I was Kicked Out of the Hunter’s Guild

After receiving Iare’s offer to become adjutant, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of hesitation.

No matter how much money was on the table, I was absolutely unwilling to go back to managing a group of chaotic Hunters as I did in the past.

After all, just yesterday, I had firmly decided on my stance regarding this kind of work when my sister brought it up. That stance hadn’t changed.

So, to clarify things, I looked at Iare, who was watching me with a slightly nervous expression, and asked:

“As an adjutant… I have a rough idea of the role, given my previous experience. But could you explain more specifically what the company expects from me? What kind of work would I be doing?”

Unlike in the military, where I was essentially forced to work, joining a private company was more like entering into a mutual agreement, a contract.

In a contract, both parties set terms and expectations. If those terms were violated, I could raise a protest or even leave.

Of course, whether the company would respect the agreement depended on its nature, which I could only truly assess after starting.

At the very least, I wanted everything to be clear at the outset. I wasn’t about to be blindsided again.

Perhaps understanding my feelings, Iare nodded and replied in a serious tone.

“First, the role of an adjutant in our company is divided into two main parts. The first is managing personnel and operations when we receive a request. The second is establishing tactics to resolve the request.

“Additionally, there are instances where you may need to go into the field if necessary. However, in situations where the risk is deemed too high, you would have the right to refuse.”

“Alright,” I said, nodding as I processed her explanation.

I would need to personally study the specifics of Black Hunter’s operations, as they likely differed from the military missions I was used to. Still, the general framework wasn’t unfamiliar, and I was confident I could handle it.

‘The real question is whether there will be additional duties piled on top of this…’

With that thought, I decided to address the matter directly.

“Is there anything else I’d need to handle? For example, things like mental care for the Hunters or managing their accommodations?”

“No,” Iare replied firmly. “There’s no need for you to involve yourself in such trivial matters. Each Hunter is responsible for their own personal management. As an adjutant, you only need to focus on operational matters when it’s necessary.”

“That’s a relief,” I said quickly, cutting her off before she could finish. “I have no interest in handling things like that again. Not at all.”

I spoke with such urgency that I surprised even myself.

‘Well, I’ll learn more once I start, but for now, it seems there aren’t any red flags on the surface.’

Feeling slightly reassured, I shifted the conversation to another critical point.

“Alright. Then let’s move on to something equally important, remuneration.”

Pay was always a sensitive subject, especially given how much it could influence the perception of the workload.

Are, however, answered without hesitation.

“The base salary is 3 million per month.”

“Hmm… As expected, given the smaller scale, it’s not as high as I thought,” I said, nodding thoughtfully.

“Yes,” she replied. “Unlike the military Hunter Guilds, our company only has about 30 members total.”

I mulled it over. Compared to managing 200 Hunters in my previous role, the workload would naturally be much lighter here, which explains the lower salary.

Frankly, I didn’t mind. As long as the work wasn’t as overwhelming as it used to be, I was willing to accept a smaller paycheck.

Iare continued, “However, additional incentives are provided when you successfully handle requests as an adjutant. Depending on the nature of the request, these incentives can range anywhere from an additional 3 to 6 million or more.”

“I see,” I replied, my interest piqued.

Even if the base salary was modest, the potential incentives made up for it.

Moreover, compared to my previous work environment, where the pay felt downright insulting considering the conditions, this arrangement seemed far more reasonable.

‘At least here, I have the freedom to leave if things don’t work out.’

That thought alone made the decision feel lighter. Knowing I wasn’t shackled to the position like before gave me a sense of relief.

Looking at Iare, who seemed slightly nervous as she awaited my response, I finally gave my answer.

“Alright. I’ll take the position and join your company. I look forward to working with you, Iare.”

The moment I said it, her face lit up with a bright, genuine smile, breaking the calm and composed demeanor she had maintained up until now.

“Ah, thank you so much, Jinhyun. No… Adjutant!”

Her joy was so pure and unguarded that, for a moment, I felt my heart stir.

Looking at her smiling face, which closely resembled my sister’s, I felt a warmth blooming in my chest.

It wasn’t just the prospect of working with her. It was also the sense of starting fresh, of finding a new direction after the turmoil of my past.

For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope for the future.

***

Choi Han, the new adjutant of the 28th Hunter Guild.

When he entered the guild, touted as a rising star among the country’s elite, he had high expectations.

S-class Hunters with renowned beauty and exceptional skill. A vast number of guild members operate under them.

As an elite adjutant officially recognized by the government, Choi Han had been confident that, with his abilities and the Hunters’ strength, he could thrive in his new position.

And yet… just two weeks later.

Choi Han, the so-called “competent elite,” had already realized that his life had spiraled into utter despair.

‘I shouldn’t have done this… I was a fool. What on earth was I thinking when I volunteered for a place like this?’

For two weeks, there had not been a single deployment.

It was supposed to be a preparation period, neither too short nor too long, but in that brief time, Choi Han’s body and mind had already been pushed to their limits.

His dream of spending his days working alongside renowned, beautiful Hunters? Shattered within the first 48 hours.

The S-class Hunters of the 28th Guild, who were praised as goddesses with beauty, intelligence, and kindness on public broadcasts, had revealed their true selves to him.

It didn’t take long for Choi Han to realize that, behind the camera, these so-called goddesses were nothing short of demons crawling out of hell.

From cleaning and doing laundry to preparing meals, running errands, and even managing their entertainment schedules, every minor chore imaginable was thrown onto his plate.

It wasn’t just a matter of learning the ropes or adapting to the guild’s daily life.

The sheer volume of work, paired with the Hunters’ impossible demands, left him utterly drained, both physically and mentally.

As a result, Choi Han quickly became hopeless in his new role as adjutant.

At first, Choi Han tried to protest.

He voiced his frustrations about being treated like a servant by these Hunters.

But his protests only led to repeated rounds of “physical training”, thinly veiled intimidation sessions that made it abundantly clear who had the power.

After enduring multiple punishments, Choi Han finally realized the truth: he had fallen into a pit of hell from which there was no escape.

‘Damn it… The former adjutant left laughing the moment he was discharged. I think I finally understand why.’

Filled with regret, Choi Han dragged his battered body and mind toward his private room.

Just two weeks ago, his head had been brimming with confidence and lofty ambitions.

Now, the only thought consuming him was how to escape this nightmare of a guild before the one-month probationary period ended.

***

“Not enough…”

“What?”

Isena, the guild master, furrowed her brow as she looked at Yujin, who was poking at a plate of tteokbokki with dissatisfaction.

“This tteokbokki… It’s not as good as I expected,” Yujin grumbled. Then sighingly, she added, “As expected, Jinhyun’s tteokbokki was the best.”

“Well, I’ll admit that,” Isena said, nodding. “I can’t believe Choi Han can’t even cook properly.”

“It’s not just the cooking,” Yujin continued, frowning. “The laundry and cleaning he was told to do were subpar. And don’t even get me started on the coffee he brought last time, it tasted like dirty water! I mean, I had high expectations since he’s supposed to be a government-recognized elite, but honestly, I’m so disappointed.”

“Hmm…” Isena nodded again, quietly sympathizing with Yujin’s complaints.

In her mind, an adjutant’s primary role was to support the Hunters perfectly, ensuring they could operate in top condition to fight the Abyss.

In that respect, Choi Han certainly fell short of expectations.

Sure, he had a handsome face, but apart from that, he lacked the “minor auxiliary skills” she believed were necessary for the role.

‘Is this what Seo Jiyoon was hinting at the other day? Tch… I hate to admit it, but Lee Jinhyun… was a far more competent adjutant than I gave him credit for.’

Even so, Isena considered these issues to be secondary.

Sure, they were inconveniences. But in her opinion, such inconveniences weren’t serious enough to warrant a major impact on the guild’s overall operations.

After all, the most important thing for Hunters was their ability to fight and complete missions.

While small annoyances might slightly affect the S-class Hunters’ mood, Isena didn’t believe they would seriously undermine the 28th Guild’s combat capabilities.

‘Now that I think about it… This will be the first sortie since the adjutant was replaced. Perfect timing. I’m in a bad mood, so let’s clean up those Abyss bastards and return. As a bonus, I’ll request the higher-ups to replace this adjutant.’

Replacing an adjutant twice wasn’t a big deal.

Moreover, since the one-month probation period hadn’t ended yet, she could easily initiate the process using her authority as guild master.

‘Next time, I’ll ask for someone good at handling chores… After all, it’s not all about looks.’

Isena’s thoughts carried a mix of annoyance and resolve as she considered what to do next.