31. The first party doesn't seem easy
31. The first party doesn't seem easy
"Master, I love you."
-bung bung bung bung bung bung!
"Eek!♥ Nooo...♥"
"Why... We're under the blanket right now."
"Is that so? That's why?"
"Of course, say you love me quick."
"Lo, lo... I love you..."
"I love you so much too."
Master's face flushes bright red.
She wraps her wagging tail around my waist and buries her face in my chest.
"Hehehe...♥ Kek! Pfft!"
By drilling "I love you" into her on the bed like this, it'll slip into everyday talk before she knows it, and eventually stick to her lips for good.
I'm gonna gently coax it straight into her daily life.
So, shouldn't we run some pre-rehearsals?
"Honey."
Master's eyes go wide at my words.
"De, de... What did you just..."
"Only on the bed, only right here. Okay?"
I press up against Master's belly and whisper in her ear.
-grip...♥
"Eut... Only on top...? Really just on top?"
"How 'bout it, honey?"
Master gazes up at me with dewy eyes.
"Honey...♥"
We just stare at each other wordlessly.
Our heartbeats tangle so bad it's a mess.
Master starts rubbing her thighs all needy-like, and I'm tensing up, dying to hold back.
'Ah, should've saved that potion.'
Whatever...
"I love you, honey."
"Yeah... I love you, honey...♥"
And just like that, Master yelled out "honey" a hundred times.
♥♥♥
"I'll be back, ho... Master!"
"Yes, ho... Ahem! Be safe..."
It's almost the 25th.
They said they'd supply Labyrinth resources, but better prep some personally.
Refill the oil the mercenaries burned through, and this sword's edge is shot... If no quick fix, grab another one.
'This blade fits my hand perfect... Buy one more, snag one from Gongnyeo-nim's support too?'
For a rookie adventurer whose best is 5th floor, that's some next-level luxury thinking.
All thanks to Master's grace...?
'Grab another bottle of Wonhongju on the way.'
I head into town in high spirits.
On the way after grabbing necessities, heading to Maehyanggak...
"...? What the hell..."
Right in front of me is Chwihyangru, where I'd been busting my ass till recently.
Roof completely blown off.
Walls crumbled, dust swirling everywhere, back road smashed and cratered all over.
Yet only Chwihyangru trashed—total ironic eyesore.
"Hit by a meteor or what...?"
"Ryu... ugh... Ryu, Ryuo-yaa..."
"Wha, what?"
I turn, and the owner's zombie-staggering toward me, hand outstretched.
"Me... Before I kick it, seeing hallucinations..."
She's always so extra... But half her shop's wrecked, fair enough.
"No, owner, what happened?"
"Eeeek!! N-not a hallucination? God of calamity! B-back off!"
Why's she acting up like this?
"Owner, quit messing around. What happened?"
Owner bolts for real, terror-stricken, no look back.
"Waaah! Sorry! Sorry!"
"...?"
Beats me now...
I skirt the dusty wreck and hit Maehyanggak.
Still no customers inside, owner spots me quick and welcomes me.
"Welcome! Another bottle of Wonhongju?"
"Yeah, to-go's fine."
"Gotcha! Oh, that tip you gave last time? Working like a charm."
"Haha, glad it's helping."
"I owe you big time. Aigoo, brain fart. Right away!"
"Sure."
Quick job, so I stand and wait—door swings open, one guy walks in.
"Owner arou—oh, kid? Back of your head screams it!"
I turn—Blue Magic Tower Master grinning at me.
Benefactor who hooked me up with skills and points...
Luck stack? I give a slight bow to the perfectly timed Magic Tower Master-nim.
"Hello, Magic Tower Master-nim. Thanks again for last time."
"Tsk tsk, punk! Just call your granny!"
Total sly granny vibe, super friendly—puts me at ease.
"Yeah, granny. Nice seeing you again."
"Get this punk? All iffy pouring booze before, now all polite!"
"I'm sweet as pie to elders slipping me allowance."
"Puhahaha! Quick on the uptake, love it! Eaten yet?"
Perfect timing, got stuff to discuss.
"Ate, but got words for ya. Lemme pour a drink, hear me out?"
Tower Master lips curl up.
"Squeezing granny's wallet?"
"Kinda, wanna hear?"
"Tsk tsk, deal! Park it!"
"Yessir!"
Owner brings Wonhongju, I order—we plop down opposite.
Owner sets drinks first.
I crack the bottle, pour respectful-like.
"Granny, got a favor."
-glug glug glug
"Diving wallet-deep right off? Pace yourself."
Says it, but looks pleased as punch.
I pull the proof token from my Subspace.
"Gotta borrow granny's name for something. Cool?"
"...My name? This won't cut it...?"
"Master swore it'd fly. No crime stuff, promise."
Tower Master swirls the bottle, grins.
"Plenty of booze left... Spill slow."
Tough to full-dump, so I ask.
"It's my personal biz—summary okay? Pour ya full bottles though."
"Hmm... Fine, shoot."
And I lay it out.
"Unexpected mess, had to shift to the Labyrinth portal front..."
Tower Master listens rapt, downs a whole bottle pre-snacks.
"Need granny to announce it as some experiment flub or whatever."
-gulp!
"Kuhhh... That 'mess' screams massive, huh?"
"Yeah."
She nods at my dead-serious yes.
"Me, Arin's disciple? Pfft, small potatoes. But... condition."
"Ears open."
"Punk... Figured bunny-boy, but sly fox like your master."
I grin sheepish, granny thrusts her glass.
"Drop by Magic Tower pronto!"
Way too easy—I cock my head.
"That do it?"
"Yup~ Knew you'd ghost otherwise."
"Was gonna swing by anyway..."
"Post-deal here? Nah, you weren't."
Wanted to visit sometime... but yeah, dragged it out.
"Haha... Yeah."
"Knew it, punk! I won't pry why, you just show—no excuses."
Why's she calling? Curious, but solid terms.
"Here! One more bottle!"
"Punk... Eye sharp!"
Poured till Master'd worry, headed home.
Morning of the 25th sneaks up.
"Be safe, honey...♥ Chu!♥ Chu chu!♥"
"B-be saf—mmph! Haa... Keep making it tough..."
"Hehe♥ Hurry back, honey? Yeah?"
Greet the shy Master waving from under the covers, hit the road.
Lately? Nada. All day Training, bed, Training, bed.
Ki Sense teasingly close but no cigar—time's up, c'est la vie.
Warm up en route, stomp ground hard, bolt.
Recent stat bumps + footwork = zipping smooth.
Folks gawk slack-jawed at my speed.
-Breathtaking view...
-Breathtaking...
-Maybe that Easterner with Arin-nim from the center...
-Looks like...
Can't catch words, but yeah, drawing stares.
'Roof-run next time...?'
Daydream sprinting, boom—Guild front.
Hand on door...
-Bang!
"You're here! This way!"
Déjà vu. How they always greet perfect?
Guild Master ushers me to 2F.
That Guild Master room from before.
Smoke venting window—spotted me from there.
Guild Master grins awkward.
"Ah, herbal smoke. Stinks? Next room..."
"Nah. Smells nice, fragrant."
Way better than past-life cigs. No bother.
Guild Master chuckles.
"Haha, ah! Your requested Adventurer's Badge. Keep the old? Iron stamp it."
"Here."
"Yes, one sec."
Guild Master dips, I wait...
-creak...
Turn—buff woman in priest gear looming over me.
"..."
"..."
No intro, awkward silence chokes.
She picked too?
Labyrinth buddies soon—greet first.
"Hello."
"...Hello. Northener here. Bear with... it."
"...???"
What kinda talk is that?
Blank stare down—no awkward vibe.
Bear with? Knows her speech quirks?
"Speak casual, it's cool."
Spark in her deadpan eyes.
Fist to chest, head bob, stomps over, sits across.
"Honorifics in practice. Lived rough, tough."
Quirky one.
"From The North?"
Arms crossed, eyes shut, replies.
"Yes."
"Ah... yeah... Jang Ryu-o here."
Eyes snap open.
"Got it."
Like chatting with a glitchy bot.
Her cue for name-drop?
"Name?"
"Magna."
"Yeah..."
Miss Guild Master sudden.
Hell-silence redux, question pops.
Northerners Earth Mother God fans, but robes rock Temple of Light emblem.
"Temple of Light priest?"
"Yes."
"Thought Northerners did Earth Mother God..."
"God cool, converted. Mom beat me dog-style."
What kinda drama to ditch tribal faith for Light God.
Itchin' to ask, but chat'd drag all day—zip it.
Then—silence-breaker #2.
-creak! Thud!
"Hm? You the picks this time?"
Peacock-dressed dude, hand on chin, eyes us.
That getup for Labyrinth?
Staring leads eye-lock...
"Hello."
"...Grk!"
Ah... why this dude too.
Grits teeth hard, snaps back composed.
"Ha! Your house?"
"No house, Uncheon-yeohyeong sect. M—"
"Tsk!"
Tongue-click, head tilt.
"Pleb? Hot spring... huh? Rings bell... Tsk, Easterners..."
"Master's A—"
"Skip, name?"
Noble classic. Zero expects.
One-off party ain't forever... let annoyance slide light.
"Jang Ryu-o."
"Heh, cool. Jenin Hardin, third son Hardin Count House! Bust ass!"
"Yeah~"
Jenin spins grin, eyes Magna.
"You... savage? Light God? Huh...? Yo savage! Who?"
Magna shoots up sudden.
"Ears ring. God's whisper drowned."
"Huh? Nutjob? What the—"
"Shut it, mutt—'fore I smite God's name."
Oof...
Jenin flops jaw at Magna's fastball.
Forehead vein pops, magic circle hand-glow.
"Cheeky savage... Repeat."
"God says no room. Hell-bound?"
Trouble brewing—I sidestep light.
Glares spark, powder-keg tense.
Then...
-Bang!
"Jang Ryu-o!"
"Gongnyeo-nim?"
"Huhup!"
Second Duke's Daughter and Guild Master barge—Jenin cowers, magic vanishes.
Second Duke's Daughter plops by me beaming, yaps away.
"Hey! Missed me? Duh, I didn't miss you! Know it?"
...? Gongnyeo-nim tagging? Better not ask.
"Haha, good to see you, Gongnyeo-nim."
"Gong... Gongnyeo-nim? What... grk..."
"Hehe! Thrilled, right? Honored! I'm adventuring too! Oh yeah, that perp last time..."
Jenin mumbles lips.
Jenin gulps, stands before Second Duke's Daughter all polite.
"Honored to meet, Gongnyeo-nim. I'm..."
Cuts—Second Duke's Daughter scowls fierce.
"Who's this clown? Master! Him too?"
"Yes, Gongnyeo-nim. List has him."
"Tsk, eyesore. Yo! Desk back—sick of sight."
"Eek! Yes!"
Jenin sprints desk-hide instant.
Magna eyes gleam at Gongnyeo.
Sudden... this gremlin looks fresh.
Pisses off foe-side, tanky ally-side.
Gongnyeo chatter suddenly music.
I beam goofy, field her questions.