Chapter 48 – The New Team Leader

“Yes? Where to? I like my current job, though.”

It was like a bolt from the blue.

Hee-na really liked her current job. This was because it was rewarding in many ways.

She liked managing the building cleanly, and she also liked that her awakened ability experience accumulated along the way. She had also gotten quite close to the people on the 5th and 8th floors, so she was reluctant to leave.

Human Resources Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun gently coaxed Hee-na, who looked like she was about to cry.

“I know you are reluctant. But if you listen, you will see it is a much better opportunity.”

“What is it?”

“You can take charge as the team leader of the Awakened Status Management Team.”

Hee-na’s mouth fell open.

“Yes? The Awakened Status Management Team? I’ve never heard of such a department. And team leader?”

“Since it was created an hour ago, it is natural that you’ve never heard the name.”

“Pardon?”

“I would like Ms. Lee Hee-na to be the inaugural team leader. We promise treatment equal to or better than other team leaders. You won’t regret it. The contract is blank. If there is anything you want, you can write it in.”

It was a proposal that was not just unconventional but almost crazy. A personnel transfer to a brand new team that was created less than an hour ago, and as the team leader rather than a team member.

Hee-na pinched her cheek quietly.

‘It hurts.’

It was not a dream.

Indeed, for a dream, it was on a scale that exceeded Hee-na’s modest imagination.

Kang Mok-hyun slowly explained about the department and the work Hee-na would have to do.

“Ms. Lee Hee-na will be the sole team leader and member, and the work won’t be too difficult. Literally, you will just manage the condition of the awakened ones belonging to the guild. …But that is just the public explanation; in reality, you will only be managing Hunter Kang Jin-hyun’s condition.”

Hee-na glanced at Kang Jin-hyun, who was sitting silently next to the guild leader.

“I only have to manage Hunter Kang Jin-hyun?”

“Yes. Hunter Kang Jin-hyun is the core power of our guild. However, due to his almost superhumanly sharp five senses, he has not been able to fully unleash his abilities. But with Ms. Lee Hee-na’s help, Hunter Kang Jin-hyun will be able to display 100%, no, perhaps 200% of his abilities.”

And he seemed to think for a moment before adding.

“He might look somewhat blunt and fierce on the outside, but in reality, he is quite gentle. Although he is very wary, once he lets his guard down, he follows people well.”

Having said he was Kang Jin-hyun’s older brother, he acted like someone putting an abandoned puppy up for adoption.

He’s only like this on the outside, but he follows people better than you’d think. He can do ‘sit’ and ‘down’, and he can even do ‘bang’… Was this how it felt?

At this rate, it felt like he would even say he was housebroken.

Hee-na absolutely did not want to hear such things, so she laughed awkwardly.

“Haha… Everyone in South Korea knows that Hunter Kang Jin-hyun is a good person.”

“I heard you’ve also had a private meal together.”

“Ah, yes.”

As she nodded, HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun requested earnestly.

“I believe you must have seen Hunter Kang Jin-hyun’s humane side while eating together.”

“That… I guess so.”

In fact, they were close enough to have seen a side of him that was almost like a beggar, trying to pick up and eat food that fell on the floor.

“Pfft… Cough! Cough, ahem.”

As soon as she recalled that scene and rolled her eyes, Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee coughed, covering her mouth.

However, HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun continued to speak, undeterred by the interruption.

“Living as an S-class hunter might look like having nothing to fear. But if one cannot enjoy proper food, clothing, and shelter, can that person’s life really be called a human life? As Hunter Kang Jin-hyun’s brother, I do not want my younger brother to live like that for the rest of his life. I beg of you, Ms. Lee Hee-na. Please save Jin-hyun from his suffering.”

He bowed his head as if imploring.

“Please, Hee-na.”

Even Kang Jin-hyun earnestly called Hee-na’s name. For Hee-na, who had lived her whole life as a mere subordinate, this was an extremely flustering situation.

“P-Please lift your head! You don’t have to go this far!”

“Then do you agree to the personnel transfer?”

At HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun’s question, Hee-na bit her lips nervously.

Too much information had come in all of a sudden, and her mind was in a whirl. Hee-na had been awake for less than an hour.

When a person was suddenly confronted with a massive proposal, it was hard to accept it right away.

‘What should I do…? This is too sudden.’

She wanted to go home and think about it.

Woo Min-ah nudged Hee-na from the side.

“I know you’re worried because something big suddenly happened. But Hee-na, you said you wanted to keep working at a good company, right? A company that will never go bankrupt or disappear, provides all four major insurances, and doesn’t delay paychecks.”

“Yes, Unni.”

“Didn’t you say you already rejected Kang Jin-hyun’s offer once? Saying you didn’t want to work under an individual business owner.”

Hee-na nodded. She had refused his offer to work as a personal chef and agreed to pack lunch boxes for him instead.

At that, Woo Min-ah giggled.

“Wow… Rejecting Kang Jin-hyun for such a reason. You really are amazing in a strange way.”

“I-I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Right. But this is different from that. You will still be a regular employee of Blue Dragon, and only your salary will go up a bit. The work will probably be similar. Coaxing the hunters, cleaning up after the trouble they cause. It’s just that the target has changed to only Kang Jin-hyun.”

It sounded plausible when she heard it. Hee-na’s heart wavered.

“That is correct. Even if it is a sudden transfer, isn’t it something that happens quite often in normal companies?”

HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun added, gently coaxing her. Watching him speak so softly with a cold face gave her a bit of cognitive dissonance.

“Hmm…”

Hee-na crossed her arms and pondered for a long time. In the end, she nodded.

“I’ll do as you say.”

This was because the four pairs of intense eyes staring at her were too burdensome. It felt like something terrible would happen if she didn’t say OK here.

It was different from when she faced Kang Jin-hyun one-on-one. Kang Jin-hyun had an unexpectedly easygoing side, but the guild leader and HR team leader looked like they wouldn’t let a single needle slide through.

‘Besides, if the boss tells you to do it, you have to do it…’

Since the guild leader was wearing such a determined expression, it was too hard for a low-ranking regular employee to refuse.

“Well decided, Ms. Lee Hee-na. You won’t regret it.”

Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee clapped her hands and smiled.

“Yes… Yes.”

While Hee-na was temporarily overwhelmed by the massive decision she had made, Woo Min-ah chimed in excitedly.

“You shouldn’t just let it slide. You need to keep your eyes wide open when writing the contract terms. Raising your salary is a given, and ask for a house too.”

Hee-na’s mouth fell open in surprise at the unexpected suggestion.

“A house?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you say you felt sorry about staying at my place?”

If she got a house, various problems would be solved.

Not being able to order delivery food, not being able to receive packages directly at home, and having bills forwarded through Woo Min-ah would all be resolved.

She could even determine the location of her brother Hee-won’s ‘Gate’.

Even though Hee-na already owned a house with her awakening skill, there was no reason to dislike having ‘my house’ outside the dungeon.

‘Besides, I needed a place to go in case there was a problem with Home Sweet Home…’

In addition, the best part was that she would have a place to stay if a problem arose with the house inside the dungeon.

“Is just a house enough? Is one house fine? Two houses, or three?”

Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee held out her fingers wide.

“O-One would be plenty.”

At Hee-na’s reply, Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee nodded solemnly.

“Such an honest and frugal youth. Therefore, I shall grant Ms. Lee Hee-na three houses.”

It wasn’t the gold axe and silver axe story, yet she was giving away three houses just like that. Did this make any sense?

While Hee-na was in a daze, HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun also wrote down terms on the blank contract with a brightened face.

“At what level shall we agree on the salary? Three times the current one? Five times? Ten times? Please speak your mind.”

He then proposed an astronomical salary. It was much, much, much more than the money Hee-na had saved by working her entire life.

It was one billion won. And that was just the base salary, excluding bonuses.

Hee-na listened to that amount in a daze.

‘Oppa, you really don’t have to work now and can just farm as a hobby…’

Like that, Hee-na ended up with a new house and a job with an incredible salary out of nowhere.

Should she call herself a successful homemaker of this era?

* * *

“Thank you for your hard work with the contract, Team Leader Kang.”

Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee commended HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun for his hard work.

This was because he was the one who had neatly organized the complex contract that could have easily become tangled.

“I only did what was natural. It was necessary work.”

HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun wiped his forehead with a tired face.

He was the one who had reviewed and pushed forward the contract during the few days Hee-na was asleep.

The guild leader gave Kang Mok-hyun a light nod of appreciation. Then she crossed her legs and clasped her hands.

“Indeed. How does Hunter Kang feel? Now you can formally enjoy Ms. Lee Hee-na’s, no, Team Leader Lee’s touch, can’t you?”

“Thank you.”

Kang Jin-hyun’s reply was brief enough to feel rude.

“Tsk. How blunt.”

But the guild leader could clearly feel how happy he was.

The current Kang Jin-hyun was in better condition than ever. His mind was clear, and his body felt light as if it could fly.

She smiled lightly and then hardened her expression again. The real issue started now.

The Homemaker of the Dungeon