How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 22

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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 22】
“Jung Ha-neul! It’s been so long!”
A familiar face had returned—none other than Lia, back from her vacation in Australia.
She arrived at the Shop with a noticeably brighter expression than before, still clutching a large suitcase as if she’d come straight here upon returning to Korea.
“Hello there….”
“Oh my, Hunter. What’s wrong with your face? You’ve become half your former self.”
Concern welled up in her large eyes as she examined my complexion.
A few days ago, despite my desperate pleas, Lee Hyun-woo coldly rejected me and vanished, insisting he would report the matter to the Management Bureau.
I trudged home in despair, spent the entire night researching the penalties for illegal Gate entry, and trembled uncontrollably.
‘At minimum a fine, or worse—imprisonment….’
What was supposed to be a mission had landed me on the verge of prison. Fortunately, no one had come to arrest me yet, but my constant anxiety caused fatigue to accumulate rapidly.
The result was a reflection in the mirror that screamed of serious trouble—anyone could see it written all over my face.
Bloodshot eyes, dark circles sagging to my jawline, pupils dulled and clouded of all vitality.
“Hmm, is someone bothering you? Should I take care of it?”
“Lia?”
Lia gestured to the greatsword strapped across her back, as if to say just give the word. She looked ready to hunt down anyone who dared trouble me and slit their throat on the spot.
It was reassuring, truly, but unfortunately the person tormenting me wasn’t someone Lia could handle. In fact, no one—not even Lia—could resolve this situation.
After all, she was an S-Rank Hunter, the highest rank in the domestic Korean Hunter Community.
“It’s just that I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Ah, that’s not something I can help with then. Still, if you ever need anything, just say the word.”
Lia offered a somewhat eerie smile as she adjusted her greatsword. I quickly changed the subject.
“Did you enjoy your vacation?”
“Of course. It was wonderful seeing my family after so long.”
She thrust souvenirs from Australia into my arms.
The magic stone was still sitting in my Inventory….
When I muttered this, she insisted this was a travel memento—different from the magic stone, which was compensation for curing my insomnia.
“Wow! Chocolates?”
Opening the shopping bag revealed premium chocolates adorned with ribbons and an adorable squirrel plushie. The moment she spotted the squirrel among the kangaroo figurines, she must have thought of me.
“Thank you so much. It’s absolutely precious.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s a small gift compared to what I’ve received from you.”
She shrugged as she glanced around the Shop.
“By the way, you mentioned you’re taking reservations now? I’ll need to hurry starting tomorrow.”
“We have a new menu item too—you absolutely must try it!”
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
At that moment, an alarm chimed from her wrist. After checking the message, she shrugged.
“I should get going. I came straight here without even submitting my return report.”
Lia dismissed the alarm with a casual swipe and picked up her large luggage.
“If it weren’t for the taiyaki, I wouldn’t have come back at all. The Korean Hunter Community owes Jung Ha-neul their gratitude.”
“Ahaha….”
“See you next time.”
She made a creepy joke and waved goodbye to me. The woman before me—no longer anxious or hurried—radiated unmistakable vitality.
‘I made the right call unlocking that special effect.’
As I watched her receding figure and waved back, a massive shadow suddenly fell across me.
I turned to see a Suited Man, who gave me a slight bow and spoke.
“You are Jung Ha-neul, correct? The Director is looking for you.”
I swallowed hard. It had finally come.
* * *
‘…I hope this is nothing serious.’
The Director summoning me meant only one thing—this situation was gravely serious. Like a student dragged to the principal’s office, I trudged along behind him with sagging shoulders.
“Look at this, nya. Strange plants are growing, nya.”
“Ha-nyang, please stay still.”
Oblivious Ha-nyang was too fascinated by the Management Bureau’s highest floor—a place she’d never seen before—to do anything but gawk at everything around us.
We were on the Management Bureau 132nd Floor. Apparently, entry required a special card. Consequently, this expansive corridor was utterly devoid of people.
“Please wait a moment.”
He spoke to the Receptionist at the desk, and the firmly shut door slid open silently.
I cautiously followed him inside, entering another space that felt remarkably open.
“Director, Jung Ha-neul is here.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
I looked up and saw a middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa.
That face—the one I’d seen in news and articles. With her cheerful short hair and beige two-piece suit, she looked far more refined than her mid-forties would suggest.
She offered me a gentle smile, as if to ease my tension.
“I’ve been curious about you, Hunter Ha-neul. Please, make yourself comfortable.”
I glanced at the sofa and saw Lee Hyun-woo was already seated there.
Unlike me, who had agonized for days, he appeared perfectly at ease. With his long legs crossed, he sipped his tea calmly and offered a light nod in greeting.
“It’s been a while.”
But this was no time for casual pleasantries. As I sat and reached for my teacup to wet my throat, I froze at the sight of my trembling hands.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes, well.”
Lee Hyun-woo noticed the spilled tea and handed me a tissue. While my hands moved slowly to wipe the table, my mind raced frantically.
‘I’m not going to prison, am I? If I go to prison, what happens to the Taiyaki Shop? What about Ha-nyang?’
Worst-case scenarios swirled in my head. As I sat there, lost in my own anxious thoughts, the Director—who had given Ha-nyang some water—approached me.
“Your cat is absolutely adorable. Her name is Ha-nyang, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’m envious. Working alongside such a cute cat must be wonderful.”
She made a light joke and plopped down on the sofa. After sipping her warm tea, she opened her mouth.
“I heard an interesting story from Lee Hyun-woo. Something about an F-Rank Hunter sneaking into a Gate.”
I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants. My heart felt like it might burst from tension.
“Is that story about you, Hunter Ha-neul?”
“…Yes. I apologize.”
I bowed my head, bracing for the reprimand. But the voice that followed was unexpectedly cheerful.
“You’re quite brave! I’m impressed.”
“…What?”
Was she mocking me? I lifted my head sharply to observe her expression. But what I found there was genuine admiration.
So she really was amazed that I, an F-Rank, had entered the Gate.
“Even if the System ordered me to, I don’t think I could have gone. Taking such a risk for items—that’s remarkable!”
I blinked at how unexpectedly this was unfolding. I’d braced myself for criticism, yet here I was receiving praise instead?
“…Um, Director.”
“Yes, Hunter Ha-neul.”
“Didn’t you call me here to punish me for illegally entering the Gate?”
Without looking in a mirror, I could imagine how foolish my expression must have been. At my hesitant question, the Director tilted her head back and burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha! So that’s why you looked so troubled! I was wondering why you seemed so tense.”
She laughed with genuine delight, having mistaken my nervousness at meeting her for anxiety about the situation itself.
“Of course, it was wrong for an F-Rank to enter a Gate alone. There were voices within the bureau calling for disciplinary action.”
At the word “discipline,” my body stiffened with tension. But the Director quickly waved her hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry. While F-Ranks do have restrictions on Gate access, it’s possible with my authorization.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“For special circumstances, I can issue temporary permits. It’s not common, so it’s understandable you wouldn’t know.”
She explained that she’d learned from Hunter Lee Hyun-woo why I’d entered the Gate, and that she’d been processing my entries as temporary permits issued by her office, so I shouldn’t worry.
“Countless Hunters have regained their vitality thanks to the Taiyaki Shop. Rewarding you would be more appropriate than discipline.”
The warmth in her gaze as she looked at me was unmistakable.
“However,”
The Director looked directly at me and raised her index finger with firm resolve.
“You absolutely cannot enter a Gate alone. A higher-ranked Hunter must accompany you.”
“…What?”
At that moment, Hunter Lee Hyun-woo, who had been sitting quietly, casually raised his hand.
“Then what if I ‘officially’ accompanied Hunter Ha-neul?”
An S-Rank Hunter officially accompanying an F-Rank to collect materials?
I clicked my tongue at the absurdity of this ridiculous suggestion. There’s no way the Director would accept this…
“Oh! That would be reassuring. I’ll count on you going forward.”
Wait. What did you just say?
Startled, I shot up from my seat. Looking at the serene Hunter Lee Hyun-woo and the Director with her subtle smile, I suddenly realized something.
‘…Could they have planned this together?’

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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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