I Awakened as a Dark History - Chapter 32

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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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Episode 32
An item that couldn’t be appraised? Items like that actually existed?
The question was brief, fleeting—gone as soon as it formed.
“I beg your pardon?”
The appraiser bowed his head, his expression sheepish.
“Such items do appear from time to time. When they do, appraisal by skill becomes impossible. Without textual decryption or archaeological examination, it’s difficult to determine what the object is.”
“Ah, so you’re saying I’d need to find a specialist in that field?”
“Theoretically, yes. However, the inscriptions on items recovered from dungeons can’t be decrypted, and to my knowledge, proper archaeological examination has never been conducted on them.”
In short, there was no way to appraise it, no matter what I tried.
My expression darkened of its own accord.
The appraiser, noticing this, forced brightness into his voice.
“That said, there are specialized collectors who seek out unusual items like this! Sometimes their rarity actually commands a higher price. Would you consider listing it in a domestic or international auction?”
I shook my head firmly, making clear my refusal.
“I’ll just dispose of the other items instead.”
“Of course. Then let me appraise the rest for you.”
As I placed the Stone Tablet in my bag, the appraiser methodically completed the appraisal of the remaining items.
Perhaps regretful that he couldn’t appraise the Stone Tablet, he examined each object with particular care.
‘Judging by how items are used, the appraisal grade probably isn’t that high.’
I rubbed my chin.
“…By any chance, could you find someone who could decipher this?”
The appraiser looked at me with surprise.
“Is that not possible?”
“Well… it is possible. That’s not my department, but if you request it, I can connect you with the appropriate department and find someone to help. There will be a service fee and a commission—would that be acceptable?”
“How much?”
The appraiser set down the items and tapped on his tablet.
He quickly showed me what appeared to be an estimate.
The base service fee was fifteen million won, with a commission of fifteen percent on whatever amount the specialist offered.
‘That’s rather steep.’
Still, it made sense that the fee would be high—this was for someone who would bother appraising an item of this caliber without intending to sell it.
Startled by the size of the sum, I found it was still manageable.
After selling items multiple times, my account had accumulated a decent amount.
“…In that case, what if the connection doesn’t go through, or it does but I decide not to request interpretation—what happens to the commission?”
“In such cases, no commission will be charged. However, the service fee cannot be refunded.”
Then there was no reason to hesitate.
Above all, I could always decline if the specialist’s proposed fee was too high.
“Will you request it?”
“Yes, please do.”
The appraiser swiftly manipulated the tablet and handed me the application screen.
As I took the tablet and began filling out the form, the appraiser finished appraising the remaining items.
We completed nearly simultaneously—my application and his appraisals.
“The appraisal is complete. All items have been verified. Please review the items and their grades here.”
“Of course.”
I mechanically reviewed everything and left my signature on the tablet.
Perhaps because I’d brought him considerable success.
The employee collected the tablet with a bright smile.
“I’ll send you the details of the item sale and your appraisal request via email as before. Will that work for you?”
“Yes. Can I leave now?”
“Absolutely. Thank you very much for using Hunket again.”
I swallowed the impulse to say I’d continue using them—it would’ve sounded presumptuous.
With a slight smile, I nodded, and the employee rose to see me out.
I wondered how much would be deposited in my account this time.
With that much money coming in, perhaps I should buy an item or two.
It would be best to choose something I could use regardless of the situation.
* * *
Higher-grade items were usually sold through auction, but not all merchandise went that route.
Items hastily disposed of, or those Hunket had secured themselves, were exceptions.
‘Still, there’s not very many.’
I swept my eyes across Hunket’s display cases with a sense of disappointment.
The employee swallowed dryly and approached me cautiously.
“Is there something specific you’re looking for?”
I rubbed my cheek and pondered the matter.
The Awakened Ones I synchronized with all had completely different stats.
Finding items to match each of them felt next to impossible.
But there was one thing—just one—they all had in common when it came to Synchronization.
“Is there an item that reduces a skill’s Cooldown, by any chance?”
“Cooldown… ah, you mean Penalty Removal, yes?”
The staff member grasped my meaning with practiced ease.
I nodded, and the employee’s face brightened as he tapped away at his computer.
“We have three of those items in stock here at Hunket. One is Grade A and has already gone to auction. The other two have been assessed as Grade C.”
Grade A would have better performance, no doubt. But I wasn’t sure I could secure it at auction.
“What are the specifications of each?”
“The Grade A reduces Penalties by 50 percent. The Grade C items offer 15 and 10 percent reduction respectively. Would you like to see the designs?”
I nodded lightly.
My mind was already leaning heavily toward the 15 percent option, but I decided to look at them first anyway.
“Please give me just a moment.”
The employee hurried to make a call, then retrieved a bracelet from the display case.
“This is the 10 percent Penalty Removal item.”
So that meant a 30-minute Cooldown would shrink to 27 minutes. I didn’t feel much difference.
‘Maybe I’d need Grade B for something more meaningful.’
While I was thinking it over, the 15 percent item seemed to have arrived as well.
The employee held up a necklace toward me.
“Here’s the 15 percent Penalty Removal item as well.”
Both had clean designs and looked decent to the eye.
I hesitated, then asked the most important question.
“What’s the price?”
“The 10 percent is 13 million won, and the 15 percent is 16 million won.”
Perhaps because I’d already spent money requesting an Appraisal upstairs, my hand didn’t move easily toward either purchase.
If the effect had been more impressive, I would have bought it despite the cost, but the effectiveness felt too ambiguous.
“You don’t have any Grade B items?”
“Unfortunately not.”
The employee trailed off regretfully, his eyebrows drooping. Worried I might simply walk out, he hurried to add more.
“Skills often come with Penalties, you see. Penalty Removal items are in high demand among Hunters. Precisely because of that, we rarely get them in stock or keep them long. Finding even Grade C items still available like this—you’re really quite fortunate.”
Looking at what the purchase would do to my bank account, it wasn’t an amount I couldn’t afford.
‘If I buy, the 15 percent would be better.’
This was the moment my heart was tipping decisively to one side.
“Confirm whether the item has stacking properties.”
“Ah!”
A voice suddenly came from behind, startling me badly.
I spun around with a yelp and saw Seo Il-hak with a flustered expression.
“Oh, um—Director? What brings you here?”
Seo Il-hak stepped back slightly and composed himself.
“I was out on dispatch. My apologies. I startled you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I waved both hands, accepting his apology.
Even so, my ear caught on a word I couldn’t overlook.
“But dispatch? Did a dungeon appear here?”
Seo Il-hak smiled reassuringly and shook his head.
“No, nothing like that. It’s due to a prison break that occurred last weekend.”
“A prison break?”
Seo Il-hak tilted his head at my question as if it were something he couldn’t understand.
“It’s been all over the news recently—haven’t you seen? Some Awakened One criminals escaped during trial.”
I’d been in dungeons all weekend and had been too busy resting or going to work afterward to even think about watching the news.
Fortunately, Seo Il-hak didn’t press further and continued.
“We received a report that one of the escaped Awakened Ones passed through Hunket, so I stopped by to check the CCTV. I spotted you on the way and wanted to help, but I gave you quite a fright.”
Seo Il-hak spoke casually, but to my ears it sounded only unnerving.
An Awakened One criminal was a disaster even without weapons.
“In any case, here.”
Seo Il-hak extended a sheet of paper toward me.
I instinctively took it and examined it.
“A Wanted Poster?”
“Yes. It’s a wanted poster for escaped convicts. Just in case, would you take one with you?”
The poster displayed ten faces in a neat row.
Alongside each face were the reward amount and a report number, both impossible to miss.
The escapees ranged from Grade B to Grade C, with a bounty of two million won per person.
But Grade B and C meant opponents far beyond the reach of ordinary civilians.
Even reporting them would require extraordinary luck and courage.
The reward of two million won per head felt almost insufficient by comparison.
Perhaps this poster wasn’t meant for civilians at all, but for Hunters.
“With two Grade S Hunters now deployed—myself included—we should apprehend them soon. But both of us, and those around us, risk collateral damage, so the operation requires careful handling. It may take a bit longer still.”
I’d need to be extra cautious until all the escapees were caught.
I tucked the poster carefully into my jacket.
“Thank you for the warning. I’ll be careful.”
Seo Il-hak didn’t leave immediately after my courtesy. His eyes flickered, as if deliberating.
There was clearly something more he wanted to say.
I stood quietly for a moment, giving him room to continue.
“Ahem. So, I wanted to ask—might it be possible to request assistance from the Hunter you met previously?”
……Who?

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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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