The Skill Maker
chapter-24

<A Favor #2>

“Thankfully, after I became a hunter, I fed her all types of rare items that I obtained from the portal. I even grind an Energy Stone and to feed it to her. But, that could only do so much. She did improve for a moment, but that was the only time. In the end, she didn’t recover. The effects didn’t last long. And my sister is slowly dying. But.”

She stopped talking looked straight at Hyun-Soo.

“You. The scroll that you’re selling. If you have it, then it’ll be a different story.”

Even though he asked, Hyun-Soo already knew the answer.

‘It said that a very small amount of the curing rate will be increased when it was beyond physical injuries. Technically, a rare disease can be considered as being beyond a physical injury. That’s why, if the basic curing rate was increased, then the disease will be healed too.’

In his mind, it was definitely a reasonable story.

As if she was thinking about the same thing, she looked at Hyun-Soo with an anxious expression.

“I beg you. Please sell that scroll to me. It doesn’t matter how much it costs. I’ll pay no matter how expensive it is.”

“Oh, well…….”

Hyun-Soo wasn’t sure what to do.

‘I told myself I would decline no matter what she said…….’

This woman was making him have second thoughts.

She was breaking down the decision he made.

It would’ve been different if it was for a different reason. But…

‘The person that needed it just happened to be her younger sister.’

If a hunter was making an offer so that they could use it during a hunt, he would’ve declined right away, but the woman talked about her family and her younger sister that had a rare disease.

Hyun-Soo felt uncomfortable because he cared about his family just as much as her.

If their parents became sick, Hyuna would do everything within her power to find a cure.

If someone knew of a way, then they would do whatever it took to get that information.

But, it’s not like he didn’t understand her desperation in trying to find a cure.

It was a problem because he could relate.

‘What should I do? It would’ve been easier if she was forceful about me selling it to her.’

If he helped her, it would violate the rules he set for himself, but declining it would make him feel guilty.

To him, his family was his weakness.

And this woman used that to get what she wanted.

“Whew……. This is quite difficult.”

He didn’t want give in, but seeing her trying to save a family member that was dying made things complicated.

“If I sell you a scroll, will that sister of yours be completely cured?”

“…That’s what I’m hoping. I’m desperate so I’m trying whatever I can get my hands on. If I used the scroll that you’re selling, then I believe there’s a higher chance. Since it’s a passive skill, an ordinary person like my sister can use it and the recovery rate is quite high and also, it recovers injuries that are beyond physical injuries.”

Despite of the fact that there weren’t any information regarding it, she knew exactly that it was a passive skill and that it can be used on an ordinary person.

Hyuna and his parents did have one or two passive skills that he made.

Well, no one would use a passive skill on an ordinary person anyways. And on top of that, it’s a recovery skill.

Hyun-Soo was probably the first one.

Anyways, the woman probably didn’t say that while knowing about his parents, but Hyun-Soo was a bit shocked.

‘But, I’m sure this woman knows that the skill I’m selling is a scroll.’

There are rumors that scrolls can’t be used on an ordinary person because they don’t have the same energy has a hunter.

Of course no one could prove this because there were still a lot of information that haven’t been discovered yet.

“If your sister is an ordinary person, then it won’t be useful.”

The woman shook her head.

“Scholars are speculating that compared to the information that have been revealed about the scroll, there’s a lot more that haven’t been discovered. That’s why it’s a good enough reason to try. Also… it’s a passive skill, not an active skill. Even if active scrolls were used on an ordinary person, since they don’t have the energy, they can’t use it because it’s impossible to check to see if they really obtained it. But, no one knows whether they really obtained it.”

To summarize, it meant that it was impossible for ordinary people to use active skills because of the energy, but it could be different for passive skills.

“It’s a scroll that increases the recovery rate, so he doesn’t need the energy.”

Which meant it could be possible.

‘I was going to decline by telling her that it was impossible for him to acquire it…’

She knew that trying wouldn’t hurt, so he couldn’t say anything about that.

Hyun-Soo stayed silent, so the woman looked at him with an anxious look and spoke.

“I know that there’s no guarantee that it’ll work right away. But, I just really want to try anything. And since I’ve never used a passive scroll before, I believe there’s a high chance of success. Even if it fails, I’ll deal with it.”

“…….”

“If it does succeed, she’ll still have complications, but since his health will be somewhat recovered, she’ll be able to get surgery…and her chance of recovering will increase. Right now, she’s too weak so she can’t get surgery done. It’s a recovery skill and a passive skill on top of that. It’s a very rare scroll. Even if I have a lot of money, the only scrolls that I can get my hands on are scrolls that doesn’t really any effect. But I feel hopeful about your scrolls.”

“I’m begging you. Please sell that scroll to me.”

Even though she didn’t say it out loud, it felt like that’s what she was whispering to me.

‘I’m getting a headache.’

Hyun-Soo decided to leave for now.

“I’ll think about it. I don’t have any scrolls on me right now, so even if I decided to help, there’s nothing you could take with you. I’ve received a lot of requests from previous buyers that asked to sell another scroll to them, but I declined. So I need some time to think.”

“I hope that you do decide to help.”

The woman looked disappointed, but she didn’t grab Hyun-Soo again.

She had a sad expression as she bowed her head.

Her small face.

She had a rounded forehead, a sharp nose and full lips.

Just looking at her in the eyes would make one think that she was strong, but on the other hand, she was a pretty, thin woman.

Hyun-Soo felt sweat on his back when he saw her looking at him with a disappointed look.

‘No matter how pretty she is, she’s an A rank hunter. I’ll die if I get on her bad side.’

It was a relief that she didn’t decide to use her skills, but the fact that she was an A rank hunter made him feel uneasy.

On top of that, because she was physically pretty, she looked like someone that walked out of a drama and sat here. There were so many people that looked at her.

‘I feel like I’m in some kind of soap opera.’

Being disappointed, the woman kept on staring at Hyun-Soo with her large eyes.

Jung Ho-Sik politely escorted the woman and helped her get in her car.

After seeing the car drive off, Hyun-Soo let out a deep sigh.

“I seriously never have a good day.”

***

After he came home with mixed emotions, Hyuna stopped studying and greeted Hyun-Soo.

“You’re home.”

“Yeah, your brother is here. Aren’t you tired of studying during the weekend?”

After seeing some guy with large glasses on the screen, he asked and Hyuna smiled widely.

“Well, it’s what I have to do.”

“…….”

“Anyways, you don’t look so good. Did something happen? Are you having a hard time?”

She didn’t know that there was an issue regarding the scroll, but knew he went out after thinking about something, so she carefully asked.

‘Should I ask Hyuna?’

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with an answer.

‘If I make one exception, then it’ll just keep adding on. The best thing to do is to not make any excuses. But, I feel like an exception is necessary for this situation…man, I’m getting a headache.’

They didn’t seem like the type to spread rumors, but he couldn’t be sure of that.

He wasn’t even sure if the story about her brother was true.

‘The best thing to do is ignore her.’

Hyun-Soo knew that as well.

But, her situation was what made things complicated.

She probably didn’t mention it on purpose, but he felt himself weakening.

‘If Hyuna or my parents were in the same situation, I probably would’ve done the same thing as her.’

I would’ve even sold my organs if it meant saving them.

After thinking about that, he did somewhat understand desperation.

Thinking about it by himself didn’t really help.

Whether he decided to help or not, they both had pros and cons.

‘If I decline, the variable will be erased. But I’ll feel guilty. If I decide to help, I won’t feel guilty, but there’s a high chance that an issue I can’t control can happen.’

Hyun-Soo ended up giving up.

Instead, he decided to ask Hyuna.

“Hyuna, let’s say you had this power. If you use that power, you can save someone that’s dying. But, if you use that power, then you can be in danger too. Would save them or let them die?”

“Hm…does that power have consequences where I’ll die instead if I use it?”

“No, nothing like that. But things can get more complicated compared to when you don’t help.”

“And if I use that power, they’ll definitely live, right?”

“The chances are high. Most likely.”

Hyuna thought about it for a second and tilted her head.

“Then…if it were me, I would help them and see. They’ll die if I don’t help. And the part about how I could be in danger is an assumption. Since it’s an assumption, I believe there’s a chance it may not happen. If you’re more careful and aware, isn’t it possible to avoid the danger?”

Hyuna was saying that helping them would be better.

“Even if something could happen to you because of it?”

“Yeah, because you can’t do anything if you’re afraid of ‘what ifs.”

Hyuna smiled after seeing Hyun-Soo deep in his thoughts.

“Is there someone that needs your help?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, help them. It might be for the better. You look as if you’ll regret it later on. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just help them and get rid of that feeling so that it won’t affect your health? Think of it as helping yourself.”

‘Regret.’

That’s another thing Hyun-Soo was contemplating about.

‘Won’t I regret it? Would I be able to ignore her desperation?’

He remembered how that woman bowed for her family and not for herself.

“That’s what I think, but I’m not sure what you think about it. Helping is the best choice, but there isn’t a law that requires you to help, so deciding based on your instinct is probably the best.”

After telling him to decide carefully, Hyuna sat down in front of the computer again.

Hyun-Soo thought carefully as he watched her.

After waking up the next morning, Hyun-Soo grabbed his phone and called.

“Is this Jung Ho-Sik? This is Kim Hyun-Soo. I would like to meet the woman that I met yesterday.”