“You didn't have to cook so early, Joo-yeon.”

I look at Uncle Seung-min, dressed in his delivery uniform once more, with disapproving eyes. Him being unnecessarily concerned about my well-being is the last thing I want to see. Even after my discharge from the hospital, he still treats me as if I'm not fully recovered. Then again, knowing about me getting trapped inside the Painting Labyrinth must’ve made him more anxious even if he's keeping a straight face right now. We're in the living room where I push the lunchbox forward up to his chest so that he grabs it unconsciously. And he does so.

“Uncle, you worked so hard for the past month that I'm surprised you've yet to faint. You wouldn't look so thin if Ga-young had learned how to cook.”

Still wearing a pink apron over my casual clothes, my eyes scan his slender-but-a-bit-muscular body from head to toe. It's a good thing I went grocery shopping for a one-week food supply yesterday. I asked Uncle Seung-min to drop me off at a nearby mart before he headed off to deliver the parcels. I try to hide my worrisome look while I think about Gayoung telling me about what he did for me during my sudden disappearance inside that wretched Labyrinth.

“Now, now, Joo-yeon. Teaching Ga-young how to cook is like training a penguin to fly in the sky. Besides, for the past whole month, she suddenly decided to go and stay at her friend's house. This whole time, I've been making meals for myself only.”

“But that doesn't mean I won't stop cooking lunchboxes for you, uncle. And I hope Ga-young won't just lounge around there. Just because she's your daughter, you shouldn't spoil her and let her do whatever she wants besides pursuing a fashion designer career.”

“Okay, Joo-yeon. I'll talk with her when I'm free this weekend. Also, thanks for the lunch. I'll be heading off now.”

However, he abruptly halfway opens the door. He then turns around to look at me with a curious look on his face. I must be making a confused look now because he gets closer to me; his eyes squint as he too scans me from head to toe.

“I don't wanna sound rude, but Joo-yeon…was your height always like this?”

“What do you mean, uncle?”, I ask with a more confused look on my face.

“I mean…you look like… you've grown taller since the last time I saw you a month ago.”

Taller? Me? No way…

“And your voice…it sounds deep…but no worries! You still sound feminine. And your arms got some muscles…”

“Uncle, you're gonna be late for work.”

“Oh! Right! Remember not to push yourself, Joo-yeon. Just call me if you can't make dinner tonight, okay?”

“Just go, uncle. I'm not that weak to do something simple. Drive safely, okay?”

“Alright. See you later.”

“See you later, uncle.”

I smile and wave my goodbye gesture to him until he walks out and closes the door behind him. As soon as the family car’s engine fades away, I walk myself to a nearby sofa and plop myself down on it. With a serious look, I open the Guideline and search for my “Status Window”. And out it pops all the current info I have about myself now.

[Name: Kang Joo-yeon]

[Level: 17]

[Title: Memory Reader; Tenacious Slayer; The Unkillable Healer]

[Class: Healer]

[Subclass: Druid]

[HP: 1980]

[MP: 160]

It seems that after I become an E-rank, I gain XP from my daily task each day that lead me to be at level 17 now. Then, my stats…

[Stats of Kang Joo-yeon]

[Agility: 60]

[Vitality: 60]

[Endurance: 60]

[Strength: 60]

[Luck: 60]

[Available points from completing the daily task: 22]

Oddly enough, I'm unable to insert the last 22 points into any of my stats. Well, I've yet to finish completing my pull-ups and running 10km today. I better finish them before heading out to get a part-time job today. Hopefully…the sooner, the better.

There's a good reason why I'm feeling desperate now. Yesterday, while Uncle Seung-min stopped the delivery van to get a canned drink and some snacks at a convenience store, his smartphone rang in one of the vehicle’s cup holders. I saw the caller’s name that made the atmosphere around me very unpleasant; the name saying “Kim Dae-chool”. Immediately, I answered my uncle’s phone; the voice on the other side sounded nasty as expected of an influential man involved with the black market.

“Yo, Kang Seung-min. I just wanna make sure you're not running away. Or that you're telling the cops about me. Besides, you're responsible for my dead cousin's debt to me.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Mr Kim Dae-chool, this is Kang Joo-yeon speaking.”

The old me would've ignored and turned off this phone call, but now, I've come to realize that there are some people you've to confront. Even if the person is a dangerous gang leader…

“The niece? Why are you answering this phone call? Where's your uncle?”

“I thought the next payment is due next month.”

Since knowing about my uncle’s financial debt after Gi-young was just born, I noticed and kept track of this scummy thug, who always brought his two huge-sized henchmen, making sudden visits to our home every six months. There was barely leftover income for Uncle Seung-min to pay for the household expenses. When I became a Slayer, going raids helped me earn twice more than the few part-time jobs a high school graduate like me was able to get.

“Oh, honey~ you do know my boys and I charge interests. It's hard times for all of us, especially when my no-good cousin duped me into investing in her doomed-to-fail museum. I still couldn't believe she would be the type to not have abortions back then.”

“Just cut to the chase, Kim Dae-chool. How much should I pay this week?”

“Actually, your uncle should pay in the next three days.”

“What? I kept count of your unwanted visits.”

“I didn't know you care about me, Swee…”

“How much, Mr Kim Dae-chool? So that you won't barge into my uncle’s workplace like last time.”

“One million.”

After hearing that shocking amount, I saw Uncle Seung-min was coming back to the van. I told that thug not to call my uncle from now on. As proof that I'm not deceiving him, I told him my phone number and that he can call me to meet him wherever he's at. I hung up and deleted the call history on Uncle Seung-min's phone right before he opened the door of the driver's seat.

Back in the present, I let out a heavy sigh as I thought about how unrealistic I was making that promise. And it's not just this one million payment I've got to confront about. Yesterday at the hospital, I was stunned like a statue because of the huge man with the Guideline's window screen. I remember him calling a “Slayer Oh”, who was right behind him, to hurry up and leave the hospital before it got crowded.

She was a green-haired woman in her mid-20s with a slim-but-fairly-fit-and-tall build. Both of them were dressed in their black-and-white suits. And the fact she was addressed as “Slayer Oh” meant both of them were possibly completing an errand given from the Slayers Alliance. They were gone when Uncle Seung-min came back to the counter, asking me what's the matter, for I looked like I'd seen a ghost. And that ghost is the fact of another Slayer having the Guideline.

“Could it be… Ha…it's no use thinking about what's gonna happen soon,” I say with a slightly jaded tone. I stand up to take off my apron, plopping it on the sofa. “I guess I'll have to run to clear my mind for a while.” I proceed to get changed into a black-and-pink hoodie and mid-length denim shorts.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Daily Task for Participant Kang Joo-yeon's Physical Strength]

[Kicks - (100/100)]

[Punches - (100/100)]

[Pull-ups - (100/100)]

[Running - (10/10km)]

[Stats of Kang Joo-yeon]

[Agility: 60]

[Vitality: 60]

[Endurance: 60]

[Strength: 60]

[Luck: 60]

[Available points from completing the daily task: 32]

I have to think about which stat I need to put most of the points I've got soon.

Nowadays, I complete my renewed daily task in one and a half hours. The beginning days had me complete two hours though running 10km at the hospital’s playground got me so distracted with almost everyone watching me there. I'm glad I won't experience any distractions as the park I'm at is exactly ten kilometers from our home. I've just used a tree’s huge branch for my pull-ups. Then, I sit down at a nearby bench for a rest.

I guess Old Man Amergin wanted me to perfect my running form. That could be a plausible reason why he made the Guideline accept it in this daily task. Which reminds me…my next stat…

As I decide which stat I want my points to be applied to, I overhear two young men talking at another bench further in front of me. It's ironic enough that they act and look like immature delinquents instead of civilized adult men.

“So this picture of Chun Sun-woo smoking is not photoshopped?”

“Nope. You can trust this gossip site for whatever the Alliance is hiding from the public eye. Especially S-rank Slayers who have that spoiled bastard looking like this right now. He only got good grades during his school days because he got S-rank Slayer’s powers at the age of thirteen. Oh, right! I'll write on this forum that he cheated his girlfriend because he couldn't stand her clinginess.”

“Is that true?”

“I went to the same high school as him. Believe me when he only liked Lee Hye-jin because her aunt is the famous S-rank elementalist Slayer.”

“Lee Hye-jin? Isn't that name…but what you are about to write is the truth, right?”

“Who cares about what's true? Whatever is written here is the truth that'll satisfy my payback at Chun Sun-woo for getting anything he wants by doing nothing. It pisses me off that a guy like him takes whatever I want in my life.”

Alas, I can no longer tolerate them wanting to spread misinformation about a famous man whom they're not close with. I too have never met Chun personally, and I'm sure he and I will never get along; but to be making rumors about him would make me no better than that petty man who's about to post his made-up truth about Chun. I proceed to use my {Lightning Control} on his smartphone. Unsurprisingly, he yelps once he feels the lightning’s heat sears his right hand and skin. His smartphone drops and seems to short-circuit because of my skill.

“Pal! What happened!?”

“How on scorching earth would I know?! Darn it! I'm heading to the public washroom! Ouch!”

With my hoodie covering my face, I secretly proceed to follow him there. Once he has done cussing about this minor burn he felt and washed his hands, he's about to leave the washroom when I immediately grab his left arm, slamming him against the wall. Him looking surprised at my sudden appearance feels oddly satisfying in my sight.

“Hey! What gives…you…you're not a boy! To think girls dare to be perverts in this day and age!”

“Listen, petty bastard.”

“What did you just call…”

“The world doesn't revolve around you. Instead of posting false info about someone who doesn't even know your existence, how about you find something you want to improve that'll help you become a decent human?”

“Oh…I see what it is. You're Chun Sun-woo’s fan, aren't you?! To think his fanclub can be overzealous, I'm surprised the authorities have yet to label y’all a cult!”

“I've got news for you. I won't like Slayer Chun, and we'll never get along if we ever meet each other.”

“Then why…”

“Because you give in to your inferiority so easily that you'll pull anyone down with your ugly lies. I suggest you change yourself…”

“Ha! As if Chun Sun-woo is a nice guy! He's only nice because he was lucky to be awakened as a S-rank! He could easily do all this dungeon crawling job because of that power! I say he never has to make difficult choices. His S-rank powers lets him save anyone who's a charity case! I bet if he was an F-rank, he would choose not to go solo on a B-rank Upsurge he happened to come across! It's a convenient choice for all high-ranked Slayers! We deserve to hate them for not needing to make a choice

Before he can spout any of his twisted black-and-white belief, I twist his right hand that makes a few of his fingers crack loudly. He screams very loud that his delinquent buddy arrives at the washroom we're at. He too looks confused and startled to see me injuring him. I give both of them a cold look. Then, I squat down so that I can say these words to this rumormonger who's currently in a groveling-like fallen position.

“Ms Han Bok-shil was trapped in a S-rank Labyrinth. She's only D-rank, and yet she chose to give a lower-ranked healer the only escape route from that dangerous place. And you insulting her like that is something I'll never let you do.”

“Okay! Okay! I won't post fake news about Slayers anymore! Just…Ow! My hand…”

I could've let him endure the pain more as his deserved punishment, but I decided that this isn't what my mom or uncle would want. Besides I wanna test out the {Healing Skill} on his injury. Within several seconds, his right hand had healed. It doesn't have burnt red skin and twisted fingers anymore. I get up and leave the washroom, leaving the man staring into space with a traumatized look; his friend phoning an ambulance with a scared look.

I wasted 30MP in putting that petty man in his place. But he's right on one thing about Chun, and that is always making a convenient choice for himself. I guess that's why he likes Slayer Seo who has the same rank of power as him. He'll never romantically like someone who's a Non or a lower-ranked Slayer.

Anyway, I hope to meet Ms Han soon after I settle the current debt. Now, I'm heading to…

“He died last night?!”

I stop my tracks and turn to see two people dressed like bodyguards. I listen to their conversation, hiding myself behind a big tree.

“Apparently, according to an admin assistant at the Alliance, he was killed by a hoard of kobolds inside an E-rank Labyrinth. Surprisingly, three E-rank Slayers survived, but it was thanks to the famous Slayer Kim, who's the strongest D-rank tanker of today, was part of the raid last night.”

“Okay. But that means we don't have a porter to get into the Labyrinth we're heading inside soon. I mean, our boss is gonna be upset because today is the most profits we must get before the Alliance realizes…”

I interrupt with an “Excuse me!” before the average-looking man could finish his sentence. Him and the ponytailed woman beside him stare at me as if I'm a spy working for the Alliance. I put on my act as the innocent and naïve woman whom my old self was like.

“If you don't mind, can I request to take the porter job you guys need immediately?”

They look at each other for a while, pondering about my real intentions. A minute later, they suddenly smile, and the ponytailed woman says to me…

“You're hired!”