D-Rank Constellation Hunter… Stuck Without Internet! - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 73
Once our conversation ended, Jang Deuk-sung departed with the expression of someone whose very soul had been extracted.
Those who’d been stealing glances at his departure seemed curious—what on earth had transpired to leave him in such a dazed state?
“Constellation!”
Ji Chae-ah hurried over to my side.
Ever since I’d given her a drink that day, she’d developed a taste for it—a dolce latte now in hand.
“Mm.”
“Did something happen? He wasn’t bothering you or anything, was he?”
“Do I look like someone who’d be bothered by the likes of him?”
“No!”
I couldn’t tell if she was underestimating me or if that man had simply treated her so poorly that her faith in me ran deep.
[Tasha: I like that girl. She’s adorable.]
[Se-um: You’ve seemed fond of her for a while now.]
[Se-um: Just contract with her.]
[Tasha: But I don’t have enough Karma to support her right now. I want to take some time and think it over.]
It would be wonderful if Tasha became Ji Chae-ah’s backer.
Since I’d been focused solely on Ha Gyuhyuk, I didn’t know as much about her as I might have.
But I did know that every day she bought two dolce lattes and lingered outside my room.
I even knew she and Kim Gyuwun competed over who would handle my beverages.
“Did that man Jang Deuk-sung bother you?”
“It wasn’t just me—he exploited everyone at the Hunter Association.”
When I suggested hiring more staff, he’d only said to increase the interns instead.
Assigning work that required at least a manager or assistant level to interns meant the Association couldn’t possibly function properly.
I should have noticed when even Dan Yibum, an S-rank hunter, was handling rank evaluations for newly awakened individuals.
“Yet somehow he’s managed to stay there?”
“The Association director position is like a tenured job. Unless people start dying en masse while he’s working, there’s not much that can be done.”
Though we certainly couldn’t hope for people to die in droves just to remove him from office.
After venting about Jang Deuk-sung for a while, Ji Chae-ah suddenly seemed to realize something, her eyes widening.
“I’ve been keeping you too long, haven’t I?”
“No, I have plenty of time. Time is all I have.”
Besides, Tasha genuinely enjoys watching you converse with me.
I swallowed the rest of that thought.
“Then… is it alright if I stay a bit longer?”
“Of course.”
My role here is simply to observe whether you’re all doing well and living happily.
The conversation shifted to the matter of my battle with another Constellation within the Dungeon.
“Won’t there be problems later from acting that way?”
“Problems might arise, but I’ll win, so don’t worry.”
“Wow…”
Her eyes sparkled with wonder at how I could be so certain of victory.
I suppressed the urge to stroke his hair and maintained a stern expression.
“Honestly, I never expected to be chosen by a Constellation, so just having this conversation is genuinely moving.”
Ji Chae-ah continued, speaking softly as she held her latte with both hands.
She held an A-rank rating, but it was a dime-a-dozen profession.
Her usable skill patterns were extremely limited, and she said her nature didn’t suit Dungeons from the start.
“Once you become a Hunter, everyone says you have to fight. Unless you’re in a crafting profession.”
“Well, fighting is more profitable anyway.”
“But even after trying all sorts of things, I couldn’t transition into a crafting profession, and I hate Dungeons.”
So she studied hard and entered the Hunter Association.
She started as a contract worker, but within three months she received a full-time offer and worked diligently.
However, she wasn’t particularly happy.
It would have been different if she’d received recognition for her value or appropriate compensation for her abilities.
“I clearly knew my own worth, but instead of compensation matching that, they just gave me work matching it, and I couldn’t understand that.”
“I see. Even with time, the country doesn’t change much.”
Rather than treating capable people well, there’s a tendency to dump all the work on them.
Three hundred years ago or now—nothing was different.
As I sighed, Ji Chae-ah laughed helplessly as well.
“Then I saw the Touch One recruitment notice. I heard that a Constellation was affiliated there… though of course, I didn’t know it was you back then!”
“Right, right.”
Back then, she probably just thought of me as some strange S-rank Hunter who suddenly gave her a dolce latte.
“Of course, I didn’t think I could completely transfer, but I happened to have subtly good luck during that period.”
“Subtly good luck?”
Of course—I did that on purpose. Because I took a liking to her.
I sometimes wonder if I would have been so generous if she didn’t resemble Tasha’s appearance.
I acted that way for decidedly biased reasons myself, but that moment seemed to have left quite an impression on Ji Chae-ah.
I slightly bowed my head to meet the gaze of Ji Chae-ah, who was a bit shorter than me.
“So, how’s the treatment here? Are you short on money or anything?”
“No! This is the first time I’ve ever received this much money.”
“Ah, but you said you hated Dungeons—I wonder if I was wrong to take you into one last time.”
Back then, I’d selected decent people to match the numbers.
She didn’t show much displeasure, so I didn’t realize it would be like this.
I suddenly felt how much my attention had been focused solely on Ha Gyuhyuk.
Seeing my expression turn worried, Ji Chae-ah hurriedly waved her hands.
“No, no. When I went in this time, I realized for sure. What I disliked wasn’t the Dungeon itself, but that sensation of dying if I made even the slightest mistake.”
“That sensation of dying if you make a mistake?”
“That my mistake directly leads to someone’s death. But I want to keep accumulating mistakes and develop through that data.”
There’s a significant difference between being given the opportunity to make mistakes and not being given it.
I wish everyone was born talented and showed exceptional ability, but in most cases, that’s not how it is.
I nodded lightly.
“But wasn’t that the case in that Dungeon?”
“No, it wasn’t. When I first entered and the Constellations helped me… I thought there would be a next time.”
Ji Chae-ah, her expression serious, continued without hesitation, as if recalling that moment.
It seemed that for those who had to succeed on their first attempt, even a second chance granted such courage.
“But the Constellations can’t always enter the Dungeon together with everyone.”
“However, as long as these people are here, they won’t forcibly throw me into a Dungeon when I don’t want to go.”
“That’s true.”
I gave her extra points for how she answered each of my remarks without hesitation, each word crisp and clear.
This country certainly had many people whose value couldn’t be assessed all at once.
“I suppose I was the one holding onto you too much. You can go now.”
“Yes, yes! Oh, Constellation. Tomorrow I’ll bring something to drink instead of Hunter Kim Gyuwun.”
“All right.”
After some back-and-forth bickering, they seemed to have agreed to take turns bringing drinks on specific days.
I watched until her cheerful retreating figure disappeared from sight.
[ Tasha: How cute. ]
[ Se-um: I told you to make a contract. ]
Tasha vanished, determined to earn karma.
Seeing her display such resolve, I couldn’t help but smile.
Two similarly-looking girls chattering back and forth would certainly be adorable.
As I moved toward my room, Ha Gyuhyuk, who had been crouching by the door, startled at my arrival.
“What are you doing here?”
“Se-um…”
“Just sit comfortably in my chair. There’s a sofa too—why are you sitting here by the door like some pitiful creature? Who told you to do that?”
Unable to understand, I tilted my head, and his face flushed red.
“I wasn’t sure when you’d arrive, and I wanted to greet you first when you did.”
“So you didn’t go to your room and stayed here instead? Don’t you have work?”
“Like this…”
He showed me the tablet resting on his lap.
He’d been working here in this uncomfortable position the whole time.
I crouched down to face him, studying his expression. What a foolish boy.
I smiled softly and brushed my fingers through his hair.
“Alphabet really doesn’t reveal a person’s true nature, does it?”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
“Yes, Se-um. You’re right.”
Anyway, he falls for whatever I say without question.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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