Although I had decided to participate in this dungeon raid, deciding to do so didn't mean I could immediately enter the dungeon.

As with many dangerous endeavors in the world, the most important thing in dungeon raiding was firstly, prior preparation, secondly, prior preparation, and thirdly, the time and money for prior preparation.

Therefore, the first thing I did after deciding to go to the dungeon following my conversation with Mr. Juyoung was to find out how to exercise the [Priority Participation Right] for dungeon raids.

Fortunately, it wasn't very difficult to find information on this. As with most government-led policies or supports, related information was easily accessible online.

Thanks to this, I learned that the application period for the use of priority rights started from tomorrow and lasted four days, and that applications could be made either through document submission or online.

Along with submitting the application online, of course, other preparations were made. This included the preparation of equipment, which all hunters attempting dungeon raids consider most important and spend a long time pondering and preparing.

Honestly, preparing the equipment was the most challenging part for me. It was unlikely for someone who had lived most of their hunter life as a typical C-rank hunter to skillfully evaluate various pieces of equipment, determining which options were poor and which were acceptable.

In fact, if things had remained as they were, I wouldn't have had the luxury of wondering which equipment to wear. Until my house collapsed, the only piece of equipment I had was a ring worth 500,000 won that provided a physical ability boost.

But that was no longer the case.

...To say [that was no longer the case] makes me feel quite guilty since the equipment I now had wasn't bought with my own money. All the equipment I had was provided by Sir Yoon Juyoung with his own money.

However, as much as it troubled my conscience, rejecting equipment that could potentially save my life would have been foolish, especially since Sir Yoon Juyoung himself had threatened to actively hinder this dungeon raid if I didn't wear the equipment he provided.

Honestly, it's hard to tell who's the master and who's the servant. Considering Sir Yoon Juyoung is the one giving orders and I'm the one scrambling to comply, perhaps he's the real master.

Of course, I wouldn't say such a thing in front of Mr. Juyoung. If I did, he'd make a fuss about how I could say such a thing and that there can't be two masters under the sky(?).

Anyway, after completing all possible preparations, from applying for the dungeon raid participation priority right to preparing equipment, the government sent a text message regarding the participants of this dungeon raid.

Without delay, I immediately checked the arrived message. The message contained content I had somewhat expected, written in a formal tone.

[As expected, Sir Yoon Juyoung will be joining.]

I had heard that B-rank and C-rank participants in the dungeon raid couldn't choose their own parties, but S-rank could freely choose as they wished.

It was a natural occurrence since it's impossible to casually command high-level personnel like S-rank.

[The party leader is Sir Yoon Juyoung, and um… the deputy leader is A-rank hunter Mr. Kim Seong-myeong… B-rank hunter is Ms. Sonya, and C-rank hunter is, of course, me.]

TLN: Jeong So-yeon (정소연) -> Sonya

Although I didn't know about the others, I vaguely remembered hearing Mr. Kim Seong-myeong's name. It was probably during the Hunter Tournament… I might remember if I search online later.

And naturally, I had never heard of the B-rank hunter, Ms. Sonya. She might be one of the average B-rank hunters.

[Hmm... I hope they don't come across as too hostile, if possible.]

Honestly, just by looking at the name of the quest given as a tutorial, it was clear that the Librarian wasn't sincerely hoping for us to clear the dungeon with great cooperation and laughter.

Who in their right mind would talk about cooperation in a quest named [Group Project]? It's neither sane nor appropriate to do so. Of course, the Librarian isn't sane.

[Clearly, the Librarian wants to see a group project fall apart and become chaotic.]

Especially when you consider that a C-rank hunter, not any other rank, has been included in the A-rank dungeon raid team, the Librarian's goal couldn't be more obvious.

It's nothing more or less than adding a burden to the party that can't be discarded, then watching the party slowly head towards disaster.

Anyway, that woman is truly remarkable. Does she enjoy seeing people in conflict that much?

[But the problem is that I'm going to be that burden.]

Given the conditions of the quest, they won't abandon me or leave me to die. After all, hunters with such a mentality are usually filtered out by the government in these mandatory quests.

[Being just a C-rank hunter and trying to not be a nuisance will only end up being more of a nuisance...]

No matter if I swing a sword or thrust a spear, monsters in an A-rank dungeon won't even get a scratch. The only thing I can do is... hmm, seems like there's really nothing.

No matter how I think about it, I'm nothing more than useless. If I had even a healing skill, I could at least treat a scratch... but I don't have healing or purification skills, regardless of having magic of the holy attribute.

As I was sighing deeply in self-pity, Yoon Juyoung, who was cutting fruit, spoke to me.

"Are you worried about going to the dungeon?"

"Um, I am worried about the dungeon, but... more than that, I'm probably more afraid of being a nuisance as expected."

TLN: I don't know if Seo-hee forgot or what, but isn't her rank EX?

In truth, it's not my fault at all. No, there's no need to argue about it. The quest conditions are what they are, and I just joined the party according to those conditions.

So, I really don't need to feel so intimidated. Yes, that's true but...

[Just the idea of being a nuisance to others doesn't sit well with me.]

Maybe it's because I've been used to doing most things by myself since I was young, but I'm particularly sensitive about situations where I might be a nuisance to others.

Logically, I know it's not my fault, and I haven't made any mistakes, but I just hate the idea of others being inconvenienced because of me.

"If that's the case, don't worry, Seohee-nim. I'll do my best to ensure that you won't feel like a nuisance."

"I appreciate it, but don't overdo it... Ah."

Wait, before that, it seems there's something we need to clarify. I took a piece of pear offered by Yoon Juyoung and spoke.

"Um, Yoon Juyoung"

"Yes, Seohee-nim."

"Could you, outside... I mean, in the dungeon, just call me Seohee or Ms. Seohee? And if possible, speak informally to me."

In the hunter industry, [rank] is an absolute criterion. Of course, being A-rank doesn't give someone the right to treat B and C ranks any way they want.

However, at the very least, an S-rank speaking formally to a C-rank and adding [nim] to their name is unheard of and, in some ways, shouldn't even happen.

[S-ranks are special.]

S-ranks are different from other hunters. S-ranks are... just S-ranks. I'm not sure how to express it, but from my personal experience, S-ranks have somewhat inhuman aspects.

[It's hard to treat people who can casually demolish buildings as ordinary humans.]

Anyway, S-ranks are special in many ways and are treated as such in reality. But for an S-rank to speak formally and add [nim] when talking to an ordinary C-rank?

That's just asking for the media to pounce, not to mention it wouldn't be well-received within the hunter community either. After all, the hunter industry operates strongly on the logic of power.

"Until now, well... there was no need to meet other hunters, but this dungeon raid is different. There could be hunters, and even reporters in front of the dungeon. If that happens..."

"I understand what Seohee-nim is saying."

"Ah, then─"

"But I would never dare to speak informally to Seohee-nim."

Yoon Juyoung spoke with a solemn and serious face, as if he were some kind of independence fighter. It seemed to him that using informal speech was akin to committing a heinous and despicable act.

"And Seohee-nim, I use formal speech with everyone I meet anyway."

"Ah, then it's okay to keep using formal speech."

"Yes. And about the honorifics..."

Juyoung paused, looking down with a very serious expression as if he was deeply contemplating. I waited without saying anything until he finished his thoughts.

Despite being somewhat irrationally devoted to me due to the effect of my skill, he was quite a rational and logical person, at least from what I could tell after living together for almost a week.

As I expected, after finishing his contemplation, Yoon Juyoung, though somewhat gloomy, gave me the answer I wanted.

"In situations where we interact with hunters or reporters, I'll do as Seohee-nim wishes."

"…!! Yoon Juyoung, thank you!"

I couldn't help but wonder if being so moved just because he agreed to drop the honorific [nim] was really necessary, but regardless, the fact that Yoon Juyoung would call me by a normal honorific made me very happy.

I grabbed Juyoung's hand, not hiding the smile that filled my face.

"In front of others, please, make sure to do so. You understand? You promised."

"How could I possibly lie to Seohee-nim? I swear it on my heart."

"No, don't make such a heavy oath."

It's scary to think that this person might actually start talking nonsense about ripping out his own heart. I lightly refused Yoon Juyoung's absurd oath and finally bit into the pear I was still holding.

"Now that the issue of honorifics has been resolved, it's time to truly..."

The only problems left were those after entering the dungeon. I chewed the pear in my mouth with a combative spirit, clenching my fists tightly.

[Let's go as quietly as possible, unnoticed by anyone, like a black hairpin that disappears without anyone knowing.]

* * *