Chapter 273: A Special Event on the Return Journey
Chapter 273: A Special Event on the Return Journey
At Ko Yeonju's words, the others let out a collective gasp. A few of the pieces of equipment hanging on the wall even began to glitter with their own light. Gazing at the beautiful items, the three of them, excluding me, stared at the heroes' relics with dazed expressions.
But now that we’d actually found them, I felt surprisingly calm. After all, the whole reason I’d come to Magia was to obtain these things. I’d been more surprised back in Mule, where I’d gone only for the ‘Aura Spearman’ class but ended up with results that far exceeded my expectations.
Objectively, this was a huge jackpot, but it was still within the realm of my predictions. While I was pleased, I wasn't so moved that I’d lose myself in the moment. So, I clapped my hands lightly, looking at my clan members who were still standing there blankly.
Clap, clap.
“How long are you going to stand there gawking?”
“Oh, my. Look at me.”
As I clapped to get their attention, Ko Yeonju muttered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Only then did the others snap out of it, looking embarrassed. The reward at the end of an expedition always puts Users in a good mood. The strangely subdued atmosphere from before seemed to lighten up, if only a little.
It was then.
“Orabeoni!”
Suddenly, I heard Ahn Sol’s loud shout from the first floor, outside the door. I focused my hearing and listened closely, soon sensing her take a deep breath. “Huuup.”
“The other Users are awake!”
“…Ahn Hyun. Lee Yoojung.”
“Yes, Hyung.”
“Yeah, Oppa.”
They answered at the same time. Then they looked at each other and scowled, also at the same time. The look on their faces clearly said, ‘Why are you copying me?’
“Hey, what are you two looking at? Anyway, Yoojung. You said you found another place on the third floor, right?”
“Uh, yeah. It looked like a laboratory. I didn't get a good look since I left right away, but…”
“Then you two go on up ahead. Ko Yeonju and I will finish up here and follow you right after.”
“Okay, Oppa.”
“Give me a bag. And on your way, tell Ahn Sol we'll be down in twenty minutes.”
Ahn Hyun handed me a bag with a slightly disappointed look on his face. He seemed to have some lingering regret about not being able to pack these items himself. But soon enough, they both nodded with excited faces and turned to leave. The thought of seeing a new discovery must have filled them with fresh anticipation.
I watched the two of them hurry out the door before turning my gaze to Ko Yeonju, planning to quickly pack up and leave. But the moment I saw her face, I had to close the mouth I was about to open.
Ko Yeonju was giving me a sultry look, her eyes full of meaning.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Huhu, Soohyun, you're too much~. I swear. You're usually so indifferent, but you can be so cute at times like this.”
“?”
“Don't pretend you don't know. I know you did it because you wanted to be alone with me. Hoho.”
Ko Yeonju smiled beautifully, her eyes crinkling. It was absurd. I just shook my head and answered with a sigh before silently moving toward the wall. Ignoring her was the best response in these situations.
“Kukuk. Are you shy?”
The first thing I picked up was an outfit made of stitched-together leaves. Seeing the name Yggdrasil on it earlier, it was clearly the outfit the Elf Queen wore in her youth. The fresh, invigorating scent of the forest that wafted from the clothes was certainly impressive. But there was one problem.
“Wh-what’s with that reaction, Soohyun!”
“Stop talking nonsense and grab the equipment.”
Ko Yeonju’s tone was thick with indignation. I replied calmly and held the outfit up in front of me.
It would probably be cool to wear.
The outfit was a one-piece dress. The problem, however, was that since it was made purely of leaves, there were far too many gaps here and there. The collarbones and the upper part of the chest were completely exposed, and the bottom barely covered the underwear area. It was like looking at a pair of extremely short hot pants.
“Sob, sob. You've changed. You said you wanted me so badly you could die. Look at you, neglecting me now that you've caught me.”
The Elf Queen's main weapon was said to be a bow. That meant she must have had the disposition of an archer. The moment that thought occurred to me, my mind drifted to Lim Hanna. In a way, she gave off a very similar vibe to the Elf Queen. An innocent yet delicate face. Fair, smooth skin. Eyes that sparkled like starlight. A gentle grace. And a chest that might be bigger than Ko Yeonju's… Ah, um.
I tried not to think about it, but an image of Lim Hanna wearing this outfit kept popping into my head. Just as I lowered the outfit and shook my head hard to clear away the distracting thoughts, Ko Yeonju's sorrowful voice pricked at my ears from behind.
“Waaah. I shouldn’t have introduced you to Hanna.”
“……”
I wanted to protest and ask why she was suddenly bringing up Madam Im. But the moment I heard her words, I felt a chilling sensation creep up my spine.
I swallowed hard and turned around. I could see Ko Yeonju holding an armful of items she had already gathered. It seemed her crying was just an act, as the corners of her mouth were turned up slightly. I'd been had.
“How did the great Shadow Queen end up sleeping all alone? Soohyun. You're not really going to keep me waiting, are you? You're not, right?”
“Sol-ah! Wait just a bit longer! We'll be there soon!”
“Hm? Giggle. Alright. Thank you. I'll trust your words and wait for you, then.”
Perfectly timed, Ahn Hyun’s shout to the first floor rang out. Of all the times for that guy to shout…
“Hmph, hmph-hmph. I have to go brag to Hayeon~.”
No, before that. How on earth could she interpret Ahn Hyun's words as my answer? I desperately wanted to call her out on it, but I had to hold back. I should have just acted unfazed when she brought up Lim Hanna instead of turning around. With her perception at level 100, there was no telling what else she might latch onto.
How could I turn the tables? In the end, there was only one way. After using Sensing to check who was outside, I opened my bag and calmly approached Ko Yeonju. She winked at me with a playful smile and bent over slightly, intending to put the items she was holding into the bag. And in that moment.
“Hm…? Su…”
I quickly calculated the angle. Then I leaned in at once, aiming for her still-smiling lips. Panic spread across Ko Yeonju’s face as the distance between us vanished, and…
“Eup…!”
Chu.
And then, something warm and soft gently pressed against my lips.
*
“Ah, Oppa! You’re here?”
“Yeah. We brought everything from the second floor. How are things here?”
“Oh, don’t even ask. You came at the right time, Oppa. I found some gold and gems, so I put those in first, but the bag is already full. I haven’t even started on the other items…”
Lee Yoojung’s nonstop chatter came to an abrupt halt when she saw the magic bag I was carrying. I had also just shoved everything I could into it, so it was already at the point where it could barely close. In any case, I knew what her gaze meant, so I swung the bag from my back to my front.
“It’s fine. Where did you put the items for now?”
“I gathered them all on the floor, except for one.”
Just as Lee Yoojung said, various items were neatly gathered on the floor. There were potions of assorted colors, a palm-sized wooden box, a strange dark-red lump, and more. I nodded as I looked at them, then raised my head again at her mention of leaving one out.
“Why did you leave one out?”
“Well…”
Lee Yoojung tilted her head and pointed in one direction. When I followed her finger with my eyes, my own eyes widened slightly. A rather strange sight was unfolding there. An egg, about the size of a human face, was floating in mid-air, enveloped in a blue membrane. A single blue orb was circling the egg, emitting a deep blue light.
“I was curious, so I tried putting my hand in, and I could grab it without any trouble. But I left it there just in case.”
“Good job.”
I gave a brief reply and activated my Third Eye.
『Elf (Queen)’s Egg』
『Mavolo’s Preservation Orb』
A queen’s egg, huh. I never heard about finding an egg here.
As I wondered what it was, I suddenly recalled the records I’d read on the fourth floor. Come to think of it, there was a record stating that Margarita had been pregnant once. If so, this egg was likely the one she had laid. The message info did say it was an Elf Queen’s egg, after all.
Whether I fry it or break it, I’d better take it for now.
I made up my mind and was about to speak to the two who were lost in admiration of the egg.
“Shadow Queen-nim, this is what I discovered. It certainly looks like an egg.”
“Hoho… I see…”
“Huhu. Indeed. What are your thoughts?”
“Hoho… An egg… is nice… very nice indeed…”
“Y-Yeonju-nunim?”
“Hoho… An egg… is the fruit of love… I also want Soohyun’s egg…”
Thankfully, Ko Yeonju trailed off at the end, so a disaster was averted. Right. They probably didn't hear her. I decided to think that way. A blush still hadn't faded from her face, and Ahn Hyun, who didn't know the situation, was just staring at her with a dumbfounded expression.
With a sigh, I reached into my bag and rummaged around. I could feel a few books I’d packed earlier and various pieces of equipment. Deeper, all the way at the bottom, my hand finally touched something squishy. I pulled it out without hesitation, and Lee Yoojung watched from the side with curious eyes.
“Oppa. Is that a Chaos Mimic? You brought it with you?”
“Yeah. You know your stuff.”
“Is it the papa, the mama, or the baby?”
“The baby.”
For a moment, I felt incredibly awkward for answering so readily. A ‘baby Chaos Mimic,’ of all things. For a monster, it sounded kind of cute.
I looked down at the Chaos Mimic and saw that its snout (its mouth) was clamped shut. It had lost most of its power as a monster, but I hadn't updated the ‘Red Jewel’ that controlled it yet. In short, it was being defiant.
But that was fine. I grabbed both sides of the Chaos Mimic’s mouth and, in one go, ripped it wide open.
“Ppyek!”
Startled by the sudden scream, the rest of the party turned to look at me with surprised faces. Under their gazes, I spoke in a calm voice.
“Alright, let’s save the inspection for later. We’ll have plenty of time after we get back to the city, right? For now, let’s pack everything we see.”
“Ppyeeh… Ppyeeeeh…”
“Quiet, you.”
Thwack.
“Ppyek!”
The Chaos Mimic continued to cry sorrowfully. But when I smacked it hard as if to tell it to be quiet, it immediately stopped wailing and began to sob silently. Once the loud noise finally subsided, I handed the crying baby Chaos Mimic to Lee Yoojung. She patted it a few times with a flustered look before she started glancing at me and sweeping the items into it.
“Ppi… ppi… ppii…”
And so, amidst the sobs of the Chaos Mimic, we began to pack the equipment one by one.
*
It didn't take long to pack everything. In about twenty minutes, we managed to sweep up all the items from the second and third floors. When we came down with our bulging bags, we saw Kim Hanbyul pacing back and forth at the bottom of the stairs. She must have sensed us coming down, as she immediately looked up.
“Ah. Oppa. Is the exploration over?”
“Yeah. How’s the first floor?”
“Just as you said, I cut off or detached all the decorations and put them in a bag.”
“Good work. And?”
“Um… I found quite a lot of equipment. I think they belonged to the Users who were here.”
Kim Hanbyul added that she hadn't handed them over yet and quietly waited for my answer. The Users' equipment. They obviously couldn't go back naked, so I had planned to return their gear. However, I had no intention of returning the equipment of the Users who had already died.
The customs of the Hall Plain regarding ‘rescues’ are quite unique. Of course, people often return items out of courtesy, but that was just it—a courtesy. Returning the equipment to the surviving Users was more than enough to fulfill that courtesy. As for the remaining equipment, the Mercenary Clan could claim first ownership.
In that respect, Kim Hanbyul was certainly clever. If it had been Ahn Sol, she probably would have returned everything to the Users in a flurry without even asking for my permission.
In any case, I looked at Kim Hanbyul, who had been waiting for my answer, and fell into thought. Normally, there would be no issue with taking everything, but these people were, one way or another, clan members of a clan under the Istantel Low Clan.
I thought for a moment before organizing my thoughts and speaking.
“First, give back all the clothes the rescued people were wearing. They can't go outside naked. Don't give them anything else; pack it all up… Ah, you remember the first person who woke up, right? If there's any equipment belonging to someone named Mi-hee, give that to him as well. But only to him.”
“What if the others ask for their things back?”
“They won't. They should all know the drill. Their respective clans can buy them back when we return to the city, or we'll dispose of them ourselves. So don't worry too much.”
“Yes, Oppa.”
Kim Hanbyul answered obediently. After finishing our conversation on the stairs, we walked to the center of the hall.
It was time to leave the ruins.