*Sizzle–*

A splendid slice of beef with patterns akin to marble made a delicious sound as it was lowered onto the grill. Next to it, Korean beef tripe was puffing up and sizzling with fat.

The world was definitely worth living in.

It would be nice to have a drink here, whether it's soju or beer, but given the current situation, it wasn’t quite appropriate.

“You can drink.”

“…Huh?”

“You look like you really want to drink. I've seen drunk people all the time so you don't need to worry.”

…Was my face that obvious or could she read minds?

“I can’t get drunk when we’re about to talk about the contract. Plus, the person in front of me is a formidable opponent. I’m afraid I’ll get robbed if I get drunk.”

“Rather than me being formidable, isn’t it that ahjussi is just too soft?”

Bak Yerim laughed delightedly. It seemed like her gloomy mood had completely lifted.

To make it easy to talk, we deliberately entered a private room so there weren’t other customers nearby. Though in the first place, the time was a little awkward so there weren’t a lot of customers anyway.

As for Kim Sunghan, he had declined the invitation to join the meal and having checked out the inside of the restaurant, left saying he would wait outside. I should just give up on making that person an S-rank. We weren’t getting closer at all.

“So, did you really know my parents?”

Bak Yerim asked, picking up a piece of meat.

“If we didn’t know each other, how would I have been able find you right away. We didn’t know each other well, but I was once indebted to them when I was young.”

“When you were young?”

“Yeah. I lost my parents early too. I had a hard time taking care of my younger sibling and making a living.”

I was running myself ragged trying to sell the story. But this is what resonates most with Koreans, isn't it? The tale of losing parents and being in a pitiable state with no one to rely on, etcetera. Even with just sympathy votes from losing your parents, one could become the president.

“Back then, your parents gave me some help. It's been about ten years, so you wouldn't remember.”

Of course, I didn’t remember either. Pouring soda into a glass instead of alcohol, I continued speaking.

“Before Awakening, I was busy just surviving so I didn’t have time to think about visiting. Even though I had an S-class awakened sibling, we weren't on good terms until recently.”

“Really? Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard much about the Haeyeon Guild Master’s family.”

“We reconciled just a few days ago. I Awakened, gained some useful skilsl, and made up with my dongsaeng. Once life became more bearable, I started reminiscing about the past. It's a bit selfish, isn't it?”

“What do you mean selfish? Just look at my uncle! There are plenty of people who repay kindness with hostility, but at least you remembered eventually.”

Bak Yerim said, puffing out her cheeks. Those cheeks were soon filled with a well-stuffed meat ssam. She eats well.

“Hey, that’s a hot pepper.”

“I can handle spicy food.”

Saying that, she even dipped raw garlic in ssamjang and ate it. Just how many pieces of garlic did she put in her ssam? I would get heartburn unless it were roasted.

“So that’s why I asked around and found you. At first, I was just going to ask if you needed help with anything, but your Awakening aptitude ended up being really outstanding.”

“Mm-mm-mmm.”

“Speak after you swallow.”

Did that bastard uncle starve his niece or something?

“Then all I need to do now is sign the contract with ahjussi?”

“Yes. Awakening can happen immediately or it might take a few days, depending on the situation. It won't take long.”

“I hope it happens right away. It'll be chaotic when I get home.”

“Half of it is luck, but I'll do my best.”

How do I say the Keyword? Maybe I should talk more about her parents.

First, I took out a contract from my inventory. Bak Yerim’s eyes widened as the parchment paper emerged from thin air.

“Is that an inventory? I've never seen one in real life.”

“You'll get one soon, too. You can only store dungeon-related items, but it's convenient.”

You couldn’t put in ordinary items. Only items that came from a dungeon or were made using dungeon by-products could be stored in the inventory.

“There are three conditions for the contract. First, don't tell anyone about my skill. Second, guard me for the next year. Third, sign a contract with the Haeyeon Guild.”

“Ahjussi’s guard?”

“Yes. Since I'm only F-class, I need someone to protect me. So, I was looking for someone suitable with my skill, and you caught my eye.”

“Still, wanting a fifteen-year-old to protect you? Isn't that embarrassing?”

“Even a ten-year-old would be stronger than me if their stat rank was higher, so I’m not embarrassed.”

Having gotten all the way here, why would I suddenly be embarrassed? After replying plainly, I took out a pen. This pen and the ink inside were also made from dungeon by-products. As I unfolded the contract and started writing down the conditions, Bak Ye-rim craned her neck to look.

“A 20% reduction in all stats for one year upon the contract’s violation? Is that all the penalty is? It doesn't seem like a big problem even if you break it.”

“A 20% reduction means the grade of the dungeon you can clear is one rank lower. The difference in earnings is huge.”

“But you only need to take a break for a year.”

“That's true. But this is a contract certified by the Hunter Association. If you break it, your credibility will hit rock bottom. Depending on the severity, your hunter license might be suspended.”

That was why if it wasn’t a backdoor deal, a Hunter a.s.sociation certified contract was a lot better than an illegal contract with a strong penalty.

That was why, unless it was an under-the-table deal, a contract certified by the Hunter Association was much better than an illegal contract with severe penalties.

“I thought contracts signed by Awakened had terrifying penalties and such.”

“Those exist too. They’re illegal though.”

“Only Awakened have stats, so does the effect still work even if we sign it now?”

“It doesn't matter. This contract uses a curse skill. Even non-awakened people are affected by skills, so their physical abilities would decrease by 20%.”

“A curse, huh? That's a bit creepy.”

After writing down all my conditions, I signed the contract. Bak Yerim, who was watching, quickly gestured for the pen.

“I just have to write down my name, right?”

As she took the pen and contract and was about to sign her name immediately,

“Huh?”

I snatched the contract away. Bak Yerim stared at me questioningly.

“You're still just a kid, after all.”

“Huh, why?”

She asked in a sharp, slightly offended voice. I shook the contract in front of her eyes.

“You need to properly check it over before signing.”

“But there’s no problem with it.”

No problem, she says.

“You forgot to include your conditions.”

“…Oh, you're right.”

Bak Yerim mumbled blankly. Right now, the contract only contained my unilateral demands. Her face turned a bit red, probably from embarrassment.

“People can forget things!”

“Of course, people can forget. But excuses like that don't work in front of a contract. That’s what it means to become an Awakened Person, a Hunter. As a Hunter, you can have the same rights as an adult, but you must also bear the same responsibilities.”

I took the pen back and added conditions regarding Bak Yerim's Awakening and sponsorship.

“And normally, contracts like this are negotiated. I've already revealed that you can become a high-ranking Awakened. Your expected awakening grade is B or higher. This is very advantageous information for you. Wherever you go, you'll receive good treatment, and if you happen to be A-rank or higher, you'll have a free pass to the top three guilds.”

Pointing to the condition about joining the Haeyeon Guild with the tip of the pen, I continued.

“But signing without negotiating the contract conditions, just because you're tempted by the immediate promise of Awakening, would be foolish. The conditions are too unfavorable for you to accept impulsively.”

I crossed out the ‘contract with Haeyeon Guild’ condition, and revised it to ‘prioritize signing with the Haeyeon Guild’ – ensuring that the contract conditions are above the industry average for hunters.

“There. This should be a reasonably fair contract now.”

Bak Yerim looked at me with a confused expression, unsure if she was upset or surprised. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

Was she angry?

“It might have sounded like nagging, but what I meant was you’re still at an age where you need an adult's help. Once you Awaken, there will definitely be a lot of people trying to approach you. Even as a B-grade, you can still raid D-rank dungeons, and after just ten successful clearances you can enter B-rank ones.”

An orphaned middle schooler with an annual income of billions of won. What an enticing target to exploit. Moreover, Bak Yerim was S-rank. If it became known, not to mention within the country, it’d cause a stir in foreign countries as well.

“Among those people, there will be plenty who will pretend to be good like me and try to exploit you. Just like how you almost got taken in, you'll be easily deceived.”

“…”

Bak Ye-rim's gaze was fixed on the contract. Her expression was still stiff, but she seemed deep in thought rather than angry.

“…But I hate my uncle.”

“Yes, I know. He's not someone you can trust as a guardian. You'll be lucky if he doesn't run off with your money.”

“He’d definitely run off with all of it.”

As soon as insulting her uncle came up, the tense atmosphere slightly loosened.

“If you're okay with it, I'd like to take on that role for you.”

“…Isn’t sponsoring me the same thing?”

“It's different. A simple sponsor can't be involved in a Hunter's dealings. But if you have a guardian, even if a Hunter minor signs an unfavorable contract, it can be contested. Even with special laws, a minor is still a minor. Usually, parents take on this role.”

A Hunter's blood relative couldn’t automatically become their guardian. A Hunter had to explicitly designate the guardian themselves.

“So… I was thinking I could take on the role of your parents.”

I deliberately cleared my throat, pretending to be embarrassed. And truthfully, it was actually a bit awkward. Even before I went back in time, I wasn't old enough to have a fifteen-year-old daughter. She could be considered my niece, though.

“P-parent?”

“Yeah, uh… Of course, I might not fit the role well and have many shortcomings.”

“…Why are you willing to do so much for me? You said the help my parents gave you was just a small favor.”

“Because I went through hard times, too.”

It was partly a lie, but also the truth.

“Maybe it's just a form of vicarious satisfaction. Thinking about how things might have been if I had a strong support back then, something like that. Though I probably don't seem that dependable.”

“Ahjussi seems like he’ll be dependable enough to me.”

“Really?”

“…Do you have to ask again?”

It seemed like she didn’t want to pay lip service twice. It was my fault for not being satisfied with just once.

“Anyway, I understand.”

Bak Yerim bashfully rubbed her cheek with her palm.

“Um, I'll be in your care from now on…?”

“Yes, same here. So…”

I should have just drunk. The regret came too late but there was no helping it. There was no choice but to say it sober. It also seemed natural to be embarra.s.sed to death.

I should have just had a drink. The regret hit me, but as always, it was too late. I had no choice but to say it sober. Being painfully awkward might come across as more genuine anyway.

“I said I would act in place of your parents but obviously, I won't measure up. But as much as your parents loved you, or rather not to that extent, um, how should I say it… Yerim, I… love you?”

“Ack! What is that! So weird!”

Bak Ye-rim shouted, her face turning red as she rubbed her arms as if she had goosebumps. My face must have turned red too. Talking nonsense while sober is really tough.

But with that kind of reaction…

[Unawakened ‘Bak Yerim’ has been influenced by the Keyword!]

As expected, it popped up.

______________________________

Hello, Samushia here.

For the sake of getting closer to the correct pronunciation of Yerim's surname I am going to change it accordingly from now on.

Park => Bak