There was a slight or a big difference in the plot. The female lead had never joined Yoon Seoyul’s guild in the book because she was unawakened. It should be her older brother joining the guild due to her younger sister’s insistence. Even if she joined as an office worker, that meant she had awakened.
"It’s fine if you don’t want to believe me. We were already paired together for the S-Class gates, so I thought being in the same guild would only bring us closer... was I so wrong for thinking that?"
Lee Nari spoke softly, her eyes lowered to the polished surface of the dark wooden table, a faint smile curling her lips. Her finger traced idle hearts into the grain as if lost in a daydream.
Paired together for an S-Class gate? She took her older brother’s place? For entering an S-Class gate, she would have to be at least an A-Class. That means Lee Nari joined the guild as a hunter. That was completely breaking the original plot.
"You and Yoon Seoyul?"
"Mmmm...."
Cheon Areum asked in a daze. She dragged out a long hum and suddenly looked at him, her finger pointing at him with a quick wink.
"And you."
"The three of us?"
Well, it was definitely possible. Coming from an influential family of renowned S-Class hunters, she had more than enough strings to pull something like this off. She had likely tried to reduce the raid party to just two members—herself and Yoon Seoyul—but that wasn’t permitted. The minimum number of hunters required to enter a dungeon was three. If he had to guess, Yoon Seoyul had probably added his name as the third member himself, because ever since the graveyard incident, Yoon Seoyul hadn’t allowed Cheon Areum to enter a gate without him.
"The S-Class gate and hunter ratio is being overthrown right now, so we have to cut down the numbers as much as we can."
"Your older brother is also quite famous. Lee Dohyun, I thought he would be coming back for reinforcement this time. We do need more S-Class hunters right now."
"Oh, I didn’t come alone. Dohyun was assigned for Busan, while I’m responsible for the S-Class gates in Seoul. Of course, not me alone—the three of us have our own area. While the other three-member teams have their own area. This way, we can assure the gates will be closed on the first day of their opening and everyone wouldn’t be burdened with too many S-Class gates. Like Yoon Seoyul, who’s been clearing almost four S-Class gates in a 24-hour period."
"Do you have a special skill?"
Cheon Areum suddenly asked, tapping his elbow thoughtfully as he leaned back into the lounge chair, his gaze fixed on her. If he wasn’t mistaken, only S-Class hunters possessed a special skill. And judging by the way she carried herself—her confidence, her tone, the subtle arrogance laced in her words—she didn’t seem like an A-Class at all. She should have one. He was sure of it. So he waited, patiently, watching her as Lee Nari silently stared back at him. A moment passed before she spoke again.
"Is this a test? Of course, I have one. I’m an S-Class just like Yoon Seoyul."
The taps on his elbow stopped abruptly as the smile that had left Lee Nari’s lips played on Cheon Areum’s instead. He was right. Despite the weakening memories of his life as Kim Sangmin, this detail had stayed intact. In this world, S-Class hunters were each bestowed with a special skill. Lee Nari herself had confirmed it. Though Yoon Seoyul had denied it in the past. But that part still didn’t make sense. He had awakened as an S+ Class—not a downgrade but a rare upgrade. If anything, it should’ve meant he had something even more potent than the rest. And yet... nothing. But Lee Nari awakening as an S-Class didn’t make sense either. What could have triggered these changes?
"I’m really telling the truth. I awakened around the same time as your second awakening! You were a healer before your reawakening, isn’t that right?"
"Is this a rumor from the internet or a known fact that has been exposed due to my popularity?"
"How would I know? That’s why I’m asking you."
"Didn’t you say you were a huge fan of mine?"
"That’s... I’m not the kind of fan that needs to know everything about you. I didn’t do a deep dive into the information that is being spread on the internet. If you had shared that yourself, I would definitely know."
Lee Nari hurriedly explained, but if she hadn’t looked for more information on him, she shouldn’t have known that he was a healer before his reawakening—unless she did a background check on him...
"Look at the time. It’s getting pretty late. I have something to do, so if you’ll excuse me now."
Cheon Areum glanced down at his bare wrist—where a watch should have been—as if checking the time, his voice laced with just enough politeness to pass, rising slowly from the lounge chair.
"Ah, wait! Were you really a healer before?"
Lee Nari’s voice raised an octave as Cheon Areum turned back to reply.
"It’s true. I was a healer before my reawakening. If that’s all."
"I’m also a healer! Um, not really, but my class type is of a healer!"
Lee Nari shot up from her seat. She placed a hand delicately over her exposed collarbone, eyes wide with faux pureness as she exclaimed—as if simply being a healer would instantly raise her value in their eyes.
"Jihyeon was the only S-Class healer before, but now there are two. Isn’t that awesome? My skills are a bit different than his—they’re not all related to healing—but two of them can heal. That makes me a healer! Or more like a modifier, as my older brother calls it. I can regenerate and degenerate cells. Even better, I can readjust them in any way I want!"