Chapter 440

What on earth did all that mean? Jung Haseong peered over Kim Giryeo's shoulder to get a better look at the phone.

'This is long.'

There were so many characters that the message didn't immediately catch his eye, but judging by the blue text marking hyperlinks, it didn't seem to be an ordinary chat message.

'Could it be spam? Ah, no. Now that I look, it's from the National Tax Service.'

For reference, even a seemingly flawless national hero was, in the end, still an ordinary person. When a long message appeared right in front of someone, it was only natural to become curious. And so, without realizing it, the dark-haired man found himself scanning the message sent to Kim Giryeo.

'But... in the middle of summer, what kind of tax notice would an Awakened like him even receive?'

Exemption. Recovery. With only those fragmented words, there was no way to grasp the full context.

“Hmm.”

Jung Haseong almost examined the text in greater detail, but then realized that peeking wasn't appropriate and consciously turned his gaze away. Even so, his curiosity remained, so he couldn't help asking the person involved for an explanation.

“What on earth are you staring at so intently?”

The blond retiree's serious face was filled with concern.

“I just got a text from the tax office.”

“Yes, yes.”

“They're saying I recently received tax benefits I wasn't entitled to, so I have to pay a fine of about five million won for violating certain regulations...”

“A fine?”

“But the message only lists the name of the law I supposedly violated. Do I need to click this link to find out exactly what I did wrong?”

For reference, it was common sense not to recklessly click hyperlinks included in text messages. So Jung Haseong took the opportunity to properly ask permission and examined the contents of the message together with the phone's owner.

“Ah~ The law they're saying you violated here is probably this one.”

Fortunately, the tax office's notice concerned something the national hero was familiar with.

“Come to think of it, Kim Giryeo-ssi, you briefly established a guild before, didn't you?”

“That's right.”

“But since you, the guild master, retired from hunter work before filing to close the guild, it seems that violated a hunting-related law. That's probably why you were fined.”

“Uh...”

“It really came from a very minor mistake. Haha. Still, well—for a fine of this size, couldn't you just think of it as making a small donation to the country?”

Five million won. For an S-rank hunter, that was pocket change—money that could be earned in a single hour of work. How could something so trivial possibly become a problem? From the perspective of the nation's top-ranked hunter, it was utterly insignificant, so Jung Haseong explained the situation in a calm, even tone.

[Text Message Inbox]

[-Hunters who violate the above requirements will be subject to recovery of previously granted tax benefits.]

However, the problem was that one person in this room had not been an S-rank from the very beginning.

“I see. So it was against the rules for a guild master to retire before officially closing the guild...”

To conceal the fact that he was a hopelessly weak F-rank, he had built an entire web of bluster, lies, and deception. Looking back on it now, he couldn't help wondering—just how many sins had he committed with his own tongue to cover all of that up?

Having finally grasped his situation, Kim Giryeo calmly organized his thoughts. And at last, he spoke.

“Haseong-ah. For now, make sure you have a good meal with your mother today, and get home safely on your own.”

“Yes?”

“The sun's still up, so... I think I need to stop by somewhere before I come back.”

Elixir! The man who had so generously handed over that eternal treasure—the benefactor of the century—was simply going to leave? Shocked by the abrupt turn of events, Jung Haseong's expression twisted in disbelief.

“Y, you're leaving just like that?”

Of course, he wasn't the only one feeling restless. It wasn't as though the man were merely some neighbor dropping by with rice cakes after moving in. After being cured of what had practically been an incurable illness, how could anyone simply let him walk away?

“Please don't leave like this. Kim Giryeo-ssi, why don't you at least stay and have a meal with us?”

Before long, the two Earthlings—whose features somehow gave off a strangely similar impression—were earnestly pleading with him, insisting that they wanted to repay him somehow. But the person standing before them was no Korean. Strictly speaking, Kim Giryeo wasn't even a soul that belonged to this Earth.

“Sorry, but this really isn't the time for me to sit around eating rice or anything...”

“Y, yes?!”

Koreans run on rice. Even Geumgang Mountain should be seen only after a good meal.

In the end, all those sayings were nothing more than alien words to the Archmage. Thus, Kim Giryeo coldly rejected even their offer to share a meal and promptly hurried outside.

Anyway, what kind of bolt from the blue was this supposed to be?

'First of all, I need to figure out exactly what's going on.'

A short while later, Kim Giryeo arrived at a tax accountant's office in the city center. The accountant there was a seasoned professional who had handled his tax affairs before. Moreover, the man was known for being kind—the sort who would personally brew coffee for his clients as a gesture of hospitality...

“Yes, yes! So what brings you here today?”

“Because of this text.”

For reference, after hearing that a former S-rank Hunter would be visiting, the accounting office had hurriedly purchased an Americano from a popular café. And, just as their client usually preferred, it contained about two pumps of syrup. In other words, to an Alphaurin, it was the equivalent of a “sugar-diluted adhesive solution.”

“Oh! Sir, why are you only bringing this to me now? You should have received a notice about this quite some time ago!”

“I was a little out of it for a few weeks, so I guess that's when the agency must have called...”

Strangely enough, Kim Giryeo didn't spare even a single thought for the horrific drink. Considering how chaotic both his mind and body were, perhaps that wasn't surprising.

'I haven't saved the numbers for any of the tax-related agencies, so it's difficult to check right away whenever they call...'

All he had ever wanted was to be happy.

Besides, he had achieved that dream through retirement—a method that harmed no one—so why had administrative procedure suddenly become such a serious issue?

'Somehow, ever since summer began, there hasn't been a single day without tears.'

The situation of South Korea's fourth S-rank hunter could be summarized as follows.

① Kim Giryeo had received substantial tax deductions through benefits granted for establishing his own guild.

The government had called it a hunting industry promotion policy or something along those lines. There had been all sorts of interests entangled in those tax benefits, but there was no need to recall the details now.

② [Dictionary Search Result] — Guild:

An organization, or company, that generates monetary profit by hunting monsters.

Surprisingly, this simple fact was what had caused the present problem. Just as certain workplaces were legally required to appoint a safety manager, the hunter industry also required businesses to meet certain prerequisites before they were allowed to earn money. A guild—a company engaged in the monster-hunting business—was legally obligated to employ at least one legitimate "hunter." In other words, the world did not recognize a gate-related business composed entirely of civilians.

③ The head of a certain guild suddenly retired in the middle of operations and became a civilian.

But then—things just had to turn out this way.

To make matters worse, that guild—with a name as plain as some ordinary °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° diner you'd pass on the street—hadn't even hired any regular employees for various reasons. It was essentially an empty shell with only its representative remaining on paper, and that was precisely how all this trouble had begun.

'This is a state of emergency......'

The Kim Giryeo Guild had no hunters, which meant the company no longer met the qualifications for its establishment. However, this Alphaurin had already taken full advantage of every available startup benefit. Once the government discovered the situation, it belatedly classified him as an improper beneficiary—and was now demanding repayment of all the tax benefits he had received so far.

'You Earthlings... when I really think about it, you're always a little too harsh on helpless immigrants.'

However, it was difficult to say that this entire mess was 100% the retiree's fault.

“Anyway.”

The tax accountant sitting on the sofa explained calmly.

“This wasn't something Mr. Kim Giryeo did with any malicious intent, was it?”

“Of course. It's just that the order of things got a little mixed up.”

“Actually, this happened partly because there haven't been many cases of hunters retiring and becoming ordinary civilians, so the related administrative procedures are still rather rough around the edges.”

“I see.”

“So if you simply call the department and briefly explain that there was no malicious intent, it really shouldn't turn into a major issue. Things like this usually don't.”

According to the tax accountant's subsequent explanation, there was also a good chance that the fine itself would be canceled.

“Hmm...”

However, since there was undeniably some fault on his side, it was obvious that a simple apology would not be enough to resolve everything.

“But as I mentioned a few months ago, sir—I really think you should hire another hunter as soon as possible.”

The tax accountant explained that hunting-industry benefits were generally plentiful only during the first year. From the following year onward, a guild's profits changed drastically depending on factors such as the number of hunters it employed and the number of gates it conquered. In other words, the system was designed so that a business could achieve favorable results only by actually contributing to national safety—meaning that leaving the company idle like this was far from the best option.

“In my opinion, it would still be much better to recruit some members and keep the guild running somehow.”

Kim Giryeo took a moment to think.

'Come to think of it, Seo Esther only manages the [Korea Magic Tower], yet she's one of the wealthiest people around... Doesn't that prove that the guild system is actually quite profitable?'

If he looked at things purely from a financial perspective, just as he had always done—well, then perhaps operating the company according to that advice wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

“But I still don't feel like it.”

By now, he had become someone so devoid of personal greed that he could impulsively purchase something like the [Fairy's Promise] only to give it away. These days, the only thing occupying his mind was the cosmic parasite known as Gisimche, and he spent every day researching ways to keep that pest under control. After thinking it over carefully, Kim Giryeo finally spoke his mind.

“I don't really feel up to running something like a guild right now.”

After all, the guild's failure to meet the necessary qualifications would be resolved entirely if he, its representative, simply returned to being a hunter. The alien didn't particularly dislike living alone, either.

Having lived through countless ages as an Archmage, he even knew how to enjoy solitude. Thus, Kim Giryeo once again decided to leave the carelessly named company as it was.

'For the time being, I'll just focus on my personal research.'

However, as time passed, the S-rank Awakened's thoughts would begin to change drastically. After all, life was something no one could ever predict. Even when the one living it was an alien, the truths of the universe were not all that different.

***

Some time after that.

Tak, tak, tak.

It was around the time when countless office workers were hurrying home, their footsteps echoing through the streets.

'Today feels unusually long.'

Likewise, a certain civil servant who had just left the Association building climbed into a navy-colored used car in the parking lot. Then, working the vehicle's old manual transmission, she drove toward home.

'I wonder if he's already arrived and is waiting for me?'

After all, she had received that alien's message while she was still busy working at the office.

[Sender: Kim Giryeo]

[Are you available to talk right now?]

A human named Seonwoo Yeon had replied to the alien's message.

[Honestly, it would be difficult unless it's important.]

At the time, she had been diligently carrying out her duties as a public servant for the people. Being a responsible official, she had no intention of wasting time chatting idly with an acquaintance.

[I see. Well, I don't think it's anything extremely urgent... Then, could you spare me a moment after work?]

[Yes, yes.]

However, when an acquaintance approached her so politely to arrange a meeting, how could a flesh-and-blood human being possibly turn him down cold?

'I wonder what he wants to see me about this time.'

Not long afterward, Seonwoo Yeon arrived at her apartment. After pressing the elevator button twice, she soon reached the sixth floor—the floor where her unit was located.

'He really is here.'

For reference, the moment the elevator doors opened, the first thing she saw was that very retiree.

'Come to think of it, I never gave him the code to the main entrance. Did he use some kind of magic to get in here?'

His posture was mostly upright, as though he were trying to imitate an ideal human stance.

– Bow.

Moreover, being an alien who even knew to bow politely when greeting someone, Kim Giryeo displayed surprisingly little oddness for an extraterrestrial being of cosmic proportions.

“Hello, Seonwoo Yeon-ssi.”

But that ordinary atmosphere lasted only a moment. Soon, the alien standing by the entrance spoke.

“I just came to ask you a quick question today.”

As soon as the greeting had loosened their tongues, the other party immediately launched into a peculiar question.

“Pardon me, but do you have any plans to quit your current civil service job in the near future...?”