My story, however, did not conclude with a mere handful of comments. The awakening of an individual who had consistently posted for a staggering 999 days proved to be a sufficiently compelling topic to completely shift the prevailing narrative.
[Anonymous (168.102)] Even *that* kind of person awakens, but why the hell not me?
[pachuri] Of course it’s a lie. Do you actually believe that?
[Anonymous] Don’t give voting rights to those who believe this crap.
Unsurprisingly, the prevailing sentiment among the majority coalesced around the conjecture that ‘this was merely a hoax fabricated to mark the 1000th day.’
While that in itself provided a certain amusement, I knew that the true delight lay in utterly astonishing everyone.
“Hmph… A lie, you claim? Let us see if those words still escape your lips after you witness this.”
I carefully placed the Awakener registration card upon the desk, using my hand to obscure any personal information, such as my photograph and name. I made sure, too, to set a small slip of paper bearing my nickname beside the card.
Picturing the gallery users utterly dumbfounded and fainting from shock, I uploaded my post.
—-
[It’s Not a Lie, Is It?]
[King of the Beasts]
(Photo: A small hand half-obscuring the card)
I genuinely awakened, kekekekekeke
—-
Upon seeing this, I fully expected countless aspiring Awakeners to descend upon me, each of them either denying the reality, erupting in fury, or resorting to slander.
Yet, here’s the thing.
‘So, what exactly can any of you do?’
After all, my account was merely a vessel for consistent, often nonsensical posts, with not a single piece of personal information ever disclosed. No matter what vitriol they hurled, it would utterly fail to strike me.
In essence, I was akin to a figure clad in impenetrable armor, hidden behind an unyielding mask.
In this moment, I was invincible.
The ensuing comments, however, diverged significantly from my carefully laid expectations.
[Anonymous] Why is this bastard’s hand so pretty?
[Lightning Man ▣] What the hell, were you a female user on this gallery?
[Anonymous] Even if you’re going to steal, you steal a woman’s? Are you an idiot?
[Anonymous (121.138)] ??? Why is your hand so small?
Their attention, it turned out, was not fixated on the card’s authenticity, but rather on the photograph of my hand, inadvertently captured within the frame.
‘…It’s true, my hands are rather small.’
Indeed, I had transformed into a body incapable of even gripping a phone with a single hand, which spoke volumes.
For a time, the Awakener gallery had buzzed with fervent discussions about my awakening, but now, the conversation had entirely shifted to the topic of my hand.
[Anonymous] That jerk always went ‘hawawa’ (TL Note: A Korean onomatopoeic expression often used to portray cuteness or a cutesy, innocent demeanor) claiming to be a pretty girl, were they actually a pretty girl, damn it?
[Deadline ▣] A pretty girl who even awakens, isn’t that too much of a cheat?
[Ice Mage Strong ▣] Can’t tell just from the hand, need a picture.
The recurring joke of everyone referring to me as a ‘pretty girl,’ which I would have typically dismissed with a laugh, now carried a subtly different weight for me.
After all, the reflection in the mirror was indeed that of a pretty girl, one whose beauty would not seem out of place even if she were to receive an SSS-rank assessment.
‘They’re likely just teasing, but the fact that it’s true makes me feel a little abashed.’
While I admit to being an attention-seeker online, this situation genuinely made me feel awkward. To be regarded as a ‘pretty girl’ and have a topic circulate solely because of my attractive hands, rather than anything else, offered no sense of genuine accomplishment.
Wouldn’t it be far more gratifying to receive compliments on a photograph of my face, if given the choice?
Pondering this, I activated the camera application on my phone. Having refrained from taking pictures for quite some time, the last entry in my gallery was a simple memo photo, captured several months prior.
‘Perhaps I should begin taking more photos from now on?’
It truly felt like a waste to simply let such an adorable appearance go uncaptured.
Switching the camera to selfie mode, I extended my arm, holding the phone high to encompass my entire body. As I adjusted the camera’s angle, the composition appeared flawless from every perspective.
Still, a more aesthetically pleasing atmosphere would undoubtedly be preferable. Settling onto the bed, I fashioned a charming expression, slightly puffing out my cheeks and playfully poking them with a finger.
Click!
Gazing at the image now displayed on the camera, a swirl of complex and nuanced emotions washed over me.
“Hmm…”
It was undeniably cute. Adorable, even, but…
‘The composition is strangely suggestive. My clothes are completely stretched out, on the verge of exposing my upper body…’
Furthermore, the stark reality of being an SSS-rank Awakener yet engaging in such frivolous picture-taking ignited a sudden, searing wave of self-reproach and embarrassment within me.
Seeking a moment to clear my mind and cool my flushed face, I stepped into the bathroom.
While inside, I casually lifted my T-shirt, which extended to my thighs, intending to relieve myself, only to be confronted by the stark absence of my ‘other self.’ In its place, merely a smooth, bare mound existed.
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
Ironically, the bathroom I had entered to cool my face only served to make it burn even hotter. Although it was my own body, my self-awareness of it still remained tenuous. A wave of guilt washed over me, as if I had inadvertently spied upon some unfamiliar young woman.
Attempting to change my posture and sit on the toilet, I found that this, too, was far from comfortable.
‘Trying to do this, my tail gets in the way again.’
Not only were my feet unable to touch the floor when I sat on the toilet due to my short stature, but my long, plump tail rendered the very act of sitting intensely uncomfortable.
Ultimately, I resorted to a peculiar, backward posture, sitting to face the toilet directly.
A soft trickle.
Having finished my business, I wiped away the liquid with toilet paper, a thought forming in my mind.
‘Going to the bathroom has truly become quite a hassle.’
From retrieving objects from high shelves to simply using the restroom, my transformed body presented no end of inconveniences.
After washing my hands, I splashed cold water over my face before collapsing onto the bed. It seemed I had garnered far too much attention to continue browsing the gallery; I would have to wait until this particular topic faded away.
‘Now that I think about it, I did have another account.’
At that moment, a newly created account, ‘Golden Hand,’ surfaced in my memory. It was an account I had meticulously crafted with a specific concept in mind: to operate as a crafting-type Awakener.
It occurred to me that I could use this account to browse the gallery and gradually cultivate a positive reputation.
With a delicate movement of my small fingers, I switched the account on the gallery.
“Huh?”
I certainly hadn’t anticipated any notifications, yet a 1:1 chat request had appeared. The sender was Lee Jiyoung. Was that a genuine name?
Accepting the 1:1 chat, I dispatched a greeting message, meticulously adhering to my persona as a middle-aged, crafting-type Awakener.
[Golden Hand] Hello there~ What brings you to contact me?? ^^
The reply arrived mere moments later.
[Lee Jiyoung] Hello. This is Lee Jiyoung, Vice Guild Master of the Blue Rose Guild. I contacted you because I would like to request a commission.
The Blue Rose Guild. It was, I recalled, one of the premier guilds in the nation, often contending for the top two spots. Memories of frequently seeing it mentioned in the news resurfaced.
What struck me as particularly noteworthy was that the Guild Master typically only made appearances in photographs, while the Vice Guild Master was almost invariably the one attending interviews and public events.
But why would the Vice Guild Master of such a prominent guild seek *my* services for a commission?
Granted, I did possess SSS-rank crafting capabilities, but surely it was too soon for such rumors to have propagated? Barely a day had passed since I received my official assessment.
[Golden Hand] What kind of commission would it be?
[Lee Jiyoung] I would like you to craft a sword. The materials are already prepared. I would like to discuss the details in person.
While the pre-prepared materials were certainly appealing, the crucial topic of payment, the most vital aspect, remained conspicuously absent.
‘Considering the esteemed reputation of the Blue Rose Guild, accepting this commission likely wouldn’t be a disadvantage. Nevertheless, I must ensure the payment is absolutely clear.’
Above all else, money reigned supreme in this world. Without it, no contract could ever truly be solidified.
[Golden Hand] What about the payment~? ^^;;
No sooner had I dispatched the message than a response swiftly returned. Should the proposed sum prove insufficient, I resolved to instantly transform into an ardent detractor of the Blue Rose Guild.
[Lee Jiyoung] I will give you an advance payment of 10 million won, an additional 100 million if it’s A-, and 5 billion if it’s A-rank.]
“What?!”
The staggering reply that returned was more than enough to send my rationality soaring out the window.
[Golden Hand] Where should I go? I’d like to meet as soon as possible.
****
[Lee Jiyoung] Please tell them you’ve come to meet Vice Guild Master Lee Jiyoung at the Blue Rose Guild headquarters at 2 PM the day after tomorrow.
Vice Guild Master Lee Jiyoung snapped her phone shut, her thoughts already racing.
‘Thank you, Hwarin. Thanks to you, I’m discovering a truly exceptional crafter.’
The swiftness with which she had discerned ‘Golden Hand’s’ remarkable skill, surpassing all others, was solely attributable to Kim Hwarin.
“What good are friends if not for moments like these? This is precisely their purpose.”
Having been close friends with Kim Hwarin since their middle school days, she was also the very person who had introduced Kim Hwarin to the Awakener gallery.
Consequently, she was privy to her friend Kim Hwarin’s nickname, ‘Yeomsal,’ and the moment she witnessed the successful transaction between Hwarin and Golden Hand, she promptly dispatched a message to Golden Hand herself.
‘This quarter, I absolutely must elevate the guild’s ranking to the top spot.’
Engaged in fierce competition with the Fire Dragon Guild, the Blue Rose Guild Master was utterly consumed by the drive to elevate their guild’s standing. As a direct consequence, the Vice Guild Master was similarly being relentlessly overworked.
For her, a capable weapon crafter was an indispensable asset. The guild’s hunters were perpetually in need of superior weaponry.
“I will absolutely secure them for our guild.”
Within her office at the Blue Rose Guild building, Lee Jiyoung made a firm vow. No matter the cost, she would acquire this ‘Golden Hand.’
And, she resolved, she would finally escape the relentless demands of the Guild Master.
