7. Return
When we returned to the Temple of the Travel God, the first person to greet us was Ms. Kwon Chae-a.
"Do-hyeon made it back safely too. There are still students who haven't arrived, so let's wait a little."
"Yes, ma'am."
I said that and looked around, then realized that the "students who haven't arrived" the teacher mentioned included Lee Se-rin's party.
'Last time they got back before me.'
"Big Sis Tia, are you busy today?"
"Back to calling me 'big sis,' are you? I don't have anything else to do today."
"Then let's head back together?"
"Sure, why not."
Tia nodded, though she looked puzzled. It was nothing serious—I was planning to use her as a shield when Lee Se-rin made her party pitch.
Meanwhile, Tia kept looking around here and there, apparently finding our class fascinating. After scanning the area for a while, she pulled at my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
"Hey, Do-hyeon. Were our adventures unusual even by outlander standards?"
"Outlanders?"
"People like you who were unintentionally transported to Tartarus. They say outlanders usually have stronger Perks than ordinary adventurers."
In other words, she was asking whether we stood out even among our class.
"We probably earned several times more experience than the others."
From what I could hear of the other students chattering, earning around 50 today seemed to be the norm.
I could hear talk like whether they could reach level 2 in a week, or whether they could hit level 3 before running out of money.
"Is that so? I understand. I will keep this secret, without fail."
Tia made a solemn vow to herself. I didn't think she'd go around blabbing about it, but her resolve was needlessly dramatic.
As I chatted idly with Tia and waited, Lee Se-rin's party returned. I didn't see any injuries, but they looked exhausted overall.
Lee Se-rin exchanged a few words with the teacher, then approached me with her group.
"Want me to show you proof of level 2?"
"Sure. Seo Do-hyeon."
At that, we moved to a corner of the temple. It wasn't something to broadcast to the other students.
What would be the best way to demonstrate it? I thought it over, then picked one Metamagic option.
"Class president. Brace yourself."
"Huh?"
I spoke, and the class president collapsed immediately. I caught her before she fell, so she took no damage.
"Hey! What did you do to her?!"
"It's a Metamagic you can only use at level 2."
Subtle Spell. Its effect allows casting a spell without the three major components—verbal, somatic, and material*.
I'd simply hit the class president with a Subtle Spell-enhanced Sleep spell. When I shook her lightly, she woke up right away.
"Huh? What just happened?"
"Sorry. Of the magic I have, this was the only one I could demonstrate peacefully."
"Oh, no. It's fine."
Once she came to her senses, she realized she was in my arms, blushed, and pulled away. Watching her try to cool her red face with her hands was cute. We're adults now—isn't she a little too innocent to react like that to this much contact?
As I was thinking that, Park Min-a scrunched up her face and spoke.
"Hey, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"I figured you guys would catch her."
If you asked whether I had ulterior motives—of course I did.
She's cute. The class president.
But since I'd warned her in advance, I expected one of the other students to react. They all seemed more exhausted than they looked.
Anyway, I'd reached level 2 as promised. In reality, I'd accumulated 750 total experience, which meant I could reach level 3—which required 900 experience—by tomorrow.
Now Lee Se-rin would quietly give up and go home. That's what I thought.
Lee Se-rin drew on her mana circuit and swung her sword toward me. Had this woman lost her mind? That's what I thought, but the blade didn't reach me—it cut through empty air.
Before I could even finish thinking What is she doing?, Lee Se-rin's second sword strike followed. As long as she was using a mana circuit, consecutive attacks like that were impossible at level 1.
Proof of Fighter level 2. Action Surge.
"You saw that, right? We're level 2 too. I'll say it again—hunt with our party."
I let out a sigh at that. Why was she so fixated on me?
"Sorry, but I can't."
"Why? You'd better give me a proper reason."
Lee Se-rin crossed her arms and stared at me. Half-baked excuses weren't going to work.
Having chosen a frontal breakthrough, I had no choice but to push through. I walked up to Lee Se-rin and whispered in her ear.
"We're going to hit level 3 tomorrow."
When I said that and stepped back, Lee Se-rin froze. I figured that settled it and started to leave, but then Lee Se-rin's expression crumbled.
Is she about to cry? She seemed to be forcing it down. Wait—if you cry here, I'm the one who ends up looking like the bad guy.
As I stood there at a loss, Tia pulled me aside. I went along willingly, and she pulled my shoulder down and whispered in my ear.
"Do-hyeon. Is the problem that she's asking you to join her party?"
"Yeah. I can't figure out why she's going this far, so it's awkward."
"Do-hyeon. Do people often tell you that you're oblivious?"
Tia suddenly hit me with a brutal truth.
"No. Because I don't have friends, so there's no one to tell me that."
Tia sighed at my words and continued.
"Isn't there someone in that party who likes you?"
That was something I'd never considered. Someone likes me? In Lee Se-rin's party?
If that were true, a lot of questions would be answered.
Why was she so angry about me going solo? Because she was worried I'd die.
Why did she want to recruit me into the same party? Because she wanted to be with me, and didn't want to worry about me dying.
But then why was her attitude toward me like that? Because the person who likes me isn't Lee Se-rin herself. Or because it is her, but she's too embarrassed.
No, being embarrassed doesn't justify that kind of attitude. Let's rule that out.
Fine. Let's assume that's the case. Then how do I resolve this problem?
***
By the time Lee Se-rin had calmed down from her seething emotions, I had Tia call the class president over. I didn't know how Lee Se-rin would react if I approached her again.
The class president was fidgeting because of Lee Se-rin, but she came when she heard I'd called for her.
"Sorry. I didn't mean any harm."
"Mm. I know. You have your own circumstances too, right, Do-hyeon?"
"So about that—there's a reason you want me in the party, right?"
"Uh, yeah."
The class president barely managed to answer, her eyes darting around.
"But does that reason absolutely require me to join the party?"
"Well, that's..."
"If you're worried about me getting hurt, I found a new party member this time."
"R-right."
The class president answered with a somewhat dejected expression.
"If you're worried about me being isolated from the class, we can spend time together at other times, right?"
"Huh?"
"Oh, would it bother you to get closer to me?"
"N-no! That's not it!"
Uh-oh. Park Min-a was glaring this way and mouthing something. I couldn't read lips, but judging by the vibe, it was probably "I'll kill you." I should stop teasing and get to the point.
"You're not trying to interfere with me—you want to help, right?"
"Then just tell me directly."
"Um... is that okay? Won't I be a bother?"
"If there's a problem, I'll refuse. If it's something fine, I'll accept. So it's okay."
At that, the class president let out a sigh of relief and said,
"Thank you, Do-hyeon."
After that, I heard their story. Lee Se-rin's party had apparently struggled in the temple. Unlike the first floor of the cave where kobolds and goblins popped out, the temple labyrinth had zombies and skeletons emerging.
They'd kept fighting those horrifying monsters, barely reached level 2, and just when they thought they'd finally matched the pace, they realized they'd been overwhelmingly overtaken. I could understand Lee Se-rin's feelings a little now.
'But that doesn't mean I can party with them.'
Of course, it wasn't impossible. Lee Se-rin's party could share Incubus Gaze with me. Then they could hunt with me in the cave.
'Though that's an absurd possibility.'
Not just spending one night with one of the four—I'd have to spend a night with each of them?
Unless I forced myself on them and wrecked our relationships, it was out of the question. And if the relationships fell apart, the whole point of partying together would be destroyed too.
In the end, as long as I hunted in the cave, it was an impossible dream.
'Things might change a bit at level 3.'
From level 3 onward, you could call yourself a full-fledged adventurer.
As I was organizing my thoughts, the teacher called us over. The last party had returned, and it was decided we'd head back to the inn.
***
The walk back to the inn was peaceful. Lee Se-rin's party peppered Tia with questions, and Tia did her best to deflect so the truth about us wouldn't be exposed.
Since Tia stayed somewhere else, we decided to eat at the inn and then part ways. Apparently the food where she stayed wasn't as good as here?
Lee Se-rin still seemed upset with me—whenever our eyes met, she immediately looked away. Had she still not cooled off?
Still, the mood was good. If only tomorrow could pass as uneventfully as today.
Maybe that thought was a mistake. A shadow slipped in beside our group.
"Miss. Could you spare a moment?"
A man in gray cloth robes had approached Tia. When he spoke and showed a badge, I felt Tia's body stiffen slightly.
"Sorry, Do-hyeon. I think I need to go."
And with that, Tia left with the uninvited guest. I had a feeling that if I let her go like this, something bad would happen.
Think, Seo Do-hyeon. Who would have reason to summon Tia? A powerful figure in the city she'd mentioned, or someone connected to them.
Why would such a person call for Tia at this point? It had to be related to gain or loss.
What kind of influence could Tia possibly have? Isn't she just a back-alley thief?
As I thought that far, an idea flashed through my mind. This was going to be quite unfavorable for Tia. And she was my party member.
Without her, the uncertain variables in combat would increase, I'd have no one to talk to while wandering the labyrinth, and I'd lose my means of resting—
No. That's not it.
I simply didn't want to be forced to let go of someone who had already come into my arms.
Did I need to risk my life for a woman I'd spent one night with?
No.
But resolving this wouldn't cost me my life. So there was no reason not to do it, right?
"Ms. Kwon. Something's come up, so I'll head back separately today."
"Really? Don't do anything dangerous, and be back before dinner! Understood?"
"Yes."
The teacher watched Tia and me growing distant with a worried look, but she seemed to decide to trust me—maybe because of how I'd performed in the labyrinth.
I ran after Tia just like that.
"Wait!"
"Do-hyeon?! Weren't you on your way back?"
"I'm coming with you."
"Young master... you're an outlander, I see. Do you understand what this is about before saying that?"
"Yeah."
Maybe I understood what was going on even better than a mere underling like you.