Chapter 116: Interesting
Chapter 116: Interesting
The spinning plate wobbled and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Ko Yeonju, however, didn’t seem to have any intention of cleaning it up. Her expression had already turned icy. It was no longer her usual languid, relaxed face, but one that glared at me fiercely.
I calmly met her piercing gaze and took a drag from my cigarette. With a hint of kindness, I spoke once more.
“…It doesn’t matter, since we’re in Mule anyway.”
“User Kim Soohyun.”
“Yes.”
Ko Yeonju spat the cigarette from her lips onto the floor and stared at me intently. After a moment of observation, the corners of her mouth crept upward into a slight smile.
“You… you really are interesting.”
“I’m also curious why the Shadow Queen is in a small city like this.”
“You are unmistakably a Year 0 User… yet your speech, actions, and presence are those of a hardened veteran who has been through everything. You are so interesting that I can barely sleep at night.”
She finished with a chuckle and slowly approached me. Then, she casually settled her hip onto my thigh. A decadent, almost overflowing smile on her face, she pressed her body against my chest.
As she leaned her head against me, I whispered into her ear in a low voice.
“What parts do you find so interesting?”
At my question, Ko Yeonju’s hands began to gently explore my body. In response, I caressed the shell of her ear and the nape of her neck. To an onlooker, we might have looked like lovers whispering sweet nothings, but the reality was entirely different. If anything went even slightly wrong, the hands now touching each other would instantly become deadly weapons meant to take a life.
I saw her swallow hard at my touch, which was filled with killing intent.
“From the moment I first saw you. A Year 0 User using Disruption… How could that possibly make sense?”
“And?”
“The people you travel with are extraordinary, too. When they first arrived, they were like little chicks, so how did they grow so much in such a short time? It’s as if a seasoned veteran was giving them professional training…”
“Heh. You have a sharp eye. But it’s still not enough.”
“Don’t joke with me.”
Ko Yeonju snapped at my feigned humility and spun around. She placed both hands on my shoulders and faced me fully, assuming an even more provocative and seductive posture. Wondering whether she was trying to use Eyes of Temptation again, I immediately activated Third Eye.
“Hoho. Don’t be so guarded. I don’t use a trick twice on someone it didn’t work on the first time.”
“Why don’t you back off a bit? This is… a little uncomfortable.”
“Oh my? Do you know how many Users are dying to touch my breasts and my ass just once?”
“I have no desire to touch a poisonous flower. One wrong move and you get stung.”
A flicker of loneliness crossed her face at my cold words. It was only for a fleeting moment, but I saw it clearly. Did I say the wrong thing?
Without a word, Ko Yeonju began to massage my shoulders. Surprisingly, her massage was incredibly refreshing.
“You…”
A long silence hung between us. Just as Ko Yeonju was about to speak, we both turned our heads toward the staircase. The door on the third floor opened, and we could hear someone coming down. With a look of disappointment, Ko Yeonju wet her lips slightly and slowly stood up.
“You ordered six servings of Course A, correct, sir?”
I let out a small laugh at her sudden change in tone and nodded.
“Yes. Please bring it out warm.”
“I will. But you have to make some time for me later.”
“Hmm.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t play so hard to get.”
Ko Yeonju gave me a wink before turning away. As I watched her retreating figure, her walk as seductive as ever, I finally let the magic power I had gathered throughout my body settle back down.
Ko Yeonju was a User you could never let your guard down around.
*
The first person to come down was Ahn Hyun. On his way, he peeked out to see if Ko Yeonju was there, and upon confirming she wasn’t, he descended with a disappointed look. Soon enough, however, he straightened his neck and sat down at my table.
“Hello. I am Ahn Hyun, the Rare Class Aura Spearman.”
“…Everyone will find out soon enough, but try not to go around announcing it too much.”
“Hehe. Sorry, hyung. I’m just in such a good mood.”
Despite my mild rebuke, Ahn Hyun wore a pleased smile. I watched him with cold eyes. Ahn Hyun was starting to see the Hall Plain differently. He might not have felt it at first, but by inheriting a Rare Class, his future was now guaranteed. In the Hall Plain, a high-level class could be seen as a form of ‘power’ or ‘authority.’
From that point on, Users begin to be swayed by that power and authority. The original goals of survival and returning home start to fade. In a way, the Hall Plain was no different from a modern online game—a kind of RPG where you raise your stats and acquire better gear.
“Except you can’t save or load.”
“Yes, hyung?”
“…Just talking to myself.”
I fell silent as I watched Ahn Hyun tilt his head in confusion. For now, it was fine to let him be. Even if it was just misguided vanity, it would be helpful for Ahn Hyun while he was in his prime growth period. Of course, the moment he crossed the line, I would be the one to put a stop to it.
While Ahn Hyun and I talked, Ko Yeonju brought out the food, and Ahn Sol, Yoojung, Vivian, and Shin Sangyong came down one by one to join him at the table. The table quickly grew lively. Shin Sangyong, who had been debating something with Vivian, looked around at everyone and spoke with a puzzled expression.
“Jung Hayeon-ssi is a b-bit late.”
“Huh? She wasn’t in her room when I woke up this morning,” Yoojung muttered, causing Shin Sangyong’s brow to furrow slightly.
“I-Is that so? That’s strange. She’s a User who is always punctual… I wonder if something happened.”
This man… he’s surprisingly sharp. Just then, I could sense her presence upstairs. I licked my lips and pointed to the second floor.
“She’s coming down now.”
The moment I finished speaking, the second-floor door opened, and Hayeon appeared. The party members nodded as they saw her, but their expressions soon turned awkward. As she descended the stairs, she clung to the railing, taking each step with difficulty as if the pain from yesterday lingered.
When she finally reached the table, she pulled out a chair and carefully sat down, bracing herself with a hand on her lower abdomen. Sol watched her and asked with a worried expression.
“Are you feeling very unwell?”
“It’s just… my lower stomach hurts a little.”
“That time of the month?”
Yoojung’s blunt comment made both Ahn Sol and Hayeon flush with embarrassment. Hayeon then shot me an apologetic look, but I just shook my head. She probably didn’t want to show it, but it seemed she couldn’t hide the throbbing pain. It was likely so bad she felt like crawling rather than standing or walking properly.
“If the pain gets worse, I can try to heal you.”
“I’m not sure if it will be effective, but I’ll ask you later.”
The rest of the party looked at Hayeon with concern. I had worried they might push her away or treat her coldly, but they were all good-hearted kids at their core. Thankful that I had made personality a criterion for recruiting comrades, I picked up my spoon first. The instant I did, everyone else followed suit as if on cue.
Though Course A was simple, it was just the right amount for breakfast. I dipped a piece of bread into the steaming soup. When I put it in my mouth, a savory aroma spread across my palate. Ko Yeonju was capable and cooked well. Thinking it might be enjoyable to have her in the party, I moved on to the stew.
After a lively breakfast, the party sipped warm tea at the now-empty table. Everyone looked relaxed. Just yesterday, they had been constantly on edge, dealing with monsters, but now they seemed to be soaking in the peaceful atmosphere they hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“S-So, Leader. Do you have any plans for our upcoming schedule?”
I gathered my thoughts for a moment as I looked at Shin Sangyong, who was pushing up his glasses. The future schedule. I had told them we would be taking a long maintenance break this time, but there were definitely things to do. I planned to leave Mule as soon as possible after conquering the Cave of Screams, so I needed to take care of most things before then.
The convenient part was that I did not need to search through records or rely entirely on Third Eye. The caravan I belonged to in my first run had discovered the Cave of Screams, so I remembered most of the route. I could not recall every last detail, but I remembered enough to find the way with Third Eye.
There was just one problem: the distance. Assuming we started from Mule, I estimated it would take about ten days just to get there. That meant ten days there and ten days back—a total of twenty days. In terms of distance alone, this expedition could be considered an official one.
Furthermore, once the time needed to explore the cave was included, the entire journey would take at least three weeks. It had been a little less than a month and a half since we entered Mule. That meant our maintenance period had to last at least two weeks but no more than four. Then, by the time we returned, the Vagabond Annihilation Operation would be over, and we could hear news of the Golden Lion Clan that had departed for the Steel Mountains.
While I was lost in thought, the surroundings had grown quiet. I lifted my head slightly and saw the party members watching my face. It seemed they were all curious about the upcoming schedule. I took a sip of tea to wet my throat and then spoke calmly.
“As I mentioned before, I plan for this maintenance period to be a bit long.”
“That sounds good to me.”
Shin Sangyong chuckled with a good-natured smile. The others also showed subtle looks of relief, suggesting that the recent forced march had been a bit of a strain on them. However, even if it was a maintenance period, I had no intention of letting them simply rest. This was a preparatory phase for the next expedition, and we had to use this time as efficiently as possible.
“The goals for this period can be divided into three main parts: improving your own skills, preparing for the next expedition, and establishing a clan.”
“Establishing a clan?”
Hayeon, who had been rubbing her lower abdomen, looked up with wide, surprised eyes. The others, who had already heard about it, looked unfazed, but for the newly joined Shin Sangyong and Hayeon, this was news. As quick-witted as she was, Hayeon mulled over my words before nodding and muttering to herself.
“I see… It’s certainly possible. No, it’s almost a certainty.”
“We’ve successfully completed two expeditions. It would be stranger if our application for establishment wasn’t approved. In any case, I know this is the first you’re hearing of this… but you two will need to speak with me separately later.”
Hayeon and Shin Sangyong nodded in unison. I would have to tell them what kind of clan mine was and what its purpose was, then ask for their decision. However, with Vivian vouching for Shin Sangyong and me for Hayeon, it was safe to say they were already members. All that remained were the formalities.
“Anyway, I’ll explain this in more detail later. First, Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, and Yoojung.”
“Yes, hyung.”
“Yes, Orabeoni.”
“Yeah, Oppa.”
As they answered like baby birds, I continued without pause.
“During this maintenance period, your goal is to improve your skills. Unless I call for you specifically, remember that your first priority is training, and your second is also training. Especially you, Ahn Hyun…”
I paused and turned my head toward Vivian. She had been happily drinking her tea but had just burned her tongue and was now fanning it, whimpering. I sighed and continued.
“Vivian.”
“Effe-fe… Hot… Huh?”
“Teaching Shin Sangyong-ssi is fine, but whenever you have time from now on, please help Ahn Hyun decipher the record book he carries.”
“Well, if it’s just simple deciphering, that’s no problem. It’s not like I’ll be teaching him how to use a spear.”
Vivian replied as if it were nothing. I nodded once at her cool response, then turned my gaze to Hayeon.
“Hayeon…-ssi, I would like you to guide Sol. Your classes differ, but the fundamentals of mana control are similar. Sol still has a great deal to learn.”
I had almost called her Hayeon but changed the honorific, thinking it might sound strange to the others. She didn’t seem to mind.
“Leave it to me.”
“Okay…”
Just as I was about to feel relieved at their quiet replies, Yoojung, who had been waiting silently, suddenly cut in.
“Oppa, what about me?”
“Hm?”
When I questioned her with my eyes, a look of disappointment immediately spread across Yoojung’s face as she spoke.
“Ahn Hyun has his class and his book, so that makes sense. Ahn Sol has someone to teach her, too… but am I supposed to train all by myself?”
Listening to her words, thick with a sense of being left out, I fell into thought for a moment.