The Dongjak Gate (1)

I was chewing on a frozen bun, mulling over what to do with my day, when my phone rang.

Huh? Who'd be calling me?

The name on the screen was Kim Seoyeon — my damn master.

"Hello?"

"Siyu, you're free, right?"

"I suppose so?"

"Then how about coming out for a bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠today?"

"Did some furniture arrive?"

"No, no. I just figured we could hit one of those tourist spots that've been all over the news lately."

What's that master of mine up to?

If she was calling something a tourist attraction, it had to be somewhere impressive.

"Uh… so where should I go?"

"This time I'll call you once I get there."

"Call me?"

"Don't you remember the day you first visited the mansion?"

That day, right as I'd been getting ready for bed, I'd been summoned straight to the mansion.

"I called you with a skill that day. I'm going to do the same thing this time."

"So I just need to be ready?"

"Have your maid outfit on by two o'clock. There'll be one other person there, so stay sharp."

Someone else?

"Who might that—"

She cut me off before I could finish.

"That's a secret! Come and find out for yourself."

Click.

The call ended.

"That damn master of mine!!"

My pleasant morning shattered in an instant.

Still, once she'd made up her mind, there was nothing I could do about it.

Where are we going, I wonder.

She'd said tourist spot, so maybe a beach.

The mental image of my master in a bikini made the corner of my mouth curl up before I could stop it. Her personality was a disaster, sure, but her face was genuinely beautiful — if she'd just keep that mouth shut, she'd be plenty charming.

Two o'clock. I can rest a little before then.

Even at a tourist spot, she was obviously going to work me to the bone. Pushing myself now would just be stupid.

I flopped onto the bed.

Been a while since I checked my status window.

No matter how many times I look at it, I never get tired of this thing.

Checking the status window, I saw that my Synchronization Rate had climbed a little.

Rising faster than I expected.

And more importantly, I'd gained a level. All that continuous cleaning had paid off. Stamina, Agility, and Dexterity had gone up — Dexterity by a full two points.

At this rate, I could grow pretty quickly.

Even if it was only from Level 1 to Level 2, the pace was faster than I'd thought. Considering how hard I'd worked my body while the actual cleaning time hadn't been that long, it was even more impressive.

Once I get to the mansion, my level's going to shoot up in no time.

I spun that hopeful little fantasy for a while, then opened the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠detailed description for Maid's Technique.

The only change was a single rank bump in proficiency. This time, though, my eyes went past the updates to the entry unlocking at Level 5.

I've already leveled up once ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠— if I keep at it, I might hit that in a week!

I rolled around on the bed, luxuriating in rest while spinning happy daydreams.

I was so absorbed in resting that by the time I came to, it was already noon.

That master of mine might call early again…

Time to start getting ready. I showered and changed into my maid outfit. When I finished, it was 1:45 — a perfectly reasonable window with no risk of getting chewed out unfairly.

I sat quietly on the bed and waited.

Around 2:10, a faint wrongness stirred beneath my feet, and my vision flipped. In the blink of an eye, the scenery around me changed.

"Ohh… so this is the new subordinate you mentioned?"

"That's right. Isn't she adorable?"

"Your taste is certainly decisive."

The moment the summoning finished, my master and a red-haired man stood in front of me.

Hold on — isn't that the Association President?

Even someone as checked-out from society as me couldn't fail to recognize a face that showed up on the news at every possible opportunity. Turning my head a little, I saw a quiet apartment complex and a police cordon marked with a no-entry line.

"Master? You clearly said a tourist spot…"

"Siyu, today we're going to tour the hot potato everyone's talking about on the news — the Dongjak-gu A-Class Gate — together with the Association President here!"

"Excuse me?"

The way she rattled it off like it was wonderful news made my mind go blank for a second.

"So you're saying we're going into a Gate?"

"Yep!"

"Why? No — why do I have to go in?"

"To raise your level, of course."

"What? Do I have to? I just gained a level yesterday."

"And at that pace, when exactly do you plan on leveling up enough to actually work? Siyu, just go in nicely."

You insane master of mine, I'm not a combat class!

"So, is the internal coordination done?"

"Of course~ I just gave her a quick rundown so she wouldn't panic."

"Well, she still looks pretty panicked… but I suppose it doesn't matter."

The Association President crossed the cordon and headed inside.

"Let's clear this Gate already."

"Yeah, yeah. Siyu, keep up. Fall behind and you're in trouble."

A short walk past the cordon brought us to a point where space itself seemed to ripple in midair.

"This is the Dongjak-gu A-Class Gate. We need to clear it quickly if only to ease the public's anxiety."

"Great. Then let's go in. Siyu, stay close."

The two of them walked toward the rippling space. The moment their figures touched the distortion, they vanished in an instant.

I have to go in too, don't I?

I steeled my whole body and stepped forward.

The entire world twisted in a single moment.

"Uweeeegh—"

The second I came through, I emptied my stomach.

"Hey, Black Moon Princess — is that one a Gate first-timer?"

"Obviously. Pffft."

Through my spinning vision I saw my damn master doubled over laughing, and the Association President scolding her for it.

Black Moon Princess — is that her epithet?

"Hey. Your name's Siyu, right?"

"Yes…"

I managed a strained answer.

"Feeling dizzy the first time you pass through a Gate is common. Breathe deeply. Once you adapt to the Gate's atmosphere, the dizziness will ease."

There was a strange warmth in the Association President's blunt words.

"Nngh… uweh—"

I heaved one more time, then took a deep breath, and the dizziness subsided.

"I think I can move now."

"Hm. You seem fine. Let's go."

"That's our Association President for you. So kind."

"By the way — does your subordinate have any combat ability?"

"Probably not."

"Any means of protecting herself?"

"Probably not that either. Right?"

"No…"

I did have one A-grade skill of completely incomprehensible value, but I didn't bother mentioning it.

"Crazy bitch."

A rough curse slipped from the Association President's mouth.

"Is a Gate raid a joke to you, Black Moon Princess?"

"I'm with our Association President — what's there to worry about? Calm down."

"Talking to you is a waste of breath. Hey, Siyu."

"Yes?"

"You've got it rough."

I didn't bother answering.

Who knows how that damn master of mine would react if I did.

Still, the Association President at least seemed like someone with his head screwed on straight.

"This dungeon appears to have a plains setting. Fortunate."

He pulled a compass from his bag and started forward.

"Stick close. I can't protect you if you're far away."

"My, how reassuring. Siyu, come closer now."

After about thirty minutes of walking, a cloud of dust came rolling toward us from far ahead.

"This… no wonder the previous Awakened team was wiped out."

"Right? Looks like I'll need to put in some work this time."

My master swept a hand through the air, and dozens of black spears materialized.

"Siyu. Watch carefully. This is your master's power."

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—

The spears floating in midair launched all at once. The dust cloud in the distance began to thin.

"Let's move as well."

The Association President and my master approached the place where the dust had been. The scene was pure carnage. Water buffaloes whose bodies were partially steeped in darkness were charging the ones that hadn't been tainted yet.

"Black Moon Princess."

"What?"

"Your ability gives me the creeps every time I see it. At least you're on our side — small mercies."

"But it's reliable, right?"

The Association President's fist was suddenly engulfed in a massive blaze of fire.

"I'll handle the stragglers."

The handful of buffaloes still holding out were crushed in an instant by his fist.

"If it's just numbers like this, we'll clean it up quickly."

"Those numbers wiped out an entire team, you know."

"Abilities specialized for mass slaughter are rare, so that's only natural."

"My. Then shouldn't a high-value asset like me get a little better treatment?"

"The fact that I'm not cracking your skull open with this fist right now is my consideration."

"Oh my, how scary."

My master and the Association President ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wiped out the buffaloes in moments and chatted away. All I'd done was watch from behind.

Combat-type Awakened are insanely strong. I really shouldn't pick fights with that master of mine.

On the other hand, thanks to that useless skill of mine — Absolute Master Protection!!! — I figured I probably wouldn't get hurt, which was a relief in its own way.

"Siyu? We need to move already."

"Yes, ma'am."

I hurried to catch up behind the two of them as they strode ahead.

"Siyu, once we clear this Gate today, your level should jump quite a bit, right?"

"Even without contribution, if your level is low, survival experience alone will raise it considerably."

Level, huh… I wonder how much it'll go up.

A little spark of anticipation lit in me, and I glued myself tightly to the Association President's side so I wouldn't fall behind.

Because that master of mine is not someone I can trust.