Chapter 201
Chapter 201
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World Part 2 Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
What's with this eerie silence?
Even though it had been a while since they'd last met, Kang Han and Jeong Je-hwa just stood there staring at each other, not saying a word.
"Don't do this right in front of the door. Come inside first."
"...All right. Please come in."
Kang Han moved first and held open the cafeteria door for Jeong Je-hwa.
"Thank you."
Jeong Je-hwa responded politely and stepped inside.
"Nayeo-ju, good morning!"
"Sis! The side dishes are killer today! Eat up quick!"
I waved back with a smile at the morning greetings coming from all around, then turned to look behind me again.
"You two, why are you standing so far apart? Like you're strangers."
I'd felt it last time I visited the Maestro Guild too, but why were these two so distant?
In Sejongmak, they at least had some back-and-forth and helped each other out.
'Sharing a meal together should melt away the awkwardness.'
Koreans bond over rice, after all.
I hooked my arms through both men's, who were still standing there blankly, and led them toward the serving line.
"Ah, I'm starving. Let's eat first."
"Our chefs are amazing, right?"
"Yes, it's delicious."
"It's a bit far, but come visit often, Guild Master."
"Thank you. I will."
Seeing Jeong Je-hwa's neat hands steadily working his chopsticks made me feel proud, even though I hadn't cooked it myself.
Kang Han would eat anything without complaint anyway.
But Jeong Je-hwa was picky despite his size and usually got by on simple bread, so I'd honestly worried it might not suit his taste.
Contrary to my fears, though, he devoured our cafeteria's food.
As I watched him with a pleased smile, a perfectly seasoned piece of braised mackerel landed on my spoon.
"Eat up, Nayeo-ju-ssi."
"Yeah, looks tasty."
I placed the mackerel Kang Han had served me on my rice and took a big bite.
Our chefs really could do no wrong.
As I scooped up another bite of rice, another piece of braised mackerel appeared as if on cue.
This time with a tender chunk of radish too.
Ah, I can't hold back.
I chomped down again, but my side profile suddenly felt prickly.
Jeong Je-hwa, who had been busily eating until just now, was staring at me with a slightly stiff expression.
"What? Full already, Guild Master?"
"Not at all. It's just..."
Jeong Je-hwa's gaze flicked briefly to Kang Han, who sat across from me deftly deboning the mackerel.
Kang Han met his eyes without flinching.
"It doesn't seem like Nayeo-ju-ssi needs anyone else's help to eat."
Ah, so it does feel weird.
I knew Kang Han's traits, and the Justice Guild folks were used to it by now, so it didn't faze me.
Embarrassed, I started to pull my chopsticks away surreptitiously.
"They have Nayeo-ju-ssi's favorite quail eggs braised today too."
Ignoring Jeong Je-hwa entirely, Kang Han plopped a round quail egg onto my spoon.
"Nayeo-ju-ssi has a small appetite. She won't eat properly without this kind of care. You probably wouldn't know, Workshop Master."
Ouch, those last words had some bite.
I wasn't the only one who noticed—Jeong Je-hwa's face stiffened a bit.
Grown men wouldn't fight at the dinner table, but the mood was souring, so I changed the subject before it got worse.
"So, Guild Master, what brings you to the guild all of a sudden?"
"Ah, I have something to give you before you head into the desert dungeon. Take it."
Jeong Je-hwa set down his chopsticks and thrust a bag from his sub-space toward me.
I caught it reflexively, but no matter how I thought about it, the last thing I'd commissioned from him was the Dark Addiction scanner.
And this bag didn't look like it held anything related to that.
"Open it, Nayeo-ju-ssi."
As I hesitated, Jeong Je-hwa pulled a small box from the bag and placed it in my hand.
"Thank you. But... sunglasses?"
Can I wear sunglasses in a dungeon?
Not like it'd hurt.
I opened the boxes one by one, lost in thought.
"It's like a desert dungeon survival kit."
"That's exactly what I had in mind. If I don't prepare it, you'll just take care of everyone else and forget yourself."
...Hadn't Kang Han said something similar just a bit ago?
"Thank you, Guild Master. I'll put it to good use. Thanks to you, the desert dungeon will be a breeze."
"It won't be easy. Even combat hunters often come out sick after clearing desert dungeons. Take care of Nayeo-ju-ssi, Justice Guild Master."
"..."
Kang Han stared at the items in front of me with complicated eyes before finally speaking.
"Understood."
...Jeong Je-hwa's actions must have poked at Kang Han's sore spot.
Comforting him now would only bruise his pride more.
I was mulling over how to soothe him later when—
"And about that item you commissioned last time, Nayeo-ju-ssi."
"The one I asked for... You don't mean that, do you?"
The Dark Addiction scanner.
"Yes, that. There's been some progress. Could you stop by the workshop soon?"
"For real?! Awesome. You must be a genius, Guild Master."
Jeong Je-hwa, as expected.
How long had it been since I asked him to develop the Dark Addiction scanner? Progress already?
Kang Han, who'd been listening to our conversation, asked me casually.
"What item did you commission?"
"Ah, well... Um..."
Kang Han still didn't know the truth about Dark Addiction.
Or that I had a skill to purify it.
As I hesitated, unable to answer easily, Kang Han shook his head.
"Sorry if that was a tough question. You don't have to answer. Let's finish eating before we get too full again."
I felt terrible for unintentionally leaving him out of the conversation with Jeong Je-hwa.
Tok.
Kang Han smiled as if nothing was wrong, but the hand placing braised mackerel on my spoon felt strangely weaker than before.
'I should probably tell Kang Han soon.'
Thinking that, I chewed the mackerel slowly.
Thanks to the survival kit from Jeong Je-hwa, I didn't have much else to prepare.
Just some stamina-boosting tonics for Lim Cheong-su and a few regular stamina potions.
"00:35. Justice Guild entering the gate."
"Good luck."
After the standard report to the Association staff, we passed through the gate with the camera crew.
The moment I took my first breath, my feet sank into the sand, and I let out an involuntary chuckle at the sensation.
"This is no joke."
Just stepping through the black gate, and the heat hit like a wall, choking the air.
I'd been to freezing glacier dungeons and humid jungle ones.
But this level of climate shock was a first.
"Even in uniforms, it's hot."
Jang Su-ho flapped his clothes as he spoke.
"What's the temperature in here?"
"Hold on, let me check..."
At Han Ji-seong's question, Seong Yo-na pulled out a dungeon thermometer and fell silent.
"...45.5 degrees."
"No wonder."
"That's why it's so brutal."
Everyone clicked their tongues at the insane heat.
No breeze at all, and the blazing sun made it feel even hotter.
"We should clear it quick and get out. Can't stay long."
I shook my head and pulled out the mapping item.
The Thunder Dungeon's terrain was visible at a glance, but not the desert.
Endless dunes curved like ridges, hiding whatever lay beyond.
The mapping item hummed to life, as if an invisible hand was drawing the map.
When it finally finished, a heavy silence fell once more.
"No oasis...?"