CH 30

“It’s the same with poaching employees.”

“I was just asking for an individual’s opinion. I have no intention of forcing them out.”

Han Suwon shrugged, saying that he didn’t have any special intention.

Why is the atmosphere like this all of a sudden? Seora rubbed her neck with an uncomfortable face for no reason, and suddenly, her eyes met Sejun’s.

‘What else did you do?’

What? Why can I hear your inner voice so well even though I’m only looking at your eyes?

‘What did I do, you say? I was staying quiet. I didn’t do anything.’

Sejun also seemed to have heard Seora’s innermost thoughts, seeing that he snorted immediately while stepping on my foot slightly.

[Administrator: ꉂꉂ(*ﾟ▽ﾟ)☞]

I think the administrator enjoyed watching me being stepped on. Whenever they flip the table over, they also send an excited emoticon such as now as if they really like it.

I can’t really tell what the administrator is thinking.

***

I’m finally back home after all the incidents and accidents are sorted out.

“… How could this happen?”

Seora collapsed in the middle of the room.

I forgot for a moment because I suddenly encountered Park Jinyong, Do Junyoung, and Han Suwon. I went all the way to that alley at this late hour to get money!

“I can’t believe I’m back without getting paid because of that damn bastard.”

In a place where Do Junyoung and Han Suwon had wide open eyes, it was impossible to receive a large sum of money from Kang Sejun.

In the end, Seora had no choice but to leave behind Kang Sejun, who was secretly laughing at her and ran home in tears.

She had wanted to break away from the annoying L-class at the end of the day, but she needed to meet him again.

“How could this happen!?”

[Administrator: ∠( ᐛ ”∠)_ ]

“Shut up, Elizabeth!”

[Administrator: ╭(°F°`)╮]

Whether Liza protested or not, Seora rolled on the floor with a gloomy face.

My money, my precious money! Park Jinyong, this guy is holding onto my ankle until the end!

“Whoooo… But I’m glad I’m not suspected.”

Seora pulled out a slingshot from her inventory and grabbed it. Come to think of it, I think this thing is pretty good. Even though there are strict regulations on general firearms, there is no law that bans toy slingshots.

According to the Awakened Punishment Act, the use of Awakened weapons was strictly prohibited except when dealing with monsters. In particular, long-range weapons such as bows and firearms were more regulated, depending on the weapon.

Who would be wary of a toy slingshot that wasn’t even a professional slingshot with high lethality? Even more in the hands of an F-class who, despite having the characteristic of a sniper, could not use a single gun properly.

“Hit, I’m sorry, but please stay a slingshot for a while.”

When I enter a dungeon, I will make sure to change you to a cool appearance.

Hmm. But since it can be converted into a toy slingshot, what about a water gun?

[Administrator: o(ㅇωㅇ)o]

‘I need to test it somehow.’

I’m quite curious as to how far it can transform. Someday, when I go into the dungeon alone again, I’ll have to try some stuff.

***

Night time, when Seora finally fell asleep while crying out My money, my money.

A system message suddenly appeared in the dark room. However, Seora, exhausted from crying and fell into a deep sleep, could not read the content that seemed questionable at a glance.

[An error has occurred!]

[Planet—Earth’s system has failed due to the influence of the system administrator. Some systems will be changed.]

[Synchronization conditions were satisfied. Synchronization between the system administrator and the sole contractor ‘Yoon Seora’ begins!]

[Sync Progress — 1%, 2%, 3%…]

[10% synchronization completed]

[The system administrator’s status expression message function has been added.]

Unknown message content.

As if to respond, another message followed.

[The system administrator smiles awkwardly at the sole contractor.]

The message, which had never appeared before, clearly showed signs of system change. However, Seora was still asleep and did not see all of this.

Under the message that appeared and disappeared at will, Seora began to groan as if she were having a nightmare.

***

“How ominous.”

As soon as Seora opened her eyes in the morning, she uttered those words.

She should’ve felt refreshed because even though she hadn’t gotten the money, she had gotten revenge. But why did I have nightmares all night long?

“What was with that emoticon hell?”

There really was no such hell. No matter how much I ran, no matter how much I hid or closed my eyes, the emoticons followed me.

As if that wasn’t enough, whenever I stopped, all kinds of emoticons that filled the whole place came closer and suffocated me. It was so terrible.

“If it’s about emoticon, there’s only one culprit.”

Seora’s squinted eyes turned to the empty space.

“Elizabeth-ssi, be honest. Did you watch me when I was sleeping?”

[Administrator: (¬_¬);]

Avoiding gaze, huh? What, I was just asking casually, but it was true…?

“The source of my nightmares was Liza!”

That’s why only emoticons appeared in my dream!

“Why is it that you can only communicate with emoticons?”

In a way, the administrator may be greater than the Entities, but why do they have such a limit? If not, I wouldn’t have had such a terrible nightmare.

Seora sighed and clasped her face. It was a dream she didn’t want to see twice.

At that time, the phone screen flashed with a notification that a text message had arrived. It was a text message from her friend Gong Haeyeon.

[The guy who bullied you got a prison sentence! I feel better now. Bad bastard!]

It was a single line of words that came with a sharp curse.

“Park Jinyong, an A-class Hunter who committed injury and attempted murder. Permanent suspension of hunter qualifications and 20 years in prison.”

It was an empty line that the once-promising raid leader in a large guild had completely collapsed.

“20 years in prison when I wasn’t even hurt anywhere. Since that’s the case, the three S-class must have put much effort into it.”

Because the Awakened Punishment Act under Song Hanna was very strict, it was all for the peace of the Awakened and the non-Awakened.

“But thanks to this, I can calm down a little.”

With a wistful face, Seora tossed his phone back onto the bed.

After this, she would never think of the three letters of the name Park Jinyong.

***

They must have thought that I’d suffered a big shock. So in Do Junyoung’s consideration, I was allowed to stay at home to rest well this week. If I had been a general civil servant, I would have been worth only half a penny. But belonging to the association carried a different weight.

The Korea Awakened Management Association was supported by the state only when it had just been established. Now, it was fully operated under the dictatorship of the association’s president, Song Hanna. The president managed all things related to Awakeneds and dungeons belonging to Korea, and those who were not related could not touch it.

Members of parliaments, the military, and even the president.

「Only the Awakened can take over as the head of the Korea Awakened Management Association, and everything in the association is subject to only the decision of the president.」

As long as this provision was stipulated in the Awakened Punishment Act.

Although it sounded exaggerated, these were all the results of Song Hanna’s desperate struggle to keep the Awakened from being swayed by the government.

In order not to repeat any S-class tragedy, they ended their life horribly at a young age after being swayed by the government.

In the end, all of this was the government’s fault, which pretended not to know about Song Hanna’s close friend.

“Well, we’re living a good life thanks to her.”

Thanks to Song Hanna’s struggle, both the Awakened and the non-Awakened were enjoying peace. It was not for nothing that she ranked first in the approval ratings.

“Mm… Don’t you think it’s a problem for me?”

In other words, it was as if Seora was monopolizing the affection of a person who had the ability to take away an institution from the state just because of the death of her friend.

But what would Song Hanna say if Seora said she would resign? Will she take care of my retirement pension for my hard work?

It was obvious that Song Hanna would make all kinds of fuss, asking if it was because of another attack yesterday or to come back to her house immediately to relax.

“Hah. I’m glad I didn’t give out my resignation letter in advance. If I leave the company, wouldn’t she take me away to live with her from now on?”

Right now, we are living separately to hide our relationship, but it will be meaningless if I resign. She will only drag me back as if she’s been waiting for it.

Ugh. I don’t mind being caught that I’ve re-awakened. But it will be very, very difficult if I get caught having a contract with the administrator.

“Or using traveling as an excuse…”

In the end, even after taking four days of vacation, Seora could not sleep because of the thought of leaving the company.

It was nice to have an aunt who cared for her niece with utmost sincerity, but it put her in a difficult situation at times like this.