episode_0093

The association is noisier than usual.

Eunha suddenly thought this as she headed to the written exam center for the morning exam.

Grumbling…

I walked around the maze-like first floor of the association, pulling the black suitcase I always carried with me to the point where I felt like we were now one body.

The sounds of test proctors busily coming and going, association employees carrying materials needed for the practical exam with a straight face, and test takers muttering to themselves as if they were repeating worksheets they had memorized until last night scratch the eardrums.

Minor noises clump together like clay and create a noise that is difficult to explain.

“I really like you. The teacher told me to take my skills up or down because they said they weren’t helpful in battle, right? I’m so pissed.”

“What do I do if I have good skills? I don’t want to fight monsters… I joined the academy because they said I could get a job anywhere as long as I had a C-class hunter certificate…”

“Is this the testing site?”

“I told you to go left earlier, so I guess that’s right…? No, why is the building so complicated?!”

“If I hadn’t come early, I would have been in big trouble…”

However, even such noise becomes as quiet as a lie as the galaxy approaches.

Why? Eunha touched the handle of the suitcase in inexplicable wonder.

When I visited the Hunters Association for the first time in a month, I had a strong feeling that it was cramped.

This may be because Eunha’s pride in being promoted to an E-class hunter has grown.

The sight of new hunters wandering around the complex corridors of the association as if they were trying to find a maze was refreshing to watch, and outside the window, cars slowly moving through the crowded parking lot formed a crowded street.

Even with the heavy snow, there were significantly more test takers than in June.

Most of them are young people in their 20s, wearing stylish school uniforms… they are Hunter Academy students.

‘Is it already final season? Everyone is working hard. I need to cheer up too.’

Around this time, most hunter academies were nearing the end of their first semester, and it seems that academy students were submitting their Hunter Promotion Exam report cards to school as one of their final assignments.

Regardless of whether you pass or fail, you only need to submit your transcript.

Originally, there was no task like this, but after it was implemented at the best [Euncheon Academy] in the country, everyone started following it?

Other branches of the association will also be noisy.

‘… … are you okay. Never mind. ‘It’s good if you do it repeatedly.’

A person’s heart is like the corners of his mouth.

Eunha raised the corners of her mouth that had fallen down again and made her usual smiling face.

“I really hate it… I’m going to fail anyway, so why are you asking me to bring the promotion test score report?”

“It’s the same at our academy. Last year, at the end of the finals, all the kids in our class failed the C-level exam. It was easy up to D-level, but it was really tough.”

“[Euncheon Academy] says that if you don’t get a C grade by the third year, you have to repeat the grade? That’s really awesome…”

Drurrr.

I passed by academy students chatting.

At that moment, the students who were talking amongst themselves and criticizing their academy… stared at Eunha and closed their mouths.

Although she was concerned about the students who suddenly stopped chatting, Eunha did not stop walking toward the written exam site.

She, who had been an F-class hunter for many years, hated this time of year.

Because there are a lot of people. This is the day when academy students, who are young but talented, laugh at her for not being able to even do push-ups.

Eunha touched the E-class hunter ID card she had in her pocket like a talisman.

“Just for your information…”

“Hiyaang?!”

At that time, Ban Harin, who had parted ways at the entrance of the association, quietly came up behind Eunha’s back and grabbed her side.

Shocked, Eunha twisted her body as hard as she could. Because of this, I hit Ban Harin’s chin with my elbow, but she continued to explain without any change in her expression.

Is this woman a machine?

“…For your information, unlike the E- and D-level promotion exams that are held once a month, the C-level and higher promotion exams are held once a quarter.

Therefore, general hunters mainly flock in the spring and fall when the weather is calm, and academy students mainly flock in the end of the semester in July and January.”

“W-Mr. Vanharin? Why did you follow me?”

“Eunha has always focused only on the E-level exam, so I was worried that these questions might prevent her from concentrating on the exam, so I followed her despite my shame.”

Ban Harin, who was talking about unnecessary information, bows with an exaggerated gesture.

She looked as stylish as a prince at a ballroom… But Eunha, who was embarrassed by the gaze of those around her, forced Ban Harin to stand up.

Eunha burst out laughing as if she was dumbfounded by her sly attitude.

“Huh… thanks for explaining. So what’s the real reason?”

“Why was I the only one seeing Eunha off? Eunbangul, who was grumpy, gave me a low kick, so I ran away.”

“I can’t tell you how much it hurts when Bangul hits me…”

After roughly assessing the situation, Eunha turned Ban Harin’s body around and patted his back.

I understand, so it means stop.

“Thank you for coming by on purpose. I have to prepare for the exam now, so I’m going back. I’ll call you after it’s over.”

“Failure is the root of all ills. Pass the exam with confidence and come back.”

“OK.”

As if he had said everything he wanted to say, Ban Harin gave Eunha a hand kiss with an expressionless face and quietly left.

Eunha took a deep breath and touched the back of her neck, feeling as if a noisy storm had passed.

… … All the bad thoughts about the academy students had suddenly disappeared from her mind.

(This is a D-level exam that you take immediately after being promoted to E-level. If you fail the test, it’s my fault for not teaching you properly, so feel free to challenge yourself and come back.)

I thought positively.

Even though he couldn’t attend the academy, there are regular customers who are addicted to coffee and help him like it’s his own business.

There is a princess who plays around in the apartment hallway, and a grandfather who sits on a park bench and listens to her concerns.

Is that why?

At some point, I stopped feeling envious of the academy students.

Eunha, who strengthened her will, lengthened her stride and walked as if she were running.

“……Cheer up, Eunha.”

Ban Harin, who was watching her from behind from a corner, subtly raised the corner of his mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After that it was normal.

I entered the written exam room and laid down my luggage in the same seat I had been in for the past few years. The year before last, the test proctor asked me if I was bothered by changing seats every month, and I kept being assigned the same seat.

I wondered if this was okay, but thinking that a good thing is a good thing, I sat down and took out a water-based marker and checked to see if there was anything wrong.

‘The written content is similar to that of Level E, so I’ll be able to get through it with just one month of cramming… but the practical skills are the problem this time as well.’

For ‘Promotion Test Ji Bakryeong’, the written test is something that can be solved with one hand.

After looking around at the students wearing academy uniforms who were concentrating so hard that their eyes were bloodshot, Eunha carefully got up from her seat and walked out of the exam room.

There is no problem with the writing utensil, and the seat has been confirmed… Now it’s time to do what I always do.

I am going to act as a guide for mite hunters who are visiting the association for the first time and have lost their way in an association so complex that it makes you swear.

Other test takers are working too hard to just sit still in the exam room, so you get noticed and it’s rewarding to help others. The test proctor even invited me to a dinner party and bought me beef as a thank you.

Isn’t this a way to make connections?

‘… … ah. Come to think of it, we didn’t have a company dinner this time.’

With that in mind, I returned to the entrance of the Lululala Association. It was a strange feeling to be alone heading in the opposite direction while others were heading to the exam center.

I found the mite hunters wandering around the entrance and gave them directions.

Most of them were students wearing academy uniforms, but for some reason, even though they were chatting with their friends, they became completely quiet when Eunha spoke to them.

“Hello, are you here to take the promotion test?”

“Y-yes! That’s right!”

“If you don’t mind, would you like me to show you around?”

“Yes! Yes! Please take care of me!”

Roughly in this way, the students, who were clearly nervous, arrived at the test site with directions given by Eunha.

There are a lot of mites that are overly nervous today.

I don’t know why.

“You seem very nervous. I brought snacks with you. Do you want to eat them?”

“No! It’s okay! Jibakryeong!… Well, snacks are said to have originated in BC as a food made by mixing flour or buckwheat flour with honey and frying it! In Egypt or Greece! Haha…!”

“Huh? Yes… I see.”

When I handed the snacks I had put in the carrier to the very nervous mites, I learned about the origin of the snacks that I had never been curious about…

He wants to look at Eunha’s face, but when their eyes meet, he quickly turns his head away.

What is on my face?

“Eunha, do you know that? Even beautiful women have to be somewhat beautiful to attract people.”

“What? Go away.”

Ban Harin, whom I met at the entrance of the association, immediately said that.

Eunha punched Ban Harin’s side with her fist and returned to the exam room.

I took a deep breath and took my time… The exam time came, and the warm-faced proctor entered the exam room with a smile on his face.

“……It’s a galaxy, right?”

“I’m starting to get used to that question.”

“Didn’t you answer the phone during the last company dinner? What happened?”

“Huh? Did you call?”

Is it because my body and face are much more mature than during the E-class promotion exam?

The test invigilator, who found Eunha sitting in her seat and waving her hands lazily, made a truly funny expression.

Ding dong ding dong~♪

The exam bell rang before peace came to the astonished supervisor’s face.

Unlike the E-level writing, which I finished in less than 30 minutes, this time I put a lot of effort into writing the answer sheet for each question.

My first experience with Class D writing was quite sweet.

It goes by so easily that there is no need to mention it.

“Now, here.”

“…What on earth did you eat to have a body like this…?”

“I worked out hard.”

When there was an hour left until the end of the exam, I submitted the test paper and went out.

… … .

It turned out better than I expected.

Eunha walked down the association hallway with a smile on her face, dragging her suitcase.

Checking the time, it’s 11:30 am.

It will soon be lunch time, and the practical exam will begin at 1 PM.

“……It’s appropriate.”

She looked down at her phone and checked the time.

Immediately, I went up the stairs with light steps… and entered the deserted employee restroom in the corner of the second floor.

Eunha enters the innermost toilet stall, locks the door, and pats the suitcase.

Skip lunch.

Thanks to [self-recovery], not only will you not die if you starve for a few days, but you also know that eating is useless.

As she strokes her tingling abdomen, she lets out a dry laugh.

“Haha… I’m used to this as it’s my second time.”

Now that you’ve finished writing, it’s time to prepare for the practical test.

First practice. Wailing’s basic physical fitness test.

(Eunha can maintain ‘body enhancement’ for about 3 minutes.)

(Cup ramen doesn’t cook this fast either.)

Something I once heard from Ban Harin.

After learning ‘Body Strengthening’, I repeated the training for several days… but unfortunately, the amount of mana in the galaxy did not change.

Therefore, the time limit for ‘Body Strengthening’ remains at 3 minutes.

It is not enough time for her to prepare for the promotion exam.

(At a minimum, you must distribute mana appropriately.)

(Even if you have the [Self-Recovery] skill, it will be difficult to recover in a short period of time if your ‘surplus mana’ is depleted. You will be in trouble for at least a few hours, but you will not be able to pass the test in that state.)

Banharin’s plan is as follows.

There are two remaining exams. Physical strength test and [artificial monster] sparring.

The galaxy’s mana is worth 3 minutes.

Therefore, for those two tests, ‘Body Strengthening’ is used only when necessary to minimize mana consumption.

Distribution is 5 to 5,

It seems that each test can be passed with half of the mana… but honestly, I have no idea.

If it were possible to just draw mana when you need it, would you do it like this?

(I taught you. You can do it. I will make it possible for you to do it.)

(Never again like last time… Eunha? Are you listening?)

So what came out was Eunha’s Plan B.

How about passing the first test, the physical fitness test, with the help of ‘Fly’ stored in your stomach?

In this way, the head of the [artificial monster] is broken with all the mana.

Distribution is 0 to 10.

Wouldn’t this be the most likely to pass?

Use everything you can.

That’s Eunha’s attitude toward hunters.

“…Okay. I only trust you.”

Eunha, who felt a thrilling stomach ache, patted her stomach without losing her smile.

Sagagak – The eerie sound of insect footsteps coming from inside the body.

My fingers get cold when I think about what will happen from now on, but I have courage.

This is the stomachache I have been enduring for several days.

The pain didn’t go away, but I got used to it.

You can move without any problems.

‘Then what should I feed to ‘Fly’…’

Knock knock.

At that time, someone knocked on the toilet where Eunha was.

A somewhat familiar knocking sound with a certain rhythm.

I didn’t hear any footsteps. Is it Banharin?

Dalkak-.

Eunha opened the door without thinking.

『Knock knock~.』

I made eye contact with a woman covered in blood all over her body.

Dalkak-.

The galaxy was closed.

Has it finally reached the stage where you can see hallucinations?

I need to get mental counseling.

『Knock knock~』

“There’s someone inside.”

Why is it here?

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and opened the suitcase I had left next to me. Because I couldn’t understand why the [Red Woman] appeared in the association’s bathroom.

But… I searched the guide and couldn’t find any added or modified rules.

What is it really?

A different situation than usual.

[Red Woman] appeared regardless of the rules.

I don’t know. Why did it become like this?

‘Could it be that this is a bathroom?… It’s okay. Rather good. There’s salt in the carrier, and it’s already in the bathroom.’

But there is no problem.

Eunha took out salt in a small zipper bag from her carrier, put it in her mouth, and opened the partition with a pounding heart.

It may be useless, but I moved the mana in my body so that I could use ‘Body Strengthening’ at any time.

“…Why… did you come?”

“I want to see.”

[Red Woman] looks at the galaxy through a slightly open partition.

A woman dripping sticky blood from head to toe. The corners of the mouth that rise to the cheekbones make Eunha’s heart flutter.

Excited. Excited.

Eunha placed her hand on her heart and took a breath.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. The pain she has suffered so far is deeply embedded in her mind and will not go away, and facing the [Red Woman] with just a bathroom partition between her is nothing but extreme torture to her.

I straightened out my disordered breathing.

I gritted my teeth to silence the chattering teeth.

Okay. It’s safe as long as you don’t break the rules. Even if the [Red Woman] doesn’t care about the rules and harms her… all you have to do is file a claim against the [Black Person].

What are you going to do with a person who won’t die even if he gets sawed?

Eunha faced the [Red Woman] with unfounded confidence.

“Please touch me even just a little bit. Right at [the person in black]…”

『I heard. They said they were fighting.』

… however,

[Red Woman] is,

『Can I help you?』

To Eunha, who was sweating coldly due to the trauma, but clenched her fists and prepared to fight.

『Do you want to write this…?』

He handed me the rusty jigsaw he had.