“My mana doesn’t seem to be moving a lot,” Jung Ha-Yan said.

‘What the.’

I studied her expression again, but it was the same as before. There was a disconnect between the way she was smiling as if she didn't know anything and the fact that she had been crying not long ago.

I looked at her status window again and as expected, nothing changed.

I definitely wasn’t seeing things.

[Job - Mage - Average Rank]

Jung Ha-Yan already got her job.

‘Since when?’

The last time I checked her status window was three days ago. It was close to when I started giving her somewhat of a lesson about magic.

Even though she didn’t say anything, the moment I indirectly talked about magic, there was a possibility that she obtained her job back then.

[Attribute - How to become a mage - Epic Rank]

[Jung Ha-Yan has mastered the foundation of magic. Her magic point will permanently increase by two points. Her growth potential will increase dramatically.]

‘What’s this…’

Even her attribute was outrageous because the moment she understood her job, she obtained an epic rank attribute. Based on the circumstances, I’m sure that was what happened.

It was my first time seeing a case where a person obtained their job after learning the basic knowledge related to that job, and to even acquire a new attribute at that. If it was possible for other people to experience the same thing, then I’m sure Kim Hyun-Sung would have picked this method.

Jung Ha-Yan was definitely a special case.

When I was deep into my thoughts, Jung Ha-Yan started staring at me as if she was feeling a bit anxious.

“Um…o-oppa?” she called out.

“Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something for a moment…you asked about moving your mana, right?” I asked.

“Yes, yes! I took your advice and tried, but it was too difficult…” she told me.

She shouldn’t experience any difficulties.

“That’s strange…maybe it’s because you possess a larger amount of mana than me,” I said.

I saw her slightly extending her hand out. When I grabbed Jung Ha-Yan’s hand, I started letting my weak mana flow down to her. I tried to build the mana by letting it flow inside of her, but Jung Ha-Yan’s mana didn’t budge. She wasn’t slow-witted.

‘She’s blocking me.’

She was intentionally restraining me from moving her mana.

When I frowned, that was when Jung Ha-Yan’s mana started flowing in the direction that my mana was flowing to.

“Y-You’re amazing oppa,” she complimented me.

‘She’s really…’

“Let’s try visualizing,” I suggested.

“Excuse me?”

“Try visualizing the spell. A flame rising from your hand…you can do what I did just now, right?” I asked her.

“Oh! Yes, yes!” she answered excitedly.

I had stacked up enough mana to meet the conditions. Since we came this far, visualizing a small flame should be easy for her. However, her mana collapsed right away. But it wasn’t because too much time had elapsed or because she failed, but because Jung Ha-Yan made the mana collapse herself.

“A-As expected, it’s still difficult for me. W-Why am I like this…y-you worked so hard to teach me…” she said in disappointment.

She even started crying.

‘What’s going on?’

“No, it’s natural to fail and it’s probably because you don’t have a job yet. If you join us for the hunt, I’m sure you’ll do better, right?” I said, trying to comfort her.

Even though I discreetly mentioned her job, she didn’t show any reaction.

“C-Can I try again?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

“Wow, look at the time. Let’s stop here for today since I have things I need to take care of,” I told her.

“D-Do you have plans or…a-are you meeting with Miss H-Hye-young…today too?” she asked, stuttering.

Park Hye-Young was the woman that Lee Ji-Hye sent to me. After that day, Lee Ji-Hye sent a person that could connect us together. She told me that Park Hye-Young would be useful for many things, but nothing happened between us so far. So far, all I heard from her were the status quo of the group and stories within the base.

While I was contemplating what I should say, I heard a voice from outside.

“Mr. Ki-Young? Are you busy?” Park Hye-Young asked.

“Oh, one moment please,” I said.

‘Park Hye-Young.’

I couldn’t tell whether it was the perfect timing or not, but when I looked at Jung Ha-Yan, her expression didn’t really change.

“Oh! Y-You already had plans. I-I didn’t know…” she said.

“No, I didn’t have plans with Miss Hye-Young. I think something happened, so can you give us a moment?” I asked.

“Oh…okay,” she answered.

Jung Ha-Yan slowly stood up from her seat, and Park Hye-Young entered the room.

I didn’t call for her, so I was curious as to why she came here.

I felt Jung Ha-Yan staring at Park Hye-Young and even though I wanted to use jealousy as my weapon to some extent, I didn’t want to use it like this.

“Ha-Yan, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said.

“Oh! Okay!”

When Jung Ha-Yan left the room, Park Hye-Young quietly sat down.

“Did something happen?” I asked her.

“I heard something interesting,” she started.

“Something interesting?”

“I heard that for the next hunt, you are going to select a few people from the base to join you,” she answered.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“If it’s okay with you, can I take a spot?” she asked.

Park Hye-Young was pretty straightforward.

I naturally scanned Park Hye-Young using my Mind’s Eye, but none of her stats really stood out.

[Checking Player Park Hye-Young’s Status Window and Potential.]

[Name - Park Hye-Young]

[Title - None. Please work harder.]

[Age - 27]

[Nature - Calculative Diplomat]

[Job - Unemployed]

[Stat]

[Strength - 10/Below epic growth limit]

[Agility - 11/Above rare growth limit]

[Stamina - 20/Above rare growth limit]

[Intelligence - 10/Above rare growth limit]

[Endurance - 10/Below average growth limit]

[Luck - 09/Below average growth limit]

[Magic - 00/Below rare growth limit]

[Overall Review - Now isn’t the time for you to say something pathetic like her not having any notable abilities or uniqueness. Her overall stat has a very good balance. She’ll have average growth potential with a melee or ranged job, like an archer.]

Her nature was a calculative diplomat. Without having to read the details, I had an idea about what her nature meant.

After looking at her for a bit, I continued talking. “I can’t say since I recommended Miss Ha-Yan first…”

“Aren’t kids like her boring?” Park Hye-Young asked.

“It doesn’t matter what you think, but that’s not the reason I recommended her,” I said.

“Can’t you work something out? I think doing that will help our relationship more…” she commented.

I didn’t really know what kind of relationship we had. I think Lee Ji-Hye told her to help me with different things, and she heard some absurd stories as a result.

Park Hye-Young must have thought of me as a lewd person that fancied women.

Her stats were decent and her potential wasn’t bad either. If she grew in the proper direction, then she may be able to help me, but I didn’t like the fact that her nature had the word, ‘calculative.’ Still, I believed that she knew the concept of give and take.

“Your reason?” I asked her.

“You need people that can fight, right? Thanks to you and Mr. Deok-Gu joining, the situation here has changed a bit. Only a few people think that Mr. Hyun-Sung will be able to do something for us. This is the place where a woman can get just as strong as a man and through a variety of systems, one can even strengthen their physical abilities,” Park Hye-Young explained.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Everyone is scared of the monsters, but there are people that believe that we can hunt them. People have started forming groups saying that they were going to go out and if it comes to the point where everyone is able to fight, it won’t be a loss for you if you have more people on your side. If Miss Ha-Yan returns with some special power, then this development will only speed up,” she said.

“You’re talking as if I’m splitting the group up,” I told her.

“Did I hit a nerve?”

“No, I don’t really care anyways. Does Miss Ji-Hye know that you’re here?” I asked.

“Probably? Who knows what Miss Ji-Hye is thinking,” she commented.

“Then the reason why you’re here is…”

“I just thought that you would understand. I also don’t like the fact that you keep taking that Jung Ha-Yan girl’s side. Well, if you reject my offer, I’ll have no choice but to wait until it’s my turn…” she answered.

“I understand what you’re saying.”

“I knew we would see eye to eye.”

“When Mr. Hyun-Sung returns, we’ll probably start working, so I’ll try to put in a good word for you. However, if Mr. Hyun-Sung believes that it’s too much, then you may get rejected, so don’t get your hopes up,” I warned her.

“Just hearing that answer is enough hope for me,” she said.

“Then, I look forward to working with you.”

“Me too.”

* * *

“That’s hilarious,” a survivor commented

“Shh, they’ll hear you,” another survivor said.

Jung Ha-Yan heard people talking around her, but she couldn’t really hear their conversation. She was actually worried about Ki-Young.

“Miss Ha-Yan! What’s on your mind?”

“Oh, oh! No, it’s nothing…” she answered.

“If you’re tired, you can rest. I’m sure you’re tired from the physical labor…pft. Well, wouldn’t it be harder for you if you worked here?” one of the survivors asked.

“Excuse me?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

“Look at her, pretending like she doesn’t know.”

“I told you not to do it.”

She didn’t really understand what they were trying to say, but she felt hostility from them.

She didn’t feel tired or exhausted from their words. She was used to being treated like this, after all.

Thinking about it now, it was the same as when she was little. Compared to her two older sisters, she was somewhat slow and stupid. Her oldest sister always took care of her and her second oldest sister was very smart, but the reason why they suddenly stopped contacting her was probably that she was stupid.

“Ugh…she stinks,” a survivor commented.

“He sure has interesting taste. She’s not even that pretty…pretending like she doesn’t know anything…that’s why she’s like a fox,” another survivor said.

“Shh, stop it. She’s going to hear you. What if she runs off and tattles?” they asked worriedly.

“Let her go then, I think he is probably tired of her. No, I’m sure he is fed up with her by now.”

Hearing their voices made Jung Ha-Yan’s hands tremble for some reason.

‘Ki-Young oppa.’

He was the only person she could rely on within this base. After recalling how they held hands earlier, her body shook for some reason.

Fed up?

She knew that Ki-Young didn’t treat her that way.

There was a slightly different reason as to why Ki-Young was being nice to her.

‘My heart is pounding.’

Her heart pounded as if it was going to jump out of her chest.

‘Because I’m like his little sister.’

Thinking about what he told her before, she felt a subtle pleasure. It was a very unfamiliar feeling. It was a feeling that she had never felt until now.

Her heart pounded as if someone was beating it with a hammer and she couldn’t help but cross her legs for some reason. It was even difficult for her to control her feelings.

‘I can see him again tomorrow.’

It would be just the two of them talking and he would dote on her again.

Jung Ha-Yan thought she would be able to feel the same warmth that she felt when she was with her family a long time ago.

This was a type of drug. She hid the fact that she obtained a job and an attribute because she wanted to spend more time with Ki-Young. She felt heartbroken by the fact that she had to lie to him. But if she didn’t do that, she was afraid that he may never look for her again.

Jung Ha-Yan tried her best to ignore the voices and looked in the direction where Ki-Young was.

“Oh my, were you waiting for me?”

It was Park Hye-Young, the same woman that was with Ki-Young a moment ago.