102. Noona Eats Too Much (1) [Illustration Added]

Even after the Hunter Management Bureau dropped a bombshell and the world buzzed as if boiling over, the clock at Velvet Academy kept ticking.

Of course, since the matter had blown up so massively, all kinds of talk circulated among the cadets too,

but because Velvet Academy and the Hunter Management Bureau were fundamentally independent ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠institutions, the cadets' reactions were more subdued than expected.

Things like, I was planning to join the Hunter Management Bureau later, but maybe I should rethink my career path,

or, the period right after a scandal breaks is the easiest time to get hired, so we should actually aim for that window.

It's like the military—no matter what happens in the outside world, you end up watching from a step removed.

That's exactly what it felt like.

Since the academy handles all the basics—food, clothing, shelter—I guess it just doesn't hit home in a visceral way.

Yaaawn—.

A yawn slipped out because I hadn't fully woken up yet.

Lee Yu-ri was waiting for me in front of the dormitory.

"Jin Yu-ha! You overslept again!"

Indeed.

Today was the day to clear a dungeon with Im Ga-eul and Lee Yu-ri.

Live Gate Training day had come around again.

The dungeon we were assigned to today was a C-Rank dungeon, the Lizardmen's Field.

A dungeon where fire-breathing lizard bastards roamed.

And, someone new had filled the spot vacated by the tutorial boss who was originally in our squad, Choi A-ram.......

"Porter and Healer, Kim Cheol-hyeon! It is truly an honor to be joining the Utopia Party members!"

The remaining quota student I hadn't seen last time had taken the spot.

In other words, our squad was completed with an odd combination: Lee Yu-ri, Im Ga-eul, and three male quota students including me.

"Hoobae, is this really okay? A fair number of people from the other squads wanted to join ours......."

Im Ga-eul furrowed her brow and asked me.

Over the weekend, our Utopia Party had skyrocketed in popularity thanks to Shin Se-hee's media play.

With Choi A-ram gone, a lot of people from all over wanted to abandon their original squads and transfer to ours, but.......

"Well, are those people also volunteering to be porters?"

"......Not exactly."

I let out a snicker.

Honestly, for us—who had just returned over the weekend from conquering a B-Rank Dungeon, the Thorn Grasslands, even on hardcore mode as an unexplored gate—a C-Rank dungeon was absurdly easy.

So, unless they were a Damage Dealer on Kang Do-hee's level, bringing them in wouldn't help anyway.

'Rather than kids who'd get the wrong idea and try to latch on, these guys are more comfortable. And since they're the ones expanding the item slots, they're even better.'

And so, two women and three men headed toward the dungeon, drawing everyone's attention.

* * *

"Wow! Unni! My body feels way lighter than before!? Have you gotten even better?"

After clashing with a horde of lizardmen and finishing one round of combat, Lee Yu-ri ran up to Im Ga-eul and spoke excitedly.

"Ahaha....... I-Is that so? W-Well, if so, that's a relief......."

"No, it felt completely different from when I got it last time! Unni, are you a real genius or what?"

I also looked at Im Ga-eul with fresh eyes.

'......Seriously, it seems like her skill efficiency went up considerably. How did she improve this fast?'

In just one week, Im Ga-eul's skill efficiency had risen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so much you could actually feel it, as if she'd undergone a complete transformation.

'Even if early mastery rises quickly, this is definitely...... too fast. Was the trip to the B-Rank dungeon this time that huge? Or did she do some training in the Baek Seol-hee style this time around?'

Hmm, I don't really know the exact reason. Still, whatever, if it's good, it's good.

"It's nothing I did. This is all thanks to you, Yu-ha hoobae......."

Im Ga-eul spoke a little awkwardly, gripping the Magic Stone tightly in her hand.

"Then, if we keep going like this, we can wrap up even faster than last time today!"

.

.

.

However.

After that first spike, Im Ga-eul's skill efficiency plummeted as if by a lie. Catastrophically so.

Of course, it wasn't as bad as her base skills without any Magic Stone, but how should I put it—she just couldn't provide crisp, satisfying support.

In the end, we only finished filling our quota after nearly double the time it took last time.

And Im Ga-eul's complexion had noticeably worsened.

"Sunbae, you look really unwell right now. Did you drink the potion I gave you?"

"Unni, are you feeling sick......?"

"Uh-uh? I-I'm fine! I-I can push through!"

Im Ga-eul insisted she was fine and clenched both fists in a fighting pose, but.......

Her hands were trembling, and she looked like she was really struggling.

"Mm, seems like unni's condition was just off today. You can tell at a glance. She overdid it at the start, huh? No wonder her skill felt a bit different back then."

Lee Yu-ri nodded along as she spoke,

and I judged that pushing any harder here wasn't going to improve anything.

"We've already met today's quota, so let's head back now. Kim Cheol-hyeon, Kim So-hun, both of you gather the by-products and Magic Stones."

"Yeah! Boss!"

"Got it! Boss!"

*

"Hm? You're late today."

Chairwoman Rina twitched an eyebrow and asked.

"Yes, my sunbae seemed a bit off physically today."

"Then will you go to the infirmary or somewhere to get healed?"

At Chairwoman Rina's words, Im Ga-eul shook her head rapidly.

"Ah, n-no! I-I'm okay! I just need to rest a little, a little rest will do it!"

"Is that so....... Well, fine. You've met the quota. Good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠work, everyone. And Jin Yu-ha, you......"

Chairwoman Rina looked like she had something to say to me.

"No, let's set up a separate meeting later. Everyone, go in and rest."

"""Yes!"""

But she dismissed our party, apparently deciding to put it off until next time.

'Well, it's probably about the Hunter Management Bureau.'

She said she'd arrange a separate meeting, so I could just talk with her then.

'Right now, more than that.......'

I was more concerned about Im Ga-eul.

'They really take turns causing a ruckus, one after another.'

We'd been running the dungeon all day since morning, so I'd sweated and wanted to change clothes; I headed to my quarters first.

Once I'd showered and came out.

Rrrring—

A ringtone sounded from the phone on my bed.

"Hello?"

— Hoobae.......

"Sunbae? What's up?"

— Uh-huh, I have something important to talk about....... Uhm....... Can you come out for a sec?

I was planning to go find her anyway, but Im Ga-eul called for me first.

"Yeah, where are you?"

— I'm in front of the academy central park right now.

"Wait there a minute, I'll be right over."

When I changed into comfortable clothes and went out to the park, Im Ga-eul was there.

Sitting on a bench with a rather serious face, she was frozen stiff.

"Sunbae."

"Ah, Yu-ha hoobae....... You came...?"

"Is something going on?"

I sat next to her on the bench and asked bluntly.

Knowing this noona's personality, there's a high probability she'll beat around the bush if I don't go straight.

"W-Well......."

Even though she'd asked me here for advice, Im Ga-eul still seemed to be hesitating about whether to talk or not.

"You need to tell me honestly right now for me to help. I'm your party leader, sunbae. I have a responsibility to my party members."

I met her eyes and spoke seriously.

At that, Im Ga-eul gulped, then parted her lips as if steeling her resolve.

"......About my skill, there's something I wanted to ask."

Huh? My skill, suddenly?

I tilted my head.

'Is it because her output suddenly failed today?'

"Uhm, with one low-grade Magic Stone, how many times can I use my skill......?"

At her question, something dawned on me.

"Sunbae, today did you maybe....... Use a low-grade Magic Stone?"

Im Ga-eul slowly nodded.

"Mm. Yeah. I used a low-grade Magic Stone today."

"Ah, so that's what it was?"

Ah, I'm glad it's a lighter issue than it seemed.

Apparently, she felt a considerable burden using the highest-grade Magic Stone I gave her.

Indeed, since a highest-grade Magic Stone cost a fortune, it wasn't unreasonable for her to react like this.

"Hmm, at your current level, sunbae, you'd drain one low-grade stone in about half a day. Just use the highest-grade one like I said....... When you use all of it after about a month, I can give you another one. Don't feel so pressured."

At that, Im Ga-eul's face momentarily went pale.

"......No way."

From that, I could guess that something had happened to the highest-grade Magic Stone.

"Did you lose the highest-grade Magic Stone? No, was it stolen?"

At that, Im Ga-eul shook her head from side to side.

"......Or, did you sell it? Because you needed money urgently?"

At that, she shook her head rapidly once more.

"......Then what?"

Im Ga-eul hung her head low.

Then, in a voice as small as an ant crawling, she said.

"......I u-used... it up."

"What?"

"I used it all up......."

I'd activated Detection to catch her words, and my eyes flew wide open.

"Y-You used it all up? That? That highest-grade Magic Stone......!? All of it!?"

* * *

"It hasn't even been that long since I gave it to you....... You completely exhausted one whole highest-grade Magic Stone?"

"......W-Well, I kind of kept using it whenever I could, so-o-o—."

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stared down at Im Ga-eul.

Looking like a wife who blew through a whole month's allowance from her husband in one week, Im Ga-eul hung her head low.

'But seriously, how did she even use it all?'

At Im Ga-eul's current level, just using up a highest-grade Magic Stone in one week was, in itself, a difficult feat.

Even if you used it while training at the training grounds and when going into dungeons, running it out should be a long way off.

'Well, at least it's not one of the bad things I had anticipated, so that's a relief....... So the reason her skill effect was insane at the start was because her mastery went up from completely using up one highest-grade Magic Stone? That's why the efficiency wasn't there with a low-grade stone.'

Right, it's not bad news.

Her improved abilities, however it had happened, were a help to our party.

Besides, even if highest-grade Magic Stones were scarce right then, that would change with time. As enemy levels gradually rose, the quality of the Magic Stones monsters dropped by default would rise proportionally too. So it wasn't a big problem.

'Still, Magic Stone inflation hasn't even hit yet, and one highest-grade Magic Stone a week is too large an expenditure.'

I let out a deep sigh.

"For now, carry a low-grade Magic Stone and use your skill. I'll slowly look into how this ended up—."

"N-No. I don't want that."

Im Ga-eul suddenly cut off my words. Her voice was so firm, you wouldn't believe it came from her.

"What?"

"......Take responsibility."

Im Ga-eul was suddenly saying something out of nowhere.

She raised her head, her face looking choked up.

"You made me this way, hoobae, so you take responsibility!"

"......S-Sunbae? Calm down."

"My body's now been turned into one that can't be satisfied without that big one......!"

Grabbing me by the collar, Im Ga-eul was shouting lines easily ripe for misunderstanding out in the open clearing.

Murmur, murmur─

"......."