Hobby.
When a serious problem is discovered, one must seek a way to resolve it.
The port was closed.
Since departure itself was prohibited, the fishermen of Elus found themselves unable to catch even a single small sardine, let alone harvest pearls.
It was an extreme measure, but it couldn't be helped. If things went wrong, there could be a massive loss of life.
"Ugh… at this rate the losses will be enormous…"
Cindy let out a groan. Rachel was seriously injured and lying in bed, and the business that had been sailing smoothly had suddenly hit a massive reef and was now on the verge of running aground.
Woojin glanced around awkwardly.
Riding in a carriage had been so boring that he had often said he wanted to hunt magical beasts. Yet the moment he arrived in the city, a huge incident erupted as if on cue.
"So they say a careless mouth brings trouble…"
It was like the monkey's paw. Sometimes wishes are fulfilled in ways you'd rather not see.
He felt sorry, as if he had brought the misfortune himself. To resolve the situation smoothly, he would have to deal with the magical beast in that sea as quickly as possible.
To reassure Cindy, he spoke.
"Don't worry. I'll somehow catch the magical beast in that sea."
"Oppa, it's dangerous, so just don't do it."
If things went wrong, he could be seriously injured. Cindy waved her hands repeatedly as she said that.
Woojin grinned.
"You heard my story, didn't you?"
It wasn't something he had wanted, but Woojin's past deeds had half-turned into legends known by people everywhere. Feats so superhuman that it was hard to believe they had actually happened.
Compared to everything he had done so far, hunting a single fish would be nothing.
At those words, Cindy relaxed a little.
"Hmm… then do you want to try it, oppa?"
"Just trust me once."
He had received approval.
Now all that remained was to hunt the magical beast. The problem was how to do it.
"The sea isn't something I'm very familiar with…"
Woojin had mainly been active on land.
He had hunted magical beasts in large reservoirs before, but finding a target in the vast open sea would not be easy.
Even so… well, if he just planned the hunt properly, he could manage somehow.
"There's nothing to do but work harder."
He had already boasted in front of his younger sister, so he would have to try his best not to damage his pride.
**
They walked to the harbor with the rest of the group.
The reason for coming out like this was to inform the Fishermen's Guild that Woojin had taken on the job and to request their cooperation.
"The guild building isn't that big."
It looked more like a town hall.
The port city of Elus was smaller in scale compared to Yurgis, so they seemed reluctant to construct buildings larger than necessary.
As soon as they entered the building, a sturdy man hurried out to greet them.
"The merchant leader has arrived. Please come to the office and have a cup of tea."
A middle-aged man speaking respectfully to a girl far younger than himself. Cindy also responded with equal politeness.
"Guildmaster, I'm sorry for visiting without notice while you're so busy."
"There's no need to apologize."
There were many matters he had wanted to discuss anyway. Saying so, Guildmaster Dave guided Cindy and the others deeper into the guild building.
The office didn't look very spacious.
If many people crowded in it would become chaotic, so Claire and Arwen decided to wait outside. Only Woojin, Cindy, and Dave entered the room and sat around the table.
Dave glanced sideways at Woojin. The guildmaster was secretly intimidated.
…What on earth is this guy?
The atmosphere around him was terrifying.
The man wore a coat made of jet-black lion hide. The skin of a male lion's head was pulled over his own head like a hood, making it difficult to see his face.
If you tilted your head just right, you might be able to see his face… but if you dared to try something like that, it felt like something irreversible might happen.
Where had such a person come from? Dave cautiously asked,
"Merchant leader, who is this gentleman?"
"He's a magical beast hunter I'm closely acquainted with. The best expert in this field."
"Huh, is that really true?!"
Dave's face brightened after hearing the explanation. The wariness that had been lingering on his face disappeared instantly. It was only natural.
Magical beast hunters were rare.
When the hunter Jin gained fame through numerous astonishing achievements, many people followed him into the demonic realm… but most of them died or ended up as ordinary mercenaries.
Only after proving one's worth through such trials could someone be called a magical beast hunter.
"Thanks to you, merchant leader, our worries are eased. I've been very concerned about what to do… but since a magical beast hunter has come, I feel much more relieved."
Dave spoke cheerfully. At that, Cindy revealed the true purpose of their visit to the guild.
"Since it's a magical beast in the sea, I think the hunt will go more smoothly if we have the fishermen's cooperation. Could the guild help us?"
Dave nodded readily.
"We can't just sit back and benefit without doing anything. What would you like us to do?"
"I'd like you to introduce a fisherman with great experience and a bold spirit."
They needed information about the sea.
The locations of reefs, areas with strong currents, commonly seen marine life, and so on. If they had a local fisherman who could give them such tips, the hunt would become much easier.
At that, Dave replied without hesitation.
"As it happens, there's the perfect man."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. There's a fellow who returned after doing mercenary work. According to him, he's hunted magical beasts a few times. Whether it's bragging or not, he claims he once caught and killed a huge wild boar with just a net…"
It was somehow a familiar description. Woojin, who had been sitting quietly, spoke for the first time.
"…Jonathan?"
"Oh, do you know him?"
Dave asked in mild surprise. Woojin nodded.
"He's quite a capable mercenary. I worked with him briefly once."
Jonathan. The captain of the Spearfish Mercenary Company.
If he helped, hunting the magical beast would become much easier. When Woojin spoke highly of him, Dave reacted as if it were unexpected.
"I didn't realize that fellow Jonathan was such a capable mercenary. Since you already know each other, I'll guide you straight to where he is."
Dave stood up without hesitation. Together with the others who had been waiting outside, they followed the guildmaster.
Before long, they entered a nearby tavern.
Several men were sitting around a table playing cards. Dave shouted toward them.
"Jonathan! You've got visitors!"
"Ah, just when I was about to win a round…"
The man complained irritably. He casually tossed the cards in his hand aside and stood up.
Claire tilted her head.
"…Uh… Uncle?"
Her voice lacked certainty.
For a moment, Claire failed to recognize her own uncle. Perhaps he had been living well, because Jonathan had gained quite a bit of weight and his face had become round.
On the other hand, Jonathan recognized his niece at a glance. He approached with a friendly grin.
"Wow, how long has it been?! Claire! When did you come here?"
Jonathan made a big fuss. Claire smirked and replied.
"I arrived yesterday evening."
"Hasn't been long then. Did you go home yet?"
"…I'll go later."
Claire answered vaguely, as if brushing it off, then brought up another topic as though she wanted to change the subject.
"But why have you gained so much weight?"
After leaving the mercenary life behind, Jonathan had returned to his hometown to become a fisherman.
Working on a boat was just as harsh and exhausting as being a mercenary, so how had he ended up gaining this much weight? When asked that question, Jonathan shrugged and replied.
"I basically quit boat work."
"Huh? Why?"
"My subordinates opposed buying a big ship."
Jonathan had wanted to buy two galleys—large sailing vessels powered by both oars and sails. His ultimate goal had been to use them for fishing.
Attach an unbreakable net to each of the two galleys, then move straight forward, dragging them side by side and sweeping up every fish in the sea in a massive pair-trawling operation unlike anything anyone had ever seen!
That was Jonathan's dream, but…
"…That sounds way too unrealistic."
Cindy, who had been listening, pointed that out.
"Why would you use such valuable galleys just for net fishing? What a waste. You probably wouldn't even cover the labor costs."
Galleys required dozens of people rowing them. Even if they caught a huge amount of fish, the market price would collapse due to oversupply, making it highly likely they'd end up losing money.
Cindy mercilessly tore apart the sketchbook containing the man's dream. As a result, Jonathan looked thoroughly dejected.
"It was just my fantasy… Everyone reacts like that. All my men took their retirement pay and left too."
The mercenaries didn't want to invest the money they had struggled to save in such an uncertain venture. Each of them went their separate ways.
And so, the Spearfish Mercenary Company disbanded.
After finishing his story, Jonathan glanced around at the people surrounding Claire.
"From the looks of it, while I was busy drinking all day, you seem to have made quite a few new friends… Who exactly is that gentleman over there?"
Jonathan gestured this way. In response, Woojin slightly tipped his hat.
Jonathan's eyes widened.
"Whoa?! What the—Jin is alive—"
BAM!!
Claire kicked her uncle in the shin. Jonathan immediately shut his mouth and began hopping around on one leg like a fighting rooster.
"Gaaah!! Why'd you suddenly kick me?!"
"Uncle, your mouth is way too loose."
The fact that Woojin was alive was a secret known only to a very small number of people.
They would explain it later, but for now they needed to focus on hunting the magical beast. Claire gestured toward the outside of the tavern.
"There are too many people watching here, so let's continue catching up while we move."
"W-wait a second…"
Thud.
Jonathan eventually collapsed back into his seat.
"…Let's rest a bit before we go."
One hit had made his legs give out. Jonathan tried to act like nothing had happened. Seeing this, Cindy muttered to herself.
"Somehow this already feels a bit worrying."
At Jonathan's house, they explained what had happened so far and what they needed to do next.
Jonathan sat there with his arms crossed, listening attentively. After organizing his thoughts, he suddenly spoke.
"So in summary, a huge monster has come down into the waters on our side of the sea?"
"Could you help us?"
"Of course!"
Jonathan immediately jumped to his feet.
"Things have been boring lately anyway. It'll be fun for a change."
They would get to hunt a magical beast and receive a bounty, so there was no reason to refuse.
At that, Cindy expressed her concern.
"Didn't you say you quit boat work? If we just rush in recklessly, it could be dangerous…"
Jonathan had said he quit being a fisherman. If he had been away from the job for too long, he might have lost his edge—would he really be able to help Woojin properly?
Jonathan smiled and answered.
"Work and hobbies should be kept separate. I recently picked up a new hobby. See that over there?"
Jonathan pointed toward the wall. Woojin and the others turned their heads following his finger.
Hanging on the wall was none other than the skeleton of a gigantic fish. A fish with a long, sword-like snout. Woojin guessed what it was.
"…A marlin?"
"That's right. One I hunted recently."
Jonathan smiled meaningfully as he spoke.
"Hey, Jin… do you happen to like fishing?"
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