NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18
The uncomfortable meeting with the pseudo side ended with a lot of nonsense.
If it were true that they called me here to offer recruitment, I would tell them directly that I wouldn’t enter Paradise. Did they think I was crazy enough to join?
I peeled myself off Polar Night. His pretty face broke into tears again, but I didn’t care.
It was because IRL, who broke the mood with only his existence, had been looking at us the whole time.
“Your Highness, don’t go to another guild,” said I Really Like, who had changed his address to me, with a sulky face.
I asked back while picking some of IRL’s popcorn, “Why?”
“I feel so sorry for the guild leader. He liked that he could talk to you as if you were close, but he was dumped in the face.”
“That’s his problem, not mine.”
“It may not be your situation, but sadly, it will be mine. If Your Highness goes to another guild, I might unintentionally stalk you.”
A long-boned hand stopped my hand from reaching for the popcorn bucket.
I took a long look at the open stalking declaration from I Really Like before overturning the popcorn bucket he was holding. Then he dropped the bucket on the floor, looking like a lost giant rabbit.
“Tyrant.”
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing…” I Really Like squatted in front of the spilled popcorn and muttered in a heartbroken voice.
I looked down at the top of his head and asked what I had been curious about all along, “Why are you still in Paradise? You’re not a blocked wall, so you can be stronger than Paradise Guild’s leader later on. Why don’t you build your own guild? Paradise is different from other guilds, so you don’t have the privilege of being an executive.”
I didn’t know if there was a privilege, but I roughly deduced it because the pseudo-religious base is only for the religious leader. But I Really Like didn’t refute what I said, so it wasn’t wrong.
“I am indebted to him.”
“Remember that every Hunter is a dark-haired beast.”
“The future he envisions is perfect. There’s no gap, no error. I’m the third NPC in that future. We will create a paradise for Your Highness according to his wishes. That’s why we’re here.”
The voice dragged slowly at the end of each word.
I Really Like, who kept emphasizing that he was an NPC from earlier, put his hands together and prayed in front of the popcorn rolling on the ground.
Isn’t he a total nutjob?
“Is that all?”
He opened his eyes to my words while praying with his hands tightly together. Looking at his mumbling lips, he seemed to have something to say.
“Actually, that’s not all.”
“Then what else? I’m really curious. It’s bizarre, but there are a lot of people who follow it.”
Difficulties permeated I Really Like’s expressionless face.
He picked up the popcorn scattered in the apartment hallway and put it back into the popcorn bucket as I waited for his answer.
After being silent for a long time, I Really Like buried his face in the box of popcorn that smelled like cheese seasoning and answered briefly, “He’s pretty.”
“Yes?”
“When I see the guild leader’s face, my worries disappear.”
…?
I hope I didn’t mishear.
I just blinked at him stupidly. He seemed more solemn than anyone else at this very moment.
“I think you’re amazing, Your Highness. I thought you would fall for him when you saw that face up close.”
“…”
“I respect you.”
He raised his thumb at me with a twinkle in his eyes.
I’m genuinely speechless.
You see… I almost fell for it, but I didn’t because you ruined the atmosphere.
“Anyway, since you dumped the guild leader, we’ll see you again soon.”
“If you stalk me, I will call the police.”
“… Please call me Juha next time, not Mr. Hunter.”
Then, IRL disappeared with the popcorn he had diligently picked up after self-promoting himself.
What’s…with him? He knows how to protect the environment. He’s an eco-friendly Hunter who doesn’t carelessly create garbage.
I stood in the apartment hallway where the scent of cheese seasoning lingered, reminiscing about my conversation with him.
Aside from being indebted, he’s there because of the face that makes all worries disappear? In the end, it’s all because of that face? What the… So in the end, that guy made a fanatic out of his face.
I still stood in the hallway stupidly after that because I realized the greatness of a dazzling face.
***
On the second day after becoming an S-rank Hunter, my life surprisingly hasn’t changed.
No matter how much the Republic of Korea has become Hell-Joseon, it is not allowed to invade residential areas for recruiting. If you do, you will be seized. Excluding the immoral and lawless Paradise and the people like I Really Like.
Yesterday, thanks to I Really Like, who took me to my apartment hallway, I avoided the other Hunters.
Will I see those people today if I go out? Since they are people who are obsessed with the S-class, of course they will follow.
If you obtain an S, your guild ranking will go up.
Currently in 5th place, Research can also become 3rd with just one S. Then, how much more desperate is Hundred Thousands, the 3rd place, and what about Daybreak, the 1st place?
I ate the ham-filled kimbap with my hands, feeling sorry for the Hunters who risked their lives on the rankings.
“Stop eating! You ate kimchi stew again last night!”
Heck, I ate it secretly, so how did she know?
I stole two beautifully sliced egg garnishes and hurried to my room.
I was thinking about the harmful effects of rankings created by Korea’s immersion education when an unexpected ambush occurred. I should eat less next time.
I placed the new terminal, which was having trouble with the baptism of messages, and picked up the old one.
A purple icon indicating a direct message from the Hunters Association flickered in the messenger window.
I went into a dungeon a while ago, so why are they calling me again?
I indeed agreed to cooperate with outer-dimension information gathering, but I don’t like to do it often.
I coolly ignored Mr. Smith’s message and picked up my cell phone.
The free bulletin board of the Korean Hunters Association, which all Hunters in Korea joined, was very hot with the appearance of the new S-rank.
For sure. Her first ranking is 35th. How curious would they be?
I swallowed the stolen eggs and opened ‘[HOT] But the new S-class is’.
20XX-04-23 12:17 Views: 1,632 Recommendations: 68
[HOT] But the new S-class is.
By: Roulette (Individual)
It’s been a day. Why is there no news of where they went?
Shouldn’t there be an announcement if they entered a guild?
If they had entered a guild, wouldn’t the guild have taken the dungeon right away to raise the ranking?
Could it be that the new ranker is copying Finger Prince because they yearn to be Finger Prince?
The.le.gen.da.ry.Fing.er.Tech.nique?
Five major guilds, come out quickly and tell me something. This individual F-rank is really curious about the status of the new rankerㅇㅅㅇ
Comments (53)
Geranium (Daybreak): Daybreak appears!
ㄴ Roulette (Individual): Is the new ranker with Daybreak?
ㄴ Geranium (Daybreak): Nay, our raiding party leader has been trying to recruit, but there’s still no news.
Big Interest (Research): They came out of the house yesterday and I Really Like followed them around.
ㄴ Anon: Really?? I Really Like followed them? Then are they in Paradise?
ㄴ Anon: I Really Like followed them around. Isn’t this crazy? Then is the new ranker prettier than Polar Night?
ㄴ I Really Like (Paradise): ㅗ
[T/N: ㅗ means the middle finger in a jokey way. Like saying, “Fuck off.”)
Pretty Name (Hundred Thousands): I went to recruit yesterday and returned after eating seafood noodles with Choco Milk.
ㄴ Choco Milk (Daybreak): It’s a famous restaurant there
ㄴ Anon: Don’t just talk. Share it lol
Baby Angel (Constitution): The new ranker had an appointment with our leader ㅋ_ㅋ
ㄴ Anon: Is the new ranker a senior?
ㄴ Roulette (Individual): They should be young since I Really Like followed them around. But are they going to join Constitution?
ㄴ Anon: Seniors, you can’t deceive people here;
Loveless (Paradise): My guild leader was dumped yesterday
ㄴ I Really Like (Paradise): Yes, I saw it
ㄴ Production King (Bamboo Forest): Hwoooh;; Then Constitution has really gotten a Buddha
ㄴ Anon: ???? They even dumped Polar Night after seeing that face? I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see them in real life.
ㄴ Anon: ????????????????
ㄴ White Snow (No Name): So the new ranker is an extreme Polar Night-class beauty?
ㄴ Anon: If they are, I’m going to make a fan club.
……
What’s going on? Why are the posts so messed up?
I chewed on the egg garnish as my face grew increasingly distorted.
I heard my mom calling me to eat kimbap outside the room.
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