The Second Tutorial (11): You're Being Too Harsh

"Haa, aren't you being a little too harsh?"

Song Dayeong stabbed the fallen goblin in the throat, then leaned on her sword while catching her ragged breath and complaining to me. I immediately snorted and sliced off the goblin's arms and legs.

"This is all because of you."

"Even so, dragging me out right after sex is too much."

"You have to hustle if you want to survive."

When I shot her a sharp look at her continued whining, she sucked her protruding lips back in and went back to killing the goblin. This chore wouldn't last much longer anyway.

I cleaned up a bit and immediately started working to secure those 500 points for Song Dayeong. This time I kept the tidying to a minimum and just pushed straight through, so it felt like we'd taken down over fifty. Thanks to that, the orange sky had long since darkened, yet we were still at it.

I gazed at the darkened sky, stretched my arms wide, and worked the fatigue out of my body. It was night and dark, but my vision wasn't nearly as bad as I'd expected. The moonlight helped, but the timer glowed brightly enough to act like a streetlamp, making everything brighter than anticipated. This feature hadn't existed during the first tutorial.

They probably added the convenience because so many monsters were swarming in.

"So, any idea what that key is for?"

"I don't know... maybe it opens some hidden door?"

There didn't seem to be many goblins left. With the remaining time, I planned to wander around and figure out what the key unlocked.

"But isn't that just a drawer key?"

"If it's a drawer key, then we need to find the right drawer."

"By rummaging through every single one?"

When I nodded silently, Song Dayeong shook her head like she was sick of me. It really might be nothing more than an ordinary drawer key. But it could also be the key to a hidden piece. Because of that tiny possibility, I couldn't afford to discard it.

The moment I felt it after consuming the elixir, I knew I'd stepped into a trap I couldn't escape. So no matter what, I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to find it. Especially since the pattern this time was completely different from the first discovery. If I could just locate it, I had a feeling something pretty decent would come out. I was actually looking forward to it.

Of course, that's only if I find it.

"Oh, the timer's changed."

We'd been checking every spot in every house where the key might fit, so the timer had reset before we knew it.

They were really showering us with points. The moment the invasion ended and I checked the rewards, nearly 400 points had come in. And that coupon could even be transferred, according to the description. Points normally couldn't be transferred unless you were the one using them—that was exactly why I was going through all this trouble.

Are these bastards watching everything?

Of course they were. The angel overseeing the tutorial would definitely be observing. If they were going to give it, they should have handed it over sooner. Giving that to Song Dayeong right now would cost me over a hundred points, meaning I'd have no choice but to carry her for the rest of the goblin hunt.

"Here. Food."

"Huh? I already have plenty of my own."

"Then share ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it with whoever you want to eat with. Anyway, what did you get for second place?"

"How did you know I got second?"

"Wouldn't it be more surprising if you didn't?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

How many goblins had I killed for her? After all that, if she wasn't in second, it would mean there was another goblin-slaughtering machine out there besides me. It wouldn't make sense for me not to know about them.

"So what is it?"

"Nothing special. This—a 100-point coupon."

"Nice! Then we only need about twenty more."

"Huh? But you still have to help me catch more! We made a promise!"

"We'll think about that later. Go look for where that key might be used. I'll head out again."

"Again? Aren't you tired, Senior?"

"Of course I'm tired. How could I not be?"

I'd spent the whole day hunting goblins, climbing mountains, and having sex. If I wasn't tired after that, I'd be a robot, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not a person. Obviously I was exhausted. But I endured it. All for the hidden piece waiting eagerly for me in the mountains.

"If you're tired, just rest. Why push yourself to move again?"

"Why, should I just rest and fuck you again instead?"

"Why even ask? You'll do it if you want to anyway."

It was the truth, but... that attitude of hers—like she was saying you're just going to do whatever you want with me anyway, so why bother asking?—rubbed me the wrong way. When you thought about it, our relationship was far more vertical than horizontal. If I kept tolerating that kind of attitude, what reason was there to keep her around?

Especially because letting something like that slide early on could lead to her suddenly questioning me later. So I deliberately stayed silent and simply looked down at her quietly.

"...I'm sorry."

Fortunately she had some sense. After I stared down at her wordlessly for a long moment, her eyes darted around as she read the room, and Song Dayeong backed down first.

"Huu, I'm going."

I gave her shoulder a rough pat and turned to leave. For some reason it felt more exhausting than killing goblins. I'd have to rest while I waited after heading out quickly.

"Fucking bastard. Seriously."

Only after Yoon Iseo had been out of sight for a long while did Song Dayeong finally spit out the curses she'd been holding back, just in case he might hear.

"Damn it, no matter what, treating me like some pet..."

She had been the one to suggest the relationship first. She'd known it wouldn't be equal. Still, she'd thrown herself into it to survive. But now that it had truly become this kind of relationship, she felt a twinge of regret.

"Sigh, I have to get moving."

Since she'd been given a task, she needed to bring back some kind of result. Honestly, she wasn't sure she'd be able to find anything. But if she didn't at least pretend to work, that tall bastard would just stare down at her with those cold eyes and pressure her. It was obvious.

Ugh... I hate it.

Just imagining it gave her goosebumps. He was only looking down, yet those twisted eyes seemed to say I could kill a thing like you anytime I want. It terrified her. And because she didn't want to see those eyes again, Song Dayeong picked up the food and started moving.

Considering how long it had taken him to return earlier, it would probably take a while again. But you never knew, so she moved diligently. As she wandered the village searching for anywhere the key might fit, she soon reached the edge of the settlement.

At the village outskirts, a dense forest loomed behind a broken fence. Because it was night and pitch dark, it felt far more sinister than before. She was about to turn back when—

"What? Song Dayeong, you were still alive?"

A group emerged from the forest—Im Do-geon and his people. Song Dayeong froze mid-step.

"What's with this bitch? How is she walking around so boldly?"

Im Do-geon had clearly seen that Song Dayeong hadn't come out during the second invasion and had stayed hidden. There was no way she could have been fighting alone, so she must have been hiding. Yet here she was now, strolling through the village like she owned the place. It made no sense. It felt like she was completely ignoring them, and that pissed him off. The others with him felt the same.

Because of a few selfish pricks, they'd had to watch their friends who'd fought alongside them die in horrible ways. No one saintly enough to defend that was left.

"Perfect timing. We've been looking for people like you. The sneaky bastards who hid while we were fighting."

"Wait!"

Alarmed by the threateningly approaching dropouts, Song Dayeong hurriedly raised the sword in her hand.

"Do you know whose this is? If you touch me, you'll regret it."

"You..."

Im Do-geon and the rest of the dropouts immediately recognized the sword she held out. They flinched and stopped. It was in worse shape than they remembered, but anyone could tell it was Yoon Iseo's blade. In the first place, he was the only one in the tutorial who carried a sword. There was no mistaking it.

"Fuck, did you sell your body?"

"Are you insane?!"

Im Do-geon had hit the nail on the head. Song Dayeong's temper flared.

"Yeah, I did! I did! Is it nice living that way, you whore?"

"What about it, you fuck?! What makes you so special? Can't you see half the people next to you are already gone? If I'd stayed with you, I'd have been raped and killed by those disgusting goblin bastards too. You expect me to just take that quietly?!"

"You... fucking bitch, you done talking?"

"I'm done, you son of a bitch!"

She'd shouted everything in a burst of anger, but after seeing Im Do-geon's boiling expression, Song Dayeong felt a flicker of regret. No matter how much she was riding on Yoon Iseo's coattails, he wasn't here with her right now. If these people decided to hurt her and keep their mouths shut, she might not get any proper revenge before the third tutorial. Still, since the next tutorial existed, they probably wouldn't touch her easily. But you never knew with people, so Song Dayeong kept her expression as controlled as possible while glaring at them.

Im Do-geon looked at her and thought coldly. Of course he wanted to make that impudent bitch pay in blood. But acting purely on impulse and taking the loss wasn't something only he would suffer. Some might ask what was so scary about one Yoon Iseo, but that guy wasn't human anymore. He was a monster. A person who could leap across rooftops alone. Even if everyone here attacked together, they wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

"Huu. I'll let it go this time, so share some of that food."

"Why should I?"

"Don't act tough. If things go south, we've got enough strength to slit your throat and leave."

At the murderous look in Im Do-geon's eyes, Song Dayeong clamped her mouth shut. She stepped back, leaving behind the food Yoon Iseo had given her.

"Go get it."

Once Song Dayeong had retreated far enough, Im Do-geon ordered his underlings to collect the food. Then they vanished back into the forest. Song Dayeong glared after them with wide eyes, then turned around and ground her teeth.

I'll make sure you regret those shitty words somehow.