Chapter 9: Eunsul Noona

Si-woo, who had arrived a bit early at the café Saria recommended, placed his order first.

His usual hazelnut latte and an iced Americano for Saria.

Carrying the tray with the two cups of coffee, Si-woo found an empty seat and glanced out the window.

“Maybe it’s because there are so many guild buildings around here.”

Hunters were much more visible on the streets than he’d expected.

In this neighborhood, densely packed with Hunter guilds, even the sight of heavily armed Hunters rushing around didn’t alarm the civilians.

Instead, they seemed entirely unbothered, simply focused on their own tasks.

Watching the Hunters busily moving below, Si-woo took a large sip of his hazelnut latte.

The subtle, sweet flavor of hazelnut spread throughout his mouth.

The milk smoothed out the acidity and bitterness typical of coffee, creating a sense of happiness and richness that no Americano could provide.

Si-woo couldn’t help but smile as he enjoyed the moment.

If only that annoying noise wasn’t here, it would’ve been perfect.

“Did a gate really open or something?”

He turned his gaze back to the Hunters rushing around.

When his eyes landed on the crescent moon symbol engraved on their robes, a particular woman came to mind.

Without even channeling mana, his engraving reacted just by thinking of its original owner.

Unlike before, it began to emit a bright white light, radiating a faint chill.

Si-woo fiddled with the engraving as memories of when it had been etched into him resurfaced, sending a shiver down his spine.

“When she called it a gift and bit my neck, I was genuinely shocked.”

He let out a faint laugh.

He suppressed the engraving embedded in his neck.

No matter how much time passed, the memory was still absurd to him.

An S-rank Hunter, no less.

Someone who couldn’t possibly be charmed or affected by Si-woo’s allure at the time—when he had no idea how to use his engraving—had displayed such intense affection toward him.

“I wonder what that noona is doing now.”

Sluuuurp-

His latte, which had once filled the cup, was nearing its end.

Since there was still some time left until Saria’s arrival, Si-woo headed to the counter and, without a moment’s hesitation, ordered another hazelnut latte.

Savoring his second hazelnut latte, he sat back down.

“Sorry, I’m a little late…”

“Uh, ah, don’t worry about it. I was having a good time in my own way.”

Saria, who had just arrived at the café, paused for a moment.

Si-woo lightly patted her on the shoulder, setting down his third latte on the table before taking a seat.

Noticing the empty latte cup that was left with only ice, Saria’s expression turned curious.

“Lattes still have caffeine, don’t they? Is it really okay to drink that much?”

“If I was worried about that, I wouldn’t have ordered it.”

Si-woo’s body was far more exceptional compared to other Hunters.

The Symbol of Allure didn’t just enhance his outward appearance but also transformed his internal constitution into something almost ideal.

His body could detoxify harmful substances like caffeine, and his risk of developing conditions like diabetes from sugary foods was practically zero.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him blessed.

There are even some non-Hunters like that.

The kind of people who drink, smoke, and indulge in desserts daily, yet somehow stay oddly healthy.

“Haah, I wish I had a body like that.”

With a wistful expression, Saria quickly got to the point.

“Shall we get down to business first?”

Getting straight to business.

It wasn’t exactly something someone on a date would say, but Si-woo only nodded, wearing an expression that said he’d expected it.

“What’s with that look? Did you already know?”

“Of course.”

It had been too sudden, after all.

And knowing Saria’s personality, there was no way she would confidently accept a date request without some ulterior motive.

If it had been an unplanned, genuine date invitation, she would’ve likely shouted in embarrassment.

‘Even if she looks composed, she’s actually so awkward about this stuff.’

“Well, that makes things easier.”

Saria retrieved three contracts from her subspace.

The content and routine were familiar.

As Saria handed him the contracts, Si-woo reviewed them carefully while listening to her mechanically recite the terms of the agreement.

“The terms are straightforward: you’ll work as a Hunter affiliated with the Arkineth Guild for three years.”

The conditions were outstanding.

The guild wouldn’t interfere with him until he graduated from the Academy.

If he chose to leave after the contract ended, the Arkineth Guild would assist him in transferring to another guild.

Support would be provided, even during his time as a cadet, in the form of sponsorship, despite him not yet being an official guild-affiliated Hunter.

The generous conditions and flexible contract were fitting for one of Korea’s top three guilds.

For a newly licensed D-rank Hunter like Si-woo, it was almost an excessive offer.

Without hesitation, Si-woo gave his answer.

“I’ll have to decline.”

His voice was resolute.

Saria, as if she had expected this, sighed deeply.

“Why would I join a guild that specializes in magic users?”

Si-woo’s value was currently at its lowest.

“You already know why I’m going to the Academy, don’t you?”

“To raise your market value.”

While earning a C-rank Hunter license was already an advantage, the real prize lay in the attention he could attract through his performance at the Academy.

It was an opportunity to secure a spot in a good guild, alongside capable people.

When risking your life to clear gates, you couldn’t afford to form a party with incompetent members.

Raising his value was a way to guarantee a minimum standard of skill and reliability.

Sure, there would still be a few trolls here and there, but their numbers would decrease exponentially as his license rank increased.

“If the Arkineth Guild still feels the same by my third year, feel free to approach me again.”

“Can I bring the same terms back then?”

“Coming to me is free, after all.”

It was a roundabout way of saying he had no intention of accepting.

Saria let out another deep sigh, not at Si-woo, but at her mother, who had clearly pushed her into making such an offer.

Watching her reaction, Si-woo chuckled quietly.

“So, are we done with the official stuff?”

“Yeah, sorry for dragging you out for this.”

“It’s fine. Besides, this isn’t the only reason you called me out, right?”

Si-woo downed the rest of his latte in one go.

The distance between Saria’s face and Si-woo’s narrowed significantly, to the point where they could feel each other’s breath.

Si-woo, smiling mischievously, held out his phone screen to her.

“This… this is a date, isn’t it?”

“W-what?!”

Caught completely off guard, Saria’s face turned bright red.

As if she had forgotten how to form words, she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, flustered.

Si-woo, unable to hold back his laughter at her reaction, finally moved back to his seat.

See? She’s hopelessly awkward.

“…That’s so unfair.”

“You’re the one who made the first move.”

First move?! Not to mention—f-face-to-face like that?! There’s supposed to be an order for these kinds of things!

“Oh, is that how it works?”

Understanding just how unexpectedly pure Saria’s perspective on relationships was, Si-woo nodded as if he finally got it.

Overcome with an odd sense of defeat, Saria glanced at the eco bag she had brought with her.

‘What do I do…’

This wasn’t how she had originally planned things.

The real reason Saria had come here was singular: to officially designate Si-woo as her partner.

‘If he becomes my partner, we’ll be able to stay together throughout the Academy.’

The Academy’s partner system was separate from party formation.

It was a unique system designed for two like-minded individuals to spend an extended amount of time together, honing their teamwork.

Partners would share nearly every schedule, except for mandatory subjects, and collaborate on most activities.

Saria knew that the system wasn’t all positives—it was a double-edged sword.

It could strengthen bonds or even sever them, depending on the circumstances.

For strangers, it could be an opportunity to grow closer—or an unbearable commitment.

But Saria didn’t want to let this chance slip by.

‘I’ve confirmed his feelings.’

Just like in the message she had sent him.

Over the past few days, Saria had thought long and hard, finally coming to a decision.

Even if Si-woo possessed the power to charm others, it didn’t matter to her anymore.

Now that she had fallen for him, she wanted to embrace that part of him too.

Even if she ended up regretting it later, she wanted to dive headfirst into this first love and burn brightly before facing the consequences.

With her resolve firm, Saria reached into the eco bag she had brought, not her subspace.

All that was left was to pull out the papers and make her proposal to Si-woo.

“I… uh…”

“Si-woo! What a surprise to run into you here!”

That is, if no one had interrupted.

‘W-who the…?’

Saria’s face, which had been ready to express anger, froze in shock.

Snow-white hair reminiscent of a winter landscape and eyes as clear as a pristine lake.

Saria’s gaze, which had been filled with growing frustration, shifted to something closer to awe—and a significant dose of disbelief.

‘B-Baek Eun-seol, the Hunter?!’

An S-rank Hunter affiliated with the Arkineth Guild.

The youngest person in the world to have ever achieved S-rank status.

At her sudden appearance, the café fell into stunned silence.

They say that when you’re completely shocked, not even a scream escapes your lips.

The café’s patrons—including Saria—realized the truth of that saying in real-time.

But the surprises didn’t stop there.

“It’s been a while, Eun-seol noona.”

The second shock was even bigger.

Saria found herself questioning her senses.

‘What did he just say? Noona?!’

Si-woo’s single word was like dropping a nuclear bomb on an already-devastated battlefield.

“Hehe, so you still remember me?”

“Of course. How could I forget a request from you, noona?”

His tone was warm, laced with affection.

Was this really Baek Eun-seol? The woman who always responded to interviewers with a cold, emotionless voice like a machine?

‘What on earth is going on?!’