Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Want to Touch My Breasts?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Mana potions?"
I couldn't understand why she was making such a face over what seemed like a simple request.
Of course, it was a side of Rubyel I'd never seen before, so it had this intriguing charm of contrast.
'She somehow looks several times prettier than usual.'
I nodded as I thought that.
"I'm not sure if I can get more, but I'll give it a shot."
My goal from the start was to help the Hero Party save this world.
Naturally, the stronger they got, the higher the chances of saving the world, so there was no reason not to help.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Rubyel looked genuinely surprised at my answer and asked again.
Then she slowly nodded, her face showing some deep thought, though I had no idea why.
'Is she thinking about the mana potions?'
Curious myself, I asked more about them.
"So, what changes if you drink a few more?"
"Hm? Oh. It'll make a big difference in all sorts of ways. Just improving my constitution this time is like boosting my combat power."
"Does the constitution improvement happen multiple times?"
"Not exactly finished yet. The others might see effects too, probably."
If Elisicia, Aila, and even Rian benefited, that meant we'd need a lot of mana potions.
'Otil said she'd help, so maybe we can make it work.'
The problem was that Otil had said her help was limited because she was "too young."
Considering she was 201 years old, it didn't make sense, but witch standards were different, so I got it.
'That's like 20 in human years.'
After dinner and taking care of Rubyel's business, we prepared to sleep.
"Elly, watch duty?"
When Rubyel asked about watch duty, Elisicia thought for a moment before answering.
"If Castaway's Rover handles it, we can skip for a while."
Unexpectedly, Elisicia suggested skipping watch duty.
I figured out why pretty quickly.
'Come to think of it, she said Rover could handle monsters up to floors 10 or 11 without issue.'
We were on floor 9 now, so she figured it could at least deal with monsters.
Honestly, with Rover unloading bullets, it'd shred humans or monsters in seconds anyway.
"Castaway, Elly says it's fine?"
"No problem."
Besides, it wasn't me standing watch—it was Rover.
Just ask the machine to do it, easy.
"Settled then. How long we skipping?"
"We'll start properly once we head deeper into the labyrinth."
Probably from floor 11 onward.
'Gotta go down to 10, then back up to the beastkin area.'
It'd take at least a few days.
'No watch until then.'
Everyone except Elisicia nodded, looking secretly pleased.
Watch duty was exhausting in every way, so they were happy to skip even a few days.
'How'd they manage before?'
I chewed some 4-channel jelly, imagining standing watch.
Not just that—descending the labyrinth and fighting monsters too.
'Sounds exhausting just thinking about it.'
Anyone else would think the same.
But the Hero Party showed no such signs.
'They're used to it.'
Not just because I joined and handled showers, meals, and sleep.
Maybe descending the labyrinth and battling monsters was just daily life for them now.
"Castaway, what're you doing? Come lie down."
"......"
Whatever. I couldn't avoid sleeping between Elisicia and Rubyel again tonight.
Since it wasn't my first time, I didn't overthink it. I lay between them and used telekinesis to dim the lantern.
'Telekinesis is handy for this.'
Shaping it like a hand was a smart move.
Use it right, and I could even cook with telekinesis.
"Castaway. Good night."
"Ah, yeah. You too, Hero."
"And just so you know......"
Elisicia gave a gentle smile mixing apology and gratitude.
"Thanks for everything."
"......"
Her smile left me speechless.
I just stared at Elisicia as she slowly closed her eyes and drifted off.
'......Not falling asleep right away, huh.'
Her smile was burned into my mind.
No chance of sleep now. I opened the gallery instead.
'Today......'
Checked 5-channel yesterday, so 7-channel today—
"Castaway."
Rubyel on my right rolled toward me and called.
I'd thought she'd be asleep like Elisicia, so it surprised me she was still up.
"Not sleeping?"
"Later. More importantly, thanks for the mana potion today."
She'd stayed up to thank me.
"No big deal. Gotta get stronger to clear the labyrinth."
"True. Not as easy as it sounds."
Rubyel said getting stronger wasn't simple.
But we'd found a way with the mana potion today.
"Anyway, you helped us a ton."
"Don't mention it."
"As thanks, want to touch my breasts?"
"......Pardon?"
I thought I'd misheard.
"You blush and get embarrassed staring at our bodies every day. But you don't seem to hate it."
"No, that's...... What brings this up?"
"I said it's thanks. I thought about it earlier—turns out I can't do much else."
That explained her thoughtful expression before.
'Points could've been thanks.'
She didn't mention points, so the 15,000 she'd given before was probably all she had.
"If you like that sort of thing or are curious, go ahead and touch."
"......"
My gaze naturally drifted to Rubyel's breasts.
Through her thin, loose nightdress, I could see her B-cup cleavage.
"Ah...... Um......"
"Don't want to?"
Honestly? Of course I did.
But we weren't alone in the tent.
"Hero's right there......"
"Elly? What about her? I said it's fine."
Even if Elisicia just watched blankly, it'd be shocking.
"Not mentally ready yet."
Rubyel eyed me curiously but nodded.
"Then anytime you want, just touch."
With that, she seemed satisfied and slowly closed her eyes.
Sleep fully gone, I sighed inwardly, opened the gallery—but my eyes kept going to her breasts.
"......"
Should've just closed my eyes and groped.
Channel 3.
Ice Queen Han Soo-yeon headed to the meeting spot with her group at dawn.
A man in his late 30s with an intellectual look had arrived first and gave a polite smile.
"Long time no see, Ms. Han Soo-yeon. Still as beautiful as ever."
Jeong Ye-rim, behind Han Soo-yeon, turned away and mimed a quiet gag.
"I don't want to waste time on small talk."
Han Soo-yeon cut straight to business.
The man—Incheon Alliance leader Lee Geon-woo—nodded and followed her lead.
"Fair enough. As you know, something ominous is happening around Daejeon."
"......"
Han Soo-yeon had confirmed it via gallery yesterday.
That's why she was meeting Lee Geon-woo at first light.
"Zombies massing. Probably the second [Zombie Queen] appearing."
Zombie Queen.
The key to ending this apocalypse.
"You think the Zombie Queen is heading to Incheon?"
"Likely. Plenty of survivors, and Seoul's there too."
For reference, the first Zombie Queen had razed Seoul upon appearing.
Thanks to sacrificial teamwork and an 11-man suicide squad, they'd barely killed it.
Only two of the eleven survived.
"So what're you getting at?"
Han Soo-yeon's current spot was Icheon.
Lucky, it might dodge the Queen's advance—but just a hypothesis.
"Cooperation. Situation calls for combining forces, right?"
"Probably."
With a Zombie Queen appeared, cooperation was inevitable.
The first had shown absurd results.
"Mind if I ask how you plan to fight the Zombie Queen?"
"Build a defensive line. From Ansan City to Siheung City, thin out their numbers first."
"Then take her down once numbers drop."
"Yes. This war ends with killing the Zombie Queen."
Known Zombie Queen ability: control other zombies.
Miss her, and she'd rally another horde. Had to catch her.
"You expect me to join the subjugation?"
"Please. We need S-rank Han Soo-yeon's power."
"Who else is in besides me?"
"Incheon Alliance S-rank Kang Moo-hyun will join."
Han Soo-yeon nodded at the name.
Kang Moo-hyun was one of the eleven from the first subjugation.
"No doubts on his skill."
"Park Jun-ho's expressed interest too—the rising star."
"That self-proclaimed Mobile Suit pilot Park Jun-ho?"
"Yes. Near-invincible against zombies."
Han Soo-yeon agreed: invincible vs. regular zombies.
But against the Queen? Lacking. She asked about others.
"Kang Moo-hyun, Park Jun-ho. Anyone else?"
"Working on it. You're the third."
"......If we don't have the firepower to take down the Zombie Queen, I'm out anytime."
"I'll gather enough. Killing the second won't end it."
Korea's original population: over 50 million.
Thus, six Zombie Queens assigned proportionally.
Needed to kill all six to end Korea's zombie apocalypse.