NOVEL NEXT 72. Continue? (1)
“The Solaris branch breakfast was really delicious! This must be Kill Screen’s true hidden gem!”
The next morning, after sleeping in the guesthouse within Solaris that Chae Jiseok had arranged and enjoying a hearty breakfast, Habin sat on the cafe sofa with a pleased expression, humming contentedly. Sitting opposite her, Chae Jiseok also wore a rather proud expression at her words.
“We put a lot of effort into the breakfast here. You know I have quite an eye for good restaurants, right? I personally scouted the chefs.”
“Hmm, an eye for good restaurants, you say. I’ll give you that, it was really quite tasty. Chae-ssi, you could open a restaurant if you ever quit being a hunter.”
“I’ve told you my dream was to be a prosecutor!”
“Ah! Right, that’s true.”
Habin spun the keychain in her hand, lost in thought. She spoke as if something had occurred to her.
“By the way, Chae-ssi, we tried our luck with the lottery yesterday, right? Even though we got it all wrong.”
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ grumbles that it wasn’t all wrong, insisting that its ability was perfect!]
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ fumes, saying let’s try again, those guys are cheaters, and if we buy a lottery ticket in Korea, it would hit all six numbers in one go!]
“Oh, Nearest Light seems quite confident?”
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ shouts that of course, winning the lottery is a piece of cake!]
“Seeing the constellation get this worked up, it might really have been match-fixing.”
Chae Jiseok added.
“They seemed like an illegally operated outfit anyway, who knows what tricks they might have pulled.”
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ does a little dance, saying that indeed only Chae Jiseok believes in its words, and that it chose its contractor well!]
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ nods, saying that illegal businesses should all go bankrupt, and that they shouldn’t have gone there in the first place!]
“Is that so? Come to think of it, they might really have fixed the results?”
Habin swirled the ice in her iced Americano and spoke.
“Have you never won before? Was that day your first time buying a lottery ticket, Chae-ssi?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh? Why?”
Habin retorted with an expression of utter incomprehension.
“You really mean it was your first time?”
“No, why?”
“Your ability!”
Your ability is precognition!
Habin whispered, covering her mouth to prevent any possible eavesdropping, despite the sound-blocking item they were using.
‘If it were me, I’d have tried the lottery as soon as I got precognitive abilities! Why on earth!’
Hearing this, Chae Jiseok belatedly nodded as if he finally understood the question.
“Ah, so that’s what you meant. Why I didn’t use my ability for things like the lottery.”
The lottery, huh.
He took a sip of his parfait and spoke.
“But the lottery’s first prize is only about 1.5 billion won, isn’t it?”
“What? 1.5 billion isn’t pocket change!”
“Nuna easily makes 10 billion a day when she invests.”
“……”
[…….]
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ proudly boasts, saying look at this, where else can you find a contractor who uses their ability so efficiently!]
Chae Jiseok continued.
“Besides, if you win frequently, wouldn’t it raise suspicions? On the other hand, investments have a significantly lower risk of that. People just think, ‘I guess Chae Jise is a genius who succeeds in every investment.'”
Earn much more, much safer, and gain social recognition too. Killing three birds with one stone!
These days, the trend in the stock market was that whenever Chae Jise bought something, people flocked to it and the stock price skyrocketed. Even when Chae Jise succeeded at anything, everyone just praised her without suspicion, saying, “Ah, Chae Jise did it again!”
“I deliberately made some failing investments a few times to avoid suspicion, but these days, even when I invest in sectors that should fail, everyone says, ‘Chae Jise bought that!’ and follows suit, so it doesn’t fail.”
“……”
So that’s why it’s still a continuous string of big wins.
‘They say the wealth of the rich lasts three generations?’
This doesn’t seem like the right context for that saying, but… hmm.
Habin handed over the keychain and t-shirt she was holding.
“Here, this is the gift I bought for Chae-ssi yesterday.”
“Huh? When did you get this?”
Chae Jiseok took the keychain with a puzzled expression. It had an elegant body with jingling crystal bead decorations. A pendant made of natural citrine. The metal parts were gold-colored, with a handle finished in soft leather.
‘This is…….’
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ admires the design, exclaiming where did you find such a thing!]
[Nameless Keychain]
Though it looks like a common souvenir, this keychain was crafted by a Kill Screen artisan!
A high-quality item containing residual light crystals from Kill Screen’s 7th floor and Bellac rhinoceros leather from the 2nd floor. While it has no special effects, its design warms your heart just by looking at it! Bring a piece of sunshine into your daily life!
Upon closer inspection, the citrines were delicately carved to represent sunlight, and the leather was engraved with a pattern reminiscent of the sun all around. Habin cleared her throat, avoiding eye contact.
“W-well, anyway. I bought it because it seemed to suit you when I saw it. I told you I’d buy you a gift, didn’t I?”
“So that was for real?”
“What do you take me for!”
“Haha, alright. I’ll use it well. Thanks.”
It seems he hadn’t expected her to buy such a proper, decent gift.
“……You chose well?”
Chae Jiseok exclaimed in admiration as he examined the keychain from various angles. Habin placed the t-shirt next to it with a thud.
“This too. We have to wear this for today’s schedule.”
“What’s this?”
Swoosh.
As Chae Jiseok held up the t-shirt, the large letters printed on it were revealed.
KILLSCREEN!
Next to it was an icon depicting the Kill Screen tower and a large sun image.
“It’s a t-shirt that tourists wear. I thought we’d be less conspicuous if we wore something like this. I noticed people glancing at Chae-ssi yesterday too. Was it because of your clothes?”
“Where are we going today that we need this?”
“……’Continue’.”
Habin pointed to a beautiful building visible through the window. Despite being only two stories tall, its classical mansion-like exterior exuded a commanding presence.
“It’s the last item on our Kill Screen Island itinerary. Before we leave, finally. I’m going to buy a gift for Kim Jaljal.”
[A gift? KakaoPage cash would suffice for me! Couldn’t you top up my cash as a souvenir? I was just about to buy the next volume……]
“Aish, really. Even when I’m offering to buy you something nice. Do you know what I’m planning to get?”
[Didn’t Chae Jiseok say yesterday that money can be a good gift too! Give me money!]
“Oh? Kim Jaljal, that’s because you don’t know! Do you realize how amazing that place is? It’s an exclusive brand that only exists in Kill Screen! It’s a place you can’t even visit unless you come here! Above all, it’s duty-free!”
As the saying goes, when visiting a foreign country, you must stop by the duty-free shop!
“How important is legal duty-free shopping for the common folk!”
“Do you have something specific in mind to buy?”
Chae Jiseok asked.
‘An item to buy at Continue.’
Even the hunters here only visit that place when they need to request extremely rare and important items.
She has something to request there? And it’s related to Ahezar?
Sensing his puzzled gaze, Habin finally spoke.
“……I’m thinking of commissioning a scabbard for Jaljal.”
◆◇◆◇◆
“Welcome! Continue, the best choice for safe play.”
“May I see your license, please?”
Continue, the crafting brand shop.
Unlike its luxurious exterior, the interior had a strikingly unique appearance.
For example, inside the building were not only a blacksmith’s forge and rapid freezing facilities, but even a greenhouse for growing various herbs.
Watching a furnace melting and hammering all sorts of metals, Habin tilted her head.
“It’s surprisingly quiet despite the metal being struck, isn’t it?”
“That’s all thanks to the effect of sound-blocking items.”
The seller nodded with a satisfied expression.
“‘Continue’ is a workshop led by ‘Corny’, one of the world’s top crafting hunters, so you can trust the quality!”
On the other side, they were verifying Habin and Chae Jiseok’s licenses. The eyes of another seller who saw Chae Jiseok’s license widened.
“H-huh. Could it be that Solaris……!”
“Shh!”
Habin put her finger to her lips.
“Q-quiet, please keep it quiet! We really just came to look around quietly!”
“Y-yes, of course.”
‘Sigh. It’s really hard going around with a celebrity.’
Wherever they go, expressions of surprise, admiration, and shock follow.
“B-but could I just get one autograph? I’ve been a fan of Chae Jiseok-nim for a long time……”
“Of course.”
Chae Jiseok was already skillfully signing at the seller’s request. Once again, he had his eyes covered with sunglasses and a mask, his hair dyed and covered with a hat. He was even wearing the tourist t-shirt she had given him earlier.
‘Is the disguise still not enough?’
Habin tilted her head.
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ gushes that our contractor shines too brightly to be hidden by such things!]
‘Nah, they probably just recognized him from the license? I don’t think anyone else will follow us from now on.’
Wishful thinking, but still.
“This way, please.”
Anyway, in the meantime, the two were guided inside for some serious shopping.
“What kind of item are you looking for?”
The nearby seller asked kindly. Habin, who had been momentarily distracted by the unique interior, turned her head.
“Ah, I’m looking for something related to swords……”
Just as she was about to get to the point,
“Huh? Isn’t that Hyun Habin?”
A familiar voice was heard nearby.
That guy with a talent for EDM that she had seen at a class reunion drinking party.
“Park Minsu?”
Park Minsu was sauntering towards them. He quickly glanced at the tourist t-shirt Hyun Habin was wearing, the worn-looking Ahezar, and Chae Jiseok beside her before opening his mouth.
“How did you end up here, Hyun Habin? This place is off-limits for ordering unless you’re a fairly high-ranked hunter.”
He smirked slightly, eyeing the tourist t-shirt she had been wearing.
“Ah, I see. You came to look around while on a tour? Well, when else would a newbie hunter get to visit a place like this? Even if you can’t buy anything, you should at least come take a look.”
‘What’s with him all of a sudden?’
Minsu had become quite full of himself again in the time they hadn’t seen each other. There was a reason for this.
‘Hehe, I’ve risen to B-rank now! Even if you’re A-rank, Hyun Habin, there’s only one rank difference between us. It won’t take long to catch up!’
That’s right. Minsu had become a B-rank hunter.
He had often heard rumors about people being unable to grow due to the limitations of B-rank, but Minsu believed that would never apply to him.
‘Besides, most importantly, Kang Taeseo isn’t here this time, right? It’s just Hyun Habin who came on a tour alone. Oh, not alone. She brought some random person with her. A tour guide? Or a friend?’
Chae Jiseok, wearing a hat and sunglasses. Minsu failed to recognize him in his tourist t-shirt.
‘Even if it’s Hyun Habin’s friend, they’re probably all the same. I heard Hyun Habin didn’t join Solaris or Caligo. She must have been rejected by both!’
This is the chance to pay her back for last time!
Park Minsu cleared his throat. He spoke with a gotcha expression.
“Oh, by the way, Hyun Habin! You should have kept your boasting in check last time. What’s this about being close to Solaris’s vice guild master! You could get into big trouble for impersonating someone like that. It’s called fraud, fraud!”
“Huh? But I’m really close to that person.”
“Ha. Isn’t that just your one-sided thinking?”
“R-really…?”
“Yeah!”
At those words, Habin turned to look at Chae Jiseok beside her with a shocked expression. She whispered with a serious face.
“Um…… You can be honest with me even now, Chae-ssi. Do you really think I’m the only one who thinks we’re close? Are we actually not close friends? Should I deposit some friendship fees?”
“What?!”
Chae Jiseok wore a dumbfounded expression at the sudden question. How hard had he and his sister tried to get close to Hyun Habin all this time!
And this Park Minsu guy was trying to drive a wedge between them?
Chae Jiseok quickly replied.
“Absolutely not! We’re totally close!”
“Right? I thought so!”
Only Park Minsu shouted, not understanding what was going on.
“What are you two talking about! Why are you two the only ones in agreement?”