Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: A Way to Express Your Feelings
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As soon as I left the dungeon, I scurried over and hid behind my usual pile of rocks.
Then I opened my inventory to check the decorated weapon.
The item was tied to the tassel on the Yin-Yang Orb.
[Red Ribbon]
[Decorative Item]
[Can be used to decorate a weapon's hilt, etc.]
"Heh."
I smiled brightly.
A pretty red ribbon would surely look good with Chris’s red hair.
This weapon, with the ribbon attached, was meant entirely for Chris.
Should I send her a message?
Right, is Chris still running the dungeon? If so, she'd still be busy.
*Peek.*
As I peered out, looking for Chris at the dungeon entrance…
*Tap, tap.*
"Eek!?"
The sensation of something tapping my shoulder made me jump with a startled shriek.
I was so focused on finding Chris that I hadn’t paid any attention to my surroundings.
Someone touched me!
Fear seized me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, wrapped my arms around my head, and curled into a ball.
A whimper escaped my lips without me realizing.
"Hic, hic."
"Gasp, R-Rain!? Did I startle you? I'm sorry!"
A familiar voice reached my ears.
I cautiously peeked through my fingers to see who had touched my shoulder.
"C-Chris."
When her red hair and worried face came into view, I let out a sigh of relief and patted my chest.
Strangely, my internal human-alert radar didn't go off for Chris. No wonder she'd managed to sneak up on me.
I was so startled that a few tears had welled up.
With my eyes glistening and a pout on my face, I gave her a timid glare.
She scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.
"I had a feeling you'd be here. Uh, umm. I just finished my run, too."
"Wow, good work."
My expression softened, and I gave Chris a shy smile.
Chris's hands fidgeted restlessly, hesitating.
I tilted my head. Seeing my confused look, Chris spoke as if letting out a sigh.
"W-Well, I know you don't like getting things for free, so... um... how should I... Ah! Would you be interested in buying something from me? It might be something you need."
"Something? Ah!"
Come to think of it, I had something to sell to Chris, too.
Well, not so much sell. We'd been running dungeons together and planned to continue doing so. In fact, just giving it to her would be beneficial for me in the long run.
It was a sort of bribe. A bribe to say, 'please continue to take care of me.'
"I have something too. Something for you."
I took the item from my inventory and hid it behind my back, hesitating for a moment myself.
The sight of both of us hesitating at the same time suddenly struck me as funny, and I giggled.
"S-So, should we show each other at the same time?"
"Okay."
Chris smiled brightly and presented the item she'd been hiding behind her back.
I, too, held out my gift to her.
Seeing her gift, my jaw dropped in surprise.
"Ah...!"
[Sword of the Demon General Aspero]
[Elite Grade]
[Attack Power 270]
['Moonlight Slash' Skill Damage +40%]
[Socket 1: EMPTY]
[Socket 2: EMPTY]
(Binds when equipped)
It was a sword, a weapon for my Swordsman class. A new weapon from this dungeon.
Even better, it had the exact option I wanted, an increase in damage for my main skill.
This was far more expensive than that 1-gold outfit from before.
Since it hadn't hit the market yet, it would sell for at least 500 gold, which was over five million won at the current exchange rate.
I shook my head without thinking.
"S-Something this expensive..."
Then it occurred to me that the item I was giving her was of similar value.
But a straight trade didn't sit right with me. It might diminish the meaning behind my gratitude and my hope for our future partnership.
Still, for now...
I sighed and revealed my gift from behind my back.
Chris's eyes widened.
Her gaze immediately fell on the red ribbon tied to the Yin-Yang Orb's tassel.
She covered her mouth, her trembling eyes fixed on the orb.
"Gasp...! Rain...!"
I avoided her gaze and said timidly.
"U-Um, I thought you might need this. Do you want to trade it for the sword?"
"Waaah!"
Chris suddenly burst into tears. I stared at her, dumbfounded by the unexpected reaction.
"I'm so grateful, what do I do? And what's this ribbon? Kyaa...!"
Chris squealed, fiddling with the red ribbon on the Yin-Yang Orb.
Seeing her so happy made me feel good, too.
This was the first time I'd ever exchanged gifts with someone. But it wasn't a bad feeling.
Feeling awkward with the unfamiliar warmth welling up in my chest, I smiled and watched her cheerful face.
But I still felt indebted.
I had only ever received favors and given nothing in return, yet now it looked like a simple trade of a sword for an orb.
I don't know how to express my feelings.
How can I show my gratitude?
"Chris, um."
Chris, who had been happily fiddling with the orb, looked at me with a questioning expression.
I squeezed my eyes shut and said, as if making an excuse.
"W-Well, I'm grateful because you always take care of me, and I wanted to give you this to thank you, and we're going to keep running dungeons together, which makes me even more grateful, but then I received the sword, too. So my heart feels a little..."
Rain, you idiot. What in the world are you rambling about?
I don't even know what I'm saying.
What if Chris thinks I'm weird?
"Hmm~?"
A playful glint appeared in Chris's eyes.
"So, you wanted to give me a gift to express your gratitude for everything so far and to ask for my continued help, but since it turned into a weapon trade, you don't feel right about it, is that it?"
*Nod, nod.*
I nodded vigorously.
Wow, I didn't even understand what I was saying, but Chris managed to interpret it.
Chris, who had been watching me with a silly grin, smacked her fist into her palm.
"Then how about this? Since you've been putting up with me all this time, next time, you can put up with me and go somewhere I want to go."
"Oh."
Would that be enough?
Of course, I have my own schedule, but knowing Chris, she wouldn't force me to go somewhere I didn't want to.
Chris studied my reaction, then cautiously added another suggestion.
"And, um, it's okay to say no if you don't want to."
"......?"
Chris suddenly avoided my gaze, her hands twitching. What's wrong with her?
"C-Can I, um, pat your head? O-Of course, I, I did touch it a little last time, but it was just for a second, and I wanted to pat it properly."
"Huh...?"
I drew a sharp breath.
My head? Why all of a sudden?
Was petting my head really something worth asking for so earnestly?
But, it was certainly a difficult thing for me, too.
It had taken a lot of courage just for me to hold someone else's hand.
I clenched my fists and nodded with a determined expression.
Then I moved a little closer to Chris and tilted my head.
"*Hoo! Hoo!*"
Chris's face turned red, and it looked like steam was coming out of her nose.
I recoiled in alarm.
"U-Um, Chris. Your expression is weird."
"W-W-W-What! I-I'm not making a weird face!"
After taking a deep breath to compose herself, Chris raised a trembling hand and brought it over my head.
Finally, Chris's hand touched my hair.
*Stroke, stroke.* Her gentle touch brushed over my head.
I flinched.
My body tensed at the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar sensation.
It's strange. Being petted on the head makes my chest feel ticklish.
A memory I had buried, not wanting to recall.
It was as if I'd received something like this from my former companions long ago.
Before I knew it, I was narrowing my eyes, savoring the feeling.
"Hah!"
As the strange sensation began to consume me, I jerked my head back in shock.
The unknown feeling had frightened me.
Chris looked disappointed, her hand hovering in the air for a moment.
"S-Sorry. That's all for today!"
*Thump, thump.* My heart wouldn't stop pounding.
An awkward silence fell between us as we both avoided eye contact.
I mustered my courage and spoke first.
"U-Um, you have to keep farming, right? I should get back to it soon, too."
"R-Right? Hehe, I hope I didn't take up too much of your time."
"It's fine."
Fanning her reddened face as if she were hot, Chris walked over to where her party members were gathered.
Then, at the dungeon entrance, she smiled brightly and waved at me.
"Rain! Good luck with your farming!"
"You too."
Still peeking out from behind the pile of rocks, I gave Chris a small wave.
Her smiling face soon disappeared into the dungeon.
***
*BOOM!*
"C-Chris! Control your damage! I'm losing aggro!"
"Ah, sorry."
*Kaaaaak—!*
As the Bloodmaw fell, Death of Death let out a sigh.
"Whew, even with the Yin-Yang Master Aspero weapon, holding aggro is really tough."
"Still, the usual Chris would have adjusted her damage. She's acting a little strange today, isn't she?"
Beimerung gave Chris a suspicious look.
With dazed eyes, as if lost in a dream, Chris fiddled with the cute little ribbon on her Yin-Yang Orb and muttered.
"Beimerung, what should I do?"
"...Chris?"
"I don't think I can live without Rain anymore. What should I do? Her No-Name party members are just a business relationship for farming anyway, so I could just snatch Rain away. Death, should I give you more work at the company? Yes, we'll replace Death, who's busy with work, and put Rain in our party...!"
"W-Why are you suddenly dragging me into this!?"
"Ah... Aah! The synchronization rate...! This damn synchronization rate! I lost out on 80% of the sensation of Rain's hair! Uwaaaah!"
"Gasp..."
Seeing Chris's frantic behavior—her hands trembling as she tore at her hair—Beimerung broke out in a cold sweat and backed away from her.
Beimerung grabbed Cherni by the collar, pulled him a safe distance away, and whispered.
"Hey, Jae-wook. Are you sure it's okay to leave the real-life Rain with Chris?"
"...It might be more dangerous than I thought."