Kim Se-hyun’s Man

Right, it was scorched.

— Dungeon cleared.

“…….”

Officer Han’s voice over the network communication line trailed off. Naturally, a certain name came to mind because of everything that had happened recently. As the Team Leader, who was filling in for the ill Deputy Team Leader, spoke up, I swallowed back a groan.

“…Again?”

Yes, it seemed it was happening again.

I was just as conflicted as the Team Leader, who couldn’t hide his troubled expression while massaging his temples. My eyes drifted to the mock-up documents regarding the calculation of cooperation fees sitting on the bookshelf. A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily.

— It seems he has nothing better to do lately.

Back when Kim Se-hyun’s appearance meant the clearing of a dungeon that brought peace, his presence was more than welcome. Now, however, it felt a bit—no, very—burdensome.

“Ha!”

The Team Leader also seemed speechless. Hearing his breath hitch with frustration, I let out another sigh.

“Did that jerk say the Association isn’t paying him lately?”

— He hasn’t said anything like that.

“Then how much of the budget is he planning to scrap by meddling like this whenever he feels like it!”

— …The atmosphere on-site is a bit unsettled as well.

“Of course it is! If an S-Rank Hunter appears and clears a dungeon in an instant the moment it’s created, anyone would start feeling a sense of self-doubt!”

“Today marks the fifth time Kim Se-hyun has cleared a low-level dungeon.”

The Deputy Team Leader, looking pale, added his voice to the conversation, though I hadn’t noticed him enter. If it’s already been five times, the cooperation fees…

“Dammit! Is he determined to drain the budget dry?!”

It was true that the cooperation fees were significantly lower than the costs of restoration. However, the higher-ups, who only cared about immediate optics, would never look kindly on such a large amount of money flowing into the Association.

Not to mention, the City Hall already viewed the Hunter Department as an eyesore due to the recent crash of the Seoul City website. They likely wouldn’t view this situation favorably either.

“…….”

I couldn’t understand why Kim Se-hyun was clearing low-level dungeons that didn’t even match his rank.

It seemed enough for him to show up only for major dungeons as he usually did. The more I pondered it, the more it felt like falling into a labyrinth. I shook my head and looked toward the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader.

“He’s definitely making a move because he knows we won’t call him. Those Association bastards are always so good at sniffing out loopholes in the law!”

“The regulations regarding voluntary cooperation really need to be amended soon. Even if Kim Se-hyun is the one handling things this time, there are others who just jump in at the last second to snatch up cooperation fees.”

Voluntary cooperation.

Come to think of it, because of this, many cooperation fees that shouldn’t have been processed were being paid out.

A law stating that if a Hunter belonging to the Korea Hunter Association cooperates with the state—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—the state must pay for that cooperation.

It was a law that made it seem as though the Hunter Association stood above the nation itself. I let my discomfort show for a moment, then blinked as an exceptional clause came to mind.

“…….”

Considering Kim Se-hyun’s image that I had picked up here and there, the ‘guest’ should have visited several times by now. There would have been opportunities to ask about the message on the floral wreath, too.

However, the guest had not visited once since then. Perhaps, just perhaps, Kim Se-hyun wasn’t destroying dungeons to collect fees, but was simply helping out because he happened to be passing by.

“If he’s an S-Rank, he should act like one and go find a massive dungeon. Why does he keep coming and ‘cooperating’ without being asked?!”

— Actually, I ran into Kim Se-hyun a moment ago and told him to take it easy.

Officer Han’s voice followed the Team Leader’s irritated outburst. I perked up my ears, wondering what had been said.

— …He said he was just out for a stroll.

“A. Stroll.”

The office fell silent in an instant. I had also long since kept my mouth shut.

“…….”

Thinking back, it was possible he really had cleared a dungeon while out for a walk. But that only works once or twice; the probability of encountering a dungeon five times during ‘strolls’ in such a short period was slim. Especially since the dungeons weren’t appearing in just one area, but in completely different sectors.

I simply wondered what Kim Se-hyun was thinking.

“Stroll, my foot! He probably has no work, so he’s just poking around trying to find ways to make money! Since we’re on the subject, I’m going over to the Association today to flip the place upside down! Youngest!”

“Yes, Team Leader!”

“Bring me the cooperation fee documents finalized as of last week!”

“Yes, sir!”

I gathered the documents related to Kim Se-hyun along with the overall Association cooperation fee files and handed them to him immediately.

“Ignore any loud noises coming from the building next door today. I’m going to go give them the thrashing I couldn’t finish last time!”

As soon as he took the documents, the Team Leader stood up and grabbed his coat. Seeing him fuming like that, it looked like he was going to flip the place several times over.

“Safe travels.”

Unlike me, who was incredibly tense, the Deputy Team Leader gave his farewell quite nonchalantly. Surprised, I looked back at him, only to see eyes that were colder and more sunken than ever. I felt an imaginary cold sweat running down my back.

“If I’m late, just leave work on time!”

“Understood. Ha-neul-ssi, let’s shut down the relay station.”

“…Yes, shutting down the relay station.”

I immediately deactivated the station. When the Team Leader, who had been making a fierce expression in front of the mirror, called out, I looked toward him.

“Youngest, don’t forget to leave with the Deputy Team Leader when you clock out!”

“Yes!”

“Good.”

The Team Leader nodded with a remarkably grim face and headed toward the window. I thought he was going to take the shortcut as usual, but then I noticed him turn back toward the entrance.

“These bastards, seriously!”

CRACK!

The sight of him snapping the circular part of the floral wreath—which had recently become the team’s punching bag—sent a chill down my spine.

It felt like a declaration of war, as if he were signaling he was going to rip the heads off the Association people. Surely that was just my imagination. No, I hoped it was my imagination. I pulled my neck in. I watched in silence as the Team Leader swung the circular piece around for a while before finally heading to the window and jumping out.

“…….”

I thought he was just venting his anger; I didn’t realize he would actually take that thing with him. As I stared blankly at the open window, the Deputy Team Leader’s voice reached me. I forced my lips into a smile.

“It looks like he plans to dispose of the trash while he’s at it.”

“Haha.”

I wish he would have taken the whole thing.

Backgrounded by that casual voice, I looked at the floor strewn with dried flowers and wood fragments, wondering why I felt so unsettled. After a faint smile, I immediately began cleaning up. Finally, I went to the window the Team Leader had jumped from and glanced at the building next door.

“…….”

I felt it every time, but I really wondered how a building could be that tall. Thinking about the tax money that went into that structure, I found myself hoping the Team Leader would go wild to his heart’s content. I sent a silent cheer his way.

“You don’t need to worry that much.”

“…Oh, yes.”

It seemed too late to clarify that I was actually cheering him on. I simply nodded.

“Think of that place as a patch of weeds. It needs to be managed once in a while.”

“Ah.”

I didn’t expect him to describe the Association as weeds. Seeing his face contorted in a look of sheer disgust, I quietly closed the window and returned to my desk.

“Ha-neul-ssi.”

“Yes, Deputy Team Leader.”

“Let’s make it an early day today.”

“Yes!”

I was all for leaving early. I was counting the days since my last on-time departure when the Deputy Team Leader’s laughter snapped me out of it.

“You must have been craving an on-time exit.”

“A little bit.”

Given the nature of the department, leaving on time was difficult. Though the work was physically demanding, working for the Hunter Department wasn’t bad. My mind might have changed if I had to work through the night, though.

Come to think of it, it was strange. Why were dungeons so rarely created at night?

I pondered it for a moment before burying the thought. It would be much faster to ask Officer Park about something like that.

“Let’s try to leave early today.”

“Yes! I’ll send a message to the other officers then.”

“Please do.”

The officers out in the field would also be happy to know they could go home as soon as they finished their control duties and assessed the dungeon scale.

I sent the messages with a spring in my step, then hurried through the remaining paperwork to ensure our early exit.

BOOM— BANG!

“Gasp!”

What was that noise?

Suddenly, a thunderous roar from outside swept through the entire building. I could even feel the vibrations. I rushed to the window.

“Don’t pay it any mind. It’s just noise coming from the Association.”

“…Excuse me?”

I couldn’t imagine what was happening to cause such a loud noise. I looked toward the Association and then back at the Deputy Team Leader.

Despite the ruckus, he was perfectly calm. He was even humming to himself, looking as if this were just a normal scene from daily life. I realized then that this sort of noise must not be a one-time occurrence.

I wondered if I could actually focus on my work like him, but I couldn’t just waste time. Right, I should work with the mindset that if I’m late, I won’t get to leave early.

Though I was startled by the intermittent explosions, focusing solely on the goal of going home helped me finish today’s tasks, and I felt myself gradually adjusting. I was so concentrated that I didn’t notice the Deputy Team Leader until he spoke.

“Finish up quickly. Let’s head out.”

“…This early?”

I knew we were leaving early, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast. It was just past three o’clock. Seeing him already packed, I spoke hurriedly.

“Please wait just a moment.”

“Alright.”

I was glad I had finished most of the work in advance. After handling the very last task, I packed my things and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

The Deputy Team Leader kept urging me on, to the point where I wondered if he was always this impatient. Moving quickly, I followed him out of the office.

“On days like today, it’s best for everyone if we aren’t around when the Team Leader is. He should be finishing up his venting and returning soon.”

“I see.”

Hearing the explanation, I understood why he had suggested an early exit. I nodded.

“On days when the Team Leader goes to the Association like today, we always vacate the area first.”

“Yes.”

The fact that the Deputy Team Leader was saying this meant I had to remember it well. We entered the elevator and he pressed the button for the first floor.

And the moment the elevator reached the first floor and the doors slid open, my eyes flew wide at the sight before me.