NOVEL WEB Chapter 23
Choi Bomi, the director of the Returnee Management Bureau, is swamped with work.
Though she also fulfills the role of the ethics auditor for returnees, as her rank rose, the direct face-to-face ethics audits of the returnees had long been delegated to other auditors and underlings.
Returnee Isia is the first returnee assigned to Director Choi ever since her promotion, after several years.
At first, she was curious about what kind of remarkable returnee had suddenly been assigned to her by superiors, thinking, “How impressive could this returnee be?”
But boy, was she in for a surprise.
It turned out that there was a proper combat established with Yeonseo, and on top of that, Returnee Isia was said to be under the protection of the Yeon family, as Yeonseo herself came to convey that information.
Although she didn’t hear a detailed report about what happened, it was only natural for Choi Bomi to take an interest in someone like Isia.
From the testimony of Yeonseo and her granddaughter alone, it was clear that Isia was not an ordinary returnee. However, during the ethics audit she conducted face-to-face with Isia, Choi Bomi felt a strange discomfort, as if she were staring into an abyss.
At first, she thought it was due to Isia being a peculiar case of a “dead saint,” someone not entirely human.
Not being human. Being dead.
Thus, she instinctively felt discomfort.
That thought crossed her mind.
Whether it was indeed discomfort was uncertain.
However, as soon as Choi Bomi used her ability “Thought Harvest” to connect with the mind of Returnee Isia, she felt a chilling emotion.
Do you know that if a giant elephant moves just a little, the ants at its feet might get crushed without even the elephant recognizing it?
In that instant, Choi Bomi felt as though she had become that ant.
A being for whom calamity occurs just by moving without malice.
Of course, she didn’t think that Returnee Isia was an absolute great evil or an entity to be eliminated at all costs.
If anything, Isia was good.
Though she was a dead saint, she had lived for over 60 years and was presumed to have coexisted with humanity despite being a dead saint. Despite spending that long time ‘in that other world,’ she still maintained her humanity.
Considering that anyone who lived for over 30 years ‘in that other world’ usually had significant ethical issues, Returnee Isia could be seen as truly rare and unusual.
Additionally, reflecting on the testimonies and examinations obtained through Thought Harvest, as well as the infrequent comments made by Isia, it could be inferred that she still longed for her connections in ‘that other world’ and had deep relationships.
‘If only I could care for her properly, it would be quite nice.’
The greatest concern for Choi Bomi was the identity and inner thoughts of Returnee Isia, which she still hadn’t fully grasped.
Although her strength might be comparable to that of the strongest hunter, Yeonseo, was her mind truly as experienced and skilled?
What was her purpose? What were her desires? What did she want to do upon her return? Did she have any aspirations at all? And were there any traumas or Achilles’ heels she shouldn’t touch? If so, what could they be?
With the tracking device for Returnee Isia showing no signs of activity for a month, Choi Bomi found herself consumed with these thoughts.
Perhaps the order from above for her to closely monitor Returnee Isia was meant to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
“Well, I’ll contact her tomorrow and conduct a second examination… Maybe I should propose she become a hunter.”
On top of that, the association had been asking her to test the new equipment.
If given the chance, it might be a good idea to assign the testing to Returnee Isia.
Whether she would accept the proposal to become a hunter was uncertain, but if she did, it would be a significant stroke of luck for the country and its citizens.
The birth of a hero on the level of Yeonseo is no small matter.
If everything goes well, the government could grandly package Returnee Isia as a new hero and provide various support, but that ultimately depended on her own intentions.
If Returnee Isia didn’t want to be in the public eye or didn’t want attention, things would get more complicated.
Ding ding.
“Yes, Choi Bomi, Director of the Returnee Management Bureau, speaking.”
[Director Choi, I’m sorry, but it seems you need to come down immediately.]
“Okay, what’s going on?”
Choi Bomi tilted her head at the voice of her subordinate ethics auditor coming through her smartwatch.
The voice belonged to the staff member who had been auditing the location information of Returnee Isia just a moment ago.
[Well, Returnee Isia is here.]
“What?! Right now??? Out of nowhere??”
Why had Returnee Isia suddenly shown up here?
“Wait, why did Returnee Isia suddenly come to the bureau? And what happened to the tracking device? Was that just for show?! She should have let us know she was coming!”
[Well, earlier, the tracking device for the returnee was stuck near Dangsan Station for a long time, and since it was around mealtime, I went out briefly, and during that very short time, the signal from the tracking device went missing. And just now, the signal has been reacquired—it’s right in front of the management bureau.]
“…….”
The tracking device is not omnipotent.
If it were in a completely underground area with no signal or inside a high-end car with blocking devices, the possibility of losing the tracking device’s signal was certainly there.
Ugh, what a hassle.
And it’s almost time for me to clock out…
[And… Yeonseo and Yeonhwa are also here. They’re asking for you to come down immediately.]
“I’ll be right down.”
Okay, if Yeonseo or Yeonhwa came in an expensive vehicle from the Yeon family, losing the signal could make sense… Ugh.
Gulp, damn it.
In that instant, Choi Bomi felt her stomach churn from the coffee she had consumed earlier.
But as a seasoned ethics auditor, she quickly plastered on a polite business smile and hurriedly headed downstairs.
One minute.
In the time it took for Director Choi to abruptly stop all preparations to leave work and head to the waiting room on the first floor where Isia was, she had adjusted her professional demeanor.
“Hello, Returnee Isia! It’s an honor to meet you, Yeonseo. And congratulations on receiving your hunter name, Yeonhwa.”
“Hehe, yes. Oh, you’re Choi Bomi, right? Director Lee has praised you often.”
“Thank you. I still have many shortcomings, but it seems the Deputy Minister had good things to say about me. And I apologize for not being able to invite you to my office to serve you coffee…”
“That’s fine, don’t worry about it. Now, Isia, since the higher-ups are here, go ahead and speak.”
“Hurry, unnie.”
“…..”
Seeing Yeon and Yeonhwa urging Returnee Isia, Choi Bomi mentally raised a question mark.
What’s going on?
Why are those two here with Returnee Isia?
It’s known that Returnee Isia is under the protection of the Yeon family, but from the perspective of Choi Bomi, it seemed odd that they would suddenly come here after nearly a month without a meeting.
“Um, excuse me…”
“Yes! Please go ahead!”
“…..money….”
Bzzzzt
“Excuse me? Did you say money?”
Returnee Isia spoke to Choi Bomi, but it wasn’t just a mumble; it sounded like she was almost whispering.
Despite being a dead person and the “dead saint,” it appeared that Isia’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment for some unknown reason.
She seemed to acknowledge that this was a shameful matter.
“So, um… I’ve used up all my support funds.”
“What?”
At her words, Choi Bomi’s expression turned to one of disbelief. “Surely, we provided you with housing, right? The Returnee Shelter should have enough furniture and appliances. One hundred million won is not a small amount… That should have lasted quite a while! Ah! If you didn’t know how to use the electronic currency embedded in your smartwatch, we could give you a manual…”
“I used it all up… and I know how to use the electronic currency.”
“……..”
“Seriously, I’m telling you, I spent all one hundred million…”
One hundred million.
That’s no small amount.
Typically considered a good sum, even for a returnee with costly habits, it was believed to be sufficient for at least three months of idle living.
And just in case a returnee runs low on funds, after a month, additional support funds would be issued following approvals and screenings.
But today marks exactly one month since Isia returned to modern times.
“Um, if you don’t mind me asking… where did you spend it?”
Pffft!
“…Kuhh…”
“Ugh….”
Choi Bomi’s words prompted yeonso and yeonhwa to stifle their laughter, while Isia visibly flinched, wishing she could hide her face behind her white hair.
“….on… food…”
“Excuse me?”
“I spent it on food…”
“…all one hundred million on food?”
For a while, Choi Bomi was left speechless.
“…so now I want to work.”
“Ah, yes…”
Ding ding ding!
Those who do not work shall not eat.
From the birth of humanity throughout history, labor has brought about sacred and significant transformation—more so than religion.
Beginning with the cultivation of fields and tending to livestock, sustaining a family, work allowed one person to fulfill their part.
Through labor came food, clothing, and shelter, which then led to surplus wealth.
With surplus wealth came the division of human classes.
Labor has driven humanity through envy, conflict, struggle, war, greed, ambition, the reign of kings and dictators, and revolutions—all the way to present-day with the advent of hunters—but even today, labor remains synonymous with human existence.
Meaning that labor itself is the history of humanity, and signifies one of the main factors that differentiate humans from beasts since thousands of years ago.
What does that mean?
Those who do not work are not even people.
Those who do not work—are you a beast?
Those who do not work shall not eat.
Hahahahaha!
After finishing her grand speech, Yeonseo burst into laughter while Choi Bomi had stepped away.
As a side note, Yeonseo arrived shortly after Yeonhwa calculated Isia’s soup bill.
“Seriously, you spent… hahaha! Hehehehe, even upon thinking about it again, it’s just so hilarious! Are you trying to kill this old lady with laughter…? Cough cough! Ah hahaha!!”
“……”
“How can someone… giggling! spend one hundred million in food within just a month? Hahaha!”
Running a business.
Deliberately purchasing expensive luxury items.
Or perhaps enjoying a lavish lifestyle in a five-star hotel on an overseas trip, hiring guides to live like a noble.
Even buying high-priced items like electric cars or regularly dining in five-star hotel buffets would be justifiable.
“Isia, oh dear Isia. I thought you… despite being a dead person, truly were a noble saint. But now… snicker!!”
Yet, how could you waste away one hundred million on just takeout food like chicken that ordinary folks eat?
“You must have hit the highest Engel coefficient since the start of the hunter era, Isia.”
“…What’s Engel coefficient?”
“It’s the ratio of food expenses to income. Given that you currently have zero income and spent one hundred million on food, wow, how do we calculate that? You’d break the scale and keep going deeper to the mantle!”
“I didn’t spend all one hundred million on food! Oh, is it really that wrong?”
“What…?”
Despite weakly resisting this bizarre accusation, the icy gaze from Yeonhwa beside her was hard to endure.
“So, do you think that was a good thing?”
“Well, that’s not the case… I know I messed up.”
Because of me, Yeonhwa had to leave the ceremony of receiving her hunter name early and Yeonseo even pushed back her schedule, wondering if something happened to me.
Honestly, I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel sorry.
Ha, no matter how much I had relaxed returning to my original world… this felt like failing as a saint.
Even as a dead saint, I had lived a long time as a saint in ‘that other world,’ doing saintly work.
I healed the sick and restored the lives of the wounded from war, yet here I was, just a slacker saint.
“Haha, I do understand. Returnees often relieve their emptiness or mental distress in such ways.”
“Really…?”
“Overconsumption isn’t uncommon among returnees. Despite having no income, they obsessively buy things with the financial aid granted by the management bureau—be it toys, books, figurines, or furniture. According to the ethics auditors, the tendency for overconsumption helps fill the void and loneliness of returnees. After all, they left behind all their ties from ‘that other world,’ and they have no friends or family to comfort them. Thinking of it that way makes it understandable.”
As Yeonseo said, returnees are those who, after living in another world, return to modern times. While they are termed returnees, they effectively have to re-establish all their common sense and thoughts after adapting to the laws of that other world.
Naturally, throughout that process, returnees experience extreme confusion, accumulating depression and stress, and they desire to immerse themselves in something to alleviate that stress.
Typically, they either become hunters and venture into dungeons or create sound businesses to work.
Of course, some end up falling into games, comics, or movies, but those are the healthier options.
Some might fall into overconsumption or impulsively purchase something, and there are even reported cases of returnees falling into drugs or gambling.
And here stands the dead saint Isia, having spent over 90% of her support funds of one hundred million solely on food.
This left its footprint in the list of exceptional cases among returnees.
“Ugh, I realize spending one hundred million on food is abnormal… But mysteriously, my hunger isn’t being satisfied…”
“Hunger? After eating all that?”
“That’s why I brought my unnie here. Unnie says that while eating is important, it’s also necessary to consume the malice.”
“Malice? What do you mean?”
Yeonseo tilted her head in confusion.
Thinking back, Isia had only disclosed her status as a malice devourer to Yeonhwa.
“I’m not sure either, but it seems like the monsters or demons that come from dungeons exude malice or hatred that only I can feel. I need to consume that for my true hunger to be satisfied.”
“Really? Does that include, like, survival or things like that?”
“I don’t really know how to explain it, but it sounds about right.”
“Then wouldn’t it be best to become a hunter from the start? Why have you not come out of the house until now?”
“Um… because I didn’t know the way…”
“What?”
“I don’t know where the dungeons or monsters are. I don’t know the way out of the house; it’s not like anyone asked me if I wanted to become a hunter. And they say it’s illegal for civilians to enter dungeons…”
“Ah, no, well… I guess no one did ask. Right…”
Yeonhwa had felt awe when Isia had fiercely battled the Black Minotaur.
For a moment, she even thought of her lost sister as an angel sent to protect her.
But what was happening now? Why was there this timid presence?
“Unnie, please feel free to reach out if you ever need help. Even if you fall short on bills like today, it’s no problem.”
“…Is that okay?”
“Of course! You saved my life. If you don’t mind me, let’s start by getting you registered as a hunter. Then after the registration, we can go dungeon-hopping together.”
“…..”
“And once you’re a hunter, just report and everything you gather from the dungeons will belong to you personally, you know?”
My stuff?
At those words, Isia started to think.
If she became a hunter, she’d naturally get access to where the dungeons are and what they contain.
And if she conquered the dungeons and hunted, everything that came out… she could eat.
Drip, drip, drip…
Isia wiped the drool flowing from her lips without realizing.
This is bad.
Just imagining it made her think of the grilled ribs from the Black Minotaur.
“And if new types of dungeons appear, with your strength, that shouldn’t be a problem at all. If you claim it before anyone else… then you can eat what you crave.”
“Yeonhwa, I think I wanted to become a hunter as soon as I got here.”
“Oh, really? Okay…”
Seeing this scene, Yeonseo smiled brightly.
‘What a relief. Among returnees, some become disillusioned with fighting and war, or vehemently refuse to become hunters…’
In fact, Yeonseo wanted to propose that Isia become a hunter right after their first meeting.
Since she was able to engage in combat with the strongest S-grade hunter, Yeonseo, and possibly possessed abilities beyond even that, it would be a tremendous loss for humanity to let such talent languish at the Returnee Shelter.
‘Well, she does seem a bit clumsy, but still…’
Yeonseo had intentionally refrained from directly proposing that Isia become a hunter.
If Isia desired it or needed money, she had thought she could slowly lead her through the process of registering for the hunter association and gradually working her way through missions, but because of Isia’s clumsiness, things seemed to be progressing easier than expected.
“Returnee Isia?”
“Ah, yes. Who is it?”
At that moment, Director Choi entered the waiting room, accompanied by a few people dressed in black suits.
“This is the inspection officer from the Hunter Association linked with the management bureau.”
“Hello, Returnee Isia.”
“This is a bit informal and rushed, but since Yeonseo mentioned you, I’ll get straight to the point.”
Putting forth a round, orb-like object, Choi Bomi introduced it.
What’s that?
Thinking back, she recalled the strange device that had been floating around when she first met Yeonseo and Yeonhwa in the dungeon…
“This is a support AI drone for hunters. By the way, it’s a new model. From this moment, Returnee Isia… no, Hunter Isia, this is yours.”
“Really…?”
“It has camera capabilities and real-time streaming, with various functions. However, keep in mind that this drone camera is still a prototype not yet launched in the market, and during your dungeon explorations, you will need to video record for future education and research purposes.”
“Video?”
“Yes. When you enter the dungeon, you will be able to start recording by manipulating the button on the back of the drone. A manual is also included, so please read it whenever you have time. The hunter association stated that you must accept this condition in order to receive the support drone for free.”
“Isia, shall I buy this for you if need be?”
“No, that’s okay, Yeonseo. I can handle the recording.”
“Then on behalf of the hunter association, I will issue a temporary hunter license to you, Isia hunter, effective immediately. Normally, this involves a minimum evaluation period of a week, including personal skill assessments and various tests…”
“Why do all that hassle? This old lady will vouch for you, just pass her through.”
“Yes, understood. With Yeonseo’s endorsement, the association will surely accept it.”
With those words, Choi Bomi received documents from the inspection officer beside her.
“Though informal, from this moment on, Isia, you are a member of the hunter association and have been issued a temporary hunter license. Since it’s a temporary license, it’s B-grade, but finish some simple tasks, and we will issue you a new official hunter license.”
“Is that all coming from this old lady’s endorsement? Just B-grade?”
“I apologize, Yeonseo. However, Isia the hunter will have to be considerate of others and the VIPs as well. If we immediately issue an A-grade or S-grade license, various complications may ensue. The fact that we are issuing B-grade immediately is already a controversial matter among other hunters.”
“Oh, annoying people…. If they have grievances, let them voice it! Just look at me!”
But there was no other way.
Given that Yeonseo and her granddaughter Yeonhwa were high-ranking hunters, it made sense.
In 2088, South Korea had only ten S-grade hunters, around two thousand A-grade, and approximately ten thousand B-grade hunters.
And even that was remarkable, as South Korea is one of the world’s top hunter nations.
Reaching D-grade would ensure basic livelihood, so granting Isia a B-grade hunter license at once was a remarkable event.
“And since you have received a hunter license, Returnee Isia, you will need to complete a specific task once a month to maintain your temporary license.”
“Task?”
“Yes, when I got my hunter license, I had to do various tasks too. I think my first one was taking down a goblin tribe?”
“For novice hunters, forming a party of at least four members is advised, but… there’s no need for you to go that route, Isia.”
“So, what tasks do I have?”
In response, the inspection officer from the hunter association handed Isia a piece of paper.
“The period for the tasks is one month. You must complete one of the tasks listed here within that month. Normally, these tasks are only publicized for A-grade hunters, but… as a special case, we have requested to open these tasks for you as well.”
-B-grade, conquer the Otralas desert
-A-grade, raid the Red Orc marauders
-C-grade, destroy the Raplacia farm
-B-grade, conquer the Dark Mountain Range
As Isia scanned through the list, her eyes lit up when she read the last entry.
-A-grade, destroy the wyvern breeding ground
“……Wyvern breeding ground…?”
Wyverns, a type of dragon often characterized by tails or teeth containing poison, are generally regarded as a subspecies of dragons.
If this wyvern is indeed the one she knows, and a breeding ground, a breeding ground, that means…
Surely, dungeons are not merely solidified unmoving spaces.
Each dungeon has its own separate ecosystem, and some even have civilizations.
If so… breeding ground… the wyverns are laying eggs.
And Isia suddenly remembered the “Dragon Egg Jangjorim” that had come up in conversation with Director Choi a month ago.
Slurp…
‘Wyvern egg jangjorim… edible…’