Civil Servant Hunter's S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 7
The sweet two days of rest had come to an end. Se-ra headed to the Association, her heart heavy with reluctance.
The moment she stepped into the office, everyone came rushing over, tears streaming down their faces.
"Se-ra! You're alive? Your arms and legs are all still attached?!"
"Oh dear, the poor girl's face has gotten half as plump in just three days! I thought a corpse had walked in!"
"Your eyes, nose, and mouth are all still in the right places! Thank goodness, really thank goodness!"
"..."
They clearly meant well, but the more she listened, the stranger it sounded.
Of course her limbs were still attached. Did they want her to show up as a corpse? And why on earth were they checking on the positions of her facial features?
Her contractor was even lounging around, watching the village drama unfold. Se-ra shot a blank stare into empty air for a moment.
"My limbs are fine, I haven't lost any weight, and all my features are parked in their proper spots, so no need to worry."
"Those damn Cheongrang Guild bastards anyway! We'll glare at them for you next time we cross paths!"
Anyone else overhearing might think it was lame, but not Se-ra.
Association public servant hunters prioritized national safety above all. Holding grudges against major guilds for personal reasons was out of the question.
That's why she knew this was them doing the absolute most they could. It meant they cared for her that much, so she was honestly grateful.
"Ah, where's the section chief? I need to thank him."
The bold shouters suddenly hemmed and hawed.
"Uh, the chief's not here right now."
"He's out on fieldwork, I think."
"Not fieldwork."
"Then?"
Their eyes darted awkwardly, which felt off somehow.
"Did something happen to the chief?"
"The chief's on suspension right now."
The surprising answer came back. Se-ra's eyes widened as she whipped around. Jung Tae-seok wore a bitter expression.
"Suspension? Section Chief Do?"
"Someone else will explain. The president wants to see youhead on up."
"Pardon? The president wants me...?"
Se-ra blinked. She rarely got called up so directly like this.
"Probably has some questions about what went down in the park."
Se-ra nodded at Tae-seok's addition.
"I'll be back."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's grab something tasty for lunch. My treat!"
"Whoa, team leader! Me too!"
"Me, me! Fancy dinner on you?"
"Shut it!"
The office erupted in chaos at Tae-seok's words.
Se-ra shook her head with a wry smile at the unchanging crowd and slipped out of the office.
The president's office was on the top floor of headquarters.
* * *
The Korean Awakener Management Association oversaw every awakener in the country, as well as all dungeons and gates.
Unless it was an emergency like a dungeon break with monsters spilling out, all guilds needed clearance from the Association to raid.
Awakeners had to register with the Association upon awakening, and the Association handled punishments for awakener crimes directly.
In short, all awakeners in Korea were bound by Association rulesit was the law.
It might seem dictatorial at a glance, but thanks to the Association, non-awakener casualties had dropped in Korea, and dungeon raids were more efficient.
It was all thanks to the president, who had founded the Association and claimed the top seat.
Song Han-na.
Among the 11 S-ranks in the countrynot counting Se-ra, making it 12 nowshe was ranked number one, a powerhouse of a person.
This woman standing before Yoon Se-ra was the one who had built all this from bare dirt.
"You've slimmed down quite a bit since I last saw you, Hunter Yoon Se-ra. Tsk tsk. At least your eyes, nose, and mouth are still in placesmall mercies. And your limbs are all intact?"
"..."
Her colleagues had said almost the exact same thing earlier. Was it her imagination?
"You're saying that because you already know everything, right?"
"Huh? Know what?"
Her innocent smile was utterly charming. The mole at the corner of her mouth stood out amid her jet-black bob.
Song Han-na was one of the first-generation awakeners. Nearing fifty, her exceptional abilities kept her looking early thirties.
Add in the untouchable aura unique to the nation's strongest, and guessing her age was impossible.
She was still as captivating as ever, and that unchanging nature made her terrifying.
"You contacted my brother, didn't you, President?"
But Se-ra faced Song Han-na one-on-one without flinching.
"Of course. Who else in the Association would tip off Jae-hun about you?"
The two shared a long history, after all.
About twelve years ago, Song Han-na had been best friends with Se-ra's mother, who passed young.
When Se-ra awakened as an F-rank and reached adulthood, it was Han-na who helped her become a public servant.
Of course, publicizing that wouldn't do anyone favors, so few in the Association knew of their bond.
"Jae-hun's coming to Korea?"
"I told him not to. No need when I'm not badly hurt."
"Really? Jae-hun seemed furious. If Do hadn't beaten that guy half to death, your brother would've flown in no matter what you said."
"That's why I'm relieved. I don't want him drawing attention to me. But why did Section Chief Do get suspended?"
How could that diligent, hardworking man have done wrong? As Se-ra asked hesitantly, Han-na burst into laughter like she'd heard the funniest joke.
"Wrong? He trashed a public park! We're public servants living off the nation's payroll, remember."
"...Yeah."
She'd been so focused on him smashing Park Jin-yong that she hadn't thought of it.
"I'm so sorry it happened because of me. What should I do..."
"It's fine, it's fine. Sure, he got two months' pay docked for park repairs, but Do won't care about that."
"Ughhh."
Se-ra clawed at her hair, mortified.
Damn that Park Jin-yonghow much trouble was he causing everyone? He'd been hospitalized, but the moment he got out, she'd teach him how scary dark alleys could be.
"Se-ra, sweetie. Why so apologetic?"
As Se-ra clenched her fists, burning with vengeance, Song Han-na chuckled endearingly.
"Huh?"
"You saw it yourself. Do utterly demolished that A-rank scrub. No two A-ranks have that big a gapyou're sharp enough to have noticed."
The mole-accented lips curved into a seductive smile. Se-ra gave a wry grin.
"...Section Chief Do really is S-rank."
She'd already seen Do Jun-young's info, but phrased it like a guess on purpose.
Song Han-na was the most trustworthy person in the Association, but Se-ra judged it best to keep the Administrator contract secret.
The Administrator agreed.
"There are eleven S-ranks in Korea right now. Section Chief Do is the one whose name isn't public."
'She doesn't know it's twelve yet.'
Se-ra wondered when she'd find out, then asked something else.
"Why hide his identity? Was it necessary?"
"He wanted to. As a guild member, finebut an S-rank civil servant? He worried about seeing things he shouldn't."
Hm. Fair enough.
The gap between S and A was heaven and earth, so everyone watched S-ranks carefully.
Citizens pinned excessive hopes on them.
Someone at Song Han-na's level might handle it, but for a section chief running field ops, it had to be inconvenient.
"So no need to worry about Do. He gets paid way more than public knowledge suggests. The pay dock and suspension? Just camouflage for his S-rank perks as a national servant."
"Still, he went through that for my sake. Can't help feeling sorry."
"Se-ra, my dear niece. You're misunderstanding one thing."
Song Han-na wagged a black-manicured finger. As gold glinted on her long digit, Se-ra's upper body lurched forward.
"Ah!"
As the distance closed, Song Han-na gently stroked Se-ra's cheek.
"You're the victim who nearly died at that scum's hands. You're Do's and my subordinate. Us avenging our fragile girl is only natural."
"..."
Both S-ranks, yet Song Han-na's seductive smile up close overwhelmed Se-ra.
Do Jun-young hadn't been this intense. The top rank for decades was different.
Se-ra swallowed hard.
"...Auntie, you want to hit Park Jin-yong too?"
First time calling her "auntie" since becoming a public servant. Han-na knew it, beaming delightedly.
"Dare touch you and think I'd stop at hitting? He made my niece bleedHan Su-eon better kowtow too for it to balance out."
Cheongrang Guild Master Han Su-eon kowtowing. Sounded familiarmaybe from that S-rank chat two days ago. Not community, whatever.
'Auntie checks that community often too...?'
Her lament that S-ranks were all nuts stung a bit.
"Do's suspension ends soon, and Han Su-eon and Park Jin-yong are visiting the Association. Han Su-eon wants to apologize formally. What do you say?"
"Whether to accept?"
"Your call. No pressure. Just if you want to meet them. For the record, I recommend it; Do opposes, worried it'll remind you of that day."
Ah, yeah. Without the Administrator, she'd be dead, not traumatized.
It was prime trauma material, true.
'The contract made me S-rank, canceling out the mental shock...'
The Administrator's emoticons had hit harder mentally.
"Why do you want me to see that guy, President?"
Before deciding, Se-ra asked Han-na.
More overprotective than Do Jun-youngthat was Song Han-na. So why meet? Simple.
"To watch that scum and Han Su-eon kneel and bow before you. Don't you want to see it? Of course my niece does."
As Han-na's finger tickled her chin, Se-ra coughed awkwardly. Dang, she knew her too well.
'Not that I'd stop there. Park Jin-yong, I'll sneak up and smack him later for sure.'
Se-ra smiled sweetly at Han-na while vowing it inwardly.
"And I called you for another reason."
Se-ra tilted her head. More to discuss?
"Get yourself an S-rank weapon."
There was. Something utterly terrifying.