Chapter 15

A gift. A piece of equipment.

Seora, who was looking at the message blankly, hurriedly opened her inventory. The first column contained a new item with a NEW mark.

It was the very same jacket that Seora wanted enough to shed tears and snot.

“… Uh.”

She was so shocked that tears welled up.

She couldn’t even bring herself to take the jacket out, and while she was staring blankly, the jacket that came out on its own fell onto her lap. The system administrator seems to have intervened.

“… Jacket.”

It was so light that she hardly felt any weight. It was very soft to the touch, and tough enough that it wouldn’t be torn.

“Ah, seriously…”

Tears that had stopped for a moment in Seora’s eyes flowed down again and again.

“This is very expensive. Even if I work hard under the name S-class, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to buy it… And you’re still giving it to me, even though I just scolded you for being bad?”

[Administrator: ʚ(੭*ˊ꒳ˋ)੭»ㅡ❥]

“What do I do? I love it so much.”

Seora tried on the jacket right away. As an L-class jacket, it was automatically converted to a perfect size for her as soon as she wore it. Standing at the warm feeling that enveloped her body, she burst into tears.

“Ngggh. Thank you. I’ll wear it really well. I will take care of it.”

Didn’t it say the administrator cares about me?

Her trust and affection for the administrator soared to the point that made her chest tight. It wasn’t because it had given her these expensive items.

She was overjoyed that it cherished her that much.

“Ahhh, I love it so much!”

Seora wrapped her arms tightly around the jacket. If the administrator was in front of her, she would hug it like this.

“Thank you, Administrator-nim.”

Seora’s tearful face smiled toward the air.

No answer came back, but Sera didn’t care. She always felt like her heart, which had been empty for a long time, was filled with something.

Maybe that’s why.

That night, she barely fell asleep after staring at the jacket hanging on the wall without being able to put it in the inventory.

Seora dreamed that someone was gently stroking her hair.

It must have been just a dream, but the touch was so tender and affectionate that it brought tears to her eyes again.

***

Seora was happy.

Not because she had received a jacket worth 80 billion coins, but because she had someone by her side who cherished her that much. Hmm.

It was now a daily routine to walk around opening her inventory and smiling happily. It felt like a Christmas present.

“I mean, it’s really weird. What the hell happened to make her feel like that?”

While eating, Gong Haeyeon, who was eating with her, clicked her tongue when Seora smiled again while looking at her inventory.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Section Chief, do you know something?”

“How should I know? Let’s find out what makes Yoon Seora feel so happy alone and have a good time together!”

“Right, right!”

Not only Gong Haeyeon, but Jung Taesuk joined in as well and urged Seora to confess right away. But Seora, who had an L-class jacket worth 80 billion coins, didn’t even budge.

“Hmph. I won’t tell you. I’ll be the only one who knows, and I’ll be the only one who feels happy. Ahh, it’s so nice.”

Hyoho. She even danced out of nowhere.

Gong Haeyeon and Jung Taesuk’s gazes became cold at the same time. The two put their heads together and began to whisper.

“Section Chief, Seora wasn’t originally a girl with ups and downs like that, isn’t this strange?”

“We’re thinking the same thing. I’m starting to get worried.”

“No matter how you look at it, it looks like she had hurt her head. Should we admit her to the hospital…”

“Shall I talk to Director Do? That we’re worried about Yoon Seora and perhaps she needs to undergo a thorough examination.”

“Right, there’s our director. Then, Section Chief will talk to the director secretly…”

“To admit Yoon Seora into the hospital without her knowing…”

I can hear everything.

‘Well, I was a bit harsh.’

Seora shrugged and turned off the inventory window that had been on all day. But what can I do? I have an e-e-e-eighty billion coins in my hand!

‘Is this the true taste of black card?’

As she recalled the moment when eighty billion coins fell on her lap, her body trembled.

Oh, what a thrilling sensation.

Of course, I did not intend to continue to receive from the administrator forever, so I needed to make money. Seora wasn’t that shameless.

It awakened me to S-class, gave me an EX-class weapon, even L-class equipment, and granted me protection. I have already received so much, what more do I want?

Any relationship will soon be broken off if you just want something for nothing.

Seora was so fond of the administrator that she wanted to keep their relationship for as long as possible.

‘I don’t even want to imagine the administrator getting fed up with me and leaving.’

[Administrator: !!!!!!!(°Д°)!!!!!!]

[Administrator: ⁄(*⁄⁄⁄ω⁄⁄⁄*)⁄]

At that time, the administrator’s emoticons that popped up one after another made Seora’s face frozen.

‘Argh! Don’t read people’s mind!’

It’s shy. I’m so ashamed.

Seora bit her lips tightly and buried her face in her palms. She felt her ears and cheeks heat up.

“Section Chief, look at that. It’s really, really weird. I think you should go to the director right away.”

“I think the same. This is really serious.”

It didn’t bother Seora at all that the two were looking at her so seriously.

[The system administrator gives a gift to the sole contractor with a very happy heart.]

[Equipment has been added to your inventory.]

[Administrator: (*´ ˘ `*).｡oO (♡)]

“…”

But after a while, she shook her head at the new message.

‘Another gift? Even with a happy heart!’

Now, the word “gift” was frightening. Seora hesitated and opened her inventory. Next to the neatly packed L-class equipment, the new thing…

‘Gloves?’

They were black gloves.

Although she was a shooter, she had no gloves to protect her hands. When she had been an F-class, she had possessed such weak magic power that it was a waste to use a gun.

‘Yeah, come to think of it, now that I have become an S-class, it would be good to wear a good pair of gloves.’

I didn’t even think about it because I didn’t use them at all, but the administrator seems to be paying attention. Again, Seora bit the inside of her mouth tightly as she thought her lips would be loose again.

‘I’ll take a peek when I’m alone.’

Holding down her pounding heart, she put the rest of the rice in her mouth. Is it just me? Somehow, the rice feels sweeter than before.

But unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last long.

Suddenly, the lights of the restaurant turned red and an unusual warning sound began to sound. The faces of all the officials who were eating hardened.

—Emergencies! A dungeon occurs in Seoul Forest! The color is blue! A normal dungeon occurs!

If it’s blue, it’s not a Dungeon Break where monsters pop out or a rift dungeon where the entire area gets caught up in the dungeon.

Still, everyone’s faces didn’t relax. If it was simply a normal dungeon, the red warning light wouldn’t have gone off.

—Level 2 dungeon confirmed! The Dungeon Management Team and the National Response Team in the vicinity, please assemble directly to Seoul Forest!

“What? Level 2!?”

It’s a level 2 dungeon! Everyone’s faces turned blue with fear.

If it’s level 2, isn’t it the highest level dungeon where A-classes as well as S-classes Hunters have to risk their lives? The probability that it occurs is slim as well, so why now!?

“Let’s go right now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jung Taesuk, whose face stiffened, got up from his seat. There was no time to clean the plate. The three of them hurried to the office.

‘Administrator-nim, is everything okay?’

Seora, who was following Taesuk, looked for the administrator with an anxious face.

It’s a Level 2 dungeon. Her lips trembled as the bad memories began to spring to mind.

No, don’t think about anything weird. I’m different from back then.

Of course, I still don’t know how strong I am right now, but I don’t have to crouch and tremble like I did in the past.

However, Seora couldn’t help feeling nervous, with a faint fear mixed.

[Administrator: (๑°⌓°๑)… … .]

But somehow, the administrator’s emoticon that came back was strange.

What is that vague expression on your face? It’s like it’s telling me not to worry and to relax…?

‘You mean, something will happen, but it’s not very dangerous… is it?’

[Administrator: (☞ •ω•)✧☞]

‘I got it right.’

I can’t believe I understand the administrator with just one emoticon. I seem to have adjusted a lot in a few days.

Anyway, thanks to the administrator, my trembling body subsided a little.

But only Seora knew about this.

The moment she arrived at the office, the heavy tension that her co-workers radiated swept over her. Do Junyoung, with a hardened face, was in charge of the situation.

“I am leaving for Seoul Forest right now. Section Chief Jung Taesuk, General Chief Shin Jaemin, and myself will be dispatched. Other employees should stay in the office to keep in touch.”

[T/N: General Chief 과장님 is a higher position than Section Chief 계장님. To be honest both can be translated as “section chief”, but just to make a difference I change it.]

Do Junyoung’s gaze passed through Haeyeon and reached Seora. Since it’s a Level 2 dungeon, it’d be better if you and Haeyeon stay…

‘But I really want to see a Level 2 dungeon up close.’

Seora wanted to see the place with her own two eyes.

That terrible, terrifying place.

How well could she endure there now?

However, since she was still known as an F-class, Seora decided to remain calm and not arrogant.