“Was I merely imagining things…?”
Yet, the scene I had just witnessed was far too vivid to be a figment of my imagination.
My next-door neighbor, who had been shouting what sounded like a triumphant cheer while raising their arms in exultation, suddenly met my gaze.
Truth be told, a primal masculine instinct had prevented me from registering their face.
For beneath a red cloak, clad only in black bikini armor and nothing more, an astonishing figure was starkly, brazenly revealed.
What sort of attire was this, something ripped straight from the pages of a fantasy novel?
‘Hoo…’
It seemed best to avoid any further entanglement with such an eccentric individual.
Before the exhibitionist neighbor could reemerge from their home, I swiftly descended to the street and climbed into the waiting taxi.
“You’re headed to the Hongryeon Hotel, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right~ Phew…”
As I settled into the taxi, a wave of relief washed over me, prompting a long sigh, which the driver noticed, glancing at me through the rearview mirror before speaking.
“Is everything alright~? Did you perhaps witness something frightening~?”
“Ah… something akin to that, I suppose…”
After all, the prospect of a mentally unstable individual residing next door was certainly a cause for concern.
“Please let me know when we arrive~”
Having made my request to the driver, I opened the Hunter Gallery (TL Note: A popular online forum for hunters in Korea).
“Ah~ Understood~”
As the driver’s voice, sounding utterly accustomed to such requests, faded, I found myself connected to the Hunter Gallery.
[What are these C-Rank items in the auction house right now???]
[Question regarding the finely-forged shortsword that just appeared on the auction house.]
[Ugh… I really want a C-Rank one-handed shield for my warrior build…]
[This is the first time I’ve seen such an adjective attached to an item; does it imply special effects?]
[Isn’t that shortsword in the auction house the one that blacksmith mentioned making earlier?]
‘Oh…’
Just to be sure, I checked the trending topics on the Hunter Gallery before diving into the auction house; predictably, most discussions revolved around the C-Rank equipment I had recently listed.
It was hardly surprising; not only had two C-Rank items been released simultaneously, but both also boasted unique modifiers.
‘I should exercise restraint for the time being.’
While selling anonymously meant there were no immediate repercussions, I resolved to avoid [Name Engraving] (TL Note: A process where the creator’s name is inscribed on an item, often boosting its value or granting special properties) for a while, unless it was for a private transaction.
After all, I intended to continue selling equipment steadily, and if too many items with unique modifiers flooded the market, it might raise suspicions.
Regardless, merely ten minutes had elapsed, yet the bidding war had already driven the prices steadily upward.
If this momentum continued, the sales would reach hundreds of millions, just as I had calculated.
In essence, I would achieve financial freedom within a single day of my awakening.
My current studio apartment lease was for a minimum of three months, which would give me ample time to accumulate funds and purchase a truly desirable home.
Given that my computer effectively served as my forge and my home as its designated site, I saw no reason to scrimp; I intended to spend lavishly.
With another draw available in just four hours, I was, in essence, completely liberated from any financial concerns.
My life’s sole ambition, forged during my upbringing in the orphanage, had been merely to live comfortably and eat well, yet it had been resolved with astonishing ease.
‘What now?’
I suppose I should contemplate what I ultimately wish to do with my life.
For now, I would sate my ravenous hunger with luxurious delicacies, and then, at my leisure, I would ponder my future.
****
“Thank you~”
After a journey of approximately forty minutes by taxi, I arrived at the Hongryeon Hotel.
A low hum of murmuring.
‘What’s happening?’
I yearned to plunge into the buffet immediately, yet the atmosphere within seemed unusually charged.
Had some celebrity made an appearance? Given this was the Hongryeon Hotel, it was entirely plausible, though it felt utterly unrelated to my own affairs.
“I have a reservation under Shin Yujun.”
“Shin Yujun, your reservation has been confirmed. I shall escort you inside~”
Following the staff’s lead, I was directed to a seating area on the opposite side of the bustling commotion.
“Is something happening, by any chance?”
“Ah… actually, the esteemed owner of the hotel is currently dining…”
“Ah~~~ I see…”
Well, that was anticlimactic.
“Then, I wish you a pleasant dining experience.”
While a hotel owner would undoubtedly possess considerable wealth, did that warrant such a ruckus?
Without sparing a single glance at the tumultuous area across the room, I began to heap food onto my plate.
“Hiyah~…”
These were the dishes that orphans, myself included, could never partake in—not precisely a period of prolonged scorn and oppression, but certainly a time of deprivation.
These dishes were a hundred times more exquisite than even the rare special meals offered when the Twilight Guild Master visited the orphanage, ostensibly for public relations.
“Keuheup…”
To think I had lived for twenty years without tasting such delights… If my finances continued to flourish, a long-term stay at the Hongryeon Hotel seemed an enticing prospect.
After approximately thirty minutes of relentless gorging, I was currently indulging in a brief respite.
“This is the Hongryeon Hotel, after all…”
“Hongryeon… Ah.”
Since the Hongryeon Hotel was owned by the Hongryeon Guild, its proprietor must be the Guild Master of the Hongryeon Guild.
Which meant that, on the opposite side of the room, sat Chae Yeonhwa, the esteemed Master of the Hongryeon Guild.
‘…’
Now I understood the reason for the earlier commotion.
‘Damn, I’m utterly curious…’
Remarkably, Chae Yeonhwa was both the most renowned Awakener in South Korea and simultaneously the one whose face remained largely unknown to the public.
Perhaps owing to a personality that abhorred public gossip, she severely limited her external appearances beyond her duties as a hunter, to the extent that I had never even seen a photograph of her.
Spurred by the thought that I might catch a glimpse of such a renowned figure, I promptly rose and made my way toward the food display.
Despite having eaten my fill, numerous dishes remained untasted, so I swiftly selected a few more.
Then, feigning confusion about my direction—though I doubted anyone would notice—I drifted toward the area where Chae Yeonhwa was presumed to be, rather than returning to my own table.
The earlier uproar seemed to have quickly subsided, and the atmosphere had returned to one of ordinary dining.
Or so it seemed, yet every gaze in the room was subtly directed toward someone seated at a corner table.
‘There they are.’
Slowly, I made my way toward the focal point of all eyes, deliberately glancing around as if disoriented, having misplaced my own table.
Then, the instant I reached the vicinity of the table where all eyes converged and finally looked.
“Eum…?”
A truly adorable girl, daintily munching on a hamburger, gazed up at me.
“Wow, she’s incredibly cute…”
An involuntary gasp of admiration escaped my lips, and I hastily retreated from the spot.
‘Ah, damn it… Has Chae Yeonhwa already departed?’
Ultimately, I returned to my seat and began to consume the fresh assortment of dishes I had collected.
‘It is delicious, after all…’
Reflecting on it, missing Chae Yeonhwa was incredibly disappointing, but perhaps I would encounter her someday through my work as a blacksmith.
Resolved, I vowed to forge a fire-attribute staff and send her a note.
As I leisurely continued my meal for another twenty minutes, I noticed the cute girl from earlier, accompanied by a staff member, pointing in my direction from afar.
‘What is it?’
Though unaware of the reason, her appearance was so endearing that I unconsciously waved back.
She then earnestly spoke to the staff member again before vanishing from my sight.
Uncertain of the matter, I decided not to dwell on it, assuming that if it were urgent or important, the staff would approach me directly, and thus, I resumed my meal.
Thus concluded an hour and a half of continuous feasting.
My initial plan was to stay and eat until closing, but feeling full made me bored, and since I could now visit whenever I wished, I decided to leave.
“Re-entry after exiting is not permitted. Are you finished with your meal?”
“Yes~”
After paying with my card, I immediately took it back, ready to leave, but the staff member retrieved the card again.
“Was the payment not processed?”
“No… it’s not that…”
Sensing they had something to say, I waited patiently.
Now that I thought about it, this was the same staff member who had been talking to that cute child earlier, so perhaps they had a message for me.
“She really dislikes being called cute…”
“Pardon?”
The sudden remark made no sense to me whatsoever.
“You called the Hongryeon Guild Master cute earlier, and…”
“Pardon?”
Again, I couldn’t comprehend what they were saying.
“She said to warn you that if you say it again, she’ll punish you…”
“Pardon?”
The only person I had called cute was that incredibly adorable child earlier…
“…That person was the Guild Master?”
“Yes…”
“Chae Yeonhwa-nim??”
“Yes…”
Startled, I looked around, and the staff member, as if to reassure me, informed me that she had already left the building.
A strange confidence then swelled within me, and thinking that the worst that could happen if I got caught again was not death, I spoke to the staff member.
“Honestly, she is cute, isn’t she?”
“…”
“I’ll keep it a secret, so tell me honestly. She was incredibly cute.”
“Ahahaha…”
“Alright… I’ll be going now, thank you for letting me know.”
“Thank you. Have a good day~”
Ultimately, I left in high spirits.
Could I leave a review for this place?
I wanted to give it five stars with a caption like, ‘The hotel owner is delicious, and the food is cute.’
In any case, having seen Korea’s famous number one Awakener and satisfying my hunger with delicious food, it was time to head home.
‘Taxi…’
I was about to take a taxi home again, but then I remembered, how much money did I have?
—
Balance: 16,800 won
—
“Ah…”
That wouldn’t be enough for a taxi ride home.
“Haa…”
Foolishly, I had only thought about getting to the hotel and not about returning home.
There was no choice but to take the subway and then walk up that steep hill.
Yes… it must be due to expending too much mental energy creating C-Rank and B-Rank equipment.
It certainly couldn’t be because I was foolish.
Eager to return home quickly, lie down, and indulge in a 6-consecutive equipment draw, I hurried to the subway station.
****
“Hoo…”
In truth, traveling by subway itself wasn’t much of an issue.
The Seoul subway system was exceptionally well-developed, and it was past 10 AM, so I could even find a comfortable seat.
Click—
The problem began now.
From the subway station to my home, it was a solid thirty-minute uphill walk.
Exiting the subway station and heading out through the escalator exit, I spotted a woman walking into the subway, and I reacted without thinking.
“Huh?!”
“Ah, ah…”
“That pervert from earlier… Ugh!!!”
I was abducted by my exhibitionist next-door neighbor.
