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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 0 (Prologue)
On an autumn day when red maple leaves swayed in the breeze…
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave our guild."
A woman spoke with a blank expression.
Baek Seorin, the guild master of Samdocheon and the only S-rank magician in South Korea.
"Choi Seojun, you no longer belong in Samdocheon."
She was firing me.
"Is there a reason?"
"You already know. An E-rank appraisal ability is useless."
Among appraisal abilities, E-rank was the lowest of the low.
In other words, I was unqualified to be the appraiser of Samdocheon, the top guild in South Korea.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
Even as an E-rank, appraisers were rare, and I had diligently done my job.
The fact that I was no longer needed meant…
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Kitae, a C-rank appraiser."
"He's your replacement."
A tanned man, Kim Kitae, extended his hand with a triumphant expression.
He looked exhilarated, probably thrilled to have landed a position as an appraiser for Samdocheon.
It wasn’t an opportunity that came easily.
"I heard you've been the appraiser for Samdocheon. It's an honor to meet you."
Despite his words of honor, his smirk was dripping with mockery.
As if he was sneering at the idea of an E-rank managing to hold this position.
But looking at him, I didn’t feel the slightest bit offended.
No Kim Kitae, in all his clueless arrogance, practically dazzled me.
How could he not?
A savior had finally appeared to pull me out of this godforsaken hellhole of appraising.
‘At last…!’
My bluebird of happiness had arrived!
I grabbed Kim Kitae’s hand with both of mine.
“Uh… what are you doing all of a sudden”
“Welcome aboard.”
“…What?”
Completely unaware of anything, Kim Kitae could only stare at me in dumbfounded confusion as I congratulated him.
That dazed reaction, I liked it.
A fresh recruit, a perfect little pushover ripe for the picking.
Where on earth did they find such a wonderful candidate?
As expected of the Black Witch.
Baek Seorin’s ruthlessness never failed to impress.
“Congratulations on your new job.”
I sincerely celebrated Kim Kitae’s employment. And my own fresh start.
On an autumn day when maple leaves swayed in the breeze…
I was expelled from the guild I had served for ten years.
* * *
Artifacts from the past possess special abilities.
Their value varies greatly depending on the era they came from and the great figures who once wielded them.
For example, Excalibur from the legend of King Arthur or Gram, the sword of Sigurd, are considered national treasures.
The more famous the figure, the more powerful the artifact.
And the job of appraising these artifacts and assigning them a rank belonged to appraisers.
At a glance, it seemed like an important profession but only if you were high-ranked.
For someone like me, an E-rank appraiser, all I did was evaluate artifacts that weren’t even worth being called artifacts.
Especially in a massive guild like Samdocheon, the daily workload was overwhelming.
Appraise, appraise, appraise, appraise, appraise…
‘It was hell.’
Like a human barcode scanner slapping price tags on merchandise, that was the life of an appraiser.
And with the constant shortage of manpower, quitting was next to impossible unless a replacement was found. A modern-day form of slavery.
So why did I put up with it?
‘The honey had to be sweet enough to endure.’
A satisfied grin crept onto my lips as I glanced at my shelves.
A Regeneration Ring, a Poison Resistance Necklace, Vision Goggles…
The towering shelves were filled with items hunters frequently used.
A collection of artifacts I had painstakingly gathered over ten grueling years in Samdocheon.
The workload was murderous, but the pay was solid, that was the secret to Samdocheon’s success.
If not for that, I would’ve bolted ages ago.
Anyway.
“That should do it.”
I straightened my back and looked around.
An inviting little shop, with one entire wall dedicated to artifact shelves.
The first place I could truly call my own since leaving Samdocheon.
A smile of satisfaction naturally formed on my lips.
‘There’s no way this won’t sell.’
Being near Incheon, the paradise of Gates, meant plenty of hunters and plenty of demand.
With my shop set up, all that was left was to sit back and reap the rewards.
As I continued organizing the artifacts, my hand landed on something unexpected.
“Oh, right. I had this too.”
In my grasp was a small handheld mirror.
A magical tool that revealed one’s awakened abilities.
An outdated relic no longer used in the modern era.
It wouldn’t change anything, but out of curiosity, I channeled my mana into the mirror.
“Just as I thought.”
The glass turned brown, signifying an E-rank.
It was only natural since my appraisal ability was E-rank.
But then…
“Hm?”
Just as I was about to put the mirror down, I blinked at the sight of it glowing in rainbow hues.
‘A rainbow?’
I had never heard of a rainbow color appearing in the ranking system for awakened individuals.
Yet, as if it had been a mere illusion, the rainbow glow vanished in an instant.
“Must’ve been my imagination.”
I tilted my head as I looked at the mirror, still brown as before, and withdrew my mana.
“Guess I’m just tired.”
It wasn’t until after I took a nap that I realized it hadn’t been an illusion.
Knock, knock, knock!
The rhythmic knocking on the door stirred me from my light sleep.
‘I dozed off for a bit.’
A glance at the clock told me that an hour had passed.
Knock, knock, knock!
"It's open! You can come in!"
"Excuse me."
As the door swung open and the visitor stepped inside, I tilted my head in confusion.
‘Is there some kind of cosplay event going on?’
The man standing before me looked like he had walked straight out of a history book, clad in an old-fashioned military uniform from the modern era.
"Apologies, but could I trouble you for a drink? I’ll compensate you accordingly."
"Of course, water is the least I can offer."
The man looked utterly exhausted, so I poured him a glass from the water dispenser and handed it over.
"Much obliged."
He took a sip, then glanced around my shop with an intrigued expression.
"What kind of establishment is this?"
"Oh, this is a general store "
Just as I was about to explain, a notification popped up before my eyes.
— You have encountered a great figure from a failed timeline.
◆ The Transcendents' Connector (???) has been activated.
"Connector?"
"Is something the matter?"
The man looked at me in confusion, but I stared at him, wide-eyed in shock.
The awakening message had appeared because of him.
And its contents were anything but ordinary.
A great figure from a failed timeline?
‘This man…?’
I took a closer look at him.
A bicorne hat perched atop his head, a sword at his waist, a blue-and-white military uniform.
His appearance struck me as strangely familiar.
As if I had seen him somewhere before.
"Excuse me, but may I ask for your name?"
"Napoleon Bonaparte."
"……!"
The first customer of my store.
He was the hero who led the French Revolution to victory.
The great Conquering Emperor Napoleon.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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