Why Can't I Enter Dungeons?

Vincent Jo.

Douglas Kim's assassin-class Hunter.

He does participate in dungeon raids, of course, but is known mainly for bodyguard work.

'I've heard the name, at least.'

"I-I won't mess with you."

I nodded repeatedly.

Even if he's that crazy, an A-rank is still an A-rank.

The gap between us was so vast that he could kill me even while fooling around, let alone in earnest, so provoking him could never be a good idea.

And besides, I was used to living in submission all the time anyway.

"Hmm..."

At that, Vincent straightened his posture.

"Ambassador. This friend is a little different from what I'd heard. I expected her to be rebellious, but she's absolutely terrified."

"You'll come to understand that as you spend time with her. Now, let's get the formalities out of the way first."

"Oh, right! Hey, little sis, sorry, but can we do this first? Then I'll play with you."

Vincent's lips curled into a grin. I silently gave him a hollow laugh.

'No, please, I don't need that.'

I didn't particularly dislike him joking around. I was meeting my new family, after all, and if he could serve as an icebreaker, I'd be grateful.

The problem was... I was barely D-rank at best right now.

Since people rarely had physical contact even when speaking to those below their rank in this day and age, if he forgot my rank for even a moment and acted carelessly, I'd die instantly.

In fact, news of similar accidents came out from time to time.

Please let me make it to Korea in one piece...

"Okay... Douglas Kim is done, and now it's your turn, Naraebi."

"Yes."

I pressed my fingerprint onto the documents held out to me.

Minor preparations like registering my fingerprints and taking an ID photo had already been completed.

The process ended in less than five minutes, and I was officially registered.

'Raebi Na Tiernected Douglas Kim.' That was my full name from now on.

"......You said it was possible to issue my identity under a purely Korean name, right?"

"Well, yes, but why bother? As long as you have that name, the attendants will take care of everything for you."

That's exactly why I don't like it.

How could someone who'd done everything alone from beginning to end as a matter of course suddenly order servants around?

Of course, attendants weren't harsh servants like in the Middle Ages.

No, if anything, the image was closer to something refined.

Pretty clothes, gourmet meals, housing, all kinds of insurance benefits, and even bonuses. They provided everything necessary for living.

On top of that, the base salary was generous, making it an unbeatable job.

But that also meant it cost a lot of money... and for someone who'd lived like a beggar until the day I nearly died, services like these could only feel burdensome.

'I can do it myself. Everything myself—whether it's taking care of myself or making money.'

"Um, Mr. Vincent."

"You should call me Big Brother. And speak informally."

B-Big Brother?

...Not even if you beat me to death.

"Vin...cent. Can I enter a dungeon right away too? With the family pulling strings?"

"Are you crazy? Not even Albert Cavendish could do that."

"Then...?"

Vincent's forehead creased. He wore an expression that seemed to say, 'Someone as weak as you wants to go hunting?'

But I stubbornly waited for his answer.

"...Haa. First, you have to enter a Hunter Academy. You'll qualify once you graduate, but even then, you'll have to get your special-skill level certified before they'll let you join a raid team."

"Huh? Hunter Academy? Not a training institute?"

"What training institute? What do you take Douglas Kim for, anyway? You got adopted here, and you're still calling it a training institute?"

"Huh? Ah, right, right."

......Hunter Academy.

'H-Hunter Academy...!'

I suddenly began to grow excited. The Hunter Academy was a tier above the Hunter training institute I'd wanted so badly to attend.

If Hunter training institutes were mainly attended by lower-ranked commoners,

Hunter Academies were attended by multinational elites.

They didn't differentiate much in terms of certifications, but there was a difference in the connections and raid know-how one could build there.

For example, even if you had a raid team made up entirely of B-ranks, a well-balanced party with top-tier healers and equipment was worlds apart from one without them.

In other words, entering the academy guaranteed a 99-percent-safe raid for future dungeon expeditions.

'So I can safely coast and enjoy the benefits? And even tour the academy?'

......Yeah, so much for independence. From now on, I was a baby bird who couldn't do a thing!

I hopped in place and shouted at Vincent.

"When are we leaving? When do I get to go?"

"I told you to speak informally. And we can leave right away. We came on the family's private jet."

"O-oh, wow!! Let's go, let's go!"

At that, Vincent scrunched up his face and said,

"The academy isn't in admission season right now, so calm down. Besides, I'm planning to do some sightseeing here before we leave, so it'll take a while."

"There's not much to see here, though."

"Huh? There's a pyramid right here. How can you say there's nothing to see?"

"There's only that one. This place is so..."

But my words went no further.

"Uh, whatever. I'm going to look around from now on, no matter what you say."

Vincent cut me off, making it clear I shouldn't bother trying to persuade him. I stuck out my lips and muttered.

'Damn it. I don't want to stay here anymore.'

“Huh. Look at that face.”

Then Vincent began studying me silently.

Soon, the corners of his mouth started creeping upward again.

"...Then why don't you come with me? Oh, great! You can show me around!"

"W-What? But... I'm not even a local here. I don't want to."

I quickly waved both hands.

No matter how I worked out the pros and cons, doing anything with him made me deeply uneasy.

But as if he'd noticed how I felt, Vincent's eyes were already gleaming mischievously.

"Aw, come on, let's go. We'll go see the top of the pyramid."

"That's illegal. A-And besides, this is an embassy, so shouldn't we listen to Mr. Chang-jin?"

In a pinch, I pointed at Lee Chang-jin.

The man had been holed up in a corner since earlier so the trouble wouldn't splash onto him; surely he wouldn't mind being offered up as a sacrifice.

'He had such an intimidating presence when I first met him...'

Even that man shrinks in the face of rank.

"Oh? Ambassador, would you like to come with us too?"

"No, I'm fine. Now that the formalities are complete, I'll be going. Have a pleasant trip."

Creak—thud!

He left with quick little steps.

'Hey, you! This is your office!'

I stared blankly at the door he'd disappeared through. Vincent lowered himself and brought his eyes level with mine.

"...That's what he says."

His eyes were no longer playful. It meant this was a full-fledged order.

Of course, he probably wasn't seriously threatening me... but scary was scary.

"Phew—okay... But I'm E-rank. Promise you won't kill me."

"Pfft! You worry about the strangest things!"

"Anyway, you promise, right?"

"Sure, sure. It won't be life-threatening."

What does he mean, my life won't be in danger...?

I demanded an explanation with my eyes alone.

But he abruptly grabbed me and tossed me into the air.

Whoosh—

"E-Eek!!"

...Plop!

"Huh?"

I felt something touch my butt and thighs. Then something locked around my ankles.

'A piggyback ride...?'

"Are we going like this?"

"Hold on tight to my head."

"......."

Awkwardly, I 'gripped' the top of his head. I couldn't figure out what he was planning at all.

But soon,

I realized his insane intentions.

Thunk—He kicked the window wide open. I had a bad feeling, but it was already too late.

My body was yanked backward in an instant, and my waist bent with a crack!

"Kha...!"

And just like that, I fainted with a single strangled scream.

***

"I'm not going!!!"

"Oh, come on. I said I was sorry."

I shouted that the moment I woke up from fainting.

Vincent realized something was wrong with me only after we arrived at the pyramid.

Even then, he'd apparently set me down with a thump and spent quite a while talking to himself.

He said, ‘I guess I'll have to look around alone,’ and tried to take me back... but I refused.

I didn't want to die in such an absurd way.

After everything it took to get this second life...!

"Can you really make it back by yourself?"

"Don't worry. And please, don't come near me until the plane takes off tomorrow."

"Hmm... I never said I was leaving tomorrow."

'......'

Maybe I just shouldn't go to Douglas Kim. Can I cancel it?

"Heh-heh, I was just joking. We're leaving tomorrow morning, so go get some rest."

"Yes."

Rustle-!

He vanished right before my eyes the moment he heard my answer. He was so fast I could barely process it.

With a pent-up sigh, I realized that this was what an A-rank assassin-class Hunter was like.

"Phew—seriously, is that guy insane?"

Normally, when a woman with looks like mine pouted and complained, most people would back off at least a little.

But Vincent didn't care in the slightest. No, if anything, he was enjoying it even more.

He was a damn my-way-or-the-highway bastard who always did whatever he wanted... Would I turn out similarly if I got that strong?

I started walking, letting the wings of my imagination spread inside my head.

Imagining myself power-leveling to S-rank, then smashing Vincent over the head with a heavy earthenware bowl.

'Heh-heh.'

"Why are you grinning like that?"

"...?"

What?

I turned around at the sudden Korean.

Two East Asian men were staring at me.

One was potbellied, and the other was tall and lanky.

I tilted my head and asked,

"Who are you?"

"That's what I want to ask. Why were traces of you found in Kim Young-hak's car?"

"......What? Wh-what did you say?"

......Kim Young-hak?

What was this...? That couldn't be.

I'd definitely abandoned the car in a remote place.

Just to be safe, I'd even had the Pygmies tear it apart.

But they found it?

At this completely unexpected turn of events,

I froze, unable to think straight.

The potbellied man then pulled something out from inside his clothes.

'A transparent ziplock bag?'

It was a small ziplock bag like the ones detectives used to collect evidence. Looking closely, I could see several strands of silver thread inside.

......No way.

"Kid, you may not have known this, but the alternative-sentencing system isn't that simple."

"There are naturally people who plan escapes from that desolate desert, and there has to be a system in place to track them too, don't you think?"

The two men each drew a weapon from inside their clothes. One had a whip, and the other a dagger.

Before coming here, I'd been thoroughly briefed on who they were.

"Are you an Awakened arrest squad?"

"Since you know that, this should go quickly. You realize what's happening, right? If you don't give us an honest answer, you'll be beaten here and dragged away."

"......."

I clenched my fists. Arrest teams for Awakened people were infamous for their brutality.

Since only the most aggressive people, at least C-rank, were assigned to the position, anyone who resisted was subdued without mercy.

'They're not opponents I can break free from and outrun.'

I kept calm and asked,

"What do you want me to answer?"

"Simple. Did you kill Kim Young-hak?"

"......No."

At that, the potbellied man chuckled.

"Ha—this is funny. I can't believe a little brat like that is the culprit, even while I'm looking at her."

"What?"

"Beep—It's a lie, you fucking bitch. You think a tracking skill is something to scoff at?"

He charged at me as soon as he said that. Even though I reflexively twisted my body aside to dodge, a chill flashed around my neck.

Shhk...!

"Kugh...!"

Blood trickled down. But I had no time to inspect the wound; the next attack was already flying at me.

"You missed your chance to confess! I'll break all four limbs and then hear what you have to say!"

'Damn it...! At this rate, I have no choice but to fight!"

Ding-

[Skill 'Claw Blades' is activated.]

Shkakakak!!!

I dodged the attack by a hair once again. The hand that met the dagger trembled.

"Oh-ho—you blocked that? You're definitely not E-rank. Looks like the ambassador brought you a broken meter."

The potbellied man said that as he drew another dagger.

"And those claws... I've never seen that type among transformation-type ability users. What the hell are you?"

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me anymore, would you?"

"Correct...! Hey, Ahn! How long are you going to stand there watching? This bitch is fucking fast!"

The tall man cracked his whip against the floor with a bang. Then the two launched attacks with staggered timing, gradually sealing off every place I could dodge.

If I dodged the whip, the dagger came rushing in; when I avoided the dagger, the whip flew at me.

'They're trying to kill me...!'

The two were so serious that I had to wonder whether arrest was really their goal.

Their relentless barrage continued without giving me even a moment to summon the Pygmies.

'Ugh...!'

My wounds kept piling up.

My mind grew hazier as I lost blood.

It didn't take long before I nodded off despite my will.

Hazy—

"Die, you bastard!"

"Huh?!"

When I opened my eyes, a whip was flying straight at me from the front.

......Is this as far as I go?

My eyes squeezed shut again as I sensed the end.

Shwaaash-! A terrifying sound drew closer in that split second.

'Aaaah...!!'

Thud!

"……Idiot. When an attack comes, you have to watch it all the way through and dodge. Even if you get your Hunter's license, you're banned from entering dungeons, Naraebi."