Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Mystery of Karma
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Kang Jin-hyuk concisely summarized the events that had unfolded outside for Lucia.
He also told her without reservation about how his job and skills had changed, and which skills among them had been altered.
Normally, among hunters, leaking such information carelessly was considered foolish.
But Kang Jin-hyuk thought there was no need to keep secrets from Lucia.
She wasn't a hunter, and not only had she taught him how to handle aura, but she'd also helped him take down a new species monster.
Moreover, there was something he personally wanted to ask her.
"What do you think about this karma value?"
Among his newly acquired skills was 'Discernment,' which allowed him to see karma values.
Kang Jin-hyuk had no idea what it precisely meant.
He wondered if she, who had lived in another world, might know something.
"So the numbers you muttered while looking at me and the shorty were that."
"Huh? You heard that?"
"The shorty might not have noticed, but fooling my ears is tough."
Even as a half-elf, an elf is an elf, Lucia said as she wiggled her ears up and down.
"You said I was 82 and the shorty was 72, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then what did I look like to you?"
"I think I remember mine as 64."
Numerically, Kang Jin-hyuk had the lowest, and Lucia the highest.
If he reasoned from that alone, it might be a measure of strength.
But the skill description explicitly labeled it as 'karma' with the meaning of 'evil deeds.'
"From the description, it seems like a value that rises the more evil deeds you commit..."
Kang Jin-hyuk shared his inference while observing Lucia's reaction.
If his reasoning held, it was tantamount to calling her the greatest villain.
Despite the potentially offensive implication, Lucia showed no displeasure.
Instead, she nodded quietly as if in understanding.
"I think so too. Someone like me has lived a pretty rough life, so a high evil deed value isn't strange."
"What? Last time you bragged about being a platinum-rank adventurer with high trustworthiness."
"At least I've never stabbed anyone in the back."
"...Does that mean you have stabbed someone in the front?"
"Less stabbing, more shooting them down."
As an adventurer taking on commissions, one inevitably gets caught up in all sorts of incidents.
You might run into bandits while escorting a caravan, or fight party members greedy for credit during a monster subjugation—those were commonplace.
Moreover, Lucia, being a half-elf, had strikingly beautiful looks.
Because of that, plenty had targeted her body, setting traps or ambushing her.
In a world where a naive vow like 'I won't kill anyone' made survival difficult.
"Living as an adventurer in my world isn't a clean life."
"..."
Kang Jin-hyuk looked somewhat shocked.
It was hard for him to accept hearing such words from her mouth—she, a complete stranger, had given him so much help.
It seemed he'd already grown attached in their short time together.
Somehow, he felt like defending her.
"Still, the difference between you and me isn't even 20."
"Whether 20 is a small or large gap is still unknown."
Without knowing what actions raise it, nothing could be asserted lightly.
"Come to think of it, in the place I lived, once every few hundred years, a saintess would appear who could visually distinguish good from evil..."
Hearing Lucia's meaningful mutter, Kang Jin-hyuk was dumbfounded.
"I'm a guy. That's got nothing to do with saintesses."
He didn't know what role a saintess played in Lucia's world.
But with 'nye' meaning woman, it could never apply to a man like him.
A saint son, maybe.
'Saint son, my ass.'
Kang Jin-hyuk scoffed at his own thought.
He could claim to have lived diligently, but not particularly virtuously.
Above all, the saint's words about offering the other cheek if one was struck didn't suit him at all.
Repaying a blow twofold was the way of the world.
"Who said you're a saintess? I meant there was someone with that kind of ability in our world."
"That person could distinguish good from evil, but what's the guarantee my ability is the same?"
Kang Jin-hyuk's hidden skill was one that couldn't be conclusively judged on suspicion alone.
To judge accurately, it needed testing across various cases.
Lucia, lost in thought while savoring the sweetness of a new candy, soon reached a conclusion.
"Anyway, now's not the time to be searching for that mine."
Not because she disliked the shorty, she insisted.
Like a thief whose foot hurt, Lucia added unasked-for clarification and continued.
"We need to figure out the criteria for that karma value right now."
"Criteria? Doesn't it just go up when you commit evil deeds?"
"It's not that simple."
"Why not?"
"Think about it. Who the hell decides what's evil or good?"
On reflection, just as Lucia said, Kang Jin-hyuk had no clue who judged good and evil.
If the system decided it, then who set the system's criteria?
"If we don't know who made the standard, we have to find out with our own bodies, right?"
"But the dwarf uncle's request comes first..."
"Putting that off won't cause any big issues. There's no deadline anyway. Plus, do you have any idea how hard it is to go down there?"
According to Lucia, at his pace, it would take at least three days.
Monsters encountered midway would slow progress even further.
"You want me to carry this curiosity during that tedious mine-searching time? That'd be torture for me."
Spreading her index and middle fingers to present two options, Lucia forced a choice on Kang Jin-hyuk.
"Finding the mine or investigating your skill. You know best which is more urgent."
As she said, uncovering the true nature of his hidden skill was crucial to him.
But beyond the guilt of delaying the dwarf's request, there was another reason hesitating his decision.
"Not right now."
"Why?"
"There might still be guys outside targeting me."
Outside was still abuzz with news of him hunting the new species monster.
It was obvious there would be extremists like the thugs he'd met before, gunning for its materials and ambushing him.
Kang Jin-hyuk didn't want to get dragged into that again.
Even if self-defense, killing people wasn't something he could do nonchalantly.
"Hmm~"
Having heard the situation, Lucia understood his reaction.
But that didn't mean she'd back down from her resolve.
Postponing something that sparked her curiosity was utterly unacceptable from her perspective.
'A rare find like this, it'd be a shame to let it slip.'
Having lived a long time in a half-elf body, Lucia rarely felt excitement from ordinary things.
A full elf might harmonize with nature and never feel boredom in a long life.
Unfortunately, half her blood was human.
Unable to devote herself to mental cultivation like other elves, Lucia had to constantly seek thrills in her long life.
Otherwise, the bland routine would wither her away.
That was why, despite her exceptional abilities, she'd chosen the tumultuous life of an adventurer—anything to avoid boredom.
For her, delaying this newfound interest was akin to torture.
Lucia wanted to drag Kang Jin-hyuk out right then and satisfy her curiosity.
"So if we just deal with the attackers, it's fine?"
"Yeah, but right now all eyes are on me, so avoiding them isn't easy."
"Then don't avoid them."
"What are you talking about? How many will come at me, and what am I supposed to..."
Kang Jin-hyuk realized her intent before finishing his sentence.
That grin brimming with excitement wasn't for no reason.
With her intentions so openly displayed, no head-scratching was needed to figure it out.
"You planning to help?"
"If you beg me nicely."
Lucia smirked, subtly demanding the scripted response from Kang Jin-hyuk.
Of course, her stepping in as support would be immensely helpful in many ways.
But Kang Jin-hyuk found it hard to understand.
She hadn't been thrilled about going outside, yet here she was offering help just for a spark of interest.
There were limits to whimsy.
Not knowing her backstory, Kang Jin-hyuk wanted a reason that would convince him.
"Why help investigate my skill? Weren't you supposed to survey this dungeon to return to your original world?"
To the question of whether she'd given up already, Lucia shook her head.
"I do want to go back. But I've got time to spare, so no rush."
As a half-elf, she had at least 200 more years ahead.
No family or close ties waiting in her original world, so she could take it easy.
"And this seems more fun than something that might not even work."
"Fun..."
Was that really the only reason?
Kang Jin-hyuk didn't see them as close enough to help each other selflessly.
Even if they'd grown somewhat intimate, trust sustained on clear give-and-take; unconditional aid felt off-putting.
How many would take a million won handed by a passerby without suspicion?
Sure, some would, but many would suspect motives and step back.
Kang Jin-hyuk was the latter, a small-minded everyman.
"Is that really the only reason?"
"What more do you need? It's enough."
Contrary to his suspicion, Lucia was sincere.
"It's an ability you've never seen before. Don't you want to know what power you have?"
"Of course I do."
"Then what are you hesitating for?"
Lucia draped an arm over Kang Jin-hyuk's shoulder, flashing a refreshing smile.
"Why so scared? Afraid I'll smack you from behind?"
"N-No, not that..."
"What would I gain by deceiving you? Stop overthinking and just accept the help when it's offered."
As Lucia said, she had nothing to lose.
Objectively, a visitor from another world had no need for this one's money.
Her skills overwhelmingly superior, no reason now to exploit Kang Jin-hyuk.
Realizing that, his hesitation vanished.
'Being treated like a toy stings a bit.'
But right now, free cooperation from someone surpassing S-rank Hunters mattered more than pride.
"You're right. It's a rare hidden skill, doesn't make sense not knowing its full effects."
Kang Jin-hyuk pulled two return stones from his inventory and tossed one to Lucia.
Even though his hand slipped, sending it off-angle, she caught it effortlessly.
"Got a plan for how to investigate?"
"I'll think about it later."
"...You convinced me like that with no plan?"
Even as he stared in exasperation, Lucia casually shrugged.
"I only said I'd handle the attackers."
Kang Jin-hyuk let out a quiet sigh at her response.
"Fair enough. It's my skill, so I'll figure it out."
"Haha. Good attitude."
Kang Jin-hyuk mentally apologized to the dwarf and activated the return stone.
Instantly, a message appeared before his eyes.
[Karma value has increased.]