As soon as he escaped from the Wonderland, Yu-hyun remembered something he had forgotten and took out Baekryeon.
[What? Whatâs going on?]
âI need to check your status window for a moment.â
[Status window? Mine? Why?]
âMy rank went up, remember?â
[Oh, right.]
Baekryeon was originally a mythical weapon, but because Yu-hyun, the actual user, had a low rank, its actual ability was not yet at the level of a myth.
Baekryeon had several special abilities, but most of them were locked because of the low rank.
The most recent one that Yu-hyun unlocked was a special window that greatly increased the limit of mass and volume for shape-shifting.
Yu-hyun was confident that Baekryeon had also undergone a second change after he gained the power of aporia and his rank rose.
He opened Baekryeonâs status window and moved his eyes to the special window.
[Special Window]
-Breakthrough
-Story Absorption (NEW!)
-(Locked due to low user level)
As expected, it was as he had predicted.
The second special window of Baekryeon, which had been locked until now, was unlocked.
âStory absorption, huh?â
[What? What is this? When did I get a new ability?]
âWhat if you donât know that?â
[Well, I donât know how to check my status. Iâve been so busy lately.]
âTrue. It must have happened recently.â
Yu-hyun chatted casually and thought about what story absorption was.
There was not much to ponder.
If this unlocked special window was true, then Baekryeon could literally eat stories and grow stronger.
âThen what exactly are stories?â
Yu-hyun had a hunch and took out White Whale Bone Harpoon .
[What? What are you going to use that bone harpoon for?]
âI have something to check. Story absorption activate.â
Yu-hyun held White Whale Bone Harpoon to Baekryeon and shouted the trigger word.
A light flowed from Baekryeonâs blade.
The pure white light, similar to Baekryeonâs color, moved like a wriggling snake and wrapped around White Whale Bone Harpoon .
Then something amazing happened.
White Whale Bone Harpoon , wrapped in light, slowly decomposed into text and scattered like dust, following the light into Baekryeonâs inside.
[Wow.]
Baekryeon let out a strange exclamation at the intense power that filled his inside.
A comfortable and cozy feeling that filled his empty inside.
Baekryeon had never felt such a sensation before, so his reaction was even bigger.
Soon after Baekryeon finished absorbing White Whale Bone Harpoon , he looked much more radiant than before.
âSo this is what story absorption is.â
Baekryeon, who had absorbed the story of White Whale Bone Harpoon , became much sharper and harder.
Even if he swung it as usual in the form of a sword, the power would have increased considerably.
[Hey? Wait a minute. Itâs fine that I feel good by absorbing stories, but are you okay? Wasnât that bone harpoon a good weapon?]
Baekryeon belatedly worried that Yu-hyun had consumed White Whale Bone Harpoon too easily.
White Whale Bone Harpoon was an excellent weapon made from Moby Dickâs bone, and more importantly, it was the best medium for activating the skill [Whale Killing].
He gave it up willingly, so Baekryeon couldnât help but be confused.
âItâs fine. I can activate Whale Killing skill even without White Whale Bone Harpoon .â
[StillâŠ]
âMore importantly, you have the story that White Whale Bone Harpoon had.â
Yu-hyun proved it by changing Baekryeonâs shape slightly.
From a sword to a harpoon.
Baekryeon took on the same appearance as White Whale Bone Harpoon he had absorbed. But the energy he held inside was incomparably stronger than White Whale Bone Harpoon .
âThis is enough. It was just a sub-weapon anyway, and thereâs no need to use it separately in the future.â
Yu-hyun said so firmly, and Baekryeon didnât say anything more.
Yu-hyun finished experimenting with Baekryeonâs new special window ability and moved outside.
He also didnât forget to wear glasses that hindered recognition, since he had become such a famous person who caught peopleâs attention.
He walked along the street and arrived at the meeting place.
âSo why did you ask me to see you?â
Yu-hyun stopped at his seat and asked the air.
At that moment, a teller appeared in front of Yu-hyun as the space tore open.
He wore a black uniform and a black helmet that covered his face.
He also had a cloak that fluttered behind him, as if to show off his entrance.
Romulaxis stood in front of Yu-hyun and scratched his head awkwardly.
âHi there. Long time no see.â
âIs it really that long?â
âOh. Was it not?â
He calculated and realized that it wasnât that long ago since they last met. He smiled as he looked at Yu-hyun, who was trying hard to figure out his intentions.
Romulaxis was a teller who claimed to be sent by Celestina, but he acted so strangely that Yu-hyun couldnât trust him at all.
He had a bad impression of Romulaxis since their first meeting, and when he suddenly contacted him through the Genesis Network and asked to meet, Yu-hyun decided to use this opportunity to find out more about this teller.
âBut still, I have no idea.â
He couldnât understand his behavior. He couldnât see his face because of the helmet, so he couldnât read his expression. And he couldnât analyze his emotions by the tone of his voice, because he was always high-Divine Spirited.
Yu-hyun eventually concluded that there was no answer except to ask him directly.
âWhy did you call me?â
âHey. What reason would I have? Well, if I have to answer, it was because I wanted to get along with you better.â
âGet along better?â
âWeâre going to run into each other a few times in the future, right? So I thought we should get familiar with each other. You donât have to be formal with me either.â
âIâm comfortable with this way of speaking.â
âThen I donât care.â
Yu-hyun was quite puzzled by Romulaxisâs words.
Get along better? Was that really why he called him?
But, there seemed to be no lies in his attitude. If he was sincere.
âRomulaxis is a teller who is an unbelievable optimist and acts on his own whims.â
He wondered what Celestinaâs intention was to send such a teller to help him.
Just then, Romulaxis clapped his hands as if he remembered something.
âOh, right. Look at my mind. I havenât been on Earth for long, you know?â
âIs that so?â
âYeah. But Iâm a teller, so I need a collector who can show me the world, right? So Iâve been looking around for collectors lately and managed to find some contractors.â
âContractors? Not just one, but several?â
âHey. Itâs not that many. Itâs only three. They were people who were worried about extending their contracts with other tellers because their contract periods had expired. So I showed up there and tried to recruit them.â
ââŠâ
Yu-hyun knew something about the contracts between collectors and tellers.
They specify a rough contract period when they make a contract. From a minimum of one year to a maximum of ten years.
Yu-hyun also specified a reasonable contract period and recruited Kang Hye-rim, Kwon Jiah, Seo Soo-min, and Yoo Young-min.
Of course, there are cases where collectors either look for new tellers or extend their contracts with existing tellers after their contract period ends.
âBut he brought three?â
Usually, collectors tend to extend their contracts with existing tellers even after their contract period ends.
Unless the relationship deteriorates during the contract period and they hate each other, the average extension rate is over 90%.
Romulaxis said he recruited three.
It was an impressive achievement for a teller who had just landed on Earth, even if he was a manager.
âAnd if they were collectors whose contract period ended, they would be at least mid-level.â
The 18 grades from Grade 1 to Grade 9 that were connected by the Second Phantasm Shock disappeared, and only the level replaced the level of collectors.
Mid-level collectors were those who achieved the title by exceeding level 50.
That was not a bad level for a first contract.
âCome on, let me introduce them to you. And later, please introduce me to your collectors too.â
Romulaxis led Yu-hyun to a nearby cafe while saying that. His bizarre appearance made the passers-by look back at him, but no one paid attention to him.
Romulaxis also had the power to scatter his perception like Yu-hyun.
âHere they are. Say hello everyone.â
Romulaxis introduced the three women sitting in front of Yu-hyun.
Yu-hyun came here just to get acquainted with them, but he realized that they were all too familiar and widened his eyes slightly.
The same was true for the three women sitting across from him.
âHuh?â
âHmm?â
âHuh?â
ââŠWhy are you all here?â
Yu-hyun was surprised not only because he knew all three of them, but also because the composition of the members that Romulaxis gathered was amazing.
Bang Sang-shi.
Black Iron Knight Huang Se-eun.
And, the Mad Dog of the Association, Yoo Seong-ah.
The sight of the three of them sitting shoulder to shoulder in a strange atmosphere was like a mismatch of paintings drawn by different artists.
âOh. Do you know each other? That makes things easier.â
ââŠHow on earth did you manage to gather all these people?â
âMe? Um. Just?â
Romulaxis claimed that he didnât do anything special to recruit the three of them.
For Yu-hyun, it was a hard-to-believe story.
âBesides, did all three of you have your contracts expired?â
âMe and⊠my sister⊠yes.â
âYes. Bang Sang and I had our terms just ended.â
âWhat about you, Yoo Seong Ah?â
Yoo Seong Ah answered with a bit of annoyance, crossing her arms.
âThe teller I had contracted with was so annoying. I hated how he always tried to move me around according to his whims. Even though I still had some time left, I just broke the contract.â
âIs that okay? If one side breaks the contract unilaterally, the penalty should be severe.â
âOh, thatâs fine. He paid for it instead of me.â
The one who stepped in and paid for Yoo Seong Ah was Romulaxis.
Yu-hyun looked surprised. For a collector like Yoo Seong Ah, the penalty points she had to pay for breaking the contract would be quite a lot.
And Romulaxis paid for all of them.
Yu-hyun thought that he could do it too with the points he had now, but that was because he was special, not a normal teller at the manager level.
âHow does this teller have so many points?â
Come to think of it, the members he recruited while hiring were also dazzling.
They were not comparable to Yu-hyun, who worked at White Flower Management, but werenât those three all collectors with great potential?
Yu-hyun looked at Romulaxis again.
âHis actions may be strange, but his ability is undeniable. No wonder Celestina sent him.â
But from Yu-hyunâs perspective, he couldnât empathize with the three collectors.
âNo matter how you look at it, heâs not just suspicious, heâs downright shady. How did you manage to sign a contract with him?â
ââŠâ
ââŠâ
ââŠâ
Bang Sang, Huang Se-eun, and Yoo Seong-a remained silent, as if they couldnât deny it.
The first one to open his mouth was none other than Bang Sang.
âHeâsâŠunique.â
âWhat?â
âAh, our Bang Sang has a different perspective from normal people. Sheâs a bitâŠpeculiar.â
Clank.
Huang Se-eun, the Black Knight, intervened as if to make an excuse for the flustered Yu-hyun.
She was wearing a black armor over her entire body, even in the cafe where she should have been sitting.
Youâre the one whoâs peculiar.
Yu-hyun reflexively held back the words that almost slipped out of his mouth.
âHeâs not very expressive, but heâs surprisingly sensitive to other peopleâs emotions. He can sense it like a ghost if someone looks at him or treats him negatively.â
âSo thatâs why you chose him?â
Bang Sang nodded silently. He said he chose him because he was unique, but the most fundamental reason was that Romulaxis was not a bad being, and he didnât feel any aversion to him instinctively.
And that was the same for Huang Se-eun.
She also felt uncomfortable dealing with other tellers or people in general, but strangely enough, she didnât feel that way with Romulaxis.
âThatâs amazing.â
He never expected that the two people who had extremely picky eyes for people would accept Romulaxis.
Yu-hyunâs gaze naturally turned to Yoo Seong-a.
It was a look that meant how did you end up accepting this?
âMe? I just thought it wouldnât hurt to try.â
âYou donât have a reason?â
âA reasonâŠwellâŠâ
Yoo Seong-a trailed off.
If she had to say it, there was a reason. It was because Romulaxis called her a beautiful woman when he saw her.
Her trait made her look ugly to Mrs. Park and other people and tellers around her.
But Romulaxis saw through her trait and recognized her true appearance in an instant.
She used to think that she didnât care about her appearance, but ever since she showed her true face to Yu-hyun, she couldnât help but be conscious of him.
Her mindset of âI donât need to wear makeup or care about how I look since they wonât know anywayâ changed to a sense of anxiety that she might have to show her bare face someday.
And then Romulaxis appeared, who recognized her true appearance after Yu-hyun.
He may not be trustworthy, but she thought he wasnât a bad choice for the next contract because he recognized her true self.
âI donât have anything like that.â
She couldnât say that honestly, so Yoo Seong-a vaguely brushed it off.
Yu-hyun raised his evaluation of Romulaxis. The three collectors he was facing now were all outstanding in their personalities and talents.
The more so, the harder it would have been to recruit them, but Romulaxis had done it in such a short time.
âSo, Manager Romulaxis, what was the reason you chose these three?â
Yu-hyun asked Romulaxis, who was sitting next to him.
The answer that came back was outrageous.
âBecause theyâre all pretty.â
âWhatâŠ?â