Chapter 101

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 101

Chapter Title: Inspection

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"Want some more dessert?"

"Oppa, try this too."

It was overwhelming.

Suddenly, the whole group had started treating me with excessive sweetness.

Thinking back, ever since we returned from the dimensional rift, the atmosphere during the entire meal had been like this.

What could I say? They were all desperate to make up for not taking care of me properly.

"Min-jun, nothing sore or hurting anywhere?"

Lost in thought, I heard the Saintess ask with genuine concern. I waved it off, saying I was fine.

"Shall we get going?"

As I pushed my chair back, the women stood first and swarmed around me. One wiped my mouth with a tissue, another straightened my hair, and someone cleared the napkin from my lap.

"……."

Even as I stood to head to the counter, their burdensome attentiveness didn't let up.

"Oppa, isn't your sword heavy? Want me to carry it?"

"I'm good."

"Is your shirt damp? You can borrow mine."

"Then what will you wear?"

"I'll just change into my bunny girl outfit."

"...No thanks."

"You sure it's not uncomfortable? I'll ask the staff if they have spare clothes."

"Big-boobs sis, I'll go check right now!"

"...I'm really fine, everyone calm down."

At first, the over-the-top care puzzled me, but after Seo-yeon and I returned from the bathroom, I figured it out.

From their perspective, seeing me die and come back to life must have made their hearts sink.

In simple terms, it was a wake-up call to reevaluate my worth to them.

"Dickhead, catch. Candy. The chef gave it out on the way."

Shin Seo-yeon, who couldn't care less about others' feelings and never paid them any mind, had changed her mindset and behavior entirely. The other women would be even more affected, if anything.

'...Still too much.'

I tried telling the group to act normal, like always, but it fell on deaf ears. They insisted this was their normal and doubled down.

'Sigh, it'll sort itself out with time.'

We finished eating inside and headed to the counter, surrounded by the women. They froze at the sight of it.

"...But we don't have any money."

"Wh-what do we do?"

"Dine and dash?"

"……."

Dine and dash wasn't an option. If you couldn't pay, the food wouldn't even be served. The fact that we ate meant we had some way to pay.

The women exchanged heavy nods and stepped forward with grim determination, led by Shin Seo-yeon. I could guess their plan and chimed in from behind.

"They don't take money, so no worries."

They flinched.

"What do you mean?"

"I paid back there, so this is free."

"Oh?"

They finally sighed in relief, rubbing their chests. They'd been ready to offer their own hearts in my place.

"Thank you for coming."

"Great meal."

"Take care."

"Bye bye."

The staff bowed politely in response to their well-wishes. But as I moved to leave, the greeter by the door suddenly blocked my path.

"?"

I looked at him, and he pulled something from his pocket.

"……."

It was a business card, depicting the restaurant's exterior under orange lanterns in the dark night.

The stiff cardstock had a magical treatment that made the texture writhe like it was alive if you stared.

Maybe that's why the image in the center shimmered like a mirage.

I brushed my thumb over the covered part. Familiar letters emerged.

『Tsukihara premium pass』

"This is...?"

"I heard you're someone important. I don't know the details—just told to pass it along."

I let out a disbelieving chuckle. This was a pass. A ticket to activate this place's challenge.

As a resident, I could enter the rest area freely once, but handing this over separately had a simple reason.

'Bring back any shitheads you spot.'

In other words, find sacrifices. The challenge here turned entrants into offerings the moment they stepped in unprepared.

"Take good care of it."

He bowed.

"Oh, do you know someone named Noctaviel?"

"Of course. The capable manager overseeing branches for the main store. He was the one who asked me to deliver it."

"I see."

So this branch was a funnel to lure prey to the altar. No need to go down to the dimensional rift themselves.

'Even after rolling here for 10 years, so much I don't know. The world's full of more unknowns than knowns.'

I tucked the pass away safely.

"Take care."

"Thank you. Have a great day."

"Rang! Sis is back~."

Calling out as we returned to the lodging, frantic footsteps rushed to greet us.

「Gyaang...!」

The harpy clung to me without hesitation among the five of us, rubbing her cheek against my torso in welcome. Not stopping there, she hugged and dangled from me, grinding her crotch against mine.

"Eh?"

It was a common way companion monsters expressed overwhelming joy toward their owners—channeling emotions into lust.

The Saintess freaked out at the sight.

"Oh my gosh! You're too young for that!"

「Gyaang?」

The Saintess blasted the harpy with recovery magic and yanked her away.

Blinded by the flash, the harpy blinked a few times before meekly following.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was speechless for a moment.

'Even if lust ties to mental states, normalizing a monster's sex drive... That's kinda scary.'

Anyway, we took off our shoes and entered. Then froze in unison.

"Wh-what is this...?"

"Hah?"

We'd come back from dinner to a trashed house.

The bed and sofa shredded by claws, curtains ripped down entirely onto the floor, furniture shoved around haphazardly.

'...Total mess. Almost nothing intact.'

Small mercy: the fridge with the pricey [Fresh Core] and [Whispering Silver Cloth] still worked fine.

I could've repaired it anyway, but...

...For us, broke after the challenge drained every last coin, repair wasn't viable.

'Maybe sell the broken props instead of fixing.'

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Screw that—props cost a fortune to replace. Better stash and fix later.

"What the hell...?"

"Hey, was it you?"

We turned to the obvious culprit in sync.

「Kyaaang!」

The harpy, beaming innocently after her rampage, confirmed it proudly—even hands on hips like Shin Seo-yeon.

...Up to there, it was fine.

"E-everyone calm down. She's just full of curiosity right now."

Yeah, what does the kid know? But the living room had stuff Shin Seo-yeon brought from her lodging.

"……."

"Uh, um..."

"Oppa, gotta hit the bathroom quick."

Shin Seo-yeon bent down and picked something from the floor. A familiar shredded rag.

"My one and only Earth outfit..."

Her eyes turned murderous at the sight.

The harpy flinched, sensing doom, and dashed to prostrate before her—forehead to ground, ass up.

「Gya, gyaang...!」

Clasping her hands in dogeza apology. Where'd a naked harpy learn that?

"Think I'll forgive you just like that?! Huh?!"

「Gya, gyaang!」

Begging till her hands wore out.

...Thank goodness the [Fresh Core] restored it. The harpy finally grasped its importance, wiping the rag over it repeatedly.

But soon enough, she buzzed around me whenever she got a chance.

Poke.

Peeking curiously at whatever I did, snatching things from my hands and fleeing. Sometimes tugging my clothes with claws just to rip them.

"Rang, settle down."

Poke. Poke. Rip.

"……."

Felt like dealing with a nasty parrot.

"You little..."

Thud thud dash!

If she succeeded in ripping, she'd bolt far away for a while. Though she'd creep back once I lost interest.

Swish.

As she snuck behind my seated self again with sneaky claws...

"Whew. Exhausted."

Shin Seo-yeon plopped beside me after cleaning with the girls.

Rang immediately sat demurely by us. Sharp eye for the mood, that one.

'Anyway, bored huh?'

Companion monsters wrecking like this? Pure boredom.

'Gotta find a playmate for her.'

Next trial, look around.

"Good work. Everyone gather up."

"Why? What's up?"

"Got something to say."

"Yeah, you probably wanna talk about the World Tree branch."

Her eyes sparkled at the [Dusk Veil] on the rack. Basically, she liked the coat and wanted it.

"Oh... Yeah, that's part of it."

"FYI, my World Tree branch cost 10,000 points. Super expensive. You get it?"

No half-assed excuses. I recounted deliberately.

"Remember? At [Crimson Sea Cliff], when I grabbed those stat shards for you."

"Yeah, I do."

"You all thanked me and said you'd repay personally."

The 12 stat shards I fetched from the seabed at [Crimson Sea Cliff].

Divvied three each, they'd said with sultry looks:

—Anything you want as payment? If so...

—Later. We'll settle personally at the rest area.

—Oh, good idea, Seo-yeon!

Maybe 'cause she was there? She nodded readily.

"Of course. But why... Eh?"

"I'll take the World Tree branch as payment. Thanks."

"Wha?"

Eyes wide, she screamed as it sank in.

"W-wait! No!"

Nearly a tantrum.

"Dickhead, listen to me?!"

From her view, losing the branch and a night with me? Natural reaction.

"Not like that! I wasn't gonna settle it that way! Hngaa!"

Why self-sabotage when middle ground was fine?

With Seo-yeon settled, I turned to the gathered women.

They shook heads at her outburst and focused on me.

"Ahem. Reason I called you all: something we gotta address."

"What?"

"When my chest got pierced earlier, everyone but Seo-yeon just stood there stunned."

"……."

Shocking, sure.

I get it. No warning, bam—sudden attack. Normal reaction.

But.

This selection process? Sudden shit happens anytime.

A friendly face asking directions turns killer, stabbing your gut. Or a dazed drunk clutching a bottle after losing a teammate sneaks up and takes your life like nothing.

"Can't freeze up. Gotta respond to any crisis. Build habits: react instantly to unseen threats. At least have a manual."

"Ah..."

"Seo-yeon did her part. As party DPS, she powered up and readied her attack."

She who'd raged, whined, begged, and cried puffed her chest proudly.

Ahem. Strutting like she owned it—reminded me of someone. So simple.

"When someone's hit unexpectedly like that, Ha-na."

"Y-yes!"

"Heal immediately. I could survive a head blown off if you cast fast enough. Got it?"

"Ah..."

The Saintess's [Recovery Authority] was transcendent. Called cheating in the process—miracles breaking rules or causing chaos.

Head gone? Recoverable if cast in time.

"Practice. Heal in any situation, instantly."

"Yes! I will! Won't be a burden—I'll train!"

"And So-hee."

Han So-hee stared tensely.

"Protect others and command calmly. You're leader without me. No spacing out."

"...Got it. Won't happen again."

I turned to Yi Sera last.

"Sera, you... Cover our gaps and enemy blind spots from hiding."

"How?"

"Mark foes So-hee misses, stir chaos in their ranks—whatever fits. Buys time till our holes fill."

"Ah...?"

"That's your role. Patch our team, exploit theirs."

No position was easy.

Yi Sera had options galore. Han So-hee, sole tank, guarded healer and mage—tough calls. Saintess seemed simple—heal only—but triaging multiples in combat? Split-second judgments.

"What about me?"

But I wasn't worried about Shin Seo-yeon.

"You did great, Seo-yeon."

The arrogant Crimson Flame Witch preened instantly—but she earned it.

Any crisis? Blast DPS first. No morals or virtues—just crude violence.

Hot-headed? Sure, but she overwhelmed and ended things. Paradoxically, perfect for the process.

"Hmph, knew it. I rocked."

...Annoying sometimes, though.

Tap tap. The harpy pointed, asking about her. I patted her head.

"Learn human words first."

「Learn human words?」

"Yeah yeah."

From then, the women trained diligently in their rooms.

No more slacking as "rest area." Creepy from my view, but good catalyst.

'Can't slack in the process. No matter your skills.'

4 billion people. How many elites? Yet trial endgame? Handful.

No steady grind, prep, readiness—no survival. That's our world.

'Problem: training spots suck.'

No good venues.

[Dimensional Gate A Kit]-linked lodgings were cramped—no real ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠training.

Just image training in poor setup.

'Make big space—like auditorium—for sword swings, spells.'

I shook my head after pondering.

Better expand outside than build out.

Outdoors? Blast magic freely.

"……."

Ten million points? Dream killed. No wild playground for Seo-yeon.

She'd train fine regardless.

'Make space as big as possible, secure fields for the other three at least...'

Shrrk—

The lodging upgrade screen shifted, highlighting options like it read my mind.

Training Ground (Healer): 240,000 points

Training Ground (Magic Use): 240,000 points

.

.

.

'What's this?'

Like game practice or training mode.

"...Insane."

Not the price—never imagined such a feature. Experience always meant betting lives in trials.

'Resident perk again...?'

Anyway, useful.

Swordsmen like Han So-hee or Yi Sera could swing anywhere, but mages and healers? Tough.

Especially for indecisive, jumpy Saintess—perfect.

'But points... 240k.'

Camp here, grind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠people for cash—not impossible.

'Wait, need to?'

I placed a dimensional gate in the hall. Door spawned with alert.

I long-pressed the door, activating an option.

'Oh.'