TDKS 18

TDKS

Chapter 18

Until now, I had thought the so-called “assigned staff” was nothing more than a helper who occasionally gave me tips and kept me company during the lonely awakening period.

But judging by what people said—and what I’d seen in the hunter-only community one could join after official certification—that explanation wasn’t nearly enough.

Hunter? No, Setter! A New Hunter’s World—SetterNet

All content on SetterNet is bound by a confidentiality curse. Upon registering after hunter certification, you are deemed to have agreed to these terms.

(Newbie Hunter Room) “My guild won’t send me to dungeons, just piles office work on me. Is this normal?”
(Newbie Hunter Room) “Casting my skill is so embarrassing T_T”
(Intermediate Hunter Room) “Tips for open-running at Myungjoo Workshop, lol”
(Tips) “I raided the shopping site where rankers buy clothes”
(Intermediate Hunter Room) “What’s the reality of switching to melee guilds these days? Tell me honestly ㅠㅠ”
(Counseling) “My assigned staff and I just don’t get along”
(Counseling) “Seniors, please check my equipment stats”

Before joining, I thought there’d be all kinds of wondrous secrets. But in reality, it was just… a community where ordinary people lived their ordinary lives.

The problem was, I didn’t even meet that “ordinary” standard. As a brand-new hunter, I found myself relying heavily on the search function.

Especially on one hunter’s carefully compiled page—“Frequently Asked Questions for New Hunters.” That place was like my bible, keeping me alive and helping me grow.

Q24. Who exactly are assigned staff members, and what do they do?

Assigned staff are the only direct link between hunters and the Valhalla Network, maintained by Baldr. Unlike the status window, which is one-way, they allow two-way communication, which is incredibly valuable.

They can never be replaced under normal circumstances. So it’s not wise to get on bad terms with them. Fortunately, most are kind and have a good grasp of human psychology, so no need to be overly nervous.

We know almost nothing about their true identity. The only certain fact: they are employees of Baldr, who created and maintains the Valhalla Network to bring Ragnarok to an end.

The more you interact with them, the more their presence evolves—from giving instructions, to small talk, to voice conversations, to avatar manifestation, and eventually even transformations of that form.

Hunters are bound to their staff through a contract, which can be renegotiated at any time if both agree. So negotiate actively to gain their support in dungeons.

Staff usually guide us, answer non-classified questions, and once manifested, they can even assist in combat and buffing.

They are generally favorable toward their contractors. Some, history says, even perished alongside—or in place of—their contractors. 🙂

So the more interaction, the more they changed—from instructions to chatter, from chatter to voice, to physical manifestation, and beyond.

When I thought about how Lili never missed a chance to strike up conversation with me, it all made sense. Sure, I had only just become a hunter—but during my whole awakening, I’d been constantly talking with him.

“Hello! I’m your assigned staff, Lili. From today until the day your life ends, I’ll do my very best to support you!”

That was the first greeting I got upon awakening. Back then, and even now, he always seemed more interested in me than I was in him.

“An avatar manifestation, huh…”

The thought made me picture him as a little hamster. Honestly, not my fault. Imagine a tiny hamster, fussing around at your side, eager to help—it actually made me feel better.

‘Lili.’

[Lili: Yes, Eya!]

Lately, he’d been messaging me more often. Probably because I’d been leaning on him more, which the system must’ve counted as interaction.

Q47. What kind of relationships do staff members have with each other?

According to conversations with my own staff, they have a hierarchy. Staff are assigned based on the contractor’s level.

Interference between staff is forbidden. Higher-ranked staff may interfere with lower staff’s contractors, but not the other way around.

They cannot invalidate a contractor’s death. May you reach fair agreements with your staff.

What an unfair world. Higher staff can interfere with lower ones, but not vice versa? Looks like this “Baldr Company” was built on inequality.

So what about my staff? Considering my level, it was unlikely I’d been given anyone high-ranking.

[Lili: Eya, if you call me and then leave me hanging, I’ll be so sad.]

“Ah, sorry. I’m just not good at multitasking. I had some things I wanted to ask.”

Because of my title as former guild leader, I’d overlooked something: my staff could answer questions instantly, without needing outside investigation.

When I tested it, he told me to bring him any question at all.

‘There may be things I can’t say due to internal regulations, but other than that, I’ll answer wholeheartedly. Honestly, it kind of hurt that you seemed to rely more on Guild Leader Jung Hwan than on me.’

Last night, I’d typed out all my questions and printed them. It was easier than reciting them one by one. Besides, Lili was obviously always watching me anyway.

He stayed quiet for a while, probably reading through them.

[Lili: First, about the Random Music Box—it really is a dungeon reward, given at certain probabilities. The trigger condition is dungeon clear, but since it’s probability-based, I can’t give a definite answer. The rates aren’t controlled by us, since dungeons aren’t under our jurisdiction. Sorry. As for the detailed search function, it unlocks once additional stats reach at least C, but there are exceptions even at F rank. It depends on the person.]

In other words, nothing set in stone. Still, it felt closer to the truth than Jung Hwan’s research ever did.

The next reply took longer—probably because he was weighing what he could or couldn’t say.

[Lili: Your stats aren’t permanently blocked! You’ve got a kind of debuff suppressing your growth. Once that’s resolved, you’ll receive all the experience you’ve been stockpiling, and your growth will explode. But to do that, you’ll need to unlock your hidden stat.]

It was clear he was trying his best to answer kindly.

For me, the flood of messages was the problem—so many text windows popping up at once that I barely kept up. The last one that appeared, though, was the shortest of all.

[Lili: And my manifestation will probably be possible soon. Interaction affects how close I feel to you.]
[Lili: As for what I’ll look like—you’ll just have to see then.]

“…You’re not telling me now?”

[Lili: Of course not! I heard men who don’t spark curiosity aren’t attractive.]

…So he was a guy.

I stored away the new info with a nod. For today, I’d asked everything I needed. Now it was time to train like a proper hunter.

On top of Q&A, I’d also asked him to help me with stat growth.

[Lili: I picked songs best suited to your vocal range. Matching pitch isn’t essential for triggering effects, but it’ll definitely help your singing improve.]

Normally, I wouldn’t have spoken out loud—but the moment I saw the list of songs projected in front of me, starting from the very top, I couldn’t stop my mouth.

“…The National Anthem?”