Even Today, the Ranker Dreams of Retirement

The representative of Continue, the workshop’s chief craftsman.

One of the world’s top crafting hunters.

Corny.

To be precise, Corny was the nickname for her name, ‘Constance’. Her surname was unknown.

Although she rarely gave interviews, people all called her Corny because in one hard-won interview, she had memorably said, “Just call me Corny, it’s friendlier.”

“I’d like to chat, if you have some time?”

Her first impression was that of a kind grandmother, but up close, her straight posture and charismatic gaze were the very picture of vigor in old age.

At Corny’s gesture, the nearby sellers quickly prepared a seating area. It didn’t take long for a clean, elegant tablecloth and tea set to be laid out in the greenhouse.

As they settled into their seats, Corny opened her mouth, looking at Chae Jiseok.

“I’ve really wanted to meet Solaris’s masters, so when I heard Chae Jiseok-ssi was visiting today, I rushed over.”

Chae Jiseok’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected this.

“Did you come specifically to meet me? If you had let us know, we would have gladly arranged our schedule to visit you. Ah, I’ve visited before too, you could have mentioned it then……”

“At that time, both you and I were too busy to find a moment to meet. It’s not my hobby to interfere with busy young people.”

“You don’t need to be so formal.”

“I see my words are being translated into honorifics in Korean.”

Corny smiled softly and tapped her earring. She seemed to be wearing a translation item there.

Translation items were very rare in the early days of the Gate Crisis, but now that production methods have spread considerably and mass production has begun, even non-hunters can purchase them if they want. It’s treated like a slightly expensive Bluetooth earphone?

“I’m just speaking comfortably as usual. It would be more inconvenient to change. And I prefer to use respectful nuances when possible, so please understand.”

“Of course, certainly. I prefer whatever is comfortable for you, Corny-nim.”

Afterward, a somewhat business-like conversation ensued between Chae Jiseok and Corny.

To summarize, it was about how grateful she was that Solaris had been purchasing many materials from Continue, and how Solaris always trusts and relies on them for preparing good products.

As the business talk went on endlessly, Habin, sitting in the corner, began to doze off.

“……Zzz.”

Nod nod.

Her head drooping lower.

Thud.

“Hyun Habin, are you sleeping?”

“Huh! N-no, I’m not!”

Habin suddenly raised her head at the warm touch supporting her forehead.

“What do you mean, no? Your neck was about to snap just now.”

“N-no, really! I was listening to everything……? I was just…… deep in thought.”

She quickly made excuses, but Chae Jiseok didn’t seem to believe her at all. He removed his finger that had supported her forehead and turned back to Corny.

“She had a very tiring schedule yesterday. Couldn’t sleep until dawn. Of course, we had recovery potions, but there must have been some mental fatigue. I’d be grateful if you could understand generously.”

“Young people these days are so hardworking. So you had a busy schedule yesterday too.”

Corny admired with an expression of approval.

“Yes…….”

‘It was all just playing around, though…..’

Chae Jiseok, feeling guilty, swallowed his words and nodded.

Hyun Habin, who had roamed all over Kill Screen’s night market yesterday. Hyun Habin, who had thoroughly enjoyed the fireworks and said she’d binge-watch dramas at dawn.

‘She played hard, so it’s understandable.’

Having good stamina and actually sleeping are slightly different issues. Even he had once worked for over 140 hours without sleep, relying only on potions, with Secretary Lee Junhwi, and while there was no physical problem, he still felt the habitual desire to sleep.

“And who is this young lady?”

Corny, seemingly finished with the business talk, finally showed interest in Habin. Chae Jiseok responded.

“Ah, actually, today’s visit was at this friend’s suggestion, not mine.”

“Oh ho.”

Corny’s eyes lit up.

“I was wondering why the rarely-seen Solaris vice guild master was taking such a long look around our shop, so it was thanks to this young lady. Your name is?”

“Hyun Habin.”

Habin answered. She quickly added.

“And I really wasn’t sleeping!”

“……Wipe the drool from your mouth before speaking.”

Chae Jiseok whispered quickly. Habin nonchalantly picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth.

“Ahem, must have been some cookie crumbs.”

Habin, feigning innocence, quickly changed the subject.

“This place is really amazing! I enjoyed seeing many wonderful sights. The gem hall, of course, and the greenhouse…… I would have regretted not coming.”

“That’s always a pleasure to hear.”

Corny nodded with a bright smile.

“I heard from the sellers earlier that you’re looking for a scabbard.”

“That’s right.”

“Is it for the sword you’re carrying now?”

“……!”

‘Why that expression?’

Chae Jiseok flinched. It seemed like an ordinary question, but Corny’s gaze as she asked it was anything but ordinary.

“If so, we should talk further inside. In my private workshop.”

“Your private workshop…… I’ve heard that’s not a place easily shown to others?”

“Let’s call it a privilege for VIPs.”

“……But I’m not a VIP.”

Habin interjected. Corny slowly put down her teacup.

“Then let’s register you as a VIP from today. If you’ll answer a few of my questions.”

◆◇◆◇◆

Corny’s private workshop.

The room, softly lit by yellow light, was a cozy space decorated with wood and exposed brick. Numerous blueprints and crafting manuals were scattered about.

“They’re all confidential documents, but I believe today’s guests are good at keeping secrets.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t understand much even if I saw them. I’m not in the crafting field.”

Chae Jiseok added as if to reassure her. Corny had sent away the sellers to ensure no one followed them, so only the three of them were in the room.

After checking the soundproofing of the room one last time, Corny opened her mouth.

“How much you can trust me is up to your discretion, but as an old woman with not many days left, I can keep my mouth shut.”

She wore quite a resolute and serious expression.

“It means I value my loyalty to customers more than my life.”

“……I’ve heard as much.”

Specializing in custom orders.

Moreover, since most of the orders were for crafted items targeting top-tier hunters, each and every order had unimaginable influence.

Sometimes, this leads to receiving requests related to guild or even national secrets.

“So I’m well-versed in maintaining confidentiality. I’ve never once leaked a client’s secret.”

Chae Jiseok nodded with a solemn expression.

“And you’ve never been involved in any crimes or unsavory affairs. I hear you don’t accept those kinds of requests from the start.”

“Even with a knife to my throat. As I said, with not many days left to live, what else do I have to protect but my principles?”

“But you should live long and healthy!”

Habin interjected. At those words, Corny burst into laughter.

“That’s just a manner of speaking.”

Corny turned to Habin with a kindly softened expression.

“Now then, may I ask why you’re disguising your sword?”

“……!”

[……!]

“Pardon?”

Chae Jiseok let out a startled gasp.

‘How on earth?’

Habin’s skill, ‘Deceiver’s Wish’, was quite powerful. It was at a level that even the skills of Chae Jiseok, an assassin class ranker, couldn’t penetrate.

[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ laments that this is the first skill even it finds difficult to penetrate!]

‘Is it difficult even for a constellation? And one related to precognitive abilities at that?’

Yet Corny had seen through Habin’s sword being disguised by a skill at a glance.

“……Why do you think that?”

Habin asked.

“Because I saw crude aspects that don’t make sense for a sword used in combat. It looks ordinary, but the details are sloppy. A sword like this would normally be discarded as defective during production or used as a decorative prop at best, but for an A-rank awakened to cherish and carry it around means it must be a sword actually used in combat or treasured.”

“……”

Corny calmly continued.

“So I asked the question expecting there to be some other secret. Either it has special abilities or it’s deliberately disguised to look ordinary.”

‘So this is the difference in the eye of a first-class crafting hunter.’

While Chae Jiseok was seriously nodding in agreement, Habin let out a sigh.

‘Damn. I was too careless.’

I must have chosen too shabby a weapon. I should have researched and chosen more carefully.

‘Or maybe I should have copied a weapon that looks moderately decent?’

[Didn’t I tell you I didn’t like this appearance!]

‘Hmm, maybe I should have changed it to a baseball bat.’

[What did you say?!]

‘Then no one would have even suspected!’

[……Argh!]

Anyway, now that it’s come to this.

‘I guess it’s better to reveal what Jaljal looks like.’

After all, to make a scabbard, they need to see what the sword looks like, right?

The reason for disguising Ahezar’s appearance was to avoid unnecessary attention if it looked too valuable.

Given Chae Jiseok’s reaction, and Habin’s own impression of Corny, she felt quite trustworthy. When she smiled kindly, it even reminded her of her late grandmother…….

‘That’s why I unconsciously said she should live long and healthy.’

The crucial secret Ahezar holds is simply that it’s a powerful constellation.

‘Jaljal, you just need to stay quiet. Can you do that? Our Kim Jaljal can do it!’

[Aren’t you encouraging me too artificially?!]

‘Then let’s think about the Mariana Trench for a change! You can do it, Kim Jaljal!’

If Ahezar could just keep quiet, they could pass it off as ‘a very good sword’ without revealing it’s a constellation.

Swoosh.

Having finished her thoughts, Habin deactivated ‘Deceiver’s Wish’.

An elegant and beautiful white sword. With a chilling blue aura like a glacier surrounding it.

Seeing this sight, Corny wore a surprised expression.

“I’ve seen countless items, but this…… It’s a truly perfect, even awe-inspiring masterpiece of a sword!”

[Ahem. To praise me so directly to my face is rather embarrassing.]

“Where did you obtain this sword? Ah, if it’s troublesome, you don’t have to answer.”

“Well…….”

Habin suddenly recalled her first meeting with Ahezar. It was something Hyun Siwoo had left in Habin’s room.

‘But it feels weird to bring up Hyun Siwoo here?’

After some deliberation, Habin decided to speak honestly without embellishment.

Just the facts she could tell, accurately!

“It was just lying around in a corner of my room.”

“……?”

“……?”

An awkward silence filled the room.