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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Unexpected Changes
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“The same goes for poaching employees.”
“I was simply asking their opinion. I have no intention of forcing them out.”
However, Han Su-eon just shrugged, claiming he had no ulterior motives.
Why the sudden change in atmosphere? Seora rubbed her neck, feeling needlessly uncomfortable, when her eyes suddenly met Kang Sejun’s.
‘What did you do now?’
Why? How could I read his mind so clearly just from his gaze?
‘What did I do? I was being quiet. I didn’t do anything.’
It seemed Sejun had heard Seora’s thoughts as well. Seeing him scoff as if to say, ‘Yeah, right,’ she discreetly stomped on his foot.
【Administrator: ꉂꉂ(*ﾟ▽ﾟ)☞】
He must have liked the foot-stomping. After throwing a fit just a moment ago, he was now sending a gleefully laughing emoticon.
The Administrator’s mind was truly impossible to fathom.
* * *
Home, finally, after all the incidents had been dealt with.
“……How could this happen.”
Seora flopped face-down in the middle of her room.
After suddenly running into Do Junyeong and Han Su-eon right after Park Jinyong, she had briefly forgotten. The whole reason she’d gone to that alley at this late hour was to get her money!
“To think I came back without my money because of that bastard.”
There was no way she could have brazenly accepted a huge sum from Kang Sejun with Do Junyeong and Han Su-eon watching her like hawks.
In the end, Seora had no choice but to leave the secretly smirking Kang Sejun behind and return home in tears.
She had planned to cut ties with the annoying L-Rank for good today, but now it looked like she’d have to meet him again.
“Seriously, how could this happen!”
【Administrator: ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿】
“Be quiet, Elizabeth!”
【Administrator: ╭(°ㅂ°`)╮】
Ignoring whatever protests Liza had, Seora rolled around on the floor, looking miserable.
My money, my precious money! Park Jinyong, you bastard, you’re dragging me down to the very end!
“Phew……. Still, it’s a relief I wasn’t suspected.”
Seora took the slingshot out of her inventory and held it. Thinking about it, this seemed pretty good. While regular firearms were strictly regulated, there was no law banning toy slingshots.
According to the Awakened Punishment Act, the use of weapons by the Awakened was strictly forbidden unless they were fighting monsters. Long-range weapons like bows and guns were even more heavily regulated, but that depended on the weapon.
Who would be wary of a toy slingshot, not a professional one with high lethal capability? Especially if it was owned by an incompetent F-Rank who had marksman traits yet couldn't even use a gun properly.
“Hit, I’m sorry, but let’s stick with the slingshot for a while.”
When we go into a dungeon, I’ll be sure to change you into a cool form.
Hmm. But if it can transform into a toy slingshot, could it become a water gun too?
【Administrator: o(ㅇωㅇ)o】
‘So it can.’
I'm quite curious about the extent of its transformations. Someday, when I enter a dungeon alone again, I’ll have to run some tests.
* * *
That night, Seora finally fell asleep after wailing about her money.
Suddenly, a system message appeared in the dark room. But Seora, who had cried herself into a deep sleep, failed to read the contents, which were suspicious at a glance.
【Error Occurred!】
【Due to the System Administrator's influence, an error has occurred in the system of Planet—Earth. Some systems will be changed.】
【Synchronization conditions have been met. Synchronization between the System Administrator and the sole contractor ‘Yoon Seora’ will now begin!】
【Synchronization Progress — 1%, 2%, 3%…….】
【Synchronization 10% Complete】
【A message function describing the System Administrator's state has been added.】
The message's contents were incomprehensible.
As if in response, another message appeared.
【The System Administrator smiles awkwardly at the sole contractor.】
The message, which had never appeared before, clearly showed the signs of a system change. But Seora, still fast asleep, saw none of it.
Underneath the messages that appeared and disappeared as they pleased, Seora began to groan as if having a nightmare.
* * *
“This feels ominous.”
In the morning, Seora uttered those words as soon as she opened her eyes.
Even though she didn't get the money, she got her revenge, so she should have felt refreshed. Why on earth was she plagued by nightmares all night?
“A hell of emoticons, of all things.”
There was truly no hell like it. No matter how much she ran, hid, or closed her eyes, the emoticons chased her.
Was that all? If she even stopped for a moment, all sorts of emoticons filling every direction would close in on her as if to suffocate her, and it was just so horrible.
“If it’s emoticons, then there’s only one culprit.”
Seora’s narrowed eyes looked into the air.
“Ms. Elizabeth, be honest. Were you watching me while I slept?”
【Administrator: (¬_¬);】
He was avoiding her gaze. Huh? What, I just asked, but was it true…?
“So the source of my nightmares was Liza-Liza!”
That’s why only emoticons appeared in my dream!
“Why on earth can the Administrator only communicate with emoticons!”
In a way, he might be a greater being than a Constellation, so why does the Administrator have such a limitation? And because of it, I'm having these horrible nightmares.
Seora lamented, burying her face in her hands. It was truly a sight she never wanted to see again.
Just then, her phone screen lit up with a notification for a text message. It was from her friend, Gong Haeyeon.
[That bastard who harassed you got a prison sentence! I feel so relieved now! That son of a bitch!]
Along with the colorful curse was a one-line news article.
「A-Rank Hunter Park Jinyong, guilty of assault and attempted murder. Hunter license permanently revoked and sentenced to 20 years in prison.」
It was a single, empty line stating that a once-promising raid leader from a major guild had been completely ruined.
“Twenty years in prison, huh. I wasn't even hurt, so for a sentence that long, the three S-Ranks must have pulled some strings.”
Then again, he would have received a prison sentence anyway. The Awakened Punishment Act, influenced by Song Hanna, is extremely strict. It was all for the sake of peace between the Awakened and the unawakened.
“Still, thanks to that, I’ve calmed down a bit.”
Seora, with an indifferent expression, tossed her phone back onto the bed.
From this moment on, she would never have to think of the name Park Jinyong again.
* * *
Thanks to Do Junyeong’s consideration—telling her to rest well this week since the shock must have been great—Seora stayed home the entire time. If she were a regular civil servant, this would have been utterly impossible, but being part of the Association was different.
The Korean Awakened Management Association was only supported by the state at its founding; now, it operates completely under the dictatorial system of Association President Song Hanna. The Association President has total control over everything related to Korea’s Awakened and dungeons, and those not involved cannot interfere.
Not members of the National Assembly, not the military, not even the President.
「The head of the Korean Awakened Management Association can only be an Awakened, and all Association matters are subject only to the head's decisions.」
As long as this clause was specified in the Awakened Punishment Act.
It might sound excessive, but this was all the result of Song Hanna’s desperate struggle to prevent the Awakened from being swayed by the government.
To avoid repeating the tragedy of a certain S-Rank who was manipulated by the government and met a gruesome end at a young age.
In the end, it was all the government’s fault for casting aside Song Hanna’s best friend and feigning ignorance.
“Well, it’s good for us, thanks to her.”
Thanks to Song Hanna’s struggle, both the Awakened and the unawakened enjoyed peace. It wasn't for nothing that her approval rating was number one.
“Hmm… or maybe not. Is it a bit of a problem for me?”
In other words, she was monopolizing the affection of someone powerful enough to snatch an entire organization from the state just because her friend had died.
But what would she say if Seora told her she was quitting? Would she say, ‘Is that so? Good work,’ and hand over her retirement pension?
She would surely make a huge fuss, asking if it was because she was attacked again yesterday, and demand that Seora move into her house immediately to recover.
“Haah. It’s a good thing I didn’t submit my resignation letter beforehand. She would’ve said, ‘Since you’ve quit anyway, let’s live together from now on,’ and dragged me away.”
They were living separately now to hide their relationship, but if she quit, that reason would disappear, and she would surely drag her away as if she’d been waiting for the chance.
Oh god, absolutely not. I don't care if she finds out about my reawakening, but having my contract with the Administrator exposed would be very, very! troublesome.
“Or maybe I could use a trip as an excuse…”
In the end, despite getting a four-day vacation, Seora couldn’t sleep for thinking about quitting.
Having an aunt who doted on her niece was nice, but at times like this, it was truly a predicament.
