You Will Be Blessed If You Do Good Deeds¿

However, no matter how much I want to move, the most problematic thing in a capitalist society is money.

Of course, I’ve gained attention as a potential S-rank, but that doesn’t mean I can make a fortune right away.

Because during the 39-month mandatory service, I can’t engage in economic activities.

The only income I have is the slightly above minimum wage salary from the government. It's not a huge amount, but it’s definitely not enough to move Da-jeong to a safe place.

But if there’s no way, I’ll just have to find one.

Two days after the dungeon break in Gwanghwamun was dealt with,

“Welcome.”

Han Jae-young greeted me with open arms.

“Welcome to the HP Guild.”

A massive building in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul.

On the internet, the HP Guild often gets criticized for being a magic guild, especially since Han Jae-young, a magician, is the guild leader.

“How is it? Our guild looks quite impressive on the outside, doesn’t it? We’ve got a large number of people.”

“I didn’t need this kind of showy welcome.”

I responded somewhat curtly.

And rightfully so, because when I arrived at the guild, dozens of employees on the first floor had gathered and were applauding.

If I had been a 19-year-old rookie without any memories of my past life, I probably would have either run off out of embarrassment or become arrogant due to an inflated sense of self. Could he have intended for the latter?

“It’s not showy, it’s a sincere welcome. Just because I’m the guild leader doesn’t mean everyone listens to me. They’re all genuinely excited to meet you, Da-on. With you being a magician, no one can just sit still. Everyone’s probably fidgeting, trying to get a word in.”

Han Jae-young gestured to the sofa for me to sit.

“But why are you wearing your school uniform? I thought you were about to graduate.”

“It’s simple. The uniform I have is the most expensive and neatest outfit I own.”

Even though I could have worn something second-hand, Da-jeong, working extra hours, insisted on buying me a new uniform.

Also, there was the fact that I wouldn’t be able to wear it much longer once I graduated, especially since Da-jeong had worked hard to buy it, even to the point of bleeding from her nose. I couldn’t just disregard it.

When Han Jae-young heard that, he shrugged.

“Well then, how about we go shopping for clothes after we finish talking? You can use either a personal or company card.”

“If it’s the company card, wouldn’t that be embezzling?”

“Depends on how today’s talk goes. If it’s for guild members' welfare, it wouldn’t be embezzling.”

Han Jae-young smiled broadly.

“An S-rank potential hunter who needs money... you're quite a rare find. I’d love to buy you, no matter the price.”

Well.

There are several ways for a hunter to earn money, but at this point, the fastest way for me to make money is to be part of a guild.

Normally, one would have to apply to join a guild, but in the case of an outstanding hunter, they’re often brought in with an upfront payment because they are a valuable asset to any guild.

Of course, the potential ability and actual ability development are two different things, and contrary to the public belief that the Awakening Test results are a lottery, there are plenty of cases where one can’t fully unlock their abilities. Most people join a guild only after going through 39 months of mandatory service and receiving market evaluations based on their performance and stats.

“But for Da-on, there’s no need for that. I’ve already seen it clearly with my own eyes.”

Han Jae-young turned his laptop monitor toward me.

On the monitor, two videos were playing. One was of a queen ant being slain, and the other was from two days ago, when I dealt with the shadow ghost on the emergency staircase.

“I asked for the second one to be kept private.”

“I only have it. It’s such a legendary scene, I couldn’t bring myself to delete it.”

“…”

I had thought this since our last meeting, but his personality was really annoying.

Honestly, if there were a better way, I wouldn’t have come to Han Jae-young, but…

‘As long as the transaction is clear, I won’t mind.’

The brief encounter was enough for me to get a feel for his true nature. In extreme situations like that, it’s the right time to see someone’s true character.

And for me, someone like Han Jae-young is easier to deal with than someone like Yoo Han-ul. He evaluates others with his own unpredictable standards and knows exactly what he wants. He sticks to a minimum level of decency but handles profit and loss rationally.

With a person like him, at least I wouldn’t be surprised by betrayal. There wouldn’t be any trust, so the word “betrayal” wouldn’t even apply.

His curiosity, unfulfilled, is probably why he’s trying to provoke me.

He’s likely hoping I’ll spill information out of frustration.

But,

‘I’m not that naïve.’

I’m not so easily provoked by such tactics.

I’ll take what I need from him and be done with it.

And what I need from Han Jae-young...

“If it’s an attractive asset, you’ve probably already set a price for it.”

If Yoo Han-ul is known as one of the most ethical hunters in Korea, Han Jae-young is famous for being the wealthiest.

Detailed stats and skills of S-rank hunters are classified, but through repeated dungeon raids, some basic information inevitably leaks.@@novelbin@@

And the HP Guild, led by Han Jae-young, boasts the highest number of dungeon clearances in Korea.

In other words, they own a large stock of materials and items obtained from dungeons.

In that sense, the HP Guild is probably the most liquid guild in Korea.

This is because, in addition to the raid team, Han Jae-young also has a separate item production team.

Typically, mages with item crafting skills tend to have difficulty working in teams, but the HP Guild’s crafting team has been successfully operating for a long time. Rumor has it that they offer the best treatment in the industry. In any case, this successful operation has brought the HP Guild great wealth.

Han Jae-young smiled broadly.

“I’m really curious how much you’re asking for, but I’m not planning to negotiate. How much do you want? Just to give you an idea, rookie S-rank hunters are offered a base salary of 1.5 billion KRW per year, with the guild taking 30% of the profits from dungeon loot. That’s the standard contract.”

I was a little surprised by that.

1.5 billion KRW. Da-jeong would probably faint if she heard that. For an ordinary office worker like me, it was an astronomical figure.

‘I knew hunters made a lot of money, but... is it really like this?’

If you think about it, the base salary of 1.5 billion KRW is less than what an S-rank hunter might personally earn, which is why such an offer is being made, but the number still feels completely unfamiliar.

“Of course, I won’t offer you that much. How about double that? 3 billion KRW.”

The way he said it made the amount sound like a child’s play, rather than a legitimate sum.

“Of course, you’ll officially join the guild after completing your 39 months of mandatory service, but since you need the money, I’ll advance half of the base salary up front.”

I skimmed through the contract that Han Jae-young handed me and nodded.

“Not bad.”

Honestly, even for a regular S-rank hunter, this would be an enticing offer.

There are a few other clauses, but the key points were clear. Join the guild, but official activities begin only after the mandatory service ends. The minimum activity period is 3 years, and there’s a required number of successful dungeon clears. If you don’t meet the minimum, you’ll have to repay the upfront money.

Well, the details didn’t matter much. The important part was that, even though my official activity would start after mandatory service, I would receive the contract money in advance.

3 billion KRW would help with my urgent needs.

I looked over the contract and said,

“I thought there would be a clause about paying a penalty if I break the contract.”

“Normally, that would be a problem for most hunters, but for you, Da-on, it wouldn’t be an issue. Once your mandatory service is over, any guild would queue up to take you, even if they had to pay the penalty. It wouldn’t make sense to put in a clause that would just upset you. And, you’re not leaving anyway.”

“You’re very confident.”

“Haha, I’m confident. Once you join, you’ll find it incredibly convenient. We have more money than any other guild.”

Han Jae-young winked.

“Mages are expensive.”

That’s true. So far, I’ve used basic magic or even forbidden magic, paying with mana or the cost of my soul. But as the level of magic increases, the materials become more expensive, and mages always have to keep an eye on their finances.

I stopped reading the contract and looked up.

“You really have a lot of money. So I want to add one more condition.”

Han Jae-young raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, I was wondering when the main point would come up. Is this where we get to the real business?”

“Yeah.”

Honestly, I don’t care much about money.

Da-jeong is already earning enough to support herself if she doesn’t need to rely on me, and the money I need for my magic I can figure out myself.

What matters most is something else.

“I’m being blunt. I want a safe place to live and security. I want the security not for me, but for my family.”

I’ve already been targeted by enemies twice in such a short time. Until now, they’ve aimed at my life, but it’s clear they will target my family from now on.

If the enemy is exactly who the system showed me, it’ll only get worse.

Han Jae-young’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“I’ve heard you’re close to your family, but this confirms it.”

I had suspected Han Jae-young had already investigated my family situation, but it was unpleasant to see him flaunt it like that.

‘Once the immediate fire is put out, we’ll see what happens.’

Right now, I’m just a low-level 20 mage, but later, I’ll definitely get him back for this.

“Providing a place to live is no big deal. You can choose the area, and if you want, I can even arrange a lease under the guild’s name. As for security... what level do you want?”

“Just enough for daily life. If it’s too dangerous, I don’t mind a little inconvenience.”

“...Did you discuss this with your family?”

“…”

“It’s strange that you’re not answering, but I’ll leave it at that. I’m not one to interfere. Should I add that to the contract?”

“Yeah.”

Han Jae-young tapped a few times on his tablet and handed it to me. After confirming that the clause had been added, I signed it.

Da-on.

It was the first time I’d signed anything in this world.

“…It’s not as fun as I thought.”

I muttered under my breath, and when I looked up, Han Jae-young was staring at me with a strange expression.

“Fun?”

“Although we only met two days ago, everything feels different now. Back then, you seemed like a rookie hunter who had just awakened, but now you seem like a veteran I can rely on. I thought the contract would take longer to finalize…”

“Sorry I didn’t meet your expectations.”

I interrupted Han Jae-young’s words.

“I’m not here to satisfy your curiosity. Go find your entertainment elsewhere. If you’re unhappy, we can cancel the contract.”

“Oh, really? I was just wondering… Are you being chased by someone?”

His question hit the mark.

Is he really an S-rank hunter? He’s quick to pick up on things.

It’s true that I’m being chased, but I can’t reveal that, so I casually responded.

“…In just one week, I’ve gotten involved in two dungeon breaks. Isn’t it stranger to not be on guard?”

“Is that so? If you say so…”

I expected him to dig deeper, but surprisingly, Han Jae-young backed off. He’s one of those people who stops just short of crossing a line, making him a bit unsettling.

“Well, whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you want something from me, and I want something from you.”

“We’ve already signed the contract. Are you adding clauses now?”

“It’s not something to add to the contract, just a question out of curiosity.”

Han Jae-young’s jet-black eyes gleamed.

Despite his well-groomed appearance being quite charming, there was something unsettling about the coldness in his gaze, making him look like a reptile.

“I’m curious. How does Da-on use incantation magic?”

Han Jae-young pointed to the video of me displayed on the monitor.

“People who don’t know much about magic or those low-level mages who don’t even know incantation magic wouldn’t understand, but we do.”

Even if you have perfect pitch, you can’t compose music if you don’t know how to read music.

There’s a realm that can’t be reached by sheer talent alone.

It requires acquired knowledge and enlightenment through painful effort.

“I’m curious about how Da-on can perform something that defies explanation, even if you are a genius.”

That question didn’t really surprise me.

I expected to get asked this when I came to meet Han Jae-young.

If he hadn’t been curious, I would have found it suspicious.

“That’s something I can’t teach.”

But that doesn’t mean I’m planning to answer him.

“If I answer easily, I’ll be exposing my secrets, and that would end this contract immediately.”

Han Jae-young had been pushing my buttons this entire time, but the reason he hasn’t crossed the line and is still being friendly is clear.

I’m an enigma that has shattered his common sense.

I’ve met people like him twice now, but his personality is getting tiresome.

The fact that he’s even being friendly now is because he’s curious, and once his curiosity is satisfied, that’ll be the end of it. I’d never trust him.

It was clear that he had no real trust in me. That’s the only thing I’m certain of.

“Ha ha.”

Han Jae-young laughed shortly.

“Feels like I’ve uncovered everything just by trying to get an answer.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

Han Jae-young didn’t uncover anything about me. In fact, I still don’t know his gender. Even after all this conversation, it’s still unclear.

“Hiding place.”

I tapped the guild name ‘HIDING PLACE’ on the contract.

“That’s a pretty unimaginative guild name.”

“Haha, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

Inside his own created hiding place, Han Jae-young’s eyes gleamed like a snake.

It feels like I’ve walked right into a trap, but I’ll bear with it.

For now, the most important thing is Da-jeong’s safety.

As Han Jae-young put away the contract, he spoke again.

“Can I ask one more thing?”

“Only if it’s not another pointless question.”

“Did you fight with Han-ul?”

At that moment, I was taken aback by the question.

“Fight? After the dungeon break, Yoo Han-ul was immediately taken to the hospital.”

“Exactly. I thought, as the first discoverer, Da-on would at least inquire about Han-ul’s condition. It’s classified information that hasn’t been reported to the media.”

“…”

I frowned.

Well, technically, it would be normal for me to ask about Yoo Han-ul’s condition first.

Not asking made it seem suspicious.

In the end, I admitted it openly.

Since we’ll inevitably have to get involved with him, there was no point in hiding it.

“I didn’t fight with him... I just don’t want to get involved.”

“Why? Unlike me, Han-ul isn’t fake. He’s genuinely a good guy. He’s not nice to you because he has ulterior motives.”

“I know.”

That’s why it’s so bothersome.

I glanced at the system window floating in the air.

• Quest: Good deeds will be rewarded. Is this quest ongoing?

• The system requests ‘Da-on’ to provide support regarding ‘Yoo Han-ul.’

• Quest: Will you participate in ‘SAVE THE WORLD’?

Go away. Just go away.