Chapter 111
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 111 - How to Welcome the New Semester (8)
Is it because of ‘that dungeon’?
A fixed gate that appeared in the original novel will open near our academy soon.
The items that come out of it are useful in the dungeon where one can get the ‘key’. So of course, Na Yuhan should go there.
Right on time. I have to ask him about the lucky letter.
[I have a lot of time! What’s going on? Is something difficult?]
[I think we have to start club activities soon.]
[A fixed gate will appear at the Academy tomorrow night.]
[It’s an item dungeon and not very dangerous. We can easily conquer it with our current strength.]
[The items that come out of it will be needed later.]
[Will you help me?]
I chuckled after seeing the last message.
He used to manipulate people as he pleased, yet now he knows how to ask for help.
[Of course.]
[We’re friends. Let’s all gather in a group chat and talk about the details!]
Na Yuhan, who hadn’t responded after reading the message, quickly replied.
[Thanks.]
It was quite cute.
But I have something else to ask.
[Hey, Yuhan, what is a lucky letter? It seems to be popular these days.]
[Kangyoo received it, but it feels a bit ominous… ㅠㅠ]
[You already received it?]
[Yeah. The senior we saw today, Sion, gave it to him, saying it was good! It seems like a lucky charm.]
[But um… I don’t really like that kind of thing.]
[It’s better not to like it. It’s not a good thing. It’s actually a cursed item.]
… A cursed item?
I felt the blood draining from my face.
What should I do? My little brother is finally getting better! What if he gets hurt!
I had to find a way to deal with it.
[First… You’ll be fine for three days. You’ll be lucky. But even if you throw away the letter, it’ll come back to you.]
If it’s transferred to someone else within three days, you might just receive good luck and end up with it. Even after three days, if you’re lucky, you’ll only get a little bit of bad luck.
That’s probably why it’s known as a lucky letter.
In particular, Senior Sion is very superstitious. He probably transferred the letter within 3 days, so he only received good luck.
And he thought that everyone else would do the same, so he probably didn’t have any ill intentions.
I shook my head, recalling Sion in the novel who carried around soybean paste stew because it was that day’s lucky item.
[…Senior, what’s that?]
[It’s today’s lucky item! Come to think of it, you, my junior, and I, have the same birthday! Also have one—]
[I’ll decline.]
I heard there was something like that.
By the way, everyone avoided Sion that day.
Since he was like that, well… he probably didn’t have any ill intentions.
[If it’s transferred within three days, it’s okay, right?]
[I should get that letter from Kangyoo.]
[Just give it to me instead.]
[That’s better.]
[The problem is that if this goes around and around and someone violates the restriction of having to transfer it within three days, a powerful curse will be activated.]
[It’s the same kind of curse that was placed on the teachers during the midterm exams before.]
[Instead of requiring strict conditions, it’s a curse that can only be lifted in a specific way the moment it’s activated. Even the trick that Senior Hana had won’t work.]
I bit my lip.
I felt like Kangyoo had been given a time bomb.
[The way to lift the curse is to burn the letter. However, once the curse is activated, everyone who has or was holding the letter will have that letter.]
[You have to find the body of the letter that belongs to one of those people and destroy it.]
[…As soon as I heard rumors about the letter, I asked the teachers separately, but they said that items held by individuals cannot be confiscated unless the danger is directly confirmed. I don’t think I can ask for the teachers’ help right now.]
[Got it. Thank you!]
I quickly contacted Kangyoo.
It was a message asking him to give me the letter.
And…
[That one older sister really wanted it so badly that I asked Senior Zion and gave it to her, tho?]
[You told me to do whatever I wanted, so…]
[Who?]
[An older sister I met after dinner when I went for a walk alone.]
[I don’t know her name. I just chatted with her. She’s from Class B, tho?]
I quietly put my hand on my head.
I didn’t know that Kangyoo’s personality of being friendly to everyone would become a problem at a time like this.
I didn’t know whether I should be happy that Kangyoo escaped danger or feel sorry for the person who became the next target, so I just buried my head in my pillow.
I felt sorry for myself for being relieved.
I felt like an idiot for excluding the use of meta point, saying that meta point can’t be used recklessly.
…However, if someone suffers because of the good luck, or rather the cursed letter, that Kangyoo gave them, I will definitely help them.
With that determination, I buried my face in my pillow again.
***
“What happened to the letter?”
Early in the morning. Na Yuhan, who arrived early as if worried about me, asked me as soon as he saw my face.
I explained what happened yesterday and told him what I had been thinking.
“First, let’s figure out who the people with the letters are. We don’t know when something will happen. The teachers said that we can’t do anything unless the danger of the item is directly confirmed, right? Most people will believe it’s a lucky letter, so it’ll be hard to just steal it.”
“That’s right. We can’t just forcibly steal something that they think is a good item.”
“Then… let’s keep a close eye on the targets, report the curse as soon as it’s activated, and gather the cursed people together.”
“That’s what I think too. That’s the best option.”
Na Yuhan hesitated for a moment after finishing her words. She seemed to be concerned that my complexion was somewhat dark.
“Don’t worry too much. It’ll be fine.”
“…Thanks.”
I smiled, glad to hear that sentiment.
“You’re going to tell us how to conquer the dungeon we’re going to go to tonight, right?”
“Ah, mmhm. I’m going to brief you after school. More importantly… Didn’t Kangyoo come with you?”
“He did, but he said he’d like to explore the school a bit more on his own.”
I pointed to Kangyoo’s bag hanging on the bag rack next to my desk and smiled.
“He’ll be here before the assembly time.”
“I see…”
Na Yuhan seemed to think for a moment and then said to me.
“If you want, I’ll let Kangyoo participate in this strategy. What do you think?”
“I’m against it.”
I wanted him to learn slowly, away from actual combat if possible.
“Although he’s enrolled here, he seems too young, so… I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to suddenly participate in actual combat. However, Kangyoo might be more motivated and want to go with me.”
“Okay, then let’s separate Kangyoo… Can you…?”
“…”
Is that so…?
I thought about Kangyoo, who was stuck to me all day.
Can we gather the rest of the group… except Kangyoo…?
“…How about we open the group chat and talk about it?”
“That would be better….”
I apologized to myself for unintentionally leaving him out. Sorry, Kangyoo…
And that’s how the secret operation began.
“Uh, uhm! A message!”
“T-That’s riiight!”
Starting with Shin Baran and Min Jaeyoon creaking and unnaturally holding onto their devices,
“Nyahahaha~ wait, I got a call~”
“Me too.”
“The seniors got one? Me too!”
Everyone, one by one, started to focus on their devices, making excuses for urgent contacts.
…For now, it seemed okay except for those two… Shin Baran and Min Jaeyoon.
Time passed, and at lunch.
Kangyoo frowned when he saw everyone holding onto their devices.
“What are you doing?”
I awkwardly smiled, covering the screen of my device from Kangyoo, who was peeking out.
“Just a little… Um…”
“I’m bored! Why are you all just holding onto your devices? Is there something fun?”
“No, no, nope.”
I turned away from the group chat where the explanation was in full swing and confronted Kangyoo.
Suddenly, I felt someone’s gaze and looked over there to see Na Yuhan fidgeting.
Kangyoo quickly turned around and stared at him with even more suspicion.
What if you reveal everything!
Na Yuhan, who naturally bluffed, saying that all situations in a novel were predictable, seemed unfamiliar with this unexpected situation.
Was it because Kangyoo was a character he didn’t understand?
You’re disqualifying yourself as a scammer, you scammer.
I turned Kang Yoo’s attention to this.
“You were bored, our Kang Yoo? I’m sorry.”
“Hng…”
I gave Kangyoo a lap pillow and patted his head.
Kangyoo, who had been quietly teasing with satisfaction, soon fell asleep.
Even though the situation was over, Na Yuhan, who had been staring at Kang Yoo with anxious eyes, updated the briefing in the group chat again when I urged him.
[Miss Nahyun, me too]
[Me too]
[Pillow]
[Pillow!!!]
I saw this message from Na Yuri in the middle, but I pretended not to see it. Her sparkling eyes were stinging.
I can’t see, I can’t see.
Oho, don’t move this way any more. Stop.
I wonder why, Na Yuri was getting more and more spoiled.
Park Siwoo said after seeing Kangyoo sleeping.
“Then, we’ll deal with the gate that comes up tonight, and from tomorrow, we’ll investigate the lucky letter case, right?”
“Mmhm. Just in case.”
“Got it.”
“Everyone, you have to come out carefully so that Kangyoo doesn’t catch you, alright?”
Everyone nodded to my words.
Well, the meeting time is after ten, and he would have fallen fast asleep by then…
I sighed as I touched Kangyoo’s gills, which kept twitching as if he was dreaming.
***
Night already.
It was well past ten, the curfew.
I jumped over the dormitory window and headed to the meeting place.
The others seemed to have arrived earlier.
However, Na Yuhan, the one who had gathered all these people, hadn’t arrived yet.
Come to think of it, his room was next to Kangyoo’s.
…Will he be able to get here without getting caught?
Well, his specs are really low, but he probably has a lot of items, so it’ll be okay.
As long as Kangyoo doesn’t wake up and stay alert at this time, he shouldn’t get caught.
Kangyoo always falls asleep at ten.
Still, I waited with a little worry.
It was already eleven o’clock. Fifty five minutes.
Five minutes left until the gate Na Yuhan mentioned occurs.
Na Yuhan arrived.
“…Sorry.”
“How could you leave me behind?!”
With Kang Yoo.
For a moment, I almost showed Na Yuhan a completely rotten expression.
Anyway, those fucking specs!
They can’t even be covered up with items!