WONHEE was half-nervous and half-amazed while watching Bitna turn the ’Azure Tuna’ into sashimi in the kitchen.
Bitna cut the fish expertly.
[I feel like I’m in a Japanese restaurant while watching a world-renowned chef make sashimi for .]
Using a sharp knife, Bitna cut the fish against the grain in domino-sized pieces.
After cutting the tuna thinly, Bitna served it on a bed of thinly julienned daikon radish and garnished with shiso leaves that she pulled out from her Inventory. It was also accompanied by wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce.
"Wonhee-ya, you look surprised that I have all these ingredients and condints with ."
Oh.
Wonhee felt embarrassed that everything was showing on her face, but it was too late to deny it now. Hence, she ended up nodding ekly. "When I heard you were stuck in a dungeon, I didn’t expect you’d be living here comfortably."
Bitna stopped for a mont, and then she burst out laughing. "You got it wrong, Wonhee-ya. I’ve been stuck here for almost eight years."
She gasped. "That long? If we are the sa age, then..."
"Yeah, I’ve been stuck here since I was seventeen years old– eighteen, in my Korean age."
"Alone..."
"Yes, alone. For a few years, at least," Bitna said, shrugging. "But five years ago, Tannie appeared and beca my friend. Of course, back then, I just called him ’Tangerine.’"
Wonhee wanted to say that being an Administrator was different from having a human friend, but it wasn’t a nice thing to say so she just shut her mouth.
[At least, Bitna had soone to talk to back then.]
Thank goodness Tannie was loud and talkative.
"I only got this beach villa a year ago after I killed a big final boss," Bitna said proudly. "But, before that, I slept wherever there was a flat surface. It wasn’t only once or twice that I almost died from frostbite. Or almost got cooked because of how hot the ground was."
Wonhee covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped.
Bitna said it lightly, but it was obvious that she had been through a lot.
[Alone in an unknown dungeon filled with monsters...]
"Don’t look at like that, Wonhee-ya," Bitna said, laughing. "I’m fine now."
"Bitna-ya, let’s get out of here together."
"To be honest with you, I’m not sure if I really want to leave this place. I’m sure Korea would be better off without , too."
"Why are you saying that?"
"I was serious when I said I’d kill my family as soon as I get out of here," Bitna said, laughing again as if she was trying to make it sound like light. But her glowing red eyes said otherwise. "If my entire family died, our country’s economy would collapse."
Ah.
[Bitna is from a chaebol family.]
But Wonhee could tell that Bitna didn’t want to talk about her family, so she didn’t ask.
[It looks like Bitna doesn’t have a good relationship with her family.]
"Wonhee-ya, I’ve been curious about sothing."
"What is it?"
"Are you that Wonhee? Chu Wonhee? Nation’s Little Sister? Nation’s Wink Fairy? Nation’s First Love?"
Wonhee covered her face with her hands from embarrassnt after hearing the cheesy titles that the public had given her throughout her career.
She had been in the industry for twenty years.
Hence, it was only natural to get a different title for each ’era’ in her career.
"I knew it," Bitna said, clapping her hands. "Your face is really unforgettable, you know. I’m a big fan. I’ve watched all your series and movies before the Outbreak just to look at your face. But I stayed because of your excellent acting."
Wonhee removed her hands from her face, relieved that Bitna had beco a fan of her acting skills and not just her face. "Thank you, Bitna-ya."
"Can I shake your hand? It’s been a while since I had human contact. But I don’t want to sound like a creep, so..."
She extended her hand to Bitna. "Here."
Bitna looked surprised, and then she shook her head. "Wonhee-ya, we just t. Don’t trust too much, especially now that the System is down and no one can tell you if I an you harm or not."
"I know that I’m naïve because I grew up sheltered, but I trust my gut feeling."
"And what does your gut feeling tell you?"
"That I can trust you, Bitna-ya."
Wonhee wasn’t that naïve.
She grew up in the entertainnt industry, so she could easily tell if a person was acting in front of her right now.
Although she had to admit that it didn’t apply to Lee Seodam.
[I loved him way too much that I ignored all the red flags in our relationship.]
But, this ti, Wonhee was sure that Bitna wasn’t planning to stab her in the back.
[Bitna probably doesn’t notice it, but she looks excited to interact with another human being for the first ti in a long while.]
"You are indeed the System’s favorite child, Wonhee-ya," Bitna said, accepting her handshake. "The System inford that my luck would change for the better upon eting you. So, rest assured, I won’t waste the chance to get rid of my bad luck. I’m tired of being unlucky."
"I was told I was born under a Lucky Star," Wonhee admitted, nodding. "I’ll do my best to share my good luck with you, Bitna-ya."
***
SEARED ’Azure Tuna.’
Wonhee didn’t get to have sashimi because Bitna changed her mind after giving her a once-over earlier. "I’m not complaining because I love seared tuna, but why aren’t you letting have sashimi, Bitna-ya?"
"I forgot that you’re a weakling, Wonhee-ya," Bitna said, shrugging. "Eating raw monster at isn’t for beginners. The System is still down, so I don’t want to risk your safety."
"Am I that weak?"
"It’s normal for Guides to be weak, so don’t feel bad about it."
"But you’re also a Guide, and you seem strong," Wonhee said while observing Bitna. "The System suggested that you’re both a Hunter and a Guide, Bitna-ya. After seeing your skills, I’m convinced that you’re a Hunter. But my gut feeling keeps telling that you’re a Guide."
"I’m special~"
"There must be a reason why the System wanted us to et."
"What do you think is it then?"
Wonhee fell silent for a mont before speaking her mind. "Bitna-ya, are you here to teach how to make Guides like us beco strong?"
"Why do you think Guides need to be strong when all we need to do is provide Guiding for the Hunters?"
"Because I hate it."
"You hate what?"
"I hate that Guides need to provide sexual pleasure to Hunters as a part of Guiding them," Wonhee said firmly, clenching her hands. "There has to be a way to Guide Hunters without resorting to physical intimacy."
"Do you understand what you’re saying, Wonhee-ya?" Bitna asked in a serious tone. "You want to change the system."
"Yes."
"Do you know why Guides need to provide sexual pleasure to Hunters in the first place?"
"No, but I know that it’s the wrong answer," Wonhee said, fully trusting her gut feeling even though she might sound ignorant. "There has to be a way for Guides to provide support to Hunters in a safer way."
Bitna looked at Wonhee long and hard as if she was testing her resolve, and then she finally broke into a smile. "My thod is still in the trial phase. But would you like to hear about it, Wonhee-ya?"
Wonhee was about to answer Bitna’s question with a loud ’yes,’ but her Status Window suddenly popped up in front of her.
[Maintenance Complete!]
That was a relief.
[ 100% Complete!
This skill doubles your luck when taking risks that involve changing the System for the better good!]
"Wow," Wonhee whispered in disbelief. "That’s an OP skill..."
The title of the skill lived up to its na, indeed.
"I got a reward for finally eting you in person, Wonhee-ya," Bitna said while looking at her own Status Window. "We can make a phone call to the Hunter my Status Window is connected to."
"Your Status Window is connected to soone? How is that possible?"
"Oh, I guess I forgot to ntion."
"Hmm?"
Bitna smiled and pointed at herself. "I’m Hamin’s Administrator."
Wonhee’s eyes widened in shock. "You’re also an Admin? Just like what Tannie is to ?"
"Yes. I may be unlucky, but I’m an all-rounder. The System asked to virtually guide Hunter Hamin so the world wouldn’t die from hunger."
"So, you’ve been virtually guiding Hunter Hamin..."
Wait.
Wonhee knitted her eyebrows. "And you were upset earlier because..."
"Yeah, that’s right," Bitna said as if she could read Wonhee’s mind. "That Hunter wouldn’t have been the first Culinary Hunter if it wasn’t for ."
"Now I understand why the System calls you ’Legendary,’ Bitna-ya."
"It simply ans I’m an L-Grade."
"Huh?"
"I just don’t like being labeled an L-Grade Awakened Person because it sounds like ’L’ stands for ’loser,’" Bitna said, shaking her head. "That’s why I asked the System to call ’Legendary’ instead of L-Grade."
Wonhee once again gasped. "You’re really amazing, Bitna-ya."
"I know, right?"
She was about to praise her friend even more when a familiar hostile scent hit her nose.
"Argh!"
"What is it, Wonhee-ya?"
"The sll of callia flowers..."
"Oh," Bitna said, looking around. "It’s an SOS call."
Wonhee knitted her eyebrows. "The scent of callia flowers is an SOS call?"
[Then Park Ruda...?]
***
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