“Lud~ Se~!”

“Alright, alright. Stop calling me.”

A few nights later, across the street from the traffic light, Lee Hyun ran towards Lud with his arms wide open.

He ran energetically, then stopped abruptly with a gasp, hopping on his feet like an itchy puppy. Lud sighed and asked,

“What now? Why are you like this?”

“Can I, can I hug you and share this happiness? Is that okay?!”

“No.”

Lee Hyun’s head drooped down, resembling a sad puppy with drooping ears and tail… Lud pondered for a moment.

Normally, he would dismiss such behavior without a second thought, but today, he was the one asking for a favor. Thinking this, Lud sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine… whatever. Just this once.”

“Yay!! Thank you!!”

No sooner had he finished speaking, Lee Hyun hugged Lud tightly. The warmth of his body and the scent of fabric softener enveloped Lud. Lud remained stiff, but Lee Hyun didn’t mind and jumped around joyfully.

“I’m so happy… that Lud is joining the Cathedral…”

“It’s a contract position. Only for a year. Not permanent.”

“Still… Even if it’s just for a year, it could lead to something longer if we work well together. I’ll assist you the best I can, to ensure you stay here as long as possible!”

After releasing his hug, Lee Hyun put his hands together as if praying and looked up at Lud. His blue eyes sparkled, and his cheeks were red, perhaps from the cold.

‘Why does he like me so much…?’

Ever since the day he agreed to be friends, Lee Hyun sent messages every day. Despite appearing sociable, did he actually have no friends, or do social butterflies just send messages to anyone and everyone…?

“Here, the first thing to help Lud!”

Lee Hyun pulled out a pad from his eco-bag. Lud looked at the pad, then back at Lee Hyun, several times. Taking the pad in his hands, Lud asked,

“A welcome gift?”

“No way! It’s mine!”

“Then what is it?”

Lud looked puzzled, wondering what this had to do with joining the Cathedral. Smiling brightly, Lee Hyun replied,

“It’s a list of expected interview questions for the Cathedral!”

“…What?”

“Hey, let’s talk for a second…”

“Yes, yes…”

At a 24-hour café, Lud held his head and sighed deeply. He then looked up at Lee Hyun and said,

“So, I have to go through an interview.”

“Yes… Since Lud is coming through my recommendation, you’ve got a free pass for the paperwork. You just need to prepare for the second interview and the third mock battle…”

“Wait. I’m ranked first! You’re taking me there! Why do I still need an interview?”

“Well, the Cathedral is like a corporation… High rank and connections don’t guarantee easy entry.”

Apparently, Lud had to go through the interview and internal test procedures, Lee Hyun patted his shoulder.

Expecting to easily make money for a year by joining one of the top four guilds, Lud reluctantly became a job-seeker. The world wasn’t easy, he sighed.

[Let’s see… Last year, the Cathedral’s mid-year recruitment… 250 hunter positions, roughly 198,700 applicants, the Ruler of Chaos shows you the statistical file.] [It’s great even to pass the first round, Nari, the Ruler of Chaos shrugs.]

‘The first pass is obvious. I’m ranked first… Do I have to write a cover letter too?!’

Sighing deeply, Lud buried his face in his hands, groaning.

“I thought I was getting scouted by the Cathedral today, so I even quit my convenience store job. That’s why I came in avatar today.”

“Oh no! Did I not mention it? But usually, even for a scouting offer, you’d go through an interview. I’m so sorry.”

Lud was at a loss, having expected immediate recruitment and now faced with the standard procedures.
“No way! I’m ranked first! And you, you’re second! Did you also go through an interview to get in?!”

“I entered through a recruitment conversion internship program… Wrote a cover letter, went through interviews, and mock battles…”

“Damn… you really worked hard.”

Lee Hyun’s expression darkened as he recalled those tough times. Observing this, Lud grabbed his head in frustration.

‘Even the incarnation of a major archangel had to start as an intern in a place notorious for sweeping up all the good-hearted hunters.’

It seemed Lud really had to go through an interview. It would be only his second interview experience since a part-time job interview. He pondered seriously for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

“I’m not doing it.”

“No, Lud! Please come here. I beg you… I’ll help you with everything!”

[Oh come on, Nari, if you’ve agreed to do it, you must go through with it, the Ruler of Chaos crosses his arms.]

Lee Hyun, who was hanging onto Lud’s waist, desperately shook his head. The Ruler of Chaos was also strictly scolding Nari through indirect messages. Lud reluctantly sat down again, propped his face in his hands, and said,

“I know. I get it… But it’s an interview. I’m really, really bad at it… I’m just really bad at dealing with people…”