For a moment, I could hardly believe my ears.
‘Twelve million won…? For a mere handful of clothes?’
Having only ever purchased clothes sold online at three pieces for ten thousand won, I had never conceived of department store apparel being so prohibitively expensive.
I had arrived, expecting to spend a mere million won at most, yet the figure of twelve million won was utterly staggering! It amounted to nearly a third of my entire bank account balance.
“I-If I just don’t buy this— Ah…”
It was only then that the realization struck me: Yoo Sojeong had already tailored all the garments to my size using her ‘Mending’ skill.
She had not merely adjusted them, but had utterly transformed their structure, even cutting new openings.
Twelve million won. A sum that could purchase five hundred chickens, now poised to vanish in a mere instant.
At that moment, I could only feel a profound sense of resentment towards Yoo Sojeong for having tailored these clothes for me.
“Ugh…”
Masking my indignation, I fixed my gaze upon Yoo Sojeong. She merely stood there, her expression unreadable, as if oblivious to my turmoil. Though it might have been a trick of my mind, I thought I detected the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips.
While the sorrow was undeniable, having come this far, payment was an unavoidable necessity.
With hands trembling uncontrollably, I fumbled through my bag for my wallet, then laboriously extracted my debit card.
“P-Payment…”
The instant I extended my card, feeling on the verge of tears, the employee gently pushed it away.
“The payment has already been settled by this individual.”
“Excuse me?”
Perplexed by the incomprehensible statement, I instinctively tilted my head. Was there truly anyone else here who would settle the bill besides myself?
Turning my head in the direction the employee’s hand indicated, I found Yoo Sojeong standing there, her own card clutched in her hand.
“I have completed the payment. Shall we depart?”
“Huh?”
A fleeting moment of bewilderment washed over me, but then my mind began to race with startling speed.
‘There must be a clear reason why she purchased these clothes for me.’
‘Perhaps this was a ploy by the Bureau to place me in their debt. The Bureau, no doubt, would be desperate to control an SSS-rank like myself, eager to wield me as their personal pawn. It seemed they intended to ensnare me through both honeyed words and substantial monetary incentives.’
‘However, I harbored no intention of falling prey to such machinations.’
“P-Please process a refund and charge it to my card!”
To be indebted to the Bureau was unthinkable; I would far sooner part with my own money. With resolve, I extended my card fully towards the employee.
It was then that Yoo Sojeong posed a question to me.
“Awakener Lee Dayoon. *I* completed the payment. Not the Bureau.”
“…Excuse me?”
She had settled the bill herself? Did this imply she had used her personal card, rather than the Bureau’s budget?
“Why, why would you do that?”
“It is to make a favorable impression upon Awakener Lee Dayoon. After all, you are an individual to whom I owe my service.”
Only then did the entire situation crystallize for me. Yoo Sojeong had, in essence, presented a gift to me, her superior!
A gift… a bribe… The words resonated with a pleasing cadence.
Yet, it is a universal truth that for every gain, there must be a corresponding give. Assuredly, she, too, harbored expectations of me.
“Yoo Sojeong, what is it that you desire from me?”
After a brief moment of contemplation, she offered her reply.
“I would appreciate your assistance in fulfilling a certain mission.”
“A mission?”
“Yes. Among the directives issued by the higher-ups, there exists a ‘mission to photograph’ Lee Dayoon. Your cooperation in this matter would be greatly appreciated.”
Following a brief deliberation, I reached a conclusion. The act of posing for photographs seemed hardly arduous. Moreover, if this was merely a bribe to facilitate her mission, it would not, by extension, place me in debt to the Bureau.
“Very well. Will that suffice?”
“…Yes. It will be entirely sufficient.”
“When would be an appropriate time for the photographs? May we proceed now?”
Yoo Sojeong gently shook her head.
“No. The timing is not crucial. Would it be acceptable to take the photographs after you have returned home at a later time?”
“Yes. Shall we depart now?”
“Yes. I shall guide the way.”
Yoo Sojeong opened the shopping room door, and, leaving the bowing employee behind, I exited the department store.
Whether it was due to her carrying all my bags and newly acquired garments, or simply the sheer volume of new clothes I had obtained, my steps felt remarkably light.
Just as I was about to make my way to the bus stop I had committed to memory, Yoo Sojeong gently, yet firmly, took hold of my arm.
“Eh?”
“A vehicle has been prepared. Please, this way.”
Following her guidance, I settled into the plush interior of the luxury sedan parked in the lot. The soft, yielding embrace of the seats enveloped me completely.
“I suppose I’ll need to arrange for a car seat.”
“Excuse me?”
“It is nothing.”
As the car pulled away and began to glide along the main thoroughfare, a window abruptly materialized before my eyes.
[Level Up!]
“Eh?”
“Is something amiss?”
A level-up window, appearing despite my complete inaction, floated before me. Upon inspecting my status window, I discovered that my level had inexplicably advanced to 2.
“I suddenly leveled up. I’m quite unsure what to make of it…”
Swiftly, another window materialized, poised to unravel my confusion.
[The wielder of the artifact ‘Golden Flame Dagger’ has vanquished an enemy. Experience points acquired.]
“Ah…!”
Every piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
Kim Hwarin. She had, indeed, purchased my dagger. And as an A-rank Hunter, vanquishing monsters was merely a part of her daily routine.
Given my incapacitation from the ‘Frail Wormling’ debuff, which rendered combat impossible for a decade, it logically followed that a unique method for leveling up had been bestowed upon me.
‘Indeed, this is precisely what it means to be SSS-rank.’
This, then, implied that unlike other crafting-oriented Awakeners, my future stretched out before me, remarkably bright.
For I could safely level up from the comfort of my home, simply by crafting and selling weapons to other Hunters!
“Heheheh…!”
An involuntary peal of laughter escaped me.
“It appears you have received some delightful news.”
“Indeed! A truly wonderful development!”
I replied gleefully to Yoo Sojeong’s remark.
****
The car swiftly arrived before my modest studio apartment. Yoo Sojeong, as if accustomed to such tasks, followed closely behind me, laden with numerous shopping bags. Only days prior, this humble room had been where I subsisted on instant ramen; now, it was piled high with opulent shopping bags.
“Thank you for even assisting with the organization.”
“It is, naturally, my duty. Would you also desire assistance with organizing your wardrobe?”
“Ah, no! I shall handle that myself.”
She meticulously arranged the shopping bags in a corner of the room, then turned to face me.
“Lee Dayoon. Then, would it be permissible to proceed with the mission I spoke of earlier?”
“Ah, yes. Is there anything specific I need to prepare?”
Having just received a gift worth twelve million won, I could hardly renege on my part of the agreement. Thus, I readily nodded my assent.
“It would be most advantageous for the report if the photographs were taken while you are wearing the newly purchased garments.”
“Yes. May I simply don any of them?”
Considering Yoo Sojeong was likely undertaking this task for her livelihood, I felt it only right to cooperate, thereby ensuring she could receive a favorable assessment.
“Garments that clearly accentuate your Awakener’s unique physical characteristics would be most suitable.”
She rummaged through one of the shopping bags, then extracted two distinct garments.
“These garments appear to be the most appropriate.”
Her selection consisted of a white string camisole and a pair of dolphin shorts.
“Uh… hmm. These?”
While these were indeed garments I had tried on and purchased, the prospect of being photographed in them filled me with an unexpected aversion. After all, it would be quite peculiar for an adult male not to feel a profound sense of embarrassment when posing in dolphin shorts and a string camisole.
“I believe these garments will effectively highlight the characteristics of your wings and tail. Furthermore, any additional physical alterations would be readily apparent.”
“Ugh… then I suppose there’s no helping it.”
If it was deemed necessary for her work, what recourse did I truly possess? Swallowing my embarrassment, I reluctantly accepted the garments.
“Then, I shall go and change.”
“Yes. I shall await your return.”
As I carried the clothes into the bathroom, Yoo Sojeong, for some inexplicable reason, fixed me with an intense, piercing gaze. Dismissing her burdensome stare, I stepped into the bathroom and proceeded to change.
Despite the bathroom’s cramped dimensions, my now-smaller physique rendered the act of changing surprisingly unchallenging.
The string camisole, being quite open, provided ample space for my wings, and my horns, too, did not snag or catch.
Having fully changed, I gazed into the mirror, and a peculiar sensation washed over me: a blend of cuteness, yet also something subtly suggestive. Perhaps it was the combination of the string camisole and dolphin shorts that, within the confines of the bathroom, evoked such an odd domestic intimacy.
‘No, ‘suggestive’ might be an overstatement.’
It might be more accurate to perceive me as ‘vulnerable’ due to my youthful appearance. Anyone who found this sight ‘suggestive’ would likely be a severe criminal, indeed.
Nevertheless, the sense of vulnerability persisted. Gravely contemplating whether it was appropriate to immortalize such an image in a photograph, I pushed open the bathroom door and emerged.
Yoo Sojeong’s eyes, catching the sunlight, sparkling with an almost predatory glint.
“N-Now, take the pictures.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
She retrieved her phone and began to photograph me. After taking one shot from the front, she presented me with several requests.
“Would you be able to sit naturally?”
“Please also strike a V-pose.”
“Next, I would ask you to lie down.”
…And after about ten pictures, a peculiar question began to form in my mind.
‘Does a typical report usually include this many photos?’
And if it was for a report, wouldn’t it suffice to simply capture my wings, horns, and tail clearly, without the need for such specific poses?
“Um… wouldn’t this many pictures be enough?”
As I directed my question to Yoo Sojeong, her hand, clutching her phone, froze.
