The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Chapter 33

“So... everything here is mine, correct?”

Sitting on the floor of my small studio apartment, I stared at the pile of magic stones, potions, and various miscellaneous items spread before me.

“Yes, that’s correct, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!”

Sitting opposite me, Han Sungbin knelt respectfully, bowing his head.

His over-the-top courtesy felt excessive, almost burdensome.

It wasn’t just his demeanor that made me uncomfortable.

“Well, I was informed someone would deliver the rewards, but I didn’t expect you, Hunter Han Sungbin, to personally come.”

“You saved my life. I thought it only right to come and thank you in person. Please don’t feel too burdened by it.”

After the D-rank open dungeon incident:

Jin Seoyun had sent me a message summing up the events and confirming that rewards and a token of gratitude would be provided.

Given the severity of the situation—where many hunters had been wiped out in Incheon, and both Han Sungbin and Jin Seoyun had narrowly escaped death—their gratitude was understandable.

The reward included all items dropped from the D-rank open dungeon and a special bonus of approximately 100 million won.

Still, I hadn’t expected such swift delivery or for the famed star of the hunter world, Han Sungbin, to personally bring it.

And then there was this:

“Thank you, but... isn’t this your weapon, Hunter Han Sungbin?”

Among the reward items, one stood out.

A massive greatsword stretched from the middle of the room all the way to the far wall.

It was Han Sungbin’s weapon—his personal gear.

He had offered it as part of the reward.

The reason was simple.

“You saved my life, and I wanted to give you something meaningful in return. But I spent all my money on equipment, so... this is the most valuable thing I own.”

Han Sungbin seemed determined to reward me however he could.

On top of that:

“And if it’s not too much trouble, could I consider you my mentor, Hyung-nim?”

Han Sungbin wanted to form a close bond with me.

‘What’s with this guy? Why is he acting like this?’

Though he didn’t have an actual tail, the look in his eyes resembled that of a puppy eager to follow its owner.

It wasn’t just me who noticed.

“If he could, he’d probably offer you his liver and gallbladder,” Swallow remarked dryly from his perch on the drying rack.

From my perspective, there wasn’t much downside to this.

Han Sungbin was one of the hottest hunters in the scene right now, and considering that I’d saved his life, the rewards he offered felt justified.

However:

“Thank you, but I’ll have to decline.”

“Decline? Was it not enough?”

“No, quite the opposite. It’s too much. Helping each other during a raid is only natural. While this situation was particularly dangerous, there’s no need to go this far. The dungeon drops and the bonus compensation are more than enough.”

I pushed the greatsword back toward him, clearly signaling my refusal.

It wasn’t because I was rich—far from it. Financially, I wasn’t even in a position to buy a single standard-grade item.

But I had the experience of a lifetime from my previous life as the Sword Emperor.

Becoming wealthy was only a matter of time for me. From my perspective, Han Sungbin was still just a kid.

No matter how sincere his gratitude, accepting the primary weapon of a low-level hunter who hadn’t even reached level 200 didn’t sit right with me.

‘I’m not going to take a sword with a kid’s fingerprints all over it.’

Besides, his greatsword wasn’t suited to my dual-wielding combat style, nor was it something I could use for long.

In just a few more levels, I’d have access to hidden pieces far superior to this.

And there was another reason.

“Ah... so you feel burdened. Then... about calling you Hyung-nim...”

“Let’s take it slow. We’ll have plenty of chances to meet again.”

To be honest, having someone get too close to me made me uneasy.

"Pfft! Hyunsoo Oppa, what’s with your hair? You look like you’re wearing a swim cap!""Haha! Oh my God, this is hilarious! You should become a comedian—you’ve got the face for it!"

It was clear I needed to look better to raise my Appearance Power.

But what style would suit me?

Should I show them a photo of a celebrity? Ask them to make me look like Han Sungbin?

“Please wait just a moment. The stylist will be with you shortly.”

While the staff draped a gown over me and left, I continued to agonize internally.

As it turned out, my worries were unnecessary.

A few moments later, a stylist, who appeared to be in her early 30s, walked in.

“Hello, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! I’m Designer Cha Yoojin. Nice to meet you.”

“Ah, nice to meet you too.”

“I heard from Hunter Han Sungbin that you’re on a tight schedule. Shall we proceed with the down perm as planned?”

Before I could say anything, it seemed arrangements had already been made.

Now that I thought about it:

“Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, do you have a preferred hairstyle or something you usually go for?”“Not really. I usually just keep it short.”“Got it! Then I’ll recommend something I think will suit you best. I’m sure it’ll look great!”

Han Sungbin had promised to take care of everything when making the reservation.

At the time, I didn’t understand what he meant, but now it was clear he had opted for a “down perm.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what that was, but:

“Sure, let’s go with that.”

I decided to trust Han Sungbin’s judgment.

Since I had no expertise in this area, it seemed best to leave it to the professionals.

My reasoning was simple:

If this didn’t improve my Appearance Power or I didn’t like the results, I could always try something else later.

“Alright, let’s get started!”

Cha Yoojin, who was famous enough to have appeared on TV and internet shows, began working on my hair alongside her assistants.

They applied a solution to my hair and said, “Please wait about 30 minutes,” before moving on to other clients.

Thus began a period of waiting that brought back memories of patience-testing salon visits from my past life.

For now, there were no visible changes. Perhaps because the process had just started:

[Support Beauty Quest 10]

Reach Appearance Power of 20 (18/20).

My Appearance Power remained stuck at 18, showing no signs of increasing.

All I could do was wait for the styling to finish, but sitting still was more challenging than expected.

As a hunter accustomed to constant movement, staying idle in a chair made me restless.

“Wow, there sure are a lot of stylish and attractive people here. You, Master, look like a completely different species. It’s hard to believe you’re the same kind of being as them.”

Swallow, hidden under invisibility, flitted around the salon, critiquing the staff and clients alike.

Only I could hear or see him, but his commentary was a constant distraction.

I glared at him through the mirror and muttered under my breath.

“...Go away for a bit.”

“What? No way, Master! I can’t miss such a fascinating spectacle! I mean, wouldn’t you be bored without me?”

Despite his protests, I had already made up my mind.

[Unsummoning the Beauty Assistant.]

Whoosh!

The salon grew noticeably quieter.

The newfound peace brought a sense of calm.

Of course, it was still a bit dull.

With the solution in my hair, I couldn’t move much, and there was no one to talk to.

But it wasn’t a big deal.

I simply pulled out my phone to pass the time.

As soon as I unlocked it:

Bzzz—

A deposit notification appeared on the screen, displaying the 100 million won reward.