Did that guard get it wrong?

Scowling, An Ji-yeong glared toward the front gate.

Even in the shade, sitting outside in midsummer was torture. At any other academy she might have found an air-conditioned café, but inside Gwangcheon that was like hunting for cherryade in a desert. She couldn’t very well loiter in the staff room, either.

If I’d known, I should’ve just come tomorrow.

Waiting because it was an open-type dungeon and he’d “be right back” had been a mistake.

She dabbed her face with a handkerchief—already soaked through and useless—and clicked her tongue, lifting a portable fan to her cheeks.

“Ah.”

Her face fell. The fan’s dead battery had given up.

Grinding her teeth, she tugged at her shirt collar. The damp fabric clung to her skin—miserable.

I can’t take this anymore.

She sprang up from the bench.

Forget it. I don’t care what Chief Jang or Deputy Gwak says—no more waiting today. I’ll come back tomorrow.

She turned toward the gate—then froze.

A small group of students was approaching: one boy, three girls.

The moment she saw the boy’s face, her senses snapped into focus.

Nam Yein!

Exactly like the photo from the office.

But… something about them—

She didn’t understand the odd sensation until they drew closer.

“Hup—”

She involuntarily sucked in a breath and stepped back.

Their faces looked almost demonic: hatred, fury, grim resolve, and killing intent—an acrid mix rising off them like vapor.

To An Ji-yeong’s eyes, the four trainee Hunters looked like a special forces unit trudging back from hell.

She stood like an ice sculpture, unable even to glance back as Nam Yein and the others passed her by.

“Was that woman just staring at you, Yein?” Lumina asked.

I glanced back.

A woman I didn’t recognize stood there, hair plastered to her head with sweat.

“No. Doesn’t look like she cares about us,” I said, watching her frozen back as she faced the gate.

“Let’s ignore it. I just want to get inside and crash,” Meiling mumbled, drained.

“Yeah… I’m beat,” I agreed—and then stopped.

Seo Yui was walking with her eyes closed.

“Senior, wake up. We’re almost there.”

“Mmm…”

She stirred, but her eyes opened barely halfway—less than usual. At that rate she couldn’t see a thing.

“I’m too sleepy to walk… Carry me…”

“What nonsense. Use your own two legs.” Meiling gave her a gentle jab in the side, and Seo Yui shivered like it tickled.

We were all running on fumes.

On Bottle Gourd Island we hadn’t slept properly once. In an open-type dungeon, monsters respawn at all hours. If you want rest there, you run night watch.

We rotated shifts, slept rough without real beds or blankets, and never relaxed our guard. The fatigue piled up to the brim.

Sure, we were Awakeners—no one caught a cold—but tired is tired.

And before coming back, we’d hit the bathhouse. Inside the dungeon we hadn’t noticed how we looked, but on the street, the stares stabbed like knives. A taxi refused to take us. When we asked why, the driver said if he let “students like that” in his car, his workday would be over.

Only then did we realize we looked exactly like vagrants. We bought some clothes and underwear in a rush, sprinted to the bathhouse, and only after scrubbing up could we catch a cab.

Now, loosened up from the bath and buried in accumulated fatigue, we were easy prey for sleep.

“Huwaaah—oh.” Lumina yawned wide, then flushed when she noticed me looking.

“Let’s head in. Tomorrow, we’re taking a day off.”

The others nodded—right when—

“H-hold on!!”

A loud voice came from behind.

We all turned at once.

“Eek.”

The woman we’d just passed raised a hand, half in a defensive pose.

“What’s with her?” Meiling muttered, baffled.

The woman dropped her hand and met my eyes.

“Y-you’re Nam Yein, right?”

So Lumina had been right—she was looking at me.

“If it’s alright, could we talk for a moment?”

“Who are you?” I asked.

Her face shifted from taut to smiling in a heartbeat. “I’m An Ji-yeong from Forward Corporation’s Item Business Department. Could I have a little of your time to speak with you, Mr. Nam?”

Forward’s Item Business Department.

The moment she introduced herself, I knew why she’d come.

So Forward finally sniffed their way here.

I looked to my squad.

“Senior, you go on ahead. You too, Lumina, Meiling.”

“What are you talking about? You’re exhausted too.” Meiling shot the woman a glare. “We just spent ten days in a dungeon. We’re dead on our feet. If you’ve got business, come back another time.”

A slight twitch at the corner of An Ji-yeong’s eye told me she’d felt that.

“I’m sorry about the timing. But could you please spare me a moment? I waited here two hours to meet you, Mr. Nam.”

Ah. So that’s why she was drenched.

“Not our problem—”

“It’s fine, Meiling. I’ve got enough energy left for three minutes. Go on ahead.”

“…Seriously? I was trying to look out for you.” She huffed. “Come on, Lumina.”

“Ah—o-okay.”

Meiling snorted, grabbed Lumina’s hand, and trudged off.

Lumina gave me a wry little wave.

“You too, Senior,” I told Seo Yui.

“…Mm. See you later.” She staggered after them.

“Thank you so much for agreeing,” An Ji-yeong said, beaming.

“You’re here to ask me to introduce you to the craftsman who made the Weight of Phase Fixation, right?” I cut straight to it, forcing myself past the rising fog of fatigue.

Her eyes widened. “Ah, y-yes. That’s right.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to refuse.”

“What!?”

“My friend doesn’t want their identity known. I didn’t give the Market their name, address, or number, either. Please give up and go home.”

“W-wait, please.”

Flustered, she stepped closer.

“Just hear me out first, then decide.”

“…Make it quick.”

She nodded rapidly. “Forward is about to open a new item mall near the Hunter Market. We’re recruiting skilled craftsmen now. We’re offering unprecedented advances and contract terms better than Crystal Huntermall’s. If your friend listens to us, I’m sure they’ll—”

“My friend is already supplying their work elsewhere.”

“Yes, but I swear hearing us out won’t hurt them in the least.”

Heat shimmered off her words—whether from passion for her job or just the blistering sun, I couldn’t tell.

Ugh.

Hot.

Tired.

I want to sleep.

I must have been frowning, because An Ji-yeong gave a small clap and said:

“Of course, Mr. Nam, we’d also compensate you personally.”

“…Compensate me?”

“Yes. If you help us meet your friend, you’ll never have to worry about tuition at Gwangcheon again. We’ll provide you with a scholarship. You do know the academy’s foundation is under Forward Group, right?”

I almost laughed out loud.

A scholarship? I didn’t need one.

I already had enough money in my account to cover the remaining four semesters outright—not that I needed to. My second-semester tuition had already been waived as a reward for rescuing those kids during the Transfer Phenomenon.

“And if you’d like,” she went on, “after graduation we could even guarantee you a place in one of Forward’s Hunter guilds.”

“Ha.”

This time the laugh escaped me.

Her expression faltered.

But how could I not laugh?

A job offer after graduation? My goal was to escape this absurd world and return to where I truly belonged. Latesai’s timeline only ever covered three years of academy life. I had no intention of still being here after graduation.

“Mr. Nam?” She stared at me. “What do you think?”

Enough. I just wanted to get to bed.

“My friend would probably answer like this,” I said, smiling faintly.

“If you want to lure them to Forward, hand over your entire mall to them. Then maybe, maybe, they’d consider it.”

“…”

Her smile vanished.

“I trust you understand what that means. Now, if you’ll excuse me. Sorry I couldn’t give you the answer you hoped for.”

I turned and headed for the dorm.

She didn’t try to stop me. Maybe my parting words had pinned her in place.

“Huwaaaah…”

I couldn’t hold back a yawn.

Bed. Now.

“How did it go?”

In the office of Forward’s Item Business Department, Sales Manager Louis Jang questioned his subordinate.

Looking worn out, An Ji-yeong answered, “According to Nam Yein, the craftsman would only even consider switching if we gave them the entire mall.”

“…What?”

Wrinkles furrowed Jang’s forehead. Ji-yeong wanted to sigh.

“That’s absurd. Did you even pitch properly?”

“I told him everything—that we’re offering the best contracts ever, that we’d give Yein himself a scholarship, even help him find a job after graduation. He just laughed.”

“You’re telling me a Gwangcheon trainee Hunter laughed at scholarships and job offers?”

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Hah… unbelievable.” Jang rubbed his forehead.

You think I don’t want to say the same? Ji-yeong muttered inwardly.

Jang lifted his hand from his brow and gave her a pointed look.

“You know most of those kids at Gwangcheon aren’t well-off, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why would one scoff at scholarships and jobs?”

“I can’t say for sure. He wouldn’t elaborate and walked off. But maybe he’s financially comfortable. Ah, and…”

“And what?”

“Among his companions was Chen Meiling.”

“Chen Meiling? As in the daughter of President Chen Kai of Forward Engineer? Are you telling me President Chen himself is actually sponsoring Nam Yein?”

Ji-yeong had no answer.

“Unbelievable… How the hell is this kid connected to both the Crystal president’s daughter and President Chen’s daughter?”

“Is this all because of the mystery craftsman?”

Both looked toward the voice.

A man in rimless glasses stood nearby.

Miyamoto…

Ji-yeong almost let her disgust show but forced her face to remain still. Miyamoto was Team Leader of Sales Division 1.

“Yes,” Jang said. “Ji-yeong met him today. The brat scoffed at scholarships and jobs, and then said the mystery craftsman would only come if we gave them the entire mall.”

“Hahaha. Now that’s an interesting boy.” Miyamoto stepped closer to Jang’s desk.

“If you’d allow me, why not entrust this mystery craftsman matter to me?”

“What?”

What!? Ji-yeong’s eyes narrowed.

“My friend works as a secretary at Forward Engineer. Since you mentioned Nam Yein was with Miss Chen Meiling, I could easily ask around. We might uncover what kind of connection exists between President Chen and Nam Yein. And we could subtly let our side of things be known. If he really does have Chen’s backing, then drawing the craftsman to us would be much easier, don’t you think?”

“Ooh, Miyamoto.” Jang stood and looked at him with a smile.

“Good. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Manager…”

“Understood. I’ll make contact right away and report back.” Miyamoto glanced at Ji-yeong, then walked back to his desk with a satisfied grin.

“Deputy An, good work today. Go back to your station.”

“…Yes, sir.”

She trudged to her seat.

“Ghhhk.”

Grinding her teeth, she lowered her head.

The smirk on Nam Yein’s face flashed through her mind, stoking her anger.

Just what are you, Nam Yein?

Her resentment focused on the boy—never realizing how petty it made her.

But forty-two minutes later, her fury twisted into bafflement.

“What!?”

The sudden outburst snapped every head in the office toward Manager Jang.

“Sir, your voice!” Miyamoto said, startled.

But Jang couldn’t mask his shock.

“You mean it’s true? President Chen Kai is stepping down as company head!?”

A stunned silence swept the entire office.

“…What?”

Ji-yeong stared blankly toward the manager’s desk.

(End of Chapter)

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