Chapter 268: 267

Chapter 267

Ryu Hyerin was a rare case–she had awoken as a User when she was just under 10 years old. She had even chosen to join the [Priest] class. At an early age, she stood out amongst the other awakened population.

As she was someone recognized for her outstanding talent and highly-demanded class, many large guilds made sweet propositions to Ryu Hyerin's parents. Of those guilds, [Opera] had offered to pay the largest amount.

At that time, Minor Users were restricted from entering the dungeon for more than 80 hours a month. Beyond that, there was no other protection against potential mental and physical damage.

Less than a year after awakening, Ryu Hyerin had to live in the dormitory of a large-scale guild instead of with her parents. By the age of 12, she was being trained to enter and clear dungeons.

Monsters were scary, for sure, but an elementary school-aged child also had to deal with Users who responded sensitively to minor mistakes–after all, a misstep could result in a terrible, permanent injury.

Priests were precious and rare, both back then and now, so there was no guild (even today) that placed two Priests in a single team.

The guild, after paying an exorbitant scouting fee to her parents, made her work the full 80 hours a month to recoup their money. Whenever Ryu Hyerin went inside the dungeons with her assigned guild, they'd speak loudly enough for her to overhear:

‘There's no such thing as a ‘child' in a dungeon–no excuses. Does she expect us to clean up after her?'

‘If you make a mistake, we're all doomed.'

‘Does she think crying will solve anything?'

They would often compare her to older and more experienced Priests as well.

‘Just what kind of raid are we supposed to be conducting with a kid like that…?'

‘Stop hesitating! Why are you standing there, staring blankly!'

‘It's not Jihye noona today? It's her? Haah, this is driving me insane…'

Ryu Hyerin stopped shedding tears easily after realizing that, no matter how much she cried, nothing would change. She'd spare her tears until after the dungeon raid finished and her confiscated phone was returned to her–at that point, she'd call her parents.

‘Mom, can't I go home?'

‘It's too scary here; it's difficult…'

Ryu Hyerin's parents always answered their daughter's calls.

‘Our daughter, you're having many difficulties, right?'

‘Hyerin-ie is performing amazingly! Even the guildmaster-nim was praising you. You have no idea how high our expectations are for you.'

‘You should try to smile and greet your teammates first. If you act friendly, the Unnis and Oppas will open up and be nice to you.'

However, they would never call first. They wouldn't even visit.

It wasn't until much later on that she found out [Opera] had limited her parent's right to visit in the contract. They had stated it would be a hindrance to her training.

However, visitation wasn't completely prohibited–they just didn't come.

Ryu Hyerin gradually stopped calling her parents; nothing would change even if she called. However, she still followed her parent's advice and approached the other guild members with a forced smile. That smile, though, made her more servile.

‘Hyerin-ah, can't you read what's written here?'

‘What? Why?'

‘Honestly, it clearly says ‘Open' 1 here, but you clearly don't understand a thing…'

‘Wow–really?'

‘She doesn't know things like that because she's an idiot.'

‘Aiya~ Pretty faces never need to study.'

Even if she missed school for several days, no one looked for her. Ryu Hyerin had to attend school for another, extended year due to lack of attendance.

She had difficulty with English words and had little understanding of hanja characters as well. Ryu Hyerin couldn't read the word ‘Open' on the lid of the newly packaged potion, so she asked her team leader to deal with it. She was publically humiliated until her face flushed red.

A middle-aged male User told Hyerin, ‘You don't have to study because you're pretty,' and creepily patted her on the shoulder. She suffered from insomnia as she had flashbacks from the vivid memory of his touch. From that day on, she studied even if her sleep time was reduced. However, even afterwards, the team members would sling derogatory slurs at her, calling her ‘bird brain' or ‘vapid idiot'.

‘I'd like to change teams…'

‘We'll be going into our third quarter reshuffle soon, so hang in there until then.'

Furthermore, when she expressed her desire to change teams to Kim Sooyoung, the guildmaster of Opera, she was told that she had to remain in the same team with only two Users changed during the third quarter reshuffle.

When she contacted an agent to uncover the contract's termination clause, the guild master threatened her with an enormous cancellation fee. However, even at that age, Ryu Hyerin could calculate she could pay back that amount in 10 years.

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But…

‘Hyerin-ah. They’re the people that raised you. Is this how you repay the grace they’ve given you until now…?'

‘Is this puberty? Do you think you're all grown up now?'

The guildmaster shackled her ankles again by bringing up her parents and using them as collateral.

The agent she had been in contact with had only brought her a slave contract–not a proper one–and simply made suspicious promises to Ryu Hyerin, who was now a highschool student. He claimed that someone within the User's Association wanted to meet with her alone.

After all her hopes were dashed, her situation worsened after returning to her original team. The guild leader did not properly provide consumables like potions to the young Priest and began to bully her by asking her to rewrite her reports despite the fact that she had attached all of the necessary receipts.

Ryu Hyerin had decided to wait until she was able to sign her own contract–when she was finally an adult. Then…she was able to meet Seo Dawon for the first time at the age of 19.

‘One billion won just to support a priest? Did I hear you wrong?'

‘She's the best Priest in our guild.'

‘Ahh… Is Teacher Kim Sooyoung coming to our guild personally?'

‘No, of course not… What kind of nonsense is that…?'

‘The best Priest in Opera…isn't that you?'

‘Oh my! That's… Ahahaha, what a joke!'

‘Perhaps it'd make sense if Teacher Kim Sooyoung is making personal visits to your guild, but, otherwise, one billion won is too much.'

‘Geez… Even if you butter me up like that, I…'

‘Then what about an extension of the contract? I'll need to save some face as well. If I were to pay a Priest one billion won for 6 months, I'm sure Olim… I'm sure my deputy guildmaster would kill me.'

‘Mm, then…'

Kim Sooyoung had notified some guilds, aiming to temporarily lease Ryu Hyerin out like a mercenary. Ryu Hyerin had nothing to say–not only was this part of her job, but she was akin to a slave. She had no authority to sway this decision.

And, today, she had heard that the guildmaster of the guild she was rented to had come to stamp the contract.

As she stood in front of the guildmaster's office, she felt like she was about to be dragged away. However, just before she entered, she had overheard a man with a pleasant voice roasting Kim Sooyoung.

Kim Sooyoung was someone crazy about money–a miser–so, she must have demanded a crazy amount. 1 billion won for a 6-month dispatch. It was a ridiculous amount, considering she had only earned half that amount during her whole life.

However, the atmosphere was quite strange.

Contrary to her usual machinations, Kim Sooyoung didn't try to needle at the man, and rather the man was now dominating the conversation over the ridiculous contract.

The man wanted to extend the lease to two years, and, surprisingly, the guildmaster was considering it. Even now, Ryu Hyerin wondered if the person in there was really her guildmaster. The voice's tone sounded higher than usual, but it should still be Kim Sooyoung…

However, as she stood there contemplating, her nose right in front of the door, the door opened suddenly and scarily. Startled, she retreated a few hurried steps. "Ah…!"

"Ryu Hyerin-ssi?" The person who opened the door was taller than Ryu Hyerin.

She looked up from his chest, eyes sliding up to his face. She took another half-step backwards, even more startled than when the door opened.

When Ryu Hyerin locked gazes with the man, she understood why Kim Sooyoung was off-beat. She realized rather belatedly that her guildmaster couldn't tear her eyes off the man to even mock Ryu Hyerin.

She took another step back, lest she be the target of ridicule. Ryu Hyerin inadvertently swept her hair behind her ear and answered the man's question a bit belatedly. "…Yes, that's me."

"I'm Seo Dawon from Red Lotus. I look forward to working with you in the future." The man smiled, but his expression showed very little emotion–a very professional, business-like attitude.

She wondered if the reason for her flushed cheeks or her shyly lowered eyes was because she had seen, for the first time, a man close to her age. However, she tried to suppress those emotions and grabbed the man's outstretched hand. For some reason, she thought his hand would be cold, but it was surprisingly warm.

And…

"Please take care of me…"

Regretfully, his hand released her's far too soon.

It was truly the first time she ever felt that way.

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TL: Way back in time! To when Dawon and Hyerin first met. This mini-arc, imo, is going to answer a lot of questions.

Also, User Society sucks!!!

Written in English in the original

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