Not just the employees, but even the civil servants kept their mouths shut, as if they had made a pact together, and simply watched them. Gulp. Some of them even swallowed their saliva.
“How dare you talk back to me when I can clearly remember what happened! Bring over your superior!”
“Instead of his superior, why not bring his boyfriend?”
The man turned around while swearing like a crazy person. He tilted his head upward for a long time to check Hyeon Gyu-ha’s face and was stunned.
“Hye-Hye-Hyeon Gyu-ha?”
“Yes, I’m Hyeon Gyu-ha.”
“Why is the crazy Hyeon Gyu-ha here?!”
“So, you are the one who wrote those malicious comments.”
The man’s face turned pale when he realized the slip of his tongue. Although Hyeon Gyu-ha only ever worked, few people had seen his nature while he was working in the field. However, among hunters, the tales about Hyeon Gyu-ha’s personality were already well-known.
Furthermore, the man just called Hyeon Gyu-ha crazy to his face. Plus, the employee who was being rude earlier was Hyeon Gyu-ha’s lover, and the man also remembered writing a malicious comment on an article about Hyeon Gyu-ha, saying, “You dirty homo.”
The man was about to run away at once, but Hyeon Gyu-ha’s hand caught his shoulder. I didn’t think I put much effort into it, but I can’t seem to get out of this situation.
“I heard that you were bitten by a sheepdog.”
“Yes, yes. I guess that was my mistake. I’m sorry.”
“That’s not all. Sheepdogs have a similar oral structure to dogs, so you might be mistaken.”
“R-really? Hahaha……”
“There’s a way to clearly identify the wound.”
Hyeon Gyu-ha smiled kindly at the man, who was sweating and shivering.
“Sheepdogs have venom in their fangs. It’s hard to see from the outside, but it’s clear when you check the underlying tissues. It’s also the fastest way. Let’s check it out.”
“If it’s the underlying tissues…… Then m-m-m-my leg……?”
“I’ll cut it off, inspect the puncture wounds, then paste it back on right away. Axing is my hobby, so I am good at chopping stuff.”
Hyeon Gyu-ha took out a heavy ax with dried blood from his inventory with a smile on his face, and the man passed out with his eyes closed.
After that day, Karens (rude, entitled clients) disappeared from the civil service office, and Hyeon Gyu-ha became a guardian human totem that eradicated Karens. For the first time ever since In Yoo-shin became the Master, he looked cool.
***
Exactly three hours have passed since the call In Yoo-shin received in the morning. The ringtone rang again. He quickly hit the answer button.
“Hello, Gyu-ha-ssi.”
- What are you doing right now?
“Lunch. I’m meeting a friend and eating tteokbokki together.”
- Since I was thinking about my Master all this time, I didn’t notice it was already lunch time. Are you eating at home?
“I’m at the snack bar in front of the house.”
- Hm.
He just replied honestly that he was eating at a snack bar, but for some reason, Hyeon Gyu-ha made a sound full of satisfaction.
- I want to keep listening to Master’s voice, but I’ll hang up before I get too clingy. Enjoy your meal.
“Alright. Gyu-ha-ssi, hurry up and have lunch.”
He’ll probably eat well while thinking of Yoo-shin.
When he hung up the phone, Park Seung-gi, who was sitting across from him, made a strange expression.
“I already thought it was strange the last time I saw you, but does he call you every three hours, like an alarm you’ve set?”
“Yeah.”
“I heard he gave you a ride on the way to and from work?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he always messing around in the office every day?”
“Yeah.”
“…… Do you normally do that when you’re dating?”
“Isn’t that normal?”
Because of that separation anxiety, we stuck together at the office every day, but if we’re dating, wouldn’t it be normal? It’s a bit excessive. In Yoo-shin the mosol (internet slang for ‘relationship virgin’) thought as such, and Park Seung-gi, who was also a mosol, tilted his head.
“Anyway, I have a favor to ask you.”
“Un, I can’t.”
“Why didn’t you even try to listen!? Even though I’m forced to make time for eating tteokbokki with you in the middle of my busy schedule!”
“I’ve heard already. You’re going to ask me to tell Hyeon Gyu-ha to bring something from inside a gate. You can’t just bribe me by buying me tteokbokki.”
“Hyung will give you a sundae as a bonus.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve been dating, so how can I ask him a favor first?”
“You know that he really likes you, so why can’t you at least ask him that much?”
“But still.”
Park Seung-gi, who knew In Yoo-shin as someone who found it difficult to ask other people favors, did not insist even while muttering his dissatisfaction.
“If you see something good when you go to a dungeon with Hyeon Gyu-ha later, pick it up.”
“Why would Gyu-ha take me to a dungeon?”
“Perhaps he won’t. Maybe it’ll be a dungeon date or something.”
“Hey, no way.”
Asking if that could be the case, In Yoo-shin smiled and ate the tteokbokki. As for the tteokbokki, the snack bar tteokbokki was the best.
“Yoo-shin-ssi, let’s go clearing a dungeon together.”
Hyeon Gyu-ha said.
He said that when he was at home, just as Yoo-shin was getting used to the phone calls every three hours, the coffee that Team Leader-turned-errand-boy Hong bought every morning, and Hyeon Gyu-ha driving him to and from work.
At first, the staff at the Civil Affairs office felt burdened by Hyeon Gyu-ha. However, they were very friendly now that they were provided coffee and snacks every day, they often got lunch, and most of all, they were not bothered by unreasonable complaints.
And even if those were forced to be indirect, there was a rumor that Hyeon Gyu-ha would track you down and cut off your leg, so the online forums and phone calls were clear of complaints. Employees also voluntarily created a photo zone for fans. It was a kind of tribute to the miraculous human totem.
By sticking a cover on the glass partitions to prevent filming, the burden of Hyeon Gyu-ha’s fans, who were clinging to the windows outside like barnacles, was eased.
Everyone in the Civil Affairs office was happy except for Team Leader Hong, who couldn’t even make a sound in front of Hyeon Gyu-ha. Rumors spread that Gyu-ha and Yoo-shin were dating…… In Yoo-shin, who seemed to die of embarrassment from being in the office until the end of the day, was a little subdued.
In any case, job satisfaction increased significantly just by not having to suffer from civil complaints. Compared to the civil petitioners who yelled and cursed at the same time, the person currently in front of In Yoo-shin was quite an easy case.
“Ah, look, I’ve been harmed by a witchbeast……”
“Do you have any photos or documents that can prove the damage?”
“Sorry. I forgot to bring it. I’ll come back next time.”
The person who resigned meekly left the office immediately. Without going out, he sneaked up to Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was reading a magazine in the Civil Services room. As expected, he was a fan of Hyeon Gyu-ha who came in by lying.
It was cumbersome, but it was rather nice for In Yoo-shin, who had been trained for two years in the Civil Services Office. There was no increase in work, and it would be fine if no one was harmed.
That day, too, was going to end smoothly, but suddenly Hyeon Gyu-ha asked about clearing a dungeon.
“Let’s go to a dungeon.”
“A dungeon? Me?”
“Yes. I’ve been trying to behave properly and haven’t even been entering gates, but I’m going to try to resume soon. I’m a pitiful high taxpayer whose taxes are running out even when I am barely breathing.”
“I understand that Gyu-ha has to work, but if I come along, won’t I get in the way……?”
“I’m going with Master, after all, so you won’t get in the way.”
In Yoo-shin wanted to stop Hyeon Gyu-ha’s mouth that popped out the word ‘Master’ again, but he didn’t care and continued talking.
“Wouldn’t it be more efficient for hunting dogs to go with their master’s instead of hunting alone? Should I say it’s a kind of psychological effect? I’ll be happy to see Master, so I’ll be running around like a dog wagging its tail—no, like a rat. I mean, do rodents wag their tails when they’re happy?”
I didn’t have the courage to say that I hadn’t even heard of a tail-wagging bat, let alone a rodent. Every time he said the word ‘Master,’ Yoo-shin’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Fortunately, the people in the office didn’t care when they heard him saying Master, madam, or honey. The holy Hyeon Gyu-ha, who saved them from the Karens, said, “Master,” and so I was Master.
And thus, In Yoo-shin got used to Hyeon Gyu-ha’s words and actions, and ‘Master’ naturally became a nickname for him.
‘That aside, I was able to heal and buff to some extent on the hamsters and rats I’ve tamed so far, but would that work for Gyu-ha-ssi?’
The topic of taming should not be heard in public, so he was going to talk about it again after work, but Team Leader Hong interrupted us. He was a shrewd person who did not miss an opportunity to beg a bit even while under Hyeon Gyu-ha’s watchful gaze.
“Haha, Hunter-nim. Since you’re raiding dungeons anyway, how about we film a promotional video together? You’re already familiar with our Supernatural Ability Department, so I think our waku (Japanese for ‘synergy’) will be great and the visuals will turn out really nice, don’t you think?”
“My mother’s side of the family were independent activists. It’s unpleasant for me to hear Japanese.” (T/N: The Korean independence movement was for liberating Korea from Japanese colonization.)
“I-I will correct my words.”
Hyeon Gyu-ha, who has an excellent ability to shut the other person’s mouth with just his words, rubbed his chin in silence.
“But a promotional video sounds good. The dungeon I was going to go with Yoo-shin-nim is my private dungeon, so I’m rejecting that idea, but wouldn’t it be good if it were a different dungeon?”
“Can you really do that!?”
“However, there are conditions.”
“Just tell me! I’ll do my best to meet them!”
Hyeon Gyu-ha lightly gestured. As the conversation with Team Leader Hong got longer, In Yoo-shin’s body, which had been working without being paid any attention, suddenly floated in the air.
Thinking that he was somehow getting used to this sudden sense of floating, he flew through the air and landed on Hyeon Gyu-ha’s lap. Then, naturally, one arm wrapped around his waist.
“……!”
His muscles were not as soft as mine, but rather strong thighs with well-trained muscles. Just the fact that I felt it with my hips, not my hands, made my head dizzy. Heat rose to his face.
In Yoo-shin wiggled his hips to reduce the contact area even a little, but Hyeon Gyu-ha’s hand which was wrapped around his waist did not budge. Rather, he put his lips on his ear. The feeling of his light breath gently sweeping down the hairs on his ear lobe pierced his spine. A low whisper that could only be heard by In Yoo-shin flowed past his ear.
“Master is quite bold, even in the office.”
“……?”
In Yoo-shin, who didn’t immediately understand what he meant, realized after a while that Gyu-ha’s thighs were not the only thing he felt with his hips. Thus, he was rubbing his butt onto something thick and kept to the side of his thigh…….
‘Aaaaaaaaaagh!’
In Yoo-shin almost screamed aloud, hurriedly got down from his knees and sat down next to him. The corners of Hyeon Gyu-ha’s mouth curled up thinly.
[Current Status: Murderous. Intrigued. Entertained.]
‘Don’t make fun of me……!’
What was the reason for making fun of me while having murderous intentions as your default emotion?
Hyeon Gyu-ha made a proposal to Team Leader Hong, hugging In Yoo-shin’s shoulder, who was burning bright red.
“My condition is Yoo-shin-ssi.”
HM: Whaaaat… he ask for exactly, hmmmm?
Editor M: Although it may be stretching the meaning a bit, we translated a slang word for bad customers as ‘Karens,’ but for our purposes it’s not strictly middle-aged Caucasian women.
------
Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor/Proofreader: Editor M
We are looking for an editor for this novel series. → https://forms.gle/5C3rBo1Wt1TU2mtp8
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