Chapter 135
"So cute...!"
Hong Su-jeong gasped and cooed as she stared at the sap in my hand.
A smile spread across her face, bright as ever.
Behind those thick lenses, her eyes were surely sparkling.
But...
"...?"
Something about her reaction was both familiar and different.
For once, she wasn't poking at it or rubbing her cheek against it.
She wasn't even trying to lick it.
Maybe she felt my gaze, because she murmured under her breath, so softly I could barely hear it.
"I know the difference between what I can do and what I shouldn't."
"Oh? You do?"
"......"
She was capable of making that distinction?
Hong Su-jeong had handled most of the things she'd taken in exactly that way until now.
The only thing she'd ever appraised without touching at all had been the morning dew Saessak had sent to comfort me.
So I genuinely hadn't known.
"That's mean..."
"Heh-heh..."
Hong Su-jeong shot a sidelong glance at her laughing friend.
Yu Jae-i just shrugged with a smile.
"...A slime?"
"No. It's too small to be a slime."
Behind Yu Jae-i, who was still shrugging, Kim Ji-yeon and Shim Yoon-jin came walking over.
It seemed their conversation with the police had finally wrapped up.
Even so, the police were still watching us.
They looked curious about what this sap was after the shield.
"Maybe it's the color? It looks just like maple syrup."
"It does. I kind of want to dip my finger in and taste it."
Then Shim Yoon-jin even licked her lips.
Well, the sap did look like jelly made from solidified maple syrup.
It made sense that she'd want to taste it.
The last one had looked like pudding, too, and it had been tempting in the same way.
"This is the same stuff you brought last time, right?"
"You recognize it?"
"They look the same. The color's different, though..."
While looking at the sap, Yu Jae-i turned to me.
Her gaze was serious.
I was used to that look now.
She wanted to make an item out of this sap.
But first, it needed to be appraised.
I looked over at Hong Su-jeong.
I couldn't see her eyes behind those thick lenses, but she was staring fixedly at the sap.
She was clearly using her appraisal skill to identify it.
A moment later,
"Amazing..."
Hong Su-jeong let out an admiring breath after finishing the appraisal.
Yu Jae-i asked right away, sounding curious.
"Well? The one you brought before had the property of storing mana."
"The one before?"
"Yeah. It was green."
"Green? I want to see that too!"
Hong Su-jeong looked straight at me.
Even if she wanted to see it, though...
I couldn't show what I didn't have on hand.
Saessak...
The World Tree sapling droops its branch.
It says there is no sap to give to the current caretaker.
Ah, I hadn't actually asked for any.
It's fine.
I soothed Saessak and shrugged.
When I made it clear I didn't have any, Hong Su-jeong lowered her head in disappointment.
Even so, she explained what the sap could do.
"This one can absorb nearby elemental energy."
"Elemental energy?"
"Yeah. To put it simply... if there's fire around, it absorbs fire energy. If there's water, it absorbs water energy, that sort of thing."
"Hee..."
So it really wasn't just a different color.
Green sap that stored mana.
Orange sap that absorbed elemental energy.
But...
Even if it absorbed energy, how was I supposed to use it?
"Absorb... It can absorb elemental energy, huh..."
Yu Jae-i murmured, arms folded.
She seemed to be thinking hard about where that orange sap might be useful.
Then, all of a sudden,
"W-We'll buy it!"
Shim Yoon-jin cut in.
Her eyes were shining the same way they had when she'd seen the previous World Tree's pine cone.
She looked like someone who already had a plan for how to use it.
Hmm. Buy it?
I turned to Yu Jae-i.
She snapped her middle finger and thumb together.
Looks like an idea had just come to her.
"...I can't do that."
"W-Why not? I can pay plenty!"
Of course she could.
She was the heir to the Ilde Group and also the guild master.
But even if she offered me a mountain of money, I had no intention of selling it this time.
Because...
"I'm going to use it myself."
"Ah..."
What could they do when the owner said he was using his own item?
Shim Yoon-jin sagged, disappointment obvious.
Her arms even drooped all the way to the ground.
Kim Ji-yeon patted her back to comfort her.
I looked away from them and turned to Yu Jae-i.
The moment our eyes met, she grinned.
"Let's modify Arca."
"Arca...?"
"Yep!"
"Modify it..."
"You don't want to? If you don't, I can't force you, but... no, I get it. Arca is already a fine weapon on its own. Still, um, it could be even better..."
What was with this adorable half-grumbling?
I handed her the orange sap.
She took the sap I'd offered so suddenly, holding it carefully in both hands.
"Who said I didn't want to?"
"Y-You're going to modify it?"
"Then should I not? You just turned down the sale, too."
The instant she heard that, Yu Jae-i broke into a bright smile.
The woman who had been muttering under her breath a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
Honestly...
"Arca."
I reached into my inventory and took Arca out.
Yu Jae-i asked in a worried voice,
"Uh, is it okay to give it to me now?"
"Huh? Why wouldn't it be?"
"But... you're in the middle of work."
She pointed toward the arena with her index finger.
And she was right. I was in the middle of work.
But... was there really any situation in which I'd need to use Arca right this second?
Probably not.
Not unless the S-class hunters and the A+ class hunters went insane and started fighting each other.
"It's fine. I've got a kitchen knife that's better than most B-rank weapons. Two of them, in fact."
"A kitchen knife? What are you talking about all of a sudden--! Huh. You have those with you right now?"
"Huh? Of course I do."
"......"
"What?"
"N-Nothing!"
She waved her hand and accepted Arca from me.
Then she slung it over her shoulder with effortless ease.
It was...
An image that just didn't compute.
It was the sort of weapon Taecheon had found heavy and Kim Mu-yeon hadn't even been able to lift, yet Yu Jae-i hoisted it without any trouble at all.
It was like a bug in a game.
Buzz, buzz.
I felt a vibration in my hand.
[Kim Tae-seok]
"Shoot, have I been away from my post too long?"
"Ah..."
She looked apologetic.
I waved a hand to say it was fine and answered the call.
I had been able to slack off, after all.
- Mr. Do-woon! Where are you right now?
Kim Tae-seok's frantic voice came through the moment I picked up.
What was this? Had something happened?
"At the main gate. Why?"
- T-Then please come right away!
"Why? What's wrong?"
- Th-that person! Gwichin has come looking for you!
Huh?
Why was that man looking for me?
It wasn't as though he'd developed some interest in me because of last night's events.
After our short conversation, we'd both fallen silent and spent more than thirty minutes staring out the window.
In the end, I'd been the one to get up and leave because I was bored out of my mind.
No, more importantly.
"Didn't you say he was meditating? Is he here?"
- He just arrived.
"...He asked for me right after he got here?"
- That's right! Please come quickly!
"No, that's weird. Why is he asking for me the moment he arrives?"
- Is that what's important right now!
"Then what's important?"
- Damn it, that devil's mouth of yours! Stop saying useless things and just get over here, already!
"Devil's mouth...? That's harsh. You're hurting my feelings."
- ...What? Ah, yes. Yes, of course. He'll come right away. Hahaha!
Well, look at that.
When had I ever said I'd come right away?
Kim Tae-seok's desperate voice poured through the receiver.
- Mr. Do-woon. I'm asking as if it's the request of a lifetime. Please come right now... please...
"Not to make it a request of a lifetime--"
Click.
The call ended.
Look at this guy.
Is that how you ask someone for a favor?
"What's wrong?"
Yu Jae-i asked, still with Arca slung over her shoulder.
She was probably curious because I was staring at my smartphone with a sour expression.
"Gwichin says he's looking for me."
"Oh, really? Gwichin... huh?"
She tilted her head.
Then her eyes widened.
"N-Not... no way..."
"There's no way you're talking about that Gwichin, right?"
Hong Su-jeong asked in place of the flustered Yu Jae-i, who couldn't quite finish the sentence.
Of course, Hong Su-jeong wasn't any more composed than she was.
"Is there another Gwichin?"
"......"
"......"
Yu Jae-i and Hong Su-jeong both fell silent.
Kim Ji-yeon and Shim Yoon-jin, standing beside them, shook their heads.
It was Yu Jae-i who broke the brief silence.
"But what are you doing?"
"Huh?"
"It's Gwichin."
"So?"
"So what do you mean, so? Why are you just standing there instead of going already?"
"Ah, that."
"Ah? That?"
"He came here without calling ahead. He can wait a little. I'm more curious about how you're going to modify Arca. Go on, tell me."
"Ha..."
The faces of the three women looking at me all carried a look of utter helplessness.
Yu Jae-i alone was smiling as she looked at me.
It was a warm, gentle smile.
In a way, it also felt familiar.
Where had I seen that smile before?
"I like that you always act the same, no matter who you're dealing with."
"...Huh?"
Despite saying she liked it, she frowned.
Her eyes at me sharpened naturally, too.
Ah.
I remembered.
Do-hee.
It was a lot like the smile Do-hee used to give me.
Probably the one she wore when she was trying her hardest to soften the blow of my behavior before scolding me, right?
Wait.
Then Yu Jae-i's smile just now...
"Hurry up and go."
Yu Jae-i said firmly.
Wow. That was surprising.
I hadn't expected to see a glimpse of Do-hee in Yu Jae-i at all.
That was kind of new.
"Why are you suddenly laughing?"
"Ah, it's just--"
"Nope. I don't care. Forget it. Go to Gwichin already!"
She pointed her index finger toward the arena.
I scratched my head, then decided to do as she said.
Because she reminded me of Do-hee.
She'd smile gently and then give me one firm sentence.
And if I still didn't listen, Do-hee would always do the same thing.
No discussion necessary.
She'd use force.
Something like firing dozens of magic missiles at me.
It wasn't painful at all, since there was no real intent to injure me...
But it was annoying enough to make everyday life unbearable.
What would Yu Jae-i do?
I was curious enough to want to find out, but...
"...I'm going."
I didn't dare, in case she actually got angry.
I started toward the arena.
Maybe next time I'd test the waters right up to the point before she truly lost her temper.
The sapling advises that I shouldn't try it.
Haha, no way!
＊＊＊
Gwichin was waiting for me in the woods near the arena.
He really did seem like a druid.
He was surrounded by small forest animals.
The whole scene looked calm and peaceful.
Unfortunately, that soft atmosphere didn't last long.
"...!"
Maybe he sensed me.
The little animals fled in all directions in an instant.
Because of that, Gwichin, who had been sitting in seiza on the ground like he had last night, slowly opened his eyes.
What a shame.
It had looked so nice, like stepping into a fairy tale.
The sapling senses a warm gaze.
A warm gaze...
For now, it didn't seem like he'd come to me with anything bad.
"Do-woon. It was you, wasn't it?"
His gaze was as warm as it had been the night before.
So was his voice.
"What was?"
"The one who returned the dungeon here to its original state."
His mouth had produced something I never would have expected.
I was so startled I almost gaped.
Fortunately, I managed to keep my composure and ask back.
So it wasn't bad news after all...
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
His eyes widened slightly at my question.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I'm surprised. Do-woon, you're very good at lying."
"Lying? How could I possibly tell a lie to someone like that?"
"Haha... If I hadn't had proof, I might have believed you."
Proof?
He had proof?
No.
He was bluffing.
If he really had proof, then the Korean dungeon investigation team, including Kim Tae-seok, would never have failed to find it by now.
Was it even believable that Gwichin could spot something the investigation team had missed for weeks the instant he arrived?
I scratched my head and said,
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."
"Do-woon. Do you think you can fool me?"
What was this absurd confidence?
Was it some kind of S-class hunter ability to see through everything?
Or did he really have evidence, just as he claimed?
"......"
Gwichin stood up.
He looked around, then drew in a deep breath.
When he exhaled, the corners of his mouth lifted as if he were feeling refreshed.
"The energy in this forest is... very familiar."
"Familiar...?"
"It's longing. The kind of longing that makes you think of family back home."
Longing?
Family?
Don't tell me...
"That's right. It's the energy I felt from Do-woon last night."
"......"
The mana he felt here.
The mana he felt from me.
As he said, the two had to be similar.
Because this place had been made from the fragments of my body, fragments that carried the World Tree's mana.
To pretend it didn't matter when the mana was that similar...
"...Damn. If I were him, I wouldn't believe it either."
"Hahaha."
Gwichin laughed brightly.
For reasons I didn't understand, he looked as if he'd just run into a long-lost family member.