How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 23

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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 23
I watched their gazes meet briefly but unmistakably. It was clear there was some unspoken transaction between them that I knew nothing about.
‘But for what purpose?’
Did they really need to make a deal just to assign such a precious S-rank Hunter to accompany an F-rank material collector? If anything, there were plenty of other Hunters I could have asked to join me.
“…Aren’t you busy, Lee Hyun-woo?”
“I can adjust my schedule.”
He casually refuted my question.
“But schedules aren’t always easy to adjust,”
“Is there a specific time you need to enter the Gate?”
“Not particularly.”
He shrugged and said with an irritating smile that it should be fine then.
Fine? People would have a fit if such a valuable S-rank Hunter wasted his time accompanying a mere F-rank.
As I fretted over this dilemma, the Director gently patted my shoulder.
“I know what you’re worried about, Hunter. But just think of it as no big deal.”
“But—”
“Besides, Lee Hyun-woo is a capable Hunter. He’ll definitely be helpful.”
It wasn’t that he lacked competence—that was precisely the problem. He was far too competent.
Still, there had to be a reason the Director was pushing this so hard. I eventually let out a sigh-like acceptance and left the Director’s Office.
“Are you heading straight home? I can give you a ride.”
“…I won’t refuse.”
I could have gotten home quickly using the System, but I had questions for him, so I accepted his offer.
“I don’t like cars, meow!”
“Just bear with it for a bit. I’ll give you treats when we get home. And brush you too, okay?”
Ha-nyang grumbled beside me, but surrendered to the temptation of delicious snacks. The moment I fastened my seatbelt after getting in the car, I asked him.
“So what did you discuss with the Director?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb. The Director wouldn’t have assigned you to my side without a reason.”
His elegant fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel. After a moment of thought, he spoke while keeping his eyes on the road.
“Actually, I agreed to help train some of the other Hunters for a while. It’s not something I need to do, but I have my own desires now.”
I had been about to say I’d refuse the Gate expedition if he kept dodging the question, but he answered more honestly than I expected.
Yet doubts still lingered. Setting aside the Director’s approval, why did he care so much about me?
It wasn’t like he was fond of taiyaki like the other Hunters. I couldn’t understand what special reason he had for protecting me.
“Why do you dislike me entering Gates?”
“Well, naturally—”
“Aside from it being illegal or dangerous. Other Hunters enter Gates too, and you don’t accompany them every time, do you?”
To an S-rank like him, F-ranks and D-ranks probably looked equally weak. So why did he treat me differently?
He tapped the steering wheel a few more times with his long fingers before speaking in a quiet voice.
“…For some reason, when I see you, I feel a strange sense of longing.”
He gazed out the car window for a moment, as if recalling someone.
“Perhaps that’s why I want to protect you.”
His words were frustratingly vague.
What did he mean by feeling “nostalgic”? In a previous interview, he’d mentioned losing something important to him due to S-rank awakening side effects.
Sparse, abstract fragments surface occasionally, but only in those moments. Was he remembering some past instant while looking at me now?
“This feeling of nostalgia—what exactly does it….”
“You must be tired. Feel free to rest your eyes for a moment.”
He clearly didn’t want to discuss this topic further.
As he focused on driving, a quiet silence settled over the car.
‘I wish a mission window would pop up right now.’
Whenever Hunters faced troubles, mission windows had appeared with perfect timing. Whether it was Lia’s insomnia or Kang Min Hunter’s emptiness.
But this time, as if to show that things couldn’t be resolved so easily, the system window remained silent.
“Thank you for driving me today.”
“Not at all. Do you have any Gate schedules coming up?”
“I’m not sure. Since I went recently… I don’t think there’ll be any for a while.”
He nodded as if relieved.
It hadn’t been long since I’d returned from the Gate for Kang Min Hunter. There would likely be some breathing room before the next mission.
‘First, I need to find an employee for the shop.’
The ‘Employee Recruitment Right’ I’d received after completing this hidden mission. To unlock the next new menu, I needed someone to work with me.
After parting ways with Lee Hyun-woo, I returned home and opened the system window, lost in thought.
“A new employee, huh. Should I post a job listing?”
“Don’t you have anyone around you could ask, meow?”
“I can’t think of anyone….”
The people around me were either Hunters or Shin Hye. They all had their own work, so I couldn’t ask them to help at the Taiyaki Shop.
Thinking of my narrow circle of relationships, I let out a small sigh.
“Why did they only give me the recruitment right? They could’ve recommended the perfect person too.”
Hiring new people had always been the most difficult part. Even when I worked at my parents’ shop before, finding employees was always a headache.
Some would spend all day on their phones during work hours, others would silently cancel orders, or invite friends over to play.
After encountering such a variety of troublemakers, the thought ‘I’d rather just do this alone!’ would bubble up relentlessly.
But seeing that the recruitment right came as a reward suggested the system itself judged that working alone would be impossible. So I really did need to hire someone….
“Sigh, I wish I could see employees ranked by grade too.”
A-rank employees, B-rank employees. How much easier would hiring be if I could see those distinctions clearly?
With such idle thoughts, I prepared to post a job listing on the recruitment website. That was the moment.
Detecting the owner’s strong desire!
I grant you the skill ‘Talent Detection (C)’.
With a cheerful chime, a translucent blue window materialized before my eyes.
I’d acquired a new skill. And it even had a wonderfully fitting name: ‘Talent Detection’.
“Ha-nyang! This is incredible! I got a new skill!”
“Oh, what skill is it, meow?”
When I clicked on the skill name, a description appeared explaining it was an ability to quantify desired talents and view them numerically.
‘Quantifying talent…?’
The description alone wasn’t immediately clear, so I decided to test it on Ha-nyang right away.
First, I listed the desired talent as “Ha-neul’s Bungeoppang Shop Staff,” and when I used the skill on Ha-nyang….
Name: Jung Ha-nyang
Talent Grade: D-
Reason: Laziness, Gluttony
“Ahahaha! Ha-nyang can’t work at our shop. Not even D-grade—it’s D-minus!”
And the reasons were laziness and gluttony, no less!
Ha-nyang turned away with a dismissive snort as if uninterested. But the way her tail kept smacking the ground with sharp thuds suggested she was anything but pleased. Each time her tail struck the floor with a bang, her belly jiggled right along with it.
I bit back a laugh that was threatening to burst out.
“Anyway, with just this skill, hiring shouldn’t be a problem.”
My goal was to recruit an A-grade employee. My heart racing with anticipation, I posted the job opening on the Recruitment Website.
And a few weeks later,
“Oh, the shop’s really small. But do a lot of famous Hunters come here?”
“They visit from time to time.”
“What about Lia? I want her autograph. By the way, where can I smoke here?”
“Ha, well… I’m not sure. I’ll contact you later.”
I awkwardly smiled and sent off the applicant who was so eager to get Lia’s autograph. As I’d suspected from their crude manner of speaking, their talent grade was E. The reason: Poor attitude. Zero hygiene awareness.
I’d hoped to hire at least a B-grade employee, but most applicants were either E or F-grade. It would’ve been better to just hire Ha-nyang as staff.
Being so close to the Management Bureau, it seemed most people were more interested in catching a glimpse of famous Hunters than actually working.
“At this rate, I won’t be able to hire anyone….”
But no matter how urgent the hiring was, I couldn’t just pick anyone. Even if I had to struggle for a while, finding someone I was satisfied with seemed more important.
“Right. I shouldn’t rush this.”
The packaging items I’d purchased from Jeoseung-i.com were working well anyway, so there was no immediate urgency.
I was tapping my sore shoulders as I’d been baking taiyaki all day long, checking how much time remained until the next special menu, when it happened.
[URGENT]
A+ Grade Talent Discovered!
Will you enter the Gate 【Silent Cave】?
Silent Cave? But I’d already collected all the materials and completed the mission from that Gate?
I rubbed my eyes several times and checked the window again. The name of the Gate I’d entered before was still displayed.
“What kind of shop staff is in a Gate?”

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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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