Chapter 13
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The Trio (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The newcomers let out exclamations of admiration upon seeing that the inside of the building was far better than they had imagined.
The man named Kim Ho-won spoke up.
"This place... there are so many people gathered here. How in the world... The food supplies look plentiful too. How is any of this possible?"
"...I'm not someone who's been here from the start either, but from what I've heard, it was Seo Yu-ju who rallied everyone here and held off the monsters."
"......"
The man fell silent after hearing my words. Cha Hyun-jin's reaction wasn't much different.
The woman named Kang I-seo muttered to herself, clearly thrown off by how the situation here differed from her expectations.
"...Fuck. We almost got screwed if we'd just charged in."
"Noona... watch your mouth. There are other people here."
"It's fine. Coming here suddenly from Earth, it's impossible not to curse. I curse a lot myself. Hahaha..."
"Oh... Not that that's why I'm cursing, but thanks anyway, even if it's just words."
"Noona... what's with the casual speech to a stranger? Casual speech... Did you skip meals instead of learning manners or what...?"
"You little shit...!"
Kong!
"Ow! Why'd you hit me! That hurts...!"
"That's why I hit you...! How dare you talk like that to your sky-high noona."
Cha Hyun-jin and Kang I-seo seemed pretty close. Kim Ho-won didn't react at all, as if this was a familiar sight.
Well, her casual speech didn't bother me much. In a place like this, that was nothing. People drew swords right after meeting sometimes—this was tame by comparison.
'...She looks capable too, so it'd be good if we get on her good side.'
"...Ahem, ahem. Well, sorry if the casual speech rubbed you the wrong way... No, uh... Sorry. Anyway, how old are you...?"
"Twenty-six."
"Oh, what? Same age? ~ Use casual speech with me too then. There, all good?"
'Man... Her personality's easy to read.'
Personally, people like her weren't my type.
I'm the kind where my mouth and my real thoughts operate separately, but she was the type to just blurt out whatever was on her mind.
I could never get used to people like that. My least favorite type to deal with.
'Main reason being they're just exhausting.'
"No, it's fine. I prefer polite speech... Um, is it okay to call you I-seo-ssi? Feel free to use casual speech with me. I don't mind."
"You're so shy. You look like the type who fucked around with tons of girls back on Earth, but you're full of surprises."
'Fuck... Is she nuts?'
She didn't seem to have any filter between brain and mouth.
Cha Hyun-jin rubbed his forehead and said,
"...Hyung. Cut her some slack. She's... not a bad person, but she's got a bit of a psycho streak."
"Haha... It's fine, man. She's straightforward, and I like that."
"See? That's why I said you must've fucked tons of girls. You're so nice. Whether that's your real thoughts or not, with that attitude and your decent face? Solid guess, right? Girls usually melt for a face like that plus kindness ~ ."
"...Shut it, you bonehead. How are you the exact same here as you were on Earth?"
"Nah, ajusshi. Am I wrong? You can tell just by looking."
Ignoring her, I asked Kim Ho-won,
"Were the three of you acquaintances from Earth?"
"Well..."
As Ho-won hesitated, the woman answered my question.
"Oh. After I left the orphanage and went independent, this ajusshi helped me out a lot. We've been tight since Earth."
Everyone, myself included, was at a loss for words the moment Kang I-seo spoke. I hurriedly apologized to her.
"Uh... Sorry. I..."
"Don't sweat it. I don't care about that stuff."
"...Not sure if this helps, but I'm an orphanage kid too. I get the struggles. Must've been tough."
She widened her eyes in surprise at my words, clearly never imagining I was from an orphanage. Cha Hyun-jin and Ho-won looked shocked too.
"...We have that in common? I'll take back what I said about you fucking around with girls. Uh... Just kidding. Hope you're not offended?"
"Haha. No offense taken. Actually, it felt like a compliment on my looks, so I'm flattered."
"Pfft... Take back the take-back. Yeah, you totally look like a girl-fucker."
"...I'll take that as a compliment. Anyway... This is where you'll be staying. We distribute food rations at set times, prioritizing those who go out on scouting runs."
"Scouting...? Mind if I ask what that means?"
"Like how our group went out today—we plan regular scouting trips. The goals are killing monsters to grow stronger, securing food supplies, and finding clues to clear the tutorial... but we stocked up a lot today, so food shouldn't be an issue for a while."
"...Hmm."
"Personally, I'd love if you all joined the scouting, but no pressure. Oh, and you're older, so feel free to drop the formalities."
"...Thanks. I will. I'll probably join scouting. We know we need to clear the tutorial too. Just one question, though."
I could guess what Kim Ho-won wanted to ask. Probably about the sights here. Most people did nothing but eat the handouts.
"The people I've seen here seem to have given up on fighting monsters. They... just do nothing?"
"...They clear the rocks from the entrance when we return, but honestly, that's about it."
"Hmm..."
Ho-won let out a low hum at my words.
"Ha... So the people here are no different from beasts scarfing down feed? You guys scrounge food and hand it out to them? What the fuck... They're not livestock..."
It was just a harsher version of what I'd told Seo Yu-ju—her thoughts matched mine exactly.
Anyway, food was plentiful now. If it ran low, we'd just cut their rations or stop entirely.
They'd pay the price anyway...
'After the tutorial, for doing nothing here.'
Just a hunch, but one that'd likely prove true. This place called Eras didn't look merciful, even from the tutorial alone.
"...Can't deny that. Anyway, rest up, and we'll gather with everyone else later to discuss next steps."
"Got it."
I left them and headed to where Seo Yu-ju was. The group had just finished moving supplies and was gathering.
"Yu-ju-ssi. I showed them around."
"No need to thank me. You did great, Yun-seong-ssi. How are they? Seem okay?"
"Yeah. All good people. I mentioned scouting briefly, so it'll be easier to discuss later."
"Thanks always, Yun-seong-ssi. If there's anything you want from me, just say it."
"No, it's nothing much."
"Anyway, you and everyone worked hard—head back and rest. Oh! Come back here in two hours. We need to talk with the newcomers."
About two hours later, Seo Yu-ju nodded as she confirmed everyone had gathered.
The new trio was there too—she must've sent word separately.
"Thanks for coming, everyone. I called you to discuss tomorrow's scouting."
Ho-won spoke to Seo Yu-ju.
"...I heard the gist. Looking for tutorial clear clues...?"
"Yes. I've been theorizing about clearing the tutorial, and I think we should scout the central area more thoroughly."
"Unexpected. I figured you'd search buildings..."
"Not that I haven't considered it, but food's good, and we don't need more people. Plus, I realized something."
I asked her,
"May I ask what you realized?"
"...Let me ask you all instead. Hasn't the terrain here struck you as odd?"
Everyone tilted their heads, confused by what she meant.
I had no clue either, so I listened closely. Then she suddenly started drawing a map on the floor with her spear.
"Here—we're in the northern start zone. And... this is where Yun-seong-ssi and the siblings started, the southern point."
Seeing her draw the map, I realized her regressor self was sharing what she knew with us.
"And... yesterday's western point. Everyone there was dead, but that's not the key. Hyun-jin-ssi came from the south like Yun-seong-ssi, so you two newcomers are probably from the eastern start zone."
Ho-won nodded.
"Correct."
"This feels a lot like those RPG games from Earth. If it's like a game... the tutorial's probably clearing something like a dungeon."
This was a topic we'd discussed with Jo Chan-ho too. People had speculated about dungeons back then.
'Wait... where's Jo Chan-ho?'
I suddenly thought of him. Where the hell was that guy?
The chance he'd died to a monster wasn't zero, but unlikely.
'So he's out there killing people somewhere?'
Not everyone surviving was in this camp, so it was plausible.
No conclusion either way, so I pushed it from my mind.
"Anyway, if dungeons exist... Look at my map: buildings to the east, west, north, south—and the center's empty. You could call it too simple, but... if there's a dungeon, I'd bet it's in the center."
A question came to mind, so I asked,
"...Yu-ju-ssi, hold on. Hasn't anyone been to the center at all?"
We'd met near the center, after all—people from north and south buildings met there, so someone must've passed through.
"True, people have been there. But... what if the dungeon's hidden?"
'...Hidden?'
If Seo Yu-ju said it, her hunch about a central dungeon was probably fact. But unless it was tiny, how had no one found it?
"By 'hidden,' I mean hidden from this world's perspective."
"What does that mean?"
Everyone waited curiously for her answer.
"We can use mana here—something impossible on Earth. Maybe mana lets us detect hidden dungeons?"