Chapter 5: The Assistant

“You, who never makes mistakes, messed up? You okay? Not hurt?”

“I’m fine. Please continue your conversation.”

The assistant wiped up the spilled water with a handkerchief.

Thankfully, the teacup hadn’t broken.

Jin Seongha glanced to confirm she wasn’t injured but didn’t show much concern.

“He had three skills. Naturally, I assumed he was Horizon’s hidden asset.”

“Three skills? No way. Could it be he mistook an item for a skill?”

“No. All three were definitely skills. One was particularly powerful and unique… He made flowers bloom out of season in the middle of the night. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Sniffing morning glories, making flowers bloom. What, is he some kind of plant enthusiast? What a weird kid.”

“Right? A very weird kid. Especially since the world only cares about animals.”

“…”

“If you bring that kid to me, I’ll sign the final line. I’ll be going now.”

The animal lover stood up, having said his piece.

Ji Pyeongseop hurriedly rose to see him off, thumping his chest.

“Hunter Jin Seongha, trust us. If we find even a single clue, we’ll contact you immediately. Just know we’re innocent in this.”

“…”

“And why don’t you tour the building with our assistant? We put a lot of effort into the training room, medical bay, and cafeteria. Coffee’s only 500 won a cup in the cafeteria. We load 20,000 won onto staff cards monthly. Great benefits, right? The rooftop garden’s worth a look too…”

“Is there a doggy daycare?”

“…Well, no, but—”

“I’m busy. I’ll go.”

“Yes…”

Ji Pyeongseop resolved to build a doggy daycare.

As the elevator arrived and Jin Seongha adjusted his bag to step inside—

Ppruu.

Ji Pyeongseop, who had been waving, looked around.

“What was that sound?”

“…”

The elevator doors closed, and Jin Seongha disappeared.

In front of the rapidly descending elevator, Ji Pyeongseop tilted his head.

“Did I imagine it?”

“I heard it too.”

“Right? It was like a ppruu, ppruuru—like a chick’s chirping…”

“Excuse me, Guildmaster, I need to make a quick call.”

“Now? Out of nowhere?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, go ahead. Grab some coffee from the cafeteria on your way back. Who’re you calling?”

“…A friend.”

“Oh, our icy assistant wants to brag to her friends about meeting Jin Seongha! His voice is like a voice actor’s, and he’s stupidly good-looking. My heart was racing. Even you think he’s ridiculously handsome, right?”

The assistant nodded with a faint smile.

“Yes. His looks could inspire a depressed teenager to find meaning in life.”

Dam Daon stared at her tablet in a secluded corner of the rooftop garden.

Horizon Guild was located in the heart of Yeouido.

A glance up would reveal the Han River sparkling under the sunlight, but Daon had no interest in the view.

Her interest lay solely in faces.

Handsome or beautiful.

Even if she couldn’t have them, they had to be pleasing to look at.

Fifteen months ago, after leaving the orphanage, Daon made plans with a like-minded orphan friend.

Following that plan, she approached Ji Pyeongseop and secured the assistant role at Horizon Guild.

It was the result of camping out at the temporary Hunter Agency for days after the guild system was established.

In hunters and  heroes, the Horizon Guildmaster’s assistant didn’t exist—only a secretarial office.

But Daon had to be an assistant, not a secretary.

Her friend had asked:

‘Why, why create a role that’s not in the book…? Wouldn’t it be easier to slip into an existing one…?’

‘Ion created the mercenary system, didn’t he? Same reason.’

‘He made the mercenary system… to avoid taking a character’s place… because he was blindly loyal to Teacher… But you’re not. You never really followed Teacher…’

‘…’

‘Now that I think about it, it’s weird we’re even on the same side… You seem like you’d join the abuse faction. Why, why did you choose this side…?’

Even her tactless friend had asked such a sharp question.

Daon had no choice but to answer honestly.

‘I want to help Jin Seongha because he’s handsome.’

‘…’

‘A face like that is rare.’

Her friend accepted it and left.

Truthfully, Jin Seongha wasn’t described as the best-looking in the novel’s world.

But the top-ranked character wasn’t Daon’s type.

She preferred strong, masculine looks with defined jawlines.

So, in the end… she joined the legacy faction to be close to a handsome man.

Yesterday, when Jin Seongha declared he’d go freelance, she drank until dawn.

She’d been ready to quit, but when she came to work today, Jin Seongha was there, applying to join the guild.

She wanted to freak out as much as Guildmaster Ji Pyeongseop.

‘Jin Seongha never goes back on his decisions. Why did he change his mind? …Because of Ion.’

Sniffing morning glory stems in ecstasy, making out-of-season plants bloom.

No such character existed in the novel.

That left only one person.

Dam Ion.

‘He’s been working alone with his mercenary corps… Is he finally stepping into the spotlight?’

Ion had surpassed Teacher even before the cataclysm.

He must have awakened as S-rank.

With his overwhelming magic plus awakened skills, who knew how strong he’d become?

‘I was about to contact him anyway. This works out perfectly.’

Daon accessed the government’s Hunter registration system on her tablet.

All Hunters’ names and work contact info were public.

The leader of the Ion Mercenary Corps was no exception.

Memorizing the eleven-digit number, she pulled out her phone.

“Who’re you calling?”

Just as she was about to press the green call button, a voice came from behind.

Daon sighed softly and turned around.

In the shadow of the flowerbed under the noon sun, a boy in a deep-hooded robe appeared.

“Ion.”

No need to call—he’d come to her.

The two orphans faced each other in a corner of the rooftop garden.

“Long time no see, Ion. Been well?”

Daon smiled, her eyes warm, her tone gentle.

If Ji Pyeongseop saw his usually stoic assistant like this, he’d faint.

Ion, however, greeted her calmly.

“Long time, Dam Daon.”

It was the first time Ion had met any of the ‘orphans’ since Teacher’s death.

He’d seen them in the media but hadn’t contacted anyone.

“What do you think of the landscaping? We put a lot of effort into it.”

“It’s nice. Crape myrtle, cypress, weeping plum… It’s a small space, but it’s got everything.”

“Right? I wanted to bring you here. I hoped you’d fall for the garden and join our guild.”

“I prefer the mercenary life.”

“I know. Just dreaming.”

Her tone was like an older sister talking to her youngest sibling.

Teacher said all six were the same age, but five treated Ion like the youngest.

A purple glow flickered in Daon’s irises—a sign she was using a skill.

Ion stayed still.

Daon’s lips curved into a smile.

“As expected, you awakened as S-rank. I can’t read your ‘System Profile.’ The only ones I couldn’t read with Sage’s Eye were Jin Seongha and those guys.”

“Those guys?”

“The abuse faction. If you have an analysis skill, mind checking and telling me what skills they have? I’m dying to know.”

Non-awakened Ion turned his head silently.

“For now, explain what’s going on with Jin Seongha. I appreciate the help, but… what happened yesterday?”

“It’s a long story.”

Ion explained yesterday’s events as briefly as possible.

Daon brushed her long hair back with her fingers.

“Ppru was in your hands… If Teacher knew, you’d be in solitary for two days.”

“Probably. Did Jin Seongha join properly?”

“Not yet. He wants to meet you. Says he’ll only sign the final line if we bring you to him.”

“What a hassle. I’ll handle it.”

“Please resolve it quickly. We’re forming a team around him soon.”

“A team?”

“For ‘that dungeon.’”

It was obvious she meant the Moniti Dungeon in Naju, appearing mid-June.

Currently, there was no technology to measure a dungeon’s rank or terrain before entry.

If a dungeon wasn’t cleared, monsters would overflow, but the timing was unpredictable.

In the Naju dungeon, they discover Moniti, a glowing green material crucial for dungeon measurement.

In the novel, Horizon Guild clears this dungeon.

Ji Pyeongseop, with his crafting trait, uses Moniti to develop the ‘Moniti Dungeon Measurement System,’ or ‘Mosi.’

It measures rank, terrain, and even overflow timing.

This makes Horizon Guild the envy of countless corporations.

Already a global powerhouse with Jin Seongha’s recruitment, they also gain a golden goose worth astronomical sums.

But the guildmaster makes a shocking decision.

He hands all Mosi-related rights to the Hunter Association.

Unlike other countries, Korea’s Hunter Association is a government-affiliated public institution.

This decision funnels massive wealth into the national treasury.

It was news that stunned the world.

“Why form a team when you could just claim it early?”

“Because some people are trying to stop us.”

Daon let out a short sigh.

“D-NATE is targeting the Moniti Dungeon. Dam Saeon spotted D-NATE guild members scouting in Naju. They already stole Park Yujik, who was supposed to join Horizon, and now they’re after the Moniti Dungeon too.”

Like Ion creating a non-canon mercenary corps and Daon creating a non-canon assistant role, the two abuse faction orphans created a non-canon guild.

D-NATE, considered world-class beyond Korea.

Its sibling guildmasters, ‘Onil’ and ‘Ason,’ were Dam Ilon and Dam Saeon—the abuse faction duo.

Ion was surprised when Park Yujik, an S-rank Hunter meant to join Horizon in the novel, joined D-NATE instead.

He considered intervening, but since Park Yujik’s role was to ‘die’ at the right time regardless of guild, he let it go.

But…

“The Moniti Dungeon is off-limits. It belongs to the protagonist.”

A chill ran through Ion’s voice.

“I knew you’d say that.”

“Where are those two now?”

“What, you’re going to confront them? You’re not planning to talk it out. Even if you overpower them, they won’t back down.”

“I just need to keep them out of action until the gate appears.”

“They’re not the same as before. Even for you…”

“…”

Daon faltered under Ion’s deep green eyes, which seemed to ask what the problem was.

“Fine. You could probably take them… But there’s a smoother, more certain way.”

“What?”

“We’re forming a team at Horizon. You could—wait, you haven’t done your rank re-assessment yet, have you?”

Why bring up re-assessment out of nowhere?

Ion’s refined brow furrowed.

A bad feeling crept into his mind—trouble was coming.