B-rank hunter who used a sword.

Hanna Bang, who played in the dojang from an early age, naturally set her sights on becoming a hunter like her parents.

Thanks to his talented parents, he was able to enter the academy, but it was only at the relatively late age of 19 that he was able to awaken his abilities.

but… .

The only ability she gained upon awakening was shielding.

It was a completely different ability from his father’s karate and his mother’s one-handed swordsmanship.

Since then, Hanna Bang had been feeling a sense of shame at the fact that she was a half-decent hunter, so she was even more delighted to have been selected for Team Seoul City Hall.

Being selected for the team was proof that I was recognized as a worthy hunter.

But unfortunately, the joy did not last long.

“You will be undergoing individual training for the time being.”

Hannah Bang was quite shocked to learn that she was the only one receiving training.

Fortunately, I was able to suppress it thanks to Do Ji-hyuk’s good care and attention.

The fact that I was being called a model citizen and receiving an award even though I had done nothing made me burst out with all the feelings of shame and burden that I had been suppressing.

In that situation, I couldn’t train properly, and I ended up being called in for an interview… .

It was no wonder that the mentality I had forcibly held on to was shaking.

“… ha… .”

By the time Bang Hanna was deep in worry, she could only sigh heavily.

“I bought anything, is it okay?”

Do Ji-hyuk returned with a drink and handed it to Bang Han-na.

“Ah, yes! thank you… .”

Hannah Bang took the drink with a polite gesture that seemed to have become familiar to her, and Do Ji-hyuk quietly took a seat next to her and opened the lid of the can.

Chiik-!

A refreshing noise echoing through the quiet gym.

Do Ji-hyuk lightly cleared his throat and slowly turned his head to look at Bang Han-na.

She was lowering her head as if she had committed a sin… .

Do Ji-hyuk, who had been staring at her blankly, withdrew his gaze, looked at the empty gymnasium, and spoke softly.

“What are you worried about?”

“… !”

Then Bang Han-na flinched and tried to deny it by spreading out her chest.

“Oh, no! No problem!”

Anyone could see that he seemed like a person with a problem.

“Really?”

Do Ji-hyuk wet his mouth with the drink once again, then gently set the can down next to him and started talking about something out of the blue.

“Then, would you like to hear a story from someone I know?”

“… Yes?”

Bang Han-na was a little embarrassed by the sudden story, but

“In the past, there was someone who was preparing to debut as a hunter. He was a person who had high expectations from the Academy and received many offers from large guilds.”

Do Ji-hyuk continued his story recklessly.

“But that person felt very burdened by the attention he received. There was someone right next to me who was much better than me. Do you know Seol Joo-hee?”

“… ?”

Bang Hanna, who was listening to the story in silence, looked at Do Ji-hyuk blankly, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.

“At that time, Seol Joo-hee was amazing. I’ve never seen someone so talented and strong. I feel jealous and envious… . On the other hand, I was also scared. What use is effort when there is such a monster?”

Hanna Bang was able to notice.

That he was telling his own story.

“But suddenly a thought occurred to me.”

Do Ji-hyuk slowly turned his head and made eye contact with Bang Han-na.

“I… . Is this right?”

“!”

“Sol Joo-hee was standing in the lane opposite me. The direction itself was completely different. Our destinations are different, but I wondered if there was any need to compare and suffer.”

“Ah… .”

Bang Han-na was able to immediately understand what Do Ji-hyuk was trying to say… .

It didn’t help much.

She had long since realized on her own that there was no meaning in comparing herself to someone who was not the subject of comparison.

but… .

That wasn’t really what Do Ji-hyuk wanted to say.

“But after that… , another thought occurred to me. ‘Anyway, it’s true that your skills are lacking, right?’ And that’s it.”

“… !”

Do Ji-hyuk gently made eye contact with Bang Han-na with a very stern look in his eyes.

He then said that he hoped she wouldn’t waste her time as foolishly as he did.

“Comforting by saying that it is not a subject of comparison is not very meaningful. Because that’s just an excuse. If you settle there, it will just end there. I erased the starting line with my own feet.”

“… Starting line… .”

Bang Han-na was finally able to understand what Do Ji-hyuk was truly trying to say.

and.

I could feel that he was the same kind of person as me.

“Bang Han-na. Do you know why I chose you, a half-talented hunter who can only use a shield, for this team?”

“… … .”

“Because you have talent. When I say talent, I am not just talking about the potential of ability, but also everything including personality, inclination, and even ingrained habits.”

“… Well, talent… ?”

Bang Han-na, who was praised for her talent for the first time in her life, blushed furiously and was embarrassed.

Because I never once thought of myself as talented.

However, Do Ji-hyuk spoke casually, as if he was stating an obvious fact.

“I can assure you that I created Queens. Bang Hanna. you are talented Of course, it takes a lot of effort, but… , you will definitely make a name for yourself as a hunter with unrivaled style.”

Bang Han-na, who felt Do Ji-hyuk’s story like a sweet whisper to a lover, let out a quiet sigh without realizing it and imagined herself as a famous hunter.

It was just a brief imagination, but it was so sweet that it made me dizzy.

at that time.

Do Ji-hyuk slowly widened the distance, and suddenly started harassing Bang Han-na with a disapproving look on his face.

“Hannah. I thought that would be the case, so I planned your curriculum as well. however… , It’s already troublesome if it’s like this.”

“Ugh… .”

“Will it still be like this later? Are you not able to train properly, are depressed due to useless worries, and want to rot away your golden talent?”

“Well, that’s… .”

Bang Hanna couldn’t come to her senses at all as Do Ji-hyuk’s words went back and forth between carrots and sticks.

“Hannah.”

“Yes, yes… !”

“This award is purely for your good work. It has no other meaning. This is a reward you receive because you saved the child and brought him to his mother.”

“… Well, but… .”

Hannah Bang tried to say that she thought it was too exaggerated compared to what she did, but… .

Do Ji-hyuk hit the player first.

“If you hadn’t saved that child from the beginning, he would have been buried by a group of goblins and frozen together by now.”

“Ugh… . that… .”

“You did your job, and you get paid for it. It’s natural to get paid for doing good or bad things. Right?”

Bang Hanna had nothing to say.

Because what Do Ji-hyuk said was true.

But after acknowledging his words, I felt like something that had been stuck in my heart was melting away.

“… Yes… .”

Do Ji-hyuk, who was confident that he had succeeded in changing Bang Han-na’s thoughts, said with a slight smile.

“There are still many difficult things to do in the future. Of course, I will be by your side then too… . I hope you don’t have a hard time.”

Bang Hanna carefully shifted her gaze and looked at Do Ji-hyuk.

Then, looking at his kind eyes, I swallowed my saliva and nodded.

*

After a short rest of the day.

The day of Bang Han-na and Do Ji-hyuk’s recognition ceremony has finally arrived.

Queens set out to conquer the S-rank gate to protect the top spot in the hunter rankings.

“Headquarters, is everything okay?”

[Yes, I can hear you well. The camera is connected… ]

While Im A-rin was checking the connection to the headquarters located at the gate entrance, Hong Yu-ra adjusted her clothes and frowned slightly as if she was uncomfortable.

“My chest feels so uncomfortable… .”

She was wearing equipment from an equipment company that was newly sponsored after Do Ji-hyuk left… .

Unlike existing companies, they were experiencing subtle inconveniences due to a design that emphasized appearance rather than convenience.

“Joohee. Are you okay?”

Seol Joo-hee did not answer Hong Yu-ra’s question, but only nodded slightly.

She was also experiencing a bit of discomfort, but she did not want to admit that the company she personally selected to erase Do Ji-hyuk’s legacy was not very good.

“Ready!”

At that time, Lim A-rin brought up the story that she had finished preparing.

Hong Yu-ra sighed briefly as if the discomfort hadn’t gone away and pulled out the sword she had left on the floor.

Seol Joo-hee said, clenching her fists.

“Let’s go.”

After Do Ji-hyuk left, Queens’ first subjugation began.