At Jong-sik’s gesture, a transparent curtain fell, blocking out the noise. It was a barrier to block out noise, added to the morning routine since Trigo was brought home.
At that moment, Trigo, who had been watching Jong-sik, spoke up.
“Are you leaving now?”
“Yeah. I have to go to work now. Yeona and Jong-pal will probably leave soon too.”
“Hmm. So, I’ll be guarding the house alone again today.”
“Why? If you don’t like it, do you want to come with me?”
“No, thank you! I have to make chairs and start making the Bunker you mentioned. I have a mountain of tasks to do.”
Trigo’s complexion didn’t look good as he said that. Jong-sik chuckled and replied,
“If it’s tough, take breaks while you work. Making the Bunker isn’t urgent. And with your skills, making chairs should be easy, right?”
“That’s right. I could make them with my eyes closed. But it’s not because of that…”
Trigo trailed off. Wait, could it be about lunch? Jong-sik speculated.
“Are you worried about lunch? Don’t worry about that. Yeona and Jong-pal will probably be back before lunchtime. They said they would just go through the transfer process.”
As expected,
Trigo’s expression quickly brightened.
“Haha. It wasn’t because of that. Anyway, your family is really affectionate and kind.”
“So you were worried about lunch.”
“Hahaha. But, Hyung, what is the transfer process?”
Trigo often asked about unfamiliar words. The situation was the same now. Indeed, it’s no wonder he wouldn’t know about transferring schools. Is there a school in the mountains? Jong-sik willingly answered Trigo’s question.
“Well, it’s a place called school where they teach skills to make a living, and to go there, you have to go through a process. That’s what it means to go for the transfer process.”
“So it’s a place where they teach skills to make a living. I understand what kind of place it is now. Yeona, who helps at the store and learns skills, is really a hardworking kid.”
“Everyone lives like that, don’t they?”
“Then, do they learn Blacksmithing skills at school?”
“That’s not it.”
“No, didn’t you say that you learn skills to make a living?”
Trigo asked with astonished eyes.
“Not all skills are blacksmithing skills.”
“But! How come they don’t learn our blacksmithing skills… Ah, I see. It’s probably because our kind’s blacksmithing skills are so inferior that they can’t be taught.”
He began blaming their inferior skills. And understandably, as a dwarf who prides himself on blacksmithing skills being the best, Jong-sik couldn’t accept what Trigo said.
“If we have to learn inferior skills, it’s better to learn your blacksmithing skills. Hah!”
Trigo made a firm decision in an instant. Passing down skills was a difficult concept to swallow without a big heart.
“Then, I’ll teach Yeona about blacksmithing skills. With skills like these, there should be no problem with making a living once she knows the basics…”
Jong-sik interrupted him as if warning him not to get carried away.
“First, let’s hear Yeona’s opinion. But from what I know of Yeona, she doesn’t seem interested in blacksmithing skills at all. I’m not sure if she’ll want to learn. Maybe horticulture skills, though.”
“That, that can’t be! She’s a smart kid; she’ll definitely want to learn.”
“Anyway, just do your best.”
Jong-sik patted Trigo’s shoulder and turned away.
Healing Guild Headquarters, 29th floor, Dungeon Raid Team.
There were those who arrived early as usual. They were members of the Dungeon Raid Team. At the center stood Seo Sunhwa, her eyes sparkling as she spoke up.
“Did everyone see the news?”
When people gather, it’s common to talk about what’s going on in the world. Hunters were no different.
“If you’re talking about the rehabilitation center, of course we did. Those guys are as slippery as an eel!”
“Originally, humans are the scariest, right? But justice was served, wasn’t it? All the caregivers who were caught have been taken away.”
Baek ho-dam sharpened his eyes with fervor, and Seo Sang-hoon spoke with his usual energy.
“Well, that’s true, but there’s someone who was the first to act. Their name was…”
“Park Chang-joo?”
“Yeah! That person went straight to Dok’s Restaurant as soon as they got up.”
“There’s a word spreading in the hunter community. The food at ‘Dok’s Restaurant’ is said to be the first thing people crave when they come back from the dead.”
“However, this was a misconception. Park Chang-joo’s reason for going to Dok’s Restaurant was never about the taste. Of course, those who knew the inside story were aware of that.”
“However, they were usually the nobles sitting up there in high places. Guild executives or association officials, for example.”
So, Seo Sunhwa, who didn’t know the inside story, was burning with curiosity.
“Why on earth did he go there? Could it really be because he wanted to eat at Dok’s Restaurant? Ah, but that doesn’t make sense. How would he even know about a restaurant that just opened? Ugh. Oh! I’m really curious. Aren’t you all curious? I was actually thinking of calling Dok’s boss during my break!”
“Seo Sunhwa, instead of shaking your head like that, why don’t you just ask? Dok’s boss is here too. How do you do, boss?”
At that moment, Jong-sik entered the room. Seo Sang-hoon, who noticed him, respectfully bowed his head. Then, Seo Sunhwa ran up energetically.
“Oh? Boss Dok! I’ve really missed you.”
“Nice to see you all.”
Jong-sik greeted the team members lightly. For a moment, the team members looked surprised.
“Oh, wait a minute. Boss! Why does it feel like the atmosphere has changed a lot?”
“You’re dressed differently. Did you get yourself a sweetheart in the past few days?”
“Well, this is a different look. You look very sophisticated.”
The reason was in his attire. Jong-sik, who used to wear a stretched T-shirt with jeans, was wearing a crisp shirt and a black cardigan today. It felt quite autumnal.
“Oh, my nephew gave it to me. Is it okay?”
Jong-sik scratched his chin awkwardly and let out a forced laugh. Seo Sunhwa grinned broadly at the mention of his nephew’s gift and praised him.
“Yeona has a good eye, doesn’t she? It suits you so well. Oh- You’re wearing a watch too… Hm? Huh! This is the symbol of the Blue House. What’s this?”
So saying, Seo Sunhwa, who was trying to be funny for a moment, looked at the watch on Jong-sik’s wrist. Even Seo Sang-hoon, who usually didn’t step forward, was approaching at this moment. His gaze was fixed on Jong-sik’s wrist.
If you’re a citizen of South Korea, you know how to recognize the goods, no, artifacts that everyone wants.
Everyone looked quite surprised. It was as if he was looking at Yeona and Jong-pal.
“What’s with everyone being so surprised? Gee,” Jong-sik said nonchalantly, “I just happened to receive it.”
“What? You just happened to receive it?”
“Well… Boss Dok. Could I take a closer look at that watch?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
All the adults gathered around Jong-sik, nodding their heads. Seo Sang-hoon even took out his phone to take a picture. Click! Just then, the team leader Pyeong-ari, who had finished her meeting in the chairman’s office, entered the room.
“Everyone, it’s been a while.”
She looked more excited than usual.
“Alright, that concludes the briefing. The dungeon we’ll be tackling today is at a similar level to the ones we’ve tackled before, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. Any questions?”
It was a briefing for today’s dungeon raid. Since it wasn’t a particularly challenging dungeon and they had tackled similar ones several times before, everyone listened calmly to Pyeong-ari’s words.
And behind them stood the reliable Boss Dok. So, there weren’t any pressing questions. In the quiet atmosphere, Pyeong-ari spoke up again.
“It seems there are no questions, so let’s move on to another topic.”
“Another topic?”
They hadn’t gathered for another topic. Seo Sunhwa tilted her head in confusion. Seeing her, Pyeong-ari raised the corners of her lips. After a moment, she continued, imagining their surprised expressions.
“Yes. There’s another issue at hand. Um… Not something else, but the dungeon raid scheduled for the end of this month? It’s been canceled. So, today’s dungeon raid will be the last one scheduled.”
Pyeong-ari threw the bombshell with a smile on her face. All the planned raids were canceled. What could be the reason? But Pyeong-ari’s expression was too cheerful for there to be a serious problem.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Jong-sik asked, “Why?”
“Hehe. Our dungeon raid team is participating in a national operation this time. As a benefit related to that, we’ve also secured dungeon bidding rights, so there’s no need for us to tackle low-level raids anymore.”
As her words came to an end, questions began pouring in from all directions. The phrase “national operation” had quite a significant impact.
“Wow. A national operation?”
“What kind of operation is it?”
“Is the entire dungeon raid team participating?”
Pyeong-ari spoke calmly amidst the flurry of questions.
“The details of the operation are not something I can disclose at the moment. Our team’s participation is also classified. So, everyone needs to be careful with what they say. We’ll inform you of the specifics as soon as we receive them. For now, please understand that this is the reason.”
“Of course!”
Being called upon for a national duty was an unparalleled honor. It was also a prime opportunity to build one’s career. Excitement filled the eyes of the team members. On the other hand, Jong-sik couldn’t hide his troubled expression.
“When was it decided that we would participate in this operation?”
Jong-sik asked in a stern tone, perhaps due to an unexpected reaction. Pyeong-ari responded somewhat flustered.
“Um, well. It’s been two days since we received the proposal.”
How coincidental. It was also two days ago when he visited the Blue House. Moreover, wasn’t there something unusual about the President’s demeanor?
“I should have accepted more gifts if I knew this was coming. What’s this watch worth anyway?”
This seemed like a tough situation to crack.
“Since the decision has already been made, you’re just informing us like this, right?”
Pyeong-ari’s expression turned uneasy at Jong-sik’s words. Soon, she reproached herself.
‘Dok Jong-sik held the position of team leader of the dungeon raid team. He should have been informed first.’
It seemed she had been too comfortable with Jong-sik all this while, as he readily complied with several requests.
But that wasn’t acceptable.
Pyeong-ari closed her eyes tightly. The team members also sensed the tense atmosphere and remained silent. In such situations, it was best to keep quiet.
“I’m sorry. I should have informed you first, Dok Jong-sik. It was a sudden proposal, and I thought everyone would be pleased… ”
“Let’s step outside and have a private conversation.”
Jong-sik cut her off, pushing his chair back. It didn’t feel good to be the bear doing all the work while the king walked away with the money. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so he also had to secure something for himself.
After a while, Jong-sik and Pyeong-ari entered the empty meeting room.
“Team Leader Dok, I’m truly sorry.”
“What is there to apologize for? You’ve done your job, Team Leader Pyeong-ari. But if you’re going to give me the title of team leader, then you should treat me accordingly. And about this national operation…”
“Yes.”
“In reality, isn’t this violating the contract?”
Strictly speaking, it did go against the terms of the contract. Wasn’t all the business trips supposed to be excluded during the renegotiation? But was this a usual matter? It was an opportunity to grasp honor and career in one go. If you were a hunter, naturally, you would be pleased…
“I didn’t expect this kind of reaction.”
Pyeong-ari, the team leader, chewed her lip anxiously.
“…Are you saying you won’t participate?”
Jong-sik pondered for a moment. Non-participation wasn’t something he had considered from the start. Going out once instead of ten times was more beneficial for him. Instead, he only lacked the willingness to do it for free.
So he seized upon one worry that had been lingering in his mind. It seemed like the opportunity to speak up had arrived.
“I’ll participate. However, could you grant me one request?”
“O-of course. Just tell me!”
“It’s nothing major…”
At his words, Pyeong-ari’s eyes widened like saucers.
