< Head of Human Resources (3) >

“I’m sorry but I’m fine the way I am now.”

I made my decision to live peacefully on top of a king lizard’s carapace.

…That said, there was a lot of unfinished work, but leaving the precious skills I’d already gotten to collect dust was bit of a waste. Anyways, I was definitely not going to put myself forward and would live quietly and comfortably.

“Please think it over again,” Suk Simyeong said, not giving up.

“Soon, it will become easy for anybody to try to Awaken. With the upcoming era where, according to the Hunter a.s.sociation prediction, the number of domestic Awakened People will break through five million in 1 year, and more than 2 thirds of the population will become Awakened People in 3 years, is it not regretful to not display Han Yoojin-ssi’s abilities at this point in time?”

Regretful, yeah right. With the way he was speaking, you’d mistake me for some kind of rare scout.

“Thank you for regarding me highly, but Bak Yerim-yang’s situation was nothing but chance. There is hardly any probability of finding yet another lucky break like that.”

Was what I said, but if I wanted to, I could find more people with the apt.i.tude to become S-Ranks and optimally Awaken them.

But I wouldn’t. This much was enough, why would I do more? Even just Yerim was troublesome enough. I was just going to give Yoo Myeongwoo his SS-Rank skill and put him in the guild, and then be done with it.

“Of course, I am not expecting you to bring over another S-Rank Awakened Person. That goes beyond excessive into a theft-like disposition. In fact, you do not have to scout new Awakened People at all.”

“…Then?”

Suk Simyeong replied, with a twinkle in his eyes that didn’t suit him, “With that keen insight and a.n.a.lytical skills, you can create[1] a new system for the Hunter community together with us-.”

“I can’t!”

What was this ahjussi talking about! Insight or a.n.a.lysis or whatever, no matter how hard I work[2] I don’t have it! I’m actually cheating[3]. I saw the answer sheet, in the future.

“Han Yoojin-ssi!”

“I won’t, I can’t. I don’t have that ability! I didn’t even get into college. I even left high school by taking the GED.”

Give up at least with this lowly educational background.

“Educational background is not important!”

…I was about to swear. Go look up a job search site, there are plenty that filter out lower than college grads, okay? If you haven’t suffered though a situation where you couldn’t even submit your doc.u.ments, then please shut your mouth.

“Anyways I can’t do it, I won’t do it, I really don’t know how to do something like that. Even if you cut off my hand I won’t sign.”

I was just going to sometimes use my skills and raise pets, living off my amazing dongsaeng.

As I blocked up my ears and insisted I definitely won’t, Suk Simyeong seemed to give up eventually.

“All right. Then instead of human resources, let us make a general contract.”

“Can’t I stay halfway attached like now? I don’t have any reason to join an attack team or set foot in a dungeon claimed by Haeyeon.”

“The Hunter license guarantee and training are short-term so it is fine but to move to the employee dorms, you have to sign a contract. Especially because you will be entering, not anywhere else, but the residence targeted toward high-ranking Hunters. Even if you are the guild leader’s family member, you have to be clear about your affiliation.”

Suk Simyeong erased the agitated expression he had just a while ago and explained in a calm voice.

I guess since I had to be near Yerim, I couldn’t go into the normal[4] employee dorms. Though, Yoohyun’s house was company housing so if I, his brother, went and lived there, it wouldn’t be weird.

“Alright. But if it’s possible, I want to contract as a normal employee, not as a guild member.”

“Do you mean you do not want to receive the support for Hunters?”

“Yes. I want to receive just the training and then after that I don’t have any intention of working as a Hunter.”

At any rate, the only places I could go into were low rank dungeons. That much I could go into with my own money. I had enough equipment thanks to Yoohyun.

I was thinking of making a contract with Haeyeon Guild each time I raised a familiar, instead of working as an affiliated guild member. That way I could raise enough, and play enough.

As expected, being a freelancer was the best.

“It is possible, but instead, the conditions will be lowered. Currently, Han Yoojin-ssi has no intention of working other than your role as Bak Yerim-nim’s guardian, is that right?”

“Yes. If that’s possible.”

“Frankly speaking, Han Yoojin-ssi’s educational background and work experience fall short of Haeyeon Guild’s standard hiring qualification requirements.”

…A while ago you were saying things like educational background didn’t matter. As soon as the situation changed, so did his words.

“Of course, discovering an S-Rank Awakened Person and successfully contracting them is enough to qualify to enter. The problem is afterwards. The first one or two months or so should be fine, but if you receive pay without doing any work, there will be talk. Since, strictly speaking, being Bak Yerim-nim’s guardian is not guild business.”

So it was that problem. I didn’t really care. Even if some gossip came out, I’d already been publicly shamed[5] before, so it wouldn’t even tickle me. There probably weren’t many who had been cyberbullied as much as me?

……Now that it had been brought up, I was feeling a little depressed.

“That’s fine. For the conditions, please just put in the minimum wage.”

I didn’t have to receive much pay. Even if I failed to apply the keyword to Peace, I still had stocks left. I remembered the name of the pharmaceutical company that developed the hair loss remedy, and I knew the companies that would have rising stocks thanks to the stream of S-Ranks that would come out the Awakening Centers.

For the stocks, I could cover that with my severance pay and my past savings, so the pay could just be enough to live off of. What was the current minimum wage again? Was it around 8 thousand won[6]?

“Minimum wage. It is unbearable to put that in as you will not even be working,” Suk Simyeong said, smiling. He didn’t mean he wouldn’t give it at all, by any chance, right?

“How about 5 thousand yearly for a condition of doing human reasources work when requested? Within 10 hours per week.”

“…Please make it so that I can only use the company cafetaria.”

No thanks. I won’t take it. Just let me eat.

Working 10 hours per week for a yearly income of 5 thousand[7] would be child’s play, but I didn’t want to even step foot into the human reasources team that had that ahjussi. He’d take everything I have.

“If you speak like that then I suppose there is no helping it.” Suk Simyeong nodded, putting on a bitter smile. “As you want, we will only provide room and board.”

……Really just room and board? I mean, in these situations, shouldn’t you be a little more caring? Cutting things off and throwing them away with no basis, this ahjussi definitely had a bad personality, unlike his outer appearance.

“Please contact me anytime if you happen to find a pa.s.sion for work.”

“……Yes.”

Rather than rumors of nepotism coming out, I’d probably get lots of sympathetic gazes. Beside me, even Yerim was sending me pitying looks.

“Don’t worry, ahjussi. I’m rich now.”

“I have enough money too.”

Though I’d have to save up and buy stocks.

Ah, but this was really too much. I even brought over and presented an S-Rank Awakened Person and all I got was room and board? Just in case, I snuck a glance at Suk Simyeong, who was straightening up doc.u.ments.

“Is there no incentive for Bak Yerim-yang’s successful contract?”

“Since it was a matter that occurred before you joined, of course there is not. Ah, should I add an incentive condition?”

…That there wasn’t any because it was before I joined, it felt like I was scammed. Should I have tried to earn something when we were working on Yerim’s contract? I looked out only for the kid. But there was still one thing left.

“Please add a condition for an incentive if I successfully contract with an S-Rank Awakened Person or A-Rank that is equivalent to an S-Rank, like a saint.”

Yoo Myeongwoo. If you had an SS-Rank production skill, you’d be treated almost like S-Rank, like saints were, even if you couldn’t go into an S-Rank dungeon.

I was orginally just going to bring him in, but because I felt wronged, I should get paid.

At my words, Suk Simyeong put on an easygoing smile and took out a pen.

“I will add it to a certain extent. Please tell me the sum of money, as well as reward, you want.”

As I was about to tell him to just give me 100 billion, I stopped. At any rate, with time, I wouldn’t be so short on money. So instead of money.

“Do you happen to know the fact that I am raising a baby Horned Flame Lion?”

“Yes, I was informed by Guild Leader.”

“How should I say this, that guy is pretty cute. He follows me pretty well. So I want to receive one baby monster around the same rank as a Horned Flame Lion, or three baby monsters that are one level in rank lower. With the condition that Haeyeon Guild will shoulder the taming and rearing costs.”

“Baby monsters?”

Suk Simyeong had a rare surprised expression. Then again, it was something shocking. Since I choose pets over money or items.

But the monsters that I would receive from the incentive would be entirely mine, unlike Peace, who was owned by Yoohyun and raised with his money.

If it was similar in rank to a Horned Flame Lion, I could take it into and attack a B-Rank dungeon, so it couldn’t be compared to some small amount of money.

If I failed to apply the keyword, then well, I’d just gain one more pet. Since I wouldn’t be raising them with my money, it wouldn’t be a loss. Later, when the monster raising regulations ease up, should I go out on broadcasts? It’d be popular.

“…It is not an impossible condition but it is unusual. Do you have some other purpose?”

Suk Simyeong tilted his head, with a completely confused look on his face.

“Does it seem like I do?”

“It would make sense if you do, but… I do not know. I will add in the condition for now. However, high ranking baby monsters are difficult to catch, and do not often appear in auctions, so the payment may be late.”

“S-Rank Awakened People don’t appear often either, haha.”

Of course, I was planning on making Yoo Myeongwoo into an SS-Rank production skill holder. If I used My Brat about three times, he’d probably be able to gain it, right?

We finished my joining and finally stood up from our seats. It would be great if I didn’t see this ahjussi for a long time.

“Then I suppose we will see each other often from now on.”

What was he saying. I wasn’t going to even glance at the human reasources team and was going to avoid them.

…He wouldn’t come find me or something, right?

When we went outside, I examined Yerim’s parents’ inheritance materials that we received from Suk Simyeong. A 50-pyeong[8] apartment was sold off, and a commercial building was sold off with the excuse that it would be too hard to manage.

After s.n.a.t.c.hing up this much, you couldn’t even buy the kid sneakers? What a lack of conscience.[9]

“You’re really not going to take legal action?”

At my question, Yerim nodded her head with an uninterested expression.

“I don’t want to be involved with them for a long time. Anyways you said my base pay was over 10 billion yearly.”

That was so, but. Then again, thinking of the future, it would be better to release the leeches after letting them take enough. It would be annoying if they kept on trying to contact us and kicked up a fuss by going on broadcasts with teary pleas.

“Then let’s drop by the legal team and get the necessary materials, and go directly to them. Since it’s still the morning, the restaurant wouldn’t be open, right?”

“On Sundays, they open at 1 pm, so we should go to the house.”

Yerim told me the house address. So they lived in a good neighborhood. Then again, how much was it that they s.n.a.t.c.hed up? That said, the shop looked deserted and shabby.

They wouldn’t have squandered the inheritance already, right? Then it would be even easier to grab their weakpoint.

[1] the verb comes last in krn (S DO V, or DO S V, etc.) so there is no verb in this cut off sentence, but eng doesn’t work like that so I had to make do.

[2] lit. ‘make porridge and give to a dog’ which means ‘do fruitless work’/‘work hard for no results’ /‘work hard and someone else takes the credit’

[3] excellent example of konglish slang: the word itself is ‘cunning’ transliterated into krn, but it means ‘to cheat, cheating’.

[4] not ‘normal’ as in ‘not unusual’ but like ‘normal person’/‘ordinary person’ so I’m a.s.suming it means ‘non-Hunter’

[5] lit. ‘suffered 조리돌림 by the past public’ where 조리돌림 is the noun form of the verb 조리돌리다, which the krn-eng dictionary I checked defines as ‘drag/lead a malefactor through the streets to expose them to public shame’. So.

[6] the word for wage/pay used so far meant monthly pay fyi

[7] i’m a.s.suming it’s 5 thousand something (50 million perhaps? Krn counts in intervals of 4 digits instead of 3 like in eng, so it would most likely be 5 thousand ten-thousand) instead of just 5 thousand itself otherwise this makes no sense, but the raws just say this

[8] pyeong is a way of counting land s.p.a.ce and 1 pyeong is apparently 3.3058 m2 or 35.583 ft2

[9] lit. ‘fur grows on conscience so much that it must be doubly, triply dense’ where ‘fur grows on conscience’ means that you betray/don’t listen to your conscience