Interest Rate (2)
Interest Rate (2)
The man with the twisted wrist looked up at me.
His pupils were trembling, but soon he began to bluster, relying on his numbers.
"Who the hell are you to butt in!"
"Because of this bitch, all our gear got wrecked!"
How noisy.
"So?"
At my curt response, the men's faces turned red and purple.
"What do you mean 'so'! Do you know this woman?"
"I, I..."
As Lee Yul opened her mouth to say something—
"Shut up! How dare you even try to speak!"
The men shouted, cutting off Lee Yul's words.
Pale-faced, Lee Yul tightly gripped the hem of her robe and bowed her head to the ground.
This won't end like this.
"Hey! What's going on here?"
Just then, a Management Bureau employee came running at the commotion.
"You can't cause disturbances at the dungeon entrance."
Instantly, the men's attitudes changed.
"This woman gathered a party but ran away alone right before the boss fight!"
"Shouldn't the Management Bureau punish her!"
"We demand compensation for damages!"
The employee frowned.
"Let's not do this here. Come inside to discuss."
"No, settle this right now!"
"It's protocol."
"Where does it say—"
"Are you resisting the Management Bureau?"
The employee's voice turned icy in an instant.
"No..."
"Follow me."
At the employee's firm words, the men tightly shut their mouths.
Good.
Now the Management Bureau will handle it, right?
As I tried to discreetly step back—
...Huh?
Something was pulling at my waist.
It was Lee Yul.
With her head still bowed, she was clutching my clothes as if holding onto a lifeline.
Her knuckles were white.
"...Hey?"
There was no response.
Guess I have no choice.
A sigh escaped me.
"I'll go with you."
I felt her fingers loosen slightly.
***
Inside the Management Bureau building, a small meeting room.
An employee sat us facing each other across a table.
Three men on one side, Lee Yul and me on the other.
"I'll hear both sides' statements in turn. You first."
The men repeated the same story like parrots.
That Lee Yul ran away as soon as they entered the boss room,
and that their gear was destroyed fighting the boss, so they demanded compensation.
"Understood. Next, your turn."
As Lee Yul took a deep breath to speak—
Bang!
One of the men slammed the table.
"Don't even think about lying!"
Lee Yul flinched and closed her mouth.
"Interrupting the statement is—"
Before the employee could finish, the other two chimed in.
"What's there to hear!"
"She's obviously going to lie!"
One man stood up and pointed at Lee Yul.
These guys.
I silently stood up.
Suddenly, the small meeting room felt cramped.
I grabbed the shoulder of the man pointing at Lee Yul with one hand and forced him back into his chair.
Thud.
"Oof!"
The man reflexively tried to stand after being slammed into the chair,
but couldn't move an inch in my grip.
I glanced at the other two.
The two fidgeting men quietly glued themselves to their seats.
"Shall we hear the story now?"
Silence fell over the meeting room.
The employee swallowed dryly and cautiously spoke.
"...Please continue."
Lee Yul opened her mouth.
Her voice trembled but didn't break like before.
"I-it's true that I gathered the party."
She raised her head.
"...Those three approached me then.
They told me to trust them because they were experts.
Said not to worry."
Lee Yul's hands clenched tightly on her lap.
"But when the boss charged... they ran away first."
They ran first?
"With them gone, the boss charged straight at me.
Left alone... my mind went blank, and I ran..."
Her voice grew faint again.
The employee listened to the end and nodded.
"You mentioned your gear was destroyed. Can we see it now?"
The men flinched.
"...It was too damaged. We had to discard it."
"Right. It was beyond repair."
"...Hmm."
The employee looked between the men and Lee Yul.
"Both accounts contradict, and neither has evidence."
"She's lying!"
"Why would we run first!"
"Quiet.
At this point, it's difficult to make a unilateral judgment.
Both sides will receive a warning.
You may leave."
"This is ridiculous!"
"We're the only ones who suffered losses!"
"Bring evidence, and we'll reconsider.
But if you cause more disturbances, I'll have to call security."
At the employee's sharp glare, the men fell silent again.
***
Outside the meeting room, the men hesitated to say more to Lee Yul but froze when they saw me.
"Fuck, see you around."
They spat on the ground and walked away.
Ugh, got cursed at for butting in.
Now that it's over, I should hurry into the dungeon.
But.
Lee Yul still hadn't let go of my clothes.
"...Hey, can you let go?"
Lee Yul raised her bowed head.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Huh? Wha—?"
My brain short-circuited.
Why suddenly?
I awkwardly patted her back.
At my clumsy touch, Lee Yul collapsed into my arms.
"Sniff... sob... You don't believe me either, do you?"
She burst into tears.
"They ran first... Why me... What did I do wrong..."
Words poured out between sobs.
"Hey, calm down first?"
I clumsily rubbed her back.
"Just treat it like stepping in shit and forget about it."
Lee Yul's crying gradually subsided.
***
Later, Lee Yul pulled away and looked up.
Her face was tear-streaked, her nose bright red.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Ah..."
At my laugh, Lee Yul's face flushed crimson.
She frantically wiped her tears with her robe sleeve.
"S-sorry... for suddenly..."
"It's fine."
Whew, finally calmed down.
Relieved, I turned toward the Gate.
If I enter the dungeon now...
But I glanced back at Lee Yul.
Seeing her standing there in a torn robe, legs trembling, I couldn't just leave her.
"Yesterday, you said you wanted to repay me, right?"
Lee Yul blinked like a rabbit and slowly nodded.
"Then treat me to a meal. It's too late to enter the dungeon now anyway."
Lee Yul blinked, then gave a small nod.
"Then... I saw a place on the way here."
***
The place Lee Yul took me wasn't the cheap eatery I expected,
but an upscale restaurant on the main street.
Warm air and the aroma of coffee greeted me as the door opened.
...We're eating here?
Dazed, Lee Yul casually led me to a table.
A waiter handed us menus as we sat.
Pasta, pizza, salad.
Not what I had in mind.
And each item cost at least twice what I'd expected.
To eat my fill here would blow my daily food budget...?
Can I really let someone who looks younger than me treat me to this?
"What would you like? I heard their pasta is good."
"...Just one pasta, then."
"That's all?"
Lee Yul tilted her head.
"...Yeah, not that hungry."
The lie slipped out automatically.
"Okay, I'll have that too."
With our order placed, the waiter brought water and a basket with two bread slices.
I'll make do with this.
When the pasta arrived, Lee Yul slowly continued her unfinished story from the meeting room.
"You saw yesterday... I'm a healer.
So... I can't hunt monsters alone."
Her fork trembled in her hand.
"I tried to form a party, but when they heard I was a beginner... everyone hesitated."
She kept twisting pasta around her fork without eating.
"Then those people approached me.
They said they were a D-rank party with First Layer boss experience and good gear.
Just trust us.
...That's what they said."
The pasta was getting cold.
"But the moment we entered the boss room... they backed away first.
Then the boss charged straight at me..."
They retreated immediately?
So it was planned trolling.
They must've targeted her because, despite her novice aura, her gear was top-notch.
"It charged..."
Her voice grew fainter.
"When the boss... came rushing at me..."
"That's enough. I've heard enough."
Lee Yul exhaled softly and bowed her head.
She shoveled a huge forkful of pasta into her mouth and swallowed.
She's already finished...
Rinsing my mouth with water, I asked something that had been on my mind.
"One thing I'm curious about.
Why are you so desperate to enter dungeons?
Healers have plenty of work outside, and judging by your gear, you don't seem to need money?"
Lee Yul set down her fork.
"...I have my reasons."
That was all she said before tightly closing her mouth.
...Well, I have secrets I can't share either.
I didn't press further.
Resting my chin on my hand, I pondered.
Novice, fragile mentality, probably a rich girl.
Being a healer is her only merit...
Honestly, shouldn't she quit being a Hunter?
She looks young too.
But that face shows no intention of giving up.
...I need a healer too.
"I refused yesterday."
She turned her head.
"But thinking about it, I could use a healer."
"...What?"
"If you haven't changed your mind, want to form a party with me?"
Tears welled up in her eyes again.
But these tears felt different from before.
"...Really?"
"Yeah. But even if we team up, we won't go straight to the 2nd Floor.
Never mind me—you're a beginner, so you need more training on the First Layer."
She covered her face with both hands and nodded.
Why is she crying again?
"I... I'll work hard.
I'll definitely be useful to you, Yunha-ssi."
I leaned back in my chair.
This is an investment.
I'll need a healer to go deeper anyway.
As I made excuses to no one in particular—
Grrrrr.
My stomach announced it was still hungry.
Embarrassed, I pretended to gaze into the distance.
"...You're paying, right?"
Lee Yul's tear-streaked face burst into laughter.
"Of course."
Hearing that, I immediately reopened the menu without hesitation.
No more room for pride.
"Then... one steak. One risotto. One gambas. Salad and soup too."
Lee Yul's eyes widened as I listed my order.
"...Y-you're eating all that?"
"Had a light breakfast."
She alternated glances between her half-eaten pasta and me.
Sorry.
But I'm seriously starving.
---
[Dungeon Gallery]
Title: Geum Tae-yang the Barbarian's Latest
Today's evolution: caveman
Anon: Why isn't he evolving?
Anon: Saw him today lol
Anon: Was standing like a rock near the noisy entranceㅋㅋㅋ
Anon: What happened?
Anon: Think he knows that healer who got blacklisted
Anon: Yeah saw them holding hands going into the Management Bureau
Anon: Wait she's blacklisted?
Anon: With that face, one mistake is forgivable right? Agree?
Anon: Lives were at stake, how can you agree?
---