"Guhhk!"
Thwack!
Along with the impact of a powerful blow to my abdomen, I felt the air in my lungs being forcibly expelled.
As the oxygen supply was cut off momentarily, my head spun.
Damn, this crazy bitch is really hitting a civilian.
"I just don't get it. What makes you so self-righteous? I can't understand men as a species."
Well, I can't understand you, you lunatic who only listens to your friend in this situation.
If you guys weren't my assigned Hunters, I would have gone public with this.
"Hoo, Ms. A-young. I understand you've hated me for more than a day or two. But regarding how Ms. Yu-rim treats the juniors..."
"So?"
"Huh?"
"So why are you the one talking? Do you think you're somebody?"
Because they're my damn assigned Hunters, you bitch.
Did you think they'd go groveling and confess themselves?
If they had, they'd be the ones getting chewed out right now, not me.
"I just thought it was wrong, Guhhk!"
This time it was a kick, not a punch.
Anyone watching would think she was the one who awakened a combat-related trait.
"I'll stop here so I don't accidentally put you in the hospital and complicate things."
"...."
"We'll handle our business among ourselves. If you're a man, act like one and just shut up and stay out of it."
The woman spouting nonsense in front of me is Min A-young, the B-rank Hunter I'm assigned to.
Seeing her beat the crap out of me just now, you'd think she was a physical-type, but surprisingly, she's an elemental-type Hunter who uses fire.
'And damn, she gets more disgusting as time goes by.'
She hasn't changed a bit since I was first assigned to her last year.
Does she just think of men as something subhuman?
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, please don't worry too much and just go inside. Don't get on that person's bad side for no reason."
"Sigh, but..."
This is Myo Seol-ah, the new C-rank Hunter just assigned to me.
It's ironic that just as I was happy to finally have a normal Hunter assigned to me, this happens right away.
'And the instigator is just watching the show.'
There was one person who had been watching this side with a smug smile, acting as if she had nothing to do with it.
B-rank Hunter Yeo Yu-rim. I witnessed her harassing and bullying the new C-rank Hunters.
That's why I raised the issue, but...
'I was stupid. I shouldn't have trusted Yoo Chae-rin.'
Yoo Chae-rin, an S-rank Hunter considered one of Korea's top Hunters.
I figured since Hunters don't listen well to anyone below high rank, I'd report it to her.
The problem was, I didn't know back then that she doesn't really care about these things.
'To be precise, it's not just that she doesn't care...'
Just as Min A-young looks at me like I'm a bug, she looks down on all of us too.
Of course, while Min A-young only hates men, the difference is that Yoo Chae-rin despises everyone, from civilians to low-rank Hunters.
Furthermore, unlike the consistently trashy Min A-young, she even cares about her public image, making her even more vicious.
I fell for that image too.
"Manager Park, are you okay?"
"Uh, judging by how sore I am, I think I'll have to take a sick day tomorrow."
"You're still not going to change your assigned Hunters?"
"What good would it do to dump this shit on someone else? Last time, she even harassed you, calling you an 'Honorary Man'[1]."
"But I'm worried Manager Park might really get seriously hurt if this continues. Couldn't we assign an Awakened manager to her?"
"Ha, as if they'd give an Awakened manager to a B-rank."
Come to think of it, Min A-young isn't much different from Yoo Chae-rin.
Min A-young also bullies non-Awakened civilian women, calling them 'Honorary Men'.
Anyway, looking at the personalities of these Hunters, the future of South Korea is looking real bright.
"Ugh, I'm just going to use a half-day leave today."
"Okay, please head home."
When I first reported this incident, Yoo Chae-rin acted very kind and receptive.
Then, she set up Yeo Yu-rim and me, told her I was the one who reported it, and laughed about it.
If I hadn't seen her laughing, I probably would have just thought she hadn't considered it and let it go.
That was the most chilling part.
"Uh, weren't you supposed to be at work today?"
"I was. Something came up so I escaped."
Hope Orphanage.
An orphanage I've been supporting for quite some time.
Lately, when I have time, I come here to play with the kids and heal.
"Eun-hyukhyung[2]!"
"Hey there, Tae-woong. Be careful, you'll fall."
Seeing the little guy running towards me so earnestly warms my heart.
Following his voice, other kids also came running to me.
"Wow, it's Eun-hyuk oppa[3]."
"Yeah, long time no see. Eun-seo, are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah!"
If it weren't for these kids, I'd probably just quit my job and everything.
By the way, have the kids eaten yet?
If not, I should order something for them.
"What about the kids' meal?"
"They've eaten."
"That's a shame. Then, could you give me just a simple snack? I left without eating."
"Sure."
While I played with the kids for a bit, the director brought out cookies and coffee.
"Thank you."
"Not at all. If it weren't for you, Eun-hyuk, this place would have closed long ago."
"Ahaha..."
I was from an orphanage too.
But when I went back after getting a job, I found out my old orphanage had gone under.
I looked for the director, but it was too late; she had already passed away.
'And then I found this place by chance?'
That became the connection, and I started donating little by little, increasing the amount as the orphanage's operations struggled.
Probably because after I got close to the kids, I couldn't just stand by and watch this place fail.
"Hehe, I want to be a Hunter Manager like Eun-hyuk hyung! It helps get rid of the monsters that bully those people, right?"
"...Hey, a Hunter Manager is just a flunky. Instead of such hard work, find something you want to do."
"Hmm, but I want to protect everyone from the monsters."
"...."
Most of the kids here lost their parents to incidents related to monsters.
That's probably why they dream like that.
"If you were a Hunter, maybe, but being a Hunter Manager isn't cool, you know?"
"But boys can't become Hunters."
A valid point.
Men cannot become Hunters.
To become a Hunter, you need to awaken a trait, and awakening is a phenomenon that only happens to women.
"That's not true. Boys can be Hunters too."
There are occasional male Hunters.
They are civilians, but they hunt monsters by wielding weapons made of magical power.
Since magic weapons are ridiculously expensive, it doesn't make financial sense.
They just fight out of a single-minded desire for revenge against the monsters.
"Really?"
"But you have to make a lot of money. So Tae-woong, let's find a job that makes a lot of money."
"Yes!"
At least those people aren't looked down upon.
Being civilians who fight for humanity, they are often praised for being cool.
I hoped these kids wouldn't be looked down upon like I was.
"Eun-seo, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a Hunter. Then Eun-hyuk oppa will be my manager, right?"
"Of course. I wish all Hunters were as kind as you, Eun-seo."
Hunter Manager.
It's not a job where gender particularly matters.
It's a kind of civil servant role, taking care of the needs of your assigned Hunters.
Most Hunters are busy developing their abilities or raiding dungeons, so they often lack information gathering.
So, the manager's official job is to fill that information gap.
'It's a shitty job, but the salary is good.'
Still, it's a job with surprisingly high spec requirements, so there's always a manpower shortage.
"Why? Did the Hunter unnies bully you again?"
"What can you do when the higher-ups are irritable?"
We managers neatly compile the necessary information for our assigned Hunters, and the Hunters use that information to clear out monsters and raid dungeons.
Of course, since we're dealing with Hunters, who are treated as the top of the caste system, we are in the subordinate position.
So, odd jobs and being an emotional trash can come as a bonus.
"But the new Hunter unnie who just joined seems kinda nice."
"Really?"
"Yep."
The C-ranks Myo Seol-ah and Bae Jeong-ah.
They are new Hunters who recently graduated from the Hunter Academy.
They are also the ones who were being bullied by Yeo Yu-rim this time.
"I'm not sure about the other one, but one unnie is nice."
I'm not sure what Bae Jeong-ah is thinking yet, but Myo Seol-ah asked if I was okay even though she must know the bullying would get worse.
Since I'm grateful, I should put more care into the reports when Myo Seol-ah goes on dungeon raids from now on.
"Such cute kids."
I ruffled the kids' heads and got up from my seat.
Time to head home and tackle the piled-up work.
Even if I've clocked out, a Hunter Manager's job is to finish the remaining work.
"I'll come again next time. Seeing the kids looking plump lately, I guess the director is paying more attention?"
"Donations have increased a bit lately, so we have the leeway to feed the kids well now."
"That's a relief. Bye, kids~"
Some kids looked a little disappointed, but thanks to my frequent visits lately, most of them accepted the goodbye cleanly.
These cute rascals.
"Ah, I'm getting hungry. Need to eat something."
The moment I got home, hunger pangs hit me, so I put water in a pot and took out some ramen.
While waiting for the water to boil, I turned on the TV.
[The Seongyusan Dungeon, previously deemed impossible to conquer, has been successfully raided. We have with us A-rank Hunter and Manager Yoo Hye-eun, who led this raid.]
"An A-rank Hunter doing manager work... she must be a strange person."
Well, I guess you need to be A-rank to manage an S-rank like Yoo Chae-rin.
That crazy bitch doesn't treat anyone below her standard as human.
'Now that I know the truth, it makes sense.'
I used to wonder why an A-rank Hunter would be a manager, but it's apparently necessary to properly utilize Yoo Chae-rin.
They say you see what you know; it's really true.
[Hello. I am A-rank Hunter Yoo Hye-eun.]
Yoo Hye-eun gave a brief introduction about the raid and explained the factors for success.
It was very long, but in summary, it was a detailed explanation of how Yoo Chae-rin was just ridiculously overpowered.
"Wow, what a spectacle."
Yoo Chae-rin's exploits were being replayed on TV in their entirety.
Although her personality is utterly shit, the sight of her pouring out firepower from the wings on her back was incredibly beautiful.
No wonder people praise her as an angel.
"Well, even I have to admit she looks like an angel."
Her slightly lavender-tinted hair flowed, and the beautiful white wings stretching from her back fluttered.
Moreover, the instantaneous firepower using those wings is ranked number one in the world.
It was a scene that would make any Korean swell with pride.
"Tch, damn it."
If it weren't for today's events, I would have kept thinking that.
It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth now.
"I wish I had awakened too."
Since I'm a man, that's impossible.
I shoved ramen into my mouth, wistfully dreaming of an impossible fantasy.
If I were a Hunter, I'd beat up Min A-young and Yeo Yu-rim first.
Making those bitches pay is my lifelong wish.
"No, wait, they say dream big."
It would be the icing on the cake if I could reach S-rank and give Yoo Chae-rin a piece of my mind too.
People who think they're so great really need to be taken down a peg.
[Your voice reaches the stars of the abyss.]
"Huh?"
I thought I saw something in front of my eyes. A hallucination?
Well, I haven't been taking care of my health lately.
I should start taking vitamins or some...
[You have Awakened!]
[May many females reach felicity by your Feminist hands! Your trait is 'Feminist'.]
"What?"
I dropped the chopsticks I was using to eat ramen.
[1] a woman who takes on roles or qualities traditionally associated with men. Eh, because it's a reverse world, it's opposite??? ;D
[2] Brother, male version
[3] Brother, female version