Kael had three tabs open on his laptop, a notebook beside him, and a cup of tea that had gone cold before he remembered to drink it. He stared at the screen for another few seconds before leaning back in his chair.
"Why does registering as a hunter look more complicated than applying for a regular job?" Kael asked.
Sera, who was sitting near the window with her sketchbook, glanced up. "Maybe because regular jobs don’t usually involve monsters trying to eat you."
"That is a fair point," Kael admitted.
Sera set down her pencil and looked at him. "Are you going to apply?"
"I’m still looking into it," Kael replied.
"That’s what you said yesterday."
"And I’ll probably say it tomorrow if I don’t understand what I’m reading," Kael said.
Sera smiled and returned to her drawing. Noah was asleep in his crib nearby, giving them a rare stretch of quiet time. They had agreed that Kael could use the morning to research the Hunter Association while Sera worked on her sketches. Later, they would switch so she could have some uninterrupted time for herself.
Kael turned back to his laptop.
The Hunter Association’s official website was more detailed than he expected. It listed registration requirements, aptitude assessments, licensing rules, safety guidelines, and several notices about recent dungeon incidents. There were also pages explaining different hunter roles, from direct combat to support work, equipment maintenance, scouting, and emergency response.
That last section caught his attention.
Until now, he had mostly imagined hunters fighting monsters. Daniel’s account of the incident near the eastern road had made him curious about the risks, but the website showed him that the job involved much more than swinging a weapon.
Hunters needed to understand their limits, work with other people, and follow instructions during dangerous situations. Even experienced hunters could make mistakes, and a single mistake could put an entire team at risk.
Kael opened the registration page and began taking notes.
The first requirement was straightforward. Applicants had to provide identification, complete a medical declaration, and attend an assessment at an authorized Association center. Those who passed the initial checks would undergo aptitude testing to determine their physical condition, combat potential, and suitability for different roles.
The website did not promise that everyone who registered would become a licensed combat hunter. In fact, it made the opposite clear.
An applicant could fail the assessment, receive a recommendation for further training, or be directed toward a non-combat role. Certain licenses also required additional examinations and supervised field experience.
Kael read that section twice before speaking to himself. "So, they don’t just hand you a weapon and tell you to find a dungeon."
Sera glanced up from her sketchbook. "What was that?"
"Nothing. I just found out that the Association has more sense than I expected," Kael replied.
"That’s reassuring," Sera said before returning to her drawing.
Kael continued reading.
There were several costs to consider. Registration itself required a fee, while the medical examination and aptitude assessment had separate charges. Applicants who wanted additional training might need to pay for classes, equipment, transportation, and practice sessions.
The exact total depended on the assessment center and the type of training selected.
Kael wrote down the figures displayed on the website, leaving spaces beside the ones he still needed to confirm.
He had some savings now, and the money he earned from his part-time shifts helped cover their daily expenses. However, he couldn’t treat every amount in his account as money he was free to spend. Noah needed supplies, Sera had personal expenses, and they still needed an emergency fund.
The apartment meant they didn’t have to worry about rent, but that didn’t make their other responsibilities disappear.
Kael opened a new tab and checked the household budget they had prepared together. Their current plan included groceries, baby supplies, utilities, transportation, medical expenses, personal spending, and savings. Some costs changed from week to week, especially when Noah needed something they hadn’t planned for.
Kael began adding the likely registration expenses to a separate list.
A few minutes later, Sera closed her sketchbook and moved her chair beside him.
"How bad is it?" Sera asked.
"Not terrible, but it depends on what happens after the first assessment. Registration and testing are one thing. Training and equipment could cost much more," Kael explained.
Sera looked through his notes. "Have you included transportation?"
Kael checked the list. "No," he admitted.
"What about food if you have to stay at the center for several hours?" Sera asked.
"No," Kael answered.
"Any medical expenses they don’t cover?"
Kael stopped typing and looked at her. "I haven’t reached that part yet."
Sera gave him a knowing look. "You were so focused on the registration fee that you forgot everything around it."
"I was getting to those," Kael protested.
"Of course," Sera replied with a small smile.
Kael turned the laptop toward her. "Since you’re here, would you like to help me make this list less embarrassing?"
"Gladly," Sera said.
She read through his notes and began pointing out the expenses he had missed. They checked which fees were fixed and which depended on the assessment center. Where the website didn’t provide a clear answer, Sera wrote down questions they could ask the Association directly instead of guessing.
She also suggested separating the expenses into three groups: money needed to apply, money that might be required for further training, and money they shouldn’t spend unless they knew what came next.
"That way, we won’t treat every possible expense as if we have to pay it immediately," Sera explained.
Kael nodded. "And we won’t assume the first payment is the last one."
"Exactly," Sera agreed.
They spent the next twenty minutes working through the figures. By the time they finished, Kael had a more realistic estimate of the initial costs and a list of questions that still needed answers.
He saved the document and rubbed his eyes.
Sera leaned back in her chair. "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," Kael replied.
"What are you hoping to get from becoming a hunter?" Sera asked.
Kael considered the question before answering. "Better income, eventually. A chance to improve myself. And if I’m capable of doing the work, I’d like to be able to protect the people who matter to me."
"Those are three different reasons," Sera pointed out.
"I know," Kael replied.
Sera leaned forward slightly. "Which one matters most?"
He looked at the open Association page. "Right now? Probably improving myself. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life feeling like I can’t do anything when something goes wrong."
Sera was quiet for a moment before asking, "Is that because of what happened when I came back with Noah?"
"Partly," Kael admitted. "I had to make a lot of decisions without knowing whether I could handle them. Even simple things felt difficult because I didn’t have much money or experience taking care of anyone."
"You’ve learned a lot since then," Sera said.
Kael gave her a dry look. "I’ve learned how to change a diaper without making a complete mess. That doesn’t mean I’m ready to fight a monster."
"No, it doesn’t," Sera agreed.
Kael glanced at her, surprised by how quickly she agreed.
Sera folded her hands on the table. "I don’t want to discourage you from trying. But I also don’t want you to feel that you have to become a hunter just because you’re afraid of being helpless again."
Kael looked down at his notebook. "I don’t think that’s the only reason."
"Good. Then you should be able to explain the other reasons to yourself before you commit to anything," Sera replied.
Kael nodded slowly. He had expected questions about the money, but he hadn’t thought much about how his reasons might affect his decisions later.
Sera glanced at the assessment page. "There’s something else I want to ask."
Kael sighed. "Another question?"
"Just one," Sera replied.
"All right. Ask away," Kael said.
"What will you do if the assessment shows that you’re not ready for combat?" Sera asked.
Kael opened his mouth, then stopped.
He had spent the past few days imagining himself training, improving his strength, and eventually entering the hunter world. He had considered the possibility of failing, but only in the vague way people thought about unpleasant outcomes they hoped would never happen.
He hadn’t decided what he would actually do if it happened.
"I’d probably be disappointed," Kael admitted.
"I imagine you would," Sera replied.
"But if they recommend more training, I could work on that and try again later," Kael added.
"And if they say you shouldn’t pursue combat at all?" Sera asked.
Kael looked at her.
Sera wasn’t challenging him. She was waiting for a real answer.
"I don’t know yet," Kael admitted. "I could look into support roles. Equipment work, maybe. Or something else that lets me work around the hunter industry without fighting monsters directly."
"Would that disappoint you?" Sera asked.
"Yes. But being disappointed doesn’t mean I should ignore the result," Kael replied.
Sera nodded. "That’s what I wanted to hear."
Kael frowned slightly. "You thought I’d refuse to accept it?"
"I thought you might take it as proof that you weren’t good enough, then try to force yourself into something dangerous just to prove otherwise," Sera explained.
Her words stayed with him.
He couldn’t honestly promise that he would never feel that way. He had spent much of his life struggling to make ends meet, and he knew what it felt like to be left behind while other people seemed to move forward. The idea of discovering a limit he couldn’t overcome was uncomfortable.
But Sera had a point. If he ignored the assessment because he disliked the result, he could end up risking more than his own life.
"What if I need time to think about it?" Kael asked.
"Then take the time. You don’t have to make every decision the moment you receive new information," Sera replied.
Kael looked at the notes on the screen. For the first time that morning, he felt less interested in finding the fastest way to register and more interested in understanding what he was getting himself into.
"Maybe I should visit the Association center before applying," Kael suggested. "Ask about the fees, the different licenses, and whether they offer beginner training."
Sera nodded. "That sounds reasonable."
"I could also ask whether there’s an information session for new applicants," Kael added.
"Good. And you can update the budget after you know the actual costs," Sera said.
Kael smiled. "You make this sound much easier."
"No. I’m helping you divide one large problem into several smaller ones," Sera explained.
Kael chuckled. "That sounds like something you read in a book."
"I learned it by dealing with people who like to rush into decisions," Sera replied.
He gave her a suspicious look. "Was that directed at me?"
"If the shoe fits," Sera answered.
Before Kael could reply, Noah stirred in his crib and made a small sound. Sera started to stand up, but Kael was already moving.
"I’ll check on him. You can finish your drawing," Kael said.
Sera paused, then nodded. "Thank you. I want to finish this sketch before lunch."
Kael went to the crib and found Noah awake, moving his hands near his face. He picked him up carefully and checked his diaper before settling into the chair beside the window.
Noah quieted after a few minutes, his eyes opening and closing as Kael gently rocked him.
From the other side of the room, Sera continued drawing. She occasionally glanced at them, but she didn’t stop working or take over simply because Noah was awake.
Kael was beginning to understand that building a family didn’t mean one person had to carry every responsibility. It meant learning when to help, when to ask for help, and when to let the other person have room to do what mattered to them.
After Noah settled again, Kael returned to his laptop with one hand supporting the baby.
He added three items to his to-do list: contact the Association, visit the registration center, and confirm the assessment and training costs.
He left the application itself unchecked.
There was no need to rush.
Kael still wanted to become stronger, and he still wanted to explore the hunter world. But before he spent their money or committed himself to a dangerous path, he needed to understand the choices available to him.
For now, gathering information was enough.
He saved his notes, closed the unnecessary tabs, and finally drank his cold tea.
Sera looked over from her sketchbook. "That tea must be terrible by now."
"It is," Kael replied.
"Then why are you drinking it?" Sera asked.
"Because I paid for it, and I refuse to waste the investment," Kael answered.
Sera laughed. "You’re going to make a terrible hunter if you treat every bad decision like that."
Kael placed the cup on the table. "Then it’s a good thing I haven’t applied yet."
"Very good," Sera replied.
He returned to Noah, who had begun making small noises again, while Sera went back to her sketch. The Association could wait until he had the answers he needed.
For once, Kael was comfortable leaving a decision unfinished. He wasn’t giving up on his goal. He was making sure that when he finally took the next step, he understood why he was taking it and what it might cost the family he was trying to protect.