Chapter 40
Chapter 40
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Don't Rely on Others—Put in the Effort Yourself
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Why should I help you? You're not even disciples of the Masked Instructor. You're just strangers."
Kim Siyeon stared at Park Hye-yeon's response with a bewildered expression.
"Why...? I mean, we're all human, right? Isn't it the right thing to do morally?"
"The right thing morally? By whose standards?"
"If someone's about to get hurt, of course it's normal to help!"
Despite Kim Siyeon's protests, Park Hye-yeon didn't pay her any mind.
"You seem to live in a bit too much of a fantasy. Most people ignore others in danger because they don't want to get dragged in and suffer losses themselves. And usually, that's the rational choice."
"Hey... don't you think you're being a little harsh?"
"I'm just giving you some advice because you don't seem to grasp reality. When you're in danger, don't think about begging others for help—focus on solving the situation yourself first."
At that moment, a bat-like magic beast, Rekina, lunged toward Park Hye-yeon.
-Thump
Without even glancing its way, Park Hye-yeon caught the Rekina in her hand and crushed it on the spot.
-Twitch twitch
The disciples flinched at the sight of the magic beast spasming in death throes.
"See? When you're in a crisis, you have to handle it yourself in the end. No one lifted a finger until that thing was flying right at me. If I'd stupidly taken the hit from Rekina's attack, would I have blamed you? No. I'd have blamed myself for getting hit like an idiot."
"Hey... you!"
"Don't talk to me anymore. I don't even want to chat with people who just passively wait for others to save them."
Kang Eunbyeol approached Park Hye-yeon from a distance.
"Hye-yeon, even so, that was a bit much..."
Park Hye-yeon whispered coldly toward Kang Eunbyeol.
"What if I help those kids and our formation gets disrupted? Then some unexpected magic beasts come charging at us. What do you think happens then? We could end up in danger just trying to save some total stranger."
"This is a C-rank gate... No magic beasts that could threaten us should appear..."
"You never know what the world might throw at you. Can you swear nothing like that will ever happen?"
"And I saw you clearly before we entered the dungeon, all scared and asking the instructor for an artifact. If you can't even fend for yourself and you're going to drag us down too, then just leave right now. You're not desperate—you've already got plenty, so you can afford to spout nice-guy nonsense. Look at the others."
The other disciples that Kang Eunbyeol turned to—Seo Chanwoo, Im Se-a, and Min Dayun—stared at her strangely, as if agreeing with Park Hye-yeon.
"..."
Kang Eunbyeol fell silent. Their eyes weren't indifferent; they burned with utter desperation. Like starved beasts spotting prey after days without food. Wild animals willing to do anything for survival.
Park Hye-yeon spoke to her comrades.
"Let's go. No more wasting time here."
Inside, Park Hye-yeon seethed with frustration.
'Weaklings with no ability of their own, just begging for someone else's help and salvation... I hate people like that the most.'
Suddenly, old memories flooded her mind.
Park Hye-yeon had realized she was special at a very young age.
"Hye-yeon, it seems like you have a real talent for magic."
The reason she passionately self-studied magic was simple: her father had praised her.
"You used Fireball this time? To think a child your age can already cast magic like that—without any formal training, reaching this level. I'm so proud."
Thanks to her innate talent, Park Hye-yeon quickly grasped magic. Her total mana wasn't particularly high, but her genius-level comprehension allowed her to cast the same spells faster and stronger than others. She could even handle higher-grade magic than her peers, making her a prodigy without question in her youth.
"Dad, can I go to the academy?"
One day, the girl dreamed of the academy. She wanted to learn advanced magic there, make friends, grow, strive—and become someone successful both as a mage and in society.
"The... academy? If our daughter wants to go, of course we'd send you."
Park Hye-yeon never forgot her father's face that day. A twisted expression—not anger, but bewilderment and sorrow. She learned the reason that evening, overhearing her parents' conversation.
"Honey, Hye-yeon says she wants to go to the academy."
"You didn't actually say yes, did you?"
"..."
"Are you insane? Do you know how much it costs to attend the academy? How could a family like ours afford that?"
"...As her father, I haven't given Hye-yeon anything until now. At the very least, I want her to learn whatever she desires..."
"Sigh... I feel the same way. But it's impossible in reality. Do you know how much we owe on rent, utilities, all these bills piling up? The electricity might get cut off any day now. What, the academy? I'll talk to Hye-yeon myself."
"No... don't do that. What did she do wrong?"
"Then what are you going to do? We've already maxed out every loan we could get. There's no money left."
"I'll become a hunter..."
"Are you out of your mind? Entering dungeons at your age?"
"I have a hunter history from my younger days, so getting dungeon entry permission won't be hard. The pay will be way better than this manual labor."
"That's too dangerous...!"
The wife stopped mid-sentence, seeing her husband's resolute face.
"Sigh... Do whatever you want."
-Step step step
Finishing the talk, her father walked into Park Hye-yeon's room.
-Rustle
Park Hye-yeon hurriedly dove into her bed, pulling the blanket over her head and pretending to sleep.
-Thud
Her father sat by the bed. He spoke.
"Hye-yeon, just wait a little longer. Your dad will make sure you can attend the academy. You won't live like me—you'll do everything you want. I promise."
Under the covers, Park Hye-yeon bit her lip hard to stifle her sobs. She'd heard the whole conversation with her mother. She wanted to tell him she didn't need the academy, but the words wouldn't come.
She didn't want him feeling guilty or heartbroken knowing she'd overheard.
So Park Hye-yeon waited until morning. Then, cautiously, she told her father.
"Dad, I thought about it, and I don't think I need the academy after all. I can learn magic on my own just fine..."
Her father stroked her head and said,
"You can't try to fool your dad, sweetie. I don't know why, but you show when you're lying. Don't worry. I'll make sure you go to the academy."
The next morning, her father gathered a sword and various gear before leaving home. The rusted weapons looked precarious even at a glance.
"Hye-yeon, honey, take care of the house. I'll be back soon."
Yet he headed to the dungeon with a bright smile.
That was the last sight Park Hye-yeon had of her father. News of his death came quickly. An accident in the gate, they said.
"Oh nooo... honeyyy..."
Her mother wailed in grief. Day after day, she drowned her sorrow in alcohol.
Park Hye-yeon fell into despair too. The pain of losing her father in an instant, combined with the guilt that her words about the academy had caused his death—it filled her days with anguish.
From then on, the relationship between Park Hye-yeon and her mother completely changed.
They stopped talking altogether, eventually avoiding even eye contact.
"Get out. If it weren't for you, your father wouldn't have died so pointlessly. I can't stand the sight of you—leave now."
In the end, her mother threw Park Hye-yeon out.
After that, Park Hye-yeon wandered the streets. Dodging sleazy people who tried to exploit her, and worse who targeted her for being a woman, she scraped by in the gutters.
A life where she had to fend for every scrap of bread and drop of water. Her magical talent withered away untended.
One day, she overheard homeless folks talking.
"That accident in the dungeon last time? Turns out it wasn't just some simple mishap."
"What do you mean?"
"That middle-aged hunter who died, Park Chan-seok? Word is, someone killed him."
-Flinch
Park Hye-yeon, munching bread in the corner, doubted her ears. She approached them and said,
"Tell me more about what you just said."
Park Chan-seok. That was her father's name.