Chapter 32: Declaring My Withdrawal From the PartyI input the address. The navigation began guiding me.
The direction I was heading changed.
The Bentley Continental sped unimpeded down the road - no one here could stop it.
Screech.
The car stopped. We'd arrived at the dinner venue.
"Please go in first. I'll park the car."
The door opened automatically. Seol-hwa stumbled out as if pushed.
Vroom.
The car disappeared. Seol-hwa looked at the restaurant.
It was a high-end establishment specializing in beef.
Why had the Party Leader, who'd never organized gatherings before, chosen such a nice place?
"Why aren't you going in? Hurry up."
"Hah... but... you looked terrifying earlier. I felt something terrible would happen if we met."
Seol-hwa stood frozen outside the restaurant, too scared to enter.
She understood why Isia had brought her here.
But fear of the unknown situation paralyzed her.
As someone with antisocial tendencies, Seol-hwa pathologically feared causing trouble.
"Enough talking. Get in."
I knew the solution - force her through it.
Seizing control of her body, I forcibly moved her inside.
"Over here."
Hwaran raised her hand as if waiting. She must have been watching the entrance for Seol-hwa.
Guided by Hwaran, Seol-hwa was dragged helplessly into the private room.
"Eeep!"
Seol-hwa trembled in fear, trying to distance herself from the party members.
But her body refused to obey.
"Everyone's here. Now we can properly enjoy the gathering."
The male Advanced Hunter said with a smile. I didn't know his name.
Since becoming a monster, I vowed never to remember men's names.
Suddenly I understood why this gathering had been called.
He'd been the one to suggest it.
How meddlesome.
We wouldn't see these people again after this hunt - why bother with a dinner?
Bzzzt.
"Ah, my phone's ringing. Excuse me."
The male Hunter stepped outside.
"I'll get more drinks."
"I'll get them!"
"Stay seated."
Seol-hwa's escape attempt failed.
Hwaran went out to fetch drinks.
"We weren't going to invite Seol-hwa-ssi, but Jeongsu-nim insisted. Understand?"
The Party Leader's face flushed crimson.
Drunk beyond reason, her words slurred.
Seol-hwa fidgeted nervously.
"I don't know how you caught Jeongsu-nim's eye, but F-Grades are bottom feeders. You should be grateful we hired you at all. Why are you desperately trying to squeeze into our circle? Do you actually think you're my equal?"
She openly disparaged Seol-hwa with contempt.
I wondered why this was happening.
"Why does he pay attention only to you and ignore me completely?"
Suddenly I understood her motive.
This wasn't about romantic feelings for the male Hunter.
She craved recognition.
Though leading a low-tier party in the outskirts, she took great pride in her abilities.
But her imagined prowess proved insignificant, and seeing the attention focused on Seol-hwa bred jealousy.
"Right. Why bother with a Porter? Are you doing bitch work behind our backs?"
The Orc Healer joined enthusiastically in bashing Seol-hwa.
This made no sense to me.
"Stop it! How can you say such things to her face?"
"So it's okay if we say it behind her back?"
The Magician tried to intervene, but the situation worsened.
The Party Leader and Orc Healer kept insulting Seol-hwa.
The Swordsman remained neutral, silently grilling meat.
Crunch.
Seol-hwa clenched her fist until the knuckles whitened. Only a saint wouldn't rage at such open contempt.
"Aren't you ashamed doing Porter work while pretending to be a Hunter? I'd quit.
Oh wait - is this the only way your pathetic life can afford food? What a hopeless existence."
Alcohol loosened the Party Leader's tongue beyond reason.
"That's unnecessary. Seol-hwa-ssi has already proven her abilities."
Silence fell outside. Isia had arrived.
The unexpected appearance froze everyone.
The party members immediately recognized who she was.
"I've specially recruited Seol-hwa-ssi into the guild through my authority."
Isia pulled Seol-hwa close.
Shock. Relief. Indifference.
Different reactions played across their faces.
Though unsure why everyone was surprised, Seol-hwa felt pleased.
She puffed out her chest proudly.
The Party Leader's shocked expression - after trying to destroy her moments earlier - made it sweeter.
"Why... an F-Grade..."
The Party Leader challenged. Sober, she'd have kept this thought buried.
But alcohol dragged out what should have remained unsaid.
"Do you question my choice?"
"No..."
Confronted by Isia, the Party Leader immediately backed down.
She was that type - utterly weak before authority.
Her head bowed in submission.
"Since the Party Leader approves, I'll be taking Seol-hwa-ssi with me."
Isia tugged Seol-hwa's arm.
Seol-hwa stood to follow.
"Taking members suddenly will hinder us. We have an important hunt soon."
The male Hunter blocked their path. They seemed acquainted.
"Did Seol-hwa-ssi have responsibilities here? As a Porter... is taking her necessary?"
"Yes. Absolutely necessary."
Her insistence seemed forced. As if she had ulterior motives.
I wanted to know. To see what scheme lay behind this.
"Very well. Let's ask Seol-hwa-ssi directly. We'll respect her decision."
"Accept. Let's uncover their scheme."
I told Seol-hwa.
"I'll... stay until after this hunt. Suddenly leaving would be rude..."
Seol-hwa answered immediately without hesitation.
"Understood. If you insist, we'll comply. Treat Seol-hwa-ssi well. Any mistreatment won't be tolerated."
With Seol-hwa's decision made, Isia had no choice.
After delivering her icy warning, she left.
Deeming the atmosphere too hostile, Seol-hwa followed Isia out.
I extracted the Core from her neck. Looking back.
Hwaran and the male Hunter were smiling at Seol-hwa.
Their eerie grins sent shivers down my spine.
"Weird bastards."
"Huh? What's weird?"
"Nothing."
Their scheme remained unclear. But the hunt would reveal everything.
I slipped back beneath Seol-hwa's clothes.
* * * *
Dawn.
Seol-hwa awoke from deep sleep.
The monster's nagging had roused her.
Though wanting more sleep, she feared the consequences of ignoring it.
She rose and opened the pill bottle.
One pill dropped into her palm.
'This feels like wasted money...'
Seol-hwa held no expectations.
No dramatic changes would come from taking this pill.
She'd only bought it fearing the monster's disappointment.
'But I joined the guild.'
Before sleeping, she'd researched Myohaengseong Guild and Isia.
An impressive figure. Now she understood why the Party Leader froze upon seeing her.
Having earned such a person's favor meant the money wasn't wasted.
'If... the monster disappeared...'
Her chest tightened. Everything she'd achieved came from the monster.
If it vanished, she'd return to her former life.
That must never happen.
"Why aren't you taking it?"
"Y-yes, I'll take it now."
She snapped back to reality.
Swallowing the pill.
It slid down her esophagus.
The pill slowly dissolved in her stomach.
Mana spread through her body.
She imagined mana infusing every cell.
"Good. Now touch the pig blood. Focus on controlling it."
She placed her hand on pig blood bought yesterday from a butcher.
Following the monster's instructions, she focused on controlling it.
A sensation clicked. Mana drained.
Quiver-quiver.
The blood trembled. Then rose, taking shape.
It moved according to her will.
An ability. The power she'd desperately wanted.
No longer a half-baked Ability User.
She could finally call herself a true Ability User.
"Thank you..."
Tears streamed down her face.
Tears of joy.
Thanks to the monster, she'd transformed from a half-baked Ability User to a real one.
That wasn't all.
It helped her gain Isia's favor to succeed as a Hunter.
The monster was her light. A single beam in the darkness.
"Thank you for coming to me..."
She hugged the monster.
Her gratitude came from the heart.
* * * * *
"Change of plans. The Drake appears ready to leave its nest. We hunt it today."
On hunt day, the male Hunter unilaterally announced the sudden plan change.
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