Chapter 24

< My People (4) >

When Park Yerim confidently walked in, I was about to nag at her for not knocking before entering someone’s house.

‘Scam!’

Seeing Yerim’s appearance, I was left speechless.

Honestly, the somewhat shabby middle school girl in sweatpants had transformed into a teenage model who could appear in a sports drink commercial. It was as if she had undergone a complete transformation, not just a change in coordination.

Her face, naturally made up yet exuding maximum charm, was paired with active short shorts and a T-shirt that revealed her arms. Her curly short hair added a neutral touch, reminiscent of a cheerful young god from Greek mythology.

It seemed she had emphasized the shoe skills of Hermes. She definitely looked like a beautiful young man who could take off at any moment. She looked good and was really pretty.

‘...The ice witch has completely disappeared.’

The cold and haughty beauty was nowhere to be seen. She’s still young... she might change as she grows up. But honestly, no matter how she changes, it’s none of my business. Still, seeing the future I knew change so drastically made me feel a bit strange.

“Who...”

Yu Myungwoo asked, seeing Yerim suddenly appear. Yerim’s smiling face instantly turned serious.

The girl strode forward, lightly leaped over the table, and grabbed the back of Yu Myungwoo’s neck. Then, she pushed him into the corner of the sofa and sat next to me.

“What are you doing, clinging to my uncle so disgustingly.”

Park Yerim raised her eyes and glared at Yu Myungwoo.

You’re clinging to me right now too. Of course, a grown man and a pretty middle school girl can’t be compared.

“A, ah, I...”

Pierced by her fierce gaze, Yu Myungwoo stumbled and crumpled. He looked pitiful, but I didn’t feel any sympathy. This is a good chance to break your habit of clinging.

“You should sit away from him. And knock before entering someone’s house.”

“I forgot because I was so excited to show you my new clothes.”

With that, she stood up and spread her arms.

“What do you think?”

“You’re pretty.”

“Aren’t you a bit boyish?”

“You’re cute.”

“Isn’t that a bit perfunctory?”

What else should I say? I don’t know what to say. Maybe in five years, but now, no matter how pretty she is, she’s still a kid.

“You’re really pretty and cute. I was so surprised by your transformation.”

Only then did she smile in satisfaction. Oh, I’m your guardian, not your dad. But I can’t say anything to a kid without a dad, so I have to endure.

“Who is that uncle?”

Yerim turned to look at Yu Myungwoo, who was watching her warily.

“A friend.”

“Oh, really? Hello.”

Surprisingly, Yerim greeted him politely, and Yu Myungwoo was relieved. Given that everyone here except me is A-rank, he must have been scared by the sudden appearance and glare of the girl.

Still, he’s too weak.

“Eh, h-hello? I’m Yu Myungwoo.”

“I’m Park Yerim. Uncle Han Yujin is my guardian. Are you here to visit?”

Yu Myungwoo’s tense body relaxed completely at her polite voice. He smiled and replied.

“No. Due to some circumstances, I’ll be staying here for a few days.”

“Staying? Don’t you have a house?”

“What? No, I do have one.”

“Then why?”

As Yerim’s tone rose, a red light went off in my head. If I leave it like this, that little tongue will mercilessly tear into Yu Myungwoo. Look, her eyes are fierce again.

“Yerim, no.”

“But! I live separately too!”

“Stop and sit down.”

“...Yes.”

At least she listens to me, which is fortunate. It’s a bit strange how obedient she is. If I were a dozen years older, she might not see me as a dad.

...She doesn’t really think of me as a dad, does she?

“Both of you get along. You’ll be taking the new hunter training together.”

“Just the two of us?”

“With this girl?”

The two of them shouted at the same time. Then, they looked at each other, and Yu Myungwoo was the first to look away.

“Yerim, I said no.”

You might regret it later. How important is high-grade equipment to a hunter? Why are you glaring at the future crafter?

“Let me say this again, get along. Both of you are important to me, as my friends and wards.”

I wish you two would get along and play well without me. But looking at you, it seems impossible.

“Who is more important, Uncle?”

“They’re equally important.”

Yerim’s brow furrowed at my vague answer.

“But there must be a slight difference, right? Even a tiny bit.”

“That’s...”

Even if Yerim is fine, why are you looking so hopeful, Myungwoo?

“I like diligent people who work hard.”

So, work hard while I’m playing. Then, you might become twice as good as you are now.

“I’m going to the training room to stretch!”

Yerim stood up and said. Yu Myungwoo also got up.

“Then, I’ll... prepare dinner!”

Seeing them both leave in a hurry, I felt relieved. I should have done this earlier.

‘Well... this won’t last long, though.’

She’s sticking to me now, but how long will it last?

Yerim is an S-rank combat hunter. She’ll soon become famous, make a lot of money, and live a glamorous life.

Yu Myungwoo is the same. Once he gets the SS-rank crafting skill, people from all over the world will ask him to make equipment. Even S-ranks will bow and beg him.

Receiving praise and love from many people, will they even notice me then?

Even though I complain, the confirmed future feels a bit lonely.

‘But it’s best if they do well on their own.’

If they stick to me even after becoming famous, I’ll be the one who suffers the most. With Yuhwan, I had all kinds of trouble, and now there are three of them. Phew.

I was thinking of going to Peace, but my phone rang. It was Seok Shimyeong.

‘Why is this uncle calling again?’

Why is he calling again after seeing me this morning? It’s Sunday, so he should have gone home early and rested. I’m against working on weekends.

[Mr. Kim Seonghan told me about the story.]

A gentle voice said. He’s quick. From his tone, it doesn’t seem like he’s calling to blame me for the problem with the contract.

[Using the hunter contract like that. You always surprise me.]

“...What?”

Ah... Is it not commonly used yet?

[It’s a method that can be easily thought of with a little change in perspective, but I’m embarrassed that I didn’t think of it. This is what they call Columbus’s egg.]

“No, it’s nothing special.”

I didn’t come up with it; it’s a common method. I don’t know how to explain it.

“Anyway, the subjects who can use it are limited. They have to sign the contract and agree to it.”

If the other party refuses, it can’t be used. They also need to understand the content of the contract, so it’s impossible to trick them into signing.

“Moreover, if they truly believe they’re not lying, it won’t work. In fact, it can be used against you.”

It happened overseas. A large guild was completely ruined.

[Indeed. That could happen.]

“No matter how effective it is, you shouldn’t put your faith in just a piece of parchment. As long as skills exist, there will always be loopholes.”

Skills come in various types and have a wide range of applications. They break down the rules that have been upheld so far, so you can’t respond with common sense.

It’s only been three years since the dungeons and Awakeners appeared. As the chaos subsides and adaptation begins, changes will accelerate.

[Thank you for your words. I really want to have a longer conversation with you.]

“There’s not much I can say that would be helpful...”

Actually, I can say a lot. If I use the information I remember for myself, I might just buy some stocks. But if the Hyun guild gets it, many things can change.

‘...I promised not to boast.’

Is it okay to reveal these things? Honestly, I’m worried. Especially if the future I know changes, and what I know is no longer true.

No matter how much I pretend to know, people’s expectations of me will naturally rise. But if many things in the future change because of my words, I’ll go from a wise man who can predict the future to a liar.

So, it’s best to know my place. I don’t want to end up being rejected by everyone for acting recklessly like before.

...But maybe one or two things would be okay.

I have something in mind.

“If you’re really willing to listen to me, can I tell you one thing?”

[Please speak.]

I confirmed that Yu Myungwoo was in the kitchen and moved to the window before speaking. At this distance, a stat F can’t hear. It’s nice to have a big house.

“I know that a new A-rank dungeon auction is planned soon.”

When a new dungeon is discovered and needs to be cleared urgently, the Hunter Association mainly gathers support. But if there’s enough time before the dungeon shock, they hold an auction.

The rewards for the first clearance are the best, and the guild that clears it first gets the priority management rights, so the higher the dungeon, the higher the auction price and competition.

[The dungeon in Icheon, right?]

“Yes. That dungeon is... probably a slime or coastal environment.”

It’s a slime dungeon. Slimes are valuable monsters whose entire bodies are used as materials for various products, including mana stones. It’s said that one A-rank slime dungeon can solve a guild’s financial worries.

In my memory, the A-rank slime dungeon in Icheon was taken by the MKC guild, one of the top three guilds. They wielded power with the production materials they controlled.

A coastal environment, similar to the slime dungeon, is a bit lower in rank but is a dungeon with many valuable resources.

[...How can you know that in advance?]

After a short silence, Seok Shimyeong asked in a lower voice. It’s hard to believe, I know.

“It’s not certain yet, but there’s a kind of rule in dungeon creation.”

It’s not an excuse but a fact. With the current lack of data, it’s difficult, but around three years from now, it will be possible to predict the environment and monsters of new dungeons to some extent.

[Rule?]

“Yes. It varies depending on the order, location, and surrounding environment. Of course, it’s not accurate, so just take it as a reference. With the current capabilities of the Hyun guild, participating in the A-rank dungeon auction shouldn’t be too difficult. Even if you don’t believe me, there’s no harm in bidding.”

The phone went quiet again. This time, the silence was longer.

He must be thinking a lot. If you can really determine the state of the dungeon before the clearance, it would give you a huge advantage over other guilds.

[...The dungeon auction is not my responsibility, but I’ll strongly recommend it.]

After a long pause, Seok Shimyeong answered. Even if it’s not his responsibility, his position should make it easy to pass.

[After the new A-rank dungeon is cleared, can I hear your insights on other dungeons?]

“Possibly. It’s still difficult to calculate.”

The calculation method is quite complex, and I don’t know how to do it. I’m just relying on my memory.

“Please keep it a secret.”

I trust Seok Shimyeong. He was still a solid pillar of the Hyun guild even five years later. Yuhwan had a lot of good people. Except for me.

[Don’t worry. I’ll keep it more securely than the guild leader’s personal information. I’ll contact you again soon.]

Seok Shimyeong ended the call with a much more cautious attitude than when he first called. It felt like he was treating me as an equal, not a promising subordinate.

‘It’s okay to tell him this much.’

The pressure from the top three guilds is about to intensify. Yuhwan, Yerim, and Myungwoo. As the guild leader and future pillars of the guild, they can’t avoid getting involved.

I may grumble about them doing well on their own, but they are people I raised and brought in.

‘Don’t touch the share of the small and medium guilds, just take what belongs to the top three guilds.’

It’s better for the country if the Hyun guild takes the lead. Of course, I don’t know the ins and outs of the Hyun guild, but the guild leader is willing to risk his life to save his useless brother. He’s better than the giant guilds that collude with large corporations.

So, I’ll help a little.

< My People (4) > End

ⓒ Geunseo

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