I Became a Goblin Ancestor

[The woman named Ahn Seo-hyun, the leader of the Punishment Team… to explain simply, she’s a hero of this defense city.]

While I was feeling the softness of the seat after boarding the unmanned flagship prepared by Yeon-ah, Yeon-ah said with a serious expression through the video call.

Originally, I thought about having a simple drink as Yeon-ah had first suggested, but unfortunately, there was only wine and champagne in the flagship, so drinking was not allowed for me who only drinks makgeolli, and thanks to that, I ended up having a video call time with Yeon-ah instead.

At Yeon-ah’s words emphasizing the word hero, I muttered softly.

“A hero… Then, did she single-handedly block hordes of monsters coming from outside this defense city or something?”

[There were such incidents, but the reason Ahn Seo-hyun is called a hero is not simply because of that.]

“Hmm? Then why exactly is she called a hero?”

Even though she had single-handedly blocked monsters before, the reason she was called a hero wasn’t because of that.

I asked like that at Yeon-ah’s incomprehensible words, and Yeon-ah let out a small sigh before pointing to the hologram database of the woman called Ahn Seo-hyun that had appeared next to the video call screen and said,

[The main reason she’s called a hero is because her way of thinking, code of conduct, etc., are heroic to the bone.]

“That’s quite a vague statement…”

It’s not that I don’t understand, but a human who has the same mindset as those commonly called heroes…

I had never seen such a human even in the past, so it was quite hard to believe that such a human had emerged in this bleak human society.

However, Yeon-ah in the video call nodded as if agreeing with my reaction.

[I couldn’t believe it at first either, like you, ancestor. I thought she was just a psychopath acting with a plausible exterior. I thought she was doing such things for self-satisfaction, having obtained good gene mana stones.]

“Then now?”

[That woman, Ahn Seo-hyun… I realized she was the real deal. From the start, when I investigated her past, she wasn’t someone who bought gene mana stones with money, but was chosen by her ancestor, had mana stones implanted, and became the team leader.]

“The Punishment Team’s ancestor, the one I only heard the voice of, I don’t know well, but if that ancestor chose her without any price, does it mean she was extraordinary from the start?”

[Yes, that’s exactly right. And it’s true in reality as well.]

At the sight of Yeon-ah nodding without hesitation, I inwardly let out a small exclamation.

Yeon-ah usually seemed very picky and fastidious except when in front of me, but for such a Yeon-ah to give such a generous evaluation.

Yeon-ah’s reaction made me more and more expectant about what kind of person she was.

Fortunately, since this Punishment Team leader Seo-hyun said she would personally handle my exam today, I should be able to resolve this curiosity soon.

Therefore, while I was having a conversation with Yeon-ah about Seo-hyun a bit more, holding expectations inwardly, suddenly the flagship began to decelerate slowly.

Whirr—

[Even though she has a heroic mindset, she’s surprisingly socially adept in everyday life… Ah, it seems we’re arriving soon.]

“Is that the Hunter Association visible down there? It’s smaller than I thought?”

[Yes, well, there are generally no buildings exceeding 10 floors in the 11th district. The Hunter Association is also quite low in terms of floors.]

Indeed, unlike the central district, most of the buildings around, including the Hunter Association, were between 5 to 7 floors.

Instead, as the Hunter Association was a representative major building of the 11th district, it boasted a considerably wide size horizontally while being small vertically.

And soon, the flagship stopped in the air above such a Hunter Association and began to land slowly on the rooftop of the association.

Then, Yeon-ah, who had been connected through the video call until now, gave me encouragement with a light bow.

[Then, ancestor, I hope you do well in the hunter exam. I’ll end the call now for work. The flagship will remain docked here, so you can ride it again when you return.]

“Alright, I got it. Thanks, Yeon-ah.”

[…Y-you’re too kind. Then, I’ll be going now.]

Beep—

The hologram turns off with a short noise.

After the call ended, I smiled faintly, remembering Yeon-ah’s grinning face shown at the last moment, and then slowly got up from my seat as the flagship had completely landed.

“Phew… Well then, shall I go get my hunter certificate now?”

『Let’s go quickly.』

I get up from my seat and sling Hwa-gon, which I had placed beside the seat, over my shoulder.

And as I stand in front of the door of the landed flagship, the door opens vertically, creating stairs.

Click click—

It was an amazing sight no matter how many times I saw it, but without showing it, I descended the stairs to the rooftop of the Hunter Association while inwardly marveling.

“…What is this?”

I couldn’t help but mutter like that at the scene I saw as soon as I stepped onto the rooftop.

The employees of the Hunter Association maintaining a single line formation in front of the flagship’s door, creating a path with the sound of footsteps.

“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“If you wish, we can guide you to Team Leader Seo-hyun right away.”

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at the sight of two men and women bowing their heads to greet me at the center of them.

“Huh…”

A laugh bursts out without me realizing it.

However, despite my laughter, the Hunter Association employees steadfastly moved their steps and soon created a complete path, and at that sight, I quietly muttered inwardly.

Isn’t the Punishment Team even more exaggerated than the General Management Team, I thought.

When the flagship with the General Management Team’s emblem began to land on the association’s rooftop, the hunters inside the association buzzed, and the employees began to move in unison under the direction of the executives.

The hunters were surprised by the unexpected situation of the General Management Team’s visit, and the employees were moving urgently at the executives’ orders to gather on the rooftop.

“My goodness… It’s the first time I’ve seen the executives work so hard.”
“Be quiet and move quickly. Do you want to get disciplined?”

The sight of the executives giving orders while sweating cold sweat, which could never be seen normally.

Na-rang muttered like that without realizing it, but Hyun-ah, who was listening to that muttering beside her, urged Na-rang’s dawdling feet.

She really wanted to retort asking if she was picking a fight even at a time like this, but there was certainly nothing wrong with Hyun-ah’s words.

It’s rare for the executives to move in such a flustered manner, but because of that, one wrong move could lead to immediate disciplinary action.

Therefore, Na-rang quickly moved her feet following Hyun-ah, but still asked her as they ran up the stairs together.

“Senior Hyun-ah, but who on earth is coming that’s making the executives like that? Is Lee Yeon-ah coming or something?”
“Well…? I don’t know much either since I only received orders from the executives, but from what I heard them saying as they passed by, it seems an exclusive hunter of the General Management Team is coming.”
“…An exclusive hunter? The General Management Team?”

At the absurd words she suddenly heard, Na-rang almost stopped in her tracks without realizing it, but she managed to keep running up the stairs while asking back.

I mean, why on earth would the General Management Team, which hasn’t taken in an exclusive hunter for the past 50 years, take in an exclusive hunter?

Exclusive hunters are only taken in by the Five Pillars who are in charge of gate-related work or have extended their business to the gate side.

So why would the General Management Team, which doesn’t do any of that, do this?

Na-rang’s question was natural if anything. But unfortunately, even Hyun-ah didn’t know the answer to that.

“How would I know? How could a commoner like me know what those high-up people are thinking? You just accept it as it is and move on.”
“Is it like some new concept of rich people’s entertainment…?”
“It could be something like that.”

After a few tens of seconds of climbing the stairs while having a joking discussion about the incomprehensible actions of the General Management Team.

Soon, Na-rang and Hyun-ah arrived at the rooftop, quickly checked the other employees who had already arrived and were lined up, and hurriedly filled in the line following them.

Then, a few more employees arrived on the rooftop behind the two, and after a few seconds of completing the line.

Na-rang glanced at the General Management Team’s flagship that had landed noisily on the rooftop with the sound of propellers while deeply bowing at the waist.

No, not just Na-rang, but Hyun-ah beside her, and all the surrounding employees quietly focused their attention on the door of the flagship that had finished landing and was slowly starting to open.

‘What kind of person could it be…’

What kind of amazing person has come as an exclusive hunter that made those heavy-bottomed executives run up here so hurriedly?

With eyes holding such questions, Na-rang focused intently on the fully opened door and.

“…Huh?”

The next moment.

Na-rang, who caught sight of the face of the person who came down from the flagship, burst out with a question reflexively in surprise.

“Huh… They’ve made quite the preparation.”
“You’re too kind. The preparations for Team Leader Seo-hyun, whom you’re meeting today, are all complete, but what would you like to do?”
“Well, guide me.”
“Understood.”

At a glance… no, even at a cursory look, a girl speaking with an extremely impolite tone and swaggering while making the executive take the lead.

However, Na-rang was so captivated by the girl’s appearance for a moment that such a tone didn’t even register in her ears.

Snow-white hair flowing down to her waist and a red bridge flaunting its presence amidst that whiteness.

Below that, golden eyes that seemed to be plated and crafted from diamonds held light, and a flawless figure that could neither be called thin nor plump was showing off its charm in a crop top and shorts, with a loose jumper worn over them.

‘She’s beautiful…’

While working at the association, she had met all sorts of handsome men and beautiful women, but she had never seen a woman as beautiful as the girl before her eyes.

Even though Na-rang herself and Hyun-ah were not inferior in looks, they were no match for the girl, and even Park Ye-in, an S-rank hunter considered top in the country for both looks and skill, probably couldn’t stand as an equal to the girl.

Of course, as she was a girl, there wasn’t much mature charm, but there existed a gap in the girl that couldn’t be filled even with mature charm.

If one were to describe the girl in one word… yes, wouldn’t ‘peerless beauty’ (絶世佳人) suit her best?

Na-rang thought inwardly that probably not just herself, but everyone thought so, and muttered like that.

And finally, when the girl following the executive passed by Na-rang herself.

“Hmm?”

“…!”

Na-rang started in surprise and shook her head at the sight of the girl who had met her eyes for a moment and then turned her head.

‘…Come to think of it, no matter how pretty she is, she’s still the General Management Team’s exclusive hunter after all.’

For a moment, she had forgotten while being captivated by her, but the girl’s identity was none other than the General Management Team’s exclusive hunter.

Recalling that, Na-rang immediately took her gaze off the girl’s appearance that had been covering her eyes, and while watching the back of the girl going down the stairs, she inwardly prayed desperately.

‘Please don’t let me be in charge of her…!’

If she were to be selected as the person in charge of her, not just today but her entire life would be fucked.

Na-rang fervently prayed in her heart for this lifelong wish that she hoped would come true.