I was Kicked Out of the Hunter’s Guild

The dark city center.

There, a woman walked along the sidewalk, carrying two taller women slung over her shoulders.

Under normal circumstances, such a sight would be almost impossible.

However, considering that the person doing the carrying was Kwonsoon—an A-rank Hunter—this was nothing out of the ordinary.

Still, despite knowing that fact, I couldn’t help but follow behind her, feeling automatically apologetic.

“Hey… are you okay? I mean, I could at least carry one of them…”

“No need for that. I’m a Hunter too, remember? This is nothing for me.”

“Well… still, I feel bad about it.”

“If you’re that sorry, why don’t you go ahead and catch a taxi?”

“Ah, right. Got it.”

At Kwonsoon’s words, I hurriedly looked around, searching for a taxi.

Unfortunately, it was late—too late for any taxis to be passing by right away.

“Ugh… looks like I’ll have to call one instead.”

“Hmm… guess we don’t have a choice. It’ll take a while, so let’s sit here and wait.”

With that, Kwonsoon, leaned the two unconscious women against an empty bus stop bench.

The two of them showed no signs of waking up. Their quiet, steady breathing made it seem like they had completely passed out.

“Ugh… To be honest, I felt it earlier, but both of them definitely overdid it today. Well… I guess it’s understandable, considering the mission ended on such a high note.”

Kwonsoon spoke with a bitter smile.

However, remembering that she had been the one who drank the most back at the meat restaurant, I couldn’t help but think she wasn’t exactly in a position to comment.

“Even so… Joggs, you don’t look particularly drunk. Do you actually handle alcohol better than I expected?”

“Mm… not really. It’s just that I get drunk a little slower than most people. Give it some time, and I’ll probably be in floor-bed mode like those two.”

“…Please hold out, at least until we get back to the room. I’m not a Hunter, so carrying three women at once is pretty much impossible for me.”

“Hah, is that so? Alright, I’ll try my best to stay conscious.”

With those words, Joggs sat down at the corner of the bench, looking a bit tired.

She popped a candy into her mouth, probably to freshen her breath and started scrolling through her phone.

Watching her, I couldn’t help but notice how her brown skin and dyed blonde hair gave her the appearance of a delinquent. Even though she was a Hunter and clearly an adult, the way she casually sucked on candy while staring at her phone made the thought pop into my head automatically.

Still, when you actually talk to her, she’s not that rough around the edges…

To be honest, despite her rebellious appearance, she had never acted particularly rude.

On the contrary, apart from her looks, she gave off a surprisingly mature vibe for her age. Watching how she handled things in her own way, I found myself reassessing Kwonsoon, she was a much better person than I initially thought.

While I was observing her, a sudden question came to mind.

I glanced at her carefully before speaking.

“Come to think of it… we stopped talking when Ms. Iare passed out. How did you, Joggs, end up becoming a Black Hunter?”

“Me? Pfft, isn’t it obvious? For the exact reason you’re thinking.”

“Ah…”

True to her words, Joggs’ appearance, a tanned blonde with a free-spirited, slightly careless vibe—didn’t exactly scream “military material.”

She looked like the type who wouldn’t enjoy being bound by strict rules, someone who values freedom above all else.

I found myself nodding in agreement without thinking.

“Yeah… I get what you mean.”

“Right? I mean, sure, beating the Abyss is fun. But being stuck in some corner of the country, feeling all suffocated? Nah, not for me. And waking up every morning to that awful wake-up call? Terrifying.“

“Ugh… I get that. That devil’s trumpet blaring in your ears every morning…”

I instinctively frowned as the dreadful melody echoed in my mind.

Kwonsoon let out a soft laugh at my expression.

“Exactly. That’s why I left the Hunter Guild and became a Black Hunter. I just couldn’t deal with all those restraints.”

“Got it. Makes total sense.”

Kwonsoon’s tone was light, almost carefree.

And as I listened to her, I felt an unexpected sense of relief.

Thank goodness…

I had been worried that her backstory might be something as dark and tragic as Iare’s.

But it seemed there was no such burden here.

Iare, consumed by vengeance and madness after the massacre of her family.

Although one could say she was saved, in her own way, after reuniting with Sooyoung-noona, I couldn’t help but feel pity and sorrow for the tragedy she had endured.

In that sense… I felt genuinely relieved that Kwonsoon hadn’t gone through such pain.

While I was quietly feeling that sense of relief, Kwonsoon, as if noticing my gaze, shifted her eyes to the night sky.

With a piece of candy in her mouth—sucking on it like a cigarette—she stared upward for a while.

For a brief moment, there was something incomprehensible about her expression…

As if she were sensing something strange.

***

After arriving at the company by taxi, Kwonsoon immediately dropped the two unconscious women onto the bed.

“Phew… it’s finally over.”

“You worked hard. I’ll head in now.”

“Yeah, you too, Adjutant. Rest well.”

After seeing Jinhyun off, Kwonsoon turned her gaze to her colleagues, who were fast asleep, tangled up on the bed, completely unaware of the world around them.

Glass—laid-back and carefree—believed that life should be enjoyed.

At one point, she had fallen into deep despair, struggling to escape it. But after meeting someone who saved her, she had learned to smile again.

And Iare, too, was now dreaming of new happiness.

Scars from the past or not, both of them could now genuinely smile.

Watching them like this, she

Yu Kwonsoon

…began to feel a deep, genuine envy.

It won’t come to me…

The day I can smile like you all.

Unlike you, my ending isn’t a comedy…

***

The Day After Completing the B-Class Mission

Iare walked down the hallway, heading somewhere with quiet determination.

It was a wide but straight corridor, lined with closed doors, none of them open, no visitors in sight.

At the very end of the hallway stood a single door.

Upon reaching it, Iare paused briefly before slowly opening it and stepping inside.

“Come in.”

“I’m home, President.”

A familiar voice echoed in her ears.

Before her eyes was the figure of someone seated in a chair, turned away and facing the window.

The person remained silent, gazing out without turning around to acknowledge Iare’s arrival.

Iare, unfazed by the lack of attention, calmly placed the documents she had brought onto the desk in front of the figure.

“This is the report on the mission. I’m sure you’ve already heard the details. It was a victory that could only be described as overwhelming.”

“Yeah, it was impressive! I mean, a perfect victory against Abyss of that level—without a single injury! And to top it off, you wrapped it all up in less than half a day… Incredible.”

The person’s voice, which had risen slightly in excitement, quieted again as they collected themselves.

At that, a faint smile appeared on Iare’s lips. A spark of anticipation crept into her voice as she asked,

“Then… does this mean I passed?”

“Of course. Honestly, you went far beyond my expectations. I’m starting to regret not listening to you sooner.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Hearing the genuine joy in the President’s voice, a deep sense of pride welled up in Iare.

“From our perspective, having someone with such outstanding abilities, someone who could even be called a benefactor—couldn’t be better. We’ll actively support you moving forward, so let’s do our best together. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“Yes, thank you.”

With those final words, Iare turned and left the room, her steps noticeably lighter than when she had entered.

Meanwhile, as the figure in the chair watched Iare leave, a deep smile slowly formed on their lips.

Really… I look forward to what’s to come.

Lee Jinhyun…