“So…”
Eleanor leaned in with an eager sparkle in her eyes as she looked between me and Lumina.
“Which one of you made that dagger?”
Lumina’s shoulder flinched slightly.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I played dumb.
“Ugh, don’t bother with that polite talk. We’re all around the same age, right? I’m a Hunter trainee too.”
“Right. Speaking casually’s easier for me, anyway.”
“Oh, nice. I like that you get it.”
Eleanor grinned as if she were pleased.
“What we brought were demon realm relics, not handmade items.”
“Nope. That dagger you brought was definitely made by a Hunter.”
Eleanor’s expression brimmed with certainty.
“Relics from the demon realm—the gear and accessories monsters drop when they die—are basically all used goods. Even the ones that look new have microscopic scratches when you examine them up close.”
I understood exactly what she meant.
Equipment from monsters always spawned with a bit of durability lost.
So in this world’s logic, calling them ‘used’ or ‘scratched’ was just a way of representing game mechanics realistically.
“But the dagger you brought was brand new. The blade was razor-sharp, and there wasn’t a single sign it had been used.”
Eleanor’s lips curled up.
“Materials imbued with demon realm magic can only be handled by Hunters. And items crafted by Hunters always leave a unique magic signature. That dagger—and these accessories too—all have that signature.”
She picked up a ring from the counter with her pale fingers.
“The materials used in this ring are from low-level dungeons. Same with the dagger. That means it was probably made by a trainee, not a professional or licensed Hunter.”
Eleanor pointed a finger at me like a detective who had just solved the case.
“I don’t know why you were trying to hide that these are handmade items, but you can’t fool my eyes. So just give it up and be honest. Who made them? One of you? Or are you just messengers and the real culprit’s somewhere else?”
Culprit? I hadn’t committed a crime.
I mentally rolled my eyes.
Lumina looked frozen, unsure of what to do.
But there was no need for her to panic.
I’d claimed these were demon relics precisely because I knew this girl would get curious. I wanted to bait her, and it had worked.
“Why do you want to know that so badly?” I asked.
Eleanor gave a triumphant smile—like she was sure I’d finally decided to spill the truth.
“I’ll explain in detail once we’re there. Come on, follow me. Mister Manager, I’m taking them with me!”
She didn’t even wait for our answer—just declared it as if it was already decided.
Not that I wasn’t planning to follow her anyway.
I got up from my seat.
As we followed Eleanor downstairs to the first floor, Lumina whispered beside me, “Yein, are you sure it’s okay to go with her?”
“I don’t think we can hide anything from her anyway. Besides—aren’t you curious?”
“Curious? About what?”
“About who that girl really is. The one who’s our age but gets called a shop owner.”
I glanced around.
The employees at Crystal Hunter Mall kept sneaking peeks at Eleanor.
Once we stepped outside, Eleanor led us through a narrow alleyway behind the Hunter Market.
Eventually, we reached a spacious area lined with one-story buildings.
Loud clanging noises and high-pitched screeches echoed from various workshops.
Everyone we passed was an adult—except us.
“Eep…”
Lumina walked closer to me. She seemed nervous under all the curious adult stares.
Eleanor stopped in front of a one-story building that looked just like the rest.
She held up her smartwatch to the security scanner, and the door unlocked with a click.
“Come on in!”
She stretched out her arm and beckoned us inside.
As soon as we stepped in, we were greeted by a massive furnace.
Instead of charcoal, it burned with bluish light—thanks to magic stones.
Beside it sat an anvil, a giant hammer, and tongs. On a nearby metal table were various tools, along with leather, fabric, needles, thread, and even a sewing machine.
One entire wall was covered with shelves and mannequins holding dozens of completed gear pieces. Beneath that, dozens more half-finished items lay scattered across floor mats.
“Welcome to my workshop.”
Eleanor grinned proudly.
“Wow…”
Lumina looked overwhelmed as she took in everything.
I silently examined the completed items.
Most of them emitted a bluish glow—a sign that they were magic items.
“Pretty impressive, huh?”
“…”
I turned my head wordlessly.
Eleanor had somehow moved closer, staring at me with a knowing smile.
“A-Ah…”
Lumina gasped softly behind me.
“So you’re the one who made that dagger and those accessories, huh?”
Eleanor’s eyes seemed to shine.
“I could tell the moment we walked in. You were drawn to the gear I made. You’re the same as me.”
She licked her lips and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Nam Yein.”
“Yein. How about becoming my assistant?”
“Huh!?”
Lumina’s eyes went wide as she turned to me.
“W-Wait a second! A-Assistant!?”
“Sorry. I’m here to talk to Yein. Do you mind waiting?”
Eleanor didn’t even glance at her.
“By assistant, you mean you want me to help you make gear?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s kind of sudden. I mean, you’re my age, you run a shop, and now you’re randomly offering me a position in your suspicious-looking workshop. It’s not the easiest thing to say yes to.”
I already knew the full story, but saying this made things feel more natural.
“…Hmm. Yeah, I guess I was a little too forward.”
Eleanor folded her arms and sighed sincerely, then placed her hands on her hips.
“All right. Let’s start with a proper introduction, then. I’m Anne Eleanor. I own the Hunter equipment shop ‘Wings of Platinum’ and this place, ‘Workshop Eleanor.’ I’m also the third daughter of Ahn Hyunggi, president of Crystal.”
“Huh…?”
Lumina, listening in from behind, tilted her head—then her jaw dropped.
“W-Wait. Did you say… Crystal’s president’s daughter!?”
Crystal.
Alongside Forward, it was one of the two megacorporations that ruled the world today.
Its main businesses were the trade and research of demon realm materials and relics, as well as the production of Hunter equipment. Skill Slots were one of Crystal’s signature inventions.
Crystal also managed essential resources for humanity—agriculture, food, electricity, and water. Before the Human-Demon War, those had actually been Crystal’s original areas of business.
“So that’s why you have a shop and a workshop even at your age.”
I spoke like I’d only now figured it out.
“Yup. I’m not super proud of it, but the capital I’m using now came from my father. So you get it now—I’m not some sketchy weirdo, right?”
“Well, I get that you’re someone important, but now I’m even more confused. Why would a girl from such a good family be making gear in overalls and a patched-up cap?”
She wore baggy overalls, a frayed newsboy cap, arm sleeves—and her face and hands were smudged with grime. Nothing about her screamed “rich girl.”
“That’s because my dream is to become the world’s greatest Hunter gear maker!”
Eleanor said it loud and proud, with a powerful voice that was oddly overwhelming.
“But it’s not something I can achieve alone. I need at least one person by my side to help me with the work. I’ve been searching for that person. And today—I finally found them. That’s you.”
She pointed her finger directly at my chest.
“Why not just hire skilled adult Hunters? Aren’t all the people in this alley gear crafters?”
“I’m looking for a partner to walk the same path with me—not someone who’s already established.”
“P-P-Partner…”
I noticed Lumina’s shoulders trembling slightly.
Sorry, Lumina, but I didn’t have the room to worry about you right now.
‘How I build my relationship with Eleanor will completely change the difficulty of what’s ahead.’
In the game, Eleanor was a companion NPC—but the conditions to recruit her were extremely limited.
The first condition to recruit Eleanor as a companion was that the player character must possess at least one crafting skill—whether it be smithing, alchemy, or enchantment.
Without that, the event wouldn’t even trigger.
And the second condition...
“Just so you know, I’m a student at Gwangcheon Academy.”
“What?”
Eleanor’s expression instantly hardened.
The second requirement to recruit Eleanor was that the player must attend the same academy as she did.
In Latessai, companions could only be recruited if they were affiliated with the same academy as the player.
Which meant that I, being from Gwangcheon, had virtually zero chance of recruiting Eleanor.
After all, Crystal—the corporation her father belonged to—and Gwangcheon Academy’s managing foundation, Forward, were bitter rivals.
‘Sworn enemies’ would be putting it lightly.
“You just had to be from Gwangcheon, huh…?”
Eleanor scowled.
“That’s... problematic. If my dad finds out, he might shut down my workshop and the store.”
I hadn’t even agreed to become her assistant, but she already spoke like it was a done deal.
“Oh! Then why don’t you just transfer to our academy? Come join Crystal Academy.”
“Wh-What!?!?”
Lumina shrieked.
And yet Eleanor still didn’t spare her a single glance.
“The facilities and education are way better than Gwangcheon. Our gear and Skill Gem support is top-tier. I’ll help with the paperwork and recommendation process. My uncle’s the headmaster—he’ll make it easy.”
“Y-Yein! Yein!!”
“You want to come too?”
“Huh?”
For the first time since we entered the workshop, Eleanor turned to look at Lumina.
“You’ll need to be somewhat capable, of course. Gwangcheon students tend to be lacking, but if you’ve got a unique ability, there might be a chance. What do you say?”
“U-Uh…”
Lumina’s eyes darted nervously.
“Sorry, but I can’t.”
I rejected Eleanor’s proposal on the spot.
I was already deep into the Gwangcheon scenario.
I’d recruited Lumina, I was in the middle of events with Jin Cheongwang, and I still had the Chen Meiling storyline to finish.
Besides, Latessai didn’t even have a school transfer mechanic.
If I followed Eleanor’s idea and something unexpected triggered, it could ruin every future development I had planned.
“Hmm… Then we’ll just have to keep it a secret that you go to Gwangcheon.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
Her pushy attitude finally made me speak bluntly.
“I’m not asking you to be my assistant for free. I’ll pay you fairly, and if there’s anything else you want, just name it. If I can do it, I will.”
Eleanor’s expression turned serious.
“Yein, be my assistant. The moment I saw that dagger you made, I was hooked.”
“Hrk!!!”
Lumina—never mind. I don’t have time for that right now.
“We’d make an amazing team. Let’s craft the best gear this workshop’s ever seen—together.”
Eleanor reached out her hand to me.
“…There’s been something bothering me.”
I stared down at her soot-stained hand.
“Hm? What is it?”
“This whole ‘assistant’ thing… Are you assuming you’re more skilled than I am?”
“…?”
Eleanor stared at me blankly, then raised an eyebrow.
“Wait. Are you saying you’re better than me?”
“It doesn’t make sense for a squire to be stronger than the knight.”
Her mouth snapped shut in a straight line.
“So if you want to take me on as your assistant, we’ll have to settle it with a duel. If you win, I’ll become your assistant with no complaints—and I won’t even ask for payment.”
Eleanor smiled.
But this time, it wasn’t her usual cheerful grin. It was the fierce, determined smile of someone sizing up a worthy opponent.
“That’s a perfect deal for me. But if you win—what are you asking for?”
“Simple. You become my assistant. This place won’t be Workshop Eleanor anymore—it’ll be Workshop Yein.”
“Pfft!!”
Eleanor burst into laughter.
“I love it. This is great—so fun! Follow me!”
She spun around and headed toward a different door, not the one we’d come through earlier.
I followed her into what turned out to be a storage room.
It was even bigger than the workshop, and packed full of crafting materials.
“Since you’re the one who challenged me, I want to decide how we do this. That okay?”
I nodded.
“Pick whatever materials you want from here. I’ll take the exact same ones.”
She pointed to the stockpile.
“No excuses about losing because of better materials. We’ll make one weapon, one piece of armor, and one accessory—whoever crafts the better set wins.”
“Fine by me.”
“Great. Then go ahead and choose.”
I rummaged through the neatly sorted supplies.
Before long, I found a bundle of dried straw.
I gathered it along with several other materials and laid them out before Eleanor.
“Hm. Most of these are low-tier. You can use better ones, you know.”
“Low-tier stuff makes skill stand out more clearly.”
Eleanor smiled again—that same fired-up grin from earlier.
Of course, the real reason I picked low-tier materials was because I could only craft gear up to level 10 right now.
“How long do you need?”
Eleanor asked.
“A week’s enough. You?”
“Same.”
“Then let’s meet back here next Saturday at noon.”
“Sounds good. I can’t wait to see what you make. Not that you’ll beat me.”
Eleanor crossed her arms with confidence.
After that, I left the workshop with Lumina.
Behind us, I could already hear the sound of her hammer striking.
“Yein, if you lose… are you really going to become her assistant?”
“A promise is a promise.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I won’t lose.”
“R-Right. I believe in you.”
She didn’t look very confident, though.
“But why a week from now? You could’ve made something right there on the spot.”
It was a fair question.
“That’s because…”
I grinned.
“…the item I’m going to make isn’t actually for the match against Eleanor.”
“What??”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
I said that as I touched the icon in my pocket.
Its smooth surface pressed against my fingers.
(End of Chapter)