Yggdrasil (3-55)
'Yes! It's done!! Hahaha!'
To Han Yeoreum, this situation was perfection itself.
No, in truth everything had gone to hell, but one single fact whispered to her that it was a perfect scenario.
Seong Su-ho's death.
Even if he'd pulled that idiotic stunt of tossing the key midway, it wasn't a problem.
She could just grab another key, and even if they had to run another defense, it wouldn't be a big deal for someone who knew the future.
'And they won't make us do this crap again!'
In Han Yeoreum's mind, this defense was a one-off trial.
It didn't make sense to force a defense like this every time they climbed a floor.
Hell, even running it once was insanely difficult.
Her eyes gleaming, she stared endlessly at the fairy.
"20 seconds!"
The fairy's timer countdown rang out, and Han Yeoreum clenched her fists with a tense expression.
And then time flowed on until they were right in front of the high ground.
"5 seconds!"
Han Yeoreum was certain.
'It's done! This is the end!'
With her conviction, the fairy shouted loudly.
"End!"
Inside, Han Yeoreum's mind erupted in pure joy without a single cry escaping her lips.
But the greater the expectation and joy, the proportionally greater the disappointment and despair when it all went wrong.
Thud!
"Ow... Feels like I landed on my tailbone."
Seong Su-ho had survived...
"Whoa! Seeing it in person, it's no joke."
"Mister, you were seriously impressive."
"What did we even do?"
Instead, thanks to his actions, he received overwhelming praise and cheers.
'Fuck... What the hell is this...'
In contrast, Han Yeoreum got...
The mockery and scorn started up again.
Even if everything reset on regression, those lines would burn into Han Yeoreum's mind like a slave's brand, unforgettable for life.
'I'll kill you fuckers...'
But there was nothing she could do about what had already happened.
Her reputation was now at rock bottom, and anything she said or did would only drag her deeper into the pit.
'Gotta get outta here first!'
She could kill herself here, but if she suddenly tried, the panicked party would stop her for sure.
And if she left alone while the others stayed, it might even give her a chance before regressing.
A chance to leisurely check the gem's contents.
'Just peek and regress!'
Her plummeting rep would actually make leaving easier.
'They probably don't wanna be around me anyway. Time to vent on that bastard first.'
Feeling a spark of joy, Han Yeoreum unleashed curses at Seong Su-ho to blow off steam.
She figured she'd curse him out on her way out for a mood boost.
But that was a miscalculation.
Her actions only tightened the noose around her neck.
Seong Su-ho...
"Get some sleep."
"Wha... What the fu... you fucking..."
Didn't let Han Yeoreum go easily.
..
..
"Hey... get... up..."
A faint, thin voice leaked into Han Yeoreum's ears.
But it didn't matter to her.
To Han Yeoreum right now, the sleep warmly enveloping her brain was her entire world.
But the sound forced its way into her ears, peeling back the sleep like morning blankets being shoved aside.
"Hey... wake up..."
"Ugh..."
Han Yeoreum's anger at the interrupter clashed with her desire to ignore it and dive back into deep slumber.
'Who the hell, annoying...'
But anger won out.
The reason? A massive sound through her eardrum shredded the sleep wrapping her brain in an instant.
"Hey! Han Yeoreum! Wake up! How long you gonna sleep?!"
"Gah! What?! Shut up!!"
Han Yeoreum snapped open her eyes, ready to yell at whoever shouted, scanning her surroundings.
'Who?! Annoying bastard!'
But her fiery intent to retort fizzled upon seeing her surroundings.
"Haa... Sleep all day why don'tcha."
"Hey, get up already."
Min Hayeon and Han Bom muttered pitifully at her.
"Hmmm..."
Not just them—the other three women stared down at her with the same pathetic looks.
Han Yeoreum couldn't muster her rage under those gazes.
In this baffling situation, one memory surfaced.
(Get some sleep.)
Seong Su-ho's line, followed by the sudden overwhelming drowsiness.
'That fucking bastard... Did he force me to sleep?'
Given his bag of every trick, it was the only explanation.
'Fucking dog...'
She sat up, ready to unleash a torrent of abuse at Seong Su-ho—
—when she sensed something off about the environment.
'...What? Was the fog always this thick here?'
Assuming it was the post-defense sewer, she stood and looked around, but gray fog filled the space, visibility zero.
All she saw were the women pitying her and Seong Su-ho glancing around just ahead.
No way this was the same place.
And as she puzzled over it, approaching Seong Su-ho's back—
He scratched his head and said,
"Guess it's creepier since it's where the dead hang out, huh."
As I muttered while peering through the thick fog, Han Yeoreum's trembling voice came from behind.
"Wha... what? What'd you say... what..."
"What? You're up?"
I turned casually, grinning at Han Yeoreum.
'Alright... how's he gonna play this?'
Anticipating her move, Armonia chimed in via comms.
[Glad it's going smoothly.]
'Yeah... Good thing I anticipated that bastard's tricks.'
The day before, I'd forced Han Yeoreum to sleep, then met with Min Hayeon and Han Bom for a strategy session.
We planned for if she regressed and who would be the regressor.
Even with the plans, the two women couldn't help but worry.
(What if Han Yeoreum refuses to go and throws a fit?)
(Then we drag his sleeping ass along.)
(Oh, just occurred to me—wouldn't he have ditched the key?)
(Ah... Didn't think of that.)
Min Hayeon finally realized, glancing at the sleeping Han Yeoreum on the floor.
Han Bom fretted over the snoring lump.
But I'd already insured against that.
(Leave that to me.)
(...?)
I explained everything, reassuring them enough to put them at ease.
Next day...
By the time we woke, the fairy appeared and warped us straight to the sewer dungeon's final junction.
We advanced to the central path without hesitation.
The trio went first, then me, Min Hayeon, and Han Bom followed.
Including the soundly sleeping Han Yeoreum.
I hoisted his annoying ass over my shoulder and headed to the central entrance.
Forcing the key into his hand...
'Good thing I grabbed extras just in case.'
[Would've been surer if the contract held, but it worked out.]
The biggest worry was how to use the key.
If only the summoner could activate it, I couldn't drag Han Yeoreum to the 2nd floor.
At least within the 10-day contract window, it seemed feasible.
'Life doesn't always go your way.'
[Ironic that it did this time.]
But when we got the intel on ascending, one useful tidbit stuck.
Hold the key and head central at the final junction.
Just go, it said.
Meaning the key acted like our 2nd Floor Pass.
Thus, I dragged Han Yeoreum to the 2nd floor by force.
Consuming the key gripped in his hand...
'Key vanished from his hand—yep, the bastard really ditched it.'
[Worrisome though. If the regression point doesn't change...]
'Can't be helped then.'
Her regression was certain, but we didn't know how the save point worked.
Gekkosu had said the 2nd floor wasn't for summoners—lifelong no-go zone.
Meaning it might not even be a regression save point.
Maybe ascending floors didn't shift it.
But we couldn't just dawdle on the 1st floor with Han Yeoreum.
We had a commission from Zodiac.
Finding ways to shorten time was our mission too.
"Wh... why... why... here... why..."
Han Yeoreum stared at me pale-faced, lips quivering nonstop.
Then she snapped to, lunged, grabbed my collar, and screamed.
"Fuck! What the hell! Why'd you drag me here!!"
"Ungrateful much? I was nice enough to bring you."
"Shut your bullshit! Fuck! Fuuuuck!!"
She shoved me hard, glanced around wildly, then vented curses alone in rage.
Han Yeoreum ranted like a madman for a while, then dashed into the fog with resolve.
"No! No way!!! Fuuuuck!"
Min Hayeon and Han Bom caught on and yelled.
"Han Yeoreum! Where you going!!"
"Hey! You nuts!?"
"Shut up!!"
She bolted into the fog and vanished from sight.
I met the resolute gazes of Min Hayeon and Han Bom.
'Armonia, let's try it.'
[Understood.]
I quietly awaited the cheap alarm for Han Yeoreum's death.
And soon...
Beep~ Beep~ Beep~
Target (Han Yeoreum) has died!
The moment the alarm hit, I hugged the frozen Min Hayeon and Han Bom tight.
..
..
"Gah!"
A sudden, choking gasp came from behind me.
I turned calmly to the sound.
There...
Han Yeoreum, surrounded by thick fog and women, looked around in bewilderment.
Her eyes darted desperately to the women, despair setting in.
"N... no... no... this... can't be. No way!!!"
Han Yeoreum screamed and fainted on the spot.
Me, Min Hayeon, and Han Bom exchanged smiles after seeing the passed-out Han Yeoreum.
The regression point... had changed.