Presence of an S-Rank Hunter (4)

“Nothing major happened at the office, right?”

“…….”

I didn’t expect the Team Leader to speak first at a time like this. The moment I recalled the phone call from earlier today, my feet came to a dead halt. Unlike other days, the Deputy Team Leader remained silent, so I forced myself to speak.

“Well, there was something.”

“Why are you hesitating so much?”

It had been embarrassing enough explaining it to the Deputy Team Leader, but with more listeners, the shame seemed to double. I fidgeted with my fingers, my face heating up as the Deputy Team Leader spoke up for me.

“A call came from City Hall.”

“City Hall? When?”

“…….”

When I remained silent, unable to find the words, the Deputy Team Leader took over the explanation.

“The call came shortly after the dungeon was generated. They said that Ha-neul… Ha-neul has been selected to receive a ‘Kindness Award.’ They asked me to relay the message that the Civil Service Office called.”

“Wow.”

An exclamation escaped Officer Kim’s lips the moment the Deputy Team Leader finished speaking. I couldn’t have understood the complex emotions in his voice more clearly. I dropped my gaze to the floor.

“…I suppose I should be relieved they didn’t mention anything about an ‘Angel’ or something.”

“Unfortunately, the ‘Angel’ part came up.”

The Deputy Team Leader immediately corrected the Team Leader. With that, all eyes shifted toward me, and I forced the same faint, weary smile I’d worn earlier that afternoon.

“…Chick, while you’re over there, could you get me a glass of cold water?”

“Me too.”

The Team Leader and Officer Kim, who had been looking at me with various emotions, both requested water. I prepared and handed them the drinks while pretending to be unfazed. When the Team Leader, having finished his water in one go, met my eyes again, I blinked.

“Was there anything else they said?”

He was looking at me, not the Deputy Team Leader. I relayed the rest of the conversation I had shared with the Deputy Team Leader earlier.

“…I’ll have to give them a call first.”

Having emptied his glass, the Team Leader stood up abruptly and headed for his desk. I wondered if anyone would pick up given the late hour, but the call was connected instantly, making my worries moot. I perked up my ears.

“Connect me to Officer Min in the Civil Service Office. What? Off work? It’s barely been any time since the dungeon was cleared and they’re already off! I might have to file a formal complaint about this.”

“If you’re short on numbers for that complaint, count me in!”

Officer Kim, still sitting at the table, added a menacing remark. As civil servants, a few well-placed complaints could sometimes stall a promotion indefinitely. I was briefly worried they were actually going to do it, but the Team Leader, who had been bickering with someone unknown, eventually asked to speak with the highest-ranking person available. I swallowed hard; the real negotiation was starting.

“This is the Hunter Department! I heard there was a call about a Kindness Award. Next Wednesday morning? A visit is possible, but let’s make it so we just receive the award and leave! …Can you say that after seeing the state of the dungeon today? Enough! Most of the hunters in the field are injured, so even the kid getting the award has to go out to the site. If you aren’t going to just hand over the award and be done with it, send someone from your end instead!”

“…Ah.”

I froze at the unexpected words. As the Team Leader hung up the receiver with a sharp click and looked my way, I tried to calm my racing heart.

Saying that most hunters were injured meant that the number of people commanding the field had decreased. It followed that if field personnel were lacking, it was only natural to pull people from the office.

“Wow, Team Leader, are you trying to sell our Chick out just to get some dungeon by-products?”

“I’m disappointed in you, Team Leader.”

“…Oho, so you’re ganging up on me now, is that it?”

Officer Kim and the Deputy Team Leader were the best. As they both chimed in, the Team Leader snorted and plopped back down onto his newspaper-covered chair. I watched him in silence.

“Our Chick, you’ll have to start learning the ropes of field work now. I’ll teach you everything, one by one, starting tomorrow.”

“If Ha-neul goes out on field duty, I guess I’ll have to guard this office all by my lonely self.”

“Even the Deputy Team Leader! Why is everyone like this!”

The Team Leader thumped his chest as if frustrated. I couldn’t see what there was to be frustrated about. I tried to soothe my heart, which felt as fragile as a falling leaf, and spoke up.

“…I’ll do my best.”

I was scared, but in a situation where we were short-staffed, I couldn’t just back out.

Actually saying it out loud seemed to ease the trembling a bit. I squeezed my shaking hands into fists and restated my resolve. The Team Leader, who had been staring blankly at me, approached and roughed up my hair so hard it stayed flattened.

“Where have you been all this time before finally joining our department!”

“Team Leader, the Chick’s neck is disappearing!”

“Hahat!”

At Officer Kim’s remark, the pressure on my head lightened. I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes and met the Team Leader’s gaze as I straightened up.

“I didn’t actually mean I was going to send you to the field. I just needed an excuse because I didn’t want to stay at City Hall for long.”

“Ah.”

I hadn’t realized that. My legs felt weak for a moment at the realization that it was just a pretext to avoid spending too much time at the City Hall building.

“See? Who would send a Chick that just learned to walk into a death trap!”

“Hehe, our Chick is just so fun to tease.”

“Don’t worry, Ha-neul. If he ever tries to put you in the field, I’ll go on strike first.”

Maybe it was because this was the Hunter Department, but their jokes were truly terrifying. I steadied my wobbly legs.

“As I said earlier, I made up an excuse because I wanted to leave City Hall quickly, so we should make sure our stories match, right?”

“Yes!”

“When you go to City Hall next Wednesday and someone asks, tell them you have to be on standby for the field. Even if the Mayor comes, even if the President comes, you’re on field standby. Got it?”

“Yes, I’ll remember that.”

It was a short phrase, so there was no way I’d forget it. I nodded and watched as Officer Kim quickly moved toward the shower as soon as Officer Park emerged.

“We haven’t eaten yet, so the three of you should eat something too.”

“Sounds good!”

“I’m in too!”

“Officer Kim, you’re eating before you go, right?”

“I could eat a railroad spike right now!”

A voice yelled back from the shower room in response to the Team Leader. Holding a phone, someone suggested ordering Korean food, and I immediately chose Gukbap (soup with rice) since it had a relatively short delivery time.

After Officer Kim, the Team Leader went into the shower.

I nodded as Officer Park offered to tell me field stories until the food arrived, but I couldn’t help but let out constant exclamations at his descriptions.

He was already a great storyteller when talking about ghost stories or urban legends, but his descriptions of the field were on a different level. I was so engrossed in the story, feeling as if I were actually there, that I didn’t even notice the Team Leader had rejoined us.

“How is Officer Han doing?”

“Fortunately, he was conscious until he left the scene. Seeing as he sent a message saying he was getting a detailed checkup on the way, it seems there aren’t any major issues.”

“…I see.”

“It might not be a bad idea for him to take a day or two off this time.”

“That guy’s fatigue level is quite high, after all.”

Hearing them talk about rest made me think his injuries weren’t as severe as I’d feared. The conversation, which began with Officer Han’s exhaustion, shifted to the overall fatigue of hunters in the field. A question about why the Hunter Department was so understaffed rose up in me. I raised my hand.

“I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Um, why does the Hunter Department have so few people?”

This was something not just I, but many people were curious about.

It was just that I hadn’t had a good timing to ask until now. I had only thrown the question out hoping for an answer, but in an instant, all eyes were on me.

“Ah, that?”

“You’re asking because of the rumor that the number stays the same because people keep dying no matter how many you recruit, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Actually, that’s a fabrication. It’s because of the danger pay.”

“Danger pay?”

It was the first time I was hearing about danger pay issues.

“Even if they offered more money, people would still hesitate, but those people up there are complaining about even the tiny bit of danger pay added to a measly salary.”

Officer Park said, pointing a finger upward. I listened in silence as the Deputy Team Leader continued.

“That’s why all the hunters are lost to the Association.”

“Indeed. Even those who wanted to serve the country mostly moved to the Association because they weren’t being treated properly.”

“People talk about civil servants having ‘iron rice bowls’ (job security), but I wonder if anyone in the Hunter Department will even live to collect their pension. We’re being ground down like this every time.”

“I heard even among the current field hunters, some are planning to move to the Association soon.”

“…I want to hold onto them, but I need something to hold them with.”

I truly hadn’t expected these kinds of hardships. It seemed better to use the money they were throwing at the Association to keep their own people instead, but I didn’t understand why they made such choices.

“The food is here!”

“Oh!”

“Let’s eat quickly and go home!”

At the news that the food had arrived, everyone jumped up and set the table faster than ever. Watching the Deputy Team Leader hand his card to the delivery man, I helped set the food and dragged over extra chairs.

“Everyone, come in an hour late tomorrow.”

“Oh!”

“Team Leader, I love you!”

“In exchange, if you’re even one minute late, it’s an immediate written apology.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Everyone, eat up so we can go home!”

The Team Leader, who had brought up the written apology, laughed mischievously and picked up his spoon. The atmosphere, which had turned somewhat heavy with the talk of pay, returned to its usual state. I also smiled and moved my hands busily to fill my hungry stomach and get home quickly.

**************************************

Perhaps because I had experienced a major dungeon once, Kim Se-hyun’s absence felt larger than ever.

I wished he would return soon, but contrary to my hopes, it seemed Kim Se-hyun wouldn’t be back in Korea for quite a while.

As soon as I woke up, I checked the messages on my phone and couldn’t hide my predicament at the latest ones.

[Hyung, I miss you (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ]

[˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚ I want to go to Korea soonnnn]

[I still have schedules left (´⌒*)] [I have to stay here for a few more days ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )] [Sigh, I guess since I’m the world’s strongest hunter ٩(๑ н´๑)۶ they just won’t leave me alone anywhere. This crazy popularity (๑•̀ㅂ•́๑)✧] […I miss you, can’t you take a picture and send it to me? Anything is fine ˖˚˳⌖ ଘ(⸝⸝ᴗ͈ ̫ ᴗ͈⸝⸝)ॢ ੈ ♡‧₊ ˚]

“…He must have plenty of photos.”

I didn’t understand his motive for asking for a photo, considering he used to take them of me constantly while I was working. Lying on my other side, I blinked at the next message that arrived.

[Ha-neul Hyung! Good morning! ₍ᐢ.ˬ.ᐢ₎❤]

[Yes, good morning to you too.]

[Hyung, hurry, a photo! (´•̥̥̥ ᎔ •̥̥̥`) I’m suffering from a Ha-neul Hyung deficiency (╭•̀ ㅂ •́╮)]

[…I’m not in a state to be seen.]

Since my hair always looks like a bird’s nest when I wake up, taking a photo right now was out of the question. I politely declined, but he continued to demand a photo regardless, sending emoticons full of tears. I let out a sigh.

[Just one will do, right?]

From my experience with Kim Se-hyun, once he started being stubborn like that, he would never back down until he got what he wanted. It seemed better to just take a photo and send it, even if I looked ridiculous. When I messaged him asking if one would be enough, a reply flew back faster than ever.

[I’d like more, but I’ll endure it (*,,ÒㅅÓ,,)و]

“Pfft.”

I didn’t know why he was talking about “enduring” here. A laugh escaped me, and I took a photo just as I was and sent it before getting out of bed.

“Should I fix some breakfast?”

I hadn’t been able to have a proper breakfast lately because of work, but today was a day when I had some time to spare. I went straight to the kitchen and started boiling some ramyeon. As I was finishing my meal, a message arrived, and I checked my phone.

[- =͟͞͞ ( ꒪౪꒪)ฅ✧]

[=͟͟͞͞ =͟͟͞͞ ﾍ( ´Д)ﾉ] [=͟͟͞͞ = ͟͟͞͞=͟͟͞͞ =͟͟͞͞( 　ᾥ’)っ✄ I’ll be there soon!]

[Take your time. I’m going to go get ready for work.]

Even if he said he’d be here soon, he’d only be able to head home after finishing his schedule. Besides, moving too hastily could lead to trouble.

Perhaps because I’d received a message that he was handling his schedule abroad, I felt much more at ease.

“Kkeung.”

I’ll have to let them know as soon as I get to work that Kim Se-hyun is abroad. I gave a big stretch, stood up, finished the dishes, and headed to the bathroom to get ready for work.