Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Sacred Chalice
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Everyone was lost in such serious thoughts.
Especially Kang Han—his face had gone as rigid as a guardian statue standing at the village entrance.
"So, what item dropped?"
People die and leave behind their names; monsters die and leave behind items.
Fortunately, Kang Han seemed to appreciate my attempt to lighten the heavy mood. He pulled something out of his sub-space and showed it to us.
The chalice, a little larger than a fist, looked extraordinary even to the naked eye.
Sure enough, my guess had been right.
We couldn't sell this.
For the future, I had to tell them to store it carefully somewhere in the guild building or have Kang Han carry it in his sub-space.
"But isn't this a bit weird?"
Lee Yu-chan peered closely at the chalice and spoke up.
"Normally, even if it's a boss mob from an alligator dungeon, you'd expect hide, bones, claws, something like that to drop. Why'd we get this?"
"Yeah, you're right."
Jang Su-ho tilted his head too.
And Han Ji-seong provided the answer.
"Looks like the Alligator King got stronger by eating this."
"That was no D-rank power."
Lee Yu-eul, who'd clashed with it directly, nodded in agreement.
Watching my guildmates figure out the truth on their own without me pretending not to know and beating around the bush—it felt like what a proud parent must experience.
Of course, one of them veered a little off track.
"So, if we smash this and eat it, can we get stronger too?"
"You think you can just smash and eat something without knowing what it is? You'd bankrupt the house!"
Are they insane?
How does their mind jump like that?
This is a holy relic!
"What, is this chalice an eel? Slice it up and share? Why don't you claim the tail's yours too?"
"No, it was just a figure of speech. Why're you picking on me?"
Jang Su-ho protested as if deeply wronged, but all that came from my mouth was a disapproving tsk tsk.
"You're being too harsh."
He even pouted and stormed out of the hospital room.
"What's his deal?"
This level of bickering was routine.
But that kind of reaction?
It had to be related to that 'Master' keyword somehow.
"Ugh, headache."
Ever since the system told me it'd purify the dark addiction if I raised affinity, I'd known.
What kind of apocalypse is this hard to avert?
Well, apocalypses are tough to stop by nature.
Anyway, there was so much to do.
"First things first, let's get discharged."
I'd just swung one leg off the bed when I said that.
And like a ghost, Seo Yu-baek appeared.
"Where do you think you're going?"
It wasn't scary, but it was terrifying.
"No, I'm totally fine."
I tried a light rebellion.
"Back to bed. Rest."
"Yes, sir."
Now I couldn't even discharge myself.
What a fate.
Kang Han lay in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling of the room.
He'd just managed to convince Nayeo-ju, who was plotting a secret discharge against doctor's orders, to stay one more night, and they'd returned to the guild.
Sss...
"Baek Young."
A small white snake coiled comfortably near the warmth of his nape.
Kang Han's rough, long fingers stroked its soft body out of habit.
The other guild members all seemed asleep; the guild building was quiet.
The only sounds reaching Kang Han's sharp ears were the distant flow of Cheonggyecheon stream, drunken strangers chattering, and Baek Young's faint breathing right by his ear.
"Hoo."
He let out a deep breath.
When was the last time he'd rested so peacefully in this room?
He couldn't even properly remember.
The inexplicable urgency that always echoed in his mind was silent tonight.
Finally... we did it.
It was the first time since the 5th Dungeon Break had nearly destroyed the guild.
The first proper achievement worthy of the Justice Guild name.
Kang Han slowly closed his eyes.
He replayed the guerrilla dungeon in his mind.
Going into the gate, he hadn't fully trusted Jang Su-ho.
Sorry as it sounded, Su-ho in berserk mode was too strong—too brutal.
That was why he'd allowed Yang Hwa-yeon, another guild master, to tag along.
He was confident he could subdue a rationality-lost Su-ho, but not while protecting everyone else.
I never imagined someone could control that Su-ho.
The berserker with bloodshot red eyes regained his senses at Nayeo-ju's touch.
If the guilds and hunters who'd treated Su-ho like a beast rather than a man had seen it, they wouldn't have believed their eyes.
"Just what is she?"
He acknowledged her as a comrade, but question marks still loomed large.
Nayeo-ju was right.
Among those living in Korea now, no one was free of debt to the Justice Guild.
But no one wagered their all to repay it like her.
Most tried a few times, shook their heads, and left—some even tried to take the few who remained.
Yet Kang Han neither complained nor fought it.
The responsibility for the 5th Dungeon Break.
Innumerable people hurt, died.
Many lost their homes.
And the blame fell on the Justice Guild.
So Kang Han endured silently, waiting.
For the Justice Guild to stand tall again and atone for past sins.
And then Nayeo-ju appeared.
"I've said it once before, but let me say it properly again. I'm going to take the Justice Guild back to the top. And get a hundredfold, a thousandfold return on my investment."
Since she joined, the Justice Guild felt like riding a tiger's back.
Rough and chaotic, but undoubtedly climbing upward as she'd promised.
Thinking of the woman who'd just been desperately insisting she had mountains of work to do and trying to escape the hospital, Kang Han chuckled softly.
Nibble.
Then, Baek Young—who he'd thought was asleep—playfully nipped his earlobe.
Its meaning unknown, but surely just goofing around in its own way.
Kang Han stroked its little head and said,
"This time, I think we can believe it, Baek Young."
Plop~
With a cheerful sound Kang Han couldn't hear, a small speech bubble appeared above his lying head.
Only Baek Young gazed up at it with clear eyes, confirmed Kang Han was still smiling peacefully, then slipped back into sleep.
"Ahh, home sweet home."
After discharge, the first place I headed was the guild's underground training hall.
I'd lain here so much lately that it felt more comfortable than my room.
But today, the training room was empty.
Instead, the sofas in the center were lively with chatter.
It was a gathering to celebrate my discharge.
"Pepsi X Cola for me!"
"Ugh, can't mix Pepsi X."
"What're you saying? You only drink zero anyway."
The twins bickering as usual.
"Ji-seong hyung, feels refreshing after working out, right?"
"...Yeah."
Han Ji-seong, dragged around by workout fanatic Jang Su-ho, looked exhausted.
"......"
Kang Han, as inscrutable as ever, just stroked Baek Young coiled around his wrist like a bracelet.
"Familiar chaos is the best."
It was a bit surprising that I'd grown fond of this mess too.
"Unnie, what movie should we put on?"
"Play whatever you guys want."
"Aw, it's your discharge party. We gotta watch what you want!"
Lee Yu-eul rubbed against me, her body half a head taller than mine, acting cute.
"Ugh, that one. Looks fun. Says it's number one today. Let's watch that."
I pointed vaguely at a movie on the screen.
"Ooh, romcom. I wanted to see this too."
Lee Yu-eul hit play, beaming like we're so in sync.
It was a decent watch overall.
For some reason, the male lead was cursed: on full moons, he turned into a wolf-like beast.
And one full moon night, the heroine who wandered into his mansion by chance learned she had the power to turn him back human.
What followed was predictable.
The hero initially refused, fearing he'd hurt her, but after various events, he surrendered to instinct, they fell in love.
"This is what people like these days?"
Movies are fun when there's punching and smashing, right?
Thinking that, I figured I'd just nap instead—
Plop~
A faint affinity-up sound from somewhere jolted my drooping eyes open.
Who?! Who's it from!
And I spotted a speech bubble above Jang Su-ho's head.
For some reason, Jang Su-ho's ears were beet red as he gawked slack-jawed at the screen.
What's up with him?
His wide eyes fixed on the leads' kiss scene, the potato chip bag slipped from his hand.
And I heard a mutter.
"No way... doesn't seem right... or, is it?"