After that, I kept in touch with both Na-yeon and Su-hyun. Su-hyun applied for a name change on the day we talked and changed her name to Kim Seo-hyun.
Seo-hyun asked questions non-stop, as if she was curious about everything. Many of them were questions related to Hunters.
I got tired of chatting through messages, so I suggested we talk in person and decided to meet at a nearby cafe.
When I dragged my heavy body to the cafe, there was Seo-hyun dressed in an adorable outfit. She still had a youthful face. It felt awkward to see her wearing a skirt so naturally.
How did she adapt so quickly in just a few days?
,Ah! I'm here, Unnie!,"
,Hi, Su-hyun."
,Unnie! I'm Seo-hyun now."
,Ah, right. Hi, Seo-hyun."
She really became like a girl. There was no awkwardness in her actions? It was like she had completely accepted that she was a woman.
,Today, I'm going to ask about Hunter stuff."
,But why Hunters all of a sudden?"
,Actually, I've been working odd jobs here and there."
,When you were a guy?"
I said in a small voice.
Seo-hyun nodded slightly.
,I have some money saved up, so I'm not worried about living for a while, but I need to find a job again."
,Wouldn't it be better to find a regular job?"
Being a Hunter is not something to do. It might sound strange for me, a Hunter, to say this, but low-rank Hunters have a hard time making money and it's also dangerous. And if Seo-hyun was a man, it would be different, but as a woman? There was a possibility of seeing bad things.
,Is that so? But I looked into a few places and they all rejected me."
,Really?"
,Yes, do I look that young?"
Objectively, she looks like a middle schooler? Being generous, maybe a high schooler. It's hard to see her as older than that.
,Yeah, why?"
,I went to apply for night part-time jobs, but they all rejected me."
Night part-time job?
,Where did you apply?"
,Convenience stores, PC cafes, and fast food restaurants too...."
,And?"
,They all said no. Even when I showed them my ID, they told me not to lie."
Is it because she looks too young? She's at least a high school graduate?
,I need to find a job quickly, and if this keeps happening, I might as well try being a Awakener since I've already Awakened."
,Hmm..., Hunter life isn't that easy."
,I'm serious."
She's serious? Then I should talk to her properly?
,First, can you tell me your stats?"
,Yes."
Seo-hyun told me her stats in a small voice. All stats D, the same as mine. That's how I was when I first Awakened.
,To be honest, it's going to be tough with those stats."
,Is that so?"
,Yeah, that's how my stats were too? I managed to get an artifact early on and used it."
,Ah...."
She looked visibly disappointed.
,Of course, it's not bad to try. But being a Hunter doesn't make you that much money."
,Really?"
,Yeah, you need to be at least C-Rank to earn properly, and E-Rank and D-Rank Hunters struggle to make enough to eat day by day."
,Unnie is...."
,I also started at E-Rank at first, but now I'm B-Rank."
,B-Rank!?"
,Yeah, it's an ambiguous but high rank, right?"
,Yes, I'm jealous....... Can I become that strong too?"
,I don't know, we don't really know what role the female stat plays among our stats."
,Is that so?"
Seo-hyun, with her eyes wide open as if she had a question, looked like a lovely animal.
,Yeah, it goes up when you become more feminine, but I don't know what the effect is."
,I see. What's Unnie's?"
,B."
,You're even pregnant and it's B...."
,It became B when I got married, and there hasn't been any change since then."
Maybe it will go up after giving birth?
,I see...."
,And to become a Hunter, you need to find a fixed party to be safe."
,Party...."
Unfortunately, Seo-hyun didn't know anyone. I couldn't introduce her to anyone I knew either. There's a party with Ha-eun Unnie and Hyun-woo, but Seo-hyun is too weak to ask them. Besides, that party is a top-tier C-Rank, almost B-Rank level.
,Of course, there are random matchings too."
,There are!?"
,But the quality isn't that good. I went for about two months and it was a mess."
I felt sorry seeing Seo-hyun looking disappointed. I could have given her hopeful stories, but I didn't.
,Hing...."
Her drooping appearance was like a small animal, so it was really lovely. Should I let this kind of kid into the Hunter world full of lecherous men? Wouldn't she see scary things?
Looking at her, I wanted to help her somehow.
Is there a way I can help? I started to think. Among my connections, who would be able to take care of this child...? Mi-ra came to mind.
,You just need to be able to work?"
,Yes."
Looking at her dejected answer, it seems she was expecting to become a Hunter.
,Hmm..., I'll ask someone I know for now."
I immediately sent a message to Mi-ra asking if she was thinking of hiring a cute girl who just became an adult.
I immediately got a reply telling me not to talk nonsense.
,Seo-hyun, can I take a picture of you?"
,Yes, go ahead."
I immediately took a picture of lovely Seo-hyun and sent it.
The reply said she was cute, but it was a shame to use her as a model.
=Isn't there any position?
-Who is it?
=Someone I know, and she's an orphan
-Are you asking for a favor?
I wondered if I should tell Seo-hyun's story.
,Unnie?"
,Just a moment."
I decided to tell Seo-hyun's story.
-She's in the same situation as you
=So I want to help
-I'll look into it for now
,Did it not go well?"
,Uh, huh?"
,Your expression doesn't look good."
,No, I asked someone I know if they have a position."
,Is that so?"
,Yeah, they said they'll contact me later."
,Thank you!"
Looking at lovely Seo-hyun, I wanted to help her even more.
,Do you keep in touch with Na-yeon too?"
,Yes! She said she changed her name yesterday."
,Really?"
,She's Woo-jin now."
So she became Song Woo-jin....
Come to think of it, my name was close to a name used by women from the beginning? That's why I didn't change it and used it as is.
I took Seo-hyun to an expensive restaurant. I wanted to treat Seo-hyun, who spent money to come all the way here, to lunch.
,I, I've never been to a place like this before."
,Really?"
I just came to a nearby steakhouse?
Looking at her trembling at the prices on the menu, I wanted to tease her.
,Shall we eat the most expensive set menu?"
,Yes!?"
,Think of it as an experience."
I ordered two expensive set menus.
,Is it okay for me to get this for free?"
,Of course."
Seeing her struggling because she didn't know how to eat steak or stuffing her face even though she was full because it was expensive, I wondered if I had made a mistake.
When we came out after finishing the meal, Seo-hyun was holding her stomach and mouth as if she felt sick.
,You could have left some."
,Ah, it's a waste. It's delicious though."
,I'll buy you more later."
It felt like I had a cute younger sibling. And soon after, I got a call from Mi-ra.
It said to bring Seo-hyun to the company.
,Seo-hyun, do you have a lot of time left?"
,Yes."
,We have somewhere to go."
,Where to?"
,You'll find out when we get there."
Mi-ra's company is about 40 minutes away from where we are now? It's a shame I don't have a car.
I caught a taxi to move comfortably. Seeing the company building we arrived at, Seo-hyun's mouth dropped open.
,Wh, where is this?"
,A place that might become the company you work at?"
I went in naturally and went to the front desk. Fortunately, the employee guarding the front desk recognized my face right away and quickly sent me to where Mi-ra was.
It was effective that I showed my face several times when I was working as a model.
,Welcome."
It was Mi-ra who greeted us in the president's office.
,Is this the kid?"
,Yeah, she's cute, right?"
Seo-hyun froze when she saw Mi-ra.
Well, Mi-ra is pregnant too, so it must be surprising?
,Hmph.... She might be good as a model too."
,Children's clothes?"
Mi-ra smiled at my words.
,You've been working as a model and you've developed an eye for it?"
,It's just that Seo-hyun is too cute."
,Okay, hired."
,Thank you, Sae-eonni."
,You only call me that when you need something, huh?"
Ugh, I got caught.
,Sa, Sae-eonni?"
,Yeah, she's my older brother's wife."
Seo-hyun looked dumbfounded.
,Well then, please take good care of Seo-hyun."
I tried to leave the place as if running away.
,Where are you running off to?"
,Ahahaha."
,If you're a senior, you should work as a model together."
So that's what it is!
,I'll do it, I'll do it."
I dug my own grave! But let's bear with it for Seo-hyun's sake!
,I, is it okay?"
,Yeah, I'm used to it."
Seo-hyun, don't feel sorry, just think about your own life.
A few days later, I ended up working as a model with Seo-hyun. Maternity wear model...! I'm finally doing this!
*
After roughly solving Seo-hyun's problem, I had to take care of Woo-jin's consultation too.
This side's worries were more serious than I thought, and there was no easy way for me to help. Woo-jin's stats were higher than expected when she Awakened, and it was difficult to go back to school, so she told me she wanted to debut as a Hunter.
It's easy to get caught even if she hides her identity, so I understood Woo-jin's worries. Transferring from an all-girls high school to another place? There was a risk of her identity being exposed.
In the meantime, Woo-jin heard that Seo-hyun was trying to become a Hunter and became interested in Hunters.
Woo-jin's potential that I heard directly was excellent. The stats important for being a Hunter were high. Strength and stamina were B, and agility and endurance were C.
At least a top-tier C-Rank, and if she worked hard, she could aim for B-Rank.
Since it's come to this, she seems to think it's not bad to become a Hunter.
I didn't give Woo-jin much advice when I met her. If she was going to do it, she should thoroughly research it and, if possible, take basic Hunter training.
,Nuna doesn't object?"
,Did you want me to object?"
,Yes."
I felt a bit bitter hearing Woo-jin's words. She wanted me to object?
,Why?"
,Unnie, no, Nuna is a Hunter, right?"
,Yeah."
,So I thought you would object."
,Did you object to Seo-hyun?"
Woo-jin nodded.
,Seo-hyun's case is different."
,Is that so?"
,First of all, you have stats suitable for combat, and Seo-hyun doesn't."
,Ah...."
,I've been involved in crimes while living as a Hunter. I was okay because my husband is strong, but I was worried about Seo-hyun because she's alone and not strong, so I stopped her."
,If I'm with her?"
,Then it would be possible to work like us."
,Like Nuna?"
,Yeah, we worked together."
I gave Woo-jin some explanations about Hunters too.
Only then did she realize that she had been thinking lightly.
,What should I do?"
,I can't decide that."
Woo-jin's worries seemed big.
The easiest thing to do is to go back to being a student, but the identity problem still remained.
,It's a worry."
She was still young. An age that can't be called an adult.
What should I say to Woo-jin?