Chapter 23

To cut to the chase, the move went smoothly.

Of course, it was only natural.

I mean, what kind of stuff did I even have to move?

Just a few old clothes and some random junk.

And the moving gifts from the hotel owner.

Even if you put it all together, two people could carry it with their hands.

It’s not like there’s a moving company in this world, so it’s a good thing I didn’t have much.

If I had more, I’d have had to make multiple trips in this sticky, humid weather.

Sure, I could’ve used my abilities to make it easier, but… abilities don’t mean zero stamina drain. In fact, they require focus, so mentally, it’s exhausting.

If I had overdone it, I’d probably be lying flat on the floor of the new office instead of just sweating like I am now.

“Uncle, is this… where we’re going to live?”

“It’s more like an office than a house.”

If I’d planned to make a living solely as a hunter, I might’ve asked for a house, but I figured an office was better.

Finding a decent house is hard, and maintaining it is a hassle. It’s cheaper to set up an office and make a little nest in the corner.

Since I got the whole two-story building, I’ll just use the second floor as living space.

I looked up at the old, musty gray building.

The walls were a mix of gray and brown, thanks to a concrete-manipulating User from the Crocodile Bird faction who did some repairs.

It does give off a bit of a rundown vibe, but hey, owning a building in this world is no small feat. Sure, the facilities aren’t great, but…

At least we can use the electricity produced by the Crocodile Bird, and there’s a water tank on the roof, so as long as we don’t waste water, we’ll have enough for the two of us.

The only issue is that it’s on the outskirts of the Crocodile Bird territory, so security’s a bit iffy, but that’s a small price to pay.

At least I’ve achieved the dream of having my own place.

In a world where apartment prices fluctuate as much as my salary, this is something I could only dream of.

So, I should just be grateful for what I’ve got.

They even did some repairs for me.

I opened the door and stepped inside.

A short hallway, a door, and stairs.

Two doors—one must be the bathroom.

“Let’s take the stuff upstairs.”

“Are we living on the second floor?”

“That’s better. If we lived on the first floor, people could see in through the windows, and we’d have to bring guests upstairs anyway.”

It’s better to keep the office on the first floor for accessibility. Plus, living on the first floor would mean dealing with noise from people working upstairs.

…But would the noise really be that bad?

I’ll have to test it out.

“Uncle, can I take a look around?”

Mina looked up at me with sparkling eyes, unable to hide her excitement. Eyes full of life that you’d never see in the original work.

Times like this make me glad I brought her along.

If I hadn’t taken care of her, she’d probably be…

“Uncle?”

“Oh, go ahead and look around.”

“You should come too.”

“Sure.”

I followed Mina into the room on the second floor. It was emptier than I expected.

Three rooms, a decently sized living room, and a kitchen in the corner… Does the gas even work?

At least there’s an old sofa in the living room. That makes it feel more like a living room.

It’d feel weird if it were completely empty.

Though, expecting more than this is a bit luxurious.

“It’s a bit empty, isn’t it?”

“It’s better than the house I lived in as a kid.”

What kind of life did you live?

This place looks pretty run-down. If it were before the possession, I’d have cursed at someone calling this a house. But I guess this is just how things are in a world on the brink of collapse.

“When I was little… I lived in a place even smaller than this. Or… was it even a house? A crumbling shack that couldn’t keep out the cold or the heat.”

A shack.

I’ve only seen those a few times as a kid, never actually been inside one. I’ve only seen the inside in documentaries.

To think she lived in one… She’s been through a lot.

“Compared to that, this is heaven. I have my own room… and it’s spacious. It’s sturdy too. At least I won’t fall through the floor.”

Fall through the floor?

What’s the floor even made of?

“Uncle, which room are you going to use?”

“You pick first. I don’t care about size.”

“You take the big room.”

“You can have it.”

“No, you take it. I’m fine with this.”

I looked at the big room and the small room Mina mentioned.

The big room had a decent-sized bed.

The small room also had a bed.

For a while, I’ll need to focus on finding usable furniture or tools in the gray forest.

Even so, having just a bed in a room feels too bare.

At the very least, I should get a small table and a wardrobe. Though, I’d need clothes to put in the wardrobe first.

“The bed… is so soft.”

Mina sat on the bed in the big room, then lay down, her face showing surprise. I felt a sting in my eyes.

Everything she says hits hard.

I barely managed to respond.

“…Beds are supposed to be soft.”

“…But the beds at the Research Institute were hard.”

…True.

We finished looking around the rooms and returned to the living room. There wasn’t much to see, and it was time to check out the office.

We headed straight out of the room and down the stairs.

The office door on the first floor.

Opening it, the office looked more presentable than upstairs.

“There’s a chair and a table here.”

“And a desk. The chairs are pretty…”

Where did they even get chairs like these?

I sat down on the unnecessarily fancy chair and enjoyed the cushioning.

It creaked a bit, but the chair comfortably supported my weight.

A decent level of softness.

Not the kind where you sink in like a high-end chair, but this is good enough.

I sank into the chair and observed the office.

The office, decorated similarly to the boss’s room, looked a bit old but was decent.

It had a sofa, a table, and a proper desk, so it had the right vibe.

“The office looks fancy.”

“Fancy?”

“But there’s nothing upstairs.”

“True.”

In a world far from abundance, this is still something to be grateful for.

Mina looks satisfied, considering what she said.

“Now that we’ve checked out the building, the next step is to fill the second floor with money.”

“Do we have the money for that?”

“Not right now. I’ll keep working as a hunter to earn some.”

“I want to keep working at the hotel too.”

The hotel. It’s quite a distance from here, so it’ll be tough. But since it’s in a secure area, safety isn’t as much of a concern.

“Do what you want.”

Overprotecting her would be a problem.

I’m not her parent, and I can’t tie her down like that.

If I’m not going to take care of her from start to finish, I can’t stop her from working.

The hotel owner’s a good person, so there’s less chance of trouble.

“So, what should we do now?”

“We could organize the stuff… but there’s not much to do.”

Honestly, it’d take five minutes before bed to finish.

“Let’s head into town and see if there’s anything worth buying. We did get a decent amount of money.”

The still-circulating Shin Saimdang bills, even after a war.

Whether it’s the author’s convenience or because Seoul is still alive and using the same currency, I don’t know.

Either way, having money to spend is what matters.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes!”

On the way, we’ll grab some snacks, maybe buy a couple of decent outfits… As I mentally listed what to buy, I took out my keys and locked the office door.

Then, from the bundle of keys, I detached two and handed them to Mina.

“This is the office key, and this is the house key.”

“…Thank you.”

Mina stared at the keys I gave her, then clutched them tightly to her chest and bowed her head.

Her strange reaction made me want to ask why, but before I could, a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yes. I’m really happy.”

…If Mina’s happy, then it’s fine.

I watched her wipe away her tears and said,

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

We locked the door to our new home.