Chapter 13
[Whisper/Girmu] SaltySalt: omggggg what is this??kkkkkkkkkkkk
[Whisper/Girmu] SaltySalt: I mean that guy;;;; sometimes he seems dense but he can be really sharp kkkkkkkkkkk;;;;;;
SaltySalt was making a fuss, saying that it wouldn’t be strange to roll out a mat now, though it was probably just coincidence.
[Party] Gulbi: But Girmu-nim too
[Party] Gulbi: You haven’t been saying much
[Party] Gulbi: Since earlier… right? ^^;
[Party] Tangerine: Huh? I think Girmu-nim just hasn’t been talking much since entering the dungeon?
[Party] Tangerine: Except when you were screaming for help lol
Ugh. It was embarrassing, but that desperate past moment came to mind, and Beodeul’s hands tensed up.
[Party] Girmu: Hehe;
[Party] Smile: That’s right kk he doesn’t chat much normally
As soon as Beodeul managed to send a short message, Smile added to what Tangerine had said as if agreeing.
‘That’s because I mostly talk to Sinu-nim through voice chat.’
Though it wasn’t like he talked a lot even when using the microphone.
Beodeul glanced at the headset he’d neatly set aside. Today, perhaps because other party members were present, there hadn’t been any voice chat requests unlike usual. Why would that make him feel disappointed now?
‘Then I could have said everything by voice instead of needing to type.’
Now he was in a situation where he couldn’t even type in chat for fear of making mistakes, so it seemed he would only be able to tell the truth after taking down the boss.
‘But why is SaltySalt being quiet?’
The chat window was strangely silent, with neither confirmation nor denial. Looking at how SaltySalt still used whispers despite Gulbi’s speculation and the question marks, it seemed like they didn’t want to reveal anything, but they weren’t clearly denying it either.
Almost at the same moment Beodeul was thinking this, Smile, who had just dealt the finishing blow to the boss, asked:
[Party] Smile: kk?
[Party] Smile: But why is SaltySalt
[Party] Smile: So quiet?
With the boss defeated, Beodeul could finally relax and gain the freedom to chat. But perhaps because it was the first clear, a cinematic immediately filled the screen.
[Party] SaltySalt: ㅇㅅㅇ;;
[Party] SaltySalt: Heh, did I cause some major incident without even knowing?
[Party] SaltySalt: Why is everyone so serious ㅋㅅㅋ? The atmosphere is almost like when something gets posted on the company board right now~~?
[Party] Smile: kk wait
[Party] Smile: Let’s regroup before moving on
After the short video of the boss completely turning into a ghost and disappearing ended, Beodeul could finally check the party chat. And his phone, which had started vibrating.
[SN-nim is requesting a call.]
Beodeul blinked at the screen that lit up with the voice chat notification and looked back and forth between his neatly arranged headset and phone. Which one should he use?
If he hesitated too long, the request would probably end quickly. With no choice, Beodeul picked up his phone.
“Hello?”
Sinu requested the call but was silent for a moment. Soon, the faint sound of keyboard typing could be heard through the receiver. Then the familiar voice also came through.
“Girmu-nim.”
It was a voice he’d heard countless times through his headset, but hearing it through the phone gave it a different feeling. Like he was actually talking to someone he knew. Feeling a strange sensation, Beodeul lightly tugged at his earlobe before answering.
“Yes, Sinu-nim. What’s the matter?”
Wasn’t voice chat not being used today because other party members were present? After talking through chat all this time, why suddenly…?
“You must be surprised by my sudden call. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. We do this often anyway.”
“That…”
“Yes?”
“Did SaltySalt say anything strange or act rudely to you?”
“Ah, through whispers? No. Actually, they were being helpful…”
“So they did whisper to you, I see.”
Oops. Beodeul realized he had inadvertently spilled the truth and quickly rolled his eyes from side to side.
“But really, they didn’t say anything special.”
“That’s a relief then…”
Sinu mumbled that and then went silent again. Like before, no keyboard typing sounds could be heard, but Beodeul somehow felt that he was staring at the screen just like himself.
“Still, if they were rude, I’ll apologize on their behalf.”
This wasn’t like Sinu, who had been the most enthusiastic about teasing SaltySalt earlier. If Sinu’s attitude before had seemed like dealing with a close friend, now he was being kind, like looking after a close and cherished younger sibling. Although his voice was subdued.
So this is what bonds between close guild members in an old guild are like. Not bad to see – a gentle smile formed on Beodeul’s lips.
“There’s really nothing to apologize for, but you seem quite worried.”
“SaltySalt isn’t a bad kid… but they can be rude to people outside their circle sometimes.”
“Since our guild gets more attention than necessary in the game, some people tend to put up walls from the start. SaltySalt is one of those cases.”
For someone like that, all the party members seemed too generous to me. As Beodeul was recalling his memories, Sinu sighed and said:
“SaltySalt is especially extreme, and they know it themselves, so they usually don’t mingle with people outside our guild. I don’t know what whim they’re following today… but it’s all because guild members have been too soft on them.”
“Haha.”
That truly sounded like a second brother who, while scolding his youngest sibling, still worried about them. The reason for specifically thinking of a second brother was because the title of eldest brother seemed to fit the user named Youngglory, the guild master.
With his chin resting on his hand in thought, Beodeul suddenly asked in a light voice:
“While you worry about them behind their back, why did you kill SaltySalt?”
“…Pardon?”
After a moment of silence, the questioning voice slipped. Oh? He seems flustered.
“That’s… no, I think you misunderstood something.”
“What?”
“I was worried about you, Girmu-nim.”
“…?”
“Why would I worry about SaltySalt… why would I?”
His tone suggested he really couldn’t understand why he should, leaving Beodeul speechless with a sigh. How wronged he must feel…
“I was worried they might have been rude to you, and that you might misunderstand. Not everyone in our guild is like that. We have many decent people too.”
“Ah, I see…”
“You don’t seem convinced.”
“No, no, that’s not it.”
Beodeul answered that way and then silently laughed. It was because Sinu’s quickly questioning voice sounded strangely pouty.
“…You’re laughing right now, aren’t you?”
“No… heh, I’m not.”
“I can hear it, so just laugh comfortably.”
Ahaha! As soon as Beodeul heard Sinu’s words, he burst into laughter without resistance.
I shouldn’t laugh like this just from hearing someone’s voice… But the voice I thought was like a cool wind in a cave suddenly sounded as friendly as a sibling I see often.
Beodeul was inwardly rationalizing like that when he heard Sinu asking if he was done laughing, and he barely managed to compose himself.
“I’m sorry. I laughed too loudly…”
“So you’re sorry for laughing loudly.”
“For laughing…”
“It’s fine.”
Sinu’s voice had returned to its usual calm tone. Hmm, though it doesn’t seem fine at all. Beodeul barely managed to hold back another burst of laughter when he looked at the character with the nickname “Smile.”
“Ah, everyone must be waiting for a while now.”
Feeling the call had gone on longer than expected, Beodeul moved his character from side to side on the screen. Then the party members who had been standing still also started moving around as if waking up from sleep. It seemed no one had left their seats.
“Then shall we move on?”
“Yes, then-“
“Ah, let’s continue with voice chat. You seemed to struggle with typing.”
So it was noticeable after all. Beodeul awkwardly laughed while hiding his inner embarrassment.
“It’s more comfortable for me too.”
“But I’m on a phone call right now.”
“If you don’t mind, switch to speaker mode and place it next to your keyboard.”
“Wow, that works?”
Beodeul switched to speaker mode and then said, “It’s ready now.”
“Then let’s go. And if SaltySalt whispers anything to you, just ignore them.”
He had already been unintentionally ignoring them since he couldn’t respond anyway.
“You can even minimize the chat window and just listen to my voice if you want.”
“But then I won’t be able to see the other members’ chat, right?”
“It’s not like there’s much nutritional value in those chats anyway.”
That was truly the epitome of a cutting remark. Still, when Beodeul didn’t answer and just gave an ambiguous laugh, Sinu said as if making a point:
“I can tell you better than SaltySalt can.”
“You said before that you’d trust only me.”
That wasn’t the nuance of what he had said… or at least he didn’t think so. But Beodeul didn’t deny it and minimized the chat window as Sinu suggested. Might as well listen when he’s being so insistent. It’s not like he could read it well anyway.
“I’ve minimized it.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
The rest of the dungeon went very smoothly. Even the orb pattern of the final boss, which he had considered the most challenging, was cleared with ease due to good coordination with the party members. Sinu’s help in checking Beodeul’s orbs was a big contribution.
Indeed, listening and speaking through voice chat seemed to make his head and hands move more quickly compared to communicating through text.
‘It’s definitely effective.’
With the other party members’ concession, Beodeul directly opened the dungeon’s final chest and received the items. As befitting a difficult dungeon, the rewards were quite generous.
‘Now I can enhance my level 100 equipment too.’
Recently, having reached level 100, it was time to replace his equipment. Beodeul recalled Sinu’s weapon enhanced to +15 or higher that he had seen in the dungeon earlier and impulsively thought:
‘Should I just enhance mine to +15 too?’
Everyone says it’s a waste of money, but from level 100 onwards, leveling speed slows down considerably, and there are long stagnation periods at each equipment replacement interval.
If the stagnation period is long, wouldn’t it be worth the money spent? Especially if he hunts consistently and runs dungeons regularly.
“Good work. How many enhancement stones did you get?”
“I’m not sure, but I have about 500 now.”
“Hmm.”
In the brief moment of conversation with Sinu, Beodeul completed the calculation in his head.
Let’s enhance! For a Dragon Slayer like me, equipment is all I can trust!
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
