I Became a Goblin Ancestor

The moon in the night sky sets and the morning sun rises.

After a night of deep sleep on the excellent bedding called a bed by humans, I slowly rose at the sunlight poking my eyes.

“Yaaawn…!”

A yawn that comes out naturally as I stretch while getting up.

Crack, crack—

I lightly cracked my neck, and with the refreshing sound of bones echoing, I completely got up from the bed and stood up.

Then I felt the cold sensation of marble on the soles of my feet.

“Ugh… it’s cold.”

It seems I had taken off all my shoes and jumper in my sleep, so I looked down at myself wearing only a crop top and shorts, then gathered and put on the clothes lying around.

However, in the process, I had to pick up one more thing.

Clatter—

“Ah.”

『You finally look this way.』

What I picked up along with my clothes was none other than Hwa-gon rolling on the floor.

I let out a short sound the moment I found her rolling on the floor, and at that, Hwa-gon threw a seemingly sulky word at me.

『Really… although I’m not integrated with the club, as I’ve always said, the goblin club and the Great Chief are one. How could you throw me like this while sleeping!』

“Umm… sorry.”

Hwa-gon immediately got angry about being thrown while I was sleeping when I picked her up.

Her pouting appearance felt quite cute, but since she was older than me despite appearances, it was clear she would get angry if I treated her like that.

So I immediately bowed my head and apologized to her without making any excuses or jokes, and fortunately, Hwa-gon accepted my apology and let it go, saying it was just this once.

Thanks to that, after putting on clothes, washing my body and clothes with water, drying the moisture with hot air, and finishing all preparations, it was already 11:20.

“It’s already this time…”

Why does time flow so fast when I haven’t done much?

I complained like that while checking the clock, and suddenly, a vibration rang from the device I had put in my jumper pocket.

Buzz—

“Hm? Who is it?”

『Looking at the caller, it’s Yeon-ah. Hurry and answer it.』

When I took out the device, the caller was none other than Yeon-ah.

Yeon-ah didn’t usually call first unless something was up, but since she said she would finish handling what I asked yesterday by this morning, I had a rough idea of what the call would be about.

So I cleared my throat, which was slightly hoarse from the morning, with a sip of water before answering Yeon-ah’s call.

“Hello?”

[Ancestor, have you woken up? If so, I can prepare a meal right away if you want to eat now…]

“No, it’s okay. I’m the type to skip breakfast originally.”

Actually, I wasn’t originally the type to skip breakfast, but since I couldn’t eat breakfast before my mother left in the old days, I had developed this habit.

I ate while being wary every afternoon after my mother left every day, so even now, it was quite awkward for me to have breakfast.

So when I declined the preparation of a meal, Yeon-ah’s response came from the other side, and immediately after, Yeon-ah began to speak what was presumably the main purpose of her call.

[Then, I’ve sent it by text message as well, but I’ll tell you what you need to know before going to receive your hunter certificate.]

“Ah, right. If it’s about that, I should listen.”

It was quite a forced request, but to think she really handled it by this morning.

Thanks to that, I felt like I could properly learn about the gates I was so curious about, so I inwardly sent gratitude to Yeon-ah, and then brought the device closer to listen to what she was about to say.

I had no choice but to listen carefully, as it would be regrettable if I didn’t remember what she said and caused trouble.

For that reason, as I brought the device close to my ear, after a brief pause, Yeon-ah’s words began to continue.

[First, as you wished, I’ve arranged for you to be issued an A-rank hunter certificate. The one who will examine you is one team leader from the Punishment Team. If you show technique or physical ability befitting A-rank power, you should be able to receive the hunter certificate.]

“Power befitting A-rank… Roughly how much is that level?”

[Hmm, it’s difficult to specify exactly, but throwing a car or overturning a lake… that level could be considered A-rank. But the actual exam content will be much simpler, so you don’t need to worry.]

“Hmm, I see. I guess I’ll find out when I get there.”

Seeing Yeon-ah speak like this, it seemed like a test I could easily pass, so I refrained from saying anything more.

As I cut my words short like that, Yeon-ah cleared her throat once and set the mood a bit.

Yeon-ah set the mood like that and told me the next points to keep in mind.

[What I’m about to tell you is quite important, so I hope you’ll remember it.]

“Yeah, I’ll remember it for sure.”

[Thank you. Then I’ll tell you now. If you get issued an A-rank hunter certificate, whether you like it or not, you’ll become known not only to hunters but also to people. I could block it at my level, but the process of entering gates is very complicated for hunters who aren’t officially registered… You wouldn’t want that, would you?]

“Of course not. I’d prefer it to be easy if possible… So? What if I become known?”

[Ah, yes. You’ll certainly become known to everyone, but just because your name is known doesn’t mean we can go around advertising that you’re the ancestor of our General Management Team. Therefore, externally, you will be designated as our exclusive hunter.]

“Since you said it’s a major issue for you if the ancestor is discovered… So I should act as an exclusive hunter?”

[Yes, you don’t need to particularly act like an exclusive hunter, just refer to yourself as our exclusive hunter when revealing your identity.]

“I see… Well, I can only say I’m truly grateful for this.”

[You’re too kind.]

Undoubtedly, like the other Five Pillars, they would be reluctant to have my identity as the ancestor revealed, yet they willingly granted this request and even tried to guarantee my freedom on top of that.

How could I not be moved by their actions that considered me from start to finish?

Therefore, I was inwardly deeply grateful to the point where words of thanks almost burst out without me realizing it.

‘I really should properly give them my genes later or something.’

At the very least, that’s about the best gift I can give in this era, so it seemed I should allow them to make better gene mana stones.

But what’s important now is, after all, the hunter certificate issuance exam happening today.

“Then what time do I need to go to this Hunter Association?”

As I asked that question, an answer immediately came back from Yeon-ah.

Or more precisely…

[Can you see the terrace connected to the bedroom window?]

“Yeah, I can see the terrace outside, but what about it…?”

Boom boom boom boom—–

Before I could ask “Why?”, interrupting my words, an airship flew up next to the terrace.

I gaped with my mouth open at the airship that parked next to the terrace, spewing out rough but quiet propeller sounds, and Yeon-ah’s voice came through the device to me.

[It’s the flagship prepared for the exclusive hunter, for you, ancestor. Please ride comfortably.]

There’s enough time to have a drink from here in the central district to the Hunter Association in the 11th district.

Yeon-ah added with a relaxed laugh.

The Hunter Association, the place where all hunters in the defense city handle their work.

Located in the 11th district, the Hunter Association was a place where hunters and Punishment Team officials came and went every day, and as such, the inside of the association was always overflowing with people.

Buzz buzz—

The interior of the association filled with the sounds of hunters’ conversations and officials’ reports going back and forth every day.

The work done by the Punishment Team employees in charge of the desk at such a Hunter Association was very diverse.

“Please sell these mana stones here.”
“Yes, that’s 30 low-grade mana stones, 76 mid-grade mana stones, and 107 high-grade mana stones for a total of 14,800,000 won. You’ve had quite an income today.”
“Hahaha! There were a lot of monsters in the 31st district gate today. I got a taste of money thanks to that.”

They exchange mana stones brought by hunters for won currency, or…

“Are there any good quests among the city interior quests? I don’t think I can enter the gate today because my party said they’re all resting…”
“For city interior quests, there are indeed many quests in the slum area. The compensation isn’t bad either. Would that be okay?”
“Ugh… No way. Are you really asking that? The quality there is too bad. If possible, please give me something else. Even something like assisting in gene mana stone production would be fine.”

They also assign quests to hunters looking for quests.

“Excuse me… I came to take the hunter exam today…”
“Ah, you’re a new hunter. In that case, please wait in the waiting room of the 2nd exam hall over there. You’ll be taking the exam together with the 12 o’clock examinees.”
“Ah, yes! Thank you!”

And guiding new rookie hunters for their training is what the desk employees do.

Besides these, there were countless other tasks piled up, so it could only be said that the desk staff was always short-handed.

If there was anything fortunate, it might be that those in charge of exams and those in charge of quest records were separately classified and assigned work, and generally, the Punishment Team leader, Seo-hyun, stayed at the association, so even if things went wrong, they could be dealt with immediately.

But even with such contingency plans, it was all the same that they worked drenched in fatigue all day long, so Na-rang, an employee of the Punishment Team, let out a deep sigh.

“Haaa… I’m so tired I could die…”

A sigh that seemed to sink the ground erupted from Na-rang’s mouth.

Under her desk space, cans of caffeinated drinks she had drunk the day before were already rolling around in abundance.

Normally, there should only be three or four cans, but today there were twice as many cans.

The reason was none other than the sudden overtime work of creating a hunter certificate that came down from the team leader, Seo-hyun, at dawn yesterday.

It was overtime suddenly notified like a red bean porridge in the middle of the night, so the stress was also double the usual.

Therefore, as Na-rang was about to slump in her chair while sighing deeply, her senior colleague Hyun-ah, who was typing on the keyboard next to her, lightly hit Na-rang’s head with a bundle of documents.

Thwack–!

“Get up quickly, you brat. Were you the only one who worked overtime?”
“No, Senior Hyun-ah… Honestly, you’re tired too. So my act of resistance against this Punishment Team is a perfectly rational behavior.”
“What nonsense are you spouting… If Seo-hyun team leader comes down while you’re doing that, you’re dead, you know?”
“Nonsense… Really, if it weren’t for your harsh language, you would’ve had a boyfriend long ago. Or is it because your face is too rough…”
“Tsk, this kid…”

As Na-rang threw a joke that wasn’t really a joke while grinning, Hyun-ah’s bundle of documents hit Na-rang’s head with a thud, unlike before.

“Ow!”

At that, Na-rang had no choice but to sit up straight in the chair she had been slumped in, holding her throbbing head.

“Haah… I hope today just goes on like this…”

Although her head hurt from unnecessarily running her mouth, it was still an ordinary day that could be spent joking around with Hyun-ah.

Moreover, if only today, Friday, passed, tomorrow would be a day off when shift workers would come out and they wouldn’t have to come to the association, so Na-rang hoped that the day would just pass like this without any special incidents.

However, was it karma for joking about Hyun-ah’s complex?

“…Huh?”
“What is it now?”
“Senior, don’t you hear something? Like the sound of propellers.”

Na-rang suddenly opened her eyes wide at the faint sound of propellers she heard.

Hyun-ah seemed about to say what nonsense that was, but soon she also closed her mouth as if she started hearing the sound, and the next moment.

“Senior Na-rang! Senior Hyun-ah! We’re in big trouble!”
“What, what’s the matter?”

A woman who had run down from the second floor came running towards Na-rang and Hyun-ah, shouting loudly.

Her appearance shouting that there was big trouble and her pale expression.

At that, Hyun-ah, who was sitting next to Na-rang, calmed the flustered woman and asked what was wrong, and the answer that came back.

Was something Na-rang never wanted to hear.

“Cough, cough! Ge, ge, General Management Team… A flagship with the General Management Team’s emblem has landed on the association’s rooftop…!”
“…What did you say?”

The word ‘General Management Team’ in her sentence echoes in Na-rang’s mind.

Just that one word made her mind go blank. And Na-rang couldn’t help but intuit.

The fact that her day today was going to be quite fucked up.